Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 208 The Style of the High Ancestor
West City.

The Han army has completed the handover of the city's defenses.

More than 30,000 surrendered soldiers from Wei and Wu were disbanded, their armor and weapons were confiscated, and they were properly resettled in the prisoner-of-war camp outside the city.

More than 10,000 laborers, boatmen, and trackers from Jingzhou who were transporting grain for the Wu army were retained in the army to continue transporting grain for the Han Dynasty.

Under the emperor's instruction, the generals have promised these people that once the Han Dynasty recaptures Jingzhou, they will be able to return to their original homes.

General Tang Zi, the general who conquered the west of Wu, was busy running around in the prison camp where Wu generals who had surrendered were imprisoned. Several days later, he led more than a hundred Wu generals, colonels, and military commanders to the official temple in the west city to pay homage to the emperor of the Han Dynasty.

All those who surrendered, from the rank of colonel and above, recounted their life stories before the emperor.

The emperor was pleased and discussed with the generals and officers the differences between success and failure in military campaigns.

General Zhao Yun, General Gao Xiang, General Liao Hua, and Imperial Censor Meng Guang, along with other generals and ministers, discussed the Mandate of Heaven and the current situation with the Wu generals and officers.

The generals, officers, and military commanders sat below the hall listening. They knew that the fate of the times and the destiny of Heaven lay with Han, not Wu or Wei, and that the Han Dynasty had the heart to accommodate them. They were all overjoyed.

After the banquet, Wu Zhengxi Tang Zi was given the title of General Anyuan and continued to lead his troops as before.

The emperor also bestowed upon Tang Zi gold, silk, carriages, horses, clothing, wives, and concubines. Generals, colonels, military commanders, and commanders of troops also received rewards of varying degrees.

Under Tang Zi's leadership, all the Wu generals who surrendered knelt down to express their gratitude, and even Dao Sheng, who had been a Han Chinese, was willing to die for the Han Dynasty.

Many of these junior and mid-level officers and clerks came from various counties and prefectures in Jingzhou. They were originally Han soldiers and officials, but were forced to serve Wu after Lü Meng seized Jingzhou.

General Zhao Yun, who had served as a chariot and cavalry general in Jingzhou for more than ten years, spoke with them about stories of his hometown in Jingzhou in a friendly yet dignified manner.

Liao Hua, the General Who Conquers the North, once served as Guan Yu's chief clerk and was from Xiangyang, Jingzhou.

General Gao Xiang, who was in charge of the Eastern Expedition, also came from Jingzhou and was from Gong'an County in Nanjun.

The two generals were extremely knowledgeable about the stories of their hometown and people in Jingzhou, and were even able to recognize many familiar faces they had only met a few times.

When Gao Xiang and Liao Hua talked about the story of Jingzhou and the former masters of the surrendered people from Jingzhou, the surrendered people from Jingzhou who had served under the late emperor and received the favor of the late emperor and their former masters were all filled with emotion and sighs, and all their long-forgotten memories were stirred up.

Three days after the banquet, Zhao Yun, Gao Xiang, Liao Hua and other generals presented a list to the emperor, selecting many people from Jingzhou who were willing to serve the Han Dynasty and were considered trustworthy.

These officers and clerks from Jingzhou had a strong desire to follow the Han army back to Jingzhou.

Once integrated into the generals' ranks, and after a brief period of adjustment, the Han Dynasty would immediately gain approximately six to seven thousand fresh troops ready to be deployed into battle.

Liu Shan glanced at the list and did not overstep his authority to interfere with the generals' decisions. As the emperor, he did not need to, and could not, make all the decisions himself.

However, the fact that the emperor had no objection did not mean that the matter was settled.

Meng Guang, who had just handed over his seal of office as Grand Minister of Agriculture and was transferred to the position of Censor-in-Chief, expressed considerable dissatisfaction with the fact that generals Zhao Yun, Gao Xiang, and Liao Hua wanted to recruit surrendered people from Jingzhou for their own use, and impeached the generals to the Emperor.

The first point is that these surrendered people from Jingzhou changed hands several times, and the credibility of their words and actions of "willing to serve the Han Dynasty to the death" is questionable. Why did Zhao Yun and his generals consider them useful after only a few days?

Secondly, Zhao Yun was already in a high position and held great prestige, while Liao Hua and Gao Xiang, as natives of Jingzhou, recruited a large number of surrendered people from Jingzhou for their own use. They used the state's money and grain and the emperor's benevolence to bestow personal favors on the surrendered people from Jingzhou. This may have been seen as a sign of arrogance and self-importance.

