Chapter 92

The grand strategy for the Northern Expedition, completed by Chang-ran and four others after a sleepless night, was immediately reported to Liu Bei.

Even Liu Bei, who had entrusted full authority and actively accepted their opinions, could not give an immediate response this time.

Liu Bei canceled the court meeting and secluded himself in the palace. He did not even meet with Zhuge Liang, leaving himself alone.

What thoughts did Liu Bei have upon the suggestion of his loyal subjects to open a new era by causing the fall of the Eastern Han?

Was it the rejection of the fall of the Later Han he had so desperately tried to protect?

A cold evaluation of the plan they had created?

Or the ambition that he could become the emperor?

Whatever it was, it was certainly not a light-hearted matter.

And when Liu Bei re-emerged into the world, it was upon hearing the news that Fa Zheng was critically ill.

“My lord, why have you come here…”

“Lie down. I’m sorry for being so late.”

Liu Bei carefully held Fa Zheng’s shoulder and laid him back down, then clasped Fa Zheng’s emaciated hand with both of his own.

The warmth was barely felt, and the skin was dry and cracked. It was a sensation that signaled the approach of death.

Disliking it, Liu Bei held Fa Zheng’s hand even more tightly, hoping his own warmth would be conveyed.

Feeling Liu Bei’s sincerity through his hand, Fa Zheng thought that his judgment had not been wrong. Liu Bei was truly his lord, the one and only person who could unite the world.

Even Fa Zheng did not think that betraying Liu Zhang and handing over Yi Province to Liu Bei was truly right.

Outwardly, he proclaimed it as just, but inwardly, he knew it was wrong.

But even if he were to go back and face the same choice again, Fa Zheng would tread the same path without hesitation.

Because that was who Fa Zheng was, born a commoner but dreaming of great achievements.

Therefore, Fa Zheng could speak without regret.

“My lord, when I die, hold a grand funeral. Wear mourning clothes and neglect state affairs, and place lavish grave goods in my tomb. Then, Cao Pi will be even more assured to follow our grand plan.”

He could willingly say to use even his death as fertilizer for their great undertaking.

“On one hand, my lord, act in front but tend to state affairs behind the scenes. When the spies of Wei turn their eyes away, dig up my tomb and retrieve the grave goods to replenish the national treasury.”

“Xiaozhi!! How could I do such a thing!”

Digging up a tomb and retrieving grave goods was a heinous insult to the deceased, regardless of the era.

Even ordinary criminals were given tombs unless they committed crimes worthy of posthumous execution, but to dig up the tomb of Fa Zheng, a national hero?

It was something that should not, and could not, happen.

Even as Liu Bei shouted in shock, Fa Zheng’s resolve was firm.

“Our nation’s resources are for the great undertaking of uniting the world. How could they be wasted in the tomb of someone like me? My lord, do not forget the greater cause.”

Liu Bei could not bring himself to answer. He just silently held Fa Zheng’s hand tightly.

Fa Zheng, who had always followed Liu Bei’s will and catered to his moods, for the first and last time, imposed his own will on Liu Bei.

“My lord, promise me.”

“…Xiaozhi.”

“My lord, it is my final wish.”

Liu Bei, with a face twisted in an effort to hold back tears, bowed his head and clenched his lips, making choking sounds. Then, he finally accepted Fa Zheng’s last request.

“I will do so. I will follow your words.”

“Your grace is boundless.”

It was done. The sense of liberation from having settled everything, even his own death, unsettled Fa Zheng’s mind.

As the mental strength that had kept his soul tethered to his body faded, death quickly gnawed at Fa Zheng’s soul.

But Fa Zheng was no longer afraid of it. Rather, he felt at ease. In the relief of having completed all that was entrusted to him, Fa Zheng asked,

“My lord… have I fulfilled my duty?”

“Of course, of course. Xiaozhi, how could there be any lack in you… You were my wings. The wings that lifted me to the heights of the sky.”

The ones who lifted him from the ground were his two brothers.

The one who showed him the way when he did not know where to go was his sworn brother, Zhuge Liang.

The one who taught him how to run towards a goal that seemed unreachable was Pang Tong.

And finally, the one who gave him wings to soar into the sky was Fa Zheng.

Amidst the turmoil of the world, Zhuge Liang gave him Jing Province, Pang Tong gave him Yi Province, and Fa Zheng gave him Hanzhong.

On the foundation they built, they now wrote the epitaph to be carved on the tombstone. The story of Liu Bei and the newly established Han Dynasty.

At Liu Bei’s tearful words, Fa Zheng severed his last lingering attachment.

With his last remaining strength, he tightly grasped Liu Bei’s hand, which was holding his own.

“Forgive me for not being able to serve you to the end, my lord.”

“Xiaozhi… how could that be disloyalty? How could I not know your loyalty? There is no need for forgiveness, why do you say such things…”

Fa Zheng was satisfied.

How many ministers in history had their lord witness their final moments?

