sjar Chapter 1296 Liu Bei Declares Himself King to Extend the Han Dynasty
Chapter 1296 Liu Bei Declares Himself King to Extend the Han Dynasty
The flickering candlelight inside the tent illuminated the varied expressions on everyone's faces. Liu Bei gazed at the earnest faces below, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the jade tablet on the table. After a long silence, he finally sighed, "How could I not know your intentions? But… the matter of becoming emperor concerns the opinions of the world, and even more so, the last vestige of dignity for the Han dynasty…"
Before he could finish speaking, Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan and slowly walked out of the crowd. His gaze swept over the generals in the tent, finally landing on Liu Bei's face, and his voice was as steady as a bell: "My lord, I have something to say to you."
Liu Bei nodded: "Please speak, strategist."
"Does my lord know that the people of the Central Plains today, though they still remember the Han Dynasty, have largely forgotten what 'Han' even means?" Zhuge Liang's voice was not loud, but every word was clear. "In the eyes of the world, the Han Dynasty is already a candle in the wind. If it weren't for my lord raising the banner of righteousness, I'm afraid even the word 'Han' would have been forgotten by the world."
He paused, then pointed his feather fan out of the tent: "What the generals just said was not an act of usurpation, but rather a matter of preservation. If our lord continues to command the world under the title of 'Governor of Jingzhou,' the lords will surely laugh at our lord for being bound by trivial matters, and the people will find it difficult to understand our lord's ambition to 'revive the Han.' It would be better to advance to the title of 'King of Han,' which is not an imperial title, but it inherits the Han dynasty; it does not violate ancestral rules, but it can unite the people's hearts."
The tent was silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on Zhuge Liang.
"Emperor Gaozu rose from Pei, first becoming the King of Han, and only then did the Han Dynasty last for four hundred years," Zhuge Liang continued, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. "Your Excellency's actions are not a matter of forgetting your roots, but rather a continuation of the past and a bridge to the future. The title of 'King of Han' can comfort the spirits of Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu above, and demonstrate to the world that 'the Han Dynasty has not perished.' Why not do it?"
Upon hearing this, Guan Yu stepped forward, sword in hand: "The strategist is absolutely right! Brother, if we can restore the Han Dynasty, what harm is there in temporarily being called the King of Han? It's not too late to restore the throne after we've wiped out the traitor Cao!"
Zhang Fei echoed gruffly, "That's right! I, Old Zhang, don't care about any title. As long as I can follow my brother to kill the traitors and restore the Han Dynasty, I don't care what I'm called!"
Zhao Yun stood with his spear at the ready and said in a deep voice, "My lord, the strategist's opinion is excellent. Now that the country is in peril, we should prioritize righteousness over empty fame."
Looking into Zhuge Liang's resolute gaze and then at the excited soldiers in the tent, Liu Bei's firm resolve began to crumble.
"Enough..." Liu Bei finally closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was no hesitation in his eyes. "Then, in accordance with the wishes of the strategist and everyone else, I will be promoted to King of Han."
"Our lord is wise!"
A deafening cheer erupted inside the tent. The soldiers kowtowed, and the sounds of clashing armor and cheers mingled together, almost lifting the tent roof off.
As Zhuge Liang gazed at the rekindled light in Liu Bei's eyes, he gently waved his feather fan, a relieved smile playing on his lips. He knew that this step was not only to unite the people, but also to raise an unyielding Han banner for the bewildered people of the world.
Morning light streamed through the gaps in the tent curtains, falling upon Liu Bei and bathing him in a golden glow. At this moment, he was no longer the exile who had spent half his life wandering, but the King of Han who was about to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Han Dynasty.
Three days later, a three-zhang-high platform was built outside Xiangyang City. On the rammed earth platform, a scarlet Han flag was erected, fluttering in the wind.
Liu Bei, dressed in a black royal robe, was helped up to the high platform by Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu on either side. He stood on the edge of the platform, looking down at the dark mass of soldiers and civilians below. His gaze swept over the familiar and unfamiliar faces—there were old soldiers who had followed him through half his life, newly surrendered gentry from Jingzhou, and commoners who had come to watch the ceremony carrying hoes. Everyone's face was solemn.
