When the Later Sovereign heard in Chengdu that Deng Ai had captured Mianzhu and that Zhuge Zhan and his son had perished, he was struck with terror and hastily summoned his civil and military officials for counsel. An attendant reported: "Outside the city walls, the common people, carrying the elderly and leading the young, fill the air with their wailing as they flee for their lives." The Later Sovereign, panic-stricken and at a loss, received a scout's report that the Wei army was approaching the city. The assembled officials argued: "Our troops are few and our generals too scarce to meet the enemy in battle. It would be better to abandon Chengdu now and flee to the seven commanderies of the Southern lands. The terrain there is treacherous and defensible, and we can borrow the southern troops to recover our position later." The Grand Master of Remonstrance, Qiao Zhou, objected: "That cannot be done. The the Southern Tribes have long been rebellious, and we have shown them no favors. If we now throw ourselves upon their mercy, we will surely invite great calamity." Other officials then proposed: "Shu and Wu are bound by alliance. Now that the crisis is upon us, we can seek refuge with them." Qiao Zhou again admonished: "Since ancient times, there has never been a Son of Heaven who became a guest in another state. I calculate that Wei will devour Wu, but Wu cannot devour Wei. To proclaim ourselves vassals to Wu is one humiliation. If Wu is then swallowed by Wei, Your Majesty would have to proclaim vassalage to Wei a second time—that would be a double disgrace. It would be better not to flee to Wu but to surrender to Wei. Wei will surely grant you lands and enfeoff you. Thus, you may preserve your ancestral temples above and protect the common people below. I beg Your Majesty to consider this." The Later Sovereign remained undecided and withdrew into the palace. The next day, the debate grew even more heated. Seeing the urgency of the situation, Qiao Zhou submitted a memorial to press his case.
The Later Sovereign, persuaded by Qiao Zhou's counsel, was about to announce his surrender when a figure suddenly emerged from behind the folding screen and thundered at Qiao Zhou: "You cowardly pedant of a scholar! How dare you recklessly discuss matters of state! Since ancient times, has there ever been an emperor who surrendered?" The Later Sovereign looked and saw that it was his fifth son, Liu Chen, the Prince of Beidi. The Later Sovereign had seven sons: the eldest, Liu Xuan; the second, Liu Yao; the third, Liu Cong; the fourth, Liu Zan; the fifth, the Prince of Beidi, Liu Chen; the sixth, Liu Xun; and the seventh, Liu Qu. Among the seven, only Liu Chen had been clever and exceptionally brilliant since childhood; the rest were meek and gentle. The Later Sovereign said to Liu Chen: "All the great ministers now counsel surrender. Are you alone, relying on the hot blood of youth, determined to cause the city to flow with blood?" Liu Chen replied: "In the days when our late Emperor lived, Qiao Zhou never meddled in state affairs. Now he dares to speak recklessly on great matters, uttering chaotic words that are utterly unreasonable. I estimate that Chengdu still has tens of thousands of troops, and Jiang Wei's entire army remains at Sword Pass. If they learn that the Wei army has invaded the capital, they will surely come to our rescue. Attacking from within and without, we can achieve great success. How can we listen to the words of a pedantic scholar and lightly abandon the foundation laid by our late Emperor?" The Later Sovereign scolded him: "You child! How can you understand the will of Heaven?" Liu Chen kowtowed and wept: "If our strength is exhausted and our resources spent, and disaster is upon us, then let father and son, lord and vassal, fight to the death with our backs to the city wall, and perish together for the altars of the nation, that we may face our late Emperor in the afterlife. But surrender? Never!" The Later Sovereign would not listen. Liu Chen wailed loudly: "Our late Emperor did not build this kingdom easily. Now, to abandon it in a single day—I would rather die than suffer such disgrace!" The Later Sovereign ordered his attendants to expel Liu Chen from the palace gates. He then commanded Qiao Zhou to draft the surrender document and dispatched the Acting Palace Attendant Zhang Shao, the Commandant of the Imperial Carriage Deng Liang, and Qiao Zhou himself to bear the Imperial Jade Seal to Luo City and offer submission.
