Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 281 Cao Rui's Southern Garrison, Lu Xun's Western Arrival

Japan and China.

The emperor's entourage arrived in Xinye.

According to the original itinerary, we could have continued our journey and arrived in Chaoyang County before dusk.

However, the Wei emperor, who was about to oversee the army in Linjiang and Han, unexpectedly issued an edict ordering the troops to stop in Xinye for a temporary rest.

Guo Jian, the magistrate of Xinye and the younger cousin of the newly favored Lady Guo, broke out in a cold sweat and welcomed the emperor to the official temple in the city.

Sunset.

Cao Zuan, the second son of Cao Xiu, who was deeply favored by Cao Rui, and who was known for his good looks and great abilities, entered Xinye with an urgent letter and sought an audience outside the emperor's residence.

"Your Majesty..." Cao Zuan entered, bowed, and spoke nervously.

"Urgent report from Luoyang."

“The Yongnu Defense Assistant Cang Ji and the Regent Guan Jun sent messengers with news… King Zhi of Yongnu passed away on the fifteenth day of the first month.”

As soon as Cao Zuan finished speaking, the air seemed to freeze.

The Grand Commandant Liu Ye, the Commandant of the Guards Xin Pi, the Commandant of the Central Army Jiang Ji, and others who were discussing state affairs with the Emperor indoors looked at each other, quickly exchanged glances, and then lowered their eyelids again.

The name Cao Zhi, the Prince of Yongnu, had long been a sensitive topic that the officials of the Wei Dynasty could not and were unwilling to touch.

Regardless... Cao Zhi, the Prince of Yongnu, was thirty-eight years old at the time. He was a man of great talent and in the prime of his life, yet he died in the cold spring in the desolate and harsh border region of Youzhou, which made the officials sigh in secret.

The past year.

This prince, who was the most likely to win the position of heir apparent during the reign of Emperor Taizu Wu, was disliked by the emperor because of the rumor that "the emperor has died and the ministers are discussing establishing Yongqiu Prince Zhi as emperor." After the emperor retreated from Guanzhong to Luoyang, he was enfeoffed at Sheqiu.

Before he could settle down in Sheqiu, he angered the Great Wei emperor, who had just suffered the pain of losing Guanzhong and was also afflicted by the prophecy of the Luo River drying up, by writing a poem full of resentment called "Joyful Rain," and was exiled to Yongnu again.

Sheqiu and Yongnu are ancient county names.

Although the names of the two counties are ancient, the fact that these two counties were successively applied to this prince and imperial uncle makes it clear to anyone with eyes that the emperor of Wei harbors deep-seated fear and resentment towards Cao Zhi.

As for whether this move would make him seem petty, this unconventional and unpredictable emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty never really cared about the praise or criticism of the people.
Cao Rui gently took the letter, sat there without swaying at all, slowly unfolded the letter, his face showing neither sorrow nor joy.

Cao Zuan stood silently for a moment, and seeing that the emperor remained silent, he added in a low voice:
"Your Majesty, according to the report from the Imperial Attendant and the Regent, after King Zhi of Yongnu was first enfeoffed at Sheqiu, he once climbed Sheshou Mountain, sighed deeply, and had the intention of ending his life there. So he built his tomb on Sheshou Mountain."

"His last wish was that His Majesty would grant him the right to be buried at Snake Head Mountain."

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui's eyelids twitched slightly, but he remained silent.

The last glimmer of light outside the window was swallowed by the twilight.

The attendant, Bixie, silently lit the candles, and the flickering flames reflected two faint points of light in the eyes of the taciturn king.

Cao Zuan hesitated again for a moment, then continued his report, lowering his voice even further:

"Furthermore, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager was overcome with grief and wept uncontrollably upon learning of the death of the Prince of Yongnu in the Luoyang Palace."

"When I left, I was already seriously ill and bedridden."

Upon hearing the news that the Empress Dowager was bedridden, Cao Rui raised an almost imperceptible brow. After a moment of silence, he gave an order to Liu Fang, the Marquis of Xixiang and Grand Secretary, who was standing beside him:

"Drafting the decree."

“Yongnu Wang Zhi, although he made mistakes in the past, was able to restrain himself and act cautiously afterward to make up for his past mistakes.”

"He was also quick-witted and, from a young age until the end, always had books and ancient texts at hand. Such diligence in his studies is truly commendable."

"I hereby issue an imperial edict, in accordance with the last wishes of the King of Yongnu, to bury him at Snake Head Mountain with royal rites."

