The Three Kingdoms: The Oath of the Peach Garden, the Rise of the Han Dynasty

The guards, drenched in sweat but with barely suppressed joy on their faces, shouted breathlessly:

"My lord! Strategist! Someone from the palace has arrived! His Majesty has decreed that you be granted a grand three-courtyard mansion in the west of Luoyang!"

The messenger has arrived outside the camp gate; it's the same eunuch who delivered the decree to Youzhou before!

"A house bestowed upon him?"

Liu Bei was startled, his face first showing surprise, then turning into an undisguised worry.

Granting them residences in Luoyang meant that the emperor preferred them to stay in the capital rather than be sent to serve as officials in other places!

This may seem like a favor, but in reality it has trapped them at the center of this power vortex!

He was willing to serve his country, but he didn't want to waste his time in Luoyang!

"Brother, let's go receive the imperial decree." Li Chang patted Liu Bei on the shoulder.

The four hurried back to the camp and, sure enough, saw the young eunuch standing in front of the camp gate, holding a piece of specially made black silk cloth in his hands.

Upon seeing Liu Bei and his entourage arrive, the eunuch hurriedly went to greet them, his attitude much more respectful than when they were in Youzhou.

"Liu Zhonglang, congratulations! His Majesty, remembering your merit in suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion, has specially bestowed upon you a residence so that you and your soldiers may have a place to settle down in Luoyang."

"I'd like to trouble the angel to make this trip."

Liu Bei bowed to receive the imperial decree and ordered someone to bring the reward money and hand it to the eunuch.

The eunuch accepted the reward money, his smile widening, and whispered:

"Don't worry, Lord Liu, I've put in a lot of good words for you before His Majesty. His Majesty has a very deep impression of you and Military Advisor Li."

After receiving the imperial decree, the group led the eunuch to the new residence in the south of the city.

Although the mansion was not the most luxurious, it was still decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, and had all the necessary pavilions and towers, enough to accommodate Liu Bei and his brothers.

While Liu Bei was showing Guan Yu and Zhao Yun around the mansion, they took advantage of the moment.

Li Chang quietly pulled the eunuch aside and stuffed a heavy money bag and a wooden box wrapped tightly in oilcloth into his hands.

"Angel, this is just a small token of my appreciation," Li Chang said openly and honestly.

"There are a few more things here that I would like to ask you to personally deliver to His Majesty. They are just some inexpensive trinkets, but I hope they will make His Majesty happy."

The eunuch weighed the gold in the money bag, then looked at the wooden box in his hand, and hesitated.

"Military Advisor Li, this... isn't this against the rules? If Zhang Changshi and the others find out, we can't afford the consequences."

"Rest assured, Angel," Li Chang smiled. "His Majesty will surely appreciate these things. I will reward you handsomely afterward. Besides, isn't your help to me, Angel, also helping His Majesty relieve his boredom?"

Huang gritted his teeth, but ultimately couldn't resist the temptation of gold and nodded:

"Alright! I'll help you this time. Don't worry, I'll personally deliver the goods to His Majesty."

After seeing Huangmen off, Liu Bei and his two companions returned from touring the residence.

Seeing Li Chang standing in the courtyard, Liu Bei asked, "Fourth brother, what did you give that angel just now? You were being so secretive."

"It's nothing," Li Chang waved his hand, looking innocent. "Just some local specialties from my hometown. I asked the angel to bring them to His Majesty for his appreciation."

Guan Yu frowned: "Fourth brother, we have done nothing wrong, why should we resort to these bribery schemes?"

"Second Brother, this isn't a bribe," Li Chang sighed. "It's a life-saving measure. You all know what kind of person His Majesty is. Rather than having him keep an eye on us, it's better to get him to focus his attention elsewhere."

Besides, how can presenting gifts to His Majesty be considered bribery?

Zhang Fei scratched his head, looking bewildered: "Ah! Isn't this bribery? But, elsewhere? Where else could His Majesty not notice us?"

Li Chang smiled without saying a word, but simply looked up in the direction of the palace.

There are many things more important than them, such as... unimaginable happiness!

……

The Imperial Palace, a side hall of the Deyang Hall.

