Before Declaring Emperor 4

On the way to Chang’an. I got off my horse and boarded a carriage with Zhuge Liang. It had been a really long time since I rode in a carriage. Wasn’t it the first time since the family welcomed me from Jingzhou to Chengdu?

The reason I deliberately rode in a carriage instead of a horse was because Zhuge Liang kept wanting to discuss state affairs with me.

‘No, I really don’t know about internal affairs.’

It’s true that I know many people in the Secretariat who are in charge of internal affairs. But it would be fair to say I’ve never had in-depth conversations about internal affairs with them.

I had only planned the Northern Expedition together with Minister of Works Huang Quan, who was practically the head of administration when the Chancellor position was vacant.

Of course, Huang Quan wasn’t the only official in the Secretariat I was acquainted with.

Deng Zhi, Minister of the Northern客曹 in charge of diplomacy with ethnic minorities and foreign countries in the north.

Ma Liang, who became Minister of the Southern 客曹 for his merit in persuading Sima Yi during the Battle for Jingzhou.

Liu Ba, Minister of the 常侍曹 managing the affairs of nobles and high officials.

Among the six ministers under the Minister of Works overseeing each 曹 (department), half had shared friendship with me. Perhaps that’s why Zhuge Liang mistakenly thought I was interested in internal affairs too.

For reference, the other ministers were Li Ji, Minister of the 民曹 overseeing the memorials (上書) of civil and military officials, and Chen Zhen, of the 二千石曹 managing governors and chancellors receiving 2,000 shi of grain as salary.

Uniquely, the 二千石曹 had two ministers, and Yang Yi, whom I sent as governor of Yingchang, was the minister of this department. I don’t know who was appointed as his successor because I didn’t pay much attention.

Even general questions about internal affairs were troublesome, but questions related to personnel matters were especially so.

Even simple character evaluations are issues to be handled very carefully. How much more so for direct personnel appointments.

Fortunately, Zhuge Liang seemed to notice my discomfort and mostly asked about military affairs. Yes, I have a lot to say about these things.

From reviewing the battles that took place in this Northern Expedition to future grand strategies. Zhuge Liang and I discussed quite diverse topics.

Among them was this:

“I’ve recently made something called the Eight Array Diagram, and I wonder if it might be useful now that our country has taken Xiliang and can easily raise cavalry.”

“By Eight Array Diagram, do you mean the military formation that Feng Hou created?”

“Yes. I’ve made my own modifications, would you like to see?”

Zhuge Liang pulled out a paper booklet he had prepared at some point.

The legendary battle formation whose name and only parts were passed down to later generations, with the original form uncertain, was right before my eyes. I immersed myself in reading the booklet, forgetting I was in front of Zhuge Liang.

As history changed and Shu Han’s circumstances also changed, it seemed Zhuge Liang’s Eight Array Diagram had also changed with the additional development of not only the Yuan Rong he developed independently, but also the Jiang Nu I and Pang Yuan participated in developing.

The placement of old soldiers handling Yuan Rong and Jiang Nu, archers capable of more situational supporting fire, and infantry and cavalry was extremely systematic.

‘It’s similar to Jan Žižka’s war wagon tactics.’

Or should I say Jan Žižka’s war wagon tactics resembled Zhuge Liang’s Eight Array Diagram, since Zhuge Liang devised it earlier?

The one-eyed great general Jan Žižka, who thoroughly defeated medieval knights who were killing machines themselves while leading peasant troops.

He achieved victory by building fortifications with war wagons to block the knights’ charges and attacking with hand cannons, artillery, and crossbows.

In the case of the Eight Array Diagram, the basic framework was almost identical except for replacing those gunpowder weapons with Yuan Rong and Jiang Nu.

On top of that, unlike Jan Žižka who dealt with peasant conscripts without established military discipline and little proper training experience, Zhuge Liang created the Eight Array Diagram assuming a proper army, so he covered a wider range of tactics.

First, the fact that there was cavalry, though few, created a difference. While it basically focuses on defense, it also incorporates anvil and hammer tactics of sending cavalry around to attack externally.

Moreover, it includes not just tactics but also drill, marching, operations, and encampment, so it was more appropriate to see it as an overall operational art rather than just a simple battle formation.

“It’s amazing. When building barriers with carts, it’s advantageous for defense, but there’s a limitation that it’s difficult to respond flexibly once the formation is set. Yet you seem to have overcome even that.”

In Jan Žižka’s case, he negated the disadvantages of the war wagon formation by grasping the timing of advance and retreat brilliantly, and preemptively occupying advantageous positions.

