Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 160 Sand Garden
a bolt from the blue.

Five thunderstorms hit the top.

Sun Quan repeatedly confirmed with Pan Zhang and questioned him repeatedly about the Wei officers he had purchased.

Finally, he swallowed the bad news in a dejected manner, and then stared at the so-called "paper-thin Fancheng" for a long time without saying a word.

Grand Commander Lu Xun, General Xu Sheng, and General Pan Zhang were also uneasy and dared not speak easily.

After a long while, Sun Quan, whose thick purple beard was disheveled by the wind, suddenly spoke, though his voice was hoarse and weak:

"In the past, Zhuge Liang sent an envoy to discuss the Northern Expedition with me. He said that we might try to take the three counties of Longyou. If successful, we could cut off Longyou and embrace Liangzhou, and look down on Guanzhong."

"If so, we will surely be able to drag Cao Wei's troops and supplies into the quagmire of Guanzhong, buying time for me to capture Xiangfan and Hefei. Therefore, I agree to launch a northern expedition together."

"In just half a year, Kongming and Liu Shan have even captured Guanzhong, while I have been stopped at the gates of Xiangfan..."

"The mighty Yangtze and Han rivers, will they not aid me?"

Sun Quan muttered to himself, his thoughts in a state of confusion.

After the Battle of Yiling, both sides of the Wu-Shu alliance understood that their enemy was Cao Wei. While the second and third powers were fighting to the death, the eldest was happy to watch the two fight and reap the benefits.

Now that the Shu Kingdom has achieved a victory against a stronger enemy, it has greatly weakened the power of the behemoth Cao Wei. As an ally of Shu, Sun Quan should be happy.

After all, regardless of the circumstances, the weakening of Cao Wei is a fact, and the success rate of Wu's future attack on Xiangfan and Hefei will inevitably increase sharply.

But... can it really increase dramatically?

Pan Zhang and Xu Sheng looked at the pale-faced Supreme Emperor of Wu and assumed that the reason for his dejection was that Shu had gained Guanzhong while Wu had not gained an inch of land or achieved any merit, which made him feel frustrated and unable to achieve his ambitions.

They looked at each other in silence for a moment, and finally turned their concerned gazes to the Supreme One, but seemed unsure of how to persuade him, so they could only remain silent.

Sun Quan looked up at the two generals, their eyes met briefly before he looked away, his disappointment deepening.

Before attacking Xiangfan, he appointed Lü Fan as Grand Marshal and ordered him to oversee the battle at Hefei. However, before the official seal could be issued, news of Lü Fan's death was spread down the Yangtze River to the Mian River.

At this point, all the ambitious and enterprising generals of Huai and Si were dead. Although the two generals, Pan Zhang and Xu Sheng, were ambitious, they had no troops to serve them.

Gu, Lu, Zhu, Zhang...

Although the Great Wu boasted an army of 100,000, seven or eight out of ten commanders belonged to these powerful clans of Jiangdong.

They are good at protecting the territory and defending the land, but lack the drive to make progress.

Why?

These powerful clans were only barely united with the Sun family through the collusion of interests and the threat of force.

He had almost no like-minded people.

Ultimately, this was caused by the massacres his elder brother committed in Jiangdong back then.

My success and failure both stem from my elder brother.

Oh, vast heavens, how cruel are you to me?
Sun Quan has been working really hard to keep this mess going until today.

Lu Xun, Xu Sheng, Pan Zhang, and other generals stood quietly beside the emperor for a long time, listening to the roaring waves of the Mian River, which made them somewhat lost in thought.

Only when Sun Quan's voice, which finally seemed to cheer them up, suddenly rang out did they turn their gaze toward the supreme ruler on the banks of the Mian River.

"Twenty years ago, the Great Wu had the advantage of favorable timing, location, and popular support, and defeated Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs. As a result, I was able to control the southeast. The great fire that burned on the Yangtze River at Red Cliffs is still vivid in my mind."

