Chapter 30: Plan to build Jiayuguan

Luoyang.

A huge fire from Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang into ruins. Thirty years have passed. After thirty years of reconstruction and repair, Luoyang has gradually returned to its former prosperity. Luoyang's geographical location is much better than Xudu, and its transportation is more convenient than Xudu, so now, the prosperity of Luoyang is no longer inferior to Xudu.

Cao Pi still likes Luoyang. When Cao Pi ascended the throne, he intended to promote Chang'an, Luoyang and Yecheng as the capital, but Liu Bei attacked him and could only give up his move. However, in recent years, as Luoyang became increasingly prosperous, Cao Pi spent 80 to 100 years in the Luoyang Palace.

Now, Cao Pi in the Luoyang Palace began to sigh again and sigh that he had bad luck and had a miserable life.

Indeed, since Cao Pi ascended the throne, Liu Bei first attacked and seized Yongzhou; then Sun Quan then raided Hefei and occupied the entire Huainan. As for Xiahou Dun, Zhang Liao and other generals who remained by Cao Cao, they also died one by one. Wuwan in the north has also begun to have abnormal movements recently, and what made Cao Pi even more depressed was that Cao Pi's wife made trouble for him.

Cao Pi was in Luoyang, while Cao Pi's wife Zhen was demoted to Yecheng by Cao Pi. Cao Pi's new favorite Guo talked bad things about Zhen in front of Cao Pi all day long. Before the New Year, Zhen made a "Tangshang Fu", and Cao Pi found an excuse, so he sent someone to give him a cup of poisoned wine and poisoned Zhen to death.

But the matter did not end like this. Zhen also gave birth to a son for Cao Pi, that is Cao Rui.

Logically speaking, Cao Rui is the eldest son and should be made the crown prince, but because of Zhen's original intention, Cao Rui has only been named the King of Pingyuan. Now Cao Pi has ascended the throne for several years and has not yet established a crown prince. The ministers in the court are all persuading Cao Pi to establish the crown prince as soon as possible. Cao Rui is naturally the only candidate for this position of crown prince.

There is a saying that the son is noble because of his mother. Due to the Zhen family, Cao Pi did not want to make Cao Rui the crown prince. However, Cao Pi's other sons either died early or were young. Apart from Cao Rui, Cao Pi had no choice but to delay this matter.

Since ancient times, as long as the emperor has not appointed a crown prince and at the same time, there will be a good show of fighting for the throne. Cao Pi himself also experienced it back then. Now, because Cao Pi's sons are young and some are still in their infancy, this battle for the throne began among several concubines of Cao Pi. These concubines made Cao Pi very upset.

Empress Guo, Cao Pi's favorite, is nearly forty years old and has no son, and probably will not have another one in the future. But perhaps because Empress Guo still holds such a glimmer of hope, she also obstructs Cao Pi's establishment of the crown prince all day long. Now Cao Pi's harem seems calm, but there are undercurrents in secret. In order to fight for the throne, the concubines are even more willing to do anything.

In the court, Cao Pi lost his city and lost his land, surrounded by enemies on three sides. When he returned home, he had to face the favor and throne of his concubines. At this time, Cao Pi felt like he was surrounded by enemies.

Fortunately, at the beginning of the year, Xiahou Shang, who was guarding Xiangyang, received a good news. General Wen Pin led his troops to contribute to Jiangxia. This gave Cao Pi a little comfort.

Luoyang is already cold in late autumn, especially in the morning and night, the cold air swaying in the air penetrates the bone marrow.

Cao Pi put his hand into his wide sleeve and breathed a sigh of relief.

The eunuch official walked in with his head down, holding a small jade cup in his hand.

"Your Majesty, please use the Dragon and Tiger Pill! This is what Dr. Hua just refined today." The eunuch official said in a low voice, and handed the jade cup on it.

Cao Pi reached out and took out a pill of about the size of a thumbnail from the jade cup, put it in the palm of his hand and looked at it, then asked, "Have you tried this medicine?"

"Your Majesty, I have tried it all. When Doctor Hua was refining, our people kept watching. After refining, we also found someone to try it."

"Yeah." Cao Pi nodded, and then he put the pill in his mouth with confidence.

