Emperor Wu of Han's Eastern Tour

  In just a few more days, it will be the day of welcoming Zhang's daughter-in-law.

  Zhen Ming was bitter every day, looking forward to it, and involuntarily humming a few sentences "Tomorrow you will marry me" in his mouth, causing the surrounding colleagues to cast sideways glances.

  The person in charge of the equipment department took a month's leave and returned to the pastry shop, distributing large red wedding invitations to every employee of the pastry shop.

  Just as the employees of Dim Sum House were congratulating him, a dozen or so officers and soldiers rushed into Dim Sum House, one of them read out an official document, asking everyone in the store to put on their best clothes and go to the Luo River together.

  Walking on the main street of Luoyang, Zhen Ming only felt the tense atmosphere of Luoyang City, where heavily armed guards were stationed everywhere, driving away groups of shabbily dressed beggars and refugees out of the city.

  These past few days, I've been busy preparing for my wedding with Zhang's family and haven't paid much attention to things around me. Only now have I noticed that the atmosphere is a bit strange. When I asked, I found out that Yang Guang has decided to go on an eastern tour of Jiangdu, and all the local big shots in Luoyang are going to see him off by the Luo River.

  Like Zhang's Dim Sum House, which is not small in scale but has no background to rely on, it naturally becomes the object of exploitation. All the expenses used for the farewell ceremony, including inviting the heads of various imperial guards to entertain and drink, paying respects, and hanging silk fabrics on the willow trees by the river, are apportioned out, with each shop owner having to pay at least hundreds of taels of silver.

  The emperor nowadays likes grand and bustling scenes, and the people around him naturally cater to his tastes, taking advantage of the opportunity to plunder the people's wealth.

  The two banks of the Luo River were crowded with rows and rows of Luoyang citizens, a sea of people as far as the eye could see.

  Everyone waved a big red silk handkerchief, bidding farewell to the thousands of giant dragon boats, Wupan ships and Lou ships on the Luo River, shouting "Long live".

  The employees of Zhenming and Dianxin Workshop were arranged at one of the positions on the riverbank, each person was distributed a colored silk handkerchief and was forced to pay one or two silver coins as the cost of this sacred handkerchief.

  Some people who didn't hand over their silver were dragged to a secluded place by ferocious soldiers and beaten until they came out with bruises all over their faces, their clothes stripped off.

  There were guards everywhere along the road. All places within the range of the Lou ship's shooting had patrolling cavalrymen keeping a close watch, strictly preventing assassins from making a move.

  Standing on the riverbank, one can only vaguely see the majestic formation on the warship, with swords and spears shining brightly.

  The bow of the first ship was inlaid with a glittering golden dragon head, which was obviously the emperor's carriage.

  The dragon boat was several stories high, and on the bow of the ship, dozens of civil and military officials stood densely, among whom a big fat man wearing a golden dragon robe stood at the head of the ship, while the others stood humbly below the steps.

  Zhenming was so eager to see that he became distracted, thinking that this must be the current Emperor Yang Guang. It's been almost a year since he arrived in this era, and he still didn't know what this legendary ruler looked like. Today was a good opportunity to take a look from afar.

  He took out his mobile phone, switched the camera to telephoto mode, and focused on the golden dragon boat in front...

  ……

  "Pei Ai Qing, what are they doing?"

  A fat man wearing a dragon robe stood at the bow of the boat, looking at the two rows of people bidding farewell on the riverbank. He turned his head to look at the flattering official behind him, stroking his beard and smiling, with a rather proud expression.

  "Returning to Your Majesty, the people of Luoyang heard that you are going on an eastern tour and have come spontaneously to bid farewell. They wish for your safe journey and good health, and the people need a wise and enlightened ruler like you."

  The speaker was a thirty-year-old official, the emperor's favorite minister, Taichang Temple Minister Pei Yun, who was best at flattering Yang Guang and was skilled in flattery. When it came to Pei Yun, all the aristocratic families in Luoyang were grateful because it was this Taichang Temple Minister who proposed that Yang Guang recruit more than 30,000 beautiful women from all over the country who were good at singing and dancing, gathering them in Luoyang to entertain Yang Guang and various officials. To raise these beauties, Pei Yun suggested that Yang Guang establish official brothels throughout Luoyang, increasing government revenue.

  The Baifang Lou of Hongyuan Bieyuan also originated from this.

  "Is my empire at peace?"

