Zhao Hanzhang had fifty thousand troops arrayed eighty li outside Pingyang City, while Beigong Chun positioned twenty thousand soldiers between Shangdang and Pingyang to guard against Shi Lei.

Zhao Erlang and Chen Wu each led twenty thousand troops deployed among the various commanderies and counties to suppress bandits and gather displaced people, while preparing to support Zhao Hanzhang at any time.

Fu Zhi also led twenty thousand troops stationed in Fengyi Commandery, guarding against the Xianbei from the west moving south.

Even Zhang Gui in Xiliang had begun mustering troops to move toward Chang’an, to support Fu Zhi.

Seeing that Dajin had mobilized so many troops, Liu Yuan in the Pingyang palace found it hard to believe this was only to help Liu Kun tie down his forces.

Wang Siniang asked Zhao Hanzhang why she didn’t pursue while victorious, and Liu Yuan was likewise worried that Zhao Hanzhang would pursue victoriously and attack into Pingyang.

So he issued five consecutive military orders urging Liu Cong to hurry back with the main army.

Liu Yuan claimed to have a hundred thousand troops guarding Pingyang City, but only he and a few generals of the Han Kingdom knew that there weren’t actually a hundred thousand troops in the city.

Zhao Hanzhang needed to be guarded against, but Beigong Chun was even more alarming, so Liu Qin led eighty thousand troops to watch Beigong Chun.

Liu Kun was defending Jinyang. This territory had always stuck in the heart of the Han Kingdom – it was a thorn in Liu Yuan’s eye and flesh. So whenever there was an opportunity, he would hand over his most important force to Liu Cong to attack Jinyang.

As for the other armies, they were in the hands of various tribal chieftains.

Liu Yuan, who Zhao Hanzhang had guessed was eating lavish meat and fish, was currently standing on the city wall looking into the distance, where cooking smoke rose in wisps, putting Liu Yuan in a very bad mood.

He turned and headed back to the palace.

Crown Prince Liu He saw his father looking displeased and asked, “Father, are you worried about Zhao Hanzhang outside the city?”

Liu Yuan sighed, “Zhao Hanzhang’s military expedition was unavoidable, so there’s nothing to worry about. We didn’t hold many cities in that area anyway, and because of the unfavorable terrain, most of the people in those cities have already fled. All she’s gained are a few empty cities. What I’m worried about is that the various tribal generals have been slow to come to our aid.”

“If Pingyang is attacked in the future and they’re also this slow to provide support, can our Han imperial house remain safe and sound?”

Liu He said, “But isn’t there still General Shi? He’s right in Shangdang. As long as Zhao Hanzhang dares to attack, Father, you can have Shi Lei deploy troops. With our two hundred thousand soldiers, surely we can defeat Zhao Hanzhang’s hundred thousand?”

They only claimed two hundred thousand, and moreover, would Shi Lei really be willing to risk everything to fight for the Han Kingdom?

Previously, he and Liu Cong had competed with each other, and Shangdang – he had seized it first. Liu Cong resented this bitterly.

But he couldn’t voice these worries, otherwise if they reached Shi Lei’s ears, it would be evidence that he didn’t trust him.

Liu Yuan wanted to wave his hand and dismiss the Crown Prince, but remembering that he was no longer young, he held back and had people summon several important ministers to discuss matters. “When can Xuanming return to Pingyang?”

Liu Cong’s courtesy name was Xuanming.

Grand Marshal Liu Yang immediately said, “They’re traveling urgently. They should be able to return to Pingyang by tomorrow afternoon.”

Liu Yuan asked, “I wonder if Zhao Hanzhang will launch a surprise night attack?”

Grand Tutor Liu Huanle said, “This subject believes Zhao Hanzhang’s actions are only meant as a deterrent and she has no intention of attacking. These past two days she’s only been setting up camp, without making any offensive moves at all.”

Liu Yang said, “It’s precisely because of this that we should be more careful. Zhao Hanzhang is skilled at using unconventional tactics in warfare – who knows if this isn’t a ruse to deceive us?”

“Correct,” Liu Yuan also worried that Zhao Hanzhang was lulling them into complacency before seizing the opportunity to attack Pingyang. “This person has many cunning schemes. We must be careful.”

Liu Yang suggested, “Why doesn’t Your Majesty issue another edict ordering Shi Lei to lead troops to our aid?”

Grand Minister of Works Liu Yannian said, “That’s not advisable. Beigong Chun is currently stationed between Pingyang and Shangdang. Shi Lei would probably be intercepted before even reaching Pingyang.”

