Shuhan

Luoyang Imperial Palace.

The Taiji Hall, as the core of the imperial palace, stands tall and majestic, magnificent and golden, as if it is a symbol of power and glory.

Inside the hall, the candlelight flickered and the air was filled with a quiet yet tense atmosphere.

Sima Yi was dressed in a dark purple court robe and a cloak with golden embroidery on his shoulders. He followed the eunuch with steady steps, passing through a series of intricate doorways and walking towards the depths of the Taiji Hall.

His face was as calm as water, his eyes were deep, revealing a temperament of majesty without anger, and the wrinkles on his forehead seemed to tell the vicissitudes of life and countless battlefield experiences.

Every step he took seemed so calm and unhurried, as if he could find a way to solve any difficulty he faced.

Finally, the eunuch stopped, gently pushed open the door, and Sima Yi followed him into the hall.

At first glance, the young Emperor Cao Rui was sitting upright on the dragon throne, his brows revealing an unconcealable worry and anxiety.

Cao Rui was wearing a golden dragon robe and a crown with twelve tassels on his head. The pearl curtain on the crown swayed gently, highlighting his slightly pale face.

He clenched his fists and placed them on his knees. It was obvious that the battle reports from the front line made him uneasy.

Upon seeing this, Sima Yi immediately performed a great ceremony to pay homage. His movements were smooth and solemn, and every detail revealed his awe for the imperial power.

Cao Rui's gaze lingered on Sima Yi for a moment, as if he was looking for something. Then he nodded slightly and signaled the eunuch to let him take a seat.

"Hedong was broken, and Zhongtiao Mountain was occupied by bandits." Cao Rui's voice was low and powerful, and he went straight to the point without any procrastination.

"They may quickly cross the Zhongtiao Mountains and approach Luoyang. What should we do?"

Sima Yi was shocked when he heard this, but he remained calm.

He slowly raised his head and his eyes met Cao Rui's. There was a gleam of wisdom in those eyes that had experienced countless storms.

He took a moment to process the news, his mind racing through possibilities and strategies.

"Crossing Zhongtiao Mountain is not an easy task." Sima Yi's voice was steady and powerful, and every word was resounding.

"I believe that the Han Kingdom will go north to capture Taiyuan County, or advance to Shangdang to expand its sphere of influence."

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui frowned and shook his head, with an unquestionable firmness in his tone: "After crossing Zhongtiao Mountain, we can go straight to Chenguan Pass. After passing Chenguan Pass, the land of Henan will be flat and we can go straight to Luoyang."

Sima Yi narrowed his eyes slightly and thought secretly in his heart.

Cao Rui's worries were not without reason. As one of the eight passes in Luoyang, Chenguan had an extremely important strategic position. Once it was lost, the consequences would be disastrous.

But he knew better that war was not just lines and arrows on a map, but an all-round test of people's hearts, logistics and strategies.

"The mountain roads are dangerous and logistics are difficult to sustain." Sima Yi said slowly, trying to persuade Cao Rui.

"Besides, the Chen Pass is a natural barrier, how can it be breached at will? I think that the Han State may just want to expand the victory and intimidate our army."

Cao Rui's eyes were as sharp as a knife, staring directly at Sima Yi: "I will lead you and me to resist the Han Kingdom. No matter which direction the Han Kingdom comes from, I hope you can stop it!"

When Sima Yi heard this, his eyes flashed and he had a plan in mind.

He took a deep breath and said firmly, "Then I need more than 100,000 troops, and they must be completely under my control to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Cao Rui nodded, a trace of determination flashed in his eyes: "Ten days later, I will build a platform for you to practice, and order you to be the general, lead the army, defeat the Han army, and defend Luoyang!"

The decision was made, and the atmosphere between the two seemed to be a little more relaxed.

Sima Yi stood up and saluted Cao Rui again to show that he accepted the order.

With 100,000 soldiers in hand, he is confident that he can hold the city even if the Han emperor himself comes.

I can't beat you.

Can't you just be a coward?
In the next few days, Sima Yi was busy deploying troops, preparing food and fodder, and formulating detailed battle plans.

This battle not only concerns the safety of the country, but also his personal honor and disgrace.

Whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, he would sit alone in his study, pondering over the map, paying attention to every detail and striving to be absolutely sure of success.

The ten-day deadline was approaching in a flash. Outside the city of Luoyang, a high platform rose from the ground, with flags fluttering and soldiers in full formation all around.

Cao Rui personally saw Sima Yi off. He stood on a high platform, looking into the distance with a firm gaze, as if he had already seen the dawn of victory.

"General, you must return victoriously this time. I and the people of Luoyang are all looking forward to your triumphant return!" Cao Rui's voice resounded through the sky, full of trust and expectations for Sima Yi.

Sima Yi, wearing armor and holding a long sword, knelt on one knee and said in a sonorous and powerful voice: "I will do my best to live up to your majesty's trust and defend the Wei Kingdom to the death!"