Finally, Meng Guang submitted a memorial, suggesting that the relevant officials should carefully examine these surrendered generals and soldiers from Jingzhou, and then select those who are trustworthy and capable to be employed according to their abilities.

Even if appointed, they should temporarily be placed under the command of General Zhao Guang, General Guan Xing, and Colonel Chen Hu.

When Meng Guang finished speaking, Emperor Liu Shan and the two generals Gao Xiang and Liao Hua all had dark faces. Meng Guang stood tall and didn't seem to care at all. Only Zhao, the cavalry commander, did not show any dissatisfaction with what Meng Guang said.

Liu Shan gave Meng Guang a severe scolding, saying that Meng Guang had just become the Imperial Censor and was already trying to catch his breath.

The Han Dynasty is now going to seize Shangyong and Fangling, which is precisely the time when it needs manpower and troops.

Whether these surrendered generals and soldiers from Jingzhou are useful or not will soon be determined by the course of the war.

As for Meng Guang's so-called political considerations, you suspect that the generals are wielding their own power and considering the fate of the country, like a rabbit being killed after the hunt or a bow being put away after the birds are all gone. Do you think I am Cao Cao?
Meng Guang repeatedly said he dared not, but his expression remained unchanged.

Liu Shan once again berated him with vulgar language and ordered Long Xianglang to drive him out of the hall. Finally, he took out the list presented by generals Zhao Yun, Gao Xiang, and Liao Hua and stamped it with his seal.

Upon seeing this, Generals Gao Xiang and Liao Hua quickly composed themselves, left their seats, and expressed their stance to the Emperor:
"We hope Your Majesty will see this clearly. We have absolutely no intention of using Your Majesty's benevolence or the nation's funds to bestow personal favors upon the surrendered generals and soldiers."

"But as Your Majesty said, now is the time to use people and soldiers, and it is also a good opportunity to use the two prefectures of Shangyong and Fangling to test whether these surrendered generals and soldiers can truly serve the Han Dynasty to the death."

"As for what Imperial Censor Meng said, we believe that Your Majesty should indeed allow the surrendered generals and soldiers of Jingzhou to be temporarily placed under the command of the Dragon and Tiger Warriors."

“If this is the case, then he will know that he has been granted a pardon, which is a blessing from Your Majesty and the nation.”

"When war comes, we can then order the surrendered generals and soldiers to obey the orders of General Zhao."

Liu Shan snorted coldly in the direction Meng Guang had left, then looked at Generals Liao Hua and Gao Xiang, and said dismissively:
"I admire Meng Guang for his uprightness, loyalty, and outspokenness. Therefore, I have promoted him to my side because of his merits, hoping that he can correct my mistakes."

"I don't want him to take advantage of his merits and make empty boasts. Gao Zhengdong and Liao Zhengbei don't need to take it to heart."

Liu Shan still had a dark expression when he scolded Meng Guang, clearly not particularly satisfied with this newly promoted Imperial Censor.

Liao Hua and Gao Xiang may only be considered average in terms of talent, and they have both won and lost battles, but the late emperor still entrusted them with important responsibilities. Therefore, the two generals are grateful for the late emperor's kindness and are loyal to him.

Liu Shan inherited the legacy of his predecessor, and no one would doubt that seasoned generals like Liao Hua and Gao Xiang might harbor ambitions of amassing military power.

No matter how a team selects its members or streamlines its structure, there will inevitably be top-tier, mid-tier, and bottom-tier members in terms of ability.

The Han Dynasty needed leaders like Zhao Yun, Wei Yan, Deng Zhi, and Wang Ping as sharp spears and strong shields to charge into battle and defend against attacks.

Similarly, mid-level generals like Liao Hua and Gao Xiang are needed to carry on the legacy and hold the line.

We should also tolerate those scoundrels who occasionally cause trouble, allowing them to cheer and encourage us from behind.

Meng Guang's intentions may have been good, but he viewed Liu Shan's trust in generals such as Zhao Yun, Gao Xiang, and Liao Hua as a failure in the art of checks and balances, which Liu Shan particularly disliked.

However, after Meng Guang was scolded away by Liu Shan, the way Liao Hua and Gao Xiang looked at the emperor and their attitude towards him became even more respectful.

