Chapter 14: Han Xin Has Arrived

"It should be possible..."
Lu Xuan said, though not very confidently.

Historically, Zhu Biao died suddenly and unexpectedly.

It was abrupt.

Therefore, later historians speculated wildly about the cause of his illness.

At present, Lu Xuan could not offer a definite answer either.

Empress Ma had died before Zhu Biao; this matter was not urgent. He would examine Zhu Biao’s hidden ailment carefully upon arriving in the capital, analyze the cause, and then provide a precise treatment plan.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bang’s heart sank, and he silently left with Zhang Liang.

"It should be possible."

That meant Lu Xuan did not have full confidence in the cure.

No wonder—when a young person dies prematurely, it is often due to special causes not easily treated by ordinary means. But since Lu Xuan said "should be possible," there was still hope.

The two returned to Linhua Hall. Liu Bang rubbed his brow and asked Zhang Liang to take his leave first.

His mind was troubled.

He needed a moment of quiet.

He pondered the arrangements for the heir. They had discussed many things today, yet he still did not fully understand the outcome of the “Mandate of Heaven Pacification,” but he had gained some insights.

“Liu Ying, Liu Ying…”

“Bring the crown prince here.”

Liu Bang called the palace guards outside to summon Liu Ying from the Eastern Palace.

The Eastern Palace of Chang’an.

The vermilion palace gate gleamed with solemnity under the sunlight. The guards stood tall and straight like pines, eyes fixed forward. Inside the gate, the courtyard stretched deep, and the stone path wound toward the main hall.

At this moment, nine-year-old Liu Ying stood before a bronze mirror in the hall. Though still young and slender, he already bore a refined demeanor. His fair face retained traces of childhood innocence. His bright black eyes seemed to hold stars within, sparkling with intelligence and agility. His eyebrows were neither thick nor thin, like willow buds just budding in spring, radiating a natural gentleness.

An elder palace attendant held a set of crown prince robes, gently dressing him. The fabric was exquisite brocade, deep black with golden thread embroidery outlining dragon patterns that shimmered in the light, exuding nobility. The collar and cuffs were trimmed with soft white fox fur, warm and delicate. Around Liu Ying’s waist was a vermilion jade belt, the jade pendant polished and translucent, swinging lightly with faint crisp sounds.

“I wonder what Father Emperor wants with me.”

Thoughts stirred within Liu Ying as the attendant dressed him. He lifted his head slightly, cooperating with the attendant’s movements. Occasionally his gaze drifted over the intricate robes, but no arrogance showed—only a touch of resignation and restraint.

He disliked wearing these lavish clothes; in this, he was much like his father.

His father believed a palace was merely a place to live and governing the state was enough.

But Xiao He had advised him to build a grand and magnificent palace to symbolize imperial dignity.

He thought clothes only needed to be wearable and keep one warm.

Yet as crown prince, he had to don these robes that represented his status; otherwise, it would be improper.

Once fully dressed, he smoothed the folds of his robe and stepped outside, heading toward Linhua Hall.

---

Upon arriving at Linhua Hall, Liu Ying saw Emperor Liu Bang from afar. Calm and composed, Liu Ying’s steps were steady despite his youth. At nine years old, he was remarkably mature. He approached Liu Bang and bowed respectfully, “Your son pays respects to Father Emperor.”

At that moment, Liu Bang faced away from Liu Ying, his mind heavy and complex.

His old face trembled slightly.

Sigh.

What a fine child.

Yet as a father, he had failed in his duties.

Being emperor was no excuse for neglect. In truth, Liu Bang had once been reckless—neglecting his wife and children.

What kind of man was he?

He vaguely recalled when fleeing for his life, how he had kicked Liu Ying off the carriage three times. Liu Ying was only a few years old then, but over the years, had never mentioned it, remaining dutiful and filial. In his eyes, Liu Ying embodied many virtues—truly a paragon of a gentleman from the Spring and Autumn period.

Benevolence, kindness, respect, integrity, filial piety...

He never imagined he could have such a good son.

