Guan Yu shot Zhang Fei a sharp, warning glare.
Then he turned to his son.
Guan Ping stood there stiffly, his tiger-like eyes rimmed with tears, his lips trembling despite his effort to hold them still.
Guan Yu's voice came down hard and cold:
"Victory and defeat are the common lot of soldiers. To fall in battle and die for one's cause is all there is to it. What is there to cry about?"
"The people of later ages allow you and me, father and son, to enjoy a thousand years of incense and remembrance, then all the more must we fulfill our duties without fail."
"From this day forward," Guan Yu said firmly,
"you are to regard the restoration of the Han as your sole responsibility."
Guan Ping wiped his tears and bowed deeply.
"This child understands."
"Second Brother… that is not how you teach a child…" Zhang Fei sighed inwardly, then stepped forward and patted his nephew's shoulder.
"Now that we've been warned in advance," he said loudly, "there's no way I'll let Second Brother or you fall at Maicheng!"
He paused.
…Huh?
…Why did Second Brother's killing intent just get stronger?
[Lightscreen]
[North of Xiaoguanmiao Street lies Dianjiangtai Street. Local tradition identifies this area with the old training grounds of the Shu Han army, where Zhuge Liang was said to review and drill his troops before every Northern Expedition. The original Dianjiangtai has long disappeared, but its name survives in the streets of modern Chengdu.
Walking southwest brings you to Huanhou Alley. After Zhang Fei died in 221 AD, he was posthumously honored as Marquis Huan. A shrine dedicated to him once stood here, and the alley took its name from it. The shrine was eventually demolished in the late twentieth century, but Huanhou Alley remains, a small surviving trace of Chengdu's old Three Kingdoms landscape.]
"Huh, I... I died?"
"Only two years after Second Brother went to heaven? Even, I, Old Zhang couldn't escape it?"
Zhang Fei froze.
The Light Screen had never mentioned it before. He had thought he would live long.
Never had he expected to learn of his own death so abruptly.
"Yide…" Liu Bei looked at his third brother with concern.
"Heh!" Zhang Fei shook his head with a sudden, breezy smile
"Counting the years, I, Old Zhang, must have died during the Yiling campaign while avenging Second Brother., that already good.
its Shame I did not get to chop down that Sun Quan!"
"But at least Second Brother would not be alone in the court of the Underworld, right?"
Guan Yu said nothing, only tightened his grip on Zhang Fei's hand.
"What a pity," Zhang Fei smacked his lips.
"Judging by when I died, I never got to see that seven hundred li sea of flames at Yiling. Wonder what kind of sight that was?"
Guan Yu withdrew his hands.
'Who is this Third man? why I do not recognize this man.
Liu Bei felt the urge to smack Zhang Fei upside the head, yet knowing this brother would leave him first, his heart ached instead.
In the end, he could only sigh:
"Third Brother… you should really speak less."
[Lightscreen]
[A bit south of Huanhou Alley is Wanli Bridge or ten thaousand li brigde. After the Battle of Yiling, in order to launch the Northern Expedition against Cao Wei, the Prime Minister sent Fei Yi as an envoy to Sun Wu to renew the alliance.
This journey was destined to be fraught with endless obstruction from Sun Quan, and Fei Yi knew it well. Before departing, he sighed deeply: A journey of ten thousand li begins at this bridge. Hence the name.
South of Wanli Bridge is Ximian Bridge. After Guan Ping and Guan Yu died in battle, Liu Bei was overwhelmed with grief and built a cenotaph for Guan Yu here.
Every time Liu Bei came to pay respects, he would burn incense and wash his face to cleanse himself of dust and fatigue. Thus it was named Ximian Bridge, the Bridge of Washing One's Face.]
Liu Bei looked at the statue on the screen and smiled. A cenotaph for his sworn brother. That felt right. Future generations had not forgotten what the three of them meant to each other. That alone was enough to warm his chest.
"How could I not pay my respects?" he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. "Second Brother deserved at least that much."
Guan Yu said nothing, but the way his grip tightened on his own sleeve said plenty.
Then the name Fei Yi came up, and Zhuge Liang's expression shifted.
He shook his head slowly. "Shu and Wei can never stand together. Han and the usurper cannot share the same sky. But Sun Wu... Sun Quan has never seen it that way. He only sees advantage, not principle."
He let out a long breath.
"After Jingzhou and Yiling, Fei Yi's mission to Wu would not just have been difficult. It would have been a parade of insults dressed up as diplomacy. Every cup of wine, every polite smile, every word of flattery would have been wrapped around a blade."
His jaw tightened.
"That will not happen this time. I will not let a fine minister walk into humiliation for our sake."
Liu Bei looked at him and smiled. "Then we make sure there is no need for such an envoy at all."
Guan Yu grunted in agreement. "If Sun Quan wants to talk, let him come to us."
Zhang Fei cracked his knuckles. "And if he wants to fight, he knows where to find us."
[Lightscreen]
[West of Ximian Bridge was the most important place around here, the Wuhou Shrine.
Everyone called it the Wuhou Shrine, but technically, the place was a whole historical package. It included the Zhaolie Temple, dedicated to Liu Bei; the Wuhou Shrine itself, dedicated to Zhuge Liang; the Sanyi Temple, dedicated to Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei; and Hui Mausoleum, where Liu Bei was buried.
So yeah, if you came here looking for Zhuge Liang, you were technically in the right place. But you were also walking into a much bigger Shu Han reunion.
Ruler, ministers, sworn brothers, and one very old imperial tomb. Everyone was basically in the same neighborhood.
And considering Shu Han had been gone for more than a thousand years, that was honestly a pretty impressive reunion.]
