Shuhan

In Sun Luban's living room, the flickering candlelight illuminates the intricately carved window lattices inside, as well as her cold and resolute face.

She was wearing a luxurious brocade dress with her hair tied up high and adorned with pearls and jade.

However, at this moment her eyes were extremely sharp, as if they could see into the deepest secrets of human heart.

The maid Xiao Cui, a slender and pretty woman, had a pale face and panic in her eyes.

This is a secret letter from the Military Affairs Bureau. If such a letter falls into the hands of others, the consequences will be disastrous.

"Miss, since this is a secret letter from the military department, you might as well hand it over to the prince, or destroy it on the spot. Otherwise, once outsiders know about it, I'm afraid..." Xiao Cui's voice trembled a little, and she was obviously frightened by this sudden change and didn't know what to do.

Hearing this, Sun Luban curled up the corners of her mouth into a cold smile, and her eyes flickered in the candlelight, as cold as stars.

"You don't need to hand this letter over to the higher-ups. You must keep it secret."

Her voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to carry unquestionable majesty.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Cui trembled involuntarily and lowered her head quickly, not daring to look directly into Sun Luban's eyes that seemed to be able to see into people's hearts.

Her heart was filled with doubts and fears. She didn't understand why the Crown Princess would be so indifferent to such a secret letter that could cause an uproar, and she had no idea what kind of conspiracy and calculations were hidden behind it.

Sun Luban stood up, walked slowly to the window, looked at the courtyard outside the window that was dyed silver by the moonlight, with a myriad of thoughts in her mind.

The content of this letter is of great importance and may even affect the future direction of the Han Dynasty.

But she knew better that once she reported the matter, she would be caught up in an unpredictable political storm.

What she wants is to take the initiative and have the feeling of having everything under control.

just
Sun Luban sighed and said, "Why doesn't he write me a letter?"

The girl looked up at the bright moon in the sky, all alone with a lonely look in her eyes.

"What a strong city!"

Huo Yi walked along the top of Shouchun City and entered Shouchun City, feeling filled with emotion.

The ancient city of Shou County is surrounded by water on all sides, with the Fei River to the north and moats on the other three sides.

There is a gate in the southeast, northwest, northeast and southwest directions of the ancient city, namely Binyang Gate, Tongfei Gate, Dinghu Gate and Jinghuai Gate.

In order to improve the defensive capability, each gate is equipped with a barbican, and the outer gate and inner gate of the barbican are cleverly staggered.

For example, the outer door of the west gate faces north, the outer door of the north gate faces west, and the inner and outer doors of the east gate are parallel and staggered, so it is said to be a "crooked way".

In addition, there is a spillway on the east and west sides of the northern part of the city, which can both drain water out of the city and prevent external water from flowing back.

The ancient city of Shou County combines solidity and powerful defensive capabilities, making it truly impregnable.

With tall and solid city walls, a wide moat, and good generals guarding the city, it is easy to defend but difficult to attack.

"If we can't break into this city from the inside, I don't know how many of our elite soldiers will die under this strong city."

The moment Huo Yi stepped into Shouchun City, the afterglow of the setting sun was slanting down on the bluestone road, giving the ancient city a faint golden glow.

His steps were steady and rapid, as if every step was stepping on the vein of history, and every step carried an unspeakable responsibility.

People were coming and going on the streets, and the noise was rising and falling, but Huo Yi's heart was calm. His eyes penetrated the noise of the crowd and went straight to his destination - the tavern hidden in the city.

The appearance of the tavern is unremarkable, with a few mottled words engraved on the wooden sign, as if they were traces left by time.

Huo Yi pushed open the door, and a rich aroma of wine immediately hit him in the face. Compared with the noise outside, this place seemed like a secluded world.

He walked straight to the inner room, which was a more private space. Once the door was closed, the noise from the outside world was completely cut off, leaving only the faint flickering candlelight, reflecting the tranquility.

In the inner room, a man who looked like an ordinary shopkeeper was sorting out the accounts with his head down, but in fact he was a spy from the military department.

Huo Yi walked up to him and said in a low and powerful voice: "Hu Zun has been observing us for so long, do you think he can completely trust us?"

The shopkeeper raised his head, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, he nodded gently, and lowered his voice: "These days, he has given us a lot of valuable information, we should be able to trust him. But..."

Huo Yi frowned slightly, obviously not completely reassured.

In this world full of intrigue, trust is a luxury, especially in extraordinary times like these.

