Three Kingdoms

Chapter 42

Zhuge Liang returned to Chengdu to meet the Empress Liu Chan.Ask Empress Liu Chan what important matters need to be discussed.

The master Liu Chan said: "I haven't seen my father for a long time, and I miss you, so I call you back to meet."

Zhuge Liang said: "This is not what His Majesty meant. There must be treacherous ministers playing tricks on them. They must be dealt with in accordance with the law."

The queen master Liu Chan was so ashamed by Zhuge Liang that he was speechless.Zhuge Liang immediately ordered his men to find out the truth of the matter.It was immediately found out that Gou An, a general of Li Yan's department, returned to Chengdu to spread rumors and disturb the morale of the army, but Gou An had already fled to Wei State and surrendered.Zhuge Liang also found out the treacherous ministers around Liu Chan, the queen master. Zhuge Liang mercilessly convicted them according to the national law, ordered their heads to be beheaded for public display, and warned the ministers of Chinese and military affairs of the court.Zhuge Liang also blamed Jiang Wan and Fei Yi for not persuading Liu Chan, knowing that it was a rumor.Jiang Wan and Fei Yi only pleaded guilty and dared not slack off on major affairs in the court.

Zhuge Liang returned to Hanzhong and ordered Li Yan to continue to send people to escort the whole army's food and grass.Yang Yi went into the barracks to discuss with Zhuge Liang about military affairs.Yang Yi said: "Our army has sent troops several times, but they are already exhausted and exhausted, and the food and grass cannot be delivered in time. It is better to divide the army into two, and for a period of three months, 20 troops will be transferred to Qishan, so that the troops are sufficient and the food and grass can be supplied on time. .Attack slowly, Wei Guo is not scary, and the capture of the Central Plains is just around the corner.”

Zhuge Liang adopted Yang Yi's good suggestion, so he sent troops to Hanzhong to kill Qishan.

Wei Guo sent Sima Yi to lead troops to resist the Shu army again.Sima Yi appointed Zhang He as the front vanguard.

Zhang He said: "I am willing to lead an army to defend Yongcheng and Meicheng again, so as not to let the Shu army win."

Sima Yi said: "You can't stop Zhuge Liang's army alone, and if you have to divide your troops to fight against the enemy at the same time, you will definitely fail. You might as well defend Shangyu."

Zhang He agreed and led an army to defend Shangbi.Sima Yi appointed Guo Huai as a general to guard all parts of Longxi.The other generals moved forward separately.

At this time, the frontline soldiers reported: Zhuge Liang's army was marching towards Mount Qi, and Wang Ping and Zhang Ni sent troops directly from Chencang, passed through Jiange, and went out from Sanguan to attack Xiegu.

Sima Yi immediately ordered Zhang He to lead [-] soldiers to guard Qishan to prevent Zhuge Liang from robbing Longxi wheat.

Seeing that Sima Yi sent Zhang He to guard Qishan, Zhuge Liang knew that Sima Yi had already prepared, and ordered Wang Ping, Zhang Yi, Wu Ban, and Wu Yi to stay at the Qishan camp, and led Jiang Wei, Wei Yan and other generals to march towards Lucheng.

The prefect of Lu City hurriedly opened the city gate and surrendered.Zhuge Liang asked: "Where is the wheat ripe?" The prefect told Zhuge Liang: "The wheat on Longshang is ripe."

Zhuge Liang left Zhang Yi and Ma Zhong guarding Lucheng, and led the three armies to Longshang to grab wheat.At this time, Wei Jun was guarding here.Zhuge Liang knew that Sima Yi had already made preparations.Immediately took a shower and changed clothes, rolled out three four-wheeled carts, each with a fake Zhuge Liang.Zhuge Liang ordered Jiang Wei to lead [-] troops to ambush behind Shangyu, Ma Dai led troops to lie in ambush on the left side of Shangyu, and Wei Yan led troops to lie in ambush on the right side of Shanggu.