Normally, even common folk would cherish a son with such virtues, let alone a royal family. But he had thought Liu Ying weak and vulnerable, fearing he might be overshadowed by Lü Zhi. Thus, his favor for Liu Ruyi deepened, and his demands on Liu Ying grew stricter over the years.

“Sigh.” Liu Bang slowly turned around, his large hand gently stroking Liu Ying’s head. “All these years, I have been an unworthy father.”

Liu Ying’s heart jolted.

Why did he feel Father Emperor seemed different today?

“In my eyes, Father Emperor is the best father in the world,” Liu Ying replied calmly, showing no great emotion but speaking respectfully.

There was still some awkwardness.

Liu Bang’s heart was a tangle of feelings. As a father, he sensed Liu Ying’s attitude was one of dutiful filial respect, sincere and proper. Yet real father-son affection between them did not exist.

Liu Ying was not raised by him.

He had never shown him much care.

How could there be genuine feelings?

“From now on, you shall move to Chang Le Palace to live. Stay close to me.” Liu Bang patted Liu Ying’s shoulder.

Some truths only come with awareness. He knew Liu Ying did not have long to live, and that knowledge stirred his remorse for years of neglect.

He wanted to give Liu Ying some care, to make up for the fatherly love he had missed.

Just like Lü Zhi.

“I obey, Father Emperor.” Liu Ying bowed again, still composed, not revealing his inner thoughts.

He did not understand why he was to move to Chang Le Palace.

Perhaps it held some significance for Father Emperor.

In any case, he would obey.

Liu Bang waved his hand, dismissing Liu Ying.

---

After Liu Ying left, Liu Bang’s thoughts churned. He resolved to care for Liu Ying more attentively and to avoid favoring Liu Ruyi excessively.

The idea of replacing Liu Ying with Liu Ruyi as crown prince must be firmly abandoned.

As for Consort Qi...

Tsk, tsk.

She was indeed beautiful. The mere thought of her stirred his mind, but then he shook his head. He could no longer seek out Consort Qi.

He must cherish Lü Zhi and Liu Ying. The mother and son had suffered too much.

...

Time passed slowly.

For several days, Liu Bang did not visit the side hall of Linhua Hall to see Lu Xuan.

During this time, only Zhang Liang kept Lu Xuan company, but they merely exchanged trivial pleasantries. Zhang Liang was tactful and refrained from probing historical questions.

Liu Bang had wanted eagerly to clarify the “Mandate of Heaven Pacification” matter, but news had arrived from Chu.

Han Xin was willing to come to the court to be granted the title “One-Character Peerless King”!

With the support of ministers Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Chen Ping, Zhou Bo, and others, the title “One-Character Peerless King” spread swiftly among the people. All the commanderies and fiefdoms of the Han knew that the emperor was about to bestow this honor on a meritorious subject!

At present, there was one king sharing the imperial surname and seven kings of different surnames.

The seven kings of different surnames were: King of Chu, Han Xin; King of Huainan, Ying Bu; King of Zhao, Zhang Er; King of Liang, Peng Yue; King of Yan, Zang Tu; King of Han, Xin; and King of Changsha, Wu Rui.

The only king with the imperial surname was Liu Bang’s eldest son, Liu Fei.

Traditionally, a one-character king outranked a two-character king. Their status should be equal, but among the five one-character kings of different surnames, Han Xin, King of Chu, looked down on the other four.

Why?

Because Han Xin believed his military achievements were the greatest, his contributions to the founding of the Han Dynasty unparalleled, and his personal abilities supreme.

The others were mostly former regional lords who had surrendered to the Han due to circumstances and were thus granted kingships.

How could that compare?

If such were enough to become a king, Han Xin could have carved out his own domain, resulting in a tripartite struggle among Liu Bang, Xiang Yu, and himself. No one knew who would prevail then, but in the end, he would still be made a one-character king.

Han Xin’s pride and disdain for others, coupled with his cold and distant personality and poor interpersonal relations, made him frequently unhappy with the situation.

The recent affair of granting the title “One-Character Peerless King” deeply enticed Han Xin of Chu.

He would truly be second only to the emperor, above all others.

Even able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the emperor!

After careful consideration, Han Xin decided to journey to Chang’an to receive his title!