Has the Han Dynasty been restored today?

Chen Zhi smiled and said, "Back when the Prime Minister was in power, the Prime Minister's office was divided into two parts: one in Hanzhong and Mianyang, and the other in Chengdu. Why can't Your Majesty divide the Ministry of Personnel into two parts as well? With Jiang Gongyan serving as acting Prime Minister and Fei Wenwei in the lead, Your Majesty can personally command the armies in Hanzhong. This would benefit the country, the people, the nation, the military, and the system as a whole. Preserving the Prime Minister's hard work is surely the right thing to do."

After hearing Chen Zhi's words, Liu Shan raised his head slightly and said, "When the Prime Minister was in Chengdu in the past, he once told me about the story of 'Xiao Gui Cao Sui' in the Book of Han."

"I admit that I am far inferior to the Prime Minister, and Jiang Gongyan, Fei Wenwei, and others are also inferior to the Prime Minister. So why should I change the system that the Prime Minister personally established? As long as the army is in my hands, why should I change the system established by the Prime Minister?"

"Fengzong." Liu Shan looked at Chen Zhi, his expression much more relaxed: "Fengzong previously discussed military matters with me in Chengdu. I issued an edict appointing the Left and Right Generals of the Central Army to command troops, and they have handled them with ease. Jiang Gongyan and Dong Xiuzhao have not interfered with me, and no one has hindered me. Only now do I know what it is like to be the Son of Heaven!"

Sensing the smugness in Liu Shan's words, Chen Zhi felt a sense of unease.

Giving you a hands-on leadership role doesn't mean you can let yourself run wild.

While in Chengdu, he could still maintain this relaxed demeanor. However, once he arrived in Hanzhong and began to directly face the pressure from Wei, Liu Shan would likely lose this composure.

Chen Zhi immediately cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Jiang and Attendant Dong are also loyal ministers! Their previous remonstrances were carried out on the orders of the Prime Minister, not because they intended to suppress Your Majesty. Please understand!"

"I know, I know."

Liu Shan smiled and nodded: "Now that I have assumed personal rule, and everyone in Hanzhong agrees, I don't need to ask anyone else about such matters. I will just inform Lord Jiang when it is done. Fengzong's words are all reasonable, and I can distinguish right from wrong."

"Fengzong, I will give you seven days to carefully draft a proposal regarding the official appointments and the matter of the Ministry of Personnel. If there are no errors, proceed as planned."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Chen Zhi bowed respectfully.

Liu Shan watched as Chen Zhi finished bowing and slowly nodded.

"Fengzong, ah."

"Your subject is here," Chen Zhi replied.

Liu Shan said, "Just now you said that the generals in Hanzhong and the ministers in the Prime Minister's office all have their own desires. Then today I also want to ask Fengzong, you have taken risks and devoted a lot of effort to Hanzhong, handling the matter I entrusted to you so well. Fengzong, what is it that you seek?"

Chen Zhi took a deep breath, walked to stand in front of Liu Shan, bowed, and then spoke:

"Your Majesty, since I was young I have admired the great talent and strategy of Emperor Zhaolie. After I entered the Imperial Academy, I was also moved by the harmonious relationship between Emperor Zhaolie and Prime Minister Zhuge. After I came of age, I entered the Imperial Academy and wished to emulate the Prime Minister and serve Your Majesty with utmost loyalty."

"Life is but a fleeting moment, a mere blink of an eye. All I ask is that my aspirations be fulfilled, and that my life be complete!"

"What I seek is to assist Your Majesty in restoring the Han Dynasty and returning to the old capital. I hope that I can ride on Your Majesty's coattails and have my name recorded in history!"

Liu Shan quietly looked at Chen Zhi, and then, mimicking Chen Zhi's manner, bowed respectfully to him: "With Feng Zong's assistance, it is my great fortune! To revive the Han Dynasty, I beg Feng Zong to walk this path with me!"

Chen Zhi accepted the bow without showing any emotion, and then knelt down and kowtowed:

"Your subject, Chen Zhi, obeys the decree!"

