Chapter 41: Inspecting Luoyang

"Thank you for your consideration, Lu."

Liu Bang remained silent for a long time before speaking in a slow, measured tone. He chose to ignore everything else Lu Xuan had said; now that he was certain his son-in-law, Zhang Ao, had committed a grave crime, there was no need for further deliberation. He would issue an order to suppress Zhang Ao immediately.

"Lu, I must return now. The imperial carriages sent by the Emperor may arrive by tomorrow, and I need to make preparations."

"Very well. My apologies for the trouble, Uncle Ji."

After Liu Bang left the courtyard, he immediately summoned his officials. Xiao He, Zhang Liang, Zhou Bo, and Chen Ping were all present. Suppressing the King of Zhao, Zhang Ao, was no small matter; Liu Bang needed to consult with his key ministers carefully.

"This is how it happened. I learned of these future events from Lu Xuan," Liu Bang said. "Since he has committed a serious crime, he cannot be spared, yet I wish to preserve the life of the King of Zhao. However, how should we go about suppressing him? There are numerous troops within the Zhao capital of Handan."

Liu Bang looked at his ministers. His thick beard caught the sunlight, tinged with a faint glow that, under the shifting rays, revealed a dragon-like outline, lending him an aura of great majesty. The ministers felt a chill in their hearts. The Emperor was finally moving against the King of Zhao.

Xiao He and Zhang Liang exchanged a glance, both choosing to remain silent. In truth, from the moment they had learned of the future in which they would be executed by the Emperor, their hearts had grown cold. They no longer possessed the drive to pursue any cause. They hoped only to minimize their involvement in politics, perhaps eventually withdrawing from the court to preserve their lives.

"The King of Equal Rank is leading the imperial army to campaign against the Xiongnu. He is currently engaging them at Mayi. Although we hold the advantage, it is uncertain when the Xiongnu will be repelled," Zhou Bo said after a moment of contemplation, offering his advice. "Would it not be better for Your Majesty to bestow a reward upon the King of Zhao and summon him to Chang'an? Could we not seize him then, without mobilizing a single soldier?"

"That will not do," Chen Ping immediately countered, shaking his head. "If we reward the King of Zhao, how will the other vassal kings of different surnames view it? If the King of Zhao is arrested upon arriving in Chang'an, all the regional kings watching this matter will surely conclude that Your Majesty has begun to move against the various fiefs. They will inevitably raise their armies in revolt, plunging the world into war once more, and the generals and soldiers of Zhao will surely rise with them."

"Among the fiefs, the states of Qi, Chu, and Zhao are the most powerful, with the finest troops and the fiercest generals. The King of Qi is Your Majesty’s eldest son, so he naturally would not rebel. The King of Chu, Han Xin, is already the King of Equal Rank and would not plot treason. My only concern is Zhao. If Zhao does not send troops, we can handle the rebellions of the other kings, but if the Zhao army marches even after we capture Zhang Ao, the situation will descend into total chaos."

Chen Ping’s concerns were valid, but Zhou Bo shot him a look. "Then what do you suggest?"

"Let me think."

As the two debated, Xiao He and Zhang Liang did not remain entirely silent, offering a few remarks to cooperate with the discussion. But how could such a pretense deceive Liu Bang? He said nothing, yet he sighed inwardly. These two ministers, whom he had trusted most—his true right and left hands—no longer trusted him. He had no choice, for he could not possibly explain the situation to them.

After a long while, Chen Ping hit upon an idea.

"Your Majesty could issue an edict to the state of Chu, ordering the King of Zhao, Zhang Ao, to lead his troops to support Han Xin in defending Mayi. Zhang Ao will surely lead his elite Zhao forces to comply. Then, send a secret message to Han Xin; the moment Zhang Ao arrives, Han Xin can immediately seize him. Han Xin holds great prestige within the army and will certainly be able to firmly command the elite Zhao troops. This would also allow Han Xin to defeat the Xiongnu more quickly, preventing any mishaps."

Liu Bang burst into laughter upon hearing this. "Excellent! A brilliant plan!"

He then glanced at Zhang Liang. *Do you see, Zhang Liang? Without you, I am not lacking in brilliant ministers.*

*Humph!*

Human hearts are not made of clay. Even the most magnanimous of men feel anger. As the Son of Heaven, he had tried very hard to explain, but Zhang Liang and Xiao He refused to listen; they simply would not believe him. If they would not believe, then so be it. He was tired of explaining. The Han Dynasty had many meritorious officials, all of them dragons and phoenixes among men. Perhaps others lacked Zhang Liang’s wisdom or Xiao He’s administrative talent, but the court would continue to function without them. Given time, Chen Ping could produce such excellent solutions as well.

Feeling the weight of Liu Bang’s gaze, Zhang Liang lowered his head further. *It would be best if His Majesty ignored him from now on,* he thought. *Only then could he gradually fade from political life. He no longer wished to be involved in this business regarding Lu Xuan. He was tired. He was weary. To have given so much, only to be purged and killed in the end—that would chill anyone’s heart. Let me retire to my hometown quickly, and let him employ Chen Ping.* Xiao He shared the same sentiment; both were exhausted.

"I shall issue the orders to Zhang Ao and Han Xin now," Liu Bang declared. "And tomorrow, I shall set out to inspect Luoyang."

After the two commands were dispatched, Liu Bang suddenly thought of something. His tone turned complex. "Furthermore, I wish to speak with the Empress and the others regarding Lu Xuan. You all know that since learning of the future, I have gradually stopped visiting Lady Qi and no longer think of replacing the Crown Prince with Liu Ruyi. This has caused Lady Qi to harbor many thoughts. I saw Heng visiting Lady Qi to play with Ruyi recently, and behind that, perhaps Lady Qi wishes to curry favor with Lady Bo. And Lady Bo is also filled with anxiety over the future rebellion of Liu Heng."

"I do not want the inner palace to fall into chaos. I plan to speak to them one by one and clarify the matter of Lu Xuan. What do you think?"

Originally, Liu Bang had intended to keep the secret of Lu Xuan as long as possible, fearing that ill-intentioned people might reach out to him and learn of certain devastating truths. But with only a month left before Lu Xuan’s "enlightenment" ended, there was no harm in telling them about the "man from the future." It would help Lady Qi understand why he no longer favored her, and it would help Empress Lü Zhi realize that her future illness was a reality. And as for Han Xin, he would tell him as well. After all, Lu Xuan had, in a sense, saved Han Xin’s life and allowed him a peaceful end. Reason and emotion dictated that Han Xin should see this benefactor before Lu Xuan’s time came to an end.

"Your Majesty is wise," the ministers replied. They looked at each other; they dared not offer other suggestions regarding royal affairs and could only bow. It seemed there was indeed no longer any point in concealment; continuing to hide it was exhausting. There were already enough troubles, and the Emperor was visibly aging. If the inner palace were to fall into turmoil, it would be even more troublesome.

"Very well. That is settled."

"We depart tomorrow."

...

The next morning, the dew rested quietly upon the flower petals. The peaceful spring sun had just risen, illuminating all things under heaven and dispelling the eternal darkness. The innocent, beaded drops of dew sat comfortably on the leaves, but soon, they began to tremble.

Outside the city of Chang'an, a massive procession slowly began to move. Armored guards lined the road, emanating a chilling air of slaughter. The Son of Heaven had begun his journey to inspect Luoyang!