The Last Days of the Han (Three Kingdoms AAR)

[streaker77]

Yao Xiu looked a little more capable at the begining of this chapter than he did as a child, but even with his education as a schemer he remained a minnow among sharks in the imperial court, in light of all that had happened, his best course of action may have been to lay low for a while, sending Mo Jie, while taking the initiative, was the nail in the coffin. I dont think Yao Xiu will take his ''honorable appointment'' as a minor magistrate with grace however, and when the emperor passes on I feel as if Yao Xiu will die before his ambition for the throne does.

 

[HistoryDude]

The Yaos suffer from familial intrigue, and the Empress is foolish.

Xu Shu's still doing well.

 

[EtzelHoveri]

It's nice to see you found time to do a few posts. How goes the Thesis?

 

[Zamarak500]

218-220: FRUSTRATIONS AND WARFARE​

The defeat at Yejingting and the death of general Yang Weili left the military leadership confused and disorganized. For now, Governor Xiao Ru simply complained while leaving these decisions to his more apt subordinates. The one that would have the job of reorganizing the Chen offensive after these events would be the Commandant. Chen Tiao had not been on the frontline when Yejingting happened, having instead organized his headquarters between Chenguo and the frontline. This allowed him to be able to get a faster picture of the war while still remaining in frequent contact with his liege. While he wanted to bravely charge at the enemy as much as anyone, Chen Tiao knew that his skills would be better used in this position. The other generals could get the glory, as long as the war was won.

Chen Tiao sent orders for the generals to join their new assigned posts. Dian Wei was removed as commander of the main army, as he had been the one in charge during the defeat at Yejingting. Xiao Ru couldn’t believe that an army twice the size of the enemy could lose without someone being to blame. As the one leading the troops during the battle, the famed hero was the one to take the fall. Dian Wei had to return to his commandery without much fanfare. With him gone and Yang Weili dead, this only left Ma Chao among the generals of the main army. But the former rebel’s hopes to take over were dashed by Chen Tiao, who had orders not to trust the bulk of their troops to a former Xu commander. Instead, he turned to the more tested and reliable Hu Zan.

The issue was that Hu Zan was currently commanding the second army, forcing him to proceed with a hasty relocation. In a similar situation as the one with Ma Chao. Liu Xian, a key player in Xu Province before it was conquered by Xiao Ru, was the only general still commanding the second army. Chen Tiao, unsure how to proceed, send a messenger to Chenguo. Thankfully, Xiao Ru knew perfectly how to ensure that none of his former enemies had too much control over the troops. To command the second army, he sent Ding Zhiguo. The choice of sending another former Xu general had two goals. First was the fact that Ding Zhiguo and Liu Xian had been on opposing side of the Xu civil war, with the one eye general trying to overthrow the governor while the Imperial Clansman was trying to save him. This would ensure that they wouldn’t cooperate too much. But just as important was the fact that Ding Zhiguo was Tan Shenquan’s uncle. Having him lead an army against his nephew could be a good tool for propaganda, showing that Tan Shenquan had even lost the support of his relatives.

Hu Zan tried his best to race to the main army as fast as possible, but the absence of a real commander was an opportunity that their victorious enemies would not fail to exploit. Zhao Yun, taking the lead in launching an assault against Ma Chao and the main army. The Qing army was quick to follow in the attack, which took place around the end of March 218. While Ma Chao was a competent general, he found himself alone in charge of a demoralized army. And being Ma Chao, he went forward and tried to find and kill the enemy generals instead of standing back and leading from the rear. He did find Zhao Yun, but the two were only able to exchange a few blows before the movements of the troops forced them apart. Hu Zan arrived just in time to see the main army being defeated again. After quickly snatching command from Ma Chao, the general ordered a retreat, doing his best to keep it orderly.

This defeat convinced Chen Tiao that there might be a need to reorganize the armies into a single force that would be strong enough to crush the enemy, even though this would render the previous reorganization moot in the process. Hu Zan, who was just as good of a politician as he was a general, saw an opportunity in this new reorganization. Having arrived too late to be a part of the defeat yet just in time to organize the retreat, the general was able to paint an advantageous picture of his role in the event. His letters to Chen Tiao were enough to convince the Commandant that Hu Zan had to be appointed as the commander of the now sole army. Xiao Ru soon had the decision validated, knowing that Hu Zan was a competent enough commander to turn this war around (though the Governor was now considering replacing him as Chief Censor due to his unavailability). The other commanders were sent to lead garrisons on the border while Hu Zan found himself alone in charge, a position he greatly enjoyed.

In a gesture of kindness, the general sent a letter to Chenguo requesting that Xiao Tung come serve by his side. Despite their 24 years age gap, the two had struck a friendship during Hu Zan’s time as Chief Clerk. The heir had left a great impression on Hu Zan, who saw in him an ambitious young man that reminded him of his own youth. He also knew that Xiao Tung had ambitions to become a great general, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to give him some military experience. Xiao Ru was reticent about the idea, however. He still believed that his son’s time would be better used learning how to be a good administrator in the provincial capital. It was only when officials pointed out that sending the heir might help the morale of the defeated troops that Xiao Ru agreed, allowing his son to ride to Hu Zan’s army camp in haste.

Xiao Tung only arrived in early June, and by that time a whole new player had entered the war, to the annoyance of Xiao Ru and the frustration of Tan Shenquan. Ying Mo, the son of the famed scholar Ying Shao, had launched an expedition against Qing Province. He lamented that his father had to submit to the Tan Clan and now sought to bring the Ying Clan back to prominence. While annoying, his presence was more worrying due to the people behind his little expedition. Ying Mo had been entirely financed and equipped by Yao Shuren. The court of Chenguo was quick to guess that the Chancellor wanted them occupied, leaving him free to do as he pleased. Even worse was the possibility that a Ying Mo victory might result in an annexation of Qing Province by the Han, a prospect that Xiao Ru was keen to avoid.

Because of this stressful prospect, the Governor of Chen Province tried to remove this threat through diplomatic channels. He wrote letters to Ying Mo, reminding him that he had himself started his career under Ying Shao, and even promising to appoint him as the new administrator of his father’s commandery once Qing Province was conquered. But Ying Mo was born after Xiao Ru’s flight, and his father never had kind words for the accused murderer that fled in the night. The lack of respect toward Ying Shao in the letters didn’t help, as Xiao Ru clearly saw himself as a self-made man who never really got help from anyone.

Since this didn’t work, a second attempt was made to convince Ying Mo to stand down, this time by his younger brother. Ying Hansheng had, unlike his brother, accepted Xiao Ru’s overtures. Because of this, he had been appointed Magistrate of Xipingchen the previous year, and had even risen to become a key advisor of Xiao Ru over the recent months. He appealed to his brother, trying to convince him to stand down and join him. But Ying Mo once again refused. This second refusal convinced Xiao Ru that Ying Mo would have to be dealt with on the battlefield. Orders were sent that the young man’s host was to be crushed if met during the campaign.

But the next six months would not see Ying Mo crushed, or see any battle for that matter. While the goal of sending Xiao Tung was to give him battlefield experience, all the heir saw were sieges and attacks on cities. Hu Zan was progressing well, gaining territories on the border, including the majority of Taishan Commandery. But while Xiao Tung did not get much experience from these conquests, it did give him the opportunity to mingle with the troops. Soldiers found themselves trusting this kind and humble lord who seemed to truly like them and enjoy their presence. While he had clear ambitions, he lacked the arrogance and greedy nature that they often associated with nobles like Hu Zan, whose love for a wealthy lifestyle alienated him from his Chen troops. Meanwhile, Xiao Tung was sitting with them, listening to them, being one of them. And for this, they were ready to follow him anywhere.

But this was not to be, as political changes at home would bring an end to Xiao Tung’s field trip. The death of the Assistant Administrator Bao Xun earlier in the year had left a void that needed to be filled. While Xiao Ru initially considered promoting Hu Zan to the office, tales of his growing arrogance within camp infuriated the Governor. Instead, he brought back Dian Wei from his temporary disgrace, convinced that a military man was needed to assist him in the war. By the end of 218, Xiao Ru decided to have Dian Wei replace Hu Zan as overall commander of the campaign, though this time the new commander would receive far more oversight from Xiao Ru and Chen Tiao. Just as Hu Zan had brought in Xiao Tung, Dian Wei asked for Ma Chao to be appointed by his side, as the two got along especially well. Hu Zan was ordered to come back to Chenguo to finally perform his duties as Chief Censor (though he would be fired from these too by the middle of 219), with Xiao Tung being forced to accompany him on his father’s orders.

