Shuhan

On the city wall of Xuzhou, the autumn wind was blowing and the sound of war drums was fading, leaving only the occasional neighing of horses and the sound of weapons.

Cao Zhen stood on the top of the city wall, wearing iron armor, holding a long sword, and looking into the distance with a sharp gaze.

A satisfied smile gradually emerged on his face, which was a complex emotion intertwined with the desire for victory and satisfaction with the status quo.

The flags of the Wei army fluttered in the wind, and pieces of land controlled by the Wei army stretched out before his eyes, slowly unfolding like a scroll. That was the picture of hegemony he had always dreamed of in his heart.

There was a gleam in Cao Zhen's eyes, as if he had already seen the moment when the Wei army's iron hooves would trample all over the world.

However, this light was soon replaced by a gloom.

His thoughts drifted back to that heartbreaking event - the tragic death of Emperor Cao Rui of Wei.

The once wise and powerful emperor ended up being dismembered. This was not only a shame for Cao Wei, but also an eternal pain in Cao Zhen's heart.

Thinking of this, Cao Zhen clenched his fist around the hilt of the sword, his knuckles turning white from the force.

An indescribable humiliation and anger surged in his heart, and the anger burned his chest like a raging fire.

He secretly vowed to attack Luoyang and let the emperor of Han taste the pain of being dismembered to avenge Cao Rui.

At this time, Wei Emperor Cao Ju broke the silence. He was wearing a dragon robe, his face was solemn, and there was a trace of worry between his eyebrows.

He looked at Cao Zhen and said slowly: "General, we have been attacking for many days, but we are still unable to break out of Xuzhou. If this continues, it will be disadvantageous to us."

Cao Zhen turned around and looked at Cao Ju, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

He felt that Cao Ju was too cowardly and lacked the decisiveness and courage that an emperor should have.

However, he did not show it, but said calmly: "Your Majesty, don't worry. The Emperor of Han is addicted to wine and women, and the world will sooner or later return to our Great Wei."

As he spoke, Cao Zhen raised his hand and pointed to the distance, which was the territory of the Han Kingdom and their next goal. His voice was firm and powerful, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

However, Cao Zhen did not realize that the Han Emperor Liu Chan in his eyes was not what he imagined.

In Cao Zhen's impression, Liu Chan's performance during this period made him a tyrant who was addicted to wine and sex and neglected state affairs.

He just indulged himself in pleasure with his concubines every day, and ignored the affairs of state, allowing the government to deteriorate.

But in fact, Liu Chan's indulgence in wine and sex was just an act.

He chose to endure and disguise, and used his appearance of being addicted to alcohol and sex to confuse his enemies, making everyone think that he was an insignificant and incompetent ruler.

At this time, in the palace of the Han Dynasty, Liu Chan was lying leisurely on the dragon couch, surrounded by several beautiful concubines. They were singing and dancing, or smiling sweetly, and seemed to be trying their best to please the young emperor.

However, a cold light flashed in Liu Chan's eyes. He knew clearly that everything he was doing now was to prepare for a future counterattack.

Next to Liu Chan, an old minister stood quietly. He was Liu Chan's trusted adviser and the only one who knew Liu Chan's true thoughts. He looked at Liu Chan with his eyes full of admiration and expectation.

He knew that this young emperor was not as simple as he seemed. He had deep wisdom and great ambitions, but now was not the time to show them.

Back on the city wall of Xuzhou, Cao Zhen was still looking forward to future victory.

He looked at the Han territory in the distance, his heart full of expectation and desire.

However, he did not realize that the enemy in his eyes was no longer the tyrant who was addicted to alcohol and sex, but a tiger that was hidden and ready to strike.

As time went on, the Wei army's invasion of Xuzhou became more and more fierce.

However, no matter how hard they tried, they were unable to break through the Han army's defense line.

Cao Zhen began to feel a little anxious. He didn't understand why the Han army could resist so tenaciously.

One night, Cao Zhen stood alone on the top of the city wall, looking at the starry sky in the distance and thinking.

His heart was full of doubts and confusion, and he didn't understand what he had done wrong.

At this time, a cool breeze blew by, bringing news from afar.

That was intelligence brought by a spy about the latest movements of the Han Emperor Liu Chan.

Cao Zhen took the information and read it carefully.

However, when he finished reading the information, he was stunned.

It turned out that Liu Chan was not as addicted to wine and sex and neglecting state affairs as he had imagined.

On the contrary, he has been secretly accumulating strength in preparation for a counterattack.

A chill surged in Cao Zhen's heart, and he finally realized how wrong his previous judgment was.

