PFC Chapter 60 The Chaos of the Seven Kingdoms
Chapter 60 The Chaos of the Seven Kingdoms
Xu Han's head was placed in a lacquered wooden food box and delivered to the North Sima Gate of Chang'an by an envoy from the Wu Kingdom in the early morning.
The food box is coated with glossy black lacquer and decorated with exquisite cloud patterns; it was originally used for aristocratic banquets.
At this moment, it was placed upright in front of the palace gate guards. The on-duty general suspiciously opened the box, and the stench of blood mixed with the pungent smell of lime hit him. Xu Han's pale and frozen face was clearly visible, his eyes were not closed, and the cut at the neck was clean, obviously severed by a sharp blade.
At the bottom of the box lay the bright yellow silk edict that Emperor Wen had bestowed upon Liu Bi to comfort him in his grief over the loss of his son; it was now mostly soaked in blood.
The messenger was a scholar of about forty years old, with a fair complexion, no beard, and a calm demeanor.
He bowed deeply to the terrified general, his voice clear and cold: "Liu Bi, your subject of the King of Wu, tearfully pleads with the Emperor: The Han Dynasty has a treacherous minister, Chao Cuo, who has rendered no service to the empire, yet sows discord among the Liu family and obstructs Your Majesty's ears. He previously slandered and killed the virtuous Crown Prince of Wu, and now he seeks to strip the ancestral temples of his property. We, Liu Bi and others, cannot bear to see the empire, which Emperor Gaozu painstakingly acquired, overthrown by a treacherous minister. Therefore, we have united the loyal armies of the seven kingdoms to march west into Chang'an, execute Chao Cuo, and cleanse the court of treacherous officials. The imperial envoy, Xu Han, remained obstinate, advocating for the traitor, and military law has been upheld. This is his head, to demonstrate our resolve. The army to cleanse the court of treacherous officials will arrive soon. We hope Your Majesty will consider this carefully and not say that we have not warned you."
Having said that, before the horrified guards could react, the scholar turned, boarded the carriage, and sped away.
The news arrived with lightning speed, like a thunderclap, completely shattering the last veil of fragile warmth between the imperial court and the Wu Kingdom.
Xuan Shi Hall, at the beginning of Chen Shi (7:00-9:00 AM).
The air pressure inside the hall was so low it was suffocating.
The food box was placed under the imperial desk, its lid open. Emperor Wen, Liu Heng, stood behind the imperial desk, his back to the court officials, gazing at the continuous rain outside the palace.
He was dressed in casual clothes, and his back view appeared somewhat thin, but his taut shoulder lines revealed a suppressed power that seemed to be brewing a storm.
Crown Prince Liu Qi, Chancellor Shen Tu Jia, Imperial Censor Chao Cuo, Imperial Clan Minister Liu Tong, and the newly appointed Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince Zhang Keran, along with several other important officials who rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, all stood solemnly in the hall.
An unsettling, deathly silence filled the air.
Chao Cuo's face was ashen, and his chest heaved violently. Xu Han was not only his political friend, but also an important official of the court and an envoy of the emperor!
Liu Bi's actions were not merely rebellion, but a blatant declaration of war, trampling the dignity of the court and the emperor underfoot!
"Your Majesty!" Chao Cuo stepped forward abruptly, his voice trembling with rage. "King Liu Bi of Wu is a wicked and treacherous man! He murdered the imperial envoy and sent a proclamation falsely accusing the emperor. This is an unforgivable crime, intolerable to Heaven and Earth! I beg Your Majesty to immediately issue an edict stripping him of his royal title and to mobilize the armies of the realm to punish this traitor! I am willing to lead the vanguard and will surely behead Liu Bi, hanging his head at the northern palace to appease the world and comfort the spirit of Minister Xu in heaven!"
The old Prime Minister Shen Tu Jia frowned and spoke in response: "Minister Chao, please calm down. Although the King of Wu is indeed a traitor, his proclamation directly targets you, saying, 'Purge the court of corrupt officials and execute Chao Cuo.' If you were to be appointed general now, or if you were to further aggressively reduce the power of the vassal states, wouldn't that be playing right into his hands and confirming his slander? In my opinion, the most urgent task is to stabilize the morale of the court and the public, clarify the facts, and gradually devise a good strategy."
"Clarify the facts?" Chao Cuo laughed angrily. "Doctor Xu's head is right here! The facts are bloody! What more can the Prime Minister do to clarify? Does His Majesty need to issue an edict of self-reproach, admitting to wrongly killing the Crown Prince of Wu, and then bind me, Chao Cuo, and send me to Wu's camp to beg Liu Bi to withdraw his troops? This would be showing weakness to the world, and the country would be doomed!"
"Chao Cuo! You..." Shen Tu Jia's beard and hair stood on end.
