The video takes us to ancient times; Li Er transforms into the Tongtian Emperor of Shu Han.

Chapter 518 The greatest momentum still lies with me. "Your Majesty, is this the time for jokes?"

After slowly typing out a question mark, Zhang Liang couldn't help but smile wryly.

The last time they impulsively let Jiang Wei go, it was a decision made jointly by both of them.

In order to give Jiang Wei a perfect ending to the Han Dynasty.

But this time, being willful again could even change the final outcome of the challenge!

The challenge was already in our grasp, and it would be not only a pity but also ridiculous to fail because of two consecutive acts of willfulness!

"You're not joking, are you? What if all twelve provinces rebelled, let alone eight?"

"Zifang, do you think I would leave myself no way out?"

"The 20,000 troops led by Chen Tai are my escape route."

"If we can successfully quell the rebellions in the various prefectures and counties, that would be ideal; if not..."

"If Jiang Wei could launch such a surprise attack from the Ziwu Valley, I might not be unable to emulate him and retreat to take over Shu!"

This was Liu Bang's idea.

The worst-case scenario would be like what happened after the Feast at Hongmen, when he was forced to go to Shu.

The reason he needed Han Xin to leave Shu was because his opponents were Xiang Yu and top generals like Zhang Han.

But now, what kind of lousy and worthless opponents are they?

It wasn't that he was arrogant; it was simply that none of these guys from aristocratic families were worthy of his attention.

However, seeing Liu Bang in this state only made Zhang Liang more worried.

"Has Your Majesty forgotten something? There is still no news of Sima Zhao. The Sima family is like a centipede that dies but does not fall down. If nothing unexpected happens, he will not pose much of a threat. However, if other prefectures and counties are in chaos, then he should not be underestimated either!"

When things are going smoothly, nothing is a problem.

Once things don't go smoothly, a series of problems will follow.

Aside from the rebellions in at least eight provinces, Sima Zhao, as well as Zhong Hui, Deng Ai, and others who were once loyal to the Sima family, were all threats!

He also remembered that in the previous review of the unresolved grievances on the sky, Zhong Hui and Deng Ai were both meritorious officials in the fall of Shu.

Deng Ai, in particular, although there was an element of luck involved, his ability to enter Shu through the perilous route demonstrates his capability and courage.

Underestimating such an opponent will surely lead to big problems!

"Sima Zhao, I almost forgot about him."

"But it's not a big problem. As I said before, Sichuan and Jiangdong are both options for retreat."

“If Sima Zhao is wise, he will choose one of them, and I will choose the other. As for the gentry, even if they rebel, they will at most remain in a corner of the country.”

Liu Bang remained relatively calm and composed.

He knew, of course, that he hadn't always done his best in the past.

But he never dwells too much on the past; instead, he keeps his sights on the future, which holds infinite possibilities.

"Furthermore, although I am not Han Xin, I am not necessarily going to lose."

"After all, not everyone is Xiang Yu, right?"

At least in this challenge, no one has the right to make him feel defeated.

"I am not criticizing Your Majesty for making a mistake, but merely reminding Your Majesty that you should make preparations as soon as possible."

"This news can't be kept secret. At most, rebellions will break out in major prefectures and counties within a few days."

"Although the aristocratic families may not be able to control all the prefectures and counties, we must at least be prepared to face the rebellion of eight prefectures at the same time, so that we can deal with any unexpected events with ease."

Did they lack confidence in Liu Bang?

joke!

Zhang Liang was the one who understood Liu Bang's abilities best.

The two had already met when Liu Bang had just left Pei County.

Although the two had a pleasant conversation, Zhang Liang did not believe that he had the ability to be the ruler of the world.

However, when they met again, Liu Bang's progress terrified him.

At that time, he could never have imagined that a person's progress could be so visible.

Later, he realized that this person was no ordinary person and chose to assist him.

Having known each other the longest, Zhang Liang naturally understood best that Liu Bang's true strength lay not in his political skills, but in his ability to quickly adapt to any situation and find solutions to any predicament.

Just as he was able to lead a few hundred men up the mountain to become bandits, he was also able to enter Guanzhong with tens of thousands of soldiers, one step ahead of Xiang Yu's 400,000-strong army.

He was very astute at the Feast at Hongmen, managing to escape with his life. He also performed admirably when he entered Shu and became the King of Han.

Even without Han Xin, he believed that Liu Bang would have found a way to leave Shu on his own.

Of course, no one could say for sure what the outcome would be, but he was certain that Liu Bang was never one to give in to difficulties.

And I have never been one to crave immediate pleasure...

No, it's hard to say, but the problem is, there's nothing for him to enjoy right now, so there's nothing for him to covet.

At present, Zhang Liang feels that all he can do is offer reminders.

Upon hearing his words, Liu Bang smiled and shook his head.

"Eight states?"

"You've already made preparations to flee to Shu. In the worst-case scenario, the enemy would likely be in more than eight prefectures."

"But Zifang, you must know that the number of rebellions we will actually face will certainly be less than this."

"First of all, the area around Xuchang is the Cao family's old stronghold. Without the Sima family's suppression, any of the Cao family elders who aren't fools will surely find a way to regain power."

"Huainan goes without saying. Although Zhuge Dan is cowardly, he still has a good grasp of Huainan. The gentry are in his hands and cannot rebel. In addition, there are Guanqiu Jian and others, so it is a sure thing."

"As for Qishan, Tianshui and other places are still in Jiang Wei's hands. If those gentry want to rebel against me, they can only submit to Jiang Wei. But are they willing to hand over the methods they have built up over so many years to the gentry of Yizhou?"

"With Chen Tai holding Chang'an and I firmly in control of the capital, Sima Zhao's only option is Eastern Wu, and the options for the gentry are also limited."

"After all, the aristocratic families are not without rivals."

“Zifang, you always tend to think of the worst possible outcome, but in fact, the greatest advantage is still on my side.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liang's expression gradually relaxed.

He was indeed being somewhat pessimistic just now.

As Liu Bang said, although the decision was not the optimal one, the situation was still under control.

Compared to them, the scions of aristocratic families who were left behind, and Sima Zhao, were the ones who should really have a headache.

In any case, the capital is now under their control!

"What we need to consider is not the past that has already happened, but how I should issue this edict next."

"Is it a warrant for arrest, or a pardon?"

Zhang Liang knew he was referring to the methods used against the powerful clans of various prefectures and counties, and he answered the question without hesitation.

"pardon!"

Issuing a warrant for arrest pushes everyone to the opposite side, while pardoning, although the gentry will mostly not accept it, at least allows one to take the initiative morally and in terms of public sentiment!