I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 525 You should treat your people better.

Zhang He and Liu Miao arrived together in front of a catapult with a rather strange shape.

The reason it is considered strange is that the rear of it is not quite the same as the catapults or trebuchets that Zhang He had seen before.

At its front end, there was no human-powered mechanism like that of a typical catapult. Instead, there was a basket filled with a large number of stones.

What puzzled Zhang He even more was that Liu Ye had already ordered the craftsmen to attach a stone bullet weighing a hundred pounds to the end of the object.

He was currently standing more than seven hundred paces away from Ye City… Not to mention catapults, even arrows and crossbows would have difficulty penetrating the distance to Ye City. Yet the Han army had already loaded stone projectiles in this very spot—wasn't this a joke?
"Junyi, this is something I obtained by chance from a merchant from the Western Regions. According to their accent, it should be called a Huihui cannon."

Liu Miao introduced this thing, of course, in preparation for what was to come.

"This cannon can shoot very far, extremely far..."

Zhang He still didn't understand Liu Miao's meaning.

But the next moment, his pupils began to tremble!
A boulder, half a person's height and weighing a hundred kilograms, was instantly hurled high into the air by that thing and hurtled towards Ye City!

"boom!!!"

Even the formidable rammed earth walls of Ye City, after suffering a single blow, were filled with dust, and after the dust settled, a deep crater was visible even from this distance...

"The report is off-target!"

"Wait a minute, I'll go adjust it!"

Liu Ye, who had rolled up his sleeves, smiled and patted Zhang He, who was standing there dumbfounded.

"This thing was already prepared for you in Pengcheng."

"Who knew it would suddenly snow, rendering this thing useless. I originally thought it wouldn't be of any use in this battle, but unexpectedly it came in handy in the end!"

Pengcheng?!

Zhang He's eyes instantly turned horrified.

You mean, you guys are going to throw this hundred-pound boulder into a crowd?

From the emperor down to the officials, can you find a single person with a conscience in your great Han Dynasty?
Seemingly sensing Zhang He's question, Liu Ye simply shrugged.

"There's no other way. Using this will end the war sooner. The sooner the war ends, the fewer civilians will die, right?"

"..."

Zhang He was unable to understand Liu Ye's logic for a long time.

You invented such a terrifying weapon, and then you tell me it's to reduce the number of deaths?
Liu Miao was clearly very satisfied with the effect of the artillery.

"Ziyang! Stop talking! And forget about getting that stuff! Instead of wasting time, build a few dozen of these and smash the walls of Yecheng to pieces!"

Liu Ye was speechless after hearing Liu Miao's words.

This thing isn't so easy to make! Besides, we don't have enough materials!

However, when Liu Ye saw Zhang He's shocked expression, he immediately understood Liu Miao's thoughts and shouted, "Yes, sir!"

"A few dozen vehicles are not enough, Your Majesty! I can procure several hundred vehicles immediately!"

"..."

Liu Miao looked at Liu Ye with a mixture of relief and disdain.

How did my ministers become like this? I wonder who they resemble...

At this moment, Zhang He suddenly felt a jolt!
He then recalled that after the Battle of Mangdang Mountain, the Yuan army's high command analyzed the battle situation, and one of the most crucial points was the tactical innovations brought about by the emergence of new equipment such as double-sided stirrups, high-bridged saddles, scimitars, and heavy arrows!

I thought it was one thing that Liu Miao could create something so powerful to arm cavalry, but who would have thought he would also create such a cannonball?
At the same time, Zhang He's last bit of confidence vanished.

There is no hope.

Regardless of whether Liu Miao had the capability to build dozens or even hundreds of artillery vehicles, he had already proven one thing—

Even now, the exhausted Han army still has the ability to threaten Ye City! To threaten the Great Zhao Emperor hiding inside! To threaten the Great Zhao ministers hiding inside!

Based on this alone, all dignity and integrity would vanish.

Now, the entire city of Ye, the entire Eastern Zhao, and the entire Hebei group are no more than a naked girl in front of Liu Miao, utterly powerless.

Whether it breaks or not, how it breaks or when it breaks, all depend on Liu Miao's mood and state of mind.

The entire Eastern Zhao had been trampled under Liu Miao's feet, and he could take whatever he wanted...

"His Majesty."

Just as Liu Miao was about to fire a second stone, Zhang He finally spoke, his voice trembling.

"Your Majesty, we beg you to withdraw your troops! The entire Zhao state will be eternally grateful!"

This time, Liu Miao finally nodded in satisfaction.

"That's right! When you're asking for a favor, you have to act like one!"

Zhang He still found it hard to accept Liu Miao's almost smug expression.

"What? Not convinced?"

Seeing Zhang He's expression, Liu Miao was not annoyed.

"If I treat you all kindly, wouldn't all those soldiers who fought and died for me have fought in vain? Wouldn't all those soldiers have died for nothing?"

"So don't feel wronged. Compared to those soldiers who have already died in battle, being alive is already a great blessing."

Zhang He finally became obedient, as if the last bit of strength had been drained from his body, and he lowered his head completely...

"First of all, so many people from the Great Han died, you need to give us an explanation."

