Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 320: He has long desired to surrender to the Han; what I did just now was merely a joke!
Zhang Liao did not suspect anything when he read the explanation in the King of Han's letter regarding the reasons for the Han army's eastward march.

Although the King of Qi responded to the King of Han's call and led his troops north to attack Yan in order to fulfill his duty as a vassal state.

But considering his general's illustrious past achievements, Zhang Liao was not at all surprised that the King of Han said he had switched sides halfway and aided Cao Cao in his evil deeds.

General Lü, how could he remain subservient to others for long?
It would be truly frightening if he genuinely offered his full support one day, without anyone turning against him at the last minute.

Moreover, this is a letter from the King of Han, bearing his seal and written in black and white. It is a golden word, and if what he says is false, it will damage the King of Han's prestige when the true news comes later.

Even if one wanted to deceive people with lies, one would usually send an envoy, who would then verbally convey the lies.

Even if the matter comes to light later, it will only result in the execution of an envoy and his punishment for falsely conveying an imperial edict.

Therefore, when Zhang Liao saw the letter from the King of Han, which mentioned the King of Qi's defection, he already believed it to some extent.

The only part he saw was the part where the King of Qi went to assassinate the adopted son of the King of Han. He frowned slightly and thought: General Lü is confused.

Even if our Qi state were to defect and aid Cao, it would only be to provide auxiliary support. After you defect in the north, you could simply restrain the Han army and fulfill your alliance obligations.

Why would you, the dignified King of Qi, risk your life for a traitor like Cao Cao, even going so far as to personally assassinate the adopted son of the King of Han and fight to the death with the Han army?

It’s okay now!
By inviting trouble, we've drawn the main force of the Han army to Qi, and now the King of Han is coming straight for us.

But after all, this was the lord he had followed for many years. Zhang Liao could only sigh in his heart, thinking that if he were in charge of the troops in the north, he would never have fought like this and would never have done something like assassinating the adopted son of the King of Han.

He then continued to look at the letter in front of him and read on.

【.
Therefore, they led their troops eastward.

Destroy Qi!

I believe that the general is brave and unparalleled in the army, and is loyal and keeps his promises, unlike the treacherous and untrustworthy Prince Qi.

It is a pity that you have conquered the world more than ten times, but have never met a wise ruler.

The King of Qi whom I served was a fickle and unreliable man. I treated him with sincerity, forged a marriage alliance with him, and promised him a vassal state as an ally. Little did I expect that he harbored such wolfish ambitions.

They actually aided and abetted the wicked, betrayed their own side in battle, and attempted to assassinate my adopted son. Such an act of treachery is intolerable to Heaven and Earth, and is abhorrent to both gods and men!

General, you are known for your keen insight. How could you not know that the King of Qi's actions are universally condemned?

He humbled himself before Lü Bu, the King of Qi, and joined forces with Cao Cao, the usurper of the state, thus losing his will to restore the Han dynasty and bearing the shame of being remembered in history.
Serving three masters and being cursed along with them will only lead to wasted achievements, empty ambitions, and no great fame throughout the land.

But I am different.

Inheriting the mandate of Heaven, assuming the Han dynasty's rule, sweeping away treacherous villains, and restoring peace to the ancestral temples, we now raise the banner of righteousness in Huainan and extend our great cause to the world!

Gather the loyal and brave men of the nine provinces, recruit the wise and talented from all corners of the world, welcome the emperor, restore the court, revitalize the Han dynasty, and usher in an era of peace!
If the general were to suddenly realize the error of his ways, abandon the darkness and embrace the light, break away from the King of Qi, and return to the Han Dynasty, wouldn't that be following the greater good, conforming to the times, and welcoming the mandate of heaven to bring prosperity to all people?

Now, by offering up Xiaopei and welcoming the Han people into Qi, we have accomplished a great feat. I will submit a memorial to the council of the princes, appoint him as a General of the Palace Guard, and adopt him as my son. In the future, I will bestow upon him a title of king and land, sparing no expense.

I once erected the Golden Terrace in Shouchun, upon which three thousand honored seats were placed, to support loyal subjects of the Yuan family with their wealth.

Three thousand guests grace the Golden Terrace, sharing in the wealth and glory of the entire land!
If you had heard this earlier, why didn't you return sooner?

