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

Just then, Liu Chan stepped forward, straightening his back and firmly opposing Huang Quan:

"Even if we lose Mianzhu, we shouldn't surrender to that big-eared scoundrel Liu Bei. We still have plenty of troops and ample provisions in Chengdu. As long as we allocate them properly and hold our ground while waiting for reinforcements, we might be able to get through this crisis."

"Moreover, the surrounding counties of Chengdu have not yet been conquered. As long as we coordinate with the surrounding counties and form a pincer movement, the enemy may not be able to easily conquer Chengdu."

"The situation has not yet reached the point where we should surrender to Liu Bei. We must not give up easily, and we must not do anything that would betray our country for personal gain."

Liu Chanyi said in a righteous and righteous tone.

After all, he was the heir apparent of the Shu Kingdom, and in the future, he would be the King of Shu.

If Liu Zhang surrendered to Liu Bei, the Shu Kingdom would be gone, and he himself would become a subject of a fallen kingdom. Therefore, he resolutely opposed surrendering.

"Your subject believes we should hold out to the death. As long as we are united and determined, we will be able to withstand the Han army's attack and wait for a turning point."

Liu Chan stepped forward and spoke further.

Upon hearing his son's words, Liu Zhang's body trembled violently, and a glint of joy flashed in his eyes.

He seemed to see a glimmer of hope in his son's words, as if he had seen a ray of dawn in the darkness.

However, Huang Quan stepped forward again, sneered, and poured cold water on the situation:

"The army in Chengdu numbers only 15,000, while the enemy is coming in strong and far outnumbers us. With just 15,000 soldiers, can we hold this huge city of Chengdu? Don't be naive."

Liu Chan was speechless at Huang Quan's question and didn't know how to refute it. He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything, so he could only lower his head helplessly.

Seeing that Liu Chan had no reply, Huang Quan continued to persuade him:
"Chengdu is already on the verge of collapse and cannot be defended at all. In that case, why should we let the men of Shu sacrifice themselves in vain?"

"The Han emperor and you are of the same lineage. If the King of Shu surrenders to him, he will surely be treated well. Perhaps he can even protect the people of Shu and spare them the suffering of war."

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhang trembled again, and the anger on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by hesitation and inner conflict.

He rose and began pacing around the main hall, his brow furrowed, lost in deep thought, unable to make up his mind for a moment.

While Liu Zhang was still hesitating, the situation outside became increasingly critical.

Wei Yan has led his army south, advancing with unstoppable momentum and rapidly approaching Chengdu.

The army advanced to the north of Chengdu, deployed its forces outside the city, and launched a powerful offensive against Chengdu.

Chengdu was finally mercilessly dragged into the flames of war.

The people of the city were filled with fear, their faces showing terror, as if the end of the world was about to come.

They lived in fear and anxiety every day, not knowing when the war would end or what their fate would be.

Liu Zhang, however, was at a loss. He sat in the main hall, looking at the chaotic situation outside, his heart filled with helplessness and anxiety.

He was still hesitating between defending Chengdu to the death and fighting the Han army to the bitter end, or following Huang Quan's advice and surrendering to Liu Bei in order to have a chance of survival.

Wei Yan did not give him any more time to hesitate.

...

Han camp.

Inside the central command tent, the atmosphere was heavy and solemn, as a military council concerning the course of the battle was quietly unfolding.

The defense map of Chengdu was already laid out in the tent, with the outline of the city walls, the distribution of passes, and the deployment of troops clearly visible.

Wei Yan, Xiao He, and a group of strategists focused intently on discussing strategies to conquer Chengdu, all while circling the map.

Chengdu is like an impregnable fortress, with exceptionally strong defenses. A rash attack would inevitably result in heavy losses, and the outcome would be uncertain.

Wei Yan stroked his thick beard slightly, his eyes filled with anticipation as he looked at Xiao He and asked:

"Chengdu is indeed impregnable, and a direct assault would be no easy task. Grand Marshal, your wisdom is exceptional. Do you have any brilliant plan that would allow us to conquer Chengdu without shedding a drop of blood?"

Clearly, during his campaign against Shu, Wei Yan deeply experienced the immense power of strategy and tasted the sweetness of outsmarting others, becoming addicted to this method.

At this moment, he was filled with hope that Xiao He could once again use his ingenious plan to help him outsmart Chengdu.

Xiao He pondered for a moment, his gaze slowly sweeping across the map, before he slowly spoke:

"Liu Zhang is a foolish and incompetent man. He already lacks strategists and generals, and there are very few capable people under his command. Now Chengdu is surrounded by us, like a turtle in a jar."

