The mountain has trees, the trees have branches, one three six, awake from a dream.

  Liu Ying's whole body trembled slightly.

  The Han and Xiongnu were at war, the Xiongnu people were born to be fierce and good at riding, while the Han people, because they had a large number of iron mines and advanced smelting techniques, could manufacture more sophisticated weapons, it can be said that each has its own strengths. For example, in the past, the strong crossbow of the Qin people was the nemesis of the Xiongnu cavalry. In those years, General Meng Tian led 300,000 Qin troops to conquer the Henan region and defeated the Xiongnu army.

  After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu, the Overlord of Western Chu, and Liu Bang, the High Ancestor of Han, were contending for supremacy in the Central Plains and had no time to look back to the north, the Huns re-occupied the fertile land of Henan.

  If, if the Xiongnu also possessed iron ore and even forged fine swords after that, what would be the scene of the Han and Xiongnu standing on the battlefield?

  "That day, I happened to hear a Xiongnu person say that at the border of Han and Xiongnu in Jiuyuan, there is an iron mine called Baiyun Ebo. Zhang Yan said with a sigh, 'If Modu wants to mine safely, he will naturally attack Jiuyuan County.'"

  Liu Ying was shocked as she listened, and couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, she said, "Luckily, this time the guardian of Jiuyuan County, Jiang Huiying, bravely defended the city and held it down."

  "Yes." Zhang Yan sighed, "But if Modu launches a second or third attack? Your Majesty will have to come up with a countermeasure."

  "Ayao, don't worry." Liu Ying smiled and said, "Although the Xiongnu cavalry is brave and fierce, our Great Han is not a weak traveler. In the past, when Chu and Han were competing for hegemony, there were many fierce generals, and they have not grown old yet. I will choose one to defend Jiuyuan Pasture and increase the military strength of Jiuyuan."

  "Your Majesty has thought it through," Zhang Yan said with a smile, "I think, Your Majesty, that in order to deal with the Xiongnu, we not only need to defend strictly, but also accumulate strength and prepare for an attack. What we lack most in fighting against the Xiongnu is horses, so why not set up pastures in suitable places within the country to raise horses? When the time comes to fight against the Xiongnu, Great Han will not be held back by a lack of horses."

  Liu Ying gazed at her delicate face and sighed, "A Yan. Although you are clever, you don't understand my difficulties. I had long intended to implement the horse policy. However, although the new agricultural method has been implemented, it's still early days, the people have just warmed up their bellies, and tax collection is still difficult. How can I bear to let horses compete with humans for food? And the internal historian's financial resources are limited," he bitterly smiled and spread his hands, "In the end, it's just a matter of being poor."

  "Your Majesty," Zhang Yan's heart was racing with excitement. Leaning on him, she comforted, "It's okay. Everything will slowly get better. The people have just warmed up and are full. After two years, there will be a surplus. The pasture is currently short of silver to operate, we can only set up one place, after a few more years, you'll look back and everything will be fine."

  There was a period of Han, and the country had been at peace for 70 years. Finally, it welcomed its peak period. Although the succession to the throne might change under her influence, the overall direction of development would not change. She knew this point all along. She did not want to take the risk brought by promotion, whether to the country or to herself. She just followed the original course of history and made a little catalyst.

  But when the Huns had Temurana as a variable, everything was different from what she remembered in that history. She vaguely felt that the fate of this space-time had already derailed and was rushing towards two separate directions under the influence of Ati and herself.

  It will eventually stop in what kind of situation. Even if it's just me and Ati. Now can't be sure either.

  But I won't let you lose to me.

  The Great Han and the Xiongnu have always been enemy states, with irreconcilable contradictions. If it weren't for herself and A'Ti, in this process of mutual elimination, the Han people's momentum would ultimately be more steady and long-lasting, achieving victory. She doesn't need to worry. What she can't tolerate is that the Great Han might lose because of her own doing.

  She gently glanced at Liu Ying.

  I will help you, step by step, to achieve your dreams and build a great Han dynasty that brings peace to the four seas.

  In the fifth year, Princess Ruyuan entered the Weiyang Palace to visit her daughter who was under house arrest by Empress Lü.

  "Have you finally learned your lesson?" In the pepper house, she held Zhang Yan's hand and walked into the inner hall, her eyes slightly red. "Your father and I have spoiled you since childhood, never scolding you half a word. But it has also made you develop this attitude of not taking others' words seriously. Who are you? The dignified Empress of the Central Palace, daily socializing with ordinary people in the market, what kind of thing is that?"