"Enough." Emperor Wen's voice was not loud, but it stopped the fierce argument in the hall.
He slowly turned around, his face showing neither Chao Cuo's indignation nor Shen Tu Jia's worry, only a calm and cold expression like a deep pool.
His gaze swept over Xu Han's head in the food box, lingered for a moment, then he raised it and looked at everyone in the hall one by one, finally landing on Zhang Keran, who had been silent all along.
"Zhang Shaofu".
"Your subject is here." Zhang Keran stepped forward and bowed.
"You said the other day that if Liu Bi rebelled, his proclamation would surely be titled 'Execute Chao Cuo, Cleanse the Emperor's inner circle.' And now it has indeed come to pass." Emperor Wen's voice was devoid of emotion. "In your opinion, what should be done now?"
All eyes were on Zhang Keran, the young Prince of Liang and tutor to the Crown Prince. He had a secret talk with Xu Han before Xu Han's mission, and seemed to have already foreseen the dangers of this trip!
Zhang Keran took a deep breath. He knew that every word he uttered at this moment could affect the future of the empire.
He first bowed solemnly to the food box under the imperial desk, and said in a deep voice: "Doctor Xu sacrificed himself for the country, and his loyalty will be remembered for eternity. The court should provide generous compensation to his family and posthumously grant him a noble title to honor his integrity."
Then he straightened up, his voice clear and firm: "Your Majesty, esteemed ministers. Liu Bi has killed the envoy and declared war, thus severing himself from the court and from the world. His only reliance is the wealth of Wu and Chu, and the gathering of a motley crew from several states. His so-called 'purging of the court's inner circle' is nothing but a fig leaf to cover his usurpation. Which discerning person in the world can believe him?"
He walked to the huge map hanging in the hall and circled Guangling heavily with his finger: "However, now that Liu Bi has raised his banner, his military might will only have two paths. One is to advance westward into the Central Plains, directly attacking Luoyang and Xingyang, threatening Guanzhong. The other is to head north to join forces with Jiaoxi, Zichuan, and Zhao, sweeping across Qi. No matter which path he chooses, the court has already seized the initiative."
He pointed to Xingyang, Luoyang, Wuguan, and other places: "Your Majesty's previous deployment has precisely targeted their vital points. I believe that the court should immediately issue an edict announcing the crimes of Liu Bi and his rebellious princes, stripping them of their titles and abolishing their kingdoms, and calling on the whole country to join forces against them. At the same time, we should firmly defend the Xingyang-Changyi line, digging deep trenches and building high walls to blunt their momentum. We should also send a top general out of Wuguan, down to Nanyang, to protect Guanzhong, and seize the opportunity to launch a flanking attack on the rebel army."
"As for Doctor Chao..." Zhang Keran turned to Chao Cuo, bowed respectfully, "You are a pillar of the nation, and the proposal to weaken the power of the vassal states is for the sake of the country's long-term stability. Your Majesty and the Crown Prince are wise and would not be coerced by a traitor. However, to stabilize the hearts of the court and the people and to silence public opinion, I dare to suggest that Doctor Chao temporarily reside in the palace, or assist in state affairs in the Crown Prince's palace, and avoid direct confrontation in external matters. This is not a retreat, but a strategic retreat. After the traitor is defeated, the truth and the merits will be judged by public opinion."
Chao Cuo opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but seeing Emperor Wen's deep gaze and Zhang Keran's sincerity and consideration for the big picture, he finally let out a heavy snort and said nothing more.
"Your Majesty! I agree with what Junior Tutor Zhang said! The rebels appear powerful, but in reality, they are all harboring their own agendas. The Wu soldiers are frivolous and ill-suited for a prolonged war; the King of Chu is young, and his people may not be of one mind; the officials of Jiaoxi and Zichuan are all incompetent. If our army simply holds the key points, remains cautious and does not engage in battle, we can wait until their supplies run out and their morale weakens, at which point the rebels will fall into disarray. Then, we can use our elite cavalry to ambush them as they retreat in exhaustion, and we can quell the rebellion in one decisive battle!"
"Who can lead the army?"
"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, General Dou Ying, the cousin of Empress Dou, is highly respected, calm and prudent, and is suitable to be the commander-in-chief. He should be stationed in Luoyang and oversee all the armies in Guandong. This is a wise and experienced strategy for governing the country."
Shen Tu Jia's choice of Dou Ying, a relative of the empress, of high status and with a good reputation in court, was indeed the most conventional candidate.
Emperor Wen's gaze swept over the crowd again, finally settling on Crown Prince Liu Qi: "Crown Prince, what do you think?"
Liu Qi listened, observed, and processed the information. From his initial shock and anger, he forced himself to calm down.
