The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 314 The Crouching Dragon Strategy: Four Army Groups to Encircle Cao Cao

Spring of the fourteenth year of Jian'an.

In Jiangling, the Governor's Mansion was filled with the gentle fragrance of incense.

Zhuge Liang, holding a feather fan, gazed at the map of Western Sichuan and suddenly said:

"Liu Jiyu has been defeated! I believe this is a once-in-a-millennium opportunity."

He lightly tapped the Chengdu location with the fan handle, saying, "If Liu Jiyu is not dead, he will surely seek help from my Jingzhou."

Zhuge Liang had a keen political sense. As soon as he heard that Liu Zhang had been defeated, he concluded that Liu Zhang would come to Jingzhou to seek political asylum.

As soon as he finished speaking, Military Advisor Ma Su immediately presented the spy's secret report:
"Cao Cao has captured Chengdu, and the generals of Shu have surrendered. Liu Zhang and his son have disappeared without a trace!"

Before he could finish speaking, Huang Zhong slammed his fist on the table and stood up:

"I am willing to lead the Jingzhou and Xiangyang naval forces to welcome them!"

Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan: "General Huang, please wait."

With a light stroke of his fingertip across the Yangtze River waterway on the map, Liang thought, "I believe Liu Zhang will definitely take the Yong'an waterway."

"You may order Zilong to prepare five warships and anchor them at Yiling to await him."

In the midst of the discussion, a servant suddenly came to report:

"Pingdu Magistrate Li Yan has sent a secret envoy!"

Li Yan?

Zhuge Liang raised an eyebrow; he was familiar with this person's name.

Li Yan served as the magistrate of Zigui County under Liu Biao in his early years, and later Cao Cao annexed Jingzhou.

Li Yan was unwilling to serve Cao Cao, so he fled west and sought refuge with Liu Zhang.

Now that Shu has also been conquered by Cao Cao, Li Yan's company has been merged once again.

So after going around in circles, they had no choice but to turn back and ask Jingzhou for help.

"Please!"

Zhuge Liang received the envoy, who presented him with a silk scroll, which he unfolded and read.

Only eight characters were written on it—

"I do not wish to serve Cao Cao; I beg for protection in Jingzhou!"

Zhuge Liang was overjoyed and held up the letter to everyone, saying:

"Isn't this a golden opportunity?"

Zhuge Liang has always attached great importance to maintaining contact with the Shu region.

Now that a high-ranking official from Shu has offered him an olive branch, Zhuge Liang is naturally eager to accept.

Therefore, he immediately ordered Ma Su to go and fetch Li Yan and escort him to Jiangling.

At midnight, Ma Su disguised himself as a merchant and took a small boat to the Badong Reef.

In the hazy moonlight, a small boat bobbed on the waves, and a scholar in a green robe stood at the bow; it was Li Yan.

"Li Pingdu, why are you in such a sorry state?"

Ma Su said this half-jokingly.

Li Yan smiled bitterly: "Cao Cao wanted to recruit me as a court official, but I was unwilling to serve him, so I fled overnight."

"That's when he was truly in a sorry state."

Suddenly, he lifted the deck, revealing three bamboo scrolls: "These are the troop deployment maps of Xichuan, a token of our sincerity."

Ma Su took it and examined it by the light of the torch.

Overjoyed after reading it, he patted Li Yan on the shoulder:

"Sir will be very pleased after seeing this picture."

"Come on, I'll take you to see the master!"

Li Yan thanked him repeatedly.

The group boarded a boat and returned to Jingzhou.

Zhuge Liang personally went to the Yiling ferry crossing on the riverbank to wait for him.

During the spring flood season, the river is surging, and amidst the thousands of sails racing, a small boat breaks through the waves.

A scholar in a blue robe, over thirty years old and more than seven feet tall, stood at the bow of the boat.

The river breeze lifted the tattered corner of his robe, revealing the cold gleam of the chainmail lining underneath.

What's most peculiar is his face—his left cheek is as refined as a scholar, while his right cheek has an arrow scar running from his brow bone to his jaw, adding a touch of ruthlessness.

Zhuge Liang paused slightly with his feather fan, secretly marveling at what he had just witnessed.

