Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 142: The Emperor's Sword
After Liu Cong and Wang Jun withdrew, the Chancellor of the Han Dynasty, along with Fei Yi, Yang Yi, Hu Ji, and other officials, temporarily set aside their duties and gathered under the Emperor's banner to pay their respects.

Upon hearing that the Prime Minister had arrived, the Emperor rose from his seat, shook off his armor, and went out to greet him.

In a short while, the assembled officials saw the emperor, his armor covered in dust, emerge proudly from the protective embrace of his fierce guards.

Upon seeing the emperor in such a state, the officials and ministers who had accompanied the prime minister were momentarily stunned, forgetting all the proper etiquette between ruler and subject.

It wasn't until the Prime Minister took the lead in offering a grand salute that the other officials quickly snapped out of their daze. Only then did they all bow to the Han Emperor, who was commanding the troops on the front lines and surrounded by thousands of soldiers, and to the Emperor whose armor was covered in dust but whose imperial might was ever more awe-inspiring.

The emperor stepped forward in his armor and helped the prime minister up.

"You have worked hard, my lord, and all of you."

The words fell at the same time as the sound of the armor plates colliding.

The Prime Minister slowly straightened up, his beard and hair trembling. He gazed at the Emperor for a moment, his eyes gradually reddening, and then his voice trembled:
"At this critical juncture of life and death, Your Majesty personally led the six armies to fight the enemy on the battlefield. With the might of a dragon and the gaze of a tiger, you displayed wisdom and courage bestowed by Heaven. This is truly the might of Emperor Gaozu and the glory of the late Emperor."

"I have been granted the imperial axe and command, and I admire your divine martial prowess and see the restoration of the dynasty in sight. I would die without regret."

"What nonsense are you spouting, Prime Minister?" Liu Shan immediately interrupted. "Even with this great victory and the recapture of Guanzhong, the thirteen provinces of the empire still only hold the provinces of Yousi and Yi, and half of Liang Province. How can you say you have no regrets about dying? Without you, Prime Minister, how could I bear the weight of the empire alone?"

The Prime Minister shook his head in response:

"His Majesty personally led the troops into battle, wielding his sword to vanquish the enemy, with ten thousand soldiers guarding him, and both civil and military officials submitting to his authority."

"When the news of victory reaches the westernmost deserts, the easternmost sea, the northernmost Yan and Ji, and the southernmost Jing and Yang, how could any hero in the world not yearn for the Han dynasty?"

"With Your Majesty's talent and strategy, recovering the Central Plains and restoring the Han dynasty will be a matter of mere blink of an eye!"
"If the late Emperor were alive and could see Your Majesty's heroic figure and complete victory, he would surely applaud and smile in the netherworld."

Liu Shan was slightly taken aback.

If Zhaolie (Liu Bei) were alive today, how would he feel knowing that a modern person had replaced Liu Shan (A Dou)?

Seeing that the Emperor seemed to be reminiscing about the late Emperor, the Prime Minister immediately turned around, glanced at the officials behind him, and then solemnly declared:

"In the past, Emperor Shizu revived the Han Dynasty, and the generals of Yuntai guarded the wise ruler. Today, Your Majesty is leading the troops to punish the rebels, and the brave warriors are willing to die on the battlefield."

"This is not the will of Heaven, so what is it?"

"I hope that all of you will unite as one, exert your utmost efforts, and remain loyal to Your Majesty to help you pacify the four seas and revive the Han dynasty."

Fei Yi was the first to bow his head: "We dare not defy you!"

"We dare not defy death!" All the ministers bowed.

Just as all the ministers bowed their heads in worship, the Tiger Warriors and Dragon Soaring Cavalry guarding the Golden Guard banner on the outer perimeter, as well as the soldiers who were resting and recovering from their wounds around the banner, suddenly burst into cheers.

"Your Majesty is victorious!"

"Your Majesty, God's majesty!"

