Shuhan

Xuzhou, this ancient and tenacious city, after experiencing countless days and nights of war, was finally conquered by the Han army that surged in like a tide.

On the city wall, the originally solid stones became mottled under the baptism of war, with cracks crisscrossing each other, as if it were the silent wailing of the city.

The smoke of gunpowder filled the air, blocking out the sun and shrouding the entire Xuzhou in darkness. The air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder and blood, making people suffocate.

Cao Zhen, the great general of Wei State, the once mighty and valiant general, was now in a desperate situation.

He was wearing heavy armor that was covered with knife and arrow holes and looked tattered.

Cao Zhen's face was haggard and his eyes were bloodshot, but they still sparkled with an unyielding light.

He gripped the sword tightly, and the tip of the sword trembled slightly, which was proof that he fought to the last moment.

Beside him, the pseudo-Wei emperor Cao Ju also looked embarrassed, with untidy clothes and a frightened look.

His originally pampered body seemed particularly weak and powerless after being ravaged by war.

"General, what should we...what should we do?" Cao Ju's voice trembled with endless despair.

Cao Zhen gritted his teeth, looked firmly at the Han army outside the city, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, now that things have come to this, we have no choice but to fight to the death! As soldiers of the Wei State, how can we surrender so easily!"

However, fate did not seem to favor them.

Although Cao Zhen and Cao Ju tried their best and led the remaining troops to fight bravely, they were ultimately unable to withstand the fierce offensive of the Han army.

With a deafening cry of killing, the Han army broke through the last line of defense of the Wei army and poured into them.

In the melee, Cao Zhen and Cao Ju were surrounded by Han soldiers. They fought hard with their backs to each other.

However, two fists were no match for four hands, and he eventually fell in a pool of blood under the swords of the Han army.

Their eyes were filled with reluctance and regret, but they had no choice but to accept their fate.

With the deaths of Cao Zhen and Cao Ju, the Wei army completely lost the will to resist.

The soldiers dropped their weapons and raised their hands in surrender.

The Han army soldiers shouted and rushed towards the surrendered soldiers, their eyes filled with ecstasy and cruelty of the victors.

The Han army had no mercy on the surrendered Wei soldiers.

Almost all those who held official positions were massacred, leaving no one alive.

The generals of the Han army held long swords and shuttled among the surrendered soldiers with expressionless faces. Swords rose and fell, and blood splattered everywhere.

Those once mighty generals of the Wei army were now like lambs to be slaughtered, completely powerless to resist.

A Han army general walked up to a Wei army general, who was already covered in wounds and slumped on the ground.

He looked up at the Han generals, his eyes filled with fear and despair.

"Have mercy! I... I was just following orders, please spare my life!" The Wei army general pleaded in a trembling voice.

However, the Han general just snorted coldly, swung his sword, and ended his life.

The Wei army general's eyes froze at that moment, filled with unwillingness and astonishment.

Even soldiers without official positions could not escape the tragic fate.

They were reduced to slaves and forced to do heavy physical labor.

Mining, road construction, bridge repair... These jobs that originally required strong physique and strong will have now become the daily routine of these slaves.

In the mines, slaves were whipped and driven into deep pits.

The mine was dark and damp, with thin air. The slaves panted heavily and wielded heavy shovels to dig the ore.

Their bodies were covered with scars, their clothes were tattered, and their faces were pale and thin.

Whenever someone collapsed due to exhaustion, they would be ruthlessly dragged away by the supervisor and thrown into the wilderness to fend for themselves.

A young slave, he was thin but had a firm gaze.

He wielded the shovel, digging the ore again and again.

Sweat slid down his forehead, dripping onto the ore, splashing up a cloud of dust.

"Boy, dig faster! Don't be lazy!" the supervisor waved his whip and roared viciously.

The young slave gritted his teeth, ignored the overseer's scolding, and continued digging hard.

He secretly swore in his heart that he must survive and escape from this hellish place one day.

However, for most slaves, such hard labor would have been a death sentence.

They struggle on the brink of death every day, and only a few can survive more than three years.

Many slaves exhausted their last bit of strength in the mines, fell on the cold ore, and closed their eyes forever.

