Chapter 23 Chapter Nineteen Kneeling to Receive the Will

"Father, my son will remember." Sima Qian cried. "Okay, then you kneel down and swear to the heavens that no matter what difficulties you encounter in this life, even if the world falls, you must fulfill your father's will." Sima Qian knelt down to the sky... Emperor Wu's favorite concubine, Qin Meiren, suddenly fell ill and died. Emperor Wu was very sad. After Princess Pingyang learned about it, she thought that Wei Zifu had begun to lose color, and Emperor Wu was not very interested in her. Although she is now a queen, she still doesn't know if she can last long, so she has to present another beauty to the emperor. Only by doing what he likes can he keep his position in the emperor's heart.After much deliberation, she finally found out that Le Shi Li Yannian had a younger sister who was a stunning woman, so she discussed with him and planned to find a chance to dedicate it to the emperor.

Princess Pingyang went to discuss with Li Yannian, planning to hold a palace song meeting, and asked his sister to attract Emperor Wu at this meeting. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was a versatile emperor who not only loved literature, but also liked music very much. Princess Pingyang came to tell Emperor Wu that he would hold a royal concert, and Emperor Wu was naturally happy. That night, the front hall of Weiyang Palace was full of princes and ministers, and they all wanted to see the royal music event hosted by Princess Pingyang. "The emperor is here." The lamps and candles were all lit up, and the hall was as bright as day.

"Long live my emperor, long live, long live!" Emperor Wu waved his hands and said cheerfully: "Pingshen." The palace music event started. Princess Pingyang and Li Yannian knew that the emperor was unhappy because of the death of the beauty of the piano, so the first few singing and dancing performances were very lively and the scene was very grand.Seeing this, Princess Pingyang raised her hand, and a burst of beautiful music sounded. Music attendant Li Yannian appeared, and he performed his new work singing and dancing. Ning doesn't know the beauty of the city and the country, and it's hard to get a beautiful woman again.

Li Yannian was a eunuch, but he had an extraordinary talent for music. He was young and handsome. He could not only compose lyrics, but also sing and dance. When Li Yannian finished singing, Emperor Wu was already intoxicated. He squinted his eyes and muttered to himself: "There are beauties in the north...there are beauties in the north, where are the beauties?..." Seeing this, Princess Pingyang clapped her palms three times, and the ecstasy music played. A girl as beautiful as a fairy, wearing a pink gauze skirt as thin as onion wings, came out gracefully, and then danced to the music. Her alluring face and amazing dancing posture made Emperor Wu's eyes widen...

At the end of the song, Emperor Wu called the girl to him, and looked at her eyes like autumn water and couldn't control himself. Princess Pingyang hurriedly said: "She is Li Yannian's younger sister, her name is Li Shaojun." "Ah, Li Yannian's younger sister, very nice." "If the emperor likes it, then let her stay." Emperor Wu was overjoyed and rewarded Princess Pingyang and Li Yannian heavily. Li Shaojun was made a concubine that night, and Emperor Wu has been inseparable from her ever since. When Sima Qian rushed back from the southwest, the attendant who opened the door said: "Ah, son, you are finally back. Tai Shigong was waiting for you before he closed his eyes."

"Ah!" Sima Qian stumbled to his father's sickbed, knelt down with a plop, and cried, "Father, you can't leave, Qian'er can't leave you!" Mother wiped away tears.Sima Tan's face was ashen, he opened his eyes with difficulty, and struggled to say: "Qian'er, father is going to find your grandfather's fairy soul. For my father, I will be loyal to history, loyal to the court, hardworking and honest all my life. My biggest regret is I failed to complete this historical work, and I entrust my hope to you for my father." Sima Tan gasped for breath. His mother hurried over and gave his father two spoonfuls of ginseng soup. Sima Tan rested for a while, and then said: "Since Confucius wrote "Spring and Autumn", there has been no good history book for more than four hundred years. Extremely severe. As a grand historian, I can't complete a historical record...I..." Sima Tan shed tears.

"Father, don't be sad. Qian'er must inherit his father's will and complete the historical records." "Then die for my father... I will die in peace..." Sima Tan closed his eyes. "Father..." Sima Qian cried, "Father, what else do you have to say?" Sima Tan struggled and pointed to the medicine bowl, Sima Qian hurriedly brought the ginseng soup and fed Sima Tan two spoonfuls, Sima Tan drank and shook his head, Sima Qian put down the medicine bowl, Sima Tan gasped for a while, opened his eyes and made a weak voice Said: "Qian'er, write a book and write a book, make your name known to the world, so as to show your parents, this is the greatest filial piety... Since ancient times, the world has praised Zhou Gong and praised the virtues of civil and military. Loyal ministers and righteous men come forth in large numbers, and as a Taishi, I cannot write them into the history books..."

Sima Tan gasped again. "Father, please rest for a while and talk again, don't worry." Sima Qian helped his father touch his chest with his hands. Sima Tan pointed to the cabinet and said, "You...you open the cabinet and take out my...my manuscripts before..." Sima Qian and Qing'er hurriedly opened the bookcase beside the bed, took out the manuscript, and showed it to their father. Sima Tan said: "This manuscript is only a part of my writing "Historical Records". It is the general outline. You can refer to it. Qianer, as a father, I have to warn you that writing history must be true and not flattering. History cannot be rewritten at will. , this is Shi De of our historian..."

"Father, Qian'er will remember." "Qing'er, how does the teacher treat you?" "The teacher treats me like a father and son." "Qing'er, you have to assist senior brother to fulfill his last order." "Teacher, don't worry, without the teacher, there would be no me, Qing'er. Even if Qing'er is smashed to pieces, I still have to assist my brother to fulfill the teacher's last wish and complete "Historical Records." A smile appeared on Taishigong's face, and he said to Sima Qian: "When I die, you must be Taishi. As a historian of a country, your duty is sacred. You must not desecrate history!"

"Father, Qian'er understands." Sima Tan paused for a while and then said: "...not writing down the history, not writing down the historical figures well, this is a dereliction of duty of a historian, as a father, there is no hope, it can't be completed, "Historical Records" depends entirely on you... ..." "Father, the child remembers." "Okay, then you kneel down and swear to the sky that no matter what difficulties you encounter in this life, you must fulfill your father's will." Sima Qian immediately knelt down in front of the bed with a plop, and Qing'er also knelt down beside him. Sima Qian swears to his father: "Heaven is above, and father is above. The child swears to the sky and to the father. "Historical Records" must be completed."

Sima Tan listened, a smile flashed across his face, he tilted his head, closed his eyes and resigned... "Father..." Sima Qian threw himself on his father and cried loudly. "Teacher..." Qing'er burst into tears... The old lady fainted... "Mother……"