Liu Miao ordered Lu Su to retrieve the accounts from the military clerk.

"The battles of Mangdang Mountain, Jiaodong, and Pengcheng, as well as the western front. In total, the Han army suffered 16,245 deaths, plus over 67,000 civilians, laborers, officials, and clerks who died in the line of duty or went missing. And then there are the more than 300,000 displaced people from Qingzhou… All these expenses requiring compensation, reimbursement, and other miscellaneous charges add up to 700 million coins." How much???

How much did you say?

Zhang He, who had previously lost all temper, suddenly widened his eyes!

Seven hundred million!
Are you, Liu Miao, insane?
Is there really that much money in the whole world?
"Don't worry."

Liu Miao comforted Zhang He.

"Of course I know that Yuan Shang doesn't have that much money."

"So here's the deal! You have Yuan Shang cede Youzhou to me, and I'll give him a round number of 500 million! The remaining 200 million can be repaid with grain, silk, iron ore, and warhorses, how about that?"

Not so good!!!
Zhang He's heart was screaming! Roaring!

From ancient times to the present, have you ever heard of accounting like this?

"His Majesty!"

Zhang He gritted his teeth and said, "This shouldn't be the way it is!"

"Then how do we calculate it?"

Liu Miao simply shrugged.

"My algorithm is absolutely flawless!"

"For example, if a soldier dies at the age of thirty, and we calculate based on the amount of grain he can grow and cloth he can weave in those twenty years, the final price will be this. All of this money will eventually go to his family. That's all! I haven't even considered the difficulties his family will face after losing this pillar of support. I say with my hand on my heart, this price is already very fair!"

Zhang He said with difficulty, "But from ancient times to the present, there has never been such a discussion!"

Throughout history, these have always been matters between important figures, matters of the state, matters of even greater importance! Where else have we seen someone like Liu Miao who wrote down everyone's names in black and white?
"From ancient times to the present? You've followed someone surnamed Yuan and you still have the nerve to talk about from ancient times to the present? You should first ask your parents if they've been Han Chinese from ancient times to the present?"

Liu Miao held Zhang He in utter contempt!

"I don't care how you regard people, but to me, these people are extremely precious! Moreover, I, the Son of Heaven, was chosen by the people! If I am not responsible for them, then who am I responsible for?"

Liu Miao suddenly remembered something and looked at Zhang He with some surprise.

"Yuan Shang and Shen Pei, do they not intend to provide compensation for the soldiers who died in this battle?"

"Junyi, I'm not trying to criticize you... especially Shen Pei, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat! Can't someone from Hebei treat the people of Hebei any better?"

"..."

Zhang He's eyes were vacant; faced with Liu Miao's conditions, he could only nod weakly.

In any case, it wasn't his decision in the end. The fact that he even came to Liu Miao's camp was already more than enough.

When Zhang He brought the so-called "war reparations" back to Ye City, the Eastern Zhao court was indeed in an uproar!

"It doesn't make sense! It doesn't make sense!"

"Liu Miao is a despicable man! He's utterly unforgiving even when he's in the right!"

"..."

But while many criticized Liu Miao, not a single person said they wanted to beat him up.

That single stone shot during the daytime clearly said far too much.

After discussion, Liu Miao's request was halved, and Zhang He was sent to the Han army camp.

This time.

Before Zhang He returned, the officials of Eastern Zhao already knew the outcome.

Just now, another stone projectile hit the city wall of Yecheng, even shattering a corner tower.

And this time, what was fired were two stone projectiles...

"If all else fails, we'll just agree to Liu Miao's offer!"

"That's right! What if those stones hit our houses in the city?"

"Excellent! Excellent! As long as the land exists, we'll always have enough food, supplies, and money!"

"..."

Zhang He came to Liu Miao for the third time.

This time, Liu Miao was finally somewhat satisfied.

"He won't even give me Youzhou, only Liaoxi and Youbeiping counties. Yuan Shang is really stingy!"

"And you even have to pay for the money and grain in installments? Isn't Hebei a vast and resource-rich region? How come this money and grain is causing you so much trouble?"

"..."

Liu Miao criticized each and every clause, and finally reluctantly allowed Lu Su to write the clauses. Then, under Zhang He's terrified gaze, he heavily pressed the Imperial Seal, which he had been playing with for half a day, onto it.

"From this day forward, the two commanderies of Youbeiping and Liaoxi shall be under the rule of Liu Bei, the King of Yan of the Great Han Dynasty. No one other than the people of the Great Han Dynasty shall be allowed to enter."

“Yuan Shang will compensate the Han Dynasty with 200 million copper coins, 50,000 gold coins, 10,000 bolts of silk, 10,000 warhorses, and 8,000 oxen, to be paid in installments.”

Two copies were made. Liu Miao kept one for himself and gave the other to Zhang He to take back.

"Junyi, in addition, I also want to take someone away from Hebei."

Faced with Liu Miao's increasingly audacious demands, Zhang He had completely lost the will to resist, and simply stared blankly at Liu Miao: "Whom does Your Majesty wish to take?"

"you!"

Life gradually came to life in Zhang He's dead fish eyes!

(End of this chapter)