Mi Han

Chapter 690: The Western Expedition Has Been Decided, So I Can Head East

Chapter 690: The Western Expedition Has Been Decided, So I Can Head East

Even though he noticed that Liu Feng's eyes were dangerous, the King of Cheshi did not dare to move for a moment when he saw the man in front of him who was wearing the clothes of a senior Han army general.

The first thought that came to the mind of the King of Cheshi was that perhaps the noise just now was too loud, which attracted the Han army general in front of him.

Judging from the small number of people behind this Han army general, it seems that the only one who accidentally discovered his actions was the general in front of him.

After realizing this, the King of Cheshi immediately had two options in mind.

The first option was that he wanted to try to bribe the Han general in front of him with gold and silver.

Is there any cat in the world that doesn’t steal fish?

The second option is also very simple. If the Han general in front of him does not accept his money, he will simply surrender and give up tonight's action.

As long as there was no open conflict with the Han army, even if Mi Yang knew about what happened tonight, the King of Cheshi felt that he would always be able to find a reason to deal with it afterwards.

After all, according to the records of our ancestors, the Han people have always cared about face.

Therefore, as long as he kneels quickly and thoroughly enough, the Han people will probably forgive his mistakes.

With these two plans in mind, the King of Cheshi first signaled the Western Region guards behind him to put down their weapons, and then he walked towards Liu Feng with a smile on his face.

The King of Cheshi believed that his actions were enough to make Liu Feng let down his guard.

The King of Cheshi was right. There are very few cats in the world who don't steal fish, and Liu Feng is not one of them.

But what the King of Cheshi did not expect was that what Liu Feng wanted was not gold, silver or jewelry, but power.

In order to make his ambitions come true, Liu Feng had already sentenced the King of Cheshi to death early on.

Just as the King of Cheshi came within three steps of Liu Feng and was about to speak, a look of horror suddenly appeared on his face.

Because he saw Liu Feng waving the steel knife in his hand without hesitation and chopping towards his neck.

The close distance allowed the King of Cheshi to clearly see every move of Liu Feng, but years of a life of luxury made the fat and broad-bodied King of Cheshi unable to avoid Liu Feng's fatal blow.

A moment later, with the appearance of a blood-red knife light, the head of the Cheshi King, with an expression of disbelief, had already jumped into the air.

Liu Feng decisively killed the King of Cheshi. Even the many Western Regions guards behind the King of Cheshi had never expected this.

When the head of the Cheshi king fell to the ground, they were still in shock.

And it was obvious that Liu Feng didn't want to give them a chance to react.

"kill"!

A loud shout came from Liu Feng's mouth.

When this loud shout rang in everyone's ears, the Han army behind Liu Feng, who had long been unable to contain themselves, immediately rushed towards the enemy in front of them with their swords drawn.

What the Western Regions countries did not know was that when they wanted to plot against the Han Dynasty for their own interests, they had already stood on the opposite side of the Han Dynasty.

How can we be one if our interests are different?

This kind of behavior can also be clearly called treason!

In the Chaoyang Hall of the Chang'an Imperial Palace, Liu Chan, who had just been awakened by the eunuchs, was looking at the ministers below with a confused look on his face.

When Zhang Bao brought the news of "rebellion by countries in the Western Regions" to Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Liang immediately summoned all the ministers to the palace late at night in his capacity as prime minister.

As a lucky baby, Liu Chan naturally could not escape the fate of being awakened from his warm bed.

Liu Chan, who was still feeling sleepy, rubbed his eyes unconsciously, and then he subconsciously focused his gaze on Zhuge Liang, Mi Yang and Zhang Fei.

After seeing these three people, Liu Chan felt much more at ease.

Just now, Liu Chan learned the news of "rebellion by countries in the Western Regions" from the eunuch, although Liu Chan could not understand why the countries in the Western Regions would do so.

But for any emperor, the word "treason" is the most disturbing and disgusting thing.

Fortunately, all three of them were here.

As long as the three of them were there, Liu Chan would feel safe even if there was news that the Wei army had reached the outskirts of Chang'an.

As a monarch, Liu Chan originally wanted to ask Zhuge Liang about the details of the "rebellion of the Western Regions countries", but when he saw that most of the ministers in the hall had solemn expressions on their faces, he gave up the idea.

Just as Liu Chan saw, although there were many ministers in Chaoyang Palace, no one spoke.

Their expressions were complicated, some were puzzled, but more of them were indignant.

For the ministers who were unaware of the inside story, since the envoys from the Western Regions came to Chang'an, Mi Yang had specially spent manpower and material resources to build a square pavilion in order to give them good treatment.

In order to appease the hearts of the countries in the Western Regions, Mi Yang did not even place a single soldier in the Sifang Pavilion.

