[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-overthrowing-han":3,"chapter-overthrowing-han-overthrowing-han-chapter-513":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Overthrowing Han",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1223272,1620,"Chapter 513: Again Hearing the Cuckoo's Cry, Grieving in the Empty Mountains","overthrowing-han-chapter-513",513,"\u003Cp>In truth, Pang Tong was still young after all. Though he understood the principles, he could not help being constrained by his personal experience and desire to express himself, so his explanation was somewhat fragmented. Had Guo Jia been here, he could have made it clear in the time it took to down a bowl of wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, the problem in Shu was not only that Liu Yan wantonly killed to impose harsh punishments — executing several native leaders in succession — but more critically, he did not even give people enough to eat. It goes without saying that the native gentry and commoners suffered wholesale plunder and expropriation, but even the Eastern Province soldiers who came from outside and followed him in throwing their weight around could not eat their fill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Investigating the cause, it was not merely that the Eastern Province faction was too bloated, nor simply that the native Shu forces were too formidable, nor solely that the great Shu clans and magnates lacked a political voice. More importantly, Liu Yan was incapable of developing production while at the same time being excessively self-indulgent in his own power and pleasures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A simple and direct question: after the rebellion of Jia Long and Ren Qi, instead of pacifying the common people, instead of seizing the opportunity to swallow up the lands and assets of the local magnates, what did you mean by building over a thousand carriages to the ceremonial specifications of the Son of Heaven?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How much manpower and material did that cost?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And how many times were they used in the end?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the mere territory of Shu, with a population of five million, could there previously have been a thousand luxury carriages in total?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such conduct, how could the hearts of the people of Shu possibly belong to him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, in late April, Fei Shang — Liu Yan's own nephew, who had been sent on a diplomatic mission to Hanzhong and never returned — did not hear these words from Hanzhong's Grand Administrator Guo Jia. Instead, after meeting the young yet commanding Prefect Guo and General Zhao, and after a brief exchange of pleasantries, he was quickly surrounded on the spot by several thousand-bushel officials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fei Boren had long been prepared for the enthusiasm of these civil and military officials, who were absurdly young. He knew — he knew that these men were mostly the finest of the Volunteer Followers, and he knew that Lord Yan himself had personally dispatched the Volunteer Followers in batches, according to age and ability, to be placed in various posts, only now concentrated here because of the grand strategy to conquer Shu. He knew even more that the ultimate goal of these men was to become Provincial Governors, chief ministers of the imperial secretariat, and even Chancellors — so-called first-rank or even super-rank offices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And these young officials, whether civil or military, first had powerful backing, second possessed outstanding talent, and third dared to fight, dared to strive, dared to act. Thus they had always been radical in their conduct, daring to do what others dared not, so much so that they often left others in the dust within their terms of office, leading their peers. For this they had even earned a nickname: the White Horse Class!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was known to all under Heaven. Since Fei Shang had brought his entire household to pledge allegiance, how could he not understand? In fact, even the Pang brothers, who had gained the favor of the other Governor of Yizhou, Tian Feng, in the north, were also thinking of becoming members of the White Horse Class one day!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"May I ask you, sir, what is the mood of the people of Shu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is quite precarious, on the verge of collapse. Otherwise, I would not have come here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That makes sense. Then may I trouble you, sir, to go over some military intelligence and see if there have been any changes on the ground? Who is the defending general at Baishui Pass?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zhang Ren.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Correct, it is indeed this man! But we have always been curious — why is this man stationed there? Is there an explanation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This man is a native of Shu Commandery. I am not very familiar with him either. I have only heard that he comes from a poor family, showed courage and ambition from a young age, and was promoted by Prefect Zhao Wei when Zhao was Grand Administrator of Shu Commandery. He currently serves as a Major of a Separate Command.