Three Kingdoms: From Hidden Dragon to Great Wei Overlord,Chapter 769 The End Approaches, The Prime Minister's Final Journey!,Niu Nai Tang Tang Tang,JiwaiWave

"Woooo..."

As the Shu soldiers raised their horns once more, the sound was both majestic and mournful.

Zhuge Liang stopped Liu Chan, his aged, emaciated hand trembling as he stroked the soft, fair hand of Liu Chan, who supported him.

He paused for a moment, tightening Liu Chan's hand reassuringly before letting go.

He began his final, earnest exhortations.

"Your Majesty, what we are doing is inheriting the late Emperor's will, 'The Great Cause of Reviving Han,' and completing the grand undertaking that even the late Emperor could not finish... and this is also the inheritance of our souls, for we are the Han who govern the realm through filial piety! Continue to do it, even in dire straits, why? Because we are the weakest, and we are out of time."

"The concern of a great nation is to be victorious but exhausted, while the concern of a small nation is to achieve merit and survive. Why do so many people guard Peishui Pass and resist the invasion of the powerful Wei? They, like me, followed the late Emperor and wish to repay your Majesty's kindness!"

"As I depart, your minister has a few words of heartfelt advice for Your Majesty. Firstly, I hope Your Majesty will maintain an open and enlightened attitude, allowing the late Emperor's virtue to continue to flow in this land! Only then will the morale and hearts of the ambitious still be present. Secondly, as the ruler, do not speak carelessly, lest loyal ministers and advisors be unable to serve you... lest their hearts grow cold!"

"Having spoken of methods, Your Majesty may worry: we are so weak, and Great Wei is so strong? Can we succeed? Do not fear. The people of the world do not worry about scarcity, but about inequality. As long as our Shu Han's governing principle remains 'fairness like a bowl of water,' and we uphold the law as supreme, then governing Shu according to law is the way. Whether it is in the empress's palace or the prime minister's mansion, it is the same. If bad people and wicked people are dealt with according to law, then Your Majesty is a wise ruler! As for what Your Majesty should do? As the Emperor, you only need to do one thing: employ people, use others' 'lack' to supplement your own 'plenty.' There are not so many who are ahead of the late Emperor and can repay Your Majesty. Treat them equally, and that... that is enough! As for specifics, in politics, Your Majesty can consult Jiang Wan, Fei Yi, and others; in military matters, consult Zhao Zilong and the others."

"If Shu Han consistently adheres to 'governing the nation by law' as its strategic principle, then Your Majesty should take 'cherishing the virtuous and rejecting the wicked' as your criterion. With so many loyal and upright individuals who died with integrity, if Your Majesty can cherish the virtuous and reject the wicked, we have great hope. Failure is inevitable!"

However, Yang Yi became even more audacious. "Defeated in battle after battle, the morale of the eight armies is now low, and everyone is exhausted. This is all because... the Prime Minister is too cautious, avoiding risks and seeking stability... Heh heh, confronting Emperor Cao Yu of Great Wei? As long as we fight for a single day, stability is impossible. The Prime Minister probably doesn't even grasp the situation and conditions yet!"

Yang Yi took the half-drunk medicinal soup and hesitated before saying, "No!"

Sima Yi seemed to have a premonition of some kind. He was uneasy. He had to instruct everything before this expedition.

Fuling Commandery, south of Ba, entering from south of Zhi, sailing up the Fu River!

He began to speak, "Liang has received the late Emperor's grace and wisdom, and is gambling with the Lord of Wei to recover the Central Plains... Now, only these seventy thousand-plus soldiers remain... cough..."

"Ah Weng!" He turned his head and walked to Yang Yi's side, his eyes instantly shifting from tear-filled to sharp and icy... "Did this Zhuge Kongming just say... he wants to act as a limb and follow with death!"

Zhuge Liang said with deep feeling, "I think that when we return this time, Yang Yi will be able to let go. Once he returns... we probably won't have any peaceful days. Shu Han is so weak, what is he striving for? Can't he surrender to Great Wei like others and... grant peace to the common people?"

The banner of "Recovering the Central Plains" fluttered in the wind. The color of the banner had faded, but a corner of it still curled elegantly in the wind, heavily brushing past Sima Yi's already white temples.

"Prime Minister, Your Majesty..." Wei Yan said softly.

Sima Yi murmured to himself and entered the carriage.

Zhuge Liang sighed, "Does he never think of his family?"

...

Zhang Chunhua smiled faintly, "Perhaps, this is his promise to Liu Bei. Such a promise... will support him to continue. If one day, he chooses not to persist, then... perhaps he is not worthy of our respect and the respect of our teacher."

Yet, after a moment...

"What is Madam asking?"

