The ministers secretly discussed with each other and said, "Shaodi (young emperor) and Prince of Liang, Prince of Huaiyang, and King of Changshan are not the biological sons of Emperor Xiaohui. Empress Lü used a trick to treat other people's sons as Emperor Xiaohui's sons, killed the children's mothers, raised them in the harem, and made Emperor Xiaohui regard them as his own sons, establish them as his heirs, and confer titles on them as kings to strengthen the power of the Lü family. Now the Lü family has been completely wiped out, and only the emperor they established is left. When he grows up and takes power, we will have no chance to survive. It is better to choose the best one among the kings to be the emperor." Someone said, "King Daohui of Qi is the eldest son of Emperor Gaodi (Gaozu), and now his legitimate son is King of Qi. In terms of blood relationship, he is the eldest legitimate grandson of Emperor Gao and can be made the emperor." The ministers all said, “The Lü family took advantage of their status as relatives by marriage to do evil things and almost endangered the whole country. They harmed meritorious officials. Now the mother of the King of Qi is from the Si family, and Si Jun is an evil man. If King of Qi is made emperor, the Lü family's chaos will happen again." And they wanted to make King Huainan the emperor, but everyone thought that he was young and his maternal clan was very vicious. So everyone said: "The King of Dai is the eldest of Emperor Gao's surviving sons. He is kind, filial, tolerant and generous. His Queen Mother's family, the Bo family, is also cautious and kind. Moreover, it is legitimate to make the eldest son the emperor. The King of Dai is famous for his kindness and filial piety. It is most appropriate to make him the emperor." So they reached an agreement and secretly sent a messenger to invite the King of Dai. But the King of Dai sent the messenger back to decline. The messenger was sent for a second time, and from then on the King of Dai set off in a carriage pulled by six horses. On the last day of the intercalary ninth month, he arrived in Chang'an and stayed at Dai’s Mansion. The ministers all went to pay homage to the King of Dai, presented the seal of the Son of Heaven to the King of Dai, and jointly made the King of Dai the Son of Heaven. The King of Dai declined several times, but the ministers insisted on requesting, and finally the King of Dai agreed.
Liu Xingju, Marquis of Dongmu, said: "I did not make any contribution to the extermination of the Lü family. I request to clean up the palace for your majesty." So he and Teng Gong, the Grand Coachman and Marquis of Ruyin, entered the palace, stepped forward and said to the young emperor: "You are not a descendant of the Liu family, and you should not be the emperor." So he turned around and ordered the guards holding halberds to put down their weapons and leave. A few guards refused to lay down their weapons, so the eunuch chief Zhang Ze came forward and told them, so they also laid down their weapons, Teng Gong then called for a carriage to take the young emperor out of the palace. The young emperor said, "Where do you want to put me?" Duke Teng said, "Not in the palace." The young emperor was placed in the Shaofu. So the ministers followed the emperor's carriage to Dai's mansion to welcome the King of Dai, and reported, "The palace has been cleaned up." The King of Dai entered the Weiyang Palace that night. Ten envoys guarded the Gate Duanmen with halberds and said, "The emperor is here, why do you want to go in?" The King of Dai told the Grand Marshall. The Grand Marshall came forward to tell them, and the ten envoys laid down their weapons and walked away. The King of Dai finally entered the palace to handle state affairs. That night, the relevant departments went to the official residences of various officials and executed the King of Liang, the King of Huaiyang, the King of Changshan and the young Emperor. The King of Dai was established as the Son of Heaven, and died after 23 years in office. He was posthumously named Emperor Xiaowen.
Taishigong the Grand Historian said: "During the reign of Emperor Xiaohui and Empress Gao, the people were free from the suffering of war. The emperor and his ministers wanted to rest and recuperate, so Emperor Xiaohui did not personally handle affairs. Empress Lü, as a woman, held great power and issued orders without leaving her house. The country remained peaceful. There were few punishments and few criminals. The people were engaged in farming and had plenty of food and clothing."
诸大臣相与阴谋曰：“少帝及梁、淮阳、常山王，皆非真孝惠子也。吕后以计诈名他人子，杀其母，养后宫，令孝惠子之，立以为后，及诸王，以强吕氏。今皆已夷灭诸吕，而置所立，即长用事，吾属无类矣。不如视诸王最贤者立之。”或言“齐悼惠王高帝长子，今其適子为齐王，推本言之，高帝適长孙，可立也”。大臣皆曰：“吕氏以外家恶而几危宗庙，乱功臣。今齐王母家驷，驷钧，恶人也。即立齐王，则复为吕氏。”欲立淮南王，以为少，母家又恶。乃曰：“代王方今高帝见子，最长，仁孝宽厚。太后家薄氏谨良。且立长故顺，以仁孝闻于天下，便。”乃相与共阴使人召代王。代王使人辞谢。再反，然后乘六乘传。后九月晦日己酉，至长安，舍代邸。大臣皆往谒，奉天子玺上代王，共尊立为天子。代王数让，群臣固请，然后听。
东牟侯兴居曰：“诛吕氏吾无功，请得除宫。”乃与太仆汝阴侯滕公入宫，前谓少帝曰：“足下非刘氏，不当立。”乃顾麾左右执戟者掊兵罢去。有数人不肯去兵，宦者令张泽谕告，亦去兵。滕公乃召乘舆车载少帝出。少帝曰：“欲将我安之乎？”滕公曰“出就舍。”舍少府。乃奉天子法驾，迎代王于邸。报曰：“宫谨除。”代王即夕入未央宫。有谒者十人持戟卫端门，曰：“天子在也，足下何为者而入？”代王乃谓太尉。太尉往谕，谒者十人皆掊兵而去。代王遂入而听政。夜，有司分部诛灭梁、淮阳、常山王及少帝于邸。代王立为天子。二十三年崩，谥为孝文皇帝。
太史公曰：孝惠皇帝、高后之时，黎民得离战国之苦，君臣俱欲休息乎无为，故惠帝垂拱，高后女主称制，政不出房户，天下晏然。刑罚罕用，罪人是希。民务稼穑，衣食滋殖。
End of A9
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