"Grand Historian, Emperor Xiaohui ought to have his own basic annals."
Luo Qing looked at Sima Qian with a deeply earnest expression and said, "Please hear me out.
"What you are writing is a comprehensive history, so there should be no vacancy in the imperial succession, because that would mean the Mandate of Heaven hung vacant!
"Unless it was a time of chaos, as at the end of Zhou or Qin, when the old Mandate of Heaven had perished and the new one was still slowly rising, not yet holding sway over All Xia.
"For instance, when Qin Shi Huang destroyed the altars of state of the Zhou royal house, but the Qin imperial house had not yet fully won All Under Heaven; or when Qin Shi Huang died, the Second Emperor Huhai lost the mandate, and Emperor Fusu reigned.
"King Xiang united the six directions, and All Under Heaven acknowledged him as their sovereign: the Mandate of Heaven had manifested. Emperor Gao founded the Han Dynasty, bringing All Xia into one family and all creation under a single rule: the Mandate of Heaven was then in the hands of the Han imperial house.
"Empress Gao acted as regent, a female sovereign presiding over court and issuing decrees!
"After Empress Gao died, Emperor Xiaohui governed, and King Wen of Luo did not act as regent. Emperor Xiaohui possessed both the Mandate of Heaven and actual power. Why should he not have basic annals?
"Emperor Xiaohui had the temple name Renzong. This was confirmed by Sage King Zhao, secured by King Wen of Luo against all objections, and acknowledged by the Sage King Sovereign in Heaven. To say that such an emperor cannot receive basic annals of his own would surely be improper.
"A subject placed above his sovereign-please reconsider."
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