Jinting Han people

In the mid-November, Liu Xian was not the only one busy with official duties.

Inside Chengdu, atop Wudan Mountain, thirty-two-year-old Li Xiong, dressed in a fox fur coat, strolled through the palace gardens. It was a snowy day; sleet drifted down, splashing like raindrops onto the lush bamboo groves on the hillside. A gentle west wind still caused the bamboo to sway, creating a soft, rustling sound like waves. Looking out, the entire city of Chengdu stretched out before him. After more than half a year of wind and rain, the city was adorned with red decorations and festive cheer, a testament to the enduring scars of past battles.

Liu Xian's news came a little too late; Li Xiong had already established his kingdom in Chengdu more than half a month ago.

On the last day of October, after being recommended by generals such as Yan Yu, Yang Xiang, Yang Gui, Fei Tuo, He Shi, and Zhao Su, Li Xiong, presided over a grand ceremony on the banks of the Jinchuan River in the southern suburbs of Chengdu, formally offered sacrifices to Heaven, announced the establishment of the Chengdu Kingdom, and ascended the throne as the King of Chengdu.

At the grand ceremony, Li Xiong first offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, then posthumously honored his great-grandfather Li Hu as King Huan of Ba Commandery, his grandfather Li Mu as King Xiang of Longxi, his father Li Te as King Jing of Chengdu, and his mother Luo as Queen Dowager. He then posthumously honored his uncle Li Fu as King Lie of Qi, his uncle Li Xiang as King Wu of Liang, his uncle Li Liu as King Wen of Qin, and his elder brother Li Dang as Duke Zhuangwen of Guanghan. This was to commemorate and remember the arduous history his family had endured over the past century in their efforts to establish the state.

Afterwards, he bestowed great titles upon his meritorious officials. In the outer court, he appointed his uncle Li Xiang as Grand Tutor, his half-brother Li Shi as Grand Protector, General Li Li as Grand Commandant, his cousin General Li Yun as Minister of Works, General Li Huang as Minister of Agriculture, and General Li Guo as Grand Chancellor. These six men held high positions and great power, and were also members of the imperial clan. They all held military power, hence they were collectively known as the Six Dukes.

Within the inner court, he appointed Yan Yu as Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Yang Bao as Left Vice Minister, Yang Xiang as Right Vice Minister, Yang Fa as Attendant-in-Ordinary, Yang Gui as Minister, Yang Hong as Governor of Yizhou, Xu Yu as General Who Guards the South, and Wang Da as Military Advisor. These individuals together formed the central government of the Chengdu Kingdom, providing strong support for the Li family's campaigns. Even when the Li family faced perilous situations several times, they remained steadfast in their loyalty.

Finally, Li Xiong accepted the congratulations from civil and military officials and the people of Chengdu, and announced a general amnesty, declaring that all those sentenced to death within the territory had been pardoned, and changed the era name to Jianxing. He also abolished all Jin laws and made a seven-point agreement with the elders: those who kill will be put to death, those who injure or steal will be punished, those who are unfilial or disobey their superiors will be exiled, and those who rebel or flee to Jin will have their entire family executed.

Thus, after five years of arduous struggle, the Li family of Lueyang finally reaped the rewards of the first phase of their efforts.

At this time, the Chengdu Kingdom encompassed eight prefectures: Shu, Wenshan, Xindu, Guanghan, Zitong, Baxi, Jianwei, and Hanjia. It basically covered all the most valuable areas in the Bashu region, with 190,000 households and nearly one million people under its jurisdiction, and could mobilize 100,000 troops.

Among the army were nearly 30,000 refugees who had migrated south from Yongzhou and Qinzhou. They had followed the Li family since the chaos of Qi Wannian's rebellion and remained there to this day. During this period, they successively defeated the armies of five provinces: Yizhou, Liangzhou, Jingzhou, Ningzhou, and Yongzhou. They were truly elite warriors who had fought countless battles and made great contributions to the establishment of the Li family's state. They were known locally as the "Old Soldiers of the Western Barbarians."

Such a force can be described as dominating a region, and no one in the world dares to underestimate it.

But Li Xiong, the King of Chengdu, understood that becoming king did not mean the end. Life is like rowing against the current; if you don't move forward, you fall behind, and the same applies to a power. The Li family had now reached a crossroads. If handled properly, the Li family's power would continue to expand, and it might even replace the Jin dynasty. But if they made the wrong choice, they might stop here, or even face the crisis of extinction.

