Three Reconstructions of the Han Dynasty: I Helped Zhuge Liang Perfect the Longzhong Plan

Gu Sulin stood aside, looking at the two people in front of him, feeling completely at ease.

All the previous preparations were made so that at this moment, there would be no need for deceit, no need for taking risks, and no need for Liu Bei to bear the infamy of the ages.

He spoke slowly, his voice steady and without the slightest urgency: "Our lord is benevolent, our strategist is far-sighted, everything is ready, we only lack composure."

Although Liu Zhang ruled Shu with benevolence, his authority was weak, his discipline was lax, and he was unable to control powerful clans, defend against foreign aggression, or maintain peace within the territory. Now, my lord, you are attacking him out of righteousness, which will secure the state and save the people.

Tomorrow, summon Yang Huai and Gao Pei. Simply make public the memorial from Liu Zhang regarding his secret communication with Cao Cao, and explain the greater good to them. If they are sensible, we will take back the pass without bloodshed; if they resist, our soldiers can capture them alive immediately.

What we seek is not a swift conquest of Yizhou, but rather, after taking Yizhou, the safety and well-being of the people of Shu, resistance against Cao Cao, and the restoration of the Han Dynasty. Now that we are on the right path, our hearts are at peace. There is no need to force a quick victory, nor to fret over the slightest detail.

Upon hearing this, the melancholy in Liu Bei's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a clear and bright expression. He stood up and bowed deeply to Gu Sulin and Pang Tong: "With your assistance, how can I not accomplish great things! I will follow your advice and act calmly, so as not to fail the Han Dynasty above, nor the people of Shu below."

As dusk deepened outside the tent, the faint sounds of soldiers preparing for battle drifted in—no clamor, no anxiety, only a resolute calm. Without daring strategies or scheming, relying solely on righteousness and the right path, they slowly marched westward.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, the sound of horses' hooves echoed from Jiameng Pass. A sentry rode swiftly into the tent to report: "My lord, General Yang and General Gao of Baishui Pass, along with more than twenty personal guards, have arrived at the pass and request permission to enter and meet you."

Upon hearing this, a fierce glint flashed in Liu Bei's eyes, which quickly turned into a gentle sorrow. He slowly rose and straightened his robes, saying in a deep voice, "Quickly invite the two generals into the camp." After saying this, he led Pang Tong and Gu Sulin out of the tent with a humble demeanor and impeccable manners.

Outside the pass, Yang Huai and Gao Pei, dressed in neat military uniforms with short swords at their waists and followed by a few close followers, could not hide their joy and arrogance.

Upon hearing the news of Liu Bei's withdrawal last night, the two were overjoyed, feeling that a great threat was finally about to be eliminated. Before their departure, the deputy general advised them to take more troops to guard against any trickery, but Yang Huai scoffed, "Liu Bei has always touted benevolence and righteousness. Now that he is withdrawing his troops and saying goodbye, if he dares to harm us, he will be condemned by the world. He has no such courage. We should go lightly to avoid making us look cowardly." Gao Pei also agreed, and the two indeed only took a few close followers, riding into the pass, completely unaware of the hidden vigilance in the eyes of the seemingly idle soldiers around them.

Seeing Liu Bei personally come out to greet them, Yang Huai and Gao Pei dismounted and bowed. Yang Huai spoke first, his tone somewhat polite: "We heard that the Imperial Uncle is in trouble in Jingzhou and is about to return east. We have come to see him off and to discuss the handover of the northern border defenses." Gao Pei echoed him, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers packing their belongings in the camp. He became even more certain that Liu Bei was really going to withdraw his troops, and the last trace of doubt in his heart vanished.

Liu Bei sighed softly, reached out to help the two men up, and said earnestly with a hint of helplessness, "I have been in Sichuan for many days and have been fortunate to receive aid from Yizhou. I originally intended to defend Liu Jiyu against Zhang Lu and bring peace to the people, but Jingzhou is in grave danger, and I have no choice but to return. I am truly reluctant to leave. Please come into my tent quickly, and I will prepare some simple wine to bid you farewell."

With sincere words and a moving expression, Yang Huai and Gao Pei no longer suspected anything. They left behind their entourage and, with only two personal guards, followed Liu Bei into the central military tent.

As soon as the two entered the tent, Wei Yan quietly closed the tent door and led his soldiers to surround their entourage, isolating them from the outside world, so that not a single sound could enter the tent.

