The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 438 Liu Yong: Jiang Boyue prides himself on his superior wisdom, yet he can't even seize such a good opportunity.
Meanwhile, the Han army decisively defeated Cao Zhang at Mianzhu, and when the news of the victory arrived, the entire army rejoiced.

However, beneath this joy of victory, undercurrents were quietly brewing.

this day,
Jiang Wei was in his tent discussing with his generals how to appease the newly surrendered people when a personal guard suddenly came to report:
"Reporting to the general, His Highness the Prince of Wu has arrived with his personal guards and is already outside the camp gate."

The tent fell silent immediately.

All the generals knew that this King of Wu, Liu Yong, was the son of Liu Bei and Lady Gan.

Although he was born out of wedlock, he was raised in the palace from a young age because his birth mother died early.

He grew up alongside the current Crown Prince Liu Shan, and was not enfeoffed as a king in a foreign land until he was twelve years old.

Because of his special status, there were many rumors circulating in the court.

It is said that he was always resentful of his status as an illegitimate son and always wanted to make achievements to prove himself to Liu Bei.

Jiang Wei frowned slightly and asked:
How many men did the King of Wu bring?

"Only twenty or so personal guards."

Jiang Wei remained silent in thought.

Seeing this, Miwei stepped forward and whispered:

"General, my father often said that the King of Wu was very sensitive about his status as a son of a concubine and always wanted to do something great to show His Majesty."

"Now that we are about to succeed in destroying Shu, I'm afraid the King of Wu's arrival is not for good purposes."

Jiang Wei paced back and forth in the tent, his expression grave.
"I am devoted to the country and have never participated in royal power struggles, so why are you looking for me?"

Deer lowered his voice:

"...General, you are wise."

"Currently, both Prime Minister Li and Prime Minister Zhuge are members of the Crown Prince's faction. General, you are young and promising, and are in the prime of your career."

"Make sure you don't choose the wrong side."

"Although the King of Wu is the younger brother of the Crown Prince, he is still born out of wedlock."

"If we get too close to him, I'm afraid..."

Jiang Wei nodded, finding Mi Wei's words reasonable, and immediately issued an order:
"Liao Hua, listen to my command: immediately dispatch two hundred elite guards to the left and right of the camp."

"It must be majestic and imposing to intimidate those who come."

"The last general takes command!"

Liao Hua bowed and withdrew.

Before long, the sound of horses' hooves came from outside the camp gate.

King Liu Yong of Wu, surrounded by his personal guards, rushed into the camp.

Seeing the armored soldiers standing on both sides, their swords and spears gleaming in the sunlight, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

But he quickly calmed down, stood tall and strode towards the central command tent.

Upon entering the tent, Liu Yong and Jiang Wei exchanged greetings.

After exchanging pleasantries, Liu Yong got straight to the point:
"General Jiang, now that we have defeated Cao Zhang and taken Jiangyou, Fucheng and other places."

"We should advance on Chengdu immediately, why is the general hesitating?"

Jiang Wei, unperturbed, cupped his hands and replied:
"...Your Highness is unaware of this."

"Many officials in Shu Commandery abandoned their posts and left, and the local people all became dependent on me."

"If we do not appease them properly, there is a risk of unrest."

"The best strategy in warfare is to win hearts and minds."

"I must first keep them in check before I can advance."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yong's expression turned displeased:
"General, you are mistaken!!"

“We are deep in enemy territory alone. Once Deng Ai’s army returns to Chengdu to reinforce, we will be surrounded.”

"General, this decision will likely cost the lives of all my soldiers!"

The generals in the tent looked at each other, none daring to utter a sound.

Jiang Wei remained calm and slowly said:

"Your Highness's concern for military affairs is deeply admirable."

"However, the people of Shu are also subjects of our great Han Dynasty, and I cannot abandon them."

"Moreover, Deng Ai's army is far away in Jiange and is being held back by Prime Minister Zhuge's army."

Even if we receive the news, it will probably take more than a month to get there.

"This period of time is enough for us to stabilize the situation."

"A month?"

Liu Yong flew into a rage, slammed his fist on the table, and stood up, demanding, "Does the general think Cao Rui is a fool?"

"After a month, Cao Rui will be on guard!"
"To strike unexpectedly and catch the enemy off guard is the way of warfare."

"If we wait for Deng Ai to return, we will be at a loss, and wouldn't we be sitting and waiting for our doom?"

Jiang Wei remained calm and composed, reassuring him:

"...Your Highness, please calm down."

"The key to military strategy lies in prudence and caution."

"When Emperor Guangwu revived the Han Dynasty, he first stabilized the hearts of the people before he planned to do great things."

"Since the Shu region has just been annexed, if we rush to advance our troops, it may cause unrest."

Seeing Jiang Wei's resolute attitude, Liu Yong knew he couldn't be persuaded and sneered:
"Since General Jiang refuses to advance, I will have no choice but to lead my troops into Chengdu myself!"

