Three Reconstructions of the Han Dynasty: I Helped Zhuge Liang Perfect the Longzhong Plan

Once everything was settled, Liu Bei immediately dispatched fast horses to the two locations.

He rushed to Chengdu and delivered the good news of the pacification of Hanzhong and the surrender of the entire region to Huang Quan, Dong He and others. He informed them that the northern gateway of Yizhou was now secure and that they should focus on managing the rear, coordinating the supply of provisions and military equipment, and preparing for long-term strategic development in the future.

Another message was sent to Jiangling, conveying a letter to Zhuge Liang explaining that Hanzhong had been secured and ordering strict vigilance on the border of Jingzhou to guard against Cao Wei and Eastern Wu taking the opportunity to spy on the border. The two borders, east and west, should coordinate with each other to stabilize the overall situation.

Wudu Commandery, located northwest of Hanzhong, is an isolated border region and a vital passage for Yongliang troops to enter Hanzhong. Liu Bei immediately summoned Ma Chao and Ma Dai to the central command tent and ordered them to lead their Xiliang troops to attack Wudu at an immediate time.

Wudu's military strength was weak, and upon hearing that Hanzhong had fallen into Liu Bei's hands and Zhang Lu had surrendered, the garrison commander had no intention of holding out.

Furthermore, Ma Chao had always been highly respected in Xiliang. As soon as his troops arrived, the garrison commanders of the cities along the way surrendered without losing a single soldier, and Wudu was thus brought under his control.

Ma Chao and Ma Dai then took charge of Xiabian, pacifying the Di and Qiang tribes within the territory of Wudu.

After the good news was reported, the northwestern border of Hanzhong was temporarily safe and secure.

The pacification of Hanzhong, the dispatch of proclamations to the rear, and the capture of Wudu were all necessary steps to consolidate the territory, and the journey was smooth and without any setbacks.

In just over a month, Hanzhong and the surrounding counties were all under Liu Bei's jurisdiction, transforming into a solid barrier in the north of Yizhou.

Meanwhile, the messenger Zhang Lu had secretly sent to Xuchang to seek help, and the spies Cao Cao's army had planted in Hanzhong, traveled a long and arduous journey, taking a full month to finally arrive in Xuchang.

The officials stationed in Xuchang knew that this matter was of great importance and dared not make a decision on their own. They immediately dispatched a messenger on horseback to Yecheng to report the urgent information to Cao Cao.

At this time, Cao Cao was stationed in Ye City, busy with internal affairs, revising the official system and etiquette of Wei, building ancestral temples, and consolidating his power base. He had no time to look westward.

Upon hearing the urgent report from Xudu, he immediately put down his pen and documents and summoned his core advisors, including Xun You, Cheng Yu, Liu Ye, Jia Xu, and Dong Zhao, to the hall for a meeting.

The atmosphere inside the council hall of Ye City was solemn.

Cao Cao, dressed in ordinary clothes, sat upright in the main seat, took the secret letter handed to him by the messenger, and began to read it carefully. His brows gradually furrowed, and a layer of helplessness and melancholy quietly covered his originally composed face. After a long while, he gently placed the secret letter on the table and sighed softly.

The advisors below, observing this, all tensed slightly. Cheng Yu spoke first: "My lord, an urgent report from Xuchang! What has happened?"

Cao Cao tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, his tone barely concealing his coldness: "One is that Zhang Lu's messenger has arrived in Xuchang seeking help, and the other is a report from our spies on the western front—"

Liu Bei had already persuaded Zhang Lu to surrender without shedding a drop of blood, thus gaining control of the entire Hanzhong region.

As soon as he finished speaking, all the officials in the hall were moved, their faces full of surprise.

Dong Zhao stepped forward first, his expression grave: "Is this really true?"

Liu Bei had only recently taken Yizhou, and in the blink of an eye, he easily captured Hanzhong. His actions were far faster than we had anticipated.

Hanzhong was the throat of Yizhou, a strategically important and easily defensible location. Liu Bei's control of it effectively shut down the northern gate of Yizhou, allowing him to advance and threaten Yong and Liang provinces, or retreat and defend his position. His power and influence had greatly increased, making him a force to be reckoned with.

Jia Xu stroked his beard and slowly said, "My lord, although this matter is unexpected, upon closer examination it is also quite reasonable."