"I have long heard of Li Zhengfang's talent in both literature and martial arts, and seeing him today, I can confirm that he is indeed extraordinary."

Logically speaking, it would be difficult for a mere county-level leader to receive such attention from a provincial-level leader.

But Li Yan is different.

Li Yan was cold and harsh in character, and the villagers' assessment of him was:

—"It is difficult to get close to Li Linjia."

It means that this person is difficult to deal with, very shrewd, and extremely hard to approach.

But Li Yan was a man of great ability, renowned far and wide, and a capable official.

His political achievements were outstanding. Zhuge Liang, who was in Jingzhou, had long heard of his reputation and wanted to recruit him when he needed talent.

Now that they have come to us of their own accord, we are more than happy to have them.

When the boat reached the shore, Li Yanyue jumped ashore and, without even straightening his clothes, bowed deeply to the ground:
"Why should Commander Zhuge personally welcome a defeated general?"

The sound was like the clanging of metal, even drowning out the roar of the river waves.

Zhuge Liang lightly supported his arm:
"The fact that the righteous have abandoned darkness and embraced light is truly a fortunate event for Jingzhou."

Historically, Li Yan also successively served under Liu Biao, Liu Zhang, and Liu Bei.

So there's a joke that goes like this:

Li Yan saw Lü Bu in the sky and then laughed at him, saying:

"Have you heard? In later generations, you were ridiculed as a traitor who served three masters."

Lu Bu said disdainfully:
"So what? You've served three different lords in succession."

"Isn't he also a traitor who served three masters?"

Li Yan replied:
"Watch closely, I will first serve Liu Biao, then Liu Zhang, and finally Liu Bei."

"They all share the surname Liu, so I can only be considered a slave of one surname, while you are a slave of three surnames."

That's a lame joke.

But jokes aside, Li Yan's decision to abandon Liu Biao and join Liu Zhang did not actually affect his reputation.

Because he was facing the situation that Liu Biao had died of illness, and Cao Cao had seized the opportunity to take control of Jingzhou.

This meant that Li Yan's company was acquired, and he chose to switch jobs.

Such behavior would not have been condemned at the time.

When Zhuge Liang helped Li Yan up, he suddenly felt thick calluses on his palms, which were clearly the hands of someone who had been drawing a bow and wielding a sword for many years.

Strictly speaking, Li Yan was not only skilled in both literature and martial arts, but also a versatile individual.

If Zhuge Liang was a hexagonal warrior, then Li Yan was a hexagonal warrior with one side cut off.

But he's not a small hexagonal warrior; he's even stronger than a small hexagonal warrior.

The two walked along the river, when Li Yan suddenly pointed to the west bank:
"Cao Cao's army laid an ambush at Baidi City, so I detoured through Zigui, which is why I arrived three days late."

As he spoke, he took out a wet silk scroll from his bosom and said:

"This is what I recorded during my journey, and I present it to the Governor."

Zhuge Liang unfolded the map and saw that it not only marked the specific troop strength, but also detailed the personality of the generals of each camp.

What's even more astonishing is that there are annotations on the tactical plans for how to attack.

He couldn't help but praise his talent, saying, "King Qi has granted me permission to establish my own government in Jingzhou. I am eager to recruit talented individuals from all over the world to work with me in my government."

"It is truly a gift from heaven that Zhengfang has come here!"

So he immediately bowed to Li Yan, the Prefect of Jiangling.

Jiangling was a prefecture that Zhuge Liang created separately to facilitate the governance of Jingzhou, and it held a high strategic position in Jingzhou.

Therefore, Li Yan was directly promoted from a county magistrate in a southwestern province to the mayor of the provincial capital in the Hubei and Hunan regions.

This is absolutely a rocket leap.

Li Yan was overjoyed and bowed deeply in gratitude:
"Yan Ding will live up to the Governor's kindness and trust!"

"Even if it costs me my life, I will repay the debt!"

There have been two main misunderstandings in the evaluation of Li Yan by later generations.

The first misconception is that Li Yan was Zhuge Liang's political enemy.

The second misconception is that Li Yan is incompetent and a complete failure.

Regarding the first point, it is mainly influenced by certain TV dramas.

