Shuhan

Liu Yan was imprisoned in the imperial prison, surrounded by cold, hard stone walls, and the air was filled with a suffocating, musty and damp smell.

He huddled in a corner with empty eyes, until the appearance of Jingzhao Yin Guan Xing, who seemed to bring a ray of faint light to his gloomy world.

Guan Xing had a righteous look on his face, and his arrival made Liu Yan feel like he had seen a life-saving straw.

Liu Yan desperately crawled to the prison door, holding the cold iron bars tightly with both hands, and shouted to Guan Xing through the prison door: "My dear nephew, my dear nephew, I am innocent. Please investigate this matter and clear my name!"

His voice was full of despair and begging, and his eyes flashed with the last ray of hope.

However, Guan Xing's face was as cold as ice, without any emotion.

He asked in a cold voice: "Are you innocent? Why did you send your own steward to Wei half a month ago? And why did you find someone from the Academy of Sciences and transport the Academy of Sciences' defective products to Wei to sell ten days ago?

You know exactly what the Academy of Sciences is, not to mention that you have been smuggling in the State of Wei for many years and have done many things that angered the heavens and the people. Don't you think others don't know about this? Your Majesty doesn't know?"

Every word Guan Xing said was like a heavy hammer, hitting Liu Yan's heart hard.

His face turned pale in an instant, the corners of his lips turned blue, and the light of hope that flickered in his eyes gradually went out.

He asked hurriedly, "Your Majesty already knows about this?"

The voice was filled with fear and anxiety.

Guan Xing sneered, his voice full of disdain and ridicule: "How many things in this world are there that Your Majesty doesn't know? You thought you did it perfectly, but in fact, you have already been full of loopholes. The reason why Your Majesty didn't take action immediately is that he wanted to give you a decent death because you are the former emperor's follower."

After saying that, Guan Xing glanced at Liu Yan and turned to leave.

Liu Yan looked at Guan Xing's back, and an indescribable despair and regret surged in his heart.

In a dark corner of the imperial prison, Liu Yan sat silently, his heart filled with regret and helplessness.

He recalled his glorious past and compared it with his current miserable situation, and could not help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.

He knew that he had reached the end of his life, but he didn't want to die in silence.

So he began to shout loudly, hoping to attract other people's attention and hoping that someone would seek justice for him.

However, his cries echoed in the dark corners of the imperial prison, but no one responded.

He could only wait silently for death to come, his heart filled with endless despair and helplessness.

Inside the Xuanshi Hall.

Guan Xing, dressed in an official robe and walking steadily, passed through thick curtains and stepped into the core of this center of power.

There was a barely perceptible worry on his face, and his eyes were firm, but they could not hide the turmoil in his heart.

"Your Majesty, Guan Xing is here to report." His voice was steady and powerful, echoing in the empty hall, but seemed to be swallowed up by the silence around him.

Liu Chan sat on a high throne, wearing a dragon robe and a crown on his head. His majesty exuded an inviolable imperial aura.

After hearing Guan Xing's words, his eyes instantly became sharp, as if he could see into the deepest secrets of human heart.

When he learned that Liu Yan still did not repent and was still shouting that he was innocent, a flash of uncontrollable anger appeared in Liu Chan's eyes, and murderous aura inadvertently overflowed, making the temperature in the entire Xuanshi Hall seem to drop a few degrees.

"This Liu Yan really deserves to die!" Liu Chan's voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, revealing his extreme hatred for Liu Yan.

Guan Xing stood aside, looking at Liu Chan with complicated eyes, feeling mixed emotions.

He knew that although Liu Yan did not have great talent, he held a very high position in the army due to his prominent family background and long experience.

If the execution is carried out rashly, it will inevitably cause dissatisfaction in the army and even shake the foundation of the country.

So, he spoke carefully: "Liu Yan is in a high position and has great power. If Your Majesty kills him, I am afraid that it will chill the hearts of the brothers. Although he has no real talent, he is in a high position. If he is executed directly without proper preparation, those noble generals will inevitably feel resentful. In their eyes, smuggling weapons is a crime, but it is not a crime punishable by death."

Upon hearing this, Liu Chan frowned and looked deep, as if he was weighing something.

He slowly stood up, walked to the window, stared at the dark night sky outside, and was silent for a long time.

Guan Xing could feel that Liu Chan was experiencing a fierce struggle in his heart.

At this time, Liu Chan turned around and said to Guan Xing with a firm look: "I have made up my mind. Liu Yan must die, and he must die in front of those who plead for him."

Guan Xing was stunned when he heard this. He stepped forward and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, Liu Yan is guilty, but the person who wrote the letter to plead for him is innocent."

Liu Chan waved his hand gently, his tone revealing an unquestionable determination: "I will not harm the innocent, don't worry. But I want everyone to see that no matter who it is, anyone who breaks the law will be severely punished."