After Cao Pi swallowed the pill, he felt a sense of heat in his dantian, and then the surrounding scenery seemed to be like a dream, and an impulse rose in Cao Pi's heart that could not be suppressed.

"Let's go to Li Guiren..."

In the elixir room, Hua Tuo was constantly fiddling with the medicinal materials in his hand.

Wang Xiaohu leaned over from the side, holding a medicine mortar in his hand.

"Teacher, I have already chiseled this medicine into powder. Do you think it is suitable for use?" Wang Xiaohu handed over the medicine mortar.

Hua Tuo glanced at the powder in the mortar and nodded with a smile: "This is just right."

At this moment, Cao Pi's eunuch came in from outside.

"Doctor Hua, are you here?"

"I am here, I am here!" Hua Tuo hurriedly went up to him and asked, "Your Majesty has used that Dragon and Tiger Pill, too?"

"I used it, of course I used it. Your Majesty also said that this Dragon and Tiger Pill is good this time." The eunuch smiled: "Doctor Hua, I heard that you have excellent medical skills for a long time, but I didn't expect that you would be so powerful when you prepared this elixir... But it's a pity..."

"What a pity?" Hua Tuo asked hurriedly.

"It's a pity that I am a eunuch. I don't have the chance to enjoy your magic pill." The eunuch said, secretly approaching Hua Tuo and asked quietly: "Doctor Hua, I'll ask you, do you have any medicine there? Can that thing grow again after taking it?"

"Well...this is that..." Hua Tuo hesitated for a moment before speaking: "You are really joking. How can this thing grow?"

"Hehe, I just ask casually, just ask casually." The eunuch laughed dryly, turned around and left.

"Teacher, it seems that Your Majesty likes the Dragon and Tiger Pill you refined..." Wang Xiaohu said.

"Of course, men like this thing." Hua Tuo coughed dryly and continued, "What's more, I added some ingredients to it."

"A little material? Master, what did you add?" Wang Xiaohu asked hurriedly.

"Good disciple, have you ever heard of 'Five Meals Powder'?"

"Wufen Powder? Of course I have heard of it. Master, have you said that although these Wufen Powder are medicine, shouldn't you eat too much?"

"Yes, this Wushi Powder must not be eaten too much. If people eat too much, they will be unconscious. If it is too practical, it will even be fatal." Hua Tuo paused and then said, "But these Wushi Powder will make people feel dependent and make people unable to stop. Those who are not good at voluntary should not be quit."

"Teacher, did you add Wushi Powder to the Dragon and Tiger Pill?"

"It's not Wushi Powder, but it's three-point more powerful than Wushi Powder. After Cao Pi takes it, he will be unable to stop."

Wang Xiaohu hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Teacher, you don't teach me often. We practice medical skills to cure diseases and save people, but you..."

"I'm hurting people, right?" Hua Tuo sighed helplessly, and then said, "Disciple, I tell you that as a doctor, we should naturally treat diseases and save people, but we need to keep this useful body to cure diseases and save people. I did this just to protect myself."

"Self-protect?"

"Yes, protect yourself... disciple, this matter is related to the death of the late emperor. If I don't do this, Cao Pi may not allow me to survive. Only when Cao Pi knows that I still have some use, Cao Pi will not kill me. That's why I added some materials to this Dragon and Tiger Pill, so that Cao Pi could not stop after eating it. In this way, Cao Pi was reluctant to kill me."

"Then teacher, will these things you add be harmful to the human body?"

"Yes!" Hua Tuo nodded: "And it is better than that Wushi Powder. Now Cao Pi only eats one pill a day, and there may not be much problem in twenty or thirty years. If two pills a day, the edible one will die in ten years. If he eats five pills a day, it would be great if he can hold on for a year."

"What, this medicine is so powerful?" Wang Xiaohu shivered in fear.

"Of course it's amazing. If it's not amazing, how can Cao Pi be unable to stop!"

Cao Pi opened his eyes slightly. Just now, Cao Pi seemed to feel as if he was in the clouds and mist, and whatever he thought in his head would be there. Cao Pi even led his troops to sweep Jiangdong, attacked Chengdu, and unify the world, but at this moment, the dream suddenly woke up.

"Oh... dreams are just dreams after all!" Cao Pi sighed slightly after returning to reality. Reality is completely different from the dream just now. In reality, there are internal and external troubles, but in the dream, Cao Pi wants whatever he wants. Cao Pi found that he was reluctant to return to this cruel reality.

