Chapter 4: The Empress Truly Leads a Bitter Life

Liu Bang’s face shifted, his heart roiling with turbulent waves.

He had never once considered such a possibility. After all, Lu Zhi was much younger than he was. He was a full fifteen years her senior; how could it be that she would pass away before him? Furthermore, lately, beyond the matters of the various kings of different surnames, he had been preoccupied with anxieties regarding the future—for instance, whether the Crown Prince, Liu Ying, being of such a gentle and fragile nature, would eventually see his power usurped by Lu Zhi. Such a possibility was not entirely unthinkable.

While the concern over Lu Zhi seizing power had now been set aside, the prospect of her departing this world before him was equally unacceptable. They had weathered so many storms together over the years; when he had been nothing, Lu Zhi had never looked down upon him, and her father, Master Lu, had held him in particularly high regard. Her two brothers, Lu Ze and Lu Shizhi, had also rendered immortal service during the founding of the Han Dynasty.

A sovereign is heartless, yet he still possesses a heart. Remembering how, during his flight for survival, he had kicked Lu Zhi off the carriage to save his own life, Liu Bang had felt a lingering guilt for all these years—a matter Lu Zhi had never once raised with him. In short, his feelings for her were deeply complex, and now, hearing that the Empress would precede the Emperor in death, his mind was in total disarray.

"Are you certain of this?" Liu Bang’s voice trembled. The imperial majesty had vanished, replaced by that of a weary old man, sounding almost as if he were pleading for something.

"How could it be false? I told you, I have the medicine to treat the Empress here; this is an absolute opportunity to make a fortune." Lu Xuan, sensing that Uncle Ji seemed quite interested, smiled, continuing his enticements.

Liu Bang wanted to press further, but Zhang Liang stepped in to stop him.

"Lu Xuan, it is time for your dressing. I will go fetch the medicine now." With that, Zhang Liang hurriedly pulled Liu Bang outside.

With eyes that could see no light, Lu Xuan felt the rhythmic sound of footsteps fading, and the room fell into silence once more.

"Time for a dressing again?" Lu Xuan lay prone on the bed, muttering to himself. He felt as though the herbs on his back hadn't even dried yet. He figured they must have gone out to discuss the matter. He could tell that among these men, Uncle Ji seemed the most senior and the leader of the group, while Uncle Fang appeared somewhat cleverer, the one whose judgment they all relied upon. It was quite obvious that Uncle Ji had intended to ask more, but Uncle Fang had found an excuse to pull him away.

"Understandable, I suppose. It is a grave matter. These men are subordinates of Chen Li; perhaps they have no desire to save Empress Ma," Lu Xuan thought, adjusting the soft pillow to lie as comfortably as he could, waiting for them to return and "apply the medicine."

Outside the room, Zhang Liang pulled Liu Bang into a corner. Liu Bang’s large beard trembled in the wind as he was led away. Once they had gained some distance, Zhang Liang spoke: "Your Majesty must not ask any more questions. To persist will surely lead to exposure."

"How can I not ask? That Lu Xuan claimed Lu Zhi would die before me! Zifang, did you not hear him? Lu Zhi is my Empress!" Liu Bang appeared agitated, clearly worried for her.

"Lu Xuan’s words are indeed worth noting, but Your Majesty, consider one of the things he said earlier: 'I know you may harbor resentment toward the dynasties of the Central Plains, and you may not be fond of the Emperor; but what does that have to do with you small folk?' Lu Xuan assumes we are from the Far East, and that people from the Far East hold grudges against the Central Plains dynasties and dislike the Emperor. Yet, the Han Dynasty has not yet launched any campaigns against the three Han regions of the Far East, nor have we ever conducted any punitive expeditions. This proves that Lu Xuan may not necessarily be speaking of the Empress."

Zhang Liang spoke to soothe him; he did not want Liu Bang to lose his composure, as that would be detrimental to what was to come. At present, the Han Dynasty appeared peaceful, but undercurrents were surging. The Emperor was wary of Han Xin. The various kings of different surnames paid lip service to the Han while secretly recruiting soldiers and expanding their armaments. Although the Han had inherited some of the Qin's rules and regulations, the Qin had only unified the land for a dozen years or so, offering little to draw upon. Furthermore, the reasons for the Qin’s collapse were varied, and it was difficult to quickly distinguish which of their systems were worth inheriting and which should be discarded. Additionally, the power of the old nobility from the six states still existed—the Tian clan of Qi, for example, remained the most powerful.

The Han had too many pressing issues. If the Emperor were to lose his focus because of "Lu Xuan," it would be disastrous for the state.