Jiang Wei bowed slightly:

"If Your Highness insists on doing so, I dare not stop you. Please do as you please."

Liu Yong snorted coldly and stormed out.

Outside the tent, his subordinate general Liu Ji stepped forward and whispered:
"Does Your Highness truly intend to march on Chengdu alone?"

Liu Yong looked around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, lowered his voice:
"I had a vague feeling that Jiang Wei seemed to be deliberately being perfunctory."

"It seems he is wary of me. In that case, I should lead the troops myself."

Liu Ji was deeply worried:

"After all, there are still guards in Chengdu, and the main army is in Jiang Wei's hands."

"I'm afraid it will be difficult to take Chengdu with just my own troops."

“You don’t know this,” Liu Yong said, his gaze deep.

"During this period of time, I have observed carefully and found that wherever our army passes, the people are in a state of panic and unrest."

"They fled into the mountains and wilderness, and it was impossible to stop them."

"And many officials in Shu also resigned and left, and the people of Shu were in dire straits, which shows that the fate of the Wei dynasty had run out."

"Today, I will gamble on whether Cao Rui dares to resist my royal army!"

Liu Ji wanted to persuade him further, but Liu Yong waved his hand to stop him:
"No need for further words! Issue the order to immediately assemble the army and march straight for Chengdu!"

Just as Liu Yong was preparing to send out troops, a heated discussion was taking place in Jiang Wei's tent.

Miwei was the first to step forward:

"General, it is probably not wise to let the King of Wu advance his troops alone like this."

"If we win, all the credit will go to him."

"If we lose, and the court blames us, General, you will also be held accountable!"

Wang Qi also said:

"...General Mi is absolutely right."

"The King of Wu is, after all, a member of the royal family. If anything were to happen to him, how would we explain it to His Majesty?"

Jiang Wei slowly rose, walked to the map, and pondered for a long time:
"Gentlemen, why do you think I should immediately march on Chengdu?"

The generals looked at each other, but no one answered.

Jiang Wei pointed to the map and said:
"Look, north of Chengdu, there are still two fortresses, Luocheng and Xindu."

"Although Cao Rui was young, he still had capable people around him."

"If I advance rashly, I will surely fall into an ambush."

"And the King of Wu..."

He paused, then sighed, "Let him go and test the strength of the Wei army."

Liao Hua suddenly realized:

"Does the general intend to use the King of Wu as bait?"

“No,” Jiang Wei shook his head, “The King of Wu has a special status, and the Wei army will certainly not dare to harm him.”

"I predict that Cao Rui will hesitate when he sees the King of Wu personally leading his army to attack."

"This hesitation is our opportunity."

Meanwhile, Liu Yong led his 5,000 troops and traveled swiftly after leaving Mianzhu.

As he had predicted, officials in Shu fled at the first sign of trouble, while the common people hid in the mountains and forests.

This further boosted his confidence.

Let me talk about two things.

As the capital of the Wei Kingdom, Chengdu should have been the most prosperous place.

At this moment, however, it already shows signs of decay.

The once bustling city of Chengdu is now desolate, with quiet streets and deserted markets.

Since before the Lunar New Year, Luoyang has announced economic sanctions against Yizhou.

Shu brocade was cut off from export, and salt and iron were cut off from domestic transport.

This once magnificent and prestigious city has now fallen into a state of poverty and hardship, with rice as precious as pearls and firewood as precious as osmanthus.

Before the morning mist had even dissipated, the banks of Huanhua Creek in the west of the city were already crowded with emaciated and pale-faced people.

Several old women were stirring the thin, barely visible porridge in the pot with wooden spoons, while children held their broken bowls and watched longingly.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves approached from afar.

A servant of Chen Qi, the Minister of the Imperial Stud, drove by in his carriage, the cured meat hanging on the carriage shaft glistening in the morning light.

"Look! The Chen family transported another ten cartloads of grain from Hanzhong yesterday!"

A lame old soldier, leaning on a cane, hissed:
"They would rather feed their dogs with fine wine than give half a bushel of millet to the starving people!"

Sobs broke out from the crowd.

At that moment, a mournful cry came from the thatched hut.

It turns out that the youngest daughter of Zhang Qian, the charcoal seller, starved to death last night.

When the neighbors saw that the little girl was still clutching half a piece of bark in her hand, they all covered their faces and wept.

"Fellow elders!"

Li Ben, who had once served as a platoon leader in the army, leaped onto the stone mill and raised his arms in a shout.

“Our wives and children are dying, while the powerful and wealthy are cooking rotten meat.”

"Those who are willing to follow me to the treasury today to plead for their lives will share the grain!"

In an instant, hundreds of starving people surged toward the east of the city like a tidal wave.

They surrounded the Chen family's grain carts, and cries of agony and pleas filled the air.

Suddenly, Wang Chong, the Grain Supervisor, arrived with his armored soldiers.

As the whip flashed, blood splattered everywhere.

"How dare you, you unruly scoundrel, steal our grain rations!"