He thought he had seen through Liu Chan's true face, but he didn't expect that he had always been deceived by Liu Chan.

He secretly vowed to re-evaluate Liu Chan's strength and formulate a more careful plan to ensure the victory of the Wei army.

In Luoyang, and even in the vast lands of Jizhou, Sili, Xuzhou, Qingzhou, and Yanzhou, the Han State's actions were as swift as lightning, so fast that it was astonishing.

Liu Chan, the Han emperor who seemed to be addicted to wine and women but was actually a man of great talent, had already quietly made plans months ago. Like a skilled chess player, he planned every step carefully on the chessboard, waiting for the right time to strike in one fell swoop.

The autumn wind, with a bit of bleakness and coolness, blows across the five states.

In this land shrouded in the shadow of war, the iron hooves of the Han army swept in like a storm.

Those aristocratic families who had colluded with Cao Zhen of Xuzhou were still immersed in their past glory and wealth, and had no idea that the crisis was approaching.

The night was as dark as ink, the moonlight was dim, and the soldiers of the Han army were wearing iron armor and holding spears, with a determined light flashing in their eyes.

Like ghosts, they approached the fortress of the aristocratic family silently.

With an order, the Han army rushed in like a tide, shouting and killing, and the guards of the aristocratic families were caught off guard and fell one after another under the iron hoofs of the Han army.

Inside the fort, the lights were bright, just like daytime.

The candles on the tall candlesticks were burning brightly, and the wax slowly flowed down the candles, dripping onto the delicate candlesticks, making a "sizzling" sound. The entire fortress was filled with a luxurious and dull atmosphere, and the patriarchs of the aristocratic families sat around long tables with dragons and phoenixes carved on them, and the tables were filled with fine wines and delicacies.

These clan leaders were dressed in gorgeous brocade robes, wearing golden crowns and jade ornaments, their faces were either fat or thin, but they all revealed an air of pampered luxury. They either raised their cups to drink, or laughed loudly, or talked in low voices, talking about their own power, wealth and beauties, without noticing the upheaval outside.

In a corner of the dock, a group of musicians were playing cheerful music with all their might. The sounds of piano, flute and drum intertwined together to form a lively piece of music.

The dancers, dressed in long gauze skirts, danced to the music with graceful postures, like fairies descending to earth.

However, this joyous scene was about to be destroyed by a bloody storm. Suddenly, the door of the fort was thrown open, and a gust of wind rushed in with dust and noise, blowing out several candles on the table. Everyone was stunned and looked up at the door.

I saw a group of Han soldiers wearing iron armor and holding spears pouring into the fort like a tide, their eyes flashing with coldness and determination.

The patriarchs of the aristocratic families were suddenly panicked. The wine glasses in their hands fell to the ground with a clang, and the wine spilled all over the floor.

They stood up one after another, some knocked over tables and chairs, some trampled on the food on the ground, and the scene was chaotic. Their eyes were filled with fear and despair, as if they saw the god of death waving at them.

One of the elderly clan leaders, wearing a brocade robe with gold embroidery, had a face as pale as paper and trembling lips. He stammered, "You... who are you? How dare you break into my fortress!"

There was some authority in his voice, but more of it was fear and uneasiness.

The general of the Han army sneered, holding a long sword, with the tip of the sword pointed directly at the throat of the old patriarch, and said coldly: "Who are we? We are the soldiers of the Han army! You traitors who colluded with Cao Zhen, today is the day you die!"

His voice was powerful, full of justice and anger.

Upon hearing this, the old patriarch's body trembled violently, and a trace of despair flashed in his eyes.

He knew he could not escape death, but he was unwilling to surrender.

He tried to resist, but the Han soldiers had already surrounded him and he had no way of escaping.

At this moment, the Han army soldiers began to take action.

The men who were taller than the wheels were beheaded by the Han army. A Han soldier held a long sword, and with a flash of the sword, the head of a young man from a noble family fell to the ground, and blood gushed out like a fountain, dyeing the ground red.

Then, one, two... young men from noble families fell one after another, and their blood gathered into rivers, flowing on the bluestone slabs of the fortress.

The air was filled with a pungent smell of blood, which was nauseating.

Those sons of noble families who had not yet been executed were terrified. Some knelt on the ground and begged for mercy, while others tried to escape, but they were all captured one by one by the Han army soldiers.

The women are even more miserable.

They were treated as slaves and military prostitutes by the Han army and dragged roughly. Their cries and pleas mixed together and echoed throughout the fortress.

Some women tried to resist but were beaten black and blue by the Han soldiers; some women closed their eyes in despair, waiting for their fate.