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So that is how it is — truly a nameless nobody. Then who is currently holding Jiameng City?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The senior general Yan Yan, hastily transferred from Jiangzhou. He was originally supposed to garrison Ba Commandery, but because a Major named Yang Hong in Qianwei Commandery raised troops in revolt — ah, raised troops in response to Lord Yan — the originally designated senior general Zhao Wei had to temporarily lead his army south to suppress the rebellion. So Yan Yan was temporarily sent to take his place and assume overall command.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That matches what we know as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zhao Wei and Yan Yan are indeed the acknowledged great generals of Shu. Then may I ask you, sir, who is currently garrisoning Ba Commandery?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It should be the two Commandants, Liu Gui and Ling Bao, each guarding one stretch of the river.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Allow me to interject a question. May I ask you, sir, has Shu recruited the Bandun Man barbarians?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Naturally, they wish to recruit them. The word before I left was that they were preparing to wait until Zhao Wei returned to Jiameng, and then send General Yan Yan to Ba Commandery to recruit as many as possible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If things are this urgent, why not recruit them sooner?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To be frank with you gentlemen, to my knowledge, the Mianzhu treasury is currently somewhat depleted. And while the Bandun Man have always been loyal to the House of Han and have a tradition of taking the field under the command of the Grand Administrator of Ba Commandery, they still require rewards of coin, silk, grain, and fodder. So they must wait a while longer to make some arrangements.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So that is how it is. But why would the Mianzhu treasury be depleted? The wealth of Shu is known to all under Heaven.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That question from Dezu is truly absurd!\" Just as Fei Shang was about to offer some explanation, another young thousand-bushel military officer, who had been very active earlier, suddenly raised his voice. \"Liu Yan entered Shu as Provincial Governor on the pretext of the second Yellow Turban rebellion in Shu and Ma Xiang declaring himself Son of Heaven. It has been barely nine years — eight years, if we round down. In these eight years, first he suppressed the second Yellow Turbans and Ma Xiang's rebellion. After the suppression came Dong Zhuo's chaos, and Jia Long and Ren Qi rose up in response to Excellency Zhao, so another year or two was spent killing Jia Long and Ren Qi. Then there was Grand Administrator Zhang cutting off Hanzhong, followed by building those carriages. Only after our Lord Yan destroyed Dong Zhuo and pacified Yuan Shao did things settle down over there. Reckon the time: in eight years, they fought wars for four years, yet without the slightest expansion — on the contrary, they lost the strategic territory of Hanzhong! And during the four years of peace, Liu Yan, as the chief administrator, had already grown decrepit and senile. His governance was absurd beyond measure, his ostentation and extravagance knew no bounds, and he was deeply superstitious. In all that time, there was no land survey, no military agricultural colonies, no land equalization — only plunder and expropriation. How could the treasury possibly be full? Were you not a magistrate governing the people for a term? How can you still be so ignorant?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Army Advisor Yang Xiu was momentarily silenced, at a loss for words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you ask me, this Liu Yan is no hero in caliber, and his talent qualifies him as a mediocre governor...\" Fa Zheng, seeing that Yang Xiu, who had just arrived in Hanzhong, had been cowed by his show of force, felt as thoroughly satisfied as if he had drunk a bowl of honey water chilled in a deep well on a summer day, and was on the verge of becoming giddy with delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How does that compare to Xiaozhi's loyal and earnest service to his superior, with eyes for only one man?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Yang Dezu suddenly spoke, and with just one sentence, he left Fa Zheng choking, his face flushing bright red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The remark came out of nowhere, and Fei Shang could not help but be baffled. However, as Guo Jia, sitting upright in the Grand Commandant's chair at the head of the hall, waved his hand to dismiss him, the man, full of doubts, hastily took his leave and went out to find the Pang brothers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fengxiao, what was the meaning of that remark?