"Han people?"
"Does that not mean the people of Han?"
The moment that realization surfaced, everyone in the hall seemed to lift at once, as if some invisible weight had been cast off.
Since the time of Emperor Wu, when the empire had swept across the lands and unified all under heaven, the people of Han had long taken pride in that name. No matter whether one came from Qin, Chu, or Wei, all former distinctions were cast aside, and the people identified themselves by the state. They were all Han.
"To think that after more than a thousand years and over ten dynasties," someone said slowly, still digesting it, "later generations praise Tang, lament Song, debate Ming endlessly… and yet still call themselves Han?"
In that instant, a subtle sense of kinship rose in their hearts toward those distant descendants.
Even the two youths who had passed by earlier somehow seemed more upright now, their previously unremarkable frames appearing a touch more spirited.
"Mm. A bit on the thin side, but they carry themselves with the bearing of Han men. Not bad at all."
Even Liu Bei's expression softened.
He looked at the men and women outside the temple gates shown on the Light Screen, each holding strange little objects in their hands and posing in all sorts of ways. What had initially seemed odd now felt almost… endearing.
Forget it, forget it, he thought. If we look at it this way, they are all our descendants. Let them be happy
[Light Screen]
[There is another interesting detail about the inscription of the Memorial. The signature at the end belongs to General Yue Fei.
According to the colophon, in the eighth year of Shaoxing, Yue Fei once took shelter from the rain at the Nanyang Temple of Marquis Wu. A general determined to campaign north against the Jin found a resonance across time with a Chancellor who led northern expeditions to restore the Han.
Moved by that resonance, Yue Fei took up the brush and wrote out the Memorial before us. The calligraphy begins in running script and ends in cursive, the strokes heavy and impassioned, firm and unyielding.
However, as there are many historical records from the Song Dynasty and none mention Yue Fei visiting the Nanyang Marquis Wu Shrine, this scroll is generally considered a 'masterful forgery]
Zhang Fei scratched his head, piecing together what he could.
"This General Yue, named Fei… is he serving that Ninth Sister, Wanyan Gou?"
From scattered clues, a rough picture formed.
"This Song is like our Shu Han, wanting to campaign north against traitors. That is a pity."
"This Song also has ministers capable of turning the tide. That is admirable."
"And this Song does not seem to have an ally like Wu. That is… fortunate?"
Jiang Wan chuckled.
But General Zhang, based on the conversation between those two youths earlier, the reputation of that 'Horseback Emperor' Wanyan Gou is exceptionally foul. It seems he is far from what you imagined."
Even without understanding the slang, the tone alone made it clear those were not words of praise.
Zhang Fei did not argue. He simply stared at the flowing calligraphy on the Light Screen, unusually quiet.
[Light Screen]
[Passing through the Temple of Zhaolie, we arrive at the Temple of Marquis Wu. Because of the distinction between ruler and minister, one must descend a few steps.
We won't dwell on the three well-known couplets in the foyer. Behind the hall plaque, there is also a handwritten piece by the painter Xu Beihong.
It reads: 'For ten thousand years, a single feather in the high clouds.' This comes from a poem by Du Fu, the Chancellor's 'number one fan' from the Tang Dynasty, praising the Chancellor as a divine bird of the nine heavens]
Even though he had been mentally prepared, even though the earlier Light Screen had already revealed the influence of the Memorial, Kongming still felt a faint heat rise to his face.
To be remembered and praised like this by later generations… it was not something he could take lightly.
For the first time, a quiet pressure settled over him.
The others, however, were in high spirits, pointing and joking.
"Big brother, looks like your three visits to invite the Military Advisor out of seclusion are known to later generations too."
"Kongming's Longzhong Plan was far-reaching. He deserves that praise."
[Light Screen]
[Beyond the hall lies the Temple of Marquis Wu, a place where scholars have paid their respects for centuries.
Most famous are the couplets at the entrance known as the 'Couplet of Attacking the Heart'. They evaluate the Chancellor's achievements while also carrying deeper implications.
