Shuhan

In early spring, the earth gradually awakens from the silence of winter, all things grow, and tender green buds break through the soil, as if announcing the arrival of a new life to the world.

The sun shines gently on the ancient and weathered land of Luoyang, bringing a touch of warmth and hope to this city once ravaged by war.

The city of Luoyang appeared dilapidated after the baptism of war.

On both sides of the street, ruins can be seen everywhere. The once bustling city now only has a few families left, with smoke rising from the kitchen, making it seem particularly lonely.

However, in this ruin, new life is also emerging.

Wild flowers bloom tenaciously in the cracks, as if telling the tenacity and indomitable spirit of life.

Liu Chan stood on the city wall of Luoyang, looking at the devastated land, his heart filled with emotion.

In order to revitalize Luoyang, the people must be able to work and recuperate in peace.

So he immediately issued an edict to exempt the people of Luoyang from taxes for two years in order to reduce their burden and allow them to have the energy to rebuild their homes and resume production.

As soon as the imperial edict came out, the city of Luoyang was in an uproar.

People came out of their homes, cheering, and the sad expressions on their faces were replaced by smiles.

An elderly man, leaning on a cane, said excitedly, "Your Majesty is really considerate of the people! If you exempt us from taxes for two years, we will have hope!"

A young woman nearby also echoed: "Yes, now we can farm with peace of mind and no longer have to worry about taxes."

Liu Chan felt a little relieved when he saw the joyful expressions of the people.

He knew that although his decision would temporarily reduce some income for the national treasury, it would win the hearts of the people and lay a solid foundation for the future of the Han Dynasty.

At this time, it is the time for spring plowing, and the fields are bustling with activity.

Taking advantage of the peace of the war, people picked up their hoes and plowed the fields, hoping to have a good harvest this year.

However, Liu Chan knew clearly that the common people and their families had suffered heavy losses in the war, and many fields were left barren and needed to be remeasured and redistributed.

So he ordered people to measure the land in Luoyang and prepare to reward meritorious officials, soldiers and generals with land.

This decision caused a commotion throughout the court and the country. Those soldiers who had made great contributions to the Han Dynasty were eager to get rewards from His Majesty.

Zhuge Liang also received Liu Chan's order.

He was dressed in a simple and elegant Confucian robe, a silk scarf on his head, and a feather fan in his hand. His expression revealed a sense of wisdom and composure.

Ensuring a smooth spring ploughing this year is of great importance to the post-war Han, so he took on this important task without hesitation.

Zhuge Liang went to the fields and personally inspected the progress of spring plowing.

Seeing the people working hard, he was filled with emotion. He walked up to a farmer who was plowing the land and asked kindly, "Fellow farmer, how is the spring plowing going this year?"

The farmer looked up and saw that it was Zhuge Liang. He quickly put down his hoe and replied respectfully, "Prime Minister, this year's spring plowing went smoothly, but some fields have become barren and need to be reclaimed."

Zhuge Liang nodded to show his understanding.

To restore agricultural production in Luoyang, the land problem must be solved.

So he decided to personally participate in the measurement and allocation of the land to ensure that every inch of land was used reasonably.

At the same time, Deng Ai also received Liu Chan's order.

He was wearing armor and holding a sword, standing in the military camp with a heroic look.

Ensuring a good spring farming season is not only related to the livelihood of the people, but also to the destiny of the Han Dynasty.

Therefore, he accepted the order without hesitation and led his soldiers to various places to assist the people in spring plowing.

Under the leadership of Deng Ai, the soldiers picked up their hoes and worked together with the people.

Although they are experienced in battle, they seem a little clumsy in the fields.

However, they were not discouraged by this. Instead, they worked harder to learn farming techniques, hoping to share some of the burden for the people.

As time went by, spring farming work in Luoyang gradually got on track.

However, while the whole court was rejoicing, Liu Chan did not forget the generals and ministers who had followed him in his battles and made great achievements.

He knew that they had made enormous sacrifices and efforts for the Han Dynasty. Now that the world was settled, the issue of conferring titles should be put on the agenda.

On the New Year's Day of March, Liu Chan summoned all the meritorious officials to the Taiji Hall in the imperial palace.

He was wearing a dragon robe, a crown on his head, and sitting majestically on the dragon throne.

His eyes swept over every hero present.

