The capture of Zhang Wei, the surrender of Yang Ren, the disappearance of Pang De, and the successive losses of Chenggu and Dingjun Mountain returned to Nanzheng, and the Han and Chinese martial arts, including Zhang Lu, were shocked.

Zhang Lu was in a hurry late at night to convene all the civil and military forces to discuss countermeasures.

"Now that Chenggu Jiancheng has been lost, the army mountain has also fallen into the hands of the enemy, Zihu has been captured, and the 30,000 most elite soldiers and horses in my Han have been lost, the situation is so dangerous, what are your best ways to deal with it."

Zhang Lu's tone and expression were so anxious, this may be the biggest crisis he has faced in the more than ten years since he seized Hanzhong, no, it can't be said to be a crisis, but a moment of life and death.

Everyone looked at each other, all of them stunned. After a while, the general Yang Bai said: "Although the Xiahou Yuan army has been solidified, there are still more than 10,000 troops in Nanzheng, if the lord can trust the last general, the last general is willing to lead an army to recapture Dingjun Mountain." ”

Although Yang Bai asked for battle, he obviously lacked confidence.

At this time, Yan Pu said: "Chenggu is lost, then Hanzhong is in danger of being lost, Xiahou Yuan Liu Bei's army can drive straight into the Hanzhong Plain, and the army will win, Xiahou Yuan will definitely hold on, and Chenggu's army can go straight to Nanzheng at any time, and then Nanzheng will not have a single soldier, and it will be in danger." ”

Zhang Lushen thought so, and hurriedly said: "What about Zimao's opinion?" ”

Yan Pu was silent for a long time, and said: "Xiahou Yuan's 40,000 troops went deep into the Hanzhong Plain, our army is exhausted, and there is no danger to defend. ”

Zhang Lu's expression changed, and he said in a deep voice: "I have worked hard to run Hanzhong for more than ten years, but now I can't give it to Xiahou Yuan like this?" ”

Yan Pu said: "The garden is not to let the lord surrender to Xiahou Yuan, but to let the lord submit to the Duke of Cao, no, more precisely, it should be to submit to the imperial court." ”

As soon as these words came out, Zhang Lu's expression seemed to be a little better, and Yan Pu further said: "Xiahou Yuan has broken through the pass now, Hanzhong must have been regarded by him as a thing in his pocket, if the lord surrenders to him, he can only be regarded as forced by the situation and has to surrender." And if the lord submits the land of Hanzhong to Cao Gong, Cao Gong will inevitably be moved. Moreover, the lord is a descendant of the Marquis, and he has always been concerned about the country, and Cao Gong conquered the Quartet on behalf of the Son of Heaven, and returning to Cao Gong is not only a return to the imperial court, but also more in line with the general righteousness. ”

What is obedient to the court, what heart is to the Han family, what righteousness, in this troubled era is bullshit, if Zhang Lu really has such a mind in his heart, he will not have divided Hanzhong for so many years, repeatedly beheaded the envoys of the Han court, until Cao Ying is powerful, and then show his loyalty. And now that Xiahou Yuan's army has come over, what is the difference between surrendering Xiahou Yuan and surrendering to Cao Ying, and at this moment, the ministers of Hanzhong want to bypass Xiahou Yuan and go to Cao Ying in Chang'an, but in other words, I don't know how they have the confidence to stick to Cao Ying to receive Hanzhong.

However, sometimes bullshit is also fragrant, at least Zhang Lu smells fragrant now.

Yan Pu's words couldn't help but Zhang Lu fell into contemplation, and after a long time, he sighed: "For today's plan, it seems that there is only this way, fortunately, I have long been committed to the country, and now I have returned to the country with the land of the country, and I can count my merits as complete." ”

"In Song's humble opinion, the lord has a great gift for Duke Wei." A middle-aged man at the head of Wenchen on the side bowed his hand, "Ma Mengqi and Cao Gong do not share the sky, if Ma Chao can return to the city, he will dedicate his control to Cao Gong." ”

Zhang Lu's eyes lit up when he heard this, but he also knew that he was good at politics, but military affairs were not a piece of material, so he immediately set his sights on Yan Pu.

Yan Pu couldn't hold back as early as when Yang Song spoke, and hurriedly said: "By all means, Ma Chao is still confronting Zhang Fei at Jiameng Pass, if Ma Chao is exchanged back, who can guarantee that Liu Bei in Shu will not take advantage of the situation to attack, and who can stop it then." Moreover, Ma Chao is heroic and has the courage of Lu Bu, if he is in Nanzheng, if the matter of Guishun is exposed, who can guarantee that Ma Chao will not take advantage of the situation to seize Nanzheng. ”

Speaking of Ma Chao's bravery, Zhang Lu was palpitating, when Ma Chao came to vote, Yang Song had instigated the generals of Hanzhong to challenge him, but how could these second-rate Hanzhong generals be Ma Chao's opponents, one person and one gun, no one could survive Yihe. Scared the stupefied turtles in Hanzhong. As soon as he thought of this, Zhang Lu silently gave up the idea of controlling Ma Chao.

