Jinting Han people

Liu Xian's guess was correct. At that very moment, an ambush was set up inside the city. Armed with swords, bows, and arrows, clad in full iron armor, and with their ears pricked up, they were huddled behind the barbican of the south gate, awaiting their commander's orders. Their commander, General Gou Xi, the Jin General Who Subdues Rebels, was hiding in the south gate tower. He stared intently through the arrow slits in the city wall, cautiously observing the situation outside the city.

According to Gou Xi's original plan, he first emptied the outer walls of the city, leaving only the soldiers guarding the city gates. Once Liu Xian entered through the south gate and wanted to enter the main city, he would first have to pass through a barbican. Once he confirmed that the King of Han had entered the city, he would give the order to close the city gates. At that point, Liu Xian would be trapped, and the soldiers outside the barbican would storm in, trapping Liu Xian and his party like turtles in a jar, beheading them on the spot. The entire Han army's offensive would collapse without a fight, and the predicament of Jingzhou would be resolved.

Of course, Gou Xi knew that this was also a risk. If his ambush failed and he did not manage to capture and kill the King of Han, the consequences would be unimaginable. Even though the Han army was known for its strict discipline, the more disciplined an army was, the more it would regard its commander as a god. If its commander was assassinated by the enemy, it would inevitably lead to a frenzied revenge, a fight to the death.

But Gou Xi no longer cared about this, after all, his relationship with Liu Xian was already irreconcilable. It should be noted that during the Battle of Luoyang, Sima Yue, the Prince of Donghai, launched a coup against Liu Xian to seize power, and Sima Yue was Gou Xi's sworn brother; Gou Xi naturally participated in this coup. Later, the coup failed, and he betrayed Liu Xian, turning to Zhang Fang. Given the relationship between Zhang Fang and Liu Xian, it goes without saying that they were sworn enemies. Although Gou Xi has now broken away from Zhang Fang and returned to Wang Yan, Gou Xi is self-aware enough to know that if he were captured, given Liu Xian's personality, he would not be lenient but would be executed.

Therefore, when Wang Dun decided to appoint Gou Xi as the General Who Subdues Rebels to defend against Liu Xian in Jiang'an, Gou Xi readily agreed. He promised, "Please rest assured, my lord, I have long hated such a ruthless and powerful bandit as Liu Xian! To serve my country, even if I am shattered to pieces and die nine times over, as long as my soul remains in the afterlife, I will fly to the bandit's court to serve my country!"

This statement was half true and half false. The false part is self-evident: Gou Xi never intended to serve his country. He and Sima Yue were, after all, sworn brothers; what connection did he have with Wang Yan? If Zhang Fang hadn't been desperate, he wouldn't have wanted to serve Wang Yan again. After all, in this chaotic world, a leader lacking military strategy was a major taboo.

But Gou Xi truly hated Liu Xian to the core. In his view, everything Liu Xian currently possessed should rightfully belong to him.

If the coup d'état by the Prince of Donghai had succeeded that night, Gou Xi, as Sima Yue's sworn brother, would undoubtedly have been given an important position. Sima Yue himself would have held military power in the central government, and Gou Xi would have been sent to a regional governorship, either to quell a rebellion in Hebei or to govern Guanzhong. At that time, with his military prowess, he could have carved out a territory, cultivated his own faction, and then returned to replace the Prince of Donghai—what could have been wrong with that? Like Zu Ti in the past, Gou Xi was always self-important and harbored imperial ambitions.

All his ambitions were destroyed by Liu Xian that night. Now Liu Xian has restored his kingdom and declared himself king, aiming to become emperor. How could Gou Xi not feel extremely resentful and jealous?

Just as Liu Xian was advancing on Jiang'an, Gou Xi knew in his heart that this was probably his last chance to be put to use. If he could achieve merit here, he might be able to regain his favor and become a regional warlord. But if he failed again, he would probably die without a burial place.

It must be said that Gou Xi was indeed a man of talent and strategy. Faced with Liu Xian's offensive to sweep through the cities, he immediately saw that Liu Xian was bluffing and trying to force Jiang An to surrender through a war of public opinion. Therefore, he devised a plan and decided to turn the tables on Liu Xian, setting up three traps around the city.

