Chapter 815: The Last Battle

After securing the great victory at Kuizhou and opening the eastern route into Shu, just as Murong Yanzhao had guessed, Zhao Kuangyin did not slow his advance into Sichuan—instead, he accelerated his march along the Yangtze waterway.

Zhao Kuangyin had Generals Zhang Yongde and Liu Guangyi lead troops to take and pacify the prefectures and counties of eastern Sichuan, advancing steadily behind, while he himself, together with Dang Jin and Cui Yanjin, selected five thousand elite troops from the field headquarters and, under the escort of the Jiangling naval forces, pressed westward toward the single, unwavering objective: Chengdu.

Along the way, they hoisted sails and worked the oars, racing forward at full speed along unobstructed routes, delayed only at Yuzhou, where they hesitated—whether to continue following the Yangtze southwest in a wide detour, or to turn north toward Suizhou and then drive straight into the heart of Chengdu. The reaction within Shu territory apparently gave Zhao Kuangyin confidence, and in the end he took the Suizhou route, abandoning the boats and going ashore.

Facing this Han army coming from the east, the officials of the Later Shu prefectures and counties along the way showed scarcely any reaction, letting them pass freely, like so many ostriches with their heads buried, pretending not to see. Some had even prepared grain, wine, and meat as provisions for rewarding the troops, ready to present them the moment the royal army entered their cities. Others took the initiative to make contact and sent men familiar with the roads to serve as guides for the army...

Thus, under the "enthusiastic" welcome of the officials and people of eastern Sichuan, Zhao Kuangyin's advance went even more smoothly than he had imagined. With the state on the verge of destruction, the prefectures and counties alienated, and the officials betraying their duty, the tide of decline could no longer be reversed.

What was even more lamentable was that only after the eastern Han army had landed at Suizhou, marched west toward Chengdu, and entered the heart of the plains did anyone finally raise the alarm to the Chengdu court. Of course, raising the alarm was one thing—actually stopping the Han army was quite another.

Marching at a pace of over a hundred li per day, Zhao Kuangyin's original rallying cry to his soldiers had been to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival inside Chengdu, but the long waterways and overland roads, compounded by changes in the weather, were not so easily crossed.

In the end, he was a day late—perhaps more than a day. Reaching Chengdu did not mean occupying Chengdu...

On the first day of arriving at Chengdu, Zhao Kuangyin ordered Cui Yanjin to lead troops to attack Yang'an City in Jianzhou to the southeast, seizing its grain stores, while simultaneously using prisoners and surrounding refugees to set up camp twenty li outside Chengdu, resting the troops to ease their exhaustion.

Within a radius of over a hundred li around Chengdu, there was only this Han army of five thousand men, while inside Chengdu itself remained a concentrated force of thirty thousand Shu troops. Yet Zhao Kuangyin's demeanor was as if he had entered his own back garden, strolling through it at leisure, utterly at ease. This arrogant bearing left the Shu troops inside Chengdu both astonished and furious.

In the city, when word came that the Han army had arrived at the gates, the entire city was instantly thrown into panic. For Meng Chang and the great ministers of Shu, the terror was even greater—the situation to the north had already deteriorated beyond repair, and now the enemy from the east had reached the capital itself. Even from twenty li away, one could feel the Han army's hungry stares and the chill emanating from their steel blades.

However, after a brief moment of chaos, Meng Chang recovered his "heart as still as water." Aside from ordering the Prince to strengthen the defense of the imperial city, he once again issued an edict: full responsibility for dealing with the arrival of the Han army rested with Zhao Jiwen.

The pressure seemed to shift entirely onto Zhao Jiwen's shoulders—and Zhao Jiwen acted quickly.

Inside the military headquarters, a military council was in session. Zhao Jiwen had summoned all commanding officers of the Chengdu garrison and above to discuss the military situation together. The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive; all the Shu generals wore grave expressions, bracing themselves for what was to come.