Dian Wei and Ma Chao were certainly happy to be back in charge of the campaign, though their joy were short-lived. Xiao Ru’s warning that there would be more oversight was taken to the extreme. Every demand for supply, food or anything had to be approved by both the Commandant and the Governor before it could be used. The plans for the campaigns had to be sent to Chang’an, were Xiao Ru and his court often sent them back with “corrections”. They had orders to indicate the number of days needed for a siege before it could be approved. Dian Wei and Ma Chao were infuriated at this level of control from the court, which clearly had no idea how to conduct a war. Ma Chao was so insulted that he even suggested that they march to Chenguo to remind them who was running this war. Dian Wei, who was more diplomatic, refused to entertain the idea, considering it counterproductive to their current objectives of winning this war.

The two generals were thankful that they only had two months to endure this before the enemy made a move on them, forcing them to react without authorization from Xiao Ru or Chen Tiao. Zhao Yun and Tan Shenquan took position close to the Chen army, readying themselves for a new confrontation. While the Chen troops had the numerical advantage, Dian Wei was smart enough to realize the dangers of charging head first into battle against such competent foes. The Qing army had been victorious before, and it might be victorious again. But while he planned for a strategy to counter any Qing plan, he couldn’t do much against Ma Chao’s desire to destroy the enemy in one heroic swoop. And at the end of the day, this was what Dian Wei also desired. And they played right into Zhao Yun’s hands. Once again, the larger Chen army was defeated, and by the end of January 219 Dian Wei and Ma Chao were forced to abandoned their conquered territories.

Now, Dian Wei was able to turn this around during the first half of 219. In March, he had a confrontation against a smaller Qing force that had separated from the main army. This raiding party, led by Zhao Yun, was easily defeated by the Chen forces. It didn’t stop Zhao Yun from trying this again the following month, only for Dian Wei to once again find him and push him back. Zhao Yun came out of this battle severely injured, and Dian Wei confidently wrote to Chenguo that the enemy warlord would “soon leave us free to act as we please”. Using these small successes to their fullest, the Assistant Administrator pushed forward, returning on the offensive and attacking Qing Province once again.

But these small victories were overshadowed by news from the West. To the shock of everyone (and the surprise of no one), the Chancellor Yao Shuren finally usurped the Han Dynasty, ending four centuries of Han rule over the Middle Kingdom. In its place, the usurper created a new Liang Dynasty, voicing his ambitions to unite China loud and clear in the process. On the battlefield, no one was sure what this news would entail. Offensives temporarily stopped after this, as everyone awaited orders on how to proceed. Would they now submit to the Liang? Or maybe the two sides would end their dispute and unite against the new dynasty? Thus, they waited for a few weeks. But while neither side recognized the Liang Dynasty, choosing to continue to use the Han calendar instead of the new one established by Emperor Anwu, no move was made toward peace. It soon became clear that the change of imperial regime would have no impact on the conflict, leading to a resumption of hostilities.

If the usurpation affected the war in any way, it was in convincing Xiao Ru that he needed to win it to survive. On the advice of his Commandant Chen Tiao, the Governor of Chen Province decided to send the whole package of elite generals to command the campaign against Qing Province. Dian Wei, Ma Chao, Hu Zan and Ding Zhiguo, all joined by newly raised recruits to bolster the Chen army. Together, they would surely be done with this invasion by the end of the year. But while they were all excellent generals, their presence together only created tensions. Dian Wei and Hu Zan saw each other as rival for command, and the later had not forgotten how he had been replaced at the end of the last year. While Ma Chao and Hu Zan did have a cordial relationship, their strong personalities were bound to clash on the issues of strategy and leadership. And everyone disapproved of Ding Zhiguo’s presence. Dian Wei did not trust him because he was Tan Shenquan’s uncle, Hu Zan still remembered how the one-eyed general had conquered his former territories in 209, and Ma Chao disliked him for his role in the Xu civil war that allowed Xiao Ru’s conquest of the province. As for Ding Zhiguo himself, he was getting sick of spending his days drinking out of boredom and wanted a chance to get back into action.

But for all their disputes, the army did make progress during the second half of 219. With the more level headed Hu Zan and Ding Zhiguo present, it was decided that avoiding confrontation with Zhao Yun would be the best plan. The troops weren’t exactly eager to get defeated by the Qing army, so it was better to use them for sieges and territorial conquests. And for the rest of the year, the Chen generals did an excellent job of it. They seized most of Taishan Commandery, many cities on the border between Chen and Qing, and were even making headways toward the provincial capital. Hu Zan took notable pride in conquering Chunyu, which had been under his control all the way back in 191-192, when he served under Kong Rong in the province. As for Xiao Ru, he was especially happy to receive a letter from his generals, with a simple sentence written in it: “Fei County is yours.”

But by early December, a peasant revolt came to spoil Xiao Ru’s good mood. Xu province had been conquered in 216, but the various wars had made its full integration difficult. This of course wasn’t helped by Xiao Ru’s policies. His belief in harsh and severe laws did not endear him to the local peasantry, nor did the numerous rotations of his council, leading to various degrees of enforcements of his policies in the province. But what truly pushed people over the edge was the tax policies implemented by the new Chief Clerk Yang Qub (the son of Yang Weili). Xiao Ru needed money to fund the war, and it was Yang Qub’s job to find it for him. The young Chief Clerk was too young and too shy to dare say anything against his liege, and that didn’t even take into account his filial need to ensure the war’s success out of duty to his late father.

While more taxes were levied on properties and lands all throughout Xiao Ru’s territories, it soon became clear that it was not enough to ensure the continuation of the war and the supplying of the various garrisons and forts. Feeling that it would be better not to push the core of Xiao Ru’s territories too much, as they had already provided many recruits to the war, Yang Qub chose to be patient and wait before forcing new taxes upon them. However, he had no qualms about doing the same with Xu Province. Soon, inheritance found itself confiscated by the state upon death, crimes saw wealth and properties seized and pay tolls were placed at every gates. The people were being bled dry of their coins. While this did have the effect of filling the coffers beyond expectation, it also turned many in Xu Province against their overlord.

Small protests started in early November, and while some of them were crushed by law enforcements, others manage to grow and gain traction. In northern Xu, many peasants had also turned to banditry, either out of desperation, to escape the law, to flee the draft or simply due to the war forcing them into this lifestyle. They also started to assemble, and in early December they linked up in Ju to become one of the biggest peasant revolts seen in the last decade, with more than six thousand men (and women) under their banners. At their head was a 25 years old peasant name Dao He. He had been conscripted into the war with Qing Province early in the conflict. After the defeat earlier in the year, the peasant fled in the hope of returning to a life of working the field, only to find that his estates had been confiscated as his family proved unable to pay the new taxes. He was not charismatic, nor was he politically astute, or even a decent general. The only reason he was hailed to the leadership position was due to his military service.

News of the revolt took everyone by surprise. Xiao Ru was especially shocked, as he was in the process of preparing subsidies and investments in Xu Province to help the people out of the dire poverty that they had found themselves in (though Xiao Ru blamed it on the war instead of Yang Qub’s tax policies). But now that they had revolted, the only gift that they would receive would be a crushing defeat at the hand of Chen soldiers. At first, Commandant Chen Tiao offered to take some recruits and garrison troops to go deal with the revolt. He even suggested that the 17 years old Xiao Cang should accompany him. Xiao Ru’s youngest son had successfully engineered his appointment as Magistrate of Juancheng and as a subordinate of Chen Tiao. It allowed him to help with recruitment, and thus claim to play a role in the war effort, without needing to go fight on the frontline. Which was why he was completely opposed to leading troops against the rebels and highly relieved when he was told that the rebel force was simply too big.

Instead, orders were sent to the Chen army in Qing Province to deal with the revolt. However, communications between Chenguo and the troops were eventually intercepted by the Qing forces. They now understood that their enemies had to return home to deal with a crisis, thus making it clear that they needed to stop the Chen troops from leaving. For the first two months of 220, the Qing forces were able to block the path of the Chen general through well placed obstacles and calculated ambushes. Sick of this game, the great general suggested to his colleagues that they lay a trap for their enemies. Zhao Yun was convinced that their base in Fei County was vulnerable, leading him to attack their camp at night only to be ambushed by the awaiting Chen troops. While the general escaped, the entirety of his army was defeated.

This opened the way for the Chen troops to march south and go deal with the massive peasant revolt. But to their surprise and amusement, the peasant army was no longer as massive at they had been told. Since it had started in December, Dao He’s cause had lost steam, with half of the rebels having deserted by the time the army arrived to deal with them. This left Dian Wei and his fellow generals with the numerical advantage. Adding to this their military talent and the lack of equipment of the rebel forces made this an easy fight. The rebels were defeated in late June and the deserters were found and executed on Xiao Ru’s order. The chaos that had gripped northern Xu Province was now over.