Liu Bei did not know what expression to wear.
The Lightscreen had long mentioned the Wuhou Shrine, and even said that it housed the loyal martyrs of Shu Han.
At the time, the name had already felt strange.
And now, after all this, it turned out that this was actually his own temple?
Only that Kongming's fame was so great that future descendants did not even bother to mention his name?
Facing Liu Bei's resentful gaze, Zhuge Liang could only cough lightly.
Though he felt a trace of deep satisfaction, he absolutely could not let his lord notice it.
"Big Brother, think of it this way," Zhang Fei began, offering consolation.
"Your mausoleum is right here. When later generations come, they might just bow to Kongming, but for you, they are actually visiting your grave..."
"Hey, hey, hey! Big Brother! Why are you drawing your sword?! Think about it, what emperor has your treatment? Thousands upon thousands of people come every day to pay respects!"
After chasing Zhang Fei around the hall twice, Liu Bei finally sheathed his sword in frustration.
"Well... lying there and seeing so many Han descendants every day is not such a bad fate," he muttered.
"At least you were buried in one piece, Big Brother... Second Brother, why are you looking at me like that?"
Zhang Fei decided to drop the subject before Guan Yu's blade-eye reached him.
[Lightscreen]
[Entering through the gate, the first thing you run into is the Stele of Three Excellences.
So, what exactly are the three excellences?
First: writing.
The text was written by Pei Du, a prominent statesman and writer of the Tang dynasty. He praised Zhuge Liang for his loyalty, political ability, virtue, and basically everything you would expect people to say about a legendary prime minister.
Second: calligraphy.
The inscription was written by Liu Gongchuo, one of the famous calligraphers of his time. His writing was known for being dignified and powerful.
So we have got a great writer and a great calligrapher.
And then comes the third one: virtue.
Basically, Zhuge Liang himself was considered the third excellence. His achievements and character were said to be worthy of standing alongside the writing and calligraphy on the stele.
Although, there is another version.
Some say the third excellence was not Zhuge Liang at all, but Lu Jian, the craftsman who carved the inscription. His carving was apparently good enough to earn him a spot on the list.
So depending on which version you like, the stele has either a great writer, a great calligrapher, and a great prime minister...
...or a great writer, a great calligrapher, and one extremely talented guy with a chisel.]
"The third perfection must definitely be the master carver!" Zhuge Liang declared hastily. "To recreate the spirit of a generation's calligraphy master in stone, only a grand master could do that. It deserves to be a perfection!"
Seeing Kongming's flustered appearance, everyone burst into laughter. Ma Liang also grinned mischievously:
"Strategist, it seems not only our descendants but also future generations worship and revere you."
Zhuge Liang sighed softly. "Those who revere and worship come for Zhuge Liang, the Prime Minister of Shu Han. But now I am merely the Strategist-General under the General of the Left, Zhuge Kongming. I have not yet established a single merit. How could I have the audacity to accept such praise?"
"Moreover, even if I were that Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, any achievements would be inseparable from the unity of superiors and subordinates, and the harmony between civil and military officials. It would certainly not be the merit of one man alone."
Liu Bei laughed and grasped Kongming's hands, praising him:
"The future generations speak truly. Kongming's principles of conduct are indeed a perfection. We should all learn from them."
Zhuge Liang's embarrassment deepened. Everyone smiled warmly and turned their gazes back to the Lightscreen.
The only regret was that the Lightscreen's footage was not clear enough to let them read every word on that perfection-worthy stele.
[Lightscreen]
[Opposite the Three Perfections Stele is another stele. This one is from a later period and records the changes to the Wuhou Shrine.]
Liu Bei had finally figured it out.
Even when standing under the plaque of the Zhaolie Temple, this descendant could still call it the Wuhou Shrine without blinking.
Why did it feel like he, Liu Bei, was freeloading off his minister's incense offerings?
[Lightscreen]
[This Ming Dynasty stele records how Zhu Chun, the Prince of Shu, renovated the Wuhou Shrine. He abolished the thriving Wuhou Shrine and moved Zhuge Liang's statue into the sparsely attended Zhaolie Temple, placing him beside Liu Bei.
Thus, the Wuhou Shrine ceased to exist, leaving only the Zhaolie Temple. But the common people of Chengdu still called it the Wuhou Shrine, and visitors came in an endless stream to worship Zhuge Liang.
It was not until the Qing Dynasty renovations that the Sichuan Provincial Governor, following the wishes of the common people, rebuilt the Wuhou Shrine and placed it behind Liu Bei's temple. This finally established the layout of the Wuhou Shrine, or rather, the Zhaolie Temple, that we see today.]
'Enough! You are not even calling it the Zhaolie Temple sincerely!'
Liu Bei silently shed tears in his heart, grumbling about that Zhu Chun.
He knew the other party probably valued ritual propriety as much as that Ming Emperor Zhu Chongba, the founder of the Ming Dynasty. He could not tolerate people worshipping a minister without worshipping the ruler first. That was why he had forcibly moved Kongming's altar.
But the result was that he, the glorious Emperor Zhaolie, did not even get a name for his own mausoleum.
"It is okay, Big Brother. At least you still have a temple."
Before Guan Yu's death-glare could reach him, Zhang Fei quickly added: "Look, Old Zhang's temple is completely gone. I will probably just have to share your incense, Big Brother!"
"And if you think about it from another angle, without Kongming, we would not have such thriving incense offerings anyway, right?"
[Lightscreen]
[Walking further inside, we come to the familiar corridors of civil and military officials.
The eastern corridor features fourteen civil officials led by Pang Tong, and the western corridor features fourteen military generals led by Zhao Yun.]