The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 365 Zhuge Liang's Powerful Invasion of Qingzhou, Cleverly Breaking Cheng Yu's Poisonous Scheme (2nd Update)
At present, Liu Bei's five armies in Hebei are all engaged in tense battles. Liu Bei asked Zhuge Liang to increase the number of laborers, provisions and troops, and also asked Zhuge Liang to find a way to break through Qingzhou. This shows that Liu Bei can no longer spare troops to look eastward while he is on the front line.

Joining forces with Chen Deng of Xuzhou was a crucial part of this battle.

In Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang's original plan, the core objective was to seize Wei Commandery and other places.

Even if Xuzhou and Runan both raise troops, Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang would still only be able to seize Wei Commandery and other places, which would be a failure in terms of strategic intent.

Furthermore, Liu Bei cherished old friendships and was unwilling to see Chen Deng and the righteous men of Xuzhou rise up without offering assistance.

Therefore, Liu Bei made a special trip to ask Zhuge Liang for a solution.

At present, only if Zhuge Liang personally leads the troops into battle can they possibly break through Qingzhou.

"Xiaoqi, the situation at the front is tense. I intend to personally lead troops to Qingzhou to assist the Left General. I will leave the matters of laborers, provisions, and troop mobilization in the rear to you, Xiaoqi."

Since Zhuge Liang was leaving, a capable person needed to take charge of the rear.

And Chen Zhen was naturally the first choice.

Chen Zhen had followed Liu Bei for a long time and often handled various affairs in Zhuo County. Zhuge Liang also focused on cultivating Chen Zhen.

Although he was not as famous as Jiang Wan and others in his later years, Chen Zhen was still quite remarkable, serving as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat during Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions.

Now that Zhuge Liang is about to go on an expedition, the only way to ensure peace of mind is to leave Chen Zhen in charge of all matters in the rear.

Chen Zhen, knowing the weight of his responsibility, vowed, "Rest assured, strategist, I will do my utmost."

Zhuge Liang then left Jian Yong, Sun Qian, Guo Yuan, Wang Xiu and others to assist Chen Zhen in governing the country, and then led 2,000 infantry and cavalry south to the plains.

Pingyuan was originally besieged by Huang Zhong, Ju Shou, Zhao Du, Huo Nu and 3,000 troops. After Cao Cao arrived at Ye City, he sent Xiahou Yuan and Xu Huang to reinforce him. The two sides were in a standoff in Pingyuan.

If Zhuge Liang wanted to break through Qingzhou, the two thousand infantry and cavalry in Zhuojun were not enough. Not to mention the lack of generals, even the soldiers were not skilled warriors.

The reason they entered Pingyuan was that Zhuge Liang wanted to use the strategy of substituting one weak soldier for another, exchanging the two thousand weak soldiers for the two thousand elite soldiers under Huang Zhong who went to Qingzhou.

Military strategy states: "Each side has its strengths and weaknesses." In war, complete victory is rare, and the key to victory lies in comparing strengths and weaknesses, thus revealing the secret to overcoming strengths with weaknesses. Strategies such as using inferior horses against superior horses, superior horses against medium horses, and medium horses against inferior horses are truly unique military tactics, beyond the comprehension of conventional wisdom.

Now, due to the loss of his rear, Cao Cao has secretly transferred some of his troops, and the military orders he has issued to various places are mainly focused on maintaining a cautious approach.

Even though Zhuge Liang transferred elite troops from Huang Zhong's forces, Xiahou Yuan, Xu Huang, and Lü Qian did not dare to launch a preemptive attack.

This also presented Zhuge Liang with an opportunity to break through Qingzhou.

"Ju Congshi, you will command the battle at Pingyuan. I will leave Zhao Du and Huo Nu to assist you. Hansheng, you will accompany me to quickly take Qi." Upon arriving at Pingyuan, Zhuge Liang decisively allocated the military forces.

Ju Shou said worriedly, "The strategist is of great importance; how can he go so lightly? Why don't I go to Qingzhou, and the strategist stay in Pingyuan?"

Zhuge Liang shook his head: "The purpose of this trip to Qingzhou is to open up the connection between Hebei and Xuzhou. Only I can go there. Although Ju is wise and resourceful, he is not well-regarded in Qingzhou and Xuzhou. Last year, I sent a large number of righteous men to Qingzhou and Xuzhou, and with the help of Kang Cheng Gong and others, if I go to Qingzhou and Xuzhou in person, there will surely be many who are willing to respond to the General of the Left."

Liu Bei did not blindly send Zhuge Liang to break through Qingzhou.