I will make all the scholars of the world join me in supporting the Han dynasty, enriching the land, and sharing in its glory.

If this is true, then the general's achievements can be compared with those of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing and will be remembered for thousands of years!

But if they remain obstinate, my 830,000-strong army, once it marches out of Shouchun, will be invincible!
Those who oppose me will suffer the same fate as Cao Cao and Lü Bu, be executed by the state, and be trapped in a deadly situation. It will be too late for them to regret it then.

If the general can assess the situation and distinguish right from wrong, he should light a fire tonight as a signal and open the city gates to accept the surrender.

We eagerly await your arrival; do not disappoint me!

Seeing Zhang Liao lower his eyes to read the letter, his expression changing constantly, the generals below the hall all had different expressions. In the end, they all gave Wei Xu a look.

Wei Xu did not refuse and, on behalf of the generals, asked:
"The general also has dealings with the King of Han?"
With a large army pressing in and facing the enemy on the front lines, why has no letter arrived?

Zhang Liao glanced at him, knowing that this was Wei Xu's duty as an inspector, and sneered in response.

"I have long heard that the King of Han possessed the wisdom to stabilize the world and the ability to govern the realm, but now I see that he has only a great reputation."

Since they know of my loyalty and righteousness, how could they betray their lord for personal gain and offer up Xuzhou to seek wealth and honor?

He also said he would take Liao as his adopted son, and in the future grant him a kingship and land, so that they could share in wealth and honor.

joke!

The adopted son of the King of Han is sought after by everyone in the world, but Liao disdains him!

Am I the kind of person who would betray my former master just because I am an adopted son?

Sending this letter will only make you a laughingstock!

As he spoke, in order to prove his innocence and show his true feelings, Zhang Liao did not suspect anything and handed the letter to Wei Xu and others to read.

The speaker meant no harm, but the reader took it to heart!
Wei Xu thought to himself, "That's the adopted son of the King of Han!"
To acquire this status is to rise above others and change one's entire world overnight.

General Zhang, please don't be dismissive! Don't give it to me!
In particular, when he took the letter and read it, he saw that it said that by surrendering the city, he could gain tremendous merit, be appointed as a general, and be adopted by the King of Han, etc.

Wei Xu was captivated by each and every item he read!

Although these promises were made to Zhang Liao by the King of Han, if he were to surrender the city and take the terms promised to him in this letter to ask for a reward or for the King of Han to adopt him as his son, he would probably not be able to get it.

But in the later part, when the King of Han mentioned the three thousand guests on the Golden Terrace, sharing wealth and glory across the nine provinces, Wei Xu had long heard of his great name and felt even more envious, wishing he could enjoy wealth and glory sooner.

Although the incident involving Mao Jie occurred not long ago, which angered the King of Han, he beheaded several nobles on the Golden Terrace.

But in Wei Xu's view, this was purely Mao Jie's stupidity.

No, brother, you're already in the Golden Terrace. You're supposed to be living a life of leisure from now on. Why would you go out and fight? Isn't that just asking for trouble?
The final line, "Tonight we will light the fire as a signal, open the city gates and surrender, and not fail my expectations," stirred Wei Xu's heart, sharpened his gaze, and seemed to indicate that he had made a certain decision.

After the letter was delivered, everyone read its contents. Their expressions varied, and their meanings were unclear.

In front of everyone, Wei Xu snatched the letter, tore it in half, and, with righteous indignation, rebuked him, saying:

"The King of Han is afraid!"

Otherwise, if he launches a massive attack, we will be as vulnerable as a pile of eggs.

Now that we have persuaded them to surrender, they will surely fear Wen Yuan's reputation and power.

Gentlemen, focus on defending the city and do not entertain any other thoughts.

I serve as the eyes and ears of the King of Qi, overseeing all the armies!
"Any soldier in the three armies who dares to speak of surrender will receive this letter!"

Wei Xu: Heh heh, we almost let Zhang Wenyuan become the adopted son of the King of Han.

Everyone was puzzled by Wei Xu's thoughts and was astonished!

"General Wei is truly righteous!"

"Loyalty and righteousness come first, General Wei!"

"General Wei is right, the King of Han must be afraid of General Wen Yuan's reputation!"