Wang Chong brandished his sword and shouted, and as the sword flashed, an old man fell to the ground.

Li Ben's eyes widened in fury, and he picked up a stone and threw it at Wang Chong:
"You corrupt officials! You feast on delicacies every day, but do you know that the common people are forced to exchange their own children for food?"

The stone struck Wang Chong squarely in the face, and the usually domineering captain staggered and fell to the ground.

The pent-up resentment of the starving people erupted like a volcano, instantly scattering the armored soldiers.

In the chaos, someone shouted "Take grain to save our lives!" and the crowd immediately broke through the gates of the treasury...

That night, the candlelight flickered red in the Prince of Wei's mansion.

Cao Rui was playing chess with Lady Lu when he suddenly saw Liu Chu, the Chamberlain, stagger into the palace.

"Your Majesty! A riot has broken out in the East Market."

"Captain Wang... has died for his country!"

The white jade chess piece in Cao Rui's hand clattered to the ground:

"Please provide details!"

It turned out that after the riot, the starving people hung Wang Chong's head at the gate of the government office, and his body was thrown into the latrine.

Some even posted proclamations on the streets, condemning the corruption and incompetence of the Wei government, which completely disregarded the lives of the people of Shu.

Cao Rui slammed his hand on the table and stood up, shattering the celadon inkstone on it.

"Immediately summon the imperial army to suppress the rebellion! Anyone involved in the riot must be killed without exception!"

However, by the time the Tiger Army arrived at the East Market, the riots had already spread throughout the city.

The starving people stormed into the granaries of powerful local magnates and engaged in a chaotic battle with their private soldiers.

The riots did not subside until dawn the following day.

The report submitted by the Military Command was shocking:

More than 300 people died, more than 1,000 were injured, and seven government warehouses were burned down.

Cao Rui paced back and forth in his bedchamber until dawn.

He recalled the tragic scene described by his grandfather Cao Cao in his poem "The Ballad of Hao Li".

"White bones are exposed in the wild, and not a rooster crows for a thousand miles."

And now, this very scene is appearing in the capital city of Chengdu.

"Issue the imperial edict."

Cao Rui's voice was hoarse as he announced, "Open the imperial granary to provide relief to the disaster victims and reduce this year's land tax by 30%."

"From this day forward, all princes and officials shall donate 1,000 shi of grain to relieve the people's suffering."

This imperial edict was like a boulder thrown into a pool, stirring up a thousand waves in the imperial court.

The following day, during the court meeting, the Grand Minister of Agriculture was the first to step forward:

"Your Majesty is kind and benevolent, but the grain stored in the granary is only enough for the three armies. If the granary is opened to release grain, it may harm the overall military and national plans."

The Grand Master of Ceremonies then followed up with a memorial:

"The donation of grain by officials is probably not a long-term solution."

"I have heard that powerful families in Yizhou have hoarded more than a million bushels of grain. Why not order them to open their granaries?"

After pondering for a long time, Cao Rui finally issued the "Equalization of Transportation Order":
The government set price limits on grain, requiring powerful local families to sell grain at the official price.

Hoarding and speculation are strictly prohibited.

Set up stabilization warehouses to adjust rice prices.

To show his determination, he specially had the imperial edict engraved on the palace gate.

As soon as the imperial edict was issued, rice prices in Chengdu immediately fell.

The common people, holding the government grain they had just bought, kowtowed repeatedly towards the direction of the palace.

Li Ben also disbanded the village militia and returned to farming.

But the good times didn't last long.

Two weeks later, the market situation changed again.

On this day, Li Ben went to the market and found a "Sold Out" sign hanging in front of the grain shop.

Occasionally, a grain seller would ask for three times the official price.

Only after inquiring did I learn that while the powerful families outwardly obeyed the imperial edict, they secretly circumvented the new policies by falsifying inventory figures and colluding with officials.

Even worse, some smuggled military rations to the black market for sale.

"I've heard that Chen Qi's mansion is filled with revelry every night."

The old man at the tea stall lowered his voice and said, "The other day, I hosted a banquet where they used sugar candy to create paintings and minced meat to build mountains."

"The wine is poured into the ditch, and its aroma wafts for miles..."

Li Ben angrily threw the bowl, scattering pottery shards everywhere.

Just then, a swift horse came galloping by, and the messenger on horseback shouted:
"Urgent report from Mianzhu! General Cao Zhang has been killed in battle, and the Qi traitor Liu Yong is leading his army straight towards Chengdu!"

The news came like a thunderclap.

The people at the tea stall stood there dumbfounded, when suddenly they saw thick smoke billowing from the western horizon—

The routed soldiers began looting shops.

Li Ben drew his machete from his waist and shouted at the bewildered villagers:
"Quickly follow me to protect my family! Chengdu... is about to change!"

At dawn, the city gates of Chengdu emitted a heavy groan, the sound of iron chains twisting like the panting of a dying beast.

As the first rays of sunlight swept across the city walls, the guards saw a vast, dark mass of people.

