Chapter 819: The Fall of Shu

Hearing Zhao Kuangyin say this, Dang Jin seemed lost in thought, then immediately put on a displeased look: "So you're worried about the northern route army! Both routes advance, both are armies on the same campaign to conquer Shu—if they march slowly, can they blame us for advancing quickly? Besides, our soldiers have come all the way west, through bitter fighting, from Kuizhou to Chengdu, such a great distance, how arduous it was!"

"Now, Chengdu is right before our eyes, within easy reach, yet the Commander-in-Chief hesitates, wanting to share the great merit of taking the city and destroying the state. If the soldiers were to learn of this, I fear resentment would arise!"

"Look here! You're the one with the most resentment!" Zhao Kuangyin shot him a glare and said: "If you think this way, what about the generals of the northern route? If everyone boasts of their own merits and demands rewards, the two armies will surely fall into conflict, and even after entering Chengdu, chaos would ensue!"

In truth, Zhao Kuangyin was also somewhat conflicted inside, and he could understand Dang Jin's perspective, but his way of looking at things was ultimately different—he was not merely a military man, but also a politician. Those who play politics inevitably consider matters with greater complexity.

His eastern route army, whether in terms of troop strength or generals, was a secondary force, meant to support the northern army. Racing to Chengdu had already bordered on overstepping its role, inevitably arousing jealousy and wariness from the northern route army.

If the northern army were still stalled at Lizhou or Jiange, then Zhao Kuangyin would not hesitate to take Chengdu. But the reality was that the northern army had already broken through all northern obstacles, crossed the strategic passes, and entered Mianzhou, only a day or two's march from Chengdu, with cavalry able to arrive at any moment. Thus, Zhao Kuangyin had to add another layer of consideration.

For Zhao Kuangyin, leading his army to arrive at Chengdu one step ahead was already merit enough. Upon returning to court, promotion and honors were all but certain. If he remained unsatisfied, it would easily invite jealousy and attack from others. The principle that the tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be felled—how could Zhao Kuangyin not understand it? Even as things stood, the officers and men of the northern route army were probably already harboring thoughts...

Think of the commanders of the northern route—Xiang Xun, Gao Huaide, Wang Quanbin and the like—which of them was inferior to him in seniority, status, or standing? Even Xiang Xun, who was known for his magnanimity, could hardly avoid some misgivings.

To enter Chengdu one step earlier, at the risk of offending the northern route commanders while already securing his own merits—it wasn't worth it. Hogging all the spoils never leads to good outcomes.

Moreover, to be fair, compared to the eastern route army, the fighting in the north had been harder on the soldiers overall.

Of course, some things were not easy to say directly to Dang Jin. Bringing these up at all was only because the conversation had reached this point—and judging by Dang Jin's reaction, Zhao Kuangyin already felt he had said too much.

After thinking it over, Zhao Kuangyin said very seriously to Dang Jin: "On this matter, my mind is made up. Say no more! Also, nothing of our conversation just now is to be leaked, lest it shake the army's morale. Remember, the greater good must come first!"

Hearing Zhao Kuangyin say this, Dang Jin very much wanted to retort that he didn't know anything about the greater good, but faced with his serious—even stern—expression, he obediently complied: "Yes!"

Before long, a junior officer from the camp came to report that an envoy had come out of Chengdu, seeking an audience with the Commander-in-Chief. A look of curiosity appeared on his face, and he patted the sulking Dang Jin: "Come, let's go see what this Chengdu envoy wants!"

Before the Han camp, Li Hao and Zhao Jiwen—one civil, one military—waited respectfully at the front, behind them over a hundred pack carts loaded with supplies and the men escorting them.

The camp gates opened wide, and Zhao Kuangyin and Dang Jin walked out. Hearing the address "Commander-in-Chief," Li Hao and Zhao Jiwen hurried forward to bow and introduce themselves.

A hint of amusement in his gaze, Zhao Kuangyin glanced at Zhao Jiwen, making the fellow quite embarrassed. Then he looked at Li Hao, whose face showed his age, and asked: "What business do the two of you have here?"

Li Hao stepped forward, a humble smile on his face, and said: "In reply to the Commander-in-Chief, the imperial army has come from afar, weary from travel. Your humble servant was ordered to prepare some wine and meat to reward the troops, and also gathered some serving women from the city to prepare meals for the army."

