Chapter 7: In Three Months, I'll Have Lu Xuan Killed!

Liu Bang and Zhang Liang departed.

The small room where Lu Xuan stayed fell silent, yet he did not feel bored or restless. Instead, his heart burned with a flame of hope.

His plan was unfolding step by step.

In three months, he would stand proudly in the imperial court of the Great Ming Dynasty, commanding the realm and wielding authority with vigor!

...

"Three months from now, we must have Lu Xuan killed!" After leaving the side hall of Linhua Palace, Liu Bang, clad in a dark imperial robe, lowered his voice. He was deeply wary of Lu Xuan.

How to properly handle the matter of Han Xin had been a constant headache for him.

He had even summoned Zhang Liang, Xiao He, and others to discuss the issue but had yet to find the best solution.

Yet, in just the briefest moment—shorter than a single incense stick—Lu Xuan had presented a plan that was nearly perfect.

People from the future were truly terrifying.

Talented individuals truly were talented.

But Liu Bang worried that as he gradually learned useful governance techniques and various effective solutions from Lu Xuan, he might lose his vigilance towards him, even following his advice in all matters.

He had already sensed that Lu Xuan was an ambitious man.

Between the lines, Lu Xuan seemed eager to meet the emperor.

Why did he want to see the emperor?

It was likely to grasp power, for power was far more important than women or wealth.

As emperor, Liu Bang had to assume the worst in everyone, to be prepared for any potential problems.

Zhang Liang listened to Liu Bang’s words, deeply agreeing. In their eyes, Lu Xuan had only three months to live.

Not a day longer.

"By the way, we should assign palace attendants to take care of Lu Xuan’s daily needs."

"A blind man would certainly have many inconveniences in daily life."

Zhang Liang suddenly remembered this and looked at Liu Bang, who nodded in agreement.

Zhang Liang then immediately arranged personnel, emphasizing that no one should engage in any conversation with Lu Xuan. He personally went to Lu Xuan’s room to introduce a palace attendant, claiming this attendant was mute.

...

Chang Le Palace.

The Han Dynasty had just been established, with everything in ruin. So far, there was not a single decent palace. Originally built during the Qin Dynasty as Xing Le Palace, Liu Bang liked it upon seeing it. Along with Xiao He’s recommendation, the palace was set for renovation.

Thus, the buildings surrounding Xing Le Palace were being rebuilt and repaired.

Liu Bang renamed it Chang Le Palace.

In the evening, the palace revealed a unique charm in the glow of the setting sun.

...

The orange-red rays of the sunset bathed the tall palace walls of Chang Le Palace, turning the mottled surfaces into a golden hue that highlighted the marks of time. The shadows of the walls stretched long. On the rooftops, glazed tiles shimmered with golden light, reflecting the sunset like a golden dragon coiled atop the palace. The wind chimes at the eaves gently swayed in the breeze, producing crisp sounds.

In the courtyard before the palace, ancient trees rustled their leaves in the evening wind, casting flickering shadows. In the grass beneath, insects chirped, adding life to the tranquil palace.

At this moment, the craftsmen finished their work, tidying their tools and leaving in small groups. Their figures appeared weary in the sunset’s afterglow; a day’s hard labor translated into incremental progress in the palace’s restoration.

Dim yellow lights gleamed through the palace’s windows and door cracks. Guards on duty and palace staff busied themselves preparing for the night’s arrival.

In the distant horizon, the evening clouds painted the sky with vibrant colors, turning it into a magnificent canvas. Against this radiant backdrop, Chang Le Palace appeared more majestic, like an ancient beast standing silently on the land, witnessing the rise and fall of the Han Dynasty.

The war-torn Central Plains, littered with ruins and shrouded in smoke, made this as-yet unrestored and modest Chang Le Palace seem out of place.

Xiao He, Zhang Liang, Chen Ping, and Zhou Bo hurried into Chang Le Palace.

Along the way, Chen Ping and Zhou Bo were still shocked and bewildered by the talk of a "man from the future" that Xiao He and Zhang Liang had mentioned.

Although there was the ancient tale of the Yellow Emperor’s dream, such an event occurring before their eyes felt unreal, as if in a daze.

Upon arriving at Chang Le Palace, Liu Bang sat high above, suppressing his usual unruly demeanor. For once, his face carried a rare seriousness as he said in a low voice, "Everyone is here."

"Liu Hou, speak to them about the Han Xin matter."

"Today, let’s discuss and decide a specific official position suitable for Han Xin."

Han Xin?

Xiao He, Zhou Bo, and Chen Ping, unaware of the full situation, all felt their hearts tighten.

His Majesty was wary of Han Xin’s military achievements and prestige, compounded by some of Han Xin’s prior actions that filled the emperor with resentment.

