Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 217: You will rise with this, and you will fall with this

"Why aren't you untying Wu envoy? If Wu envoy hadn't arrived late and lent a helping hand to our Han Dynasty, how could our Han Dynasty have captured Shangyong without bloodshed?"

Liu Shan gave an order to Cuan Xiong with a half-smile.

Cuan Xiong was taken aback at first, but when he heard the last part, he couldn't help but laugh. He bared his teeth and tore off the rag stuffed in Wu Shi's mouth, then cut the rope binding Wu Shi with a knife.

The man had expected the Wu envoy to be furious, but to his surprise, the Wu envoy was not angered by the emperor's sarcastic remarks. He simply lowered his head in embarrassment and sighed after a while.

The teacher, Cuan Xiong, found it somewhat boring.

Zheng Ta, Yao Jing, Li Fu, Zhang Liang, and other surrendered generals, whose ropes had been untied and who had received their clothes back from the Han emperor, were both surprised and astonished upon seeing this.

They looked at each other, still unable to believe it.

Zhang Liang, the prefect of Shangyong, hesitated, then hesitated again, and finally said:

"I heard...I heard that when the late emperor besieged Chengdu, Ma Mengqi of Liangzhou surrendered."

"The late emperor sent people to welcome Ma Mengqi and secretly provided him with a large army."

"Ma Mengqi then led the Han army directly to Chengdu, which terrified the city, and Liu Zhang surrendered the city."

"Now Your Majesty, relying on the wisdom of the late Emperor, has obtained Shangyong without bloodshed. The guilty party is convinced of your guilt."

Zhang Liang paused here, and after taking a deep breath, finally asked:
"Your Majesty...please forgive my rudeness."

"May I ask, were all those Wu army banners in the north of the city woven by His Majesty's orders?"
"And those... Wu people's armor, clothing, and hats, were all prepared by His Majesty in advance?"

After Zhang Liang finished asking the two questions, Yao Jing, Zheng Ta, Li Fu, and the surrendered generals all realized that this was indeed a possibility.

Compared to the Han army's complete annihilation of Wu generals such as Bu Zhi, Zhuge Jin, and Tang Zi, Shu Han's earlier planning was more realistic and convincing.

Leaving aside the so-called Tang Zi who was supposed to be in charge of the western expedition, Bu Zhi and Zhuge Jin were Wu's left and right generals who had been stationed in the western border of Jingzhou for many years. They were quite prestigious and ranked only below Lu Xun and Lü Fan. With the advantage of their naval fleet on the Han River, it was absolutely impossible for them to be captured by Shu so easily.

However, just as the Wei generals were speculating, the rather ugly Han general let out a muffled groan:
"What do you mean 'prepared in advance'? Before we took Xicheng from Shenyi, Zhuge Jin and Bu Zhi had already been captured by our Han Dynasty."

"The Wu army flags and banners you see, as well as the equipment and clothing of the Wu people, were all captured from the Wu people."

Zheng Ta, Yao Jing, Li Fu, Zhang Liang, and the others were all astonished and incredulous, so much so that they couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

The Wu envoy, looking resentful, spoke after a moment:
"Although Your Majesty used this strategy to seize Shangyong, you cannot use it to seize Fangling as well."

"Our Great Wu army has already reached the east of Fangling City. I hope Your Majesty will stop while you are ahead and not continue eastward, lest all your efforts be in vain."

Liu Shan smiled:
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency."

"What is your name, sir? Where are you from? What official position do you hold in Wu?"

“I am a lowly man, not worthy of Your Majesty’s concern. Now I have failed to fulfill Your Majesty’s entrustment, causing Shangyong to fall into the hands of Shu. I have no face to see Your Majesty again. I hope Your Majesty will grant me a quick death.”

"You've got guts," Liu Chan said.

He then summoned Tang Zi: "Tang Anyuan, do you recognize this Wu envoy?"

Tang Zi stepped forward to take a look and shook his head: "Your Majesty, I do not recognize this person, but judging from his accent, he should be from Jingbei."

Liu Shan seemed to be deep in thought.

Many of the important officials in the Han court came from Jingzhou, and even without Tang Zi's reminder, he could tell that this Wu envoy spoke with a Jingzhou accent.

After a moment of stunned silence, the Wu envoy reacted and cursed Tang Zi, "Bah! You old traitor, you were originally a dog of Wei, first surrendering to Wu and then to Han, what face do you have to live in this world!"

Tang Zi's face turned red from the scolding.

Upon seeing this, Liu Shan became solemn and composed:
"Tang Anyuan was originally a hero of the East Sea and was very popular with the people of the East Sea. The people of the East Sea hated Wei's greed and tyranny, so they asked Tang Anyuan to lead them in an uprising against Wei. Those who rebelled against Wei were loyal and virtuous people of Han."

