novelraw Chapter 91, "Ji's Memorial on Dispatching the Troops"
Chapter 91, "Ji's Memorial on Dispatching the Troops"
Chapter 92, "Ji's Memorial on Dispatching the Troops" (Combined Chapter)
Chang'an, Weiyang Palace.
Although this court was quite disorganized, it still had the outline of an imperial court. The blitzkrieg and forced marches of the past few days, even with painkillers added to their food, had left the Wei army, which should now be called the Han army, exhausted.
But at the very least, the first objective of the blitzkrieg against Chang'an has been achieved.
After Chang'an and the surrounding passes were occupied, Luoyang was like a skeleton in a house, with no natural defenses left!
At the same time, it also had a greater effect: it successfully transformed this army into the Han army, no longer the one that was previously controlled in a way that was like a castle in the air, although this control was only obtained through deception and by emptying the Chang'an treasury with huge rewards.
Several days passed, and they had rested enough. At the same time, Chang'an's inventory was almost depleted. If things continued like this, the only way to fill the gap would be to confiscate the property of powerful families.
Therefore, Jiang Wei prepared to prepare his army and march on Luoyang!
Sitting at the head of the table was Liu Xuan, who was being well taken care of by Jiang Wei's daughter. Although the woman was already married and quite old, only she knew how to take care of a child.
Besides Liu Xuan, Jiang Wei and Li Ge sat facing each other.
However, at this moment, Jiang Wei's colored clothes hung loosely on the ground, the hem casually spread out on the mat, and he held a feather fan in his hand, waving the fan with a calm expression.
In that instant, the image of Jiang Boyue, with his feather fan and silk turban, made Li Ge even hallucinate as Prime Minister Zhuge Liang.
No, it wasn't a hallucination. Li Ge even had the illusion that this Jiang Boyue, at this moment, was completely living up to the image of Prime Minister Zhuge.
Especially his recent changes, it seems that everything he has done is moving in the direction of imitating Prime Minister Zhuge Liang.
He personally attended to everything, working late into the night every day and getting up early in the morning.
He appears to be writing a new "Memorial on Dispatching the Troops" to give to the young emperor.
At the same time, he seemed to particularly admire Li Ge and the other three. During this period, he basically taught them everything he knew. Although the three did not officially declare that they had joined Shu Han, Jiang Boyue still taught them everything he seemed to have learned, including how to command troops, how to conduct political maneuvering, and how to manage food and logistics.
Looking at Jiang Boyue, who was now dressed in a white robe and wearing a feather fan and turban, Li Ge no longer saw the spirited young general who once shouted, "Do you know Jiang Boyue of Tianshui?" Instead, he had completely transformed into a different person.
Even a few days ago, a new shrine appeared not far from Weiyang Palace. When Li Ge asked what it was, the soldier said, "That's the Wuhou Shrine."
For some reason, Li Ge felt a bit dazed.
"At this point, the army marches on Luoyang!"
On March 8, 264 AD, the Third Han Empire launched an uprising and marched on Luoyang.
On the same day, Jia Chong led 3000 elite soldiers to join the Third Empire of the Han Dynasty and followed Sima Zhao in marching towards Luoyang.
On March 10, 264 AD, Luoyang was thrown into chaos once again. Sima Yan, under the pretext of collusion between the aristocratic families of Luoyang and Sima You, launched a massive purge of these families, plunging Luoyang into chaos once more. This time, the aristocratic families almost united to fight against Sima Yan, but they were instead slaughtered by Sima Yan, who controlled the military.
The prominent families in Luoyang today are all those who sided with Sima Yi during the Gaopingling Incident. Just as Cao Shuang, who relinquished his military power after believing the oath made by the Luo River, was exterminated along with his entire clan, these families who once sided with Sima Yi were all exterminated along with their entire clans.
On this day, the fire almost engulfed all the noble families in Luoyang.
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At this moment, Sima Yan, standing on the city wall, couldn't help but exclaim, "What a fire! What a fire! Even better than the fire at Red Cliffs!"
One by one, the scions of noble families were thrown into the Luo River for the second annual Luo River Winter Swimming Competition. They cried and screamed, and then died tragically in the Luo River. Dozens of noble families were swallowed up by the Luo River. By this time, almost all the noble families that had been established under the Nine-Rank System of the Great Jin Dynasty had been wiped out, and the Luo River stopped flowing.