Han Xin had indeed shown signs of disloyalty.

Was His Majesty preparing to move against Han Xin?

Zhang Liang then recounted the conversation with Lu Xuan that day and the plan he had proposed. Only then did everyone understand why the emperor wished to assign Han Xin an official post.

But now Zhou Bo spoke up: "Your Majesty, I do not think we should so easily trust Lu Xuan’s words."

"Though blind, he is ambitious; even if we have not explicitly told him he is in the Han era, Lu Xuan has already guessed. What if Lu Xuan holds a grudge against Han Xin and wants to use this to eliminate him?"

Chen Ping’s words drew a chuckle from Liu Bang, who retorted:

"Tell me, does Han Xin show signs of rebellion?"

"Does Han Xin command a strong army? Is Chu a powerful state?"

"Are the various non-imperial kings restless? What if Han Xin schemes against us?"

"The method Lu Xuan proposed — regardless of his true intentions — is the best solution from our perspective."

"If you have a better method, propose it. If it surpasses Lu Xuan’s, I will adopt it."

Liu Bang’s tone was not absolute, but he understood that Zhou Bo’s question stemmed from disbelief that Lu Xuan was a man from the future.

Indirectly, he doubted what Lu Xuan said.

This was understandable, as Zhou Bo had not yet interacted with Lu Xuan.

Zhou Bo fell silent.

Seeing no objections, Liu Bang continued: "Let us decide on an official position. It must be one that will entice Han Xin to serve in Chang’an and persuade him to willingly relinquish his title as King of Chu."

...

Zhang Liang, Xiao He, Zhou Bo, and Chen Ping exchanged glances.

This was a difficult problem.

In the Han Dynasty, the emperor was supreme.

Below him were kings of the imperial family.

Then, there were the non-imperial kings.

The difference was that imperial family kings were usually royal members without much military or political prestige, so they posed little threat.

Non-imperial kings were founding generals who had followed the emperor to establish the realm or warlords who had held power during the Chu-Han contention, eventually forced to surrender to Han.

These non-imperial kings held near-imperial power within their territories.

Who would willingly abandon that and take an official post at court?

Even if the position was high-ranking.

"How about Prime Minister? This is the chief civil official," suggested Xiao He.

He continued, "In the past, I discussed with officials about the Prime Minister position during the Han era. The Prime Minister could bear a gold seal and purple ribbon, with the salary of a first-rank minister. Meritorious officials could even be granted the privilege of entering court without bowing. The Prime Minister oversaw all ministers and administrative affairs, holding supervisory, evaluative, and disciplinary authority over civil and military officials, and could even execute orders before reporting in urgent cases."

"The emperor is the highest decision-maker, but the Prime Minister assists in policy formulation. Generally, the Prime Minister can make decisions independently and holds legislative power. Although the emperor controls laws and other statutes, the Prime Minister advises on legislation and the establishment or abolition of rules. He may petition for changes based on circumstance and urgency."

As Xiao He proposed this, Zhang Liang immediately interrupted, "The Prime Minister position is unsuitable."

"Though a good idea, it overlooks one thing: Qin had the Grand Commandant position, but when we discussed bureaucratic structures before, it was decided the Grand Commandant’s duties would be combined with those of the Prime Minister. The Grand Commandant had the authority to recommend military commanders, conscript troops, and command armies."

"This contradicts Lu Xuan’s suggestion. We want Han Xin to serve at court to strip him of Chu’s military power and isolate him from generals. If Han Xin became Prime Minister and also Grand Commandant, he would still hold military power."

"We cannot have Han Xin relinquish the Grand Commandant role either, as that would openly reveal that calling Han Xin to Chang’an was to strip his military command."

"The Prime Minister post cannot be given to Han Xin."

"How about the Imperial Censor?" Zhou Bo suggested after some thought.

"Would Han Xin accept the Imperial Censor post? If Han Xin later claimed the emperor insulted him, it would give him an excuse to revolt," Zhang Liang vetoed again.

"Then there is no suitable position. Prime Minister, Grand Commandant, and Imperial Censor are out. Positions lower than these are beneath Han Xin’s dignity, and positions higher than these are the imperial kings, whether of the same clan or not, both wielding military power."

"This is difficult!"

Everyone furrowed their brows.

If they had more time—one or two months, or even three—they could likely devise a fitting post through careful thought.

But time did not wait.

If they spent that time resolving the Han Xin issue, what about other matters? Lu Xuan had only three months to live!

Liu Bang watched their deliberations, his expression calm but his mind restless. His advisors could not quickly find a suitable post.

"If this won’t do, and that won’t do, perhaps I should ask Lu Xuan!"