On the Cao Wei side, Zhang Hetong, the general of Zhenxi, led 15,000 Yongliang coalition troops to the south from the old road of Sanguan. This is the westernmost side of the Qinling Mountains a hole road, later generations and the Bao slope road, renamed "Sanguan Bao slope road". The starting point of the hole is the Sanguan, because of the reason Daoshui (the east branch of the upper source of the Jialing River) out of the south of the Sanguan, Qin set up the old Dao County here, so it gets the name of "the old road of Sanguan".

Originally, in history, Cao Cao's expedition to Zhang Lu was the road he took, and he first turned to the southwest after leaving the pass, and could reach the Yangping Pass through Hechi and Wuxing (Luoyang). Wuxing Township is located between Xiaban and Yangping, and Ma Chao's small troops left behind to guard the back road and protect the grain route were unable to resist, so they hurriedly delivered the news to the Majia military camp in Yangping City. Ma Chao was shocked when he heard the report and said, "I didn't expect the Wei people to come so quickly." Now I have Yangping in front of me, and the road behind is broken, will I die here?! ”

Ma Dai suggested, let's quickly turn around, kill a bloody road, and return to Xia Zhi. Someone immediately stood up to object: "No, since the Wei people follow the old road of Sanguan, they will cut off the road to the south of Wudu, that is, they will return to the next place, our army and Chengdu are incompatible, and they will die for a long time?" ”

Ma Chao fixed his eyes and saw that this person was not him, it was the messenger sent by Wu Yi, surnamed Wang Mingfu Guoshan, Guanghan and Yunren, and the official was in the service.

In the romance, it is said that when Guan Yu guarded Jingzhou, Wang Fu was engaged in it for his subordinates, and then Lü Meng crossed the river in white clothes, Guan Yu was defeated and retreated, so that Zhou Cang and Wang Fu stayed in Maicheng. After Guan Yu's death, Wu Jun held his head to persuade him to surrender under the city, "Wang Fu screamed, fell into the city and died".

In fact, this is also the novelist who said that in the original history, Wang Fu did assist Guan Yu in Jingzhou, but he did not die at that time (probably transferred in advance.) It may also be that he was defeated and fled back to Shu). Later, he followed Liu Bei and Wu. Only then did he die in the Battle of Yiling. And in this timeline, Wang Fu didn't have much friendship with Guan Yu, on the contrary, he was originally a friend of Fa Zheng, and he returned to the Dongzhou Party as a native of Shu - Wu Yi sent him to persuade Ma Chao accordingly.

Wang Fu objected to turning back and discerning, saying that the dispute between the two Liu had not yet ended, the south was still fighting, and Hanzhong was empty. Only the ability to parry, it is difficult to fight back, so the Wei army came from the old road of Sanguan, and it is likely that it has gained a firm foothold in the southern part of Wudu County. When the time comes, there will be this Wei army behind him, and the north will have to face the soldiers and horses of Cao Wei and Liangzhou, and it will be a dead land-"For today's plan, the general should rush into Hanzhong, consolidate its defense, or deal with the Wei people." But Hanzhong was not lost, and the Wei army did not dare to continue to the south. When Liu Feng is extinguished, the country will be a little calmer. Then ask the general to go north with a hundred battles and expel the Wei people, and the country may be safe. ”

Ma Chao said that what you said is reasonable, but the problem is that Zhao Yun won't let me go into Hanzhong, wouldn't I have taken Yangping Pass a long time ago if I could have taken it? Wang Fu smiled and said: "I have a plan, please ask the general to talk in front of Zhao Zilong's formation, so and so, like and so on, then Yangping can go down, and Hanzhong can enter." ”

Ma Mengqi was overjoyed when he heard this, so he acted according to the plan and hurriedly made an appointment to meet Zhao Yun. Before the two armies were arrayed, he said to Zhao Zilong: "It is appropriate to report that the Wei thief is going south, and he has entered from the old way of Sanguan, and his back has been thinned." If Jinzilong does not let me enter the Han Dynasty, then our army has no basis in front of it, and there is no basis for retreat, and it will be broken by the Wei people. Although each protects its master, the two Liu are the first emperor Miao Yin, and our departments are also loyal and brave men of the Han Dynasty, Zilong Nai forbears to see the loyal bones buried in the wilderness, and the country is about to be overturned? Even if he died, how could he see the first emperor underground? ”