Just because Li Yan was one of only two trusted ministers entrusted with the care of Liu Bei, they forcibly portrayed Li Yan as Zhuge Liang's political enemy.

This is actually a conspiracy theory that many people use to criticize the relationship between Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang.

If Liu Bei trusted Zhuge Liang so much, why did he support Li Yan to hinder him?
Leaving aside the historical records, "no matter how big or small, all matters were decided by Liang."

Did Li Yan actually threaten Zhuge Liang's power?

In reality, Li Yan was Zhuge Liang's deputy from beginning to end.

He was merely the successor to Zhuge Liang, handpicked by Liu Bei.

Even Zhuge Liang himself thought so.

If Li Yan hadn't run into trouble later, Jiang Wan would never have had a chance to take over.

In fact, even without analyzing the relationship between the ruler and his subjects, just from a realistic perspective...

After the defeat at Yiling, would Liu Bei dare to "raise a gu" and entrust his son to a powerful ruler, given the already weak Shu Han regime?
In matters of great importance like entrusting an orphan to another, no matter how many people are involved, ultimately only one person can hold absolute power.

We can draw parallels with other countries.
In the Cao family next door, Cao Shuang and Sima Yi were the only two ministers entrusted with the care of the young emperor.

As a result, Cao Shuang had the final say, and Sima Yi could only play the submissive role and hide.

At the Sun family next door, Sun Quan appointed five regents to assist the young emperor.

But Zhuge Ke was the one with the highest power.

Even after Sun Quan's death, Zhuge Ke turned around and killed Sun Hong, one of the regents.

Therefore, comparing Li Yan to Zhuge Liang, he is completely unqualified to say that Li Yan was Zhuge Liang's political enemy.

As for ability

When Zhuge Liang led his troops out of Qishan, Li Yan failed to transport grain effectively and even lied to evade responsibility, thus hindering the entire army.

Judging from this incident alone, most people think that Li Yan is just an incompetent fool, an exaggeration of the likes of Ma Su.

But he was someone who was favored by both Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang, and was even chosen by Liu Bei as a trusted minister to be entrusted with the care of the young emperor, and was groomed to be Zhuge Liang's successor.

To underestimate Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang's ability to judge character would be to say that their abilities were merely average.

It is no exaggeration to say that Li Yan's political acumen was second only to Zhuge Liang in the entire Shu Kingdom.

Even Yang Yi and Wei Yan felt that Jiang Wan could not possibly rise to power, and that Li Yan would inevitably take the position.

Li Yan himself thought so too; as long as Zhuge Liang was still alive, he clamored to establish his own government.

He practically considered himself Zhuge Liang's successor.

Li Yan has personality flaws, but they are not as severe as Wei Yan's.

In other words, both Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang felt that Li Yan's character flaws were tolerable.

If it weren't for that fatal mistake made in a moment of weakness, it's hard to say how the Shu Han regime would have fared.

Perhaps it was precisely because Zhuge Liang was repeatedly betrayed by Ma Su and Li Yan that he finally gave up and stopped focusing solely on ability.

They chose Jiang Wan, a man of impeccable character, as their successor.

In fact, Jiang Wan's abilities were not as good as Fei Yi's, but Fei Yi was more tactful in dealing with people, while Jiang Wan was a virtuous and upright gentleman.

Zhuge Liang preferred to choose an upright person rather than take any more risks.

Just then, a large boat suddenly appeared on the river, cutting through the waves.

Standing at the bow of the ship was a general in white robes, none other than Zhao Yun.

He held his silver spear upside down, and with his left hand he held aloft a large banner with the character "Liu," which shone brightly in the setting sun.

"Captain!"

Zhao Yun shouted loudly from afar:
"Fortunately, I live up to my fate!"

Before he finished speaking, two people appeared behind him—Liu Zhang and his son.

Liu Zhang wore a plain hat and linen clothes, his face haggard like a withered tree.

His son, Liu Xun, was supporting him from the side, yet a hint of heroic spirit still lingered between his brows.

Zhang Ren stood behind the two with his hand on his sword, his brows as resolute as ever.

Zhuge Liang stepped forward and bowed: "Lord Ji Yu!"

