Zhang Song returned to Yizhou and told that Cao Cao had no intention of making peace with our army, and that he would soon send troops to attack and prepare Liu Zhang for battle. Just when Liu Zhang was worried, Zhang Song said: "Lord, although Zhang Song did not convince Cao Cao this time, he also went to Yecheng to meet the general, and the general said that he would not sit idly by." As long as Cao Cao dares to send troops to attack Yizhou, he will raise troops to attack the Central Plains, Cao Cao is afraid of Hebei, and must retreat, our army seizes the opportunity and joins forces with the generals, perhaps we can recapture Hanzhong. ”

Zhang Ren, the local general of Yizhou, said disapprovingly: "Zhang Gong is too confident, Hebei has just returned from the Central Plains not long ago, if Cao Cao wants to attack Yizhou, how can he not guard against Hebei?" It is better to rely on others than on yourself, and it is the best policy to strengthen the military side of Yizhou. ”

Huang Quan also agreed with Zhang Ren's proposition, which could not only resist Cao Cao's invasion, but also strengthen the real power in his hands. The Yizhou faction is dominated by military generals, and the Dongzhou faction is dominated by Wenchen, Zhang Song, Fa Zheng, and Meng Da can't refute it, and they watch the Yizhou faction's strength increase and its power grow.

In 210 AD, Cao Cao left Cao Pi to sit in Xuchang and lead the soldiers and horses from all over the Central Plains against Yuan Xi. Cao Cao used the excuse that the envoys of Yizhou were unreasonable to him, contempt and ridicule, so he led 100,000 troops and sent troops from Hanzhong to attack Yizhou. Although Yizhou Mu Liu Zhang had a premonition in his heart, Cao Cao would not stop there, and his cowardly personality made him worry and fear, and it was difficult for him to sleep and eat. At Huang Quan's suggestion, Liu Zhang ordered his four major generals, Zhang Ren, Liu Fu, Ling Bao, and Deng Xian, to lead 50,000 troops to the Sword Pavilion to support Pang Yi and resist Cao's army.

Cao Cao's army walked on the winding, rugged, muddy and difficult Shu Road, and sighed in his heart, no wonder Liu Zhang was weak and incompetent, and no one was willing to fight Yizhou's idea. In the face of the world's most dangerous pass Sword Pavilion, Cao Cao was also shocked into a cold sweat, the road in this pass is narrow, not to mention that the siege weapons are difficult to run, that is, the soldiers walk side by side, and they can't stand a few people. Cao Cao ordered the army to choose a spacious position, so that the army could have a little news.

Xun You has traveled to the north and south of the river, and has also seen a lot of Xiongguan, Luoyang Tiger Prison Pass and Bishui Pass, Chang'an Hangu Pass and Tongguan Pass, and has never seen the same dangerous pass as the Sword Pavilion. The pass of the Central Plains relied on the strong city wall, while the Sword Pavilion relied on the geographical danger, once attacked, he always worried about whether he would fall into the abyss. Xun You also thought that a frontal attack, as long as there was someone on the opposite side to defend, it was almost impossible to succeed, so he could only take a detour, so he suggested to Cao Cao: "My lord, why don't you ask the sergeant of Hanzhong, is there another shortcut?" ”

Wang Ping, an officer in Hanzhong, introduced two roads for Cao Cao, one is a small road that can bypass Tongguan and go straight to Zitong, the mountain road is rugged and very difficult to walk. The other is to Mianzhu near Chengdu, this road is more thrilling, almost no one walks, it can be described as nine deaths.

Cao Cao said to everyone: "Now there are two roads in front of you, one is to bypass the Sword Pavilion and go straight to Zitong, although this road is small, the Yizhou army must be prepared." There is also a yin and flat path, although nine deaths and one life, but it can also be surprised. Now in order to defend our army, Liu Zhang has transferred the main force to Zitong, and Chengdu's defense is weak, but it can be decided in a battle. It's just that I don't know who has the guts to dare to give it a try? ”

Everyone hesitated, or Cao Xiu's newborn calf was not afraid of tigers, and stepped forward to ask: "Cao Xiu received the kindness of Qin Hou, and there was nothing to repay, and he was willing to lead his troops to attack Chengdu. ”

Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu are both the best in the second generation of the Cao family, so they naturally dare not lag behind, and stepped forward and said: "The last general Cao Zhen is willing to go with General Wenlie and take Shu for the Marquis of Qin." ”

Cao Cao was overjoyed, praising the two of them for being the Cao family's thousands of miles of horses, making Cao Xiu the main general and Cao Zhen as the deputy general, leading 20,000 troops to take Mianzhu. Cao Cao left Xiahou Yuan to lead his troops to attack the Sword Pavilion, confusing the defenders of Yizhou, leading 50,000 soldiers and horses, with Xu Huang as the vanguard, and directly taking Zitong.

