My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

"Your Highness's plan is truly ingenious."

"If this plan succeeds, not only will we be able to completely annihilate Cao Wei in one fell swoop, reducing them to ashes, but we can also take Hanzhong into our own hands along the way."

Inside the main tent, someone immediately praised and endorsed Liu Shan's plan.

"Yes, this plan is indeed brilliant, a brilliant strategy that kills two birds with one stone. It eliminates Cao Wei, a major threat, and also allows us to capture Hanzhong!"

Another person echoed this sentiment.

After all, Liu Shan is now the crown prince, and as such, there are naturally people who want to curry favor with him.

Zhang Fei didn't give much thought to the intricacies of Liu Shan's plan.

He didn't understand Liu Shan's true motives and long-term considerations behind his plan at all; he simply heard everyone praising it and loudly agreed as well.

"Good, good, good! I also think the Crown Prince's plan is brilliant. Let's do it!"

Zhao Yun frowned slightly and fell into deep thought.

He did not immediately object; after pondering for a moment, he slowly spoke:

"I believe this plan is not unfeasible, but I think it is unnecessary for Your Highness to personally lead the troops. It would be sufficient to send a capable general to lead a large army to attack Zhang Lu."

"Your Highness is of noble status and it is not appropriate for you to personally take risks."

Zhao Yun's implication was quite clear: he was obviously not at ease with Liu Shan personally leading the troops.

After all, in the previous two important battles, Liu Shan was merely in the name of commander-in-chief and did not actually participate in the command of the actual battles. He mostly just enjoyed the fruits of others' labor.

Take the Battle of Wei River as an example. At that time, Liu Shan personally led 100,000 troops to reinforce Zhang Fei.

In reality, however, he merely went through the motions and did not engage in any substantial battle with Cao Cao.

In reality, Liu Shan lacked considerable experience in commanding troops.

Under such circumstances, how could Zhao Yun feel at ease letting Liu Shan personally lead an army of 100,000 to fight against Zhang Lu's army?
You have to understand, that was real combat, with real swords and spears, and every strike drawing blood.

The consequences could be disastrous if we are not careful.

Although Zhang Lu's military skills were far inferior to Cao Cao's, Liu Shan was undoubtedly as inexperienced as a greenhorn in front of him.

If something goes wrong on the battlefield, wouldn't the 100,000-strong army be in danger?

At that time, not only will the plan to attack Hanzhong fail, but it will also have a serious negative impact on the entire plan to attack Wei, which would be a great loss.

Zhao Yun meant well, thinking of the bigger picture, but Liu Shan's face instantly darkened upon hearing this, and he coldly said:
"What do you mean by that, General of Chariots and Cavalry? Do you perhaps think that I am not even capable of dealing with a mere Zhang Lu?"

"Do you really think I'm that worthless?"

Zhao Yun was taken aback by Liu Shan's sudden question, and quickly bowed and explained:

"Your Majesty, I... I certainly didn't mean that. I just think that His Highness the Crown Prince should stay and command the main force of our army, focusing on attacking Chang'an."

Liu Shan's expression softened slightly after hearing Zhao Yun's explanation, but he remained unconvinced and said:
"The Grand Marshal said that taking Chang'an will inevitably be a protracted war, not something that can be accomplished overnight. It will take at least three to five months."

"Since that's the case, why should I stay in the camp? I'll leave this place to the Grand Marshal, the General of the Flying Cavalry, and you, the General of the Chariots and Cavalry. I believe you are capable of guarding the camp well."

Upon hearing Liu Shan's words, Zhao Yun's expression changed slightly, and he inwardly sensed something was amiss. From the implication of Liu Shan's words, it was clear that he not only intended to personally lead the army to deal with Zhang Lu, but also forbade Zhao Yun, Xiao He, and Zhang Fei—these three "old fellows"—from participating!
This is no joke!

It should be noted that although Zhang Lu's Hanzhong army could not compare to Cao Wei's elite troops, it still possessed considerable fighting power.

Without these three "old guys" sitting by his side, could Liu Shan really have dealt with Zhang Lu's Hanzhong army with his limited experience in commanding troops?
Does he really think he's a genius who can do anything?

Thinking of this, Zhao Yun was naturally worried, and quickly cupped his hands in a respectful manner, saying:
“Your Highness, this is probably not appropriate. You have never personally led troops into battle before and lack practical experience.”

"There are three of us. You should choose at least one to stay with you so we can deal with any unexpected situations."

Zhang Fei also noticed the problem.

He was a straightforward person, saying whatever came to mind, and immediately stated:

“Your Highness, I think General Zilong is right. Although you are smart, fighting a war is not something to be taken lightly.”

"I'm really worried about you suddenly going to deal with Zhang Lu."

Liu Shan was clearly provoked by Zhang Fei's blunt words; his face instantly darkened, and a flash of anger appeared in his eyes.

"I commanded both the Battle of Puban and the Battle of Wei River. Has the General of the Flying Cavalry forgotten them?"

"Furthermore, before this expedition, I diligently studied military strategy day and night, and I believe I have gained quite a bit of insight."

"I am confident that with my military command abilities, I may not be able to handle Cao Cao, but dealing with Zhang Lu is more than enough!"

These confident, almost arrogant remarks left Zhang Fei speechless, his mouth agape for a long time.

Good grief, you really think you're a genius.

Don't you have any idea how we won those two battles at Puban and Weishui?

You only managed to get a good deal because of our battles as military generals and Xiao He's scheming.

How long has it been since you recovered from dementia? Even if you study military strategy day and night, how many books can you actually read?
He dares to be so arrogant, claiming that he has a lot of experience.

Where does your confidence come from?
Zhao Yun frowned deeply, realizing that Liu Shan's words were too hasty, so he cupped his hands in greeting again:
"Your Highness, war is a matter of life and death, concerning the lives of countless soldiers and the future of the nation. How can one claim to know about war simply by reading a few military books?"
"Armchair strategist tactics are no good!"

Upon hearing Zhao Yun's words, Liu Shan's expression instantly changed, and his eyes widened in anger:

"Zhao Zilong, what do you mean by that?"

Are you mocking me for being like Zhao Kuo? How could I, Liu Shan, be the kind of person who has only a hollow reputation and is good at empty talk?

Zhao Yun was speechless after Liu Shan's questioning, and for a moment he did not know how to respond. He could only stand there and silently endure Liu Shan's anger.

Liu Shan, however, had grown impatient. Feeling his authority challenged, he adopted the air of a commander-in-chief and abruptly waved his hand:

"My mind is made up, there is no need for further discussion!"

"I will personally lead an army of 100,000 southwards to attack Zhang Lu through Baoxie Valley and take Hanzhong."

"Grand Marshal, General of the Flying Cavalry, and you, General of Chariots and Cavalry, the three of you will lead the remaining army to continue the siege of Chang'an."

"Within a month, I will surely defeat the Hanzhong army, return north to join you, and together we will conquer Chang'an!" (End of Chapter)