Chapter Thirty-Three: Grand General of Heavenly Strategy

Atop the ramparts of Chencang, the setting sun bled across the horizon like fresh blood. Liu Chen leaned against the weathered battlements, his gaze deep and inscrutable as he surveyed the rolling mountain ranges to the north.

"Back then, the Prime Minister led his army here to besiege Hao Zhao for over twenty days, yet he ultimately fell short of success. Today, Chencang has finally fallen into our hands."

His voice drifted away on the wind, heavy with the weight of history.

Zhuge Chong immediately bowed his head in response: "It is entirely due to Your Highness’s brilliant and martial wisdom that such a feat has been achieved."

His words were filled with genuine reverence. He could not help but recall the fierce battle at the city gates the previous night, where the young Prince of Beidi had brandished his spear like a god descended to earth. He had pierced through more than ten heavy-armored infantrymen in succession, tearing a breach in Liu Hong's defense line and laying the foundation for the army's victory.

"It is all thanks to the dedication of our soldiers. After this battle, the Great Han can finally catch its breath," Liu Chen said, waving his hand lightly. His gaze remained fixed on the distance, his tone remarkably relaxed.

"Your Highness is wise," Zhuge Chong and Deng Bei echoed in unison, both feeling a secret sense of relief. Having fought for a thousand miles over the course of a month, the soldiers were exhausted and weary.

"Changmao, take down these orders," Liu Chen said suddenly, his tone turning solemn.

"Appoint Jiang Wei as Grand General of the Left Guard, Meng Qi as Deputy General of the Left Guard, with fifteen thousand troops to garrison Tazhong; Deng Ai as Grand General of the Right Guard, with five thousand troops to hold Yong'an; Liao Hua as Grand General of the Left Xiao Guard, leading five thousand troops to garrison Hanzhong; Luo Xian as Grand General of the Right Xiao Guard, leading five thousand troops to hold Wudu; Huo Yi as Grand General of the Left Wu Guard, leading five thousand troops to garrison Nanzhong; Zhang Yi as Grand General of the Left Wei Guard, with five thousand troops to hold Fuling; Yan Yu as Grand General of the Right Wei Guard, with three thousand troops to hold Mianzhu; and Zhuge Zhan as Grand General of the Left Tun Guard, with fifteen thousand troops to command Dasan Pass and Chencang."

"Additionally, appoint Deng Zhong as General of the Heavenly Strategy Left, Changmao as General of the Right, and Zhuge Shang as Protector of the Army, commanding fifteen thousand elites to garrison Chengdu."

"Furthermore, submit a memorial to the Emperor requesting he bestow upon me the title of Grand General of Heavenly Strategy, to oversee all Han armies in the realm. Appoint Dong Jue as Chief Clerk of the Heavenly Strategy Mansion, Fan Jian as Sima of the Heavenly Strategy Mansion, and Huang Chong as Attendant Gentleman of the Heavenly Strategy Mansion."

"Finally, send a letter to Zhong Hui, informing him that Chencang is now in my possession."

"As you command," Zhuge Chong bowed, though a fine sheen of cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

These were nothing short of treasonous proclamations. Would generals like Jiang Wei obey? And would the Emperor in Chengdu truly consent?

"Do not worry," Liu Chen said, as if reading his thoughts, his lips curling into a confident smile. "Jiang Wei and the others will surely obey. They crave the Northern Expedition; they need military glory. Only I can lead them to realize their ambitions."

"The Emperor will have no choice but to agree. Because," he paused, his eyes sharp as blades, and sneered, "these generals will all follow my command."

Liu Chen made no effort to hide his ambition. His Heavenly Strategy Mansion was a shadow court—a power structure capable of sidelining Liu Shan entirely.

Zhuge Shang swallowed hard, his heart pounding. As a surrendered general, he knew his only path to a foothold in the Shu-Han court was to follow Liu Chen closely. The greater Liu Chen’s power, the brighter his own future would be.

Meanwhile, on the ramparts of Hanzhong, the autumn wind swept dead leaves across the stone path. Zhong Hui stood alone on the watchtower, the letter from Chencang crumpled in his hand.

"Liu Chen!" he whispered the name, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

Du Yu approached silently and asked, "Commander-in-Chief, is this news of the Prince of Beidi?"

"He has occupied Chencang," Zhong Hui said softly. "Sending this letter now is ostensibly to inform me, but in reality, it is a show of force."