Zhuge Liang dispatched troops and generals to prepare for the robbing of the wheat.The Shu army pretended to be gods and ghosts, and doubted the Wei army.

The Wei army found out about the actions of the Shu army and immediately told Sima Yi.Sima Yi personally led the troops to fight against the Shu army.

Sima Yi saw Zhuge Liang and his army disappearing on Longshang, so he immediately led his troops to chase after him.

Zhuge Liang used the strategy of "striking from the east to the west" and "tuning the tiger away from the mountain" to scare Sima Yi so that the Shu army cut off the wheat.

At this time, the deputy governor Guo Huai came to help Sima Yi.Guo Huai said: "I heard that there are not many Shu troops stationed in Lucheng. Now that Lucheng is empty, you can send troops to attack." Sima Yi told Guo Huai about Zhuge Liang's appearance and disappearance of the wheat.Guo Huai laughed and said, "Zhuge Liang can't hide from me! I will lead an army to attack the rear of Zhuge Liang's wheat-cutting army, and you lead troops to attack the front of the wheat-cutting army. Lu City can be captured, but Zhuge Liang can't escape. He will definitely be killed by us." The army caught it." Sima Yi agreed to Guo Huai and divided his troops to attack.

Zhuge Liang held a military meeting in Lucheng.Zhuge Liang said: "The enemy will definitely come to attack us tonight. I want to ambush in the wheat field east of Lucheng. Who is willing to go and ambush for me?" Jiang Wei, Wei Yan, Ma Dai, and Ma Zhong all rushed to go.Zhuge Liang arranged them one by one.Zhuge Liang led more than 100 people with enough gunpowder to lie in wait for the Wei army to attack in the wheat field.

Sima Yi and Guo Huai marched into Lucheng in the middle of the night, and when they reached the base of the city, they were too frightened by the thousands of arrows fired by the defenders on the city to dare to attack.

At this time, Zhuge Liang set fire to the signal, and the Shu army from all directions rushed over and surrounded the Wei army outside the city.At this time, the defenders of Lucheng also came out, and the Wei army was defeated.Sima Yi led the defeated generals out of the siege and defended the top of the mountain, while Guo Huai led the defeated soldiers to camp behind the mountain.

Zhuge Liang ordered to set up camp at the four corners of the mountain and surround Sima Yi.

Seeing that Sima Yi was not going to fight, Zhuge Liang immediately ordered Jiang Wei and Ma Dai to enter the barracks to obey the order: "The Wei army guarded the hill and did not fight our army. On the one hand, they expected that our army's food and grass were about to run out. On the other hand, they expected that my sword pavilion was empty. They We will send an army to attack the Jiange, trying to cut off our army's food road. You immediately lead an army to defend the main road, and the Wei army will naturally retreat when they see that we are well prepared."

Jiang Wei and Ma Dai led the troops to guard Jiange and other dangerous passes.

Chang Shi Yangyi entered the army camp and told Zhuge Liang: "The prime minister ordered a hundred-day shift change, and now it has expired. The Hanzhong army has already left Chuankou, and the official documents for the road ahead have also arrived. They are waiting for succession and change of shift. There are currently [-] troops in Lucheng, and there are [-] troops. It's time for the army to change shifts."

Zhuge Liang said: "Since there is an order, it can be implemented immediately." When the soldiers heard the news, they all packed their luggage and went.

At this time, it was suddenly reported that Sun Li led 20 troops to help in the battle, and Sima Yi led troops to attack Lucheng.The Shu army was very frightened.

Yang Yi said: "The enemy army is so powerful, the soldiers who are changing shifts don't change shifts first, but defend the city together, and then change shifts after the enemy is defeated."

Zhuge Liang said: "I have always been trustworthy since I led the army to fight. Since I issued the military order earlier, I must abide by it. Tell the troops who are about to change shifts to prepare to leave. You must know that their families are waiting for them to return safely at the door. Go home. Our army is in great trouble today, and I will never implicate them!"