However, Zhuge Liang, who had better conditions than Jan Žižka, was presenting a different solution.

“As expected of Mingjing. You understand right away.”

“In my view, I think the Eight Array Diagram you created, Military Advisor, would be effective in actual battle. How about trying to raise a unit trained in the Eight Array Diagram?”

“Hmm, I would like to do that too, but I have difficulties due to being busy with public and private affairs. So I’d like to entrust my Eight Array Diagram to Mingjing, and I’m curious about your thoughts.”

It’s clear that our country’s military policy will be defensive for the time being.

Given the stance of consolidating what we’ve gained through this Northern Expedition while strengthening our internal affairs, there will be more than enough time to focus on training… For me, it was a proposal that could only be beneficial, with no harm.

“By all means. Rather, it’s what I wanted to ask of you, Military Advisor.”

“Haha, is that so?”

When I took the position of highly evaluating his tactics and wanting to learn them, Zhuge Liang smiled as if pleased.

Afterwards, on the way to Chang’an, I received teachings about the Eight Array Diagram from Zhuge Liang.

The Eight Array Diagram, which reflected Zhuge Liang’s perfectionist tendencies, required extremely delicate military operations. The organic changes that seemed like gears meshing together were truly the essence of the Eight Array Diagram.

However, if it were just military command, I could have struggled to learn it on my own. The reason I deliberately received Zhuge Liang’s teachings was for another reason.

Since there were aspects where ideology was added to the Eight Array Diagram, I needed to properly understand Zhuge Liang’s thoughts.

When I was reviewing and pondering the Eight Array Diagram alone, Zhuge Liang was writing a memorial. It was a memorial urging Liu Bei, who was still refusing to ascend the imperial throne, to declare himself emperor.

Since he refused once just before I left Chang’an, and refused again while I was in Anding, it would be the third time if Zhuge Liang submitted a memorial.

Just like the three visits to the thatched cottage, it’s an implicit principle not to refuse on the third time, so Liu Bei would probably accept Zhuge Liang’s memorial and ascend the throne.

The intention was clearly to give more power to Zhuge Liang, whom Liu Bei trusts the most, and to capture the hearts of scholars and people with the writing of Zhuge Liang, a famous writer of the world.

Knowing this, Zhuge Liang wrote and erased his writing several times in the agony of creation while composing the memorial. Even a genius like Zhuge Liang must find it not easy to deal with content urging someone to become emperor.

When I spoke up saying he should take a rest, concerned for Zhuge Liang’s health as he didn’t rest for even a moment even on the carriage, he politely refused, saying this was an important time.

As soon as we arrived in Chang’an, Zhuge Liang presented the memorial he had prepared to Liu Bei.

As everyone expected, Liu Bei accepted Zhuge Liang’s memorial and declared he would ascend the throne.

Befitting the Han dynasty born from the fire virtue of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang, the Red Emperor, when the day of Bingwu came when the fire virtue was most prosperous, Liu Bei completed his purification, put on ceremonial robes, and ascended the altar.

“The 27th year of Jian’an (222 AD), on the day of Bingwu in the 4th month. Emperor Liu Bei respectfully offers a black ox to clearly report to the Supreme Deity of August Heaven and the Divine Blessings of Houtu.”

Liu Bei’s declaration offering a black ox as sacrifice to inform the gods of heaven and earth of his ascension to the imperial throne continued at length.

The declaration, said to have been written by Liu Ba, pointed out that Wei had no legitimacy while criticizing the lack of virtue of Cao Cao and Cao Pi.

At the same time, while being humble saying he himself also lacked virtue, Liu Bei argued for the justification of declaring himself emperor by saying there was no one else to follow the Mandate of Heaven by continuing the Han imperial family.

Liu Bei’s voice, more powerful than ever, was not covered even by the sound of strong winds. And when Liu Bei’s oration ended, cheers of “Long live!” resounded filling the sky.

It was finally the moment Liu Bei ascended to emperor.

Though he ascended the throne one year later than in the original history, Liu Bei’s feelings would not be dissatisfied at all despite ascending late.

The Liu Bei then who ascended the throne burning with desire for revenge after losing Jingzhou and losing his brothers, and the Liu Bei before my eyes ascending the throne in Chang’an proclaiming the great cause of unifying the realm after recovering Guanzhong.

There’s no need to ponder which would be more satisfying.

Does he know that difference started from my hands?

Though my feelings about the event of reviving the Han dynasty were faint, my excitement was as great and intense as anyone gathered here.

In emotions that felt like tears might come out, I shouted with all my might along with others:

“Long live! Long live! Ten thousand years!”