My older brother said I'm invincible.

Chapter 233 Poison Scheme
The emperor's carriages and horses moved in a grand procession along the imperial road, with knights leading the way. Even officials and generals were granted permission to accompany the emperor and follow behind him.

Yang Guang sat in the carriage, stroking the map in front of him again and again, almost crying with joy.

Defeating the Tuyuhun, expanding the territory to the northwest, and forcing the kings of the Western Regions to come to pay homage—this was a major event that Yang Guang had long dreamed of. How could he restore the mighty Han dynasty without the Western Regions?

Finally, all the efforts have paid off. The Khan of Tuyuhun has fled, and the kings of the Western Regions have pledged to pay tribute year after year. The first step in restoring the Han dynasty's power has been achieved. Next, it's time to conquer the south.

Yang Guang's finger gradually moved from the westernmost point of the map to the southernmost point. He gently traced the map.

Next, we need to resolve the southern border issues, and then come the most important part of strengthening the Han Dynasty: Liaodong and other areas.

Once I have conquered all of these, I will have restored the territory of the powerful Han Dynasty. From then on, I can govern diligently, achieving the territorial expansion of Emperor Wu of Han and the governance of Emperors Wen and Jing of Han, and becoming an unprecedented sage emperor.

Yang Guang, filled with anticipation for the future, even laughed out loud.

"Your Majesty, there is a good plain ahead."

"I don't know whether to continue on our way or rest for a day in Liangyuan."

When Yuwen Shiji came in to report, Yang Guang had already put away the map and resumed his composed demeanor.

Upon hearing Yuwen Shiji's question, Yang Guang was taken aback at first, and then remembered that there was a group of old ministers behind him. Normally, Yang Guang would not have paid any attention to these old ministers, but now Yang Guang was in a very good mood. He smiled and said generously, "I can still travel, but I'm afraid that many of the old ministers accompanying me will not be able to keep up. Let's rest in Liangyuan for a day first."

"Here!"

Yang Guang was very impatient, and this was also true of his travels. He had a large entourage, and every year some of them died on the road.

For those people, it was truly a blessing from a saint that he was able to stay and rest halfway through.

When the imperial carriage arrived at Liangyuan City, Yang Guang rested there. He then ordered Yuwen Shiji and others to find some local beauties to serve him, and then decreed that no officials were allowed to come and disturb him.

It wasn't until the next day, when it was just getting light, that Yang Guang ordered them to advance again.

Yuwen Shiji entered again.

He paid his respects to the emperor, then looked troubled and hesitated to speak.

Seeing his appearance, Yang Guang was immediately angered.

"What? Do those people still want to rest?!"

"Your Majesty, it is Pan Dan who wishes to see you."

"Pan Dan?"

Upon hearing the name, Yang Guang's eyes lit up. "Then what are you waiting for? Let him in!"

Yuwen Shiji's lips trembled, as if he wanted to offer some advice, but he still had no choice but to retreat.

Soon, Yuwen Shiji led an old man dressed in a Taoist robe into the carriage. The old man was quite remarkable in appearance, with his hair and beard completely white, but he was full of energy and did not look old at all, with a youthful face despite his white hair.

"Greetings to Your Majesty!!"

Pan Dan bowed in greeting, and Yang Guang smiled and told him to rise. Pan Dan glanced at Yuwen Shiji beside him and said, "I thought I wouldn't be able to see Your Majesty today either."

"Ok?"

Yang Guang suddenly looked at Yuwen Shiji, his face turning cold. "What? Now the matter of paying homage to the emperor is also under Yuwen Gong's jurisdiction?"

"Get out! You're docked a year's salary! And you're absolutely forbidden from obstructing me again!"

Yang Guang appeared very angry, but the actual punishment was nothing.

Yang Guang still liked Yuwen Shiji very much.

After Yuwen Shiji left, Yang Guang had Pan Dan sit down next to him and exchanged a few pleasantries with him.

This Taoist priest named Pan Dan met the emperor three years ago. He claimed to be a Taoist practitioner from Mount Song. According to him, he was born during the Yongjia era, which is right, during the reign of Emperor Sima Chi of the Western Jin Dynasty. Sima Chi was the son of Sima Yan. In any case, he must have been at least three hundred years old.

Whether others believe it or not, the sage believed it.

He claimed to be able to refine elixirs, and that the elixirs he refined could allow even a saint to live for three hundred years.