Liu Shan ultimately did not choose Zhao Guang and Guan Xing to be in charge of receiving the surrendered people from Jingzhou, because these two young generals were too young and had not yet made a name for themselves, so they were not intimidating enough to subdue the people.

Finally, on Zhao Yun's advice, Gao Xiang and Liao Hua jointly recommended Chen Dao's son, Chen Hu, the captain of the naval fleet, to be the general. They selected those skilled in naval warfare from that list and incorporated them into the army.

Liu Shan then agreed. Like cavalry, the training of the navy required years of practice to become an army. The Han Dynasty did not have sufficient resources, as it was mainly preparing for war against Cao Wei. The navy and ships were not plentiful, and were only maintained at a level sufficient to resist the attack of Eastern Wu.

These surrendered people from Jingzhou, skilled in naval warfare, were an invaluable resource at this time.

Although Chen Hu was titled Colonel of the Warships, in fact, this title was unique in the navy, specifically responsible for assisting the General of the Warships in commanding the navy.

However, due to the alliance between Han and Wu, the Han Dynasty did not establish the position of General of the Warships. Part of the Han Navy was commanded by Li Yan, the Governor of Jiangzhou, and part was commanded by Chen Dao, the Governor of Yong'an.

When Chen Hu arrived at the official temple with Long Xianglang, and the emperor personally handed him a silk scroll, Chen Hu was somewhat bewildered.

His father, Chen Dao, was fifty-eight years old, and Chen Hu was thirty-two, not young anymore. Liu Shan pulled this former close attendant of the crown prince to the table and sat with him, drinking and chatting happily.

Before Chen Hu took office as the captain of the naval fleet and accompanied his father to Yong'an, he was the junior captain of the Eastern Palace, responsible for the safety of the crown prince.

Five years ago, when the late emperor fell ill, the prime minister left Chengdu for Baidi City to receive the late emperor's last wishes. Huang Yuan, the governor of Hanjia, saw that Chengdu was empty and without a ruler, so he led the whole prefecture in rebellion and led his people to advance on Chengdu.

Yang Hong, who once said "Men should fight, women should transport supplies," advised the Crown Prince Liu Shan to send troops to attack Huang Yuan, and ordered his generals to wait for Huang Yuan at the Nan'an Gorge.

Liu Shan then ordered Chen Hu to subdue him, and the rebellion was eventually quelled.

After Liu Shan succeeded to the throne, Chen Hu left Chengdu and joined his father in Yong'an to learn the true methods of commanding troops and waging war.

Liu Shan drank cup after cup of wine, and soon became quite drunk. He began to recount the old stories of the Eastern Palace, and then, holding Chen Hu's hand, told him how worried he was about Huang Yuan's safety when Huang Yuan rebelled.

Chen Hu was stunned. He never expected that after five years, this Crown Prince... Emperor had not become distant from him, but was even closer to him than before.

He had witnessed such a harmonious relationship between the ruler and his minister when he was young.

At that time, his father sat in the position he now occupies; the person sitting in the position of the current emperor was the emperor's father.

When the emperor's father saw the young boy barge into the hall, he did not get angry and scold him like his father Chen Dao did. Instead, he beckoned the boy over and bestowed upon him a jade pendant.

After Liu Shan finished recounting the affairs of the Eastern Palace, he inquired about Chen Hu's situation in Yong'an.

When it seemed they had run out of things to talk about, he took advantage of his drunkenness to boast to Chen Hu about how brave he was when he led the troops into battle in Xinfeng, brandishing his sword to fight the bandits, and how excited the soldiers were when they saw him enter the battle with his dragon banner. He spoke in such a flowery and exaggerated way that it was almost unbelievable.

Chen Hu listened intently from the side, and when the emperor spoke with great enthusiasm, he felt as if he were there himself. He quickly forgot that even when the emperor was still the crown prince, the two of them had never been so close.

In the end, Chen Hu also opened up and told the emperor in detail about the situation in Yong'an after the emperor personally led the expedition.

In fact, when he and his father heard in Yong'an that the emperor was personally leading the army, they were very panicked. The entire Yong'an city went into a state of high alert, and everyone who knew about it was terrified and could not eat or sleep.

One concern is that there may be internal strife in Sichuan.

Secondly, they feared that Eastern Wu would take the opportunity to advance westward against the current.

Who would have thought that the emperor would win one victory after another?

