Shuhan

In the early spring of the third year of Yanxing, the chill was still lingering in the streets of Luoyang City.

As the morning light appeared, a thin mist covered the towering city walls like a veil. The heavy city gates slowly opened with a creaking sound, and the city, which had been sleeping all night, gradually woke up.

In the distance, a team of dusty carriages and horses were slowly approaching along the winding official road. The wheels rolled over the bumpy stone road, making a dull sound and raising bursts of fine dust, which rolled and drifted in the dim morning light, as if telling of the hardships and length of the journey.

The curtains of the carriage at the front of the convoy were covered with mottled mud spots. The fabric was wrinkled from the long journey and the edges were slightly curled up.

Crown Prince Liu Si reached out, opened the curtain and stuck half of his body out.

After not seeing it for several months, the outline of Luoyang City is still familiar. The noise on Zhuque Street can be heard faintly, and the signs of street shops sway in the wind.

His robe had long lost its former splendor. The dark-patterned brocade was covered with the frost of the journey, with a few withered yellow grass leaves mixed in between the folds. His hair was also a little messy, with a few strands of hair blown by the wind to his cheeks, covering his bright eyes.

But at this moment, his eyes were shining, revealing excitement and pride that were difficult to conceal, as if he was a warrior who had experienced a great battle and returned with glory.

Recalling the days and nights in Youzhou, the open and covert struggles with the powerful, the thrilling dealings with foreign races, every choice in difficult situations, every thrilling contest, all turned into a surging sense of accomplishment in my heart.

He finally proved himself to everyone and proved that he was capable of shouldering the heavy responsibility of governing the country and maintaining peace.

Thinking of this, the corners of his mouth unconsciously rose slightly, and a firm light flashed in his eyes.

Inside the Tai Chi Hall, the air is filled with sandalwood incense and green smoke is lingering and rising between the coiled dragon pillars, creating a fairyland shrouded in clouds and mist.

The candlelight flickered, making the golden bricks in the hall appear bright and dark. The interweaving of light and shadow made it seem more solemn and dignified.

Liu Chan, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, was handling state affairs in a side hall. The mountains of bamboo slips and documents on the desk almost covered half of his face.

He was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe with auspicious dragons embroidered with gold thread that glowed in the candlelight. It should have shown his dignity and majesty, but it could not hide the fatigue on his face.

Since ascending the throne, he has risen at dawn every day and worked until late at night, personally handling state affairs.

When reviewing memorials, he always weighed them word by word, fearing that he would miss any details; when summoning ministers, he listened carefully to opinions from all sides and repeatedly weighed the pros and cons; when planning military and political affairs, he often forgot to eat and sleep and stood in front of the map for several hours.

Just to protect this hard-earned Han Dynasty and live up to the trust of the late emperor and the expectations of the people.

Crown Prince Liu Si straightened his slightly messy clothes outside the hall, took a deep breath, and walked into the side hall.

His footsteps were steady and powerful, yet unconsciously light, and every step was filled with respect and trepidation for his father.

When he was a few steps away from the throne, he knelt heavily on his knees and performed a standard ceremony, with a loud and respectful voice: "Your son Liu Si pays homage to your father!"

The sound echoed in the empty hall, startling a few sparrows perched on the beams, and they fluttered away to fly out of the hall.

Liu Chan paused for a moment as he was reviewing a memorial on the bamboo slips in his hand, then slowly raised his head.

The moment he saw the prince, a hint of barely perceptible relief flashed across his tired eyes.

He put down the bamboo slips in his hand, rubbed his sore brows, and said in a slightly tired but concerned voice: "Get up."

Liu Si slowly stood up, straightened his back, and looked at his father with a firm gaze.

Liu Chan's eyes were like a ruler, looking him up and down. Seeing his thin face, sunken cheeks and haggard look, his heart ached slightly, as if being pricked by a thin needle.

The once round face now has clear contours, and the originally fair skin has been tanned, which shows how much suffering he has endured in the past few months.

But more than that, I feel the satisfaction of seeing my son grow up. His posture is more upright than before, and his eyes are more mature and determined.

"You have done a good job in farming in Youzhou this time." Liu Chan's voice was calm, but it made Liu Si feel warm in his heart, as if the warm sun in winter was shining on his body.

"Dividing the powerful, using clever strategies, and being decisive, you have the style of me in my past."

Liu Si was overjoyed, and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously, but he still maintained a respectful look on his face, and hurriedly said: "I am where I am today, thanks to your daily teachings. This time, I am just following your teachings and doing my best to help you with the land survey in Youzhou."