Carefully sizing up Zhao Kuangyin, Li Hao then held up the surrender memorial with both hands and presented it, saying: "The imperial army has arrived, the imperial might is like thunder, the imperial strategy swift as the wind. Our sovereign dares not continue to defend the city in resistance. Now he wishes to follow the tide of events, offer up his territory and submit in sincerity. He has specially presented this surrender memorial, only hoping to preserve the lives of the entire city. I beg the Commander-in-Chief to accept it!"

When Li Hao finished speaking, Dang Jin, standing beside Zhao Kuangyin, could not help but show excitement in his eyes. He looked at Zhao Kuangyin, opened his mouth as if to speak, then forcibly held back.

Zhao Kuangyin took the surrender memorial and opened it to read: "Your subject was born in Bingmen, grew up in the land of Shu. Fortunately, by the foundations laid by my late father, I was able to succeed to the succession from a young age..."

"Looking upon this insignificant remnant of a life, I count it fortune to preserve my family. May my late father's ancestral temple not become a place for firewood gathering. May my aged mother's courtyard still have a place for greetings. At present, I have preserved the treasuries, patrolled and guarded the military city, ensuring no damage is done, awaiting the imperial radiance. Your subject Chang, together with the civil and military officials in office, looks toward the palace and presents this memorial of submission."

Having finished reading, Zhao Kuangyin smiled lightly and praised: "Fine writing!"

Hearing this, Li Hao could not help but blush slightly on his aged face.

Not noticing his discomfort, Zhao Kuangyin thought for a moment, then, to Li Hao's surprise, handed the surrender memorial back, saying: "Though our army has arrived at the city walls, the Meng family has been able to show consideration for the people of Chengdu, sparing this ancient city of a thousand years from destruction by war—that counts as pulling back from the brink, a deed of great merit. However, this surrender memorial is not something I, Zhao Kuangyin, am able to accept. The two of you may take it to the northern route army and present it to His Excellency Xiang, Commander-in-Chief of the Great Han's Two Rivers Field Headquarters."

"His Excellency is already on his way south, not far from here. I'll trouble the two of you to travel a bit further north. As for these supplies for rewarding the troops, I'll gladly accept them!"

The two, Li and Zhao, exchanged glances—Zhao Jiwen was puzzled, while Li Hao was somewhat surprised, then fell into thought.

"General Dang, send a small squad of cavalry to escort them north!" Zhao Kuangyin instructed Dang Jin.

"Yes!" Dang Jin said in a loud voice, but anyone could hear the indignation in his tone.

"Commander-in-Chief, in this single day and night, you've given up three chances to enter Chengdu!" On the way back to the tent, Dang Jin wore a pained expression.

"If word of this gets out, it might even become a fine tale, don't you think?" Zhao Kuangyin said with a light laugh, clearly taking it in stride.

"Have the reward supplies from Chengdu inspected; if there's no problem, distribute them among the camps. The soldiers have indeed worked hard and deserve a reward! Also send a portion to Cui Yanjin's side. And give some wine and meat to the surrendered Shu soldiers as well!" Zhao Kuangyin instructed: "If you're feeling aggrieved, just drink more wine!"

"Yes!" Dang Jin replied helplessly.

Around the hour of Si, the ground north of Chengdu began to tremble—it was several thousand Han cavalry, led by the valiant general Ma Renyu, charging straight toward Jinguan City.

After Zhao Kuangyin entered the basin and learned of the northern army's situation, likewise, after taking Mianzhou and accepting the surrender of Yi Shenzheng's army, the northern army also learned of Zhao Kuangyin's progress. Knowing he was already near Chengdu, the northern route commanders naturally could not sit still. Some generals immediately cursed Zhao Kuangyin, saying he had come to steal their credit...

Xiang Xun's self-restraint was sufficient, but faced with surging military sentiment, he could not suppress it by force. So after a brief rest at Mianzhou, he led the army south at an accelerated pace. Ma Renyu's cavalry naturally served as the vanguard, free to gallop across the plains.

Learning that Ma Renyu's army had arrived, Zhao Kuangyin showed great warmth, sending men to invite them to camp nearby, and divided a portion of the reward supplies from Chengdu to give to them.