In fact, Zhao Yun has just received the news that Cao Zhen led an army of 20,000 from the meridian road, took Shiquan from the south, and Niu Jin and Shen Yi also killed from the east. Most of the Hanzhong army was taken away by Liu Feng and Huang Quan, and the troops at hand were already insufficient, so he could only barely hold Yangping, and he really didn't have the strength to rescue Shiquan again. If Shiquan is broken, the Wei army can stride into the Hanzhong Basin, let alone him, even if Sun and Wu are resurrected, I am afraid it will be difficult to win. was hesitating and at a loss, Ma Chao sent someone to talk to him before the battle, and now after listening to Ma Chao's words, he said in his heart that the Wei people were attacking from the east and west, and the situation was even more critical than what I originally knew...... What to do?

So he persuaded Ma Chao: "If the general is willing to protect the prince, I will immediately open and close the door, welcome the general into Han, and force one place, but refuse the Wei army." Now the Wei people come to the disease also, the preparation must be hasty, the grain is difficult to gather, if you can rely on the mountain to rely on the risk, the royal month, will inevitably retreat, the country can be safe, we also live up to the emperor's kindness. ”

Ma Chao shook his head and couldn't say - "I have been ordered by the general to swear to protect the new master, and Anke will return to Liu Fengye?" Mo Ruoxian doesn't care who he is, only about the duty of the Han courtiers, Zilong let me into the Han, and work together to resist the Wei thief. The Wei thief will not retreat for a day, I will not go south to attack Liu Feng for a day, and Zilong will not go south for a day to help Liu Feng. When the Wei people retreat, the future can be discussed again - this so-called 'brothers are on the wall, and the outside is insulted'. ”

Zhao Yunxin said that I really want to let you in, and when the Wei army retreats, how can you "discuss again", you will definitely annex our department and support Liu Chan. However, at present, it is a small matter who is the emperor, if the Wei people break into Hanzhong, and the country is about to overthrow, that is the most terrible ......

After all, Zhao Zilong is not Liu Feng's sworn friend, the reason why he supports Liu Feng is that according to Liao Chun, this is Liu Bei's will, and second, Wu Yi murdered Guan Yu, and Zhao Yunnai swore against him. In fact, deep down, he felt that as long as Liu Bei's son inherited the throne, there was not much difference between an adopted son and a concubine...... The key is that this banner of reviving the Han family must continue to be fought, otherwise he will follow Liu Xuande to fight for half his life, all his efforts will be in vain, and the meaning of life will be fundamentally erased.

Therefore, he also hopes that he can temporarily stop the army with Ma Chao and work together to resist Cao. But if he mentioned it, Ma Chao immediately agreed, Zilong would inevitably be suspicious: Is he sincere or false? Is it really that I was forced to be in a hurry and had no way out, so I was vain and wronged, right? Once you enter the customs, will you turn your face immediately? Now Ma Chao rejected his suggestion to join Liu Feng, saying that let's go outside first and then settle inside, and talk about it later, Zhao Yun immediately believed it. But he still has to ask one more question: "Is what the general said sincere?" If I let the general enter the customs, I will defend Hanzhong together, and I can't afford to annex? ”

Ma Chao immediately took out a feather arrow from the quiver and folded it in two paragraphs in front of Zhao Yun: "The emperor is above, if I break my oath, there will be this arrow!" But then he added: "One country and three princes, if you order a long head, it will be difficult to win." After I entered the Han Dynasty. Zilong should listen to my orders. ”

Zhao Yunxin said that this is also reasonable: the number of Ma Chao's department is originally more than the number of soldiers and horses he is currently in charge. Second, let's talk about the old name (regardless of Wu Yi's canonization of his hussar general. and Liu Fengcai sent someone to promise his own General Wei), Ma Mengqi was above himself. Moreover, Ma Chao was a villain first and then a gentleman, and he said it first, which also made Zhao Yun's perception of him a little higher. immediately bowed his hand: "Yun Zi should be attached to the general's tail, but the general's order is to listen." ”

The gate was opened, and Ma Jiajun was allowed to enter Yangping Pass, and Ma Chao was informed of the news that the Wei army was coming to attack Shiquan. Ma Chao frowned and said, "In this way, we should return to Nanzheng." Conspiracy to break the enemy's strategy - can make me leave Chen Shi in Yangping to resist Zhang He. ”

