Jinting Han people

The attack on Luo Shang's main camp likely occurred around 1 PM. With Luo Shang's escape, the Southern army's fate was sealed.

While throughout history, both in China and abroad, the escape or even death of a commander-in-chief does not necessarily signify a major defeat, such cases are extremely rare. Either the commander-in-chief had already made contingency plans, with a second, highly respected leader capable of reorganizing the army, as seen in Xiahou Yuan's Battle of Hanzhong; or the commander-in-chief possessed immense prestige, and if he died, the soldiers would fight to the death to avenge him, ultimately returning unscathed, as exemplified by Zhuge Liang's Battle of Wuzhang Plains.

But it is clear that this situation could not possibly occur with the Jiangzhou army.

The Jiangzhou army had marched thirty li, engaging in battle since before dawn and fighting fiercely for nearly four or five hours. Most of them were already exhausted. At this point, they discovered they were under attack from the rear, and their commander's main force was missing. Their morale collapsed, predictably. Panic gripped them, and they turned back in disarray, trampling each other in their tracks. Although the commanders at all levels continued to shout orders, and some even killed fleeing soldiers in an attempt to stop the rout, everyone was fearful and could no longer command the majority of their troops.

Under Liu Xian's orders, the various units of the Hanzhong army in the south seized the opportunity to launch an attack. For a moment, the battlefield seemed to freeze. People didn't appear to be fighting; they seemed to have stopped, observing and listening, trying to understand the changing situation and their own position. Once the Jiangzhou soldiers realized that enemies were pouring in from all sides, they finally understood their desperate situation. Suddenly, their formation, like a dam breached by a flood, emitted a series of terrifying roars and crumbled in an instant.

The vanguard of the Jiangzhou army was shattered like mud and sand by the overwhelming counterattack of the Hanzhong army. The floodwaters, carrying debris and sand, swept into the rear, then turned back and plunged into the real river. Qiao Deng's troops, caught in this turmoil, were unable to resist and could only continue their retreat with the tide. In less than a quarter of an hour, the entire Jiangzhou army was completely routed. Liu Xian was thus able to calmly redeploy his forces to counterattack the Chengdu army to the north.

At the same time, Li Xiong held the advantage in the battle to the north.

Although Li Ju tried his best to resist Li Xiong's attack, Li Xiong was undoubtedly the stronger force on this battlefield. Seeing Li Ju leading his troops to block his way, Li Xiong refused to yield. His swordsmen advanced like an iron wall, their blades flashing and slashing, breaking through the enemy lines in their path. Li Ju had no troops capable of fighting him; he could only resort to flanking maneuvers, constantly moving and engaging in close combat, attempting to use a hail of arrows to thwart his opponent.

But Li Xiong remained unmoved. He personally led his armored cavalry to support the swordsmen, and even when an arrow struck his ear, he acted as if nothing had happened. He commanded his soldiers to advance south, constantly cutting off and encircling the Hanzhong army along the way. Especially when he realized that the Hanzhong army in front of him was particularly elite, he calmly waved his flag to give orders, using himself as the blade, and actually cut a large circle in the army's formation, completely surrounding Li Ju's troops.

Although Li Ju had elite troops by his side, he only had about four thousand men. Surrounded, he had almost lost contact with Fu Chang, Wei Jun and other troops to the south. He could only fight desperately while beating drums to call on the other troops to gather around him.

Meanwhile, a strange rumor began to circulate on the battlefield: "The Duke of Anle has been defeated!" Undoubtedly, this rumor was spread by Li Xiong's men. In the heat of battle, he had realized that once this elite force was eliminated, the enemy's fate was sealed. Therefore, using similar rumors to disrupt morale and weaken their resistance was the most appropriate tactic.

This put Li Ju in grave danger. He urged his men to form defensive lines and desperately buy time. He himself rode his horse and led the charge, personally drawing his bow and shooting at the enemy. Because of the sheer number of arrows he used, even with the protective rings on his fingers, his fingers became red and swollen. Many of his men considered giving up, but seeing Li Ju still charging forward and encouraging them, saying, "We've faced countless difficulties, but we've always emerged victorious. It's the same now, and we're about to win!" the morale of the army gradually stabilized.

Li Ju's resolute fighting meant that although Li Xiong initially held the upper hand, he couldn't seize the decisive moment. The two sides fought fiercely for two hours, and Li Ju's guards were reduced from over four thousand to just over two thousand. They seemed on the verge of collapse at every moment, but ultimately, a true rout did not occur.

When Liu Xian mobilized troops to reinforce the northern battlefield, the crisis was finally resolved. Then, at the hour of Shen (3-5 PM), the battle reached its final showdown.