The people, young and old, carried their meager belongings on their shoulders and backs.

Fear and despair mingled in their eyes as they rushed toward the city gate that was not yet fully open.

"Open the city gates immediately! Let us out!"

A burly man roared, his shout like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples.

"Open the door! Open the door! Open the door!"

The crowd shouted in unison, the sound rising higher and higher with each wave.

Inside the Chengdu palace, Cao Rui slammed an urgent military report onto the table.

"Liu Yong has led 50,000 troops and has already captured Mianzhu. He will arrive in Chengdu soon."

"Now there is unrest in Chengdu, if we do not take action."

"The day the bandits arrive will be the day the city falls!"

Although Liu Yong only had 5,000 soldiers, he claimed to have 50,000.

Liu Yong was very lucky; he just happened to arrive at the time when panic was spreading throughout Chengdu.

This meant that the Cao Wei leadership had no time to consider Liu Yong's actual strength.

They would not even realize that Liu Yong had already fallen out with General Jiang Wei.

Cao Rui surveyed the assembled officials in the hall, his gaze finally settling on a calm-looking general.

"Uncle, I hereby order you to immediately lead your troops to the outer city of Chengdu."

"Seal off the four gates and strictly prohibit people from fleeing."

"If chaos breaks out in the city, the enemy will surely take advantage of the situation and invade."

Ultimately, Cao Rui entrusted the most important task of maintaining order to Cao Yu, a member of the imperial clan.

Cao Yu knelt and received the imperial decree:

"I accept your order."

An old minister stepped forward to offer his advice:

"Your Majesty, forcibly banning the people may incite a popular uprising!"

Cao Rui frowned and sighed:

“In times of chaos, harsh measures are necessary; in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken.”

"It's a last resort now."

He then looked at Cao Yu and asked:

"What should we do, Uncle?"

Cao Yu looked up, his gaze resolute:
"I should prioritize the city and the people."

"Sealing the gates is to block foreign enemies, and securing the interior is to protect the nation."

Cao Rui nodded in satisfaction:
"Excellent! You may depart immediately."

When Cao Yu led his army to Chengdu, the scene he saw was worse than he had imagined.

The city gate was crowded with people, and the sounds of arguing, crying, and horses' hooves mingled together in a chaotic mess.

The few soldiers guarding the city tried to maintain order, but they were pushed and shoved around.

"General, given the current situation, forcibly sealing the gates may incite a popular uprising."

The deputy general said with great concern.

Cao Yu remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the emaciated people, before finally hardening his heart:
"By order of the King of Wei, close all city gates!"

"Anyone who disobeys this order will be punished according to military law!"

Upon receiving the order, the Wei soldiers moved swiftly.

The heavy city gates slowly closed with a grating creak, separating the inside and outside of the city into two worlds.

The soldiers formed a human wall with spears to stop the crowd that was still surging forward.

"General! Please have mercy! My elderly mother is seriously ill and I need to leave the city to seek medical treatment!"

A young man who looked like a scholar broke through the wall of people and knelt down in front of Cao Yu's horse.

Cao Yu reined in his warhorse, his face grim:
"The city is under lockdown; no one can leave."

"General! The Qi army is approaching, and the city is running out of food. Staying here means certain death!"

An old man leaned on a cane, tears streaming down his face.

More pleas erupted from the crowd, each one a cry of blood.

Cao Yu gripped the reins tightly, his knuckles turning white, yet he still shook his head firmly:
"The enemy is approaching; if we open the city gates, the enemy will arrive."

"The city may be closed while awaiting reinforcements."

"Return to your posts, or be executed!"

Suddenly, a sharp female voice pierced the noise:

"They just want us to die with them! Charge out! We're all going to die anyway!"

The crowd immediately stirred, with the people in front being pushed and shoved by those behind, involuntarily rushing towards the human wall formed by the soldiers.

A spear accidentally pierced a man's shoulder, and blood gushed out.

"Murder! The Wei army is killing people!"

Panic spread like wildfire.

Cao Yu suddenly drew his sword and shouted sharply:
Anyone who dares to charge the battle lines will be killed without exception!

The sword's edge gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and the crowd temporarily retreated under its intimidation, but the despair in their eyes gradually turned into hatred.

The streets of Chengdu are no longer as bustling as they once were, the "Land of Abundance".

Seven or eight out of ten shops along the street were closed, and the few that were open had empty shelves.

Several stray dogs were fighting over something on the street corner, while skinny children squatted by the roadside with frighteningly large eyes.

"The price of rice has gone up again! Eight thousand coins a bushel! How are we supposed to survive?"

An old woman was pounding her chest and stamping her feet in frustration in front of the grain store.

The grain store owner helplessly shrugged:
"The imperial coin has become increasingly worthless; nowadays, even grain can only be bought by exchanging it for cloth."

"This little bit of rice, I got it from the black market."

On a street corner, several people gathered around a storyteller, listening to him recount news from the outside world.