"Twenty years later, the north is suffering from a severe drought. Liu Shan and Zhuge Liang have defeated Cao Wei and seized Guanzhong. As an ally of Shu, our Great Wu once again has the advantage of favorable timing, location, and popular support!"

"And Fancheng and Xiangyang are right in front of us. Will this place become another place where my army is defeated, just like Hefei was back then?!"

"No matter what, our great Wu army of 100,000 has gathered in Xiangfan."

"At most half of Cao Xiu's 100,000 Wei troops in Huaiyang will arrive. With 100,000 against 50,000 or 60,000, even if Cao Xiu himself comes, the advantage will still be with us!"

Upon hearing this and seeing this, Xu Sheng and Pan Zhang straightened their backs and became more alert, while Lu Xun hesitated to speak.

Sun Quan, who was standing with his hands behind his back facing the Mian River, suddenly turned around as if he had made up his mind.

After a moment of silence, having organized his thoughts, he addressed Lu Xun and the others in a resounding voice:
"In the past, the Zhou dynasty occupied Guanzhong and then destroyed the Yin Shang dynasty at Muye."

"When Qin occupied Guanzhong, the six kings of Guandong were forced to surrender."

"When the Han dynasty gained control of Guanzhong, Xiang Yu was besieged at Gaixia."

"After pacifying Guanzhong, he established the state of Wei."

"If A Dou were to lead the army into battle and capture Guanzhong, the world would surely say that he has the momentum of Emperor Gaozu's return to pacify the Three Qin regions."

"It is easy to know whether people's hearts are with you or not!"

"However, on what basis did Liu Bei's son, A Dou, claim the title of emperor?!"

"And on what basis do they claim that the Mandate of Heaven still rests with the Han, and that they should succeed Emperor Wu and Emperor Guangwu, continuing the Han dynasty's rule?!"

When Sun Quan mentioned this, Lu Xun, Xu Sheng, Pan Zhang, and other generals seemed to have guessed what Sun Quan wanted to say, and they were all astonished.

Pan Zhang asked in astonishment, "Does His Majesty intend to...?"

Sun Quan narrowed his eyes slightly: "What?"

Pan Zhang dared not speak rashly and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty's opinion is truly insightful!"

Sun Quan nodded slightly and stood facing west.

He frowned and squinted, taking in the setting sun:

"You all say that Cao Pi and Cao Rui are worthy of the title of emperor, and Liu Bei and Liu Shan are worthy of the title of emperor."

"Could it be... that I am not worthy of the title?"

When Lu Xun saw that Sun Quan had actually put this statement out in public, he was immediately stunned.

Xu Sheng and Pan Zhang were suddenly overjoyed, their eyes fixed on the emperor, unable to look away even an inch.

The crimson afterglow of the setting sun shone upon the Supreme Being, who stood with his hands behind his back, his sleeves billowing in the wind, truly displaying the demeanor of a great emperor.

A moment.

Then the Supreme Being walked to the banks of the Mian River, squatted down and scooped up a handful of Mian River water, or rather, water from the Han River. He stood up and examined his hands for a moment, and finally swallowed the Han River, which reflected the setting sun, into his stomach.

After drinking, he opened his mouth and raised his voice, facing the Han River:

"The Han dynasty lasted for twenty-four generations, spanning four hundred and thirty-four years. Its royal power has ended, and its reign is over!"

"The whole world is in chaos, and the land is in disarray!"

"The wicked minister Cao Pi usurped the imperial throne, and his son Cao Rui continued the evil deeds of his generation!"

"Born into this world, I am entrusted with the mandate of Heaven and the military, with the ambition to bring peace to the world. I am ordered to punish the rebels, save the people from suffering, and relieve the people from their dire straits!"

"But the chaos could not be stopped, and the war could not be ceased."

Why?
"It is because Heaven's will has turned away from the Han, the Han dynasty has ceased to worship Heaven, and the emperor's position is vacant, so there is no one to preside over the suburban sacrifices!"

"We cannot ignore the mandate of Heaven, nor can the world be without a ruler!"

