The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

Chapter 138 Seizing Power (Part 4) (Third update, please subscribe to the full chapter)

"Your Majesty, the Queen's brother has arrived." The eunuch entered from outside and bowed.

"Please come in." Liu Chen took a deep breath, suppressing his anger. In his plan, Chen Yong and his son Chen Xi were also an important part.

Because we still have to follow the old path.

For an emperor, maternal relatives are both a threat and a source of support.

Just like the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Since Emperor Guangwu, Emperor Ming, and Emperor Zhang, most emperors have been young and have no real power.

But it survived and lasted for two hundred years.

It relied on the three pillars of the empress's family, eunuchs, and scholar-officials.

The Empress Dowager ruled from behind a screen.

Including Empress Dowager He, there were six empresses ruling as regents in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Some of them were very wicked, while others were very good.

In a time when imperial families often went extinct, these six female rulers helped the Eastern Han Dynasty to continue its operations.

He's not the emperor now, so he doesn't need to worry about the future. But he's planning a coup.

He has few people he can use and few people he can trust.

Yang Yong and his fellow veterans were loyal ministers, but they were of no use at this time.

He needed to take capable men to fight against Deng Ai and his Yongliang army, and he needed to leave people behind to defend Chengdu.

You can make connections with your maternal relatives and your wife's relatives.

At the same time, if he launches a coup, his maternal and paternal families will also be tied to him, and if he fails, they will also be purged.

The Li family had Li Hui's son, Li Yi, and his grandson, Li E.

His maternal uncle was Li Qiu, and Li Qiu's eldest son was Li Ding.

The Chen family includes Chen Yong and his son Chen Xi. The five concubines brought by Queen Chen Mingzhen were all members of the Chen family group.

For example, Chen Mingzhen's maternal clan, the Liu family.

None of them can escape.

Everyone risked their lives.

Place a bet.

If you win, wealth and honor will be bestowed by heaven; if you lose, you will be utterly destroyed.

Just then, Chen Xi walked in from outside, looking dazed. Their family's plan was going smoothly; his sister had married the King of the North.

He allied himself with the Li family of Nanzhong and successfully entered the scholarly circles. A bright future lay ahead, but... was the Han Dynasty about to perish?!

He still thinks he's dreaming.

Liu Chen frowned at his expression, then patiently said, "The country is in great danger now. I have appointed you as General Cai Guan to fight against Deng Ai. You will serve as my military scribe."

After a pause, Liu Chen continued, "I have already sent someone to fetch your father to Chengdu."

He specifically instructed Chen Yong to bring along capable people from the Liu and Chen families.

Chen Xi jolted awake, instantly snapping back to reality, and exclaimed, "Huh?!?!?!"

He never imagined in his life that he would go to the battlefield.

Liu Chen didn't care whether he wanted to or not. He had the eunuch take Chen Xi down to stay, treated him to good food and drink, and kept him under guard so that the boy wouldn't be unable to stand it and run away.

"I'm becoming a bit abnormal. It feels like this vast Sichuan region is a chessboard, and everyone is my pawn." Liu Chen shook his head to calm down.

Another eunuch rushed in, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, a distinguished guest has arrived."

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Liu Chen immediately returned to reality and gave a bitter laugh. Treating everyone as pawns was certainly not an option, nor was it in his nature.

People still need warmth.

"My son, why are you suddenly going to the battlefield? Waaah!" Consort Li walked in looking disheveled. Before Liu Chen could even bow, she grabbed him and burst into tears. She cried so hard that her Shu brocade clothes were ruined.

Consort Li didn't give Liu Chen a chance to speak at all, talking while crying.

That's all just womanly nonsense.

"My son, even if the country perishes, we can escape to the south. Aren't you surrounded by many people? Escape to the mountains, where there's chaos and no one will care for you. You won't have to fight. Even I, a woman, have heard of Deng Ai; he's terrifying."

"Your brother-in-law is incompetent. Following him means you've already lost half the battle."