Four generals, Zhang Ren, Liu Fu, Ling Bao, and Deng Xian, led the army to Zitong and inquired about Pang Yi's enemy. Pang Yi said very confidently: "Rest assured, generals, I have sent General Wu Lan to support the Sword Pavilion, the Sword Pavilion is dangerous, even if Cao Cao's millions of elite soldiers are powerless!" ”

Zhang Ren was cautious and asked Pang Yidao: "General Pang has guarded Zitong for many years, from Hanzhong to Zitong, is there any other path besides the Sword Pavilion?" ”

Pang Yi saw that Zhang Ren had doubts about himself, and suddenly felt displeased, and was about to refute, but seemed to think of something again, and hesitated: "There is indeed a small road from Hanzhong to Zitong, but this road is not only occasionally passed by by people who collect firewood, even if it is a local, almost no one knows about the existence of this road, and Cao Jun should not find this road!" ”

Zhang Ren became vigilant and said to Pang Yi: "General Pang, take me to check that path, it's better to be careful." Pang Yi reluctantly took Zhang Ren and the others to the northwest of Zitong to check, and sure enough, there was a small road, but it was quite rugged, at most enough for two or three people to walk side by side. Zhang Ren still ordered Ling Bao and Deng Xian to leave 10,000 horses to guard this trail, and he led the army to the Sword Pavilion to check, once he carelessly lost the Sword Pavilion, Yizhou would be in danger.

Yuan Xi waited for Cao Cao to be unable to bear the loneliness and wanted to annex Yizhou, become the Qin State during the Warring States Period, and make himself the Marquis of Qin. After receiving Cao Cao's army into Hanzhong and crusading against Liu Zhang, Yuan Xi also began to prepare for the Third Central Plains War. Yuan Xi learned the lesson of the last time and decided to concentrate his forces first, directly take Chen Liu and Xuchang, and capture Xuchang before Cao Cao pacified Yizhou.

After Sima Yi received Yuan Xi's order, he led 100,000 elite soldiers from Dongying to Jizhou, Zhang Jaw also led 100,000 elite soldiers from Sanhan to Jizhou, and Zhang Liao also led 100,000 Youzhou troops to the south and waited for Yuan Xi's dispatch. After the assembly of the three armies, Yuan Xi personally led 500,000 Hebei troops to lead the army south, and at the same time ordered Yuan Tan to take Yangzhou and Yuan Shang to take Guanzhong, known as a million heroes to crusade against the Central Plains.

Although Xuchang had 200,000 soldiers and horses, Cao Pi was worried in the face of the menacing Hebei million-strong army. Cheng Yu, the strategist under him, said: "Don't worry, the eldest prince, Yuan Xi falsely claimed that there are one million, and only 300,000 can participate in the war, Chen retains 50,000 defenders, and he wants General Cao Ren to guard it, as long as 100,000 elite soldiers are transferred from Xuchang to support, Chen Liu's solidity is like gold." The Hebei army consumed a huge amount of money, and it could not be supported for a few days, and it was the time for the eldest prince to make meritorious contributions. Cao Pi listened to Cheng Yu's advice and ordered Yu Ban to lead 100,000 elite soldiers to support Chen Liu, and at the same time strengthen the security of Xuchang to prevent anyone from taking advantage of the opportunity to cause chaos.

Yuan Xi took Zhang Jaw as the vanguard, led an army of 100,000 to take Chen Liu, with Xuchang's reinforcements, Cao Ren's strength was not weaker than Zhang Jaw, and wanted to take advantage of the other party's fatigue from afar to raid and frustrate the spirit of the Hebei army. Zhang Jaw didn't expect Cao Ren to dare to take the initiative to attack, he didn't take precautions, he didn't stabilize the village, and he lost for a while, but fortunately, the Euphorbia warriors were brave and stabilized the situation.

Under the persuasion of Mao Jie, Cao Ren still withdrew his troops first, relying on Chen Liu. Zhang Jaw didn't want to lose the first battle of returning to the Central Plains, so he ordered: "Don't let the Central Plains people underestimate the Hebei Army, and don't embarrass the general, the general has never been defeated, and this record can't be destroyed in our hands, brothers, give it to me, take Chen Liu!" ”

Zhang Jaw's words ignited the fire of the vanguard army, the Hebei army was invincible, long live the general, risking the bow and arrow of the Cao army, pushing the siege equipment, and slowly approaching Chen Liu. Cao Ren commanded Chen's remaining garrison to prevent the Hebei army's siege equipment from approaching. However, Cao Ren soon discovered that the Hebei army led by Zhang Jaw ignored his own attack, and the men in front fell, and the people behind picked up and continued to advance the catapults.

Chen Liu soon entered the range of the Hebei army's catapults, and as the boulders fell from the sky, Cao Ren began to lose his composure, and he must destroy the catapults and siege vehicles, otherwise Chen Liu's gate would soon be occupied by the Hebei army.

Cao Ren selected 2,000 elite soldiers, and under the leadership of the fierce general Niu Jin, launched a fierce attack on the catapults and siege vehicles of the Hebei army. The Cao army stormtroopers suddenly attacked, their jaws were defenseless, and the catapults and siege vehicles were actually destroyed a lot. When the Hebei army reacted, the stormtroopers led by Niu Jin had completed their tasks and retreated to the city.

Although there were no catapults and siege vehicles, Zhang's army had already approached Chen Liu, and began to set up ladders, wanting to climb the city wall directly and fight to the death with Cao's army on the city tower. Cao's army was well prepared, and the city was covered with rolling logs and falling rocks, and the Hebei army could not get close to Chenliu. Seeing that the army had suffered heavy losses, Zhang Jaw still couldn't climb the top of Chenliu's wall, so he could only retreat first and set up camp fifty miles away from Chenliu.