Chapter 26 Inauguration

Xianyang City, the once flowery capital, has been burned to ruins at this time, and there are ruins and bones everywhere. The ashes flying in the sky are like a ghost of grief, everywhere.

Some people persuaded Xiang Yu to stay in Xianyang City to rule the world, because it used to be the political center, economic center and cultural center of the country, the infrastructure is the most complete and sound, there are gallops (highways) leading to all parts of the country, and the terrain is superior, the mountains and rivers are jammed, which can block external invasion forces, and is a natural military barrier. In addition, since the completion of the great water conservancy project of Zhengguo Canal, the land in Guanzhong is fertile, the grain is abundant, and the people have enough food and clothing. There are thousands of reasons, and all of them are beneficial. (Guanzhong blocks mountains and rivers, and the land is fertile, but they are all tyrannical.) "Historical Records - Xiang Yu Benji")

However, Xiang Yu did not hesitate to deny this plan. The reason is simple, because he didn't like this strange city as a young man, he thought it was a cold, impersonal city. He wants to return to his familiar hometown of Chudi, and enjoy the prosperity of this prosperous era with familiar relatives and friends, fathers and villagers. He is a young man who misses the old love, and other political, economic, and military factors are not within his consideration. (Wealth does not return to the hometown, such as embroidery at night, who knows!) ）

April of this year (206 B.C.) was the last prosperous time of Xianyang City, and the armies that had been gathered here for several months were finally about to disperse one after another. Looking at the departing armies of various countries, Xiang Yu, the overlord of Western Chu, felt full of ambition, so many years of hard work have finally paid off, and he has stood at the peak of power. He thought that the task given to him by history had been successfully completed, and he could finally take a breath.

He really didn't have much political experience, and all he had in mind was military warfare. For such an important historical event, he didn't even arrange a grand inauguration ceremony, or sign a covenant, exchange tokens or anything (later Liu Ji also knew how to make a white horse oath). There was no grand banquet arranged, and there was no dinner with soldiers from all over the world to get in touch with each other. There was not even the most basic farewell etiquette, and the soldiers of various countries left Xianyang City with gloomy expressions.

None of the generals and strategists around him could have thought of this, because none of them had officially served in the government, had no experience in this area, and had no philosophy in this area. Even Fan Zeng, the most important advisor around him, "Ya Father", did not know how to establish authority for him and deify his status. Fan Zeng's mind was still thinking about how to balance these departing soldiers and how to guard against these potential enemies. In Fan Zeng's heart, he still felt that Xiang Yu was just a 25-year-old kid with well-developed limbs and a simple mind.

Simple people live the happiest life, Xiang Yu felt that life was very appropriate at this time, with a satisfied smile on his face. This was the happiest time of his life, in his career, he had overthrown the tyrannical Qin Empire, disgraced the subjects of Chu and the Xiang family, and was already the overlord of Western Chu, who could command the princes of the world; In love, he has the beautiful Yu Ji by his side, who accompanies him night and night, dances lightly for him, and sings for him; In terms of wealth, he occupied all the precious treasures left behind by the imperial palace of the Qin Empire, which was enough to make him extravagant for a lifetime.

Xiang Yu led the army of the Chu State to leave Xianyang City, leaving only a devastated ruins.

【Liu Ji】

Liu Ji also left Xianyang City gloomily, and reluctantly went to the strange and desolate city of Bashu. This section of the road is very difficult, because the road to Bashu is extremely treacherous, full of high mountains and cliffs, and only a narrow cliff plank road can be passed. Each time, it could only accommodate one person to walk, and the soldiers had to carry heavy weapons, and there was an abyss under their feet, and from time to time one or two people would accidentally fall to their deaths.

This was the most depressed time in Liu Ji's life, his mood was extremely low and his face was full of sadness. For the first time, he felt so worried about his life that he didn't know where he was going to go. He never knew how to plan his life before, and he seemed to be worried about his future.

Even the leader Liu Ji was so decadent and depressed, and the other soldiers felt even more hopeless about their future. No one wants to venture to live in such a desolate place, where there are no relatives and friends, no intimate lovers, no paper fans, no prosperity, nothing. Everyone thought that they would be able to return to their hometown after following Liu Ji's bloody battle. But unexpectedly, now it has ended up with a distribution frontier. Many people began to despair of the leader Liu Ji and left one after another.

