Ji Han Da Sima

Chapter 413 Why do you mistrust the general?

Winter, Han Palace.

Outside the palace, the wind is biting and the air-conditioning is oppressive; inside the palace, there is warmth due to the fire cauldron.

"Yun Chang wants to attack Xiangfan?"

Liu Bei leaned on his couch and asked, "I wonder what Yun Chang has to say?"

Fei Yi stood in the palace with his hands tied and said: "Your Majesty, since Cao Ren took control of Xiangfan, he has built high city walls, accumulated food and supplies, trained soldiers, smelted armor and soldiers, and relied on the difficulties and dangers of Xiangfan to occupy the enemy in Hannan. Therefore, the king thought that he wanted to To capture Xiangfan, it is not possible to capture it with force, but to win it with wisdom."

"How to win with outsmarting?"

"The prince wanted to use the method of echoing the internal and external, so he sent people to pretend to surrender to Cao Ren and lure the enemy to fight. He also sent scouts to sneak into Nanyang and contact the righteous men to rebel against Cao. At that time, the prince defeated Cao Ren and his army, and took advantage of the victory to advance. Then he got the support of the righteous men and attacked Xiangfan. It will happen!"

Fei Yi, courtesy name Wenwei, was from Jiangxia County. In his early years, he followed his uncle to Shu and lived in Yizhou. When Liu Bei conquered Shu, Fei Yi was valued by Zhuge Liang because of his status as a Chu native and his outstanding talents and virtues, and he was appointed as a county magistrate to test him.

Due to his outstanding political achievements, Fei Yi was transferred to the Hanchang government as a Cao official. During this period, Liu Bei liked him because of his excellent communication and coordination skills, so he sent Fei Yi to join the army under Guan Yu.

Guan Yu and Lu Meng finalized their plan to capture Xiangfan. After discussing the strategy for a long time, they gradually gained some insights and sent Fei Yi to Beijing to report to Liu Bei Guan Yu's plan to plot Xiangfan north.

Liu Bei stroked his beard and asked: "Not to mention whether the strategy of false surrender can be achieved. If Cao Ren is defeated by our army, Cao Cao will either lead his army to the south personally or send a general to support him. How will he respond?"

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty, the Lord has a plan to deal with it!"

Fei Yi talked eloquently and said: "The thieves dared to raise troops to the south to help, and the princes led their troops to swallow them up to intimidate the defenders of Xiangfan. However, in order to prevent Cao Cao from leading his own troops to conquer the country, King Lao raised his troops to attack the north as a plan to respond to the princes. ."

After saying that, Fei Yi bowed and cupped his hands, and said in a deep voice: "The Lord said that he has been in charge of Jiangling for ten years and has not accomplished anything except taking Shu. He feels deeply ashamed of the king's high regard. Now I hope that the king will approve and allow him to do so." Raise your troops to attack Xiangfan in the north to repay the kindness of your Majesty."

Liu Beisi stroked his beard and said: "I already know what General Zuo means. However, the Northern Expedition to Xiangfan is not a trivial matter. You are tired from traveling and traveling, so please retire and rest first."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After Fei Yi saluted, he respectfully left the palace.

After Fei Yi retreated, Liu Bei looked at his confidants sitting in the palace and asked, "Yun Chang wants to attack Xiangfan. What do you think?"

Zhang Zhao straightened his posture, raised his hands and said, "I would like to report to your Majesty, your Majesty wants to capture Jiaoling next year, so why do you have the energy to go north to Xiangfan? I think it is better for your Majesty to capture Jiaoling first, and then raise your troops to attack Xiangfan northward."

"Your Majesty has been saving up his strength for three years and raised his troops for the Northern Expedition to Shouchun. However, he returned without any success due to malaria. If we hastily raise our troops for the Northern Expedition now, it may be difficult to win. It is better to think long term and plan for it slowly."

Liu Bei was very partial to Guan Yu and asked again: "Do you have any different opinions?"

