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

Liu Chan abruptly stopped, his eyes wide open, burning with anger and determination, and roared:

"How could I, Liu Chan, kneel and surrender to that big-eared thief! The old general is right. If I lack courage, how can I be worthy of succeeding to the throne of Shu and shouldering the heavy responsibility of protecting my country?"

Liu Chan suddenly became domineering, straightening his back and looking at Zhang Ren with a firm gaze:

"I have decided to first launch a coup, seize power, and then achieve a surprise victory by defeating Wei Yan! This will completely thwart Liu Bei's conspiracy and ensure that the kingdom of Shu remains in our hands!"

Liu Chan's decision resonated like a thunderclap throughout the camp.

Inspired by Liu Chan's heroic spirit, Zhang Ren, filled with boundless pride, cupped his hands and said:

"With such courage and boldness, Your Highness truly possesses the qualities of a great ruler. I, Zhang Ren, will definitely follow you and go through fire and water for you without hesitation! Even if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead, I, Zhang Ren, will never back down!"

Upon seeing this, Liu Chan quickly stepped forward, helped Zhang Ren up, and showed a sincere smile on his face.

He turned and picked up a wine glass, poured a glass for Zhang Ren, and then raised his own glass:

"Come, old general, drink this cup. From now on, we are in the same boat, sharing life and death, advancing and retreating together."

"If this great undertaking succeeds, I, the prince, will surely share the Shu Kingdom with the old general! I will let the old general enjoy this supreme glory and wealth!"

He intended to use generous rewards as bait to win over Zhang Ren.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ren's body trembled violently, and a deep sense of gratitude instantly welled up on his face, as if he had been overwhelmed by the joy of rain after a long drought.

Without hesitation, he immediately raised his glass and earnestly reiterated his unwavering loyalty.

The two men, master and minister, exchanged a smile, then drank their wine in one gulp, followed by a hearty laugh.

North of Chengdu, Han Camp.

Night falls quietly.

Huang Quan, the envoy from Shu, carrying a mission and hope, slowly stepped into the Han camp.

Inside the central command tent, the flickering candlelight illuminated Wei Yan's imposing face.

He personally rose and warmly received the envoy from the Shu Kingdom.

"Your humble servant Huang Quan has come to pay his respects to the Grand Marshal and General Wei."

Huang Quan bowed respectfully, his voice filled with reverence and humility.

Wei Yan quickly waved his hand and said in a gentle tone:
"Gongheng, you must be tired from your journey. Please have a seat."

Wei Yan was so polite for one reason: Huang Quan had made great contributions in persuading Liu Zhang to surrender and was a meritorious official.

On the other hand, Xiao He had mentioned to him that Huang Quan was a man of both strategic acumen and martial prowess, truly a man of both literary and martial talents.

Wei Yan naturally treated such a talented person with utmost respect and dared not show the slightest negligence.

Therefore, Wei Yan comforted Huang Quan even more warmly.

"This is the letter of surrender from the King of Shu. Please have the Grand Marshal and the General review it."

Huang Quan respectfully presented Liu Zhang's letter of surrender, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Wei Yan took the letter of surrender and read it carefully.

Liu Zhang's words indeed reveal his regret and sincerity.

The letter of surrender stated:
"Since the Battle of Baiguan, the Grand Marshal and the General have won many battles and have almost wiped out the troops of my Shu Kingdom. It was not until Chengdu was besieged that I suddenly realized that I was no match for the Emperor."

"Now that I have recognized my own strength, I am determined to submit to the Emperor. I ask that the Grand Marshal and General Wei not doubt my sincerity."

Upon seeing this, Huang Quan quickly expressed Liu Zhang's sincerity in surrendering and hoped that Wei Yan could believe in their decision.

After hearing this, Wei Yan turned to look at Xiao He, seemingly waiting for his judgment.

After all, whether Liu Zhang surrenders or not will determine the course of the entire war, and he must be cautious.

Xiao He smiled slightly: "Gongheng, I heard that Liu Zhang only decided to submit to the Han Dynasty after your strong persuasion. It seems that you have made a great contribution."

Huang Quan felt a warmth in his heart and quickly expressed his sincerity in surrendering to the Han Dynasty, hoping to make use of his talents in the new court.

Wei Yan had no more suspicions and immediately ordered a banquet to be prepared to entertain Huang Quan.

He hoped that this banquet would further deepen their understanding and trust.

As the banquet began, the generals drank heartily, their laughter and chatter filling the air.

Liu Zhang's surrender meant that the siege was about to end, and that everyone could enter the bustling city of Chengdu without having to fight anymore.

The expeditionary campaign was thus concluded, and the generals breathed a sigh of relief; how could they not be excited?