Liu Bang, having listened to Zhang Liang, calmed down slightly, but then he asked: "Marquis of Liu, you are learned and knowledgeable. I ask you: during the era of the Seven States and the Qin Dynasty, were there ever any expeditions or oppression against the tribes of the Far East? If such things occurred, it would prove that Lu Xuan still believes he is in the Han Dynasty, in my era! It would prove that he is indeed speaking of my Empress, Lu Zhi!"

These words from Liu Bang left Zhang Liang in silence.

***

Had the Seven States or the Qin Dynasty ever campaigned against the Far East? Not only had they campaigned; they had also oppressed them.

During the Warring States period, the famous Yan general Qin Kai led an army to crush the Donghu, then crossed the Liao River to attack Gojoseon, pushing as far as Manfanhan and seizing over two thousand li of territory, incorporating the Liaodong region into the Yan map. These were well-documented instances of Central Plains states attacking the Far East.

After the Qin unified the six states, its power expanded, and the First Emperor turned his gaze toward the surrounding regions. During the Qin era, the sphere of influence extended; while there were no large-scale wars of conquest against the Far East, commanderies and counties were established there to strengthen control over the frontier. This influence was realized primarily through initial exchanges with local tribes or regimes.

Naturally, this involved oppression. If they did not choose to assimilate into the Qin, they were attacked. The Far East simply surrendered quickly. From the perspective of the Far East tribes, there was indeed resentment toward the Central Plains dynasties, and they certainly did not like the Emperor. What His Majesty said held water.

Zhang Liang remained silent for a long time. Seeing this, Liu Bang said: "Next, I want to clarify the reason for the Empress dying before me, as well as the method of treatment. The Marquis of Liu will not disagree, will he?"

Zhang Liang bowed. "The matter of the Empress is naturally more important than all others."

As a minister, some things could not be spoken. Even the most perfect plan he had conceived could not be realized. To him, what was most valuable about this man from the future, Lu Xuan? It was his insights into later eras, his analysis of the disastrous policies of various dynasties, beneficial strategies, craftsmanship, methods for eliminating foreign threats, and systemic knowledge—not the life of an Empress. He knew that while in the eyes of many ministers Liu Bang was a cold-hearted ruler, he himself knew that Liu Bang was a man who deeply valued emotions, especially now that he had become Emperor and possessed everything.

"What a pity..." Zhang Liang’s face remained impassive, but he sighed inwardly. There was much he wished to say—for instance, that he advised the Emperor to ignore this matter, because the Crown Prince was gentle and feared the Empress; if the Empress were to pass away before the Emperor, it would be a perfect resolution, as there would be no need to fear her seizing power.

But if the Emperor were to pass away first, and the Empress remained, the future of the Han would be thrown into chaos. Particularly in this era—the Han being only the second unified dynasty—one must realize that the First Emperor of Qin had never appointed an Empress. This meant no one knew what level of power an Empress should possess. Lu Zhi was, in the true sense, the first Empress of a unified dynasty, and her potential power was terrifyingly great—second only to the Emperor. Once His Majesty departed first, there would likely be no one left who could stop whatever Lu Zhi chose to do.

But he could not say these things, nor dared he. He only wished to preserve himself until the world was truly at peace, then retire into the mountains.

"Lu Xuan still needs three months to recover, so there is no rush for today. Today, we shall clarify the matter of the Empress."

Seeing Zhang Liang bow, Liu Bang showed a satisfied smile, laughed heartily, and told Zhang Liang to accompany him back to Lu Xuan’s room. They would get to the bottom of the Empress's illness and then demand the prescription. Once that was settled, they would ask about other things.

Zhang Liang took a packet of herbs and entered the room with Liu Bang.

The room was filled with the faint fragrance of herbs. Zhang Liang walked in and said gently, "Lu Xuan, it is time for the dressing."

"Apply it, apply it," Lu Xuan said helplessly. It seemed they had finished their discussion. He lay prone on the bed. Zhang Liang applied the cooling herbs once more. Feeling that the medicine had been spread evenly across his back, Lu Xuan asked: "Tell me, Uncle Fang, Uncle Ji... what do you think about what I said earlier? This is the only way I can repay your kindness. It will surely work. Using my prescription, we can definitely save the Empress's life."

Zhang Liang did not speak, looking toward Liu Bang beside him. Liu Bang’s mood had calmed significantly; since Lu Xuan possessed a prescription that could treat Lu Zhi, he was not so worried anymore. However, he was curious: what kind of illness did Lu Zhi have, and why had she fallen ill? Having been together for so long, he had felt no sign of her being unwell.

"Lu Xuan, you are certain the Empress is ill? Can you speak of the cause and what specific illness she has?" Liu Bang asked tentatively.

