"General, I have fulfilled my mission without disgrace. Everything you planned has been accomplished. Once the ice thaws and the snow melts, the imperial envoy will arrive with the proclamation and seal. You will then be Marquis of Liaodong under the Han, Grand General Tianwu, and Governor of Liaodong."
"How much did it cost?"
"Every last coin of a hundred million was spent. The title of Grand General Tianwu was suspected of setting a bad precedent, and they had originally been unwilling to grant it. But the Ten Attendants accepted fifteen million coins from the General and told the Han Emperor that the General was in truth a rebel; whether he was enfeoffed or not would make no difference to the overall situation. Great amounts of money and grain had been wasted in defeating Zhang Jiao. Since the General feared the Han court and had used immense wealth to seek office, everything he requested ought to be granted. Thus, the Han Emperor accepted their advice, and all the General's plans were fulfilled. Liu Yan submitted a memorial requesting permission to fight, but it was retained by the court without reply.
"The Han court also declared that Linyu, Shanhaiguan, would serve as the boundary. The people may travel back and forth, and merchants may trade, but soldiers may not cross it. Should the General send troops south, they will surely raise a great army to attack.
"All the money, treasures, and goods are now held by our Zhen Clan. Once the imperial envoy announces the decree, they will be escorted to Luoyang to be sold off."
Wang Yan nodded. This was exactly what he wanted. It did not matter whether he was a marquis, a grand general, or a governor. What mattered was having legitimate authority in Liaodong, so that no