Shuhan

At nightfall, the mansion of Marquis Duxiang is brightly lit as if it were daytime. Outside the mansion, there is a constant stream of people and cars, with all kinds of carriages and horses gathered together, with shafts connected to each other, horses neighing and people talking, interweaving into a lively scene.

The gate of the mansion was wide open, and the welcoming servants were dressed in gorgeous clothes and smiled. They bowed to every guest who came and led them into the luxurious banquet.

As you step into the mansion, the first thing that catches your eye is a scene of dim lights and bright red candles, which illuminate the entire courtyard in a warm and hazy manner.

Along the bluestone path, there are carefully trimmed flowers and trees on both sides. The fragrance of flowers and wine are intertwined, which is refreshing.

Guests came in groups of three or five, chatting and laughing, or strolled alone, enjoying this rare night view.

Their costumes are varied and colorful. Some wear brocade robes and jade crowns, showing their nobility; others wear Confucian robes and hold folding fans, revealing the temperament of literati and scholars.

The banquet was held in the lobby in the center of the mansion. The hall was decorated very exquisitely, with famous paintings and calligraphy hanging on the walls. In the center was a carved dining couch covered with soft silk cushions, making people feel extremely comfortable when sitting on it.

The maids in green were dressed in long gauze skirts with thin belts around their waists, and had graceful figures. They held trays in their hands and shuttled among the guests. The trays were filled with all kinds of delicious food and fine wines, which were delivered to the guests continuously as if they were free of charge.

There is a wide variety of delicious food and the aroma is fragrant.

There are roast ducks that are roasted to golden and crispy, with shiny skin and tender meat inside; there are fish soups that are steamed to perfection, with rich soup and delicate fish meat; and there are various kinds of pastries, such as osmanthus cakes and jujube paste pastries, which are sweet but not greasy and melt in your mouth.

There are many kinds of fine wines, including red wine from the Western Regions, which is bright in color and mellow in taste; and rice wine from the south of the Yangtze River, which is sweet and refreshing with a long aftertaste.

The guests were drinking from their glasses or savoring the delicious food, their faces filled with satisfaction and joy.

The sound of stringed instruments began to play. In a corner of the hall, a group of beautiful girls and actors dressed in colorful clothes and wearing pearls and jade on their heads danced to the music.

Their movements are light and graceful, like fairies descending to earth, which is a feast for the eyes.

The music included both exciting drum beats and melodious piano sounds, which complemented each other and made the atmosphere of the entire banquet more lively.

On the main seat, Duxiang Hou Liu Yan was wearing an expensive brocade robe, his face flushed with drunkenness.

He held a glass of fine wine in his hand, his eyes fixed on the beautiful dancing woman in front of him, greed and desire revealed in his eyes.

As the music and dance progressed, Liu Yan's breathing gradually became rapid. Finally, he could no longer suppress the urge in his heart. He stood up abruptly, took the dancing beauty into his arms, and ignoring everyone's gaze, took her directly into the inner hall.

In the inner hall, everything for burning incense and bathing had already been prepared.

Liu Yan and the beauty bathed in the warm fragrant soup together, with steam rising and fragrance filling the air.

They snuggled up to each other, enjoying this rare quiet time. After bathing, Liu Yan took out Wushisan and took it with the beauty.

When the Wu Shi San entered their bodies, a warm current surged throughout their bodies, making them feel extremely comfortable and excited.

Afterwards, Liu Yan and the beauty began their indulgence in sensual pleasures, separated only by an exquisite screen.

The guests outside couldn't stand the sound.

The entire banquet instantly turned into a pool of wine and a forest of meat.

The guests were either standing, sitting, lying or reclining, enjoying this rare moment of indulgence with the women around them.

On their faces, there were either satisfied smiles or greedy looks, and they had forgotten all the troubles in the world.

At this banquet, some people came to curry favor with the powerful, some to seek excitement, and some to escape reality.

They each had different purposes, but they all found their own happiness here.

However, this happiness is short-lived, like a bubble; once it bursts, only emptiness and loneliness remain.

As time went by, the banquet gradually came to an end. The guests, either exhausted or still wanting more, stood up and said goodbye.

Liu Yan also saw off the last guest with a satisfied smile.

That night, the mansion of Marquis Duxiang returned to peace again, as if nothing had happened.

However, that night of dim lights, the aroma of wine and extreme debauchery was like a nightmare, lingering in the hearts of every participant, making them unable to forget or escape.

After enjoying all the wine and women, Liu Yan lazily put on a high-quality brocade robe woven in Shu. The brocade robe was as smooth as silk and colorful, reflecting his slightly loose but still fair skin.

He opened his shirt, revealing the sparse hair on his chest, and lay casually on the bed covered with soft fabric, breathing heavily, as if he had just come out of an intense pleasure.

His face was flushed with alcohol and excitement, but his eyes revealed a barely perceptible trace of fatigue and weakness.