Once everyone had arrived, Zhao Jiwen broke the oppressive silence: "Gentlemen, the Han army has come as invaders, and the Great Shu has reached its most perilous moment. By the trust of His Majesty, who has entrusted me with military authority, I am responsible for resisting the Han army. This heavy burden weighs upon my shoulders like a mountain, and I hope you will all lend your full support, unite in heart and mind, and together resist the Han army to protect our homeland and our people!"

Zhao Jiwen's high-sounding words were so hollow that even he felt somewhat embarrassed, and they had no inspirational effect whatsoever—like blowing a breath into a stagnant pool, not a ripple stirred. Some generals even wore mocking expressions.

"May I ask what strategy General Zhao has to repel the Han army?" After a moment of silence in the hall, a general finally spoke up.

Hearing this, Zhao Jiwen said: "I have already sent men to scout. The Han army coming from the west numbers only a few thousand, traveling light. Consider this—the distance from Kuizhou to Chengdu spans well over a thousand li. The eastern Han army has taken less than twenty days in total, showing how swiftly they have driven deep. The Han army is this arrogant, and their speed exceeds even that of the northern Han army—clearly they have come seeking glory!

The Han army is camped outside the city, conscripting our soldiers and civilians to build their camp—clearly they are utterly exhausted and want to rest. They have also sent a detachment to attack Jianzhou and plunder its granaries, both reducing their own strength and revealing their shortage of provisions...

As he briefly laid out the enemy situation, everyone listened closely, all wanting to learn more about the Han army's circumstances. Seeing that he had captured the generals' attention, Zhao Jiwen rose and raised his hand: "Now, with this rashly advancing eastern force before us, my intention is to seize the moment while they have just arrived, before they have secured their footing, when their troops are weary and their morale spent—to raise the full strength of Chengdu and take the initiative to strike them! Before the northern Han army arrives, we fight one battle. Even if we cannot annihilate them, we must drive them back, inflict casualties, deal them a heavy blow, and then return to defend the city!"

When Zhao Jiwen finished speaking, the hall erupted in clamor, the atmosphere noticeably shifting, with heated debate breaking out. One general shook his head repeatedly and said: "What General Zhao says is not wrong, but the Han army outside the city, though they have marched a thousand li, are mighty and formidable in force. The strong fortresses and perilous passes of Kuizhou could not stop them—how can we, with what we have, possibly be their match?

Though we now number thirty thousand, apart from Your Excellency's Pingliao Army, most have long been away from the battlefield, and there are many new recruits lacking training. How can we be a match for the Han army's battle-hardened veterans?

Forgive me for speaking bluntly—if we defend the city, we might hold out for a while, but if we take the initiative to meet the Han army in open battle, I fear we are no match!"

Hearing this, Zhao Jiwen immediately retorted: "The Han army is strong, but in the end they are few in number and weary besides. Our army, though weaker, is well-rested and full of vigor. The bolt from a spent crossbow cannot pierce the thinnest silk—the eastern Han army is now just such a bolt, and we, with several times their numbers, launching a surprise attack to crush them—surely we have a chance to fight!

Moreover, since the Northern Han raised its armies, they have won victory after victory, unstoppable, treating our sons of Shu as if we were nothing. They would never expect us to dare take the offensive. As the art of war says, strike where the enemy does not expect it, and victory is assured!"

"Gentlemen!" Zhao Jiwen rose, speaking gravely: "Now is the best opportunity for us to strike. If we let it pass, let the Han army finish their rest, and then the northern Han army arrives as well, Chengdu is surely doomed! And we will all be captured by the Han army.

How the Han army treats our Shu soldiers—I'm sure you have all heard. Building roads, digging mines, treated almost as slaves. Every son of Chuanshu who hears of it gnashes his teeth in hatred. At a time like this, have you lost even the courage to rise up and strike?"

Zhao Jiwen's words finally had some effect. Several officers slammed their hands on the table and rose together, shouting: "Let's fight them! Knock the arrogance out of the Han army!"

In truth, Shu did not lack men of blood and valor.

However, someone still hesitated, muttering: "I've heard that our Shu soldiers have been organized by the Han army into two units, the Huaiwei and Huaide armies, and are treated no worse than other Han troops. It seems that surrendered generals like He Chongjian and Han Jixun have all been given important positions..."

