Yet another household of loyal martyrs!
Huang Yueying's knees gave out, and she slumped sideways. Zhuge Liang immediately caught her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders to support her.
"I know we can still change this..." Huang Yueying leaned against her husband, her voice a soft, trembling murmur filled with profound grief. "Our son... he died in battle at thirty-seven. And our grandson... he was only nineteen. Did our son think of me in his final moments? Did I ever get to hold my grandson in my arms?"
"You will meet him," Zhuge Liang replied gently, his voice a soothing balm as he tightly clasped his wife's hands. "This time, we will have our children earlier. We will not let them suffer the ravages of war."
No one interrupted them. Future generations might revere and worship Kongming, but grand titles and incense could never replace the warmth of a complete family.
Zhang Fei suddenly thought of his own unborn daughter, and the heroic, martyred grandson he had never even considered before.
Liu Bei, too, recalled his fiercely unyielding grandson, the Prince of Beidi, whose temperament was so much like his own.
"We will never let these tragedies repeat themselves."
[Lightscreen]
[Behind the Wuhou Shrine is the Sanyi Temple, the Temple of the Three Sworn Brothers. Originally located in the city center, it was later relocated here to commemorate the sworn brotherhood of Liu, Guan, and Zhang.
Just by looking at the interior, you can tell the architectural style is completely different from the Zhaolie Temple in the front.
The most obvious example is the statue of Zhang Fei: leopard head, bulging eyes, and a beard like steel needles. It is a far cry from the ugly face in the Zhaolie Temple.
But the most interesting part of this temple is the plaque hanging right above the main altar, reading Attaining the Divine Together. Pay close attention to the signature at the bottom of this plaque.]
The Lightscreen's continuing narration finally broke the heavy, sorrowful atmosphere in the hall.
Liu Bei rallied his spirits and read the text on the screen aloud:
"Disciples of the Footwear Trade... erected this?"
Liu Bei burst into laughter. " Hahaha...If I am reading this right, my future peers in the trade actually chipped in to gift me a plaque?"
[Lightscreen]
[As everyone knows, the most prominent label attached to the Imperial Uncle is weaving mats and selling sandals. Because of this, he is also revered as the founding patriarch of the footwear industry.
This plaque was funded and erected by footwear merchants during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty. It has over a hundred and seventy years of history.]
Zhang Fei suddenly remembered something. "Hey, what about that spiced beef snack called Zhang Fei Beef? Why did they not honor me with the title of Patriarch of Meat Sellers?"
"That is because Big Brother is always mocked as a mat-weaving, sandal-selling peasant," Guan Yu replied dryly. "If you had roared I am Zhang Yide, the Butcher of Zhuo Commandery! at Dangyang Bridge back then, you might have a plaque of your own today."
Zhang Fei imagined the scenario and quickly shook his head. "Forget it. I do not want it."
[Lightscreen]
[Crossing the Sanyi Temple and walking down the red-walled corridor behind it, our final destination is the Hui Mausoleum, the actual tomb of Emperor Zhaolie of Han.]
As the camera moved down the long corridor, the true Hui Mausoleum appeared on the screen. It was a surprisingly modest tomb. A simple stone stele clearly stated the name of the man resting within.
"Tomb of Emperor Zhaolie of Han," Liu Bei read his own tombstone aloud. The sensation was incredibly bizarre.
"The scenery here is quite nice," Zhang Fei said, glancing at the screen, then at his big brother. "But Big Brother, sitting here looking at your own grave with you feels really weird, right?"
"Agreed," the others chimed in unison.
[Lightscreen]
[However, speaking of Liu Bei, I was actually a bit late for this visit.]
The camera slowly panned down, revealing several bouquets of flowers placed in front of Liu Bei's tombstone.
[Back in June, many tourists traveled from thousands of miles away just to pay their respects to Liu Bei. Many specifically brought flowers to commemorate the 1800th anniversary of his passing.
Your UP host only found out about this while traveling, and I felt quite ashamed. So, I came back the very next day and specifically added a bouquet of my own.]
On the screen, the young man carefully placed a beautifully wrapped bouquet in front of Liu Bei's tomb and gave a deep, solemn bow.
Liu Bei could practically hear the young man muttering under his breath as he prayed:
"Liu Huangsu, please. When I talk about the Battle of Yiling in the next episode, if I say anything offensive, just let it slide like a fart in the wind. It is just for content. Do not hold a grudge against a junior, okay?"
Liu Bei did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Hahaha... I am not that narrow-minded. Go on, go on. Say whatever you want."
But thinking about that battle still brought a wave of sorrow to his heart. So many brilliant generals, men who could have become the very pillars of the Han, all buried and destroyed by his own hands in that sea of fire.