The troops, with their morale bolstered by their victories at Fei and against the rebels, were now ready to take the fight back to Qing Province. Xiao Ru was also encouraging them to end this war already. Just like everyone, he had been shocked by the quick success of the Liang Imperial Army in conquering Yang Province, and now he feared that he would be the next target. He needed this victory, and fast.

This pressure led to two battles in September. The first one took place at Bengting, where Tan Shenquan was recruiting new soldiers for his army. The absence of Zhao Yun (who was out fighting Yong Mo’s army) was seen as a perfect opportunity to strike by Dian Wei, with the other generals all in agreement on the issue for once. While Tan Shenquan was an excellent general, he was no peer of Zhao Yun. For all his efforts, the Governor of Qing Province was unable to accomplish the kind of miracle that his ally had been pulling off since the start of the war.

But victory led to discord, as the Chen generals began to bicker over the wisdom of launching a pursuit. Ding Zhigguo argued that it might lead them to a trap, while Ma Chao wanted to end this war right here by capturing Tan Shenquan. In the end, the pursuit won out, with the Chen army chasing after their retreating enemies toward Qi County. There, Tan Shenquan took defensive positions with his meager force, ready for a last stand. Thankfully for him, it was at this moment that Zhao Yun returned from his expedition. Seeing the dire situation of his ally, the warlord launched a daring assault on the flank of the Chen army. While the battle proved costly for the Qing forces, the surprise appearance of Zhao Yun allowed them to emerge victorious, with Dian Wei being humiliatingly forced to order a retreat.

The two side then started to entrench themselves in their positions. The Chen troops wanted to regroup and work out a plan to end these strings of defeats against Zhao Yun and finally win the war before Xiao Ru relieved them of their duties. Meanwhile, the Qing forces didn’t have the manpower to take advantage of the victory, which had been a pyrrhic one at best, and still had Yong Mo attacking other part of their territories. And so they started to rebuild their forces and prepare for the next confrontation. Or at least that was the plan, until critical news arrived from Chenguo in October, bringing a sudden halt to the hostilities.
___________________
PS: To answer @EtzelHoveri 's question (sorry I didn't answer sooner), I just sent a final version of my thesis to my thesis director, who will then decide if it's good enough or not to submit. So I'm either approaching the end game or I will have to work more on it, which means taking another semester.

 

[Bibliophile]

Glad to have you back! And here’s to hoping things go well with your thesis.

Xiao Ru continue to struggles as his forces manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Though judging by that part at the end about news from Chenguo, I assume he will have bigger things to worry about soon.

 

[streaker77]

very demand for supply, food or anything had to be approved by both the Commandant and the Governor before it could be used. The plans for the campaigns had to be sent to Chang’an, were Xiao Ru and his court often sent them back with “corrections”. They had orders to indicate the number of days needed for a siege before it could be approved. Dian Wei and Ma Chao were infuriated at this level of control from the court, which clearly had no idea how to conduct a war.

A tale as old as time, politicians and commanders rarely see eye to eye.

Probably a god idea Xiao Cang wasnt sent to fight the rebel peasant Dao He, he is not the bravest man and seeing his doppleganger in the midst of battle might be too much shock to bear.

 

[HistoryDude]

China remains divided between dynasties...

 

[Zamarak500]

219-220: THE FUTURE OF CHEN​

In March 219, Yao Shuren had Emperor You abdicate the throne to him, thus ending the Han and passing the Mandate of Heaven to a new imperial dynasty, the Liang Dynasty. Yao Shuren, now Emperor Anwu, immediately declared his own reign era and sent missives to the various warlords demanding their submission. This move had been expected, with some like Yang Weili easily predicting that this was the path that the Chancellor would follow if given the opportunity. Even so, witnessing the end of the Great Han was a shocking moment for everyone, heralding a dangerous and uncertain future for anyone who did not submit to the new Emperor of China.

Xiao Ru could only grit his teeth when the imperial missive landed on his doorstep. He was certainly not going to recognize the usurpation of Yao Shuren and bow to this new Liang Dynasty. Like every remaining warlord, he refused to accept the overlordship of Emperor Anwu and continued to use the Han reign era instead of the new Liang Calendar, a clear signal that Chen Province refused to recognize the regime change.

However, Xiao Ru was in a bind about how to act next on the issue. Yang Weili had actually advised him to install Liu Kun, son of Liu Siyuan, as the new emperor of a restored Han Dynasty in the east. But this idea didn’t really appeal to him. In fact, Xiao Ru was flirting with the idea of making himself an emperor, now that this taboo had been broken by Yao Shuren. However, after some discussions with his advisors, he realized that this would be the wrong move for the moment. Not only did he lacked the mechanisms that Yao Shuren had to legitimize his usurpation, but declaring himself an emperor now would also put a target on his back. And with the former Han emperor still alive and well, any Han restorationist who fought by his side would desert him the second he declared his own dynasty.

Fortunately, Yao Shuren decided to take care of this in May by having Emperor You assassinated, leaving the Han loyalist cause more divided and uncertain (and thus easier to use for warlords like Xiao Ru). Especially, Xiao Ru quickly started to distance himself from the late puppet emperor, instead insisting on his great loyalty for Emperor Qianfei, the last competent emperor of the Han Dynasty. Of course, this was all for propaganda, and anyone who had been with Xiao Ru during Emperor Qianfei’s reign knew that the Governor did not lift a finger to help the Son of Heaven when he needed it. But it worked well with the masses, as Emperor Qianfei was gaining a reputation as a heroic monarch outside of the Liang Dynasty. In an unprecedented move among the warlords, Xiao Ru even decided in June 219 to roll back the imperial calendar to Emperor Qianfei’s first reign era. This meant not only a denial of Emperor Anwu’s legitimacy, but also of his whole rule as Chancellor of the Han. Thankfully for Xiao Ru, he had timed it just as the Liang Dynasty was moving against Yang Province, leaving him free of reprisals.

Heading this new propaganda campaign were Hu Zan (at the time still Chief Censor) and Xiao Bin (Xiao Ru’s third and arguably favorite son). The two men were both ambitious, proud and excellent at performing the duties given to them. But while Hu Zan had become good friend with the oldest son Xiao Tung, he found himself clashing with the personality of Xiao Bin. Their pride and ambitions were obviously a problem, but this was not the main issue. While Hu Zan was cynical and sarcastic, Xiao Bin was stern and manipulative, with Hu Zan once calling him a snake in private. And while Hu Zan was on the greedy side when it came to spendings, the son was proving as willing to spend as the father, leading to some clashes on how much had to be spent on their duties. Xiao Tung’s effort to make them get along stopped these tensions from turning into a full-on rivalry, but no one could say that they came out of the experience as friends.

The disputes between the two men on how to best spread the propaganda was solved by the removal of Hu Zan as Chief Censor in July. The relationship between Xiao Ru and his general had been deteriorating over the years, and now the Governor sought any excuse to remove Hu Zan from office. He certainly sided with his son Xiao Bin in his disputes with Hu Zan, and he wasn’t convinced that the general had the “proper attitude” to fulfill his courtly duties, whatever that meant.

But the turning point came from his wife Lady Fahui. After a discussion with Xiao Bin, she decided that she would do a decent job if put in charge of the propaganda. She was sociable and well learned. Surely, she could do these duties with ease. Xiao Ru was unsure, considering that his first wife Lady Xia had used this position to steal from him. But Fahui was no Lady Xia, and Xiao Ru utterly trusted his wife. Hu Zan was fired and replaced on the excuse that he would be of better used on the frontline. While Hu Zan agreed with the assessment, he still held Xiao Ru in contempt for firing him from his office.

While the generals made their way into Qing Province during the second half of the year, Xiao Ru was starting to bolster his court with new advisors. This notably included the 51 years old Administrator of Pei Commandery, Yan Yi. He was one of the older followers of Xiao Ru, eventually being appointed as administrator in 204 and sticking to his post since then. The man was known for his unlikability, with the only reason for his appointment at court being his years of loyalty and the interest in gardening he shared with his liege. Yan Yi was angry, stubborn, paranoid and crude. And within the span of half a year, he would have alienated almost four of the five Xiao sons due to his toxic personality, with Xiao Hanhe being the only absent of this list due to his continuous attempts to avoid the provincial capital (and his father).

