Twenty-eight civil and military officials?
A subtle shift passed through the hall as Liu Bei looked more closely.
With Jingzhou only just established and Jiangling newly secured, Liu Bei was in a state of unprecedented scarcity.
Other than virtue, he lacked almost everything.
This list was not just history. It was a recruitment directory.
Thus, he placed great expectations on these twenty-eight officials.
"Could I just snatch people straight off the list..." Liu Bei murmured, stroking his chin. "Ahem. No, I mean officially recruit them?"
He let out a small chuckle, already imagining the look on Zhuge Liang's face when he handed over the list.
[Lightscreen]
[The twenty-eight civil and military officials standing in the corridors beside Liu Bei were not a fixed group throughout history.
Their lineup changed several times as the Wuhou Shrine was rebuilt and renovated by different dynasties.
The final major reshuffle came during the Qing Dynasty.
In 1849, the scholar Liu Yuan oversaw a major renovation of the shrine and, along with rebuilding the statues, decided that some of the old faces had to go.
His standard was surprisingly simple: they had to be pure ministers of Liu Bei.
In other words, talent and achievement were not enough. Loyalty mattered too.
That was bad news for a few famous names.
Fa Zheng, Liu Ba, and Xu Jing, who had previously been among the figures worshipped here, were removed.
Liu Yuan considered Fa Zheng's vindictive character and Liu Ba and Xu Jing's complicated political careers incompatible with the image of a loyal minister of Emperor Zhaolie.
And just like that, some very important men from Shu's history failed the Qing Dynasty's version of a loyalty test.
Which is why the twenty-eight figures we see today are not simply a list of the twenty-eight greatest people in Shu.
They are also a reflection of what later generations thought a loyal Shu minister was supposed to look like.]
So strict?
Liu Bei frowned for a moment, then let out a slow breath.
"Vindictive..." he murmured. "The Lightscreen says Fa Zheng holds grudges and repays every slight. I have not met him yet, but if that is his nature, then it is part of who he is."
He nodded slowly. "A man can be talented and still carry sharp edges. Vindictive or not, if he serves the Han with all his heart, then I will not reject him for his flaws alone."
He paused. "But I understand why this Liu Yuan removed him from the shrine. A pure minister beside Emperor Zhaolie must inspire loyalty and righteousness. Fa Zheng's character does not fit that image."
Huang Zhong, meanwhile, felt a bit uneasy. A pure minister?
"A pure and steadfast minister. Even a thousand years later, the common people still remember you. What is there for Hansheng to worry about?"
Guan Yu noticed Huang Zhong's expression and comforted him. "Moreover, this descendant of the Liu clan praised your merits in Hanzhong. You will definitely be Big Brother's pillar of the state!"
Only then did Huang Zhong feel somewhat relieved.
[Lightscreen]
[First, on the side of the generals, Zhao Yun naturally takes the lead.
Next comes Sun Qian.
As for Sun Qian being mixed into the military side despite never leading troops, I personally think it's because he was appointed General of Bingzhong after pacifying Yizhou.
Although this miscellaneous general title was made up by Liu Bei, its rank was second only to Mi Zhu, acting more like a transitional position. It seemed more like a transitional post for future promotion.
Unfortunately, Sun Qian soon fell ill and died, so nothing further came of it.]
Died of illness?
Liu Bei froze for a moment, clearly unprepared for this.
Sun Qian was part of his old Xuzhou inner circle, men who had stood by him when he had nothing. No land, no power, no certainty.
And yet, even they could not escape birth, aging, sickness, and death.
"Gongyou works diligently, but he overexerts himself," Zhuge Liang said gently.
"If he dies only after entering Yizhou, then there are still three to five years. He should be ordered to rest more and labor less. Tonight, summon him back and have Doctor Zhang examine him."
Liu Bei nodded, then countered:
"If Gongyou is like this, are you any different, Kongming?"
"I have already instructed that unfinished work be left for the next day. When have you ever listened?"