Fazheng pondered for a while and said: "Your Majesty, Cao Ren is good at bravery but short on strategy. He is not indescribably wise. If we treat him with a strategy and induce him to send troops to fight, he may be able to defeat his troops. However, Zheng is afraid that Cao Cao will see through it and stop him. Cao Ren sent troops to attack."

"Therefore, those who pretend to surrender must make Cao Cao believe them, and the army must be deployed carefully so that no traces are exposed, and Cao Cao cannot be aware that our army has the intention of the Northern Expedition. The steps are complicated and the actions are difficult, and I am afraid that it cannot be done by a monarch alone. "

It is not easy for Guan Yu to conquer Xiangfan. He must first find the right person and let him pretend to surrender to Cao Ren. After Cao Ren learns about it, he will definitely report it to Cao Cao.

Therefore, the act of pretending to surrender is deceiving Cao Cao, not Cao Ren. Only with Cao Cao's consent can Cao Ren send troops, so that Guan Yu has a chance to defeat Cao Ren.

In the entire series of strategies, the first three things are very critical.

First, the person who pretends to surrender can make Cao Cao believe that he will surrender, and the conditions of this person's surrender are enough to attract Cao Cao. The risk is low and the success rate is high, so Cao Cao may agree.

Second, the Southern Han needed to paralyze Cao Cao and make him think that the Southern Han was not aware of it or had no idea of ​​​​the Northern Expedition.

Third, choose a location to defeat Cao Ren and deploy troops so that Cao Ren will not notice it.

If Guan Yu wants to lure Cao Ren into battle, the above three steps must be completed without being noticed by Cao Cao. Guan Yu's plan could not be accomplished by just one Nanjun Dudu District, it required the cooperation of the entire Southern Han Dynasty.

"Does Kong Ming have any insights?" Liu Bei asked.

Zhuge Liang stroked his fan and pondered, and said: "May I ask the king, which one comes first between Jiaoling and Xiangfan?"

Liu Bei thought for a while and said: "The two counties of Cangwu and Nanhai have been captured by Gu. Now only the four counties of Jiaozhi, Yulin, Hepu and Jiuzhen are in Shi Xie's hands. Gu has been trying to take it for a long time!"

"Xiangfan, which blocks the flow of the Han River and controls the key passes of Jingchu and Chu, is called the pivot of the world. It is now occupied by Cao Cao, which is a great danger to the country. Although it has the solidity of Jinchi, it is isolated. Now Yun Chang has already Why don't you want to plot a conspiracy?"

In his words, Liu Bei was very confused. In terms of national interests, taking the four counties of Jiaoling will not only free up four carrot pits worth 2,000 stone, but also appoint good officials to serve, which will greatly enrich the national power of the Southern Han Dynasty.

But in terms of friendship, Guan Yu wanted to conquer Xiangyang in the north, and Liu Bei really wanted to help him. After all, Guan Yu has been in charge of Nanjun for so many years and has been guarding the north gate all year round. Now he wants to expedition north to Xiangyang, and as his elder brother, he also wants to help.

Zhuge Liang stroked his feather fan gently and said: "Your Majesty, since the Yellow Turban Troubles, the world has been in chaos. Although Jiangzuo is located in a corner, there are still many people living in the war. Therefore, the people of the Central Plains floated south across the sea, and tens of thousands of people took refuge in Jiaozhou. Plan. Shi Xie subsidizes the refugees and educates the barbarians. Jiaoling is no longer a barbaric place."

"According to Bujiao Prefecture, it rectified Nanhai County, surrendered the bandits, and organized households to familiarize barbarians. The total number of households was eight to nine thousand. Even compared with Bashu counties, it can be regarded as a medium-sized county. And Cangwu The county is governed by Suhou and Bujiaozhou, and there are nearly ten thousand households. Does the king think it is few?"

"There are such a number of households in Cangwu and Nanhai. May I ask how many there are in Jiaozhi County and Najioling County?"

