Chapter 627: The Ruler and Ministers of Later Shu

When the conflict in Qinfeng first erupted, Meng Chang was tense for a while, summoning civil and military officials daily to assess affairs, discuss military matters, and gather intelligence on the northern war.

At first, there were still ministers in Shu who mocked the Han army, saying it disregarded the seasons and ignored the terrain, choosing to move troops in high summer, exhausting its forces in siege warfare. They claimed that if they merely defended with deep moats and high walls, the Han army would surely be defeated.

Sure enough, there was first an "initial victory," but before two days of joy had passed, reports of defeat arrived—eight stockades including Huangniu had fallen, with over half the troops lost. Thereafter, the Han army invaded in force and pressed upon Weiwu City.

The facts proved that the Han army's strength was as formidable as ever; even with unfavorable weather, its offensive remained sharp and unstoppable. Meng Chang immediately demoted that Bureau Director who had spoken such "reckless words."

However, the subsequent development of the war put Meng Chang somewhat at ease. Li Tinggui, that defeated general, had after all not betrayed his trust—though the Han army's momentum was strong, it was ultimately checked beneath the walls of Weiwu City.

Though the war dragged on, for the ruler and ministers of Shu, that was good news. Just as the Shu generals at the front had considered, when it came to dragging out time and consuming money and grain, the Shu army was not afraid at all—the ruler and ministers in Chengdu thought the same way.

From early autumn to the present late autumn, the two sides had been locked in bitter stalemate at Fengzhou. And Meng Chang's tense nerves gradually relaxed; he left the war at the front to Commissioner of Military Affairs Wang Zhaoyuan and others to handle, no longer inquiring daily.

In fact, Meng Chang still had some confidence regarding the Qinfeng war. In his view, the Han army was only strong in its troops; as for everything else—whether manpower, national strength, or equipment—his Shu was not weak, and moreover possessed the advantage of terrain.

Add to that the fact that he had governed Shu for many years, benefiting the gentry and common people alike, winning the hearts of the people and the loyalty of the army. Now, without any great fault on his part, the Northern Han had brazenly invaded with its violence—in Meng Chang's view, it was an unjust army, and could only end in failure.

During this period, Meng Chang had the talented scholars and literary officials of the Shu court compose many poems, lyrics, and essays hostile to and satirizing the Northern Han, as if hoping to defeat the Han army with the pen...

"Your Majesty, recently rumors have been spreading throughout Chengdu city. The gentry and commoners are all eagerly discussing the Qinfeng war; people's hearts are unsettled, and there is great unrest!" Several ministers waited before the imperial desk to report affairs, and Vice Director of the Chancellery Ouyang Jiong reported to Meng Chang: "Your ministers believe that behind these rumors there must be traitors at work—likely Northern Han spies who have infiltrated the city, hiding in the streets and alleys to spread them and disturb the people's hearts!"

Meng Chang, in his bright yellow ceremonial robes that set off his handsome bearing, immediately rebuked upon hearing this: "Since you know this, why haven't you investigated, rooted out the enemy agents, and dealt with them at once?"

Meng Chang's handsome eyes narrowed slightly, and he said with some anger: "What is the Chengdu Prefecture doing? Why haven't they dispatched constables and officers to arrest those treacherous villains with ulterior motives?"

"Your ministers believe that the Northern Han spies are, after all, few in number. If the government makes too great a show of force, we would only fall into their trap, causing people's hearts to waver and suspicion to spread!" said Ouyang Jiong.

"Then according to your opinion, we should just let the Northern Han spies run rampant, stir up trouble, and let rumors flood unchecked?" Meng Chang demanded. The imperial authority cultivated over twenty years of his reign still carried considerable deterrent effect.

"Your minister absolutely does not mean that!"

"Transmit my order to the Chengdu Prefecture: mobilize the constables, sweep the streets clean, and prohibit popular rumors. Also post notices informing officials and commoners alike that enemy agents are lurking and petty men are making mischief—forbidding reckless discussion of Qinfeng military matters!" Meng Chang's face turned stern as he gave the order harshly.

"Yes!"

"Do you all see this?" Meng Chang felt a nameless fire in his chest, as if about to burst forth. He swept his gaze around and said: "The Northern Han's claws have reached all the way to Chengdu, right before our eyes! As the saying goes, be vigilant in times of peace. Now that the nation faces crisis, what are our courtiers and officials doing? Still pursuing private gain and acquiring estates?

I have also heard that the sons of officials in Chengdu are still flying hawks and running hounds, drinking and making merry, gambling and chasing women? Many have submitted memorials saying that the bureaucrats and nobles of Chengdu are extravagant and wasteful, and I have already tolerated much.

I have practiced strict frugality for twenty years, not daring to add hardship to the common people—yet you do not know to cherish your blessings or rein yourselves in. How can you face your sovereign and father with any dignity? How can your conscience bear it?

I say, this unhealthy trend must be corrected! If you do not take heed and continue to sink deeper, I fear that one day the Northern Han army will be at our gates while you are still lost in drunken dreams!"

