Shuhan

In the Han Dynasty, Luoyang, inside the Imperial Palace, the lights are just coming on.

A rich aroma permeated the palace with carved beams and painted buildings. It was a mixed smell coming from the flowers placed everywhere and the delicacies on the table.

Tonight, the Han Emperor Liu Chan specially arranged a family dinner with his concubines and children in order to enjoy this rare family happiness.

Liu Chan was wearing a bright yellow brocade robe with exquisite dragon patterns embroidered with gold thread, which sparkled brightly under the candlelight.

He sat upright on the main seat, his eyes filled with gentleness and kindness.

On both sides sat his numerous concubines, each dressed in gorgeous palace clothing and wearing dazzling pearls and jade, some smiling gently or talking in low voices.

Further back were the neatly arranged seats for the princes and princesses.

The banquet table was filled with dazzling delicacies.

There are the carefully prepared auspicious dragon and phoenix dishes, in which the chicken and fish are cleverly arranged into the shapes of dragons and phoenixes, which are lifelike; there are also the temptingly colored braised bear paws, which are stewed until they are soft, tasty and fragrant.

There are also various exquisite pastries in different shapes, like exquisite works of art.

There are also many kinds of fine wines, including the fragrant pure rice wine from Shu, which is clear and sweet; and the grape wine with a unique aroma, with an amber color flowing in the glass.

In addition to the fine wine, there was also sweet and sour plum juice, which added a special refreshing touch to the banquet.

Liu Chan looked at the table full of delicacies with a satisfied smile on his face. He raised his hand slightly and said, "Today, it is a rare occasion for the whole family to gather together. There is no need to be restrained. Just enjoy it to your heart's content."

The concubines bowed one after another to express their gratitude, and the princes and princesses responded happily. For a moment, the atmosphere in the palace was filled with joy.

In a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, everyone started to eat.

A young princess stared at a piece of cake in front of her with sparkling eyes. She carefully stretched out her little hand to take it, but she couldn't reach it because her arms were too short.

The prince sitting next to her saw this and smiled and helped her get it. The little princess took the cake and said sweetly, "Thank you, brother."

Liu Chan saw this scene and couldn't help but burst into laughter, his eyes full of relief.

Halfway through the banquet, Liu Chan gently put down the wine glass in his hand and his expression became a little serious.

He glanced at the princes and slowly said, "Today's family dinner, in addition to enjoying the family time, I also want to test your studies and martial arts. Although my Han Dynasty has unified the world, the princes shoulder the responsibility of the family and the country. You must study hard and not slack off."

When the princes heard this, they all stood up and said respectfully, "We will follow the instructions of our father."

First, Liu Chan looked at the older princes and said, "Prince, you come first. I heard that you have gained a lot from studying the Analects recently. Tell me about it."

Prince Liu Si was tall and handsome. He took two steps forward, bowed his hands respectfully and said, "Father, I think the Analects of Confucius says, 'Governing with virtue is like the North Star, which stays in its place and all the stars revolve around it.' This is the foundation of governing a country. A king should govern the country with virtue, so as to win the hearts of the people and ensure long-term stability of the country."

Liu Chan nodded slightly, with approval in his eyes: "Well, you have a unique insight. It seems that you have really studied it carefully."

Then, Liu Chan tested the other princes on their knowledge of classics, history, and literature. The princes all answered fluently, either quoting from classics or expressing their opinions based on the current situation. A satisfied smile gradually appeared on Liu Chan's face.

After the academic examination, it is time to demonstrate martial arts.

The venue had already been arranged in the courtyard outside the palace.

Liu Chan led everyone to the courtyard, where the moonlight was like water, sprinkling on the bluestone floor of the courtyard.

The third prince Liu Zhao appeared first. He was dressed in light and tight clothes, holding a long sword, looking heroic.

His mother, Da Qiao, was dressed in palace clothes. She looked like a ripe apple in her middle age. Her beautiful eyes were filled with satisfaction.

I saw his sword dancing, his body agile, each move vigorous and powerful, and the wind from his sword whirring.

After finishing a set of sword techniques, his face was not red and he was not out of breath.

Liu Chan applauded and praised: "Good swordsmanship, quite fierce, you must practice hard every day."

The third prince Liu Zhao put away his sword, bowed and said, "Thank you for your praise, father. I will continue to work hard."

Afterwards, other princes also demonstrated their martial arts. Some were good at swordsmanship, and every blow was powerful; some were proficient in spearmanship, and the tip of the spear flashed with a cold light.

The princes, who were no more than ten years old at most, all possessed unique skills and extraordinary martial arts, which made everyone present cheer for them.

After a round of examinations, Liu Chan was very satisfied.

He looked around at the princes and said with emotion: "I am deeply pleased to see you are so outstanding. Although our Han Dynasty has gone through many ups and downs, with you young people like you, I believe that we will be able to protect our ancestors' foundation and even expand our territory."