"Fellow countrymen, comrades!" Liu Bei's voice carried on the wind into the distance, hoarse from years of battle, yet each word resounding, "Since Dong Zhuo's usurpation of power, the world has fallen apart, and the Han dynasty has collapsed... We have wandered and fought across thousands of miles, seeking nothing more than 'survival'!"
He raised his hand to his chest and bowed deeply towards Chang'an in the west: "Today, I am promoted to King of Han, not for personal gain, but for the preservation of the Han dynasty!" As soon as he finished speaking, the historian behind him loudly read the proclamation, his voice piercing through the crowd:
"...Yuan Shang usurped the throne, falsely proclaimed himself Emperor of Ji, arbitrarily changed the name of the state, and slaughtered loyal officials. Now, I have received the mandate of Heaven and ascended to the throne of King of Han. I vow to sweep away the evil influence and restore the territory of my great Han! Wherever this proclamation is sent, I hope that all the lords of the world will unite in hatred against the false emperor and restore our bright and clear world!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the audience: "Together we overthrow the false emperor! Restore our great Han!"
After the ceremony, Liu Bei descended from the high platform and began to reward those who had rendered meritorious service in the tent. Zhuge Liang was promoted to Military Advisor General, Guan Yu was appointed General of the Vanguard, Zhang Fei was appointed General of the Right, Zhao Yun was appointed General of the Auxiliary Army... As the decrees of appointment and reward were read out one by one, the tent was filled with joy, yet also with an unwavering determination.
"Pass on my order," Liu Bei said, looking at Zhuge Liang with eyes as sharp as an eagle, "spread this proclamation throughout all the provinces. All those who are willing to raise the banner of righteousness to punish the rebels will be allies of my Great Han. Anyone who joins the rebellion will be an enemy of the world, and I will personally lead a large army to punish them!"
Zhuge Liang cupped his hands in agreement: "Your subject will make the arrangements immediately."
The wind whipped the ink of the proclamation, quickly spreading it in all directions. On the walls of Xiangyang, the newly erected banner bearing the character "Han" stood side-by-side with the banner of the King of Han, gleaming in the sunlight. Everyone knew that on the banks of the Han River, Liu Bei, who had suffered repeated defeats, had finally raised the banner of restoration in the name of the King of Han, his sword pointed at the false emperor Yuan Shang. A new storm was brewing.
In the grand hall of Jianye, Jiangdong, eleven-year-old Sun Shao, dressed in a brocade robe, though still somewhat childish, already displayed a youthful spirit. He clutched the imperial edict bearing the seal of "King of Wu," his brow furrowed, and turned to Zhou Yu beside him: "Uncle, who is this Yuan Shang? I was clearly appointed Marquis of Wu by Uncle Ma; on what grounds does he appoint me King of Wu?"
Zhou Yu, dressed in plain court robes, waved a feather fan, his smile gentle yet sharp: "It's nothing but a farce by a clown. Yuan Shang, having seized the north, dares to presume to be arrogant and command the world; it's laughable." His gaze swept over the envoy holding the imperial edict, his tone turning cold, "Guards, throw this rude person out! Don't defile the hall!"
Upon hearing this, Sun Shao immediately grabbed the "King of Wu" seal from the table and slammed it down at the envoy's feet, shouting, "Get out! In Jiangdong, we have always only recognized the orders of my uncle Ma Chao. When did it become the place for the Yuan family to point fingers?" The seal landed with a dull thud, frightening the envoy so much that his face turned pale.
The envoy was dragged out by the guards, his heart filled with shock. Jiangdong was clearly the Sun family's territory, so how could this young lord and Zhou Yu claim that Ma Chao of Xiliang was their superior? Was the rumored independence of Jiangdong actually a vassal state of Xiliang? He dared not ask any more questions and was staggered as he was pushed out of the hall.
Inside the hall, Zhou Yu leaned down and smiled at Sun Shao, saying, "Young Master, don't be angry. Such a trivial matter is not worth getting upset about. However, we should send someone to ask your uncle about Yuan Shang's intention to become emperor. If he intends to ascend the throne, Jiangdong will immediately respond and surrender the entire territory, so that the world can be settled as soon as possible."
Sun Shao's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands, saying, "Does that mean I'll get to see Brother Ma Yue? We made a promise that when he becomes king, I'll become his general!"
