"Alas, it is like this. My loyalty to Your Majesty is as clear as day. However, I do not know where I have gone wrong, which always arouses Your Majesty's suspicion."
Recently, I received news that a villain went to Your Majesty to falsely accuse me of treason. However, before I could explain to Your Majesty, Your Majesty sent someone to invite me to a banquet in Chen, presumably also regarding the treason accusation.
If I cannot explain this clearly, I fear I will be in grave danger on my journey to Chen. I beg you gentlemen to save me! Han Xin bowed deeply as he said this.
The three ministers quickly returned the greeting, and one of them said, “Your Majesty, do not worry. How could Your Majesty easily believe the slander of petty men? As long as Your Majesty dares to go to Chen for the banquet in person, it will be the best way to prove your innocence. If someone has the intention to rebel, who would dare to go there without taking precautions?”
"Alas, Lord Jia, I think so too. But at the Feast at Hongmen, His Majesty did the same to Xiang Yu, yet he still rebelled against Xiang Yu. Therefore, simply risking one's life to go there might not be enough to dispel His Majesty's suspicions," Han Xin sighed.
Lord Wu pondered for a moment, "If Your Majesty is still worried, why not follow the example of the King of Changsha and voluntarily offer land and troops to His Majesty?"
"Uh, this..." Han Xin looked troubled. He had given up his military power and the title of King of Qi to show his loyalty to Liu Ji and because he valued the fact that the territory of Chu was larger than that of Qi. Now, he had to return the land. Without the land, what kind of King of Chu was he?
Moreover, Zhongli Mei and other Chu generals probably wouldn't agree easily. Han Xin knew that he was able to truly control half of Chu because of generals like Zhongli Mei.
Seeing that Han Xin was unwilling to follow Wu Rui's example, Lord Mei rolled his eyes and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, I have a plan that will surely dispel Your Majesty's doubts, but..."
"Tell me quickly!" Han Xin said with great joy.
"Uh, Your Majesty, I dare not speak, for fear of angering Your Majesty," Lord Mei said hesitantly.
"You dare not speak? What is there to be afraid of? I forgive you." Han Xin asked in confusion.
Lord Mei hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Does Your Majesty know why His Majesty would misunderstand Your Majesty's accusation of treason? Can't His Majesty distinguish which are the slanders of petty people?"
"Why?" Han Xin believed he had done nothing to wrong Liu Ji.
Lord Mei chuckled, “Your Majesty, have you forgotten the time when Your Majesty sent troops to capture Zhongli Mei? Zhongli Mei had nowhere to turn and eventually surrendered, but he was a king who surrendered and did not go to Your Majesty to ask for surrender.”
Therefore, His Majesty has always suspected that Zhongli Mei still wants to avenge Xiang Yu, but he has not ordered the king to hand over Zhongli Mei out of consideration for the king's feelings.
But now, a villain has falsely accused Your Majesty of treason, and Your Majesty has indeed heavily relied on Zhongli Mei. Even if Your Majesty is utterly loyal, you cannot escape His Majesty's suspicion.
Han Xin's expression changed drastically. Was this the key reason why Liu Ji suspected him?
"Does Lord Mei mean that I should bind Zhongli Mei and send him to His Majesty to prove my innocence?"
“Heh heh, just tying him up isn’t enough. Does Your Majesty want to put His Majesty in a difficult position? If Zhongli were to die at His Majesty’s hands, would Ji Bu and the others let it go? And how would the feudal lords of the world view His Majesty?” Lord Mei countered.
"Then what do you mean?" Han Xin's eyes widened.
“If Your Majesty kills Zhongli Mei and then goes to Chen to see His Majesty, His Majesty will surely be pleased, and there will be no need to worry about trouble. This is all I have to say. I hope Your Majesty will reconsider,” said Minister Mei, bowing.
Han Xin remained silent for a long while, then said weakly, "I understand. I will consider this matter carefully before making a decision. You may all leave now."