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fei Shang, being a newly surrendered man, was not in a position to ask. The others, mindful of Guo Jia and Zhao Yun sitting solemnly at the head, dared not speak out of turn. But one unfamiliar face in the hall — a man who did not even carry an official seal — had no such inhibitions. He directly rested a hand on his sword and asked the question, clearly very familiar with the master of this place, the newly appointed Grand Administrator of Hanzhong, Guo Jia. It was Xu Shu, Xu Yuanzhi, who had just returned home to see his mother before being immediately invited over by Guo Fengxiao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It was nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Jia was naturally open and honest with Xu Shu. He immediately composed his expression and explained sincerely: \"The Army Major on the left is called Fa Zheng, Fa Xiaozhi. He has been in Hanzhong for two months now and has been advocating a feint attack on the central route at Baishui Pass and Jiameng City, along with a feint on the eastern route at the two rivers of Ba Commandery. Then, concentrate ten thousand elite troops, set out from Wudu via the Yinping Road, secretly cross Motian Ridge, bypass Baishui Pass and Jiameng City, and strike directly at Mianzhu and Chengdu...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A slightly odd expression crept over Xu Shu's face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Major of a Separate Command on the right is called Meng Da. He has also been here for two months with Fa Xiaozhi, but holds a different opinion. His view is that Baishui Pass is too strategically critical to use merely as a diversion, and that Motian Ridge is too treacherous — this plan should not be adopted. Instead, the main attack should be on Ba Commandery, buying off the local barbarian tribes and powerful families, and breaking through from there.\" Guo Fengxiao's expression remained stern and his manner utterly serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, Xu Shu's expression had grown increasingly strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for this Army Advisor Yang, Yang Dezu, who arrived today together with you — you should already be well acquainted. He has been here barely two quarters of an hour, yet he too has already formulated a strategy. He believes we should march out of Baishui Pass openly and honorably, advance on Jiameng, deploy trebuchets, and break through the passes into Shu in a measured, dignified manner to achieve a grand momentum. We should not recklessly take dangerous paths and waste our troops in vain.\" Guo Jia finished his summary in one breath and then turned to Xu Shu. \"What does Yuanzhi think?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shu seemed about to speak, then hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yuanzhi, speak freely. Your seniority and achievements far surpass theirs!\" Guo Jia urged him earnestly. \"Draw that sword Lord Yan bestowed upon you. I guarantee they won't dare utter a single word of nonsense. Moreover, as the man who captured and killed Zhou Yu, in a few months you may well be a super-rank marquis with an actual fief of several Battalion Commander. They won't catch up to you in half a lifetime.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fa Zheng and the others were all taken aback, and instinctively looked toward the man's waist. Even Zhao Yun, who had been sitting beside Guo Jia without speaking a word the entire time, paused slightly and could not resist sizing up the man's physique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But upon hearing this, Xu Shu gave a cold laugh and then looked askance at his friend: \"I had no idea I was so formidable. May I ask Prefect Guo, with my seniority and achievements, am I permitted to speak coarse words in this place?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Jia's face was utterly solemn: \"This is the main hall of a commandery, a place for discussing affairs. Even you — how could you speak coarse words here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then I have nothing to say,\" Xu Yuanzhi replied, immediately composing his own expression with equal solemnity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fa Zheng, Yang Xiu, and Meng Da looked at one another. Yang Xiu seemed thoughtful — perhaps because of their old friendship, he did not take offense. Only Fa Zheng, who had the most intense temperament, truly could not bear it. Summoning his courage, he stepped forward and demanded: \"I have long heard of Xu Yuanzhi's reputation for slaying the dragon in the fields. I, Fa Zheng of Fufeng, a man of no account, venture to ask you, sir: are the strategies of the three of us truly of no use whatsoever, worth nothing but coarse words?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shu's instinct was to explain, but seeing the man's manner, he was reminded of his own reckless spirit when he first began his career. So he simply smiled easily and asked directly in return: \"May I ask Major Fa, is there any contradiction among your three strategies? Why must it be one or the other? When the grand army attacks Shu, the roads are narrow but the troops are many. Why cannot all three routes advance simultaneously? Why must one be designated as the other's auxiliary, and the other as the first's support?