Strategically speaking, Chengdu is still surrounded by enemies from the east, south, and north.

To the east was his old rival, Luo Shang. Although Luo Shang was a defeated general of Li Xiong, he was quite resilient. Even in adversity, he maintained his determination to fight back and never gave up despite defeat. At this time, although he had lost Chengdu, he still occupied seven counties: Yuexi, Zhuti, Zangke, Jiangyang, Bajun, Badong, and Fuling, and commanded about 40,000 remnant troops.

Although his forces were not large, he occupied the strategic terrain of Ba and had the support of Liu Hong, the governor of Jingzhou, behind him. He was not short of food and supplies for the time being, so it would obviously not be an easy task to conquer him head-on.

The enemy to the south was Li Yi, the governor of Ningzhou. Ningzhou, encompassing five commanderies, was formerly known as the southern, undeveloped lands, and was insignificant during the Han Dynasty. However, after decades of development by the Shu Han and Western Jin dynasties, its control had grown considerably. Now, it comprised 110,000 households, 58 large tribes, and nearly 600,000 people, with a force of almost 50,000 troops, making it a formidable foe.

He and Luo Shang were comrades-in-arms during the conquest of Wu, and their relationship was extremely close, to the point of being inseparable. The reason why Luo Shang was able to fight repeatedly despite repeated defeats was because of Li Yi's support; when food was lacking, supplies were sent, and when troops were lacking, reinforcements were sent, which led to the stalemate.

Fortunately, in the past two years, Li Yi's excessive conscription in Ningzhou caused discontent among the local powerful clans, leading to internal strife. First, Li Rui, Mao Shen, Li Meng, and others responded to Li Te's call, and later, Yu Lingcheng, the chieftain of the Wuling Yi tribe, incited the Yi soldiers, a matter that remains unresolved. This chain reaction allowed Li Xiong to seize the initiative in the war and successfully capture Chengdu.

Recently, Li Xiong received news that Li Yi had been fighting for a long time without success and had instead contracted an epidemic. He had been unable to see anyone for more than a month, which was a sign that he was not long for this world. Perhaps it wouldn't be long before they heard the news of Li Yi's death.

Therefore, from the east and south, Chengdu might have to put in a lot of effort to expand its territory, but it would be more than capable of protecting itself.

What Li Xiong cares about most right now is news from the north.

"Your Highness?"

"Oh, Mr. Yan has arrived."

As Li Xiong was lost in thought, the guards led in a man. He was about forty years old, with a robust appearance and a beautiful beard. This man was named Yan Yu, courtesy name Yuanshi, and was from the Yan clan of Tianshui, a relative of Yan Ding.

Unlike Yan Ding, Yan Yu came from a collateral branch of the Yan clan and was not well-known in his early years. However, he possessed exceptional vision and ambition. During the chaos of Qi Wannian's rebellion, he met the Li brothers and recognized their potential as powerful rulers. He immediately dispersed his family fortune and accompanied them to Shu. Now, a veteran of three reigns, he remained unaffected by factionalism and was highly valued by Li Xiong, who appointed him Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. Furthermore, Yan Yu was responsible for Li Xiong's founding ceremony.

Yan Yu was an extremely cautious person. At this moment, although Li Xiong was alone in the courtyard with only a few guards, he still respectfully rose to perform the grand ceremony.

Seeing this, Li Xiong smiled, helped him up, and said, "Sir, there's no need for such formalities. We Di people are all rough men, there's no need to be so serious. Look at my uncles and brothers, they never care about these empty formalities."

"Your Highness, the more this is the case, the more we should emphasize that without propriety, without hierarchy, there is no imperial power. Without imperial power, how can an imperial enterprise be established?"

"Haha, what are you saying, sir? The power of the monarch lies in the hearts of the people, not in a tyrant."

Li Xiong had no intention of arguing with Yan Yu about this matter. He handed the intelligence brought by the scouts to Yan Yu and said, "Military and national affairs are of utmost importance. You should take a look at this matter, sir."

As they spoke, the guards brought out stools and placed them under the bamboo grove in the courtyard. The two men, one the master and the other the minister, sat facing each other. Yan Yu flipped through the yellow papers in his hands, his brows furrowed as he read them. Li Xiong, while waiting for him to read, peeled an orange, then cut it in half, handing one half to Yan Yu. He broke off the other half, popped a segment into his mouth, and savored it.