"Yes, sir." The three bowed and left, leaving Han Xin standing there in a daze.
Many people know about the relationship between Zhongli Mei and Han Xin. When Han Xin was down on his luck, he was helped by Zhongli Mei. Later, Zhongli Mei recommended Han Xin to Xiang Yu as a halberd-bearer. Although the official position may not have been very high, he was still a close advisor to Xiang Yu, with unlimited potential. Moreover, Han Xin could learn a lot from Zhongli Mei.
Before Han Xin betrayed Xiang Yu, Fan Zeng had advised Xiang Yu that if Han Xin was not given an important position, he should be killed. However, Xiang Yu did not kill him, and Zhongli Mei played a role in this to some extent.
After Han Xin betrayed Chu and joined Han, Zhongli Mei was also implicated. He had already been tricked by Han Xin once. If Han Xin were to kill Zhongli Mei now, how would the people of the world view him as the King of Chu?
Ungrateful and betraying friends to survive?
Moreover, without Zhongli Mei, he, the King of Chu, would probably return to his previous awkward situation of being a puppet without any support, which would be no better than surrendering his territory and army.
"If so, what can be done..."
Chapter 156 Shang Xie! (Bonus chapter for Elder Yan!)
Changsha Kingdom, Linxiang City.
The Xiang River is vast and its blue waves are boundless.
A small, covered boat drifted quietly on the river.
On the boat, a woman with a gentle smile was pouring wine for a middle-aged man dressed in fine clothes.
The man looked at the woman with affection, his eyes seeming to glisten with tears, but they quickly disappeared.
The woman poured the man a full glass of wine, then poured one for herself, and happily raised the wine cup.
"I offer another cup to Your Majesty, wishing you a long and healthy birthday!"
"Thank you, Madam." The man picked up the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, closing his eyes to savor the spicy and burning sensation.
The man was none other than Wu Rui, the King of Fan, who assisted Liu Ji in overthrowing Xiang Yu's rule. He was once enfeoffed as the King of Hengshan by Xiang Yu and later as the King of Changsha by Liu Ji. The woman on the boat was his wife, Mao Ping.
As winter approaches, the Xiangjiang River feels quite chilly.
But perhaps Wu Rui's heart is even more desolate.
"It's really quite cold today. It's all my fault for making a joke, which led Your Majesty to come here and freeze with me on your birthday." Mao Ping smiled awkwardly.
"It's alright, I don't feel cold at all after drinking the wine warmed by Madam. Speaking of which, I promised to go boating with Madam a long time ago, but I haven't had the time yet. I'm sorry for what I did." As Wu Rui spoke, he picked up a coat and draped it over Mao Ping's shoulders.
"Your Majesty need not blame yourself. I know that Your Majesty has been working day and night for the sake of bringing peace to the world. Fortunately, the world is now at peace, and I am able to stand on my own and share Your Majesty's burdens. We will have many more opportunities to go boating together in the future," Mao Ping said with a smile.
“Oh, Madam is right. I should abdicate the throne to you sooner rather than later, and then spend some quality time with you.” Wu Rui said, turning her head to look at the distant scenery.
Mao Ping's smile gradually faded. "Does Your Majesty have something on your mind?"
"Nothing can be hidden from you, Madam. There is something I have been thinking about for a long time, and I would like to tell you today. I hope you will listen to my advice," Wu Rui said solemnly.
"Your Majesty, please speak. Whatever it may be, I will do my utmost," Mao Ping said solemnly.
Wu Rui sighed, "The world is in chaos. Although my son has some talent, he is still inexperienced and impetuous. I fear that if he acts rashly as the Queen, he might bring about the extermination of our clan. Therefore, I need your help, Madam..."
"What does Your Majesty mean by this? Does His Majesty still not want to let you go? Your Majesty has made many great contributions to His Majesty and has given away the country and the army to His Majesty and the Liu family princes. Can't you even get a leisurely title in return?" Mao Ping asked in surprise.
