Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 152 Yoyo Luming
The three armies have enjoyed a feast.

Surrounded by a group of powerful and valiant warriors, Liu Shan descended from the rammed earth platform in front of Qingming Gate.

Together with the Golden Banner, they passed through Qingming Gate, climbed the steps, and returned to the top of Chang'an City.

The prime minister and his officials and close ministers waited respectfully on the city wall for a long time.

Dong Yun, Fei Yi, Guo Youzhi, Chen Zhen and others all stepped forward to pay their respects.

Looking at the emperor, who was fully armored and covered in blood-red robes, Fei Yi sighed sincerely, "Your Majesty is truly both learned and skilled in martial arts, and your demeanor is radiant."

The emperor who just galloped through the ranks of ten thousand troops with great vigor and spirit, and the emperor who spoke eloquently and strategically at Bailiang Terrace earlier, are very different, but they are of the same imperial lineage. How can it be an exaggeration to say that he is both cultured and martial?

Since the Northern Expedition, His Majesty's military prowess has been beyond doubt.

With such a wise and capable ruler, how could the Chinese nation not prosper?
Beside Fei Yi, Liu Yan, a senior minister of the late emperor and of particularly high status, also greeted him with a sigh:
"Just now, His Majesty rode into battle, and the sounds of bells, drums, horns, flutes, and gongs filled the air, creating a cacophony of sounds."

"It can truly be described as stirring up the winds and clouds, and swallowing the sun and moon with its grandeur."

"Even my old bones suddenly feel stiff and my blood is boiling."

"Although I served the late emperor when I was in Yuzhou, I regret that I could not witness his youthful brilliance."

"To see His Majesty's countenance today, I am suddenly struck by a thought: perhaps the late Emperor was just like this in his youth?"

When the late emperor was young?

When the late emperor was young, he spent his time in Luoyang hunting falcons and hunting dogs, experiencing the city's bustling life firsthand.

Liu Shan then turned to look at the late Emperor Hanzhong Wang Dao standing to one side, and then glanced at the soldiers below Chang'an City who were sharing meat. He was filled with emotion.

Zhaolie struggled his whole life, and today he can stand on the top of Chang'an City, overlooking thousands of troops, truly standing on the shoulders of his predecessors.

The Prime Minister looked at the Han Emperor, who was covered in sweat, and said gently, "In the sweltering summer heat, Your Majesty is still fully armed and feasting the soldiers. You must be very tired."

"It's not hard work." Liu Shan smiled and wiped his forehead upon hearing this.

"It's just a little bit of sweat. Without the soldiers below the city shedding blood for the Han Dynasty, without the Prime Minister and the civil and military officials working tirelessly for the Han Dynasty, I wouldn't even have the chance to shed this little bit of sweat."

Behind Liu Shan, a group of young military generals including Mi Wei, Zhao Tong, Zhao Guang, and Guan Xing smiled knowingly.

Your Majesty could have simply worn military attire, but you insist on wearing a full suit of armor.

He had only heard that the army had arranged a grand spectacle called "Emperor Entering the Battle," so he wanted to don armor and go into battle to show off his power.

It should be noted that not all the soldiers below the city came out to form ranks; most of them stayed in the shade near the tents on the outer edge of the city.

Even the soldiers who came out to form ranks were not all armored; most of them were simply carrying halberds.

After all, it's such a hot day, and there's no war going on. If we force the soldiers to wear armor and wait here for the emperor to hold a grand feast, they might lose their appetite for meat and wine.

Liu Shan took his seat and joined his ministers in a banquet.

A short while later, Zhao Yun, along with generals Wei Yan, Wu Yi, Chen Shi, and Deng Zhi, also went up to the city wall.

"May Your Majesty be victorious!" Zhao Yun stepped forward first, raising his cup with a joyful laugh.

"General Zilong, may you be victorious!" Liu Shan rose, smiling as he raised his cup in a toast.

The old general drank it all in one gulp.

After Wei Yan and Wu Yi also came forward to offer their congratulations.

Deng Zhi also stepped forward to offer a toast, and after drinking it, she said:

"Your Majesty is unaware of the following."

"Three months ago, Your Majesty secretly left Xiegu Valley, and Zhao, the Charioteer, went to Xiegu Valley to see Your Majesty without our knowledge."

"Upon returning, he was unusually furious, indulging in excessive drinking, and no one in the army dared to approach him."

"I only order you to go and persuade Zhao, the charioteer, not to get angry."

"When I went to investigate, I realized that Zhao, the cavalry commander, was merely feigning anger and drinking vinegar."

"I am truly perplexed," said Zhao, the cavalry commander, who was overjoyed and praised him, saying, "Your Majesty's talent is truly a gift from Heaven."

