The year when Duke Pei Liu Ji invaded Guanzhong and was enfeoffed as the "King of Han" by the Overlord of Western Chu was known as the first year of Han.
The Overlord of Western Chu divided the lands of Guanzhong into two, granting them to King of Han Liu Ji and King of Yong Zhang Han, while he himself retreated to Pengcheng in Western Chu. Thus, the early Han era's multi-state rivalry was established, though everyone knew a final great war could erupt at any moment.
Due to Liu Ji's growing power and his control over the prosperous Guanzhong region, he became the target of vigilance and exclusion by other feudal lords. King of Yong Zhang Han received aid from other lords, making it difficult for Liu Ji to sustain his hold on Guanzhong.
Adopting a strategic retreat, King of Han Liu Ji temporarily abandoned Guanzhong and withdrew to Ba-Shu, burning the Ba-Shu plank roads to signal his lack of ambition for the throne, thus easing the lords' concerns.
With Guanzhong now solely under King of Yong Zhang Han—who was despised by its people due to the Overlord of Western Chu's massacre of Qin soldiers—the balance of power shifted. Without the Guanzhong lords leveraging the momentum of Qin's conquest of the six states, the Overlord of Western Chu stood unchallenged. The feudal lords, united in their hatred, reached out to King of Han to jointly resist Chu, and Liu Ji gladly agreed.
In the second year of Han, Liu Ji's legitimate eldest son was born and named Liu Ying. The Han army's political stability was secured. That same year, descendants of the Qi royal family, dissatisfied with the Overlord of Western Chu's enfeoffments, launched the first attack against Chu. Other lords swiftly joined the rebellion, echoing the coalition of eighteen lords against Qin at the end of the Qin dynasty—only this time, the target of their combined assault was Chu.
Seizing the moment, King of Han Liu Ji appointed Han Xin as Grand General. Under the guise of repairing the plank roads, they secretly crossed at Chencang, launching a surprise attack on King of Yong's territories. They dealt Zhang Han a crushing defeat at Rangdong, then besieged his forces. Victory followed victory as they split their troops to seize lands, swiftly occupying all of Guanzhong. The people of Guanzhong rose in unison to welcome King of Han, throwing open their city gates.
While the feudal lords were united against Chu, none expected Liu Ji to strike from the rear in Shu. Before the lords could react, King of Han Liu Ji and Han Xin led separate armies, crushing multiple lords in succession. In less than a month, they had marched straight to Pengcheng, the capital of Chu.
To Liu Ji, capturing Pengcheng and destroying Western Chu would fulfill Roy's demand of her. Thus, from the outset, her strategy targeted not the other lords but the Overlord of Western Chu.
The remnants of Zhao and Qi, already battered by the Overlord of Western Chu, allied with King of Han Liu Ji to attack the Chu capital. However, Roy still had ample time remaining in this world. Unwilling to part with Yu Ji, he personally intervened and dealt the three-state alliance a devastating defeat. The once-arrogant King of Han Liu Ji fled in disgrace.
After the defeat of the Han King at Pengcheng, many of the previously surrendered states rebelled against Han and submitted to Chu. Even the states of Zhao and Qi unexpectedly made peace with Chu. The situation where the eighteen allied forces of the vassal states had once attacked Chu was now reversed, with the vassal states turning against Han. Simultaneously, rumors spread like wildfire within Han, leaving the kingdom in a precarious state.
Amidst this near-hopeless situation, the Han King Liu Ji finally demonstrated the strategic prowess and capability befitting the future Emperor Gaozu of Han, utilizing his talent for recognizing and employing capable individuals to the fullest.
"In strategizing within the command tent to secure victory a thousand miles away, I am no match for Zifang (Zhang Liang). In governing the state, pacifying the people, ensuring supplies, and keeping the grain routes open, I am no match for Xiao He. In leading a million-strong army, winning every battle and conquering every city, I am no match for Han Xin!"
The Han King Liu Ji entrusted the command of the grand army to Han Xin, fully unleashing the potential of his talented subordinates. Had he lived in later ages, Liu Ji would likely have been a teacher admired and revered by all magicians, for his greatest skill lay in bringing out the brilliance in others.
However, unlike that famous teacher, Liu Ji did not help his subordinates shine for their own futures—but for his own use!
With full command of the army, Han Xin finally stepped onto the grand stage of history, becoming the brightest jewel during the Chu-Han contention.
Under the orders of the Han King Liu Ji, Han Xin led the army to attack Wei. The King of Wei deployed heavy defenses, but Han Xin set up decoys and ambushes, launching a surprise attack on the Wei capital. The King of Wei, shocked, led his troops to counter Han Xin but suffered a crushing defeat, leading to the fall of Wei.