Cao Huan loaded cart after cart with hidden population records and land ownership records of aristocratic families, along with their household registration documents.
He never imagined that any one member of these aristocratic families could possess assets and population greater than his own, the emperor of the Great Wei Dynasty.
Is there any king law?Are there any laws?
On March 11, 264 AD, just as the Shu Han army was about to fight a decisive battle in Luoyang, Wang Mai, the commander of the Luoyang city gates, opened the city gates and let the Han army in. Luoyang was then completely taken over by the Han army.
Cao Huan and Sima Yan surrendered, but they were not mistreated. Cao Huan was appointed as the prime minister, and Sima Yan came under the command of Sima Zhao.
When Cao Huan handed over the Imperial Seal, household registers, books, and Confucian classics to Li Ge, the current Prime Minister Cao slapped his thigh and said, "Cousin, I never imagined that you would actually rebuild the Han Dynasty? Do you want to take the position of General Who Conquers the West of the Han Dynasty? If I submit a memorial, it can be considered as fulfilling the last wish of Cao Cao for the Cao family."
Li Ge also bid farewell to his elder brother with a smile.
Today might even be the happiest day for this imperial brother. There are no longer people watching him, and he is no longer a caged bird confined to the palace. He can go wherever he wants and do whatever he wants.
Then, Li Ge saw Cao Huan enter the Chunxiao Pavilion and arrogantly say, "Today, all expenses at the Chunxiao Pavilion will be paid by Young Master Cao."
Li Ge: "————"
Looking at Cao Fu, who was surrounded by women on both sides and was shamelessly putting his hand inside the women's clothes, Li Ge sighed inwardly that this man was hopeless. Every time she thought he was a decent person, he would just show his foolishness.
On March 12, 264 AD, the Shu Han army incorporated the surrendered generals and officials of Shu Han who had been sent to Luoyang, including the grandsons of Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, the young sons of Zhao Yun and Ma Dai, and countless other descendants of their former acquaintances.
At the same time, many of Liu Shan's sons also survived and came under the rule of the Shu Han dynasty.
However, the Duke of Anle's mansion was completely burned down. People in the vicinity said that at night, the sound of reciting "Memorial on Dispatching the Troops" could often be heard from this place. The famous Jiang Wei erected a cenotaph and shrine for Liu Shan here and moved most of the resources, population and soldiers to Chang'an.
On March 15, 264 AD, the whole country surrendered. Liu Kang, the Duke of Shanyang, was the first to surrender. He retained his fiefdom and was forced to recognize Li Ge in the court.
On the same day, a letter of surrender arrived in Chang'an from Huainan, and letters of surrender were also delivered from Qingzhou, Xuzhou and other places.
On March 19, 264 AD, Eastern Wu attempted to attack Hefei again but was repelled. Hefei sent a letter requesting reinforcements to Chang'an, and Jiang Boyue then reorganized his troops, intending to recover Eastern Wu.
In April 264 AD, in front of the Temple of Marquis Wu, Jiang Boyue presented the "Memorial on the Expedition" and launched an attack on Wu.
Your Majesty, I humbly report: The late Emperor passed away prematurely, and the state was restored from darkness. This is truly a time when loyal ministers are willing to sacrifice their lives. Yet, the ministers who guard the palace are diligent in their duties, and the loyal officials who serve outside forget themselves, all because they cherish the special favor shown to them by the late Emperor and the Chancellor, and wish to repay it to Your Majesty.
However, there are now extraordinary individuals like Li and Yi, who possess exceptional talent and keen insight. Although they are not former officials of the Shu Han dynasty, their intentions are clear, and they can be entrusted with important matters. Your Majesty should grant them military authority and consult them on strategies. Then, the pacification of Eastern Wu in the south will be within reach.
I was originally a surrendered general, guarding Tianshui. The Prime Minister did not consider me lowly and consulted me on matters of the time. I was deeply grateful and pledged my service to the Prime Minister. Later, when the dynasty was on the verge of collapse, I was entrusted with a mission amidst the defeated army and received orders in a time of crisis. Thirty-one years have passed since then.
