Han family achievements

Chapter 601 I did it

"Liangzhou has not yet been completely pacified..."

Standing on the top of the city wall, Liu Bian looked to the northwest. Although the imperial court had captured Hanyang and Longxi, other places were still in the hands of the rebels, such as Anding, Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, Dunhuang and other counties.

"His Majesty,"

Xun You said respectfully, "Ma Teng is dead, Han Sui fled westward, Song Jian was executed, and there is no major force in Liang Province. It is only a matter of time to pacify it. There is no need to rush. Your Majesty has been away from Beijing for more than half a year, and there are many matters that need to be dealt with urgently..."

Liu Bian turned to look at Zhong Yao, and glanced at Xiahou Yuan, and said, "Mr. Zhong, what do you think?"

Not to mention Xun You and Zhong Yao, everyone in Hanzhong City could see that the Emperor did not want to leave yet.

Zhong Yao's face was serious, and he said, "Your Majesty, it is already October, and it is going to snow. It is cold and icy, so it is not appropriate to send troops. It is enough to leave one general behind."

Liu Bian put his hands behind his back, turned to Xiahou Yuan, and said, "If I ask you to continue to send troops, do you dare?"

Xiahou Yuan knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, give me 20,000 soldiers and horses, which are enough to sweep across Liangzhou and wipe out all the rebels!"

Liu Bian's expression straightened up, and he said in a deep voice: "Then go ahead. Zhang He, Yu Jin, Zhu Ling, and Yu Fuluo will be assigned to you. I want Han Sui's head!"

Although Han Sui was defeated, he escaped and was not executed.

"I obey your command!" Xiahou Yuan said with a face as hard as iron and eyes piercing.

Liu Bian raised his hand to stop Xun You and Zhong Yao from interrupting, stared at Xiahou Yuan, and said: "If we win this battle, I will forgive the past and promote you to a higher position and a title of nobility. If we lose..."

"If I fail, I will die for my country. I will never compromise and let down your grace!" Xiahou Yuan's voice was firm.

Xun You and Zhong Yao watched Xiahou Yuan leave to inspect the troops in silence, feeling heavy-hearted and more or less dissatisfied.

Your Majesty has always been autocratic and self-willed. It's already October and it's still snowing, why is he so eager to send troops?

"What do you think of the prince's performance in the past six months?" Liu Bian paced two steps and suddenly asked.

Xun You knew it was difficult to stop him, so he could only raise his hand and say, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is neither arrogant nor impatient, but is steady and orderly in handling state affairs, which has won praise from both the government and the people."

Liu Bian nodded in agreement and said, "What do you think of the second brother?"

Xun You stopped talking.

Zhong Yao also bowed and said nothing.

The Second Prince has been favored since he was young, far more than the Crown Prince. Now that the Crown Prince is regent, the Second Prince is dissatisfied and causes trouble for the Crown Prince both inside and outside the court.

The Crown Prince remained silent, while the Second Prince continued to push his luck. Many officials in Luoyang City were caught in a dilemma, and were unable to handle many things.

In other words, even if Liu Shao was the crown prince, he might not be the one to ascend the throne in the future.

Liu Bian looked at the expressions of the two men, and said thoughtfully, "Someone in the Shangshu said that the second son should leave the capital and become a vassal. What do you think?"

Zhong Yao knew Xun You would not speak, so he took a deep breath, raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty, I agree, and you are not allowed to return to the capital without an imperial decree."

Liu Bian narrowed his eyes and said calmly, "He is my son. Do you want to separate my flesh and blood from my son?"

Zhong Yao's face suddenly changed, and then he fell to the ground, saying, "I dare not. Your Majesty, the country is the foundation of the Han Dynasty. I beg Your Majesty to understand the disaster of internal strife."

Xun You stood still, feeling terrified.

Liu Bian looked at Zhong Yao lying on the ground, and glanced at Xun You from the corner of his eye. He was silent for a long time, and said lightly: "Get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhong Yao slowly stood up.

Liu Bian turned around and continued to look northwest, saying indifferently: "I have said that from now on, there will be no vassal states, and the princes will not leave the capital or go to vassal states. They can only leave the capital after three generations."

Zhong Yao and Xun You responded silently.

