Wei and Jin did not submit to Zhou

Chapter 84 There Will Never Be Another Zhuge Liang

Mianzhu, the last gateway to Chengdu to the north! Not only is it prosperous, but it also has an extremely important strategic position. Because it is located on the banks of the Mian River and there are many bamboo trees on both sides, the government named it Mianzhu.

Night had fallen, and inside the main hall of the Mianzhu County government office, a group of Shu Han officials were discussing military affairs in a tense atmosphere.

In the firelight, these people looked anxious as they discussed something.

The man at the head of the table, who was in his late thirties or early forties, had a furrowed brow and a worried expression.

His name was Zhuge Zhan, son of Zhuge Liang. Although he was born late in life, he achieved fame at a young age.

After Zhuge Liang's death, Zhuge Zhan was placed on high hopes by the people and soldiers of Shu. Everyone hoped that he would become the next Zhuge Liang and devote himself to the court until his death.

Being born as Zhuge Liang's son was both a blessing and a curse for Zhuge Zhan. From the time he was old enough to understand, Zhuge Zhan lived in his father's shadow.

No matter what he does, he will always be compared to Zhuge Liang.

It's better not to compare; once you start comparing, things go wrong.

If Zhuge Zhan achieved something, others would think: "What's so special about it if Prime Minister Zhuge could do something with a single finger?"

If Zhuge Zhan messed something up, others would only have four words to say: "A tiger father and a dog son!"
As Zhuge Liang's son, Zhuge Zhan had everything that others envied: a life of comfort and a good education, a promising career and marriage to a princess, and the emperor's favor.

But the price he paid behind the scenes was unknown to outsiders; only Zhuge Zhan himself knew all the pressure and hardship he endured.

He was ultimately not Zhuge Liang, nor could he live up to the "expectations" of the people and soldiers of Shu.

Where in the world can you find another Zhuge Liang? Not only in Shu, but even in Wei and Eastern Wu, there wasn't one!
Besides Zhuge Zhan, the Central Protector, the main hall of the county government was also filled with Zhang Zun, the Minister of the Imperial Guard; Huang Chong, the Assistant Minister of the Imperial Guard; Li Qiu, the Right Commander of the Imperial Guard; Zhuge Shang, the son of Zhuge Zhan; and others. They were discussing the matter of sending troops.

"Lord Wuxiang, Deng Ai's rebel army has already occupied Jiangyou and should have captured Fucheng by now. Should we go to their aid or not?"

Huang Chong asked the question, addressing Zhuge Zhan respectfully by his title, adopting a very humble attitude.

"We have already sent an army to rescue Fucheng, but they were no match for Deng Ai. If we launch a rash attack now, it will be fine if we win, but if we lose... I'm afraid Chengdu will also be lost."

Zhuge Zhan shook his head, clearly disagreeing with sending troops to rescue them. Having suffered a defeat last time, and with no major troops stationed in Fucheng, the city was likely already lost.

Upon learning of Deng Ai's successful surprise attack on Jiangyou Pass, Zhuge Zhan dispatched troops from Chengdu as quickly as possible, heading north, but he was still a step too late.

When he arrived in Mianzhu with tens of thousands of Shu troops under his command and set up defenses there, he sent light cavalry to Fucheng for rescue. At that time, Deng Ai was leading the Wei army to attack Fucheng.

The timing of the rescue was perfect.

However, when the two armies clashed, the vanguard of the Shu army collapsed at the first contact! They were no match for Deng Ai's elite troops! Left with no other choice, Zhuge Zhan had to defend Mianzhu and never mentioned sending troops again.

"The elite troops of Shu are all under Jiang Wei's command. Although there are many soldiers in Mianzhu, they have not been used to battle for a long time. If a real battle breaks out..."

I'm afraid the odds are against them.

Zhang Zun shook his head and sighed.

Clearly, he disagreed with sending troops to Fucheng, and had already lost the initiative. If he were to launch an attack now, it would be tantamount to suicide.

"But if we don't send troops, Jiang Wei will be attacked from both sides at Jiange. If we lose Jiange, Shu will be in grave danger!"
There are over 100,000 bandit troops facing Jian Ge!

Li Qiu said with great distress that hiding like this was not a solution.

Upon hearing Li Qiu's words, Zhuge Zhan frowned slightly. He and Jiang Wei were not on good terms. Although he would not watch Deng Ai attack Jian Ge, he still had a hurdle in his mind to actively rescue Jiang Wei.

Now is the moment of life and death for the Shu Kingdom. Any mistake could lead to the destruction of the country.

Should we advance, remain where we are, or even... retreat to Chengdu and decide what to do next?
Zhuge Zhan was conflicted and didn't know what to do.

Just then, a personal guard rushed over and whispered a few words in Zhuge Zhan's ear.

