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

It wasn't just the Yang brothers who thought so. Even Zhang Sheng felt it was too hasty, and his eyes widened slightly. But he remained obedient and didn't say another word.

"Let's go." Liu Chen stood up, gripped his sword, and walked away with a smile before the Yang brothers could speak.

Huang Chong immediately got up and followed, while Zhang Sheng reacted a beat slower and also followed.

The five soldiers looked at each other in bewilderment. They were leaving already? Then they followed suit.

At the command of the King of the North, the hundreds of soldiers surrounding the manor immediately assembled and escorted Liu Chen's carriage away.

The Yang brothers had many wives, concubines, and children. They were trembling with fear under the intimidation of the soldiers and dared not cry.

As the soldiers left, the women and children burst into tears, a heart-wrenching and terrifying scene.

inside the room.

The Yang brothers collapsed to the ground as if all their strength had been drained. They were drenched in sweat and their bodies were trembling like leaves.

Faith can suppress the fear of death, but it cannot banish death. They are, after all, still human, and still afraid of dying.

It took a long time for the Yang brothers to regain some of their strength.

"Brother, why did the King of the North let us go like this? Is it really because our threats worked?" Yang Yu took a deep breath and asked tremblingly.

"Impossible. The King of the North is renowned, and his troops are so elite. Judging from this, the King of the North is a powerful and ruthless man. He wouldn't be afraid of threats." Yang Yun's expression turned serious as he said this, and he said in a deep voice, "I'm afraid he spared our lives to lure Chang Heng out."

"Hmm." Yang Yu's expression was extremely solemn, and he nodded in deep agreement. There seemed to be no other explanation besides this one.

......

"Clatter clatter clatter!!!" On the main road, a large group of riders, soldiers, and eunuchs surrounded Liu Chen's carriage, which moved forward smoothly.

Zhang Sheng, riding beside the chariot, finally couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, are we just going to let Chang Heng go like this?"

He knew, of course, that Liu Chen wasn't afraid of threats, but why?

Liu Chen remained unmoved, saying, "These two brothers are truly fearless. If I kill their entire family, I will become enemies with Chang Heng. Chang Heng will then lead his troops to attack my manor, which is very valuable and cannot be lost in the slightest."

After a pause, he laughed and said, "My purpose is to befriend Chang Heng, not to make him my enemy. Killing these two brothers would contradict my goal, wouldn't it?"

"What about the Shu brocade that Chang Heng stole? What if Chang Heng becomes arrogant because of this and continues to attack Your Majesty's Shu brocade convoy?" Zhang Sheng asked, frowning. He said this, but if he just let it go, wouldn't that be seen as weakness and easy to bully? Wouldn't that embolden the thief?

Liu Chen calmly replied, "Dignity is something that is given to each other. I have already given Chang Heng dignity. If he is a dignified person, he will return the Shu brocade to me. He will also not attack my brocade transport team in the future."

Zhang Sheng raised an eyebrow, somewhat skeptical, but upon closer examination, he realized there was some truth to it. Chang Heng was a man of his word, and Liu Chen had already let the Yang brothers go.

Chang Heng might very well reciprocate.

"If that's the case, then everyone will be happy," Zhang Sheng thought to himself.

Huang Chong, standing to the side, simply smiled slightly.

Liu Chen led his men back to Chengdu before the end of the year.

It seems like I did something, but it also seems like I didn't do anything.

Despite mobilizing a large army, they achieved nothing.

The year-end of Jingyao's third year was as lively as in previous years.

First, there was the royal dinner on New Year's Eve.

At the grand court assembly of the New Year, the emperor and his ministers were still in high spirits, engaging in various celebratory activities.

Liu Chen also participated, but he remained a detached observer.

After the New Year, there was joyous news in the Wang family of the North.

Liu Zhaoning, Chen Lingzi, and Lü E successively gave birth to three sons for Liu Chen. However, Lü E's son was premature and in poor health, but he still survived.

Consort Li was overjoyed and would come over to visit her grandsons from time to time. She loved them all and kissed them all.

Summer arrived before we knew it.