"Come." Cao Pi shouted lightly, and the two eunuchs immediately walked in from outside.

"When is it now?" Cao Pi asked slowly.

"Go back to your Majesty, just after midnight."

"Just after midnight? It's still early, I can have another sleep." Cao Pi breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, a hint of desire arose in Cao Pi's heart, eager to return to the dream of doing whatever he wanted.

"Come on, come and get me a dragon and tiger pill."

Shouchun.

Sun Quan looked at Zhou Rui and Xue Zong in front of him with a smile on his face.

Zhou Bing was Zhou Bin's son. Zhou Bin was an old minister in the Sun Ce era back then. It can be said that Zhou Bing and his son served both generations with the Sun family in Jiangdong. Therefore, Zhou Bing was deeply trusted by Sun Quan and was appointed as a general at a young age.

A few days ago, Sun Quan ordered Zhou Feng to inspect the front line of Poyang, but unexpectedly, Zhou Feng actually brought great news, that is, Zhou Feng discovered that the yellow dragon and the phoenix were born in Poyang.

Zhou Bree immediately rushed back to Shouchun overnight to report this great news to Sun Quan. Although Sun Quan also knew that this matter was probably fake, Jia Hua and Sun Quan were very happy to listen to it.

Just at this time, the prince's grand tutor Xue Zong was beside him. Xue Zong liked Zhou Yi. He heard that the Yellow Dragon and Phoenix were born, and immediately stood up and said that this was auspiciousness given by heaven, indicating that Sun Quan should ascend the throne and succeed to the throne, and follow the will of heaven.

It took Sun Quan a day or two to be an emperor. The last time he mentioned this, Zhuge Jin pushed him back. Now Xue Zong mentioned this matter again, which was exactly what Sun Quan wanted. Sun Quan naturally smiled happily.

However, Sun Quan cannot bring up the matter of becoming an emperor himself. Such a matter must be raised by his subordinates. Then Sun Quan himself will shirk it away, and finally he can follow the will of heaven and ascend the throne and become emperor. If he proposes to become an emperor, he will probably be ridiculed by the people of the world.

Since ancient times, as long as he has power, his subordinates will definitely not lack these flattering people. Soon, the ministers under Sun Quan who like to flatter him came forward to express their conspiracy and said that they were born, which was to tell Sun Quan that he should ascend the throne immediately to succeed the throne.

Today, the ministers who are more capable of speaking and admonishing are almost sick and dead. Those who stay, such as Gu Yong, Zhuge Jin, Bu Zhi and others, are all very cautious people and will never risk their lives to make a fuss to make the emperor. Therefore, for a moment, only the voices of praise remained in the court.

Just at this time, Cao Zhen led his troops to attack.

So Sun Quan discussed with a few confidant generals that he could take this opportunity to ascend the throne, which would just boost the morale of the army.

In October, Sun Quan proclaimed himself emperor, with the country's name Wu and the year's name Chiwu.

The so-called Chiwu means the sun, and this year's name was proposed by Xue Zong. When Cao Pi was called emperor, he called the year's name Huanglong because of the Huanglong coming to the world. Xue Zong felt that Chiwu, that is, the sun, was much larger than Huanglong, so he proposed the year's name Chiwu. For this reason, Xue Zong also wrote a special article "Song of Chiwu" and flattered Sun Quan.

At the same time, Sun Quan established his capital in Shouchun and posthumously named his deputy general Sun Jian as Emperor Wu Lie, his mother Wu as Empress Wu Lie, Sun Ce as King Huan of Changsha, and his eldest son Sun Deng as Crown Prince. The control imitated the official positions of Shu Han, and the prime minister was the head of civil servants, Gu Yong, and the general of the head of military officers was Zhuge Jin. As for the general of cavalry, the general of the cavalry was not established, and Lu Xun was appointed as the general, second only to the general. All other officials were rewarded.

Sun Quan's proclaimed himself emperor also led to the emergence of the third emperor in the Central Plains, and the three parts of the world were completely formed.