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fa Zheng was instantly overcome with embarrassment, mortified beyond measure. Even Yang Dezu looked somewhat abashed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this situation, General of the Champion Zhao Yun, who had not spoken all along, understood clearly. He abruptly rose, gave a slight bow to Guo Jia and Xu Shu in farewell, and left on his own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And once Zhao Yun was gone, Guo Jia's true nature was fully revealed. He promptly abandoned the hall full of mid-ranking officials, dragged his good friend Xu Shu out of the front hall of his commandery office, and headed toward the rear courtyard, calling out along the way for wine and dishes to be prepared. For a time, only Fa Zheng, Yang Xiu, and the others remained in the hall, looking at one another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving aside how Fa Zheng and Meng Da would welcome Yang Dezu, on the other side, Guo Fengxiao was indeed well prepared — perhaps wine and dishes were always kept ready in his residence. Thus, in barely a quarter of an hour, the two of them, Guo and Xu, were already seated on mats beneath the peach blossoms in the rear courtyard, with wine laid out, catching up with each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what kind of friendship did the two share?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once settled into the wine feast, they talked without cease. They began with old stories from their parting — how Guan Yunchang had dealt with the great families of Xuzhou. They went on to how the Grand Marshal and Grand Regional Commander, Lu Ziheng, had returned home in glory to his ancestral village of Xiyang in Runan and hosted the \"Hundred-Duck Feast.\" Then they spoke of the unbelievable events that had transpired after the Han Emperor entered Jiangxia. They discussed whether Taishi Ci's recent leap to become Governor of Pingzhou was a good or bad thing. They even touched on the marriage alliance between the renowned minister of Ye, Wang Shuzhi, and the Cai clan, and the rumored betrothal of Lord Yan's second daughter to a young Volunteer Follower who had graduated from the academy at Ye. Truly, there was no topic they did not touch upon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, most of this old news had been discussed to death. In the end, the conversation inevitably returned to the matter at hand: the campaign against Shu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was at this point that Guo Fengxiao, now a bona fide two-thousand-bushel grand official, took the opportunity to explain the reasons behind certain matters in the hall earlier:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yuanzhi, you do not understand. The reason Fa Xiaozhi wants to take the Yinping route and secretly cross Motian Ridge is, on the surface, to imitate the Champion General's old stratagem of secretly crossing the Di Road and scaling Mount Wu. But he is not trying to curry favor with the Champion General. Rather, it is because to take Yinping, one must first set out from Wudu and take Guanghan Dependent State. And since one must set out from Wudu, it necessarily involves the General of the Household of All Purposes, who is currently opening up military agricultural colonies in Wudu. His hunger for personal achievement is too strong — he wants to claim credit and curry favor with the General of the Household of All Purposes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shu suddenly saw the light. \"No wonder Yang Dezu abruptly said that Fa Xiaozhi was loyal and earnest in serving his superiors, and the latter looked so awkward. At the time I truly thought Yang Dezu was mocking Fa Zheng for currying favor with the Champion General! And no wonder the Champion General showed no reaction at all... Who would have thought he was actually currying favor with the General of the Household of All Purposes! Still, even for the General of the Household of All Purposes, Yang Dezu was rather reckless with his words, wasn't he?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed.\" Guo Jia let out a scoff, but took it lightly. \"However, Yuanzhi, you need not worry about this old friend you saved from the tiger's jaws. Those two are actually old rivals, famously at odds even among the Volunteer Followers. They even came to blows before the Empress Dowager and Lord Yan over mocking each other's backgrounds. Once they start quarreling, they disregard everything, and everyone above and below has grown accustomed to it...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shu stirred inwardly, wanting to speak but stopping himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When Yang Dezu's father died, it was Lord Yan himself who ordered him to set aside mourning and reassigned him here.\" Guo Fengxiao naturally knew what was on the other's mind, so before the other could speak, he took the initiative to dispel his doubts. \"It serves both to show there is no suspicion, and to use the high Yang clan to correct the previous hypocritical custom of mourning for three years or six. This matter concerns the very foundation of the new dynasty's rites, laws, and customs. With Lord Yan's stance clear on this, even if Fa Zheng took the greatest pleasure in it, he would not dare mock him on this point.