Has the Han Dynasty been restored today?

"I……"

Chen Zhi raised his eyebrows and immediately began to weigh the situation in his mind.

So it really is path dependency, right?

Arranged marriages solve everything? Is this how large families with many members can operate?

However, Chen Zhi thought about it again and realized that arranged marriages seemed to be the mainstream approach in this era.

Mi Zhu and Mi Fang married their younger sister to Liu Bei. Liu Bei then formed a marriage alliance with Sun Quan. After entering Shu, he married the widow Wu and made her his empress. Liu Shan also married Zhang Fei's daughter.

On the other hand, the Sima family of Cao Wei had mastered this tactic even more skillfully.

Sima Yi first arranged for his eldest son, Sima Shi, to marry Xiahou Hui. After Xiahou Hui's death, Sima Shi married the daughter of Wu Zhi, and later married Yang Huiyu of the Yang clan of Mount Tai. Sima Yi's second son, Sima Zhao, married Wang Yuanji of the Langya Wang clan…

That's just how the times are and how things are going.

Chen Zhi patiently replied, "Thank you for asking, General. I currently have no wives or concubines in my household. Although there is no marriage agreement, the matter of a principal wife should be decided by His Majesty... All matters must be consulted with His Majesty."

Wu Ban laughed heartily: "Fengzong, don't overthink it. The matter of the principal wife should be decided by His Majesty, but as for Fengzong, why can't he decide to take a concubine? I have a granddaughter who is seventeen years old and not yet engaged. She is the daughter of my fourth son, Wu Qing, born out of wedlock. If she can't be the principal wife, it's fine for her to be a concubine."

Seeing Chen Zhi's hesitation, Wu Ban chuckled, "If Feng Zong refuses even this, then he's going to embarrass me. Does my Wu family not deserve your status?"

Chen Zhi cupped his hands and replied, "General, that is not my intention. I have come here with imperial credentials to carry out official business. How could I seek a marriage for myself in the midst of official business? However, since you have said so, I will report to His Majesty after I return to Chengdu."

"Good, good!" Wu Ban's face was full of smiles, quite heroic: "Now that Fengzong says so, I understand."

Wu Yi, also smiling, waved his hand and ordered a servant to bring two leather bags: "These are letters from Yuan Xiong and me. Please take them back with you, Feng Zong. The imperial edict has not yet arrived, and the army has not officially returned to base. It is not appropriate for us to send letters by post, so please take them with you, Feng Zong."

"General, do not worry, it will be delivered to your esteemed residence in Chengdu." Chen Zhi instructed Liu Yin to accept it, then bowed and said, "Then Chen Zhi will take his leave."

"Take care on your journey," the brothers Wu Yi and Wu Ban returned the greeting.

After leaving Yangping Pass, Liu Yin parted ways with Chen Zhi and led ten cavalrymen south ahead of time to return to Chengdu ahead of schedule.

Knowing the importance of his mission to deliver the message, Liu Yin planned to allow some leeway beforehand. Therefore, he urged his subordinates to set off ahead of time and arrived at Jian Ge in just one and a half days. However, he was stopped by Captain Feng of Jian Ge as soon as he entered the gates.

Commandant Feng Dao asked, "Liu Sima, why did you return from Hanzhong first? Where is Imperial Censor Chen?"

Liu Yin did not dismount, but instead reined in his horse and asked rather warily, "Why does the Commandant ask me about this matter?"

"Oh dear, Commander Liu, you've misunderstood!" Director Feng quickly explained, "It wasn't me who asked, it was the Grand Master of Ceremonies who asked me! He instructed me to tell him if any messengers or messengers returned from the north."

Liu Yin stared at Director Feng's face for a few seconds before dismounting and asking, "Commander Feng, when did Lord Xiang arrive?"

Director Feng replied, "Master Xiang arrived at Jiange on the evening of the 9th... Commander Liu, if you have nothing else to attend to, would you like to come with me to see Master Xiang?"