Having said that, it still did not solve the problem of the Second Prince causing trouble in Luoyang City.

After a long while, Liu Bian finally said, "Is Tang Mao in Luoyang? Let him go back to Kuaiji."

Tang Mao, the father of Tang Ji, and the grandfather of the Second Prince Liu Yu.

Zhong Yao and Xun You understood immediately and bowed.

At this time, Cao Cao, Liu Bei and others also came up. They already knew that Xiahou Yuan was selecting his troops and generals, preparing to continue the expedition against Han Sui.

"I have made up my mind, no need to say more,"

Without waiting for them to speak, Liu Bian turned around, looked at them and said, "Before I left the capital, I made it clear that I would not return to the capital until the Three Qiang were annihilated."

Everyone was unable to utter the words that were on the tip of their tongues, not knowing how painful it was.

Liu Bei couldn't help himself, and when he opened his mouth, he heard a burst of hurried footsteps behind him.

Looking back, he saw Zuo Li from the Huangmen Beisi Prison and couldn't help but frown.

No one in the court or the country likes Zuo Li, and they hate Huangmen Beisi Prison even more.

Zuo Li came up to Liu Bian, saluted cautiously, and then handed him a letter.

Liu Bian half-closed his eyes, stretched out his hand to take it, and read it carefully. He couldn't help but grit his teeth secretly, looked up at Cao Cao, Liu Bei and others, and said: "You all should immediately formulate strategies and tactics for Xiahou Yuan. We must not repeat the same mistakes. We must move forward courageously and wipe out Han Sui for me and pacify Liangzhou!"

Cao Cao seemed to see something from Liu Bian's face, raised his hand and said in a deep voice: "I obey your order!"

Liu Bei, Xu Shu and others could only follow, but they were confused and puzzled.

After everyone left, Liu Bian handed the letter in his hand to Zhong Yao.

Zhong Yao took it and looked at it carefully, with a look of surprise and joy, and said, "Then, Liu Zhang, are you really willing to surrender?"

Xun You followed and finished reading. He thought quickly in his mind and said excitedly, "It is very likely! The imperial court has won many victories and has a strong army. Now that Liangzhou is about to be pacified, only Yizhou is left. Liu Zhang cannot fully control Yizhou. The three factions have been fighting for many years. If the imperial court sends troops, Liu Zhang may find it difficult to gather troops to resist. Surrendering may be the only way to survive!"

Zhong Yu suddenly came to his senses, raised his hand and said: "Your Majesty is wise! I was confused before, please forgive me!"

Xun You also woke up in shock and said quickly: "The purpose of conquering Han Sui is to intimidate Liu Zhang. It is the best strategy to defeat the enemy without fighting. I failed to appreciate your majesty's foresight. I am ignorant. Please punish me, your majesty!"

Liu Bian waved his hand and said, "Alright, we are the only ones who know about this matter. Don't spread it out, to avoid causing more trouble."

Zhong Yao and Xun You raised their hands and said, "We understand."

Liu Bian looked towards the northwest again. Now, he just had to wait for Xiahou Yuan to defeat Han Sui and deal a heavy blow to Liu Zhang and others, forcing them to surrender.

If Liu Zhang did not surrender, it would take several more years for the imperial court to recover enough strength to launch an attack.

At this point, Xun You, Zhong Yao and others had already realized that the target of the Emperor's personal expedition was not the Three Qiang but Yizhou.

The expedition to Liangzhou was real, and the fundamental purpose was to force Liu Zhang and others from Yizhou to surrender!

Perhaps, this plan had already started when Guan Yu stationed his troops in Wuling County and Huang Zhong was stationed in Hanzhong.

Zhong Yao looked at Liu Bian's back and couldn't help but sigh in his heart that this emperor really had far-reaching plans.

On the other side, Cao Cao, Liu Bei and others were formulating strategies and tactics for Xiahou Yuan.

It is not easy to send troops in winter, and to march hundreds of miles is a huge test for the Han army. It is more difficult than ever to complete the task assigned by His Majesty the Emperor.

Xiahou Yuan still left Hanzhong and headed straight for Jicheng with a group of generals.

Ever since Xiahou Yuan left Hanzhong, Cao Cao, Liu Bei and others could hardly sleep at night. They kept an eye on the situation, waiting for news and making various tactical and strategic adjustments.