Liu Yang countered, “There’s more than one road from Shangdang to Pingyang. He can go north and take a detour.”

That was Huyan tribe territory. Crown Prince Liu He was displeased and immediately said, “That’s not advisable. What if Shi Lei passes through and takes the opportunity to plunder our cities?”

The main concern was that Shi Lei might take advantage of passing through to seize and replace them. Originally, Shangdang had been Wang Mi’s territory, and Wang Mi had been Liu Yuan’s general. When he died, Shangdang should have been taken over by someone Liu Yuan appointed, but Shi Lei had pretended not to hear the court’s orders and seized it directly.

Liu He said, “Shi Lei is of slave origin, base-born and ignorant of propriety and righteousness. I fear he won’t keep his promises. Father, you must not trust him.”

Liu Yuan said angrily, “Don’t say such things again. He did work as a slave, but he was also a Jie tribe prince before, and moreover, he’s now my general. Just now you said he could deter Zhao Hanzhang. How is it that now, when he needs to pass through your maternal family’s territory, he’s suddenly untrustworthy?”

Liu He lowered his head, but his face still showed some defiance.

Liu Yannian sighed, “Your Majesty treats General Shi favorably, and the other tribes are resentful in their hearts. That’s why they’ve been slow to come to our aid.”

Liu Yuan slammed the table in anger, “Must I seek their approval to treat my own general with courtesy? Now the capital faces a powerful enemy, yet they’re still fighting over such trivial matters. The Han Kingdom was only established a few years ago – is it already going to follow in Jin’s footsteps?”

Liu Yang frowned slightly. Although he didn’t agree with all of Liu Yannian’s views, he still said, “Why should Your Majesty antagonize the various tribes over someone like Shi Lei? He’s just a Jie tribesman, and a slave at that.”

Liu Yuan revered the Han imperial house and considered himself the successor to Liu Chan, but he was a Xiongnu, and the people around him were all Xiongnu.

Liu Huanle, Liu Yang, Liu Yannian, and all the other ministers were Xiongnu who had taken Han surnames.

Within the Xiongnu nation, they looked down on Han people and the Jie tribe, and deep in their hearts, the Jie were even more base than Han people, so they looked down on Shi Lei and his Jie tribesmen from the bottom of their hearts.

Moreover, Shi Lei wasn’t just Jie – he was also of slave origin, making everyone despise him even more.

No one understood why Liu Yuan treated Shi Lei with such courtesy, just as they didn’t understand why Liu Yuan promoted Han governance.

They were Xiongnu and should govern the country according to Xiongnu methods. Aside from Xiongnu, all others were inferior races.

Han people and the Jie tribe were only fit to be slaves carrying their shoes.

This difference in ideology created a wall between them, thicker than a city wall.

Liu Yuan was so angry at them his heart ached with a dull, throbbing pain. Finally losing his temper, he directly ordered all the tribes to come to Pingyang to defend the sovereign, and whoever didn’t come would face the consequences!

Liu Yuan drove everyone out, keeping only his youngest son Liu Yi.

Liu Yi was the son of Empress Dan. He was born late, so he had always received his father’s education in Han governance, and he himself was more inclined toward Han governance.

At the same time, this young prince still retained an innocent naivety, so after helping his father sit on the dragon bed, he asked, “Father, why don’t you negotiate peace with Zhao Hanzhang first?”

Liu Yuan still had a bit of a headache, so he didn’t react immediately and asked back, “What?”

Liu Yi explained, “Since Father doesn’t care about the lost cities and is afraid she’ll attack Pingyang, why not negotiate peace with her first? Maybe it could work?”

Who said he didn’t care? Although those cities had few people, they at least represented a southern advance – how could he not care?

But facing his youngest son’s innocent face, Liu Yuan sighed and waved his hand, “Our relationship with the Jin Kingdom is one of mutual destruction. How could peace negotiations be that easy?”

“How is it mutual destruction? Father was once a Jin minister and studied in Luoyang. You had a more harmonious relationship with Jin, didn’t you? This son actually thinks we could try peace talks. If we could end this war amicably with Zhao Hanzhang, that would be best.”

Liu Yuan said with a headache, “I understand. Let me think about it.”

His heart hurt, his head hurt – he just wanted some quiet time alone.

Liu Yi glanced at his exhausted father, pressed his lips together, and agreed.

As soon as he withdrew, he looked toward the direction outside the city, then gritted his teeth, called up his personal guards, and ran out of the city. He was going to find Zhao Hanzhang and personally persuade her to withdraw her troops!

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