At that time, Deng Ai was sending several hundred iron-clad cavalry each day to scout Chengdu. When he saw the white flag of surrender raised, he was overjoyed. Soon, Zhang Shao and the others arrived, and Deng Ai ordered them to be welcomed inside. The three men prostrated themselves at the foot of the steps and presented the surrender document and the Imperial Jade Seal. Deng Ai opened the document, read it with great delight, accepted the seal, and treated Zhang Shao, Qiao Zhou, and Deng Liang with great honor. He composed a reply, which the three men carried back to Chengdu to reassure the people. They took their leave of Deng Ai and returned directly to the capital, where they presented the reply to the Later Sovereign, describing in detail the kindness with which Deng Ai had received them. The Later Sovereign opened the letter, read it with joy, and immediately dispatched the Grand Coachman Jiang Xian with an imperial decree ordering Jiang Wei to surrender without delay. He also sent the Master of the Imperial Secretariat Li Hu to deliver the official registers to Deng Ai: a total of 280,000 households, 940,000 men and women, 102,000 armored troops, 40,000 officials, over 400,000 measures of grain in the granaries, 2,000 catties each of gold and silver, and 200,000 bolts each of brocade, silk, and colored fabrics. The remaining goods in the treasury were too numerous to itemize. The first day of the twelfth month was chosen for the sovereign and his ministers to go out and surrender.
When the Prince of Beidi, Liu Chen, heard this news, his anger blazed to the heavens. He took his sword and entered the palace. His wife, Lady Cui, asked him: "Your Highness's expression is most unusual today. What is the matter?" Liu Chen replied: "The Wei army is nearly upon us. My imperial father has already accepted the terms of surrender. Tomorrow, the sovereign and his ministers will go out and surrender, and the altars of the state will be annihilated from this day forward. I wish to die first, so that I may meet our late Emperor in the underworld, rather than bend my knee to another man!" Lady Cui said: "Noble! Truly noble! To die such a death is worthy! Let me die first, Your Highness, and you may die after." Liu Chen asked: "Why should you die?" She replied: "You die for your father; I die for my husband. The principle is the same. When the husband dies, the wife follows—why must you even ask?" With these words, she dashed her head against a pillar and died. Liu Chen then killed his three sons with his own hand, severed his wife's head, and carried it to the Temple of the Illustrious Virtue [the shrine of Liu Bei]. There, he prostrated himself on the ground and wept: "Your son is ashamed to see the foundation of our house abandoned to others. Therefore, I have first slain my wife and children to sever all attachments, and now I will offer my own life to repay our ancestors! If their spirits have awareness, let them know the heart of their grandson!" He wept bitterly, tears of blood streaming from his eyes, and then drew his blade across his own throat. The people of Shu, upon hearing this, were filled with grief.
A poet of the time recorded: "The sovereign and his ministers willingly bent the knee, but one son alone grieved. Gone is the enterprise of Western Sichuan—how magnificent was the Prince of Beidi! He gave his life to requite his glorious ancestor, tearing his hair and weeping to the heavens. Stern and awe-inspiring, he lives on in memory—who dares to say the House of Han has fallen?"
When the Later Sovereign learned that the Prince of Beidi had taken his own life, he ordered him to be buried with the proper rites.
The next day, the Wei army arrived in full force. The Later Sovereign, leading the Crown Prince, the other princes, and over sixty of his ministers, came out from the northern gate ten li from the city, with their hands bound behind their backs and a coffin carried before them, in the ritual of complete submission. Deng Ai helped the Later Sovereign to his feet, personally untied his bonds, burned the coffin, and entered the city together in the same carriage. A later poet lamented: "Tens of thousands of Wei troops entered Sichuan; the Later Sovereign, clinging to life, refused to die. Huang Hao, ever treacherous, deceived the state; Jiang Wei vainly bore the talent to save the age. How fierce were the hearts of those loyal and righteous men! How pitiful the will of the prince who kept his honor! The Illustrious Virtue [Liu Bei] labored with no little difficulty, yet in a single morning, his great enterprise turned to ash."
