Ji Han Da Sima

Chapter 499: Not even ten is worth Pi
AD 221, the first month of the third year of Zhangwu.

In the palace, Liu Bei was writing on silk.

After Pang Rou returned to the court, Ma Chao wrote many letters to Lu Xun, detailing the disadvantages of attacking in late winter and the unpreparedness of the soldiers, and suggested delaying the attack until spring and summer.

Sending troops in winter and spring was not only inconvenient for Ma Chao, but also inconvenient for Southern Han. The water level drops in winter, making it inconvenient for boat and water transportation, and the war only ended a year ago, so it is not suitable to use troops continuously.

As both sides needed time to adjust, and with Liu Bei's approval, Lu Xun and Ma Chao agreed to launch their troops in March and launch the Northern Expedition together.

As soon as the first day passed, Liu Bei issued an order to prepare food and grass, and ordered his sergeants to step up their training and be ready to go out at any time.

"Yuan Xun, send this letter to Hefei!"

Liu Bei dried the letter and handed it to Zhuge Ke, saying: "Tell Huo Du that Yan's army may set off in March, and let him decide how to use his troops. The soldiers in the Central Plains, let him use his troops carefully. If it is difficult to expedition to the north, they can defend the Jianghuai River."

During the Northern Expedition of the Southern Han Dynasty, Liu Bei decided to send out a large army and led one hundred thousand troops from Wu and Chu. Huo Jun led 50,000 troops to defend and fight in the Jianghuai River. Lu Xun and He Qi led 40,000 Bashu soldiers and horses, and divided the main and two armies out of Hanzhong.

Since Liu Bei is targeting Guanzhong, there may be Huo Jun's large force in the Guandong area. Therefore, for Liu Bei, Jianghuai cannot be lost. If Huo Jun is defeated and Wei soldiers march straight in, there will be few Jianghuai soldiers and they will not be able to hold on. He may have to lead his troops to retreat. At that time, the Northern Expedition to Jianghuai fell short.

"promise!"

"this?"

"Now we can find an opportunity to release Yuan Xun and sharpen his character!" Liu Bei thought to himself.

Liu Bei suddenly stood up from the couch, looking anxious, and asked: "How is the situation in Han Dynasty today? Can a doctor be sent to visit?"

Liu Bei looked at Zhuge Ke's back and frowned slightly. In his eyes, Zhuge Ke was smart, but he just loved to be clever. Little wisdom is not as good as big wisdom, cleverness is not as good as talent!

Liu Bei walked around for a while and sighed and said: "Many of the generals who used to fight with me in the world have turned gray. Yun Chang, Xing Ba and Jun Yi died of illness. Han Sheng is old and useless. Now only Yide, Zilong, Shuzhi, Zhongye and others are the only ones. , The generals are gradually withering away. It may be necessary to recruit other generals for the Northern Expedition for future succession. "

During this Northern Expedition, Liu Bei considered Huang Zhong's health and planned to let Huang Zhong stay at home for retirement, and ordered his adopted son Huang Xu to take good care of Huang Zhong. How could Huang Zhong obey him? He had to mount a horse and practice, preparing to show his ability in riding and shooting. Unexpectedly, Huang Zhong, whose physical function declined, fell off his horse during training.

Liu Bei sighed and said: "Han Sheng was over seventy years old. He suffered from cold illness last year and his strength gradually declined. I originally wanted to let him stay in the capital to cultivate, but how can I let him practice now?"

After a while, Wang Can came over in a hurry and said, "Your Majesty, General Huang unfortunately fell off his horse while he was practicing on his horse."

"what?"

Zhuge Ke was young and smart, and had unparalleled adaptability. Many scholars in the capital praised him. Now Liu Bei criticized Zhuge Ke for getting fatter and fatter, and Zhuge Ke responded by saying that practicing virtue would enrich his body.

Zhuge Ke's expression remained unchanged and he smiled and said: "I heard that wealth enriches the house and virtue nourishes the body. I don't dare to entertain myself, I only cultivate myself."

Zhuge Ke held up the letter and retreated with a long bow, his expression full of pride.

Zhuge Ke was fat and came forward with a round belly.

"Yuan Xun must have answered cleverly!" Liu Bei said with a helpless smile.

Last autumn, Huang Zhong developed a high fever due to cold. Although he was treated by Du Du, he recovered. However, the old man's body collapsed at a moment's notice. From then on, Huang Zhong's body was weak and weak, and he lost the fighting spirit of the past.

Seeing Zhuge Ke's figure, Liu Bei frowned slightly and said, "Yuan Xun is getting fatter and fatter, so he should not indulge himself."

The deaths of Cao Cao and Guan Yu can be regarded as the end of the late Han Dynasty. Those who can still fight today are all old men with yellow hair. Even Liu Bei is already sixty-one years old. His beard is more white than black, and his face is full of wrinkles. He is an old man.

