Chapter 51

It was unknown whether the Chu Emperor, Xiang Yu, and the others had done it intentionally or not, but after Liu Yuan gave up Yingchuan Commandery, his territory actually had nothing to do with the "Yu" in "King of Yu." In fact, Hengshan Commandery and Nan Commandery were part of Jing Province in the Nine Provinces of ancient times. By that logic, his title should have been "King of Jing" or "King of Hengshan" or something similar, not King of Yu.

But since the enfeoffment had already been made, and there was absolutely no reason for the edict to be rescinded, Liu Yuan just went along with the mistake.

After officially moving to Zhu County, everyone had even more to keep them busy.

First, the original Hengshan Commandery Governor's manor had to be converted into the Mansion of the King of Yu.

As a hegemon of a region, the specifications of his mansion naturally couldn't be the same as a Governor's manor. But with the battle to capture Nanyang on the front lines growing more intense, no one had the time to supervise renovations. Liu Yuan didn't want to waste financial and human resources on it either, so he didn't renovate it at all, merely having someone change the plaque.

Second was the issue of housing for his followers.

Madam Zhang, Liu Zhen, and the others, needless to say, would naturally move into the Mansion of the King of Yu. But everyone else, like Liu Xin and Liu Chi, as well as Madam Zhang's family, the dependents of people like Song Xie, and even the aristocratic families and common folk who had followed Liu Yuan, all needed separate living arrangements.

This heavy responsibility fell on the shoulders of An Zheng, Wu Yu, and others. One had to understand that Hengshan Commandery also had its own local aristocratic families, so the good locations were generally already occupied. If Liu Yuan didn't want to provoke their opposition, he couldn't just forcibly seize residences. This required finding other ways to properly settle everyone. Even though An Zheng and Wu Yu were meticulous and reliable, they were so busy they were run off their feet, nearly to the point of conflict.

Then there was the administration of the territory.

Compared to the previous problem, this was hardly a problem at all. With his prior experience governing Yingchuan Commandery, Liu Yuan could simply copy his previous methods, issue benevolent policies, and win the hearts of the people. He no longer had to feel his way forward step by step as he had in Yingchuan Commandery, fearful of making a misstep.

But the most important thing was none of these. The battle for Nanyang Commandery had now reached a fever pitch. After Liu Yuan's discussions with everyone, they all agreed that taking Nanyang Commandery was imperative. Only by obtaining Nanyang could they advance further west, then head straight for Mount Li from Danshui and Wuguan Pass, and enter Xianyang before anyone else.

That's right. After dealing with Zhang Han, the various feudal lords were all exerting their full strength, sweeping away the remnants of the Qin army as they marched straight for Xianyang. To encourage everyone to eliminate the Qin court sooner, the Chu Emperor had already issued an order: whoever entered Xianyang first would be its master. This made many people's eyes red with desire. Some even traveled day and night, desperate to be the first to seize Xianyang.

During the Warring States period, each state had its own capital, and all these capitals were strategic locations with convenient transportation. But after Qin conquered the six states, Qin Shi Huang ordered the repair of roads throughout the country. This made Xianyang the center of the world, both politically and economically. Obtaining Xianyang naturally meant obtaining this auspicious land. Not to mention, since the time of Qin Shi Huang, the Qin royal palace had amassed countless treasures plundered from the six states. Coupled with the inheritance passed down through the generations of the Qin State, it could be said to hold the wealth of the entire world. No wonder everyone wanted to be the first to occupy Xianyang.

Others wanted it, and of course, Liu Yuan wanted it too. That was why he had to open up the path through Nanyang now in order to advance west. Otherwise, if he took Hangu Pass like everyone else, he could only follow behind them and pick up the scraps. This was not Liu Yuan's original goal. Ever since giving up Yingchuan Commandery, though he wore a smile on his face, he had been suppressing a fire in his heart. He dreamed of being the first to capture Xianyang, and ideally, to infuriate the self-assured Xiang Yu to death in the process.

Under this rainbow-like offensive spirit, and lacking strong reinforcements, Nanyang Commandery was like a lone tree unable to prop up a house. It suffered defeat after defeat until there was nowhere left to retreat. The Governor of Nanyang Commandery, Yang Biao, and County Commandant Han Shan were finally forced to surrender. Xu Zhongfang had finally taken Nanyang Commandery. And Liu Nan, who had already been promoted to Commander of a Hundred, was not lightly injured for having led the charge at the very front.

By the time Liu Zhen heard the news of Liu Nan's injury, it was already the following spring.

Liu Nan himself didn't think his injury was a big deal and didn't want his family to worry, so he refused to let Xu Zhongfang spread the word. It was Xu Zhongfang who accidentally let it slip when he returned to report on his duties. Liu Nan had not returned with him; he remained with the army, clearly having found enjoyment there. But just as Liu Zhen missed her elder brother and often entrusted people to bring him letters and items, Liu Nan also missed his younger sister very much. This time, he had someone bring back a letter for her.