During the banquet, Wei Yan handed Huang Quan his reply to Liu Zhang, asking him to deliver it to Liu Zhang.

This letter was intended to appease Liu Zhang and let him know that the Han camp welcomed his surrender.

On the other hand, it was also to get Liu Zhang to open the city gates and surrender as soon as possible, so as to avoid any unforeseen complications.

Huang Quan accepted the order and took his leave.

"Grand Marshal, we are finally about to pacify the Shu Kingdom. Come, let's drink this cup to the brim."

Wei Yan was filled with emotion, and with a smile, he raised his cup to Xiao He.

Wei Yan drank it all in one gulp.

However, Xiao He toyed with his wine glass and hesitated to drink.

His eyes revealed a hint of worry and deep thought.

"Grand Marshal, you seem to have something on your mind?"

Wei Yan noticed the unusual expression on Xiao He's face and quickly asked what was wrong. Everyone stopped drinking and focused their attention on Xiao He, waiting for his answer.

Xiao He said meaningfully:
"Liu Zhang was weak and incompetent, and his surrender to the Han Dynasty is beyond doubt. However..."

He changed the topic and said:

"Whether his son Liu Chan is willing is unknown, and there are also Zhang Ren and others who may not be willing. I'm afraid these people will cause trouble and ruin our important plans."

A single sentence reminded Wei Yan.

He put down his wine glass and nodded, saying:
"The Grand Marshal is right. There are also blindly loyal ministers in Chengdu who may do foolish things in the name of loyalty."

"In your judgment, Grand Marshal, what foolish things do these people do?"

Wei Yan continued to ask.

Xiao He sipped his wine in silence, seemingly deep in thought.

After a long silence, the atmosphere inside the tent grew increasingly heavy.

Xiao He's lips curled into a cold smile as he said coldly:
"If they dare to cause trouble, we can take this opportunity to wipe out those stubborn and obstinate diehards who are trying to resist! Let them know that any attempt to go against the tide is nothing but a futile effort, a self-destructive act!"

After saying that, a sharp, cold glint flashed in Xiao He's eyes.

...

Meanwhile, night quietly fell in Chengdu.

Liu Zhang sat alone in the hall, holding a wine cup in his hand, drinking one cup after another in silence.

His eyes were filled with loneliness and helplessness, as if the whole world had abandoned him.

"After today, I will no longer be the high and mighty ruler of Shu who controls the fate of Shu. I will only be able to live like a stray dog, suffering the scorn and ridicule of others."

He sighed inwardly, his thoughts drifting back to the past.

"Father, I have done my best, please don't blame me..." Liu Zhang raised his cup to the sky, his eyes glistening with tears.

He was paying homage to his father, Liu Yan, who had used every means at his disposal and endured countless rebellions and conspiracies to finally sit on the throne of Shu.

When Liu Zhang first inherited the throne, the Shu Kingdom was plagued by internal strife and surrounded by powerful enemies. He had to exert all his efforts to gradually secure his position.

Later, with the help of his advisors, he ascended to the throne of the King of Shu.

For Liu Zhang, he had indeed done his best.

He believed that even if he couldn't expand the family business, he could at least protect the empire that two generations had worked so hard to build.

But now, he has to hand over this foundation to Liu Bei. How can he not feel ashamed?
He felt sorry for Liu Yan and for the soldiers who shed blood and sacrificed their lives for the Shu Kingdom.

But so what?
Faced with life and death, and the survival of his family, he had no choice but to compromise and surrender.

To save his life, he could only bear the guilt and pain silently in his heart, even if he felt guilty.

After finishing another cup of wine, Liu Zhang sighed and poured himself another cup.

At that moment, a deafening battle cry suddenly rang out from outside the palace, the sound like thunder, instantly shattering the tranquility of the night.

Liu Zhang thought the Han army had stormed into the city, and he jumped up in fright, his face turning deathly pale instantly.

But he immediately sat down again, pondering to himself:

"I am going to surrender to the Han tomorrow. Wei Yan was able to take Chengdu without a fight, so why would he come to attack it head-on? I must be drunk and hallucinating."

Thinking of this, Liu Zhang chuckled self-deprecatingly, picked up his wine cup, and was about to drink again.

However, at that moment, the palace doors were suddenly kicked open, and a guard rushed in with a terrified expression, stumbling down in front of Liu Zhang and shouting:
"Reporting to the King of Shu, something terrible has happened! The Crown Prince has rebelled and led his army to invade!"

"what?!"

The wine cup in Liu Zhang's hand fell to the ground with a "clatter" and shattered into pieces.

His face was filled with horror, as if he had seen the most terrifying thing in the world.