"Those officials in Shu must be feeling uneasy right now, each thinking of their own way out. According to my calculations, soon some of them will be unable to bear the pressure and will come to join us, helping us to attack Chengdu from the inside and outside."

As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Da hurriedly entered the tent, clutching a letter tightly in his hand. He quickly walked to Wei Yan and Xiao He, respectfully presented the letter, and excitedly said:
"Grand Marshal, General Wei! I have just received a secret letter from Huang Quan. He has made up his mind to surrender to our Han Dynasty!"

With a joyful expression on his face, Meng Da continued:
"Previously, Huang Quan had advised Liu Zhang to surrender to the Han Dynasty, but Liu Zhang was indecisive and hesitant, and could not make up his mind."

"Just as the Grand Marshal predicted!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan's eyes flashed with surprise, and he couldn't help but sigh.

Wei Yan hurriedly took the secret letter, his hands trembling slightly, and eagerly began to read it.

After reading it, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a relieved smile.

Just as Xiao He had said, Huang Quan had already begun to consider surrendering, which was undoubtedly a major piece of good news for them.

As he spoke, Wei Yan carefully handed the secret letter to Xiao He.

Xiao He took the secret letter and read it carefully. After a moment, he nodded slightly and said solemnly:

"Judging from the contents of the secret letter, Liu Zhang has indeed considered surrendering, but he has not yet made up his mind. He still has tens of thousands of troops under his command and his food reserves are quite sufficient."

"In my opinion, Liu Zhang still harbors a sliver of wishful thinking, attempting to hold Chengdu with his limited troops and ample provisions."

Wei Yan stroked his beard again, nodded slightly, and asked thoughtfully:
"So, Grand Marshal, what do you think is the best way to make Liu Zhang give up completely and obediently surrender to our Han Dynasty?"

Xiao He's gaze was firm, and he said confidently:

"The key to getting Liu Zhang to surrender is to cut off his idea of ​​defending Chengdu. We can concentrate our forces to break through the enemy's southern defense line in one fell swoop, completely severing the connection between the north and south of Chengdu, making Chengdu an isolated city."

"At that time, Chengdu will be completely cut off from the outside world. People in the city will be in a state of panic and their will will inevitably collapse. When Liu Zhang sees that the situation is hopeless, he will surely open the city gates and surrender."

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan wholeheartedly agreed, and his gaze involuntarily turned to the south.

The Nan'an City line.

Li Yan was on high alert, leading his troops to fiercely resist Guan Ping's army's advance.

The two sides' troops were locked in a stalemate.

Wei Yan turned his gaze to Meng Da and slowly said:
"Zidu," Meng Da said, "I remember you have a very close relationship with Li Yan, a true friend. Are you confident that you can use this relationship to make him surrender without a fight? If so, we can easily break through Liu Zhang's southern defenses and remove a major obstacle to conquering Chengdu." Upon hearing this, Meng Da quickly cupped his hands, his expression confident.
"To be honest, General Wei, Li Zhengfang is a hidden pawn we have already planted. He will definitely play a huge role at the critical moment. If I go there in person, I am confident that I can persuade Li Yan to surrender and serve our army."

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan suddenly understood and a look of surprise appeared on his face.

Only now did he fully realize that Li Yan was actually a crucial pawn they had planted, intended to deliver a fatal blow to Liu Zhang at a critical moment and completely disrupt his defensive plans.

Wei Yan was overjoyed and quickly said:

"Very well, then I'll trouble you, Zidu. Go and tell Li Yan that if he truly surrenders, the Emperor will not mistreat him and will certainly give him the rewards and important positions he deserves."

Upon hearing this, Meng Da burst into laughter, then accepted the order and departed…

In the blink of an eye, another four days have quietly slipped away.

In these seemingly short but crucial four days, the Han army, like a gradually tightening net, formed a semi-encirclement of Chengdu from east to west.

During this time, Wei Yan assessed the situation and ordered his soldiers to set up camp in an orderly manner and build strong defensive fortifications.

Surprisingly, he did not launch any substantial attack on Chengdu, but merely used a deterrent posture to trap the city.

...

Inside the magnificent yet oppressive halls of the Shu King's Palace, Liu Zhang paced back and forth, his face filled with hesitation.

The Han army's strategy of besieging without attacking was like a fog, making him increasingly confused. His inner turmoil was like a tangled mess, difficult to unravel, and he was unable to make a decisive choice.

"Father."

At this moment, Liu Chan walked solemnly to Liu Zhang's side and said urgently:
"Currently, Li Yan is guarding Chengdu to the south. With Li Yan there, Wei Yan's southern army cannot smoothly come to join Wei Yan's main force."

