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

Huang Zhong roared, pressing forward relentlessly. Each swing of his broadsword brought forth a spray of blood, and the Shu soldiers fell one after another, with no one able to stop him.

Wei Yan led his cavalry in repeated charges, completely cutting off the rear of the Shu army. The cries of the fleeing soldiers, their pleas for mercy, and the clashing of weapons blended together.

The Shu soldiers, exhausted from defending the city for days, were suddenly ambushed and their morale collapsed. Countless soldiers abandoned their armor and weapons, many knelt to surrender, and those who resisted were quickly killed by Liu Bei's soldiers.

Liu Xun fought alone, wildly brandishing his spear to deflect arrows and swords. His armor was already soaked in blood, and his shoulders and arms were repeatedly slashed by blades, causing excruciating pain, yet he continued to fight to the death. His personal guards dwindled from dozens to just a handful, until they all fell in pools of blood, leaving him alone, completely surrounded by Liu Bei's army.

Liu Bei's soldiers pressed forward relentlessly, tightening their shield formation and pointing their swords and spears directly into the enemy ranks. Liu Xun's warhorse was struck by an arrow and fell to the ground, slamming him down. He struggled to his feet, leaning on his chipped spear, his body covered in blood, yet his back remained straight. Gazing at the forest of swords and spears on all sides, his eyes were filled with despair and resentment, but he had no strength left to break through.

The bloody battle lasted less than half an incense stick's time; the three thousand elite troops were either killed or surrendered.

Liu Xun was wounded multiple times, his heavy armor stained with blood, his warhorse collapsed and died, and finally, exhausted, he was held down by his personal guards. With a weapon pressed against his neck, the young nobleman could not struggle and was eventually captured alive, bound with ropes, and taken to Liu Bei's central army.

……

On the high slope, Liu Bei watched as the battle in the valley came to an end, with the Shu army lying dead in disarray. Liu Xun was brought to the front of the battle line. He stroked his beard and laughed, then turned and solemnly bowed to Fa Zheng:

"Xiaozhi's plan is truly brilliant! The forged letter misled the enemy, the feigned retreat was followed by ambushes from all sides—all executed flawlessly. The enemy's elite forces were defeated and their leader captured alive without much effort. If it weren't for Xiaozhi, Luocheng could not have been taken so easily!"

Fa Zheng bowed humbly and said, "It is merely a small plan for the sake of the Lord's great cause. Liu Xun is young and impetuous; if he stubbornly holds his ground and does not come out, it will be difficult to conquer him. If we lure him into an open battle, we can defeat him with a single strike."

Pang Tong, standing nearby, laughed and said, "Xiaozhi understands people's hearts perfectly. This plan is better than a hundred days of siege."

Liu Bei nodded, his gaze falling on Liu Xun, who was brought before him, covered in blood but still stubbornly defiant. His expression grew somber.

Liu Xun, escorted by two strongmen, staggered to Liu Bei. He was covered in blood, his armor was tattered, and the wounds on his shoulders and arms were still bleeding. Every step he took was excruciatingly painful. His steps were unsteady, but he still kept his back straight, and his eyes were full of unyielding coldness.

Liu Bei sat upright in the main seat, clad in brocade armor, his face composed. Pang Tong, Fa Zheng, Gu Sulin, and the victorious generals stood on either side of him, their gazes all fixed on Liu Xun, who had been brought in as an escort. The stench of blood and the sounds of battle outside the tent were shut out, leaving only a stifling silence.

The strongman pushed Liu Xun to the center of the tent. The ropes tightened around his wrists, causing him pain, but he struggled and refused to lower his head, still glaring angrily at Liu Bei.

Liu Bei slowly rose, stepped down from his seat, and walked slowly around Liu Xun, his gaze taking in the young but well-defined lord of Yizhou. When he reached Liu Xun, he suddenly stopped, sighed deeply, and said with a complex mix of emotions, "Nephew, we are relatives. Our current predicament is not your fault, but entirely the fault of your father, Liu Zhang."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xun abruptly looked up, his anger intensifying, and shouted sternly, "Liu Bei! Don't presume to claim kinship! My father was the ruler of Yizhou. You raised an army to invade Sichuan and seize my family's territory, and now you're turning around and blaming me. What kind of kinship do you have?!"