"You...say it again?"

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

"The Crown Prince and General Zhang have staged a coup and stormed in. Our personal guards can't hold them off, and the Crown Prince's forces are about to reach the main hall!"

The guard knelt on the ground, his voice trembling as he cried out.

Liu Zhang swayed as if struck by a heavy hammer, and fell to the ground with a thud.

He looked up and gazed outside the hall, where flames raged and the sounds of battle shook the heavens, as if the whole world had fallen into chaos and madness.

Liu Zhang then realized that he was not drunk, and that what he had just heard was real—his son Liu Chan was raising an army to rebel!

Even veteran general Zhang Ren got involved and betrayed him!
"Why? Has this rebellious son gone mad? He dares to rebel? Zhang Ren actually dares to turn against me?"

Liu Zhang exclaimed, his voice filled with anger, disappointment, and pain.

He couldn't believe that his closest son and most trusted veteran would betray him and launch a rebellion at such a critical moment.

At this moment, the royal guards came in disarray, their faces filled with terror and utter disarray.

Immediately afterwards, a loud bang was heard, and the city gate was smashed to pieces.

Outside the palace, Zhang Ren, like a war god, charged in first, wielding a large, gleaming sword.

It was his strike, carrying the force of a thunderbolt, that slammed open the heavy palace gate.

With a loud crash, the palace gate collapsed.

In an instant, countless rebel soldiers surged into the palace like a tidal wave.

Their faces were ferocious, and their eyes revealed greed and ruthlessness.

The remaining guards fought desperately, but were quickly cut down by the rebels' relentless attacks.

Blood splattered everywhere, staining the palace floor red. Screams and shouts of battle mingled together, echoing in every corner of the palace.

Liu Zhang was so frightened that his face turned as pale as paper. He seemed to be frozen on his throne, his body trembling and at a loss for what to do.

His eyes widened in horror at the chaotic and bloody scene before him, his mind blank.

As the sounds of battle gradually subsided, like a brief calm after a storm, the blood mist slowly descended.

Just then, Liu Chan, clad in golden armor and holding a long sword still dripping with blood, stepped into the hall.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty!"

Liu Chan bowed coldly, his voice devoid of any respect, instead revealing a sense of indifference and resolve.

The tone was as if he were not bowing to his father, but announcing his arrival to a ruler he was about to overthrow.

After a long while, Liu Zhang finally came to his senses, recovering from his extreme fear.

He leaped up in anger, his eyes burning with fury, and pointed at Liu Chan's nose, shouting:

"Liu Chan! You unfilial son, have you gone mad? How dare you launch a coup? Do you want to kill your father? Do you have any humanity left?"

Liu Chan glanced at Liu Zhang with disdain, his eyes filled with contempt and disdain, as if he were looking at an insignificant ant.

“Father, you will not listen to my advice and insist on handing over the foundation of the Shu Kingdom to Liu Bei. You will become a sinner for all time! I have no other choice but to launch a military remonstrance to rectify the court.”

"For the sake of this foundation and the people of Shu, I had no choice but to do this. Please forgive me, Father!"

Liu Zhang swayed as if struck by a gust of wind, almost losing his balance.

He finally understood Liu Chan's motives for launching the mutiny, and his heart was filled with mixed feelings.

"you you……"

His hand trembled as he pointed at his unfilial son, his lips quivering, but he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

He knew in his heart that there was nothing he could do; his son was right.

Liu Chan believed that he should indeed give the legacy left by Liu Yan to Liu Bei, which was undoubtedly an act of filial impiety.

In a sense, it seems only natural for Liu Chan to remove him from power in order to protect his family business.

What reason did he have to curse?

"Zhang Ren, why are you also helping this rebellious son to cause trouble? You have always been my loyal subject!"

Unable to verbally abuse Liu Chan, Liu Zhang could only direct his anger towards Zhang Ren and demand an explanation.

Zhang Ren showed no shame and coldly said:

“King of Shu, I am your subject, but I am also a citizen of Shu. I cannot watch you hand over my people of Shu to Liu Bei and plunge them into misery.”

"Since you are unwilling to protect the people of Shu and unwilling to fight for the future of this Shu kingdom, I have no choice but to support the crown prince to the throne."

"King of Shu, please don't blame me. Everything I've done is for the people of Shu!"

Liu Zhang slumped down, as if all his strength had been drained away.

His anger vanished at that moment, replaced by a deep sense of despair and helplessness.

His son betrayed him, his ministers betrayed him, and at this moment, he felt that everyone had betrayed him.

He has fallen to the point of being abandoned by everyone; it's truly pitiful and lamentable. (End of Chapter)