Such treatment and respect are quite rare in the entire history of the Han Dynasty.

But what did we get in return for such treatment and respect?

Treason!

A strong feeling of betrayal is lingering in the hearts of every Han official.

If it weren't for the occasion, some ministers would probably have started cursing the countries in the Western Regions.

Barbarians are barbarians. They fear power but not virtue. They are a group of ungrateful wolves that can never be tamed.

Just when many ministers were criticizing the Western Regions countries in their hearts, an urgent report was delivered to Chaoyang Palace.

"Your Majesty, the rebellion in the Western Regions has been suppressed by General Liu.

The two envoys from the Eastern Wu were also successfully found by General Liu's men. They were only frightened, and their lives were not in danger. "

When hearing the news, Mi Yang's eyebrows raised slightly.

It was expected that Liu Feng would successfully suppress the rebellions in the Western Regions.

However, Zhang Wen and Zhou Cang were able to successfully escape the hunting of the guards from the Western Regions before Liu Feng arrived, which was somewhat beyond Mi Yang's expectations.

Mi Yang couldn't help but feel curious about where Zhang Wen and Zhou Qian were hiding.

When Zhuge Liang learned that the rebellion in the Western Regions had been successfully quelled, he was the first to stand up and bow to Liu Chan:

"God bless the man, God bless your majesty."

After saying this polite remark, Zhuge Liang immediately changed the subject and said to Liu Chan:

“Although the rebellion has been quelled, as the saying goes, if the guilty are not punished, it will be difficult to convince the people of the world, and it will even secretly encourage disloyalty.

I ask Your Majesty to understand this clearly. "

After saying this, Zhuge Liang stopped speaking.

Liu Chan was listening to Zhuge Liang attentively. He was thinking that Zhuge Liang would just help him make a decision directly. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang only spoke halfway, which made Liu Chan feel a little uncomfortable.

Clear evidence?

How to identify it?

Liu Chan immediately looked to Mi Yang for help.

Liu Chan’s idea was very simple. It was not that he had no opinion on the matter at all, but Liu Chan also knew that his opinion was definitely not as good as Mi Yang’s. In that case, why not let Mi Yang make the decision directly?

Seeing Liu Chan's gaze, Mi Yang thought for a while, then stood up and bowed to Liu Chan:

"According to the Zhangwu Code, if one person plots treason, his entire family will be executed, and if a country rebels, its country will be destroyed."

Mi Yang's words were very concise and to the point.

The "Zhangwu Code" he mentioned was originally the "Shu Code" used by Zhuge Liang when he governed Shu.

After retaking Chang'an, Zhuge Liang renamed the "Shu Code" as the "Zhangwu Code" and implemented it as the official law of the Han Dynasty.

Naming the new Han code after Liu Bei's reign title also has the intention of allowing future generations to remember Liu Bei's merits.

When Mi Yang brought up the "Zhangwu Code", not only Liu Chan, but many ministers also began to have inclinations.

However, there are still some traditional Han officials who have doubts about this.

"It is said that dozens of countries in the Western Regions participated in the rebellion tonight. If we really want to punish them according to the Zhangwu Law, wouldn't all the dozens of countries in the Western Regions be destroyed?"

"According to our ancestral system, the Han Dynasty should focus on appeasement when dealing with the countries in the Western Regions."

Faced with this doubt, Mi Yang showed a resolute look on his face and said without hesitation: "Appease?"

"Isn't our dynasty's appeasement of the Western Regions enough?"

"Unfortunately, our dynasty's appeasement was met with the wolfish ambitions of the Western Regions.

Besides, this is the national law. We can't just give them leniency just because there are many countries in the Western Regions.

If this is the case, how can our dynasty govern the world in the future?"

“As for the ancestral system.

During the reign of Emperor Xiaowu, the Han Dynasty and the countries in the Western Regions still based their relations on equal diplomacy.

By the time of Emperor Xiaoxuan, the countries in the Western Regions had already become vassal states of our dynasty.

Can this be said to be a violation of the ancestral system by Emperor Xiaoxuan?

Great unification is the ancestral system of our Han family that has remained unchanged for hundreds of generations!"

Mi Yang was not talking nonsense. When Emperor Xiaowu first learned about the existence of the countries in the Western Regions, the countries in the Western Regions and the Han Dynasty were apparently on an equal footing at the beginning.

However, with the development of the situation and the deliberate arrangements of Emperor Xiaowu, the status of the countries in the Western Regions continued to decline.

During the reign of Emperor Xiaoxuan, he relied on the mighty national power of the Han Dynasty and turned the countries in the Western Regions into vassal states of the Han Dynasty.