After a pause, Cao Rui continued:

"It collected the accusations against Zhi by the civil and military officials during the early years of the Huang Dynasty."

"All documents concerning the crimes of Prince Yongnu Zhi, including those concerning ministers and officials below the rank of duke, minister, secretary, and secretary, as well as the documents concerning the Grand Herald Temple, shall be deleted."

"Furthermore, the Dongguan was ordered to compile the rhapsodies, eulogies, poems, inscriptions, and miscellaneous writings of Yongnu King Zhi during his lifetime, and to organize them into a collection. The original copy was kept inside the palace, and copies were sent out to the outside world for scholars to view."

Cao Rui calmly and swiftly handled the funeral arrangements for Prince Zhi of Yongqiu, his voice remaining steady and devoid of any emotion.

The assembled officials, including Liu Ye, Xin Pi, and Jiang Ji, remained silent throughout the entire meeting.

This imperial edict was undoubtedly a simple political statement, intended to demonstrate the imperial family's benevolence and the emperor's appreciation for literary talent, in order to appease those who might have expressed dissent over Cao Zhi's death.

Furthermore, death is a serious matter.

Those records of brothers distrusting each other and rulers and subjects being suspicious of each other will only add to the gossip if left untouched; it would be better to delete them all and put an end to the chaos.

After Liu Fang, the Grand Secretary, finished drafting the edict, he handed it to Cao Rui for review.

The writing was elegant, sorrowful yet not tragic. Cao Rui then took out the imperial seal, stamped it, and handed it to Cao Zuan, his tone softening slightly:
"Desi, the Empress Dowager is ill, and I am deeply worried about her. However, the two rebels, Shu and Wu, are about to clash, and the two traitors, Liu Shan and Sun Quan, are both present. I have inherited the Mandate of Heaven and am the rightful heir. Therefore, I should guard Xiangfan in the south to repel these two traitors and await the events at Yiling and Jiangling."

"I hereby bestow upon you the imperial insignia, and you shall immediately return to Luoyang to visit the Empress Dowager on my behalf, to offer her comfort and to express my filial piety."

"And I hereby issue an oral decree, ordering the Imperial Physicians to lead all the physicians to do their utmost to properly diagnose and treat the Empress Dowager, and to ensure that there are no mistakes."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Cao Zuan bowed and clasped his hands in a deep voice, responding to the order.

Cao Rui nodded and urged, "You should leave quickly."

Cao Zuan put away the imperial edict in his hand, glanced around at the elderly and important officials in the room, and finally strode out of the room.

Silence returned to the room.

Cao Rui remained seated behind his desk, his gaze returning to the military report spread out on it. The earlier interlude concerning life and death, family, and posthumous reputation seemed as if it had never happened.

...

Mianbei.

Fancheng.

The emperor's carriage has not yet arrived.

Grand Marshal Cao Xiu, who had already received the news from the angel, led his relatives Cao Shuang and Qin Lang, along with military advisor Huan Fan and Pei Xuan, the governor of Jingzhou, and more than a hundred civil and military officials, to go out of the city for twenty miles to welcome them.

Cao Rui's gaze swept lightly over the crowd, finally lingering briefly on the no-longer-young Grand Marshal.

The conflict between Jia Kui, the governor of Yuzhou, and Cao Xiu was almost irreconcilable, or rather, Cao Xiu was unwilling to associate with Jia Kui anymore. As a result, he was transferred to Hefei after the New Year's Day grand court assembly to command the armies of Man Chong and Zang Ba, and was not there at the moment.

evening.

The carriage passed through Fancheng but did not enter.

As for Mianbei, Cao Rui stepped down from his carriage, stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the vast Han River and then at the fortified city of Xiangyang in Miannan.

Cao Xiu, Cao Shuang, Qin Lang and other relatives, as well as Grand Marshal and military advisor Huan Fan, and Governor of Jingzhou Pei Xuan, quietly accompanied him.

"Grand Marshal," Cao Rui said, his voice still steady, revealing no emotion.

"You said that in Fangling, both Shu general Zhao Yun and Wu general Pan Zhang have made unusual moves, heading towards Wuxian and Zigui?"

The question Cao Rui asked was about the military report that Cao Xiu had sent to Luoyang earlier. Cao Rui, Liu Ye, Jiang Ji, and others had studied it for a long time, but they couldn't figure it out.

Cao Xiu hesitated for a moment, then finally answered:
"Yes... Your Majesty."

Cao Rui frowned slightly, his gaze still fixed on the city walls of Xiangyang in Miannan:

"In the Grand Marshal's opinion, why did Zhao Yun and Pan Zhang, two traitors, act at the same time?"
"Could it be... that the Shu people have actually breached the river defenses of Wuxian County?"