When the army's steady footsteps faded from his hearing, Yang Yi's crying also abruptly stopped.

It seemed that in just one morning, he had matured significantly and become much more decisive. It was as if he was no longer that little child!

Yang Yi hadn't even reacted.

Wei Yan seemed to suddenly recall something. He lowered his voice and asked with extreme concern,

"Is Sister Zhen well?"

This...

"When Sima Yi was not at Peishui Pass, husband launched seven attacks in three days. The Shu army's morale was low, and the city was almost breached. Why did you stop attacking once Yang Yi returned?"

Or... or was it for some other reason?

Gan Fu originally wanted to say, that would be difficult.

Ah...

His figure seemed slightly stooped, and his cough grew more intense.

...

"As your minister, I serve as Prime Minister. 'Cheng' means 'to inherit,' and 'Xiang' means 'to assist.' My duty is to inherit the late Emperor's will and assist Your Majesty... Fei Yi, Dong Yun, and other ministers' duties are to offer loyal advice and do their jobs. If they fail or act improperly, they should be punished, and their negligence should be publicly announced. My responsibility is to shoulder the great cause of eliminating rebels and reviving the Han. If I fail, I should also be punished! Your Majesty's responsibility is simply to delegate power. Entrusting this task to me is the greatest grace Your Majesty can bestow upon me. This responsibility is my happiness! If I fail, cough cough... Your Majesty will not fail, because Your Majesty is the son of the late Emperor. No matter how Your Majesty acts, I will be a supporting force and follow with death! Cough cough cough..."

"Good!" Wei Yan's mouth curled into a knowing smile. "But is there any way to make the Wei army gathering at Motianling move faster?"

Sima Yi took the medicinal soup, looking at him helplessly.

"Your Majesty..." Yang Yi quickly said, "Recruiting craftsmen at this time... I fear..."

Fulfilling his words, Yang Yi was already somewhat choked.

No one could have imagined.

He had become a little bold.

Zhang Chunhua quietly watched the fish swimming freely in the lake.

"Prime Minister, Your Majesty..." Wei Yan said softly.

Sima Yi took the medicinal soup, looking at him helplessly.

"Your Majesty..." Yang Yi quickly said, "Recruiting craftsmen at this time... I fear..."

"Prime Minister, a general secretly opened the gates and surrendered. Over eight thousand soldiers surrendered to Great Wei. Although it is urgent, the Prime Minister's health is paramount. You must not be overly distressed."

Yang Yi opened his mouth again, "Also, after Eunuch Huang's death, the local clans of Yizhou united against a common enemy... it seems we can also... we can talk!"

He smiled, waved his fan, and commanded, "Depart!"

"Good!" Wei Yan's mouth curled into a knowing smile. "But is there any way to make the Wei army gathering at Motianling move faster?"

Yang Yi hadn't even reacted.

Wei Yan's words were even colder, "Then let him die at Peishui Pass. I don't want to see him return alive."

The consecutive coughs sounded again.

"Your Majesty... confining officials, I fear... it's difficult." Zhao Yun raised another doubt. "Once they are arrested separately, some will inevitably get wind of it and inform each other... thus, it would instead..."

"Then don't let the news leak!" Wei Yan's tone was hesitant and clear. "General Zilong, replace the guards at the four main gates entirely with Wei troops. All officials from Jingzhou and Dongzhou should be secretly placed under house arrest... How else can the news leak!"

He raised his hand to touch the banner fluttering in the wind, suddenly seeming much younger. The worries of his old age were blown away, and the ambition of his youth surged in his chest again.

"This is good. I will send people to recruit them." Wei Yan, for the first time, took charge.

Yang Yi had not even reacted.

"This good," Wei Yan's mouth curled into a knowing smile. "But is there any way to make the Wei army gathering at Motianling move faster?"

"This is easy. As the Son of Heaven, if you summon all officials in Chengdu to a court session, that will be the best opportunity to capture them all in one go!" Gan Fu clasped his hands.

Fuling Commandery, south of Ba, entering from south of Zhi, sailing up the Fu River!

The Fu River flowed directly to the horizon. On both sides of the pass were high mountains and rolling slopes. The wind blew through the wheat fields, and the grass was lush and green. This would be the decisive battlefield between Wei and Shu.

"Didn't they say that the Wei army is continuously rushing to the place where the Yinping Road leads to Motianling? Is that so?"

Sima Yi knew that the current situation was already one of disunity, and the army was difficult to lead.

He took the half-drunk medicinal soup and hesitated before saying, "No!"

"Your Majesty..." Yang Yi quickly said, "Recruiting craftsmen at this time... I fear..."

"Your Majesty..." Yang Yi quickly said, "Recruiting craftsma