"He intends to use this as a springboard to encroach upon Guanzhong. Liu Chen is even bolder and more terrifying than I imagined," Du Yu noted, a sharp glint in his eyes.

Zhong Hui nodded. "Chencang is the throat of Guanzhong. When Zhuge Liang launched his six campaigns from Qishan, he never managed to take it. Now that Liu Chen has captured it in one stroke, his ambitions are not small."

He turned to look at the Wei troops resting below the city and asked after a moment of silence, "Yuankai, how do you think we should respond?"

Du Yu pondered, "Liu Chen has just won a battle, and his morale is high. Our troops have marched a great distance and are exhausted. It would be better to avoid his momentum, stabilize the Hanzhong defense line, and wait for his vigor to wane before planning a better strategy."

Currently, the main force of the Wei army had retreated to Hanzhong, but the local provisions could not sustain an army of one hundred thousand. Withdrawing from Hanzhong to Xicheng was only a matter of time.

Zhong Hui shook his head. "If we allow Liu Chen to consolidate the military power of Shu-Han, he will be ten times more dangerous than Jiang Wei. This man uses troops like a god and is filled with ambition. We must return to Chang'an as quickly as possible to confront him."

"That is all we can do," Du Yu agreed.

At Jiameng Pass, inside Jiang Wei's command tent, candles flickered, casting shadows over the grim faces of his generals.

Liao Hua stroked his graying beard and said in a low voice, "The Prince of Beidi's actions are tantamount to establishing a separate court. With the Heavenly Strategy Mansion controlling the three armies, where does that leave His Majesty?"

Zhang Yi snorted, "Though Liu Chen is a prince, he is ultimately a subject. To promote generals and mobilize troops without an imperial decree—does he intend to emulate Sima Zhao?"

Dong Jue frowned deeply and said slowly, "But Shu-Han is exhausted; only the Prince of Beidi can unite the military heart. If we defy his orders and civil strife breaks out, the Wei army will surely exploit the opening."

The tent fell silent. Jiang Wei closed his eyes in contemplation, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the table. After a long while, he opened his eyes, which burned like torches. "Gentlemen, though the Prince of Beidi has overstepped his bounds, his desire for the Northern Expedition matches our own. Shu-Han needs a strong leader now; His Majesty can no longer hold the situation together."

Liao Hua looked up abruptly and sneered, "Boyue! Do not forget that you are the Grand General! Now, with a single order, he has split the command into eight Grand Generals—this is clearly a move to strip you of your power!"

"Grand General?" Jiang Wei laughed bitterly. "There are many in the court who oppose me, and even Master Dong Jue has many objections to my methods. If not for that, why would I be holed up in Tazhong? Though the Prince of Beidi has divided my military power, he has given me the hope of fulfilling the Prime Minister's legacy."

The generals looked at one another; the tent was deathly quiet.

Jiang Wei raised a hand to silence them, his voice firm. "What we seek is nothing more than the restoration of the Han. The Prince of Beidi can fight and dares to fight. If he can truly lead Shu-Han out of this predicament, why cling to empty formalities?"

Zhang Yi slammed his hand on the table and retorted, "But this is treason!"

Jiang Wei's gaze was scorching as he replied, "Whether it is treason depends not on title, but on results. If the Prince of Beidi can recover the Central Plains and return to the old capital, who will still call him an usurper?"

Dong Jue let out a long sigh and said bitterly, "Very well. Since the Grand General has made his decision, we shall obey."

Jiang Wei nodded and took up his brush, solemnly stamping his seal upon the orders.

"Pass the order to the three armies: from this day forward, we follow the command of the Prince of Beidi! The entire army will fly the banners of the Left Guard. General Liao, begin organizing the Left Xiao Guard immediately."

"As the Grand General commands!" the generals shouted in unison.

This shift in the Han army was soon discovered by Pang Hui and reported urgently to Zhong Hui. The Wei commander immediately realized that the Shu-Han army was undergoing an unprecedented transformation—a commander more resolute and enterprising than both Zhuge Liang and Jiang Wei was leading this army into a new era.

As the sun sank in the west, the "Han" banner snapped in the wind atop the walls of Chencang. Liu Chen looked toward Chang'an, a grand vision already forming in his mind. He knew that from this moment on, the fate of Shu-Han had changed; the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains was no longer just a dream, but a plan already being set in motion.

And in this chaotic age, it remained to be seen who would ultimately command the tides of history.