Chapter 3 The third quarter

As the nominal supreme ruler of Hebei, Liu Xiu spent his first night in Hebei in Chuanshe outside Heyang City.After a day of running around, all the subordinates were already snoring like thunder, but Liu Xiu couldn't feel sleepy, and was alone by the fire outside the corridor.At that time, the moon and stars were sparse, and the ground was covered with hoar frost. Looking up at the endless sky, listening to the emptiness of the surrounding fields.Liu Xiu sits in the deep night in a foreign land, the future is unpredictable, but nostalgia comes quietly. At this time last year, he and his eldest brother Liu Yan jointly raised troops, vowing to overthrow Wang Mang and restore the Han Dynasty.One year later, the set goal was accomplished, but what a process!He lost his mother, second brother, and second sister successively, and Liu Yan, the eldest brother who was supposed to become the emperor, died in a power struggle.Although he personally gained a lot this year, first commanding the Kunyang War that shocked the world, and later marrying the woman of his dreams, these achievements were far from enough to wash away the sadness and shame deep in his heart.Now, he lives in Hebei—a place he has never been to. What awaits him are strange people and an unpredictable fate.

Liu Xiu was hurting himself in melancholy, when there was the sound of footsteps behind him, when he looked back, it was Feng Yi.Feng Yi met Liu Xiu and asked, "Duke Ming has arrived in Hebei, so I dare to ask about the strategy of appeasement." Liu Xiu said, "In your opinion, what should we do?" Feng Yi replied: "Nowadays, the generals in the green forest are reckless. Wherever they go, they snatch women and loot property. Although Liu Xuan is the Emperor of Han, the people do not support him. There is chaos between Jie and Zhou, which is due to the achievements of Tang and Wu; Hunger and thirst are easy to eat and drink. In terms of official orders, it is advisable to dispatch officials urgently, to settle grievances, and to show favors."

Liu Xiu said with a smile, "Gongsun's opinion fits with me." Feng Yi hesitated for a moment, and then said: "Yi has something to say, I don't know if it should be said or not." Liu Xiu said: "But it doesn't matter." Feng Yi prostrated himself and said: "The two brothers Minggong raised righteous soldiers for the first time, and the world will return to their hearts. The position of Emperor Han originally belongs to Bo Sheng, and when Bo Sheng dies, it belongs to Ming Gong. Liu Xuan steals the throne, Bo Sheng suffers, and the world How injustice. If you help Ming Gong today, let the Ming police gather in Hebei. Hebei has a large population, rich resources and rich resources, and it can be a land of dragon prosperity.

Liu Xiu's face darkened, I just arrived in Hebei, I haven't received a single soldier, and I haven't gained an inch of land, so you Feng Yi encouraged me to wait for an opportunity to rebel, you are really not calm!Immediately reprimanded: "The law of the country is ruthless, please don't speak nonsense!" Two days later, Liu Xiu traveled to Zhihuai County, Hanoi County.When Han Xin, the prefect of Hanoi, saw the officer arriving, he didn't dare to neglect, and greeted him with wine.When Liu Xiu first arrived in a different place, he thought he was unaccompanied, but when he found Cen Peng at the banquet, he was shocked.After drinking and dinner, Liu Xiu returned to the post house, entered the door with his front foot, and reported Cen Peng's visit with his back foot.

Liu Xiu greeted Cen Peng and asked, "Brother Wen Cen worshiped the prefect of Yingchuan, why did he stay here?" Cen Peng smiled bitterly and said, "Although I want to take up the post in Yingchuan, my uncle Liu Mao doesn't agree!" Liu Mao, born in the Liu family of Chongling, is only eighteen years old, but in terms of seniority, he is Liu Xiu's uncle.When the brothers Liu Xiu raised troops, Liu Mao also raised troops in Henan County at the same time. He called himself Liu Dereliction of Duty, and called him General Yanxin. When Cen Peng defended Wancheng for the new dynasty, and the people in the city ate each other, he surrendered to the Han army.After Liu Yan was killed, Cen Peng returned to Da Sima Zhu Tuan, made many military exploits, and became the prefect of Yingchuan.

Liu Mao, who ruled Yingchuan and Runan counties separately, considered himself the uncle of Liu Xuan's clan, and did not take Liu Xuan's reforming court into consideration at all.As soon as Cen Peng entered Yingchuan, he was immediately expelled by force by Liu Mao.Cen Peng was unable to take office, and he had no face to return to the court to return to his command, so he had to lead more than a hundred of his subordinates to defect to Han Xin, the prefect of Hanoi. Liu Xiu sighed after hearing what happened to Cen Peng.Seeing that there was no one around, Cen Peng whispered to Liu Xiudao: "Cen's life is all thanks to Bo Sheng. I wanted to assist Bo Sheng and make the world, but Bo Sheng died early and couldn't be used. I still hate it. See you now. Uncle Wen, if you see Bo Sheng, you will do your best to repay Bo Sheng for saving his life that day."

Seeing that Cen Peng intends to follow her, Liu Xiu didn't know whether it was true or not, so she declined politely, "Brother Cen is the general of great Sima Zhu Tuan's love, how dare I take his love away." Seeing that Liu Xiu was suspicious, Cen Peng couldn't defend himself for a while, so he said: "Hebei is the land of the king, and he can become a hegemon if he wins it. I hope Uncle Wen will pay more attention to it. Han Xin, the prefect of Hanoi, is an old friend of Cen. Listen to what you say. On the day Uncle Wen returns to the south, Cen will order Han Xin to descend in Hanoi and become Uncle Wen's pioneer."

Feng Yi, as Liu Xiu's confidant, mentioned the rebellion, but Liu Xiu did not dare to agree rashly, not to mention that Cen Peng was Zhu Tuan's subordinate, but he also came to encourage Liu Xiu to rebel. Naturally, Liu Xiu became more vigilant, and immediately said: "You and I are Han officials. , should be loyal and do our best to help the Han Dynasty. Such a big rebellion is beyond words, don't mention it again!" The next day, Liu Xiu bid farewell to Hanoi and headed for Handan.All the way to comfort the officials, caress the common people, resolve unjust cases, and abolish tyranny.Wherever he went, the officials and the people were all happy. They lined the road to greet each other and competed for offerings of cattle and wine. Liu Xiu all resigned and refused.

A few days later, when Liu Xiu traveled to Ye County, it was already dusk, and he was about to lodge, when he heard a loud voice behind him: "Uncle Liu Wen, leave!"