Compared with them, Zhong Yao and Xun You quietly turned their attention to Yizhou.

They used various relationships and means to put pressure on Liu Zhang and others at various stages.

Guan Yu conducted a large-scale military exercise in Wuling County, making full preparations to send troops to Xichuan at any time.

But Xiahou Yuan soon ran into trouble.

In the war room, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Xun You, Xu Shu, Kuai Liang, Huang Zhong and a large group of people stared at the sand table and kept analyzing.

Kuai Liang said: "The government troops have successively pacified the Qiang and Di tribes. General Xiahou's methods are explosive and he often exterminates the tribes. This has aroused fear among the Qiang, Di and other ethnic minorities. It is not surprising that they have surrendered to Han Sui and fought against the heavenly soldiers together."

Xun You looked at the Changli flag and said solemnly, "Xiahou Yuan's surprise attack and burning of grain and grass is a brilliant move, but Han Sui has been operating in Liang Province for many years, and with the support of various ethnic groups, even if a granary is burned, it is not enough to shake Han Sui's military morale. There are 60,000 men, while Xiahou Yuan only has 20,000. I think it is better to dig trenches, defend instead of attack, and wait for the opportunity."

Liu Bei nodded in agreement and said, "Mr. Xun is right. We cannot fight head-on, and we cannot withdraw our troops. We should stand firm for now and wait for reinforcements to arrive. Only then will we have a chance to win."

Xu Shu glanced at everyone present and said calmly, "General Xiahou, I'm afraid we won't be able to wait until spring."

Liu Bei was startled, looked up at him, and then understood instantly.

It’s not that Xiahou Yuan can’t wait, but that person can’t wait.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but frown and look at Cao Cao.

If we move our troops hastily and suffer defeat, the current favorable situation may be reversed.

Cao Cao naturally understood, and ignored Liu Bei's gaze, but remained silent.

Xun You was very clear that this battle must be won, and a great victory. He stood up and said to Cao Cao, "Grand Marshal, I will advise His Majesty on this point. However, Xiahou Yuan must not lose. This is the bottom line. We must try our best to win. Grand Marshal, please be clear."

Cao Cao had no idea what Liu Bian was planning, and felt a lot of pressure. He asked, "Lord Xun, can I leave Hanyang and lead the troops myself?"

Xun You's pupils shrank slightly, and he smiled and said, "Grand Marshal, please don't move for now. Han Sui is just a chicken. Grand Marshal, just sit still and win the battle a thousand miles away."

Cao Cao knew that Xun You was wary of him, and so was His Majesty.

Feeling helpless, Cao Cao could only say, "Okay."

Xun You, Liu Bei and others nodded, turned around and left quickly.

After Xun You left, Liu Bei said with a serious expression, "Lord Cao, my opinion is that we should send more troops. Even if there are some disturbances everywhere, as long as Han Sui is pacified, the other rebellions can be easily stopped."

Xu Shu heard Liu Bei say this and quickly followed up, saying, "Lord Cao, I suggest that even if we cannot send more troops, we should still make a show of strength."

Cao Cao looked at the flags on the sand table with a hard face and said, "What I am worried about now is that Xiahou Yuan may not wait for our order."

Liu Bei was shocked and asked, "Will he mobilize his troops without authorization?"

Cao Cao said, "He is going to the battle under penalty of perpetration. If he stops at Changli, he will surely draw the wrath of the government and the public. Moreover, the battlefield is unpredictable. Once an opportunity to fight arises, he will have no choice but to wait for our order."

Liu Bei looked silent and looked at Xu Shu. Xu Shu's eyes were like swords. He followed Cao Cao's gaze and looked around on the sand table. He had a bad feeling in his heart and said, "Grand Marshal, the Qiang, Di and other Hu tribes in various parts of Liangzhou were frightened by the government troops. In fear, they swarmed to Han Sui. General Xiahou seemed to be confronting 50,000 or 60,000 troops, but in fact he was surrounded by rebels. Winter is coming, so it is better to be safe."

Cao Cao had a blank expression on his face. He pulled up Changli's flag and said, "Send a letter to Xiahou Yuan and tell him to act when the time is right."

