The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

The main gate of the Li residence.

Li Qiu and his eldest son Li Ding stood together to see Liu Chen off.

The carriage, surrounded by attendants, slowly departed and eventually disappeared from the sight of the father and son.

"Sigh." Li Qiu sighed deeply, raised his hand and scratched his beautiful beard, his expression showing worry.

Li Ding looked at his father upon hearing this, opened his mouth but didn't dare to speak.

After standing for a while, Li Qiu returned to the house, told his son to get out, and went to sit down in the study alone.

After a long silence, he sighed and said, "Uncle, what should I do?"

A nation's prosperity is inseparable from its heroes. While Liu Bei (Liu Bang) nominally inherited the Han dynasty, he was in fact pioneering a new era. Although figures like Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were dazzling, his uncle Li Hui was no less remarkable.

In the past, Li Hui was appointed as the governor of Yijiang. When the southern regions rebelled, Li Hui and Zhuge Liang joined forces to quell the rebellion.

Because of Li Hui's many merits, he was appointed General of Anhan and enfeoffed as Marquis of Hanxing Pavilion.

Anhan, Hanxing. These are both weighty and glorious names.

Li Qiu grew up under the care of Li Hui, receiving strict family education from a young age. He had an obligation to inherit his uncle's glory and remain loyal to His Majesty. However, since the Prime Minister's death, each generation has become worse than the last, until now, demons and monsters run rampant.

Although he wanted to make a difference, he lacked the ability and his official position was too low, so he was powerless to do what he wanted.

............

As dusk fell, the number of pedestrians on the main road dwindled.

Inside the entourage of attendants, Liu Chen knelt, sword in hand, head bowed in deep thought, a thoughtful expression flickering between his brows.

The words of Li Qiu and Liu Zan echoed in his mind. What he had seen and heard today gradually gave him a more complete plan.

Money can influence even the most powerful spirits, but that's only the first step.

Saving the country also requires strength.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the palace. Liu Chen's carriage returned to his small palace.

"Take twenty taels of gold and present it to the Imperial Attendant." Liu Chen opened his eyes, stretched his neck, and got out of the carriage. He beckoned to a trusted eunuch and said.

The eunuch's heart skipped a beat, and he asked, "Young master, under what pretext?"

Currently, Chen Zhi holds the most power in the court and among the common people, but Huang Hao is the most sought-after figure in the palace. However, these eunuchs have no connection with Huang Hao. They are destined to follow Liu Chen out of the palace to serve the princes.

Even feudal lords are often short-sighted, so it's normal for them to cultivate relationships with court officials to consolidate their power. But surely there must be a reason? Besides, twenty gold pieces seem like too little.

There are now as many people as fish in a river who want to give Huang Hao gifts.

"No specific purpose. Just give him twenty gold coins every month from now on. Never to change it, even if the sea dries up and the rocks crumble," Liu Chen said calmly.

First, Huang Hao is a greedy man. Second, he is, after all, Prince Chen. Although twenty gold coins is not much, Huang Hao has to give him face and accept the money.

Giving gifts to people in exchange for favors is perfectly normal. But to give a gift only once and ask for a favor only once is too low-level.

He plans to bury Huang Hao alive with money; he's currently making twenty gold coins a month. Once he's amassed enough, he'll be richer than a country. What's a hundred gold coins a month compared to that?

Money can influence even ghosts and gods, and that's exactly what Huang Hao has in common.

If anything happens to him in the future, Huang Hao will help him.

Without Huang Hao's cover, a feudal lord like him wouldn't have been able to act freely.

"Yes." The eunuch was somewhat surprised upon hearing this, unsure of what Liu Chen was thinking, but he still bowed and agreed.

Liu Chen nodded, turned around and left, returning to his study to sit down.

There were many books in his study, but he didn't read any of them. He just sat cross-legged, head bowed in deep thought.

Seeing how serious he was, the eunuchs and palace maids dared not disturb him and moved with great care.

........

In the Han Dynasty, the salaries of officials were determined by the amount of grain they received.

The unit of measurement for grain is shi (石).

Therefore, officials in the Han Dynasty used the height of stones to distinguish between superiors and inferiors.

The prefect's salary was two thousand shi (a unit of grain).

To achieve a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain measure), one would be considered a top-ranking official in the land.

The position of Huangmenling (黄门令) was paid a salary of 600 shi (石).