He stepped forward, bowed to Emperor Wen, his voice steady, already hinting at the bearing of a crown prince:
"Father, I believe that what the Chancellor and the Junior Tutor said is the right thing to do. Liu Bi is rebellious and arouses the wrath of both gods and men, and it is righteous to punish him. However, military strategy says, 'A ruler should not raise an army in anger, nor should a general wage war in resentment.' The court should not act rashly out of anger, nor should it lose its composure because of the enemy's overwhelming strength. We should take the Junior Tutor's strategy as the foundation, using orthodox tactics to engage the enemy and unorthodox tactics to win."
Emperor Wen looked at his son, who was growing up rapidly and forming a tacit understanding with his ministers, and a look of relief finally flashed in his eyes.
Three years earlier (177 BC), Liu Xingju, the King of Jibei, took advantage of the opportunity of Liu Xingju's personal campaign against the Xiongnu to launch a rebellion, intending to attack Xingyang. However, the rebellion failed, and Liu Xingju committed suicide. The kingdom of Jibei was then abolished.
This spring, Liu Chang, the Prince of Huainan, plotted a rebellion. When the plot was exposed, he was demoted to Shu and died on the way.
Unexpectedly, King Liu Bi of Wu has also rebelled. These are turbulent times!
After he sat back down at his desk, his imperial decisiveness and majesty were no longer concealed in the slightest.
"Draft an imperial edict."
"By imperial decree, King Liu Bi of Wu has murdered the imperial envoy, falsely accused the court, and plotted rebellion; his crimes are heinous. His title of King of Wu is hereby stripped, and the kingdom of Wu is abolished. This decree is proclaimed throughout the land, and all are to be punished by Heaven! The Kings of Jiaoxi, Zichuan, and Zhao, who followed the rebels, are also stripped of their titles and kingdoms, as punishment for their wickedness!"
"Crown Prince Qi shall be the commander-in-chief, leading thirty-six generals and overseeing all armies east of the pass. He shall immediately proceed to Xingyang to quell the rebellion!"
"Dou Ying is appointed Grand General, stationed in Luoyang as a rearguard, and tasked with overseeing the territories of Qi and Zhao!"
"Marquis Li Ji of Quzhou led troops to attack Zhao, Luan Bu led an army to rescue Qi, and elite cavalry from Longxi and Beidi were dispatched from Chang'an to provide support!"
"The Emperor bestows upon Zhang Keran, the Crown Prince's tutor and heir apparent, the Imperial Seal, granting him the authority to act as he sees fit and lead troops to quell the rebellion. Those who achieve merit will be generously rewarded with a title of nobility!"
"Chao Cuo, the Imperial Censor, is loyal and diligent in serving the country. Effective immediately, he shall enter the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace to participate in military affairs. All matters of the outer court shall be temporarily handled by the Chancellor and the Court of Justice."
"Xu Han was given a grand funeral and posthumously granted the title of Marquis of Guannei. His son inherited the title to honor his loyalty and bravery."
The orders, clear and decisive, from personnel appointments to strategic deployments, from lofty ideals to specific strategies, instantly constructed a complete framework for the empire to deal with this enormous crisis.
There was no hesitation, no delay, only the cold, efficient sound of the power machine starting up.
"Your Majesty is wise!" The ministers bowed in unison.
Emperor Wen's gaze fell again towards the southeast, and he sneered:
"Liu Bi wanted to use Xu Han's head to intimidate me and the Han Dynasty. He was wrong. This will only make the world see who is betraying Emperor Gao's rule and who is dragging the common people into the flames of war."
"Didn't he want to purge the court of corrupt officials? I'll give him this opportunity; I'll use Liu Bi's head to do the work!"
"Zhang Keran".
"Your subject is here!"
"I entrust the Han Dynasty to you; do not fail my expectations."
"Your subject will not hesitate to die ten thousand times!" Zhang Keran knelt on one knee, his armor clanging loudly.
"Go and prepare." Emperor Wen waved his hand. "Crown Prince, Zhang Keran, stay behind."
The officials filed out, leaving only Emperor Wen, Liu Qi, and Zhang Keran in the hall, along with the black food box containing the head of a loyalist under the imperial desk.
The rain grew heavier, pounding against the glazed tiles of Weiyang Palace, producing a continuous sound like war drums.
On the same day, in the afternoon, at the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.
Zhang Keran quickly wrote two secret letters. One was addressed to Zhao Heng, the Lord of Xunquan, detailing the situation in Chang'an and the court's plans, with earnest and solemn words.
The other letter was from a spy he had planted in Guangling. It contained only a few words, instructing him to investigate the exact time of Wu's uprising, their route of advance, and the location of their grain and fodder reserves at all costs.