With an order, drums beat, horses neighed, and the army set out in a mighty force, heading towards an unknown battlefield.

Sima Yi rode on his warhorse with his back straight, his heart filled with the belief that he would win and his infinite longing for the future.

This battle will be the most important one in his life and will also be a significant chapter in the history of the Wei State.

From the moment Sima Yi led his army to Hangu Pass, the sky seemed to change color and became covered with dark clouds, foreshadowing the coming storm.

On the pass, flags were fluttering, soldiers were on high alert, and the atmosphere was tense and solemn.

Sima Yi stood on a high place, his eyes sharp as torches, examining the blurry horizon in the distance, thinking about the battle that was about to unfold.

Intelligence came in like snowflakes, each one carrying urgent military intelligence from the front line.

The Han army raised an army of 100,000 and divided it into two groups. One group was like a tiger descending from the mountain and attacked Hedong directly; the other group was like a dragon emerging from the sea and headed straight for Hongnong.

These two groups of troops are powerful, but it is difficult to tell their true strength and it is unknown which one is the main force.

What is even more disturbing is that the Han Emperor Liu Gongsi actually personally stayed in Huayin City, which shows how determined he was.

Sima Yi frowned, put his hands behind his back, his eyes moved slowly on the map, and he quickly thought of a response strategy in his mind.

The terrain of Zhongtiao Mountain is steep. If the Han army really crosses the mountain, Chenguan will become the first and most critical line of defense.

So he made a prompt decision and ordered 10,000 elite soldiers to go to Chenguan immediately, station at Shaoting, and be on high alert to prevent a surprise attack by the Han army.

These 10,000 elite soldiers were strictly selected, well-trained and had high morale. Their mission was to defend Chen Pass to the death and never let the Han army have any chance to take advantage.

After completing the deployment, Sima Yi turned and looked towards Hongnong, which would be the main battlefield.

He knew very well that since the Han army was divided into two routes, the pressure in the Hongnong direction must be considerable.

So he ordered most of the rest of the troops to march towards Hongnong immediately to prepare to fight against the approaching Han army.

As for Taiyuan County and Shangdang County, Sima Yi did not send troops there because he had already made up his mind that the terrain in those two places was complex and easy to defend but difficult to attack. If the Han army wanted to capture them, they would pay a heavy price. He only needed to concentrate his forces to deal with the immediate threat.

of course
The real reason was that Cao Rui was now extremely afraid and did not allow him to divide his troops between Taiyuan and Shangdang.

But in fact, these two places are too far apart, so even if the troops are divided, it will not have much effect.

The most important thing now is to know the main attack direction of the Han army!
Scouts from both sides shuttled back and forth on the battlefield, constantly collecting intelligence on each other.

These scouts were all agile and resourceful, and they were like fish in water on the battlefield, coming and going freely. The intelligence they brought back was like a puzzle, gradually piecing together the true face of the battlefield.

The originally foggy battlefield gradually became clearer with the gathering of this information.

Sima Yi sat in the tent, holding tightly in his hand a piece of intelligence that had just been delivered, his brows furrowed, and he pondered for a long time.

This battle is extremely important, he must act cautiously and not be negligent in the slightest.

He looked up outside the tent and saw that it was already late, the campfire was lit, and the soldiers were busy preparing dinner. Their faces showed both tension for the upcoming battle and a firm belief in victory.

Sima Yi stood up, walked out of the tent and came among the soldiers.

He looked around and said in a deep voice: "Soldiers, the Han army is about to arrive. In this battle, we will fight for the glory of Wei and for our families. We must win this battle!" Upon hearing this, the soldiers raised their arms and shouted, their morale was high.

"This battle must be won!"

"This battle must be won!"

"This battle must be won!"

After the noise.

As the night deepened, the camp was completely silent, with only the occasional neighing of horses and the whispers of soldiers.

Sima Yi lay on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep.

Scenes of the battlefield kept appearing in his mind, and he was thinking over various possible situations and response strategies.

He absolutely cannot lose this battle!

And the other side.

Huayin City.

Outside the city, the endless military camps meandered like a giant dragon, with tents one after another and flags fluttering in the wind, demonstrating the majestic momentum of the Han army.

In this land of bustle and solemnity, a young emperor is sitting in the dragon tent. He is Liu Chan, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Chan was wearing a golden dragon robe with intricate cloud and dragon patterns embroidered on the lapels. The golden crown shone brightly in the sun, setting off his slightly immature yet majestic face.

His eyes were sometimes solemn, and sometimes flashed with wisdom, as if he could see through everything.

At this moment, he was listening attentively to the battle reports coming from the front.

Inside the military camp, the flickering candlelight illuminated tense and focused faces.

In addition, the spies of the Military Affairs Department shuttled between the enemy and us like ghosts, constantly spying on the movements of the Wei army and delivering precious intelligence to Liu Chan.