"My child? Waaah! My flesh and blood!"

Liu Chen waited patiently until she finished speaking before calmly and logically reassuring her, promising to flee immediately if things went wrong.

They will certainly not die on the battlefield.

This calmed Consort Li down, and then someone was sent to escort her back to the palace.

She had intended to stay at the Prince's residence for one night, perhaps feeling that each visit to her son would be one less time she could see him. But the army was departing the next day, and Liu Chen had no choice but to send her away.

When she got back, her eyes were swollen.

Before Liu Chen could even catch his breath, one thing after another happened. On the eve of the country's demise, chaos reigned.

Some people ran away, while others wanted to seize the opportunity for immense wealth and profit, like snatching chestnuts from a fire.

Upon hearing that the Prince of Beidi had been appointed general and was leading an attack against Deng Ai, many opportunists and hot-blooded individuals came to join Liu Chen, eager to serve at the front lines.

Liu Chen comforted them with kind words and sent them away.

He had raised many loyal followers over the years, and he had enough soldiers; he didn't need these people whose backgrounds he didn't know.

The entire city of Chengdu is like a restless and unruly youth.

Chengdu only quieted down a little after dark.

Liu Chen finally let out a long breath and returned to his bedroom. He had a palace maid help him bathe and change his clothes, and an older palace maid warmed his bed. He then fell into a deep sleep while holding the maid's soft body.

These older palace maids were all chosen by the Queen. Liu Chen currently has few concubines and is frequently pregnant. She wants to arrange Liu Chen's happiness in advance.

Liu Chen was never pretentious; he would choose whichever one he liked.

He used to have a fire burning inside him, but now he has calmed down and is only exhausted.

forget it.

The next morning.

Before dawn, Liu Chen was awakened by the palace maid he had slept with the night before, and was forced to get out of his warm bed.

First, he washed up quickly, then had breakfast, and then put on his heavy armor to wait.

Not long after, Zhuge Zhan sent someone to invite him. Liu Chen left all the palace maids behind, taking only four capable eunuchs to serve him, along with Huang Chong, Chen Xi, and more than a hundred elite soldiers, and left the palace, heading straight for the north gate.

Despite his advanced age, Huang Chong was still very hale and hearty, and his horsemanship was superb.

Chen Xi looked dazed, scared, and terrified, but his riding skills were not bad. He kept his body firmly planted on the horse and did not fall off.

But Liu Chen was still worried about him and had two people watch over him.

Originally, Chen Xi was a fairly composed person, but there was nothing he could do about it.

It's understandable that people are afraid when a businessman's son is forced to go to the battlefield.

After leaving Chengdu, chaos and turmoil ensued. Although Mi Zhao and Zhao Guang joined the army, Zhuge Zhan's forces at this time were definitely stronger than those in history.

But it wasn't much stronger.

Apart from a few elite troops, such as Zhao Guang's unit.

The other generals, including those under Li Qiu, were all utterly incompetent; the generals couldn't find officers, and the officers couldn't find soldiers.

The soldiers couldn't find their officers.

It was a complete mess.

By the time Zhuge Zhan finally figured things out, it was already an hour into the day.

This severely delayed the march.

Zhuge Zhan's face was as black as an iron pot, but at least the army understood.

Zhuge Zhan wasn't entirely incompetent; if someone else had been in his place, they might have been stuck in Chengdu by now.

Although the army started running, it moved very slowly, morale was low, and the situation was chaotic. Some soldiers even deserted along the way. It was only after executing a few exemplary soldiers that morale was stabilized.

The army marched for a whole day before finally leaving the Chengdu County area.

It's about fifty miles away.

Although Zhuge Zhan was in a hurry, he could only find a place to set up camp.

Liu Chen was also preparing to seize the throne.

That won't work in Chengdu.

Because at that time the various armies were scattered. Now that Zhuge Zhan has brought the army out, he can wipe them out all at once.