Wang Can shook his head and said: "Old General Huang fell into a coma, and Dr. Du has gone to treat him. As for whether his life is in danger, I cannot know."

As he spoke, Liu Bei pointed to the outside of the palace and said: "Zhongxuan, I will ask the prince to go visit Old General Huang on my behalf and tell the old general to take good care of himself."

"promise!"

Pacing, Liu Bei walked to the palace gate and looked at the blue sky with a slightly depressed expression. After a while, Liu Bei asked: "Is there any action in Luoyang?"

"Your Majesty, according to the letter from the scouts, Cao Zhang defeated Liaodong, Gongsun Gong surrendered, and Cao Zhang returned victorious. Cao Pi ordered the establishment of Pingzhou to govern four counties. Sima Yi, the governor of Jingzhou, was transferred back to Beijing, and his successor Xia Houshang ordered the construction of Wancheng. , Store up troops, food and equipment, thinking that they will be prepared from afar."

"what!"

Liu Bei felt melancholy for a moment and said with emotion: "When I came to Xuchang in the past, Xiahou was still a child, but now the child has grown up."

As he spoke, Liu Bei stroked his beard and sighed, saying: "Lighten taxes and remove prohibitions, open up land and create states, care for the gentry below, and please the ministers above. Looking at what he did, Cao Pi seems to have the style of a virtuous king. Now he ascends the throne in his prime. , I’m afraid I won’t be able to reach him at my age.”

Hearing this, the confidants on the left and right were silent and unable to answer.

In the silence, an attendant spoke up and consoled him: "In less than ten years, Cao Pi will be dead. Your Majesty, don't worry. The Central Plains may be profitable by then."

Liu Bei looked for fame and saw that it was Shangshu Kanze who spoke.

Liu Bei was curious and asked, "How did Kan Qing know this?"

Kan Ze stroked his beard and smiled and said: "In terms of words, not ten is Pi. This is the reason for the number of words. Based on this, Cao Pi's life span is less than ten years."

The PI in the Han Dynasty is different from that in later generations. There is 丨 in the middle, which looks like no more than ten. If not ten is Pi, it is a combination of Pi. After splitting it, and then combining it with Cao Pi's name, the meaning is that Cao Pi will live less than ten years.

"Ha ha!"

Listening to these words, Liu Bei was amused by Kan Ze's words and said: "As Kan Qing said, Cao Pi died in less than ten years. This should be your fault!"

"Your Majesty, please write it down on the scarf, so that your Majesty will not forget it ten years later!" Kan Ze said with a smile as he cupped his hands.

"Ten years from now?"

Liu Bei shook his head and laughed. He looked at Wang Can and asked, "I heard that you want to compile a history book. I wonder if this is possible?"

"Don't dare to lie, I have this intention!"

Wang Can looked calm and answered truthfully: "Since the end of the Han Dynasty, Gongsun Bogui, Yuan Benchu, Yuan Jiujiu, Sun Wentai, etc. have all been heroes of the moment. However, the world has been divided for a long time, the classics have been burned, and the country has no history. It is a pity to miss heroes and heroes without anyone recording their history, fearing that future generations will not know about them!"

"After thinking deeply, I want to imitate Sima Gong in privately studying history, record the lives of heroes in the late Han Dynasty, and make superficial comments to pass it on to future generations. I have not yet reported it to Your Majesty, so I must be afraid."

Liu Bei put his hands behind his waist and said with emotion: "Zhongxuan wrote down events and recorded the heroes of the Han Dynasty because he was heroic. The history written by me now is not the history of my country in the Han Dynasty. It can be a private history book, recording all the history. In a noble life, one should not be partial."

After saying that, Liu Bei pointed at Kan Ze and said with a smile: "Zhongxuan, I am a hero. When you compile my life, you must record Kan Qing's words."

"I dare not fail to obey His Majesty's orders!" Wang Can accepted the order with a smile.

"Is the history of Qing Xiu famous?" Liu Bei asked.

Wang Can hesitated a little and said, "Not famous yet!"

Liu Bei stroked his beard and thought, and said with a smile: "If you want to record the life of a hero, why not call it "Hero"!"

""hero"?"

Wang Can tasted it for a few times, then handed it over in thanks and said with a smile: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the name!"

"Heroes Ancestor Chronicles of Hanzhong": At the beginning, when Cao Pi came to the throne, Zhongzu calmly asked the ministers: "Cao Pi came to the throne in his prime, are you afraid that I can't reach him?" The ministers didn't answer, and Shangshu Kanze said: "Not as good as ten years old." Year, Pi Qi is gone, Your Majesty, don’t worry.”

Zhongzu asked: "How do you know this?" Ze said: "In terms of words, not ten is Pi, but this is the number." Zhongzu laughed at this and said to Can: "You should remember it to verify Ze's words. "When Shi Can first wrote his private history, Zhongzu approved it. As Ze said, Piguo died in seven years.

(End of this chapter)