Liu Nan didn't like to study. Fortunately, the few years he spent at the village school were of some use, preventing him from being illiterate. So, although the handwriting in the letter he sent back was ugly and lacked any literary flair, Liu Zhen still read it with great relish.

She read the letter word by word, sentence by sentence. Then she looked up and finally noticed the person who had brought the letter back for Liu Nan.

He was a young man, also dressed in the armor of a Commander of a Hundred. He looked to be about seventeen or eighteen years old. The flames of war had tempered his handsome features, making them sharp and distinct, yet he lacked the high-spirited flamboyance of someone like Guo Zhi. His aura seemed to have completely settled, not like a boorish warrior, but more like a scholarly general, skilled in both literary and martial arts.

A Commander of a Hundred was a low-ranking officer, not a high position. But Liu Nan refused to rely on his relationship with Liu Yuan, insisting on starting from the lowest rank of Squad Leader and being promoted based on military merit. To be able to rise from Squad Leader to Commander of a Hundred in just over a year was an extremely rapid advancement, a testament to this person's excellence.

And this person before her, according to Liu Nan's letter, was a good brother who had enlisted, trained, and fought on the battlefield with him. They shared a life-and-death friendship, and Liu Nan told Liu Zhen to treat him like an elder brother and not be disrespectful.

The other party had returned with Xu Zhongfang. After meeting Liu Yuan, he had made a special trip to see her because he was bringing a letter from Liu Nan. Right now, he showed no sign of annoyance even as Liu Zhen sized him up for a long while.

'With my brother's disposition, it's his good fortune to be friends with someone like this,' Liu Zhen thought unkindly, then raised a cute smile. "May I ask if you are Elder Brother Chen?"

"Yes." Chen Su smiled, and the smile instantly softened his sharp, martial aura, making him seem gentle. "Young Lady need not be so courteous. You may call me Ziwang."

Liu Zhen's first impression was that this person was very easy to get along with. Unlike typical military men who gave off an aggressive or boorish feeling, he made people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze. No wonder her own brother had befriended him.

"Then Ziwang may also call me Ah Zhen or Renjing." Liu Zhen was frank and informal. Unless it was an elder like Song Xie or An Zheng, she would address those a few years older than her, like Guo Zhi and Ji Ci, directly by their names. She really wasn't used to calling everyone 'Elder Brother,' even if it was the custom of the time.

Chen Su nodded and said with a smile, "Ah Zhen, your elder brother misses you very much. It's a pity he's on the battlefield year-round. Even if he wanted to buy you a gift, there's nothing much to buy, so he could only send a letter back. He also asked me to bring back some money for you..." After speaking, he fumbled in his pouch, pulled out a coarse linen bag, and handed it to her.

Liu Zhen took it and weighed it in her hand, startled by its heavy weight. She opened it to see it was full of finely made Ban Liang coins of excellent quality. Although the Qin Dynasty was on the verge of collapse, this type of coin was still the most popular. Moreover, the various feudal lords had already begun to mint their own currency. Whoever's Ban Liang coins were well-made and accepted by the common people would circulate more widely. However, this had a drawback: coins that were too well-made were often collected by aristocratic and wealthy households, which would also lead to a decrease in their circulation in the market.

So, it was clear that these Ban Liang coins in Liu Zhen's hand had been carefully saved up by Liu Nan.

"Why is there so much?" she asked, extremely surprised.

Chen Su smiled. "Since I am Ah Nan's good friend, I am like an elder brother to you. It's only right that I give you a meeting gift. But we're on the battlefield year-round and have nowhere to spend our salaries, so we saved this up. Take it all. Buy whatever you want."

As Liu Yuan's status rose, people would always come to offer gifts during festivals and new years. As Liu Yuan's eldest daughter, Liu Zhen was naturally not overlooked. Therefore, Liu Zhen herself had also saved up a lot of personal money, to the point where she was already immune to things like 'gifts' and 'money.' She was unlike her initial self, who always felt a sense of crisis and wished she had more personal savings.

But now, receiving this unremarkable gift, she felt a warm current suddenly surge through her heart, almost overwhelming her.

To think how long ago it was that her worrisome elder brother had irresponsibly abandoned the entire family to sneak off to the front lines, all for the sake of his own hot-blooded passion. But now, he was actually starting to consider others, sending letters and gifts back to his little sister.

Liu Zhen felt that her current gratified mood of 'my child has finally grown up' seemed a bit off. She took a deep breath, suppressing the stinging in the corners of her eyes. "Thank you, Ziwang. Is my elder brother alright? I heard he was injured. Was it very serious?"

Chen Su said, "He was injured in the shoulder blade. He recuperated for three months and it's no longer a major issue. He didn't tell you because he was afraid of worrying you all. He heard about how you faced Dong Yi's rebel army alone after he left, and he feels very guilty in his heart. He blames himself for it often."

Liu Zhen was simply overjoyed! To hear a word of self-blame from Liu Nan made all her efforts of putting in good words for her brother in front of their father to ease their father-son relationship worthwhile.

Most importantly, it seemed Liu Nan had truly matured from this trip!

