Shuhan

Luoyang city seemed particularly quiet in the cold winter wind.

The snowflakes fluttered like feathers in the sky, covering the green tiles of the palace and giving the imperial city a layer of silver.

The cold wind mixed with snowflakes blew through the cracks in the palace wall, making a whimpering sound, as if telling of something ominous.

Deep inside the palace, in the inner hall, the lights are on, but they cannot conceal the debauchery and decadence that permeates from within.

Cao Rui was leaning on the dragon throne at this moment, his eyes covered by a soft silk, a frivolous smile on the corner of his mouth.

In front of him was a group of beauties who were dressed gorgeously but looked reserved. They were either standing or sitting, with both fear and expectation in their eyes.

Cao Rui played hide-and-seek with them. Every time he caught them, there were bursts of laughter and screams, but it could not cover up the emptiness and boredom behind it.

Zheng Cheng walked into the inner hall step by step, step by step, on the thick snow.

His face was full of worry and anxiety, and his brows revealed deep concern for the future of the country.

Zheng Cheng bowed to Cao Rui and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, I have something important to report!"

However, his voice seemed unable to penetrate the fog woven by the aroma of wine and laughter.

Cao Rui was immersed in playing with the beauties. When Zheng Cheng came, he just waved his hand casually and said with a smile: "If you have something to say, I will speak to you tomorrow! Don't disturb my interest today!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he pounced on a thinly dressed, pretty beauty and took her into his arms. His hands roamed freely on her body, causing the beauty to scream softly, but she did not dare to resist.

Zheng Cheng felt mixed emotions when he saw this scene. He couldn't help but sigh secretly as he looked at this young emperor who was once full of ambition and ideals, but now indulged in wine and sex.

A feeling of disappointment surged in his heart, and he couldn't help but raise his voice: "Your Majesty, have you forgotten your ambitions? Your Majesty, are you going to be the king of a ruined country?"

These two sentences, like two sharp swords, pierced through the noise in the inner hall and pierced Cao Rui's heart.

The smile on Cao Rui's face froze instantly. He slowly pushed the beauty in his arms away. Her eyes, covered by silk, seemed to see through the darkness and the emptiness and confusion deep in his heart.

He waved his hand, signaling all the beauties to leave. For a moment, only he and Zheng Cheng were left in the inner hall, and the aroma of wine and powder was still in the air.

Cao Rui took off the silk, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes. He looked at Zheng Cheng, his voice filled with fatigue and helplessness: "Master, what important matter do you have to report?"

Zheng Cheng took a deep breath and said with a firm look: "Now the world is on the side of Han. Ordinary methods can no longer defeat Han. But there is a way that may be able to turn the tide."

Cao Rui's eyes lit up when he heard this, as if he had grasped a life-saving straw: "What is the solution?"

Zheng Cheng pondered for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Assassinate Liu Gongsi! As long as the emperor of Han dies, his son will be young and wet behind the ears, and Han will definitely be in turmoil. At that time, it will be our chance for the Great Wei."

These words were like a bolt of lightning, exploding in Cao Rui's mind.

He was silent for a moment, as if he was weighing the pros and cons of this plan. Seeing this, Zheng Cheng continued, "Your Majesty, this plan is risky, but it is our only chance. The Han Kingdom is strong, and if we, the Great Wei, do not act now, I am afraid that we will not even have a place to stand in the future."

Cao Rui gave a bitter smile, which was filled with helplessness and sadness, as if it was a profound irony on the ugliness of human nature in this chaotic and turbulent world.

He walked slowly to the window, staring at the heavy snow falling outside, feeling mixed emotions.

When two countries go to war, they should be upright and use military strategies to win the battle thousands of miles away. But now they have fallen to such despicable means as assassination. How can one not feel sad?
Back then, Prince Dan of Yan was at his wits' end and placed his hopes on the assassin Jing Ke, attempting to change the country's destiny by his own efforts, but the result was that he accelerated the demise of Yan.

Now, he was about to follow in his footsteps, and Cao Rui could not help but shake his head in self-mockery.

"Liu Chan is heavily guarded. How can an ordinary assassin get close to him?"

There was a hint of reluctance and helplessness in Cao Rui's words. He was well aware of the difficulty of this plan, but he also understood that under the current situation, this might be the most direct and most likely way to turn the tide.

A sly light flashed in Zheng Cheng's eyes. He slowly approached Cao Rui and whispered, "The Emperor of Han loves women. Your Majesty can use the beauties to take the Emperor's life."

Although Zheng Cheng's words were light, they struck Cao Rui's heart like a heavy hammer, shocking him.

After thinking for a moment, Cao Rui shook his head again, frowning, obviously not satisfied with this proposal.

"Liu Chan had seen all kinds of beauties around him, how could he be killed by an ordinary woman?"

His tone was full of doubt and denial, but his eyes revealed a hint of hesitation, as if he was looking for a reason to convince himself.

Seeing this, Zheng Cheng curled up the corner of his mouth into a barely perceptible smile. He knew Cao Rui's weaknesses well and understood how to control the mind of this young emperor.