"At that time, I rarely saw Your Majesty's face and could not even glimpse a fraction of Your Majesty's sagacity, which made me secretly perplexed."

"After several months, seeing Your Majesty strategizing within the tent and defeating the enemy amidst ten thousand troops, this doubt has long been dispelled, and we know that what Zhao Chariot and Cavalry said was true."

"Zhao, the cavalry commander, is usually a light drinker. It was rare to see him raise his cup and drink so heartily just now. I couldn't help but look back and realize that I am now in Chang'an with His Majesty. It feels like a lifetime ago."

After Deng Zhi finished speaking with emotion, all the civil and military officials on the Great Wall also showed expressions of emotion.

The same applies to Liu Shan.

They finished drinking on the city wall.

Liu Shan changed into military attire and rode his horse southeast.

A group of meritorious generals followed closely behind, whipping their horses.

There was a Tiger Cavalry Guardian, Marquis Miwei of the Pass.

Zhao Tong, the Protector-General of the Qiang and Marquis of Wuzuoting.

Zhao Guang, General of the Dragon Cavalry and Marquis of Guannei.

Guan Xing, General of the Tiger Guard and Marquis of Hanshou.

Fu Qian, Marquis of Gushi Pavilion and General Who Subdues the Barbarians.

Jiang Wei, the Marquis of Guannei and Commander of the Dragon Cavalry.

Several hundred tiger cavalrymen cleared the road from the front and rear.

We passed Duling and climbed Bailuyuan.

Thick smoke billowed from the direction of Mount Li in the east, coming from the west.

The wildfires are still raging and show no signs of stopping.

If it doesn't rain soon, the entire Mount Li will probably be burned to the ground.

Upon realizing this, Liu Shan then thought of the severe drought in Guandong.

It is said that since February, not a drop of rain has fallen in the Guandong region, and people have resorted to cannibalism.

A prophecy was passed down: When the Luo River dries up, a sage will emerge.

I wonder if the Luo River has dried up or not.

"During the reign of King Ping of Zhou, a white deer was seen on the plain, hence the name, which is now known as Bailu Plain (White Deer Plain)."

"In the past, Emperor Gaozu defeated Qin and entered Xianyang, sealed the palace, and returned his army to Ba Shang."

"Later, Xiang Yu's army of 400,000 arrived at Hongmen in Xinfeng, while Gaozu's army of 100,000 was stationed at Ba Shang."

"The so-called Ba Shang is this place, named after Bailuyuan, which is located on the Ba River."

"During the reign of Emperor Wen, the Xiongnu invaded the south. One army was stationed at Ba Shang, another at Ji Men, and yet another at Xi Liu. The discipline of the troops at Ji Men and Ba Shang was lax, like child's play. Only the Xi Liu camp, commanded by Zhou Yafu, maintained strict discipline..."

The Emperor of Han and a group of young generals who had been granted titles for their military achievements paused their horses briefly at Bailu Plain.

Guan Xing, whose ancestral home was in Hedong, had heard stories of Guanzhong from his family since childhood. He told the emperor about the origin of the name Bailu Plain and the stories that had happened on the plain.

The name Bailuyuan was very familiar to Liu Shan, a time traveler, but he was unaware of its historical allusions.

With the tiger rider leading the way, the group soon arrived at a river valley called "Jingyugou" by the locals, where their horses could drink.

The Bailu Plain is split in two by this wide river valley, into east and west sections. The river is one or two hundred meters wide, with deep blue water that is bottomless, giving it the feel of a lake.

To Liu Shan's surprise, there wasn't a single tall tree in the entire valley, only a vast sea of ​​bamboo swaying in the mountain breeze.

The rustling bamboo and the endless blue waves made Liu Shan feel as if he had returned to Sichuan.

Just as Liu Shan was in a daze, he suddenly heard the sound of deer crying.

Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw two deer, one large and one small, drinking water a few dozen steps upstream.

Behind the two deer, on the bamboo path, another group of deer was slowly making its way towards the deep blue stream. Liu Shan suddenly noticed something and paused.

Guan Xing, Jiang Wei, Zhao Guang, Mi Wei, and the others also saw it and were stunned.

Among a group of yellow spotted elk, one elk stood out, its entire body, including its large antlers, were snow-white, and it was slightly smaller than the other elk.

After a moment of stunned silence, Guan Xing volunteered first:
"Your Majesty, we have heard that when a ruler is wise and benevolent, a white deer will appear. This is truly an auspicious omen! We request that you capture one for Your Majesty!"

After Guan Xing finished speaking, Zhao Tong, Zhao Guang, Mi Wei and the other young generals were all moved.