As he grew older, and the efficacy of Wu Shi San gradually wore off, he felt an unprecedented emptiness and powerlessness, as if his entire body had been hollowed out.

Just as he was immersed in this complicated emotion, a steward dressed in black quietly walked into the room. With steady steps and respectful expression, he performed a standard etiquette towards Liu Yan lying on the bed.

The steward's voice was deep and powerful, piercing the silence in the room: "Master, a big move happened in the court today. General Zhang Fei has already come out."

When Liu Yan heard the name "Zhang Fei", his eyes suddenly froze, as if he was touched by something.

He was stunned for a moment, then asked, "What is the general doing here?"

There was a hint of anxiety and curiosity in Liu Yan's voice, and he was obviously very concerned about the whereabouts of his former comrade-in-arms.

The black-clad steward bowed slightly and replied, "The general came out this time to compile the Clan Chronicles."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yan's eyes suddenly lit up, as if a flame was ignited.

He laughed loudly, his voice full of pride and expectation: "Haha, this "Clan Records" is to take power from those untouchable aristocratic families back to our old brothers! The world belongs to the Liu family, so the Liu surname is naturally the number one surname in the world!"

And if Liu Yan could become a branch of the Liu family, wouldn't he also be able to share in the power?

His laughter echoed in the room, revealing his desire and confidence in this power.

Liu Yan's thoughts began to work rapidly. He was well aware of the importance of compiling the "Clan Records" in consolidating the Liu family's rule.

This book is not only a re-arrangement of surnames in the world, but also a profound adjustment of the power structure.

If they could take this opportunity to gain more power in the hands of themselves and their brothers, then the position of their Liu family would be more stable and no one could shake it.

Thinking of this, Liu Yan's eyes became firm and resolute.

He instructed the black-clad steward, "Spend more money to bribe those who compiled the Clan Records. I, Liu Yan, am also Liu, so you have to give me some benefits."

His voice was deep and powerful, revealing an unquestionable majesty.

Upon hearing this, the black-clad steward immediately accepted the order, but as if he had thought of something, his brows were tightly furrowed.

The amount of gold and silver needed to bribe those who compiled the "Clan Records" was undoubtedly an astronomical figure.

However, due to days of banquets and extravagance, the funds in the treasury of the Duxiang Marquis's mansion are now stretched to the limit.

The steward in black stood in front of Liu Yan with an embarrassed look on his face, rubbing the corners of his clothes unconsciously with his hands, as if this could alleviate the uneasiness in his heart.

"My Lord, the money in the mansion is quite insufficient. The banquets in recent days have cost a lot of money. I am afraid that we don't have enough money to bribe those people."

His voice was low and a little helpless.

Hearing this, Liu Yan raised his eyebrows slightly and a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, as if he had expected all this.

"Just do a few more business deals."

His words were casual and relaxed, as if money was something that came easily to him.

However, the black-clad steward had a bitter face, shook his head, and said, "Now that the court has strict inspections, it costs a lot more money to smuggle goods to Wei State than before, and Wei State is not willing to pay such a high price anymore."

Liu Yan's brows gradually furrowed, and a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes. "Why are you not willing to pay a high price?"

His voice was low and questioning.

The black-clad steward stole a glance at Liu Yan, then quickly lowered his head and said cautiously, "In the past, this smuggling business was only done by our family, and the profits were lucrative, so we could naturally charge a high price. But now, there are several more competitors, so the price is naturally lower."

"Hmph!" Liu Yan snorted coldly, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"The other companies mostly do regular business, selling wine, porcelain, and so on. How can they compare with us? I can give them gunpowder, fine iron weapons and armor from the Academy of Sciences. Isn't that expensive?"

There was a hint of confidence and arrogance in his voice, as if these rare supplies were the trump card in his hand.

The black-clad steward smiled bitterly and shook his head. "These are naturally expensive, but it is not easy to get these things from the Academy of Sciences. The Academy of Sciences has strict rules and regulations, and we can't just ask around."

There was a hint of helplessness and worry in his voice, and it was obvious that he didn't hold much hope for this matter.

However, Liu Yan chuckled, as if he had already planned for all this.

"It's okay. I entertain people every day, so how can it not be related? I have eight hundred guests, and they will be used at this time. You go and communicate with the State of Wei, and leave the goods to me."

The black-clad steward still had some doubts in his heart when he heard this, but seeing Liu Yan was so confident, he had no choice but to obey the order and leave.

In the following days, Liu Yan began to frequently entertain guests from all sides, and no matter they were important officials of the court or heroes of the world, they were all invited to his mansion.

At the banquet, he chatted and laughed, raising his glass to the moon.

After enjoying the fine wine and delicious food, the guests expressed their support for Liu Yan and were willing to serve him.

At the same time, the black-clad steward also began to communicate secretly with the Wei State.

He used the resources provided by Liu Yan and negotiated with the merchants of Wei State many times, and finally reached an agreement.