"Your Majesty has countless beauties in the palace. You can train them more and then give them to the officers on the front line. When they are collected by the Han army, there will be beauties who will be presented to Liu Gongsi."

There was a hint of temptation in Zheng Cheng's words, as if he was describing an enticing trap, waiting for Cao Rui to jump into it.

There were too many beauties in Cao Rui's palace, and Zheng Cheng had long been dissatisfied with this. If the number of beauties could be reduced this time, it would be a good thing for the emperor.

When talking about beauties in the palace, a figure suddenly flashed through Cao Rui's mind - Sun Luban.

Not only did she have outstanding appearance, she was also the elder sister of Liu Chan's concubine Sun Luyu.

Given the lustful nature of the Han Dynasty Emperor Liu Chan, if Sun Luban could be sent to his side, she would definitely become a sharp dagger, piercing Liu Chan's heart.

However, how to send Sun Luban to Liu Chan and how to persuade her to deal with her brother-in-law were undoubtedly two huge problems.

Cao Rui fell into deep thought, his eyes seemed even deeper in the flickering light.

Zheng Cheng seemed to see Cao Rui's hesitation. He said softly, "Your Majesty, her father Sun Quan fought against the Han Dynasty for many years. Sun Quan was forced by the Han army to kill his father. She may also be eager to have a chance to avenge her father. We just need to find a suitable opportunity to convince her to work for us."

When Cao Rui heard this, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by worry.

"Even so, it is not easy to send her to Liu Chan. The Han army's defense line is tight, and it is difficult for our people to infiltrate." There was a hint of helplessness in his words.

Zheng Cheng smiled and said confidently: "Your Majesty, rest assured. I have a plan. We can take advantage of a small-scale conflict on the front line and deliberately let Sun Luban fall into the hands of the Han army. With her status and beauty, the Han army will definitely offer her to Liu Chan. Before that, we will arrange for someone to contact her and tell her our plan, so that she knows that this is the only chance to avenge her father."

After hearing this, Cao Rui remained silent for a long time.

This plan is full of risks and unknowns, but he also understands that under the current circumstances, this may be the only straw they can grasp.

Finally, he nodded slowly, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Okay, I'll follow your advice. But we must be careful and not make any mistakes."

. . .

Deep in the imperial city, a cold palace forgotten by time stands quietly in the cold wind. The high walls around it seem to isolate it from all the warmth and noise in the world, leaving only endless bleakness and desolation.

The sky was grey, with a few dead leaves occasionally falling in the wind, adding a sense of loneliness.

It was freezing cold inside the cold palace. Even the rare sunshine in winter could not penetrate the thick clouds and bring a trace of warmth to this secluded place.

In this cold world, there were only a few maids in thin clothes accompanying Sun Luban. They were Sun Luban's personal attendants brought from Wu to Wei, and they never left her even in the most difficult times.

In winter, charcoal fire became a scarce commodity. The stove in the cold palace had been extinguished for a long time, and the air was filled with a biting chill.

Sun Luban, the former princess of Wu and now the imperial consort of Wei, could only sit on the ground, wrapped in a thin brocade quilt, her face haggard, her eyes revealing a kind of indifference and helplessness after experiencing vicissitudes of life.

Back then, when the State of Wu was still prosperous, Sun Luban was so proud and glorious. She had lofty ambitions and dreamed of reaching the pinnacle of power and becoming a queen one day.

However, fate played tricks on her. With the fall of the Wu Kingdom, her father, King Sun Quan, was also killed. She herself was banished to the cold palace by Emperor Cao Rui of Wei for various reasons and was isolated from the world. Her former glory and wealth disappeared like smoke. During this long period of loneliness, Sun Luban experienced a huge transformation from the clouds to the bottom of the valley, and her mind also changed profoundly.

The sharpness and arrogance of the past were gradually smoothed out by time, and replaced by a deep understanding of life and a helpless acceptance of fate.

She understood that no matter how glorious her past was, she could not escape the destiny. Now, she only hoped to spend the rest of her life in this cold palace.

At this time, a maid tiptoed to Sun Luban, her hands trembling slightly due to the cold, her little face was red from the cold, and her eyes were full of concern.

"Your Highness, the charcoal has run out. The weather is getting colder. Should we... go to the Queen Mother and ask for some more?"

There was some hesitation in the maid's voice. She knew that asking the Queen Mother for help would mean being humble again, but looking at Sun Luban's increasingly thin figure, how could she not feel distressed?
Upon hearing this, Sun Luban shook her head slightly, with a bitter smile on her lips.

"No, use it sparingly. The Queen Mother has a hard time too, we can't cause her any more trouble."

She knew that she had no one to rely on now and the only way to survive in this cold palace was to be self-sufficient.

Seeing this, the maid had no choice but to retreat silently.

A moment later, the maid returned to Sun Luban again, and this time, there was a solemn look on her face.

"Your Highness, I just went out to get some information. I heard that Jizhou has been captured by the Han Kingdom. His Majesty was furious and killed many people."

The maid's voice was low and trembling, and she was obviously shocked by the news.

When Sun Luban heard this, her heart trembled violently, and a gleam of disbelief flashed in her eyes.

