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

They were already worried about the fall of Baiguan City, and now that they had learned of Zhang Song's surrender to the Han, they were even more anxious, like ants on a hot pan.

On the city wall, a great deal of discussion broke out. Everyone was speculating about the reasons for Zhang Song's surrender to the Han Dynasty and what consequences this would bring to the Shu Kingdom.

"It's fine that Wei Yan came, but I didn't expect Xiao He to come as well."

"This man is like a military genius. He is a master strategist and full of cunning. How can we possibly be his match?"

The deputy general, Lei Tong, was so frightened that his face turned pale and his eyes were filled with fear.

Xiao He's skill was remarkable; he repeatedly won battles against overwhelming odds and created many astonishing miracles in warfare.

His name, like a sharp sword, strikes fear into the hearts of people all over the world.

"Prefect, are we a match for him? If Xiao Hezhen attacks, we'll have a hard time defending ourselves."

Lei Tong said in a trembling voice.

Upon hearing the words of his lieutenants, Gao Pei felt a chill run down his spine.

Xiao He's fame resounded throughout the world, and everyone knew it.

Now that Xiao He has devised a plan to kill Yang Huai and easily captured Baiguan, the Shu army is filled with fear at the mere mention of Xiao He's name, and their morale has been greatly affected.

How can we fight?

"Now that things have come to this, we can only hold out at Heisong Pass. We hope that the King of Shu can send reinforcements as soon as possible. Otherwise, with our current strength, we may find it difficult to withstand the Han army's attack."

Gao Pei sighed helplessly, a hint of despair in his eyes.

Just then, the somewhat calm atmosphere was suddenly shattered by a sharp and urgent scream from a soldier:

"Battle flags have appeared on the main road to the east!"

Immediately following, another shout came:

"The Han army is here!"

Gao Pei's brows instantly furrowed, and he focused his gaze intently.

As expected.

On the main road, dust churned and rolled like a raging dragon, while battle flags fluttered in the dust.

Countless flags embroidered with the character "Han" appeared and disappeared in the dust and mist.

"The Han army arrived so quickly?"

Gao Pei was secretly alarmed, but remained outwardly calm, only gritting his teeth and shouting:
"Close the city gates, raise the drawbridge, and everyone go up the city walls to prepare for battle!"

Lei Tong hurried forward, his face full of anxiety:
"Prefect Gao, there are still many civilians and scattered soldiers outside the city who have not been able to enter the city in time."

"If we close the city gates now, wouldn't we be putting their lives at risk?"

Gao Pei remained silent for a moment, then hardened his heart:
"If we don't close the gate, what will we use to stop the Han cavalry if they take advantage of the situation and attack?"

"At that point, it won't just be the civilians outside the city who die!"

Lei Tong was speechless for a moment after hearing this, unable to find a reason to refute it.

Seeing this, Gao Pei shouted again:
"On my command, close the city gates immediately!"

Lei Tong had no choice but to issue the order.

Upon receiving the order, the Shu soldiers moved swiftly, forcibly closing the city gates and raising the drawbridge.

Thousands of refugees and defeated soldiers were ruthlessly kept outside the city. Their cries and wails rose and fell like a tide, surging toward the city gate, only to be blocked by the cold gate.

Standing on the city wall, Gao Pei watched this scene with a sense of helplessness and reluctance, but he could only sigh and turn a blind eye.

Seeing no hope of entering the city, the refugees had no choice but to scatter and search for a way to survive.

Meanwhile, from the Guandong direction, the Han army had already swept in like a tidal wave.

Gao Pei's gaze inadvertently swept over the "Wei" battle flag, and a dark cloud immediately settled over his face.

...

Hundreds of miles away, the scene inside Chengdu was quite different.

Inside the mansion, singing and dancing filled the air, and the aroma of wine permeated the atmosphere, as if the place were completely isolated from the flames of war outside.

Meng Da raised his cup and began to plan for Liu Zhang's future. Liu Zhang listened and nodded repeatedly, clearly quite satisfied with Meng Da's strategy.

Just as they were enjoying their drinks, their second son, Liu Chan, suddenly rushed in.

"Father, something has happened in eastern Shu!"

Liu Chan gasped for breath, his face filled with anxiety and fear.

"Gao Pei sent an urgent report: Xiao He and Wei Yan tricked Yang Huai into launching a night attack on the Han camp, resulting in the complete annihilation of their army!"

"Then the Han army advanced westward along the Yangtze River, capturing seven of our cities in succession, and is now approaching Heisong Pass!"

"Jiangzhou is in grave danger! Gao Pei requests that Father mobilize troops to reinforce its defenses!"

After Liu Chan finished speaking, he was covered in sweat.

With a loud clang!
The wine cup slipped from Liu Zhang's hand and shattered on the ground, spilling wine everywhere.

Wu Yi's expression changed drastically in shock.

The assembled officials were in an uproar, whispering and discussing amongst themselves.

Only Meng Da had a cold smile on his lips, as if all of this was within his expectations.

"impossible!"

Liu Zhang jumped up, his voice filled with disbelief and anger.