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuanzhi nodded slightly, but did not press further... because, as the other had said, with the so-called centuries of governing the realm by filial piety, the issue of mourning observance had been an extremely sensitive topic from the Former Han to the present. Unless one was a top-tier great Confucian, it was not a subject one could easily broach. Moreover, over the past decade and more, as the world fell into ruin, mourning rites had largely been neglected as untimely. Yet now, precisely at this moment of replacing the old with the new and reforming the foundations of the state, it had become even more sensitive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That being the case, I also understand why Yang Dezu acted as he did. He probably arrived late and had no other stratagems to offer, yet because of Fa Zheng and Meng Da, he was unwilling to show weakness, so he steeled himself and proposed a frontal assault on Baishui Pass.\" At this thought, Xu Shu lowered his head, raised his cup and drained it in one gulp, then continued his inquiry. \"Otherwise, with his intelligence, how could he have stooped to this? And what of that Meng Zijing's strategy—is there some explanation for that as well?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Meng Zijing's stratagem also had selfish motives mixed in.\" Guo Jia answered frankly while pouring wine for the other. \"Hanzhong had always been under Governor Zhang's administration, and only came under my command last year after the victory at Guandu, so it can be considered newly acquired territory... And Hanzhong is a large commandery, where Governor Zhang also had matters left unfinished. For instance, east of Hanzhong in the Shangyong region, there is a powerful Shen clan. When the realm fell into chaos, they seized the opportunity to raise troops, gathering several Battalion Commander and several thousand soldiers, establishing themselves between Shangyong and Xicheng. Nominally they are under Governor Zhang's command, but in reality they are an independent warlord...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I understand!\" Xu Shu immediately saw the light. \"These people are newly brought under governance and only seek to establish merit to preserve themselves. And only by taking the eastern route to attack Ba Commandery, with its narrow roads and mountain crossings, would there be a place for these local strongmen to put their skills to use. Meng Da has been bought off by the Shen brothers!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you understand?\" Guo Jia set down the wine flagon and, hearing this, scoffed instead. \"This is what I call half-understanding, pretending to understand when you don't!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Shu was momentarily puzzled. \"Is that not the meaning?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In broad outline, it is.\" Only after a cup of wine had gone down did Guo Jia slowly reply. \"But there is one thing that is not as you imagine... and that is that Meng Da was not actually bought off by the Shen clan. Otherwise, with Governor Tian right there in Nanzheng City in Hanzhong, given that man's temperament, if anyone had reported it, he would have thrown him into prison long ago, regardless of whether he was from the White Horse Squad or the Black Horse Squad!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is Meng Da who is buying off the Shen clan!\" Guo Fengxiao toyed with the empty cup in his hand, a faint, ambiguous smile on his face. \"These few men are all the finest talents to emerge from the Volunteer Followers, with limitless futures ahead of them. Every one of them dreams of serving a term as Chancellor in their lifetime—how could they be bought off by mere strongmen from some mountain hollow? What Meng Zijing is doing here is understanding in his heart that his own talent and connections are slightly inferior to those of his old friends and colleagues, and that he receives somewhat less regard from Lord Yan. So he is blazing a new trail, proactively bestowing favor on those below and building up his own faction!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xu Yuanzhi was dumbstruck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How to put it?\" Guo Jia set down his wine cup, his smile as composed as ever. \"Some of these men are a bit too clever, some are a bit too driven by ambition, and some take rather roundabout paths. But in broad terms, they are all still serving the state, so there is no need to be overly critical. Besides, those of us above them do, after all, have a clear sense of what is what.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is true enough; they are merely offering ideas.\" After recovering his wits, Xu Yuanzhi could not help but smile wryly. \"The true decision-makers are the General Who Guards the West, Governor Tian, and then you and the Champion General... Just now, the Champion General must have gone to report to Governor Tian, I suppose? But speaking of which, Fengxiao, do you have any distinctive insights on this campaign against Shu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My views are largely the same as yours.