The ambush in the city is the first and most important line of defense; once Liu Xian enters the city, he will surely be captured and killed. However, Gou Xi also considered that Liu Xian was a shrewd and cunning man; even the ambush of the Prince of Donghai failed, let alone others. Therefore, he prepared two more measures.

One force was the Tiger Army left behind by Zhang Fang. Of the original three thousand Tiger Army soldiers, only eight hundred remained after years of fighting. But even eight hundred or so riders were still a formidable force, enough to awe the world. Gou Xi deployed them within Lady City. If Liu Xian sensed something was wrong, he would surely flee south. Once the beacon fires were lit within the city, the Tiger Army would emerge from Lady City to surround and intercept Liu Xian.

What if the encirclement failed and the pursuit was too futile? Gou Xi had a final trump card: assassination. To ensure easy access to water, the Han army camp was situated in front of a tributary of the You River. Liu Xian wanted to return to camp; the tributary wasn't large, but it wasn't shallow either, making swimming across extremely difficult. Most people crossed via wooden bridges. Gou Xi had ambushed a assassin near the wooden bridge closest to the Han army camp, providing him with a crossbow. If Liu Xian attempted to return to camp via this bridge, he would still face certain death.

If Liu Xian can escape unscathed amidst these three ambushes, Gou Xi will have no choice but to admit defeat.

The current situation undoubtedly made Gou Xi anxious, as it was completely unexpected. Liu Xian had arrived at the city walls; whether he entered directly or turned back, Gou Xi could have handled it. However, Liu Xian chose the ambiguous option of patrolling the embankment, a move that lasted two hours. This left Gou Xi bewildered, and he could only wait for the outcome.

Waiting is the most agonizing thing. At first, people are anxious and tense, then confused and doubtful, and finally lethargic. The ambush troops in the city have undoubtedly become complacent. Especially after Gou Xi gave the order, strictly forbidding the ambush troops from speaking to each other. In the silence, the soldiers looked at the officers with questioning eyes. The officers, not knowing when the attack would take place, could only look up at the sky. Their supervision was also lax. So the early risers took off their clothes and shoes, threw their swords on the ground, or lay down on the ground, either whispering or dozing off. Gou Xi on the city wall was still unaware of this.

It was at this moment that the King of Han and his entourage reappeared in Gou Xi's sight.

Liu Xian was unaware that he was being watched, but Deng Yue and the others around him could hardly contain their excitement. The thought of their impending great achievement filled them with barely suppressed joy, as if they were on their wedding night. Liu Xian and Deng Yue discussed the autumn hunt, and Liu Xian mentioned seeing a white deer. Deng Yue immediately flattered him, saying, "A white deer is a sign of a king's filial piety and brotherly love; it's clear Your Highness is deeply favored by Heaven!"

Liu Xian smiled faintly and shook his head, saying, "It was just a coincidence. So many years have passed, and we haven't seen each other again."

At this point, he casually pointed to the surrounding fields and asked, "Are there any suitable prey here?"

Deng Yue laughed and said, "Ha, Your Highness, you don't know this. In the hundreds of miles of Jiang'an plain, apart from a few river birds, where would you find any prey? We just fish by the river when we have nothing else to do."

"Is that so?" Liu Xian looked behind Deng Yue and said with a smile, "I see a good prey in my sights."

"Where?" Deng Yue, oblivious to the coldness in Liu Xian's smile, turned around to look. "Where is the prey?"

Before he could even turn his head back, Liu Xian's left hand was already on the hilt of his sword. He sneered, "Right here!" Before he finished speaking, the Zhangwu sword at his waist was drawn in an instant.

This sword strike was not only sudden but also so fast that bystanders could barely see it. While Liu Xian might have neglected other martial arts, his swordsmanship had become almost instinctive over the decades; the memory of his movements would never fade. The sword tip instantly grazed Deng Yue's neck, blood spurting out and splashing onto Liu Xian's body. The scene unfolded so abruptly that everyone present, including Gou Xi inside the city wall, was stunned. Then, without changing his expression, Liu Xian beheaded Deng Yue with another strike, holding the severed head in his hand and shouting, "Those who dare to take my life, Liu Xian, come and face me!"

