Shuhan

Under the caress of the spring breeze, Luoyang City gradually shed its winter silence and put on spring clothes.

Outside the city, patches of withered yellow are quietly replaced by new green, as if it were nature's most delicate brushstrokes, outlining a vibrant picture on the vast land.

The Luo River flows slowly and sparkles. People on both sides of the river have begun the busy spring ploughing. They are either sweating profusely or driving oxen and holding plows, burying the seeds of hope deep in this fertile land, looking forward to a good harvest in autumn.

The air is filled with the fresh scent of earth and grass, and everything seems so harmonious and full of vitality.

However, in the heart of the city, the Imperial City of Luoyang, the atmosphere was completely different from the bright spring days outside.

The tall city walls isolate the city from the noise of the outside world and also imprison the hearts of countless people.

Within the palace walls, both the eunuchs and palace maids walked lightly and carefully, and even the sound of their footsteps seemed to be deliberately suppressed, for fear of disturbing anything.

Their faces were filled with caution and fear, and their eyes flickered with uneasiness, as if every step they took was on thin ice, and if they were not careful they would fall into an abyss from which there was no return.

On this day, after a period of ominous silence, another cold corpse was carried out from the Taiji Palace. It was a eunuch, his body lying stiffly on a stretcher, his face was as pale as paper, his eyes were closed, and there was still a trace of undried blood at the corner of his mouth.

When the palace servants saw this scene, their hearts tightened and an expression of sadness and fear that was difficult to conceal appeared on their faces.

This kind of scene is not the first time it has happened. Each time it is like an invisible blade, deeply cutting their inner expectations for the future.

"Oh, why bother?" An elderly palace maid sighed softly. Although her voice was soft, it was particularly clear in the silent palace corridor.

Her eyes showed both sympathy for the deceased and helplessness towards the current situation.

Upon hearing this, the people around just looked at each other silently, their eyes conveying a tacit understanding, and then quickly dispersed and returned to their posts, as if nothing had happened. Only the stretcher that was gradually moving away reminded them that all this was not a dream.

Inside the Taiji Hall, the emperor sat on the high dragon throne, his face half covered by shadows, appearing particularly moody.

Those deep eyes sometimes flashed with a cold light, and sometimes fell into deep thought, as if the fate of the whole world depended on his thoughts.

His mood is like the spring weather, sometimes warm and gentle, sometimes stormy and unpredictable.

Whenever he was in a bad mood, innocent people would become victims of his anger, which made everyone in the palace walk on thin ice, fearing that they would become the next target.

"Your Majesty, please have some tea." A maid cautiously came forward with a tea tray. Her hands trembled slightly, fearing that she would accidentally anger the capricious monarch.

The emperor took the teacup and gently blew away the cool air, but his eyes never left the memorial in his hand.

His fingers gently stroked the rim of the cup, as if he was thinking about some important decision.

The territory of Wei State was like duckweed in the wind and rain, sometimes expanding and sometimes shrinking. The recovery of Qingzhou was a bright spot in the heart of Wei Emperor Cao Rui, symbolizing the re-stabilization of the empire's territory.

However, this joy did not last long, just like the brief warm sunshine in spring, it was soon replaced by continuous haze.

Youzhou, the land that once belonged to the Wei State, now fell into the hands of the Han army; Bingzhou also inadvertently and quietly broke away from the control of the Wei State.

In just one year, the State of Wei lost thousands of miles of territory. This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to an emperor who was determined to unify the world.

Emperor Cao Rui was sitting on the dragon throne in the Taiji Hall at this moment. His face was haggard, his breathing was rapid, and his eyes were flashing with anxiety and anger that was difficult to conceal.

The cheeks had lost their former redness, replaced by a sickly paleness, and the eyes were bloodshot with deep dark circles, as if the torment of sleepless nights had lasted for countless days and nights.

His lips were pale and his mouth was tightly pursed, revealing suppressed anger and helplessness.

He was completely different from the dignified and calm emperor he usually was. It was as if his spiritual pillars were being crushed bit by bit by the invisible pressure.

"Send ten beauties here, I want to enjoy them!" Cao Rui's voice suddenly sounded, with unquestionable determination, as if he was trying to escape the suffocating reality in this way and find a moment of pleasure and anesthesia.

When the eunuch Bixie heard this, his heart tightened. He knew very well that the emperor had been indulgent recently, but he had to bite the bullet and advise: "Your Majesty, you just sent ten people yesterday, and you are sending ten more today? Your Majesty needs to take care of your health!"