"If Xiao He is in Chang'an, how could he be at Baiguan?"

"Wei Yan entered Shu to borrow a route to attack Jiaozhou, so why did he suddenly seize my city?"

"And why did Yang Huai launch a surprise attack on the Han camp?"

Liu Zhang looked at Liu Chan with a face full of questions, hoping to get an answer from him.

Liu Chan hurriedly presented Gao Pei's urgent report.

Before Liu Zhang could receive the urgent report, Wu Yi had already leaped up and snatched it away.

The urgent report was filled with words as sharp as knives, etching the earth-shattering news of Zhang Song's rebellion.

The plan was to lure and kill Yang Huai, while Wei Yan seized the opportunity to ambush and capture the strategically important Baiguan Pass in one fell swoop.

All of this is written down clearly and without question.

"Just as I thought, just as I thought..." Wu
Yi muttered to himself, his anger burning fiercely in his chest.

He turned his head abruptly, cupped his hands, and reported to Liu Zhang:
"Your Majesty, I request that Meng Da be executed immediately! This traitor must be in cahoots with Zhang Song; he must be eliminated!"

When these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.

The ministers looked at each other, wondering how this sudden turn of events would end.

Liu Zhang was completely stunned. He stared wide-eyed at Wu Yi, as if asking:
"Why?"

Meng Da, however, remained calm.

Zhang Song openly surrendered to Liu Bei, which led Wu Yi to believe that he was also an accomplice.

A storm is brewing against him.

"Are you crazy?"

Meng Da feigned surprise and questioned:

"Why do you want to kill me? I, Meng Da, am loyal to the King of Shu. How could I commit such a treasonous act?"

Liu Zhang also came to his senses. He looked at Wu Yi and asked:
Why do you ask me to kill him?

Wu Yi angrily presented the urgent report, saying:
"It was Meng Da and Zhang Song who strongly advocated welcoming the Han army into Shu, and the two were close friends. Zhang Song had been an envoy to Jingzhou and upon his return, he swore that Wei Yan was merely passing through." "But what has happened now? Zhang Song has surrendered to Wei Yan and even plotted to lure and kill Yang Huai, seizing our Baiguan City! These two must be accomplices without a doubt. How can we not kill them as a warning to others!"

Liu Zhang unfolded the urgent report and examined it carefully.

An endless rage gradually ignited on his face.

"Meng Da!" he roared.
"Zhang Song rebelled, what do you have to say for yourself?"

With that, he threw the urgent report hard in front of Meng Da.

Meng Da calmly picked up the urgent report and examined it carefully.

Then, with a slight frown, he said to Liu Zhang:
"Your Majesty, there are a few things I do not understand, and I urge Your Majesty to investigate them thoroughly. It is common knowledge that Yang Huaisu and Zhang Yongnian are at odds. Why would he listen to Zhang Yongnian's words and lead his troops in a night raid on the Han camp? Isn't that courting death?"

"Furthermore, Xiao He was clearly in Luoyang, so why would he suddenly appear in Baiguan City?"

"Furthermore, Yang Huai has always opposed your welcoming of the Han army into Shu. Could it be that he deliberately launched a night attack on Wei Yan to vent his personal anger? As a result, he not only failed but also angered Wei Yan, which is why Wei Yan sent troops to Baiguan to march on Jiangzhou?"

"Finally, I have also heard that Gao Pei and Zhang Song are at odds. Is this urgent report true and reliable? How can the King of Shu conclude that Zhang Song has surrendered to Shu and that I am also secretly colluding with Liu Bei based on just one urgent report?"

Meng Da rejected the "flawed" urgent report point by point, causing Liu Zhang to fall into deep thought.

Liu Zhang was stunned. He was immediately at a loss and didn't know whose words to believe.

Even Wu Yi was speechless; he hadn't expected Meng Da to be so eloquent.

Liu Zhang nodded, the doubt on his face gradually fading:

“Zidu’s words make sense. There may indeed be a misunderstanding. We should not act rashly on this matter. We need to find out the truth before making a decision.”

Meng Da cupped his hands and said:
"Your Majesty the King of Shu is wise. I am willing to go to Heisong Pass in person to find out the truth. I need to confirm why Wei Yan attacked my Baiguan City."

"I need to know whether it was the Han emperor's will or Yang Huai's attack on the Han camp that angered Wei Yan. This matter is of great importance and cannot be ignored."

Liu Zhang replied without hesitation:
"Very well, as you say, you should go to Heisong Pass immediately to find out the truth and report back."

A smug smile crept across Meng Da's lips.

This was his plan to escape; he intended to use the opportunity of seeking the truth to break free from Liu Zhang's control and join the Han camp.

"Your Majesty, I wish to go with you."

Wu Yi jumped out, wanting to go with Meng Da.

His suspicions about Meng Da remained undiminished, and he wanted to go along with him to monitor Meng Da's every move.

Meng Da frowned and glared at Wu Yi.

Wu Yi is truly a persistent ghost; he actually wants to go with him.

Liu Zhang, going with the flow, agreed to Wu Yi's request:
"Since you're going too, then let's go together. Having another person will help us ascertain Wei Yan's motives."