Though he served Liu Bei for less than ten years, how many ministers received as much favor as Fa Zheng?

Fa Zheng looked back on his life and considered it blessed.

He met a lord who understood his will, and under him, he discussed the world with talents equal to or greater than himself.

Though his blood relatives did not inherit his talents, there was also a successor to fill his place.

‘How could this not be a blessed life? I have lived most happily.’

Facing the approaching death, Fa Zheng smiled.

In the early winter of the 25th year of Jian’an.

Fa Zheng fell into a long winter sleep.

To such Fa Zheng, Liu Bei immediately bestowed a posthumous title.

It was Yihou (翼侯), the Marquis of Wings.

§

The world is cruel. No matter how great a person dies, it flows on without preserving their vacant place. There are no permanently retired numbers in the world.

Even Fa Zheng, one of the three pillars leading Shu Han under Liu Bei, was no exception. It was the ruthless way of the world.

After Fa Zheng’s death, Shu Han’s political scene changed rapidly.

The grand plan Fa Zheng last participated in was secretly adopted as national policy. Of course, only the approver, Liu Bei, and the drafters knew of it.

Based on this, personnel changes were made.

The position of Chief Minister, which Fa Zheng had held, was succeeded by Huang Quan, following Fa Zheng’s will.

The position of General of the North, which I had held, was succeeded by Bang Deok, who was assigned to Tianshui, while Ma Chao, the Left General stationed in Tianshui, returned to Chengdu.

Hanzhong also appointed Wei Yan, the Deputy Commander, as the Hanzhong Commander, and my father was summoned to the central court along with Ma Chao.

Rumors circulated that Liu Bei was considering the two, Ma Chao and Zhang Fei, as relatives of the crown prince, so most thought it was for that reason.

After the grand funeral of Fa Zheng was completed and Fa Zheng’s coffin was placed in the tomb, Liu Bei remained in seclusion.

With Liu Bei gone, state affairs were led by high-ranking civil officials like Zhuge Liang, Huang Quan, and Yu Pa.

But without the king’s approval, there were limits, and Shu’s previously flawless internal affairs began to show slight tremors.

If Liu Bei had fully entrusted authority to Zhuge Liang and secluded himself, it might have been different, but he retained his authority while neglecting state affairs.

If the central government was like this, how could the regions remain unaffected?

While Jing Province, where Guan Yu and Ban Jun harmonized fantastically, had no major issues, the Hanzhong region, which lost two of its highest-ranking military officers, Ma Chao and Zhang Fei, was in great disarray.

“But that was also part of the plan.”

Jing Province, bordering Wei and Wu, with flatlands and waterways, had the potential to be invaded if a gap was shown.

But Hanzhong and Tianshui were naturally defensible, so it was somewhat manageable. The successors assigned, Bang Deok and Wei Yan, were not mediocre generals.

Thus, the winter passed busily with funerals and personnel adjustments.

And when spring came, Zhuge Liang submitted a memorial. It was the Chu Shi Biao.

“Your servant Liang humbly reports. The Man and Rong tribes in the south are privately encroaching on our borders, plundering our people without hesitation. It is proper to advance and subjugate them, to firmly establish the banner of Han. I beseech the King of Hanzhong to grant me troops and authority to punish them.”

Though there was no rebellion, there were certainly disturbances in the governance of the southern regions.

These were the kinds of people who would rebel at the first sign of opportunity.

They were the seeds of rebellion, ready to rise at the slightest sign of our weakness.

Zhuge Liang’s southern campaign was intended to uproot these seeds of rebellion and fully implant our administrative system.

“Do as the military desires.”

Liu Bei casually allowed Zhuge Liang to do as he wished, even handing over the selection of the Southern Expedition Army to him.

In the novel, Zhuge Liang is portrayed as a genius strategist who defeated Xiahou Dun and led the victory at the Battle of Red Cliffs, but it was during the southern campaign that he truly demonstrated his military authority.

Currently, Zhuge Liang had not yet fully proven his military capabilities. To assist him, Zhang E and Ma Chong were assigned together.

Perhaps due to the great sorrow of losing Fa Zheng, Liu Bei also added Feng Shu and Shang Chong, whom he had been eyeing.

Shang Chong, whom Zhuge Liang had deemed capable of succeeding Jin Dou in defending the capital, and Feng Shu, whom Liu Bei, who had a good eye for people, had appointed as the Grand Commander.

It was an extravagant lineup of talents for what was not a large-scale rebellion suppression.

Perhaps still feeling uneasy, Liu Bei called me and said,

“Mingjing, your insight in recognizing talents is acknowledged by the world. This uncle wishes to ask you a few things.”

Then, Liu Bei asked for my evaluations of several individuals.

When I answered, he agreed with his own observations, sometimes laughing heartily, and at other times, he fell into deep thought when my evaluations differed from his.

And finally, Liu Bei asked what he truly wanted to know.

“What about Kongming?”