Inside the tent, Liu Bei invited the two men to sit down as host and guest, and soldiers served them tea. Liu Bei only chatted about the customs and scenery of Jingzhou and his experiences in Sichuan, never mentioning military matters, deliberately delaying the time and waiting for the two men to completely lower their guard. Yang Huai and Gao Pei were focused on finalizing the defenses as soon as possible and urged Liu Bei to set off early, occasionally interrupting to ask about the withdrawal itinerary. They were completely unaware that Pang Tong quietly raised his hand and gently stroked his beard—this was the pre-arranged signal to attack.

As soon as the signal was given, Huang Zhong immediately led his ambush troops out of the side hall, pointing his long sword directly at the two men, and shouted sternly: "Yang Huai, Gao Pei! You two secretly aided Liu Zhang, colluded with the traitor Cao, cut off my supplies, and framed our lord! Surrender today!"

Yang Huai and Gao Pei were shocked and jumped up to draw their swords, but the ambushers rushed forward and used iron chains and ropes to pin them to the ground, binding them so they could not move.

The two were shocked and furious, struggling fiercely. Yang Huai shouted angrily, "Liu Bei! You have betrayed us and falsely claimed to be benevolent. You have plotted to frame us!" Gao Pei was also pale-faced and roared incessantly, filled with regret.

Liu Bei's face darkened, and he threw the memorial from Liu Zhang accusing him of colluding with Cao Cao in front of the two men. His voice boomed like thunder: "Since I entered Sichuan, I have committed no offenses against the people, guarding the borders of Yizhou and ensuring the safety of its people. Yet Liu Zhang secretly colluded with the traitor Cao Cao and submitted a memorial to frame me. My expedition to punish him is perfectly justified. You two, as Liu Zhang's henchmen, have made things difficult for my army at every turn. Capturing you today is an act of righteousness, not a frame-up!"

The two men looked down at the memorial, each word clear and the evidence irrefutable. Their faces turned ashen, and they could no longer utter a single curse. They could only collapse to the ground, resigned to their fate and bound. The attendants outside the tent, hearing the commotion, tried to resist, but Wei Yan had already subdued them all, and none escaped.

Seeing that the two men were speechless, Liu Bei, still appreciating their talent, spoke up and advised them: "Considering that you two still possess martial prowess, if you are willing to abandon the darkness and embrace the light, I may spare your lives!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Huai suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, and shouted angrily, "We are former officials of Yizhou, eating the food of Liu Zhang. We would rather die than surrender to you, you ungrateful wretch! Kill us if you want, and say no more!"

Gao Peiyi, his neck stiff with rage, shouted, "Stop pretending! Now that I've fallen into your hands, I only wish to die!"

The two men were resolute, showing no intention of surrendering whatsoever, and continued to hurl insults without any remorse.

Gu Sulin observed coldly from the sidelines, understanding the situation perfectly. These two men were blindly loyal to Liu Zhang and had fierce personalities that could not be swayed by persuasion. Keeping them alive would only cause future trouble. Since they refused to surrender, the only way to deter the Baishui garrison and stabilize morale was to execute them.

Seeing that the two men were stubbornly resisting and refused to surrender, Liu Bei sighed and said solemnly, "Since you are determined to help the wicked, then don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Guards! Throw those two out of the tent and execute them!"

"yes!"

Before long, the warriors presented the heads of the two men. Liu Bei then gave the order to Liu Feng to take the heads of the two generals and lead his troops to garrison Baishui Pass.

At this time, Baishui Pass was leaderless, and the garrison was already in a state of panic. After Liu Feng entered the pass, he publicly read out Liu Zhang's crimes of secretly communicating with Cao Cao, proclaimed Liu Bei's righteous cause of punishing the guilty and bringing peace to the people, and showed the heads of Yang Huai and Gao Pei to the three armies. The garrison soldiers were unwilling to serve the incompetent Liu Zhang any longer, and upon seeing this, they all surrendered without resistance.

Liu Feng successfully took control of the pass, pacified the surrendered soldiers, provided travel expenses to those who wished to return home and dismissed them all; those who wished to stay were incorporated into the army and generously compensated, and all the surrendered soldiers were sincerely convinced of his loyalty. In this battle, he incorporated more than 10,000 garrison troops, seized 100,000 shi of grain and countless weapons and armor.