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

Yangping Pass.

Inside the military headquarters, high-ranking officials of the Allied Forces gathered to discuss strategies for breaking the deadlock.

"Although Liu Shan is ignorant of military affairs, if it is only his Han army, I have nothing to fear."

"But now I hear that Chang'an has fallen, the Wei emperor has fled to Liangzhou, and Guanzhong is now entirely in the hands of the Han army."

“I am worried that the Han army will later march south through Chencang Road into Shu, cutting off our rear and leaving us to be attacked from both sides.”

"Given the current situation, we can no longer afford to delay. We must quickly defeat Liu Shan."

Zhang Ren explained the dire situation before them, then glanced at the crowd:

"Gentlemen, do any of you have a plan to quickly defeat Liu Shan? Tell me now."

Everyone lowered their heads, looked at each other, and remained silent.

Zhang Ren frowned, about to lash out.

"General, I have a plan that may quickly defeat Liu Shan."

In the silence, Sima Yi suddenly spoke.

Zhang Ren's eyes lit up with surprise, and he quickly asked:

"Sima Zhongda, what brilliant plan do you have? Tell me quickly!"

Everyone's surprised and delighted gazes were also focused on Sima Yi.

"To defeat Liu Shan, we must take the initiative and attack where the enemy is bound to defend, drawing the Han army away from their camp at Yangping Pass, and then devise a plan to defeat them!"

"And the place Liu Shan must save is right there!"

Sima Yi raised his hand and pointed gently towards the southeast.

Zhang Renyi was taken aback, then quickly took the map.

Yang Song immediately ordered his men to bring out the most detailed map of Hanzhong in Han China and spread it out in the hall.

The topography and landforms around Yangping Pass immediately became clear.

"General, if we're talking about the place the Han army absolutely must defend, it must be this place!"

Sima Yi stretched out his finger and slowly tapped a corner of the map.

Everyone's eyes were focused.

Three words came into view:

Dingjun Mountain!
Immediately, Zhang Ren's mind conjured up the image of that seemingly ordinary mountain peak southeast of Yangping Pass.

He frowned slightly, showing a hint of doubt.

"Sima Zhongda, why did Dingjun Mountain become a place where Liu Shan absolutely had to be rescued?"

Zhang Ren failed to understand Sima Yi's deeper meaning for a moment.

Sima Yi smiled and explained unhurriedly:
"General, you may not know this, but Dingjun Mountain is located southeast of Yangping Pass, bordered by the Mian River to the north and the Micang Mountain to the south. Its terrain is extremely dangerous."

"If our allied forces can occupy this place, it will be like planting a sharp sword behind the Han army outside Yangping Pass!"

"If our army recaptures this mountain, we can cross the Mian River to the north, flank the Han army from behind, and cut off their supply lines."

"The Han army's food supplies are already difficult to transport. If our army cuts off their supplies even slightly, their food supplies will be cut off, and their morale will be thrown into chaos!"

After catching his breath,

Sima Yi then turned eastward towards Yangping Pass:
“Even if we don’t raid the Han army’s supplies, our allied forces can still advance eastward from Dingjun Mountain along the south bank and take Nanzheng directly.”

"If Nanzheng falls, how can Liu Shan stand idly by and not come to its aid?"

"Once he sends troops to reinforce the pass, he will surely reduce the Han army at the pass, and our army can take advantage of the situation to launch an attack and defeat him in one fell swoop!"

After taking a deep breath.

Sima Yi said decisively:

"Therefore, Yi predicted that as long as we occupy Dingjun Mountain, Liu Shan will definitely send troops to take it back."

"If that happens, we will have a chance to defeat the Han army."

"If the Han army is defeated, their morale will waver, and we can take advantage of the situation to break out of the pass and utterly defeat the main force of the Han army!"

"In that case, we can seize the opportunity when the Han army from Guanzhong marches south and recapture Hanzhong in one fell swoop!" Sima Yi exclaimed, revealing his entire plan.

