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

Chapter 143 The Crown Prince Arrives! (Third update, please vote and subscribe)

The Battle of Chengdu was won without bloodshed.

So much so that the ministers, officials, nobles, and common people in the city were all unaware of it and slept soundly until dawn.

After daybreak.

Chang Hengjun's 8,000 men, armed with weapons, patrolled and stood guard in groups throughout the city. Elite armored soldiers roamed freely, and the air was thick with murderous intent.

The soldiers shouted from time to time: "By imperial decree, martial law is declared in the city. No one, whether minister or commoner, is allowed to leave their home. Anyone who violates this order will be executed without mercy."

The entire city was shocked!

Qiaozhou Mansion.

The more chaotic the Shu Kingdom became, the more comfortable Qiao Zhou felt. He had been enjoying a wonderful time. But his good mood was ruined this morning.

On the veranda in front of the study, Qiao Zhou hadn't even had a hot meal when he received the news. He immediately realized something was wrong and paced back and forth on the veranda with his hands behind his back.

"Judging from that sound, it's the sound of fierce fighting. This is no joke; going outside would surely mean certain death. The emperor is not a forceful ruler; he wouldn't issue such an order. Someone is impersonating the emperor. The emperor is under control. Who is it? Is it Zhuge Zhan?"

Upon realizing this, Qiao Zhou panicked. He and his followers were already kneeling, ready to welcome Deng Ai; there was no way they would do such a thing at this moment. Wouldn't that be superfluous?

Of course, they couldn't do it; they didn't have military power or the guts.

They also lacked the executive power to control the emperor and Chengdu.

Most of them could only talk a lot.

Since he wasn't one of their men, he must be Zhuge Zhan or a general who went on the expedition with Zhuge Zhan.

If it were Zhuge Zhan, that would be fine.

Zhuge Zhan might kill Huang Hao, but he's unlikely to kill him. Huang Hao is a renowned Confucian scholar in Yizhou with immense influence.

Killing him will come at a price.

But if it were a martial artist acting on impulse, he might actually be caught in a fit of rage and kill him.

Then it's all over.

Forget about their descendants holding endless official positions; their entire family is about to die out.

Qiao Zhou grew increasingly frightened; he was truly terrified. He had been riding on the emperor's face for many years.

But the emperor isn't in power now.

The more afraid he became, the more nervous he became, and he broke out in a cold sweat. A gust of cold wind cooled his sweat, making him feel chilled to the bone.

He was old and frail and could not bear it any longer, so he had to return to his study and ask his son to bring him charcoal to keep warm.

But the heat of the fire couldn't warm his body. His heart felt like it had a gaping hole, needing endless warmth.

He wanted his eldest son to go out and gather information, but he didn't dare. Staying at home was safe for the time being, but going out might mean being killed.

"How could this happen?! My plan was almost successful!" Qiao Zhou was dumbfounded, sitting there blankly, his body stiff.

What on earth happened?!

Who's in power?!

Will I survive long enough to be captured by Wei?!

Will my descendants be able to serve as officials for generations to come?

The Nine-Rank System!

Countless ministers realized that the emperor might be under their control.

But those who are afraid are the ones with guilty consciences.

For example, Qiao Zhouyi's faction.

For example, Huang Hao's faction.

If you have nothing to hide, you won't be afraid of ghosts knocking on your door.

Chengdu is as quiet as a shy maiden, waiting for her master.

"Da da da!!!!!!!" Morning.

Outside the gates of Chengdu, Liu Zan, riding a fine horse, led several riders galloping along the main road towards Chengdu. After reining in his horse, he looked up at the city wall and shouted, "I am the Prince of Xinping! Open the city gates and let me in!"

He gave almost all of his soldiers to Liu Chen, and now he only has a few followers left.

He had just learned that things were going badly in Chengdu, so he immediately brought his men here.

Armored soldiers stood in rows atop the city walls, all burly and imposing. Someone replied, "I know nothing of a Prince of Xinping, only of the Emperor. The Emperor has decreed that the city gates will not be opened today. Prince of Xinping, please return."

"You!!!!!" Liu Zan was furious. He stared at the man with bloodshot eyes, but he was helpless. After thinking for a moment, he decided to go and discuss with some of his brothers outside the city.

Not right, not right.

The emperor has been taken into custody.

Liu Zan was anxious, but to no avail. His brothers outside the city were all incompetent, and their guards had all been taken over by Liu Chen. All they could do was rage.