The cheers and shouts grew louder and louder, creating a wave of sound that surged and never stopped. Fei Yi, Yang Yi, and other officials in the government exchanged surprised glances.

Just then, the sound of armor plates clashing with iron weapons reached the encirclement. A few breaths later, Tiger Cavalry Commander Mi Wei strode in, carrying a wooden box with a clanging sound.

"His Majesty!"

"Prime Minister!"

Mi Wei, with a pleased expression, entered the encirclement, first bowing to the emperor, and then bowing again to the prime minister.

Liu Shan calmly asked, "What brings you such joy? Have you taken the head of another bandit leader?"

Mi Wei nodded heavily.

"Your Majesty, this is the severed head of Wang Shuang, a general of the pseudo-Wei state with a salary of two thousand piculs!"

Wei general Wang Shuang?

As soon as Mi Wei finished speaking, Fei Yi, Yang Yi, Liu Yan and other officials all paused slightly.

Although Wei generals Wang Shuang and Hao Zhao were famous and influential in Lianglong, they were not considered core figures. If Sima Yi had not died, Wang Chang, who drowned himself in the canal behind the city, would have been the one who made the greatest contribution in this battle.

"Gentlemen, you are unaware of what I am thinking!" Mi Wei, of course, knew what his ministers were thinking, and his expression became even more excited and smug:
"Just now, when facing the enemy, His Majesty rode forward, personally drew his bow, and killed the enemy general Wang Shuang with a single arrow from over a hundred paces away, right in the midst of ten thousand troops!"

Upon hearing this, all the officials, including the prime minister, were astonished.

No wonder the soldiers on the outer perimeter were shouting "Your Majesty is victorious!" and "Your Majesty's divine might!" No wonder Mi Wei's current expression of excitement and righteous indignation was almost greater than when he had killed generals and captured flags.

The emperor's presence on the battlefield was enough to boost morale, let alone the chance to kill generals.

"Your Majesty is mighty!" Fei Yi bowed in congratulations.

"Your Majesty is mighty!" the others echoed.

This silenced the emperor.

In fact, he shot an arrow and then turned his horse around. He only knew that he had shot an arrow, but he had no idea where the arrow was shot or who it was aimed at.

Furthermore, the tiger riders who were protecting him were also shooting arrows under Mi Wei's leadership. Who knows who actually hit Wang Shuang?

Seemingly sensing the emperor's gaze, Tiger Cavalry Supervisor Mi Wei turned around.

He opened the wooden box, felt inside, and finally walked to the emperor, presenting the item he had taken from the box with both hands:
"I personally witnessed the face and armor of the man Your Majesty shot, and I also saw that his body was chopped off by Wei Chang, the son of the General Who Guards the North. When I went to retrieve it, I found that it was undoubtedly the arrow Your Majesty had shot."

The bloodstains on the three-edged arrow had been wiped away. Liu Shan took it from Mi Wei, looked at it, but couldn't figure out what it was.

This is the Tiger Cavalry's special armor-piercing arrow, considered the most expensive bullet. It's effective, and he uses it too, but he's not so bored as to mark the arrows. So, Mi Wei really saw that he hit Wang Shuang?
After a moment, he stopped pursuing the matter and calmly asked Mi Wei, "Does the Tiger Cavalry Commander know the 'Discourse on Swords' in Zhuangzi?"

Mi Wei was taken aback at first, then nodded slightly.

When Fei Yi, Yang Yi, Hu Ji and other officials heard the emperor's words, they all pondered deeply. Even some of the scribes who did not know the meaning looked at each other, seemingly asking what he meant.

But the emperor continued:
"In the past, King Wen of Zhao loved swords. More than three thousand swordsmen lined his gates and fought each other day and night. More than a hundred people died or were injured each year, but he never tired of it."

"After three years, the country declined, and the feudal lords plotted against it."

"The Crown Prince asked Zhuangzi to speak to King Wen."