Yan Yu read it twice, then lowered the paper in his hand and couldn't help but sigh, "One leopard has just left, and now a tiger has arrived! Liu Xian has come so quickly!"

What he held in his hand was intelligence about Liu Xian's recent migration and takeover of Hanzhong. This included news of Liu Xian's marriage alliance with the Yang family of Qiuchi, the opening of Yangping Pass, and Yan Zuan's surrender.

Yan Yu immediately saw the crux of the matter and said, "Strange, this shouldn't be happening. What's wrong with the Western Expeditionary Army Command? How could they allow Liu Xian to enter Shu like this? Has the Prince of Hejian lost all sense of shame, letting Liu Xian barge in like this? Or is he playing a game of using one enemy to devour another?" Chengdu and Guanzhong were ultimately too far apart. Although the Li family could obtain intelligence from Hanzhong and even Qiuchi, they were still far removed from the details of Guanzhong. They only vaguely knew that Liu Xian had led a large group of people across Guanzhong and entered Hanzhong through the Chencang Road.

“Perhaps there’s been some unrest in the Western Expeditionary Army, keeping Sima Yong preoccupied.” Li Xiong rolled up his sleeves, crossed his arms, and slowly said, “Thinking about these things is useless; Liu Xian’s entry into Hanzhong is a foregone conclusion. Mr. Yan, what impact do you think his entry into Hanzhong will have on the subsequent situation?”

Among Li Xiong's advisors, Yan Yu's strength lay not in military strategy but in domestic affairs. However, he had one advantage: he was open and outspoken. Therefore, Li Xiong would consult with him first if there was anything to discuss. But this did not mean that Yan Yu was completely devoid of strategic insight. Moreover, Liu Xian's purpose in entering Hanzhong was not difficult to guess.

Yan Yu said, "Now that Liu Xian has taken control of Hanzhong, his purpose is obvious. He has no other intention than to restore his country."

"Yes, his base was originally in Hedong and Guanzhong, but now he has poured all his forces into Hanzhong. He is determined to fight me to the death! In this case, I have to put Luo Shang and Li Yi aside for now. My primary enemy now is Liu Xian."

Li Xiong was originally kind and handsome, with a fair, long face, a high nose, deep-set eyes, wide ears, and square lips, making him very approachable. However, when it came to military matters, his usual benevolent demeanor vanished, and he revealed his sharp edge. Although he was not in uniform, his tone still carried a hint of unconscious cynicism.

"When I first met him, I guessed that he intended to restore his kingdom. I never expected him to come so quickly, clearly not wanting me to gain a foothold. But what I didn't expect was how easily he took control of Hanzhong. It's said that he only visited the Temple of Marquis Wu, and all the counties in Hanzhong surrendered without resistance. It's unbelievable!"

At this point, Li Xiong posed a thorny question to Yan Yu, asking, "Mr. Yan, if Liu Xian were to march south and attack us, raising the banner of restoring the Han dynasty, do you think the scholars and powerful families of Sichuan and Chongqing would follow suit?"

This is almost a no-brainer. The massive upheaval caused by the Restoration Army in Jingzhou over the past two years practically declares that the political efforts of the Cao Wei and Western Jin dynasties to eliminate the influence of the Han dynasty have largely failed. Even Li Xiong himself once offered sacrifices at the Zhaolie Temple to appease the people of Shu. If Liu Xian successfully enters Shu, this outcome will inevitably follow.

Therefore, he immediately changed the question, asking, "If such a situation arises, how should we deal with it?"

After a moment's thought, Yan Yu replied, "Your Highness, I believe that taking three major measures will be sufficient to restrain Liu Xian."

"Oh? Mr. Yan, please tell me."

"First of all, you don't need to worry so much. Most of the powerful clans in the Bashu region who were originally loyal to Shu Han were relocated to Hedong, which is the group of people Liu Xian is now with. The group that remained were mostly the pro-surrender faction of Shu Han, who were highly valued by the Jin court, such as Luo Shang and Li Yi. Now that Luo Shang has been defeated by you and has fled to Jiangzhou in a hurry, many people have followed him eastward. Those people are the ones who are truly easily swayed by Liu Xian."

"If you are not at ease with the current scholars, you can take preventative measures by ordering the major clans in the prefecture to offer hostages to establish a guard. In this way, the clans will be wary and will not dare to act rashly."

