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

The Imperial Palace.

Huang Hao's residence.

"What an annoying season," Huang Hao muttered, sitting on the tatami wrapped in a blanket. In this biting cold, if he could, he would stay in his room and stay by the fire until he died.

But this is not possible.

He's about to see Liu Shan. If he dares to slight the emperor, the emperor will favor someone else. All those fools below are watching him closely, wanting to take his place.

"Father, something terrible has happened." Zhang Da carefully pushed open the door, came in, and quickly closed it, handing Huang Hao a silk handkerchief.

Huang Hao reached out and took the silk handkerchief, then looked at the contents on it.

The gathering is large and numerous, the meeting is scheduled, and the gifts are distributed. How can this be repeated?

He couldn't understand it, and looked up in confusion, asking, "Who wrote these lines, and what's the big deal?"

Zhang Da then offered an explanation.

Huang Hao scoffed, "Such a Confucian view! Our Great Han Dynasty has the Qinling Mountains to the north, stretching for eight hundred li, and the Daba Mountains in the middle. Even Cao Cao and Emperor Zhaolie couldn't break through and advance south. How much less can Cao Wei's current generals?"

Zhang Da nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "But Qiao Zhou is shaking people's hearts. What do you mean by 'the one who will replace the Han'? It's Gao from Dangtu."

"Son, I know, I know everything. Our power comes from the emperor. If the emperor falls, we will all die without a burial place. But by the same token, only the emperor can kill Qiao Zhou. It's just that the emperor's blade is dull, and I'm not confident I can persuade the emperor to kill Qiao Zhou." Huang Hao narrowed his eyes and said.

He knew Liu Shan too well. Some emperors were ruthless killers, but Liu Shan was not. If he could, he would rather kill someone else.

Jiang Wei.

People like Qiao Zhou are all talk and no action. A great general like Jiang Wei might actually lead troops to kill him.

Huang Hao shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He said to Zhang Da, "Our Han Dynasty won't fall, it's alright."

"Yes." Zhang Da felt uneasy, but he had no choice but to comply.

"It's so cold, I'm freezing!" After a while, Huang Hao reluctantly took off the blanket, stood up, and walked out of the warm house. He shivered in the cold wind.

Qiao Zhou's problem is far less serious than this cold and flu.

"Father." Zhang Da thoughtfully took out a thick cloak and draped it over his godfather.

"Good son." Huang Hao was very satisfied and patted his son's hand.

Huang Hao rode in a carriage to the palace to stand and talk with Liu Shan, trying to make him happy.

Liu Shan was fat, and fat people are generally more resistant to the cold. But as he got older, he became afraid of both the cold and the heat, and was lazy and unwilling to move.

Huang Hao was chatting and laughing with Liu Shan.

A eunuch entered from outside, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, Physician Huang Chong requests an audience."

The physicians were close advisors to the emperor. Although they had no real power, they could influence the emperor's decisions based on their level of favor with the emperor.

At the same time, physicians were the nation's reserve of cadres, and the emperor was often willing to promote physicians whenever there were vacancies in the court or outside the capital.

At the same time, the physicians were also the last line of defense for the emperor.

Huang Chong was a gem among doctors, but because of his upright character and repeated advice to Liu Shan, he was not liked by Liu Shan.

Huang Chong had neither influence over the emperor nor the opportunity to be appointed as a minister outside the capital.

Upon hearing this name, Liu Shan subconsciously frowned, sensing that trouble was brewing.

He was reluctant to see Huang Chong, but still said, "Let him in."

"Yes." The eunuch bowed and left.

Not long after, a man dressed in the robes of a physician, with an official seal hanging at his waist, walked in with his hand on his sword and an upright demeanor.

"Your Majesty, I request that Qiao Zhou be executed," Huang Chong immediately knelt down and kowtowed.

Liu Shan had a headache and looked up at Huang Hao with a helpless expression. Huang Hao gave Liu Shan a very considerate look.

Liu Shan sighed and said, "A physician had already told me this before. This is Qiao Qing's way of advising me to be diligent in governing the country. How can I kill Qiao Qing for this?"

Yes, he knew.

Moreover, many people told him that this was Qiao Zhou's good deed. It was because Qiao Zhou was concerned about the country, and because Qiao Zhou was upright.

He forgot some things, but remembered others very clearly. Before his death, Liu Bei told him, "Do not do evil because it is insignificant, and do not neglect good because it is insignificant."

Ministers like Qiao Zhou cannot be killed. Just as he disliked Huang Chong, he never considered killing him.

Huang Chong was furious, his eyes bloodshot. Who said this? Was this supposed to be advice to the emperor? This was clearly an attempt to undermine morale!

"Your Majesty, it's not just this. Qiao Zhou wrote 'On the Hatred of the State' to satirize the Han Dynasty as a small country... Qiao Zhou also proclaimed that the one who would replace the Han Dynasty would be Gao of Dangtu. He wasn't advising Your Majesty, but rather fearing that the Han Dynasty wouldn't perish. Your Majesty."

Huang Chong recounted Qiao Zhouqian's disgraceful deeds from beginning to end, and finally wept bitterly, begging Liu Shan to kill Qiao Zhouqian.

Liu Shan remained unmoved, and was even a little angry. However, he did not send Huang Chong away, but instead stood up and left.

I won't chase you away, I'll avoid you.

Huang Chong was struck dumb, his body turning ice-cold, and his words of advice abruptly ceased. He knelt alone in the emperor's bedchamber, a pitiful sight. After a long while, he finally turned and left, like a puppet devoid of its soul.

"I am not a murderer. Qiao Zhou is an upright minister. How could I kill him? If I can kill Qiao Zhou, I can kill Huang Chong. Why can't Huang Chong understand my intentions?" Liu Shan sat down in a side hall and continued angrily.

"Your Majesty is right. Huang Chong is ignorant." Huang Hao observed coldly and comforted Liu Shan for a long time.

.......

Even a wrecked ship has some nails.

Because of Qiao Zhou's words, countless ministers went to the palace to pay homage to Liu Shan. Some defended Qiao Zhou, while others requested Liu Shan to kill him.

There were more people who wanted to protect Qiao Zhou than those who wanted to kill him.

Many more people are watching coldly from the sidelines.

Qiao Zhou has already done it. He's openly insulting Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. Is Liu Shan even capable of actually killing someone?

Killing one would be good too.

Killing one person can rectify the court and deter treacherous officials.

Even the most benevolent emperor of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Wen of Han, could decisively force his uncle to commit suicide.

If an emperor loses his courage to kill, he is like a wild beast without claws and teeth, and there is nothing to fear.

Even at this point, some of humanity still remained.

The news quickly reached the ears of General Jiang Wei.

The General's Mansion.

As the head of all officials, the Grand General's residence was the most magnificent and spacious among them.

However, only soldiers, fully armed and with resolute expressions, were inside the mansion.

Some elderly servants and women were present. Very few young women were seen.

Jiang Wei did not keep retainers, nor did he take concubines in his middle age. He did not keep courtesans and lived a frugal life.

Although he received the salary of a great general, he used it all to support his soldiers, leaving his family impoverished.

Although many people criticize Jiang Wei for his aggressive military campaigns, no one criticizes his character.

Inside the study, Jiang Wei knelt on the main seat, his expression solemn.

Lai Zhong, son of General Zhishen Lai Min and military advisor to the Grand General, sat on the left, also with a solemn expression.

"How to choose?" Lai Zhong seemed to be muttering to himself, as if speaking to Jiang Wei.