Liu Bei, Xu Shu, Sima Lang, Huang Zhong and others looked at each other in bewilderment. The words "act when the time is right" were too vague, and it was as good as not writing the letter.

As Cao Cao had expected, Xiahou Yuan did not have time to ask for instructions from Hanzhong. Despite facing Han Sui's tens of thousands of troops, he still boosted morale, found the right opportunity, and led Zhao Yun, Yu Fuluo, Zhang He and others to beat drums and advance, launching a fierce attack on Han Sui's camp.

No frills, just a fierce attack.

The battle lasted from day to evening, and the final result was that Xiahou Yuan won a great victory and Han Sui was defeated.

After cleaning up the battlefield, Xiahou Yuan continued to chase Han Sui all the way from Hanyang to Jincheng, from Jincheng to Wuwei, and even fought his way into Zhangye and Jiuquan. He fought for more than a thousand miles and was invincible.

By the time Hanzhong received the news, it was more than half a month later.

Liu Bian slammed the table excitedly, and shouted to the civil and military officials below: "Xiahou Yuan! Xiahou Yuan! In this battle, he won the first merit, and he will be granted a title of marquis and a fief of 1,000 households! He will be promoted to General of the Left, and in charge of the military affairs of Liang Province... Grand Marshal, if you have anything else, continue to reward!"

Cao Cao looked at Liu Bian who was so excited and raised his hand and said, "Your Majesty, Xiahou Yuan has made meritorious contributions despite his crime. Even if he wins a great victory this time, he will not be rewarded or punished. It is not appropriate to reward him so heavily."

Liu Bian's face flushed, and he waved his hand, saying, "We have to reward you. Zhong Qingjia, you write a letter to the Shangshutai and order them to draft a detailed reward for the meritorious soldiers. If the national treasury is not enough, my inner treasury will provide it. You must reward them generously!"

Zhong Yao and Xun You understood the reason for Liu Bian's excitement and raised their hands and said, "I accept your order."

Seeing this, Liu Bei was filled with envy.

His second brother was also a powerful general of the time, but unfortunately, he did not participate in this battle, otherwise his contribution would not be less than that of Xiahou Yuan.

Liu Bian's chest was heaving, his eyes were sparkling, and his hands were still tapping the table. After a long while, he suddenly said in a deep voice: "Liu Bei, I order you to lead Huang Zhong and Guan Yu, lead 50,000 troops, and send troops to Yizhou immediately!"

Before he finished speaking, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Xu Shu and others all changed color.

It was already a stretch to send troops to Liang Province in the middle of winter. Although Liang Province has won a great victory, it still requires the investment of countless money and food. Now, an army of 50,000 is being mobilized to attack Shu. Is Your Majesty so overwhelmed by the victory that he has become confused?

Zhong Yao saw the expressions of Cao Cao, Liu Bei and others, and spoke first without making any noise: "Lord Xuande, do you still not receive the order?"

Liu Bei was filled with doubts. Looking at Zhong Yao's calm expression, he could only stand up slowly and said, "Your Majesty, I obey your order."

Cao Cao, Xu Shu, Sima Lang and others frowned, each with a different look on their face.

They all sensed that something was not right, but they couldn't tell what.

It is understandable that Your Majesty was overwhelmed by excitement, but why did Zhong Yao and Xun You not advise him but instead help him?
Could it be that something has changed in Yizhou?
Even if there are changes in Yizhou, we should not send troops in the middle of winter.

Yizhou is completely different from Liangzhou. Yizhou is mountainous and dangerous, with many strategic passes. It is truly a place where one man can block the passage of ten thousand. Sending troops in the middle of winter to fight a decisive battle on the plains is fine, but are we going to ask the soldiers to attack the fortress tremblingly?

Winter clothes are a big problem.

Snapped

Liu Bian sat at another table and said loudly, "It's settled. Grand Marshal, immediately formulate a tactical strategy and send an order to Guan Yu, ordering him to send troops first and advance westward from Jingzhou."

Cao Cao couldn't figure it out, but he knew Liu Bian had some plans, so he raised his hand and said calmly, "I obey your order."