First was Xiao Cang, who he criticized for his role in the military training of the troops. What was he doing, cowardly waiting safely while the others went on the frontline? Even when Commandant Chen Tiao came forward to defend Xiao Cang and the importance of their rear duties, Yan Yi still insulted both of them and called them craven failures. Trying to avoid direct confrontation, the younger son went to Chenguo to complain about the incident to his father. But Xiao Ru actually agreed with Yan Yi about Xiao Cang’s cowardice, especially compared to Xiao Tung’s bravery. This left Xiao Cang confused and shaken, especially since his father was always so opposed to his brother’s military career. The incident would leave Xiao Cang with a permanent enmity of both his father and Yan Yi, as well as put an ever-growing strain on his mental state.

Then came a dispute with Xiao Dang, the fourth son and the Magistrate of Luguo. While a competent administrator, the young man had gained something of a reputation for being a playboy, enjoying the company of women when he was not performing his duties. It was not that he didn’t appreciate his wife either, though he was not enthralled with her as his older brothers were with theirs. Using the fact that she was Zhao Yun’s daughter to spend more time with other women, he drew the ire of Yan Yi, who was baffled by the man’s lack of seriousness. He accused Xiao Dang of ignoring his marital duties, which rubbed the young lord the wrong way. The following day, he had Yan Yi dragged in his home by his friends. There, he pointed to his sons Xiao Ji and Xiao Ne and his daughter Xiao Xinyue before saying “My duties have been firmly fulfilled!” But Yan Yi didn’t want to listen, so Xiao Dang stubbornly had him dragged daily to give him the same exact lesson until Xiao Ru put a stop to this amusing routine.

If this wasn’t enough, Yan Yi then managed to get onXiao Tung’s wrong side. He had met the heir previously and did not like him one bit, even though Xiao Tung was known for his kindness and sympathetic personality. So how did he manage to get on the heir’s wrong side? By crossing the one line that Xiao Tung never tolerated: Yan Yi criticized his wife. When he met Changle, he frowned and expressed his disbelief that a disgusting savage had actually been allowed to marry the heir, having always been convinced that this had been slander. Changle did not take these insults lying down, and after two days confronted Yan Yi and made it clear to him that this disgusting barbarian was here to stay, and that he should keep his idiotic opinions to himself. Yan Yi was so infuriated that he raised his fist and prepared to hit her, only for an enraged Xiao Tung to grab his hand and kick the older man in the kneecap. Xiao Tung then made it clear that any further action would not be forgiven. Both men brought this affair to the Governor, leading to a tired Xiao Ru ordering them to avoid each other from now on, hoping that this would solve the issue.

Then a peasant revolt erupted in December, leaving the court confused about the cause of this sudden uprising. Yan Yi certainly had his theory about what had led to this revolt. But he did not identify the source of the problem as Yang Qub’s tax policies, which was the real cause, or the destruction of the war, which Xiao Ru believed. Instead, he blamed it on the stupid handling of the Chen propaganda by Xiao Bin. Clearly such a young and inexperienced boy could not do this job properly. Xiao Bin did not take this insult lying down, and pointed out that Pei Commandery was right next to Xu Province. Maybe Yan Yi’s failure to manage his commandery well had set a bad example for the other officials, leading to the revolt? Yan Yi was insulted and shouted every insult at Xiao Bin in front of the whole court, leading Xiao Tung to come forward to support his brother. Xiao Ru had enough of this. He could see how the man’s presence was causing his sons to become restless. The Governor decided to quietly tell Yan Yi to go back to his commandery to avoid further problems.

Xiao Ru certainly didn’t want any fuss within his court at the time. By late 219, he had been trying to build the image of a united court loyal to the legacy of the Han. This was most exemplified by a series of appointments in early 220. During these first few months, he appointed four members of the Imperial Liu Clan to important (yet mostly powerless) offices within Chenguo. These men were Liu Xian, the old official from Xu Province who had previously served on campaign against Qing, the Prince of Rencheng (Liu Derun), who had grown up to be a competent young man, the Prince of Lanye (Liu Xie), whose domain was the most hit by the current peasant revolt, and the Prince of Pei (Liu Qi), who had submitted to Xiao Ru decades ago.

Most of them didn’t particularly appreciate the Governor of Chen Province, but his current commitment to help the Imperial Clan and uphold Han values was welcomed by them all. It certainly helped the Chen propaganda to have them around, as Xiao Ru could now claim that he was the only one upholding the Han against the evils of the tyrant in Chang’an. Notably however, he did not enthrone one of them as the new Han emperor, nor any Liu clansman for that matter. Because by now, Xiao Ru was set on establishing his own Imperial Dynasty, with the Liu Clansmen here to offer him some legitimacy once he managed to gain their support and loyalty.

But unlike Emperor Anwu, he didn’t have an emperor to promote him through the usual process of usurpation established by Wang Man. He couldn’t get the Nine Bestowments, nor could he have the Son of Heaven abdicate him the throne. He could get himself a puppet Han emperor, but this might just turn his followers against if he embraced Han restoration too strongly only to turn his back on it later on. But while Wang Man’s legal process of usurpation was not available, he could use the other side of the great usurper’s plan: weird mystical signs and contrived events.

His first move in that direction would be somewhat laughable and far-fetched, yet still more grounded in reality than his following plans. After asking his main scholar Lang to make a full genealogy of his family, the scholar came back with some amazing and absolutely real discoveries. Xiao Ru was directly descended from none other than Xiao He, one of the Three Heroes of the early Han Dynasty and the first Imperial Chancellor of the Han, serving under both Emperor Gaozu (202-195 BC) and Emperor Hui (195-188 BC)! His late father was thus a noble of the highest of lineages, and NOT a simple gardener, which he NEVER WAS, EVER. Possibly just as surprising, his late mother was also of noble birth and a direct descendant of the Dukes of Chen, who ruled their state during the Spring and Autumn Period.

Xiao Bin, fully aware of what his father was doing, suggested that the Imperial Court must have always been aware of his father’s claim to Chen, which was historically right and just. Clearly, when Chancellor Jiang Xian had sent Emperor Xian’s edict promoting his father as Governor of Chen, it must have actually been a restoration of his noble titles over the region. Xiao Ru declared that this was too important not to be verified, and so ordered the conserved edict to be brought back in front of the court to be read out loud. And indeed, it seemed that he had actually been granted the title of King of Chen! Oh well, he must have read it wrong the previous time! The court immediately encouraged him to adopt the title granted to him by the Han Dynasty, as refusing to do so would signify an abandonment of his duties to the Dynasty. While he feigned refusal, he relented that he had no other choice but to promoted himself. Any good and loyal subject of the Han would have done the same, after all.

Xiao Ru also sent envoys to the Xianbei Confederacy to make a deal with Budugen the Great. The Xianbeis held lands in the north of Qing Province, lands that Xiao Ru was keen to get his hands on. Not only would this allow him to encircle Tan Shenquan’s territories, but reclaiming these lands from the barbarians would certainly boost his prestige and legitimacy. Of course, his embassy left with gifts and coffers of silver to compensate the Khagan for this loss of territories. While he dragged the negotiations and took joy in humiliating the envoys, Budugen proved to be warming up to the idea (or the bribes) as the year went on. His willingness to deal with the Chinese was shocking news to his son Xibaxiong, who abandoned his role as leader of the Liang barbarian cavalry to return home and try to knock some sense into his father’s head. In the end, he would not be able to convince his father to refuse the offer, although the young barbarian would swear a blood oath to one day reclaim those lands treacherously bought by the southerners. One day…

Things quickly accelerated once news of the conquest of Yang Province reached Chenguo. If Xiao Ru wanted to pull this off, he needed to do it before the end of the year, at which point Emperor Anwu might fancy moving against him for his overt actions toward usurpation. Soon after news of the conquest arrived, an official came forward with an even more surprising revelation. Ding Gongsi, Administrator of Liang Commandery, had a surprising visit during his sleep. The ghost of Emperor Qianfei had appeared to him to tell him that Xiao Ru had to claim his rightful destiny, that it was Heaven’s will. Of course, this completely real revelation did not specifically include a demand to claim the throne, though most could read through the lines.

Two weeks after this surprising turn of events, another official came forward to tell that he had also been visited by the ghost of Emperor Qianfei! What a surprise! And the ghostly emperor now wanted to pass upon Xiao Ru his most prized possession, which was implied to be the Mandate of Heaven. Of course, Xiao Ru did not openly accept the gift, whatever it might be. Then, two days later, another official came forward. But bungling the delivery of his lin… misremembering the previous night, he claimed that he had been visited by three Emperor Qianfei (instead of three ghost emperors including Emperor Qianfei)! Now embarrassed by the whole affair, Xiao Ru decided that maybe the officials should just keep these ghostly apparitions to themselves from now on.

