Shuhan

The night in Yecheng is as dark as ink, like a heavy curtain that tightly covers the city.

The lights were on in the temporary palace where Liu Chan lived, but they could not dispel the tension and solemnity that permeated the air.

Liu Chan was dressed in a dark suit and sat in front of the desk in the study, his brows furrowed and his eyes staring coldly at the file spread out in front of him.

The flickering candlelight illuminated his resolute face, outlining the fatigue and worry on his face even more clearly.

On the table, a brush was placed casually aside, and next to it was a stack of bamboo slips covered with words, recording all the clues and evidence of the rebellion in Yecheng.

"Your Majesty, the commander of the imperial guards requests to see you." The eunuch's shrill voice reported from outside the door.

"Announce." Liu Chan said in a deep voice, with unquestionable majesty in his voice.

The commander of the imperial guards strode into the study, his armor flickering coldly in the candlelight.

He knelt on one knee, clasped his fists and saluted, and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, the arrest operation tonight has been completed. I have come to report the details to Your Majesty."

Liu Chan nodded slightly, his eyes fell on the commander of the imperial guards, motioning him to continue.

"Your Majesty, during this arrest, most of the rebels chose to surrender, but a few still resisted stubbornly, causing some casualties to the Imperial Guards." The voice of the Imperial Guards commander was low and powerful.

"However, all the insurgents have been arrested. Here is the wanted list."

As he spoke, he presented a list made of bamboo slips with both hands.

Liu Chan took the list and examined it carefully.

The list was long and filled with names.

His eyes grew colder and colder as he crossed out the names of those who had been confirmed by the military commander to have committed treason according to his memory.

"These people will be executed that night. The men will be sent to the army and the women will be made into military prostitutes." Liu Chan's voice was cold, as if he was talking about something very ordinary.

The commander of the imperial guards was startled when he heard this.

He secretly raised his eyes, glanced at Liu Chan's stern face, and felt the emperor's determination at the moment.

"My lord, take your orders!"

He kowtowed heavily and stood up to leave.

After the commander of the imperial guards left, a sound of soft footsteps was heard from behind.

Liu Chan turned around and saw a beautiful woman in gorgeous palace dress slowly walking towards him. It was his concubine Zhou Che.

Zhou Che's skin was whiter than snow, his eyes were like stars, and his long black hair fell behind him like a waterfall, making him look like a fairy descending to earth.

However, at this moment her face was full of worry.

"Your Majesty, is this a bit too hasty?" Zhou Che asked softly, his voice like a spring breeze, carrying a hint of gentle admonition.

"Many of those people were former heroes."

Liu Chan looked at Zhou Che, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He stretched out his hand, pulled Zhou Che into his arms, and sighed slightly.

"Che'er, so what if they are meritorious officials? Now that they are blocking the Han Dynasty's path, they should expect this result."

Liu Chan's voice was low, revealing deep helplessness and determination.

Zhou Che snuggled in Liu Chan's arms, feeling his breath.

She raised her head, looked into Liu Chan's eyes, and said, "Your Majesty, I understand your painstaking efforts, but this killing is too heavy, and I am afraid it will chill people's hearts."

Her eyes were full of concern, and her slender fingers gently stroked the back of Liu Chan's hand.

Liu Chan gently stroked Zhou Che's hair, looking at the dark night sky outside the window, his thoughts drifting away.

"Che'er, I know this. But the land survey is related to the rise and fall of the Han Dynasty. If I tolerate these people who want to destroy it, how can I face the people of the world and comfort my ancestors?"

There was a hint of fatigue in Liu Chan's voice.

"I cannot ruin the future of the Han Dynasty because of my momentary kindness."

Zhou Che was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Your Majesty is wise, I am just worried about your safety. Such a severe punishment will probably attract more resentment from others."

There was a hint of worry in her voice as she held Liu Chan's hand tightly.

Liu Chan's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a confident smile.

"As the Son of Heaven, I should be responsible for the whole world. If I retreat because of fear of resentment, how can I be a king?"

He hugged Zhou Che tighter, as if trying to draw strength from her.

Just then, there was a burst of hurried horse hoof sounds outside the window.

Liu Chan and Zhou Che looked at each other, Liu Chan let go of Zhou Che, straightened his clothes, and restored the majesty of the emperor.

"Come in," he said loudly.

A guard hurried into the study and knelt down to report: "Your Majesty, the military department has sent new news. It was found that some of the escaped fish are fleeing outside the city, and it seems that they are going to meet up with the remaining forces outside the city."