The next morning, Meng Da and Wu Yi set off eastward to Heisong Pass.

They sped along, each with their own plans.

At the same time, Liu Zhang also dispatched more than 10,000 troops to reinforce Jiangzhou.

He then ordered Gao Pei to hold Heisong Pass firmly, without retreating or attacking.

We must remain calm and await his further orders.

East of Heisong Pass, the Han camp.

Inside the main tent, a crucial military meeting concerning the course of the battle was underway.

At this moment, the sand table of Heisong Pass has been erected.

Xiao Hezheng and Wei Yan were intently discussing strategies to break through the barrier, centered around the sand table.

"Grand Marshal, now that we possess such a powerful weapon as the Divine Thunder Cannon, what is there to fear?"

Guan Xing stepped forward, his expression impassioned, and volunteered:

"This humble general humbly requests the Grand Marshal to order the immediate forging of the Divine Thunder Cannon, so that it may blast through Black Pine Pass with overwhelming force!"

Upon hearing Guan Xing's words, the generals in the tent also eagerly volunteered for battle.

Wei Yan turned slightly to the side and looked back at Xiao He, his eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.

"You're more familiar with the passes of Shu, so why don't you tell me how we should attack Black Pine Pass? Also, what do you think of Xingguo's suggestion just now?"

Xiao He's gaze slowly turned to Zhang Song beside him.

Seeing this, Zhang Song immediately stepped forward and pointed to the sand table, saying:
"Although the Divine Thunder Cannon is extremely powerful and can be called a sharp weapon, it is probably not very effective against Black Pine Pass."

"Although Black Pine Pass is not large in scale, the city is built entirely of huge stones, and its sturdiness far surpasses that of White Pass."

"Therefore, I believe that simply relying on artillery bombardment may not be enough to break through it!"

Upon hearing Zhang Song's words, everyone couldn't help but secretly admire him.

Sure enough, he had a thorough understanding of the passes in Shu and his analysis was so logical and convincing.

Guan Xing and his generals, whose fighting spirit had been high, were now suppressed and began to re-examine the defenses of Black Pine Pass.

“Yongnian is absolutely right. I have just carefully examined the Black Pine Pass, and it is indeed built of mountain stones. If the Divine Thunder Cannon cannot break through its walls, forcibly bombarding it is not the best course of action.”

Wei Yan stroked his beard and nodded slightly, agreeing with Zhang Song's analysis.

Then, he frowned and continued to ask:

"Is there any shortcut that can bypass Black Pine Pass and directly attack Jiangzhou?"

Zhang Song pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and said:

"General Wei's plan does have its merits, but Gao Pei has probably already been closely monitoring the various paths near Black Pine Pass."

"Furthermore, even if there is a path, it must be rugged and difficult to traverse, making it impossible for a large group to move quickly. If we rashly choose a path, we may find ourselves in a dilemma."

Wei Yan's plan was thus logically and methodically refuted by Zhang Song.

He sighed softly and nodded, saying:

"Well, that's true."

Having marched all the way from Baiguan to Heisongguan, he had come to deeply understand the hardships and dangers of the Shu Road.

To be honest, if it weren't for Xiao He's previous plan, it would have been extremely difficult for them to break through this natural barrier and successfully enter Black Pine Pass.

"Grand Marshal, in your opinion, how should we break through Black Pine Pass?"

Wei Yan's gaze slowly turned to Xiao He.

In his view, these difficulties must ultimately be resolved by Xiao He.

Xiao He smiled slightly, his expression calm and composed, and slowly said:

“Yongnian isn’t the only spies we have in Sichuan. Don’t forget, there’s also Zidu. They should be making their move by now…”

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan was taken aback, not yet fully grasping the deeper meaning behind Xiao He's words.

Just then, a soldier rushed in and fell to the ground:
"Reporting to the Grand Marshal, reporting to the General of Wei, Shu officials Meng Da and Wu Yi claim to be here on Liu Zhang's orders to request an audience with the Grand Marshal!"

Wei Yan's body trembled slightly, and his gaze instantly fell on Xiao He, inwardly marveling:

That's an incredibly accurate calculation!

A hint of doubt and curiosity flashed in Wei Yan's eyes, and he couldn't help but ask:
Why has Meng Zidu suddenly come at this time? Could there be another reason behind it?

Xiao He's lips curled slightly upward, revealing a calm smile:

“Yongnian had previously publicly submitted to the emperor, and he also helped us successfully break through Baiguan Pass. For Liu Zhang, this series of actions was undoubtedly a great humiliation. He would surely be furious and vent his anger on Zidu.”

"Based on my understanding of Zidu, I am certain that he must have used a clever strategy to escape Liu Zhang's control before coming to join us."

Upon hearing Xiao He's analysis, Wei Yan suddenly realized that Meng Da's purpose in coming here was to escape Liu Zhang's persecution.

However, after gaining this understanding, a new question arose in Wei Yan's mind:
"Mencius's arrival to seek refuge with us was unexpected, yet also reasonable and not surprising. But what is the purpose of Wu Yi's accompanying him?" (End of Chapter)