A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

"Does the General mean that the Crown Prince is unworthy to be your ruler?"

Liu Bang slammed the wine cup in his hand to the ground, his blurry but sharp eyes shooting towards Han Xin.

Han Xin saw endless killing intent in those eyes.

"Your Majesty has shown me great favor, promoting me from a lowly soldier to a great general. Your kindness is akin to giving me a second life."

"If the Crown Prince ascends the throne and becomes emperor, I will repay him with my life."

Han Xin's words relieved Liu Bang.

This is the only general who can counterbalance Wei Ping. He may not be a match for Wei Ping in military strategy, but in reality, he has many generals assisting him, which is enough to counter Wei Ping.

As long as Han Xin acknowledges this relationship of ruler and subject, then he can put aside his dissatisfaction with Han Xin and tolerate him continuing to live.

"General Han, remember what you said today."

"Zi'an, you will be our witness."

Wei Ping came out from behind and bowed.

Han Xin looked at Wei Ping, a fighting spirit emanating from him.

He has recently started studying military strategy books, hoping to make further progress and defeat Wei Ping.

After Han Xin left, Lü Zhi was summoned by Liu Bang.

Wei Ping remained hidden behind the room.

"My time is almost up, but I worry that Ying'er won't be able to keep those arrogant and unruly soldiers in check. Empress, do you have any suggestions?"

Liu Bang pretended to be on his deathbed, forcing himself to stay upright, and looked at Liu Ying and Lü Zhi with a worried expression.

Empress Lü Zhi wore a sorrowful expression, but secretly rejoiced.

He quickly comforted Liu Bang.

Liu Bang coughed a few times, closed his eyes, and spoke in a weak and feeble voice, successfully deceiving Lü Zhi.

"Your Majesty, the officials in the court, relying on their birth in Pei County and their experience in fighting in the south and north, often look down on the Crown Prince."

"If the crown prince ascends the throne, he will surely disobey the imperial edict and may even raise the banner of rebellion. We must be on guard."

Liu Bang nodded slightly and hummed in response.

Empress Lü Zhi became increasingly convinced that Liu Bang's health was failing, so she wanted to take this opportunity to promote the official positions and titles of her brothers, sisters, and nephews in preparation for taking control of the court in the future.

"The only people you can truly trust in the world are your own family."

"Since they are family members and the Lü family, who do not have the surname Liu and therefore pose no threat to Ying'er's throne, they can be a good counterbalance to these outsiders."

Empress Lü stopped there. She couldn't say how suspicious Liu Bang might be, given that he was nearing the end of his life. She offered her advice, but the decision was up to Liu Bang.

"Yes, I understand. You may leave now."

"promise."

Empress Lü Zhi walked out of the palace, her heart filled with excitement, and issued a series of orders from the palace.

In Chang Le Palace.

Liu Bang looked at the crown prince with a kind expression. "What did you see?"

"My uncles and elders would not do such a thing, Father. Mother, are you perhaps worrying too much?"

Liu Ying was born when Liu Bang was still the head of the Sishui Pavilion. He was raised by many meritorious officials who were always close to him.

He didn't believe these people would rebel against him.

Liu Bang scoffed, "Are kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born with a special destiny?"

"You can know a person's face but not their heart."

"Your mother is right about that, but she also had her own selfish motives."

"She wants me to promote someone from the Lü family."

"To check and balance the court officials, how much power would be enough for the Lü family?"

"The founding heroes need to be worried about, but the Lü family doesn't?"

"Father, Mother would never harm me."

Liu Ying shook her head.

"Of course she wouldn't. There's no such thing as a nephew who would offer sacrifices to his aunt; there are only sons who would offer sacrifices to their mothers."

"But she will definitely promote many members of the Lü family. Once they are in high positions, it's hard to say whether the Lü family will have any ulterior motives."

"That's an insatiable wolf; it will kill its master one day."

Wei Ping came in after seeing Lü Zhi leave.