Having said that, Liu Xian spurred his horse and immediately turned back the way they came. The rest of the Imperial Guards seemed to wake from a daze. Although they didn't know what had happened, no one questioned Liu Xian's decision and immediately spurred their horses to follow. He Pan, Liu Shen, and the others also reacted. Their horses were good, and they managed to catch up with the group. On the contrary, the crossbowmen inside the city wall were the slowest to react. They hastily fired a few arrows through the opening, but Liu Xian and the others were already out of range, leaving them only to sigh in frustration.

Gou Xi was furious. He had been fooled by Liu Xian so easily! He immediately ordered, "Send troops to pursue! Pursue!" But most of the ambushers in the city were lying on the ground, so how could they act hastily? Even if they heard the bugle call, they could only tidy their clothes first and then obey the order to pursue. As a result, although there were some cavalry in the city, the difficulty of catching up was incomparable to what it used to be.

Fortunately, Gou Xi had prepared a backup plan, and he quickly lit a smoke signal on the city wall. When Liu Xian and the others saw the smoke signal rising from the city wall behind them, they immediately realized that there must be an ambush ahead!

In a flash, Liu Xian had made up his mind. He said loudly, "We'll split into two groups. Lord He will go west, and I'll stay the original route!"

Almost without a word, the hundred-odd cavalrymen spontaneously split into two wedge-shaped arrowheads. He Pan led Liu Shen, Yan Zuan, and others on a longer detour, while Liu Xian and his group led the majority of the Imperial Guards forward. They were now only a little over two miles from Lady City, and the guards on the city walls could clearly see their division of forces.

At this moment, the general leading the Tiger Army was Gou Chun, Gou Xi's younger brother. He also came out of the gate, and his troops stretched across the road. He saw that the Han army had split into two groups, one taking a longer route and the other approaching. He naturally assumed that Liu Xian intended to use one cavalry unit as a diversion while the other cavalry unit took the opportunity to escape. He immediately ordered, "Ignore this group in front of us, go after the western route!" After saying this, he made a move to rush westward.

Liu Xian wasn't about to let them go. He had the opposite idea in mind, immediately brandishing his sword and shouting, "Follow me!" He then charged towards the Tiger Army's flank, hacking and slashing relentlessly. Seeing the King of Han so determined, Wen Shuo and the others also drew their swords and charged forward. They were incredibly strong and killed without regard for their own lives; almost every strike severed an opponent's arm or bone, the blades instantly dripping with blood. Although the Tiger Army was known for its obedience, under such heavy casualties, they could only slow down, attempting to engage the cavalry in a prolonged battle.

The fighting lasted only a short while. Gou Chun saw that the other cavalry was getting further and further away, and that they were relentlessly pursuing him. This solidified his earlier judgment, and he shouted, "Go! Go! That's Anle Gong over there! Even if we lose a piece of our flesh, how can we let the big fish get away?" In his haste, he even kicked the person next to him who was advising him. The Tiger Army soldiers had no choice but to endure Liu Xian and his men's pursuit, trying their best to create distance, and then gradually pursued them westward.

Little did he know that it was precisely this order that allowed the real big fish to escape. Even though the real King of Han was right before his eyes, and he even knew what the King of Han looked like, he let the other party escape right under his nose because of his arrogance.

By this time, Liu Xian had bought enough time. Seeing that his goal had been achieved, and fearing that the other side might change their mind, he only pretended for a moment before hurriedly returning the way he came. After this close-quarters battle, Liu Xian was certain that the army before him was none other than the Tiger Army from the decisive battle of Luoyang! The only defeat Liu Xian had ever suffered in his life was at their hands, a defeat he would never forget.

Now that it has been confirmed that the enemy is the Tiger Army, the answer to who the commander in Jiang'an City is is obvious.

As Liu Xian hurried along, he said to Li Sheng and the others with a smile, "One is influenced by one's company! Gou Dao has been following Zhang Fang for several years, and although he hasn't learned anything else, he's quick to pick up dirty tricks."