\" Guo Jia answered casually. \"In fact, General Zhao and I once conducted a detailed strategic analysis before Fangbo, and we all reached the same conclusion, because there are only those few routes... With Hanzhong in our hands and Yangping Pass in our hands, Yinping will easily fall into our grasp. And once Yinping is taken, under a two-pronged assault, Baishui Pass will also be easily captured. And after Baishui Pass is taken, it simply comes down to the three routes those three men in the hall just spoke of.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the peach tree, Xu Shu mentally compared this with the map in his head, nodding slightly as he continued with his wine and food. Guo Jia, meanwhile, set down his cup and chopsticks and began gesticulating, speaking with fervor and assurance... bearing none of the imposing manner of the dignified Governor of Hanzhong he had displayed in the hall just moments before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The very center is the main road: take Jiameng, emerge through the Sword Road, break through Zitong, then capture Fushui Pass, and you can drive straight on Mianzhu and Chengdu! This route is the main artery into Shu, capable of supporting a large army! The problem is that Jiameng, the Sword Road, and Fushui Pass are all famous passes and perilous paths. A large army can pass, but it is difficult to deploy, and you can only grit your teeth and gnaw your way through. And if the enemy commander is tenacious, there is truly nothing we can do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If one takes the eastern route, that is, through Ba Commandery, there are actually two roads: follow the Qianjiang and the Bucao River south respectively, take Dianjiang, strike directly at Jiangzhou, then turn toward Chengdu... To be frank, this route is actually somewhat smoother than the central route, but logistics are extremely difficult, so the number of troops that can be committed is limited. General Zhao and I both personally went to reconnoiter, and each of the two rivers can support at most four to five thousand troops—that is the absolute limit. And precisely between the two rivers lies the settlement area of the Bandun Man barbarians. Their reputation for prowess in battle has endured for centuries, and they have always been renowned soldiers of the Han. They absolutely cannot be underestimated, yet their intentions are unclear and their allegiance uncertain. The fear is that if anything goes wrong, the result would be the entire army perishing in the wilderness.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As for emerging from Yinping and crossing Motian Ridge...\" At this point, Guo Jia finally smiled again. \"That is even more of a desperate gamble. Although there is a minor path there, how could it possibly support a large army? Even if it could, of ten thousand soldiers sent, it would be fortunate if seven or eight thousand survived to reach the other side of Motian Ridge. And once they descend, there is no logistical support whatsoever, yet they would land squarely between Fushui Pass and the Sword Road. If the slightest misstep occurs, the result would again be the entire army annihilated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The roads of Shu are hard indeed!\" Xu Shu, who had been drinking alone all the while, finally set down his cup and sighed. \"But since we are campaigning against Shu, we cannot simply do nothing, can we? In any case, these are the only three routes, and casualties are probably unavoidable.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Jia shook his head repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What does Fengxiao mean by this?\" Xu Shu stirred inwardly and could not help his curiosity. \"Are you troubled? Or do you have some other extraordinary stratagem in mind?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Militarily, it is naturally to advance along all three routes simultaneously.\" Guo Jia spread his hands. \"I am no immortal; how could I conjure a fourth route into Shu? And I won't hide it from you, Yuanzhi—Fangbo, Lord Tian, currently holds in his hands an edict from Lord Yan. He is only waiting for Zhang Junyi's troops to arrive from Nanyang in a few days, and then all three routes will advance together to formally begin the campaign against Shu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But as it is said, the highest form of warfare is to attack the enemy's plans; the next is to attack his alliances; the next is to attack his army; and the lowest is to attack his cities... Yet campaigning against Shu need not rely solely on military force.\" Guo Fengxiao finally revealed his thoughts. \"I won't hide it from you, Yuanzhi. Upon meeting Fei Boren today, a preposterous stratagem occurred to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What stratagem?\" Xu Yuanzhi's heart grew momentarily wary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know why Emperor Guangwu's campaign against Shu dragged on for years?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Naturally, because the roads of Shu are difficult.\" Xu Shu could not help but sneer, yet lowered his head again to continue pouring and drinking his wine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aside from that?