The sage was overjoyed and immediately built the Songyang Temple for him, with hundreds of magnificent rooms, and provided him with 120 boys and 120 girls, bestowing upon them official titles and ranks.

Pan Dan frequently forced laborers to work, spending a fortune. He said that to refine the elixir of immortality, one needed gallstones and marrow, so Yang Guang conscripted laborers to excavate Mount Song. They dug the stone to a depth of hundreds of feet, and dozens of places were excavated. Even today, a large number of laborers are still gathered on Mount Song, digging stones day and night.

This absurd forced labor of quarrying stones lasted for six years in history, which is truly lamentable.

Whenever a sage went out, he would take with him 'four ceremonies', which are a monk, a nun, a Taoist priest, and a female official.

On this trip, Pan Dan accompanied the sage as the chief Taoist priest. Besides digging for stones and refining elixirs, the sage had other arrangements for him. The sage had heard that there were many alchemists from Parthia and other places in the northwest. These people possessed supernatural powers and had new methods. So he sent Pan Dan to make contact with these people and see if he could bring a few people to serve him.

But before the sage could even ask, Pan Dan spoke first.

"Is His Majesty well?"

Pan Dan's face was solemn, and his expression was very serious.

Yang Guang raised an eyebrow. "I am naturally unharmed. What do you mean by this?"

Pan Dan quickly apologized.

"It is not that I am disrespectful to Your Majesty! It is just that the other day, when I was cultivating my inner energy, I had a dream that truly terrified me."

"A dream? What did you dream about?"

Pan Dan hesitated and dared not speak.

"Speak frankly, and I will not blame you."

Pan Dan had just said, "Your Majesty, I dreamt of a poplar tree collapsing and a pear tree rising. Please forgive me!"

Yang Guang stood there, stunned, gently stroking his beard, lost in thought. "What does this foreshadow?"

"I truly did not know. Seeing Your Majesty unharmed today, my heart is finally at peace."

Pan Dan smiled and said, "Your Majesty is a sage ruler throughout the ages. There should be no omen that is detrimental to Your Majesty. Perhaps I misunderstood the meaning before. The so-called tree is a pillar. Perhaps Your Majesty will lose an important minister but gain another important minister."

Hearing Pan Dan's explanation, Yang Guang's expression became even more complicated.

Yang Guang remained silent for a long time before looking at Pan Dan and asking, "You came here just to talk about this?"

"That's not all. His Majesty previously asked me to find a highly skilled person from abroad, and I actually found one. Although this person is a barbarian, after discussing with him, I discovered that he can see into the secrets of heaven, and he is no ordinary person."

"Oh??"

Yang Guang immediately became interested, "Where is he?"

"They were outside, but were blocked by soldiers and could not enter."

"This is Yuwen Shiji!! Send someone to invite him in!"

"Here!"

Pan Dan soon brought another Hu man with him. This Hu man was very tall with a slightly curly beard. As soon as he entered the carriage, he bowed deeply to Yang Guang and greeted him with a very skilled official manner.

Upon hearing this, Yang Guang immediately laughed, "Minister Pan said he was a barbarian, I thought you couldn't speak the Chinese language!"

"I admire the strength and prosperity of the Sui Dynasty and have been traveling to various places to learn about its culture."

"What's your name?"

"Your subject, Anga Tuo, pays respects to Your Majesty!!"

“Angada, I seem to have heard of you.”

Pan Dan quickly said, "Your Majesty, Anga Tuo has traveled far and wide, debating with many monks and Taoists."

"Oh! I remember now!"

Yang Guang was even happier at this moment, "I have been wanting to send someone to find you, but I never expected to meet you here!"

"Very well, I have many things I want to ask you!"

Seeing that the two were about to talk, Pan Dan took the initiative to resign and left quickly.

Yang Guang was puzzled by this, and An Jiatuo said, "Although Pan Dao and I both govern, our paths are different, and we cannot sit together to discuss the principles of the world."

"I see."

Yang Guang kept An Jiatuo and began to ask him some metaphysical questions. An Jiatuo was indeed no ordinary person; he answered the emperor's many questions fluently, and Yang Guang began to nod in agreement.

Yang Guang ordered the journey to continue, but kept the Hu man by his side to continue their discussions.

After talking like this for a few days, the two became very close.

On this day, Yang Guang suddenly remembered something, "I have heard that Minister An is very good at interpreting prophecies. Someone told me a prophecy before. Do you know what it is about?"

(End of this chapter)