For Li Xiong of Chengdu, he had already exerted all his strength in the day's battle. In fact, it would have been difficult for him to do any better. It should be noted that the Chengdu army faced a much greater challenge in launching a strong attack on the Hanzhong army's camp than Luo Shang did. Moreover, they had torn apart Fu Chang's forces, heavily surrounded Li Ju's forces, and simultaneously repelled the reinforcements from Wei Jun, Liu Shen, and Wei Bo.

If Luo Shang could hold out for another half an hour, Li Xiong might be able to eliminate Li Ju and achieve a complete victory. Then, he could drive the routed Hanzhong army from the north, directly impacting the south. What could Liu Xian do then? He would inevitably suffer a crushing defeat.

But now, the plan has failed, and reinforcements from the south have arrived. It's too late to defeat Li Ju as originally planned. What should we do?
Li Xiong immediately made up his mind. He would abandon the main force and make a final stand, leading his last elite troops to fight Liu Xian head-on and personally confront him. He ordered his swordsmen to act as a barrier, blocking Li Sheng and his troops who were attacking from the front, while he led several hundred cavalrymen to rush past from the flank and directly attack the Hanzhong army, which had not yet completely changed direction.

This charge was indeed unexpected, and the Hanzhong army that rushed towards them showed signs of collapse. However, the main force behind them was also arriving one after another, and the number of people in the rear was far greater than that in the front. They quickly swallowed up this wave of collapse.

Looking at the vast sea of ​​people before him, Li Xiong could only despairingly realize that he had no chance of winning. He discovered that after several hours of fierce fighting, the Hanzhong army had managed to maintain a relatively good order. After some initial chaos, their formation was as solemn as a long river, advancing slowly with unstoppable momentum.

If any force in the world could stop this river, Li Xiong would surely have devised a plan to bring it back to life. However, at this moment, there was no force in the heavens or on earth that could stop this great river. Moreover, the forces of Li Ju and others whom he had defeated were regrouping, attempting to rejoin Liu Xian's forces.

The great river continued its slow and steady advance, solemn and steadfast. Before the rumbling formation, whether it be an ant's nest or a cave in the underworld, once a flaw was discovered, the formation would surely transform into a ferocious torrent. Li Xiong was forced to lead his troops in a retreat.

With this retreat, Li Ju's troops escaped and officially joined forces with Liu Xian's troops. The Hanzhong army's torrent covered the plains for more than ten miles, advancing steadily step by step, while Li Xiong had no choice but to retreat again and again.

Although Li Xiong was extremely unwilling, he tried several times to launch another attack on the enemy, even charging into their ranks three or five times. Unfortunately, both he and his men were exhausted, and most of his attempts ended in failure. He himself changed horses three times, his body covered in blood. When he led his army to retreat again, he was shocked to find himself unknowingly forced back to the walls of Chengdu.

Amidst the thunderous war drums, he sighed deeply, unheard by anyone. The conquest of Chengdu three years ago was his proudest achievement, the foundation upon which he intended to build his imperial empire. But was it all about to be shattered just three years later? He looked back at the people around him and realized that, without him noticing, many eyes were fixed on him, their gazes filled with confusion and longing. As a king, in that instant, Li Xiong understood their thoughts: they were bewildered by the current situation and yearned to survive. They looked at him hoping that, as history had shown, he would once again lead them out of their predicament.

But this time, he probably won't succeed.

Li Xiong looked back at the banner above. Bathed in the setting sun, the four characters "Taiping Zhenjun" (True Lord of Peace) shimmered with a brilliant golden light, swaying gently in the breeze. Li Xiong had once held boundless dreams for this, but now it seemed that strategy, courage, and fate had all vanished like bubbles. Was this the will of Heaven?

Li Xiong had no intention of fighting any longer. He ordered the banner of the True Lord of Peace to be lowered and led the remaining troops back to Chengdu. Thus ended his final battle with Liu Xian.

Before retreating back into the city, he beckoned to his nephew, Li Ban. He first handed him the banner of the True Lord of Peace, then gave him a white flag, and said to him, "Shiwen, go and tell Liu Xian to give me one night. Tomorrow I will surrender and let him do as he pleases."

Upon hearing this, Li Ban was almost incredulous. His first reaction was to refuse, but under Li Xiong's stern gaze, he couldn't utter a word of objection. He could only silently accept his uncle's entrustment, raise the white banner high in his hand, spur his horse and turn away, until he reached the enemy's formation.

When the soldiers of the Hanzhong army saw someone approaching with a white banner, they immediately understood the purpose of the visit. They were initially taken aback, then shouted, "Li Xiong has surrendered! Li Xiong has surrendered!" Within a short time, cheers surged like waves, spreading throughout the army and eventually forming a deafening roar that shook the heavens and earth. They had no choice but to cheer, for they had fought for nearly six hours, from dusk till dawn, and then almost to the end of the day. Everyone was clinging to their last breath, and now, all their perseverance had been worthwhile; the enemy was finally giving up resistance and formally surrendering!
But to the Chengdu army, the cheers sounded jarring. They listened blankly, completely bewildered, as if their souls had left their bodies, not daring to look up at Li Xiong's expression. Secretly, however, many secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They truly didn't know what the point of continuing the fight was. Liu Xian was a renowned gentleman; surely he would be lenient with their side? But this was merely speculation. As the defeated side, their fate was not in their own hands, which was unsettling.