"I both fear the mandate of Heaven and suffer from the disintegration of the world and the unbearable fate of the people. I dare not disobey the will of Heaven and ascend the throne!"

The Han River flows mightily, its waves crashing, yet it could not erase Sun Quan's words.

Pan Zhang, Xu Sheng, Lu Xun, and the Jiefan Commander and Jiefan Soldiers were all horrified upon hearing this.

After a moment, Sun Quan turned to Lu Xun, Xu Sheng, Pan Zhang and the others, and said, "If you all can help me defeat Cao Xiu, I will certainly not let you down."

Pan Zhang immediately raised his voice and bowed his head: "I dare to die for Your Majesty! If Cao Xiu dares to come, I will surely defeat Cao Xiu for Your Majesty!"

General Xu Sheng of Andong, along with Generals Xu Xiang and Chen Xiu, who were in charge of the Emperor's safety, also clasped their hands and spoke, saying that they would risk their lives for the Emperor.

On the banks of the Han River, apart from a group of Jie Fan soldiers who were guarding the perimeter and had no right to speak, only Lu Xun remained silent.

Lu Xun was somewhat embarrassed.

To be fair, Liu Shan's acquisition of Guanzhong was not only due to his personal command of the army, but also to his direct supervision of the troops on the battlefield. As Sun Quan said, this truly shows that the hearts of the people are indeed in his favor.

Sun Quan's desire to declare himself emperor now is no different from when Cao Pi abdicated the throne and Liu Bei immediately declared himself emperor upon receiving the news.

This was both a further step and because only in this way could the mandate of heaven for Cao Wei and Liu Shan be denied.

But... how should I put it?

As for the matter of declaring himself emperor... Cao Pi was legitimate, Liu Bei was reasonable, and Sun Quan was in a difficult position.

Declaring himself emperor without any military achievements would not only fail to convince the world that the Mandate of Heaven is with Wu, but would likely also invite ridicule from the world.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Lu Xun had no choice but to bite the bullet and bow.

"If Cao Xiu is defeated in this battle, Your Majesty should indeed be granted the mandate of Heaven, worship Heaven, and become Emperor!"

Sun Quan was slightly pleased upon hearing this. Lu Xun clearly also supported his claim to the throne.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have mentioned defeating Cao Xiu, but rather taking over Xiangfan, something that seems unrealistic now.

With this thought in mind, Sun Quan turned around, but no longer looked at Xiangfan and Ercheng, but at the vast and boundless north.

That's the direction of the Wei army in Huaiyang.

All he needs now is a military victory to prove to the world that destiny favors Wu.

...

Guanzhong.

Huayin.

The turn of Weiluo.

Before Cao Wei changed Luoyang to Luo, the Luo River was unique and referred to only this place, but now this place is called the North Luo River.

Left Fengyi Guo Youzhi and Linjin Magistrate Chen Zhi, escorted by dozens of elite cavalry, were preparing to take up their posts in Linjin, a key border town guarded by Wei Chang.

Emperor Liu Shan was standing by the Wei-Luo Bridge at that moment. He took a few steps, grabbed a drooping branch, broke off two willow branches, and handed them to Guo Youzhi and Chen Zhi.

"Minister Guo and Minister Chen, I have come here in humble circumstances and have nothing to give you. So, in accordance with the old customs of Chang'an, I will offer you a willow branch as a token of my respect for you."

Guo Youzhi and Chen Zhi respectfully accepted it.

Chen Zhi looked at the willow branch in his hand and said:
"Since I followed Your Majesty on the northern expedition, I have neither suffered hardship nor made any contributions. I dare not accept Your Majesty's ancestral rites."

Liu Shan looked at the willow grove on the banks of the Wei River and said:

"A ten-mile-long embankment, with willows at every step."

"Breaking willow branches as a farewell gesture implies a reluctance to part, a feeling of lingering at every step."

"But when I present this willow branch to you two today, it is not with such intentions."

Both Zuo Fengyi and Linjin Ling were in a slump.