"These two letters must be sent out separately as quickly as possible. The letter to Xunquan Jun will be sent through our own channels to ensure its safety. The letter to Guangling will be sent out in batches, mixed in with the caravans." Zhang Keran handed the sealed letter to his trusted family member and whispered his instructions.
As soon as his family left, Chao Cuo walked in with a gloomy expression. He was being protected in the Eastern Palace, and although he could still participate in core decision-making, he had lost the authority to directly face the court officials and issue orders. For an ambitious man like him, this was tantamount to house arrest.
"Your Excellency, you have quite the methods," Chao Cuo said somewhat stiffly. "With just a few words, you've placed this old man in this deep palace."
Zhang Keran dismissed his attendants and personally poured Chao Cuo a bowl of hot soup: "Doctor Chao, Keran is not targeting you. At this moment, you are safer in the palace than in the Censor-in-Chief's residence, and it is also more beneficial to the overall situation. Liu Bi's proclamation names names, and there are countless people outside who have ulterior motives or are cowardly and afraid of trouble, who want to harm you or use you to attack the court and disturb the peace. His Majesty and the Crown Prince need your clear mind and sharp advice."
Chao Cuo snorted, his expression softening slightly, and took the soup bowl: "That old scoundrel Liu Bi is quick on his feet. Xu Han has barely died, and his proclamation has already spread throughout the land."
"He's been planning this for a long time, waiting for this excuse." Zhang Keran walked to the window, looking at the rain pouring down from the eaves. "The death of Doctor Xu was probably also part of his plan."
"When do you think he will make a move?" Liu Qi walked out of the inner room, now dressed in a sharp outfit, his brows revealing a sharpness rarely seen before.
"After the autumn grain is stored away," Zhang Keran said confidently, "Wu and Chu are prosperous, but once the army moves, grain is consumed like sand. He will definitely wait until the grain is plentiful. But it won't be too late, as the winter is harsh and not conducive to a prolonged war. I estimate it will be at the end of August or the beginning of September, at most two months from now."
two months.
Liu Qi clenched his fist. Time was of the essence.
"Can we win?" The Crown Prince asked the most crucial question, his gaze fixed intently on Zhang Keran and Chao Cuo.
Chao Cuo slammed the soup bowl down: "We will win! Evil cannot prevail over good! The imperial court holds the moral high ground, Guanzhong is the heartland of the empire, with well-trained troops and ample supplies, and generals like Luan Bu and Dou Ying. Although the rebels are numerous, they each harbor their own ambitions, and the terrain is also in the hands of the imperial court. We only need to hold key locations like Xingyang, Suiyang, and Changyi, and the rebels, bogged down in these fortified cities, will inevitably descend into internal strife!"
Zhang Keran pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Your Highness, this battle is crucial. The rebels are driven by anger and their advance is fierce. The court must remain calm and wait for their exhaustion. Suiyang in Liang will be key. If we can hold Suiyang, the rebels' westward and northward advances will be blocked. Their troops will be exhausted, their supply lines will be long, and their defeat is not far off. If Suiyang falls..." He
The sentence was left unsaid, but the meaning was clear.
Liu Qi nodded, walked to the huge map hanging on the wall, and pointed to the location of Suiyang. It was one of the important gateways from the Central Plains to Guanzhong.
As Chao Cuo watched the two young men from the side, the frustration in his heart seemed to dissipate somewhat.
He began, "Your Highness, Your Highness, besides military matters, there is another crucial matter at hand: money and provisions. A major war will consume countless resources. The accounts of the Imperial Treasury and the Grand Minister of Agriculture, as well as the storage in granaries across the land, must be clarified immediately for pre-emptive allocation. Furthermore, the grain routes through Guanzhong and Bashu must be ensured to remain unobstructed."
Liu Qi's spirits lifted: "Master Chao is absolutely right. I'm afraid this matter will require your secret oversight and the establishment of a plan."
Chao Cuo's eyes regained their sparkle, "This old man has no choice but to shoulder the responsibility!"
Chang'an stood solemnly in the drizzle, while to the southeast, in the Wu King's palace in Guangling, the war drums had already sounded.
Liu Bi stood on the high platform, looking down at the endless army that was gathering below.
Spears and halberds filled the sky, and banners blotted out the sun. The proclamation drafted by Ying Gao was copied into thousands of copies and was being sent by fast horses to all directions.
"I've waited for forty years..." Liu Bi muttered to himself, his hand gripping the cold hilt of his sword, his eyes burning with the flames of revenge and swelling ambition. "Liu Heng, Liu Qi... it's my turn to play this game!"
He suddenly drew his sword, pointed it in the northwest direction of Chang'an, and roared with all his might:
"Send troops! Purge the court of corrupt officials and execute Chao Cuo!"
"Purge the court of corrupt officials! Execute Chao Cuo!" A thunderous roar of support swept across the entire southeastern land.