My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 583 The mantis stalks the cicada
The Dao soldiers were the Zhang brothers' most relied-upon military force. They were not only elite but also the most loyal. Moreover, they numbered only ten thousand. Even if only a few hundred or a thousand were lost, it would be enough to make the Zhang brothers feel heartbroken.

After all, it is easy to train soldiers, but it is not something that can be replenished in a short time. There are only so many people in Hanzhong. If the population cannot be expanded significantly, not many elite soldiers can be selected.

Yan Pu saw Zhang Wei's dilemma and advised him again, "Commander, if Jiameng changes, even if we send all the troops, we may not be able to take it back."

Zhang Wei was startled. Indeed, as Yan Pu had said, the importance of Jiameng was self-evident. If his army had mobilized a large force and traveled more than 300 li only to obtain Baishui Pass, he would certainly not be able to explain himself.

Moreover, with only Baishui Pass and no Jiameng Pass, it would be very easy for others to take advantage of it, making it difficult to gain a foothold in Shu.

The saying "a single tree cannot make a forest" illustrates this point.

Thinking of this, Zhang Wei no longer hesitated and immediately made a decision: "What the clerk said makes a lot of sense. I will personally lead the troops ahead, and leave the clerk behind to supervise the main army. The two of us will then meet up inside Jiameng Pass."

Upon hearing this, Yan Pu immediately volunteered, saying, "The Commandant is the commander of an army. How can he lightly abandon the enemy? I request that the Commandant lead the army and let me lead the way."

"No."

Zhang Wei shook his head and explained, "Cha Xian is a follower of my sect and I have many connections with him. We are quite familiar with each other. If it were Gong Cao who went instead, since you two are complete strangers, there might be some unforeseen circumstances. It would be better if I went in person."

After listening to Zhang Wei's explanation, Yan Pu also felt that what the other party said made sense, so he stopped trying to persuade him and said, "The soldiers are also very tired now. Why don't they rest for the night? We can also collect meat in Baishui Pass, steam and boil it, and use it as dry rations tomorrow morning."

Zhang Wei found this reasonable and released Yan Pu, allowing him to leave.

The Hanzhong army rested for one night at Baishui Pass. The next morning, Zhang Wei led the soldiers to collect rations and meat and set off first, while the rest of the troops rested at Baishui Pass for a day. On the third day at noon, Yan Pu led the remaining 7,000 men away from Baishui Pass and headed south.

The defense of Baishui Pass was entrusted to three thousand soldiers from Nanzheng, who used Baishui Pass as a forward base to stockpile and transport grain, military equipment, and other supplies from Hanzhong.

**
On a high slope outside Luoxian County, drums and gongs resounded, and banners blotted out the sun.

Zhao Wei sat astride a tall horse, his black robe fluttering in the wind, and the sword at his waist gleaming coldly.

He wore a gold crown inlaid with jade, his eyes were filled with arrogance, and a smug smile played on his lips. He looked around, his eyes full of an air of dominance over the world.

This personal campaign has been a series of victories, with one battle after another, capturing numerous famous cities in Shu. In just half a month, even Luocheng has fallen. The army's momentum is like a dragon, and the banners are like clouds. Looking at the majestic city walls of Luocheng, Zhao Wei couldn't help but boast: "In this campaign, I defeated Pang Xi at Guanghan, subdued Dongzhou at Fucheng, Huang Quan fled in terror, and Luocheng surrendered without a fight. Now, the lands of the Three Shu regions are all in my hands!"

Zhao Wei was filled with pride, his voice booming like a bell, soaring to the heavens. His advisors and generals bowed and praised him, saying, "General, you are a divine warrior! This time you have brought peace to the people and punished the guilty, so the people have welcomed the royal army with food and drink! Liu Zhang is a child who does not know the will of Heaven and acts against the will of Heaven. He will surely be captured by you, General."

Zhao Wei burst into laughter, his voice echoing around him, drawing the attention of the surrounding armored soldiers.

After laughing for quite a while, Zhao Wei finally stopped, spurred his prized steed down the slope, and slowly entered the city, escorted by his generals. The people of Luocheng lined both sides of the street to welcome him, their faces filled with a mixture of unease and fawning smiles.

Zhao Wei stood tall and proud, accepting the worship of the crowd. His smug expression revealed the demeanor of a powerful and ambitious leader.

Zhao Wei, along with his son Zhao Sheng, trusted advisors Gong Yang and Cheng Ji, and generals Li Yi, Pang Le, Du Yue, and other beloved generals, entered the prefectural capital in Luocheng.

In fact, for most of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Chengdu was not the capital of Yizhou, but merely the capital of Shu Commandery.

Although Chengdu was extremely prosperous, with a large population, a developed economy, and abundant agriculture, the Eastern Han government designated Luocheng, an important town on the Jinniu Road and an equally developed county, as the capital of Yizhou.