However, in the middle of the night, I often tremble with fear, clutching my chest, lest I fail in my duty and thus tarnish the wisdom of the late emperor; I fear that the great cause will not be completed and I will betray the trust placed in me by Zhuge Liang. Now, the unification of the Han Dynasty is within reach, yet Yiling seems like a distant memory. This is why I am filled with worry day and night, unable to sleep peacefully or eat with relish.
I beseech Your Majesty to entrust me with the task of suppressing the rebels and restoring the dynasty. If I fail, then punish me to appease the spirit of Zhuge Liang in heaven. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for Your Majesty's favor.
The sun and moon shine brightly, their flames blaze forth; with this single thought in my heart, I dedicate myself to the restoration of the Han Dynasty. Your subject, Wei, bows twice.
In February 265 AD, after nearly a year of preparation, the Shu Han army broke through the Eastern Wu's Yangtze River defense line with fire ships, and then landed their army.
In February, Danyang and Xiling were captured, and in March, Jiangling and Lexiang were occupied. Then, Xiakou and Wuchang surrendered one after another. Finally, on March 15, Li Ge arrived in Jianye and forced Sun Hao to surrender. Thus, the Han Dynasty was restored three times and the world was unified.
The world was at peace, and the Han Dynasty was restored. However, in the same year, Sima Zhao died of illness, and his son Sima Yan succeeded him as Chancellor Sima, assisting the young emperor in controlling the world.
In 279 AD, the young emperor came of age, and Bo Yue, as his father-in-law, bestowed upon him the courtesy name "Beide," which was used to explain the character "Xuan." From then on, Emperor Liu Xuan, courtesy name Beide, officially assumed personal rule and became the emperor with real power.
In the same year, Cao Huan's daughter entered the palace and became Empress Cao.
In 289 AD, the five northern tribes—the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Jie, Di, and Qiang—joined forces and marched south, plundering the people and attempting to seize the Central Plains.
General Jiang Wei, over 80 years old, personally led the expedition, surrounding and slaughtering the main force of the Five Barbarian tribes, numbering over 100,000, within the pass, thus creating the largest Jingguan (a mound of corpses) in history.
At this point, the powerful clans of the Five Barbarian Tribes, such as the Murong, Tuoba, and Yuwen, surrendered and became vassals, willing to learn Han culture, integrate into the Han people, and fight against other barbarian tribes that were unwilling to surrender.
After the reconquest of the Five Barbarian Tribes, Jiang Wei was already over eighty years old. With his white hair, he struggled to drink wine in the peach garden outside the Wuhou Temple. Li Ge sat next to Jiang Wei and drank wine with him.
For Li Ge and his group, this period of time was like fast-forwarding through a movie; they did not participate personally, but were merely bystanders.
The other team members watched them from a distance. Xiaoye seemed to understand a lot, Yilian seemed thoughtful, while Valerie actually felt that she was not very involved.
"We're both running dungeons, so why do I feel like I'm a burden?" the silly girl said, pointing at herself.
"It's not exactly a burden. At least in the beginning, without your two explosive little horses, it would have been extremely difficult for us to seize military power," Yi Lian comforted her.
In fact, Valerie was originally intended to be the main force in the subsequent siege battles, since all her equipment was incredibly powerful for sieges. Unfortunately, things went too smoothly for her, and she didn't even need to siege anymore; wherever she went, the city surrendered. As a result, Valerie, who was originally intended as a trump card, became useless.
The story then fast-forwards to the battle to destroy Wu, where the girl seems to have been holding back for a while. She is the first to jump over the enemy's stronghold in Jiangdong and break through it as if it were empty, which can be considered as regaining some points.
"Stop arguing, stop arguing, it's almost over, let's wait for the final scene," Xiaoye said hurriedly.
Chang'an City was bustling and prosperous at this time.
The purge of aristocratic families by Sima Yan, who was blamed for the scandal, temporarily prevented the emergence of the "Five Clans and Seven Noble Families." At the same time, it caused all the sons of aristocratic families to resent Sima Yan, and a temporarily stable court structure was formed.
Because of the conflicts, these powerful families are less likely to band together and are more likely to fall apart.
At this time, the Wuhou Temple was already bustling with people.