In the inner palace, Liu Chen, having nothing to do, had a eunuch bring his three sons over to play.

The eldest son is named Liu Qian, the second son is named Liu Yu, and the third son is named Liu Lang.

Liu Lang was in slightly weak health, so Queen Chen Mingzhen treated him the best.

The eldest and second eldest are both healthy.

"In the blink of an eye, it's been four years since Jingyao, and I have three sons now." Liu Chen held his eldest son in his arms and teased him, feeling emotional.

A son is primarily a bloodline heir, but for the royal family, he holds another significance.

An emperor without a son is tantamount to having no future. Some of his ministers will become disloyal, and the empire will be thrown into turmoil.

An emperor's position can only be secure if he has a son.

Liu Chen naturally hoped his son would live to be a hundred, but given the conditions of ancient times, he could only leave it to fate. The more sons the better. His three concubines giving birth to three sons in a row was a great help indeed.

but.

"I need at least two legitimate sons," Liu Chen said, teasing his eldest son while trying to get the Queen to give birth to a son. It would be terrible if they were all illegitimate sons.

Just then, a eunuch hurried over, stopped beside Liu Chen, bowed, knelt down, and whispered in his ear, "Your Majesty..."

"Hmm." Liu Chen nodded, summoned the wet nurse, returned the eldest son to the wet nurse, and then got up and followed the eunuch into a room.

Huang Chong and Zhang Sheng knelt on either side of Liu Chen. The two bowed to Liu Chen, who nodded, sat down on the throne, placed his right hand on the armrest, and looked up at the eunuch.

The eunuch bowed, turned, and left.

Shortly after, a man of very ordinary appearance but extremely strong build and dark skin entered. He bowed to Liu Chen and said, "This humble man is Zhang Ding, paying respects to the King of the North."

Liu Chen looked him over carefully, then said, "Just say it."

"Yes." Zhang Ding bowed again before saying, "Lord Chang thinks Your Majesty is very kind and has ordered me to bring back gold of equivalent value to Your Majesty. He also promised not to attack ships flying the banner of 'King of the North' again."

Yes. Zhang Ding was Chang Heng's subordinate. As Liu Chen had predicted, Chang Heng also chose the more respectable option.

Zhang Sheng recalled what Liu Chen had once told him and couldn't help but admire him. Then he stared at Zhang Ding and felt something was off.

"Very well. Fan Jiangjiao is truly a respectable man." Liu Chen smiled and praised him. He then said, "Although I have a bad reputation, I am actually a straightforward person and I particularly admire strong men and brave warriors. I will treat you to a banquet, and then you should go back and tell Chang Heng that I wish to correspond with him."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Zhang Ding said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

Liu Chen instructed the eunuchs to prepare a banquet, but since the banquet could not be held immediately, he chatted idly with Zhang Ding, talking about all sorts of things.

Zhang Ding was neither arrogant nor humble, and had a good conversation with Liu Chen. Liu Chen praised him, saying that he was indeed worthy of being Chang Heng's subordinate, and was very knowledgeable.

Zhang Ding responded modestly.

After their conversation, the banquet began. Liu Chen and Zhang Ding exchanged toasts and treated each other with great courtesy. Once the banquet ended, Liu Chen sent someone to escort Zhang Ding out of the palace and gave him a complete copy of Sun Tzu's Art of War, instructing him to take it to Chang Heng.

No sooner had Zhang Ding left than Zhang Sheng said, "Your Majesty, although it's a bit strange, I feel that this Zhang Ding is no ordinary person."

Liu Chen laughed and said, "Victory. Your eyesight is not bad. If I am not mistaken, this is Chang Heng himself."

"What?!?!" Zhang Sheng, usually a very composed man, was taken aback by these words and stammered in surprise. Chang Heng actually dared to come to see the King of the North in person?

"A very courageous man. Your Majesty may need him in the future." Huang Chong also noticed this, and nodded with a smile while stroking his beard.

Some people may have ordinary looks, or even look rather sleazy.

But his heroic spirit cannot be concealed.

Some people may seem dashing and charming, but they're actually good-for-nothings.

Chang Heng is not simple.