He slowly said, "My dear ministers, I know that you have made great contributions to the Han Dynasty. Now that the world has been stabilized, it is time to make a decision on the issue of conferring titles."

When the heroes heard this, they all showed expectant looks.

They knew that their years of hard work and dedication had finally paid off.

Liu Chan looked at Fei Yi and said, "The list of rewards will be drawn up by the Prime Minister's Office, the Secretariat, and the Imperial Household Department. Once the list of rewards is ready, I will make the final decision!"

Fei Yi and others immediately accepted the order.

Suddenly, an imperial censor, dressed in a dark purple official uniform and a jade belt around his waist that symbolized his status, walked out of the line with steady steps.

His face was gaunt, and his eyes flashed with a kind of determination that was not afraid of the powerful. He took a few steps forward, bowed, and although his voice was not very loud, it echoed clearly in the hall: "Your Majesty, the world has been settled. Should we also discuss the choice of the capital?"

As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, immediately causing huge waves in the court.

The originally silent hall suddenly became noisy. The ministers were talking to each other, some looked surprised, some frowned, and some had a subtle cunning flash in their eyes.

The discussions rose and fell, surging like the tide, and the entire court seemed to have turned into a bustling market.

Liu Chan sat on the high dragon throne, his magnificent golden dragon robe sparkling in the sun. He narrowed his eyes slightly, with a sharp gaze, examining the censor who dared to raise such a sensitive question.

He knew that this censor was born in a poor family and had no prominent background. For him to say such words in the court, there must be someone behind him directing him.

The selection of the capital has always been a major event concerning the foundation of the country, and it touches the hearts of countless people.

If the election is good, the country will prosper; if the election is bad, it may shake the foundation of the country.

Liu Chan was very clear about the interests involved.

Liu Chan's heart flashed with displeasure, but he was the king of a country after all, and he was very cunning, so his face did not show any abnormality. He coughed lightly, and although the sound was light, it was like an invisible force that instantly suppressed the noise in the court.

The ministers all stopped talking and focused their eyes on Liu Chan again, waiting for his instructions.

Liu Chan spoke slowly, his voice steady and powerful: "What do you think, is it better to make Chang'an the capital or Luoyang?"

He glanced at the ministers, trying to catch some clues from their expressions.

Chang'an carries hundreds of years of glorious history of the Han Dynasty.

It is located in the Guanzhong Plain, with thousands of miles of fertile fields, rich resources, and strategic locations on all sides. It has always been regarded as the capital of emperors.

Luoyang was the capital of the Eastern Han Dynasty. It had a profound cultural heritage, convenient transportation, and a developed water system. It was a prosperous place known throughout the world.

The two cities have their own advantages, and it is indeed difficult to choose which one to use as the new capital.

Upon hearing this, the ministers fell into deep thought. Some bowed their heads and stroked their beards, frowning as if they were weighing the pros and cons of the two cities; some had flickering eyes, revealing an indescribable cunning, as if they were calculating their own little schemes; and some looked indifferent, as if the matter had nothing to do with them.

Among them was an elderly minister, dressed in gorgeous court robes, with white hair and beard, and a kind yet majestic face.

He was born into a noble family in Chang'an.

He walked out of the line slowly, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Chang'an is the birthplace of the Han Dynasty. It has a superior geographical location and is popular with the people. Establishing the capital in Chang'an is truly a move in accordance with the will of heaven."

Although his voice was a little trembling, it revealed an unquestionable firmness.

He continued: "Chang'an is located in the Guanzhong Plain, surrounded by mountains, forming a natural barrier. There is Hangu Pass in the east, Dasan Pass in the west, Xiao Pass in the north, and Wu Pass in the south. The terrain is difficult, making Chang'an easy to defend and difficult to attack militarily.

In addition, Chang'an has a well-developed water system and is an important hub connecting the east and the west. It controls important transportation routes, facilitating the Han Dynasty's control over the country and the transportation of materials.

At the same time, Chang'an connected the trade and cultural exchanges between the East and the West, attracting a large number of merchants to come and trade. The market sold luxury goods such as silk, tea, jade, and the commercial economy was very prosperous.

Chang'an is the most suitable choice!"

Another young minister, dressed in bright official uniform, had a handsome face and a gleam of enterprising spirit in his eyes.