But the emperor chuckled lightly:

"I only wish that you two gentlemen, like these willow branches that have been separated from their branches, could quickly take root and sprout wherever you go, providing shade for one side and fulfilling your duty of protecting the borders and ensuring the safety of the people for the Han Dynasty."

Willow branches have always been highly adaptable and regenerative; they can take root and sprout no matter where they are stuck in the soil. This is something that anyone with a little common sense knows.

However, Guo Youzhi and Chen Zhi did not expect that His Majesty's parting with a willow branch had such a profound meaning, and they were deeply moved.

"Your subject will certainly not fail in his mission!" Guo Youzhi, the Chamberlain, bowed his head and sighed.

People generally believe that he, as a mere attendant, is just going with the flow, holding a position without doing anything, and is not capable of handling important matters.

Little did he know that he had only recently entered the palace and secretly made some unfounded speculations about His Majesty and the relationship between His Majesty and the Prime Minister. He feared that His Majesty and the Prime Minister would repeat the story of Emperor Huo Guangxuan and did not want to get involved in the cause and effect.

But since the emperor personally led the expedition, he had been fortunate enough to serve the emperor every day. He was already moved by the emperor's sincere loyalty and the harmonious relationship between the emperor and the prime minister. So why should he be afraid of the story of Emperor Xuan and Huo Guang?
Since the emperor dared to entrust the important town of Linjin to him, he dared to exert all his strength to defend the emperor against the Wei invaders beyond the Yellow River and to comfort the people in the Heluo region.

The Heluo region of Guanzhong refers to Linjin, an important town located between the Yellow River and the Beiluo River.

Before long, Zuo Fengyi and the magistrate of Linjin rode away on horseback, carrying willow branches. Their figures grew smaller and smaller in Liu Shan's eyes, and after a turn, they disappeared behind a sand dune.

Liu Shan then turned his gaze away from the vast expanse of saline-alkali sandy land north of the Wei River and looked at Guan Xing, the Tiger General beside him, and suddenly said, "Anguo, this place is only a little over a hundred li away from Jie County in Hedong."

Guan Xing, hearing the emperor's nonsensical words, was at a loss for words and could only nod.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After a moment, Liu Shan spoke:
"I have been thinking about something lately... I don't know whether I should mention it or not."

Guan Xing was somewhat surprised: "Your Majesty, whatever you say, I dare not disobey."

Liu Shan nodded:

"The late emperor once told me that Guan Yu left Jie County in the third year of the Guanghe era, right?"

Guan Xing was caught off guard when the emperor mentioned his father's past. He paused for a moment, then was overcome with emotion, overwhelmed with sorrow and longing.
"Yes, Your Majesty. If I do the math, it has been forty-eight years since my father left his hometown."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shan couldn't help but sigh:
"Yes... forty-eight years."

"After Guan Yu met the late emperor in Zhuo County, he followed the late emperor for the rest of his life."

"In the end, just like the late emperor, he was never able to return to his hometown in this lifetime."

After the emperor finished speaking, the young generals Zhao Tong, Zhao Guang, Guan Xing, Mi Wei, and others who stood around him all showed expressions of remembrance and sorrow.

People today all cherish their hometown and native land.

One should strive to return home in glory.

When one dies, one should pray that one's soul returns to one's hometown.

Their fathers followed the late emperor for half their lives, wandered for half their lives, and once they left their homeland, they were gone for most of their lives, never able to return to the place where they were born and raised.

But the emperor said:
“Anguo, I have been thinking recently whether we should invite Guan Yu’s skull back to his hometown.”

"But I was also afraid... I was afraid that Guan Yu's head had been resting peacefully on Mangshan Mountain for ten years, and that suddenly disturbing the earth would disturb Guan Yu's spirit."

Guan Xing was taken aback: "Your Majesty intends to exchange the heads of Wei traitors like Cao Zhen and Zhang He for my late father..."

Liu Shan nodded.

