The fire inside the Han army camp burned for an entire night before finally being extinguished.

The next morning, when the sun shone on the earth, there was nothing in the Han army camp except for charred corpses scattered all over the ground.

Surrounded by ambushes and engulfed by fire, most of the indigenous soldiers who attacked the camp were annihilated, except for a few who managed to escape in the chaos.

Including the leader of the Segen tribe, all the leaders died in the chaos of battle.

After this battle, almost all the able-bodied men of those indigenous tribes perished here, meaning the threat was completely eliminated.

At the same time, Chu Han led the allied forces of those small tribes to destroy the strongholds of the Segeng tribe one by one.

More than 100,000 women and children in those large indigenous tribes were also enslaved.

Subsequently, the small tribes that had accepted Chu Han's surrender all left the jungle and migrated to the vicinity of the Han army camp.

By the end of the year, all the surrounding areas of Southeast Asia had fallen under Liu Wen's control.

"Alright, now it's time to recruit people and properly develop this land that belongs to us!"

Looking at the vast jungle ahead, Liu Wen's face was also full of passion.

Upon hearing this, all the staff members nodded in agreement and then began to prepare for what was to come.

Soon, a series of instructions were sent to the tribes.

Upon receiving the order, the tribes, young and old alike, came out to join the 50,000 soldiers and participate together in the deforestation and land reclamation efforts.

As for the leaders who were appointed by Liu Zhong, they remained in the palace, continuing to eat, drink, and have fun, becoming truly wealthy men who did not concern themselves with worldly affairs.

Liu Zhong and the others sighed helplessly. They knew that from the day they received their titles, the land beneath their feet and the people under their command no longer belonged to them.

Now, the Han army did not eliminate them completely, but left them with titles and a lot of wealth, which can be considered as doing their utmost to be kind and righteous.

On the 30th day of the 12th month of the 28th year of the Kaiyuan era, in front of the Deyang Palace.

Today is New Year's Eve. As is customary in previous years, Liu Hong held a grand banquet in the square in front of Deyang Palace, inviting officials to stay up with him to celebrate the New Year.

Looking at the officials below, clinking glasses and chatting amiably, Liu Hong's face was also full of smiles.

After tonight, it will be the twenty-ninth year of the Kaiyuan era, which is also the twenty-ninth year of Liu Hong's reign.

From a child to middle-aged man, time has mercilessly left its mark on Liu Hong's face. The wrinkles around his eyes and his graying temples remind him that he is no longer young.

Sitting to the side, Empress Song looked at her husband, her eyes filled with love but also with worry.

Lately, she's been feeling that her husband seems preoccupied and often suddenly spaces out.

"Your Majesty, do you miss Cheng'er and the others?"

Seeing her husband lost in thought once again, Empress Song couldn't help but ask with concern.

Coming to his senses, Liu Hong smiled and said, "Thinking about them is only part of it; I'm also thinking about something else!"

"Is it about politics?" Empress Song asked cautiously.

Liu Hong smiled and shook his head: "No, it was a dream!"

"A dream?" Empress Song was slightly taken aback.

"Yes, a dream I had more than ten years ago..."

Liu Hong looked up at the night sky, a look of nostalgia on his face.

"May I ask about it?" Empress Song asked with a curious expression.

Liu Hong smiled and looked at Song Yue: "Does the Empress still remember the time I fell into a coma twenty-seven years ago?"

"Of course I remember. It was the second year after you ascended the throne. You were so busy with state affairs that you fell ill from worry. At that time, I accompanied my mother to the palace to prepare meals for you..."

Song Yue still vividly remembers the time when Liu Hong fell into a coma, because that was also when she truly fell in love with Liu Hong.

"At that time, when I was unconscious, I dreamed that in the thirtieth year of Jianning, which is equivalent to the thirtieth year of Kaiyuan, the expeditionary force of my Great Han Dynasty conquered Rome, captured the Roman emperor alive, and completed an unprecedented path to hegemony..."

At the end, Liu Hong paused, then said with a wistful expression, "This year is the twenty-ninth year of the Kaiyuan era. Over the years, our great Han Dynasty has conquered Goguryeo, taken over Liaozhou, defeated the Xianbei, subdued the Southern Barbarians, pacified the Western Qiang, and conquered the Western Regions."

Today, the Kushan Empire has also been destroyed by our Great Han Dynasty and has become Xuan'er's fiefdom.

The area surrounding Rinan was also razed by Wen'er, and all that remains is to slowly develop it.

Zhang Liang has also stirred up undercurrents in India, with constant warfare between various states. Our Han Dynasty only needs to send a small detachment to wipe them out.

Now, Cheng'er is stationed in Yizhou with his men, and Anxi can be relocated at any time.

Looking at the whole world, now only Rome remains…

"No wonder His Majesty has been so lost in thought lately; could it be that he's been contemplating matters concerning Rome?"

Upon hearing Liu Hong's words, Empress Song asked curiously.

"Indeed, since I ascended the throne, I have never failed in anything I have set out to do."

As for the matter of Rome, I naturally do not wish to have any regrets.

"If it's said to be thirty years, then it's thirty years. Even a day later, I won't be at ease!"

As he spoke, Liu Hong suddenly stood up, his gaze fixed intently on the distant west.

Empress Song looked up at her husband, her eyes filled with adoration and love.

Although Liu Hong is 41 years old this year, his sharp spirit has not been worn down by the years. He is still as proud and domineering as he was in his youth.

Upon seeing the emperor suddenly stand up, the ministers who had been chatting and laughing immediately fell silent, and everyone followed the emperor's gaze to the west.

Yang Biao, Xun You, and other cabinet ministers, as well as hawkish officials in the court, immediately understood the situation.

They knew that the emperor was preparing to strike at the last enemy of the Han Dynasty.

For a moment, everyone's face showed a hint of excitement and anticipation.

"Knock knock knock..."

A bell rang, announcing to everyone that the 28th year of the Kaiyuan era had passed and a new year had begun.

At the same time, fireworks were set off almost simultaneously in Liaozhou, the grasslands, the Western Regions, Yamatai, South Asia, India, Yizhou, Kushan, Parthia, and even Rome, wherever there were Han people.

Countless Han Chinese, dressed in their finest attire, took to the streets to celebrate the New Year and shout "Long live the Emperor!"

Those foreigners, watching the Han people celebrating with each other, didn't quite understand why they valued this day so much, but they knew that this day must be very important to the Han people, and of course, to the emperor, whom the Han people spoke of.