Bixie's tone was full of worry. He knew very well that such indulgence would undoubtedly make things worse for the emperor who was already exhausted both physically and mentally.

However, Cao Rui just glared at him.

"I know my body condition. Send the beauty here quickly. Don't worry about other things."

Bixie had no choice but to obey the order and leave.

Soon, ten stunning beauties of different looks were brought into the Tai Chi Hall.

Some of them are elegant and refined, while others are charming and attractive. Each of them looks like a fairy walking out of a painting. But at this moment, they have become tools for the emperor to seek comfort.

Cao Rui looked at them with a hint of obsession in his eyes, but soon, this obsession was replaced by a deeper emptiness.

Inside the Taiji Hall, the flickering candlelight illuminated the absurdity of this broad-day debauchery.

Cao Rui and these ten beauties seemed to be in another world, temporarily forgetting the troubles and pressures of the outside world.

However, this short-lived joy was like poison, eroding his will and body bit by bit.

In fact, Cao Rui knew better than anyone that such indulgence would not solve any problems.

As the king of a country, I shoulder the future of the country and the hope of the nation.

But whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, the news about the lost land would echo in his ears like a ghost, keeping him awake.

He was angry, anxious, and felt more powerless than ever before.

In this mental state, he chose to escape and to numb himself with alcohol and beauty.

However, this escape only made him fall into a deeper abyss.

His body was getting weaker and weaker, his spirit was becoming more and more depressed, but the shadow of losing his land was like a maggot on his tarsal, which could not be shaken off.

In this revelry of drunkenness and debauchery, Cao Rui seemed to see his own end.

If he continues like this, he will not only lose his country, but also lose himself.

However, faced with this irreversible situation, what can he do?

He could only pray silently in his heart, hoping that one day he would be able to find a real way out and bring new vitality to the State of Wei.

As the night deepened, the candles in the Tai Chi Hall gradually went out, leaving only silence and darkness.

Cao Rui lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling, his heart filled with endless confusion and bewilderment. He didn't know where his future lay, nor did he know where the future of Wei State lay.

now.

Outside the Taiji Hall, the night was deep. The moonlight was like water, quietly sprinkling on the bluestone ground, creating a faint silver glow.

A breeze blew by, causing the palace lanterns on both sides outside the hall to sway gently. Amid the interweaving of light and shadow, a woman dressed in gorgeous empress dowager robes slowly walked in with a group of palace maids to the outside of Taiji Hall. She was the Queen Dowager of Wei, Queen Guo, Guo Zhao.

Although she was already the queen mother, time seemed to be particularly tolerant to her. She was still graceful and plump in her thirties, and her face was even more beautiful. However, at this moment, her dark eyebrows were tightly furrowed, adding a touch of subtle worry to this quiet night. Queen Guo was gently stopped by an eunuch in front of the Taiji Hall. The eunuch looked embarrassed, as if he was unwilling, but had to carry out this embarrassing task.

At this moment, another middle-aged man in the robes of an imperial eunuch hurried out. He was the emperor's favorite, a ward off evil spirits.

Bixie bowed to Queen Guo with a respectful yet dignified attitude, for he was well aware of the importance and majesty of the empress dowager.

"Your servant greets the Queen Mother." Bixie's voice was low and polite, but there was a flash of indescribable complex emotions in his eyes.

Queen Guo stared at Pixie with a sharp gaze, and said with a reproachful tone: "I heard that His Majesty summoned ten more beauties to the palace?"

Bixie nodded slightly, with a look of helplessness on his face.

In fact, even standing here, you can vaguely hear the sounds of men and women making love coming from the hall. The sound is particularly harsh in the quiet night, which makes people can't help but fantasize.

Pixie whispered, "I have advised you, but Your Majesty will not listen."

Queen Guo frowned even more tightly, her heart filled with worry and disappointment.

Emperor Cao Rui's behavior has become more and more indulgent recently, and he is addicted to wine and sex. This is not only a great harm to his own body, but also irresponsible to the future of Wei.

As the queen mother, she has the responsibility and obligation to stop all this.

"I want to go in!"

Queen Guo's voice was firm and resolute. She took a step forward, as if she was going to break directly into the closed door.

Seeing this, Bixie stepped forward to stop them, and his tone was pleading: "Queen Dowager, the scene inside is disgraceful, you'd better not go in. Wait until Your Majesty is done, and then I will persuade you. I believe that Your Majesty will listen to you."

