After Liu Hong entered Gaochang Kingdom, besides meeting with local officials, he received mostly estate owners who came from all over the country.

These estate owners also donated most of their wealth without hesitation, just to get the emperor to take a second look at them.

Liu Hong also expressed his praise and recognition for these estate owners.

These manor owners deserve much credit for the smooth transition and rapid recovery of prosperity in the Western Regions over the years.

In Liu Hong's view, these manor owners who developed the Western Regions were the main force of the Han Dynasty's colonization of various places, and their contributions were no less than those of territorial expansion.

Therefore, while acknowledging the contributions of these manor owners, Liu Hong also bestowed upon them corresponding official positions and titles.

Just as Liu Hong was receiving the group of manor owners, the kings of various Western Regions countries also personally rushed here to pay homage to the Emperor of Han.

Liu Hong did not rush to receive the kings who came to pay homage. Instead, he arranged for them all to stay at the inn in Gaochang Kingdom and treated them to good food and drink, as if he was waiting for something.

Inside the royal palace of Gaochang Kingdom.

The current Queen Lan Zhi is in her palace, playing with a one-year-old baby in her arms.

Zhang Xiu stood aside, watching the peaceful scene before him with a smile.

After playing with the baby for a while and coaxing it to sleep, Lanzhi handed it to a palace maid and then took an imperial edict from another palace maid and gave it to Zhang Xiu.

"Husband, look at this!"

Zhang Xiu took the imperial edict and looked at it with a puzzled expression. When he saw the contents of the edict, his expression changed.

It turned out that this was an abdication edict.

"Madam, what's wrong...?"

Lanzhi smiled and said, "My husband, if it weren't for the help of the Han Dynasty, my Gaochang Kingdom would have ceased to exist long ago. I am of meager virtue and am simply unable to protect the people of my country."

Now that His Majesty the Emperor has arrived, it is just the right time to let the Kingdom of Gaochang return to the Han Dynasty forever, and the people under his rule can enjoy peace forever.

This is not only the concubine's thought, but also the thought of countless people in Gaochang.

Seeing Lanzhi's calm expression, Zhang Xiu knew that she sincerely wanted to annex Gaochang into the Han Dynasty.

Zhang Xiu put away the imperial edict and handed it back to Lanzhi: "My lady, you did the right thing. I support you!"

Lanzhi smiled and said, "In that case, let's go together to see our godfather and then pay our respects to His Majesty!"

"good!"

Zhang Xiu nodded in agreement, and then left the palace with Lanzhi, heading towards the government office of the Western Regions Protectorate.

Upon learning of Lanzhi and Zhang Xiu's arrival, Liu Yu, the then Protector-General of the Western Regions, personally received the couple.

After exchanging greetings, Liu Yu looked at his adopted daughter with a smile and said, "You two haven't come to see this old man in a long time. Why didn't you bring my grandson along?"

"Godfather, I've come on official business, so it's inconvenient for me to bring my son along!"

"oh?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu's expression immediately turned serious: "What official business is it?"

"Father, I have decided to abdicate and annex the Kingdom of Gaochang into the Han Dynasty. My descendants will forever be Han citizens. I hope that you will present this to the Emperor and grant my request and that that of the people of Gaochang be granted!"

As she spoke, Lanzhi presented the abdication edict to Liu Yu.

Liu Yu took the imperial edict and looked at Lan Zhi with a solemn expression. "Have you thought it through?"

"Father, I had already thought it through when I married my husband. Only the Great Han can protect the people of Gaochang and enable them to live a peaceful and happy life. Now I only want to stay at home to be a good wife and mother, and I have no other thoughts!"

Although Lanzhi's voice was very soft, it was very decisive.

Of course, Lanzhi also knew that all the people in Gaochang now identified themselves as Han Chinese. Even if she didn't do this now, Gaochang would eventually be incorporated into the Han Dynasty. It would be better to complete this matter herself, at least she could save face.

Upon seeing this, Liu Yu nodded immediately: "Very well, I will present your wishes to the Emperor!"

Subsequently, Liu Yu arrived at Liu Hong's headquarters and conveyed Lan Zhi's abdication edict and wishes to Liu Hong.

"Since the King of Gaochang is so sincere, I shall grant his request!"

After listening to Liu Yu's report, Liu Hong also showed a happy smile.

Then, Liu Hong said to Liu Yu, "Uncle, I have decided to bestow upon Lanzhi the title of Princess Hexi of our Great Han. The investiture ceremony will be presided over by you, Uncle, and we will also invite the kings of various countries to attend!"

"My lord, I obey the order!"

Liu Yu agreed and then left the camp to begin the ceremony of bestowing the title of princess.

Not long after Liu Yu left, Lan Zhi's abdication edict was copied dozens of times and posted throughout the streets and alleys of Gaochang Kingdom.

Upon learning that their queen had abdicated and that the entire country had been incorporated into the Han Dynasty, the people of Gaochang not only did not object, but instead celebrated joyfully.

After all, the people of Gaochang had suddenly transformed from ordinary citizens of a small, precarious country into members of the powerful Han Dynasty, with no one daring to covet their territory anymore. This change in status naturally made the people of Gaochang extremely happy.

Subsequently, Liu Hong issued another decree, renaming Gaochang as Gaochang Prefecture, and appointing Lanzhi's husband, Zhang Xiu, as its first prefect, responsible for overseeing all affairs in the area.

Soon, the news spread, and the kings of various countries could no longer sit still.

They seemed to have finally understood the real reason why the Han emperor was not receiving them.

These kings were mostly puppets who were reinstated by Yuan Shao and Cao Cao after the chaos caused by the Xianbei and Xiongnu. They had the title of king but no real power.

Today, not only have all the officials in various countries been replaced by officials from the Han Dynasty, but more than half of the young and middle-aged people in these countries have also migrated from the Han Dynasty.

The political affairs and customs of various countries have become completely consistent with those of the Han Dynasty.

It can be said that the various kingdoms of the Western Regions today, from top to bottom, have completely broken free from the control of these kings. Not to mention doing things, they can no longer speak recklessly.

Now that the Queen of Gaochang has abdicated first and been bestowed the title of Princess of the Great Han, all the kings understand that the Emperor of the Great Han is waiting for them to take the initiative to go there and do the same thing as Gaochang.

In the past, the Han Dynasty was unstable and had limited capabilities, at most controlling the Western Regions. But now the times are different. The Han Dynasty has no powerful enemies and its national strength has reached an unimaginable level.

It's time for the Western Regions to become the true territory of the Han Dynasty.

This is an unstoppable trend!

Thinking of all this, the kings of various countries abandoned their last shred of hope and submitted petitions requesting to abdicate and annex their countries into the Han Dynasty, accepting its direct rule.

Liu Hong gladly accepted all the kings' requests and divided the country into prefectures and counties according to its size.

At the same time, Liu Hong also merged the entire Western Regions into one state—Xinzhou.

Liu Yu was appointed governor of Xinzhou and established the Xinjiang Camp in Xinzhou, with Cao Cao serving as its commander.