\" Guo Fengxiao pressed relentlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Xu Shu stirred inwardly. With one hand he raised his cup, while with the other he gripped the long sword at his side. Only then did he lift his head to glance at his closest friend and reply, enunciating each word deliberately: \"This matter is known to all. It was Gongsun Shu twice dispatching assassins who struck down two great generals under Guangwu... Marquis Jie, Lai Xi, and Marquis Zhuang, Cen Peng—both were honored ministers of the Cloud Terrace, yet just before the realm was settled, both died at the hands of assassins in Shu! It can only be called preposterous! Is it feasible?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I originally thought it was not.\" Guo Jia sighed, a rare occurrence. \"Because such preposterous affairs are inherently difficult to accomplish. Even if barely achieved, if both sides are in stable positions, it would not be enough to affect the overall situation. But here in the land of Shu, I believe it may not be impossible.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me hear it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ever since Dong Zhuo's rebellion, I have been a wanderer far from home... In those days, the realm was utterly chaotic, and I saw countless contemptible men and contemptible deeds—factionalism, men devouring one another like beasts—all commonplace. Yet at the same time, I also always saw heroic figures who, disregarding personal gain or loss, drew their blades and rose up.\" For some reason, Guo Jia suddenly shifted the topic. \"Thus, things like conflicts between natives and outsiders, regional disputes—such base and laughable matters, though common, often cannot endure and are usually despised by heroes. Even with Yuan Shao, I once thought, if Yuan Benchu were given some time, could he not also eliminate such base affairs? However...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"However, here in the land of Shu, the 'Gentlemen of Dongzhou' and the 'Dogs of Yizhou' have been at each other's throats like fire and water for years. It is evident that Liu Yan's governance is truly base and inferior?\" Xu Shu suddenly lowered his head and interjected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed.\" Guo Jia immediately nodded. \"If what Fei Shang has said this time is all true, then I roughly surmise that Liu Yan as a man truly cannot win the hearts of the people in Shu. He merely relies on the prestige of his former governance to barely hold the situation in check... This actually closely resembles the state of affairs when Dong Zhuo occupied the Three Adjuncts! And back when Dong Zhuo was in the Three Adjuncts, Military Advisor Xun once planned to assassinate that man, only the news unfortunately leaked.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So you wish for me to make a trip into Shu and reverse the stratagem Gongsun Shu employed back then... If I can take advantage of the moment when Shu's troops are all away on the frontiers and suddenly kill Liu Yan or Liu Fan, then all of Shu might collapse from within and be pacified in an instant, since the general momentum lies with Lord Yan anyway?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly!\" Guo Jia nodded all the more vigorously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But Fengxiao,\" Xu Shu suddenly laughed in spite of himself, \"such a matter, after all, can hardly be placed among the ranks of the honorable and upright, can it? After all, Gongsun Shu back then was a cornered dog leaping at the wall, whereas Lord Yan holds the dignified general momentum in his grasp. Even without employing this stratagem, within a year or two, Shu will fall into chaos on its own, will it not? Moreover, Lord Yan sending the General of the Household of All Purposes to open up military farms... the term is 'opening up farms,' not 'serving as a general,' which is always measured in years. Does this not also indicate that Lord Yan, the General Who Guards the West, and Lord Tian here have long been prepared for a protracted campaign against Shu?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed!\" Guo Jia still nodded as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Therefore, your asking me to do this is actually a private undertaking. If it succeeds, I may not necessarily gain merit, because this is not Lord Yan's original intent, and the General Who Guards the West and Lord Tian are even less likely to acknowledge it! Especially Lord Tian—that man has always been displeased with Lord Yan's arbitrary execution of Lu Bu, and has always wished to use dignified formations to help Lord Yan shed these ill reputations! And if it fails, I fear I shall die without a burial place! Is that not so?\" Xu Shu pressed sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed!\" Guo Jia still nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yet you still bid me go?\" Xu Yuanzhi continued in a stern tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed!\" Guo Jia remained as composed as ever, but then raised his brows and asked in return. \"That is exactly how it is. This is entirely my own idea; I do not even plan to report it to Lord Tian. If it succeeds, there will likely be no merit; if it fails, it is a futile errand to one's death... But in the end, are you willing to go?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why would I not go?