"I have heard that King Liu Yong of Wu's army is already a hundred miles away and will soon attack the city."

"Liu Yong declared that on the day the city falls, those who resist will be killed without mercy, but those who surrender the city will be richly rewarded!"

A man spat fiercely:
"What 'worth a hundred coins'! Back when Cao Cao entered Shu, seven copper coins were worth a hundred coins, but now they weigh less than half a coin!"

This is outright robbery!

An elderly man with white hair sighed:

"When Prime Minister Sima was in power, even though there were continuous northern expeditions, he was still able to maintain a supply of rice at eight qian per dou and salt at thirty jin per jin."

"And now? With the Prime Minister gone, the people's livelihood has deteriorated to this extent!"

Another insightful young man immediately retorted:

"What about Sima Yi? If he hadn't insisted on ordering the people of Shu to raise silkworms and plant mulberry trees on a large scale, how could our farmland in Shu have been abandoned, leading to the current shortage of supplies in the country?"

The old man sighed:
"But when Prime Minister Sima was alive, we did live a good life after all."

The young man shouted:

"That's only because he died young and missed the crisis."

"Otherwise, he will pay the price for his political actions back then sooner or later!"

When the two were arguing,

In front of the grain store, a young man took out several rusty copper coins:
"Boss, that's all. How about we exchange it for half a liter of rice?"

The shopkeeper picked up a coin and tossed it contemptuously onto the ground.

"You think you can exchange such a thin, paper-like coin for rice?"

"Now only Shu brocade and grain are hard currency! If you can't produce cloth, then bring gold and silver!" The young man knelt on the ground in despair.

"My elderly mother has not eaten for three days. Please, have mercy on her."

Thick smoke suddenly rose from the depths of the streets and alleys, accompanied by shouts:
"Grain looting! The government granaries in the East Market have been looted!"

The crowd surged toward the thick smoke like a tidal wave.

Cao Yu's expression darkened, and he immediately dispatched troops to suppress the rebellion.

That night,

Cao Yu was reviewing the city defense map in his temporary residence when his deputy hurriedly entered.

"General, we have captured several people who were trying to climb over the city wall."

"One of them seemed to be a spy from Qi, saying he had important news to tell him."

Cao Yu raised an eyebrow:

"Bring it up."

A middle-aged man, dressed in rags but possessing an extraordinary air, was led into the hall. He bowed slightly.

"My name is Li Cong. I risk my life to seek an audience with you, for the sake of the general and for the sake of all the people of the city."

Cao Yu dismissed his attendants:

"speak."

"General, are you aware that Chengdu's grain reserves can only last for half a month?"

"And Liu Yong's army will arrive within three days at the earliest."

"What's even more dangerous is that some of the people in the city are plotting to set fire to the city three days later as a signal to open the gates to the enemy."

Cao Yu's eyes were sharp:

Why are you telling me this?

Li Cong said:

"Although I am just a commoner."

"However, I have also heard that Liu Yong is cruel. If he breaks through the city, there will surely be bloodshed."

"If you trust me, General, I am willing to help you stabilize the people's hearts, but I ask for one thing from you."

"speak."

“Open the west gate for one day, and let the old, weak, women and children leave.”

"They are of no benefit to the war effort, and keeping them around will only increase casualties."

Upon hearing this, Cao Yu immediately drew his sword, pointed it at him, and shouted:
"You really are a spy from Qi!"

"Tell me! Who sent you?"

Li Cong replied seriously:
“I’m willing to risk my life to vouch for myself. I’m a genuine Shu person, not a spy from Qi.”

"But if the general could see things clearly, he would know that the people of Chengdu have lost their hearts."

"If the general is capable of understanding the bigger picture, he should do something practical for the people."

"When the Qi army invades and settles accounts in the future, the general should leave himself a way out."

Cao Yu pondered for a long time, then shook his head:

“If a city gate is opened, the defenses will be compromised.”

"Moreover, the departure of the people from the city will further bolster the enemy's morale."

Li Cong sighed deeply:

"If the general insists on this, it could lead to a great disaster!"

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

A soldier covered in blood rushed in:
"General! A riot has broken out in the south of the city! Thousands of civilians have stormed the government granaries, and the garrison is about to be overwhelmed!"

When Cao Yu led his personal guards to the south of the city, the scene in front of the official granary already resembled a battlefield.

The civilians fought the defenders with kitchen knives, wooden sticks, and even their bare hands.

There were already more than a dozen corpses lying on the ground, including civilians and soldiers.

"Release the grain! Relevant grain! We're all going to die anyway!"

The crowd shouted wildly.

Upon seeing Cao Yu's arrival, the garrison commander hurriedly reported:

"General, the rebels are fierce and have already killed many of my soldiers!"

Cao Yu looked at the people whose eyes were gleaming with greed, their thin bodies and crazed gazes, and felt a pang of pain in his heart.

He spurred his horse forward and shouted loudly:

"stop!"

The crowd fell silent for a moment, and countless eyes were focused on the Wei general.