Liu Zan was unwilling to give up, so he returned to the palace and brought tents and charcoal, intending to stay in front of the city gate and wait for the outcome.

at last.

Liu Chen is back.

"Clatter clatter clatter!!!!" On the main road, Lieutenant General Zhang Sheng, the commander of the Northern Kingdom and General of the Coffins, led several thousand soldiers towards Chengdu.

Once dawn breaks, Liu Chen will no longer need to worry.

He dispatched Zhao Guang with over 15,000 elite soldiers, along with supplies and provisions, to the city to defend Luocheng as planned.

At the same time, he ordered Wang Zhuang of Shu County to send all the gathered grain and supplies to the city.

The sea embraces all rivers, guarding Luocheng.

News that the Northern King wanted to kill Huang Hao also spread throughout the army.

Yesterday, Zhuge Zhan led his troops away from Chengdu. The soldiers walked slowly with their heads down, and many even deserted.

Today, Liu Chen led his troops to kill Huang Hao. The soldiers were as if they had been injected with chicken blood, and their morale soared.

Zhao Guang's troops marched swiftly, heading straight for Luocheng.

Liu Chen's troops returned to Chengdu quickly, marching with great pride and high spirits. Some soldiers even complained that they were too slow.

The soldiers also came from among the common people. The feelings of the common people are so simple and straightforward. Whoever is a treacherous official, kill them.

This is truly gratifying.

Therefore, Zhang Sheng's troops moved very quickly and returned to the outskirts of Chengdu by noon.

Yesterday, Zhuge Zhan led his troops for a whole day and only covered fifty li.

Zhang Sheng already knew that Chang Heng and Huang Chong had succeeded. He was relaxed and calm. He arrived at the city gate and learned that Liu Zan was also there. He immediately dismounted and went to see Liu Zan.

The two sides exchanged a few words.

"What did you say? It was the fifth brother who did it?" Liu Zan asked, dumbfounded.

He had suspected many people, including Liu Chen. But when he learned that it really was Liu Chenqian, he was still shocked.

This kid...this kid.

"Well done! I've wanted to kill Huang Hao for a long time, but unfortunately I'm incompetent." Liu Zan slapped his thigh and cheered.

He drew his sword and asked Zhang Sheng, "Is Huang Hao dead?"

"I don't know," Zhang Sheng shook his head.

"I will enter the city with you. If Huang Hao is not dead, I will handle him. If he is dead, I will chop up his corpse to vent my anger." Liu Zan gripped his longsword tightly, his face filled with murderous intent.

After considering it for a moment, Zhang Sheng left Liu Zan outside the city.

"Zhang Sheng, you scoundrel! You're so disloyal!" Liu Zan jumped up and down in a fit of rage, cursing loudly. But then he started to laugh.

"Hahahahaha!!!!" He laughed and laughed until tears streamed down his face. Finally, he wiped away his tears, looked up at the sky, raised his arms, and shouted, "Heavens! You haven't abandoned the Han Dynasty, that's why you sent down this phoenix, the Fifth Prince, to support the Han Dynasty! Hahahahaha!"

He detested his brothers vying for the throne and also loathed the corrupt court.

But this time he supported Liu Chen.

Well done, Fifth Brother.

The brothers have been arguing for so many years, and they still haven't figured it out. If you don't take action, fine; but once you do, you succeed decisively.

Hahahahaha.

Everyone around thought Liu Zan had gone mad.

Liu Zan went mad for a long time.

Zhuge Zhan, Zhuge Shang, Li Qiu, Zhang Zun, Mi Zhao, and others escorted Crown Prince Liu Chen to Chengdu.

Liu Chen did not immediately enter the city, nor did he pay attention to the mad Liu Zan. Instead, he reined in his horse and stopped to look at the city of Chengdu.

Liu Chen admired it for a long time before turning to Zhuge Zhan and saying, "The beautiful capital of Shu is truly magnificent."

Then he said to Zhang Zun, "Minister Zhang, go and summon all the civil and military officials."

"Yes." Zhang Zun bowed and immediately led his men on horseback into the city.

Liu Chen turned to Li Qiu and said, "Uncle, drag Huang Hao and the eunuchs who are his accomplices out and have them beheaded in the marketplace."

"Ten thousand ordinary people were selected to watch."

"Let Huang Chong oversee the execution," Liu Chen added, remembering something.

"Yes." Li Qiu's spirits lifted, and he led his own Imperial Guards into the city on horseback.