Then an unknown man appeared to the court, a man who Xiao Ru showed everyone that he didn’t know and had never met before (though his sons were acting strangely casual when interacting with the man). The stranger claimed that he had met a dragon at the Nansi Lake. The dragon had expressed that Emperor Anwu’s story of exchanging an eye with a dragon for a great destiny was a complete invention and that he did not hold the Mandate of Heaven. But this dragon, which was real unlike the one met by Emperor Anwu, was here to place upon Xiao Ru’s shoulders the mantle of greatness and destiny (whatever that meant). And Xiao Ru being far more amazing and worthy than the usurper in Chang’an, he didn’t need to offer anything in exchange this time! Amazing! Surprising! Completely true! One official tried pointing out that the end of this story seemed to hint that Emperor Anwu’s dragon was real after all, thus contradicting itself, for which Xiao Ru had him permanently removed from court.

And then came the classic, straight out of Wang Man’s playbook. A peasant found a strange rock in his field, with a simple inscription upon it: “Xiao Ru must be emperor.” This clearly heavenly (and not at all fabricated) rock was quickly brought to the local town sheriff, who immediately had it sent to the provincial capital. The rock was put on display throughout Chenguo, just to make sure that everyone had a good look at the rock that had clearly been carved by Heaven itself. But once again, Xiao Ru refused the order of Heaven, claiming that he was unworthy of such honor.

September proved the final step, and probably the most elaborate so far. A Confucian scholar (who just happened to be a close friend of the scholar Lang) appeared at court one day. He was clearly unexpected, as shown by the people all dressed up in the middle of the night to welcome his arrival. The scholar claimed to have been a part of Emperor Qianfei’s court during his attempt to reclaim power in 217. During that time, the emperor had given him a vital task to safeguard his Imperial insignias, his seal and an edict. Should he perish and the Han be usurped, this was to make its way to Xiao Ru, the most loyal and just and good and loyal and virtuous and loyal and loyal of all the Han officials. What a curious coincidence that this scholar had managed to safeguard everything needed for an imperial enthronement AND to come out just as Xiao Ru was being encouraged by Heaven to take the throne! Clearly a sign from Heaven once again!

Xiao Ru asked the scholar to read the edict, which had obviously been written by Emperor Qianfei himself and not some scribe in Chenguo. The edict dictated that should the Han be destroyed by the evil Yao Shuren, then Emperor Qianfei wanted the most righteous man in China to take up the Mandate of Heaven and succeed the Han as the rightful Emperor of China. And it just happened that Emperor Qianfei had named Xiao Ru as this man! What a massive twist!

Of course, Xiao Ru did as was expected in this situation and refused the throne. He was clearly unworthy. Surely there were more deserving members of the Liu Clan to take up this honor in his place. But surprisingly, the Prince of Rencheng came forward and insisted that Xiao Ru obey the edict. Liu Derun was by now convinced that this edict, as well as the whole story, was the complete truth. As a good imperial clansman, he was determined to uphold the will of Emperor Qianfei. In an unexpected move (even by Xiao Ru), Liu Derun declared that he relinquished his princedom, refusing to hold a title that might threaten the legitimacy of the holder of the Mandate. Cheers rang out at court, and this was followed by a cascade of similar moves from the Liu Clansmen, now feeling the pressure to do the same. They all stepped over each other to surrender their titles and reaffirm their loyalties to the Governor. Xiao Ru couldn’t have dreamed of a better endorsement.

Finally, he had no choice but to accept the throne. Heaven wanted it, the people wanted it, his court wanted it. Even the former Imperial Clan was behind him. On the tenth of October 220, Xiao Ru became Emperor of China at the age of 57. He declared a new dynasty to succeed the Han, the Chen Dynasty, which would one day reclaim the whole of China from the evil usurper in Chang’an. He would posthumously be remembered as Emperor Cheng of Chen (陳成帝; ChénChéng Dì; “The Successful Emperor of Chen”). Unlike Emperor Anwu, Emperor Cheng would not waste any time securing his succession, as his first edict was to appoint Xiao Tung as his new Crown Prince.

The news of Xiao Ru’s ascension brought a halt to the fighting, especially as envoys came to Tan Shenquan with an offer. Emperor Cheng clearly didn’t want to keep his new dynasty embroiled in a prolonged war that would leave him open to an attack by the Liang. Thus, he was offering his enemies one last chance at clemency. In exchange of surrendering Qing Province to him, they would all be allowed to keep their commanderies and be respected as officials of the Chen Dynasty. This offer brought even more pressure on the Qing forces as the Xianbei lands on their northern borders were officially being transferred to the new Chen Dynasty.

While Zhao Yun advised his ally to continue the fight, the generals Ba Daiping and He Jintao were pressuring their liege to accept the deal. Their forces were depleted and weakened. At best, they might be able to force a standstill, and for what? To wait for Ying Mo and the Liang Dynasty to conquer Qing Province? And while Emperor Cheng was proving magnanimous today, it was likely that Emperor Anwu wouldn’t be tomorrow. Frustrated at his powerlessness, Tan Shenquan eventually agreed to surrender the province. As the uncle of the governor, Ding Zhiguo was sent to negotiate the deal, ensuring that his nephew was well treated. By the end of October, Qing Province had passed into Chen hands, to the anger of Zhao Yun. In the end, both parties would come to regret this decision. Emperor Cheng would come to rue having kept Tan Shenquan alive, and the former governor would quickly miss the power he had willingly surrendered. But for now, the war was over, and peace had come to the new dynasty, the true legitimate dynasty. The Chen Dynasty!

__________________________
PS: First of all, congratulations to @Ixarys, as your character Xiao Ru managed to achieve the ultimate achievement: becoming Emperor. As with Yao Shuren, he shall now be called by his posthumous name, Emperor Cheng. I’d say that his rise was far more unexpected than that of Yao Shuren, as Xiao Ru crawled his way from nothing and struggled at every turn while Yao Shuren kinda cruised from success to success.

With the ascension of Xiao Ru and the founding of the Chen Dynasty, we officially put the Han Dynasty behind us!Now the story will shift toward the second part of this AAR, the “Liang-Chen Contention”. While this had already been the case for a while, we will from now on focus on the two rival states and their stories, instead of many warlords and characters spread throughout the map. Also, here is the update on every character and where they are at:

