Farmers of Shu Han

Chapter 1456 Persuading Surrender
The secret report delivered by express courier from Qiao County was crumpled into a ball and slammed onto the ground.

Watching the tangled mess of secret reports roll under the desk, Guanqiu Jian felt a surge of anger rising in his head.

He then kicked over the table in front of him, scattering writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones all over the floor.

With a backhand thud, he drew his sword; a flash of cold light, and the corner of the table snapped in two, sending splinters flying.

"You idiot! You're worse than a dog!"

Every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with rage and despair at being dragged down by his foolish allies.

"Clang!"

Throwing away his sword, still seething with anger, Guanqiu Jian paced back and forth in the messy hall like a caged beast, veins bulging on his forehead.

After agreeing to launch the uprising with Wang Ling, he gradually learned through secret envoys and letters that this old scoundrel had harbored rebellious intentions even earlier than himself, and had even been secretly plotting with his nephew Linghu Yu for a long time.

But what was the result? Linghu Yu, that short-lived wretch, died of illness, which was a clean getaway, but his advisor Yang Kang turned out to be a cowardly and useless piece of trash!
Terrified, he ran to Qiao County in a panic to beg for mercy.

That wasn't enough. Yang Hong, the trusted confidant sent by Wang Ling to contact him, inexplicably turned around halfway there and went straight to Sima Yi's feet, wagging his tail and begging for mercy.

"I enter into that mother's...!"

Upon realizing this, Guanqiu Jian was so angry that he almost vomited blood.

After rushing back and forth countless times, Guanqiu Jian could only point in the direction of Shouchun and curse loudly:

"You fool! You old fool! Such a momentous matter as the extermination of nine generations of your family, your indecisiveness is a death sentence! You can't even tell whether your trusted confidants are human or ghosts, allowing such fickle villains to participate in confidential matters!"

"This isn't treason! You're handing Sima Yi a knife, personally sending the heads of your entire clan to the blade!"

He then proceeded to berate Wang Ling's entire clan for quite some time. From his words, it was clear that Guanqiu Jian greatly admired the women of his three generations and dreamed of having a relationship with them that went beyond friendship.

"This brat is not worth discussing things with! He's not worth discussing things with at all!"

"You worthless wretch! You scum! Wang Ling, you old codger, deserve to be childless and your entire clan to perish!"

He cursed until he was hoarse, then collapsed to the ground, his chest heaving violently, sweat and tears mingling as he ran down his face.

After a moment of stunned silence, he couldn't help but look up to the sky and cry out in sorrow:

"Heavens! Heavens! Since Wei Zuo was born, why was such a fool made my ally?!"

"Heaven and Earth, do you truly wish to destroy the ancestral temples of the Great Wei?!"

Wang Ling's folly and failure not only caused the Huainan forces to collapse instantly, but also drove Guanqiu Jian and the soldiers in Xuchang into a desperate situation.

What was originally a harmonious and complementary arrangement has now become a lone tree unable to support itself.

He had cursed and cried, venting his emotions, when Guanqiu Jian sat motionless on the ground, like a lifeless corpse.

After a long period of deathly silence.

He slowly stood up again, walked to the window, opened it, and let the cold night wind blow on his burning cheeks.

Those eyes, which had been filled with anger and despair, gradually regained their clarity.

Beneath that calm gaze lay a desolate sense of despair at the end of the road.

Anger cannot solve problems, much less break the current deadlock.

After dealing with Wang Ling, Sima Yi's next step will inevitably be to deal with himself, giving himself no chance to breathe.

With the strength of the city of Xuchang alone, resisting Sima Yi and holding out would only lead to certain death.

Where to go?

"To defend is to die, to surrender is also to die. Sima Yi will never let me go. Is Heaven truly going to destroy me?"

Guanqiu Jian muttered to himself.

Is dying in the fall of the city the only way to fulfill one's loyalty and righteousness?
In the following days, Guanqiu Jian personally inspected the city walls every day to strengthen the city's defenses and guard against a sudden attack from Qiao County.

After all, Sima Yi had a record of leading his army on a 1,200-li march in eight days to kill Meng Da, and Guanqiu Jian did not want to become the second Meng Da.

But privately, he was in turmoil, struggling painfully between loyalty and survival.

After enduring these agonizing days, one day a guard suddenly reported:
"General! There are two men outside the city who claim to be old friends of yours and request permission to enter the city!"

