My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Five days later.

In the southern suburbs of Ye City, a high platform for worshipping Heaven has already risen from the ground.

At noon, the sky was high and the clouds were light.

North of the altar to Ye City, on the vast plains, 100,000 Chu soldiers stood in imposing formation, their power overwhelming.

Beneath the altar.

Xiao He, Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Mi Zhu, Kong Rong, Pang Tong, Xun Yu, Huang Zhong…

All the court officials in the capital were present, standing on two wings before the altar.

All eyes were fixed on the distant city of Ye, filled with anticipation.

The auspicious time is approaching.

The city gates swung open with a loud crash.

Riding in his imperial carriage, Liu Bei, escorted by eight thousand Imperial Guards under the command of Chen Dao, left the city in a grand procession and headed straight for the high platform in the southern suburbs.

One hundred thousand soldiers bowed down in a thunderous roar.

The imperial carriage passed through 100,000 soldiers and arrived directly below the high platform.

The civil and military officials who had been waiting for a long time bowed their heads in welcome.

With Chen Dao's help, Liu Bei stepped down from the imperial carriage, and the first people he saw were Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

Guan Yu was stationed in Ye City, while Zhang Fei was originally stationed in Xudu, not in the capital.

Liu Bei, however, issued an imperial edict summoning Zhang Fei from Xudu to Yecheng overnight.

After nearly thirty years of struggle, when he finally ascended the throne and became emperor, Liu Bei naturally wanted both of his brothers to be present so that the three of them could share in the glory of this moment.

"Brother~~"

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei came forward to greet them.

With tears in their eyes, the two men broke with tradition and did not address Liu Bei as "Great King," but instead called him "long-lost brother."

"Second brother, third brother~~"

Liu Bei quickly helped the two men up, holding his two sworn brothers' hands tightly, his eyes also filled with tears.

The scene of the oath of brotherhood in the Peach Garden years ago couldn't help but appear before the three of them.

Back when the three of them met, one was a mat weaver and shoe seller, one was a butcher selling meat, and one was a wanted criminal selling dates.

The three shared the same ideals and became sworn brothers in the Peach Garden, vowing to live and die together, to support the Han Dynasty, and to work together for a great cause.

The journey has been incredibly arduous.

Countless failures, repeated upheavals, countless times living under someone else's roof, sinking and floundering for who knows how long...

But who would have thought that those three unknown men who swore brotherhood in the Peach Garden would join hands to revitalize the Han Dynasty and establish such a great foundation?
Liu Bei, the elder brother who weaves mats and sells shoes, is about to ascend the throne and rule the world!
At this moment, the three brothers felt their hearts surging like a tidal wave, their emotions soaring like a raging torrent, and they had a surreal feeling as if they were in a dream.

It wasn't until Chen Dao reminded them that the auspicious time was approaching that the three brothers finally came to their senses.

"Brother, let us two help you ascend the throne!"

Guan Yu wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and supported Liu Bei's arm.

Zhang Fei laughed and helped Liu Bei up with his other hand.

Liu Bei laughed with satisfaction, then grasped the hands of his two brothers tightly and strode towards the high platform.

The ministers on both sides bowed to welcome Liu Bei as he stepped onto the high platform.

On the altar.

Xiao He, Zhuge Liang, and Mi Zhu were already waiting there.

In terms of merit alone, among the civil officials, none have made greater contributions than these three.

Mi Zhu was the one who supported Liu Bei when he lost Xuzhou, even going bankrupt with his own wealth, helping him through the darkest and most difficult time of his life.

Zhuge Liang emerged from seclusion when he was living in Jingzhou in a daze, and pointed him in the right direction with the Longzhong Plan. During the more than ten years of war, he also stayed in the rear to provide him with a continuous supply of food and troops.

As for Xiao He, needless to say.

Liu Bei's gaze swept over Mi Zhu, then over Zhuge Liang, and finally settled on Xiao He. The scene of their first meeting in Fancheng flashed before his eyes.