At this point, Cao Rui smiled sarcastically, clearly amused by his own words, while the assembled ministers remained silent.

Cao Xiu hesitated again, his lips moving slightly, but he ultimately failed to reply immediately.

Cao Rui turned around, his gaze falling on Cao Xiu's face. After scrutinizing him for a moment, his expression showed a mixture of displeasure and surprise, and he pressed him again:

"Why is the Grand Marshal so hesitant? What's the secret? Speak freely."

No sooner had he said this than his sword-like eyebrows furrowed suddenly: "Could it be that something has gone wrong in Fangling?!"

This question, laced with anger, finally made the hearts of the surrounding trusted officials skip a beat, and they broke out in a cold sweat.

"No, Your Majesty!" Cao Xiu quickly shook his head, his tone somewhat hurried.

"It's not that Fangling has a problem, nor is it that our Great Wei territory has a problem."

"It's...it's Sun Quan's western defense line. Wuxian, Zigui, and even...even Linju, are probably all in trouble."

"What?" Cao Rui raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, his face showing an unprecedented level of surprise and doubt.

What happened to the Wu people's western border defense line?
"Could it be that the two traitors of Shu and Wu have actually put aside their past grievances and formed an alliance to jointly oppose my Great Wei?" Cao Rui suddenly looked incredulous and blurted out the first thought that came to mind.

Upon hearing this, Liu Ye, Xin Pi, Jiang Ji, and other important officials standing behind Cao Rui exchanged bewildered glances, but their eyes held more doubt than Cao Rui's surprise.

after all.

Liu Shan had previously remained inactive in Baidi, observing the fierce battle between Wei and Wu for several months without intervening. After Wei and Wu ceased hostilities, he pretended to return to Chengdu, and finally launched a surprise eastern expedition in the first month of the lunar calendar.

This series of actions was clearly planned for a long time, and the possibility of Wu and Shu forming an alliance again can be said to be extremely slim, almost non-existent.

Unless Liu Shan dies suddenly.

But that's nonsense. What really puzzled Liu Ye, Jiang Ji, and other important officials was what kind of major event could possibly happen to Sun Quan's seemingly impregnable western front, which he had painstakingly built up over many years.

When Cao Xiu saw the emperor pressing him for answers, he gestured with his eyes to Cao Shuang beside him.

Cao Shuang understood and turned around to wave his hand behind him.

Soon, several Wei soldiers escorted a middle-aged man who was dressed simply but still looked somewhat disheveled, and whose figure and appearance had typical Jiangnan features, as he stepped forward.

Cao Rui looked at the man, his eyes deep and his brows lowered.

Upon seeing the Wei emperor's green silk parasol, the man was terrified. He immediately knelt down and, speaking in a thick Wu accent, urgently said:

"Reporting to...reporting to His Majesty the Emperor of Great Wei!"

"The sinner... was originally a captain under Pan Zhang, the pseudo-Wu general who pacified the north, and his name was Zhang Liang."

"The Shu general... the Shu general Zhao Yun has already defeated Pan Zhang in the mountains southwest of Fangling!"
"We were originally stationed at Juyuan, more than 30 li south of Fangling, but were forced to retreat by Shu general Deng Zhi and intercepted by Zhao Yun, leaving us with no way to advance or retreat."

"He was unwilling to die for Sun Quan, nor was he willing to surrender to Shu, so he traveled to Xiangfan and sought refuge with the Grand Marshal."

"I beg Your Majesty to grant this sinner the honor of serving you like a dog or a horse!"

“Pan Zhang?” Cao Rui was slightly taken aback, vaguely feeling that the name sounded familiar.

Grand Commandant Liu Ye stepped forward at the opportune moment and whispered a reminder:
"Your Majesty, back then, Sun Quan and Lü Meng broke their alliance and seized Jingzhou from Guan Yu. Later, they presented Guan Yu's head to Luoyang, where Emperor Taizu personally examined it."

"The one who killed Guan Yu was none other than the Wu general named Pan Zhang and his subordinate Ma Zhong."

The captain, Zhang Liang, quickly interjected:

"Your Majesty... Ma Zhong was killed in battle last year in the Wu-Shu War at Xicheng by Guan Yu's son, Guan Xing."

"Now, I'm afraid that Pan Zhang has already been killed by Guan Xing."

Cao Rui was clearly uninterested in the story of Guan Yu's son's revenge, and continued to ask, "How did Pan Zhang lose?"