Upon seeing Kongming, Liu Zhang's legs went weak and he almost knelt down, but Zhuge Liang caught him.
"Hey! No, you mustn't! You mustn't!"

A sudden gust of river wind caused Liu Zhang's wide robes to billow like sails.

Only then did Zhuge Liang realize that the once-prosperous governor of Yizhou was now so thin that he didn't look like a local official at all.

He held Liu Zhang's hand and felt it was as cold as iron. He immediately took off his own crane cloak and draped it over Liu Zhang's hand.

"Lord Ji Yu, you've suffered!"

"Mr. Kongming..."

Liu Zhang wept uncontrollably, lamenting, "Alas, I, Zhang, am utterly incompetent and have squandered my father's legacy..."

Zhuge Liang then said solemnly:
"For more than ten years, Ji Yugong protected the territory and ensured the safety of the people. Who among the people of Xichuan does not feel grateful?"

"The current power of Cao Cao is great, and this is not your fault."

He then turned to Liu Xun and praised, "Nephew, you are even more handsome than before! Truly, like father, like son!"

After speaking, he coughed lightly at Ma Su behind him.

Ma Su understood, and with his left hand he took Liu Zhang's arm, and with his right hand he pulled Liu Xun:

"Come, come, it is truly fate that we have met you two today!"

"The governor has prepared some wine at his residence; we can drink and talk at the same time."

As dusk settled over the Governor's Mansion, the aroma of roasted mutton filled the air.

Before Liu Zhang and his son could even pay their respects upon taking their seats, they saw a feast laid out on the table: Minshan deer shank, Jinjiang perch sashimi, and Sichuan-style pickled bamboo shoots—all flavors of their hometown.

Liu Zhang's hands trembled, and disregarding etiquette, he grabbed a piece of deer meat and stuffed it into his mouth.

Juice dripped down his graying beard as he choked back tears:

"I...I haven't tasted meat for three months..."

Zhang Ren silently poured wine for him, but didn't drink a drop of water himself.

Liu Zhang ate and drank heartily, holding his bowl, and said to Liu Xun and the others with emotion:
"Kongming was right."

"Fortunately, I was recommended by you gentlemen to come to Jingzhou, although I will no longer be the governor of Yizhou."

"Fortunately, there is still food to fill our stomachs, which is truly a blessing!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was overcome with grief for some unknown reason, and they all covered their faces and wept.

Zhuge Liang sat on the mat, gently waving his feather fan, and closed his eyes to rest.

After everyone had calmed down, Zhuge Liang suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up, saying:
"Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the Han people."

"Lord Ji Yu is a member of the Han imperial family. How dare the traitor Cao Cao seize the Liu family's legacy? How is this any different from treason?"

The generals of Jingzhou immediately understood, their eyes blazing with fury, their voices booming like thunder:
"The traitor Cao should be executed! The traitor Cao should be executed!"

"We swear to never share the same sky with the traitor Cao!"

Seeing the high spirits of everyone, Liu Zhang was not startled. He staggered to his feet and asked, "What does Master Kongming want from me?"

Zhuge Liang held his arm and asked seriously:
"I wonder if Lord Ji Yu is willing to go to Chendu in person to meet the Emperor."

"Accusing the traitor Cao of the crime of seizing his own relatives!?"

After he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

The implication is that Jingzhou is willing to support Liu Zhang and seek revenge against Cao Cao.

Now you can report it to the authorities, and then we'll have a legitimate reason to do so.

This can also be seen as Jingzhou testing Liu Zhang's attitude.

Suddenly, Zhang Ren drew his sword, cut his sleeve, and bowed to Liu Zhang, saying:

"This humble general is willing to go through fire and water for his lord!"

Upon seeing this, the other officers who had followed also knelt on one knee and bowed, saying:

"We are all willing to fight Cao Cao to the death once more!"

The Shu generals who were able to come to Jingzhou with Liu Zhang to seek refuge must have been his absolute confidants.

Although there weren't many people, they had a very strong presence.

Seeing that the atmosphere had become so tense, Liu Zhang couldn't refuse any longer and said:
"Although Zhang is weak, he is still a descendant of Emperor Gao!"