Under Liu Bei's reproachful gaze, and Huang Yueying's worried eyes beside him, Zhuge Liang could only smile wryly.
"From today onward, Liang will supervise each other with Gongyou, my lord."
"Good!"
"That is good!" Liu Bei raised his eyebrows, but deep down, he still thought it would be best to send a squad of personal guards to supervise him.
'When it is time to get off work, just order the guards to carry Kongming out of the office and hang two big padlocks on the door. How about that?'
Liu Bei's mind spun with this brilliant idea as he looked at Zhuge Liang and chuckled.
Zhuge Liang: ?
'My lord, please act normal. You are scaring me.'
[Lightscreen]
[Zhang Yi stood fourth, while Jiang Wei stood tenth.
The two men could hardly have been more different when it came to war.
Jiang Wei had inherited the Prime Minister's unfinished Northern Expeditions and remained determined to keep fighting Wei.
Zhang Yi was not nearly as enthusiastic.
Shu was small. Its people were tired. Its armies were exhausted. And, in Zhang Yi's view, throwing the army into one campaign after another was a good way to make sure there was no Shu left to defend.
Naturally, the two men argued about it.
A lot.
Jiang Wei wanted to keep attacking.
Zhang Yi wanted Shu to stop bleeding itself dry.
Neither man got what he wanted.
When Shu finally fell in 263, Jiang Wei refused to simply accept defeat.
He surrendered to the Wei general Zhong Hui, but only because he saw an opportunity.
Zhong Hui was ambitious, and Jiang Wei knew it.
If he could push Zhong Hui into rebellion, perhaps the chaos would create a chance to restore Shu, and with it, the Han.
It was an absurdly dangerous plan.
It was also probably the only plan Jiang Wei had left.
In 264, Zhong Hui rebelled.
It failed.
The rebellion collapsed almost immediately, and both Zhong Hui and Jiang Wei were killed in the chaos.
Zhang Yi died as well.
Two men who had spent years disagreeing over how Shu should survive ended up dying in the same final disaster.
One had spent his life fighting to preserve Shu. The other had spent his life warning that Shu could not afford to keep fighting.]
Everyone also remembered the name Jiang Wei. The Lightscreen had given him a high evaluation:
"Inherited the Prime Minister's will."
Now, the fog surrounding this person seemed to have cleared a little more.
But regarding their completely opposite opinions, everyone could only remain silent.
Having lost Jingzhou, relying only on Yizhou and a Hanzhong emptied by the Cao thief, and having experienced Kongming's six expeditions from Qishan, it could indeed be called a small state and exhausted people.
But...
"The imperial enterprise cannot be content with partial peace," Zhuge Liang sighed.
Even if they rested and recuperated, how could a single province compete with the northern lands?
There was still a chance with the Northern Expeditions. If they just gave up, the imperial enterprise would perish on its own.
Liu Bei cast Zhuge Liang an apologetic glance.
No words were spoken, yet everything was understood.
Where had such a disastrous situation come from?
From the flames of Yiling. From complacency after reclaiming Hanzhong.
"If only Sun Wu had not betrayed us at Xiangyang-Fancheng... if only Lu Su had lived longer..." Guan Yu said with regret.
"Second Brother, did you forget?" Zhang Fei tapped his temple. "That cheap brother-in-law of ours has something wrong up here."
Liu Bei twitched the corner of his eye.
Forget it. Let us just pretend I did not see that.
[Lightscreen]
[Ma Chao and Huang Zhong are familiar faces, so we will skip them.
Wang Ping comes next, ranked fifth.
He had originally served Wei, but surrendered to Liu Bei during the Hanzhong campaign. Apparently, switching sides turned out to be a very good career move.
Wang Ping eventually became one of Shu's most important commanders, especially in the defense of Hanzhong.
He was also associated with the famous Wudang Flying Army, an elite force whose soldiers were drawn in large part from the southern peoples of Shu and were valued for their mobility and skill in difficult terrain.