  "I report to Your Majesty, the world is at peace, the people are rich and content, the national treasury is full, the military is strong and powerful. Your Majesty's eastern expedition against Goguryeo and northern tour of Tujue in previous years expanded the territory of Great Sui, creating a vast territory unprecedented in history, establishing an extraordinary achievement that will be remembered for ages to come. Your achievements are comparable to those of Emperors Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Qin Shi Huang, and Han Wu, earning you the reputation as a great emperor for all eternity. The people are all grateful and respectful, cheering 'Long live Your Majesty'..."

  "Bae Ae-kyeong is perfect in every way, but she exaggerates a bit when speaking, hahaha..."

  "Your minister's every word is true, I dare not deceive Your Majesty."

  At this time, a small official standing in the last row suddenly stood out and loudly reported: "Report to Your Majesty, Liu Wuzhou, the hawk-yang school lieutenant of Mayi, killed the governor Wang Renkang, led his subordinates Song Jinqiang, Wei Rude and others to rebel. Within a month, the number of rebels quickly gathered tens of thousands. If troops are not dispatched to suppress them as soon as possible, when they become powerful, Jin Yang and He Dong will have changes..."

  Everyone looked up at him, and it turned out to be Fengxin Lang Cui Minxiang, a humble fifth-grade official who was usually ignored by everyone, but unexpectedly stood out at this moment to touch the emperor's brow.

  The man in dragon robe frowned, "Marquis Pei said that the world is at peace, why are there rebels?"

  The Taichang Temple's Commander, Pei Yun, hastily interjected: "Your Majesty need not worry, it is merely a small band of mountain bandits raiding the border towns, likely a deliberate attempt by the Turks to stir up trouble. It is not a cause for concern, and Chancellor Cui is being overly cautious. Simply dispatch someone to present the Turkic barbarians with a few women and several tens of thousands of taels of silver, and all will be well. Your Majesty has a multitude of affairs to attend to, and it is rare that you can take a break and relax. As your subject, I fear only that I am unable to share Your Majesty's burdens; how could I allow such a trivial matter to disturb Your Majesty's peace of mind?"

  The dragon-robed man was overjoyed: "With Minister Pei to share my worries, what troubles can't be pacified in this world? I'm a bit tired, all of you may withdraw."

  "Your Majesty, wait!"

  At this time, Chui Minxiang suddenly rushed forward and knelt down in front of the dragon-robed man, saying: "Your Majesty, please listen to my humble words. Today, bandits are rising up everywhere, not just Liu Wuzhou alone. Wang Xubiao from Yanggu, together with the bandit leader Wei Daoer, has allied with the Turks and is pressing in on Jinyang. If the Yanmen Pass is breached, the Turkish iron cavalry will sweep across Hedong, and the Eastern Capital will be in danger. Your Majesty should not go on an eastern tour at this time, lest people's hearts become disloyal. Otherwise, once the bandits rise up, it will be impossible to quell them, and the Great Sui will be in danger. I beg Your Majesty to think thrice!"

  As soon as he spoke, all the ministers immediately fell silent, who didn't know that the emperor disliked others speaking ominously and dreaded others opening their mouths to talk about rebels, treacherous officials, and ominous words like "the great Sui is in danger".

  As expected, the dragon-robed man's face sank: "Guards, take this treasonous subject who dares to spread rumors and cause chaos in the great Sui dynasty! Cut off his head and throw it into the river!"

  Two guards walked up, and with two strokes, they severed the chin of this minor official named Cui Minxiang. Cui Minxiang knew his life was in danger, and he began to curse loudly. Although his chin had been severed, the crowd could still hear him shouting insults like "tyrannical ruler" and "sycophantic ministers". Under the dragging of the two guards, he was dragged to the stern of the boat, where a knife from the waist cut him in two, and his corpse was thrown into the river.

  As soon as he died, no one dared to say another word. The ministers all retreated and boarded small boats from the building ship, leaving. The dragon robe man turned around and entered the house inside the building ship, muttering: "These treacherous officials are just unbearable to see me happy, they only say some unlucky words! They ruined my elegant mood... beauties, where are you all hiding?"

  The man in the dragon robe quickly turned his anger into laughter, and quickly took off the dragon robe on his body, revealing his pampered and plump dragon body. He rushed towards the beautiful women wearing thin gauze, with curvaceous and slender figures, who were inside the house...