"The traitor Cao Cao has seized my Liu family's ancestral land. I wish to go to Chendu to meet the Emperor and lodge a formal complaint!"

Liu Xun remained calm and reminded Liu Zhang from the side:
“Father, there are not only ministers from Qi in the Chen capital, but also ministers from Wei.”

"Moreover, this trip will inevitably pass through Henan."

"I've heard there's going to be war in Henan; this trip will likely be fraught with danger..."

Liu Xun spoke his last words very softly, but Zhuge Liang still heard them.

He strode over to the father and son and gently comforted them:
"My lord, do not worry. I will send Zhao Yun to escort your father to Chendu."

Liu Xun suddenly knelt down:

"Your nephew is willing to go in your father's place!"

Zhuge Liang helped him up and sighed:

"Without Ji Yugong's personal presence, it would not be enough to shake up the court and the public."

"Young master, you are young and promising. Our Jingzhou is still lacking a Lieutenant General."

"Why don't you take on this role, young master?"

Upon seeing this, Liu Zhang comforted his son, saying:
"Since you've said so, Xun'er, you should stay in Jingzhou."

"I will go to Chendu myself."

Liu Zhang is currently seeking political refuge and is eager for his son to obtain an official position in the State of Qi.

He was afraid of offending Zhuge Liang and being driven out.

So I agreed without hesitation.

“Good! Lord Ji Yu can rest well tonight. Tomorrow, General Zhao Yun will escort Lord Ji Yu to Chen.”

After making arrangements for Liu Zhang and his entourage, Zhuge Liang returned to his office and was about to write down his thoughts to explain the matter to Liu Bei.

Suddenly, Ma Su walked in and shouted:
"Congratulations, Commander!"

Zhuge Liang frowned and asked, "What joy do I have?"

"This is the protocol that the King of Qi sent by fast horse from Xiapi."

Ma Su took out a bamboo scroll and a wooden box, his face glowing red, and knelt down to present them to Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang examined the box and saw that it contained the seal of the Governor of Jingzhou.

Attached is Liu Bei's own handwriting:

"My nephew Qi is seriously ill and has resigned from his post to recuperate."

"Jingzhou is a strategically important place, and only Zhuge Liang can govern it."

It turns out that Liu Qi had been seriously ill and was sent to Xiangyang by Zhuge Liang to recuperate.

But he simply couldn't bear it any longer and voluntarily resigned from his position as Governor of Jingzhou, requesting to go to Xiapi to recuperate.

Because of the advanced medical technology in Xiapi, the chief physician was Hua Tuo.

Liu Qi went there with a glimmer of hope.

Historically, Liu Qi actually died in this year.

However, thanks to the good treatment he received in Xiapi, his life has been temporarily saved, but he will definitely not be able to work again.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Liu Bei formally handed over the position of Governor of Jingzhou to Zhuge Liang.

In fact, this can be seen as Liu Bei's assessment of Zhuge Liang's political performance.

Because if Zhuge Liang doesn't perform well enough, there's still time to replace him.

Zhuge Liang has only been in office for a few years, yet he has not only recovered the four counties of Jingnan, but also stabilized the local economy and people's livelihood.

With outstanding performance, he naturally passed the assessment.

A spring breeze suddenly rose outside the window, causing the still-wet ink on the table to spread.

Ma Su bowed again: "Congratulations on your promotion to Governor!"

Zhuge Liang gently placed the seal on the table and gazed at the scroll of "Longzhong Plan" on the wall.

In the painting, Liu Bei, dressed in a simple robe and wearing a turban, is bowing deeply to Li Yi, his bow reaching the ground.

Li Yi, dressed in a simple blue robe, pointed to the map on the table.

This painting depicts the scene when Liu Bei first met Li Yi, showing respect to scholars and seeking his advice on governing the country.

Ultimately, Li Yi, moved by Liu Bei's sincerity, chose to leave his seclusion and serve him.

Of course, this painting is an artistic interpretation of the first encounter between Liu Bei and his minister Li Yi, based on the artists' own imagination.

However, this does not prevent it from spreading widely and being loved by the general public.

Zhuge Liang also collected this scroll and hung it on the wall of his government office to constantly encourage himself.