  "Mother," Zhang Yan begged for mercy, "I know I was wrong. You don't have to scold me anymore."

  Lu Yuan sighed and sat down with Zhang Yan, asking in a low voice, "A Yan, tell your mother the truth. It's been a year since you married His Majesty. Between you two," she hesitated to ask, "how is it really?"

  When she first entered the palace, Zhang Yan was still thin-skinned and couldn't bear such explicitness. But over the past year, having been questioned by Empress Lü every other day, she had become thick-skinned beyond measure. So with a straight face, she said, "Your Majesty has always treated me well." The standard response.

  "What's so good about it." Lu Yuan was very stubborn and refused to let it go like Lü Hou, asking, "How often does he come to the Pepper Chamber?"

  Zhang Yan forced a smile and said, "Every five or six days, I suppose."

  "Hmm." Lu Yuan nodded slightly in satisfaction and asked again, "When His Majesty stayed at the Pepper House, did you sleep together?"

  Zhang Yan opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't say anything.

  She could naturally be said to have her mother's heart. However, facing Lu Yuan who had truly loved and pitied her since childhood, she really couldn't say it out loud.

  Lu Yuan suddenly understood her meaning.

  Her eyes were sorrowful as she gazed at her young daughter and sighed, "A Yan, you are indeed born under an unlucky star."

  As a woman, what's the use of having a face as beautiful as a flower? What's the use of being from a wealthy and noble family? In the end, it's not as good as having someone who understands you, to be together with like mandarin ducks.

  Marquis Xuanping's son, Zhang Yan, secretly slipped into the palace and hid behind a pillar to listen. He heard his mother mention her bitter fate and became greatly alarmed, not understanding the deeper meaning. He hastily came out and asked, "You live in Weiyang Palace, aren't you happy?"

  "Yan er." Zhang Yan was taken aback, got up and pulled him over to ask, "Weren't you told to play outside? How did you sneak in?" She glared at him again and hurriedly chased after the gecko that had scurried in.

  "Don't blame her, sister." Zhang Wan shook his head and said, "It was me who accidentally spilled honey on myself just now, so I asked them to get clothes for me. Sister," eight-year-old Zhang Wan pulled at his sister's hem, asking stubbornly, "You still haven't told me, did Emperor Uncle make you unhappy?"

  Zhang Yan smiled and said, "You go change your clothes first. Sister will talk to you later."

  Ru Yuan was also helpless and could no longer say much, so he had to give up.

  At this time, Empress Lü of the Longle Palace sent someone to deliver fruit to Empress Zhang. The person who came in bowed and said, "I have seen Her Majesty the Empress. Princess Ru Yuan Chang." It was actually Lü Yi.

  Lu Yuan waited for Zhang Yan to call her up, and then smiled and said, "It's been a long time since I've seen Fifth Sister. How have you been lately, Fifth Sister?"

  "Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your concern." Lü Yi smiled and said, "Thanks to the kindness of Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager, my husband Han Yu was promoted last year and also granted the title of Marquis of Guannei. Recently, I found out that I am pregnant, so now I'm just accompanying the Empress Dowager in Changle Palace to chat and relieve boredom."

  "Oh?" Zhang Yan was taken aback and asked, "Is Mrs. Han pregnant?"

  "Hmm." Lui nodded.

  Her gaze couldn't help but pause for a moment on Lü Yi's flat abdomen. Lü Yi was only two years older than her, and had just turned sixteen at the beginning of the year, becoming a mother at such a young age was actually disadvantageous to both mother and child, so she smiled and said, "In that case, it wouldn't be good for you to overexert yourself. Why don't you sit down and talk?"

  "But to send some fruit to the Empress Dowager, what a bother?" Lyu Yi smiled sweetly and said, "The Eldest Princess rarely enters the palace to reunite with the Queen Mother. I won't disturb you then. I'll take my leave first."

  After Lyu Yi left, Lu Yuanfang let out a sigh and felt heavy-hearted.

  "Mother," Zhang Yan didn't know what was on her mind, but it wasn't good to say much, so she changed the subject and picked up a fruit to hand to her mother, smiling brightly. "This is a Nan Yue fruit sent by the Empress Dowager. It's rare to taste fresh ones in winter. Why don't you try some?"

  Lu Yuanqiang smiled and took over, saying: "A Yan, in the harem, what's most important is still having children by your side. The former emperor favored Consort Qi back then, but Empress Dowager only had the courage to fight with Consort Qi because of Your Majesty..." She wanted to speak again,

  How are you going to do it?

  Zhang Yan smiled and took a bite of the fruit, "Mother, it's only been a year."

