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

When news of Zhang Ren's execution reached the tent, everyone fell silent. Liu Bei sighed, waved for someone to give him a proper burial, and the atmosphere in the tent became slightly somber for a moment.

Pang Tong first straightened his armor, then stepped forward and bowed solemnly to Gu Sulin, his tone sincere and without any pretense:

"Zi Mao, you saved Tongyi's life today. If you hadn't stopped me repeatedly, pointed out the ambush at Luofeng Slope, and devised a counter-ambush plan, I would have been a dead man at the bottom of the slope by now. Tongyi was too eager to get things done and almost ruined the whole army. It was thanks to Zi Mao's wake-up call that I was able to succeed."

Gu Sulin quickly helped him up, saying, "Strategist, you flatter us. We are both working for the same cause, and we should remind each other."

Pang Tong nodded, offering no further pleasantries.

Liu Bei observed this, smiled and nodded, and said to everyone:

"Today's escape and counterattack against Zhang Ren were all thanks to Shi Yuan and Zi Mao's foresight, Xiao Zhi's familiarity with the terrain and guidance, General Huang and Wen Chang's decisive attack, and General Li Yan's willingness to act as bait at Baima."

Fa Zheng smiled and said, "Zhang Ren thought he had the advantage of terrain, but he didn't know that we had already flanked him and laid a trap. Mr. Zi Mao saw things clearly, and we moved steadily. We won this battle cleanly."

The generals echoed loudly, "Mr. Gu's plan is thorough and we admire it."

Seeing that the atmosphere had calmed down, Liu Bei raised his hand to lower his voice and said in a deep voice, "Zhang Ren has been eliminated, and there is no great general to guard Luocheng. Liu Xun is young, and the morale of the army will surely be in chaos. The whole army should rest for one night, comfort the wounded soldiers, and take stock of the weapons."

His gaze swept across the tent, his tone resolute:

"Tomorrow morning, the entire army will set off to besiege Luocheng. If we capture it soon, we can march directly to Chengdu and secure Yizhou."

"Here you go!"

Listening to the discussions in the tent, Gu Sulin secretly breathed a sigh of relief: Finally, they had pulled Pang Tong out of the dead end at Luofeng Slope. This battle was a great victory, and our army's morale was high. The enemy lost Zhang Ren, and their morale plummeted. They had finally reversed the morale gap in the historical attack on Luocheng. The next attack on Luocheng should be much less difficult.

But then he thought again and frowned slightly: Although Liu Xun was Liu Zhang's son, he was quite principled. If Liu Zhang was like Liu Shan (Liu Shan), then Liu Xun was like Liu Chen, the Prince of Beidi, who knew that the situation was hopeless but still insisted on defending it to the death. Such a person would never surrender easily, even if he was outnumbered and outmatched.

……

On the city tower of Luocheng, although it was springtime, the breeze was still unusually biting.

Liu Xun, dressed in military uniform, stood by the crenellations, his fingertips gripping the cold city bricks tightly until his knuckles turned white. His gaze was fixed on the direction of Luofeng Slope, his brows furrowed, his heart filled with anxiety and anticipation.

Since Zhang Ren led his troops to set up an ambush, he had never left the city tower. He personally supervised the soldiers to strengthen the city defenses and transport grain and fodder. Every time he heard the sound of horses' hooves outside the city, he would immediately send people to investigate. He was eagerly waiting for news of Zhang Ren's great victory and for him to lead his troops back in triumph to lift the siege of Luocheng.

He was entrusted by his father to defend this place to the death. This was the first time he had been in charge on his own, and it was also the last hope for Yizhou. He dared not relax in the slightest, and was even more afraid of failing Zhang Ren's entrustment and his father's expectations.

Seeing his haggard face, the adjutant beside him advised, "Young master, General Zhang is both wise and brave, and the terrain of Luofeng Slope is excellent. This ambush will surely be foolproof. Why don't you go down and rest for a while? I will report any news immediately."