"We are all fighting to the death for the State of Qi. Who dares to speak of surrender now?"

"I am willing to live and die with Xiaopei, and do not seek wealth or honor to tarnish my reputation."

"Those who dare to speak of surrender will receive this letter!!!"

Seeing that the generals, who had just been afraid of the Han army's "830,000" troops and were mostly timid, under Wei Xu's leadership, their spirit became fierce and many were willing to die for their country.

Zhang Liao was very satisfied and said to him, "General Wei is indeed a confidant of the King of Qi. With you in charge of the three armies, I have nothing to worry about."

However, once he spoke, everyone's eyes fell on him.

Wei Xu then said, “General Zhang, I do not believe you unless I am Wei Xu.”

The King of Han has long admired your talent, General, and wishes to adopt you as his son, promising that you will surrender the city if you are willing to do so.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao frowned. "General Wei, why say so much? Am I the kind of person who would betray the King of Qi just because I am an adopted son?"

"The general's loyalty and righteousness are also known to Xu."

However, as the adopted son of the King of Han, he was too precious, and talented people from all over the world vied for him.

Let alone General Zhang, even the King of Qi, if he could obtain the King of Han's written promise of the status of his adopted son, might be tempted to offer up the Kingdom of Qi.

With such temptation before you, General Zhang only offered verbal testimony; how can Xu possibly believe you then?

Upon hearing this, how could Zhang Liao not know that Wei Xu was targeting him?

But Wei Xu was rightfully in charge of the greater good.

The King of Han promised to adopt him as his son, but he said he disdained to do so. How could he prove it?
But you can't lay your heart out and show everyone that you're really not interested.

As the military supervisor and a close relative of the King of Qi, it is understandable that Wei Xu would have doubts about what he said.

If he were to say one thing and do another, and then run away at night to surrender the city, then all the generals present and the entire state of Qi would likely be destroyed as a result.

Thinking of this, Zhang Liao finally suppressed his anger and glared at Wei Xu with a displeased expression.

"So, Supervisor Wei, what do you think?"
How could Zhang demonstrate his loyalty and prove that he would not surrender the city for the sake of the title of adopted son of the King of Han?

"General Zhang, please don't get agitated. I'm not targeting you. This is for everyone's sake, for the sake of Qi, just in case."

After all, one should always be wary of others. You are now the supreme commander here. If you are tempted by the King of Han, the consequences will be unimaginable.

There are many such examples, such as Xiahou Dun in Cao Cao's camp and Xing Daorong in Jingzhou. The reason why the King of Han was invincible was that he was most skilled at bewitching enemy generals to defect and surrender.

Gentlemen, what do you say? Is it true or not?

As Wei Xu spoke, he glanced at the group of people whose expressions varied after reading the letter.

Among the crowd, few spoke up for Zhang Liao. Most expressed that in order to protect everyone's lives, safeguard Xiaopei's safety, and maintain Qi's rule, it was necessary to take precautions and prevent General Zhang from surrendering to Han.

Zhang Liao was annoyed by everyone's commotion, feeling both angry and amused.

When did the supreme commander at the front need to prove his loyalty to his subordinates and show that he would not surrender to the Han?
But there's really no way to talk about this, because there are precedents!
Examples like those Wei Xu previously cited, such as Xiahou Dun, Xing Daorong, as well as Yue Jin, Li Dian, and Sun Quan, are too numerous to count on one hand.

When facing the King of Han, confirming the supreme commander's political stance is indeed the most urgent and unavoidable task at present.

Otherwise, no matter how loyal, hardworking, or desperate the people below are, it won't work.

Then, their own supreme commander surrendered, just like Xiahou Dun and Xing Daorong, which was truly unreasonable.

The question of why the general surrendered first while we were still fighting to the death is no longer a joke, but a series of bloody examples.

Therefore, when the King of Han sent him a letter urging him to surrender, and in front of his generals who expressed their determination to fight to the death for Xiaopei, Zhang Liao reluctantly realized that it was indeed necessary to clear his name of suspicion first.

Very well, very well. He just thought that the King of Han was all talk and no action, yet he sent a letter urging him to surrender, using his adopted son as bait, which only makes him a laughingstock.