The Han State even carried out a bloody massacre against the local gentry in Xuzhou who colluded with Cao Zhen.

These nobles had relied on Cao Zhen's power to bully the people in Xuzhou. Now, they finally tasted the bitter fruit.

The Han army soldiers rushed into the mansions of the gentry, killing anyone they saw and robbing any property they found.

The nobles were terrified and fled in all directions.

However, they were ultimately unable to escape the pursuit of the Han army.

A noble lord, dressed in gorgeous brocade robe and wearing a golden crown, was now running around the mansion like a stray dog.

"Have mercy! I... I am willing to surrender!" The noble lord knelt on the ground, holding his head in his hands, trembling.

However, the Han soldier just sneered and ended his life with a wave of his sword.

The blood of the noble lord splattered on the brocade robe, which was particularly glaring.

Those rebellious people were basically wiped out by the Han army.

Their bodies lay scattered on the streets, and their blood dyed the ground red.

The people who were not wiped out also fled into the mountains and forests and became bandits.

They knew very well that they had formed an irreconcilable feud with the Han Kingdom, and the only way to temporarily save their lives was to hide in the mountains.

In the mountains, a group of bandits sat around a campfire.

Their faces were rough and their eyes were full of vigilance and anxiety.

They talked about the brutality of the Han army and their own future.

"Brother, it's no use hiding like this! We will be found by the Han army one day." A bandit said worriedly.

"Humph! So what? We are already irreconcilable with the Han Kingdom. Do we still have to go back and die?" Another bandit took a big bite of the barbecue in his hand and said angrily.

The eldest brother was silent for a while, then slowly said: "Brothers, although we are bandits occupying the mountains, we can't hide like this forever. We must unite and fight the Han army to the end! One day, we will carve out a world of our own!"

After hearing what the eldest brother said, the bandits nodded in agreement.

They knew that although they were gangsters, they also had their own dignity and beliefs.

They were determined to fight the Han army to the end and avenge themselves and their dead relatives. For the Han State, these people who occupied the mountains and became bandits were undoubtedly a huge hidden danger.

They sent a large number of troops to encircle and suppress these bandits, vowing to wipe them out completely.

Fierce battles unfolded in the mountains and forests, and the blood dyed the land between the mountains and forests red.

The bandits took advantage of the terrain and were difficult to eliminate in an instant.

The Han army suffered casualties, and the people of Xuzhou suffered casualties.

This is the cruelty and tragedy brought by war.

Countless innocent lives were lost in the war and countless families were torn apart.

Xuzhou, a once prosperous city, has now become a ruin.

However, the wheel of history will not stop turning because of people’s grief.

It will continue to roll forward, crushing all obstacles and writing its own chapter.

And those who died in the war will be forever remembered in the long river of history.

In less than half a month, most areas of Qingzhou and Xuzhou have gradually stabilized.

Under the Han army's powerful offensive, those common people who had once caused rebellion either dispersed their tribes and fled to other places like frightened birds, trying to find a place to settle down far away from the war; or they were left with no other options and had to become bandits, hiding in the deep mountains and forests, trying to survive.

However, there were almost no people who dared to confront the Han Dynasty head-on.

The military might of the Han Dynasty was at its peak, and wherever it went, all the enemies were in awe.

During this short half month, the Han Dynasty was like a giant dragon that suddenly awakened, controlling almost everywhere with unstoppable momentum.

The once arrogant rebels are now either prisoners or have escaped without a trace.

The Han flag fluttered in the wind, announcing the return of imperial power and the restoration of order.

In Luoyang city, the Forbidden City is majestic and magnificent.

The Han emperor, Liu Chan, sat on the dragon throne, listening to the frequent good news, a long-lost smile appeared on his face.

That smile contained both the joy of victory and the confident expectation for the future.

He was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon, shining with golden light, demonstrating the emperor's dignity and majesty.

Although Liu Chan's face looked a little tired, there was a gleam of wisdom in his eyes, which was proof that he had finally sobered up after indulging in alcohol and sex for more than a month.

In this month or so, Liu Chan seemed to have become a different person.

He no longer indulged in wine and women, but began to work on weakening the power of the aristocratic family.

