Disciplining Emperor Gaozu of Han

"Is this the worm in Liu Bang's stomach?" Liu Ying saw and heard this, and he praised Xiao highly, for he understood Liu Bang too well.

"Prime Minister, what are you saying? I came back this time just to take a look around, I didn't come here to ask for anything." Liu Bang smiled and vehemently denied it.

Xiao He still refused, sneering, "Who do you think you are, Liu Ji? Do you think I don't know you? If you're being so friendly for no reason, you must have something to embarrass me."

Liu Bang forcefully placed the earthenware bowl into Xiao He's hands, then ladled out a bowl of hot soup and handed it to Xiahou Ying. Xiahou Ying thanked him, took the bowl, and knelt down beside him.

Xiao He knelt down, and Liu Bang ladled himself a bowl of hot soup and placed it in front of him. He looked at Xiao He and was about to speak when Xiao He immediately stopped him, saying, "Don't open your mouth."

"Do you know what I'm going to say?" Liu Bang was speechless and had to find something to say.

"It's nothing more than wanting the east or the west." Xiao He understood Liu Bang all too well.

"I want to ask you," Liu Bang said smugly, his boasting ringing out, "back when we started our uprising in Pei County, you two were terrified of failure and the Qin dynasty's tyranny. In the end, you had no choice but to elect me as your leader. Did you ever imagine then that I could lead you to where you are today?"

Liu Bang loved to boast and was incompetent at doing things, so Xiao He would always use this to scold him.

Back then, when Empress Lü hosted a banquet, he went there to freeload and boasted that he would give away 10,000 coins. Xiao He immediately exposed him with those words.

With only a pitifully small force, including minor officials like Xiao He and low-ranking officials like Zhou Bo and Fan Kuai, Liu Bang had reached this height and was now vying for the throne with Xiang Yu. This was the proudest achievement of Liu Bang's life.

This was brought up as a topic of conversation at the time.

By the way, let me brag a bit.

"Stop making small talk." Xiao He understood Liu Bang's intention perfectly well and wasn't fooled.

"You think I've come back for supplies, right?" Liu Bang patted his chest with his right hand, boasting loudly, "Let me tell you, I have plenty of supplies. We have mountains of supplies, more than we can eat. You don't need to be so wary of me."

"Heh," Xiao He replied with a cold laugh.

"Prime Minister, the King of Han has not spoken arrogantly," Xiahou Ying affirmed.

"Hmm?" Xiao He looked at Xiahou Ying in surprise.

"The Prime Minister has forgotten Ao Cang," Xiahou Ying reminded him.

"Oh," Xiao He said, suddenly realizing.

Ao Cang, the foremost of the ten granaries established by Qin Shi Huang, was filled with mountains of grain. With Liu Bang in control of Ao Cang, there was no shortage of food and supplies.

"I wasn't bragging, was I?" Liu Bang said smugly.

"Then you're short of money." Xiao He waved his right hand, resolutely refusing, "No!"

"Prime Minister, you are truly amazing! You know all this!" Liu Bang boasted enthusiastically. "With a prime minister like you, I can rest assured. This money is urgently needed and cannot be delayed. You must be lenient with me."

"You should know that last year, when King Xiang entered Guanzhong, he not only massacred many people, but also looted Guanzhong's wealth when he left. Now the people of Guanzhong are so poor that they have no food to eat. Where do you expect me to get money?" Xiao He spread his hands, looking distressed.

Liu Ying knelt behind a short table on the right. After hearing this, he nodded slightly, agreeing with the statement.

Later generations have always believed that Xiao He, as the chief steward, was very capable, always able to send reinforcements and supplies when Liu Bang needed them most. Liu Ying initially believed this, but after witnessing the devastation in Guanzhong with his own eyes, he realized there was a problem with the claims.

Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice; even if Xiao He had a knack for governing the country, he still needed a place to start.

During the Qin Dynasty, Guanzhong was the richest region in the land, with few places comparable to it. Unfortunately, it was ravaged by Xiang Yu last year, losing eight or nine tenths of its wealth, and it is now impossible to obtain any more money.

"If Guanzhong doesn't work, isn't there still Bashu?" Liu Bang said with a grin, "Your Excellency is wise; you'll naturally have money."

"Bashu? You dare mention Bashu?" Xiao He's eyes widened, his anger flaring. "So far, how much territory in Bashu have we controlled? How much money do you think we could have made?"

