Chapter 26: Panic

Xi Zheng was stunned by these words; the ceremonial tablet in his hand nearly slipped from his grasp. He looked up at Liu Shan, only to find the Emperor still reclining lazily on his couch, yet his eyes were far clearer than usual, possessing a sharp, piercing quality he had never seen before.

"Your Majesty!" Xi Zheng’s throat bobbed. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he lowered his voice instinctively and asked, "What do you mean by this?"

Liu Shan toyed with a jade ruyi scepter, a profound smile playing on his lips. "Since the Prince of Beidi dared to forge an imperial decree, he must have his reasons. Now that he holds command over a vast army and has won victory after victory, if I were to hold him accountable now, would I not be forcing him into rebellion?"

The candlelight in the hall flickered, casting long shadows of Liu Shan. Only then did Xi Zheng notice that beneath the Emperor’s seemingly bloated frame lay the political wisdom honed by decades of imperial rule.

"But if that is the case, what becomes of the court's authority?" Xi Zheng persisted, unwilling to let it go.

"Authority?" Liu Shan chuckled softly. His gaze suddenly sharpened, and he spoke languidly, "Does Minister Xi truly believe I have been confused all these years? Do I not know of Huang Hao’s monopolization of power? Am I unaware of Qiao Zhou’s advocacy for surrender?"

Xi Zheng shuddered, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.

Only now did he truly see the Emperor of Shu Han before him. No wonder that after Zhuge Liang’s death, Liu Shan had managed to hold the court together for thirty years—how could such an emperor be a fool?

"I understand better than anyone." Liu Shan’s voice sank, and he sighed, "After the Prime Minister passed, Shu Han became weak, beset by internal factionalism and surrounded by powerful enemies. Had I been rigid in every matter, this empire would have fallen into others' hands long ago."

He did not finish his sentence, but Xi Zheng understood. This sovereign, mocked by the world as "the incompetent A-dou," had been using his own "stupidity" to maintain the delicate balance of Shu Han.

Into whose hands would it have fallen? Perhaps outsiders, or perhaps the Zhuge clan?

"And what of the Prince of Beidi?"

"Since he wishes to be a hero, I shall grant him his wish." Liu Shan leaned back against the couch, his tone reverting to its usual lethargy. "Draft the decree. Let him continue to fight. If he wins, it is because I know how to employ talent; if he loses, could the situation be any worse than it was before?"

Liu Shan stopped, but Xi Zheng was already drenched in cold sweat. He suddenly realized that in this game of power, the seemingly dim-witted Emperor was the true master player. The Prince of Beidi’s forged decree, Zhuge Zhan’s military authority, and even Huang Hao’s slanders were all within the Emperor’s calculations.

"This old servant understands." Xi Zheng bowed deeply and hurriedly drafted the imperial decree. After Liu Shan affixed the imperial seal, he retreated from the hall, though his footsteps were somewhat unsteady.

When Qiao Zhou returned to his residence, the sky had turned completely dark. The estate was silent, save for a dim light in the study. He pushed the door open to find several colleagues waiting for him. Seeing Qiao Zhou’s somber expression, they rose to offer their salutes.

"My Lord, is there any news from the palace?" one colleague asked in a low voice.

Qiao Zhou sneered, slamming his teacup onto the table so hard that tea splashed onto his sleeves, though he did not seem to notice.

"Liu Shan is a fool, the Crown Prince is spineless; they have turned a blind eye to Liu Chen’s act of usurpation!" he said through gritted teeth. "Now that Liu Chen holds a massive army and has achieved such great merit, if he returns in triumph, will there be any room left for us in the court of Shu Han?"

The colleagues exchanged glances. One ventured, "My Lord, perhaps we should..."

"Shut up! This matter is of great consequence; we must not act rashly." Qiao Zhou interrupted sharply, his gaze sweeping over them like a blade. He huffed, "It is a fact that Liu Chen seized power through a forged decree, and it is a fact that Huang Sui is dead. That eunuch Huang Hao is likely more anxious than we are right now."

The others nodded in agreement.

That man Huang Hao was a madman; in the court, no one who provoked him ever met a good end.

Qiao Zhou stroked his beard and sighed, "The urgent priority is the situation at Jian Ge. Zhong Hui may not yet know of this news. With the Prince of Beidi seizing Wudu, he can easily enter Yongzhou, capture Yangping Pass, and retake Hanzhong. Zhong Hui has not left many troops in Hanzhong!"

It was not just Hanzhong; the 160,000-strong army led by Zhong Hui, Deng Ai, and Zhuge Xu consisted of troops from Yongzhou and Liangzhou. At this moment, Hanzhong, Guanzhong, Longxi, and Liangzhou were all left defenseless.

Zhong Hui had poured out his entire strength. Once he was defeated, the situation of the world would change instantly. Liu Chen could potentially lead over a hundred thousand troops to sweep across Guanzhong and conquer Yongzhou and Liangzhou.

That would be the true tripartite division of the world. And for Shu Han to secure final victory, it would become even more dependent on Bashu, which would inevitably further undermine the interests of the Shu faction led by Qiao Zhou.

The current population of Shu Han was around nine hundred thousand, while its officials and soldiers totaled one hundred and forty thousand. This meant one soldier had to be supported by every seven people—the pressure was too great, and this was not what the Shu faction wanted to see.

This was one of the reasons why the Shu literati, led by Qiao Zhou, wanted to submit to the Wei state.

The men nodded, their faces filled with bitterness.

Just as the fate of the world seemed settled, a Liu Chen had emerged out of nowhere, once again extending the life of Shu Han.

"Can the glorious Han truly be restored for a third time?"

Qiao Zhou looked at the starry sky outside the window, a trace of doubt clouding his face.

Meanwhile, chaos reigned within Huang Hao’s residence.

"Fools! A bunch of fools!" Huang Hao’s shrill voice echoed through the hall. He overturned the desk, scattering bamboo slips and ink across the floor. Several young eunuchs knelt on the ground, trembling.

"Godfather, please calm your anger!" Li Shun said, hardening his resolve to offer advice. "The most urgent matter now is to distance ourselves from Deng Ai. If Liu Chen returns to court and investigates, Godfather will be in grave danger."

Huang Hao turned abruptly, grabbing Li Shun by the collar, his eyes bloodshot. He reprimanded him, "Do you think I don't know that? But those letters, those witnesses—they cannot be cast aside with mere words!"

He let go and stumbled back two steps, muttering, "That brat Liu Chen... to think he has such methods!"

He suddenly raised his head and commanded sharply, "Pass the order: anyone who has had contact with Deng Ai is to be executed! Burn every single letter! Leave no one behind!"

Li Shun’s face turned pale, and he said tremblingly, "Godfather, many of those people are confidants of court officials. If we act rashly, I fear it will invite criticism!"

Huang Hao gave a sinister laugh. "Criticism? By the time Liu Chen returns, our heads will be gone—what does criticism matter then? Go! I want to see the results before dawn!"

He waved his hand as if shooing away flies.

Li Shun dared not speak further and hurried away to make arrangements.

That very night, Huang Hao’s minions took advantage of the darkness to break into several residences, arresting all the officials and merchants who had once had dealings with Deng Ai.

Cries of agony rang out one after another in the dark of the night, and the firelight reddened half the sky. Some quick-witted individuals had already fled, but many others were decapitated before they could even react.