Three Kingdoms: Ancestors of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 269 Defense
In 229 A.D., the third year of Wei Emperor Cao Rui Taihe, November.

On the banks of the Jing River, Cao Zhen, Zhang Yun, Zhao Yan and other dozens of generals patrolled Wuzhi City and climbed Longshan Mountain together.

Since May, Zhuge Liang has taught martial arts and trained troops on a large scale in Hanzhong, Longyou and other places, and transported grain and grass for thousands of miles.For half a year, the transfer of nearly [-] soldiers and a large amount of food and grass could not have been hidden from Wei Guo.

Therefore, in September, Cao Zhen, the great Sima who was in Guanzhong, heard about it, and said in Luoyang that Zhuge Liang would attack Liang soon, and that Guanzhong was short of troops, so he asked Wei Emperor Cao Rui to send a general to support Guanzhong in the battle.

Cao Rui immediately dispatched Jing and Yangzhou generals, right generals Zhang He, Hu Zun, Guanqiu Jian, Le Jin's son Le Wei, Zhang Liao's son Zhang Hu and more than [-] generals to enter Guanzhong.

He also ordered the army guard Cao Yan to transfer [-] Chinese troops into Guanzhong, led by Da Sima Cao Zhen; Business, transshipment of grain and grass.

On the Jingzhou side, Sima Yi was promoted to the rank of general, and he stationed troops in Jingzhou, ready to go upstream at any time to contain the army of the great Han Hanzhong.

Not long after Zhang He and others came to Guanzhong, they were invited by Cao Zhen to inspect Longshan and other places together.

After climbing Longshan Mountain for several miles, the obese Cao Zhen was out of breath. He looked enviously at Zhang He, who was growing old and strong, and said, "General Zhang, who is nearly seventy years old, is strong and strong, and walks vigorously. I am ashamed of myself!"

Zhang He stopped, panted slightly, and said with a smile, "Da Sima is usually busy with military affairs and worried about the war in Western Shu. Unlike my subordinates who have nothing to do in normal times, they only practice martial arts and shoot and hunt."

Hearing this, Cao Zhen sighed, and said, "It's really easy to shoot and hunt when you are young. Unfortunately, there have been many wars in recent years, and there is no time to shoot and hunt. And next year, there is a high probability that Xishu will attack Liang again. I really don't know when I will be able to go out and hunt wild game."

Zhao Yan wiped the sweat from his head and said with a smile, "Don't worry, Da Sima. There are few people in Longyou, so it's hard to raise an army. As long as our army can hold the city wall for a few months, the Shu army will naturally retreat. At that time, Yan will travel with Da Sima State, hunting sheep and deer."

Looking at Wushi City at the foot of the mountain, Zhang He said slowly, "Da Sima, what Boran (Zhao Yanzi) said is reasonable. Zhuge Liang led the army to attack Liangzhou. He wanted to take advantage of the fact that Liangzhou was empty and deceived me when Wei State defeated Liangzhou. The Great Wei stationed troops in Liangzhou, and it was difficult to transport food and grass for thousands of miles. But as everyone knows, the power of Western Shu is also beyond the reach."

Zhang He looked at Cao Zhen and talked about the situation in the Han and Wei dynasties with eloquence, and said.

"Longyou's population is only more than [-], but Zhuge's army must be [-] soldiers to attack Liang. The grain must be transported thousands of miles from Hanzhong and Bashu, and the long journey will cause a lot of loss. Therefore, Zhuge's request must be a quick battle. , dare not fight for a long time, but our Great Wei stationed troops in the cities, and the Great Sima led the army to rescue them. If we don't fight with them, Zhuge Liang will only have a few months, and his food will be exhausted."

Hearing this, Cao Zhen groaned for a while, and said with a smile: "Jun Yi, Bo Ran, you two have opinions that go straight to the vital points of Zhuge Liang in the Central and Western Shu. I didn't expect that the Western Shu would seize the Long. It took less than two years, but I was so impatient, regardless of the food and grass. I want to take advantage of the defeat of our army this year to send troops to Liangzhou."

"Although our army is defeated this year, the spring farming in Longyou will also be affected. Next year Zhuge Liang will send troops to Liangzhou, and he will conscript a large number of corvees in Longyou. If there is no result for a few months, farming will be affected again. If you don't want to retreat, you have to."

