Chu Fan thought at this time that since Cao Mengde had resigned from the position of Minister of War, he had to find someone to take over the position. Changsun Dechong would definitely not be able to do it, as he still had his own work to do.

Chu Fan hadn't thought of any other suitable candidates, but after meeting Mu Yundian, he had made his own decision. Mu Yundian would be the Minister of War, considering he was Mu Yunfeng's elder brother.

If Mu Yundian became the Minister of War, then the two brothers would control more than 90% of the Wei army. In this way, if the Mu family wanted to rebel, the Wei army would have no troops to stop them.

At this moment, Chu Fan suddenly thought of a question, which he had actually thought about when he read the memorial submitted by Cao Mengde.

However, since he had no generals around him at the time, Chu Fan's understanding of this issue was not particularly profound. But now that Mu Yundian had some generals with him, Chu Fan felt that this was a perfect opportunity to ask these generals for advice on this issue.

Chu Fan turned to Mu Yundian and asked with a hint of curiosity, "General Mu, may I ask you a question?"

Mu Yundian replied without hesitation, "Your Majesty, I will tell you everything you know, even if you ask me."

After hearing Mu Yundian's answer, Chu Fan continued in a puzzled tone, "General Mu, you should have received the latest news about the Wei-Shu border. I am deeply confused as to why none of the Shu generals have taken the initiative to surrender to King Liu Yu, even though he has been stationed at the border for such a long time."

However, after the battle with Wei, when they witnessed the formidable strength of Wei soldiers, why did so many generals choose to surrender to Liu Yu?

Mu Yundian replied, "Your Majesty, this question is actually not complicated. The core lies in the word 'interest'."

"Until Liu Yu showed any signs of retaking the Shu throne, the Shu generals saw no chance of him succeeding. Furthermore, according to intelligence gathered by the Ministry of War, the Shu usurper, Liu Buchu, had spared no expense in winning over the generals and ministers."

"If they had chosen to defect to Liu Yu's side, all the wealth and promises they had received from Liu Buchu would have vanished into thin air. How could they have chosen to join Liu Yu at that time?"

"Later, Liu Buchu gathered a million soldiers and attempted to attack Wei. Some far-sighted generals began to realize the impending difficulties facing Shu. However, they all held onto a glimmer of hope, believing that if the Shu army could truly break through Wei's defenses, they could seize the opportunity to plunder."

"After all, there are many wealthy merchants in Wei State. As long as they capture a city, the wealth they plunder is enough to make them rich overnight."

"But after witnessing the fierce fighting prowess of the Wei soldiers and the sturdy defenses of Wei in the first battle, they realized that Shu's chances of victory were slim. So, these generals began to think about their own future. They knew that if Shu lost, they would lose everything, including their lives."

"So, after the Shu army suffered a crushing defeat in their first battle with the Wei army, they decided that surrendering to Liu Yu would at least guarantee their safety, and they might even gain new status and power due to Liu Yu's victory. So they chose to surrender to Liu Yu when the Shu army was about to be defeated. This was a decision they made after weighing the pros and cons."

Chu Fan was filled with emotion after hearing Mu Yundian's words. He realized that these officials and generals were no ordinary people, and that behind every decision were complex interests.

While Chu Fan and Mu Yundian were having a conversation, a criticism meeting was being held in Shu Kingdom.

Since Cao Mengde followed Liu Yu back to Shu this time, Liu Buchu's life might not be saved this time. Although he was Liu Yu's son, he was not Cao Mengde's grandson.

Liu Yu initially wanted to spare Liu Buchu and Concubine Wang, after all, they were his son and wife, but Cao Mengde directly rejected this idea.

When Cao Mengde learned of Liu Yu's intentions, he addressed him directly, "I do not want my daughter, two grandsons, and one granddaughter to face any further danger. If you truly wish to protect Liu Buchu and that ruthless Wang, then I will return to Wei immediately. My daughter and grandsons will never set foot in Shu again. Wei will also sever all ties with Shu."

After hearing Cao Mengde's words, Liu Yu seemed to have aged more than ten years. He said listlessly, "Let me think about it carefully."

After a night of careful consideration, Liu Yu finally decided to follow Cao Mengde's advice. If Liu Buchu and Concubine Wang were not punished, it would not only fail to give an explanation to the soldiers who died in Wei, but also the people of Shu would not accept it.

After all, when Shu invaded Wei, it lost so many soldiers before even entering the Wei border. If the culprit was not punished, it would definitely arouse public anger.

Furthermore, Liu Buchu committed the serious crime of treason and betrayal against his father. If even such a crime could be exempted from punishment, then what authority would the laws of Shu have?

Liu Yu knew that as a monarch, he must maintain the country's laws and order, otherwise the stability of Shu would be seriously threatened. He decided that for the long-term interests of the country and the future of Shu, he must sacrifice his personal feelings and accept Cao Mengde's solution.

The next day when the sun rose, Liu Yu's hair had turned completely white overnight. Liu Yu found Cao Mengde and agreed with his decision.

At daybreak, the people of Rongcheng noticed a strange phenomenon: the city walls were filled with people. When they approached, they discovered that those standing there were Liu Buchu, the recently crowned King of Shu, and Consort Wang, along with officials who had been investigated by Cao Mengde and who had been implicated in the persecution of his grandsons, Liu Pei and Liu Shan.

When these people were escorted by soldiers to the city wall of Rongcheng, the capital of Shu, the people under the wall were all stunned. They could not believe what was happening before their eyes.

The sudden transformation of the once high-ranking royal family and powerful nobles into captives shocked everyone. The people of Shu were filled with mixed emotions, including hatred for their former rulers and uncertainty and fear for the future.

Despair and regret were written across the faces of Liu Buchu and Concubine Wang, knowing their fate was irreversible. The officials, on the other hand, lowered their heads, not daring to meet the gazes of the people. Perhaps they were reflecting on their actions, perhaps worried about their fate. The entire scene was filled with a heavy and oppressive atmosphere, as if even the air beneath the walls of Chengdu had frozen.

When the white-haired Liu Yu appeared before the people, everyone fell silent. Some people, considering the news of the death of King Shu Liu Yu announced when Liu Buchu ascended the throne, had already guessed the truth.