After the Prime Minister's death, Wang Ping took charge of Hanzhong and successfully defended the region against Wei. He eventually died while still serving there.
The Wudang Flying Army later came under the command of Zhang Ni, who stands twelfth.
Zhang Ni was another remarkably stubborn man.
In 254, during Jiang Wei's seventh northern campaign, Zhang Ni, though ill, led five thousand Wudang troops against nearly twenty thousand Wei soldiers.
The entire force was annihilated, and Zhang Ni died in battle to repay his country.]
Sacrificing himself for the state!
The statue of Zhang Ni on the Lightscreen looked kind, but the killing intent in the narration was soul-stirring.
"If you cannot beat them, could you not at least run away... A group of good men, why go to such extremes?"
Liu Bei had a trace of tears in his eyes.
Restoring the Han was advocated by him, Liu Bei. This Zhang Ni, this group of southern warriors, died not only for the Han but for him, Emperor Zhaolie!
How could he, Liu Bei, face his conscience? How could he not be heartbroken?
"A minister of righteousness, an army that dies for its principles, a loyal general of the Han."
Zhuge Liang cupped his hands from afar, saluting that loyal Han soul.
Zhang Fei sighed. "Second Brother, if you and your nephew really become gods, you must protect such good men."
Guan Yu stared seriously at Zhang Ni's statue, not blinking.
Guan Ping said, "Third Uncle, the Lord Taishan will surely cherish such a loyal and good general."
[Lightscreen]
[Ranked eighth, Liao Hua can be called the best witness of Shu Han.
He survived the Jingzhou defeat and brought his mother back to Han. He survived the Yiling defeat. After Liu Shan ascended the throne, he served as the Administrator of Yinping, watching the Prime Minister's six expeditions from afar.
At fifty, he still followed Jiang Wei on the Northern Expeditions. In his seventies, he followed Jiang Wei to guard Jiange Pass, and later received Liu Shan's order to surrender.
The following year, Liao Hua was relocated to Luoyang. On the way, his illness relapsed. The state perished, and he passed away.]
Zhang Ni's death was tragic and heroic. Liao Hua's life was sorrowful. The atmosphere in the hall eased slightly.
"He is indeed a pure minister!" Zhang Fei could not stop sighing. "But Liao Hua's whole life was just too bitter!"
"If there was a choice, who would want to perish with the state? Would it not be much better to be an administrator of a peaceful region?"
Liu Bei looked left and right, still feeling that the phrase "Liu Shan ordered Jiang Wei to surrender" was too glaring. He could not help but reflect on himself:
"Did I starve A-Dou? Did I exhaust his frame? Did I subject him to grueling labor and empty his very being?"
Maybe I should double his sword training after dinner tonight.
Guan Ping boldly asked a direct question:
"A seventy-year-old veteran still has to don armor and take the field. Is there truly no one else left in the country?"
Instantly, several gazes were cast toward Huang Zhong. The old general just chuckled and recited a line:
"Fear not that white hair dulls the hero's edge."
Guan Yu did not speak, planning to go back tonight and check the roster to find this Liao Hua.
The topic was dropped, but Zhuge Liang felt a bit heavy in his heart:
Shu at that time... perhaps truly had no one left.
[Lightscreen]
[Ranked ninth, Xiang Chong's name is seen in the Memorial on Dispatching the Troops. He was well-versed in military affairs, modest, and fair.
During the Battle of Yiling, Xiang Chong's troops were defeated but not in chaos, earning Liu Bei's praise.
Ranked thirteenth and fourteenth, Zhang Nan and Feng Xi both died in battle at Yiling. Later generations praised them:
Feng Xi's loyalty was unmatched, Zhang Nan's righteousness was peerless. Willingly dying on the battlefield, their names flow together in history.
In 240 AD, when the southern tribes in Hanjia rebelled, Xiang Chong was ordered to quell the rebellion and died in the melee.]