• 
  
• Liu Siyuan (@EtzelHoveri ): Was killed by Feng Zian in 207 at the age of 44. His legacy is that of a great hero of the Han Dynasty, who helped Emperor Qianfei seize back control of his dynasty in a last ditched effort to save it. His last surviving son Liu Kun is currently living in the Chen Dynasty.
• Xiao Ru/Emperor Cheng of Chen (@Ixarys ): The newly enthroned emperor of the Chen Dynasty he started his reign by annexing Qing Province, which immediately gave him a strong position to work from. Currently has six children, a daughter (Xiao Xiaowen, 191) and three sons (Crown Prince Xiao Tung, 193, Xiao Bin, 196, and Xiao Dang 199) from his wife Lady Xia, as well as a son (Xiao Hanhe, 196) and a daughter (Xiao Cha, 206) from a concubine.
• Jiang Xian (@Massinissa the Wise ): The former Chancellor of the Han, he committed suicide in 206 at the age of 40 when it became clear that Yuan Shu would take Luoyang. Unlike Liu Siyuan, his legacy is that of a corrupt official who abused his authority and played a key role in weakening the Han through his machinations. Of the ten characters, he was the first and to die and the youngest at the time of his death. His family is still on the run, fearful that Emperor Anwu might want them dead for their association with the Han Dynasty.
• Feng Zian (@Idhrendur ): The late Grand Commandant of the Han Imperial Army, he died at the age of 43from injuries sustained during Yao Shuren’s invasion of the Han. Is often seen as the last great hero of the Han Dynasty. His two sons now fight on opposing sides, with Feng Yong pledging himself to the Liang Dynasty while Feng Guo currently serve the new Chen Dynasty.
• Xuan Su (@HistoryDude ): Xuan Su is currently back in control of Bing Province, General of the Flying Cavalry of the Liang Dynasty and a close advisor of Emperor Anwu. Even so, he still seek more power and influence for himself within the new regime. He has three daughter (Xuan Zhenfeng, 196, Xuan Zhaoyui, 207, Xuan Jinluan, 209), and five sons (Xuan Bohai, 200-200, and Xuan Mei, 204, Xuan Lu, 205, Xuan Zian, 208, Xuan Xueyou, 220).
• Hu Zan (@patpekala ): Hu Zan currently serves as Administrator of Donghai Commandery and is currently a general of the Chen Dynasty, though he has serves in various other offices under before the establishment of the Dynasty. His talents and his closeness with the crown prince seem to indicate that he is destined for a great career under the new imperial regime, though his relationship with Emperor Cheng is tense as of late. He has four sons, Hu Da (191-217) from his first marriage with Feng Ai and Hu Weizhi (198), Hu Jingxuan (200) and Hu Ah (201) from his second marriage with Zhu Fanjing. Also has a daughter Hu Xianji (207) from his third marriage with Chen Jiner. He has five grandsons, with Hu Zhongli (216-220) having already preceded him in death.
• Yang Weili (@Specialist290 ): Yang Weili was a great general who finished his career in the service of Xiao Ru, dying at the age of 58 from natural causes. He was the last of the character to die during the Han Dynasty, and in his last moments proved loyal to its restauration. His only surviving son Yang Qub is currently Administrator of Runan Commandery and the first Excellency of Works of the Chen Dynasty. He is also married to Feng Nuwang, daughter of Feng Zian, with who he had two sons (although only one of them, Yang Guangxu, is still alive).
• Yao Shuren/Emperor Anwu of Liang (@binobo ): Emperor Anwu has been the one to end the Han and replace it with his own Liang Dynasty, after which he successfully conquered Yang Province. He controld the entirely of western China. Has two daughters (Yao Ki, 194, and Yao Xiangjun, 195) from his late wife Guo Yuyi, a daughter (Yao Xiaoya, 202) and a son (Yao Xiu, 203) from his first Empress Cheng Guanglie, two daughters (Yao Shanxiang, 202, and Yao Suying, 204) from a concubine named Xiaofan, as well as a son (Crown Prince Yao Yuan, 205) and a daughter (Yao Chuntao, 217) from his current Empress Liang Na.
• Mo Jie (@Midnite Duke ): Mo Jie has recently returned to the Liang court to serve as Excellency of Works. He is also the Governor of Kong Province and has been made the Marquis of Kong. He most recently played a key role in the selection of the Liang Crown Prince, though not in the way he had hoped. He has six daughters, three from his wife Ma Yunlu (Mo Daiyu, 198, Mo Xiaowen, 204, Mo Shanwei, 207), two from a deceased concubine named Shaoming (Ma Zanghua, 203, Mo Zuimei, 207), and one from a concubine named Tonge (Ma Xinyue, 213), making him the only character of the cast yet to have a son.
• Pan Zheng (@Dunaden ): Pan Zheng currently served as Governor of Yi Province, Marquis of Yi, and most importantly, as the first ever Chancellor of the Liang Dynasty. Even with such responsibilities, his focus had mostly been on crushing the barbarians occupying Jiaozhi Province (a goal he had failed to achieve in spectacular fashions). He has two sons (Pan Zhiyuan, 198, Pan Ciqing, 216) and two daughters (Pan Ruoxin, 205, Pan Hongyu, 207) from his late wife Fang Xia, and one daughter (Pan Xiaoji, 206) from a concubine named Chunluo. His marriage with Princess Xiaoya, Emperor Anwu’s favorite daughter, has yet to produce any child.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Thank you for the update. Liang will crush Chen quickly.

 

[EtzelHoveri]

No stress about reply time. You're very busy. Thanks for the update and hopefully they okay it so less stress.

I was surprised to see that you were continuing the story still. Thought it would end here honestly. Makes sense though. Was excited about making up a new character for your next game. Very curious what you would do next. So far we've done AGOT and Three Kingdoms. Maybe Avatar the Last Airbender?

 

[Bibliophile]

Very curious what you would do next. So far we've done AGOT and Three Kingdoms. Maybe Avatar the Last Airbender?

I’m partial to the Guardian of Azeroth mod (World of Warcraft) myself. But we shall wait and see.

Anyway, Xiao Ru was certainly not one of the people I expected to become an emperor. Then again, for all his remarkable talent for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, he also has a remarkable luck whereby things seem to go his way in the end despite all the factors preventing it. This example was certainly helped along by him making his own luck with those “totally real” signs from Heaven.

 

[Zamarak500]

Thank you for the update. Liang will crush Chen quickly.

I wouldn't give out on the Chen too quickly. While they are maller and have less troops (Chen has 20k while Liang has 40k), this is in many ways a temporary advantage based on the martial of both emperors. If both Dynasties can survive their Emperor, Chen will find itself with the martial ruler (Xiao Tung) while Liang will have the one staying away from battlefields (Yao Yuan).

Plus, the Liang might be big, but half of its lands are jungles or mountainous borderlands, which aren't exactly prime estates. Meanwhile, the Chen is only made of the Central Plains and prosperous coastal regions.

I'm not saying that the Chen isn't the weaker one (it is. Oh god, it certainly is), but it isn't completely fucked from the get go.

I was surprised to see that you were continuing the story still. Thought it would end here honestly. Makes sense though. Was excited about making up a new character for your next game. Very curious what you would do next. So far we've done AGOT and Three Kingdoms. Maybe Avatar the Last Airbender?

I’m partial to the Guardian of Azeroth mod (World of Warcraft) myself. But we shall wait and see.

I don't know yet. Assuming that I'm still doing AARs after this one (I assume by that point I'll be in my doctorate, so maybe I just won't have the time) or that I don't decide to simply continue the history of the winning dynasty past unification (doing the actual story of China about the winner from the founding to the end, and maybe a second round of civil war and heroes and chara creations after that), I'm not sure

I had couple of ideas that have poped in and out of my head, like a Crisis of the Confederation AAR (though while people are working on it, the progress has been slow and it still has some bugs), a Imperator Rome AAR about Roman Senators using some mods that really add to the Senate (though Imperator does have characters be less relevant than in Crusader Kings, so that's an issue for character focused AARs), or maybe the Warhammer mod about great Bretonnian Knights in a story of chivalry and fight against the various evils of the world (or something else. The Warhammer mod really has a lot of options and has provided me a lot of solid ideas that never stick in my mind however).

To adress your ideas though:

• the Four Nations mod (Avatar tLA) is somewhat static, with a few exceptions (the Fire Nation, the Qin believers, The Northern Water Tribe when it goes warlike), which kinda limit the options and possibilities for the story. Maybe something with the Avatar and his companions, but while they did rework the avatar system it still seems barebone.
• For Guardian of Azeroth (Warcraft), I also noticed that unless you are a ruler your life won't be that exciting usually (with some exception and consol command on my part). I did it with friends once and they mostly just sat around not doing much until I kinda cheezed the game toward making them relevant. Maybe something closer to Dragon Kin with important courtiers in one or various courts could work. Then again, where? While the game clearly has continent far more interesting than the other, it still leaves load of choices, which might result in the PCs never interacting in any meaningful ways.

I'm not saying these ideas are off the table, and if I do find a spin about them that I like they might get bumped up on my list of ideas, but currently I'm unsure how interesting they will be.

 

[streaker77]

he could use the other side of the great usurper’s plan: weird mystical signs and contrived events.

His first move in that direction would be somewhat laughable and far-fetched, yet still more grounded in reality than his following plans. After asking his main scholar Lang to make a full genealogy of his family, the scholar came back with some amazing and absolutely real discoveries. Xiao Ru was directly descended from none other than Xiao He, one of the Three Heroes of the early Han Dynasty and the first Imperial Chancellor of the Han, serving under both Emperor Gaozu (202-195 BC) and Emperor Hui (195-188 BC)! His late father was thus a noble of the highest of lineages, and NOT a simple gardener, which he NEVER WAS, EVER. Possibly just as surprising, his late mother was also of noble birth and a direct descendant of the Dukes of Chen, who ruled their state during the Spring and Autumn Period.

I really enjoyed this part of the chapter, both for how realistic it is in history and how funny some parts of it were, thinking I may have to try the magical rock message myself for my own ends. (Streaker77 deserves a raise)

I find myself rooting for the Chen a little bit as I am not as connected with the Liang as I started the AAR late and dont have a character, so I hope the underdog can hang on for a while, but Emperor Anwu will be the Chens toughtest test yet and I fear not even dragon given mantle of greatness and destiny will be enough to stop the onslaught of the Liang.

 

[Zamarak500]

220-221: LONG LIVE… THE HAN?​

Emperor Anwu had done quite well since he inherited the Mandate of Heaven from the Han Dynasty seventeen months ago. In that short span of time, he had been able to establish the basis for his dynastic regime, reinforcing the administrative apparatus he had built around himself while Chancellor of the Han. He had managed to bring back Yang Province into the imperial fold after three decades of independence and lawlessness. And he had even solved his own succession issues by finally appointing a crown prince, although this had happened only after a humiliating scandal from his previous wife and some good and convincing advice on the part of Mo Jie, the current Excellency of Works. Things seemed to be going well for the Liang Dynasty, despite some small hick ups here and there.