To become an indomitable man, the first step is to recognize one's own shortcomings and mistakes.

At the very least, Liu Nan had taken this step.

Seeing her complex expression, a mix of being moved and other emotions, Chen Su couldn't help but chuckle.

He had always heard Liu Nan talk about his mature-for-her-age little sister, how good her temperament was, and how intelligent she was. Liu Nan mentioned it so often that even someone as lacking in curiosity as Chen Su wanted to meet her. And now that he had met her today...

Her face, still clearly bearing the tenderness of youth, was written with an expression of 'greatly gratified in my old age.' No matter how you looked at it, it was amusing.

Truly... cute.

Liu Zhen came back to her senses and said to Chen Su, "Since you're here, Ziwang, why not stay for a few days? It would allow me to fulfill my duties as a host."

Chen Su shook his head. "Thank you for your kindness, but the main army is about to set out, and I must follow General Xu."

Liu Zhen let out a sound of understanding, immediately realizing what he meant.

After conquering Nanyang Commandery, Liu Yuan was preparing to advance on Wuguan Pass, hoping to enter Xianyang before everyone else. Therefore, he was bound to personally lead this expedition. As for Xu Zhongfang's troops, they had just taken Nanyang and were most in need of rest and recuperation, while also holding the territory for Liu Yuan. So, after Liu Yuan departed, Xu Zhongfang also had to immediately return to Nanyang to stand guard.

After remembering this, Liu Zhen said, "Wait a moment!"

Then she stood up and pattered off into the inner room.

Leaving Chen Su alone, sitting in the hall, watching the pear blossoms fall rustling outside, covering the ground in a sheet of pure white.

He thought of Liu Zhen's tender, white, bun-like face and couldn't help but smile faintly.

Ah Jin stood guard outside the door and snuck a peek, thinking to herself that this Commander of a Hundred Chen was truly handsome, not at all like those other warriors outside.

A moment later, Liu Zhen returned, holding two embroidered pouches in her hand.

The pouches were exquisitely made, embroidered with osmanthus flowers—of course, not by Liu Zhen. She had neither the talent nor the interest in needlework. Even though the rules of hierarchy between men and women had been established by the late Qin, it wasn't like the Ming and Qing dynasties where needlework was a standard for judging a woman's virtue. For girls from poor families, learning needlework was certainly helpful for managing a household, but at Liu Yuan's current status, whether Liu Zhen, Liu Wan, and the others wanted to learn or not, even Madam Zhang would not force them.

There had been more than one pouch, but she had already given the others to Liu Yuan and the rest. As for these last two, she hadn't expected Chen Su's arrival, so she had planned to keep one for herself.

Liu Zhen said with a grin, "Inside are talismans I requested from the Yellow Emperor Temple. They're said to protect one's safety. Ziwang and my elder brother, it's perfect, one for each of you!"

Chen Su smiled slightly and didn't stand on ceremony. "Then many thanks to you."

Chen Su was not lying. He had only been here for two days when Xu Zhongfang and his men had to leave again. Departing with them was the Yu Army led by Liu Yuan. Both groups were heading to Nanyang, but for Liu Yuan, Nanyang was just a transit point. His ultimate goal was Xianyang.

The send-off for this expedition was grand; almost half the city came to see them off. Madam Zhang brought Liu Zhen and the others to personally see them off at the city gate, watching the vast and mighty army march past them, moving further and further away, shrinking bit by bit in their vision until they could no longer be seen. Yet, the bright red banners and flags remained imprinted in everyone's hearts.

Sobs could be heard from time to time in the crowd, all from the families of those serving in the army.

Madam Zhang lowered her head and quietly wiped away a tear.

Even Liu Wan and Liu Jin could not hide the disappointment on their faces.

From the moment Liu Yuan was enfeoffed as a king, they had realized this was a road of no return.

Either victory, or defeat.

There was no third path.

"May Father return victorious! Third Uncle, Ziwang, take care of yourselves!"

Liu Zhen cupped her hands around her mouth and suddenly shouted.

Her action was like opening a floodgate, and many people began to shout along with her.

"Ah Gou, you must come back safely!"

"My husband, the children are waiting for you at home!"

"Eldest Brother, take care—!"

One after another, the shouts rose and fell, carrying with them countless hopes and expectations.

The wind kicked up dust, blurring their eyes.

Once Liu Yuan left, Madam Zhang was once again the one in charge of the mansion.

Even the most incompetent person would have shaped up after such long training. Madam Zhang was increasingly showing the bearing of a matriarch. Besides the pearls and jewels that gave her plain features an imposing air, her handling of affairs could be considered fair. At the very least, she did not treat the concubines in Liu Yuan's rear courtyard harshly.

The concubine with the surname Xie, who had become pregnant a year ago, gave birth to a daughter shortly before Liu Yuan's departure, naming her Xuan. Not long after Liu Yuan left, news spread that the concubine Madam Tao was also pregnant.

Madam Tao was the birth mother of Song Hong.

A concubine being pregnant was a commonplace piece of news, but it was enough to cause faint ripples on the calm surface of the water.