Volume 1: Kyoto Winds and Clouds Chapter 53: Re-entering the Palace Liu Zhang Pretends to be Foolish

  The matter of the weapon was left to the old blacksmith, and Liu Zhang was very relieved. Ancient people were more honest than modern people, at least in terms of shoddy workmanship, ancient people were much better. Think about those famous ancient buildings that have stood for hundreds or even thousands of years, I don't know if the creators of those modern tofu-dregs projects would be ashamed!

  During Liu Zhang's recruitment of Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang, Shi Ah also rushed back. Upon receiving the emperor's edict, Liu Yan and his wife began to pack their belongings. Although they would return, Liu Yan planned to spend New Year's in Luoyang because Youzhou was too cold in winter! However, this was also Liu Zhang's fault; if he hadn't come to Youzhou and met Tong Yuan within a few days, he wouldn't have forgotten to find someone to heat the kang for Liu Yan and his wife. By the time Liu Zhang remembered, he was already in Jizhou!

  The kang, as verified, existed in China's Western Han Dynasty, but it wasn't until the Tang Dynasty that there were records of it. There was even a period when many people said that the kang was invented by the Goguryeo people. In fact, all this is caused by one of the biggest bad habits of Chinese people - being overly proud of their own things. What's most puzzling is that these Chinese people who are so proud of their own things are very generous to outsiders. It's just like Emperor Yang of Sui, who, when some places in the country were struggling to survive, used silk to make clothes for trees, saying it was to show national prestige to foreign tribes. When his subjects had no food to eat, he didn't think about relieving their suffering, but instead let domestic merchants not accept money from foreign envoys! The most shameless one is Empress Dowager Cixi, who actually said: "The quantity of Chinese goods and the joy of the country's heart are tied together!"

  It's precisely this kind of situation that has caused many things to be lost in transmission, from major scientific and technological advancements to everyday practical items like this kang. Although it had existed for a long time, few people knew about it! However, Liu Zhang, who had returned to Ji County, no longer had the time to build a kang for his wife; he had to go to the capital to receive an imperial reward from the emperor!

  Setting out from Youzhou, the scenery on the road was even worse than when they came. Especially when passing through Julu County, Taoist priests with yellow turbans could be seen everywhere on the street. These people did not have the immortal spirit of a Taoist priest, but had an aura of evil. Liu Zhang knew at a glance that these were the soldiers gathered by Zhang Jiao.

  "Alas!" Liu Yan sighed on the horse-drawn carriage: "The Great Han is getting more and more chaotic!"

  "Father, what does it have to do with us if you're being unreasonable?" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "However, I think it's better to be a bit unreasonable!"

  "Why?" Liu Yan asked in surprise: "You're the one who can't bear to see commoners suffer, how could you hope for more chaos?"

  Liu Zhang coldly snorted, "Does father think that if the Great Han is not in chaos, then ordinary people will not suffer? Corrupt officials deceive and bully the common folk, even small landowners and minor gentry live miserable lives, let alone the common people?"

  "They can at least survive!" Liu Yan knew the current situation of the Great Han and shook his head after finishing speaking.

  "It's better to die with a bang than to live in stealth!" Liu Zhang shook his head and said, "With one's wife, children, parents, and even one's own life all in someone else's hands, if there's no hope of escape, I'd rather choose death!"

  Liu Yan smiled and said: "I know you're a reckless kid! However, this time when you go to the capital, you'd better behave yourself."

  "Father, I absolutely cannot restrain myself, otherwise I will surely suffer a strange disaster!" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "The more arrogant I am, the more the Emperor will trust me. A general without any faction or party, no matter how great his achievements are, the Emperor is not afraid of him. And I can only keep making mistakes, even big ones, to wash away the reputation of being a hero!"

  Liu Yan asked in puzzlement: "My son, since you know that attacking the Wuhuan will be resented by the Emperor, why do you still want to go?"

  "Father, the world is going to be in chaos. To protect yourself, you must have real power!" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "If I don't intimidate those Ulan bastards, I won't get anything done in Youzhou!"

  Liu Yan asked: "My son, what do you mean by saying that the world will be in chaos?"

  "Has Father ever seen those Taoist priests with yellow turbans on their heads?"

  "What happened to those Taoists?"

  "Do they look like Taoists?"

  "Not at all!"

  "Nowadays, there are at least several hundred thousand such Taoist priests in the country. If they were to rise up together, I don't know if it would be considered a great chaos or not."

  Liu Yan exclaimed in surprise: "It can't be! I've heard that Da Xianliang Shifu saves the suffering and rescues those in distress, distributing talismans to save people everywhere. How could he possibly rebel?"

  "What's so strange about a snake swallowing an elephant?" Liu Zhang smiled and said, "However, his rebellion has given us military officers the opportunity to rise through the ranks!"

  Liu Yan frowned and said: "My son can speak directly to His Majesty this time, let him beware of the Yellow Turbans!"

  "It's useless! Let's not talk about whether the Emperor will believe me or not, even if he does, among the ten attendants in the palace, there are those who follow the Yellow Turban Taoism!" Liu Zhang shook his head helplessly and said: "Moreover, the Emperor has also changed! He is no longer the progressive and upward-looking Emperor of five years ago, who wanted to be a wise and just ruler. If I were to bring this up with him, I would only end up offending the ten attendants and benefiting people like Yuan Wei!"

  Liu Yan angrily said: "My son, this great Han is the foundation of our Liu family's power. If it collapses, it will not be beneficial for you or me!"

  "Why must father get angry?" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "I only said that the world will be in chaos, but I didn't say that the Han dynasty's throne would change hands! Even if it were to change hands, it might still be our Liu family!"