People come to the Wuhou Temple to pray for peace, success in the imperial examinations, and even for children.
The Wuhou Temple houses not only Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, but also figures such as Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun.
Their statues are close to what they look like in later generations, and their incense continues to burn brightly.
Behind the Wuhou Temple, surrounded by peach trees, Li Ge and Jiang Wei sat facing each other, enjoying the beautiful scenery of Chang'an and drinking wine with Jiang Boyue, who was dressed in a feather fan and turban.
The autumn wind was blowing gently, and leaves were falling. Jiang Boyue suddenly smiled: "Back then, the Prime Minister was just like this, drinking his last cup of wine with me."
Li Ge remained silent.
"Ziyin," Jiang Wei turned his head, a glimmer of light still seeming in his cloudy old eyes, "Do you know what I am most grateful for in my life?"
"It was meeting the Prime Minister, and then—it was meeting you all."
He reached out and slipped a pre-written silk scroll into Li Ge's hand; it was a newly copied copy of "Ji Chu Shi Biao".
"Wei has fulfilled his life's wish and is tired. He can finally stop and meet the late emperor, the prime minister, and His Majesty." He smiled and patted Li Ge's shoulder firmly.
The wind blew through the peach orchard, carrying fallen leaves to the two of them.
Jiang Boyue laughed, a hearty laugh. In the cold wind, he took off his clothes, revealing his aged and scarred body.
"Ziyin, today I entrust my orphan to you. Take good care of this world for me, and take good care of Beide for me."
Then, he looked at the Wuhou Temple again, raised his wine cup, and drank it all in one gulp.
"Prime Minister, it's done! It's done! It has restored the Han Dynasty from obscurity to glory!"
After speaking, the cup fell to the ground, and in the cold wind, Jiang Boyue breathed his last at the age of 82.
Looking at the two people in the peach garden in the distance, Xiaoye suddenly remembered the firelight in Luoyang that night, and the fat old man who recited "Memorial to the Throne" in the fire.
So this is what they call "integrity".
She seemed to understand a little.
Afterwards, they all felt that leaving this body completely was no longer a fast-forwarded experience, but rather like having completely completed their mission and preparing to leave this world forever.
They looked down and saw the "stand-ins" of their former selves still inside Ji Han.
Cao Ziyin, Yilian, Xiaoye, and Valerie established the "Jinyifu" (Imperial Guard), which monitored all officials, watched over the world, and acted first and reported later. With the special permission of the emperor, it became the first formalized secret service agency in history.
Liu Xuan selected officials one by one according to the names in the "Memorial on the Expedition" and at the same time accepted the suggestion to implement a parallel system of selecting officials through the imperial examination and the recommendation system.
Although Liu Xuan was not a man of great talent, he was more than capable of maintaining the status quo. For decades, he governed the country with benevolence and righteousness, allowing the people to recuperate and thrive. With the assistance of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the country became prosperous and the people lived in peace and contentment.
After his son succeeded to the throne, he continued the policy of recuperation and education, and educated the Five Barbarians, gradually making them Sinicized and eventually assimilated into the Han Dynasty.
Centuries later, people gradually strayed from their original intentions, alienating virtuous ministers and befriending sycophants, leading to the disintegration of the Shu Han dynasty. This allowed a group represented by the Yang family to raise the banner of rebellion, overthrow the Han dynasty, and establish the Sui dynasty. The Sui dynasty lasted only two generations before the Tang dynasty was established.
[The Heavens Have Fallen: Dungeon Completed!]
"The heavens have fallen, civilization has been interrupted, barbarism has taken over, and cannibalism is the underlying nature of civilization."
"If we want to avoid completely degenerating into a barbaric race that builds islands, raises captives, and eats people, we need to break this day, rebuild order, and ignite the dawn. We will be the fuel before this dawn, until the very last moment."
"The savior is not someone with clever tricks, but someone who inherits the flame from their predecessors, rekindles it, and takes a step forward in civilization, inheritance, and the future, even if that future may not be perfect."
"The world does not belong to us; the future belongs to them. We are merely saviors. Ultimately, the world belongs to them."
"In the name of the King, we rekindle the torch and sprout new buds, as always, without regret or remorse. This is the true path to salvation, and also the path to rekindle civilization."