Zhou Yu affectionately ruffled his hair, feeling both helpless and amused: "You, wouldn't it be better to be the Marquis of Wu? Why do you insist on becoming a general?"
“That’s different!” Sun Shao laughed, looking up. “Brother Ma Yue and I made a promise long ago. A man’s word is his bond. How could I go back on my word?”
Sunlight streamed through the palace windows, illuminating the young man's bright face and Zhou Yu's smiling eyes. The winds of change in Jiangdong had already subtly shifted with the banners of Xiliang, and a greater storm was slowly unfolding across the land, depending on the choices made by all sides.
In the warm pavilion of the Ji Dynasty's palace, Yuan Shang clutched the proclamations sent from various regions, his knuckles turning white from the force. Those lords who he had once thought would submit at the mere sight of him now all raised the banner of "punishing the rebels," and every word in the proclamations felt like a needle piercing his heart.
"A bunch of scoundrels!" He slammed the proclamation to the ground, his dragon robe sleeve sweeping over the teacups on the table. "I am the chosen one by Heaven, yet they dare to defy the imperial decree and even dare to speak of war?"
Feng Ji quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. The various lords in the four directions are now harboring their own ambitions. They are merely taking advantage of the fact that the new dynasty has just been established to launch an attack. The most urgent task is to strengthen the border defenses. As long as we hold the foundation in Hebei, it will not be too late to send troops to wipe them out when their troops are exhausted."
Xu You echoed, "What you say is absolutely right, Lord Feng. Yan Liang and Wen Chou have already made proper preparations in Youzhou, Zhang He and Gao Lan are guarding Yanzhou, and Gao Gan and Chunyu Qiong are stationed in Qingzhou. As long as they are ordered to hold the passes and not engage in open battle with the enemy, the enemy will find it difficult to cross the line."
Wang Yun held the newly drafted defense edict and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the edict has been drafted. It only needs to be stamped with the imperial seal before it can be sent to the various prefectures."
Yuan Shang's chest heaved violently. Gazing at the gloomy sky outside the window, he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Issue my decree: the garrison troops of each prefecture must not slacken their duties. Anyone who loses a city shall be executed!"
Meanwhile, in the Xuzhou inn, candlelight flickered, illuminating three men, each lost in their own thoughts. Tian Feng and Ju Shou, grateful to Cao Ang for saving their lives, though not having pledged allegiance to him, resided there. They answered Cao Ang's questions daily, offering guidance and resolving his doubts. Furthermore, later, when Yuan Shang attacked Yuan Tan, Yuan Tan, defeated, had no choice but to seek refuge with Cao Ang, his former adversary. Cao Ang, disregarding past grievances, accepted him. Thus, all three remained in the Xuzhou inn.
Holding his wine glass, Tian Feng gazed at the deep night outside the window and suddenly sighed with regret: "That Yuan Shang is utterly foolish! He hastily declared himself emperor as soon as he had stabilized the situation, and now he has become the target of everyone's criticism. Isn't he pushing Lord Yuan's life's work into a fire pit?"
Ju Shou's face was ashen, and his hand holding the wine cup trembled slightly: "Xu You and Feng Ji are nothing but sycophants seeking personal gain. They have no strategic acumen whatsoever. It's hateful that our lord trusted them back then, and now Yuan Shang has been bewitched by them to the point of being arrogant and ignorant. I'm afraid the foundation of Hebei will truly be ruined in his hands!"
Sitting opposite him, Yuan Tan suddenly sneered, picked up his wine cup and downed it in one gulp, the wine dripping down his chin: "Do you two gentlemen still care about that legacy? In my opinion, if it's ruined, so be it!" He slammed the wine cup on the table, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "My father was blind back then, favoring this young brat; Yuan Shang has no other skills, but he's good at internal strife! Now he's the target of everyone's anger, and I'd like to see how he manages to hold Hebei!"
"Haha..." He burst into laughter, but his laughter was filled with sorrow. In the end, tears streamed down his cheeks. "But that was ultimately the Yuan family's legacy..."
Tian Feng and Ju Shou looked at the desolation on his face and remained silent for a moment. The three of them raised their cups, but the wine tasted bitter as it went down their throats. The wind outside the window howled through the eaves of the post station, as if playing a lament for the Yuan family, who had once dominated Hebei.