Liu Xun shook his head, his voice slightly hoarse but still firm: "No need, I will wait here for the general to return."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a series of hurried and chaotic hoofbeats came from below the city wall, accompanied by the terrified shouts of the soldiers. Then, two Shu soldiers, covered in blood and with tattered armor, scrambled up the city wall and knelt down before Liu Xun with a thud, trembling and sobbing uncontrollably.

Liu Xun's heart sank, a sense of foreboding washing over him. He strode forward, grabbed one of the soldiers by the collar, and, his voice trembling, demanded sharply, "What happened? Where is General Zhang? Where is the army?!"

The soldier's lips trembled, tears mingling with blood streaming down his face. He could barely utter a coherent sentence before finally managing to cry out, "My...my lord, it's terrible! General Zhang...General Zhang was ambushed at Luofeng Slope, his entire army...his entire army was wiped out! The general...he was captured by Liu Bei, and he refused to surrender, he's already...he's already been executed!"

With a loud "boom," Liu Xun felt as if a thunderbolt had exploded in his mind. His whole body froze on the spot, as if struck by lightning. The strength in his hands instantly loosened, and he staggered back two steps, almost collapsing to the ground. Fortunately, the deputy general behind him caught him in time.

His eyes widened in disbelief, his face ashen, his lips trembling as he murmured repeatedly, "Impossible...this is impossible...General Zhang is well-versed in military strategy. Liu Bei's army should have been hasty and reckless at Luofeng Slope, as General Zhang predicted. How could they have been ambushed...Who saw through General Zhang's plan? Was it Fa Zheng? Or Li Yan? My father has lost all sense of morality and popular support, and has fallen to this state..."

Zhang Ren was the last pillar of Shu, his only hope in defending Luocheng, and his father's last hope. He even dreamed that when Zhang Ren returned victorious, the two of them could join forces to defend Luocheng and turn the tide of the war. But now, Zhang Ren was dead, three thousand elite troops were wiped out, and the successive defeats had demoralized the troops. With Liu Bei holding the moral high ground, could he really defend Luocheng under these circumstances?

Sadness, fear, helplessness, and resentment intertwined, instantly turning his eyes red and tears streaming down his face. He bit his lip hard to keep from crying out loud, his shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

Seeing this, the lieutenant quickly advised, "Young master, you must remain calm! General Zhang has already died for his country. Now Luocheng depends entirely on you. If you collapse, Luocheng will truly fall!"

These words were like a wake-up call, instantly jolting Liu Xun out of his despair.

He suddenly raised his hand, wiped away the tears on his face, took a deep breath, and straightened his already weak back. Although his eyes were still red, his expression gradually changed from panic to determination, with a resolve rarely seen in a young man.

He cannot collapse. He is the prince of Yizhou, the son of Liu Zhang. General Zhang died for Yizhou, and he cannot betray the general's loyal soul, nor his father, nor can he stand by and watch Luocheng fall and Yizhou perish.

Liu Xun raised his hand to the sword at his waist, his gaze sweeping over the defenders on the city wall. His voice, hoarse from crying, was unusually firm as he loudly ordered the troops, word by word: "Pass on my orders! Seal off the entire city. Do not divulge the news of General Zhang's death, lest it shake morale. Anyone who dares to speak out will be executed without exception! Immediately gather all provisions and weapons, assign soldiers to guard the four gates, and move all rolling stones, logs, and oil to the city walls. At all costs, Luo City must be defended!"

He knew that Zhang Ren's death could not be concealed, but the order still had to be given.

"As Liu Zhang's son, I will live and die with Luo City! Anyone who dares to surrender or retreat in the face of battle will be punished according to military law without exception!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a resolute determination, and the soldiers on the city wall, seeing this, gradually calmed down from their initial panic.

Liu Xun looked towards Luofeng Slope again, his eyes filled with grief and hatred. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.