Liu Yin remembered Chen Zhi's instructions before he set off: if he saw Xiang Lang, he could tell him what had happened in Hanzhong and urge him to come to Mianyang as soon as possible to handle the Prime Minister's funeral arrangements. Therefore, Liu Yin no longer declined and went to see Xiang Lang with Director Feng.

……

After listening to Liu Yin's explanation, Xiang Lang nodded and waved for Liu Yin to leave.

At his age and official position, he certainly had the right to do as he pleased.

Li Fu frowned, watching Liu Yin walk out of the door, before asking, "Master Xiang, should we report what Liu Yin said to Lord Jiang before going to Hanzhong?"

"How should we report back?" Xiang Lang lowered his eyes, looking as if he hadn't woken up yet, and replied in a drawn-out voice, "It's obvious that they'll seize the opportunity in Hanzhong in a day or two and get it done quickly! Yang Weigong has already been arrested, so what use is it for me to report back to Jiang Gongyan? Liu Yin will know when he gets to Chengdu."

Jiang Wan originally only sent Xiang Lang north, but then felt uneasy and sent Li Fu, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, north to catch up with Xiang Lang and go with him.

When Chen Zhi entered the palace from the Secretariat in the middle of the night, it was Li Fu who woke him up. Li Fu was a scholar from Yizhou. His father was a powerful figure in Yizhou who was killed by Liu Yan in his early years. After Liu Bei came to power, he reinstated Li Fu, and later Zhuge Liang appointed him as a Deputy Minister of the Secretariat. He is now the deputy of the Minister of the Secretariat, Jiang Wan.

Xiang Lang's northward journey was indeed intended to recall the army, help Jiang Wan take control of military power, and pave the way for Jiang Wan's future; at least, that's what everyone thought.

But for Xiang Lang himself, he was nearly seventy years old. Even if he helped Jiang Wan, how much benefit would he gain? Moreover, given his past offense of protecting Ma Su and being convicted, it was impossible for him to regain real power.

Since Chen Zhi was rushing ahead so fast, it would be more prudent for Xiang Lang to wait and see what Chen Zhi's movements were like and to check the wind direction.

If Jiang Wan were to take power, that would certainly be good, given his undeniable talent and virtue. However, if Yang Yi were to truly seize military power, it wouldn't be too bad for Xiang Lang, as the two were fellow townsmen from Xiangyang!

This is a snapshot of the complex interpersonal relationships in the Shu Han Dynasty.

Besides Xiang Lang, Jiang Wan had no one else to send; the nation's elite were all in the Northern Expeditionary Army. Li Fu... Li Fu was just an extra.

Li Fu seemed unusually anxious: "According to Liu Yin, does that mean Fei Wenwei is now in power in Hanzhong?"

"What Fei Wenwei?" Xiang Lang glanced at Li Fu. "He's talking about the Prime Minister's residence and the generals discussing things together! They've already finished their discussion, what's the point of me going to discuss military matters? Do you want me to die in Hanzhong?"

Li Fu was speechless for a moment: "That's not what I meant..."

Xiang Lang coughed a few times, then calmly said, "Since I no longer need to decide on matters in the north, I will no longer play the villain."

"Shude".

"Yes, I'm here," Li Fu replied hastily.

Xiang Lang said, "Since the Prime Minister left a will to be buried at Dingjun Mountain, then let him be buried there. Write an urgent letter and send it to Chengdu as soon as possible, so that Chengdu can quickly determine the Prime Minister's posthumous title, posthumous name, burial ceremony, and eulogy. The Prime Minister's body has been lying in state for some time, so let's get it decided quickly and not delay any longer."

Li Fu sighed, "If that's what you say, then I'll do it that way. But when I return to Chengdu and see Chiang Kai-shek again, it might be a bit awkward."

Xiang Lang rolled his eyes at Li Fu: "We are all loyal subjects of the country, what's there to be embarrassed about?"

"Yes, yes." Li Fu, unwilling to argue with Xiang Lang any further, got up and left.