Liu Chan's eyes shone, and he said in a cold voice: "We must not let them escape. Order the imperial guards to chase them immediately and make sure to capture these traitors in one fell swoop."

"Yes, sir!" The guards took the order and retreated quickly.

Liu Chan turned around and said to Zhou Che, "Che'er, go back to your bedroom and rest first. I have some important matters to attend to."

There was fatigue in his eyes, but more of determination.

Zhou Che nodded slightly, his eyes full of concern.

"Your Majesty, you must also take care of your body and not overwork yourself." She said softly, then bowed slightly and turned to leave.

Liu Chan looked at Zhou Che's departing back and felt a warm feeling in his heart.

He took a deep breath, sat back at his desk, and continued to review the files on the rebellion.

In this long dark night, he knew that he was shouldering the fate of the Han Dynasty and could not retreat in the slightest.

The night in Yecheng should have been quiet and peaceful. The moonlight was like water, sprinkling on the ancient city walls, covering the city with a layer of silver gauze.

However, tonight was unusual. Outside the palace, the rapid sound of horse hooves and the collision of armor broke the silence of the night.

The imperial guards quickly assembled, wearing black armor that shone coldly under the moonlight. Each of them had a serious look on their faces, with firmness and determination in their eyes.

The leading general rode on a tall black horse, his posture as straight as a pine tree.

He held a spear in his hand, and the red tassel on the tip of the spear fluttered gently in the breeze like a burning flame.

"Brothers, in compliance with His Majesty's order, we are hunting down the fugitives. This mission must succeed, failure is not allowed!"

The general's voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the night sky.

The imperial guards shouted in unison: "We are willing to serve your majesty!"

The voices were so uniform and loud that the air around them trembled.

The sound of horse hooves was like thunder. The imperial guards lined up neatly under the moonlight and galloped out of the city.

Their figures appeared particularly tall in the moonlight, like a black torrent rolling forward.

At the same time, the newly-elected gentry who had fled were now running out of the city in panic.

Some of them rode fast horses, some sat in carriages, and were surrounded by the villagers and tenants.

These newly-appointed nobles, who usually lived a life of luxury, now looked frightened, with disheveled hair and fear and despair in their eyes.

"Hurry, hurry, we must escape before the imperial guards catch up!" A noble lord, sitting in the carriage, shouted loudly.

His face was covered in sweat, and his fat body kept shaking in the carriage. "If we are caught, we will all die!"

There was a hint of crying in his voice.

"Master, don't worry, we will definitely protect you."

A village guard leader, riding a horse beside the carriage, said this with a solemn oath.

He held a long knife and his eyes were fierce, but in fact, his heart was also full of fear.

Some of the newly-appointed gentry planned to go into the mountains and become bandits to save their lives first.

They looked at the mountains in the distance and seemed to see a glimmer of life.

"As long as we can escape into the mountains, we will be safe." A young nobleman said to himself while galloping on his horse.

There was a hint of luck in his eyes, but he didn't know what fate was waiting for them.

However, the Han emperor Liu Chan had anticipated this. The imperial guards rushed past like well-trained cheetahs.

They are familiar with every road and every corner of this land.

Soon, they discovered the fleeing soldiers and Zhuang Wei's troops.

"Charge!" At the general's order, the imperial guards rushed towards the target like a black whirlwind.

Their spears flashed coldly as they stabbed at the enemy.

Although Zhuang Wei's troops tried to resist, they quickly collapsed under the powerful offensive of the imperial guards.

"You running dogs of the imperial court, why are you arresting us?" A Zhuang guard waved a wooden stick in his hand and yelled at the imperial guards.

His face was full of anger, but there was a tremor in his voice.

"Humph, you attempted rebellion and betrayed His Majesty, you deserve to be killed!" said a soldier of the Imperial Guard coldly.

The spear in his hand flashed, knocking the wooden stick out of Zhuang Wei's hand, and then he kicked Zhuang Wei to the ground.

After a fierce battle, all the fleeing soldiers and Zhuangwei troops were captured by the imperial guards.

The newly promoted nobles were also captured one after another.

They were escorted and walked dejectedly on the road back to Yecheng.

"I won't accept this, I won't accept this!" A noble lord, who was being escorted by two imperial guards, kept shouting.

His eyes were filled with resentment, but at this moment, he was powerless to change the situation.

On the next day, just after daybreak, the people of Yecheng opened their doors with lingering fear.