Meanwhile, Li Hao and Zhao Jiwen, on their way north, found more Han cavalry joining their escort. When they encountered Ma Renyu's army and he learned they were bearing the surrender memorial, Ma Renyu decisively ordered his men to "escort" them as well.

At Hanzhou, in Luo County, Xiang Xun's main army had arrived. Even after deducting the troops left behind to garrison along the way, the northern route army for pacifying Shu, together with surrendered Shu soldiers and conscripted laborers, numbered nearly a hundred thousand. Compared to the early days of the southern campaign, the numbers had not decreased but had nearly doubled.

Facing the arrival of the Shu envoy, the army halted and rested in place. Xiang Xun had a carpet laid by the roadside in the open field, with a simple table set up, and invited Gao Huaide, Wang Quanbin, and other generals to receive Li Hao.

After reading the surrender memorial, joy appeared in Xiang Xun's eyes. He accepted it and said to Li Hao: "That the sovereign and ministers of Shu could have such intent is truly rare. I accept this memorial and will submit a report to the Son of Heaven, requesting gracious treatment. I will send one of my subordinate generals back to Chengdu with you to meet Meng Chang in person and convey the reply. The Son of Heaven is benevolent and virtuous; the court will surely extend grace and trust. As long as he is willing to surrender and spare Chengdu from the flames of war, that itself is a great merit. He need not worry."

"Thank you, Commander-in-Chief!" Receiving Xiang Xun's assurance, Li Hao let out a great sigh of relief and bowed in thanks.

Putting away the surrender memorial, Xiang Xun thought for a moment, then looked at Li Hao and asked: "I have heard that our eastern route army arrived at the outskirts of Chengdu as early as yesterday. Since the Shu sovereign had already prepared a surrender memorial, why go far instead of near?"

At the question, Li Hao explained the situation of the eastern route army and Zhao Kuangyin's attitude to Xiang Xun.

Having learned this, Xiang Xun was somewhat surprised, but quickly recovered his composure and instructed them: "The two of you have come far from the north and worked hard. You may go rest for a while, drink some water, and have something to eat. Shortly, I will send men to accompany you back to Chengdu!"

"Thank you, Commander-in-Chief!"

"Murong Chengtai!" Xiang Xun then said to Murong Chengtai: "Go with them, make a trip to Chengdu first!"

"Yes!"

After the Shu envoy withdrew, Xiang Xun looked around at the assembled generals, then said to Gao Huaide and Wang Quanbin: "This Zhao Kuangyin, arriving at Chengdu yet not taking it, receiving a surrender memorial yet not accepting it—he is waiting for our northern route army!"

"This man's breadth of mind is truly extraordinary, able to resist the temptation of entering Chengdu first and capturing its sovereign and ministers. Worthy of admiration. No wonder His Majesty entrusted him with such an important task, making him the lead general of the eastern route!" Gao Huaide said after some thought, with a note of admiration.

Wang Quanbin, who had been quite indignant at the eastern route army's actions, now softened his tone somewhat and said: "At least he knows his place!

But this man, racing a thousand li to arrive swiftly at Chengdu—with such bold, rapid advance, he clearly had designs on taking Chengdu. It's just that with our main army already at his side, he didn't dare enjoy it alone! If not for that autumn rain, plus the entanglement of Yi Shenzheng, even if he flew a hundred li by boat, he could never have gotten ahead of us!"

"Regardless, this time we owe him a debt of gratitude," Xiang Xun said with a light sigh.

"But even if he had entered Chengdu first, what of it? Would I be afraid of him stealing our credit? The merits of my northern route army cannot be overshadowed by a single city of Chengdu!" Xiang Xun added.

His words were spoken with great magnanimity and bearing, but what he truly felt inside was not for others to know.

On the eighteenth day of the eighth month of the tenth year of Qianyou, the northern route army for pacifying Shu arrived at Chengdu and joined forces with the eastern route Han army beneath the city walls. Learning of the army's arrival, the Shu sovereign Meng Chang prepared the rites of a doomed state and led the civil and military officials and the people to await them at Shengxian Bridge. Xiang Xun, acting on imperial authority, pardoned him.

The Later Shu thus fell. From the founding of the state by Gaozu Meng Zhixiang of the Later Shu, it had lasted two reigns, a total of twenty-four years.