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

Huang Chong's expression became more serious than ever before.

He had entered and left the palace and seen the Imperial Guards. He had also seen the Crown Prince's guards and the guards of the various princes. But only among Liu Chen's royal army did he sense a murderous aura.

Then, Huang Chong thought of Yang Yong and his group.

Did the King of Beidi really kill He Sui because he coveted Lady Lü's beauty and the He family's wealth?

Was the King of the North really greedy simply because he wanted to see the mountains of gold piled up in his treasury?

Did the Northern King Yang Yong and others really just want to hear about the illustrious deeds of their ancestors?

These thoughts surfaced in his mind, giving rise to unbelievable ideas within him.

Is the Northern King, whom the world believes to be all show and no substance, truly the Northern King?

Huang Chong's expression turned serious than ever before, and he looked up at a soldier beside him.

"Brave warrior, may I ask where you are from? Have you ever been on the battlefield?" Huang Chong asked the soldier politely.

This soldier had noticed Huang Chong long ago, but didn't know his identity. However, seeing that Huang Chong had come up from inside the city, was dressed properly, and was an old man, he didn't think anything of it.

After thinking for a moment, he replied, "Reporting to the elder, I am from Chengdu and have never been to the battlefield."

"Never been on the battlefield?" Huang Chong looked surprised and couldn't help but ask, "Then why do I sense the killing intent of elite frontier soldiers emanating from you?"

The soldier puffed out his chest proudly and said, "Although we have never been on the battlefield, Lieutenant Zhang trained us diligently, and His Majesty treats us well, providing us with ample food. We are proficient in bows, swords, spears, halberds, and military formations. Last winter, His Majesty led us on a hunt that lasted for several months, where we fought bears and tigers. Although we are not elite troops from the frontier, we believe we are no weaker than them."

He also had fellow villagers who had joined the army, and they were stationed on the frontier. So he knew that even the elite soldiers on the frontier didn't eat as well or train as diligently as they did.

They were stronger than the elite frontier troops, though they had never actually fought in real combat. But they also engaged in military hunts, and they were not afraid of them.

"I see." Huang Chong nodded slightly, his gaze deep.

Then Huang Chong asked some more questions, and the soldier, unsuspecting, spoke freely.

Huang Chong felt increasingly confident, bid farewell to the soldier, and turned to descend the city wall. Before leaving, he glanced back at the military camp beside the palace.

Today wasn't a training day, but the soldiers weren't idle. Instead, they were all practicing their own skills.

Clearly, the soldiers were full of energy and had inexhaustible strength. This required strong bodies, excellent food and benefits, ample salaries, and generals skilled in commanding troops.

Huang Chong withdrew his gaze and descended the city wall. After thinking for a moment, he summoned a carriage to leave the palace and went to the fields.

Farmers have already started planting crops, but millet has not yet been sown.

Huang Chong found an old man with white hair and invited him to sit down to talk about Wangzhuang.

"Everyone says our king is stingy, but so what if he's stingy? Our king is benevolent. He values ​​production, doesn't divide up the households, and..." The old man spoke animatedly, as if he could talk about Liu Chen for three days and three nights without stopping.

Now, in Wangzhuang, men farm and women weave, and there are no idle people wandering around.

Doors are left unlocked at night, and lost items are not picked up on the road.

Although they are lonely, they will not be poor.

Although they are old and frail, they will not be ignored.

Although those in charge have power, they dare not use that power to harm others.

The old man recounted everything Liu Chen had done.

Huang Chong's expression grew increasingly serious; he had already understood.

After listening, Huang Chong stood up and bowed to the old man, saying, "Thank you for talking to me, elder."

"Not at all, I've spoken my mind freely and I'm very happy," the old man said, standing up with a smile.

Huang Chong nodded, turned and got into the carriage. He then ordered the driver to tour the Wangzhuang estate.

After walking around and asking several people.