Zhuangzi said, “I have three swords: the sword of the emperor, the sword of the feudal lords, and the sword of the common people.”

"When commoners' swords clash, one strikes the other's neck and sever the other's liver and lungs."

"The sword of the feudal lords is made with brave warriors as its edge, honest and upright men as its guard, virtuous and good men as its spine, loyal and holy men as its hilt, and heroes and outstanding men as its clasps... Once this sword is used, it is like the thunder, and within the four borders, all will submit and obey the king's command."

"The Emperor's sword has the Yanxi Stone City as its tip, Qi Dai as its guard, Jin and Wei as its spine, Zhou and Song as its hilt, Han and Wei as its flanks, encompassing the four barbarians and wrapped by the four seasons..."

"This sword is straight and unparalleled, raised to the highest point, placed without limit, and wielded without deviation. Once this sword is used, it will bring order to the feudal lords, and the world will submit."

"If this thief is indeed killed by me today, it is only by the power of an arrow, the arrow of a commoner. Why should I be proud of it?"
"What I rely on today is not the strength of myself or my arrow, but the release of a single string that sends a thousand arrows blotting out the sun, thus achieving this victory. However, this sword, though magnificent, is nothing more than the sword of a feudal lord."

Miwei bowed his head and agreed.

The officials were also moved.

A moment later, Yang Xi stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, now that Sima Yi has been defeated, the situation in Guanzhong is settled. The bandits in Chang’an will surely flee on their own, and Your Majesty will soon return to the old capital.”

"Your Majesty, I, Yang Xi, dare to suggest that we prepare the rites for offering sacrifices to Heaven and informing our ancestors as soon as possible. If Your Majesty agrees, I, Yang Xi, though not talented, will request to prepare the sacrificial offerings and write the sacrificial text to demonstrate Your Majesty's virtue."

Liu Shan nodded upon hearing this: "I will do as you say. Thank you for your trouble."

Not just anyone can write a eulogy, nor can just anyone write it well. The Minister of Ceremonies, who was in charge of rituals, was in Chengdu. Since Yang Xi was knowledgeable in etiquette and his literary talent was unparalleled among the scholars of Sichuan, he was indeed the best candidate.

Yang Xi was immediately delighted upon hearing this:
"Your subject dares not!"

"However, there is still one matter that Your Majesty must inform you of... When offering sacrifices to Heaven and informing your ancestors, is it necessary to present the head of the Wei rebels and surrendered captives before the Altar of Heaven?"
"If I receive Your Majesty's decree, I will prepare a red lacquered sacrificial plaque and a black silk offering to display the head, to demonstrate Heaven's punishment!"

Liu Shan paused upon hearing this, then shook his head after a moment:
"Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the Han people."

"Within the whole land, all are Han people."

"Before the power of the state was fully exerted, the people of the Han Dynasty were trapped in the jaws of Cao Wei's wolves, driven by the traitors and slaughtering one another."

"It is not their fault, but mine. I am ashamed to offer this sacrifice to Heaven."

Upon hearing these words, all the officials under the imperial banner were deeply moved and awed.

Yang Xi also sighed:
“When I read the Book of Documents, I came across the phrase ‘blood flowed and pestles floated,’ and I always sighed that King Wu had no choice but to use force.”

"Your Majesty's benevolence and virtue are widespread, and your aspirations are lofty. You are mindful that those who followed the rebels and were forced into rebellion are being forced by the rebels. You would rather forgo the imperial authority than offer sacrifices to the captured heads. This is truly the magnanimity of Yao and Shun."

"If the world knew that His Majesty was so benevolent, it would know that His Majesty's determination to save the people from suffering and relieve their torment was not an empty boast."

...

It's about seventeen or eighteen miles from Xinfeng to Hongmen.

The entire route was filled with routed Wei soldiers.

The entire route was pursued by Han troops.