From this history, we can vaguely see that as early as the time of Emperor Xiaowu, he had the intention to completely incorporate the Western Regions into one of the territories of the Han Dynasty, which was in line with the great unification idea of ​​that wise and capable emperor.

Although Emperor Xiaoxuan turned the Western Regions into one of the territories of the Han Dynasty by establishing the post of Protector-General of the Western Regions, this was not enough. After all, the countries in the Western Regions actually still possessed independent administrative and military powers.

This is obviously inconsistent with the idea of ​​great unification that was cherished by successive wise rulers of the Han Dynasty.

Perhaps according to Emperor Xiaoxuan's idea, his generation would first establish the Protectorate of the Western Regions to initially incorporate the Western Regions into the territory of the Han Dynasty.

His later rulers could follow his example and inherit Emperor Xiaowu’s will, and accomplish the feat of “transforming the region into states” through efforts from generation to generation.

It is a pity that his successors were Yuan Chengai and the other three "great gods".

It cannot be said that there were no descendants who wanted to inherit the ambitions of Emperor Xiaowu and Emperor Xiaoxuan. Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu had this idea.

Therefore, after he unified the Central Plains, he refused to make a positive response to the requests from the Western Regions countries to establish the post of Protector General of the Western Regions.

Unfortunately, the Eastern Han Dynasty was born with deficiencies, and Emperor Guangwu had to temporarily shelve this idea due to circumstances.

In Mi Yang's view, "transforming regions into states" is not only a consideration for future generations, but also an inevitable move to inherit the will of ancestors.

Mi Yang's sharp words completely dispelled the doubts in the ministers' hearts.

First, there was the fact that the countries in the Western Regions rebelled, and then Mi Yang raised the banner of "great unification". Under the influence of these two factors, no minister had any objection to the destruction of the countries in the Western Regions.

When Liu Chan saw Mi Yang's suggestion and received the approval of all the ministers present, he also spoke out:

"What the Grand Marshal said makes sense."

"Intended Recruitment: The Western Regions countries have recklessly resorted to war and attacked Chang'an, which is a serious crime of treason.

I have decided to send a large army to the west to conquer the Western Regions in one fell swoop to demonstrate the might of the Han Dynasty!"

After Liu Chan finished speaking, all the officials in the hall stood up and bowed to him, saying:

"Your Majesty is wise."

Zhang Wen and Zhou Qian, who had successfully escaped, went back to their room and washed up as soon as possible.

They wanted to wash away the bad smell on their bodies completely.

But no matter how many times they washed, Zhang Wen and Zhou Qian still felt that there was always a faint stench surrounding them.

Especially when they thought of the strange look in the Han army's eyes when they rescued them from the public toilet, Zhang Wen and Zhou Qian wanted to die.

Why did this happen to them?

After being rescued by the Han army, Zhang Wen and Zhou Cang also learned from the Han army who wanted to take their lives tonight.

But after learning this, Zhang Wen and Zhou Qian felt even more confused.

Are all the people in the Western Regions sick in their brains?

I have no grudges or hatred against them in the past or present, so how could I provoke their murderous intentions?

Unfortunately, with the death of the King of Cheshi and the arrest of many envoys from the Western Regions, the question in Zhang Wen and Zhou Cang's minds was destined to never be answered.

Just when Zhang Wen and Zhou Qiang were still trembling with fear about what happened last night, the arrival of a person made them forget about it temporarily.

This person is Jiang Ji.

The name Jiang Ji is not unfamiliar to the people of Eastern Wu.

After the Battle of Chibi, Sun Quan launched his first and most promising attack on Hefei.

Unfortunately, Jiang Ji used his strategy to scare away Sun Quan's tens of thousands of troops without having to use any soldiers.

Because of this incident, Jiang Ji became famous in Jiangdong.

After learning that Jiang Ji actually worked for Mi Yang, Zhang Wen and Zhou Cang couldn't help but feel even more respect for Mi Yang.

And what Jiang Ji said to them made their nervousness surge to the maximum.

"The Grand Marshal invites you."

Mi Yang is finally going to meet them.

Long before the mission, Zhang Wen and Zhou Qian had imagined this day many times in their minds.

But no matter how many times they imagined it in their minds, when this day really came, Zhang Wen and Zhou Qian still became very nervous.

"Mr. Jiang, do you know why the Grand Marshal summoned us?"

Feeling nervous, Zhang Wen asked this question subconsciously without caring whether Jiang Ji would tell him.

Facing Zhang Wen's question, Jiang Ji just smiled slightly and did not respond.

Just as he turned around and led Zhang Wen and Zhou Cang to the Grand Marshal's Mansion, Jiang Ji recalled Mi Yang's joke when he came here:

"The Western Expedition has been decided, I can now head east."

(End of this chapter)