Li Sheng nodded and said, "Back then, Gou Xi was one of the few capable generals in Luoyang. I just never expected that he would go astray and end up like this. Your Highness, it seems that retaking Jiang'an this time will not be an easy task!"

Although they had temporarily escaped the ambush, a new problem now lay before them. With Gou Xi stationed in Jiang'an, they had to launch a frontal assault on this important city in Jiangnan. Having witnessed Jiang'an's defenses firsthand, everyone understood that this would be no easy task. Wen Shuo said, "Your Highness, this is no easy matter. Let's return to the camp first and discuss it with the others."

Liu Xian nodded and said, "Let's go back first. We can make a decision after we see Master He and the others and confirm that everyone is safe."

The atmosphere among the group was relatively relaxed. After all, judging from the current situation, the enemy should not have laid any more ambushes, and their own side had not suffered much loss. They had escaped death and returned unharmed, so what more could they ask for? As for He Pan's group, their side had probably bought them enough time, so in theory, they should also be able to escape alive.

However, Liu Xian was cautious. To return to camp as quickly as possible, he led his men across the river and waited for He Pan and his party at the camp gate. They waited for about half an hour before finally seeing them. Meng He and the others went to greet them, only to find He Pan and his companions looking utterly dejected. They brought Liu Xian terrible news:
They did indeed shake off the Tiger Army's pursuit, but just as everyone was hastily crossing the bridge, an arrow suddenly shot out from the reeds, striking General Liu Shen in the chest, piercing his armor three inches deep, killing him instantly. The group was shocked and tried to capture the assassin, but the assassin was already on horseback. Seeing that he had succeeded, he mounted his horse and rode away, weaving through the reeds. With a few turns, he vanished, and the Han army could not catch him.

Since the reconstruction of Shu Han, no official of such high rank had ever been lost. Liu Xian was deeply grieved. He stood before Liu Shen's body for a long time until dusk before ordering his burial.

Although Liu Shen had only followed Liu Xian for a short time, about four years, everyone knew that Liu Shen's support was the most crucial factor in Liu Xian's successful entry into Shu. Otherwise, with only tens of thousands of newly recruited soldiers from Hedong, it would have been extremely difficult to contend with the Western Expeditionary Army. In this respect alone, his contribution was comparable to that of Li Ju.

Moreover, Liu Shen was of noble character and profound virtue, one of Liu Xian's most important assistants in reforming the officialdom. He also came from the Liu clan of Zhuojun, making him, by right, a distant relative of Liu Xian. Therefore, Liu Xian often treated Liu Shen as a cousin. On this very day, he had just promised him the position of Governor of Jingzhou and tasked him with building Jiang'an City. Unexpectedly, he met with this untimely death; how could Liu Xian not feel sorrow?
After returning to camp, Liu Xian reflected for a day and a night, going from grief and indignation to self-blame, from self-blame to introspection, and from introspection to enlightenment:
The string of victories had clouded his judgment. Du Tao's response in southern Hunan only fueled his arrogance. Li Feng had advised him beforehand to play it safe and stick to the pre-arranged strategy, but he remained stubbornly obstinate, arrogant in his own wisdom, believing that victory and surrender were both justified. In the end, he had unnecessarily incurred unnecessary risks. Just moments before, when he had escaped the encirclement, hadn't he been gloating over his clever trick of Gou Xi?

In reality, if he had stayed in the camp and sent another general to take over Jiang'an, what could Gou Xi have done? He would have simply been turned away; how could Liu Shen have been assassinated!

Therefore, all things considered, he still had some merits in military affairs, but his frivolous actions were quite serious. With such a narrow-minded approach, even if nothing went wrong today, how could he guarantee that nothing would go wrong in the future? Liu Xian secretly scolded himself: How could he act so recklessly? You are no longer just a general, but the ruler of a country!
This incident finally prompted Liu Xian to strengthen his guard around him and at the same time to establish the Three Discussions System, which stipulated that matters related to the King of Han's private life should be discussed three times with his close ministers before any changes were made and implemented.

But that's all in the future. The dead cannot be brought back to life. Liu Xian's only priority right now is to capture Jiang'an and avenge Liu Shen. (End of Chapter)