Han Xin then laid out a grand strategic plan, which Liu Ji adopted—encircling cities from the countryside and surrounding Chu with the allied states—before marching the army eastward.
True to his reputation as a military sage, Han Xin advanced with unstoppable momentum, employing ingenious tactics at every turn. He successively conquered Wei, crushed Dai, subdued Zhao, intimidated Yan, and pacified Qi, almost recreating the might of Qin's conquest of the six states. The vassal states, save for Chu, were utterly shattered, kneeling in surrender as the territory of Han rapidly expanded.
From then on, the situation across the Central Plains effectively became a three-way standoff between Han, Chu, and Han Xin. The forces of Liu Ji and Han Xin had encircled Chu, fulfilling their initial strategy.
By this time, Liu Ji had fully embraced his role as emperor. With a few calculated moves, he enfeoffed Han Xin as the King of Qi, offering numerous promises to placate the "Military Immortal" and secure his loyalty, ensuring his cooperation in the final campaign against Chu.
Han Xin famously said, "The more troops, the better." Yet, in the end, he could only rise to the rank of Grand General and be enfeoffed as a king. Before the true emperor, he was merely a sharp sword—a pawn to be discarded at any moment.
By the time Chu was encircled, nearly five years had passed since the Feast at Hongmen, when the Overlord of Western Chu, Xiang Yu, had granted Liu Ji the title of King of Han.
The Fifth Year of Han, Han Army Camp—
"Father!"
A delicate, jade-like young boy, dressed in court robes, arrived at the military camp to meet Liu Ji.
At this time, Liu Ji was not yet emperor but merely the King of Han, so his eldest son could not yet wear royal attire.
Having finished discussing state affairs with his subordinates, Liu Ji waved his hand. The future great ministers and generals chuckled and bowed to the young prince before withdrawing, leaving the tent to the "father and son."
"Ying'er, have you finished your lessons with the tutor today?"
Liu Ji's face was full of paternal affection as she beckoned to Liu Ying. The boy took two steps forward and bowed once more to his 'father,' yet he did not overstep by rushing into his parent's embrace like other children seeking comfort.
"Reporting to Father, I have already completed today's studies..."
Seeing Liu Ying's composed demeanor despite his young age—especially the resemblance to Roy in his features—Liu Ji grew increasingly fond and tender toward him.
'Your father abandoned us, mother and child, to dally with his beauty in Pengcheng. But Mother will raise you well and hand this empire to you!'
The thought of Roy stirred a mix of nostalgia, love, and resentment in Liu Ji's heart. Roy had left her in Guanzhong and Chu to raise their child alone—wasn't he just like those scoundrel fathers in tales who abandoned their families for another woman?
Liu Ji knew exactly why Roy hadn't surrendered when she attacked Pengcheng four years ago. Instead, he had personally crushed her army and sent her fleeing in disgrace—all because he wanted to enjoy a world for two with that Yu the Beauty!
Her resentment swelled again, but the moment she saw Liu Ying standing quietly before her, it vanished. Women were like this—after marriage, their hearts lingered on their husbands, but once they had children, the greatness of maternal love eclipsed all else. No matter the cost, they would ensure their child grew up safe and sound.
'It's just a shame Ying'er can only call me Father, not Mother.'
Liu Ji knew her true gender must never be revealed—not even on her deathbed. Yet, she didn't have to be so rigid with her own child. Perhaps, before she died, she could finally tell Liu Ying who his real father was—and that the one he had called Father all these years was actually his mother.
The Great Ancestor and High Emperor understood what kind of ruler the people needed once the realm was unified: one who practiced the teachings of Huang-Lao, lived simply, and allowed the land to recover—not some so-called visionary who sought endless conquests.
So when she nurtured Liu Ying, she focused on cultivating these qualities in him. She didn't expect him to wield the same overwhelming authority as his biological father in the future—she only hoped he could bring a period of peace to the people of this land.
Liu Ji did not want her empire to collapse in the second generation like the Qin Dynasty, nor did she want Liu Ying to become the next Hu Hai. Most of all, she did not want Liu Ying, for the sake of imperial power, to one day stand behind her and raise a resplendent sword of rebellion against his father.
From the current situation, Liu Ying was indeed developing and growing exactly as Liu Ji had hoped.
Gentle and refined, neither demanding nor contentious, he possessed both the decisiveness befitting an emperor and sufficient kindness.
For a future emperor tasked with maintaining stability, such virtues were more than enough.
"Ying'er, what did your teacher teach you today?"
"Your Majesty, today my teacher taught me the Songs of Chu."
Liu Ying bowed deeply as he answered.
"The Songs of Chu, huh..."
Liu Ji murmured softly, momentarily lost in thought.