Meng Chang's words were quite blunt. In all these years, this was the first time he had so directly rebuked his ministers, and his tone was extremely severe.

"Your ministers are guilty!" The assembled ministers, though startled, were quick to act, immediately prostrating themselves to beg forgiveness.

"I hope to share hearts and minds with all of you, to enjoy peace together. Today I have spoken from the heart, and I hope you will take it to heart and heed it as a warning!" Meng Chang said calmly. "At present, the most pressing matter for the entire court is the Qinfeng war. All departments and offices must fully cooperate with the Bureau of Military Affairs to support the campaign against the Han!"

"Yes!"

"All of you, withdraw!"

Meng Chang's words today had actually been pent up in his heart for a long time. Over the years, there had been no shortage of people who had remonstrated with him, saying that the nobles and bureaucrats of Chengdu were extravagant. Yet Meng Chang had never taken measures to demote corrupt officials or correct the unhealthy trends—he merely held fast to his own frugality in solitude.

But when the sovereign is frugal within the palace while his ministers enjoy themselves outside, after a long time, Meng Chang naturally found it hard to maintain his inner balance. After venting at his ministers through this Shu-Han war, Meng Chang felt much more at ease...

After briefly calming his emotions, Meng Chang rose from his seat and walked toward the palace exit. The attending eunuch hurriedly asked: "Your Majesty, where would you like to go?"

"To the Bureau of Military Affairs!"

The Later Shu's Bureau of Military Affairs was much smaller in scale than the Northern Han's. The atmosphere there showed no sign of tension, and the officials at all levels appeared quite leisurely. After walking around a bit, Meng Chang could not help but ask: "Where is Wang Zhaoyuan?"

"A batch of military grain needs to be sent to Xingyuan Prefecture, so the Commissioner went to inspect it personally!" an attendant reported.

Hearing this, Meng Chang's expression immediately turned sour, and he rebuked: "A dignified Commissioner of Military Affairs, in charge of all the nation's military affairs—while the north is locked in fierce battle, with countless military intelligence and affairs to handle—does a mere batch of grain require him, the Commissioner of Military Affairs, to inspect personally? Is there no one else under the Bureau of Military Affairs?"

Seeing the Emperor angry, the officials in the Bureau of Military Affairs immediately fell silent as cicadas in winter. Seeing this, Meng Chang waved his hand: "Go, find Wang Zhaoyuan and bring him here—I will wait for him right here! Also, are there any military reports from the north? Bring them for me to see!"

"Yes!"

As for the true situation of this Shu-Han war, it was naturally not as mysterious as the rumors circulating in the streets of Chengdu. The real version was that nearly a hundred thousand troops from both sides were locked in confrontation at Weiwu City, deadlocked until now.

Li Tinggui led his troops in firmly defending the city and stockades, while the Han army's movements were likewise—continuously reinforcing their camps and adopting a defensive posture... The two commanders had only made tentative offers to do battle twice. The results, naturally, were great Han victories and complete Shu defeats, with over a thousand troops lost.

When the standoff began, autumn had just begun and the weather was still hot. Now, autumn was already deep. In all that time, the Han army had only launched one tentative attack on Weiwu City; after being repulsed, they no longer attacked the stockades.

As for the battle situation at the front, Li Tinggui did not dare conceal anything, but reported it in detail to the Chengdu court. Precisely because they knew the full battle situation, Meng Chang and his ministers could still sit steady.

After seizing the four prefectures of Qinfeng, the two northern expeditions and fierce battles with the Han army had all been protracted affairs—stalemates and grinding warfare, dragging on until the final decisive battle. And this time, being on the defensive, they were all psychologically prepared for the war to drag on.

Moreover, certain analyses and reports Li Tinggui submitted regarding the war deeply aligned with the intentions of the Shu ruler and ministers: after the Han army fought long without success and its morale declined, it would surely retreat, and then they could seek an opportunity to break the enemy...

But though the reasoning was sound, as an emperor with a somewhat "grandiose and glory-seeking" disposition, he was ultimately dissatisfied with this state of deadlock. When attacking, it was difficult to break through the Han army; when defending, they were still this passive. Tens of thousands of troops had accomplished nothing, instead allowing the Han army to score small victories and gains.

"Your minister Wang Zhaoyuan, pays respects to Your Majesty!" After a little over half an hour, Wang Zhaoyuan finally returned in haste. He nervously straightened his robes and cap, and without pausing to catch his breath, prostrated himself before Meng Chang upon entering.

Wang Zhaoyuan was not yet forty, and his appearance was indeed quite handsome—sword-like brows, starry eyes, dignified bearing, and full of heroic spirit.

"Rise!" Toward this favored minister who had accompanied him in study since youth, Meng Chang's every gesture radiated favor and trust.

"Your Majesty, how is it that you have found time to come to the Bureau of Military Affairs?" Wang Zhaoyuan asked.

Meng Chang sighed: "The war at Fengzhou is not progressing smoothly, and I cannot find peace of mind!"