Shuhan

In Luoyang City, inside the Taiji Hall of the Han Imperial Palace, the atmosphere was so heavy that it was almost suffocating.

The hall was magnificent with carved beams and painted buildings, but at this moment, it could not dispel the anger and depression that permeated the air.

The Han emperor, Liu Chan, was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe and a crown on his head. He sat on the dragon throne with a livid face, like the sky before a storm.

A piece of express news, like a heavy bomb, trembled slightly in his hands.

The handwriting on the express seemed to turn into sharp needles, stinging his eyes.

"Liu Feng was stabbed, and the land and people's register was burned!"

These words kept echoing in his mind, making him furious.

"This is simply lawless!" Liu Chan stood up suddenly, threw the express to the ground with both hands, and roared angrily.

His voice echoed in the empty hall, shocking the ministers in the hall to lower their heads, not daring to look him in the eye.

"Your Majesty, please calm down." An elderly minister, dressed in crimson court robes and with a white beard, stepped out tremblingly and said with a bow.

His voice trembled slightly, and he was obviously frightened by Liu Chan's anger.

"The most urgent task is to send people to Yecheng as soon as possible to thoroughly investigate the matter, appease the people, and resume the measurement of land and registration of citizens." Liu Chan took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger in his heart, his eyes revealing firmness and determination.

He slowly glanced at the ministers of His Highness, and said word by word: "Pass on my order, send capable officials to Yecheng immediately, and make sure to get to the bottom of this matter. No matter who dares to obstruct the land measurement, they will be severely punished!"

His voice was firm and powerful, as if he was issuing the most severe warning to those forces in the darkness.

However, at this time, Yecheng had already fallen into chaos.

This once prosperous city now seems to be shrouded in a layer of haze, having lost its former vitality.

In the streets and alleys of Yecheng, people gathered in groups of three or five, talking about things.

A white-haired old man, hunched over, leaning on a worn-out cane, shook his head and sighed with a sad face.

His face was full of the vicissitudes of life, and his cloudy eyes revealed deep confusion.

"What can we do? With General Liu Feng's death, the land survey will be cancelled, and our lives will go back to the way they were before."

The old man's voice was hoarse and weak, as if all his energy had been drained away.

Next to him, a young man with sharp eyebrows and red eyes was waving his fists angrily.

His face flushed with anger and veins popped out on his forehead.

"It must be the work of those nobles. They were unwilling to see their interests damaged, so they did this. These black-hearted guys only thought about their own selfish interests and didn't care about the lives of us ordinary people at all!"

The young man's voice was filled with anger and unwillingness, echoing in the street.

Inside the mansions of the newly-minted nobles and landlords, there was an air of sadness on the surface.

They were dressed in plain clothes and had sad expressions on their faces, but in their lowered eyes, a hint of imperceptible pride and joy flashed from time to time.

In a luxurious mansion, several noble lords sat around a huge sandalwood table. The table was filled with fine wine and delicious food, but they had no intention of enjoying them.

"When Liu Feng died, the land measurement project was aborted, and our good days returned."

An obese noble lord raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a smug smile, and said softly.

The fat on his face trembled as he smiled, making him look particularly greasy.

"Yes, but we can't let our guard down. Luoyang will definitely not give up." Another middle-aged man dressed in silk reminded with a cunning look in his eyes.

As he spoke, he gently turned the wine glass in his hand, as if he was thinking about something.

"What are you afraid of? As long as we do things cleanly, what can they do to us?" The fat noble lord said nonchalantly, with a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes.

And in the homes of the people in Yecheng, there was an atmosphere of despair.

The people sat in the dim house, looking at the empty rice jars, their hearts filled with worry.

They didn't know how to continue their life in the future. Having lost the hope brought by Dutian, they seemed lost in darkness.

There were few pedestrians on the street. Occasionally, a few people walked by, but they looked hurried and worried.

At the city gate, soldiers stood guard with spears in hand, looking alert. However, there was also a hint of confusion in their eyes.

They didn't know what kind of future this sudden change would bring to Yecheng.

The sky in Yecheng was gloomy and covered with dark clouds, as if a storm would come at any time.

The cobblestone streets were wet, as if crying for what had happened to the city.

The trees along the street had drooping branches and looked lifeless.

In the midst of chaos and confusion, officials sent from Luoyang were rushing towards Yecheng without stopping.