When Guan Xing heard this, he had some doubts in his heart, but seeing that Liu Chan had made up his mind, he nodded and slowly left the Xuanshi Hall.

Walking out of the palace, he took a deep breath, and the cool breeze made him more sober.

Guan Xing acted quickly and ordered the guards to sort out the memorials pleading for Liu Yan one by one. At the same time, he ordered those who wrote the memorials to gather outside the Xuanshi Hall immediately.

For a moment, the area outside the Xuanshi Hall seemed to have become a quiet bay before the storm, gathering many military generals.

They were dressed in military uniforms, but at this moment they all put aside their usual dignity and arrogance, and instead showed a rare silence.

Some generals frowned and looked nervous, as if they could hear the sound of their own heartbeats, and every beat was accompanied by fear of the unknown.

They exchanged glances from time to time, trying to find a hint of comfort or clues in each other's expressions, but they often only gained more confusion and anxiety.

Their fingers clenched unconsciously, as if that was the only thing they could rely on at the moment.

Some were talking in low voices; although their voices were small, they revealed their inner anxiety and confusion.

They talked about Liu Yan's crimes, speculated about Liu Chan's intentions, and were even more worried about the turmoil and unrest this incident might bring to the army.

Their words were mixed with doubt, anger and helplessness, and each emotion was like an undercurrent, quietly spreading among the crowd.

"How could Liu Yan be so bold? He actually dared to communicate with the enemy country and smuggle military equipment!" An elderly general sighed in a low voice, his voice revealing his disappointment and heartache towards Liu Yan.

"Yes, although he is not a man of great talent, he is not so confused!" another general echoed, his eyes flashing with puzzlement and confusion.

"But now that His Majesty has made up his mind, what can we do?" A young general said helplessly, his voice revealing worry and confusion about the future.

These discussions intertwined together, forming an indescribable noise, but were suppressed by the solemnity and silence of the Xuanshi Hall, and could only echo in this small space.

Everyone is waiting, waiting for the moment that will decide their fate, and that waiting is undoubtedly the most torturous.

At the same time, Liu Yan was escorted out of the prison. His clothes were tattered, his face was haggard, and his eyes were flashing with despair and unwillingness.

He used to be in a high position and had great power, but now he was like a stray dog, surrounded by people and stared at, with all his dignity gone.

Afterwards, Liu Chan slowly walked out of the Xuanshi Hall, each step he took was steady and powerful, as if every step was declaring his determination and unshakable imperial power.

All the generals and ministers outside the hall had already knelt on the ground, shouting "Long live the emperor". Their voices were deafening, but they seemed particularly insignificant under Liu Chan's majesty.

Liu Chan waved his hand gently, and that action carried an unquestionable power that made everyone stand up involuntarily and stand straight, as if even their breathing had become cautious.

"Do you know why I asked you to come here today?" Liu Chan's voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone, carrying an indescribable sense of oppression.

Everyone in front of the hall looked at each other, and their eyes finally fell on Liu Yan who was tied up, and then looked at Liu Chan's stern face. Although they had thousands of words in their hearts, they did not dare to step forward to speak, for fear that they would accidentally anger the young emperor.

Liu Yan, a minister who once held a high position of power, was now like a lamb to be slaughtered, tightly bound and unable to move. His eyes flashed with despair and unwillingness, but more of a desire to survive.

Seeing that no one dared to speak for him, he simply gritted his teeth and struggled to take a few steps forward, his voice trembling a little: "Your Majesty, I am innocent! Those things were done by the steward of my house. I was deceived. Please Your Majesty, I will see clearly!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Chan curled up the corner of his mouth into a sneer, which contained both sarcasm towards Liu Yan and a deep insight into the ugliness of human nature.

"Pushing the responsibility onto the people below you is too irresponsible." His voice was as cold as the wind, making people shudder.

"Besides, do you think I can be considered wise if I let you go?"

At this point, Liu Chan's tone suddenly became stern, like a sharp knife piercing Liu Yan's heart.

"Liu Yan, you are an important official, but you colluded with the enemy and smuggled weapons. This is a heinous crime. Today, I hereby announce to the world that anyone who violates the law will be severely punished."

As Liu Chan finished speaking, the entire area outside the Xuanshi Hall fell into deathly silence, with only Liu Yan's faint breathing echoing in the night sky.

Liu Chan signaled to the guards to carry out the death penalty. After receiving the order, the guard drew the long sword at his waist without hesitation. With a flash of the sword, Liu Yan's life ended.

His eyes were wide open and bloodshot, but in the end he could not change his fate.

Those generals who had originally pleaded for Liu Yan were all terrified when they saw this scene.

Among them, some had close personal relationships with Liu Yan, while others pleaded for him because of conflicts of interest.

But at this moment, facing Liu Chan's ruthless decision, they all deeply realized the majesty and inviolability of imperial power.

They knew that no matter how glorious they had been, no matter how much power they held, they were nothing but tiny dust in front of the imperial power.