"At that time, Sun Quan also claimed to be supporting the Han Dynasty and was willing to join forces with heroes from all over the world to fight against the Wei rebels."

"Tang Anyuan and the troops of Donghai were no match for Wei, but they had done their best. Their determination to rebel against Cao and restore Han is as clear as day."

"Wu wanted to gain Tang Anyuan's support to show the world that Wu was capable of gaining people."

"Tang Anyuan temporarily entrusted himself to Wu, but kept his life to fight against the Han traitors."

"If this is the case, then Sun Quan and Tang Anyuan said that those who sought something have obtained it."

"However, I have heard that before Tang Anyuan was ordered by Sun Quan to go on this western expedition, Sun Quan summoned Tang Anyuan to his tent for a private talk."

"It is said that if they can capture Xicheng and defeat Cao Wei, then the mandate of heaven will be in Wu's hands."

"Emperor Gaozu once made an oath with the feudal lords by cutting a white horse, saying that anyone who was not of the Liu family and claimed the title of king would be punished by all under heaven."

“When Sun Quan received the title of King of Wu from Cao Wei, he was already an enemy of the Han Dynasty and should be executed.”

"Now he even falsely claims that the Mandate of Heaven is in Wu, which clearly shows that he is a traitor to the Han Dynasty and is no different from the traitor Cao Cao."

"Tang Anyuan and his troops in the East Sea have their hearts set on the Han Dynasty. Now they have abandoned darkness and turned to light. They are rebels who have raised an army. What crime have they committed?"

"Furthermore, Sun Quan trusts Bu Zishan and Zhuge Ziyu far more than he trusts Tang Anyuan."

"However, Bu Zishan and Zhuge Ziyu also surrendered to Han after their defeat, and could not die for Wu. How could we expect Tang Anyuan to be a traitor to Han who is blindly loyal to Sun Quan?!"

Tang Zi, a surrendered general who had recently surrendered to the Han Dynasty, once again led the troops of Donghai in the Battle of Shangyong, disguised as the army of Bu Zhi and Zhuge Jin, and made a small contribution to the Han Dynasty. At this time, he was no longer ashamed and finally stood up straight.

Regardless of his previous intentions, now that the emperor has spoken on his behalf, saying that he is wholeheartedly dedicated to restoring the Han dynasty, he will henceforth support the Han dynasty.

Otherwise, wouldn't he really become a mini-Lu Bu?
At least at this moment, after being spoken to by the emperor, he truly felt that what he had been doing all along seemed to be supporting the Han Dynasty.

Once this sense of righteousness is bestowed upon them, they inevitably develop a sense of mission and honor.

Liu Shan caught a glimpse of Tang Zi's change in expression out of the corner of his eye, then shook his head at the Wu envoy:

"Since ancient times, death has been the only hardship. You, my lord, have come alone. You can generously ask to die for Sun Quan and give your life for him."

"However, Tang Shijun, Bu Zishan, and Zhuge Ziyu all have the lives of thousands of people at their disposal. How can they force thousands of soldiers to die for Sun Quan for the sake of their own reputation?"

"Tang banished Jie, and King Wu attacked Zhou."

Is it permissible for a subject to murder his ruler?
"—Those who corrupt virtue are called thieves."

"Those who violate morality are called cruel."

"—Being both thief and cruel, one is called a tyrant."

"I have heard of the execution of the tyrant Zhou, but I have never heard of the murder of a ruler."

“Sun Quan rose to power in the southeast under the banner of restoring the Han dynasty. However, just as the Han dynasty was about to be restored, he broke the alliance and seized Jingzhou. He then submitted to Cao Wei and became a traitor to the Han dynasty. Now he wants to declare himself emperor and establish himself as emperor.”

"They can be described as utterly immoral, devoid of benevolence and righteousness, tyrannical rulers like Jie and Zhou, nothing more."

"Raising an unjust army, waging an unjust war, and attacking innocent lands is the path to destruction."

"Therefore, the defeats of Bu Zishan, Zhuge Ziyu, and Tang Anyuan at Xicheng were not due to any fault in the battle."

"Then the Wu army soldiers knew that their cause was without just cause, so they lost their will to fight. After their defeat, they abandoned the unjust and returned to the righteous, abandoned the unclear and returned to the clear, thus conforming to Heaven and responding to the people."

"Today, Wu's army has more than 10,000 soldiers, who have joined forces with our Han army to recapture Shangyong. Our cause is justified, and everyone has given their all."

The Wu envoy had already been refuted by the Han emperor's words and was at a loss for words. When he turned his head to look at the battlefield in the north of the city, he saw the Wu army's banners fluttering and their formations orderly. He was momentarily stunned.

This land has a long history and too many stories. There are countless examples of war and righteousness, both positive and negative.

Once people have satisfied their most basic needs for survival, food, and wealth, they will begin to seek metaphysical beliefs and ideals to support their behavior.