Liu Bian's face was straight, his eyes were wide open, and he glanced at the people present one by one. He couldn't help laughing and said, "Gentlemen, this is the last battle! It will be recorded in history for thousands of years, and we will also be recorded in history for thousands of years. I hope that you will work together and live up to my expectations!"

"I will receive the order."

All the civil and military officials raised their hands.

The city of Hanzhong was in an uproar.

Meanwhile, Xiahou Yuan, with his large army, was still pursuing the enemy to the north, sweeping across the rebellions in Liang Province, covering a distance of more than 1,800 miles.

Such results and tactics have not been seen for more than a hundred years. Naturally, it was an enormous shock to the Han Dynasty, as if they had seen the grand scene of Huo Qubing going deep into the desert and Gobi and chasing the Huns for more than 2,000 miles.

The Han people were naturally jubilant, but for Yizhou, it was like a heavy blow, causing countless people to have difficulty breathing and sleepless nights.

There were three factions in Yizhou: the court faction headed by Sima Yi and Fa Zheng; the 'Liu faction' headed by Liu Zhang, Li Yan, Wu Yi and others; and the Yizhou 'local faction' headed by Xu Jing and Dong He.

But with the court's great victory in Liang Province, Yizhou would become the next and final target of the court to quell the rebellion. At the great discussion, the three factions were collectively silent.

Privately, the three factions kept in frequent contact and discussed various possibilities, with 'submission to the court' being the highest term.

The court faction naturally tried its best to persuade them to surrender, and the local faction just went along with them. Only Liu Zhang's faction, or the team left behind by Liu Yan, had an ambiguous and hesitant attitude.

Given the current situation in Yizhou, it is almost impossible to resist the heavenly soldiers. Not to mention that the imperial court has a strong army and is on the verge of a strong offensive, the numerous factions within Yizhou and the inability to coordinate are a big problem.

Over the years, Liu Zhang has been in an illegitimate position. Even though he has inherited a lot of power from Liu Yan through some means, he is restricted in every way by the operation of the court. Now the number of troops he can mobilize does not exceed 50,000 at most.

How can we defend such a large Yizhou from both the north and the south?
Once the imperial army attacks, countless people will surrender and lead the soldiers to Mianzhu.

Sima Yi was very busy, shuttling back and forth between the two factions and meeting Liu Zhang several times a day.

Time passed little by little in the anxiety. When the imperial army was ready and officially sent out, the people of Mianzhu, who were facing enormous pressure and had not yet reached a consensus, received a huge piece of bad news.

Han Sui died, and his men surrendered to the court with his head.

The complete pacification of Liangzhou led to completely different reactions from the three factions in Yizhou.

Before, it was Sima Yi who went to find Liu Zhang, but now it was Liu Zhang who met Sima Yi seven or eight times a day. The negotiations, both overt and covert, were progressing at an unprecedented speed.

The third day of the first lunar month in the seventh year of Jian’an.

Sima Yi rushed to Hanzhong and handed over Liu Zhang's handwritten letter.

After reading it, Liu Bian handed it to Zhong Yao, Xun You and others.

Zhong Yao was the first to finish reading it. He stared at Sima Yi with a serious face and said, "You mean, Liu Zhang is willing to surrender, but he doesn't want to go to the capital and hopes to be a governor."

Sima Yi raised his hand respectfully and said to Zhong Yao, "Yes. He said that he did not want to be involved in military power and only wanted to stay alive."

After reading it, Xun You, despite all his big words, could not hide his embarrassment of being afraid of death. He shook his head, handed the letter to Cao Cao, and said to Sima Yi, "Do you agree?"

Sima Yi said quickly: "I dare not. I have received Liu Zhang's personal promise, so I came to see Your Majesty with trust."

Cao Cao watched Liu Bian's expression from the corner of his eyes, and he had already understood most of it. He said to Liu Bian calmly: "Your Majesty, Liu Zhang is a weak and incompetent man. If he surrenders, you might as well send him to Jingzhou and make him the governor for life. It doesn't matter."

After reading it one after another, the others shook their heads in disdain towards Liu Zhang and agreed with Cao Cao's proposal.

If he could recapture Yizhou without bloodshed and be given the title of prefect, that would be a huge profit.

Liu Bian took in everyone's expressions, slammed the table, and said loudly: "Yi Ren, the governor, underestimates the Han Dynasty. Sima Yi, tell him that if he surrenders, he will be given the title of governor of Yizhou and stay in Chengdu forever!"