When he rode away at night, the envoy took Zhang Lu's letter to Chang'an. And Yan Pu also quietly sent a person to Chenggu with a letter, Xiahou Yuan is not a fool and will never delay the military plane, let alone fail to defeat Nanzheng, and Yan Pu obviously knows this, so he sent a messenger to tell Zhang Lu that he is ready to return to Cao Gong, but he needs to prepare in January, hoping that Xiahou Yuan will be accommodating. As for whether this letter worked or not, it was not something that Yan Pu could have expected.

The three counties of Xicheng, Shangyong and Fangling are also known as the three eastern counties because they are in the east of Hanzhong. From the east of Xicheng, the heavy mountains are stacked with obstacles, the more dangerous it is, there is a mountain connection between the three counties and counties, and the west city is on the edge of the water, Shangyong, Fangling are all in the south of the water, respectively, to block the water, build the water to connect the water. These three counties are surrounded by lofty mountains, the four are dangerous, they are geographically self-contained, although the internal exchanges are relatively close, but they are closed to the outside world, and they are isolated from the world for a long time, which is very similar to Hanzhong.

Although the three eastern counties are nominally under the jurisdiction of Hanzhong, but with the southern Zheng of Hanzhong to unify its entire territory, it is naturally a bit beyond the reach of the whip, so when Zhang Lu possessed Hanzhong, among the three counties, only the Xicheng County part is still under its control, as for Shangyong, Fangling two counties are separated from Hanzhong, and have long been bound by Liu Biao in Jingzhou.

And when Jingzhou was swallowed by Cao Ying, the two counties of Shangyong and Fangling turned to rely on Cao Ying, and Cao Ying because of the steep mountains and roads of the two counties, so he still entrusted his officials to govern.

From the overall point of view, the three eastern counties constitute a strategic protrusion in the east of the Han Dynasty, to the south to the west can be arched to defend Yizhou and Hanzhong, to the north out of the mountains is a smooth road, can directly take Chang'an Luoyang, and the legendary meridian valley, in fact, belongs to the jurisdiction of the West City. In addition, in the direction of Jingzhou to the south, it can go straight down the Han River and attack Xiangfan from the north and south of Jiangling.

And the three eastern counties can now be said to have changed the world, Fangling Taishou Kuai Qi and Shangyong Taishou Shen Tan accompanied a scribe with a gloomy face. "Sir, what does the prime minister plan to do with Xicheng County."

The scribe glanced at Shen Tan, who had a utilitarian face, and Kuai Qi, who had a calm face, and despised Shen Tan, a local tyrant, who was not as good as the orthodox family, but there was no expression on his face. "Unexpectedly, Zhang Lu in Hanzhong has already surrendered, and when he saw it, he also sent someone to Chang'an to surrender the table, and the two of them are waiting to receive Xicheng County."

"Mr. Zhongda is serious."

Sima Yi glanced at Shen Tan coldly, and without saying a word, he cast his eyes into the distance. Shen Tan was bored with himself, and he didn't dare to be presumptuous, after all, this is Fangling, Kuai Qi is a serious Cao Ying's subordinate, so he had to leave angrily. After he left, Sima Yi's face turned better and said to Kuai Qi on the side: "The prince can prepare wine and food." ”

"Haha! Brother Zhongda is here, how can the foolish brother not prepare wine and food, come to Zhongda to invite! Kuai Qi smiled.

This Kuai Qi is not an ordinary person, but after the Western Han Dynasty minister Kuai Tong, at that time, Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue, and Kuai Qi brothers were all Zhiren Shuangquan generation, and their reputation in Shilin was still above Sima Bada, and the Nanjun Kuai family was also one of the four major families in Jingzhou, and they were strong for generations.

"That brother was disrespectful, and he happened to ask his brother about the affairs of the three counties during the banquet." Sima Yi is not idle enough to come to drink.

Kuai Qi was also very knowledgeable and laughed: "For my brother, you should know everything and say everything." ”

(According to the "Shishuo Xinyu" note "Jin Yang Qiu", Kuai Liangguan to the Ministry of Shangshu, his son Nanyang Taishou Kuai Jun married the daughter of Wang Su, the leader of the Central Army, and gave birth to a daughter Kuai Shi (that is, the aunt of Sima Yan, Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty). Sun Xiu of Eastern Wu was demoted, and Sima Yan married the Kuai family to Sun Xiu. It can be seen that the relationship between the two families is very good. ）

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