An elderly man with white hair stepped out of the crowd and knelt down:

"General! There have been tragic incidents of people exchanging their own children to eat each other within the city!"

"Since the imperial court is unable to provide relief, why not spare our lives?"

Cao Yu silently looked at the emaciated people before him, his hands gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, his knuckles white.

He recalled Cao Rui's instructions before leaving the palace, and his own promise to "prioritize the city and put the people first."

These two things are so contradictory at this moment.

"Open the position."

Cao Yu's voice wasn't loud, but it stunned everyone.

The defending general was greatly alarmed:

"General! This is military rations!"

Cao Yu said sternly:
"With the people suffering, how can we defend the city? Open the granaries!"

"Distribute food, but in an orderly manner."

Anyone who dares to steal it shall be executed!

Upon receiving the order, the people immediately knelt down, their cries shaking the heavens.

But just then, a fast horse galloped up, and the messenger shouted:
"The King of Wei's edict has arrived!!"

Cao Yu's heart sank, and he knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

"Hearing of the unrest in Chengdu, I am deeply worried."

"However, military provisions are vital to the nation's survival and must not be acted upon rashly."

"Cao Yu is ordered to strictly control the four gates. Anyone who dares to suggest opening the city gates will be executed without mercy!"

The imperial edict felt like ice water being poured over his face, and Cao Yu stood there stunned.

The people, whose hopes had just begun to rise, had their eyes dim again, and then turned into deeper despair and anger.

After a small amount of food was distributed, the riot was temporarily quelled.

But Cao Yu understood that this was merely the calm before the storm.

Late at night, he climbed the gate tower and looked out over the dark city.

Scattered torches, like will-o'-the-wisps, drifted through the streets and alleys.

In the distance, faint news could be heard that the Han army was approaching.

The lieutenant whispered a report:

"General, in today's chaos, forty-seven people have died and more than a hundred have been wounded."

"Although the government granaries were secured, public resentment was boiling over."

"It has been reported that someone is plotting to attack all four gates simultaneously at noon tomorrow."

Cao Yu remained expressionless.

"What is the situation in our army?"

"The soldiers are showing signs of fatigue after days of suppression."

"Some even privately speculated that the court's policy was inhumane..."

"You still say...you still say..."

"What else can you say?"

"They even said that our army's resistance against the Han army was against the will of Heaven and a heinous crime."

Upon hearing this, Cao Yu, a member of the imperial clan, did not fly into a rage.

Instead, he felt very calm, and then let out a long sigh:
“When I was young, I read Mencius, which said, ‘The people are the most important, and the state comes next.’”

"Only today do I realize how true this statement is."

"What do you mean, General?"

"I intend to disobey the imperial decree and open the city gates."

The lieutenant was greatly alarmed:

"General! This is a capital offense!"

Cao Yu smiled wryly:

"Is it not worth it to exchange my head for the livelihood of thousands of families?"

"And on the day the city falls, I, Cao Yu, will also be unable to escape death."

"Since death is inevitable anyway, why not choose to do the good?"

He gazed into the distance, recalling his son's smiling face when he left the palace, and his wife's gentle urging him to return home soon.

Now, all of this will be a final farewell.

"Issue the order: at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow, open the west gate and let the people leave the city."

"Those who wish to stay, shall defend this city with me."

"Those who wish to leave, may find their own way to survive."

The lieutenant stared blankly at Cao Yu, then finally bowed deeply.
"General, you are benevolent and righteous; I am willing to follow you to the death."

the next morning,

When the soldiers removed the bolts from the west gate, the people could hardly believe their eyes.

The city gates slowly opened, revealing a hazy morning mist and a free road outside.

However, the crowd hesitated, and no one took the first step.

Cao Yu stood on the city wall and shouted:
"The west gate will be open today and will be closed at noon."

"Those who wish to leave, leave quickly! Those who wish to stay, follow me to defend the city!"

Finally, someone cautiously stepped out of the city gate, followed by a second, a third...

The flow of people gradually expanded, like a flood bursting its banks, surging westward.

Many people passing through the city gate spontaneously knelt and kowtowed to Cao Yu on the city tower.

"We will never forget the General's kindness!"

May the general be safe!

"May Heaven protect General Cao!"

Many people in the crowd also chose to stay.

The old man who knelt and begged in front of the granary yesterday arrived at the foot of the city wall with dozens of young men:
"General, we are willing to stay and defend Chengdu with you!"

Cao Yu watched all this, his eyes welling up with tears.

Noon is approaching, and the city gates will soon be closed.

Suddenly, a fast horse galloped in from afar, the rider holding a red flag high—a signal that the enemy was approaching.

"Close the city gates!" Cao Yu ordered.

The heavy city gates closed once more, dividing Chengdu into two worlds.

Inside the city are those who have chosen to stay.

Outside the city, people were seeking a way to survive.

Cao Yu stood atop the city wall, his hand on his sword, gazing at the dust rising faintly on the horizon.

