I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 392 The enemy is at the gates!

The Shu Kingdom was pacified in March.

Even the most optimistic Han generals were not certain that this would happen before the war began.

However, at present, the three armies have indeed broken through the outer defenses of Shu from the three directions of inner water, middle water and outer water, and officially joined forces under the walls of Chengdu.

When Liu Miao arrived at the city of Chengdu, Gan Ning and Huang Zhong were already there to greet him.

"Well done!"

Upon seeing the neatly arranged Han army tents outside Chengdu, Liu Miao immediately burst into laughter.

The other Han generals also laughed, and for a moment the Han army formation was filled with laughter!

Even Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty took quite some time to pacify the Shu region! Now, everyone is pacifying the Shu region so quickly, aren't they surpassing their predecessors?

What our ancestors could do, we can do too! And we can do it even better!
Neither follow the ancients nor improve the present; following the ancients will make one fall behind the times, while improving the present will make one obsolete in the world!
The success of the war in Shu will inevitably deal a huge blow to the traditional scholars in the Han Dynasty who advocate "respecting the past and belittling the present"!
"What? The city hasn't surrendered yet?"

Fa Zheng replied to Liu Miao: "They are waiting for someone."

"Who are you waiting for?"

"Naturally, it is Your Majesty."

Liu Miao's smile faded, and he narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at Chengdu: "Then tell them, I've arrived!"

Inside the Shu King's Palace in Chengdu.

Compared to the high morale of the Han army outside the city, the atmosphere inside Chengdu became increasingly somber and tragic as one ascended higher.

"Liu Miao's imperial banner has arrived outside Chengdu today."

This news was neither a sword finally falling over the heads of the officials in Shu who had been trapped in Chengdu for so long, nor a final weight being lifted from their hearts.

Neither despair nor relief can accurately describe this feeling.

Just like the summer heat coming and going each year, and the chill going and coming again, Liu Miao eventually arrived here, whether he liked it or not.

Every book should end with a sentence. Whether they liked this book about Shu or not, there will always be such a sentence left... even if the person who wrote that last sentence is now Liu Miao, and it has nothing to do with them.

"I'll go."

Huang Quan, the registrar, broke the silence.

Seeing that someone had stepped forward, others began to speak out as well.

These people weren't trying to steal Huang Quan's job.

"Gongheng, persuade Liu Miao properly, don't force him!"

"Gongheng, tell Liu Miao that Chengdu still has the strength to fight!"

"Gongheng, you can have a detailed talk with Liu Miao! If he is willing to treat us as before, then we can offer up Chengdu!"

"Fairness! Fairness!"

"..."

Huang Quan sighed and turned away, refusing to look at these people.

"Gentlemen, do not forget that we are all subjects of the King of Shu. Now that the King of Shu's future is uncertain, how can we live in disgrace?"

The ministers were silent.

Huang Quan straightened his clothes and made sure his sash was perfectly straight before slowly leaving the city to seek an audience with Liu Miao outside the city.

Huang Quan gave his name, but found that the Han army attendant was very polite. There were no oil pots or branding irons set out on the way to scare him. Instead, he was led to Liu Miao's tent in a normal manner.

"Hey! Gongheng's here!"

When Liu Miao saw Huang Quan, he greeted him as if he were a long-lost friend, which made Huang Quan lose his composure and fall into a daze.

However, Huang Quan quickly regained his senses: "This sinful subject Huang Quan greets the Emperor of the Great Han!"

His posture was respectful, yet humble but not arrogant, and in the instant he lowered his head, he also took a clear look at Liu Miao's tent.

The most eye-catching feature is, of course, a huge map of Sichuan hanging in the middle.

The rivers and roads above are even clearly marked with different colored inks, which is both novel and luxurious.

The heavy bamboo slips or wooden tablets were no longer on the table in the middle. In their place was a large pile of papers, which completely filled the fairly large table.

On the left is a suit of armor, as well as equipment such as bows and arrows and Han crossbows.

On the right was a bed made of stacked hay, with a straw mat on top, and on the straw mat was a cotton cushion woven with herbs.

Huang Quan took in the scenery inside the tent, then stared at his toes, making sure not to do anything that Liu Miao might misunderstand as presumptuous.

"What kind of criminal?"

Liu Miao's previous statement made Huang Quan think that there was still room for negotiation on some matters.

"Aren't you Zhao's subjects? Yuan's subjects? Isn't Liu Zhang the King of Great Zhao and Shu? What does he have to do with my Great Han?"

"..."

In fact, from the moment Huang Quan entered Liu Miao's camp, he saw that Liu Miao neither knew about oil pans or branding irons, nor did he have his soldiers greet him with sharp objects. Huang Quan then assumed that Liu Miao's visit would not make him look bad, but it would not make him look too bad either.

But just the first sentence was enough to embarrass Huang Quan to the point of being unable to straighten up, and there was no possibility that his bent back would ever straighten up again.

"His Majesty……"

"Let's not beat around the bush, and does Gongheng even know what I hate most?"

Huang Quan was taken aback.

"Look at me when you speak."

With Liu Miao's permission, Huang Quan finally dared to raise his head.

"Does His Majesty dislike aristocratic families?"

"No, I hate wasting time. Many things in this world can be regained if they are lost, but if time is lost, then there is truly nothing left."