Xuchang City has been under martial law for the past few days, and no one is allowed to enter or leave the city at will. At this time, someone actually claims to be an old friend and wants to see him?
Upon hearing this, Guanqiu Jian's gaze instinctively drifted towards Qiao County. His expression changed slightly, then softened, before a cold smile crept onto his face.
"Let them in, take them directly to the government office, and keep the news strictly confidential."
-
In the main hall of the Xuchang Prefectural Government, two rows of fully armored warriors stood holding halberds, their blades gleaming menacingly.

Guanqiu Jian himself sat upright in the main seat, his face as cold and hard as iron, holding his sword and polishing it.

Directly opposite the entrance, there was a large cauldron, from which white steam was rising.

When the guards led the two into the hall, Guanqiu Jian deliberately delayed looking up for a while, wanting to give them a hard time.

Unexpectedly, the moment he saw the face of the newcomer, his pupils contracted sharply, and his hand on the hilt of the sword froze instantly.

Oh no, I miscalculated!

Guanqiu Jian thought to himself, "Oh no!"

The hall full of executioners was originally set up to intimidate Sima Yi's envoy, but to his utter surprise, he now discovered that the person who came was not from Qiao County.

However, it must be said that Guanqiu Jian's deployment of this force was effective.

As Xiahou Mao passed the large cauldron, his eyes darted around, and his steps became hesitant, as if he were afraid that the axes and knives on both sides would suddenly come down.

Cao Zhi, however, remained calm and composed, bowing respectfully to Guanqiu Jian.
"Cao Zhi has met General Guanqiu."

Xiahou Mao quickly followed Cao Zhi and also bowed:

"Xiahou Mao greets General Guanqiu."

Guanqiu Jian suppressed his surprise and shock, and forced himself to continue the act.

He didn't get up; instead, he let out a cold laugh, his tone full of sarcasm:
"Who do we have here? It's none other than the 'righteous' King of Jibei and Young Master Xiahou! Why do you two have time to visit my besieged city, which is about to fall, when you are enjoying the riches and honors of the Han Kingdom?"

"Could it be that Feng Mingwen sent these two men to see when I, Guanqiu Jian, will be beheaded so that I can go back and claim credit?"

These words, though intended to cover up his misjudgment and embarrassment, were also his true feelings.

Guanqiu Jian always felt deeply ashamed and even quite resentful of the two men's defection to the Han.

If Xiahou Mao's defection to the Han Dynasty shook the very foundation of the beliefs of the meritorious officials and veterans of the Wei Kingdom.

The defection of Cao Zhi, the grandson of Emperor Wu, to the enemy fundamentally shook the foundations of the Cao Wei state.

If even the direct descendants of Emperor Wu have abandoned the ancestral temple and denied the legitimacy, what meaning is there for this country that is worth dying for?
It was Cao Zhi's move that tore away the last fig leaf of the Great Wei, allowing Sima Yi to do what Dong Zhuo did today, yet without suffering the same fate as Dong Zhuo:
Since the Great Wei has been rejected by Cao Cao's own family, how can it expect all the civil and military officials in the court to be loyal?
Perhaps in their eyes, the one on the dragon throne was nothing more than another Emperor Xian of Han who was about to be deposed by powerful ministers.

Cao Zhi ignored Guanqiu Jian's mockery and remained sincere:
"I dare not conceal this from the general; I have indeed come here on the orders of Uncle Feng..."

Uncle Feng?
Guanqiu Jian was stunned, and it took him a while to react. His eyes widened, he leaned forward, staring intently at Cao Zhi, his tone filled with absurdity and disbelief:

"Uncle Feng? What Uncle Feng? Which Uncle Feng?"

Do you have an uncle in the Han Kingdom? And his surname is Feng?
Perhaps due to an allergy to the name Feng, Guanqiu Jian asked three questions in a row, but a huge shadow flashed through his heart, and even a chill mixed with inexplicable panic ran up his spine.

Faced with this almost outrageous questioning, Cao Zhi remained calm, as if stating a perfectly natural fact:
"Naturally, it's Grand Marshal Feng of Han. Who else could it be?"

Upon receiving the answer he had imagined, Guanqiu Jian sprang up from his seat as if struck by lightning, the movement so violent that it nearly overturned the table.

His right hand instinctively pressed hard on the hilt of the sword, his arm trembling uncontrollably, almost causing him to drop the sword on the spot!

Shameless!
How shameless!
He originally thought that Cao Zhi was cowardly and had surrendered to the enemy, which had already disgraced the Cao family; he originally thought that Cao Zhi, as the grandson of Emperor Wu, had betrayed his ancestors by serving the enemy.