Thus, the people of Chengdu, bearing incense and flowers, came out to welcome the victors. Deng Ai appointed the Later Sovereign as General of the Chariots and Cavalry, while the remaining civil and military officials were assigned posts according to their rank. He invited the Later Sovereign to return to his palace, issued proclamations to reassure the people, and took control of all the granaries and treasuries. He also ordered the Grand Master of Sacrifices Zhang Jun and the Inspector of Yi Province Zhang Shao to pacify the various commanderies and their populations. He sent men to persuade Jiang Wei to surrender. At the same time, he dispatched a messenger to Luoyang with news of the victory. Deng Ai learned of the treacherous and wicked nature of the eunuch Huang Hao and wanted to execute him, but Huang Hao bribed Deng Ai's attendants with gold and treasure, and thus escaped punishment. From this point, the Kingdom of Shu fell. In later years, reflecting on the fall of Han, a poet recalled the Military Strategist Zhuge Liang: "Even the fish and birds seem to fear his written commands; the winds and clouds forever guard his camp and stores. In vain did the supreme commander wield his divine brush; in the end, the surrendered king was carried in a baggage cart. Guanzhong and Yue Yi had talent—truly he was their equal! But with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei dead, what could he do? In future years, at his shrine in Jinli, reciting the Liangfu Song, one's regret will know no bounds!"
Meanwhile, the Grand Coachman Jiang Xian arrived at Sword Pass and entered Jiang Wei's presence, delivering the Later Sovereign's decree and informing him of the surrender. Jiang Wei was so shocked that he lost the power of speech. When the generals in his tent heard the news, they were filled with fury, grinding their teeth and glaring with rage, their hair and beards bristling. They drew their swords and hacked at the rocks, shouting: "We are willing to fight to the death! Why has he surrendered first?" Their wailing could be heard for dozens of li. Seeing that the hearts of his men were still with Han, Jiang Wei comforted them with kind words: "Generals, do not worry. I have a plan that can restore the House of Han." They all pressed him to reveal it. Jiang Wei leaned in and whispered his scheme into the ears of his officers. He then ordered the white flags of surrender to be raised all along Sword Pass and sent a messenger ahead to Zhong Hui's camp, announcing that Jiang Wei, along with Zhang Yi, Liao Hua, and Dong Jue, was coming to surrender. Zhong Hui was overjoyed and ordered Jiang Wei to be welcomed into his tent. Zhong Hui said: "Bojue [Jiang Wei's style name], why have you come so late?" Jiang Wei, his face solemn and tears streaming, replied: "I commanded the full army of the state. To have come even now is already too soon." Zhong Hui was greatly impressed. He rose from his seat and bowed to Jiang Wei, treating him as an honored guest. Jiang Wei then said to him: "I have heard that General, since the Huainan campaign, has never miscalculated. The rise of the Sima clan is entirely due to your efforts. That is why I willingly bow my head to you. But if it were Deng Shizai [Deng Ai], I would have fought to the death and never surrendered!" Zhong Hui thereupon broke an arrow as an oath, swore brotherhood with Jiang Wei, and treated him with the deepest affection. He allowed Jiang Wei to continue commanding his original troops. Jiang Wei rejoiced in secret and sent Jiang Xian back to Chengdu.