But then he started to get news from Chen Province saying that its governor, the evil and irredeemable Xiao Ru, had dared to declare himself emperor of his own dynasty, the Chen Dynasty. Succession and marital problems had kept the Liang court from listening to the stories coming from the province about mystical signs and ghostly apparitions. Probably unimportant nonsense, especially when compared to the question of succession. But now in October, the Liang court was warned of this pretender, trying to contend with the heavenly might of the rightful dynasty. Emperor Anwu took this news with a mix of anger and annoyance. Xiao Ru? Xiao Ru had dared to declare himself an emperor? Wasn’t he just the son of some gardener who murdered a guy? This was what the people of Chen Province considered emperor material?

Worst news yet was that Budugen had surrendered his Qing lands to the Chen Dynasty, an inacceptable move according to the Liang emperor. What was the point of a treaty with the Xianbei Confederacy if they were going to help his rivals? This was inexcusable., and something had to be done. But at the end of the day, Emperor Anwu had to admit that… well… what could be done? Budugen the Great did not earn his nickname for nothing. He was ruling the largest coalition o nomadic tribes seen in a century, maybe more. Any hostile action against the Khagan would threaten the peace on the northern border, a prospect that Emperor Anwu wanted to avoid at all cost. Worst case scenario, it might lead Budugen to actively support the pretender in Chenguo. In the end, the only option was to do nothing and accept that Budugen did not require Liang approval to act on his own.

What could be done, however, was to support Ying Mo’s attempt to seize Qing Province. Tan Shenquan had surprisingly chosen to surrender the province to the new Chen Dynasty, ensuring that the Chen now controlled a large section of the coastlines. But if Ying Mo was able to retake the province, he was sure to accept Liang suzerainty, thus boxing in the Chen Dynasty and depriving it from a path of expansion. Immediately, Emperor Anwu ordered his Grand Commandant Yang Xiu to send supply and equipment to Ying Mo’s host, with plans to send the imperial army to back him up soon after.

However, only the first part of this plan would be put into action due to another barbarian revolt forcing the Emperor’s attention inward. A tribe of Di barbarians seeking more freedom and rights decided to rise up, having seemingly learned nothing from the previous attempts to revolt against the Liang. This time, the local barbarians on the western border of Bing Province found themselves oppressed, with some imperial officials forbidding them from performing their religious ceremonies, which the Chinese confused for witchcraft (which was a crime punishable by death). Furious, the Di barbarians assembled around a warrior named Ziren, a man who was both learned and skilled. Ziren promised to force the Liang Dynasty to respect their beliefs and rights, to the joy of his brethren.

As soon as this was announced, the General of the Flying Cavalry Xuan Su declared his intention to raise loyal troops and march on the rebels. His troops were already mobilized by the time that Chang’an was warned of the rebellion. Xuan Su personally took command of this little expedition to go secure key positions that might be endangered by this dangerous rebellion. And so Xuan Su, in his upmost loyalty, took his soldiers and marched… east? Into Changshan Commandery? When this became known in the Imperial Capital, it led to confusion and incredulity. What was happening here?

As it turned out, Xuan Su was simply using the revolt as an excuse to wage a local war with his neighbor and do what Xuan Su did best: steal lands from his fellow officials. Changshan Commandery was seen as the Gate into the eastern provinces, at least from Bing Province. Xuan Su had actually attempted to take the region during his short stint as an independent warlord, only to see his followers turn against him. The Governor never really let go of his ambition to expand east and take Changshan Commandery, something that Emperor Anwu was acutely aware of. This was why he had appointed Hu Cen as the new administrator of the commandery before they left to invade Yang Province. Hu Cen was an experienced general with little ambition of his own, with expressed orders to never allow Xuan Su to even approach Changshan Commandery. Except that Hu Cen was now an infirm old man on his deathbed, with his far less experienced son angling to get himself appointed as his successor. In this situation, surely no one would mind if Xuan Su came in to “stabilize the situation”.

Of course, this explanation did not fly with the Imperial Court in Chang’an. Emperor Anwu could see exactly what Xuan Su was trying to do, and he was not going to let him have his way. The Chancellor Pan Zheng agreed, petitioning that “the traitor Xuan Su be brought to the Imperial Capital in chains, so that the people could see the face of evil defeated by his Imperial Majesty.” But Emperor Anwu wasn’t willing to go that far. For all the problems that he caused, Xuan Su was a competent subordinate. Finding a replacement with the same military skills and with enough local influence to keep the province peaceful would be difficult. Instead, the Emperor had his Chancellor draft an edict ordering Xuan Su to lead his troops west and deal with the Di barbarian uprising. An exact number of troops was even demanded, just to make sure that the Governor didn’t send only a token army while continuing his offensive east. Infuriated, but realist about his chances against the Emperor, Xuan Su chose to obey and abandoned his little expedition east.

But the barbarian uprising of Ziren would prove an afterthought compared to the new threat that appeared by the end of the year. In December 220, a peasant army rose up in northern Yi Province against the authority of the Dynasty. What made them particularly worrisome was their goal. The rebels shouted “Bring back the Han! Return the true Dynasty!” at every town they passed by. They were carrying Han banners and performing sacrifice to the Han Emperors, pledging to remove the usurper and restore the Dynasty.

In January 221, a similar peasant movement appeared in Liang Province, the old powerbase of Emperor Anwu. From the reports arriving to the Capital, these rebels went from door to door, trying to find someone with the surname Liu to hail as Emperor. They eventually found a man named Tiankai, who claimed to be the secret son of Emperor Xian (189-201). His mother had hidden his existence from the evil Chancellor Jiang Xian to save him. But now that the Dynasty needed him, he could no longer live in obscurity. It was time for the true heir of the Han to overthrow the usurper! A nice story, if a made up one.

For Emperor Anwu, these were not good news. He had been expecting some sort of Han loyalist countermove, but he had always been convinced that this would come from the outside. One of the warlords refusing to acknowledge him would have surely enthroned his own little Han Emperor, thus ensuring that he be the next target of the Liang Imperial Army. But the peasantry rising up was a bad sign. They were supposed to be subdued and convinced of the good that represented the Liang Dynasty. If they started rising up, then the Han movement might spread to the whole realm. This needed to be nipped in the bud before it got too big.

Meanwhile, the barbarian followers of Ziren looked at this and wondered how to react. They saw this these peasant movements and wonder if they shouldn’t join in. Surely a newly restored Han Dynasty would be thankful enough to give them more autonomy? Yes, this sounded like a good idea to Ziren. But one of his subordinates named Duo came forward firmly opposing the idea. If they joined the Han loyalists, they would be crushed by the Imperial Army and executed as traitors. If their only goal was local rights, then they might be able to negotiate a deal with Chang’an, especially with Emperor Anwu now having bigger fishes to deal with. It was their one chance at a good life, and Ziren was throwing it away. But Duo’s opinion was the minority, and soon enough the Di barbarians declared themselves loyal to the Han Dynasty and ready to overthrow the evil Liang usurper.

But Ziren didn’t have long to celebrate (or regret), his hasty decision to rally himself to the Han cause. By the middle of February, the Imperial troops led by Xuan Su were approaching the barbarian villages that had joined in with the rebellion. Xuan Su being Xuan Su, he showed no sympathy toward his enemies, allowing his soldiers to slaughter, pillage and rape as much as they pleased. With his plans foiled by the Imperial Court, the Governor was in no mood to feel lenient. Ziren tried to rally his followers to protect the villages, but they were quickly crushed by the might of Xuan Su’s army. By the end of the month, the revolt had been brought to its knees. Most of the leaders, Ziren included, were captured and executed. Notably absent of this group was Duo, the rebel who had expressed opposition to joining the Han restorationists. Seeing how things were going, he had convinced Ziren to give him some troops for a dashing maneuver to strike at the back of the Imperial Army. Duo took these men and ran away with them, thus saving their lives from the ruthless punishments inflicted by Xuan Su on the captured.

While this was happening, a similar scenario was playing out in Yi Province. Xu Chu had been dispatched to deal with the rebellious host screaming Han slogans at the gates of the cities. The court in Chang’an refused to respond to this threat with half measures. Emperor Anwu personally charged his greatest and most brutal warrior to destroy these Han loyalists, with Xu Chu happily accepting his orders. The Marquis of Longxi (the title Xu Chu was granted by the Emperor) then made his way south, where he forced the local villages to either supply him or be destroyed. Those that refused were met with massive amounts of violence as “Han sympathizers”. It did lead many peasants to join the rebellion, but this also left a trail that led Xu Chu right to the rebels. After a few skirmishes, he managed to get to their camp and have them all slaughtered. Once Xu Chu’s victory was secured, Emperor Anwu ordered him to stay in the region to ensure that the local peasantry stayed in line.