About 45 minutes later, Li Ban rode his horse back from the Hanzhong army formation and arrived at the gate of Chengdu. He reported to Li Xiong with a joyful expression: "Uncle, I have met Anle Gong. Anle Gong said that you are a hero of our time, and he will hold a banquet in the army tomorrow to welcome you."

Upon hearing this, the Chengdu army was overjoyed. Although Liu Xian hadn't specified how to deal with Li Xiong, such a conciliatory attitude undoubtedly alleviated their concerns about being purged later. They finally dared to look up at Li Xiong, only to find him expressionless. He merely nodded and said, "Understood," before ordering the entire army to rest.

As they dispersed, it could be seen that the Hanzhong army had already begun to clean up the battlefield. Looking out over the outskirts of Chengdu, corpses littered the fields, and the blood-soaked soil had begun to rot and stink. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, the cruelty of war was unmistakably revealed; no matter how valiant one's spirit was during battle, after death, one is still just a pile of bones.

That night, after bathing and purifying himself, Li Xiong changed into a snow-white robe and summoned the remaining members of the Li clan. Once everyone was seated, Li Xiong sat cross-legged on the head table and calmly addressed them: "Anle Gongxian and I were originally the same age. We met in the Western Expeditionary Army and even drank together. I never imagined that he would destroy my country and now want to make me a subjugated slave. Isn't this the greatest disgrace?"

“Although Duke Anle seems to be willing to pardon me, how many people have been implicated in our several battles? If I live, how can I face these dead? How can I face my father, brothers, and ancestors? How can I not feel ashamed? It is impossible.”

"The Duke of Anle wants to summon me simply because he wants to catch up with me after so many years and see how I've changed. You can take my head with you tomorrow and hand it over to him."

At this point, everyone realized that Li Xiong was going to his death! The clansmen were all horrified, but did not know how to stop him. They saw Li Xiong begin to kneel and worship in the direction of his father and brothers' tombs, then draw his sword and say slowly, "At twenty, I climbed high; at thirty, I gazed into the distance; I regret that I could not fulfill my ambitions at forty! Li Xiong is going to die!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xiong swiftly drew his blade across his throat, and blood gushed out instantly, staining his robes crimson. Seeing this, the crowd immediately rushed forward, supporting Li Xiong as he was about to collapse.

Looking at the anxious faces of his people, Li Xiong felt a sharp pain in his throat and his vision blurred, but his heart grew calmer: Is this death? Alas, compared to life, death is so simple and boring.

After he closed his eyes, everyone in the room wept uncontrollably. Li Xiang tried to comfort them and was about to pass on the news when, unexpectedly, Li Ban snatched the hilt of the sword from Li Xiong's hand and plunged it into his own chest. Before anyone knew what had happened, the young man fell into a pool of blood, dying alongside his uncle.

Li Ban was not the only one to die for Li Xiong. That night, upon learning of Li Xiong's death, more than five hundred soldiers followed suit, and the entire city wept, with no one able to sleep. The next day, the entire city was draped in mourning clothes and opened its gates to surrender to Liu Xian, the Duke of Anle.

Liu Xian had indeed prepared a feast and planned to chat and laugh with Li Xiong, but to his surprise, the next day he saw Li Xiong's severed head. Looking at the face on the lacquer plate and listening to Li Xiong's last words, he sighed deeply and said to those around him, "Alas, to be able to achieve such a feat, he is truly a rare and virtuous man! To rise from a barbarian to become the ruler of a country, who can say he is not a hero?"

After saying this, Liu Xian immediately canceled the banquet and presided over Li Xiong's funeral with the same standards as a prince. He posthumously recognized him as King Chengwu Dao and ordered his clansmen to bury him in Dangqu County of Bazhou Commandery, which is said to be the ancestral home of the Ba people, so it can be considered as returning to his roots.

The death of a king also signifies the birth of a new king. That afternoon, under the watchful eyes of the soldiers of Hanzhong and the captured and surrendered soldiers of Jiangzhou and Chengdu, Liu Xian rode his horse into the Jiangqiao Gate of Chengdu. Behind him, Luo Yanshou and Li Yue followed on foot, each holding a banner. One was the banner of Taiping Zhenjun left by Li Xiong, and the other was the Yangbo Yulong Banner that Luo Shang was proud of.

This scene undoubtedly signaled the official end of the six-year-long war in Ba-Shu, which had begun with the Zhao Xin Rebellion. It also meant that Liu Xian, the Duke of Anle, had become the de facto ruler of Ba-Shu with his undisputed military achievements. (End of Chapter)