Zhang Lu had no ambition to contend for supremacy; he only sought to protect his territory and its people. With Liu Bei's massive army pressing in and his lord far away in Ye City, and reinforcements seemingly out of reach, Zhang Lu's surrender was simply the inevitable outcome.

Moreover, Liu Bei was known for winning people's hearts with benevolence and virtue, and he would surely promise to protect the Zhang clan and not abolish the Five Pecks of Rice sect. With such a secure way out, Zhang Lu would naturally be willing to submit.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao let out another cold snort, but his eyes were filled with helplessness: "I knew long ago that Liu Bei was a hero of our time, not someone to be trifled with, but I did not expect him to act so swiftly and take Hanzhong first."

"My original plan was to wait until the internal affairs in the north were settled and Xiahou Yuan had pacified Xiliang before marching west to seize Hanzhong and sever Liu Bei's power base. Now the opportunity has been lost, what a pity!"

Xun You stepped forward and calmly analyzed: "My lord, at present, the main force of our army is still in the north, busy sorting out internal affairs. Moreover, Yong and Liang have been ravaged by war for a long time, and the region has not yet been completely stabilized. It will take time to transport supplies, troop deployments, and other resources. A hasty westward expedition is by no means a prudent strategy."

Our army is currently incapable of launching a large-scale westward advance and directly competing with Liu Bei for Hanzhong. Forcing an attack would only waste resources and manpower, leading to a protracted and arduous war.

Upon hearing this, all the advisors nodded in agreement, agreeing with Xun You's theory.

Liu Ye then advised, "Lord Wei, the best course of action right now is to defend."

The military order can be quickly transmitted, ordering General Xiahou Yuan to intensify the suppression of the rebellion in Yongliang, reorganize military affairs, pacify the tribes, and strengthen the entire defense line in Yongliang;

At the same time, orders were issued to the border generals of Yongzhou to be on high alert, fortify city defenses, stockpile grain and fodder, and train troops day and night to prevent Liu Bei from taking advantage of Hanzhong to invade Yong and Liang in the north.

Jia Xu then chimed in, "What Ziyang said is quite right."

Liu Bei had just acquired Hanzhong, and the people's hearts were not yet fully won over. Local governance would also take time, so he would certainly not dare to advance north rashly in the short term.

Our army only needs to hold the key border points and solidify the defenses. Once the internal affairs in the north are settled and the troops and supplies are ready, then we can seek an opportunity to advance westward and contend with Liu Bei. This is the most foolproof strategy.

Cao Cao rose and paced around the hall, his brow furrowed. Though he was filled with resentment, he knew that what everyone said was true.

Currently embroiled in crucial domestic affairs in the north, the army is unable to immediately launch a westward expedition. Despite their deep resentment, they can only suppress and endure it for the time being.

He stopped and looked at the assembled officials, his tone calm: "What you all see coincides with my thoughts."

"Now that I am stretched thin, it is indeed unwise to hastily send troops. I can only bide my time and defend instead of attacking."

After saying this, he immediately picked up a pen to draft a military order, affixed his official seal, and ordered it to be sent to Yongliang overnight.

Order Xiahou Yuan: You must thoroughly rectify the military affairs of Yong and Liang, pacify the local tribes, quell the chaos within the territory, strengthen the border fortresses, and always be on guard against Liu Bei's invasion from the north.

He also ordered Zhang Ji, the governor of Yongzhou, to coordinate the supply of grain and military provisions on the border and to cooperate with the garrison in their deployment, without any slackening.

After a moment's thought, Cao Cao ordered another 10,000 troops to reinforce Fancheng, and commanded Cao Ren to guard the city carefully and be on guard against Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu of Jingzhou taking the opportunity to invade.

With all defense matters arranged, Cao Cao looked at his ministers and solemnly instructed, "Let this matter be settled for now."

Each of you should remain in your respective positions and do your utmost to assist me in reorganizing the internal affairs of the North and stabilizing the Central Plains and Hebei.

When the time is right, I will personally lead the army and once again fight Liu Bei to the death.

All the ministers bowed and accepted the order in unison.

In the council hall, the officials gradually dispersed, leaving only Cao Cao sitting alone, gazing at the sky outside the window, his expression complex and unreadable.

His fingertips slowly pressed on the table, and a cold glint quietly appeared in his eyes.

In the Hanzhong battle, I'll let you gain the upper hand for now, but one day I will surely take it back tenfold.