Cao Zhen's face was full of joy, he really didn't expect Zhuge Liang to be so impatient, he dared to send troops to Liangzhou in less than two years after seizing Long.

If Zhuge Liang manages Longyou for a period of time, and when there is sufficient food and grass, he will occupy the Xiaoguan Road with Longyou's condescension, cutting off the passage between Liangzhou and Guanzhong;

But now it is different. Zhuge Liang’s dispatch of troops this time must not be long. After all, the food and grass are transported thousands of miles away. With the national strength of the Shu Han, it will last for several months at most.

Now the big Han wants to seize the coolness, or cut off the Xiaoguan Road, or lead an army to defeat the Wei army.

At present, cutting off the Xiaoguan Road can only capture the city, but Cao Zhen, who leads the army, will definitely come to support the attack on the city.

As for the defeat of the Wei army, Cao Zhen did not plan to fight Zhuge Liang directly, and stood firm until a good opportunity appeared before attacking; if there was no good opportunity, he would wait for Zhuge Liang to retreat after a few months.

Looking at the border of Longxi, Zhang He stroked his beard and pondered, and asked, "Where does Da Sima think Zhuge Liang will send troops this time?"

Standing on the top of the mountain, Cao Zhen felt the bleak north wind, pondered for a long time, and then said: "The route of Zhuge Liang's troops has not been determined yet. The Shu army may go back to the middle road and attack Wuwei County; Or go north from Longxi County, go east from Xiping County, and attack Jincheng County. There are many roads, and you can take the coolness."

Everyone was silent. Although they had decided on a strategy to retreat from the enemy, the most important thing was to find out Zhuge Liang's route to send troops.

Cao Zhen looked at the crowd and said: "Looking at the three ways, Zhuge Liang's going north from Longxi County is the least risky, but Jincheng County is dangerous, and it is very difficult for Zhuge Liang to attack. Attack from Huizhong Road, or go out of Longxi County. The mountain roads are the most likely."

Zhang He took over the conversation and analyzed: "According to what Da Sima said, if Xishu sends troops back to the middle road, although it can directly attack Wuwei County, but its army ration route is before the first city of Gaoping, our army can easily cut off its rations. However, we must also be careful of the strategy of the Shu army to lure the snake out of the cave, luring our army to attack and cut off its food, and the Shu army will ambush and kill me on the road and take our Gaoping City."

"If Zhuge Liang's troops go out from the roads of Longshan Mountain and want to attack the cities of Xiaoguan and cut off Xiaoguan Road. Our soldiers can defend the city and defend it. Da Sima will lead the army to support. When Zhuge Liang runs out of food, he will withdraw his troops..."

Zhang He has been in the northwest for a long time, and he is familiar with the terrain of the northwest, and slowly discusses the gains and losses of the three routes.

"That's why with Zhuge Liang's wisdom, the gains and losses of these three routes should be clear in his chest. From He's point of view, Zhuge Liang should be able to send troops to multiple routes, not sticking to one route."

Cao Zhen nodded slightly, sighed and said: "The right general is familiar with the terrain in the northwest, and the changes of the Shu army are all in the words of the right general."

After a pause, Cao Zhen said: "I really think this battle may be quite similar to the previous strategy of Western Shu to attack the west and seize the Long. Zhuge Liang will send generals out of the Longshan Road to attract the main force of our army; The large army will return to the middle road, or go north to Jincheng, and carry out the strategy of attacking Long."

Zhang He stroked his beard and pondered, and said, "What Da Sima said makes sense, and He deeply agrees. I don't know how Da Sima plans to respond?"

Cao Zhenxin was happy, and said with a smile: "Jincheng County can send thousands of people to support it. With the ability of Yang Shishi and the danger of Jincheng, Jincheng County can sit back and relax; return to the middle road and send the general to guard the first city of Gaoping to prevent Shu The army can go north from Huizhong Road to Wuwei County; Zhenzi led the army to garrison in the area of ​​​​Lishui to prevent the Shu army from going out of Xiaoguan Road."

Zhao Yan saw that Cao Zhen's arrangements were complete, and he cupped his hands and praised: "With Da Sima on guard, Zhuge Liang will come here and return without success."

(End of this chapter)