Deng Ai, for his part, appointed Shi Zuan as Inspector of Yi Province, and placed Qian Hong, Wang Qi, and others in command of various commanderies. He built a platform at Mianzhu to commemorate his military achievements and hosted a great banquet for all the officials of Shu. Half-drunk with wine, Deng Ai pointed at the assembled officials and said: "You are fortunate to have encountered me, and thus you live today. Had you met another general, you would all have been annihilated." The officials rose and bowed in gratitude. Suddenly, Jiang Xian arrived and announced that Jiang Wei had surrendered to Zhong Hui, the General Who Pacifies the West. This filled Deng Ai with bitter hatred for Zhong Hui. He composed a letter and sent a messenger to Luoyang to deliver it to the Duke of Jin, Sima Zhao. When Sima Zhao opened and read the letter, it said: "Your servant Ai believes that in warfare, one must first establish a reputation for power before acting. Now, by exploiting the momentum of our conquest of Shu, we can strike at Wu. This is the moment for a sweeping campaign. However, after a great expedition, the officers and men are exhausted and cannot be used immediately. We should retain 20,000 troops from Longyou and 20,000 Shu troops to boil salt, develop industries, and build ships, preparing for a downstream assault. Then we can send an envoy to declare the consequences, and Wu may be subdued without a battle. For now, we should treat Liu Shan generously to induce Sun Xiu to submit. If we send Liu Shan to the capital immediately, the people of Wu will grow suspicious, and their desire to submit will not be encouraged. It is better to keep him in Shu temporarily, and send him to the capital in the winter of next year. We can now enfeoff Liu Shan as the Prince of Fufeng, grant him wealth and property, provide for his retinue, and ennoble his sons as dukes and marquises, to display the favor shown to those who submit. Then the people of Wu, fearing our might and cherishing our virtue, will follow us as the wind bends the grass."
After reading this, Sima Zhao grew deeply suspicious that Deng Ai was acting on his own authority. He first sent a private letter to Wei Guan, and then issued an imperial decree demoting Deng Ai: "The General Who Conquers the West, Deng Ai, has displayed his martial might, penetrated deep into enemy territory, and caused the usurping ruler to bare his neck and submit. In less than a season, with battles lasting less than a day, he has swept clean the regions of Ba and Shu. Even Bai Qi's destruction of mighty Chu or Han Xin's conquest of stalwart Qin cannot compare to his achievements. Let Deng Ai be appointed Grand Commandant, with an increase of 20,000 households to his fief, and let two of his sons be created Village Marquises, each with a fief of 1,000 households."
After Deng Ai received this decree, the Supervisor of the Army, Wei Guan, produced Sima Zhao's private letter. The letter stated that Deng Ai's proposals must await official approval and could not be acted upon arbitrarily. Deng Ai said: "When a general is in the field, he may refuse even the sovereign's command. I have received the imperial mandate to conduct this campaign—how can you obstruct me?" He then composed another letter and sent the messenger back to Luoyang with it. At court, everyone was now saying that Deng Ai must be plotting rebellion, and Sima Zhao's suspicions and jealousy grew. Soon the messenger returned, presenting Deng Ai's letter. Sima Zhao opened and read it: "Ai, bearing the imperial command, campaigned in the west. The chief villain having been subdued, it is appropriate to act according to circumstances to pacify the newly submissive. If I were to wait for the court's orders, the messages would travel back and forth, delaying matters for months. According to the principle of the Spring and Autumn Annals: when a high minister is beyond the borders, if he can secure the altars of the state and benefit the nation, he may act on his own authority. Now Wu has not yet submitted, and its strategic position is linked to Shu. We cannot cling to normal procedures and lose the opportune moment. The Art of War says: 'In advancing, seek no fame; in retreating, avoid no blame.' Though I lack the integrity of the ancients, I will not shrink from responsibility to the detriment of the state. I submit this report in advance, to show what may be done."
When Sima Zhao finished reading, he was greatly alarmed. He hurriedly consulted with Jia Chong: "Deng Ai, relying on his merit, has grown arrogant and acts arbitrarily. His rebellious intent is now clear. What is to be done?" Jia Chong replied: "My lord, why not enfeoff Zhong Hui to check him?" Sima Zhao followed this advice. He sent an envoy with a decree appointing Zhong Hui as Minister of Education, and ordered Wei Guan to supervise the armies of both generals. He gave a private letter to Wei Guan, instructing him to work with Zhong Hui to watch Deng Ai and prevent any rebellion. Zhong Hui received the decree and read it: "The General Who Pacifies the West, Zhong Hui, is invincible, with no strong enemy before him. He has governed the various cities, gathered the scattered, and caused the chieftains of Shu to bind themselves and submit. He plans without error and acts without failure. Let Zhong Hui be appointed Minister of Education, advanced to a District Marquis, with an increase of 10,000 households to his fief, and let two of his sons be created Village Marquises, each with a fief of 1,000 households."