They carefully stuck their heads out and looked at everything on the street.

At this time, people from the Jianjunsi had already begun spreading the news in the city.

"Last night, rebels rebelled and attempted to assassinate the emperor. The Han emperor was wise and brave and suppressed the rebellion. Land measurement is proceeding as normal. The people of Yecheng do not need to panic." The people from the Jianjun Division said loudly as they walked.

When the people heard this, they began to whisper to each other.

"Really? Is the emperor okay?" A white-haired old man, leaning on a cane, asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, old man. The emperor is blessed with great fortune. Nothing will happen to him. Those rebels really don't know what's good for them. They are traitors." A young man said angrily.

"Yes, land allocation is a good thing. If we can get more land, our lives will be better in the future." A woman, holding a child, showed an expectant smile on her face.

The people praised the Emperor of the Han Dynasty and denounced the rebels.

They knew that the emperor's decisions were for the prosperity of the country and the well-being of the people.

The smooth progress of the land survey will bring them new hope.

In the streets and alleys of Yecheng, smiles gradually appeared on people's faces.

The sun shines on the earth, dispelling the haze of last night.

Yecheng, a city that had experienced many ups and downs, regained its vitality and order under the rule of the Han emperor.

The work of measuring land will also continue to advance, laying a solid foundation for the prosperity and strength of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Chan stood on the city wall of the temporary palace, gazing into the distance, watching the people in the city coming and going as usual, but in his mind he was thinking about the next step in measuring the land.

In the next ten days, he sent a group of smart and capable clerks to various places in Yecheng to measure the land and compile statistical lists.

These clerks were dressed in uniform, holding measuring tools, with serious expressions and firm steps.

They were fully aware of the importance of this mission and the emperor's determination, so wherever they went, they performed their duties conscientiously and did not dare to slack off in the slightest.

On the country roads of Yecheng, clerks were shuttling back and forth.

They came to a piece of farmland, communicated patiently with the local people, and then began to measure the land carefully.

The people looked at these clerks with some fear in their eyes, but more of it was anticipation.

After experiencing the previous turmoil, they fully understand that Dutian has an important impact on changing their lives.

"Sir, we have to measure your land carefully. There can't be any mistakes." A young clerk said to an old farmer with a smile. His eyes were focused, and the measuring tool in his hand shone with a metallic luster in the sun.

The old farmer nodded slightly and said, "Sir, just measure it and we will cooperate. This is a good thing, it will make our lives more stable."

His face was full of wrinkles, but he had a simple smile on his face.

With so many bloody lessons learned, people from all over Yecheng did not dare to resist Dutian.

This time the land was measured very thoroughly.

The clerks measured every inch of land clearly and counted every person clearly.

When the statistical results were presented to Liu Chan, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

The increased land and population were actually twice as much as when Liu Feng counted them.

This made Liu Chan deeply aware of how many secrets were hidden in the previous land measurement work and how much money those gentry had made from it.

"Hmph, these people are so bold and presumptuous for their own selfish interests." There was a hint of anger in Liu Chan's voice.

"However, this land measurement can also be regarded as a lesson for them." After completing the land measurement in Yecheng, Liu Chan did not stop and immediately dispatched angels to various counties in Jizhou to supervise the military farming.

These angels were dressed in gorgeous costumes, holding the emperor's edict, and looked majestic.

Whenever they arrived at a county, they summoned local officials and read out the imperial edict: "Anyone who resists farming will be killed without mercy!" Once the edict came out, it was like a blockbuster bomb, causing an uproar in the counties of Jizhou.

The officials listened to the imperial edict with different expressions. Some looked horrified, knowing that the emperor was serious this time; others were secretly glad that they had not participated in the boycott before.

In a county in Jizhou, a prefect turned pale and his forehead was covered with sweat after receiving the imperial edict.

He knew very well that there were some forces in his county trying to resist military farming. Now that the emperor had issued an edict, he had to make a choice.

"Quick, gather all officials and discuss countermeasures." The prefect said anxiously to the attendants around him.

In another county, the people heard the imperial edict and began to discuss it.

"It seems that this land reclamation is inevitable. We must cooperate, otherwise, we will lose our heads."

A young man said nervously.

"Yes, with the lesson of Yecheng in mind, who would dare to disobey? Besides, this land reclamation and farming is also a good thing for us ordinary people." An old man, stroking his beard, said slowly.

The previously stagnant Jizhou military farming finally resumed under Liu Chan's strong promotion. (End of this chapter)