The Han army has arrived, and his fate, and the fate of this city, will soon be revealed.

"Prepare for war!"

He gave the order in a deep voice, which echoed across the suddenly silent city walls of Chengdu.

Two hours later,
Dust billowed outside the west gate of Chengdu as Liu Yong's army pressed in like a dark cloud.

Liu Yong reined in his horse on the high hill and gazed at the Chengdu city wall in the distance.

Seeing the sparse banners and few soldiers on the city wall, he couldn't help but stroke his beard and laugh.

"As I predicted, the fate of Cao Wei has run its course!"

Military advisor Liu Ji spurred his horse forward and pointed towards the west of the city, saying:
"Your Majesty, a scout just reported that the west gate of the city was opened wide at Chenshi (7-9 AM) today."

"Thousands of people flocked out and fled in all directions."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yong's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his smile deepened:

"If the people lose all their support, the city will fall without a fight."

"It's laughable that Jiang Wei, who boasts of his superior wisdom, couldn't even seize such a good opportunity."

"The credit for conquering Shu should belong to me!"

He turned to look at the soldiers standing in neat rows behind him and said loudly:

"Pass down the order: attack the city immediately!"

"Whoever scales the city wall first will be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold and enfeoffed as a marquis with ten thousand households!"

On the city wall, Cao Yu looked calmly at the Han army surging in from afar like a tide.

The lieutenant hurriedly climbed the city wall, his voice trembling:

"General, a scout reports that Liu Yong is personally leading an army to attack the city, and the vanguard is already ten miles away!"

Cao Yu nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the distance:
"Order the troops to march out of the city and meet the enemy."

The soldiers on both sides were greatly alarmed and said:
"General! The enemy is advancing fiercely, and our army is small in number and few in number."

"We fear that even holding our ground is insufficient; how dare we launch a preemptive attack?"

Cao Yu slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the faces of every soldier on the city wall, finally settling on the fleeing civilians below the city.

“I disobeyed the king’s order, opened the city gates without permission, and allowed the people to flee.”

"Even if we manage to hold Chengdu today, returning to the capital in the future will only lead to our demise."

He walked towards the steps, his hand on his sword, his voice steady:

"I am leaving the city today not to seek victory, but to fulfill my own sense of loyalty and righteousness."

The lieutenant hurried to catch up:

"General! Why not hold the position and wait for reinforcements?"

"Don't we still have troops stationed in the south?"

Cao Yu suddenly stopped, a trace of sorrow flashing in his eyes:
Do you think that once Chengdu falls, the southern regions will still submit to Cao Cao's rule?

"Moreover, I, Cao Yu, would rather die on the battlefield than be a turtle in a jar."

He strode down the city wall and addressed the soldiers gathered below:

"All soldiers, listen to my command! Today I am going to go out of the city to meet the enemy. This journey is fraught with danger."

"Those who wish to follow me, come with me!"

"Those who are unwilling may remain in the city or find their own way to survive!"

Silence reigned below the city walls, broken only by the howling wind.

Cao Yu returned to his residence and took out his treasured armor.

This armor was a gift from the late King Cao Pi when he was twenty years old and was appointed a general.

The old steward, Cao An, tremblingly fastened the armor cord for him, tears streaming down his face.

"Young master, this old servant will go with you."

Cao Yu gently shook his head:

“Uncle An, you are getting old, you should stay in the city.”

"If I die in battle, please tell my wife and children that Cao Yu has lived up to the name of the Cao family."

Just then, the sound of orderly footsteps came from outside the door.

Cao Yu, fully armed, led eight hundred soldiers to stand solemnly in the courtyard.

"General! We are willing to follow you out of the city to fight the enemy!"

Cao Yu saw that although the eight hundred men were poorly dressed and looked hungry, they were not.

But each of them had a firm gaze and stood ramrod straight, weapons in hand.

The lieutenant knelt on one knee:

"General, there are only three thousand garrison troops left in the city."

"But only these eight hundred brothers are willing to follow the general out of the city."

"The rest...the rest are all willing to defend the city."

Cao Yu's gaze swept over each face, his voice slightly choked:

"Gentlemen... this journey may be one of no return. Do you not regret it?"

A young soldier shouted:

"The general opens the city gates for the people, and we are willing to pave a bloody path for him!"

"I am willing to fight to the death with the general!"

"Eight hundred people shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens."

Cao Yu mounted his horse and pointed his spear:
"Open the city gates! Follow me to fight the enemy!"

The gates of Chengdu slowly opened, and Cao Yu led the way, with eight hundred soldiers surging out like a flood.

Liu Yong was directing the siege from the front lines when he suddenly saw the city gates open wide and a Wei army force charging out. He was taken aback.
"Has Cao Yu gone mad? He dares to go out of the city to fight with only a few hundred men?"

Liu Ji, who was serving in the army, frowned and said:
"Your Majesty, beware of a trap."

Liu Yong sneered:

"In the face of absolute power, any scheme is futile."