"Youchang, do you know why Prime Minister Li resolutely chose to leave his seclusion and assist the King of Qi in restoring the Han Dynasty?"

Zhuge Liang stroked the scroll and asked a question.

"...Uh, isn't it because the King of Qi is providing meals?"

"puff."

Zhuge Liang couldn't help but chuckle, "This is just Li Xiang's humble remark, how could you take it seriously?"

"When Prime Minister Li emerged from seclusion, the land and the people were devastated by war."

"With conscience and benevolence, there will be no war."

"It was precisely because Li Xiang could not bear to see such a tragic situation that he resolutely chose to take office and save the people from suffering."

"This is the person I have always respected throughout my life."

At this point, Zhuge Liang's eyes flickered, and he gently stroked the seal of Jingzhou.

"Receiving this seal is not for the sake of official rank or emolument."

"I only wish for peace and tranquility throughout the world, so that the common people may have a day to rest their shoulders."

"If in later generations, when people mention Prime Minister Li, they might occasionally say that Liang was a commoner."

"I'll be satisfied with that."

"...My lord."

Ma Su was moved. Faced with Zhuge Liang's noble character, he was at a loss for words.

"The time has come."

"What time?"

Zhuge Liang did not answer, but returned to his seat, picked up his pen and began to write a memorial of remonstrance.

Then he handed it to Ma Su and said earnestly:

“Youchang, you can give this memorial to the envoy from Xuzhou and have him report it to the King of Qi on my behalf.”

"Here."

Ma Su bowed and accepted the order, handing the memorial to the messenger and asking him to pass it on to Liu Bei.

The messenger received the order and rushed back to Xiapi overnight to present Zhuge Liang's memorial of remonstrance.

The book states briefly:

Your subject Liang bows deeply and respectfully presents this to Your Majesty:

"When the autumn dew falls, the Yangtze and Han rivers become clear."

"Now we have learned that Cao Cao has completely occupied Western Sichuan, and Liu Zhang and his son are occupying Jingzhou and Xiangyang. This is truly a golden opportunity bestowed by Heaven!"

"As I observe the situation across the land, the provinces of Hebei are well-equipped with soldiers and ample provisions."

"The navy has been established in Huainan."

"The situation in the nine prefectures of Jingzhou and Xiangyang has been stabilized, and there is no longer any cause for concern."

"As for the border regions, with Ma Chao and Lü Bu guarding Ping and Bing provinces, the barbarians will have little chance of causing trouble."

"Although Zhou Yu has recently strengthened the border defenses in Jiangdong, I believe that with his current navy alone, it will be difficult to break through the Jianghuai defense line."

"Therefore, the smoke and dust in Jiangdong were temporarily relieved."

"In the past, Your Majesty worried that Jingzhou had not yet submitted. Now, I dare to guarantee with my life that Nanjun is secure and Jiangling is as solid as a rock."

"Liu Jingsheng's former officials have also turned to him, and he will certainly not cause trouble."

In the first half, Zhuge Liang explained the current situation.

Both the external and internal analyses were clearly explained to Liu Bei.

Externally, Cao Cao had already annexed Western Sichuan, so he would not launch a war against the Central Plains.

Once Cao Cao establishes a firm foothold in Shu, the Central Plains will not be so easy to conquer.

Internally, Zhuge Liang believed that the situation had stabilized, especially in Jingzhou.

In fact, besides preparing for war and stockpiling provisions, Liu Bei also...

This was actually giving Zhuge Liang enough time to digest Jingzhou.

He doesn't want to be like a monkey picking corn, picking one and then dropping it.

Just proceed steadily and surely.

In the second half, Zhuge Liang presented his strategic and tactical ideas to Liu Bei.

It was written—

"Liang has prepared three years' worth of grain and fodder, which are stored in Jiangling. He also used one hundred of Li Xiangzhi's 'wooden oxen and flowing horses' to facilitate transportation."

As the proverb goes: "If you do not take what Heaven gives you, you will suffer the consequences."

"Cao Cao has just acquired Shu, and the people's hearts are not yet with him. If we wait for him to manage Ba and Shu, it will truly be a great threat."

"Fortunately, Liu Jiyu and his son surrendered, and we were just about to divide our troops to pacify them."