Liu Yan's body was dragged away, leaving behind only a pool of bright red blood and a lingering fishy smell.

Liu Chan looked at those frightened nobles and generals. There was fear and confusion in their eyes.

Liu Chan knew that many of these people had committed illegal acts, but due to their power and status, they had never been exposed.

He chuckled, his voice containing both sarcasm towards these people and expectations for the future: "Do you think I am cruel?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a man walked out from the crowd. It was Xin Xianying's younger brother Xin Chang.

His face was solemn, but his eyes were firm. He bowed to Liu Chan and said, "Liu Yan deserved to die. How can Your Majesty be so cruel?"

Although his voice was not loud, every word he spoke was powerful, as if he was justifying Liu Chan's decision.

Liu Chan chuckled when he heard this.

He said to the crowd meaningfully: "Many people rely on their power to break the law and bully the people. If the meritorious officials do not stop them, the world will be destroyed. It is easy to conquer the world, but it is difficult to keep it. Now the world has not been conquered yet! They are eager to enjoy themselves, and they are beyond the rules and regulations. If they are not punished early, or they create conflicts, won't they be burdened by them?
I hope that the matter of Liu Yan is the first and the last. If there are unclean people among you, clean them up yourself, otherwise, I will never forgive them easily! "

Liu Chan's words, like a warning bell, rang in everyone's hearts.

They knew that this young emperor not only possessed extraordinary wisdom and decisiveness, but also had deep concerns for the people of the world.

Among them, some began to secretly rejoice that they were not involved in Liu Yan's case; some began to panic, worrying that their illegal actions would be exposed.

But no matter what, they all understood one thing: no one can be complacent in the face of imperial power.

After Liu Chan finished speaking, he ignored those people and left immediately.

His back looked particularly lonely and determined, as if telling the world: He, Liu Chan, is the real ruler of this world.

As for those nobles and generals, they stood there, unable to come back to their senses for a long time.

They knew that their fate was already firmly in the hands of this young emperor.

And Liu Chan has done his utmost.

If these people do not listen to advice and continue to do evil, they will only deserve to die.

Ten days passed quickly, and during this busy period, the political and military situation of the Han Dynasty underwent subtle changes.

Liu Chan sat on the high dragon throne, wearing a golden dragon robe. The hem of his robe swayed gently with his slight movements, as if blending into the surrounding air.

Although his face looks young, his eyes reveal a calmness and wisdom beyond his age, which is the unique temperament given to him by his many years of imperial career.

On this day, Zhou Che was wearing a palace dress and presented a sealed piece of information with both hands. The thin piece of paper seemed to carry a heavy weight, recording the recent movements of the Han nobles.

Liu Chan took the intelligence but was not in a hurry to open it. Instead, he looked up at Zhou Che and asked in a steady voice, "Are there any nobles who are still smuggling and breaking the law?"

Although his tone was calm, it revealed unquestionable majesty.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Che replied, "Your Majesty, it has basically stopped."

Upon hearing this, Liu Chan nodded slightly, with a barely perceptible smile on his lips.

He knew that all these changes were largely due to the high-pressure policies he had recently adopted.

Those nobles who were once arrogant and disregarded the laws of the country finally restrained their edge under his iron fist.

However, Liu Chan also knew that this method could only temporarily suppress the problem but could not solve it fundamentally.

As time goes by, it is inevitable that some people will take chances and try to challenge his bottom line again.

But at this moment, all he needed was to temporarily suppress this contradiction and pave the way for his greater goal - to unify the world.

Thinking of this, Liu Chan's eyes became deep. He spoke again, with a hint of barely perceptible worry in his voice: "How is the situation in the border areas? Has the rebellion been suppressed?"

This problem is undoubtedly the most difficult one for him.

The stability of the border areas is directly related to the future of the Han Dynasty and even his grand ambition to unify the world.

Zhou Che's expression froze when he heard this.

"The rebels are extremely cunning and difficult to wipe out in the mountains. I'm afraid it will take time."

Upon hearing this, Liu Chan frowned slightly, and a hint of barely perceptible anxiety flashed in his deep eyes.

As long as the rebellion in the border areas is not eliminated, the peace of the Han Dynasty cannot be guaranteed.

More importantly, if he wants to unify the world, he must first solve this serious problem.

Otherwise, all grand ambitions will become empty talk.

After a moment's silence, Liu Chan slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the vast sky outside.

His back, elongated in the sunlight, looked particularly lonely and determined.

"Zhou Che, do you know why I am so obsessed with unifying the world?"

Liu Chan's voice was low and magnetic, as if he was talking to Zhou Che, or as if he was talking to himself.

When Zhou Che heard this, his heart moved. He looked up at Liu Chan's back, waiting for his answer.

However, Liu Chan did not turn around, but continued to look out the window, his voice distant and deep: "Because this is the last wish of the late emperor, and it is also the expectation of the Han people. I cannot let them down." (End of this chapter)