However, Liu Chan's face suddenly became serious, his brows knitted tightly into a "川" shape, the relief in his eyes was instantly replaced by worry, and his tone became solemn: "But your introduction of the Xianbei and Xiongnu to help is too risky. Foreigners have always been fickle and ambitious, like wolves that can never be fed.

Although this time it was successful, if they take advantage of the opportunity to cause chaos and burn, kill and loot on the land of our Han Dynasty, the consequences will be disastrous. Foreigners can be used, but we must be extremely cautious. One success is a fluke. If we take risks repeatedly, it will inevitably lead to a disaster and shake the foundation of our Han Dynasty. "

Liu Si's heart tightened, as if his heart was being tightly grasped by an invisible hand.

He knelt down heavily again, his knees hitting the gold bricks with a dull sound, his eyes full of regret and self-blame, he lowered his head and dared not look his father in the eye: "Father, you are right, I was also helpless at the time, the powerful forces in Youzhou were intertwined and colluded with each other, without the help of external forces, the land measurement would be difficult to advance. I was not thoughtful enough and almost made a big mistake, I hope Father will punish me."

Liu Chan looked at the prince kneeling on the ground, was silent for a moment, then sighed, with a hint of regret in his voice: "No need to punish him, as long as you can recognize your mistakes. This is also a lesson, you must be cautious in the future. You go back and rest for a month, and after a month, I order you to go to Liangzhou to continue to implement the land measurement. The situation in Liangzhou is complicated, with many tribes such as Qiang and Di, each of which is independent and has complicated interests. It is more difficult to govern than Youzhou, so you must be well prepared."

Liu Si's heart suddenly shook, as if he was struck by thunder.

He had long heard of the complicated situation in Liangzhou, where the mountains and rivers were rugged, tribes were numerous, and conflicts were constant, making it a real "hot potato".

I didn't expect that my father would entrust him with such an important task so soon.

His heart felt extremely heavy, as if a huge rock was pressing on it, but there was also a hint of expectation, as if he saw a ray of light in the darkness.

What was heavy was that he was well aware of the difficulty of measuring the land in Liangzhou. If he was not careful, it might cause tribal conflicts. Once the war broke out, not only would the land measurement fail, but it might also endanger the Han Dynasty's borders.

He was looking forward to it, as this was another great opportunity to prove himself. If he succeeded, his prestige in the court would rise to a higher level, and he would be one step closer to the throne. He raised his head, his eyes were firm, and his fighting spirit was burning in them: "Your son obeys your order! Your son will do his best to live up to your father's trust!"

After coming out of the Taiji Hall, Liu Si couldn't wait to go to the queen's bedroom.

Along the way, his steps were so brisk that he seemed to be flying, his heart filled with longing for his mother.

The Queen's bedroom is located deep in the imperial palace, surrounded by pine and cypress trees, and a winding stone road leads to the palace gate.

In the courtyard, several early-blooming magnolia trees are in bud, the white buds sway gently on the branches, and the air is filled with a faint fragrance, as if it can soothe the anxiety in people's hearts.

Liu Si walked into the bedroom and saw Queen Zhang sitting on an embroidery cushion in front of the window, holding needle and thread in her hands, seemingly sewing something.

She was wearing a lavender long dress with delicate lotus patterns embroidered on the sleeves, and her temperament was gentle and elegant.

Although time has left fine lines at the corners of her eyes, she is still beautiful, with kindness and tenderness in her eyes.

Hearing footsteps, Zhang looked up. When she saw that it was Crown Prince Liu Si, the embroidery in her hand fell to the ground with a "pop". Her eyes were instantly filled with surprise and heartache.

"Si'er!" Zhang came up quickly, holding Liu Si's face with trembling hands, looking him up and down, her eyes gradually moistening, "Why are you so thin? Did you suffer a lot in Youzhou? Did someone bully you?"

Her voice was gentle and caring, and her fingers gently stroked the stubble on his cheek, as if she was stroking a precious treasure that had been lost and found.

Liu Si felt warm in his heart, his nose slightly sour, and he smiled brilliantly, his voice coquettish, "Mother, I'm fine. Although farming in Youzhou was hard, I made it through. It's worth it to share my father's worries and work for the well-being of the Han people, no matter how hard or tiring it is."

Zhang looked at her son's determined eyes, feeling relieved and proud. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I heard that you did a great job in Youzhou and solved a big problem for our Han Dynasty. I am really proud of you."

She reached out and gently wiped the dust off her son's face, her movements as gentle as if she was wiping a piece of fragile porcelain.