Every now and then, Wei generals would beat drums to maintain their formation and raise flags to gather their troops. When they saw Han soldiers rushing forward, they would either scatter in panic or maintain their formation and fight while retreating.

Once the pursuing Han army and the slower-moving Wei soldiers were entangled, the Wei generals who were further away beat the drums to gather their troops and form a battle formation.

Ultimately, Sima Yi's ability to train and cultivate troops was second to none, and the Wei army on the northern battlefield was Sima Yi's true core.

The reason they were routed and fled was similar to how Sun Quan was scared away by Zhang Liao in Hefei; their morale was truly gone.

But like Sun Shiwan, they could only run a short distance before relying on a few brave soldiers to hold the rear and on respected officers to regroup the scattered troops.

Once rationality returns, everyone knows that blindly scattering and fleeing regardless of orders is the deadliest way to escape.

North bank of the canal.

More than a thousand Wei soldiers gathered together.

At first glance, it appears to be disorderly.

But upon closer inspection, one can see that these thousand-plus armored soldiers have broken free from their blind fleeing state, and their eyes have regained their rationality.

Sima Yi, the General of the Cavalry of the Great Wei, had met with Du Xi, the strategist of the Cavalry, who had been hiding at Hongmen for most of the day.

Two or three miles away, several thousand Wei cavalrymen fled from west to east, raising clouds of dust and thundering hooves.

Needless to say, these were undoubtedly the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and Bingzhou Cavalry commanded by Wen Qin, Lü Zhao, Yin Damu, and others.

Seeing this, Du Xi felt even more frustrated. After a moment, he looked at Sima Yi and asked, "General of Chariots and Cavalry, what exactly happened in today's battle? How could we have suffered such a complete defeat?"

After asking the question, Du Xi's face turned ashen.

How can it not turn to ashes?

Since he followed General Cao Zhen into Guanzhong to defend against the enemy, he has not won a single battle.

In fact, after Sima Yi brilliantly penetrated deep behind enemy lines and cut off the enemy's supply lines, he was relieved.

They thought that Guanzhong and Chang'an had finally been saved.

Unexpectedly, the Shu bandits dared to bypass Sima Yi and penetrate deep into the heart of Chang'an.

Unexpectedly, the Shu bandits possessed extraordinary abilities, breaching Guanqiu Jianjian's stronghold in a single night and advancing on Chang'an!
It would have been one thing if the Shu invaders had besieged Chang'an, but instead of attacking this former capital of the Han Dynasty, they continued eastward, capturing Baling and approaching Xinfeng.

In this way, everyone knew that this General of the Cavalry had no choice but to fight the Shu bandits to the death in Xinfeng and make a final stand.

Regardless, reinforcements from Bingzhou have arrived, and the garrison troops from Zheng County and Huayin have all come out. Du Xi has also made sure to have a backup plan for today's decisive battle, in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

I thought that Wei had at least a 30-40% chance of winning... Even if they lost, Sima Yi could calmly organize his troops to retreat eastward.

But judging from the current situation, Sima Yi has suffered a complete defeat!
There were originally 60,000 to 70,000 soldiers in Guanzhong, but now, looking around, there are probably only about 10,000 left.

What about the rest of them? Where did they go?

Even... even Sima Yi's eldest son, Sima Shi, was captured by the Shu bandits?

Sima Yi had no time to explain why he had suffered such a crushing defeat. He simply looked at the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry led by Wen Qin and the Bingzhou Cavalry led by Lü Zhao and Yin Damu.

Sima Zhao, pale as a ghost, stammered as he recounted to Du Xi how difficult it was to subdue the Shu army's Eight Trigrams Formation and Crescent Moon Formation on the battlefield that day, how the pseudo-Han emperor ultimately led the charge into battle, braving arrows and stones, and how the three banners of Liu Bei, the King of Hanzhong, the old emperor, and the new emperor stood side by side in the battle, and how the morale of the Shu army was greatly boosted.