Those Shu soldiers who were about to change shifts heard what the prime minister said, and immediately shouted loudly: "The prime minister is righteous, we will not change shifts and go back, even if we desperately want to repay the prime minister's great kindness."

Zhuge Liang said again: "Are you really going to stay and resist the Wei army?"

The generals and soldiers of the Shu army all said: "I am willing to serve the country with my death."

Zhuge Liang said: "Since you want to stay and fight against the enemy, you should first set up camp outside the city. If the Wei army comes, don't wait for them to take a breath and attack the Wei army violently. This is the way to wait for work with ease."

The Shu army led out of the city and set up camp outside the city.

Sun Li led 20 troops to attack Lucheng. They rushed day and night. As soon as they entered the territory of Lucheng, they were already exhausted. They were about to dismount and rest on the side of the road. , heroically killed.Wei Jun was killed by surprise, suffered huge losses, suffered heavy casualties, and fled in defeat.

Zhuge Liang left Lucheng and ordered his troops to withdraw and return to the city.At this time, Li Yan's subordinates, the guard of Yong'an City, suddenly sent a secret letter from Li Yan.Zhuge Liang was surprised when he opened it. Li Yan said in the letter: Soochow has united with Wei, and the situation is very critical. Yong'an City may be attacked by Soochow.

Zhuge Liang was always worried that Soochow would stealthily attack Shuchuan during his Northern Expedition to Wei, so he hurriedly summoned generals at all levels to the barracks to obey the arrangement.

Zhuge Liang said: "If Soochow attacks Shuchuan, I must return to Shuchuan immediately to prevent Soochow from invading."

So he ordered the whole army to retreat.Seeing the retreat of the Shu army, Zhang He lay in ambush in fear and dared not pursue.I had to lead my troops back to the barracks to report to Sima Yi: "Now that the Shu army is retreating, what is their plan?" Sima Yi said: "Zhuge Liang is full of tricks, don't act rashly. We must hold our ground. When the enemy has no food, the enemy will naturally retreat." The general Wei Ping stood up and said: "The Shu army retreated from Qishan, we can take the opportunity to pursue it. The governor stands still. He is afraid of the Shu army as he is afraid of a tiger. Aren't you afraid that people in the world will laugh at you?"

Sima Yi resolutely did not send troops to chase after him.

Seeing that the whole army had withdrawn safely, Zhuge Liang immediately ordered Yang Yi and Ma Zhong to lead [-] archers to ambush at the wooden doorway of Jiange;He also ordered Wei Yan and Guan Xing to lead troops to cover the city, plant flags all over the city, pile up firewood in the city, and bluff.

The patrolling soldiers of the Wei army reported: "The Shu army has withdrawn from Lucheng, but I don't know how many soldiers and horses are still in the city."

Sima Yi personally led troops to inspect the situation in Lucheng. He saw that the city was full of flags and smoke was burning in the city, so he smiled and said, "This is an empty city." He ordered his men to go to investigate, and it turned out to be an empty city.Sima Yi said: "Zhuge Liang has already retreated, who dares to chase?" Zhang He said: "I am willing to chase." Sima Yi persuaded him: "You are impatient, don't go." Zhang He must go.Sima Yi had no choice but to agree.

Zhang He chased for more than 30 miles, and suddenly the front and rear Shu troops rushed out, and the leading general was Wei Yan.When the two armies fought, Wei Yan pretended to be defeated, and Zhang He led his troops to chase after him.After chasing halfway, Guan Xing was killed again. Zhang He tried his best to catch up, but Guan Xing pretended to be defeated.

Zhang He entered the wooden doorway, was ambushed by the Shu army, and was prevented from returning by mountains, trees and rolling stones.Zhuge Liang ordered to shoot arrows at the Wei army from the top of the mountain, and Zhang He was shot to death.

When Sima Yi learned that Zhang He was shot to death, he couldn't help but sighed and cried bitterly for Zhang He.

Zhuge Liang withdrew his troops and returned to the court.

(End of this chapter)