After that, he waved his hand and ordered, "Come here, give generous rewards to the princes."

The eunuchs at the side immediately came forward with trays filled with gold, silver, jewelry, precious books and various exquisite weapons.

The princes knelt down to express their gratitude, their joy beyond words.

At this time, a concubine smiled and said: "Your Majesty, the princes are so outstanding because of your good teaching."

The other concubines also echoed.

Liu Chan laughed and said, "This is also inseparable from your daily careful care and teaching."

In this warm and joyful atmosphere, the family dinner continued.

Inside the palace, there were constant sounds of laughter and flickering candlelight, as if they were also jumping for joy for this joyful scene.

Liu Chan looked at his concubines and children around him, his heart filled with happiness and satisfaction. This was the most precious time for him as a monarch when he was busy with state affairs.

In the future, he hopes that these princes will not fight among themselves, but work together to develop the country and contribute their own strength to the prosperity of the Han Dynasty, so that the foundation of the Han Dynasty will be as solid as a rock and will last forever.

How could the vast land of China satisfy Liu Chan's ambition?

The glory of the Han Dynasty should be spread to all corners of the world.

What kind of empire is Britain?

I, the Han, am the real sun that never sets!

After the night banquet, everything returned to normal.

The Luoyang Imperial Palace, this towering palace that symbolizes the supreme power of the Han Dynasty, is like a sleeping beast in the night, quiet and solemn.

The moonlight was like water, sprinkling on the glazed tiles of the palace, emitting a cool light and outlining the outline of the palace with exceptional clarity.

All around, only the occasional sound of the night watchman's beating echoed in the silent night, breaking the moment's peace.

It was late at night, and Liu Chan and Queen Zhang fell asleep in each other's arms.

In the queen's bedroom, red candles flickered, illuminating the faces of the two people as they slept.

Liu Chan had a handsome face. Even in his sleep, his brows were slightly furrowed, as if he was still thinking about many affairs in the court.

Zhang's skin was whiter than snow, her hair was as black as clouds, and her beautiful face looked even more charming under the candlelight.

Suddenly, outside the bedroom, a dark shadow flashed by like a ghost.

Then, a faint flame quietly rose up, flickering in the darkness, like an evil tentacle extended by a demon.

With the help of the night wind, the flames burned higher and higher, and soon licked the surrounding wooden structures, making crackling sounds.

"There's a fire, there's a fire!" A cry of fear instantly broke the tranquility of the palace.

The guards on duty stared at the rapidly spreading fire with wide eyes, their faces full of panic. The sound spread quickly in the palace like ripples.

Liu Chan was suddenly awakened by the sharp cry. He opened his eyes suddenly, with a trace of confusion still in his eyes.

In his arms, Empress Zhang was also awakened. She hugged Liu Chan tightly in fear, and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, what happened?"

Liu Chan quickly woke up and listened carefully. There was a lot of noise outside, with shouts and footsteps mixed together.

He turned his head to look out the window, and saw flames shooting up into the sky behind the bedroom, dyeing the night sky orange-red.

"Don't be afraid, there must be a fire in the palace."

Liu Chan comforted the queen with a calm voice, trying to reassure her, but he felt uneasy in his heart.

Liu Chan hurriedly stood up and put on his clothes quickly. His posture was upright and his movements were agile, showing the majesty of the emperor.

"Queen, follow me out for a look."

He reached out his hand and lifted up the still trembling queen.

Zhang was wearing thin pajamas and her hair was a little messy, but her beauty could not be concealed.

She held Liu Chan's hand tightly, her eyes full of dependence.

As soon as the two men walked out of the bedroom, a group of imperial guards quickly surrounded them and protected them tightly.

The imperial guards were dressed in black armor, holding spears, and looked nervous and alert.

"Your Majesty, this place is dangerous. Please move to a safe place." The leading general of the imperial guards knelt on one knee and said anxiously.

Liu Chan looked at the chaotic scene with a grim gaze. The palace maids and eunuchs were running around, some carrying buckets of water, trying to put out the fire; some were fleeing in panic.

"What happened?" Liu Chan asked, his voice low and powerful, still clearly audible amid the noise.

The eunuch on duty came running over in a hurry. His clothes were disheveled and his face was covered with sweat. He knelt on the ground with a plop and said, "Your Majesty, there is a fire in the bedroom. The fire is too big to be put out immediately. Please move to the Taiji Hall."

The eunuch's voice had a hint of crying, and he was obviously frightened by the sudden fire.

Liu Chan frowned and doubts arose in his mind.

A fire broke out in the palace?

You know, the Luoyang Imperial Palace had been renovated not long ago and had complete fire prevention facilities. It was not a dry time at the moment, so how could a fire suddenly break out?
There must be something hidden in it.