"The heads of Cao Zhen and Zhang He are of no use to us, and I do not wish to bury them in Guanzhong according to custom."

"Guan Yu's head was buried by Cao Cao with the honors due to a feudal lord in Mangshan. If Anguo is willing, I think it is possible to ask Guan Yu's head to be returned to Jie County for burial."

Guan Xing replied without hesitation: "Your Majesty, Cao Cao usurped the throne and stole our country. Although my father was buried in Mangshan with the honors due to a prince by Cao Cao, he could not be proud of it in the afterlife, but rather ashamed of it!"
"Now that His Majesty has decreed that my father be returned to the ancestral tombs in Hedong, if he knew this in the afterlife, he would surely weep blood and kowtow in gratitude for the Emperor's grace!"

Liu Shan nodded upon hearing this: "Very well, then let's settle this matter."

He mounted his horse, paused for a moment, and looked towards the north of the Wei River where Guo Youzhi and the others had disappeared.

Just then, a strong wind blew in from the north.

The yellow sand swept southward with the wind, instantly blinding Liu Shan so much that he could barely open his eyes.

Liu Shan looked at the vast expanse of sand and said:

"Guanzhong was known as the Land of Abundance in ancient times, with fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles. I never expected to find such a desert landscape here."

Guan Xing said from horseback:
"Your Majesty is unaware of the following."

"Because the Luo River comes from the Loess Plateau in the north, the flowing water brings a large amount of silt and sand."

"The Luo River often changes its course, sometimes flowing south into the Wei River, and sometimes flowing east into the Yellow River."

"When the Yellow River floods, it overflows the Luo River, bringing silt and sand to this area."

Over the years, this place has become a huge sandy area, stretching sixty or seventy li from east to west and twenty or thirty li from north to south.

"Because the sandy land is vast and the water and grass are sparse, it is just right for grazing horses. During the Former Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of Han designated it as a horse farm."

"Therefore, the locals call this vast sandy area south of Linjin 'Shayuan' (Sand Garden)."

“Shayuan?” Liu Shan paused.

That name sounds familiar. Oh, so this is the place.

He rode his horse towards Huayin.

Huayin.

When Zong Yu and Feng Hu saw Zhao Guang, the General of the Dragon Cavalry, they hurriedly came out of the city to greet him.

"Your Majesty, this place is less than forty li from Tongguan. Your precious body is in great danger, yet you only have a hundred cavalrymen!" Zong Yu said, his voice filled with shock and a hint of remonstrance.

Liu Chan smiled:
"It's alright. Huayin is still forty li from Tongguan. In the east, there are also Qiang cavalry under the Marquis of Guiyi patrolling everywhere. What do I have to fear?"
"Just a few days ago, I went to the foot of Yaoguan Pass, which was occupied by the Wei rebels, to deliver imperial edicts to General Wang Zijun, who was in charge of pacifying the north, and General Ju Xiaoxing, who was in charge of pacifying the south."

"I have come today to deliver imperial edicts to my General Who Pacifies the East and Marquis of Anzhong, and my General Who Destroys the Barbarians and Marquis of Guannei."

After speaking, Liu Shan handed the imperial edict to the two men.

Zong Yu and Feng Hu were taken aback upon hearing this, and immediately bowed their heads in gratitude and accepted the imperial edict.

Zong Yu did not open the imperial edict, but asked:

"When did Your Majesty arrive? We just sent a messenger to Chang'an to deliver the news. Didn't Your Majesty encounter him on the way?"

Liu Shan paused slightly upon hearing this, then shook his head:

"I went to the border of Wei and Luo to bid farewell to Guo, the Left Attendant of Fengyi, and Chen, the Magistrate of Linjin. I wasn't on the official road just now. What message did you send?"

Zong Yu glanced at Feng Hu and said:
"Your Majesty, Sima Yi's second son, Sima Zhao, is currently at the post station."

"I request to go to Chang'an to meet Your Majesty. I dare not make this decision on my own, so I send an envoy to Your Majesty with a letter."
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(End of this chapter)