The reason for this decision is that Luocheng itself is extremely prosperous and developed, and is a first-class city in Shu, second only to Chengdu. Chengdu itself is the seat of the most quintessential Shu prefecture in Yizhou. In addition, given its status as the prefecture's capital, it is feared that it would be too powerful and difficult to control.

Secondly, Luocheng is a very important place. It is located between Chengdu, the capital of Shu Commandery, and Fucheng, the capital of Guanghan Commandery, and it is situated on the Jinniu Road. This location is perfect for keeping Shu Commandery and Guanghan Commandery in check.

After Liu Yan entered Shu, he moved the capital of Yizhou from Luocheng to Mianzhu, which is the location of the later Mianzhu Pass. After Liu Zhang succeeded to the throne, he moved the capital to Chengdu.

Therefore, at this time, there were prefectures in Luocheng, Mianzhu, and Chengdu in Sichuan. However, the prefecture in Chengdu was the most grand and luxurious, while the prefecture in Luocheng was the oldest and most dilapidated.

Now that Zhao Wei had entered Luocheng, he should rightfully be accommodated in the most prestigious place in the city. Although the Luocheng prefectural government was old, it was, after all, the residence of the governor and prefect, so Zhao Wei naturally had no choice but to accept it.

"Gentlemen, once Luocheng is captured, Chengdu will be within easy reach."

Zhao Wei, looking smug and somewhat languid, leaned back on the armrest and casually said to his trusted generals in the hall, "Once we conquer Chengdu and enter the brocade palace, I will share wealth and honor with you all."

Gong Yang remained indifferent, Cheng Ji seemed both pleased and displeased, while Li Yi, Pang Le, Du Yue, and the others were overjoyed and burst into laughter, praising his achievements.

Zhao Wei didn't care and let them argue. He wasn't annoyed at all; on the contrary, he showed a satisfied smile.

His expression darkened only after the clerk accompanying the army delivered a memorial.

The contents of this memorial were an inventory of the treasury in Luocheng and the military reserves.

Before withdrawing their troops, Huang Quan and Pang Xi transported as much of the grain and military equipment stored in Luocheng as possible to the rear.

Liu Zhang originally intended to block Zhao Wei in Luocheng, so he stockpiled a lot of supplies in Luocheng, including more than 300,000 shi of grain, enough for 40,000 people to use for several months.

But now that we need to retreat, we can't leave all of this to Zhao Wei. The reason we held out for another half month was to rush supplies to the rear.

Fortunately, Luocheng had a waterway that led directly to Chengdu, and the river was slow and calm. Moreover, the boats were all in the hands of Liu Zhang's army, so they managed to transport all the supplies without any major incidents.

After Zhao Wei entered the city, he sent clerks to seal up the treasury and take inventory of the supplies. They found that the city's warehouses had already been completely emptied, leaving only empty warehouses.

Meanwhile, Zhao Wei's army suffered heavy losses. Although they had been advancing rapidly, time had slipped away unnoticed. More than three months had passed since Zhao Wei raised his army in June of the previous year, and supplies had been consumed like water.

Even though Zhao Wei had accumulated a lot of grain and military supplies, they were now almost entirely depleted. If it weren't for Liu Feng's timely intervention, Zhao Wei would have already run out of provisions.

After a moment, Zhao Wei raised his head and slowly said, "However, our food supplies are currently running low, and our military equipment is also in short supply. What suggestions do you all have?"

As he spoke, Zhao Wei's gaze fell on Gong Yang again. He was clearly addicted to eating the rich man's food and was thinking of asking Liu Feng for help again.

Although Gong Yang appeared indifferent, he was inwardly conflicted. On one side was his former benefactor, and on the other was the special favor he had received.

Neither side could make Gong Yang let go.

Although Gong Yang, as a strategist, was only of average talent and could not offer any extraordinary strategies, as a discerning person, he could clearly see how arrogant Zhao Wei had become.

After hesitating for a moment, Gong Yang sighed inwardly and said, "My lord, rest assured, I will set off for Jiangzhou tomorrow to persuade General Zuo to allocate another batch of aid."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wei was overjoyed and praised Gong Yang repeatedly, promising that if the matter succeeded, he would be credited with the greatest merit.

Gong Yang felt increasingly helpless, but to make matters worse, Li Yi, Pang Le, Du Yue and others cast jealous glances at him, which made him extremely distressed and indignant.

As expected, Pang Le couldn't suppress his jealousy and couldn't help but say, "My lord, even if General Zuo is willing to provide further aid, it will only be for the Yuan River. Our army's provisions are insufficient, only enough for a month. The granaries in Dianjiang are almost empty. We haven't gained any spoils this time entering the city, and I'm worried..."

"General Pang is right."

Li Yi also chimed in, "Grain is the heart of an army; without grain, an army's morale will be low. My lord, the most urgent task is to procure grain and fodder. There is always a greater supply of such provisions as military rations."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Wei nodded in agreement and asked in return, "Do you two have any plans for procuring supplies?"