Tiankai’s movement proved a bit more problematic to deal with. The general that was dispatched to deal with him was Yin Rong, who had gained some notoriety for crushing a small barbarian uprising while most of the army was occupied with the Yang Campaign. However, his progress toward Liang Province was proving slow, which should have allowed Tiankai the time to either fortify or recruit people to his cause. He might have even been able to build a movement similar to the old Liang rebellion if he had harvested barbarian support for his Han restoration. But none of this was possible due to the efforts of the local administrator whose lands he was occupying: Hu Zhen, the oldest supporter of Emperor Anwu.

When Hu Zhen realized that his people were rising up against the rightful emperor of China to support some Han wannabe pretender, he immediately mobilized the garrisons under his command. His offensive approach actually took Tiankai by surprise, who did not expect an imperial response so soon. The courageous and violent assaults of the old man forced the rebels on the defensive. Any resource that they could have put toward growing their movement had to be spent on fighting Hu Zhen and his men. But while Hu Zhen did well, he could not win. No only did he lack the troops, but he was not the most reliable commander. Already hindered by his occasional bouts of insanities, his age also proved a detrimental factor. By now he was in his mid-70’s, leaving him physically unfit to lead the troops at times. He was still able to hold until March though, at which point Yin Rong arrived with the Liang troops. Together, they were able to wage an offensive war against Tiankai, eventually capturing and executing him by the end of the month.

But two weeks before the defeat of Tiankai, the Han restorationist cause got its biggest boost in support, this time from outside the Liang Dynasty. The generals Ba Daiping and Tan Shenquan of the Chen Dynasty declared that they were starting a grand coalition against the Liang usurper to restore the Han Dynasty. Already Tan Shenquan was deeply regretting his decision to submit to Emperor Cheng and the Chen Dynasty, and by early 221 he was looking for an out. But Ba Daiping was the one to launch this whole campaign, which was strange considering the recent ties he had built with his emperor. But for the general, news of the Han restorationist brought a simple question to mind: “Wouldn’t it be simpler to just restore the Han and be done with this Liang and Chen business?” And so they launched their campaign against the Liang Dynasty, their goal being to restore the Han with themselves as pillars of this renewed regime.

This was baffling news to the Liang court. Hadn’t they just created their new Chen Dynasty five months ago? So why were Chen generals declaring themselves loyal to the Han? It would have made sense before Xiao Ru declared himself emperor, but now? Even Emperor Anwu couldn’t understand what was his rival’s plan for all this, a fact made even more complex by the exact same confusion found in the Chen court. Emperor Cheng had never approved this “Han restoration” coalition, leaving him feeling snubbed by his new subordinates for acting behind his back. While Tan Shenquan insisted that this was just an excuse and that the goal was actually Chen expansion, Emperor Cheng wasn’t stupid. While he did nothing against them for the time being (unwilling to throw his new dynasty into a civil war, yet), he did not lift a finger to help their war effort. He simply ordered his troops to ready themselves in case the Liang used this as an excuse to invade.

The only one who looked at this invasion with interest was Xuan Su, who as always wondered if he could not use this to his advantage. Yes, the peasant Han loyalists had been crushed, but it might spring back up if the two generals had enough success. And if this campaign seemed to gain enough momentum, it might be advantageous to join force with Ba Daiping and Tan Shenquan. The might of Bing Province would be a great asset to their cause, great enough that Xuan Su would surely be able to extract favorable power in the new Han regime. Maybe he could even be Chancellor of this restored Han Dynasty? He went so far as to pen a letter to the two generals, though in the end he chose to wait before making contact. A wise decision that certainly saved his career and his life.

Because Emperor Anwu wasn’t going to let these two “Han loyalists” just walk to Luoyang and restore the Han Dynasty. Leaving the Imperial Capital in the capable hands of Chancellor Pan Zheng, he took his elite barbarian calvary and made his way east, only stopping at the garrisons and army posts to add the soldiers to his force. In the end, he had more than 7000 Imperial Soldiers under his command, a far larger force than what the invaders had at their disposal.

Accompanying the Emperor was a new face in the Liang military hierarchy, the twenty-three years old Guan Tie. The second son of the great warrior Guan Yu (who died in 220), Guan Tie had decided to follow his father’s example by finding a cause to fight for. In his case, this cause would be the Liang Dynasty, which he saw as the future of China. He proved an apt young man, performing quite well at court and catching the eye of some higher-ranking officials. Soon after the start of the Yang campaign, he was appointed as Administrator of Cangwu Commandery, the most southern territories of the Liang Dynasty. His efficient handling of the barbarian in the region were lauded at court, which eventually led to his current appointment by the Emperor’s side. Emperor Anwu saw in Guan Tie the perfect example of what he sought in the future generation of Liang officers. Great generals with great military talent, little to no ambition, and who were not too stupid as to miss the signs of a potential usurper against the dynasty. If this campaign went well, then Guan Tie could expect a promising future.

Ba Daiping and Tan Shenquan had vastly overestimated their chances. By the time they arrived in the Liang Dynasty, the pro-Han movement that they hoped to rally around their banner had been utterly crushed, leaving them without allies. Even worse was the lack of support from the people they met. While on the borderland the harsh life constantly led to revolts, the people of the Central Plains welcomed the peace and prosperity brought by the Liang Dynasty. The last time that the Han was unified and peaceful had been before the Yellow Turban Rebellion four decades ago, and even then, it was a corrupt and broken state. The Liang was seen as a turning point, and most were willing to bet that it was for the better.

It didn’t help that while Ba Daiping was an excellent commander, he was no politician. He failed to rally the people to their cause, and mostly focused on the military aspect of their campaign while neglecting the political side of things. And then they met the Imperial Army of Emperor Anwu. The first battle between the two forces took place in June. While Guan Tie pointed out that they didn’t even need to field their full army at this point, the Emperor insisted. Those that defied the true holder of the Mandate of Heaven needed to feel their mistake. The battle was a slaughter, with half of the enemy soldiers killed or captured (and the captured ones were executed). The half-sized army fled close to the Chen border, hoping to resupply and try again. Sadly for them, the Liang army caught up with them in early July and forced them to another pitched battle. Most of Ba Daiping and Tan Shenquan’s men deserted right before the fighting started, with the two generals eventually choosing to do the same in order to save their lives.

Emperor Anwu would have gladly continued the pursuit until he killed those two, but they escaped to the safety of a six thousand men Chen army watching upon the border. The Chen force, led by Crown Prince Tung, were here to send a clear signal to the Liang army. The Chen would not let them pass. Xiao Tung sent envoys to the Liang army camp, offering to meet the Emperor on the border to discuss the illegal invasion of his territories and a way to end this peacefully. But Emperor Anwu refused to even meet the envoy, unwilling as he was to give the Chen Dynasty even an ounce of recognition or legitimacy. In the end, he chose to abandon this campaign knowing that his enemies had been crushed beyond repair. While he had the numerical advantage, the Emperor didn’t feel risking such an important battle knowing that his forces were spread through the empire, and he definitively worried about Xuan Su if he was to lose this fight. For his part, Xiao Tung lamented this missed opportunity to meet the great Yao Shuren in the flesh, to the surprise of his companions. Emperor Anwu thus returned home, victorious, but still frustrated.

 

[Bibliophile]

That was certainly an unexpected last gasp of the Han, considering it seemed that dynasty lay dead and festering; consigned to the pages of history. Granted it wasn't truly the Han, but I was certain we had heard the last of Han restoration when Xiao Ru became Emperor Cheng.

This wasn't a true first confrontation between the two dynasties; but Anwu will probably be keeping a close watch on the Chen Dynasty as a result of that debacle.

 

[HistoryDude]

China is divided, with two dynasties and others harboring ambitions... This period is far from over.

 

[Midnite Duke]

Liang is not the most popular empire ever, many rebellions. Thank you for the update and may the thesis go smoothly.

 

[Zamarak500]

Liang is not the most popular empire ever, many rebellions. Thank you for the update and may the thesis go smoothly.

Well for the thesis, the good news is I'm going to be able to submit it this September. That bad news is that it means the next two weeks will be my final rush toward the finish line to correct problems it still has, so the AAR is back on hiatus! Though I am probably going to try to post the next chapter in the coming week, since it's already half written and is actually made in part of cut content from this chapter.

 

[streaker77]

This is like whack-a-mole, put down one small rebellion and another littlle delusional band pops up, still If the great Anwu is plagued with these problems, his heir will likely face far more difficult challenges, and he will have to be ready to rise to the occasion or the Liang could fall via death by a thousand cuts.

 

[EtzelHoveri]

I'm not saying these ideas are off the table, and if I do find a spin about them that I like they might get bumped up on my list of ideas, but currently I'm unsure how interesting they will be.

Maybe do a Sengoku game? That is more character based but I haven't played it in years.