If it’s not Zhong Hui, then who else could it be?
Upon hearing this, he immediately retorted: "Your Majesty, Luoyang is located in the heart of the Central Plains, with convenient transportation, a well-developed water system, and a profound cultural heritage. Establishing the capital in Luoyang will be more conducive to the development and growth of our dynasty."

His voice was loud and powerful, full of longing and expectation for the future.

He kept talking about the benefits of making Luoyang the capital.

"Your Majesty, Luoyang is located in the heart of the Central Plains, south of the Yellow River, and is a key point of transportation for the Han Dynasty from east to west and north to south. It is close to the Yellow River, has abundant water resources, fertile land, suitable for agricultural development, and conducive to population gathering.

Moreover, Luoyang is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the Yellow River on one side, forming a natural defense barrier that can resist foreign invasion. This terrain makes Luoyang have an important strategic position in military terms.

In addition, Luoyang is located in the Central Plains, with a suitable climate and fertile land, and is an important grain-producing area. It can provide for the needs of the people in its capital city."

Then, Zhong Hui talked about the disadvantages of making Chang'an the capital.

“Although the land in Guanzhong is fertile, its area is limited and it is difficult to support too many people, which leads to a tight food supply.

In addition, the Guanzhong region is surrounded by mountains and has complex terrain. Although this is conducive to military defense, it also leads to inconvenient transportation.

This made it difficult for Chang'an to obtain supplies from other places.

In addition, there were many ethnic minorities in Chang'an, and it was inevitable that the Qiang and Di people would cause chaos.

Therefore, making Luoyang the capital is the best choice!"

The argument between the two ministers was like igniting a powder keg in the court, immediately triggering another round of heated discussion.

The ministers took sides, some supported Chang'an, some supported Luoyang, and the argument was fierce.

Liu Chan sat on the dragon throne, quietly listening to the arguments of his ministers, but secretly thinking in his heart.

The choice of the capital is of great importance and cannot be decided lightly.

Moreover, he vaguely felt that there seemed to be some unknown conspiracy and calculation hidden behind this argument.

Are those ministers who support Chang'an or Luoyang really just considering the national interest?
Or are there forces behind them pushing them?

Liu Chan's eyes fell on the censor who asked the question again.

He was still standing there, his face firm and calm, as if he didn't care about the controversy he had caused.

Liu Chan couldn't help but secretly admire his courage and insight, but at the same time he was also wary of the forces behind him.

At this time, Fei Yi stood up, and he seemed to see what Liu Chan was thinking.

He suddenly stepped out of the line, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I think the choice of the capital is a very important one and needs to be carefully considered. It would not be too late to send people to Chang'an and Luoyang to investigate and understand the actual situation there before making a decision."

His proposal was immediately approved by many ministers.
They all nodded in agreement, believing that this was a safe and wise decision.

Upon hearing this, Liu Chan nodded and thought to himself: This is a good suggestion. It can not only delay time, but also secretly investigate those forces behind the scenes.

So, Liu Chan slowly said: "You all have a point. The choice of the capital does require long-term consideration. I have decided to send people to Chang'an and Luoyang to investigate and understand the actual situation there before making a decision. This matter will be handled by..."

He paused here deliberately, glanced at the ministers, and said, "Let Dong Yun take charge."

Dong Yun immediately bowed and said, "I obey your order."

With Liu Chan's decision, the debate in the court gradually subsided.

The ministers all stopped talking and focused their eyes on Liu Chan again, waiting for his next instructions.

Seeing this, Liu Chan smiled slightly, and was secretly proud of himself: although the debate was fierce, it was cleverly resolved by him. Moreover, he also took this opportunity to secretly arrange his own chess pieces and lay the foundation for future investigations.

However, Liu Chan also knew in his heart that choosing the capital was just the beginning.

As the world gradually becomes more stable, various contradictions and conflicts of interest will gradually emerge.

As the king of a country, he must always keep a clear head and keen insight in order to be invincible in this complex political game.

In the court, the sunlight still sprinkled on the ground in patches, forming an interweaving of light and shadow.

The ministers stood on both sides, some bowed their heads in thought, some looked ahead, all of them looking as if they were weighed down with worries.

However, they each had their own calculations and conspiracies in their hearts.

Although the debate about the choice of the capital has temporarily subsided, the undercurrent behind it is still surging, as if foreshadowing that there will be an even more intense contest waiting for them in the court in the future. (End of this chapter)