Zhuge Liang cupped his hands with his fan and said: "Based on my rough estimate, the wealth of Jiaozhi County must be more than 10,000 households, or as high as 20,000 households. The four counties of Jiaoling should have more than 30,000 households. There are more than 100,000 people, do you think the king thinks they are few?"

The Pearl River Delta and the Red River Delta are both located in Jiaozhou. The most prosperous place is not the Pearl River Delta where Nanhai County is located, but the Red River Delta where Jiaozhi County is located.

When Shi Xie became the governor of Jiaozhi, he valued the prosperity of Jiaozhi County and its unique mountainous location.

Zhuge Liang suggested that Liu Bei seek Jiaoling. In essence, he valued the population of the four counties of Jiaoling, intending to expand national power and prepare for a protracted war with Cao Wei.

"How can I not know the importance of crossing mountains?"

Liu Bei shook his head and said: "Only Yun Chang wants to attack Xiangfan. I think it is reasonable. Maybe I can try to attack Xiangfan to gain advantage."

Suddenly, Zhang Zhao was cold and said: "Your Majesty, I think that compared to letting Guan Junhou to attack Xiangfan in the north, your Majesty should be wary of changes in the former general."

"Zhong Miao?" Liu Bei was slightly stunned and asked, "What happened at Jianghuai?"

"Your Majesty, don't you know the language in Wuhan City today?" Zhang Zhao asked.

Liu Bei replied truthfully: "I have been patrolling Jiangxia in the north recently, and I really don't know what happened in the city!"

Seeing Zhang Zhao mention that incident, Fa Zheng's heartbeat couldn't help but quicken. He originally wanted to report it to Liu Bei privately, but he never thought that Zhang Zhao would directly involve the topic and announce it in front of everyone.

Subconsciously, Fazheng looked at Zhuge Liang, but saw that his expression remained unchanged, he was just stroking his fan and thinking.

Zhang Zhao stroked his white beard and said, "Your Majesty, you don't know. Today, there is news in the city that Cao Cao has made the former general the King of Huainan, and ordered him to raise troops in the Jianghuai River and separatize Huainan."

Liu Bei frowned and asked, "Is this happening?"

"It's true!"

Fazheng bit the bullet and said: "There are many rumors in the city, it is difficult to distinguish the authenticity. I originally wanted to speak privately."

After inspecting the people in the palace, Liu Bei took a deep breath and said, "Zhong Miao Gai is not such a person. This may be a rumor!"

"The king attaches great importance to love and benevolence, and everyone knows it, but it is difficult to know the heart when you know the face." Zhang Zhao stood up and came out of the queue, cupped his hands and said: "At the end of the Han Dynasty, Wang Mang was humble and respectful to the scholars, abandoning private interests for the sake of public service. However, when he conspired to rebel, , showing the appearance of a tiger and a wolf.”

"The King of Huainan split the soil to seal the territory, worshiped in the ancestral temple, and brought prosperity to the world. Dare you dare to say that the former general can not be moved?"

As he spoke, Zhang Zhao looked at Liu Bei on the couch and said seriously: "In the past, the great king ruled Wu and Chu thanks to Liu Jingsheng and his son. At that time, the great king was trying to protect the people of Jingchu, and he treated them leniently. Under this situation, Huo Jun gathered his old subordinates to fight. The Jianghuai River will then be unified."

"Everyone in the northern mansion regards Huo Jun as their superior, and the humble king is their king. Under such circumstances, why does the king assert that Huo Jun will not surrender to Cao Cao and seek the title of King of Huainan?"

"Your Majesty!"

Wang Can hurriedly came out and said: "Huo Du has followed the king for many years and is a general of the country. How can we make rash guesses based on rumors in the market?"

"Master Wang, don't you think this is unprovoked?"

Zhang Zhao looked sideways at Wang Can and said: "The river is surging eastward and the waves are caused by the wind. How can there be waves when there is no wind?"