He pondered for a moment, then spoke again, his tone full of unquestionable determination: "Go see Hu Zun tomorrow and tell him that in ten days, a group of our elite troops will cross Zhangbaling and burn the Wei army's granary behind the Huai River. This is another test for him."

The shopkeeper was stunned when he heard this. He obviously did not expect Huo Yi to make such a bold decision.

He asked hesitantly, "Sir, are you... going to try Hu Zun?"

Huo Yi nodded, his eyes deep, as if he could see into people's hearts: "We can't make Hu Zun completely trust us now, but we can't make him completely distrust us either. This scene must be acted out sincerely to show his true heart."

After saying this, Huo Yi's expression became more complicated. He was well aware of the risks behind this strategy.

Once leaked, not only would the plan fail, but it might also arouse the vigilance of the Wei army and even cause immeasurable losses to the entire battle situation.

But he also understood that in this game concerning the fate of the country, every decision is like dancing on the edge of a knife, which requires both the courage to burn the boats and the caution to be meticulous.

The shopkeeper took the order and left, while Huo Yi stayed alone in the inner room, staring at the flickering candlelight with mixed feelings.

He began to recall every contact with Hu Zun, every detail, trying to capture even a hint of something unusual.

However, human hearts are the most difficult to guess, especially in such troubled times, where everyone has too many secrets and calculations in their hearts.

Huo Yi's eyes sparkled with anticipation. He asked the shopkeeper again, "Has there been any reply to the secret letter sent to the Crown Prince's Palace?"

His voice was soft, but it carried an urgency that could not be ignored.

The shopkeeper nodded quickly, his expression showing a bit of respect and nervousness, and replied: "I sent the letter three nights ago, and I received it early that morning."

Huo Yi's eyes lit up when he heard this.

He thought to himself that the discord between the Crown Princess and Crown Prince Cao Rui seemed to be more serious than he had expected.

Originally, instigating the Crown Princess to rebel was just a chess piece he had laid out. It was part of his extensive network cast in the Wei State in search of a breakthrough after the Emperor of the Han Dynasty put pressure on him.

He tried to persuade all the prominent figures to surrender, and the Crown Princess was just a incidental target.

However, to his surprise, this incidental target was actually persuaded.

He immediately said, "Bring the reply."

The shopkeeper quickly took out a sealed letter from his arms and handed it to Huo Yi with both hands.

Huo Yi took the reply letter, opened the envelope, unfolded the letter paper, and when the handwriting on it came into his eyes, his expression instantly became extremely wonderful.

There was only one line of words written on the letter: "Emperor of the Han Dynasty, why don't you give me a copy of your letter?" This simple sentence made Huo Yi fall into deep confusion.

He was stunned, with an indescribable astonishment and confusion in his heart.

What does this mean? Why would the Crown Princess make such a request?
Does she really have expectations of the Emperor of Han?

Or is this just a test or strategy on her part?

Countless thoughts flashed through Huo Yi's mind in an instant, and he tried to figure out the Crown Princess's true intention from this sentence.

However, this short sentence seemed like an unsolvable puzzle, and he was unable to grasp its deep meaning.

He felt confused and helpless. He originally thought that inciting the Crown Princess to rebel would be a good move, but now it seemed that he was caught in a more complicated situation.

He pondered for a moment, his eyes becoming deep and sharp.

No matter what the Crown Princess' intentions were, he couldn't take it lightly.

Tell the contents of this letter to the Emperor of the Han Dynasty and see how he reacts.

Seeing this, the shopkeeper secretly guessed what Huo Yi was thinking.

As the night deepened, the candlelight in the tavern flickered with a faint glow.

Huo Yi sat at the table, staring at the reply letter, with all kinds of thoughts surging in his mind.

This action to incite the Crown Princess to revolt might not be as simple as he initially thought.

There may be deeper motives and intentions behind the Crown Princess's words, and what he needs to do is to uncover the mystery and find the real answer.

Huo Yi had a lot of thoughts.

At this moment, the shopkeeper's voice pierced the silence in the tavern, with a hint of tentativeness and speculation: "Commander, could this be the case?"

"What's going on?" Huo Yi raised his head, staring directly at the spy with sharp eyes. He had a vague premonition that something unusual was about to be revealed.

Seeing this, the spy swallowed and seemed a little nervous, but more excited and eager to share his important discovery.