"I have been planning for three years and believe that we can launch a multi-pronged attack."

"The Northern Route Army then ordered Li Xiang to lead troops from Hebei southward from Huguan to capture Henan and attack Luoyang."

"Sima Yi, the magistrate of Luoyang, is a defeated general under Li Xiang and is no match for him. He is not difficult to capture."

"The Eastern Route Army was then ordered to lead a naval force of 50,000 men up the Huai River to the west, seize Qiao County, and control Yingchuan."

“Yuanlong is a man of great talent and ambition, and Cao Ren is no match for him.”

"I will personally lead the elite troops of Jingzhou to march out of Xiangyang, break through Xinye, and head straight for Wancheng."

"With such a three-pronged attack, Cao Cao will find it difficult to defend both ends."

"As for the central army, Your Majesty shall personally lead the elite troops of Xuzhou westward from Xiapi to meet the feudal lords at Chenliu."

"At that time, with four routes converging, the Central Plains can be captured in one fell swoop!"

"In the past, Emperor Gaozu seized Bashu and then conquered the Three Qin regions. Now Your Majesty commands the forces of six provinces. You must not miss this golden opportunity."

"As I write this, my mind is racing; I humbly beseech Your Majesty for a wise decision."

"In the spring of the fourteenth year of Jian'an, your subject Liang respectfully presents this."

After arriving in Jingzhou, Zhuge Liang began to plan his strategy to conquer the Central Plains.

His original plan was to take Xichuan first, and then trap Cao Cao.

However, the Qi state leadership believed that they should first conquer the Central Plains.

Because the Central Plains hold extraordinary significance for the orthodox Chinese civilization.

Generally speaking, once you control Henan and Hebei, virtually no one will question your legitimacy.

You are the supreme ruler of China.

Therefore, political needs take precedence over everything else.

Based on this, Zhuge Liang proposed a strategic plan to conquer the Central Plains with "four army groups".

One group was led by Li Yi, the commander-in-chief of Hebei, and the other by Chen Deng, the commander of the Huainan Military Region.

Zhuge Liang himself led another force to cooperate with Liu Bei's central army in Xuzhou, aiming to encircle Cao Cao.

The Central Plains could then be conquered in one fell swoop.

In fact, as the war progresses, you'll find that the fighting between the different factions is not as frequent as it was at the beginning.

That's because there were fewer feudal lords, and fewer chaotic battles.

With the stabilization of the regime, the various warlords were no longer simply engaged in warlord conflicts.

Once they had consolidated their power, they began to pursue political ambitions.

It has become more like a series of military, political, and diplomatic games between countries.

Therefore, warfare is no longer like it used to be, where I would attack you, plunder a bit, and then leave.

Or I can occupy two of your cities and wait for you to come and take them back.

That won't happen.

Once a regime is stable, the pursuit between nations becomes strategic victory.

That is, first formulate a strategic statement, and then pursue victory in one battle.

Just as Zhuge Liang had planned, the purpose of this campaign was to seize the Central Plains in one fell swoop.

Of course, you can develop and slowly erode resources, just like the warring states of the past.

However, this not only hinders the development of domestic productivity, but also results in extremely low efficiency.

So if we're going to fight, we have to fight with all our might.

According to Zhuge Liang's calculations, the four army groups could mobilize at least 200,000 men.

The idea of ​​a chaotic warring states period was something no one would even dare to imagine.

This is because the stabilization of the regime has strengthened domestic cohesion.

Moreover, this is a war between major powers, no longer a small-scale skirmish like warlord conflicts.

The difficulty lies not in gathering 200,000 people.

Instead, they gathered enough provisions to feed 200,000 people and shouldered the burden of the productivity required to support them.

In the historical Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao mobilized approximately 230,000 men and over 400,000 laborers.

In other words, this refers to the four-army group plan proposed by Zhuge Liang.

This will cause at least 600,000 people in the State of Qi to lose their jobs!
This number is undoubtedly enormous and alarming.

It requires a long period of preparation.

If Cao Cao hadn't already conquered Western Sichuan, Zhuge Liang would definitely have proposed this plan a year later.

Since time is of the essence, this plan should be put on the agenda.

……

(End of this chapter)