Zhang Liang also looked at Lu Xuan. Since Lu Xuan could not see, Zhang Liang watched him with a scrutinizing gaze. One could not fully trust the words of a man from the future; who knew if Lu Xuan was just making up this "Empress's illness" to attract attention from the capital?

Lu Xuan fell into deep thought. The reasons for Empress Ma’s illness were many. According to the historical records collected by later generations, there was no definitive conclusion on what she suffered from, but there were many possibilities. Lu Xuan summarized these reasons and spoke slowly:

"There are many reasons for the Empress's illness."

"First: illness caused by overwork. During the Emperor’s campaigns, the Empress often accompanied the army, meticulously tending to his daily life, mending clothes for the soldiers, and preparing rations. Long periods of exhaustion and the instability of life gradually drained her body. For example, when the Emperor was locked in a standoff with enemy forces, the Empress not only had to stabilize morale in the rear but also provide logistical support to the front lines."

"Second: mental and physical fatigue, the burden of managing the inner court. After the dynasty was established, the Empress’s status was noble, and she had to manage the countless affairs of the harem. She personally supervised the palace maids and managed the needlework, attending to every detail, rising early and retiring late, ensuring the harem was in perfect order. But this long-term toil eventually broke her body."

"Third: the influence of her early experiences. In the words of our later generations, it was 'malnutrition.' The Empress lived in hardship, and it is likely she suffered from a lack of proper nutrition, which left her with a weak physical foundation, burying the seeds for future illness."

"Combined with these factors, as she aged, the Empress’s physical functions gradually declined, making her more susceptible to various ailments. That is why she fell ill and departed before the Emperor."

Lu Xuan’s words were reasonable and well-supported. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly; Empress Ma was indeed a virtuous wife, unmatched by any Empress in history, past or present.

Liu Bang felt a deep resonance and nodded repeatedly. "The Empress... she has indeed suffered too much."

From a local hoodlum to the Emperor of the Han, Liu Bang had once been a man of passion. In the old days at Pei County, he had been someone of note. Listening carefully to Lu Xuan describe the hardships of Lu Zhi, his heart trembled. Had Lu Xuan not brought it up, he might never have considered what Lu Zhi had endured by his side all these years.

When he had hidden in Mount Mangdang after releasing the conscripts, Lu Zhi had traveled long distances many times to visit him, bringing supplies and giving him support. While the mending of clothes and preparing of rations had happened, it hadn't been the extent of it. Truth be told, Lu Zhi was indeed a virtuous wife to him.

Now that the Han had just been established, the affairs of the inner court were overwhelming. The Qin Dynasty had not appointed an Empress, so there was no precedent to follow, and all these burdens had fallen upon Lu Zhi. She had suffered for him.

Liu Bang thought to himself. The third point Lu Xuan mentioned—her early hardships and "malnutrition"—convinced him even more that Lu Xuan was indeed speaking of Lu Zhi. He did not believe there was any other founding Empress in history who had suffered as much as she had. She had lived a carefree life in her family’s homeland, but because her father, Master Lu, had offended someone, she was forced to flee to Pei County and then got saddled with a man like him.

He hadn't been the diligent man he was now; he had been a loafer, and the farm work at home had usually fallen to Lu Zhi. Lu Zhi was born into a better family, while he was merely the Tingzhang of Sishui in Pei County, fifteen years her senior. He had already had a mistress, Lady Cao, and a son, Liu Fei. Lu Zhi was in the prime of her youth, yet married an old man like him; she must not have been happy about it at the time.

His family was not wealthy, and after marriage, Lu Zhi had to shoulder the burden of the household, personally tending to the fields and weaving to make ends meet. Back then, when he was escorting prisoners to Mount Li, he released them in the Fengxi marshes, and they fled to Mount Mangdang. Lu Zhi, as his family, was implicated and imprisoned, where she suffered terrible abuse.

That year, he was crushed at the Battle of Pengcheng. Lu Zhi and her father were captured by the Chu army and held hostage for twenty-eight months, enduring torment while he was already accompanied by Lady Qi. That damned Xiang Yu had even placed her father and Lu Zhi before the lines, threatening to boil them alive to intimidate him. He had bitten the bullet and replied: "We shared the service of the Yi Emperor as brothers; if you want to boil my father, give me a cup of the soup." Lu Zhi must have been heartbroken then.

Now that the Han was established, he had gradually grown tired of Lu Zhi, preferring more beautiful, younger women. Though Lu Zhi said nothing, it must have been unbearable for her.

Liu Bang’s heart was filled with a mix of emotions. He sighed: "Alas, the Empress’s life has indeed been too bitter. No wonder... no wonder she became ill."