Zhao Yun had no objection to this, so he left Chen Shi to lead 3,000 troops to garrison Yangping Pass, and the rest of the troops were combined into one, and returned to Hanzhong County to govern Nanzheng overnight. Ma Chao asked Zhao Yun on the road, saying that in the past, Fa Zheng built 23 fortresses in Hanzhong and assigned all the armies to guard them, which was in line with the "righteousness of Zhou Yi Chongmen", I don't know what the situation is now? Zhao Yun sighed: "Most of the main forces followed the prince and General Huang to the south, and there are less than 10,000 left in the Han Dynasty today. And many new pawns ...... "So Zhao Yun was forced to shrink his forces and give up most of the camps. Gathering troops to defend Chisaka, Chenggu, and Shiquan in the east of Zheng in the south, Huangsha, Chuyang, and Yangping in the west, and Baozhong in the north, only these seven key passes remained.

However, Zhao Yun is still quite confident in holding Hanzhong, firstly, because he has the help of nearly 20,000 Ma Jiajun, and secondly, it is expected that Cao's army will come in a hurry, and the grain and grass materials will not be replenished. ”

Ma Chao twisted his beard and was silent, and only after a long time did he say: "When I return to Nanzheng, I will discuss it when the people gather to determine the strategy." ”

When the army returned to Nanzheng City, it was the darkest time before dawn, and as soon as the soldiers received the order to be stationed, many of them were so tired that they refused to even set up camp tents, and directly wrapped themselves in blankets and lay down under the eaves of the houses to sleep. However, Ma Chao was still in good spirits and did not get tired, and strode into the Taishou Office, and ordered Zhao Yun: "Quickly summon all the generals to come to discuss the matter, even those who have already slept must also be aroused." ”

The time was not large, and the lieutenants and above, all of them, including the Hanzhong army and the Wudu Majia army, all gathered in the government office, and there were nearly thirty people in Wuyang. Ma Chao first asked Zhao Yun to give a general description of the current situation, and then his face was cold, he looked around at the generals, and said slowly: "Today, the Wei thieves are coming, the situation is urgent, if we can't work together, then Hanzhong will be lost, and Hanzhong will lose it, and the Han Dynasty will lose its four hundred years of foundation, and it will die until we wait......" A slap on the table: "I discussed with Zilong, temporarily master the Hanzhong military, do you have any objections?" The generals of the Hanzhong army all paid attention to Zhao Yun, Zhao Yun bowed slightly, and then first came out to Ma Chao and said: "Yun is willing to be ordered by the general." ”

So all the generals bowed down together: "May I obey General Ma's life." ”

Ma Chao said okay, then first: "The new master from Chengdu can be left, and from Liu Feng to the right." ”

Zhao Yun was shocked when he heard this, and hurriedly asked, "General, what do you mean by this?" "If you don't hurry up and make a military plan, why did you bring up this again? Didn't you say that the controversy should be put aside for the time being and unanimously opened to the outside world?

Ma Chao snorted coldly: "If the obedience is different, it may not strictly obey my orders?" How dare I use it with confidence? Zhao Yun hurriedly argued: "As the general said yesterday, what I am doing will be discussed after retreating from the enemy." I will be ordered by the general today, and there will be no two hearts......" Ma Chao directly interrupted him: "I don't believe it!" ”

only heard the sound of "dang chang", and all the generals of the Ma family army directly pulled out the ring head knife on their waists, half of them rushed up, forcing Zhao Yun, and half of them stopped the lieutenant general Han beside him. Immediately Ma Chao ordered, saying that Zhao Yun's party was usurping with usurper, and he was afraid that he would rebel and defect to Wei, so he should be imprisoned first - so he wiped the shoulders of Zhao Zilong, who was at a loss, tied his back, tied the ropes, and escorted him down. Then Ma Chao said again: "From the new master of Chengdu can be left, from Liu Feng to the right." Immediately, there was a "hula", and all the eighty percent of the generals ran to the left, leaving only four or five people stunned in the local area, not knowing how to make a trade-off - including Liao Chun, of course.

Ma Chao was unceremonious and ordered all these generals to be arrested and imprisoned on the spot. It was only after the team was cleared that he breathed a sigh of relief and began to formally discuss the defense of Hanzhong...... (To be continued.) )

PS: I've had a fever for three days, and it's okay during the day, but at night I'm cold, my hands and feet are soft, and I can't do anything - the problem is that I write at night when I'm the most inspired and efficient! Fortunately, there are still manuscripts in reserve...... I went to the hospital today, and the doctor said that it would take five or six days for the fever to heal...... What a curse! Encourage me by giving me some tickets and friends.