Before Li Yi and Pang Lehai could speak, Du Yue, the King of the Cong, spoke first.

"General, procuring provisions is not difficult at all."

"Oh?"

Zhao Wei looked at Du Yue: "What brilliant idea does Your Highness have?"

"We have traveled through Deyang, Guanghan, Fucheng, and Mianzhu, each of which is a famous city in Sichuan."

Du Yue chuckled: "Especially Fucheng, Mianzhu, and Luocheng, which are right here in Sichuan, are all top-tier cities. Why worry about not being able to procure enough food?"

Taken aback, Zhao Wei didn't understand at first, but Li Yi, Pang Le, and even Cheng Ji and Gong Yang, who had been silent all along, understood.

This guy isn't trying to gather supplies; he clearly wants to raid the city.

"Absolutely not!"

Gong Yang was startled by Du Yue's words and immediately jumped up: "My lord, you raised an army in the name of pleading for the people and cleaning up the prefecture. If you forcibly seize the people's grain, who in Shu, from the gentry to the common people, will support you?"

Zhao Wei's face darkened.

To be fair, Zhao Wei was indeed forced to raise an army by Liu Zhang in the first place.

Liu Zhang suspected that Pang Xi was planning a rebellion, and Zhao Wei risked his life to vouch for him. However, after Zhao Wei rebelled, Pang Xi actually became a pillar of Liu Zhang's side.

Liu Zhang appointed Zhao Wei to govern Ba Commandery. Zhao Wei believed that Ba Commandery was too large and should be divided into three commanderies, which would also provide local scholars with opportunities for advancement.

As a result, Liu Zhang believed that this would strengthen the local power and resolutely refused. However, after the Zhao Wei Rebellion was quelled, Liu Zhang divided Ba Commandery into three commanderies: Baxi, Badong, and Bazhong.

Zhao Wei trusted Wang Shang, but Liu Zhang then undermined his trust by transferring Wang Shang away from Zhao Wei under the pretext of governing the country.

Even so, when Zhao Wei first raised an army, his thought was still to purge the court of corrupt officials. He believed that Liu Zhang had been misled by the treacherous people around him, which had blinded him and led to his policy mistakes.

Zhao Wei's initial idea was to set things right, teach Liu Zhang a lesson after entering Chengdu, and then personally take charge of government affairs, assisting and instructing him.

However, with their unstoppable advance after raising an army, victory came too easily.

Although Pang Xi put up a fierce resistance, he was constantly retreating and did not inflict much damage on Zhao Wei's troops. Although a lot of time was wasted, Zhao Wei and his generals were simply immersed in victory and were not sensitive to the passage of time.

Under such circumstances, Zhao Wei's mindset naturally changed.

Now, Zhao Wei has begun to feel that Liu Zhang is too weak and incompetent to be helped.

Since Liu Zhang is incapable of being helped, what else can Zhao Wei do but take on the responsibility for the sake of the people of Yizhou and for the sake of the posthumous reputation of the late Emperor Liu Yan?
After having this idea, Zhao Wei's mindset naturally changed a lot. A while ago, under the advice of Gong Yang and Cheng Ji, he even took the initiative to rectify military discipline.

The momentum of consecutive victories also swelled Zhao Wei's prestige, and more and more powerful clans came to join him. At the same time, his generals became more obedient, and even Du Yue, the unofficial king of the Ba people, began to obey his summons.

That's why Zhao Wei's army only looted Fucheng. Later, in Mianzhu and now Luocheng, they only forcibly seized a large amount of wealth, and there was no such atrocity as massacring the city.

Therefore, Zhao Wei does indeed want to build up his reputation.

Despite Zhao Wei's high prestige and popularity in Ba Commandery, he wasn't so well-liked in the three commanderies of Shu. Those who came to him these days were mostly lower-class gentry and powerful families, hoping to use Zhao Wei's victory to rise in status.

None of the dozen or so top clans in the three prefectures of Shu—the Zhang, Qin, Li, Yang, Zhai, Zhao (Shu Prefecture), and Dong families—were optimistic about Zhao Wei. Not to mention the main branches, even the collateral branches had few members willing to bet on him.

As a renowned scholar from a prominent aristocratic family, Zhao Wei was all too familiar with the mindset and methods of dealing with such individuals.

This clearly indicates that most of the powerful clans and gentry in Shu (Sichuan) do not have high hopes for them, and are too lazy to even bother with splitting up their bets. After all, even splitting up bets still involves placing them.

Doesn't this mean that Zhao Wei isn't even worth this small cost in the eyes of these powerful clans?
Ever since realizing this, Zhao Wei has harbored an indescribable sorrow and resentment.

Seeing Zhao Wei remain silent, Cheng Ji hesitated for a moment before finally standing on Gong Yang's side and advising, "My lord, now that our army is at the gates of Chengdu, we should extend our benevolence and righteousness to undermine the morale of Chengdu."

(End of this chapter)