Zhuge Zhan's expression changed slightly. He gave some instructions to his personal guard, who soon led a man dressed in Wei army uniform to the county government hall.

"Deng Ai sent you? What did he have to say?"

Zhuge Zhan asked in a cold voice.

"Deng Gong has a letter here; please have it reviewed by Marquis Wuxiang."

Deng Ai's messenger was very respectful. He took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to a waiting guard, who then passed it to Zhuge Zhan.

To everyone's surprise, Zhuge Zhan didn't even bother to look at it and simply placed it on the table in front of him.

He looked at the messenger and asked, "Just state your purpose directly. I won't read Deng Ai's letter! Tell us what you have to say, there's nothing we can't say!"

Zhuge Zhan's words drew sidelong glances from Huang Chong, Li Qiu, and others standing nearby. His upright and honest manner was reminiscent of the prime minister of yesteryear.

Of course, whether or not one has that talent is another matter.

"Deng Gong greatly admires Prime Minister Zhuge Liang and also respects you very much. As long as you are willing to surrender, Deng Gong guarantees with his life that he will definitely help you become the Prince of Langya and bring glory to your ancestors."

The envoy spoke cautiously.

The Prince of Langya? Deng Ai really dares to say that!
Even Sima Zhao was only granted the title of Duke of Jin, not a king! Deng Ai himself is nothing now!

This guy actually dares to guarantee that Zhuge Zhan will be made a king. What makes him think he can do that?

Who does he think he is!

The people present didn't find it strange that Deng Ai sent someone to persuade them to surrender; rather, they couldn't believe that Deng Ai had become so arrogant!

"Guards! Drag him out and execute him!"

Zhuge Zhan pointed to the messenger sent by Deng Ai and said, "Two guards stepped forward, grabbed the messenger's arms, and dragged him outside."

"Lord Wuxiang! In times of war, envoys should not be killed!"

The envoy was so frightened that he cried out repeatedly, cursing Zhuge Zhan in his heart as a scoundrel!
"I beheaded the envoy to show that I would rather die than surrender. My head may be cut off, my blood may flow, but I will not become a subject of a fallen nation!"

"Keep the title of Prince of Langya for Deng Ai; I, Zhuge Zhan, don't want it!"

Zhuge Zhan drew his sword and slashed at the corner of the table, his hair standing on end in fury!

"Zhuge Zhan, you will die a horrible death! You will absolutely die a horrible death!"

The messenger's shouts faded into the distance, and everyone present felt a pang of sympathy.

It's clear that Zhuge Zhan has been enraged! Especially that "King of Langya," who made Zhuge Zhan feel extremely humiliated!

In Shu, Zhuge Liang was a god-like figure. Regardless of his abilities, his political and moral character was unparalleled in the world.

This is a halo, but also a heavy burden. If a son is not properly taught, it is the father's fault. If Zhuge Zhan surrenders, it will be a slap in the face to Zhuge Liang, demonstrating that Zhuge Liang failed to properly teach his son how to be a decent person.

This is a very big stain.

Being granted the title of Prince of Langya is like urinating on a stain. The entire Zhuge clan of Langya will be tainted with its stench.

If Zhuge Zhan had been granted the title of "King of Langya" by the Sima family, it wouldn't have brought glory to his ancestors; it would have been like dancing on Zhuge Liang's grave!
Even if it were a matter of bestowing titles of kings, it should be Liu Shan who should be doing it! What kind of emperors are the Sima family?
What a despicable traitor! How dare he bestow the title of king upon others?

Huang Chong, Li Qiu, and the others standing nearby understood what was happening and couldn't help but feel sorry for Zhuge Zhan.

Some people don't even have the right to surrender; they are placed on a moral high ground, enduring the trials and tribulations.

One can be shattered to pieces, but one must never live a life of dishonor; otherwise, one's efforts will be wasted and all previous struggles will be tainted by a stain.

This is politics, this is destiny.

"Gentlemen, tomorrow we will muster our troops and march to Fucheng to fight Deng Ai!"

Zhuge Zhan looked around at everyone and said.

"slow!"

Huang Chong quickly spoke up to stop him.

"Lord Wuxiang, do not fall for Deng Ai's provocation. The army has just suffered a defeat and is not fit for a long expedition."

"Why not wait here at the foot of Mianzhu City, in comfort and at ease, for Deng Ai to arrive? Send someone to deliver the envoy's head to Fucheng! Let's provoke Deng Ai a bit!"

Huang Chong advised Zhuge Zhan to stop.

He knew in his heart that Zhuge Zhan did not want to attack. But if he did not attack, others would suspect that he was thinking of surrendering, so he had no choice but to attack and show his true intentions to the outside world!

Therefore, certain things could not be said by Zhuge Zhan.

As expected, upon hearing Huang Chong's words, Zhuge Zhan sighed, sheathed his sword, and nodded slightly. He accepted Huang Chong's suggestion without much hesitation.

