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

Sima Yi, of course, knew perfectly well that Yang Song harbored the intention of defecting to Liu Zhang, the King of Shu.

Unfortunately, Yang Song was known for his greed and treachery, which had spread throughout the Shu Kingdom. He was deeply hated by Zhang Ren and other senior officials, who refused to associate with him.

Under such circumstances, how could Yang Song easily win Liu Zhang's trust?

After much deliberation, he concluded that only by achieving outstanding military exploits could he secure a place in the court of Shu.

Pang De's attack on Dingjun Mountain was a perfect opportunity bestowed by heaven.

Pang De's achievement was tantamount to a great accomplishment. With this weighty achievement, he would naturally be able to gain a foothold in the Shu Kingdom and secure a future.

Sima Yi, however, had his own plans.

He wanted to save his own life, find a place to settle down, and also hoped to save the crumbling Wei Kingdom from its doom.

He also wanted to save Han China and Shu, and more importantly, he wanted to stop the Han Dynasty's process of unifying the world.

To achieve these goals, he must do everything in his power to defend Yangping Pass, a strategically important location.

He even harbored an even bolder plan—to help Zhang Ren defeat Liu Shan and then recover the Han Dynasty.

That is why he offered this plan.

This plan coincided perfectly with Yang Song's own calculations.

Upon hearing the words "brother-in-law," Zhang Ren felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and immediately understood the hidden meaning in his heart.

At that moment, he turned his gaze to Pound and asked:
"Pang Lingming, are you willing to shoulder this heavy responsibility and make unparalleled contributions to our army?"

Upon hearing this, Pound, without hesitation, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and said with great emotion:

"General, I am willing to take on this important task and will definitely seize Dingjun Mountain for you!"

Zhang Ren nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

At this moment, Sima Yi stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:

"General, I am also willing to accompany General Pang. I will adapt to the situation and do my best to assist General Pang in defeating Liu Shan!"

Pang De was the bravest warrior in the army.

Zhang Ren had long heard of Sima Yi's wisdom and strategy.

With these two men on the case, Zhang Ren naturally felt that everything was foolproof.

At that moment, Zhang Ren laughed loudly and said happily:
"Very well! In that case, I will give you 17,000 elite troops. You shall immediately set off via the side path, travel day and night, and head straight for Dingjun Mountain. You must succeed!"

Zhang Ren made this decision.

Pang De and Sima Yi both accepted the order.

Zhang Ren's gaze slowly drifted towards the area outside Yangping Pass, a cold smile playing on his lips:
"Liu Shan, I'll teach you, you greenhorn, how to fight a battle, and show you the might of Zhang Ren!"

……

Meanwhile, outside Yangping Pass, within the Han camp.

Xun Yun stood in the tent, his expression brightening again, and he spoke eloquently:
"Although our army has been unable to capture Yangping Pass for a long time, I expect that Zhang Ren and others will be greatly alarmed when they hear the news of the fall of Chang'an and Cao Cao's westward flight."

"They will surely worry that our army will take the Chencang Road southward and attack their rear, thus putting them in a predicament of being attacked from both sides. The enemy's morale will be unstable, which is a great opportunity for us to capture Yangping Pass!"

A long-lost smile appeared on Liu Shan's face, and he nodded slightly, saying:

"Quickly send an order to Xiao Bowen and the others, instructing them to lead their troops westward to capture Liangzhou, and not to get involved in the Battle of Yangping Pass."

Xun Yun's eyes flickered, and he instantly understood Liu Shan's meaning.

Although Cao Cao retreated west to Liangzhou, the Longshan Mountains served as a natural barrier. Relying on this strategic terrain, he might have been able to prolong his life and hold out for a while.

The Guanzhong army had just captured Chang'an, and the soldiers, having endured a fierce battle, had not yet had time to rest. Even if Xiao He were to command them, a surprise attack on the Longshan Mountains at this moment would likely be beyond their capabilities and unlikely to succeed. As a result, Xiao He and his men would be tied down along the Longshan line, unable to escape, and thus unable to travel south via the Chencang Road to attack the enemy's flanks and rear. Consequently, the credit for capturing Yangping Pass first would not fall to them.

Liu Shan had his own selfish motives; he wanted to firmly grasp the credit for capturing Yangping Pass in his own hands.

Xun Yun immediately understood and chuckled as he complimented Liu Shan:
"Your Highness is wise."

Upon hearing Xun Yun's words, the group of Cao Wei officials who had surrendered found themselves in an increasingly optimistic mood.

"Boning, you seem preoccupied. Is there something you're worried about?"

Liu Shan noticed that Man Chong's expression was strange and had some doubts in his heart, so he glanced at Man Chong.

Man Chong hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands and said:
"Your Highness, I think Zhang Ren will not sit idly by and wait for his death. After all, Sima Yi is also in Guanzhong. Your Highness knows how cunning and treacherous this man is, so we must be on guard."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shan's lips curled into a cold smile:
"Bo Ning, Sima Yi is a repeatedly defeated man, what is there for you to fear?"

After his sarcastic remark, Liu Shan countered with a question:
"Then tell me, what kind of tricks can that treacherous Sima come up with to break my army of 100,000?"

Man Chong was speechless and didn't know how to answer for a moment.

He racked his brains, thinking it over and over, but he really couldn't think of any other flaws in the current situation.

"Perhaps I'm overthinking it..."

Man Chong smiled bitterly at himself, the worry between his brows gradually fading.

Liu Shan smiled, gently patted Man Chong's shoulder, and was about to say a few words of comfort when Jia Kui hurriedly entered.

"Your Highness, I have received a report from the rear that the enemy general Pang Tong has led 17,000 troops from Yizhou in a surprise attack on Dingjun Mountain!"

This statement came out.

Liu Shan's body trembled, and his expression changed drastically. His relaxed smile vanished instantly, replaced by a look of astonishment.

Man Chong's relaxed nerves tensed up instantly.

As the wisest man in the tent, he immediately realized the seriousness of the situation.

Dingjun Mountain?

"That Pound, how did he suddenly appear at Dingjun Mountain?"

Liu Shan, however, was filled with shock and roared angrily.

Jia Kui, panting, said with a bitter face:

"According to the soldiers who escaped, the Yizhou army must have come from south of Dingjun Mountain, taking the Micang Mountain trail!"

Micang Mountain?
Liu Shan hurriedly asked for the map to be brought out so he could examine it closely.

Although Yangping Pass is the key to Hanzhong, it is not actually the only way in and out of Hanzhong.

There was also a road leading to the rice granary to the south, a fact that Liu Shan had heard from others.

I've only heard that the paths in the Micang Mountains are narrow and uneven, making marching difficult.

Even if the Yizhou coalition forces marched through the Micang Mountains, they would at most send out a few scouts.

Pang De actually led an army of 17,000 men and attacked Dingjun Mountain via a side road.

It's truly baffling.

The key question is, why did he go through all that trouble to seize a mountain?
Why would Zhang Ren send a general like Pang De with over 17,000 men to risk attacking Dingjun Mountain?
Liu Shan stared in astonishment at the three characters "Dingjun Mountain" on the map, his eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

At this time.

Man Chong's eyes narrowed, and he shouted:
"Your Highness, something terrible has happened!" (End of Chapter)