Although she was in the cold palace, she still heard about the changes in the outside world.

She had heard about the rise of the Han State, but she did not expect it to be so fast. Even Jizhou of Wei State had been conquered by it.

This means that the Wei Kingdom is already in danger, and it is likely that the entire Wei Kingdom will fall into the hands of the Han Kingdom in the near future.

"This Han Kingdom... has such a fast speed." Sun Luban murmured to herself, with a tone that contained both shock and emotion.

If two countries go to war, no one knows how many people will die.

"Forget it, forget it. The rise and fall of a country is determined by fate. I, Sun Luban, was just a tiny wave in the long river of history at that time. What could I change?"

She spoke in a low voice, her eyes revealing a detached and indifferent look.

In the cold palace, the wind was still cold, but Sun Luban's heart seemed to have a touch of warmth. She knew that no matter how the outside world changed, as long as she kept a sense of peace and indifference in her heart, she would be able to find her own piece of pure land in this chaotic world.

At this moment, a series of hurried and clear footsteps outside the cold palace broke the silence, followed by the maid's slightly panicked but excited shout: "The Queen Mother is here, the Queen Mother is here!"

The sound echoed in the empty and gloomy cold palace, as if a ray of light penetrated the thick haze, bringing a hint of life to this lonely place.

Sun Luban's heart trembled violently. Besides being surprised, she was even more incredulous.

Since being banished to the cold palace, she had almost become accustomed to being forgotten. The sudden visit of Empress Dowager Guo undoubtedly threw a stone into her calm life, causing ripples.

She quickly straightened her clothes. Even though they were thin and worn out and could not withstand the severe winter cold, she still tried her best to make herself look neat.

Then, she walked out of the main hall of the cold palace with steady steps to greet the woman who held supreme authority in the Wei court.

Empress Dowager Guo was dressed in gorgeous empress dowager robes embroidered with intricate totems, highlighting her noble status.

She was wearing a soft mink shawl on the outside. The mink fur was shiny and warm, and seemed to carry the freshness and warmth of the forest.

Although Empress Dowager Guo's face was no longer in the prime of her youth, she still retained her charm. Her eyes and brows revealed the gentleness and wisdom of a mature woman. Her plump figure added a bit of charm to her. Even the most unintentional action was enough to make any man look sideways.

Sun Luban walked forward slowly, and bowed slowly according to the court etiquette, with a barely perceptible tremor in her voice: "Da Hu greets the Queen Mother."

Although her tone was calm, her eyes could not hide her surprise at the sudden appearance of Empress Dowager Guo.

In this deep palace, Empress Dowager Guo is one of her few supports.

When Empress Dowager Guo saw this, a hint of imperceptible pity flashed in her eyes.

She walked quickly forward and helped Sun Luban up with her own hands, her movements gentle and gentle.

"Get up! Life in the cold palace is not easy!"

Sun Luban stood up and smiled slightly, a smile that contained both helplessness and relief.

"The cold palace has its advantages. At least it's quiet." She said softly, her eyes sweeping around. The mottled walls and dilapidated window frames seemed to be telling of the ruthlessness of time.

Her clothes were not thick, and the thin fabric looked particularly flimsy in the bitter cold of winter, but she seemed to have gotten used to the cold, and there was no sign of complaint on her face.

Empress Dowager Guo looked at Sun Luban and felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

This woman, who was once as proud as a peacock, is now trapped in this cold palace, suffering from the ups and downs of life.

"Your Majesty, how can you be so unreasonable? Sigh~" Queen Mother Guo sighed softly, her tone full of dissatisfaction and helplessness about Sun Luban's experience.

The emperor's decision was not something she could influence, but she could at least do something for Sun Luban to make her life a little better in these difficult days.

As she spoke, Empress Dowager Guo signaled the maid behind her to present the items they had brought.

They were some thick winter clothes and several large boxes of charcoal supplies, which were the supplies that Sun Luban urgently needed in these cold winter months.

"I brought some winter clothes and charcoal supplies. Please accept them. We have to get on with life."

Sun Luban looked at the supplies in front of her and her eyes reddened slightly.

These things not only represent material assistance, but also represent Empress Dowager Guo's deep affection for her.

"Queen Mother, Da Hu will never forget your great kindness." She whispered, her voice choked with sobs.

In this deep palace, being able to meet such an elder who treats her sincerely is her greatest luck in this life.

Queen Mother Guo gently patted the back of Sun Luban's hand, her eyes full of love and encouragement.

"Child, don't be sad. Life always has ups and downs, but as long as there is light in your heart, there is always hope." Her words were like a ray of sunshine in winter, warming Sun Luban's cold heart.

Afterwards, Empress Dowager Guo stayed in the cold palace for a while, chatted with Sun Luban about some trivial matters, and also asked about her life in the cold palace.

Sun Luban answered them one by one.

Then, the Queen Mother left and invited Sun Luban to come to her place the next day to chat and relieve her boredom.

With the departure of Empress Dowager Guo, the cold palace returned to its former tranquility.

But Sun Luban's heart was no longer as empty and desperate as before.

But she didn't know that all the gifts of fate have been marked with a price. (End of this chapter)