The merchants of Wei were willing to pay a high price to buy the gunpowder and fine iron weapons and armor from Liu Yan, and Liu Yan also successfully obtained the promise of the gold and silver he needed.

However, all was not smooth sailing.

During the smuggling process, they encountered strict inspections by the imperial court and covert obstruction by their competitors.

But with the help of his loyal followers, Liu Yan finally succeeded in transporting the goods to the State of Wei and exchanged them for a huge amount of gold and silver.

When the black-clad steward handed the heavy gold and silver to Liu Yan, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

These gold and silver not only meant that they had successfully bribed the people who compiled the "Clan Records", but also meant that their position in the court would be more stable.

The Imperial City of Chang'an is majestic and magnificent, the Forbidden City is deep, and the Xuanshi Hall is even more magnificent and majestic.

Inside the palace, Zhou Che, dressed in gorgeous palace attire, walked slowly forward, each step appearing so steady and solemn.

After giving birth, her body seemed to have grown taller, with a mature charm in her plumpness, and her every move revealing the demeanor of a young woman.

She walked up to Liu Chan, bowed slightly, and said in a soft but firm voice: "Your Majesty, Duxiang Hou has sent gunpowder, weapons and armor to Wei."

After saying that, she looked up at Liu Chan, her eyes showing both determination and a hint of barely perceptible worry.

Liu Chan was sitting on the dragon throne. He nodded when he heard this. There was no anger on his face. Instead, he seemed unusually calm.

Although Liu Yan, Marquis of Duxiang, acted boldly, it was within his expectations.

After all, the Military Intelligence Department had already been closely monitoring Liu Yan's every move.

Every line and item of his previous smuggled goods had been clearly recorded by the Military Affairs Department.

This time, the military contraband was taken out of the Academy of Sciences for smuggling, all of which was done under Liu Chan's nose.

Those who traded with him in Wei were not people from Wei, but people from the Central Military Commission of Wei. Liu Yan was just helping to transport supplies.

However, the crime is real.

Liu Yan was an old minister of the Yuan Dynasty. Although he had no ability, his status was there.

In addition, the world is still unsettled and there are still many places where these warriors are needed.

Liu Chan didn't want to take action against him, but if the evil tendencies among his meritorious deeds were not controlled, it would be more difficult to control them in the future.

He must take this opportunity to intimidate his ministers and consolidate his imperial power.

So, he slowly said: "The Military Affairs Department will send people to arrest Liu Yan and put him in the imperial prison. The three departments will hold a joint trial and convict him within three days."

When Zhou Che heard this, his heart tightened, but then it turned into a gentle smile.

She immediately accepted the order, her voice clear and firm: "I obey your order."

After saying that, she turned around and was about to leave, but suddenly stopped and looked back at Liu Chan, with a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She wanted to say something, but she hesitated. In the end, she just looked at Liu Chan deeply, then turned around and left.

Liu Chan looked at Zhou Che's back and felt an indescribable emotion in his heart.

Zhou Che is not only his woman, but also his most capable assistant.

She was smart, witty, determined, and fiercely loyal to him.

Handing over the power of the military department to her was his wisest choice.

Of course, this is just a temporary solution.

It seems that cultivating loyal minions is also something that needs to be put on the agenda.

After Zhou Che left the Xuanshi Hall, he asked the Jianjun Division to immediately gather many capable generals.

Go and capture Liu Yan.

As the night deepened, the elites of the Jianjun Division shuttled through the streets of Chang'an City like ghosts, their target was the Duxianghou Mansion. Liu Yan, the old minister who once held great power, was now immersed in his dreams, unaware that danger had quietly approached.

The men from the Jianjun Division quietly sneaked into Liu Yan's bedroom. Their movements were swift and accurate, and they did not alarm anyone. Liu Yan was suddenly awakened from his sleep, and saw a group of people in black clothes with stern faces standing in front of his bed, with shining swords in their hands flashing cold light.

He was stunned and wanted to ask, but he was quickly restrained by the military officers. They dragged Liu Yan off the bed quickly and put heavy shackles on him without any explanation. Liu Yan struggled, but it was useless. He could only watch himself being taken away by this group of mysterious people.

In the darkness of night, a group of people quickly crossed the streets of Chang'an City and headed straight for the imperial prison.

Liu Yan was held in the middle, his heart filled with fear and confusion. He didn't know why he was suddenly arrested, and he didn't know what fate he would face.

Inside the imperial prison, the lights were on and the atmosphere was solemn.

Liu Yan was taken to a dark cell and the iron door slammed shut, isolating him from the outside world.

He looked around and saw that the walls were solid, the iron windows were closed, and not a single ray of light could get in. He felt an unprecedented despair and fear in his heart.

He originally thought that with his merits and status, even if the smuggled goods were discovered, he could easily deal with it.

However, he was wrong.

Now he can only hope that his connections will persuade His Majesty to spare his life.

I bleed for the Han!

I have made contributions to the Han people!
I want to see His Majesty!
I want to see His Majesty! (End of this chapter)