I never expected to be waiting here!
A mere letter can sow discord among people; once the suspicion against oneself is cleared...

From now on, during the fierce battles of defending the city, the generals must not spare a single thought for whether General Zhang will surrender tonight, whether he will surrender tomorrow, or when he will finally become the adopted son of the King of Han.
Damn it!

Facing the doubtful gazes of his generals, Zhang Liao thought to himself, "This is the pressure of facing the King of Han's personal expedition."
With a deep sigh, he could only smile wryly as he looked at Wei Xu, who now exuded righteousness and unwavering loyalty, and asked:
"At present, the Han army is pressing on the border in a large force, and Liao cannot possibly leave the city to fight, kill generals and raise flags, or kill a few people to pledge their loyalty."

The military supervisor, Wei, thought, "How can Liao demonstrate his true intentions and reassure the people?"

You really have to ask Wei Xu, because he was both a trusted military supervisor personally appointed by Lü Bu and a close relative of Lü Bu.

Among all the generals, only Wei Xu's endorsement and support made everyone believe him.

Wei Xu seemed to have been waiting for this scene, and without hesitation, he smiled and said to everyone:

"It's not difficult to prove General Zhang's loyalty."

Firstly, since the letter has already been torn up, even if General Zhang wanted to surrender, there would be no written proof.

Secondly, if the general stays in his room under our surveillance tonight and does not open the city gates to surrender, he will break his promise to the King of Han, making the King of Han wait all night and thus become disappointed in the general.

The lack of written evidence and the breach of contract are sufficient to reassure the people.

Zhang Liao nodded.

Indeed, simply waiting in the room for one night and breaking the promise made to the King of Han was the simplest and most convenient way to express one's feelings at that moment.

As for the claim that Wei Xu's suggestion was actually motivated by ulterior motives, Zhang Liao never considered that possibility.

He still thought that Wei Xu's actions were all for the sake of monitoring his loyalty in order to help Lü Bu.

After all, the letter of persuasion and the promises made by the King of Han were written to himself, not to Wei Xu, and it did not mean that if Wei Xu surrendered the city, he could become the King of Han's adopted son.

In the letter, the King of Han did not promise Wei Xu any conditions at all, so why would he surrender?

Moreover, Wei Xu was a close relative of Lü Bu and was highly valued by him. He was sent here as a military supervisor to ensure that Lü Bu would not surrender.

If the supervising officer were to lead the surrender, what would be the point of General Lü sending him over?

Therefore, Zhang Liao was completely unprepared for Wei Xu's righteous and awe-inspiring suggestion.

In the hall, when the generals saw that he agreed, they all praised Zhang Liao as "loyal".

That night, Wei Xu was inspecting the army when he saw a general who was terrified of the Han army. He then summoned him to his tent under the pretext of punishment.

His face was full of loyalty and righteousness as he angrily rebuked the crowd.

"The Han army is coming with overwhelming force. We must fight to the death for the city. Why should we be afraid?"

The generals were filled with shame and dared not speak, their heads bowed.

Wei Xu sneered, "You have disrupted the morale of my army. You should be beheaded as a warning to others."

Seeing him draw his sword, the crowd knew he was going to make an example of someone, and knowing they were doomed, they dared to speak out.

"The Han army numbered 830,000, dominating the world; who could rival them?"

“You and General Zhang wish to die for the King of Qi, but we wish to live.”

"The Han army is crushing the enemy, and the fall of Xiaopei is inevitable. Although you are arrogant today, you will die without a burial place tomorrow!"

"Instead of seeking a way to survive, you intend to kill us. This is nothing but a path to death. I will laugh at you from the afterlife!"

Seeing that the generals were emotional and, knowing they were about to die, had spoken their true feelings, Wei Xu immediately raised his sword and brought them down!
With a swift stroke, he beheaded the other men who had begged for their lives and claimed to be loyal to the King of Qi, displaying their heads as a warning to the public.

The generals were astonished!
Facing the astonished gazes of the crowd, Wei Xu smiled and spoke.

"Such a fickle and cowardly person may be sent by Zhang Liao to deliver messages, thus ruining important matters."

Gentlemen, please do not worry.

"They have long desired to surrender to the Han; what I was doing just now was merely a joke!"

(End of this chapter)