Huang Chong ordered the coachman to return to the palace.

What he saw and heard today flashed through his mind, and then he came to an astonishing conclusion.

Liu Chen harbored ambitions to seize the throne.

Putting aside Liu Chen's bad reputation for associating with Huang Hao.

Liu Chen's other shortcomings can all be explained one by one.

Greedy and lustful.

She murdered her husband and abducted his wife.

It's understandable that he's lustful; what young man of Liu Chen's age wouldn't be? Especially considering Liu Chen's noble status, he could have had countless beauties.

If we interpret greed as hoarding money and food, then it means hoarding them.

Killing a husband and abducting a wife is even simpler. Liu Chen only killed He Sui, which was a deliberate act.

Acquiring land and people would enhance one's strength.

Let's talk about Liu Chen's governance of Wangzhuang.

What does it mean to leave doors unlocked at night and not pick up lost items on the road?

To constrain and manage affairs.

Training soldiers, military hunts, and so on—aren't these all things the Prime Minister does?

Make the people prosperous and restrain the officials.

To govern the army and to teach military affairs.

After removing all the bad reputation from Liu Chen's head, everything he did in his Beidi Wangzhuang estate was what a wise ruler should do.

In addition, Liu Chen used any means necessary to increase his strength.

This is a powerful and valiant prince vying for the throne.

"His reputation is undeserved; I'm afraid I misjudged him." Huang Chong reached out and grabbed his beard, letting out a long sigh.

Immediately, his eyes lit up, and his heart began to stir with desire.

Although it was somewhat treasonous, the emperor was indeed old and could pass away at any time.

Although the Crown Prince has changed somewhat over the years, he lacks the qualities of a wise ruler.

If Liu Chen is truly such a valiant and ambitious man, then appointing him would seem to be in the best interest of the country.

Liu Chen was the grandson of Liu Bei, a nobleman of the Han dynasty.

Huang Chong became increasingly excited and his mouth grew dry with each thought. At the same time, he also realized what he should do.

"I'll take the gamble, even if it means the extinction of my entire family. I'm willing to die with them. Because if it weren't for Emperor Zhaolie, our family might have perished when my father surrendered." A fierce glint flashed in Huang Chong's eyes. The kindness and righteousness of Liu Bei burned fiercely in his heart, making him willing to shed his family's blood.

At this moment, the carriage stopped. Huang Chong, with a serious expression, straightened his clothes, gripped his sword hilt, and stepped down from the carriage. He found the eunuch in charge of announcing the arrival and said, "Please announce my arrival. Your subject, Huang Chong, tutor to the Prince of Beidi, wishes to present military strategy to Your Majesty."

It was wrong from the start, so what's the point of trying to persuade them?

Let's talk about something else.

Military strategy, governance, and political maneuvering.

Persuading others was not Huang Chong's forte, and his ability to govern a country was also mediocre. His greatest skill lay in military strategy and planning.

To paraphrase Pang Tong, he is "someone who has a better grasp of the strategies for benevolent rule and the key points of reliance."

Liu Chen's eunuch dared not be arrogant and obediently went to report.

Liu Chen gave himself a good workout, then went into the room, sat down, and had Liu Zhaoning massage his legs.

The eunuch came in to report to Liu Chen.

Liu Chen immediately sat up, gestured for Liu Zhaoning to leave, and said with a smile, "Very well. Let Wang Fu in."

"Yes." The eunuch was very surprised. Hadn't he been avoiding seeing him all along? How come he was seeing him now? But he didn't dare to say it and obediently answered and left.

Liu Chen sat upright, his eyes bright and alert.

As expected.

He was the one who gave Zhuge Zhan the correct advice during the Battle of Mianzhu.

Huang Chong is different from Yang Yong.

Huang Chong realized something.

Therefore, the "offering of troops" tactic was used to test the waters.

If he agrees, the tacit understanding is reached. From then on, we're on the same side.