He originally thought Cao Zhi had already crossed the line, but he never expected that there was another line below the line!

Do you recognize a thief as your father?

Isn't this blatantly recognizing a thief as one's father?!
The immense shock and indescribable anger instantly overwhelmed Guanqiu Jian's reason.

He could no longer maintain his composure. Pointing a finger at Cao Zhi, his face flushed red, his hair and beard standing on end, his voice roaring with extreme rage:
"Cao Zhi, I originally thought that your defection to the enemy and betrayal of your country was just a matter of being afraid of death, which could be explained as human nature!"

"I never imagined... I never imagined you could be so despicable, so vile! You actually called out the word 'Uncle' to Kou Chou of the Great Wei!"

He took a step forward, almost rushing towards Cao Zhi, spitting almost onto the other's face, and roared with bloodshot eyes:

"You shameless traitor who forgets his ancestors and recognizes a thief as his father! You have the blood of Emperor Wu flowing in your veins. Emperor Wu swept across the world with such grandeur. Now he is disgraced by your calling him 'uncle'!"

"Who is Feng Yong? He is the enemy chieftain who has repeatedly dealt heavy blows to the Great Wei! He is the bandit leader who has built his reputation on the corpses of countless Wei soldiers!"

"The Great Wei dynasty is hanging by a thread, like eggs upside down, all thanks to this man!"

"As a direct descendant of the imperial family, instead of seeking revenge, you recognize your enemy as a relative, with your foe groveling and fawning. Do you have even a shred of shame left in your heart?"

"Even a domestic dog knows to love its master; your behavior is worse than that of an animal!"

……

Cao Zhi remained standing there quietly, facing the barrage of accusations, his expression as calm as a deep pool, as if the person on the other end wasn't talking about him at all.

After the insults subsided, he slowly spoke:

"General, do you know that when the Lord was alive, he had long admired Uncle Feng and corresponded with him frequently? He admired Uncle Feng's literary talent the most and once said, 'If the world's talent were a bushel, Mingwen would have eight bushels, I would have one bushel, and the remaining one bushel would be shared by all people from ancient times to the present.'"

"The friendship between Feng and Cao is known throughout the land. Is it possible that only you, General, are unaware of it?"

"General, do you know that before his death, the Lord said that he was fortunate to have Uncle Feng's timeless writings, which allowed him to be remembered in history, and that he had no regrets in this life?"

(This is from "Bring in the Wine": Cao Zhi once feasted at Ping Le, drinking ten thousand cups of wine and indulging in merriment, Chapter 900)
Upon hearing this, Guanqiu Jian frowned and shouted:

"That is no excuse for you to destroy your ancestral temple and lose all human ethics!"

Cao Zhi's expression remained indifferent:

"May I ask you, General, is your intention to purge the court of corrupt officials for the sake of the Cao family or for the sake of the Great Wei?"

"Since it is for the Great Wei, it is also for the Cao family."

"If the Great Wei were to perish, would the general still be willing to exert himself to preserve the Cao family?"

Guanqiu Jian answered without hesitation: "My father and I have been deeply indebted to the Cao family for four generations of lords, and we will certainly not fail to live up to their kindness."

Cao Zhi sighed deeply:

“General, news has just come from Qiao County that Prince Ling of Shouchun and General Xuchang intend to raise an army to purge the emperor’s inner circle. Zilin (i.e., Xiahou Mao) and I have already arrived in Xuchang from Luoyang, even earlier than the army from Qiao County. Do you know why?”

Guanqiu Jian sneered and did not answer.

Cao Zhi continued, "Because Uncle Feng had long anticipated that the general would do this, that's why he had Zilin and me guard Luoyang and keep a close eye on the news coming back from the Great Wei."

Although Guanqiu Jian had long been aware of Feng's deep scheming, he still felt a sudden tightness in his chest when he heard that the other party had made arrangements for a backup plan.

He had the audacity to raise an army against Sima Yi, and in his anger, he even dared to curse Feng to Cao Zhi's face.

But after regaining his senses, he still felt a deep sense of powerlessness towards Feng, who was capable of performing great prophetic arts.

Disciples of immortals are beyond human resistance.

At this moment, Cao Zhi, with a solemn expression, respectfully bowed deeply to this loyal minister of Wei who had held out until the very end.
"General, to the Great Wei, you are the pillar of strength, a true loyalist. It is not that you have failed the Great Wei, but that the Great Wei has failed you."

"Cao Zhi, on behalf of the Great Wei, thanks the general for his loyalty and righteousness, and on behalf of the Cao family, apologizes to the general."