When the news of the emperor's campaign against the rebels and his return to the old capital reached Yong'an, his usually stern father was overjoyed and dragged him to the late emperor's Yong'an Palace to burn incense and offer sacrifices, tears streaming down his face.

Upon hearing this, Liu Shan finally straightened his posture and expression, as if he hadn't drunk any wine, and grasped Chen Hu's hand, saying:
"Ru Hui, you have made great contributions in this battle. I have discussed with Zhao Cheqi, Gao Zhengdong, and Liao Zhengbei that we intend to promote you to the rank of General of the Warships."

"Now, there may be a battle between Han and Wu on the Yangtze River. I wonder if you dare to accept the mission in this dangerous situation?"

The image of the sky breaking through layers of clouds signifies the approaching but not yet fully bright dawn.

Chen Dao named his son Ruhui, which means "beginning in darkness and ending in brilliance," roughly the same as "the sun and moon are dark and then bright again."

After a moment of stunned silence, Chen Hu finally stood up, clutching the silk scroll in his hand, and bowed respectfully, stepping aside from his seat.

"I am willing to emulate the spirit of a warship cleaving through the waves, to clear obstacles and vanquish the Wu barbarians for Your Majesty, and I will never fail Your Majesty's trust!"

"Good!" Liu Shan laughed heartily, praising him.

He helped Chen Hu up and invited him to take a seat, where he introduced him to the young generals Zhao Guang, Mi Wei, Huang Chong, and Jiang Wei, among others.

After the banquet ended, Chen Hu left.

Liu Shan then ordered his servants to set up another table, where he had an in-depth discussion with the surrendered Wu generals, captains, and commanders who had pledged allegiance to him regarding the situation in Jingzhou.

After Lü Meng's death, Zhu Ran took Lü Meng's place in guarding Jiangling and resisting Cao Wei. In this battle, he was appointed Right Commander-in-Chief and followed Sun Quan on the Xiangfan front.

Bu Zhi was stationed at Xiling, formerly known as Yiling, to guard against the Han Dynasty.

After Bu Zhi led his army into Xicheng, the people left to guard Zigui and Wuxian were said to be General Wei Jing, who was responsible for subduing the enemy, and General Pan Jun, who was responsible for fighting bravely. Others said that Sun Quan had sent Zhou Fang to Jiangxi.

Those who assisted them included Pei Xuan, Li Su, and Shi Gan.

Liu Shan was somewhat surprised to hear that Pan Jun had been entrusted with an important task by Sun Quan, and was to stay behind to guard the front lines of Zigui and Wuxian.

This Pan Jun was Jiang Wan's cousin. After the late emperor took control of Jingzhou, he served as the Chief Administrator of Jingzhou, which meant he was the second-in-command of Jingzhou.

When the late emperor went to Shu, Pan Jun was left to manage affairs in Jingzhou.

The so-called "remaining in charge of Jingzhou" meant that Guan Yu commanded the army of Jingzhou, while Pan Jun was in charge of the finances and administration of Jingzhou. In other words, although he did not have the title of Governor of Jingzhou, he had the actual power of Governor of Jingzhou.

After Lü Meng seized Jingzhou, Sun Quan traveled from Wuchang to Jiangling to personally visit Pan Jun, the governor of Jingzhou. Pan Jun lay prostrate on the bed, weeping uncontrollably.

Sun Quan had a close associate wipe his face with a handkerchief, and Pan Jun then knelt down to thank him. Sun Quan then appointed him as Chief Administrator, and all military affairs in Jingzhou were consulted with him.

At that time, many officials in Jingzhou were still loyal to the Han dynasty but were actually serving the Wu army. They were trying to persuade the Wuling barbarians to submit Wuling County to the late emperor.

Pan Jun displayed the fervor of a convert, actively offering advice to Sun Quan and quelling the rebellion.

Liu Shan could not expect everyone to die for the Han Dynasty like Fu Tong, Feng Xi, Zhang Nan, and Cheng Ji, or to try their best to return to Han even after being captured like Guan Yu and Liao Hua.

However, having been trusted by the late emperor for over a decade, after the fall of Jingzhou, he initially feigned a noble and loyal demeanor. After being persuaded to surrender by Sun Quan, he immediately pledged allegiance to the new ruler and actively engaged in activities that harmed the former one. Liu Shan harbored some resentment towards such a person.

The feast is over.

Liu Shan bathed and changed his clothes, then headed to the house where Bu Zhi was being held captive.

(End of this chapter)