The author, Zhao Fan, used them as written remonstrance against the Sichuan governor suppressing uprisings. Though it failed and led to his demotion, it also allowed him to see clearly the corruption of the Qing court.
That realization led Zhao Fan to make the most important decision of his life: to rise in revolt, joining the Xinhai Revolution and helping to sound the death knell of the Qing.]
That word alone caught everyone's attention.
Revolution.
No one could look away.
"Later generations speak of it with approval. Perhaps their 'court without a ruler' came from this?" Liu Bei could only speculate with the limited clues.
"To change the Mandate and follow the will of the people, that should be the foundation of their rule," Kongming said, recalling the phrase he had once written. Glory belongs to the people.
"No emperor, no nobles, no prominent clans, and the people govern themselves…"
Even as he spoke, he found it difficult to imagine such a world.
Does a corrupt government necessitate a revolution?
Liu Bei thought of the earth-shaking cry: "The Azure Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise!"
He also recalled the later judgment of the current era: "The powerful clans oppress, seizing fields and stealing labor. Nominally the tax is one-thirtieth, but in reality, it is five-tenths." He asked himself: Is the Later Han corrupt?
Meanwhile, Kongming had already shifted his attention, studying the later generations' judgment of him with interest.
"The principle of attacking the heart is sound. It aligns with subduing the enemy through strategy. To remove unrest, one must first deal with the hearts of men. This is not unlike the later idea of making more allies than enemies."
"As for the second line, it speaks of balancing leniency and severity. The Legalist belief that harsh punishment deters wrongdoing, and the Confucian view that punishment must fit the times, both have their place."
"To temper severity with leniency, and leniency with severity, that is the proper method of governance."
Jiang Wan and Ma Liang both looked impressed.
"Military Advisor, that is profound."
[Light Screen]
[Upon entering, you see the Jingyuan Hall behind the statue of Zhuge Liang.
Why is it called Jingyuan Hall? Looking up at the main hall of the Wuhou Shrine, there is a piece of ebony carved with eight characters: 'Leading a simple life to clarify one's ambition; remaining tranquil to reach far.'
These eight characters come from the Chancellor's Admonition to My Son, which served as his life motto and the namesake of the hall.]
"Though it lacks the grandeur of the Temple of Zhaolie, the care put into the Temple of Marquis Wu runs even deeper," Liu Bei said with feeling.
From the inscriptions to the name of the hall, every detail revealed the respect later generations held for Kongming.
Zhang Fei burst into laughter and slapped Liu Bei's arm.
"Come on, big brother, didn't they already say it? We are all just riding on the Military Advisor's incense offerings."
"Think about it. I am your accompanying figure in your temple, but from another angle, we are all accompanying figures to the Military Advisor. Didn't you notice your temple is not even the main one anymore?"
Guan Ping spoke softly.
"But at least many people still come to pay respects to my uncle… and Third Uncle, your statue… well…"
Zhang Fei froze, his expression stiffening.
"And besides, Uncle's entrusting of the state at Baidi is famous in later generations. That alone earns him a worthy name."
Zhang Fei's face turned awkward as he recalled his own fate, leaving him with nothing to say.
Hmph! I still feel my nephew Guan Xing is much closer to me!
Liu Bei's earlier disappointment eased somewhat.
[Light Screen]
[The accompanying figures in the Temple of Marquis Wu follow a similar pattern, spanning three generations. They are the Chancellor's son Zhuge Zhan and his grandson Zhuge Shang.
Zhuge Zhan styled Siyuan did not correct Liu Shan's favor toward eunuchs while he held power, and his delays on the battlefield led to his defeat and death.
But to be fair, the Chancellor was always busy with northern expeditions. When he died, he only had time to leave an eight-year-old Zhuge Zhan the Admonition to My Son.
His education was missing a father's presence. and in the later years of Shu Han, talent had already been exhausted. Liu Shan, in desperation, placed his hopes on the son of the Chancellor to work a miracle.
In the end, Mianzhu fell. Zhuge Zhan died in battle at thirty-seven, and Zhuge Shang died alongside his father at nineteen.]