Chapter 36 Liu Wu’s expectations and arrangements for his offspring

The news that Madam Gan had successfully given birth to a little boy quickly spread throughout General Zuo’s mansion.

The entire General Zuo’s mansion was filled with joy and celebration.

Of course, this news soon spread to the homes of a number of high-ranking officials in Wancheng, causing quite a stir.

Most of the senior officials in Wancheng were surprised at Liu Wu’s long-lasting good fortune.

Indeed, there is the precedent of Liu Bei.

Liu Wu gave birth to two sons in more than a year. This efficiency is really amazing.

After more than a year, two children were born. To be honest, Liu Wu himself was not very satisfied with the result.

Because the ancient times were not like the monogamous system of later generations.

With a family system, it is natural to have more people and give birth to more children.

The whole world is so big, and the territory outside the Han Dynasty is so vast.

The distribution of global power during this period of the third century.

Historically, the Han Empire would split into three countries: Wei, Shu, and Wu within these decades.

Cao Wei: Founded by Cao Cao’s son Cao Pi, with its capital in Luoyang. Cao Wei was the most powerful of the Three Kingdoms, ruling most of northern China, with a large population, a prosperous economy, and a strong military.

Shu Han: Founded by Liu Bei, with Chengdu as its capital. Although Shu Han was relatively small in territory, it had strategic terrain and loyal generals, such as Zhuge Liang, and also made significant achievements in politics, culture, and military.

Eastern Wu: Founded by Sun Quan, with its capital in Jianye. Eastern Wu is located in the south of the Yangtze River, with rich natural resources and population, a developed economy, and a strong navy.

The three countries all occupied the territory of the Han Empire and also had powerful imperial forces outside the Han Empire.

The first was the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire remained strong during this period, although it was experiencing the “Crisis of the Third Century”, which included military rebellions, frequent changes of emperors, and the fragmentation of the empire. However, the Roman Empire remained one of the most powerful countries in the Mediterranean region, with its territory spanning three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The second is the Kushan Empire.

The Kushan Empire arose in Central Asia, with its territory extending from Tajikistan to the Caspian Sea, Afghanistan and the Indus River Basin. The Kushan Empire played an important role on the Silk Road, and had trade relations with the Roman Empire, the Parthian Empire and the Han Dynasty. Although the Kushan Empire began to decline at this time and gradually split into several small countries, its territory was still huge.

The Third Parthian Empire (also known as the Parthian Empire).

The Parthian Empire was located in western Asia and was one of the most powerful countries in the West Asia region during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. Although the Parthian Empire was replaced by the Sassanid Empire in 226 AD, ending its history as an independent country, it is still huge in 203 AD.

The fourth is the Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire was the second important empire in the Persian region. In the next 10 to 20 years, it would replace the Parthian Empire and become the hegemon of the West Asian region. The Sassanid Empire gradually expanded its sphere of influence during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, and posed a certain threat to the Kushan Empire and the Roman Empire. Therefore, the dynasty was still very rich and huge.

In addition to the four major countries mentioned above, there were other countries and regions with certain strength in the world during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period:
Japan: During the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, Japan was in the late Yayoi period and early Kofun period. The social structure gradually became more complex, but overall it was still in a relatively backward state.

Korean Peninsula: During the Three Kingdoms period at the end of the Han Dynasty, three powerful small countries, Mahan, Jinhan and Byeonhan, emerged on the Korean Peninsula, and they formed the Three Han Alliance.

Southeast Asia: The Kingdom of Funan was an important country in Southeast Asia, and its sphere of influence covered present-day Cambodia, Thailand and Laos.

Africa: Aksum was a powerful country in northern and eastern Africa, with its territory covering Ethiopia, Eritrea and other places.

To sum up, during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, there were many powerful and vast countries around the world, each of which showed different characteristics and strengths in politics, economy, military and culture.

The world outside the Han Dynasty was very vast. As for Liu Wu, he was not afraid that his son would bump into a powerful man with the surname Li or Liu, causing the family to kill each other.

Liu Wu only felt that he did not have enough outstanding children.

The extra outstanding sons can be arranged outside the Han Dynasty. They can be enfeoffed as kings in Rome, Parthia, Kushan, Sassanid and other countries outside the Han Dynasty to strengthen the power of the Han people. Why not?
Therefore, Liu Wu felt that the more offspring he had, the better. However, he only had two historical beauties, Madam Mi and Madam Gan, and they could only have one child a year.

少！
So few!

It was the lack of historical beauties that limited Liu Wu’s performance.

On that day, Mrs. Gan gave birth to little Liu Wei, and the outside world was filled with joy. Liu Wu arranged everything and walked towards the mansion opposite the Left General’s Mansion, where Sun Shangxiang was settled.

Madam Mi, Madam Gan, and Sun Shangxiang were all Liu Bei’s wives.

Although Liu Wu felt sorry for his cousin Liu Bei, he had no choice but to do so in order to strengthen the Liu family in Zhuo County.

……

Opposite the Zuo General’s Mansion, there is a quaint little house.

More than twenty loyal and brave guards were guarding the door, looking very cautious.

More than ten maids, all wearing swords, appeared in front of the mansion gate. They looked at the festive atmosphere on the opposite side and were just watching the fun.

“Miss, I heard that Madam Gan gave birth to a son!”

A maid said to Sun Shangxiang who was surrounded in the middle.

“Madam Gan? Is she the Madam Gan known as the ‘Jade Beauty’?” Sun Shangxiang asked in surprise, thinking of the information she had previously found out about Madam Gan.

Sun Shangxiang was surrounded by maids. She was stunningly beautiful, with a heroic look in her eyes, yet gentle and feminine. Her hair was tied up high with gold hairpins and jade ornaments. Her red lips parted slightly, and her smile revealed confidence and composure.

When the maids heard what Sun Shangxiang said, they all curled their lips. In their eyes, their own young lady was the most beautiful woman in the world.

If she puts on a battle robe, Sun Shangxiang will look heroic and the armor cannot hide her graceful figure.

If Sun Shangxiang put on women’s clothes and danced gracefully in the light gauze, she would be as graceful and charming as the peach blossoms blooming in spring.

How could Mrs. Gan be compared with her young lady?
“No matter how beautiful a jade lady is, she can never compare to you, young lady!”

Sun Shangxiang listened to the maid’s words, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, but she did not refute.

However, looking at the more than 20 strong and loyal guards who were guarding in front of her and exuded a powerful aura, Sun Shangxiang’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.

With her keen eyesight, she could see how powerful these guards were.

“Where did Liu Bei get so many powerful guards? Also, I don’t know what Liu Wu looks like.”

Thinking of Liu Wu, Sun Shangxiang’s beautiful eyes suddenly became sparkling, she clenched her teeth, and her heart was filled with confusion.

(End of this chapter)