[Lightscreen]
[The Hui Mausoleum is not large, but it is tranquil. Even when it is not the anniversary of his passing, people are constantly coming to pay their respects. Among the three founding monarchs of the Three Kingdoms, his tomb is by far the most dignified.]
Everyone in the hall pricked up their ears.
What does that mean? Are the others undignified?
[Lightscreen]
[Because this year, Cao Cao's tomb was officially opened to the public. And almost immediately, all netizens started pulling stunts, like running into Cao Cao's mausoleum and loudly reciting the Proclamation Denouncing the Traitor Cao Cao. I wonder what Boss Cao thinks about that while lying in his coffin.
As for Sun Quan, his tomb is located in the Ming Xiaoling scenic area in Nanjing. Many netizens have visited it before, but they basically just go there to troll him. For example, they stand in front of his tomb and recite: Eight hundred elite guards crossed the river; a hundred thousand Sun Wu troops fled in terror. Truly adding insult to fatal injury.]
Wait... you can do that?!
Zhang Fei burst into uproarious laughter, slapping the table. "Hahaha! That is not enough! They should also go list all the dirty tricks the Cao thief pulled after the Battle of Guandu!"
Liu Bei was equally stunned. "Cao Cao's tomb is open to the public? Future generations turned imperial mausoleums into tourist attractions?!"
Compared to that, his Hui Mausoleum was indeed incredibly dignified.
[Lightscreen]
[The Wuhou Shrine tour ends here, but the memories Shu Han left in Chengdu certainly do not stop there.
For example, Jinli Ancient Street is also part of the Wuhou Shrine scenic area, and its name is directly tied to Zhuge Liang's massive push to develop Shu brocade.
Furthermore, the artistic elements in the Chengdu subway stations are filled with Shu Han motifs, like the Prime Minister's feather fan, his portraits, and the stories of his life.
And the true meaning of Shu Han to Chengdu can be seen in the museums.]
Sensing the video was nearing its end, the scene transitions on the Lightscreen sped up. The camera swept past an exquisite, bustling alleyway filled with tourists and merchants.
Then, it plunged deep underground into a brilliantly lit subterranean hall.
The walls were adorned with colorful murals, including a portrait of Zhuge Liang and a massive feather fan constructed from some unknown, modern material. It looked exactly like the one Zhuge Liang currently held in his hand.
The camera panned again, revealing the name of this colossal building: Sichuan Museum.
The Lightscreen moved inside.
Here, the history of Sichuan was laid out chronologically. Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang watched as ordinary, everyday items they were familiar with were carefully preserved in glass cases for public viewing.
[Lightscreen]
[The history of Chengdu is simple and clear: During the Qin Dynasty, Li Bing and his son built Dujiangyan, turning this land into the Land of Abundance.
In the late Han Dynasty, the Prime Minister governed Shu. He did what he knew was impossible, injecting an unyielding, indomitable spirit into this land.
After the An Lushan Rebellion, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang fled here for refuge, elevating Shu Commandery to Chengdu Prefecture and designating it the Southern Capital.
Near the end of the Tang Dynasty, when the Huang Chao Rebellion broke out, Emperor Xizong also fled here to escape the national disaster.
When the Mongol and Qing armies invaded Sichuan, they met with fierce, unyielding resistance from the people of Ba and Shu.
And during the Great War of Resistance, three million Sichuan soldiers marched out of the province to save the nation. Hundreds of thousands gave their lives for the country. This is a city that has never, ever let the Prime Minister down.]
The hall fell into a profound stillness as they watched the fleeting images on the screen. The camera only slowed down when it reached an exhibit dedicated to the Sichuan Army.
Inside this display case, moving pictures demonstrated a completely strange kind of warfare to the ancient observers. There were no horses.
Instead, there were steel war-chariots, short spears that spat fire, and iron birds that circled in the sky, seemingly piloted by men. And the earth-shattering explosions seemed to erupt endlessly across the battlefield.
It was a hellscape of a battlefield beyond their wildest imaginations. Yet, right in the middle of this hell, a group of heroic men were laying down their lives to pave a road of flesh and blood, fighting to the bitter end to defeat the foreign invaders!
Jiang Wan and Ma Liang were completely dumbfounded. Huang Yueying, however, had already composed herself. With pen and paper in hand, she was meticulously sketching the strange, mechanical exhibits on the display stands.
[Lightscreen]
[That is all for this episode! In the next episode: The Fire of Yiling, the Extinguished Soul of Shu Han. See you then, do not miss it.]
Chang'an, Ganlu Hall.
"BAM!!!"
A wooden foot-washing basin, sloshing with icy water, flew right out the front doors and crashed onto the courtyard stones.
The eunuchs peeked in nervously, utterly baffled as to why the Emperor of the Great Tang was suddenly so furious.