Wu Rui sighed, “Madam, man proposes, God disposes. I made the wrong choice, and I have no one to blame but myself. Zifang wrote to me the other day, praising me as a man of great talent, and jokingly said that I still have a large fiefdom in the Southern Yue Kingdom. I wonder when he will send troops to take it from me.”
Mao Ping was shocked and furious. "This is outrageous! The king has already handed over his troops. How can we attack Nanyue? Besides, Nanyue has a strong army and a strategic location. Even at its peak, Changsha couldn't defeat them!"
"Please calm down, Madam. His Majesty was just joking. He did not issue an order for me to send troops," Wu Rui said with a wry smile.
"What exactly does His Majesty want to do?" Mao Ping grew angrier the more she thought about it, but she suppressed her anger.
Wu Rui countered, "Does Madam know that someone has accused King Han Xin of treason? I heard that His Majesty will be hosting a banquet for the various lords in Chen County during his hunting trip to Yunmeng. If King Han Xin doesn't go, he will be confirmed as guilty of treason. If he does go, he will probably face a nine-out-of-ten chance of death. It all depends on how Han Xin handles it."
"Hasn't Han Xin already relinquished his military power? Why is Your Majesty doing this?" Mao Ping asked in confusion.
"Madam, what His Majesty fears is Han Xin himself, not the military power he holds. Han Xin is exceptionally talented and in the prime of his life. Even without military power, it wouldn't be difficult for such a man to rise again. How long has it been? Talented individuals like Zhongli Mei have already defected to him, and he has taken control of half of Chu. How can His Majesty be at ease if this continues?"
Wu Rui sighed inwardly. If Han Xin dared to rebel at this time, perhaps he would still have hope. But Han Xin had no disloyalty when he had a large army at his disposal. How could he rely on half of Chu to rebel against Liu Ji now?
Mao Ping suddenly realized, and her face turned even paler. "Your Majesty means that what His Majesty is truly afraid of is Your Majesty himself. Even if Your Majesty has no soldiers, no generals, and no territory, His Majesty will not feel at ease?"
"Alas, His Majesty is incapable of sharing wealth and honor, and even less tolerant of outstanding individuals. I misjudged him back then. But His Majesty has only recently ascended the throne, so I suppose he won't be too greedy. At the very least, he'll need a legitimate reason for his actions," Wu Rui sighed again.
"Heh, isn't it easy to have a legitimate reason for your actions? This time it's a joke, but next time it might not be. Or perhaps after dealing with Han Xin, it will be Your Majesty's turn. After all, compared to Liu Ji, Your Majesty is a young and promising man. How could that fellow tolerate others? And how can Your Majesty guarantee that no one in the world will falsely accuse Your Majesty of treason?" Mao Ping sneered incessantly.
“Madam, you must not address His Majesty by his given name. This is a grave offense of disrespect,” Wu Rui said, glancing around.
"What is there for Your Majesty to fear? There are only the two of us here. Since Liu Ji was unjust first, why should Your Majesty continue to tolerate him?" Mao Ping was filled with indignation.
“Now that things have come to this, what can we do but be reluctant? If everyone wanted to rebel against Liu Ji, they would have joined the rebellion long ago when Zang Tu raised his army. However, Han Xin is known as the God of War and is wholeheartedly loyal to Liu Ji. Once war breaks out, Han Xin will surely be conscripted by Liu Ji to lead the troops to quell the rebellion. Who in the world can resist that?” Wu Rui said helplessly.
Mao Ping frowned. "Once Han Xin is dealt with by Liu Ji, without Han Xin's help, can Your Majesty unite with other lords to protect yourself? Ying Bu has married our daughter and is a former general of Xiang Yu. Isn't he afraid of being purged?"