Yellow is the color of the palace gates, and the Yellow Gate Commander refers to the head of the palace eunuchs. Nominally, he belonged to the Imperial Household Department, but after the mid-Later Han Dynasty, the power of eunuchs greatly increased, and they formed their own distinct system. The Yellow Gate Commander was often concurrently held by a Palace Attendant.

He was the chief steward of the palace, a close confidant of the emperor. His power was disproportionate to his salary.

When Zhuge Liang was alive, it goes without saying.

Before his death, Dong Yun continued to suppress the power of the eunuchs.

Fei Yi was still able to somewhat restrain the eunuchs after his death.

Demons appeared.

Now, throughout the entire Liu Han dynasty, even the common people know that the Imperial Attendant is Huang Hao. The sycophants fawn over him, while the loyal ministers hate him to the bone.

Countless people wanted to eat his food.

Inside a rather grand room, Huang Hao sat reclining on a couch, his eyes half-closed, exuding a languid air.

He was handsome, with an air of righteousness about him, and a tall, robust build. Although he had no beard, he still possessed a certain masculine charm. However, his skin was snow-white, with a creamy complexion like a woman's, creating a very discordant aura.

A eunuch stood before the bed, carefully reporting something while holding a scroll of bamboo slips.

It's a huge sum of money.

Exchanges of benefits with each prestigious official position.

In short, it was selling official positions and titles.

Hearing each new payment, Huang Hao felt a surge of exhilaration, his pores opening up as waves of comfort washed over him.

"My son, what is the best thing in the world? Gold. I was poor when I was a child, not to mention that I didn't have enough to eat or wear. If my family had been rich, they wouldn't have cut me in two and sent me to the palace."

While Huang Hao felt exhilarated, he also felt an overwhelming resentment. Combined with the firelight, his face appeared to be half Buddha and half demon, which was extremely eerie.

Huang Hao's godson, standing before him, reported to the eunuch Zhang Da, who also lamented, "Father is right. What respectable family would send their son to the palace?"

As he spoke, he raised his sleeve and wiped his eyes.

Moved by the experience, the father and son suddenly embraced and wept bitterly. After they finished crying, Huang Hao picked up the bamboo slips and looked at them with a smile, feeling incredibly pleased with himself.

"Master Huang, Qian Yun, a disciple of Young Master Chen, requests an audience." A eunuch entered from outside the door and bowed to Huang Hao.

Huang Hao raised an eyebrow. He didn't have much interaction with Liu Chen, but he knew everything about what was happening in the palace. Liu Chen had often spoken ill of him in public, making him a difficult person to deal with.

However, Liu Chen's words, actions, and public image have changed drastically recently.

"Does a person really change after dying once?" Huang Hao reached out and pinched his chin, seemingly lost in thought. Then he looked up and said, "Please come in."

"Yes." The eunuch bowed and turned to leave.

Qian Yun, a young eunuch serving Liu Chen, entered from outside and bowed to Huang Hao, saying, "This servant greets Lord Huang."

Huang Hao straightened his posture slightly, tidied his clothes, and said casually, "Let's skip the formalities. Young Master Chen, please speak frankly about your intentions."

Qian Yun bowed again, and after straightening up, she said, "I do not know what Young Master Chen is thinking. He only asked me to bring twenty taels of gold, and said that he would send a sum of gold every month thereafter."

Huang Haoqi was puzzled and raised an eyebrow. People were constantly bringing him gold, all begging for favors.

Liu Chen sent gold, but didn't say what he wanted him to do. And the gift was unusual.

Twenty gold coins was too little; he wouldn't even consider it. But if twenty gold coins were sent every month, it would add up over time.

Gradually, sand accumulates into a mountain.

After thinking for a long time, Huang Hao smiled and said, "Very well. I would be impolite to refuse your kind offer, young master. You may go back now."

"Yes." Qian Yun bowed again, then turned and left decisively.

"Father. What does 'Young Master Chen' mean?" Zhang Da asked curiously, completely puzzled.

"I don't know. But it would be foolish not to take money. Besides, Young Master Chen's face is still valuable. If I don't accept his money, wouldn't I offend him?" Huang Hao said with a smile.

Some people are born into nobility.

The face has weight.

A friend, Prince Chen, is ten times better than an enemy, Prince Chen.

We have to collect this money.