Du Xi was shocked and pale upon hearing this.

He couldn't witness firsthand how difficult the Eight Trigrams Formation and the Crescent Moon Formation were to subdue, so he couldn't comment on them.

But the fact that the false Han emperor once again braved arrows and stones and personally went to the battlefield truly terrified him!
The false Han emperor had previously beheaded General Cao Zhen and defeated General Zhang He.

If we can achieve this victory again, we will defeat the General of the Flying Cavalry of the Great Wei, pacify Guanzhong, and return to Xijing.

In this way, the pseudo-Han emperor has already shown the great power of Emperor Gaozu of the Former Han Dynasty in pacifying the Three Qin regions!
Previously, the court was able to conceal the defeats of the Grand General and the Right General for a time.

If Sima Yi could hold Guanzhong and defend against the enemy west of Chang'an, the world would not be too turbulent, and people's hearts would still be at peace.

However, this battle was a major defeat, Guanzhong was lost, and Chang'an fell into the hands of the puppet Han regime.

How could the news still be kept secret?!
If this news were to reach Northeast China, wouldn't it cause a huge uproar and terrify the entire country?!
At that moment, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry under Wen Qin, and the Bingzhou Cavalry under Lü Zhao and Yin Damu had already crossed the lines of Sima Yi and Du Xi's army.

Sima Yi did not send anyone to stop Wen Qin and his generals, but instead focused his attention on the thousands of Qiang, Di, and Hu cavalry that were hot on their heels.

Three or four miles behind several thousand Qiang, Di, and Hu cavalry, some Han troops had already finished dealing with the Wei soldiers who had fallen behind and were marching eastward in a mighty procession.

Seeing this, Sima Zhao's voice trembled slightly: "Father, elder brother... will elder brother be alright?"

Sima Yi remained silent.

Even Wang Chang and Niu Jin, the two generals, completely lost contact with the main force.

Sima Shi didn't even have a single banner; how could he possibly protect himself amidst the chaos of battle?
However, by then the situation was completely out of control, and no one was following his orders anymore.

He was swept along by the chaotic army and headed east, with no possibility of returning to rescue them.

Du Xi sighed upon seeing this.

What else can be done amidst the chaos of war?

Back then, Liu Bei was chased to Changban Slope by the Wei's elite cavalry. In a panic, he lost all his wives and concubines, and his two daughters were also abducted by Cao Chun to become his concubines.

If it weren't for Zhao Zilong's single-handed rescue of his lord, Liu Shan, the pseudo-Han emperor might not be the same person he is today.

Before long, three or four thousand Qiang and Di light cavalry bypassed the Han army pursuers and Wei army retreating soldiers who were engaged in fierce fighting, and chased the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, who were fighting and retreating, and finally fled eastward.

"Sima Yi's banner is just ahead! And since we have captured the bandit leader for the Emperor of Han, how can we not enjoy wealth and glory!" Yang Qianwan, the Di King of Wudu, had already taken the lead and rushed to the front.

Yang Tiao, who was right behind the person, paused slightly.

In fact, they had gone too deep. Once the Wei army behind them organized and blocked their retreat, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry in front could be surrounded if they circled back.

But after thinking it over, he still followed Yang Qianwan forward, the temptation to kill Sima Yi for His Majesty was still too great.

Continue galloping forward.

Before they had gone three miles, a sudden drumbeat sounded behind them.

In shock, Yang Tiao turned around and saw that the Wei army had indeed blocked the retreat route, and the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry in front had indeed detoured back!

Even more deadly, a cavalry force of no less than a thousand suddenly appeared at Hongmen Luohulin, south of the canal!

"Hurry north! The Wei River to the north can be crossed by wading!" Yang Tiao hurriedly gave the order.

A few days ago, he led his troops south from there, circled around to Xinfeng, and ambushed Wang Chang.

More than three thousand cavalrymen immediately headed north.

(End of this chapter)