Wu Rui shook his head with a wry smile, "Madam has forgotten that Zang Tu has been destroyed, and I have handed over my troops and territory. Even without Han Xin's help, I will find it difficult to gather enough strength to contend with Liu Ji in a short period of time."
The strongest remaining lord is Ying Bu. He was once appreciated and valued by Xiang Yu, but he betrayed Xiang Yu and defected to Liu Ji during the Chu-Han Contention. He must have been loyal to Liu Ji. Our daughter died at the hands of Xiang Bo, so our kinship has long been severed. I am not confident that I can persuade Ying Bu to raise an army to help us.
Furthermore, after Liu Ji obtained Han Xin's troops, he was invincible and many of the other lords were afraid of him. King Liang, Peng Yue, only wanted to enjoy his old age in peace, and King Han, Han Xin, was not strong. If they raised an army to rebel, they would surely fail.
Furthermore, aside from feeling guilty towards King Xiang, I have committed no other wrongdoing in my life. Why should I subject the people to the suffering of war again for my own selfish desires?
Mao Ping bit her lip. "Isn't there any other way? Since raising an army won't work, then we can at least give up being the King of Changsha, right? Your Majesty can abdicate the throne, and our family can go far away and wander the world."
Wu Rui shook his head. "Madam has forgotten again. What His Majesty fears is me, and what he fears is my prestige among the people. Whether I have the throne or not makes no difference. All the land under heaven belongs to the king. Where can we escape to?"
Moreover, I, the king, have gone to great lengths to help him seize the throne. Do you think I would do this just to abandon everything and live a life of ignominy like Zhang Liang? Death is inevitable for everyone; one should die a worthy death.
"What does Your Majesty intend to do?" Mao Ping was perceptive; Wu Rui had put it this way, and she had a vague idea of what was going on.
“Since Liu Ji wants me dead, then I shall die. If I am so considerate of Your Majesty, I think Your Majesty will no longer make things difficult for the Wu family. After all, Liu Ji, for the sake of his reputation, does not want all the non-royal kings who helped him conquer the world to disappear. If the title of King of Changsha can be preserved, and the Lady will be spared the suffering of wandering, why not?”
Wu Rui looked up at the sky and smiled carefree, but suddenly realized that Mao Ping was already sobbing uncontrollably with tears streaming down her face.
"My lady, please don't weep. Today is my fortieth birthday. By the way, I haven't heard you compose poetry in a long time. Such a beautiful day, wouldn't it be a pity if there were no poems to accompany it?"
Mao Ping wiped away her tears, pondered for a moment, and said, "Then I will present Your Majesty with a poem called 'Shang Xie'."
I wish to be your friend.
Long life without decline,
Mountains have no peaks,
The river has dried up.
Thunder rumbled in the winter.
Summer rain and snow,
Heaven and earth unite,
"Only then will I part from you!"
Upon hearing this, Wu Rui was deeply moved and clapped his hands, exclaiming, "Excellent! After I die, I want to return to my hometown, Yaoli Wugujian Yangtiantai, to watch the sunrise and sunset over Tianmen every day."
"Does Your Majesty have any further instructions?" Mao Ping smiled.
Wu Rui composed himself and said solemnly, "What happened today must not be revealed, nor should the children know about it. It is a foregone conclusion that Liu Ji will eliminate the kings of different surnames and consolidate his power. I am not afraid of others, but if Ying Bu learns that Liu Ji is going to eliminate him, he will definitely rebel. At that time, he will invite me based on the kinship between our two families. Madam, you must not let my son agree. It is enough for him to be a leisurely and carefree king."
"I understand." Mao Ping knew she couldn't change Wu Rui's decision, but she had made her own.
If Your Majesty dies, how can I live on alone?
Why bother?
...
Chapter 157 I, the King, Forbid it
A lone boat on the Xiang River.
Wu Rui and Mao Ping were so careful because they didn't want their conversation to be overheard by others.