Zhuge Zhan has already shown his true intentions by "beheading the messenger." Now that someone has offered a way out, there's no need to be a fool and refuse to take the opportunity.

"Go and get ready, Deng Ai will be coming to Mianzhu soon."

Zhuge Zhan looked around at everyone and gave instructions.

……

Often, accomplishing great things requires both boldness and meticulousness.

That night, Shi Shouxin summoned Liu Qin, Ma Long, and others to the signing room on the city tower, and then spread out a recently drawn map on the table.

"The scouts went to Hanzhong to investigate and found that most of the wealthy families in Hanzhong were located near the old city (Nanzheng)."

After making several inquiries, I've selected two companies, both local tycoons with private armies. You can consider them.

Shi Shouxin looked around at everyone and said.

They had no qualms about robbing wealthy local families in Hanzhong. To put it nicely, these people were nouveau riche; to put it bluntly, they were local tyrants who ran rampant in the countryside.

For example, Lu Su was "quite wealthy" and had countless servants.

Did all that money and supplies, all those thugs, come from the Yangtze River? Without that kind of resources, how could Lu Su have become a guest of honor in the Sun family of Jiangdong?
Did the Lu family really accumulate wealth by simply farming with hoes?

Many problems become clear with just a little thought. These local tycoons are definitely not clean; every grain in their granaries is tainted with blood.

Success makes you a king, failure makes you a bandit! Apart from success or failure, these people are essentially the same.

In Hanzhong, wealthy local families, if they were successful, could become official families and wield considerable influence in the imperial court.

If you can't make it in the world, you're a bandit!
"There are two families, the Yang family and the Xi family, with large territories and their houses like fortified camps, with warehouses and granaries. They are only temporarily lying low because our army occupies Hanzhong."

The imperial court couldn't afford to pay them any attention, but they were also trying to establish connections with the court. If they missed this opportunity, in another year or two, one of these two families might very well produce an official of the rank of prefect.

Shi Shouxin said in a deep voice.

He did not choose the self-sufficient farmers who had some savings, even though these people were easier to rob.

The wealthy Yang and Xi families were Shi Shouxin's real targets. He didn't need to give them any face; he'd just rob them.

Ma Long and Liu Qin both nodded, feeling that Shi Shouxin's arrangement was appropriate.

"Don't wear military uniforms, try not to kill anyone, and carry lightweight, easy-to-carry items."

Take what you need and leave; don't cause any trouble! Anyone caught raping a woman will be executed immediately.

Arrange 500 soldiers to provide support near Yang'an Pass, so that we can respond if anything goes wrong.

Remember to avoid killing people if possible; if you must kill, kill them all without leaving any survivors!
Killing someone creates a deadly feud. If the matter escalates, the imperial court will conduct a thorough investigation, and the victim will find a way to retaliate against us in the future.

If it were just a matter of stealing, the Yang and Xi families would pretend not to hear and wouldn't make a fuss, and the imperial court wouldn't bother with such a trivial matter.

Our actions are intended to win over the morale of our troops, not to kill for pleasure.

Shi Shouxin continued, pointing to the marching route on the map. He certainly had other plans, but there was no need to tell Meng Guan and Ma Long about them now. This was also a method of managing his subordinates.

"General Shi, everything else is negotiable, but how do we get through Yang'an Pass? Troops need military orders to leave the defense zone!"

Malone asked.

"I have my own way."

Shi Shouxin chuckled and said, "This is the most crucial part of the whole plan. How could I not have prepared for it?"
Shi Shouxin took out a letter from his sleeve. It was written by Xu Yi, the garrison commander of Yang'an Pass.

He spread the letter out on the table, and it read: "Logistics capacity is insufficient, and the grain and fodder piled up in Hanzhong cannot be delivered to Hanshou on time and in the required quantity. Please send a troop of soldiers to assist in transporting the grain."

That's right, Xu Yi has already been kicked to Yang'an Pass by Zhong Hui.

This letter was requested by Shi Shouxin from Xu Yi, because the supply lines at the front were indeed short of manpower, and Xu Yi was in charge of transporting grain at Yang'an Pass! Then the other party immediately wrote back.

When Shi Shouxin brought up this matter, Xu Yi was overjoyed and could not possibly refuse!

Once Xu Yi delivered this letter to Zhong Hui, he could report back. When questioned later, he simply made up an excuse that the situation was urgent and the frontline rations couldn't be delayed, so they had to transport the supplies first.

How could Zhong Hui possibly pursue such a trivial matter as sending troops to Baishuiguan to assist in transporting grain!
On the return trip, transporting the looted goods is one thing, transporting military rations is another, so they can simply clean up their mess!
Both Ma Long and Liu Qin were shocked! They never expected that Shi Shouxin, who had kept a low profile all this time, had actually managed to get all these things done behind the scenes!

(End of this chapter)