“Hmm, that’s a good idea.” Li Xiong stood up and paced back and forth a few steps before affirming, “Then, sir, draft a plan for me, and we’ll get started on it this month.”

Seeing that the first plan had been adopted, Yan Yu smiled and said, "Your Highness, the second measure is to ban the salt transport route."

"Although Hanzhong produces grain, it lacks salt lakes and relies heavily on salt imports from Xichuan. Now that Liu Xian has entered Hanzhong and is at odds with Guanzhong, Your Highness only needs to issue an order to prohibit Sichuan salt from passing through Jiange. In time, Hanzhong will inevitably be in dire straits. Liu Xian's army and people will lack fighting strength and will have no time to go south."

This strategy, which achieves results without expending military force and only sacrificing some resources, can be considered a superior approach in a general sense. Unexpectedly, Li Xiong said, "Unless it is an emergency, it is best not to use this strategy."

"Why?"

"When Fan Xian gave me the provisions, he said that to be a true ruler of peace, one must put the people first in everything. Your plan will make the people of Hanzhong suffer. If I use it, I am afraid I will lose the hearts of the people of Hanzhong and go against the prophecy of the true ruler of peace. Unless we are extremely poor, it is best not to use it."

The Fan Xian that Li Xiong mentioned was Fan Changsheng, the Grand Master of the Celestial Masters sect at Qingcheng Mountain. He was able to overcome the food shortage at the beginning of the year almost entirely thanks to Fan Changsheng's support. Since then, Li Xiong and Fan Changsheng had made an agreement: Li Xiong would lead by example and encourage his followers to believe in the Celestial Masters sect. In return, the Celestial Masters sect would support him in becoming the legendary True Lord of Peace.

Therefore, during this period, Qingcheng Mountain had already issued a prophecy, saying that "by calculating the Five Elements of the Great Yuan Dynasty, the grand Jiazi will be bestowed upon Li." It was also said that the Li in Li Xiong's name was a descendant left behind by Laozi when he converted the barbarians. This greatly stabilized the political situation of the Li regime and promoted the establishment of the Chengdu Kingdom.

Yan Yu naturally couldn't refute Li Xiong's words. After all, in Chengdu at present, the Celestial Masters Sect was the most powerful force; it could be said that without their support, there would be no Chengdu Kingdom. Li Xiong had repeatedly hinted to Fan Changsheng that he should become the prime minister of the country and serve him like Liu Shan served Zhuge Liang, and Yan Yu was extremely wary of him.

He then stopped dwelling on the matter and instead brought up the third strategy, saying, "Your Highness, that last one is also the dumbest one."

"There is only one main road and two smaller roads connecting Shu and Hanzhong. The main road is Jinniu Road, and the smaller roads are Yinping Trail and Micang Ancient Road. Since Cao Cao moved people to Bazhong, the Micang Ancient Road has been deserted for hundreds of miles and is no longer passable. Your Highness only needs to send veteran soldiers to defend Jiange and Jiameng Pass, block Jinniu Road, and then defend Jiangyou to block Yinping Trail. No matter how capable Liu Xian is, his army will not be able to enter Shu and will only be trapped in Hanzhong."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiong sat back down on the stool and said with a smile, "The simplest method is often the most effective method, and there's nothing wrong with that."

"So, Your Highness intends to strengthen defenses first?"

"No, there's no reason to show weakness before the battle has even begun." Li Xiong drew his long sword from his waist, ran his finger along the blade, then casually chopped several thick bamboo poles in half. He then smiled and said, "Sir, please draft an edict for me, ordering the Grand Commandant to lead 20,000 troops to Yinping next month!"

"Your Highness, do you wish to...?"

"I need to probe Liu Xian's capabilities first." At this moment, Li Xiong was in high spirits, showing no trace of his previous benevolent ruler demeanor. He said, "What do you mean by being the best in the world? He's famous for his sword, but my sword is no less formidable!"

Yan Yu then shouted his approval and bowed, saying, "Your Highness is truly awe-inspiring!"

In the blink of an eye, Li Xiong's expression turned serious again, and he instructed, "However, we must not be careless. I would trouble you to draft another edict, ordering the Grand Tutor to monitor Luo Shang and Li Yi. The country has just been stabilized; we must not let them reap the benefits for nothing." (End of this chapter)