These information were like puzzle pieces, gradually piecing together a complete picture of the front-line situation in Liu Chan's mind.

The main force of the Wei army is now gathering on the Hongnong line, guarding the gateway of the Wei State like an indestructible fortress.

There was also a part of the Wei army stationed in the direction of Zhongtiao Mountain. The mountain was steep and easy to defend but difficult to attack. It would undoubtedly be a difficult test to cross this natural barrier.

However, surprisingly, the Wei State did not seem to pay enough attention to Taiyuan County and Shangdang County, and their military forces were insufficient and their defenses were weak.

Zhuge Liang was standing beside Liu Chan at this moment. He was wearing the prime minister's robe, his face was gaunt, and his eyes revealed deep wisdom.

He turned toward the map, and lightly ran his fingers over the mountains and rivers on the map, as if looking for the key that would determine victory or defeat.

"Your Majesty." Zhuge Liang's voice was low and powerful, as if it could penetrate people's hearts.

"It is extremely difficult to advance to Hongnong. The main force of the Wei army is gathered here. If we attack it forcefully, we may suffer heavy losses. Crossing Zhongtiao Mountain is also difficult. The mountain road is rugged, and it is difficult to transport food and grass. The soldiers are tired and it is difficult to sustain. It is better to attack Taiyuan and Shangdang. The defenses of the Wei army in these two places are weak. In a short period of time, our army will definitely gain something."

Upon hearing this, Liu Chan frowned slightly and his eyes lingered on the map for a moment, as if he was weighing Zhuge Liang's suggestion.

In fact, he had already made up his mind.

Cao Rui was afraid that the Han army would break through Hongnong, cross Zhongtiao Mountain, and drive straight to Luoyang, so he placed all his troops in these two places.

but.
Time is now on his side. Every victory and every result can weaken Wei's national strength bit by bit and tilt the balance of victory towards him step by step.

Even with the passage of time, the Han State was able to take the initiative.

the reason is simple.

He occupied Zhongtiao Mountain.

Zhongtiao Mountain has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times due to its steep terrain and important geographical location.

It is not only a natural barrier to defend against foreign invasion, but also an important channel to attack the enemy.

During the Warring States Period, the State of Wei used the geographical advantages of Zhongtiao Mountain to force the State of Qin to develop westwards.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, General Deng Yu defeated Wang Kuang's army in the north of Zhongtiao Mountain, laying the foundation for Liu Xiu to establish a northern defense line in Luoyang.

During the late Tang Dynasty, Zhu Wen controlled the Zhongtiao Mountain area, making it impossible for the Tang royal family to resist.

During the late Jin Dynasty, Zhongtiao Mountain became the focus of contention between the Jin and Mongolian sides, and the two sides fought fiercely here for more than ten years.

By occupying Hedong, Liu Chan had ownership of Zhongtiao Mountain, and he already had the strategic initiative.

Not to mention, the Han State could finally fully utilize the benefits of the salt lake under Zhongtiao Mountain.

The salt lake at the foot of Zhongtiao Mountain is said by historians to contain "nine-tenths of the world's salt". Whoever can occupy it will be able to control the lifeline of the world.

Therefore, from the time of the Yellow Emperor until the Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties, countless rulers sent heavy troops and important officials to guard this mountain range and hold their wallets tight.

During the Xia and Shang dynasties, people had gathered in the Zhongtiao Mountain area, engaging in copper mining and smelting.

Occupy Zhongtiao Mountain as a logistics base, advance to Central Plains, retreat to defend Guanzhong - this was the strategic plan of King Wu of Zhou, Ji Fa, when the Zhou people rose to power.

Those who had the same idea as Ji Fa included Duke Wen of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period, and Marquis Wen and Marquis Wu of Wei in the Warring States Period: Jin occupied the Yuncheng Basin and developed rapidly with the help of Zhongtiao Mountain. When its national strength became strong, it was able to lead its army southward into the Yellow River Valley and plot against the Central Plains; while Wei, relying on the copper mines in Zhongtiao Mountain, was the first to rise among the Seven Kingdoms of the Warring States Period.

The Han State could take advantage of the salt lake to develop its economy and widen the gap between the Han and Wei States.

Think about this.

Liu Chan spoke slowly: "What the Prime Minister said is very true. Although Hongnong and Zhongtiao Mountain are important places, they are heavily guarded by the Wei army. It is unwise to attack them by force. Taiyuan and Shangdang are undermanned. This is the opportunity for our army to advance. Send down the order to immediately mobilize troops and prepare to attack Taiyuan and Shangdang."

Following Liu Chan's order, the military camp suddenly became busy.

The generals took orders and left, and the soldiers began to prepare for battle.

Zhuge Liang continued to stay by Liu Chan's side, giving him advice and ensuring that the battle was foolproof.

As night fell, outside Huayin City, the lights in the military camp were still brightly lit.

Liu Chan did not seek a quick victory, but took steady steps to eat up the Wei Kingdom bite by bite. (End of this chapter)