Earlier in Chang'an, they had heard Dong Shizhong tell the story of "twelve barbarian tribes appearing in Lintao, which the First Emperor considered an auspicious omen."

At Qingming Gate, we heard Dong Shizhong's auspicious saying, "The red crow brings forth fire, and the Han dynasty will rise again."

Today, I accompanied His Majesty to Yaoguan to reward the army. We ascended this place, which is named after the sight of a white deer on the plain, and they actually witnessed the auspicious sign of a white deer!
Is this not divine favor upon the Liu family?!
Liu Shan's gaze was fixed on the white deer that was leisurely drinking water.

Any auspicious omens are definitely fake. They're either due to genetic mutation or they're not actually Père David's deer at all, but some other white deer species.

But it must be said that a herd of deer standing leisurely on the edge of a vast bamboo forest, drinking water from a stream that is almost too deep blue, is already a naturally beautiful picture.

The white deer with its snow-white antlers standing among them was like a stroke of divine inspiration, making him unable to bear the slightest thought of ruining such a beautiful scene.

The deer cried out, and the bamboo rustled in the wind. He felt a sense of exhilaration, as if he had finally found a moment of peace and relaxation in the wilderness after being confined in a cage for so long.

“Since a white deer has been sent down as an auspicious omen, to capture and injure it would be a desecration of the will of Heaven,” Liu Shan shook his head.

After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke again:

"Three months ago, I met with the General of Chariots and Cavalry on the Xiegu Road, where we hunted and captured a deer. Afterwards, I beheaded Cao Zhen and defeated Zhang He."

"Twenty days ago, the Prime Minister broke through the camp in one night and met with the General of Chariots and Cavalry in Chang'an. I once again pursued the enemy in Wugong and won. Afterwards, I defeated Sima, recovered the old capital, and took over all the land in Guanzhong."

"When Qin lost its deer, the whole world chased after it, and those with the best talent and the fastest feet got it first."

"I won the deer twice, but at that time I was uneasy and hoped that the omen of winning the deer would bring me some comfort and peace of mind."

"What truly enabled me to fully recover Guanzhong and restore Xijing was never some auspicious sign of catching a deer with a bow, but rather the tireless efforts of my guards within the palace and the selfless dedication of my loyal servants outside."

"Therefore, even though a white deer was seen on the plain today, I do not consider it an auspicious omen. The so-called white deer is nothing more than livestock. If you capture it, you will be injured; if you shoot it, you will die. What benefit is there in capturing it?"
"It's nothing more than seeking peace of mind and solace, just like when I captured the deer before."

"But with so many young and capable ministers by my side, racing alongside me, my heart is at peace. Why should I seek any more auspicious omens that are merely empty and unrealistic?"

As soon as the emperor finished speaking, the white deer that had been drinking by the deep blue stream looked up and cried out, its voice ethereal. After silencing itself, it turned around and leaped lightly a few times, disappearing completely into the vast bamboo forest a moment later, never to be seen again.

Guan Xing, Jiang Wei, Mi Wei, Zhao Guang, Zhao Tong, Huang Chong and other young generals all bowed their heads.

...

Yaoguan.

It's getting late.

Having not yet received any imperial decree of reward, Wang Ping, still serving as the general who had attacked the bandits, sounded the retreat and withdrew all of his more than 6,000 troops back to their camp.

On the day of the Battle of Xinfeng, Wang Ping and Ju Fu, who were assigned to stay in Chang'an to protect the grain supply and retreat routes, sent people to block the southeast gate of Chang'an early on.

Upon receiving news that Wei soldiers had fled to the Ba River, he immediately led his troops to attack Chang'an.

Under cover of night, the two generals Guanqiu Jian and Xiahou Ru, who were left to guard Chang'an, abandoned the city and fled with their troops.

As a result, they were captured by dozens of riders whom Wang Ping had ambushed on Bailu Plain.

Several thousand soldiers guarding Chang'an also surrendered.

All the grain, treasures, armor, weapons, and various military documents and registers in the city's mansions and treasuries were sealed and presented to the emperor.

In other words, although Wang Ping and Ju Fu did not participate in the decisive battle of Xinfeng, which determined the fate of Guanzhong and the Han Dynasty, they easily won the epic feat of capturing Chang'an with almost no bloodshed.

After capturing Chang'an, the two generals did not rush to enter the city.

Instead, they continued to march east and south, joining forces with the Southern Xiongnu cavalry and some of the Wudang Flying Army that had followed the fleeing Wei troops, to encircle and annihilate the Wei army that was fleeing towards Yaoguan.

Yaoguan is not a formidable pass like Tongguan.

Even the important frontline fortress of Chencang was dilapidated and barely garrisoned.

At that time, Yaoguan, which was still located in the heart of Cao Wei territory, was not taken seriously by the Wei army at all.