He looked at the blazing fire behind him, then at the panicked crowd around him, and wondered to himself: Was this fire an accident, or was it caused intentionally?

If someone deliberately set a fire, what was their purpose?
Is it directed at me, or is there some other purpose?
"Pass on my order, do your best to put out the fire and ensure the safety of everyone in the palace."

Liu Chan gave the order quickly, his voice firm and unquestionable.

"Also, send someone to immediately investigate the cause of the fire, and report to me as soon as you have any information."

His eyes were sharp, as if he could penetrate this chaotic situation and see the truth behind it.

Under the protection of the imperial guards, Liu Chan and the queen walked towards the Taiji Hall.

Along the way, Liu Chan looked solemn and said nothing.

Queen Zhang snuggled up to him, looking back at the fire that was growing more and more fiercely from time to time, her eyes full of fear.

The lights were bright in the Taiji Hall. Liu Chan sat on the dragon throne, and the queen sat beside him. She was still in shock, holding the corner of her clothes tightly with both hands.

Liu Chan gently patted the queen's hand to comfort her, and then looked outside the hall.

At this time, the fire outside the palace was still out of control, and thick smoke was billowing into the sky.

"Your Majesty, the fire is so big that I'm afraid it will be difficult to put out for the time being."

A minister hurried into the hall and knelt down to report. He looked anxious, with beads of sweat on his forehead.

Liu Chan nodded slightly and said, "Continue to increase the firefighting efforts and make sure to minimize the losses."

His voice was steady, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Your Majesty, this fire seems strange. Could it be..." Another minister hesitated, with a trace of worry in his eyes.

Liu Chan looked at the minister with a sharp gaze and said, "I also think this is no accident. No matter who is behind this, I will investigate it thoroughly."

His voice was firm and powerful, carrying the aura of a king.

Liu Chan did not relax at all and was waiting for the results of the investigation.

Finally, the official in charge of the investigation rushed over. "Your Majesty, I have preliminarily found the cause of the fire."

The official knelt down and said, his voice trembling. "Hurry up and tell me!" Liu Chan said impatiently.

“Your Majesty, after my investigation, I found that the fire was caused by someone deliberately stacking flammable materials outside the Queen’s bedroom and igniting them.

Moreover, I found some suspicious footprints at the scene, which seemed to indicate that someone had deliberately set the fire.”

The official said as he presented a pair of shoes, "These were found near the scene. They are covered with ashes and are most likely left by the arsonist."

Liu Chan took the shoes and examined them carefully, his expression becoming increasingly gloomy. "Well, someone actually dared to play with fire under my nose."

His voice was cold and filled with anger. "Pass on my order. Hunt down the arsonist with all your strength. No matter who is involved, they will be severely punished!"

There was a chill in Liu Chan's eyes, as if he wanted to cut the mastermind behind the scenes into pieces.

Flames shot up into the sky from the direction of the bedroom, and the flames licked the palace's eaves and brackets. Thick smoke billowed in the dark night sky, obscuring the bright moonlight.

Countless eunuchs, palace maids and imperial guards were carrying buckets of water and fire extinguishers, moving around in panic. Shouts and the sounds of footsteps blended together, and the entire palace fell into unprecedented chaos.

In the midst of this chaos, several soldiers wearing imperial guard armor took advantage of the cover of darkness and quietly sneaked towards the Taiji Hall.

They were agile, their steps were light and quick, and they took every step carefully, as if they were afraid of disturbing something.

The leader was a burly man named Huang Yu.

His face was shrouded in the night, revealing only a pair of piercing eyes that flashed with ferocity and determination.

"Brothers, be careful. Today, we are going to take the life of that tyrant king!" Huang Yu lowered his voice and said viciously.

His voice was low and hoarse, as if squeezed out from the depths of his throat, revealing a chill in the silent night.

"Brother, the land measurement and household registration policy promoted by that foolish monarch has caused us great harm. If we can get rid of him today, it will be considered as getting rid of harm for the people." A soldier with a slightly thin figure echoed, his eyes full of anger and unwillingness, his hand tightly grasping the long sword, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"Hmph, what do you mean by getting rid of harm for the people? We are doing this for ourselves. Those lands and wealth were accumulated through our hard work, but were taken away by a single order from that tyrant. If I don't kill him today, I will never be able to get rid of the hatred in my heart!" Another bearded soldier said gritting his teeth, his face full of resentment, as if he had an irreconcilable feud with Liu Chan.

It turned out that these people were minions of powerful families.

The policy of measuring land and registering households for all people implemented by Liu Chan greatly affected their interests.

In order to protect their wealth and land, the powerful families took the risk of sending these people to infiltrate the imperial guards and take advantage of the chaos of the palace fire to assassinate Liu Chan. (End of this chapter)