My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

"Grand Marshal, what do you think?"

Liu Shan, with a look that was both dignified and expectant, slowly turned to Xiao He.

His eyes seemed to both hope for support and a hint of worry.

At the same time, Zhao Yun's gaze also turned in that direction, as if by unspoken agreement.

Xiao felt slightly troubled.

Slaughtering prisoners of war is contrary to the values ​​he firmly believes in.

In his view, every life deserves respect, regardless of where it comes from or what camp it belongs to.

These Wei soldiers were mostly civilians caught up in the war. Now that they were prisoners, it was already a misfortune for them. Why kill them?
From a strategic perspective, there is indeed no need for this.

The Han Dynasty now needs to recruit talents and win over the hearts of the people. Incorporating these prisoners into its ranks will undoubtedly be a powerful boost.

He certainly did not approve of the massacre of prisoners.

However, Liu Shan was, after all, the crown prince and the future heir to the Han dynasty.

Rejecting the Crown Prince's order in public was clearly not a wise move.

Xiao He fell into deep thought, his eyes darting around as he pondered how to find a solution that would satisfy both sides.

Finally, Xiao He spoke:

"The Crown Prince's intention to kill people to establish his authority and to intimidate and undermine the morale of the people of Wei is certainly not wrong."

"When two countries clash, killing can indeed instill fear in the enemy, thereby weakening their fighting spirit."

"However, what Zilong said is not without reason. Rather than killing all these Wei soldiers, it would be better to incorporate them into our Han Dynasty."

"They are seasoned veterans who have been through many battles. If they can be put to use, they will surely become a formidable force for our Han Dynasty."

"I believe that the Crown Prince should execute all Wei generals of the rank of colonel and above, and pardon the rest."

"In this way, it can both deter the people of Wei and let them know the consequences of being an enemy of the Han, and also show His Highness the Crown Prince's magnanimity, so that the ordinary Wei soldiers and prisoners can see the benevolence of the Han and thus willingly submit."

"Wouldn't that kill two birds with one stone?"

Xiao He cleverly chose to mix things up, trying to find a balance.

This plan both saved face for Liu Shan and fulfilled his desire to establish his authority through killing, while also protecting most of the prisoners, thus avoiding betraying Liu Shan's reputation for benevolence and righteousness.

After hearing this, Liu Shan's eyes darted around, and he pondered to himself.

He knew that at this crucial moment, he couldn't stubbornly stick to his own opinions.

Although Zhang Fei did not express his opinion, his solemn expression clearly showed that he did not approve of killing these 10,000 Wei soldiers.

Zhao Yun has made his opposition clear and his attitude firm.

Xiao He offered a compromise, which saved his face.

These three were all pillars of the state and Liu Bei's most trusted ministers!

Their opinions and attitudes are naturally of paramount importance.

How could Liu Shan be so foolish as to ignore the attitudes of these three men and act arbitrarily?
Therefore, Liu Shan nodded with pleasure:
"Very well, let's do as the Grand Marshal says. Only execute Wei soldiers of the rank of colonel and above to intimidate the people of Wei."

"The rest of the Wei prisoners who are willing to surrender to our Han Dynasty will be spared their lives!"

Liu Shan was quite clever; he knew how to use a convenient excuse to back down, thus maintaining his authority while also conforming to the opinions of the people.

The matter was settled.

Liu Shan's orders quickly spread throughout the army. Dozens of Wei generals and officers were immediately escorted to the city walls.

Most of these Wei generals and officers were actually prepared to surrender to Liu Shan.

After all, they weren't foolish enough to be prepared to die for Cao Cao.

At this point, all they need is a stepping stone.

If the Han crown prince had personally come forward to persuade them to surrender and treated them with the utmost courtesy, they would have naturally taken the opportunity to submit to the Han. However, to their surprise, what awaited them was not the Han crown prince's persuasion, but a bloody slaughter.

At the top of Puban Pass, cries of agony and pleas for mercy rang out once more.

Only after watching the heads of Wei generals fall to the ground did a satisfied smile appear on Liu Shan's face.

His smile seemed to carry a hint of pride and authority, as if he were demonstrating his decisiveness to everyone.

Then, Liu Shan ordered all the wine and meat to be taken to reward the soldiers.

Inside and outside the city, the Han soldiers erupted in cheers, celebrating the victory and excited about the upcoming rewards.

Liu Shan then descended from the city wall and went to comfort the soldiers in each camp, talking cordially with them and taking the opportunity to establish himself as a person who cared for his soldiers.

"Grand Marshal, there is a truth I am unsure whether I should say it or not."

On the city wall, Zhao Yun leaned close to Xiao He and whispered as he watched Liu Shan's departing figure.

A hint of worry was in his eyes.

"Zilong, are you trying to say that our Crown Prince is a bit too ruthless and cruel?"

Without Zhao Yun needing to say a word, Xiao He had already guessed what he was thinking.

Zhao Yun was taken aback, then sighed:

"So the Grand Marshal has also noticed. To be honest, His Highness the Crown Prince's way of doing things is quite different from His Majesty's."

"His Majesty has always been benevolent and generous throughout his life, and he has always treated prisoners of war with leniency, incorporating as many as possible into his ranks."

"But His Highness the Crown Prince made such a quick decision to kill prisoners this time. His ruthlessness is truly worrying."

"My Crown Prince of the Great Han Dynasty, the future emperor, is so ruthless. This is not a good thing..."

Zhao Yun's words revealed his worries about the future.

Xiao remained silent.

He had seen another side of Liu Shan.

If Liu Shan was merely ruthless in his methods, that would be one thing.

After all, not all wise rulers throughout history were benevolent rulers like Liu Bang. There were also many who were decisive in killing and whose domineering nature outweighed the benevolent way.

These monarchs, through their forceful methods, unified the land and ushered in a golden age.

But the key point is that their crown prince once shouted the slogan that everyone should be equal, regardless of status, and that everyone should be like a dragon, showing a side of benevolence and righteousness that surpasses that of Lao Liu!
It's like a seemingly harmless little white rabbit suddenly transforming into a fierce tiger, wreaking havoc in all directions.

Liu Shan's duality worried Xiao Hedian.

Moreover, he also had a grand plan in mind to build the Grand Canal!

Liu Shan's words and actions reminded Xiao He of a certain person.

Emperor Yang of Sui.

During his reign, Yang Guang was also ambitious and wanted to create a great career.

He ordered the construction of the Grand Canal, which was originally a great undertaking that would benefit future generations. However, due to his eagerness for quick success and disregard for the lives of the people, he conscripted a large number of laborers during the construction of the canal, resulting in the destruction of countless families and the deaths of many people.

Ultimately, this triggered a nationwide rebellion, leading to the downfall of the Sui Dynasty.

The key point is that before Yang Guang was made crown prince by Yang Jian, he also appeared to be a benevolent ruler, reaching the point where he was praised as virtuous by the world.

The results of it.

Upon assuming the throne, Yang Guang quickly revealed his true colors, transforming from a benevolent and wise ruler into a grandiose and indiscriminately bloodthirsty one.

"There are indeed signs of that..."

Xiao He muttered to himself, seemingly lost in thought. (End of Chapter)