Everyone looked slightly startled, but soon returned to normal.

Many years ago, the governors were local emperors who held all the power in their hands. Now, the governors only have civil affairs but no military power.

If Liu Zhang was really given the title of Governor of Yizhou, I'm afraid he wouldn't even be able to take charge of the people's affairs and would be just a puppet.

Sima Yi waited for a while, and seeing that no one objected, he immediately said, "I obey your order!"

As everyone watched Sima Yi's back, their emotions gradually became more and more excited. If they had not been completely settled, they would have congratulated Liu Bian.

Liu Bian hesitated for a moment and said, "Once Liu Zhang surrenders, Liu Bei, you will lead Huang Zhong, Zhu Ling and others to lead 30,000 troops into Shu. Zhong Yao, Xu Shu and Kuai Liang will follow the army to thoroughly reorganize Yizhou. Huang Zhong will be temporarily appointed as the Lieutenant General of Yizhou. The seat of Yizhou will be changed to Chengdu. Lu Yu will be transferred to be the governor of Chengdu, and Sima Yi will be promoted to the right chancellor of Luoyang Prefecture. The other meritorious officials will be commended in detail by the Shangshutai and the Grand Marshal. After returning to the capital, they will be rewarded according to their merits."

"We obey your command." All the civil and military officials present bowed down, unable to conceal their excitement in their voices.

Liu Bian looked at the group of people and was also filled with emotion and excitement.

Yizhou is the last piece of territory of the Han Dynasty, and this piece of territory needs to be completed.

Ten days later, on the city wall of Hanzhong.

Liu Bian looked in the direction of Yizhou, with his hands behind his back and clasped together, feeling uneasy and nervous.

Zhong Yao and Xun You behind him also looked out, their emotions fluctuating.

Today, it is time for Sima Yi to respond.

After an unknown amount of time, Liu Bian said softly, "I have been on the throne for more than ten years, right?"

Zhong Yao continued, "Your Majesty ascended the throne in the sixth year of Zhongping, and now it is the seventh year of Jian'an, a full thirteen years."

Liu Bian couldn't help but take a long breath and said with a little emotion: "Thirteen years...has it been that long?"

If he hadn't counted carefully, Liu Bian would not have noticed that thirteen years had actually passed.

After all the hard work and dedication, we have finally arrived today.

Xun You couldn't help but stroke his beard, his eyes dazed and melancholy.

Back then, he was a subordinate of General He Jin's Mansion and was promoted to the position of Yellow Gate Assistant Minister. He never thought that today he would be one of the Three Dukes and witness with his own eyes the process of the Han Dynasty's rise from decline to prosperity and the restoration of the world!

Huangfu Jianchang, who was standing aside, was chewing an apple and looking up at the sky.

The first thing he thought of was the experience when he was almost beaten to death by Liu Bian on the street.

Although it was a misunderstanding, it was also the moment that changed his destiny.

The dissolute Second Master Huangfu embarked on a path he had never imagined, made great achievements, and won a title for the Huangfu family. "Two marquises from one family", what an honor.

"Time flies so fast..." Huangfu Jian stopped talking and looked at the white hair at his temples. Thinking carefully, he was almost forty years old.

These years have passed so quickly, as if they were just a blink of an eye.

"coming!"

Suddenly, Zuo Li let out a sharp scream, waking everyone up.

I saw a horse with a flag with the Chinese character "Han" on it galloping over. Before it reached the door, it shouted, "Liu Zhang surrenders! Liu Zhang surrenders!"

Xun You, Zhong Yao and others raised their hands to Liu Bian and shouted, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, the Han Dynasty has been unified. Your Majesty is mighty, and the Han Dynasty is mighty!"

As they bowed, the civil officials, military officers and soldiers around them followed suit and shouted in unison: "Congratulations, Your Majesty, the Han Dynasty has been unified. Your Majesty is mighty, and the Han Dynasty is mighty!"

The voice was so passionate that it filled Hanzhong and reached the sky.

Liu Bian stood facing the wind with his hands behind his back, his eyes looking at nowhere, and there was only one voice in his heart: I did it!
(End of this chapter)