The captain dared not be negligent and recounted in detail how Pan Zhang received orders from Sun Quan and Lu Xun, how he discovered that Zhao Yun was secretly moving his troops toward Wu County, and how Pan Zhang, relying on his familiarity with the mountainous terrain, led his troops to follow and attempt to intercept them.

Cao Xiu, Cao Shuang, Huan Fan, and others who already knew the news had strange expressions on their faces.

Those who were hearing about this for the first time, such as Cao Rui, Liu Ye, Xin Pi, and Jiang Ji, grew increasingly solemn as they pondered the matter.

Jiang Ji seemed to be unconsciously murmuring:

"Several months ago, Zhongda advised His Majesty that although Zhao Yun was in Fangling, his ambition was not in Fangling, but in Linju and the people of Wu. I did not expect that it would come true now."

Beside him, Liu Ye and Xin Pi both exchanged glances, seemingly lost in thought.

Cao Rui still harbored great doubts as he stared at the Zhang-surname captain:
"Since Pan Zhang dared to follow Zhao Yun into the mountains, how could he be defeated so easily? Even if he was no match for him, there are hundreds of thousands of mountains north of the Yangtze River; where can't he hide? Surely he can find a path to escape back to Linju?"

The captain surnamed Zhang immediately showed fear on his face and prostrated himself on the ground.

"Your Majesty is wise!"
"Later, the sinner received a message from Pan Zhang's close associates who risked their lives to deliver it, ordering us to abandon Juyuan and quickly retreat to Linju to hold the fort."

"The confidant said... the Shu people had already captured Wuxian and Zigui, and... and Zhao Yun had secretly sent people to cut down forests and make way when he first arrived in Fangling, setting up a hundred ambushes specifically for Pan Zhang!"

"Pan Zhang's route back to Linju was blocked by Shu troops from all directions!"

When Cao Rui heard that the Han army had broken through Wu County and Zigui, he was so shocked that he lost his mind and didn't listen to what the Wu man said next.

Liu Ye, Jiang Ji, Xin Pi, and others were so shocked that they were speechless and unable to control themselves.

"The Shu people...the Shu people only set out eastward after the first month of the lunar calendar. Now it's only the second day of the second month, a mere month, and Liu Shan has already led his troops to break through Wu County and Zigui?!"

Jiang Ji, unable to contain himself, asked in a trembling voice.

Over the years, Cao Wei had planted countless spies and agents in Sun Wu. The Cao Wei leadership was well aware of how impregnable Wu County, the gateway to Jingchu, was.

Even the "Diamond of the River" was unknown to many Wu generals and officers, but these Wei leaders knew it very well.

When they left Luoyang with the emperor, no one believed that the Han army could easily break through the defenses of Wuxian River.

Many people even believed that although the Han army's eastern expedition was unexpected, the sinking cone could have blocked the Shu army's warships for one or two months.

Once March arrives, when the spring floods reach their peak and the river swells several meters, with unpredictable and rapid currents, the defenses of Wuxian County become even more impenetrable to the people of Shu.

It should be understood that the reason the cone that sank into the river was set up was to prevent the Han army from advancing eastward by boat when the river was shallow during the transition from winter to spring.

The danger of the iron cone sinking into the river is nothing compared to the true natural barriers of the great river.

Once the Yangtze River enters its flood season, the turbulent waters, the numerous hidden reefs, and the terrifying whirlpools formed by the river's rapids crashing against the rocks—all these natural features constitute the true natural barrier of the Yangtze.

For the Han navy to sail eastward downstream again would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

When Liu Bei launched his war against Sun Quan, he also chose to send troops when the waters were shallow in winter and spring, so that he could quickly annex Wuxian and Zigui and advance to Yiling.

During the spring and summer flood seasons, even though the people of Shu were going downstream, their army of 40,000 to 50,000 men was almost running out of food supplies.

The perilous nature of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River is indeed not something that can be easily overcome by human power.

Now, Liu Shan has managed to do this in just one month, which is simply unbelievable to the people of Wei.

"Could it be... that Pan Jun, the garrison commander of Wu County, has betrayed Wu and defected to Shu?"

Liu Ye finally came up with what he considered a reasonable guess.

This was the only reason he could think of that could cause the defenses to collapse so quickly.

Unexpectedly, the Wu officer shook his head repeatedly:
“That’s not the case!
"When Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi besieged us, they loudly urged us to surrender, saying... saying that Pan Jun, the general of Wu County, had been captured alive and executed, and that Sun Shao, the general of Zhenxi, had also died in battle in Wu County."