The collapse of the fortified walls and the lack of food supplies were both problems.

Without the Yellow River and plateaus as barriers, its greatest function is to cut off the main supply routes, preventing large armies from passing through. Even if they did pass through, the supply of provisions would be unsustainable.

However, if one dares to abandon the supply route, this pass can be bypassed directly.

When Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, conquered Wuguan Pass and marched north to Yaoguan Pass, he sent Li Shiqi with a large amount of gold and treasures to negotiate peace with the Qin general.

On the other hand, following Zhang Liang's strategy, flags were planted all over Yaoshan Mountain to create a diversion and demoralize the Qin army.

Finally, they bypassed Yaoguan Pass, crossed Kui Mountain, and attacked the Qin army south of Lantian, inflicting a great defeat on them.

In the past few days, the Wudang Flying Army has been clearing paths everywhere, searching for the path that Liu Bang used to bypass Yaoguan and reach Lantian Valley.

Once they can get around to the south of Yaoguan, they can attack from both sides with the forces attacking from the north.

Then the Wei army, with fewer than 10,000 soldiers inside Yaoguan Pass, would have no strength to defend and resist, nor any reason to continue defending.

In fact, the garrison inside the pass consisted of relatives such as Xiahou Mao, Qin Lang, and Xiahou Bao.

Sima Yi sent them here before the decisive battle; they were originally a group of defeated and routed soldiers.

After learning of Sima Yi's crushing defeat, this group of people could hardly muster any will to stand firm.

Once this pass was lost, the Han army completely secured Guanzhong, and the Wei dynasty could no longer harass the Han army's agricultural settlements in Guanzhong.

The Han army only needed to station two or three thousand troops at Yaoguan Pass to keep Guanzhong as stable as Mount Tai.

If the Emperor of Wei wanted to reclaim Guanzhong, he would have to first eliminate Yaoguan Pass.

The Wuguan Pass behind Yaoguan is too close to Nanyang. Without Yaoguan as a safety net, once Wuguan is breached, Nanyang will be left defenseless.

That was a situation that the Great Wei could not afford.

Therefore, without the emperor's order to withdraw the troops, Xiahou Mao, Xiahou Bao, Qin Lang, and other generals such as Zhou Tai, Sun Li, and Wang Guan, who were defeated generals, dared not easily abandon the pass and leave.

The days of waiting for the imperial decree were truly unbearable.

Meanwhile, Wang Ping and Ju Fu disagreed on whether to launch a full-scale attack on Yaoguan.

The central army of the Han army.

Ju Fu returned to his tent and advised Wang Ping:

"General who is in charge of suppressing the enemy, the Wei army has been defeated and Guanzhong has been lost. The Wei regime is transporting grain and fodder from Nanyang to Yaoguan, but the journey is difficult."

"In addition, there is a severe drought in Guandong. I think Cao Rui will most likely order the Wei invaders at Yaoguan to retreat to Wuguan and then strengthen the defense of Wuguan."

"Our great Han only needs to wait for the Wei invaders to retreat on their own at Yaoguan Pass. Why launch a strong attack and cause more casualties among our soldiers?"

Wang Ping immediately stood up and shook his head: "General Ju, Yaoguan is closer to our Han Dynasty, yet its city defenses are so weak."

"It is conceivable that the defense of Wuguan, located in the heart of the pseudo-Wei state, would be even worse."

"Cao Rui has probably just received news of Sima Yi's great defeat and has not yet had time to arrange for garrison forces to be deployed to Wuguan."

"If our great Han can seize this pass before Cao Rui strengthens the defenses of Wuguan, we may be able to directly pursue the routed army to Wuguan."

"Even if we can capture Wuguan, just taking Shangluo and Shangxian, two cities along the Wuguan Pass, as a buffer for Yaoguan, will allow our Han Dynasty to rest easy in Guanzhong."

"I think it is acceptable to exchange a few casualties in the present for long-term stability in Guanzhong."

Ju Fu was speechless upon hearing this.

After a moment, the topic was changed:

"It is said that His Majesty set up the Circular Mound Altar on the banks of the Wei River in Chang'an today to offer sacrifices to Heaven and ancestors and to reward the three armies. We have made such a great contribution in retaking Chang'an, but we cannot receive His Majesty's reward today. It is truly a great regret in our hearts."

Wang Ping said, "General Ju, you are mistaken. His Majesty and the Prime Minister are fair and just, and those who have made contributions will be rewarded. It won't make a difference if we wait a day or two. Moreover, you and I captured Chang'an with almost no effort. It was entirely due to the momentum of His Majesty and the Prime Minister's great victory at Xinfeng. How could we dare to accept any reward?"

(End of this chapter)