"Invasion?" Liu Bei frowned slightly, his tone suddenly turning stern. "I came to Sichuan to help you, but your father, Liu Zhang, readily believed slander and secretly colluded with Cao Cao, intending to mobilize troops and betray my army, putting tens of thousands of my soldiers to death. If I hadn't been prepared, they would probably be dead by now! Who in Sichuan doesn't know about your father's unjust and wicked actions? Today, after our defeat, instead of reflecting on your father's faults, you blame me. Isn't that laughable?"

He raised his hand, signaling the strongmen to loosen Liu Xun's ropes, and continued, "Nephew, though you are young, you possess some of Zhang Ren's loyalty and courage, a quality I greatly admire. However, you misjudge people, were misled by false letters, and ultimately lost the last elite troops of Luocheng. This is ultimately due to your youthful impetuosity. Now that you have been defeated and captured, according to military law, you should be beheaded and displayed to the public. But considering our kinship and your loyalty, I cannot bear to kill you."

Liu Xun's wrist loosened, and he staggered back two steps, rubbing his wrist, which was red from being strangled. He still glared defiantly at Liu Bei: "Kill me if you want! I, Liu Xun, as a young master of Yizhou, would rather die than surrender. How could I accept your hypocritical persuasion!"

"I'm not advising you to surrender, but simply telling you the truth," Liu Bei waved his hand, his tone softening. "Your father, Liu Zhang, is weak and incompetent, easily swayed by slander. He has neither the ability to defend the land nor the capacity to tolerate others. In his hands, Yizhou is in turmoil, with its people displaced and powerful clans carving up the land. He has long lost the hearts of the people. My current campaign against him is not for personal gain, but to save the people of Yizhou, quell the chaos, and restore the Han Dynasty. If you sincerely surrender, I will ensure your father and son's lifelong peace after we take Chengdu. If the opportunity arises, I may also allow you to do some practical things for the people of Yizhou."

These words were half true and half a formality to persuade him to surrender.

Gu Sulin stood aside, watching this scene, and thought to himself: He knew Liu Xun's character well, knew his fierce nature, and as the son of Liu Zhang, there was absolutely no possibility of him surrendering. Liu Bei's move not only spared Liu Xun from the infamy of killing a member of the imperial clan, but also demonstrated his magnanimity, and at the same time sent a signal to the remaining forces in Yizhou that "those who surrender will not be killed," achieving multiple benefits at once.

Fa Zheng nodded slightly, his gaze falling on Liu Xun with a hint of regret: "Young master, things have come to this point, why be so stubborn? Liu Huangshu has the world in his heart and is determined to restore the Han Dynasty. If you submit, you will surely be able to realize your ambitions in the future, which is better than throwing your life away here in vain."

Pang Tong stroked his beard and chuckled, saying nothing, simply watching this perfunctory attempt to persuade him to surrender.

Listening to the crowd's words, Liu Xun felt both laughable and pathetic. He bit his lip tightly and said, word by word, "You traitor Fa Zheng, my father treated you well, yet now you've joined forces with a villain, betraying your master for personal gain! Further words are useless. I, Liu Xun, will never surrender to a traitor in this life! Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you!"

Seeing that he remained unyielding, Liu Bei's eyes flashed with admiration. He then turned to the guards beside him and ordered, "Very well. Take Liu Xun away, keep him under strict guard, and make sure he is well taken care of. Do not neglect him."

"Yes, sir!" the guards replied in unison.

Liu Xun struggled to resist, but ultimately his strength gave out, and he was dragged out of the tent by the guards. As he passed through the tent entrance, he turned back for the last time to look at Liu Bei, his eyes filled with hatred and resentment, before being forcibly taken away by the guards and disappearing into the night.

Inside the large tent, everyone remained silent for a moment.

Liu Bei sat back in his main seat, gazing out of the tent, and slowly said, "Although Liu Xun was unyielding, he was still a man of honor. Now that Zhang Ren has been executed and Liu Xun captured, Luo City can be taken in a day. Issue the order to continue the siege tomorrow, and we must take Luo City within a single day!"

"Yes, sir!" The generals bowed and accepted the order.