"That's why Wei Yan didn't dare to rashly surround the city from all sides. As long as Chengdu is not completely isolated from the outside world, we have hope of defending Chengdu."

"Father, you must give up the idea of ​​surrendering to Liu Bei."

As Liu Chan spoke, he gestured with his hands, trying to sketch out a blueprint for his father to stay in Chengdu.

Upon hearing Liu Chan's analysis, the hesitation on Liu Zhang's face gradually faded, and a renewed determination rekindled in his eyes.

He nodded slightly and said:
"Yes, Li Yan is quite capable as a general. With his strength, he will definitely be able to stop Guan Ping's attack. As long as the southern route is not lost, Chengdu will not be besieged. I am confident that I can hold it indefinitely."

At this moment, Liu Zhang seemed to see the dawn of his ability to defend Chengdu again, and his inner confidence was rekindled.

Just then, a series of hurried and chaotic footsteps broke the tranquility of the hall.

A scout rushed into the hall in a panic, staggering, and knelt down before Liu Zhang, his voice trembling as he said:

"Nan'an... Nan'an urgent report!"

"Li Yan led his entire army to surrender the city to the Han Dynasty, and Guan Ping has already passed Nan'an and is marching towards Chengdu!"

The scout's words struck Liu Zhang like a thunderbolt.

Liu Zhang felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, and his body uncontrollably staggered back half a step before collapsing to the ground with a thud.

The hall fell into a deathly silence, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

The die-hards, led by Liu Chan and Zhang Ren, stood frozen in place, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

Only Huang Quan's lips curled slightly upward, a meaningful sneer flashing across his face.

Clearly, Li Yan's surrender to the Han was something he had anticipated.

Liu Zhang never expected that Li Yan would betray them at such a crucial moment.

"Li Yan!!"

A moment later, a cry of extreme grief and indignation rang out from Liu Zhang's mouth, his voice filled with pain and despair.

Enraged, Liu Zhang forcefully overturned the table in front of him with both hands.

"I have shown you kindness beyond measure! And you have betrayed me? You treacherous dog! You are an ingrate!"

Inside the hall, Liu Zhang's angry curses echoed.

At this point, Liu Zhang was utterly desperate.

He couldn't understand why he trusted them so much, regarded them as his confidants, and gave them such high status and power.

But what about them? They either secretly colluded with Liu Bei or surrendered to him after being defeated and captured.

He treated them with the respect due to a national hero, yet they all betrayed him. How could he not feel disheartened?

Inside the hall, the father and son's angry and indignant curses echoed.

Zhang Ren, having reached his limit of patience, his hair and beard bristled, his eyes wide with rage, and he roared:
"If I ever get the chance, I will tear Li Yan to pieces!"

For a time, everyone was cursing Li Yan, as if only in this way could they vent their anger and dissatisfaction.

Only Huang Quan came up with a plan.

He slowly walked to Liu Zhang's side, his expression serious, and said:
"King of Shu, it's no use cursing Li Yan now. With Li Yan's surrender, the south of Chengdu has already fallen. In just a few days, Wei Yan's army will have Chengdu surrounded like an iron barrel."

"King of Shu, are you really going to hold out until Chengdu is captured by Wei Yan and we become prisoners? At that time, will the Han emperor still treat you well?"

Huang Quan seized the opportunity and tried to persuade Liu Zhang to surrender to the Han Dynasty.

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhang swayed violently, like a candle flickering in the wind, and collapsed to the ground once more.

He looked blank, his hands trembling uncontrollably, as if he had lost all his support.

“That’s right, you’re right. Once Chengdu is besieged, I definitely won’t be able to hold it. Surrender, surrender. I’m of the same clan as him, he will definitely treat me well.”

At this point, Liu Zhang's heart was completely tipped in favor of surrender.

Upon hearing these words, Zhang Ren and Liu Chan were immediately shocked.

Zhang Ren knelt down with a thud, protesting with tears streaming down his face:
"King of Shu, you mustn't! I still have 10,000 elite troops in the city, and I am still here! How can you give up the fight and become a king who has lost his country!"

Liu Chan also knelt down, his eyes filled with tears of grief and indignation, and said sorrowfully:
"How hard-won was this Shu Kingdom? If Father were to hand it over to Liu Bei, how would he face our ancestors in the afterlife!"

In an attempt to dissuade Liu Zhang, Liu Chan went so far as to invoke his grandfather's name, trying to sway Liu Zhang with the honor of the family.

The two men tried their best to persuade Liu Zhang to retract his decision.

At this moment, Liu Zhang's mind was made up. (End of Chapter)