Chapter 14: The Decline of Shu Han
After Zhuge Liang's death, Shu Han entered a period of decline. Although Liu Shan succeeded as emperor, he was incompetent and incapable of effectively governing the country. Shu Han's military and political power fell into the hands of the eunuch Huang Hao.
Huang Hao was a greedy and treacherous eunuch. He used his power to exploit the people's fat and cream, causing the common people to be full of resentment. He also excluded loyal and worthy people and framed those with talent, causing Shu Han's talent pool to become increasingly scarce.
Shu Han's economy also began to decline. Years of war had greatly damaged Shu Han's vitality, and the economy could not recover. Additionally, Huang Hao's exploitation made the people's lives even more difficult.
Militarily, Shu Han also lost its former advantages. Although Jiang Wei worked hard to maintain Shu Han's army, his abilities were far inferior to Zhuge Liang's, and he could not contend with Wei. Shu Han's territory was continuously encroached upon by Wei.
The decline of Shu Han made many knowledgeable people feel pained. They had once followed Zhuge Liang and hoped to restore the Han Dynasty, but now Shu Han was already unable to reverse the fate of decline. This sense of powerlessness made them feel despair.
Ultimately, Shu Han was destroyed by Wei. Liu Shan surrendered and became a prisoner of Wei. The fall of Shu Han marked the imminent end of the Three Kingdoms era.