"Order the vanguard to change formation and encircle and annihilate this enemy force!"

The Han army quickly changed formation, surrounding Cao Yu's eight hundred men like an iron barrel.

Cao Yu's spear moved like a dragon, heading straight for the Wu army general, and he shouted:

"Cao Yu of the Great Wei is here! Who dares to fight me!"

Han general Zhao Chong drew his sword and charged forward:

"An unknown nobody dares to..."

Before he could finish speaking, Cao Yu's spear had already pierced his throat.

"The general is mighty!"

The morale of the Wei army was greatly boosted, and they fought bravely against the enemy.

Cao Yu led his troops in a flanking maneuver, the eight hundred men forming a circular formation as they fought and advanced.

They actually fought their way out of the encirclement of the Han army.

Liu Yong watched the battle from a distance, his expression gradually darkening:

"This Cao Yu is truly a tiger general."

"Give the order: Fire the arrows!"

Arrows rained down, and Wei soldiers fell to the ground, many struck by arrows.

Despite being struck by several arrows, the lieutenant continued to fight to the death, brandishing his sword.

"General! I'll protect you and help you break through!"

Cao Yu shook his head and deflected the incoming arrow with a single thrust of his spear:

"Today, our only option is to fight to the death; there's no question of breaking through!"

The eight hundred men dwindled with each battle, their robes stained with blood, yet none retreated.

As dusk fell, Cao Yu had only a few dozen men left by his side.

Liu Yong spurred his horse forward and shouted:

"General Cao! You have done your utmost, why not surrender to me? I will surely treat you well!"

Cao Yu leaned on his gun, covered in blood, yet his spine remained straight.
"Among the descendants of Cao Cao, there are only generals who die in battle, not cowards who surrender!"

He turned to look at the remaining soldiers behind him, his voice hoarse but resolute:
"You may all surrender and your lives will be spared."

The young soldier spat out a mouthful of blood:
"I am willing to die alongside the general!"

Cao Yu laughed loudly, looking up at the sky:

"Good! Good! It is Cao Yu's good fortune to die alongside you all today!"

He pointed his gun directly at Liu Yong:
"Liu Yong! Do you dare to fight me?"

Liu Yong's face was gloomy, and he waved his hand, saying:

"Fire arrows!"

Dozens of arrows came flying through the air. Cao Yu swung his spear to block them, but several arrows still struck his chest.

He swayed, but used his gun to support himself and remained standing.

"General!"

The surviving Wei soldiers cried out in despair.

Cao Yu gazed at the city walls of Chengdu, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and murmured:

"King Wei... Your subject... has done his utmost..."

Say it,
Even after he died, his body remained upright.

Liu Yong spurred his horse closer and saw that Cao Yu, though dead, was still standing with his eyes wide open. He couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect.
"...a truly loyal minister."

"Order that Cao Yu and these Wei soldiers be given a proper burial."

The following day, Liu Yong's army completely surrounded Chengdu.

Liu Yong rode his horse to the city walls and shouted:
"Listen up, garrison troops! Cao Yu is dead, and our army has arrived."

"Jiang Wei's army is right behind us! You must surrender the city immediately, or you may save your lives!"

"If they resist stubbornly, on the day the city falls, not a single chicken or dog will be spared!"

The soldiers guarding the city walls looked at each other in bewilderment, and panic began to spread.

The news quickly reached the palace.

Cao Rui held the urgent military report in his hand, his hands trembling and his face ashen.

"Chengdu North Encirclement... Cao Yu killed in battle... Liu Yong's arrogance has reached this point!"

The courtiers inside the hall were completely silent.

Zhao Yan stepped forward and reported:

“King Wei, although Liu Yong is arrogant, what he said is not untrue.”

"Jiang Wei's army is indeed following closely behind. If the two armies join forces to besiege Chengdu, then the Shu region will be in danger."

Cao Rui slammed his fist on the table and chair:

"Cao Yu disobeyed the king's order and opened the city gates without permission; his crime deserves death!"

"However, his valiant fight and martyrdom preserved the honor of the Cao family, making it difficult to judge his merits and demerits..."

He stood up, walked to the front of the hall, looked eastward, and sighed deeply.
"By imperial decree, Cao Yu is posthumously granted the title of Marquis Zhuangjie, and his son shall inherit the title."

"Furthermore, immediately dispatch troops from the south to reinforce Chengdu!"

The eunuch received the order and withdrew.

Cao Rui stood alone in the hall, muttering to himself:
"Cao Yu, Cao Yu, you died for your loyalty, but you left this enormous problem to me..."

Outside the palace,

Dark clouds are gathering; a storm is brewing.

Eight hundred loyal souls have passed away, but the fate of Chengdu remains uncertain.

The usually bustling main hall was now unusually quiet.

Each minister's expression was uncertain, each harboring their own thoughts.

Finally, Qiao Zhou, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, could no longer tolerate it.

He stepped out of the court under the watchful eyes of all the officials.

……

(End of this chapter)