They shoulder the emperor's trust and the mission of uncovering the truth and restoring order. However, what awaits them are numerous difficulties and challenges.

The moment the officials stepped into Yecheng, they felt something was wrong with the city.

At the city gate, the people looked at them with complicated eyes, including expectation, suspicion and fear.

The officials knew very well that they still had a long way to go if they wanted to restore the land measurement and household registration system and get Yecheng back on track.

In a temporary mansion in Yecheng, officials gathered together to discuss countermeasures.

"The situation in Yecheng is worse than we imagined. The people are in a panic, and the nobles are secretly plotting something."

An official frowned and said worriedly.

"No matter how difficult it is, we cannot retreat. This is the will of His Majesty, and it is also for the people of Yecheng and for the Han Dynasty."

Another official said firmly.

However, they know that it is not easy to break through these difficulties.

The policy of measuring land and registering the people, which should have brought hope to Yecheng, has now encountered unprecedented setbacks. The road ahead is full of thorns and bumps, and has become even more difficult and confusing.

In the Luoyang Imperial Palace, sunlight shines through the glazed windows onto the golden brick floor, reflecting a golden color.

However, Liu Chan's mood was shrouded in gloom and he could not feel the warmth of the sunshine at all.

Since Liu Feng was assassinated, the land measurement affairs in Yecheng have been stuck in a quagmire, progressing slowly and almost stagnant.

As the capital of Jizhou, every move of Yecheng has attracted much attention. Now that its land measurement has been blocked, other places in Jizhou are watching, which undoubtedly has dealt a huge blow to the Han Dynasty's land measurement in Jizhou. Liu Chan sat in the imperial study, the brush in his hand unconsciously moving on the paper, the paper was full of messy lines, just like his chaotic thoughts at the moment.

His brows were furrowed, and his eyes were filled with anxiety and anger. "Come here, call Zhen Mi."

Liu Chan's voice was deep and powerful, breaking the silence in the study.

Soon, a figure slowly walked towards us from the end of the corridor.

That was Zhen Mi. She had a graceful figure and light steps. Every step she took seemed to be stepping on the strings of time, playing a silent melody.

Although she is already middle-aged, time seems to be particularly kind to her and has not left too many traces on her.

Her face was still beautiful, her skin was as delicate and smooth as snow, and under the sunlight, it was faintly shiny, as warm as mutton-fat jade. Her eyes were bright and deep, like the cold stars twinkling in the night sky, hiding endless wisdom and tenderness, as if she could see through everything in the world.

She was wearing a lavender palace dress, the color perfectly set off her elegant temperament.

The hem of the palace dress swayed gently as she walked, like a blooming violet dancing in the breeze. The hem of the skirt was embroidered with delicate patterns, all of which were finely outlined with gold thread, sparkling brightly in the sun, highlighting the royal nobility and luxury.

Zhen Mi raised her head slightly and looked towards the direction of the imperial study, with a barely perceptible worry flashing in her eyes.

She knew very well that His Majesty had summoned her here for the purpose of measuring the land in Yecheng.

This land measurement issue is related to the rise and fall of the country, but it encountered many obstacles in Yecheng. Now the situation is complicated, and Your Majesty must be overwhelmed.

Thinking of this, Zhen Mi sighed softly and prayed silently in her heart, hoping that she could help His Majesty solve his problems.

Arriving at the door of the imperial study, Zhen Mi stopped, took a deep breath, straightened her clothes, and made herself look more calm.

She bowed slightly and said softly, "Your Majesty, I greet you."

The sound is soft and pleasant, like a spring breeze, blowing gently, with a soothing power.

Liu Chan raised his head and looked at Zhen Mi, with a glimmer of expectation in his eyes.

"My beloved concubine, the issue of land measurement in Yecheng is now in trouble. I don't know what to do. Do you have any solution?" There was a hint of fatigue and helplessness in Liu Chan's voice.

Zhen Mi frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and did not directly answer Liu Chan's question.

She said slowly: "Your Majesty, the people of Ye City are so rampant because no one can control them. Most of them are descendants of meritorious service, and they are proud of their achievements and act recklessly."

Zhen Mi's voice was calm, but every word she spoke was like a heavy hammer, hitting Liu Chan's heart.

Liu Chan's face was stern and his eyes were cold.

"No one can subdue them? Humph, then I will go to Yecheng myself and see if they dare to be so rampant!"

Liu Chan's voice was firm and resolute, as if he had made some unshakable determination.