Queen Guo stopped and looked at Bixie with a deep gaze. What Bixie said made sense.

As the queen mother of a country, she was indeed not suitable to witness those unbearable scenes directly, but this did not mean that she could turn a blind eye to it.

Her heart was full of contradictions and struggles. She wanted to stop the emperor's behavior immediately, but she didn't want to destroy her image in the emperor's heart.

"Alas..." Queen Guo sighed softly, with a trace of helplessness and fatigue in her eyes.

"You are right. I cannot go in like this. But, His Majesty...how could he do this? The future of Wei still depends on him. His Majesty cannot fall."

Upon hearing this, Bixie felt mixed emotions.

The emperor's behavior not only affects his personal health, but also the stability and future of the country.

But as a subject, all he could do was to try his best to persuade the emperor, but he could not directly change the emperor's decision.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will always pay attention to your Majesty's situation and will give you advice as soon as I have the chance."

Queen Guo nodded slightly. Although Bixie was someone close to the emperor, she had always been respectful to her and often passed on news from the palace to her.

At a time like this, the only one she could trust was the one to ward off evil spirits.

"Now, I have to rely on the Grand Eunuch to comfort me."

As the night deepens, the palace lanterns outside the Taiji Hall are still swaying gracefully, but beneath that tranquility, there are countless unknown undercurrents hidden.

. . .

a long distance away.

It was spring, everything was reviving, and the Han Emperor Liu Chan embarked on a tour to the north.

Unlike Cao Rui, who was far away in Luoyang and chose to escape reality through wine and sex, Liu Chan chose a more positive and pragmatic path.

His team marched slowly across the land of Hedong. The spring breeze blew on their faces, bringing the fragrance of the earth and the breath of new life.

Along the way, every place seemed to be a microcosm of the general trend of the world. The nobles came to pay homage one after another. With awe and expectation, they offered their elite sons and daughters, hoping that they could serve under the emperor, bring glory to their families, and contribute to the country.

Money and food flowed in like water, demonstrating the prestige and appeal of the Han emperor.

When Liu Chan's team arrived in Jinyang, he was greeted not only by local officials, but also by thirty beauties carefully selected by aristocratic families.

These beauties are all stunningly beautiful and graceful. Not only do they have beautiful looks, they are also multi-talented and proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. They seem like fairies walking out of ancient paintings, making people unforgettable at first sight.

The "West Lake Skinny Horse" that was passed down in later generations is no more than this.

Liu Chan looked at these beauties with a hint of amazement in his eyes, but soon, this amazement was replaced by deeper thoughts.

However, enjoying beautiful women is a spice of life. As the king of a country, he has more important responsibilities.

So, after enjoying a moment of joy, Liu Chan devoted more energy to the important tasks of governing the country and stabilizing the people's hearts.

In Jinyang, Liu Chan established a military academy.

He recruited many young men from Bingzhou and taught them not only martial arts but also military tactics and ways of governing the country, hoping that they could become the pillars of the future Han Dynasty.

At the same time, it can also stabilize the hearts of the Bingzhou gentry.

In addition, he also summoned local respected people and granted them official positions to stabilize people's hearts and demonstrate the benevolence and wisdom of the Han emperor.

Opening the treasury and recruiting refugees was another important measure taken by Liu Chan.

The people are the foundation of the country. Only when the people live and work in peace and contentment can the country enjoy long-term stability.

Therefore, he opened the treasury and used grain and silver to help the people who were displaced by the war, provided them with land, and helped them rebuild their homes in order to reassure the people.

Spring ploughing was also the top priority of Liu Chan's northern tour.

Agriculture is the economic lifeline of the country. Only by ensuring the smooth progress of spring plowing can we guarantee the food supply for the whole year.

Liu Chan personally supervised the spring plowing and encouraged the people to actively farm. He also sent officials to the fields to guide the people in planting scientifically and increase production.

Under Liu Chan's governance, the Taiyuan Hedong area, which had been slightly turbulent, soon became as solid as a rock.

The people were full of admiration and gratitude for the young emperor. They called him "the Holy Emperor of Han" and believed that he was the savior sent by God and the saint who would lead them to prosperity.

When Liu Chan heard this, he just smiled lightly.

Holy Tyrant
As long as you unify the world, as the final winner, you will be the Holy King!
on the contrary
If you keep losing battles, no matter how wise you are, you can only be a tyrant.

Just like the current tyrant in Luoyang. (End of this chapter)