\" Xu Shu suddenly laughed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Jia also laughed along with him. \"In truth, we both understand in our hearts that even if you carry out such a stratagem, only a handful of people will ever know of it. Instead, for the sake of your future prospects, it would have to be somewhat concealed... But the roads of Shu are difficult—one man holding the pass can hold off ten thousand. If Yuanzhi can kill either Liu Yan or Liu Fan, any one of them, perhaps a hundred thousand lives can be saved! And considering the realm as a whole, if Shu can be swiftly taken, given Lord Yan's current momentum, how could the realm not see a million more spared?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You need not goad me!\" Xu Yuanzhi sighed, directly setting down his wine cup and facing him. \"I have already agreed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am not goading you; there is truly a burden weighing on my heart.\" A wind rose for a moment, and peach blossoms drifted down from overhead. Guo Jia momentarily raised his empty cup to catch a petal and sighed. \"I vaguely understand the difficulties Lord Yan faces in his high position... I know he too wishes to unify the realm sooner, but also wishes to clear away some weeds along the road at the same time! And those below, aside from those driven by thoughts of fame and achievement, those with even a little idealism inevitably have their own ideas as well. For instance, Guan Zhendong, whom I have always respected, holds that clearing the weeds is more important than finishing the road as quickly as possible! As for me, I truly lack a measure of the resolve these two possess, yet I also hope that things can be a little faster and a little cleaner... With the strength of one man, I will do whatever I can! That is all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed, if things could be both fast and good, who would not wish it?\" Xu Shu sighed softly. \"But who let our strength be insufficient, so that we can only undertake the deeds of common men? Lord Yan has Lord Yan's grand strategy, Guan Zhendong has Guan Zhendong's persistence, and we shall simply do our utmost with the strength of common men! Fengxiao, I will make this journey into Shu myself. If Liu Yan is truly as vile as the rumors say, why should I not kill him for you? There is only one matter...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please speak!\" Guo Jia also suddenly came back to his senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No matter how Liu Yan is, he is still the dignified lord of an entire province, so his defenses are certain to be tight. And I still have a mother at home, whom I must solemnly entrust to you...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I lost both parents when I was young... As far back as Xuzhou, I already regarded Yuanzhi as my own brother. Not to mention caring for your elderly mother—if the worst should happen, after entering Shu, I will personally take up the sword to avenge you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then I am even more free of worry. Do you have any trusted men?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have only twenty men here! But according to what Fei Boren said, in Shu, those who wish to kill this father and son are beyond counting!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is beyond my control... Twenty men—have they been properly prepared?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It can hardly be called preparation. They were sent to support me by my old superior from the Jing'an Tower, Lord Xi, and have been in my residence all along.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then let us go!\" Xu Yuanzhi rose directly, hand on his sword. \"Since the decision to dispatch troops is already made, the sooner this matter is undertaken, the better. There is no need to delay.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let us first drink one more cup to the full.\" Guo Jia hurriedly picked up the wine flagon himself, preparing to pour wine for the other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you truly think I will not return?\" Xu Shu, who had already turned away, looked back with a cold sneer. \"Seal the flagon and hide it beneath the peach tree. We shall use it when I come back!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guo Jia immediately straightened his expression and nodded heavily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—————I am the heavily nodding dividing line—————\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the era between Han and Yan, heroes fought like tigers. For a time, the bold and righteous among them held strategies in their hearts, their wills aligned with the Dao and righteousness. They valued promises above all, and once they gave their word to a true friend, they would stake life and death on it. Such were the cases of Shen Zhengnan venturing alone into Liaodong, Jia Wenhe single-handedly trapping Tongguan, Zhang Yide riding through Hebei, and Xu Yuanzhi bearing his sword into the land of Shu!\" — Records of the Heroes of Late Han, by Wang Can\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",6439,"2026-06-04T19:42:52.587Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","e5c10546faefe93a232ef2f6f32cf65917a088dfd38d7cc30d3f9cd613057ae7","overthrowing-han-chapter-514","overthrowing-han-chapter-512",548,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Foverthrowing-han-cover.jpg"]