The roads to Shu are difficult, more difficult than ascending to heaven.
The Shu roads refer to the main transportation routes leading to the Shu region. Because of the Shu region's treacherous terrain, rugged mountain roads, and numerous ravines, transportation was extremely difficult, earning it the reputation of "the most difficult road under heaven."
Specifically, the main reasons for the difficulty of the Shu roads are as follows:
**Dangerous Terrain:** The Shu roads are treacherous, with numerous peaks, steep slopes, dangerous shoals, and canyons. Many sections require climbing or traversing mountain peaks, making the roads extremely difficult and dangerous.
**Harsh Climate:** Due to the Shu region's location in high mountains and deep valleys, the climate is unpredictable, often experiencing heavy rainfall, mudslides, flash floods, and other disasters. Winter temperatures are extremely low, and the roads are often covered in ice and snow, making them very difficult to travel.
**Instability and Security:** The inconvenient transportation and treacherous terrain of the Shu roads made them easy targets for bandits, frequently resulting in robberies, kidnappings, and other violent incidents, threatening the lives and property of travelers.
Therefore, the Shu Road was renowned as the most difficult road under heaven. Traveling on it was extremely arduous, requiring overcoming numerous hardships and challenges.
In this era, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, traveling to places like Xiliang, Sichuan, Liaodong, or Jiaozhou was essentially no different from being exiled.
Throughout their lives, without significant upheaval, they would never be able to return to the Central Plains.
Those areas were undeveloped, with hot and humid climates; those with weak constitutions were easily susceptible to illness and death.
This had nothing to do with whether one was a commoner or a noble; it was purely due to the undeveloped environment.
There were many poisonous insects and snakes, which is why people feared them.
Especially in the south, there was miasma, causing vomiting and diarrhea, which could easily lead to death—it was practically poisonous gas!
"I dare to ask Your Excellency, what should I do?" Lu Ming, at this moment, had lost his arrogance, not out of fear, but because he genuinely lacked experience in scheming.
Marquis Zhao was quite satisfied with Lu Ming's attitude. It was a good thing for a young person to have ambition; what kind of young person wouldn't be if they weren't spirited?
However, youthful impetuosity always comes at a price!
"Anmin, do you know what I value most about you?"
Lu Ming didn't know why Marquis Zhao had changed the subject. He shook his head to indicate he didn't know. "Unknown, please enlighten me!"
"It's your ability to be flexible and adaptable. I know you are proud and arrogant, yet you can listen to advice. This is something none of my eight children can do. This is very good, very good. Humbly accepting advice—it's easy to say, but how difficult it is to do!" Marquis Zhao seemed somewhat sentimental. If Lu Ming were his son, how wonderful that would be. "In the past, His Majesty's first empress, Empress Song, was not favored by His Majesty, yet she held the position of empress, a truly dangerous move."
Empress Song was not favored by Emperor Ling of Han, yet she held the position of empress. Many favored concubines in the harem conspired to frame and slander Empress Song.
Initially, the eunuch Wang Fu wrongfully executed Liu Kui, the Prince of Bohai, and his wife, Lady Song. Lady Song was Empress Song's aunt. Fearing Empress Song's resentment, Wang Fu conspired with the Grand Master of the Palace, Cheng A, to frame her, claiming she had used witchcraft to curse others. Emperor Ling of Han believed them.
Empress Song was banished to the cold palace and died of grief shortly after, having reigned for eight years.
Empress Song's father, Song Feng, and his brothers were implicated, imprisoned, and executed.
The eunuchs and palace servants who served in the palace, pitying Empress Song's unjust death, pooled their money and resources to collect and bury Empress Song and her father, Song Feng, at their old cemetery, Gaomen Pavilion.
"Has Empress Song already passed away?" Lu Ming wondered, puzzled as to why the other person was mentioning a stranger.
Zhao Hou's eyes flickered, then he shook his head. "No, Empress Song is from Fufeng. Everyone said she was immoral, then rumors spread that she died suddenly. But now she's under house arrest. Well, these secrets are mine to tell you; no third party knows."
"Please rest assured, Lord Zhao, I'm not a gossip," Lu Ming said, clasping his hands to show he wasn't one for idle chatter. "Please, Lord Zhao, save me!"
Zhao Hou was quite satisfied with Lu Ming's attitude; neither servile nor arrogant, the victor pressed his advantage, the loser humbly accepted the lesson.
"Back then, Liu Kui, the Prince of Bohai, was a close friend of mine. He asked me to escort the deposed Empress Song back to Bohai. Now, Empress Song is living in seclusion in Chang'an, which is His Majesty's decree. Originally, the plan was to send her back to Fufeng to live out her days in peace. However, His Majesty and Empress Song were husband and wife, and he couldn't bear to harm her. But then the rebellion broke out in Xiliang, so he stayed in Chang'an. This time, when you return, you will pass through Chang'an. Please take Empress Song with you and escort her back to Pingling in Fufeng."
"Rest assured, My Lord, as long as I am here, Empress Song is here. I swear to fulfill my duty of escorting her." Lu Ming knew this was an exchange, although he didn't know why the former empress was still there.
However, he didn't want to know. A deposed empress was already powerless.
Zhao Hou nodded, knowing Lu Ming's character. Though a scoundrel and impetuous in his youth, he was a man of his word. "Madam Song and I share a blood relation, which is why I lent a helping hand. Now, your plan is to assume the governorship of Liangzhou. Firstly, to pacify Liangzhou, and secondly, to lead it as His Majesty's sharpest weapon, clearing obstacles for him. This journey will be fraught with difficulties; the plague is a minor matter. There are rumors that Ma Teng and Han Sui are in contact with the rebel Zhang Chun. The court is currently facing financial difficulties and wants to provide disaster relief; you'll have to find a way yourself."
The governorship of Liangzhou sounded promising, but Liangzhou was no easy place. Small warlords were everywhere, obeying orders but not decrees. The major warlords were Ma Teng and Han Sui, each commanding an army of 100,000; annihilating them would be no easy task.
Furthermore, the surrounding Western Regions and the Qiang and Hu tribes were intertwined, frequently raiding the area, and bandits were rampant.
Beset by internal and external troubles, and now with a plague raging across the land, unifying the country is an insurmountable challenge!
"Rest assured, Lord Marquis, I will dedicate myself to the utmost, even unto death," Lu Ming said, knowing the journey would be difficult, and thus prepared for the worst.
The Marquis's brow furrowed, clearly indicating the dire situation. "Luoyang is a dangerous place. Yuan Kui is vengeful and vindictive. Be careful. Just because you're kind to him doesn't guarantee he'll be kind to you. You've heard the story of the farmer and the snake; even His Majesty has to be wary of the Yuan family's power. The Secretariat bears the weight of the people's fate on its shoulders...haha, the people's fate,haha!"
It seemed the Marquis also harbored some resentment towards the Yuan family. Indeed, almost all the court's decrees originated from the Secretariat.
The Secretariat represents His Majesty's will, but is that truly the case?
If there were a real solution, which emperor would willingly relinquish power to an outsider?
Ultimately, it's a case of powerful ministers bullying the emperor—a problem that existed as early as the Western Han Dynasty. Emperor Hui of Han wanted to stretch his legs and let the world know whose empire it was, but he was rebuffed by the then Chancellor Cao Can, who told him to obediently be a mascot and not to think too much.