As Zhang Ren listened to Sima Yi's account, his gaze remained fixed on the location of Dingjun Mountain on the map.

Gradually, Zhang Ren's expression became excited, and finally turned into ecstasy.

"Wonderful! I never imagined you knew the terrain of Hanzhong so well!"

Yang Song, standing to the side, clicked his tongue in praise:
"I am from Hanzhong, yet I had no idea that Dingjun Mountain was such a strategic location!"

Both the Shu army and the Hanzhong army joined in with praise.

Sima Yi smiled slightly and continued:

"If this plan is to succeed, we should send a great general with 10,000 elite troops to sneak along the southern path, bypass the Han army outside the pass, and launch a surprise attack on Dingjun Mountain."

"Once Dingjun Mountain is recovered, we will immediately set up a camp on the summit to defend it."

"Upon learning the news, Liu Shan will surely lead the army at Yangping Pass to attack and seize Dingjun Mountain in order to recover it."

"At that time, our army only needs to wait in comfort and take advantage of the fact that Liu Shan and the Han army have not yet settled their camp, and then suddenly dive down to launch a deadly surprise attack."

"In this way, we will surely be able to defeat the Han army in one fell swoop and kill their general."

"In this way, the morale of the Han army outside Yangping Pass will be greatly damaged, and it will be the time for us to take advantage of the victory, defeat the main force of the Han army, and recover the lost territory!"

Sima Yi then stopped beating around the bush and revealed his entire plan to Zhang Ren.

As Zhang Ren looked at the map and listened to Sima Yi's description, his expression grew increasingly excited.

Even Yan Pu couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:

"Zhongda's plan was to first lure the snake out of its hole, making Liu Shan mistakenly believe that we were going to cut off his supply lines, so that he had no choice but to send troops to seize the mountain, and then defeat him by waiting in ambush."

"This plan is truly ingenious. If it succeeds, it will surely turn the tide!"

"General, I believe that Zhongda's plan is feasible and will surely succeed!"

Zhang Ren laughed loudly, the gloom on his face vanishing, and then said boldly:

"Very well, then I will use Zhongda's plan to seize Dingjun Mountain, thereby luring Liu Shan to divide his forces and defeat him in one fell swoop!"

Zhang Ren had made up his mind.

Sima Yi smiled slightly and looked at a military general:
"This battle is a matter of life and death, and we need a great general who is familiar with the terrain of Hanzhong to carry it out."

"In my opinion, such an important task is best entrusted to General Pang Lingming!"

All eyes turned to the taciturn military general.

Pound!

Both Zhang Ren and Yan Pu's expressions changed.

Clearly, they hadn't expected Sima Yi to recommend this person.

It must be said that Pang De was quite familiar with the terrain of Dingjun Mountain.

After all, he had been in Hanzhong for many years and knew every blade of grass and tree in Hanzhong by heart.

The key point is that Pang De was once Ma Chao's subordinate.

Such an important task, you send Pound to carry it out, aren't you afraid he'll defect at the last minute?

Even Pang De himself looked up in surprise, his gaze falling on Sima Yi.

Sima Yi, however, looked confident and gave Yang Song a meaningful look, then asked with a smile:

"Prime Minister Yang, in your opinion, is General Pang capable of undertaking this important task?"

Yang Song's eyes darted around a few times, and without hesitation, he said:
"Zhongda is right. Only my brother-in-law can shoulder this heavy responsibility in this battle!"

Upon hearing the words "brother-in-law," Zhang Ren and the others were all taken aback.

They obviously didn't expect that after Pang De followed Ma Chao into Hanzhong, Yang Song, in order to divide and weaken Ma Chao's power, asked Zhang Lu to act as matchmaker and forcibly married his sister to Pang De.

In this way, Pound became Yang Song's brother-in-law.

Moreover, over the years, Pound and his sister have had several children, all of whom are currently at Yangping Pass.

With this connection, and several of his children as "hostages," would Pound dare to defect to the Han? (End of Chapter)