At this time, even his most respected staff officer, Zhang Liang, came over to say goodbye to him. Zhang Liang is not because he lost confidence in Liu Ji, but because he has not forgotten his original intention. Zhang Liang has always hoped to revive South Korea, and he has been running tirelessly for so many years to fulfill this wish. He didn't care which of the princes was stronger, because he didn't care about that. Now that the Qin Empire has fallen, Korea has been successfully recovered. Zhang Liang wants to return to South Korea, return to the side of the Korean royal family, and play for South Korea.

Liu Ji wanted to keep Zhang Liang, but he couldn't find any reason. Even he couldn't convince himself, let alone embarrass others. He couldn't give Zhang Liang any promises, and he couldn't meet Zhang Liang's inner needs. Moreover, Zhang Liang has always nominally belonged to the South Korean army and is a strategist who serves South Korea. Following Liu Ji into the customs was also an order from the Han royal family. Now that the task has been completed, Zhang Liang will naturally leave, which is the ending that Liu Ji has long expected. However, when it really came to this moment of parting, Liu Ji still felt lost and frustrated.

Zhang Liang, who is strategic but penniless, does not have any expensive parting gifts, and his most precious thing is the plan in his mind. Zhang Liang, who was about to leave, offered a plan to Liu Ji for the last time, that is, after arriving in Bashu, he burned all the cliffs and plank roads he walked through.

Liu Ji was shocked because this was the only way for Bashu to reach the outside world. If it burns down, Bashu will really become a dark prison city, and there will be no way to return to Guanzhong.

However, Liu Ji has always been obedient to Zhang Liang. He patiently listened to Zhang Liang's analysis, and there must be deeper interests in this.

Zhang Liang's reason was that in order to dispel Xiang Yu's concerns, he took off Xiang Yu's defense. Because he knew that Xiang Yu's vigilance against the princes had not been completely eliminated, and one day there would be smoke again. Burning the plank road is both to show determination and to prevent the enemy from invading. As long as you manage Bashu well, you will return to Guanzhong one day in the future. (Why didn't the king burn the plank road he had crossed, showing that the world had no heart to return, so as to consolidate the king's will.) "Historical Records - The Family of the Marquis")

Liu Ji once again accepted Zhang Liang's suggestion and ordered the cliff plank road to be burned.

【Liu Ji】

However, the advantages of burning the plank road did not appear immediately, and the evil consequences came out instead. The soldiers looked at the raging fire behind them, and felt even more chilled, and the number of people fleeing continued to increase. If this continues, he may not have gone to Bashu yet, and he won't even be able to see a human figure, just like when he transported prisoners to Xianyang City, he ran out halfway.

Liu Ji, who was drinking stuffy, didn't know what to do, and at this time there was more sad news. That is, even his closest elder assistant and comrade-in-arms, Prime Minister Xiao He, did not say goodbye. Some soldiers saw Xiao He riding a horse and hurried away, without even looking back, and he was now gone.

Zhang Liang has already left, if he loses Xiao He again, then there will really be no people around Liu Ji, the king of Han, who can give advice. Crises followed, and Liu Ji felt worried. He didn't quite believe in this fact, and couldn't understand why Xiao He left. He ordered someone to hurry up and ride a fast horse to chase back Prime Minister Xiao He.

There has been no news of Xiao He for two days, and Liu Ji, the king of Han, is so anxious that he can't sleep at night, he doesn't think about tea and dinner, he feels more uncomfortable than falling out of love, and his hard work is like being hollowed out. For so many years, Liu Ji has been fighting everywhere, and he never has to worry about the army's grain and grass and other logistical support issues. Because Xiao He managed it properly, he didn't need Liu Ji to worry about it at all.

Xiao He used to work in the Pei County government and has strong administrative skills. Food, clothing, housing, transportation, eating, drinking, Lazar and other tedious affairs in the army, Xiao He can handle them in an orderly manner. As for the professional work in the army, such as discipline enforcement, team building, and ideological education, Xiao He also handled it with ease. It is precisely because of Xiao He handling various relationships internally that Liu Ji was able to concentrate on dealing with external disputes. It was Xiao He and Cao Shen who strongly encouraged him to riot. Unexpectedly, now Xiao He has also left him.

Alas, when people are down, they will always face rebellion and separation. It seems that there are no real friends around him, and his father, wife, children and other relatives are still in his hometown of Pei County, not by his side.

At this moment, Liu Ji, the king of Han, felt a sense of frustration and loneliness in his heart that he had never felt before.