Liu Miao pointed to the folding chair next to him: "Sit down! Do you expect me to crane my neck to look at you?"

Huang Quan obediently took his seat.

Although Liu Miao seemed easygoing, the words he spoke left Huang Quan with no room for disobedience.

"Don't tell me you were forced, you were just temporarily blinded by evil spirits." Liu Miao was wearing the Liu family crown, which was the most comfortable one he wore on a daily basis and was also invented by Emperor Gaozu. He was also wearing only a black and red casual robe. He looked Huang Quan up and down. Huang Quan was someone who was able to befriend both Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi in history, but failed to become a general with a high rank in both Shu Han and Cao Wei.

"Han and Zhao are now not only two different country names and two emperors with different surnames, but also two countries with different systems and two different laws."

"Although my fellow townsman is surnamed Liu, the land of Shu ultimately belongs to the Zhao family. What I said is surely not wrong, is it?"

The Southern Han, reborn from the ashes, is already striding away from the politics of aristocratic clans and heading in another unknown direction.

However, the Northern Zhao and Shu regions still followed the old system of the Later Han Dynasty, which is why Liu Miao said that although Liu Zhang's surname was Liu, the Shu region was still under the Zhao surname.

Would the territory of the Han Dynasty allow a place to be named Zhao?

This is impossible.

With just one sentence, Liu Miao completely blocked any possible bargaining by Huang Quan.

The Great Han only accepts complete victory!
The Great Han will not allow those corrupt officials and parasites from Shu to remain in Shu and engage in deceptive practices!
All negotiations failed with Liu Miao.

Liu Miao only accepts the most fundamental and thorough reforms and restructuring of the Shu region!

Huang Quan took a deep breath.

Liu Miao was right.

He really doesn't like wasting time.

Without even a polite greeting, they directly revealed their bottom line.

But unfortunately...

This is the bottom line that the powerful clans of Sichuan would never accept!

Huang Quan felt somewhat helpless at this moment.

He glanced around the tent, then stopped arguing with Liu Miao and said admiringly, "Your Majesty is actually somewhat different from the rumors circulating outside."

"What's different?"

Liu Miao retorted, but his expression clearly said, "You'd better praise me, or I'll kill you right now."

"There are rumors that His Majesty is fond of women, and that His Majesty recently demanded Lady Wu. I think His Majesty will keep her with him in the army."

"Um……"

Liu Miao stroked his chin: "Actually, I have thought about that."

"Ok?"

Huang Quan's expression froze instantly.

"After all, it's not bad to wield power over the world while awake and to rest one's head on the lap of a beautiful woman while drunk! Having a beautiful woman with you on the army's journey is pleasing to the eye..."

Liu Miao scratched his head in distress: "But she's still a woman after all! No matter how beautiful a woman is, she still needs to poop! I can't just let her poop in the military tent, can I? She'll have to go out to poop sooner or later! If she squats there with her big white butt sticking out, other people will inevitably see her, won't they?"

"Let other men see your wife's buttocks? I don't have that kind of fetish, so why bring her along?"

"..."

Huang Quan suddenly felt that he and Liu Miao seemed to have a little trouble communicating.

Huang Quan then praised the map above Liu Miao's head...

"Oh, that's because I didn't like the black and white maps, so I specially commissioned an artist to draw them again."

The weapon on the left...

"Youping, Zilie, and a few personal guards are equipped, but I won't be going into battle."

The straw mat on the right...

"Don't get me wrong, that thing is really comfortable to sleep in! How about we do it together tonight, you should try it too?"

More and more beads of sweat appeared on Huang Quan's temples.

Finally, Huang Quan pointed to the papers on Liu Miao's desk—

"By looking at His Majesty's desk, one can see that the Han Dynasty has now switched to writing on paper for both military and political affairs."

"This is almost unimaginable in Shu! This shows that the wealth of the Han Dynasty far surpasses that of Shu!"

Unlike bamboo slips and wooden tablets.

Paper, especially paper that can be used for clear writing, requires workshops and artisans to produce.

The widespread use of this craft is enough to prove just how terrifying the national strength of the Han Dynasty is today!
"also."

Huang Quan added.

"Although these official documents are disorganized, it is precisely because of this that we can see that His Majesty is a diligent ruler! He may not comment on all of them, but he will at least ensure that all of these messages are received."

At this moment, Huang Quan, representing himself, the officials of Shu, and Liu Zhang, the King of Shu, asked the question that was on their minds—

"Jing and Yang are rich and prosperous, why must Your Majesty attack Shu?"

"Your Majesty is wise. Why does the Han Dynasty attack Shu?"

"With a formidable enemy like Yuan Shao still in the north, how can Your Majesty be so certain that you can pacify Shu?"

Not a single one of the predictions made by the officials in Shu about Liu Miao was accurate! Not even a single one!
What puzzled everyone the most was why Liu Miao wanted to attack Shu.

With a formidable enemy like Yuan Shao in the north, how could he personally lead an expedition against Shu? What courage that must have been!

What if?
What if Liu Miao fails?

Did Liu Miao have absolutely no reservations?

Upon hearing this question, Liu Miao shook his head at Huang Quan and said, "I have never doubted it."

Huang Quan does not accept this answer!
Why not have doubts?

Liu Miao's tone became slightly more serious at this moment.

"Because I am now indeed standing at the gates of Chengdu!"

"This is my reason!"

(End of this chapter)