Liu Si held his mother's hand, feeling the familiar warmth, and said, "This is what I should do. However, my father has just given me another important task, ordering me to go to Liangzhou to survey the land in a month. I know the situation in Liangzhou is complicated, and I am a little worried."

Zhang patted his hand gently and said earnestly, "My son, don't be proud, and don't be discouraged. When you encounter problems, you should ask the people around you, especially experienced ministers like Fei Yi and Dong Yun. They have followed your father for many years and are knowledgeable. They will definitely give you a lot of useful suggestions. And Guan Xing, he is very brave and can protect you. Your mother believes in you. As long as you ask for advice with an open mind and act prudently, you will be able to complete the task."

Liu Si nodded seriously, remembering every word of his mother's words in his heart: "I remember it, thank you for your teachings. I will definitely remember your words, be careful and cautious in Liangzhou, and live up to my father and mother's expectations."

He stayed in the Queen's bedroom for a long time, until it got dark and the palace lights were lit, and then Liu Si reluctantly left.

Walking out of the bedroom, he looked at the towering palaces in the imperial palace, with the flying eaves outlining a stern silhouette in the twilight.

In the distance, the lights of Luoyang City gradually lit up, like stars dotted on the earth.

The success of Dutian in Youzhou was just a starting point in his life, and there were more challenges waiting for him. But he was ready, and with his father's teachings and his mother's expectations, he set out on a new journey.

The night was deep, the lights in the East Palace were bright, and the sounds of stringed instruments and laughter were intertwined. Crown Prince Liu Si held a banquet in the East Palace. At the celebration banquet, the long table was filled with delicacies, and the fine wine in the glass cup was shining with an alluring luster.

Fei Yi, Sima Yi and other officials of the Eastern Palace sat around, their faces filled with joy and pride.

Liu Si was wearing a gorgeous brocade robe and a jade crown on his head. Although he was still tired from the journey, he could not hide the excitement and pride in his eyes.

He picked up the wine glass, stood up, and said in a loud voice: "Everyone, the successful completion of the Youzhou farmland project is inseparable from your concerted efforts. Today, I specially set up this banquet to celebrate this hard-won success with you all!"

Everyone stood up, raised their glasses in response, and shouted, "We are willing to serve His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

The sound echoed throughout the East Palace, and the atmosphere was extremely warm.

After three rounds of drinking, Liu Si put down his glass and his expression gradually became serious.

He looked around at everyone and said slowly, "Everyone, although the land measurement in Youzhou has been successful, there are greater challenges ahead. My father ordered me to go to Liangzhou in a month to continue the land measurement. The situation in Liangzhou is complicated. There are many tribes such as Qiang and Di people. The interests are intertwined and it is more difficult to deal with than in Youzhou."

The atmosphere at the banquet froze in an instant, and everyone's faces showed solemn expressions.

Fei Yi frowned, thought for a moment and then said, "Your Highness, the power of the tribes in Liangzhou is complicated and there are frequent frictions with the imperial court. If we want to measure the land, we must first understand the situation of each tribe and find a balance of interests before we can proceed slowly."

Sima Yi's eyes flashed with a gleam of light, and he stroked his beard and said, "What Mr. Fei said is very true. However, Liangzhou is in a dangerous place, and controlling the main transportation routes is very important. I think we can first deploy troops in key cities, which can not only deter those with evil intentions, but also provide protection for the land measurement."

Liu Si listened carefully to their suggestions and nodded slightly.

At this time, a young official asked with some concern: "Your Highness, when we were measuring the land in Youzhou, we relied on the power of Xianbei and Xiongnu. But the situation in Liangzhou is different. If we use foreign tribes again, there may be unexpected changes. What should we do?"

Liu Si looked determined and said, "This time in Liangzhou, we must not use the power of the foreign races lightly. My father has also warned me that the foreign races are fickle and the risk is too great. We need to find another way and rely on our own wisdom and strength to properly solve the problem of measuring land."

At the banquet, everyone expressed their opinions one after another and had a heated discussion on the issue of land measurement in Liangzhou.

Liu Si sometimes frowned in thought, sometimes nodded in approval, and constantly planned future strategies in his mind.

After the celebration banquet, everyone dispersed.

Liu Si stood in the courtyard of the East Palace, looking at the bright moon in the night sky, with a lot of thoughts in his mind.

The heavy responsibility of measuring farmland in Liangzhou will soon fall on his shoulders. Although there are many difficulties ahead, his fighting spirit is getting stronger and stronger.

Wasn't measuring the land also a collaboration between the emperor and him? (End of this chapter)