At these words, the surging blood cooled by several degrees. The practical question lay before them—at this point, was it still worth risking battle against the Han army? Most of the Shu generals present had no experience fighting the Han army; many had never even seen battle, but that did not stop them from harboring a "fear of the Han." These Shu generals, who should have been defending their homeland, had for the most part lost any willingness to die for the Meng Shu...

But when Zhao Jiwen heard this, he angrily rebuked the man: "What are you saying? Are you trying to betray the court and abandon the people of Chengdu?"

Taking a deep breath, Zhao Jiwen said solemnly: "Gentlemen, the situation is what it is—we have little room left to choose. If we gamble, perhaps there is still a chance to turn things around. If we stand by with folded hands and do nothing, we will ultimately be captured by the Han army, our lives and deaths in their hands..."

After Zhao Jiwen's exhortation and encouragement, a consensus was finally reached, however reluctantly—to gamble, to take the initiative and strike at this arrogant Han army with its "tail raised to the sky" camped east of Chengdu.

After deliberation, Zhao Jiwen left behind five thousand Shu troops, including three thousand of the Pingliao Army, to defend Chengdu, then personally led the remaining force of over twenty-six thousand out of the city to attack.

The deployment of over twenty thousand troops took more than an hour just for the preparations to attack, and only then, under Zhao Jiwen's command, did they march out of the city. During the preparations, a trusted officer couldn't help asking Zhao Jiwen whether they truly meant to fight to the death with the Han army.

To his confidant, Zhao Jiwen did not hold back, speaking in a wistful tone: "We could, of course, surrender to the Han army without resistance, but then we would forever be looked down upon by them. Our future status, treatment, even our safety would be guaranteed nothing.

I've heard that among the Shu generals, quite a few who surrendered and were given important positions by the Han court distinguished themselves in battle against the Han. If we can seize this opportunity to strike a blow at the Han army and prove our worth, we can use it as capital for negotiating with them, securing our honor and fortune for the future..."

Hearing Zhao Jiwen's words, his officers understood and praised him profusely for his far-sighted thinking!

Meanwhile, as the Shu army in Chengdu prepared to sally forth, news of their unusual movements had already reached Zhao Kuangyin's ears. Among the sources were spies from the Wude Office and the military intelligence bureau, as well as Chengdu officials, and even Shu generals marching with the army.

Zhao Kuangyin found Zhao Jiwen's choice surprising and somewhat admirable. To be fair, his decision to attack was not without reason—the Han army had come from afar and just arrived, truly weary, and their numbers were indeed vastly outmatched by the Chengdu defenders. For the Shu army, it was indeed a rare favorable opportunity. If the Shu troops could truly unite as one and seize it tightly, victory was not impossible.

However, everything has its turning point. The great tide of history rolls ever forward, unstoppable by any single force—let alone when that "single force" harbors other thoughts in secret.

Zhao Jiwen was not stupid. He knew that many throughout the army harbored divided loyalties, but the degree of fragmentation far exceeded his expectations. He never imagined that someone clever had already sold him out completely.

With the enemy still twenty li away, all his cards were already known to Zhao Kuangyin. How could such a battle be fought? How could it be won?

Zhao Jiwen came with his entire force, but Zhao Kuangyin had prepared in advance—an empty camp to lure them in, hidden ambushes concealed. When the Shu army charged in, the ambush sprang forth in full force, and Zhao Jiwen's army collapsed. In this battle, few casualties were suffered; nearly half of the Shu troops who marched out chose to surrender on the spot.

Zhao Jiwen led fewer than ten thousand remnants back to Chengdu. Zhao Kuangyin, seemingly cautious, did not press the advantage to pursue the fleeing remnants, merely sending men to clear the battlefield, gather the prisoners, and continue resting.

As for the prisoners, who outnumbered his own forces several times over, the Han army handled them without the slightest difficulty—because they were all cooperative, obedient to a fault.

And Zhao Jiwen, having retreated in defeat to Chengdu, did not stop his activities. On one hand he reorganized his troops, and on the other he secretly dispatched trusted men to the Han camp to negotiate terms of surrender...