He knew very well that the aristocratic families were a hidden danger to the stability of the dynasty, and only by weakening their power could the stability of the royal power be ensured.

This rebellion was a perfect opportunity for him to weaken the aristocratic family.

The aristocratic families in Qing and Xu suffered a great blow in this rebellion.

Their people were killed, their property was seized, and their power was greatly weakened.

It's not just the Qingxu family, it can be said that all the families in the world are crumbling in this storm.

Liu Chan looked at the victory report in his hand and felt secretly proud.

He knew that his plan was already half successful.

"Fei Yi, look at this good news. Does it mean that our plan has been successful?" Liu Chan looked up at Fei Yi who was standing beside him, with a questioning look on his face.

Fei Yi bowed and replied respectfully: "Your Majesty is wise. The aristocratic families have indeed suffered a heavy blow after the rebellion was put down. Their power has been weakened, and the threat to the court has been greatly reduced."

Liu Chan nodded, a gleam of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

He went on to say: "In this way, no one will dare to stop the imperial examination. I want to take this opportunity to promote the imperial examination system and select truly talented people to serve in the court."

When Fei Yi heard this, a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.

He knew very well that the implementation of the imperial examination system would completely change the court's employment system, allowing more talented people to enter the court and contribute to the prosperity and strength of the country.

He nodded and said firmly: "Your Majesty is right. Once the imperial examination system is implemented, it will surely inject new vitality into the court."

Liu Chan looked at Fei Yi with trust in his heart.

Fei Yi was a loyal minister who was always worried about the rise and fall of the court.

He patted Fei Yi on the shoulder and said softly, "Wenwei, I know you have always been thinking about the court. The implementation of the imperial examination system this time will be handed over to you. I believe that you will be able to do a good job."

When Fei Yi heard this, he felt warm in his heart.

"Your Majesty, rest assured that I will do my best to ensure the smooth implementation of the imperial examination system."

The two smiled at each other, their hearts full of expectations for the future.

The implementation of the imperial examination system will be an important step for the Han Dynasty to move towards prosperity and strength.

At this moment, the candlelight in the palace flickered, illuminating the determined figures of the two people.

Liu Chan sat on the dragon throne, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrests, thinking about his next plan in his mind.

The implementation of the imperial examination system was only the first step. If we wanted to completely weaken the power of the aristocratic families, we would need more means and strategies.

"Wenwei, what do you think we should do next?" Liu Chan looked at Fei Yi with a questioning gleam in his eyes.

Fei Yi pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "Your Majesty, I think we should strike while the iron is hot and continue to weaken the power of the aristocratic families. We can use the opportunity of the imperial examination system to promote more talented people to the court and let them take up important positions. At the same time, we should also strengthen the supervision and management of local officials to prevent the aristocratic families from making a comeback in the local area."

After listening to Fei Yi's words, Liu Chan nodded in agreement.

Fei Yi’s suggestion is very pertinent and is what we need to do most right now.

He looked at Fei Yi, with a gleam of admiration in his eyes, and said, "Wenwei, your idea is very good. I will do as you suggest. You must assist me and together we will push the Han Dynasty toward prosperity and strength."

When Fei Yi heard this, he was excited.

He bowed and said, "I obey your command! I will do my best to assist your majesty and work together for the prosperity of the Han Dynasty!"

The two smiled at each other again, their hearts filled with longing and expectation for the future.

They knew that as long as they worked together, the Han Dynasty would surely move towards a more prosperous and powerful future.

At this time, the night outside the window has gradually deepened. The candlelight in the palace is flickering, warm as spring.

Liu Chan and Fei Yi were still sitting next to the dragon throne and in front of the desk, discussing state affairs.

Their figures appeared particularly firm and powerful in the candlelight.

Aristocratic families have been eliminated, the imperial examination system has been implemented, and grassroots schools have become popular. I believe that in just a few years, the influence of aristocratic families on the empire will become increasingly lower.

And the big man can finally show his strength.

Only after pacifying the internal situation can we launch external conquests!

Liu Chan's goal has never been just the Kyushu. What he has in mind is the sea of ​​stars! (End of this chapter)