Chapter 1522

As time passed, the confrontation between Shu Han and Cao Wei gradually evolved into a subtle balance. Jiang Wei and Wei Yan, these two former rivals, had now become comrades-in-arms fighting side by side; their cooperation not only stabilized the front line but also brought a rare atmosphere of unity to Shu Han domestically. Liu Chan, this emperor who grew up in the flames of war, began to display maturity and wisdom beyond his years; he knew deeply that to maintain this balance, besides military victory, it required even more stability in internal affairs and prosperity in the economy.

Thus, Liu Chan began to implement a series of internal reforms aimed at improving agricultural production efficiency, reducing the burden on the common people, and simultaneously strengthening centralized power to weaken the influence of local powerful clans. He established "Agricultural Officials" specifically responsible for guiding farmers in cultivation, introducing advanced irrigation techniques and crop varieties, which caused Shu Han's grain production to increase significantly, providing a solid material foundation for long-term war. In addition, he also promoted the "Equal Field System," attempting to alleviate the problem of land annexation and allowing more farmers to own their own land, thereby stimulating their production enthusiasm.

In terms of the economy, Liu Chan encouraged commercial development, lowered commercial taxes, and attracted merchants from other regions to trade, promoting the prosperity of the market. At the same time, he also valued the development of handicrafts and mining, establishing state-run workshops to produce military supplies and civilian goods, which both strengthened the country's economic power and satisfied the needs of war and the people's lives.

In culture and education, Liu Chan also spared no effort. He expanded the Imperial Academy, added more schools, recruited talented people widely, and encouraged academic research, especially in fields such as military science, agriculture, and medicine, cultivating a large number of useful talents for the country. He also personally participated in compiling historical books, recording the history of Shu Han, inheriting culture, and enhancing national cohesion.

Militarily, Jiang Wei continued to exert his outstanding command ability; he not only consolidated the existing defensive lines but also actively explored new strategic locations, such as strengthening control over Nan Zhong, utilizing the local abundant resources and manpower as a rear base for Shu Han. At the same time, he focused on the training of the army, improving the soldiers' combat effectiveness, and invented various tactics, such as the "Chain Horses" and the "Eight Trigrams Formation," making the Shu Han army more flexible and varied on the battlefield, difficult for the enemy to fathom.

Wei Yan was responsible for training special units, such as mountain troops and naval forces, to adapt to the combat needs of different terrains. He also proposed the strategy of "using offense as defense," which meant taking the initiative to attack in areas where the enemy's strength was weak, disrupting the enemy's deployment and reducing the pressure on the main battlefield. This strategy achieved significant results in practice, forcing the Cao Wei army to disperse its forces to cope, which reduced the pressure on Shu Han's main defensive line.

However, peace did not last long. With the change of power within Cao Wei, the newly ascended ruler was ambitious and decided to launch a large-scale offensive against Shu Han once again. This time, the Cao Wei army was unprecedented in scale, better equipped, and adopted new tactics, intending to annex Shu Han in one fell swoop.

Facing an unprecedented challenge, everyone in Shu Han shared a common hatred for the enemy; Liu Chan led the expedition personally, and generals like Jiang Wei and Wei Yan swore to defend the country to the death. At the beginning of the war, the Shu Han army relied on the advantage of the terrain and carefully prepared defensive fortifications to successfully withstand the fierce attacks of the Cao Wei army. But as time passed, the Cao Wei army continuously adjusted its tactics and gradually found breakthrough points, and the battlefield situation became exceptionally severe.

At this critical moment, Jiang Wei proposed a bold plan—luring the enemy deep, and then utilizing Shu Han's complex terrain and the support of the people to implement an encirclement and annihilation. This plan received the support of Liu Chan and Wei Yan; they began to make secret arrangements, preparing to deal a fatal blow to the Cao Wei army.

After careful planning, the Shu Han army successfully lured the Cao Wei army deep into the hinterland, and then set an ambush in the depths of a dense forest. When the Cao Wei army entered the ambush circle, the Shu Han army suddenly launched attacks from all directions, utilizing the advantage of the terrain to split and surround the enemy, annihilating them one by one. After several days of fierce fighting, the Cao Wei army was defeated, suffered heavy losses, and had to retreat backward. ===== CHAPTER 1523 =====