If it weren't for his niece Guan Yinping, who picked up this immortal disciple from the mountains back then, he wouldn't have been able to launch the surprise attack on Xiangyang and miraculously repel the 150,000-strong Cao army that invaded from the south.

He conquered Jingzhou, took Jiangdong, attacked the Central Plains, and annexed Hebei…

To this day, he reigns supreme over the nine provinces, commands an army of 400,000, ascends the throne as emperor, and reigns over the world!
Without Xiao He, none of this would be possible!
As Liu Bei ascended the throne and became emperor, he once again examined Xiao He, and an incredibly strong thought arose in his mind:

This Xiao Bowen must be a celestial being descended from heaven by the spirits of the ancestors of the Han Dynasty to assist this descendant of the Liu family, turn the tide, and rebuild the Han Dynasty!
"Your Majesty, we must not miss the auspicious time."

Xiao He smiled and looked at Liu Bei, then whispered a reminder.

Liu Bei's heart skipped a beat, and his thoughts returned to reality. He forcibly suppressed the turbulent emotions surging within him.

"let's start."

After calming his mind, Liu Bei regained his kingly demeanor and waved slightly to the three ministers.

then.

Mi Zhu then unfolded the prepared sacrificial text to Heaven and, facing the officials of Heaven and the 100,000 soldiers, loudly proclaimed it.

Subsequently, Zhuge Liang personally dressed Liu Bei in a dragon robe and added a jade crown.

In the end, Xiao He presented the Imperial Seal of the State to Liu Bei with both hands.

Liu Bei carefully accepted the Imperial Seal of the State.

The jade seal wasn't heavy, but the moment Liu Bei received it, he felt a tremendous weight in it.

It was as if the entire world had been handed over to him!
"From this day forward, I, Liu Bei, will protect this land..."

Looking at the jade seal in his hand, and at the eight characters "By the mandate of Heaven, may your life be long and prosperous," Liu Bei secretly made a vow in his heart.

Then, holding the imperial seal, he turned to face his ministers.

Standing atop the high platform, one feels as if one is in the heavens, looking down upon the ministers below, the 100,000 soldiers, and all the people under heaven.

The emperor's domineering aura, ruling over all of China and controlling the universe, suddenly flared up.

"Your subject kowtows to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Han Dynasty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Xiao He straightened his clothes and took the lead in bowing deeply to Liu Bei.

Zhuge Liang and Mi Zhu followed closely behind and bowed to Liu Bei.

Under the high platform.

All the civil and military officials, along with 100,000 soldiers, bowed down in unison and shouted in unison.

"Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Han Dynasty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

"Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Han Dynasty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Within Ye City, all the people knew that today was Liu Bei's coronation ceremony, and they all craned their necks to look south.

When they heard shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" coming from outside the city, they knew the ceremony was over.

So all the soldiers in the city knelt down and bowed towards the altar, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"

Hundreds of thousands of people bowed to the Emperor of Han, their shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" causing the heavens and earth to change color.

Liu Bei stood atop the high platform, holding the Imperial Seal of the State in his hand, overlooking the vast land and listening to the cheers of his thousands of subjects. A surge of heroic ambition welled up within him.

All the past events, the path I've walked over the decades, and the enemies I've fought against, all came to mind.

Back then, I, Liu Bei, was just a commoner. When the warlords were fighting against Dong Zhuo, I didn't even have a seat.

Years later, however, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Sun Jian, Lü Bu... one after another, these powerful figures who were famous throughout the world and intimidated all sides have fallen.

Only I, Liu Bei, had the last laugh, and now I stand here as the Son of Heaven, receiving the worship of all people!

Is this destiny?

He smiled.

...

In the spring of that year, Liu Bei, King of Chu, ascended the throne and declared himself emperor, establishing the Han dynasty with the reign title Hongwu. (End of Chapter)