"Sun Huan's younger brother, Sun Jun, was captured. Sun Xiu, a distant relative of the Sun clan and the General Who Pacifies Bandits, was lured and forced by the Shu people to capture Pan Jun and surrender the city to Shu..."

One shocking piece of news after another left Cao Rui and his ministers, including Liu Ye, Jiang Ji, and Xin Pi, utterly astonished and bewildered.

Cao Rui's expression changed rapidly.

Sun Quan's western gateway, which he had cultivated for many years, was so easily defeated by the Shu people? Have the Shu people, who once held a precarious position in the west, now transformed themselves and made Wei and Wu unable to even raise their heads?!
"The Wu people in the western border region have... have become so corrupt?" Jiang Ji muttered to himself, still unable to accept the fact that the Shu people were powerful. Instead, he subconsciously thought that it was the Wu people's depravity that caused this.

What about Grand Commandant Liu Ye?
This true descendant of the Eastern Han imperial family, gazing at the surging Han River before him, finally recalled the day nine or ten years ago when Guan Yu flooded the seven armies, his might shaking the land.

He was confused and doubtful.

Could it be that the blood of the Liu family truly possesses such magic, always able to turn the tide in desperate situations?

In the past, Wang Mang usurped the Han throne, and Emperor Guangwu restored it. Now, Cao Wei has usurped the throne... Inheriting the Mandate of Heaven, can Liu Bei and his son Liu Shan truly revive the Han Dynasty like their ancestor, Emperor Guangwu?

That's truly unbelievable.

It was as incredible as the Battle of Kunyang.

Cao Rui remained silent for an unknown period of time before glancing at Cao Xiu, who stood on the banks of the Mian River, with a complex expression.

After the deaths of his relatives and generals such as Cao Ren, Xiahou Yuan, and Xiahou Dun, the arrogant and conceited Grand Marshal had a glint in his eyes, and there was no longer any arrogance to speak of.

Not long ago, he fought against Sun Quan and Lu Xun, winning the battles of Qingni and Canglang but losing after winning. Why should he underestimate the Han army that just defeated the Wu people?
As the Grand Marshal of Cao Wei, he was well aware of all the intelligence sent by spies and agents, and had a deep understanding of the dangers of the Yangtze River and the strategic importance of Wu County.

Honestly, even if he were given 50,000 elite troops, he wouldn't have the slightest confidence in breaking through the Wuxian River Pass with just one force.

If they couldn't even break through Wuxian, how could they possibly capture the three important towns of Wuxian, Zigui, and Linju within a mere month and then besiege Yiling?
It should be noted that the defenses of Wuxian, Zigui, and Yiling along the Yangtze River today are completely different from those encountered by Liu Bei during his eastern expedition six years ago.

The Shu people's achievements in this campaign against Wu are simply extraordinary and unbelievable. Even if Shu Han were to perish in the future, this battle would still be recorded in the history books of the Great Wei Dynasty, just like Han Xin's "Battle with his back to the river," and would be a classic battle that would be passed down through the ages.

Cao Rui gazed at the ever-flowing Mian River at his feet, lost in thought, and somehow, the carriage carried him back to the foot of Fancheng.

Cao Rui looked up and saw the weathered characters "Fancheng" inscribed on the city gate stele, and his heart was filled with inexplicable mixed feelings.

Just now.

A fast horse galloped from the northern official road, kicking up a trail of dust.

The elite guards, however, tried to stop him but instead let him go.

When the knight came close, Cao Rui looked closely and realized that it was none other than Cao Zuan, who had just returned to Luoyang with an imperial decree the day before.

Cao Zuan abruptly reined in his horse, almost tumbling off the saddle, and stumbled to his knees before Cao Rui, his face filled with grief and fear.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! Prince Mu of Fanyang... has unfortunately passed away in the palace!"

"What... what did you say?" Cao Rui was struck dumb, and then his body swayed and he was about to fall.

Meanwhile, Cao Xiu, Cao Shuang, Qin Lang and other members of the imperial clan, as well as Jiang Ji, Liu Ye, Xin Pi and other close and important officials, were all dumbfounded and shocked.

...

Jiangling.

Lu Xun received an urgent summons from Sun Quan and abandoned his troops to arrive first.

"Your Majesty, Linju...has also been captured by the Shu people?" Although Lu Xun knew that Pan Zhang had been defeated and Linju was in imminent danger, he still looked incredulous upon hearing the definite news.

In the dark room.

Sun Quan and Lu Xun, the ruler and his subject, faced each other. Upon hearing Lu Xun's question, they nodded blankly, at a loss for words.

(End of this chapter)