Among these women, there was a young and beautiful girl, wearing a gorgeous silk dress, pearls and jade on her head, and her face was as beautiful as a flower.

She was originally a daughter of a rich family, living a comfortable life, and had never experienced such hardship. However, at this moment, she was like a fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others.

She was dragged by a Han soldier, stumbling along, her eyes filled with fear and despair, tears rolling down like beads from a broken string.

She tried to beg the Han soldier to let her go, but the soldier just sneered and said, "Humph! You ladies from aristocratic families usually live in luxury, now it's time for you to have a taste of hardship!"

As he said this, he pushed the woman hard and she fell to the ground. Her skirt was torn, revealing her fair skin.

She screamed in terror, but no one paid any attention. The Han army continued their atrocities, capturing or beheading every man, woman, and child in the fort.

The entire fortress was filled with blood and chaos. Those noble families who had once lived a life of luxury were now like lambs to be slaughtered, at the mercy of the Han army.

Their blood dyed the earth red, and their cries and pleas echoed in every corner of the fort.

And this bloody storm is destined to become a nightmare they will never forget.

On a vast plain in Jizhou, a unit of the Han army was chasing a group of fleeing nobles. They rode on war horses, held long swords, and had cold eyes.

The sons of the noble families were in a panic, some were pierced through the chest by the Han army, and some were trampled into pulp by the horses. Their blood dyed the grassland red, making this originally peaceful land extremely tragic.

In the Sili region, forts stood like isolated islands on the vast land. The Han army surrounded these forts and fired arrows and boulders into the forts with crossbows and catapults. The walls of the forts were shaken by the impact of the boulders and finally collapsed.

The soldiers of the Han army rushed into the fort like wolves and tigers and slaughtered all the people from the noble families.

Xuzhou was the main target of the Han army. The aristocratic families who had colluded with Cao Zhen once thought that they could rest easy with Cao Zhen's support.

However, they never expected that the Han army would act so quickly and decisively. The Han army's soldiers were like divine soldiers sent from heaven, and they broke through their fortress in an instant.

People from aristocratic families wailed all over the place under the massacre of the Han army, and their blood formed rivers of blood.

In Qingzhou and Yanzhou, the Han army also moved swiftly. Like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, they wiped out the aristocratic families that had colluded with Cao Zhen one by one. The forts were taken down, the men were beheaded, and the women were used as slaves and military prostitutes.

For a moment, the five states were filled with blood, and the air was filled with the smell of death and despair.

Meanwhile, in Luoyang city, a purge was quietly underway against the noble families who had colluded with Cao Zhen.

The Han Dynasty's spies shuttled through the streets and alleys of Luoyang like ghosts, holding secret orders with cold light flashing in their eyes.

The noble families who had once colluded with Cao Zhen were now enemies of the Han State. Their residences were surrounded by the Han army, their families were imprisoned, and their property was confiscated.

In a luxurious mansion, a nobleman from a noble family was having fun with his concubines. He was wearing a gorgeous brocade robe, a golden crown on his head, and his eyes were shining with lustful light.

However, he never expected that death had quietly arrived. The Han spies broke into the house and captured him and his concubines. The boss was beheaded on the spot, and his concubines were used as military prostitutes. Their cries and pleas echoed in the mansion.

Another master from a noble family was captured by the Han army in his study.

He was dressed in civilian clothes, his face was haggard, and his eyes were full of fear and despair. He knew he was doomed to die, but he was unwilling to surrender. He tried to resist, but was stabbed in the chest by the Han army's soldiers.

His blood stained the carpet in the study red, making this study, which was once full of bookish atmosphere, extremely tragic.

On the streets of Luoyang City, Han army soldiers patrolled, with vigilance flashing in their eyes.

The mansions of the noble families who had colluded with Cao Zhen have now been sealed off by the Han army. The doors of the mansions are closed, and there are seals of the Han Dynasty on the door, showing the severe punishment of these rebellious ministers by the Han Dynasty.

In this storm that swept across the five states, the soldiers of the Han State were like messengers of justice. They defended the dignity and interests of the Han State with their blood and lives.

However, those aristocratic families and noble families who colluded with Cao Zhen were like grasshoppers in autumn, and could not jump for more than a few days.

Their demise is a historical inevitability and the result they deserve for their crimes.

In the blood-filled land of the Five States, the flags of the Han army fluttered in the wind.

Their soldiers were brave and fearless, with a determined light flashing in their eyes, which was the desire for victory and the vision for the future.

And in this brutal war, they also paid a huge sacrifice.

Many soldiers fell on the battlefield, their blood dyed the earth red, making the war even more tragic and heroic. (End of this chapter)