"Uncle, what do you mean by that?" Liu Ying asked Xiao He, puzzled.

"Liu Ying, you don't know this, but the only place we can truly control in Bashu is around Chengdu. We haven't controlled the rest of the area yet," Xiao He said helplessly.

"The land of Bashu is rich and prosperous, no less so than Guanzhong, and is a good source of money and grain. Why have we failed to control it completely?" Liu Ying asked, puzzled.

"Ask him!" Xiao He pointed at Liu Bang with his right hand, his anger blazing. "He entered Hanzhong in April last year and pacified the Three Qin regions in August. In just four months, could he have completely controlled Ba and Shu?"

"Good!" Liu Ying did the math in his mind and agreed with Xiao He's statement.

Liu Bang was enfeoffed by Xiang Yu in Hanzhong, becoming the King of Bashu. To control the Bashu region, he needed to send troops south from Hanzhong to Bashu.

The first natural barrier is the Daba Mountains, which stretch for 300 miles from north to south. They are very high, generally over 1,000 meters above sea level, with complex terrain and treacherous location. It takes a considerable amount of time to cross the Daba Mountains.

Liu Bang's army had few horses, so the troops going to Bashu could only be infantry. At the speed of infantry, it would probably take half a month to cross the Daba Mountains.

This is under the condition that everything goes smoothly; if things don't go smoothly, it will take even longer.

After leaving the Daba Mountains, you'll reach the area around Guangyuan and Langzhong in northern Sichuan. Then, continue south to Chengdu, which will take another half month, and you'll need a smooth journey.

The Chengdu Plain is flat and easy to control.

The problem is that the eastern Sichuan region, which is Chongqing, is a hilly area with a much more complex terrain, making it difficult to control.

In western Sichuan, particularly in the Ya'an and Xichang areas, the continuous mountain ranges make travel even more difficult and unpredictable.

Furthermore, the area around Luzhou and Yibin, after crossing the Yangtze River, is also difficult to control.

It's impossible to completely control the Sichuan Basin in just four months.

Unless Liu Bang's army had many warhorses and deployed cavalry.

Unfortunately, Liu Bang's army lacked warhorses, which severely hampered their speed.

"After pacifying the Three Qin regions, he planned to launch a major eastward advance to compete with Xiang Yu for the empire. As a result, all the troops and personnel from Ba and Shu were withdrawn, and the control of Ba and Shu came to a halt." Xiao He spread his hands, accusing Liu Bang.

Liu Bang marched eastward, leading an army of 560,000 to attack Pengcheng. Although a large portion of these troops did not belong to him but to the five vassal lords, he still needed a sufficient number of troops; otherwise, he would be unable to control them, and the vassal lords would not obey him.

Therefore, Liu Bang took all the troops he could muster with him, and his attempt to control Bashu naturally came to an end.

"Prime Minister, please think of a way." Liu Bang clasped his hands together and bowed to Xiao He.

"Don't give me that." Xiao He stood up, stepped aside, and refused Liu Bang's courtesy.

"Xiao He, let me tell you, this matter must be done. Even if you have no money, you must give money; even if you have money, you must give money." Liu Bang's repeated attempts to appease him failed, and he finally snapped and turned hostile, pointing at Xiao He and shouting.

"Liu Ji, if you want money, figure it out yourself." Xiao He wasn't afraid of Liu Bang at all. He glared at him and shouted, "If you think I'm not good enough as prime minister, then you can find someone else."

"Who are you trying to scare?" Liu Bang's anger flared, and he roared, "Do you think I wouldn't dare dismiss you as prime minister?"

"I don't need you, I'm quitting." Xiao He untied the prime minister's seal from his waist, threw it in front of Liu Bang, flicked his sleeves, and turned to leave.

"..." Liu Bang stared dumbfounded at Xiao He's retreating figure.

"..." Liu Ying initially watched the two bickering with great interest, finding it quite amusing. Seeing Xiao He give up, she was somewhat stunned. Had they truly reached a dead end?

Just as she was about to speak to ease the tension, a sweet, coquettish voice came from behind her: "King Han, you've returned but haven't come to see me."

Her voice was infinitely charming, so alluring it went straight to the bone, making one's bones feel weak and soft.

Liu Ying had admired countless beauties online and heard their voices, all of which were clear and melodious, but none of them possessed such a beautiful voice.

"Madam!" Liu Bang exclaimed with delight, leaving Xiao He aside and rushing to greet her.