Upon seeing this, Guanqiu Jian instinctively reached out to help, but his hand froze mid-air—the current positions of both sides left him in a dilemma, unable to extend or retract his hand.

Cao Zhi stood up, his gaze intense, seemingly oblivious to Guanqiu Jian's actions.

Words are like knives, cutting straight to reality:
"General, please look: the Han dynasty, with only a corner of Yizhou, swallowed up seven or eight tenths of the world in twenty years; while the Great Wei, which possessed the Central Plains, was reduced to less than one tenth. Why is that?"

"This is not due to human incompetence, but rather the mandate of heaven returning to the Han Dynasty! General, you are a hero of our time, how can you not see this magnificent trend?"

"I would like to ask the general, even if you are fortunate enough to succeed in purging the court of corrupt officials and killing Sima Yi, then what? With the devastated Yu Province, is it possible to withstand the iron cavalry of the Han army? Is it possible to recapture Hebei and Guanzhong? Is it possible to reverse this turbulent situation?"

When Guanqiu Jian was pressed like this, although he wanted to refute, he remained silent for a long time before finally sighing, "Success or failure is beyond our control. I only ask to do my best and have a clear conscience!"

"What a fine 'clear conscience'!" Cao Zhi's voice suddenly rose. "General, are your words an admission that Great Wei is beyond saving?"

As he spoke, Cao Zhi flicked his sleeve, making a gesture as if surveying the landscape:
"With the world divided into three, and the Han and Wu allied, the Great Wei will inevitably bear the brunt. Given Cao Pi's usurpation of the Han throne, when the Han dynasty is restored to unity, the Cao family will surely suffer the calamity of having their entire clan exterminated!"

"The general's 'clear conscience' is achieved by using the bones of tens of thousands of soldiers in Xuchang to fulfill his own reputation for loyalty. At that time, the Cao family's three clans will still perish. Isn't this the greatest futile effort?"

Guanqiu Jian sneered: "In your opinion, do you want me to follow your example and defect to the enemy, so that my efforts won't be in vain?"

"Exactly!" Cao Zhi had been waiting for this moment, and he said firmly, "Since we know that things are hopeless, why not find another way and take the best strategy of 'saving Cao Cao through a roundabout route'?"

"General, do you know that I am enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens today to acknowledge Grand Marshal Feng as my uncle not out of a desire to save my own life, but simply to leave a glimmer of hope for the Cao family if they are exterminated?"

Seeing that Guanqiu Jian's expression changed slightly, he continued to explain his reasons for defecting to the Han:
"If the general is willing to raise an army and return to Han, it will be a great achievement to abandon darkness and embrace the light! With this merit, and with Uncle Feng's protection, I can gain the general's favor again..."

As he spoke, Cao Zhi forcefully pulled Xiahou Mao out from behind him, saying, "With the general and the Xiahou family's support, we will be able to establish ourselves in the Han court."

Xiahou Mao forced a smile and nodded at Guanqiu Jian: "That's right, that's right... that's exactly it."

Cao Zhi continued:
"Even if the Great Wei is destroyed and the Cao clan's ancestral temple is destroyed, my bloodline will still be preserved—this is the true way to ensure the survival of Emperor Wu! This is the most profound and practical act of loyalty that the general can do for the Cao clan!"

"Is it to defend the isolated city and perish together with the doomed Wei dynasty, thus extinguishing the Cao family's bloodline completely; or to endure temporary humiliation and do extraordinary things to preserve the last vestige of Emperor Wu's lineage? General, what is true loyalty? What is righteousness?"

Upon hearing Cao Zhi's words, Guanqiu Jian's lips, which had been pressed into a straight line due to his anger, began to twitch slightly uncontrollably.

……

"Did your Uncle Feng teach you such flattering and deceitful words?"

Cao Zhi: ...

In March of the thirteenth year of the Yanxi era of the Han Dynasty, Guanqiu Jian, the former general of Cao Wei, surrendered the city, and Jiang Wei, the general of the Han Dynasty, recovered Xuchang without bloodshed.

Guo Huai intended to lead his army to attack Guanqiu Jian, but upon hearing this, he retreated to Qiao County.

In April, persuaded by Cao Zhi and Guanqiu Jian, Tian Yu, the governor of Runan, agreed to surrender to the Han in order to protect the people of Runan.

Without losing a single soldier, the Shu Han army captured the two major towns of Xuchang and Runan, and their advance was aimed directly at Qiao County, the last capital of Cao Wei.