Within the Chengdu palace, in the Chonghua Hall, on the occasion of Chen Zhi's return to report and hand over the imperial staff, Liu Shan's actions towards Chen Zhi constituted an extremely serious and formal political commitment.

Chen Zhi's admiration for Liu Bei and imitation of Prime Minister Zhuge Liang's words were perfectly acceptable and reasonable to say in front of Liu Shan.

Liu Bei's heroism and Zhuge Liang's loyalty are well-known. The two of them laid an extremely good and harmonious political foundation for the Shu Han court.

Such words could only be uttered by someone from the Shu Han dynasty.

Imagine if, in the northern state of Wei, Emperor Cao Rui inquired of a minister about their loyalty, it would be utterly inappropriate for the minister to say they admired Cao Cao or Cao Pi. One could praise their martial prowess, talent, or even their literary abilities. However, in a matter of loyalty, Cao Cao and Cao Pi—one a king who established his own kingdom, the other a usurper of the Han throne—are not figures associated with loyalty and cannot be compared.

……

After clarifying his mind, Liu Shan talked with Chen Zhi for more than an hour.

In that era, sending envoys to conduct on-site visits was the most suitable source of information for the emperor.

Chen Zhi traveled north to Hanzhong and then returned, a journey that took nearly twenty days.

What are the road conditions like? Are the fortifications at passes such as Jiange, Baishuiguan, Yang'anguan, and Yangpingguan adequate? Have you heard of any misconduct by officials? How is the livelihood of the people? How is the army?

How did he get along with officials in the Prime Minister's office such as Fei Yi and Jiang Wei? What were their attitudes? How did he get along with generals such as Wu Yi and Wu Ban? What was the morale of the army like?

These are all things that need to be inquired about in detail.

Liu Shan and Chen Zhi talked inside, from morning until afternoon.

The two were discussing serious matters, and there was nothing wrong with talking for a while. However, Jiang Wei, who had entered the palace with Chen Zhi, was still standing at the palace gate waiting.

The eunuchs were allowed to move around freely. Huang Liu watched as Jiang Wei stood motionless outside the main gate of Chonghua Hall for two hours, his hands clasped behind his back, and couldn't help but marvel.

As for Jiang Wei himself...

Firstly, Jiang Wei had only entered the palace once in the eighth year of Jianxing, and was not very familiar with the process of being summoned. He did not know that Liu Shan was magnanimous and would allow waiting ministers to sit outside the hall. Neither Prime Minister Zhuge nor Chen Zhi had mentioned such a small matter to him, and he was thus tripped up by Huang Liuxia.

Secondly, Jiang Wei felt that he should take the emperor's summons seriously, stand with his hands clasped and be as respectful as if he were meeting the emperor himself.

However, Jiang Wei didn't care about any of that.

During the waiting period, Jiang Wei repeatedly considered how to offer advice to Liu Shan, how to persuade Liu Shan to continue the Northern Expedition, and how to explain the necessity of attacking Liangzhou.

Finally, Chen Zhi pushed open the palace door from the inside.

Upon seeing this from afar, Huang Liu hurried forward and asked directly, "Imperial Censor Chen, is His Majesty summoning General Jiang?"

Seeing this, Jiang Wei also walked over in small steps.

"No," Chen Zhi said as he closed the palace door. "His Majesty is a little tired and needs to rest for a while. His Majesty said that a banquet will be held in the palace this evening, and he has invited General Jiang and me to attend."

"Brother Boyue," Chen Zhi bowed to Jiang Wei, "His Majesty has ordered that the two of us dine with him tonight, so we will take our leave now."

"Alright." Jiang Wei nodded calmly, "Then I will leave the palace with Fengzong."

Chen Zhi chatted with Huang Liu for a few moments, then left with Jiang Wei.

Jiang Wei declined Chen Zhi's invitation to his home, instead saying he would take this opportunity to visit Jiang Wan at the Ministry of Personnel.

As they parted at the palace gates, Chen Zhi leaned close to Jiang Wei's ear and whispered, "I know Brother Boyue is going to offer advice today. Speaking to His Majesty is different from speaking to the Prime Minister. Brother Boyue, you should be more tactful and considerate..."

"I understand." Jiang Wei nodded with a smile.