  Liu Yan was shocked again, he really couldn't think that his son could grow to this point. However, thinking carefully, Liu Zhang seemed to be different from ordinary people since childhood, and he let it go. Looking at Liu Zhang again, he was already sleeping soundly, and Liu Yan didn't bother anymore, this matter was no longer something he could control, only following the natural course!

  The mighty fleet, after a journey of half a month, finally arrived again outside the city of Luoyang. Looking at the majestic city walls, Liu Zhang suddenly shouted: "Luoyang, I'm back!"

  The pedestrians on the road looked at Liu Zhang as if they were looking at a fool, and only a few young masters wearing luxurious clothes and some people wearing servant uniforms suddenly ran back and forth in shock, as if they had seen a monster. Liu Zhang didn't pay attention to the gazes of the passersby, but instead walked towards the city gate, where he saw an eunuch wearing palace attire waiting for him at the gate!

  "Master Hou's one roar can be said to have shaken the universe!" The person who came to welcome Liu Zhang was actually Zhang Rang.

  Liu Zhang dismounted and saluted, saying: "General Zhang, why are you here yourself! For such a trivial matter, it would have been enough to send just any ordinary messenger!"

  "Can a mere eunuch like me receive the great merits of Young Master Hou?" Zhang Rang smiled and said, "Actually, Your Majesty was going to come in person, but I persuaded him otherwise. I hope Young Master Hou won't mind!"

  "Many thanks, Lord Zhang!" Liu Zhang smiled and said: "If I really let Your Excellency come to receive me, then my offense would be even greater! My father and I came from Youzhou, we didn't bring any good things, only some local products, I'll have someone send them to your lordship's mansion later!"

  "Thank you, young master!" Zhang Rang smiled and said: "His Majesty has learned that you have arrived, so he let you and Lord Liu Yan go to the palace to rest and refresh. Hurry up and come with me! By the way, His Majesty also said that I should entertain the meritorious officials, but which ones are the heroes who participated in the war against Wuman?"

  "This..." Liu Zhang hesitated: "This is not good! We have traveled all the way, dusty and tired, how can we meet the king?"

  "Don't worry!" Zhang Rang smiled and said: "Since I've called you over, everything has been arranged. Just follow me!"

  Under Zhang Liao's leadership, Liu Bei and others directly entered a side hall of the Weiyang Palace, where bathing water had already been prepared. The imperial palace bath was not like Liu Bei's home, where they would just set up a large wooden tub with some water! Here, it was more like a modern bathhouse. Liu Bei took four or five brothers into the water, and Zhang Fei even started swimming in the bathtub. After finishing their bath, Zhang Fei and others were still very excited to have bathed in the emperor's bathing place, which was a great honor. But Liu Bei felt somewhat lost, feeling that his original ambition and ideals were getting further and further away from him!

  After washing and dressing, the little yellow gate did not give Liu Zhang his original clothes, but a set of purple clothes and a golden crown. Zhao Yun and others were dressed in school uniforms. Liu Zhang understood that this was the champion Hou's uniform given by Liu Hong. As the saying goes: people rely on clothes and horses rely on saddles. After Liu Zhang put on the Hou uniform, he looked even more majestic and imposing. Although he was only thirteen years old, due to his long-term martial arts practice, his physique seemed like that of a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, robust and vigorous.

  Liu Hong had been waiting for Liu Zhang in the Xuan Shi Hall, and he had liked him very much since that year. Now that Liu Zhang had earned him such great face, he was even more satisfied with him. However, while being satisfied, Liu Hong also had some worries. He wasn't afraid that Liu Zhang's achievements would overshadow his own authority, but rather that this great victory would give Liu Zhang ambitions.

  "See the imperial brother!" Liu Zhang came to the Xuan room, looking at Liu Hong who had been waiting for a long time and smiled: "The imperial brother's bathroom is really good, the younger brother played for a while, I hope the imperial brother will not blame!"

  Liu Hong smiled and said: "My imperial brother has just arrived in the capital, and I've dragged you here. It seems I'm being too abrupt! Don't you introduce me to the young heroes by your side?"

  Liu Zhang smiled and introduced Zhang Ren to Huang Xu on one side, at this time Liu Yan also brought Huang Zhong over. After all, Liu Zhang and others were young children, taking a bath in the palace was nothing, but Liu Yan and Huang Zhong were adults, if they took a bath in the palace it would be somewhat excessive, so they came over after finishing their baths at home. At this moment, Wang Meiren also arrived. Liu Hong saw that everyone had arrived, and smiled: "Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats!"

  Although Liu Zhang was strict with military discipline, he wasn't foolish enough to show off his military skills in front of the Emperor. At Liu's command, Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun immediately took their seats, but only sat below Liu Zhang and Liu Yan, which pleased Liu greatly. Having ability is what the Emperor likes, but being brainless is somewhat stupid. Zhou Yafu and Nian Gengyao were both famous generals, but the soldiers they trained only recognized military orders, not the Emperor. Perhaps in times of war, such people are good at fighting, but their behavior, in the eyes of the Emperor, was a challenge to imperial authority. In fact, they didn't have any intention of rebelling, but they were still suspected by the Emperor. Many things can be seen from small matters.

  Liu Hong was satisfied, and Liu Zhang decided to make him even more satisfied. For a ruler, being overly sentimental or reckless is not acceptable, so Liu Zhang glanced around and deliberately ignored Wang Mei Ren beside Liu Hong, asking: "Imperial brother, I'm back, why haven't I seen the empress? I heard she gave birth to a little prince, why won't you let me see that little imperial nephew?"