Zhen Mi was shocked when she heard this, and said quickly: "Your Majesty, this cannot happen! They dared to assassinate Liu Feng, so they will certainly do harm to Your Majesty. Your Majesty is the ruler of a country, and your body is worth millions of gold. How can you easily take risks?"

Zhen Mi's eyes were full of worry and her voice trembled slightly.

Liu Chan shook his head slightly and said, "My beloved, I have made up my mind. The land measurement is related to the rise and fall of our Han Dynasty. Now Yecheng is blocked and Jizhou is watching. If I don't come forward, how can the land measurement be implemented smoothly? As the Son of Heaven, I should seek the welfare of the people. If I dare not even take this risk, how can I convince the people?"

Liu Chan's eyes were filled with determination and persistence, leaving Zhen Mi speechless for a moment.

On that day, the atmosphere in the court was as tense as if it was the eve of a storm.

Liu Chan was wearing a dragon robe, a crown on his head, and sitting upright on the dragon throne with a serious expression.

Your Highness, all the ministers lined up neatly, looking respectful.

"Today, I have something to announce." Liu Chan's voice echoed in the hall.

"I have decided to tour Jizhou in the north and go to Yecheng to personally supervise the land measurement."

As soon as Liu Chan finished speaking, there was an uproar in the court.

"Your Majesty, you can't do this!" An elderly minister, wearing crimson court robes and with a white beard, stepped out first, clasped his hands together, and said anxiously.

"The situation in Yecheng is complicated and full of dangers. Your Majesty is worth a fortune, how can you easily put yourself in danger? Please think twice!"

The old minister's voice was slightly trembling and full of worry.

"Yes, Your Majesty. General Liu Feng is a brave man, but he still met with an accident. If Your Majesty goes to Yecheng, your life may be in danger. I hope Your Majesty will put the country first and don't be impulsive."

Another minister also stood up and tried to dissuade him earnestly.

At one point, the ministers knelt down one after another, saying in unison: "Your Majesty, please take back your order!"

The sounds rose and fell, echoing in the hall.

Liu Chan looked at the ministers kneeling on the ground, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes, but more of determination.

"I understand your intentions. But the land survey is related to the future of our Han Dynasty. Now Yecheng is blocked and Jizhou is watching. If I don't come forward, the land survey may fail. As the Son of Heaven, I should work for the welfare of the people and the long-term development of the country. Although Yecheng is dangerous, I am not afraid."

Liu Chan's voice was firm and powerful, as loud as a bell.

"Your Majesty, I think you can send a capable general to Yecheng to supervise the land measurement on your behalf. Your Majesty only needs to stay in Luoyang and give remote commands. This way, we can ensure the progress of the land measurement and your Majesty's safety."

A young official stepped forward and put forward his own suggestions. Liu Chan shook his head slightly and said, "I have made up my mind. No need to persuade me. When I go to Yecheng, I will make comprehensive arrangements to ensure my own safety. My dear ministers, just do your job well and provide support for the land measurement."

Liu Chan's tone left no room for doubt. Seeing this, the ministers knew that it was useless to persuade him further and could only stand up helplessly.

After dismissing the court, Liu Chan returned to his bedroom and began to prepare for his northern tour.

He sat at his desk, carefully reviewing memorials about the situation in Yecheng, his eyes focused and determined.

He knew very well that he would face many challenges on his way to Yecheng, but he did not back down and was determined to open up a path for the land measurement.

A few days later, outside the city of Luoyang, a huge team was lined up in an orderly manner.

In front of the team, flags fluttered in the wind, embroidered with the totems of the Han Dynasty and patterns symbolizing imperial power.

A gorgeously decorated carriage slowly drove over, with its curtains fluttering gently, and one could vaguely see that it was Liu Chan sitting inside the carriage.

He was dressed in a black dragon robe, his face was solemn, and his eyes showed determination and confidence.

Under the escort of the team, Liu Chan set out on the road to Yecheng.

Along the way, he looked at the scenery outside the car window, his heart calm. He hoped that this trip would successfully solve the problem in Yecheng and allow the land measurement issue to be smoothly implemented in Jizhou and even the entire Han Dynasty.

Only by thoroughly farming the land can we unleash the power of the Han Dynasty and have the strength to spread the influence of the Han Dynasty to the entire world!
In the court in Luoyang, the ministers were still worried. They didn't know what impact the emperor's decision would have on the Han Dynasty. (End of this chapter)