Last year, when Cao Cao launched his Northern Expedition, Zhuge Liang had already infiltrated Qing and Xu provinces. Moreover, Zhuge Liang's status was far superior to that of Ju Shou.

If Zhuge Liang had promised the people of Qing and Xu to help Liu Bei, Liu Bei would have acknowledged it afterward. However, Ju Shou lacked the qualifications and courage to do so, and even if Ju Shou had made the promise, the people of Qing and Xu would not have believed him. Upon hearing this, Ju Shou stopped trying to persuade him.

Subsequently, Zhuge Liang selected two thousand elite soldiers and secretly crossed the Yellow River at Longcou to enter Jinan.

They were not worried about their whereabouts being exposed along the way. Not only did they make their flags clear, but they also sent people along the way to announce it, as if they were afraid that no one would know.

This move, while allowing Cheng Yu in Linzi to learn of Zhuge Liang's whereabouts in advance, also alerted the righteous troops lurking in Qingzhou and the forces that had secretly helped Liu Bei the previous year.

Last year, in order to deal with Cao Cao's northern expedition, Zheng Xuan, Cai Wenji, Lu Yu, and scholars who had received the favor of Liu Bei opening his library to others wrote letters to old friends and relatives.

Although these forces did not openly rebel against Cao Cao, they secretly created a lot of chaos to distract him.

Now that Zhuge Liang has personally arrived in Qingzhou, the forces that were originally responding in secret are gradually turning to the open. As soon as Zhuge Liang entered Jinan, the Jinan Chancellor appointed by Cao Cao abandoned the city and fled.

It wasn't that the Chancellor of Jinan wanted to betray Cao Cao, but rather that the local officials of Jinan were all urging him to surrender, claiming that Zhuge Liang was invincible.

This scene is similar to the situation during Zhuge Liang's first Northern Expedition, when the prefects of Nan'an and Tianshui abandoned their cities and fled. It was not that they truly wanted to betray the government, but rather that they had no choice but to abandon their cities and flee because the situation was hopeless.

Qingzhou was far away, and Cao Cao had just acquired it, so the people's hearts were not yet with it. Apart from Pingyuan and Qi, where there were large armies, it was only nominally under Cao Cao's control.

Zhuge Liang had already sent people to infiltrate the area last year, so naturally, many people responded.

It wasn't that Zhuge Liang underestimated Ju Shou, but rather that if Zhuge Liang had led his troops into Qing and Xu, most of the cities would likely have surrendered without a fight.

Zhuge Liang didn't even need to worry about food supplies, as local powerful clans provided him with provisions and military supplies. This was the effect of his reputation and popularity.

Obtaining food from the enemy does not necessarily have to be done through plunder; it can also be done through cooperation.

As they advanced, powerful clans and bandits joined them along the way. By the time they reached the outskirts of Linzi, Zhuge Liang had gathered more than 5,000 men.

Then Huang Zhong shot down a banner on the city wall with an arrow and shouted, "Listen up, you on the city wall! General Zhuge Liang, the military advisor under the Left General, has personally led his troops here. Those who surrender will live, and those who do not will be like this banner!"

The overwhelming aura of the city wall even startled Cheng Yu on the city wall.

"I never expected Liu Bei to send Zhuge Liang to Qingzhou. This man is wise and resourceful, skilled in commanding troops, and has such a brilliant archer as his assistant. If we were to fight outside the city, I would be no match for him. The only option is to defend the city and await your reinforcements."

Cheng Yu gazed at Zhuge Liang's banner below the city walls, a sense of fear creeping into his heart. He then ordered a pile of heads to be thrown down from the city wall and shouted back, "All the traitors inside the city have been killed by me. If you have the ability, come and attack!"

As one of the most ruthless and decisive men under Cao Cao, Cheng Yu summoned the civil and military officials in the city to discuss countermeasures after learning that the Chancellor of Jinan had abandoned the city and fled.

On the surface, Cheng Yu presented the pros and cons in a friendly manner, allowing everyone to vote. However, after the meeting ended, Cheng Yu had all the dozen or so cowardly civil and military officials executed as a warning to others.

They forcefully nipped the emerging trend of the city responding to Zhuge Liang in the bud.

Seeing Cheng Yu's ruthlessness, even Huang Zhong was shocked and hurriedly returned to his formation to report to Zhuge Liang.

"He is powerful, but he doesn't understand people's hearts." Zhuge Liang sneered and then ordered: "Prepare coffins according to the number of people, and carve human figures from fine wood to give a grand burial to the righteous men of Linzi who died in response to General Zuo."

　I overslept, I'll write the remaining three chapters after I finish eating.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)