After receiving this appointment, Zhong Hui immediately summoned Jiang Wei for a council: "Deng Ai's merit surpasses mine, and he has been appointed Grand Commandant. Now the Duke of Sima suspects him of rebellious intent, and has therefore sent Wei Guan as supervisor and ordered me to control him. Bojue, what is your wise opinion?" Jiang Wei replied: "I have heard that Deng Ai comes from humble origins. As a child, he herded cattle for a farming family. Now, by sheer luck, he traversed the treacherous paths of Yinping, climbing trees and cliffs, and achieved this great merit. It was not due to any brilliant strategy, but relied entirely on the vast good fortune of the state. If you and I had not held him at Sword Pass, how could Deng Ai have achieved such success? Now he wants to enfeoff the Shu ruler as Prince of Fufeng—this is a clear attempt to win the hearts of the Shu people. His rebellious intent is plain to see. The Duke of Jin is right to be suspicious." Zhong Hui was delighted with these words. Jiang Wei continued: "Please dismiss your attendants; I have a secret matter to report." Zhong Hui ordered everyone to withdraw. Jiang Wei took a map from his sleeve and presented it to Zhong Hui, saying: "In former days, when the Military Strategist Zhuge Liang left his thatched cottage, he presented this map to our late Emperor, saying: 'The land of Yi Province has fertile fields for a thousand li, its people are prosperous, and its state is wealthy—it can support a hegemonic enterprise.' Our late Emperor thus established Chengdu. Now that Deng Ai has reached this place, how could he not grow arrogant?" Zhong Hui was overjoyed and asked Jiang Wei to point out the mountains and rivers on the map. Jiang Wei explained each one in detail. Zhong Hui then asked: "What plan should we use to eliminate Deng Ai?" Jiang Wei said: "Take advantage of the Duke of Jin's suspicions. Send a memorial to court at once, stating that Deng Ai is showing signs of rebellion. The Duke of Jin will surely order you to punish him. With a single move, you can capture him." Zhong Hui followed this advice and immediately sent a messenger with a memorial to Luoyang, stating that Deng Ai was acting arbitrarily and arrogantly, currying favor with the Shu people, and would surely rebel sooner or later. The court, both civil and military, was alarmed. Zhong Hui also had men intercept Deng Ai's memorials on the road, and, imitating Deng Ai's handwriting, altered them to contain arrogant and insolent language, thus confirming his own accusations.
When Sima Zhao saw Deng Ai's altered memorial, he flew into a rage. He immediately sent men to Zhong Hui's camp, ordering him to arrest Deng Ai. He also dispatched Jia Chong with 30,000 troops to enter through the Xie Valley, while Sima Zhao himself, accompanied by the Wei Emperor Cao Huan, set out on a personal campaign. The Western Bureau Secretary Shao Ti admonished: "Zhong Hui's army outnumbers Deng Ai's by six to one. Ordering Zhong Hui to arrest Deng Ai should be sufficient. Why must Your Excellency go in person?" Sima Zhao laughed and said: "Have you forgotten your own words from the past? You once said that Zhong Hui would surely rebel. My journey this time is not for Deng Ai's sake, but for Zhong Hui's." Shao Ti smiled and replied: "I was afraid Your Excellency had forgotten, so I raised the question. Now that you have this intention, it must be kept secret, not leaked to anyone." Sima Zhao agreed and set out with his main army. Meanwhile, Jia Chong also suspected that Zhong Hui might rebel and secretly reported it to Sima Zhao. Sima Zhao said: "If I send you, should I also suspect you? When I reach Chang'an, everything will become clear." Soon, spies reported to Zhong Hui that Sima Zhao had arrived at Chang'an. Zhong Hui, in a panic, urgently summoned Jiang Wei to discuss the plan for arresting Deng Ai. Truly: "No sooner had they seen the surrender of the Shu general, than they saw the great army stirring in Chang'an." We do not yet know what plan Jiang Wei used to break Deng Ai. Let us see in the next chapter.