"The four counties of Jianghuai, except for Sheguangling, all the dangerous military places are the former general's former headquarters. If the former general intends to cede territory and become king, Jianghuai will belong to him. Although the king trusts the former general, he must be on guard against it."

Wang Can looked cold and retorted: "Is Zhang Jun the living Guo Kai?"

Zhang Zhao was stunned for a moment, then became furious and shouted: "Wang Zhongxuan, how dare you insult me?"

"Have I ever insulted you?"

Wang Can shrugged rudely and said disdainfully.

"You~"

Zhang Zhao was often angry, but due to his dignity, he couldn't let it happen too much.

Holding back his anger, Zhang Zhao said: "Your Majesty, should you think deeply about the interests involved?"

Liu Bei frowned in thought. To be honest, he didn't believe that Huo Jun would betray him, but as Zhang Zhao said, the temptation of the King of Huainan was too great. Huo Jun raised his arms and separatist Jianghuai was not a problem. Under such a situation, how can ordinary people hold on?

You must know that Huo Jun is greedy for fame, wealth and beauty, and does not like to be restrained. Let alone whether Huo Jun will be tempted or not, if Liu Bei were in Huo Jun's position, he might be tempted.

However, in Liu Bei's view, judging from Huo Jun's experience of getting along with him for more than ten years, Liu Bei really didn't believe that Huo Jun had rebelled against him. If he really wanted to rebel against him, Huo Jun had had many opportunities before, and he would not have offered him a clever countermeasure.

But it was impossible for Liu Bei not to think too much. Just like when a couple gets married and so many people say that his wife is cheating on him, no matter how much he loves his wife, he will inevitably think too much about it. After all, that wife is really capable of cheating, and the cheating partner is tall, handsome and rich, which is something you can't give her.

Liu Bei was silent for a while, and then said in a deep voice: "Zhongmiao will live up to Gu, and Gu will live up to Zhongmiao!"

After saying that, Liu Bei stood up from the couch and asked dissatisfiedly: "I would like to ask you, Sir, why do you doubt the general based only on the rumors in the market?"

"What the king said is absolutely true. Just based on the words of the market, don't trust the general!"

Zhang Zhao cupped his hands and said, "Because of rumors, many officials in Wuhan have criticized the former general. Why don't the king summon the former general to the capital to show everyone that the former general has no evil intentions? This can eliminate the former general's suspicion."

"My lord, this must not be possible!"

Zhuge Liang showed an anxious look on his face, went out with a fan, and said: "The former general has talents in latitude and longitude, so he has a thoughtful temperament. If the former general knows that the king has summoned him to the capital, and has his temper and worries, he will do great harm to the emperor and his ministers." The friendship!”

As Zhuge Liang said, Huo Jun really thinks too much because he knows too much. As a later generation, he is familiar with various cases of generals being murdered and poisoned by monarchs. If you are relieved of military power and summoned to the capital, you will inevitably think too much.

Liu Bei suddenly stopped pacing, his face neither happy nor angry, and asked: "What is Kong Ming's opinion?"

Zhuge Liang pondered for a long time and said: "Your Majesty, why don't you write letters to the former general, express your heartfelt feelings, and read the words of the reply. At that time, the letter asked Governor Pang about the changes in the Jianghuai River in recent months."

With that said, Zhuge Liang said seriously: "Although the former general loves fame and fortune, he is not a repetitive person. Since the king trusts the former general, you should not doubt him lightly."

"Yes!"

Liu Bei nodded and sighed, and said: "Without Zhongmiao, Gu would not be as prosperous as I am today. If Gu treats Zhongmiao with sincerity, Zhongmiao will definitely treat me with trust. How can great things be accomplished if kings and ministers are easily suspicious?"

"In this palace, you are not allowed to spread false rumors. Any violation will be punished."

Seeing this, Zhang Zhao lowered his head and sighed, but said nothing more.

(End of this chapter)