Among them, Cao Wei occupied Youzhou, Bingzhou, Qingzhou, Jizhou, Xuzhou, Yuzhou, Yanzhou, Sili had already Yangzhou Huaibei, and Nanyang and Jiangxia counties in Jingzhou. In short, the Central Plains were almost under the control of Cao Wei. When the Han Dynasty was completely victorious, these places were all large-capacity states. However, these places are the main battlefields of the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the Battle of the Princes. Over the years, the population was severely lost and the vitality was severely damaged. Now it has only been peaceful for ten years, and the younger generation has not yet grown up. However, in the long run, the war potential of Wei State should be the greatest.

Sun Quan's Wu Kingdom occupied Jiangdong, Huainan, Jiaozhou, and Jingzhou except Nanyang and Jiangxia. Most of these places have not been affected by wars, and the people live in a healthy life. However, at the same time, the population of these places is relatively sparse, and Jiaozhou is even less popular. The southeast of Jiangdong is still a place where Shanyue lives. Jingzhou is a place of four battles, and only Huainan is much better. Huainan's land is fertile, and the Xuzhou Plain is in front of him. Moreover, Sun Quan has the Jiangdong naval army, which can fight in the Huainan River. Compared to this, it is relatively easy to defend Huainan. However, in total, Jiangdong is still limited by population and it is impossible to gather a large number of people in a short period of time.

The Shu Han in A Dou controlled Yizhou, Yongzhou and Liangzhou.

Yizhou is the largest state in the Han Dynasty, among which Hanzhong and the Chengdu Plain were both grain-producing areas. After the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Yizhou became the largest state in the Han Dynasty. In addition, the road to Shu was difficult to move, and Yizhou was easy to defend and attack. Now, with Yongzhou and Liangzhou, Shu Han has occupied the territory of Qin during the Warring States Period.

The Qin Dynasty once unified the world with these places in Guanzhong, and then Liu Bang relied on Guanzhong to compete for the Central Plains, and finally defeated Xiang Yu and won the world. Therefore, in the eyes of people in the Three Kingdoms era, Guanzhong was a place of dragon prosperity. At the same time, Guanzhong was rich in resources, and Yongzhou was even more fertile, so the customs of the Qin land were even more fierce.

Speaking of population, the three prefectures of Shu Han are definitely not as good as the vast Central Plains occupied by the Wei State. In terms of resources, the gap with Wei State is not very big. However, for today's Shu Han, the difference is two levels.

One is Tongguan, and the other is Wuguan.

At that time, there were four barriers in Qin. One was Hangu Pass in the east, and the other was Wu Pass in the southeast. These two places were all guarding against the six kingdoms of Guandong. Now that Tongguan was established, it has gradually replaced Hangu Pass.

The other two blocks are Xiaoguan in the north, which is connected to the Qin Great Wall, with the purpose of guarding against the Huns on the grasslands in the north. Now Xiaoguan has been burned by Cao Pi, but Adou has ordered the establishment of Xiaoguan in the new way.

As for the last one, Sanguan, which was established by the King of Qin to guard against the Ba people in Shu. However, later, Qin conquered Ba people in Shu and pacified the Ba people in Shu, and Sanguan gradually became idle.

Tongguan and Wuguan are still in the hands of Cao's army. Both passes are easy to defend and difficult to attack, and they are difficult to retake for a while. However, the Wei State is now busy with the war in Huainan and has no time to take care of Yongzhou in a short period of time, so there is no need to worry about Chang'an for the time being.

After defeating the Qiang people, before Adou had time to return to Chang'an, his eyes had already set on Yumen Pass to the west.

Yumen Pass was set up by Emperor Wu of Han. Because the jade from the Western Regions had to pass here to transport to the Central Plains at that time, it was named Yumen Pass. Yumen Pass in the Han Dynasty was in Xiaofangpancheng, northwest of Dunhuang, and was an important town on the Silk Road in the Western Regions. However, due to the chaos in the world at the end of the Han Dynasty, the Western Regions Protectorate's Mansion was still in name only, and Yumen Pass gradually became deserted.

For Adou, the war in the Central Plains is too busy to take care of itself and does not have much time to manage the Western Regions, so Adou prepares to move Yumenguan eastward from Dunhuang County to Jiuquan County for easy management.

At the same time, Adou remembered the era he lived in. At the end of the Great Wall, not far from the east of Yumen, there was Jiayuguan, known as the No. 1 pass in Hexi, which was also the starting point on the west side of the Great Wall.
Chapter completed!