Liu Hong was leaning back on the dragon throne, looking utterly bored.

He watched the palace maids dance, but his face showed little interest. He had seen these dances hundreds of times and was already tired of them.

"Your Majesty, the eunuch has an important matter to discuss. He says that Liu Bei's fourth brother has requested him to present a treasure to Your Majesty."

Zhang Rang bowed and said, his tone tinged with disdain.

In his view, Liu Bei was just a member of a fallen imperial clan, and he only became popular because he caught the emperor's eye. What good things could he possibly offer?

"Liu Bei?" Liu Hong raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. "Let him in."

The young eunuch walked in carrying a wooden box, and was about to speak when Zhang Rang snatched it away first:

"What is this? Let me see it first. If you dare to try to fool His Majesty with some junk, you'll regret it!"

The eunuch dared not resist and could only watch helplessly as Zhang Rang opened the wooden box.

The wooden box contained no gold or silver jewelry, only a thick stack of Xuan paper covered with various patterns and characters.

Zhang Rang casually picked up a card, glanced at it, and his previously indifferent gaze instantly froze, then burst forth with an astonishing light!

"hiss!!!"

He flipped through the pages one by one, his hands began to tremble, and his breathing became rapid!

If he had that thing, he would have already caused a blizzard!

"Good stuff! Really good stuff!" Zhang Rang muttered to himself, his face filled with ecstatic joy.

His Majesty would definitely like this!

He suddenly pushed open the small eunuch door, rushed to Liu Hong with the wooden box in his hands, and said as if presenting a treasure:

"Your Majesty! What a joyous occasion! This item presented by Liu Bei's fourth brother, Li Chang, is truly a priceless treasure!"

"Oh?" Liu Hong asked, somewhat incredulous. "What could possibly excite you like that?"

"Is he some kind of fraudulent immortality elixir, a Taoist priest?"

He took the Xuan paper, glanced at it, and instantly sat bolt upright, his eyes bulging as he gasped.

"Hiss! What kind of genius could come up with something like this?!"

On the Xuan paper, the first half is a rough palace design drawing, with pavilions, terraces, waterside pavilions, and winding corridors, which is quite normal!

But below that is the Fruit and Vegetable Pavilion! And the Fragrant Canal!

The details are so vividly depicted!

"Wonderful!" Liu Hong couldn't help but exclaim.

He had similar thoughts before, but he never expected that someone else would think the same way!

Turning to the second half made his blood boil even more!

All sorts of novel dance moves, like the "Six Great Rocks" and "Six Great Crosses"! And some dance troupes' carefully selected moves!

After seeing so many ordinary dances, watching this kind of direct dance, paired with those novel costumes, really has a unique flavor!

Liu Hong, merely imagining it in his mind, exclaimed again, "This Li Chang is truly... incredibly learned!"

There are also sketches of beautiful women dressed in distinctive outfits playing beach volleyball and rugby.

There are even role-playing scripts, ranging from fairies descending to earth to chivalrous women of the martial arts world, talented generals, and time-stopping scenes—a wide variety of genres and styles!

"A lecherous devil! Absolutely a lecherous devil!" Liu Hong slapped his thigh, so excited he was incoherent. "But... I love it! I love it so much!"

"Did Li Chang really write this?" Liu Hong began to doubt. He just couldn't reconcile the image of a seemingly ethereal and otherworldly Taoist priest with these things!

"Your Majesty, this was indeed painted by Li Chang, a Taoist priest under Liu Bei," Zhang Rang confirmed.

"Li Chang? Is he really that Taoist priest who could fight Zhang Jiao?" Liu Hong was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"I thought he was some kind of enlightened master, but it turns out he's just another one of us!"

What kind of Taoist sect is this? It seems to me to be a den of iniquity! The master who could produce a disciple like him doesn't look like a proper Taoist priest either!

However… I like people like that!

He was initially somewhat wary of Li Chang, after all, someone who could fight Zhang Jiao was always mysterious and unpredictable when you thought about it carefully.

But now, seeing these things, that bit of apprehension vanished instantly, leaving only a feeling of great goodwill.

People who know how to have fun are much more pleasing to the eye than those stern-faced "loyal ministers"!