He immediately said: "Your Majesty is like the sun hanging high in the sky, and women from all over the country admire you. The Crown Princess of Wei, Sun Luban, did not have an easy life in Wei, and was not favored by Cao Rui. Perhaps she is happy with Your Majesty?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the air in the tavern seemed to freeze.

Huo Yi was completely stunned. His mind was like a surging sea of ​​clouds with all kinds of thoughts intertwined together, making him a little overwhelmed for a moment.

"Can it, can it be like this?" He murmured to himself, with disbelief and a hint of inexplicable throbbing in his voice.

He had never thought that His Majesty's charm could transcend national boundaries and make the Crown Princess of the enemy country admire him.

This is not only an affirmation of the emperor's personal charm, but also an invisible manifestation of the prestige of the Han Dynasty.

However, Huo Yi also knew that behind such news might be hidden more complicated political and emotional entanglements.

He pondered for a moment, and his eyes gradually became deep and calm.

Regardless of the Crown Princess Sun Luban's true intentions, this could become an important opportunity, an opportunity to open up a new situation between the Han Dynasty and the Wei Kingdom.

He stood up and said to the spy, "This matter is of great importance. You must continue to pay close attention to the Crown Princess's movements and report any news to me in a timely manner."

The spy nodded quickly in agreement.

Shouchun City was still bustling and noisy in the night, but huge waves had already set off in his heart.

He began to re-examine the action of instigating the Crown Princess to rebel, thinking about how to turn this sudden change into a situation favorable to the Han Dynasty.

"We must pass this news to His Majesty. Isn't it just a matter of replying? His Majesty will definitely write a letter. If we can get the support of the Crown Princess, will the State of Wei still have any secrets?"

Huo Yi's eyes were shining with anticipation and excitement, as if he had foreseen the success of this rebellion and the fruits of victory that would follow.

The shopkeeper listened to this and a sly look flashed in his eyes. He said softly, "It will take at least a month to go back and forth like this. At this tense moment when a war is about to break out, a month is enough to change a lot of situations. Otherwise..."

Huo Yi heard this and immediately understood what the spy meant. His eyes became deep and he asked slowly, "Do you want me to fake the imperial decree?"

Seeing this, the shopkeeper waved his hand and said, "This is not a false imperial decree, it's just a letter. Your Majesty's love of beauty is known to everyone in the world; Your Majesty's reputation as a good wife is known to all the people. We wrote a letter and imitated your Majesty's handwriting and tone, but we are just trying to please him, and we will not be blamed. Commander, what do you think?"

Huo Yi was stunned. He thought carefully about the spy's words. What the spy said did make sense.

The Emperor of the Han Dynasty always had an irresistible attraction to beautiful women, and the beauty of Crown Princess Sun Luban was also well-known in the Wei State.

Plus
Madam Bu, Madam Sun, and Little Madam Sun have all been accepted into the harem by His Majesty, along with the Crown Princess of Wei.
Given your Majesty's personality, it is simply difficult for you to suppress this sour feeling.

If he wrote a letter in the name of the emperor, expressing his appreciation and concern for her, it might really move her and further undermine the internal unity of the Wei State.

However, falsely conveying an imperial edict is an extremely dangerous thing after all.

Once discovered, not only will he be severely punished, but he may also cause irreparable losses to the Han Dynasty.

Huo Yi's heart was full of contradictions and struggles.

I have a heavy responsibility on my shoulders and cannot take risks easily.

However, when he thought again of the great value that the Crown Princess might bring, his heart was filled with determination again.

This is a gamble, and the stakes are one's own life and the future of the Han Dynasty.

However, for the good of the country, he was willing to take the risk.

Fortune and wealth are sought through risk, nothing more than this!

He took a deep breath and said to the spy, "I will consider your suggestion. However, we must proceed with caution and not make any mistakes. Go down and prepare first. I will give you a reply as soon as possible."

When the spy heard this, he was delighted, nodded in agreement, and retreated.

Huo Yi stayed alone in the tavern, continuing to think about this bold plan.

Once this plan is implemented, there will be no turning back. He must ensure that every link is foolproof, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous.

He began to plan every detail carefully, thinking about how to imitate the emperor's handwriting and tone to write a letter that would impress the Crown Princess without arousing her suspicion.

He also thought of the code words that might need to be used to ensure the authenticity and confidentiality of the letter.

As time passed, the candlelight in the tavern gradually dimmed.

Huo Yi's mind became brighter and brighter, and he had made a decision.

Soon, a 'genuine' secret letter from the Emperor of the Han Dynasty was written! (End of this chapter)