Even in the Han Dynasty, there were people like Fei Shi who strongly advised the late emperor against becoming emperor.

Sun Quan had neither bloodline nor legal standing, and the internal divisions within the Wu Kingdom regarding his claim to kingship and emperorship were far greater than those within the Han Dynasty.

The Han Dynasty nurtured scholars for four hundred years, and Emperor Xie abdicated less than ten years later. The scholars' belief and ideal of supporting the Han Dynasty, as well as the influence of the name "Han Dynasty," will not fade away so quickly.

Liu Shan quickly noticed the wavering in the eyes of the Wu envoy before him, and said:
"I have something to say, which I entrust to you to deliver to Sun Quan."

“Sun Ce carried out massacres in Jiangdong, causing widespread resentment among the people.”

"When Ce died suddenly, Sun Quan succeeded him and, under the pretext of supporting the Han dynasty and punishing the rebels, brought some peace to the southeast."

"His desire to become emperor is truly laughable."

"Everything has a beginning, but few things have an end. A ruler who rises by this will surely fall by the same means."

Wu's envoy was stunned upon hearing this.

He thought that the Han emperor was telling him these things to persuade him to surrender to the Han.

Now... should we let him go?
What brings you prosperity, will surely bring you ruin?
On the side, Zheng Ta, Yao Jing, Li Fu, Zhang Liang, and other surrendered generals from Shangyong also seemed to be deep in thought.

Before long, General Tianwu saw the Wu envoy off.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Liu Shan never knew the name of the Wu envoy, but he had a vague feeling that this Wu man would be useful to him someday.

The banner of Kuang Han's campaign against the traitors was indeed effective.

The Great Han is using it.

Sun Quan also used it.

At that time, Sun Quan was already subject to much criticism and ridicule when he was appointed King of Wu of Wei.

Now that Sun Quan wants to declare himself emperor, this banner will surely turn against him.

Sun Quan became eccentric and capricious in his old age, a stark contrast to his youth, which was inextricably linked to the inherent flaws of the Wu Kingdom and its illegitimate founding.

After declaring himself emperor, Sun Quan gained nothing of substance except for the title.

In addition, he also offered many benefits and made many concessions to the powerful clans within the country who had been persuaded to ascend the throne, which led to further divisions within their ranks.

To be honest, when Liu Shan first heard from Tang Zi that Sun Quan wanted to seize Xicheng and then declare himself emperor, he really couldn't understand it.

After all, after the victory at the Battle of Yiling, the officials of Eastern Wu had already begun to urge Sun Quan to take advantage of the great victory and declare himself emperor.

But Sun Quan refused.

He said that the Han dynasty had declined to this point, and I could only watch helplessly as it fell into disarray. How could I possibly have the will to fight for the throne?
The ministers of Eastern Wu understood the implication and thought that Sun Quan was playing the trick of declining the offer three times. Then they repeatedly urged him to take the throne, citing auspicious omens and divine mandate.

Unexpectedly, Sun Quan still refused.

He said that last year, when the Shu Kingdom invaded the east, Lu Xun was ordered to prepare for war. If he had accepted the Nine Bestowments and the title of King of Wu from Cao Wei at that time, it would have seemed like he was using Cao Wei's power to defend against Shu, but in reality, he would have been controlled by them.

If he had refused Cao Wei's offer of the title of King of Wu, he feared that it would have angered Cao Pi and led to a simultaneous attack by Wei and Shu, which would have been even more disadvantageous for Wu. Therefore, he temporarily suppressed his original intention to support the Han dynasty and punish the traitors and accepted Cao Wei's title of King of Wu.

See how well said?

The reason I accepted the title of King of Wu of the Great Wei is not because I want to become king, but because I do not want the Wu Kingdom to be attacked from two sides.

Now that the Han Dynasty has reclaimed Guanzhong and returned it to Xijing, the Supreme Emperor of Wu can no longer sit still and insists on declaring himself emperor.

Even with Cao Xiu as his greatest enemy in the north, he still wanted to provoke the Han Dynasty.

If Deng Zhi hadn't made the agreement with Zhao Yun and Gao Xiang to use the missed deadline as a signal, it's uncertain whether the Han Dynasty could have taken the initiative to recapture Xicheng and Shangyong.

Looking in the direction where Wu's envoy had gone, Liu Shan suddenly looked at Zhao Yun and smiled:
"General Zilong, I really want to see if Sun Quan will still insist on declaring himself emperor after this Wu envoy delivers the message to him."

Zhao Yun also laughed:
"Your Majesty, even though Bu Zishan, Zhuge Ziyu, and the two sons Cheng and Huang are all hostages in Han, Sun Quan still does not send envoys to make an alliance with Han to attack Wei. Instead, he sends envoys to Fangling and Shangyong to inform Wei of the news and advocate for Wei."