  "You really don't have to worry about me. I've never been a person who mistreats myself. Even in desperate situations, I can always find a way out. The future is long, and one day I'll tell you that I'm doing very well."

  As the sky was getting late, she saw her mother off at the palace gate, standing at the door of the Pepper Chamber Hall, watching the imperial carriage carrying her mother and brother rumbling eastward along the Chen Road towards the East Palace Gate.

  In order not to worry her mother, she hadn't told her everything just now.

  Since they last met, apart from catching a glimpse of him at the New Year's ceremony five years ago, she hadn't seen Liu Yan for nearly half a month.

  What's wrong with her uncle again this time?

  She thought back and forth, unknowingly recalling that day when she was seriously ill and had something to say, so the problem still lies in her falling into the water that time?

  "Mu Xi," she beckoned to her maid, asking again, "On that day when you went to the Xuan Shi Palace, did His Majesty have anything unusual?"

  "No." Mu Xi replied with a lowered brow.

  "Well," she asked again, "did Your Majesty immediately grant your request?"

  Muxin was taken aback for a moment.

  She recalled the scene of that day.

  The Xuan Shi Hall always had a faint scent of pine, quiet and peaceful. Each time she was in it, she had a feeling of reverence. That day, she briefly recounted the words of the Empress Dowager, but did not hear the Emperor's voice, waited for a while, and could not help but raise her head.

  But saw Liu Ying's slightly furrowed brow.

  "I know," he said calmly. "You go back and tell the Empress that I will be over soon."

  "Your Majesty," Mu Xi hesitated, "seemed to have hesitated for a moment. Hmm. Your Highness, there is something, I don't know if it should be said or not."

  "What's up?" Zhang Yan smiled unintentionally and asked casually.

  "On that day, I was in the Xuan Shi Hall when I met a eunuch who served beside Your Majesty. In our conversation, he showed extreme disrespect towards the Empress."

  Mu Xi was shocked to find that the usually gentle and calm young emperor suddenly opened his bright almond-shaped eyes wide, and urgently ordered, "Summon Shen Dongshou."

  After flipping through this month's calendar, Zhang Yan slowly put down the stone in her heart.

  Zhang Yan actually didn't like to read the history of Tang. Moreover, how could she not care about it? After all, it was a record of her husband's affair with another person. If she really understood it too clearly, she would be depressed in her heart every day, and lose more than gain.

  This time, it's okay.

  For over a month, Liu Ying's nightly whereabouts have been clearly recorded. Sometimes he has the company of imperial consorts and concubines, but occasionally he lives alone. Although he is usually kind to his son, there has never been an instance where they share the same bed.

  "Your Majesty, this new paper is truly a good thing." The eunuch, Shen Dongshou, said with great pleasure, "In the past, when writing historical records, we had to change to new bamboo slips every three days. Now, this thin book can be written on for more than a month. It's also light, simple and cheap, ordinary people can afford it. Just for this reason alone, Your Majesty's merits are boundless."

  Zhang Yan lost her smile, "Alright. It's rare to hear Shen Nu Shi praise someone. Is there something you want from me?"

  "Does Your Ladyship plan to see His Majesty?" asked Nüshi Yingying.

  "How can you say that?" Zhang Yan couldn't help but feel strange.

  "Your Majesty has not visited the Pepper Chamber for a long time," Shen Dongshou smiled slightly, "the princess wants to ask about it. Can you tell me when you plan to go to the Xuan Room? I, Dongshou, will volunteer to be on duty in the Xuan Room that day, to record the red history."

  Zhang Yan carefully sized up Shen Dongshou.

  Perhaps it was born with a difference, the female historian in the Weiyang Palace had a unique obsession with recording history, but was clumsy when dealing with people. At that time, she read a romantic and elegant historical text and thought that Shen Dongshou, who could write such a passionate piece of writing, must have already understood her own infatuation with Liu Ying. However, this year, Shen Dongshou seemed to be naive and innocent about everything except history, as if he didn't understand his own feelings at all.

  But why should a couple's affairs be surrounded by a group of women watching the excitement?

  Zhang Yan threw the history book back at her, pointing at the gate of the Pepper Chamber, saying, "Get out."

  Liu Ying, she thought to herself resentfully, not to mention that I didn't give you the opportunity. On the day of Renzi in October last year, I boarded the sedan chair to welcome my marriage and entered the Weiyang Palace as your wife. If by then, you still refused to lower your head and come to the Zhangfang Hall to see me.

  She narrowed her eyes slightly.

  Just wait for me to make my move.

  Dear Pink Tickets.