"There's no need to call Zhou Bo and the others; compared to these few, they're no threat at all."

Liu Bang took out two scrolls of imperial edicts from under his pillow and handed them to Wei Ping.

"I have already made a record of these two imperial edicts at the Ministry of Personnel. They are imperial edicts that have been officially stamped through the proper procedures."

One letter was to denounce Han Xin, and the other was to denounce the Lü clan.

"If they really have bad intentions, then kill them!"

"I obey your decree."

Wei Ping took the imperial edict, placed it close to his body, and turned to leave Chang Le Palace.

After turning around, Wei Ping's expression became as calm as still water; he knew he had no reason to use those two imperial edicts.

There's definitely a trap!

Of course there are pitfalls.

"These two imperial edicts were not registered with the Ministry of Personnel. If he actually used them, it would be a powerful weapon to destroy him. Falsely issuing imperial edicts to execute Marquis Che and the Empress's entire clan is a capital offense punishable by confiscation of their property and extermination of their families!"

"You'll be able to control him and make him work for you."

"After all, back then, if you said the imperial edict was real, it was real; if you said it was fake, it was fake!"

"Wei Ping's life or death is in your hands."

Liu Bang told Liu Ying his plan, "Not only does Wei Ping have an imperial edict, but your mother and Han Xin also have two imperial edicts, which are for punishing the other two people."

"Since it was not recorded in the Ministry of Personnel, procedurally speaking, this is a fake imperial edict."

Liu Ying nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

Liu Bang lay on the bed and dismissed Liu Ying, resting alone there.

The following day, Liu Bang summoned Wei Ping to the palace again.

At the same time, he summoned all the feudal lords, marquises, and high-ranking officials of the country to the capital.

Wei Ping understood that the last major event Liu Bang would undertake before his death was about to begin.

The White Horse Alliance.

On this day, heavy snow fell, and the magnificent Weiyang Palace was covered in a white cotton coat, becoming a silver-clad wonderland.

In Chang Le Palace, Liu Bang, along with the Crown Prince, the princes, the Marquis of Che, the Marquis of Guannei, the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, gathered together. Liu Bang held the Chixiao Sword, and on the table was a scroll of covenant written on bamboo slips from Yunmeng.

Above the main hall, a five-colored altar stands tall.

A white horse nearby snorted.

Looking at his kings, nobles, generals, and ministers, Liu Bang said, "I am dying, but the crown prince is still young."

"You are all veterans who followed me in conquering this land. Would you submit to a mere child?"

A large group of people knelt down, all claiming to be loyal and determined to assist the crown prince.

Liu Bang scoffed, "That sounds nice."

When the First Emperor was alive, the world was full of loyal ministers and filial sons.

After the death of Emperor Zulong, even Zhao Gao, a scoundrel, and Li Si, a loyal minister, began to harbor ulterior motives.

Moreover, these arrogant and fierce soldiers.

"Enough, enough. We've worked together as brothers, I don't want to be so heartless."

Liu Bang walked to the side of the altar and beheaded the white horse with a single sword stroke.

The waiter placed the white horse's head on the altar and poured a cup of wine for everyone present.

"Today we swear an oath here by sacrificing a white horse. Those who are not of the Liu family and are not appointed kings by the emperor, and those who are not appointed marquises by the emperor and have no merit, shall be attacked and killed by the whole world."

No one who is not of Liu rank can be king; no one who has not rendered meritorious service can be marquis.

Everyone sighed in resentment. Liu Bang's face was incredibly old, but no one dared to underestimate him.

They knew this was an ultimatum.

Those who do not swear an oath will die.

Liu Bang wanted to clear the obstacles for Liu Ying.

Their descendants will eventually be granted the title of Marquis Che.

There were no more feudal lords of different surnames.

Led by Wei Ping and Xiao He, everyone drank the wine in their cups.

Then Liu Ying stepped forward, bowed to the crowd, and the officials returned the bow.

The roles of ruler and subject have been established.