"In my opinion, Sun Quan's mind is made up to become emperor."

"His plan is that if he manages to win a victory against Wei, he can then ascend the throne and become emperor."

"Or disregard victory or defeat, declare oneself supreme, ally with Wei to attack Han, and use the momentum to force Han and Wu to form an alliance again, and then ransom the Wu prisoners."

"In this way, they not only obtained the false title of the Wu emperor and exchanged it for the Wu prisoners, but also restored the alliance between Han and Wu and jointly attacked Wei, thus restoring the balance of power in the world."

Upon hearing this, Meng Guang scoffed disdainfully: "Hmph, old and absurd!"

Xiangfan.

Han River.

Even though Sun Quan had received news that the Wei army in Jiangxia was already making moves, he still chose to confront Cao Wei in Xiangfan and refused to move south.

Despite the advantage of their naval fleet, Cao Wei's navy was unable to defeat the Wu army.

However, the Cao Wei ships were on the Yu River, where the waterway was narrow and the current was quite rapid, so the Wu army was also unable to do anything to the Wei navy, which was located upstream.

The two sides only engaged in some small-scale battles on land, with each side experiencing victories and defeats.

But none of this will affect the overall situation.

On the day of the autumn rain, the Han River swelled.

The Wu envoy returned by boat to the tower ship.

"Your Majesty... this guilty subject arrived too late, and Shangyong has already fallen to Shu... has been deceived by Shu." Wu envoy Liao Shi looked resentful.

Sun Quan gritted his teeth, placed his hand on the bowstring, and stared blankly at the surging Han River.

Seeing the emperor's trembling fingers and shaking hands, his hair and beard standing on end, Liao Shi felt a sense of trepidation. After much deliberation, he mustered his courage and spoke frankly:

"Your Majesty... This humble subject is incompetent and was captured by the Shu bandits halfway through the journey."

Sun Quan turned around abruptly, his face pale with shock. He first looked Liao Shi up and down, and finally asked, "Why did the Shu people release you?"

Liao Shi of Xiangyang, who was of the same clan as the Han general Liao Hua, bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty... the ruler of Shu is in Shangyong."

"What?!" Sun Quan's hair stood on end, like a sick lion.

"A Dou is in Shangyong?!"

"Shangyong was also captured by Liu Shan's personal campaign?!"

Regarding the possibility that Shangyong might be seized by Shu through deception, Sun Quan has been tossing and turning in bed recently, having already made the worst-case scenario plan, and is therefore still able to endure it.

But now that he heard that A Dou was in Shangyong and had won another victory in his personal campaign, he could no longer remain calm.

"How did you get back? What did A Dou say to you?!"

Liao frowned, but still recounted to Sun Quan everything he had witnessed in Xicheng.

One story is about how Liu Shan dealt with the two generals Zheng Ta and Yao Jing, ultimately causing them to confess their crimes and accept death, thus gaining several thousand troops from Shangyong to serve the Han Dynasty.

Secondly, Liu Shan's final words to Sun Quan, conveyed through Liao Shi, were: "You rose to power by this, and you will surely perish by this."

Sun Quan flew into a rage, his eyes blazing and teeth clenched: "How dare you, you brat!"

Seeing that the Supreme One was so furious, all the soldiers around him who were trying to relieve the troubles couldn't help but turn their heads.

After a short while, Liao Shi advised:
"Your Majesty, the ruler of Shu is no ordinary man. He is exceptionally adept at bewitching people's hearts, as I have personally witnessed. I humbly beseech Your Majesty to temporarily cease hostilities with Shu and first join forces to attack Wei."

"The ruler of Shu once said that if His Majesty were to seek peace, he would return the three counties of Wu, Zigui, and Xiling to Han.

"Then Shu Kingdom is willing to return the Left General, Right General, Cheng Zi, Huang Bing and other generals together."

"You fool, you scoundrel!" Sun Quan roared in fury.

Liao's expression was extremely complex.

The ruler of Shu was able to win people's hearts; he personally witnessed that even traitors admired his virtue.

Now, the Supreme Ruler of Wu, for the sake of a few cities that he may not even be able to defend, is actually abandoning even the most important generals of the country, such as Bu Zhi and Zhuge Jin?!

Even if you're going to put on an act, at least pretend!
Sun Quan seemed to sense something treasonous in Liao Shi's expression, which fueled his anger.

"A Dou is indeed good at bewitching people!"

"I see that you have been bewitched by Adou!"
"Chen Xiu, arrest him and hand him over to the school officials. Interrogate him thoroughly. I want to see if he has any intention of colluding with Shu!"

Liao frowned, but didn't say anything.

The soldiers who were helping him quickly stepped forward and captured him.

He stared at Sun Quan in disbelief, unable to utter another word.

(End of this chapter)