After Zhuge Liang took 200,000 loads of grain and grass in Xicheng, he relieved the danger of running out of grain for the army, and then slowly retreated in the direction of Hanzhong.

Although Sima Yi arranged ambushes along the way, he did not get much benefit under Zhuge Liang's old and spicy use of troops.

And the Wei general Wang Shuang, who captured Yangping Pass, was also defeated because Wei Yan had prepared early.

This was the end of the vigorous First Northern Expedition.

Although Shu Han was defeated, he did not lose many soldiers and horses.

Although Cao Wei won and recaptured all the cities that were invaded, he still lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses after repeated defeats, which greatly damaged the vitality of the imperial court.

What's more, Sun Quan of Eastern Wu saw that Shu Han and Cao Wei were fighting hotly, thinking that there was a advantage to take advantage of, and also sent Lu Xun to raise troops in Xiangyang, and set up a posture with Cao Wei's great Sima Cao Xiu.

The two sides attacked and defended each other for a while, and the battle situation was stalemate.

After the Northern Expedition returned to the camp, Zhuge Liang asked to resign as prime minister on the grounds of the failure of the Northern Expedition.

Adou naturally didn't allow it.

After consulting Li Yan and other ministers, a compromise method was adopted.

demoted Zhuge Liang to the right general, and still acted as the prime minister.

It can be regarded as an explanation for the Manchu Dynasty.

Other meritorious soldiers were also commended.

Among them, the most dazzling is Cao Jun, who has not been in the army for a long time.

He first made meritorious contributions by killing a giant python on the way to transport grain;

Later, the two armies were beheaded in front of the formation, and Zhang He, the general of the Wei army, was captured alive and made meritorious service again;

Later, he was ordered to garrison the street pavilion.

With 5,000 soldiers, Xu Huang, the general of the Wei army, won 4 days of precious time for the Shu army, not only was not affected by Ma Tan, but won the favor of Zhuge Liang.

After that, he helped Zhuge Liang Xicheng retreat from the enemy and made another contribution.

After successive accumulations, the position also changed from the commander to the captain, from the captain to the miscellaneous general, and then jumped out from the miscellaneous general, and became the general of the expedition to the west, the marquis of Qingshan (Xianghou) of the Han Dynasty.

A veritable general of the Shu army.

It suddenly became the brightest new star in the Northern Expedition.

However, when the government and the opposition talk about this person, they know very little, only that he is brave in battle, has the courage of the late General Zhang Fei and Zhang Yide, has outstanding marksmanship, and has a strategic mind, and can write and martial arts, which is deeply appreciated by Zhuge Liang.

There are even rumors.

It came out of the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Earlier, I listened to the teachings of the prime minister for many years, and only then did I accumulate a lot of money, and if I didn't make a sound, it was a blockbuster.

With today's momentum.

Just when everyone was disagreeing, Cao Jun was standing at the back door of the Prime Minister's Mansion at this time.

In front of him was still the janitor from before.

The little guy is still the little guy.

The woodcutter in the past became a general.

"May I ask why Your Excellency came to the Prime Minister's Mansion?"

The little guy saw that Cao Jun was dressed in gorgeous clothes, with an extraordinary bearing, and there were several personal soldiers behind him, either after the meritorious service, or the family members of the generals in the army, so he didn't dare to slack off.

This little guy has been looking at the back door of the Prime Minister's Mansion for many years, and he still has eyesight.

He saw Cao Jun standing still at the door, as if he was looking at the plaque on the door, and without waiting for Cao Jun to speak, he took the initiative to go down the steps and step forward to ask.

Cao Jun suddenly opened his mouth and smiled, "Dare to ask this little brother, do you still know the woodcutter a few months ago?" ”

The little guy naturally remembers.

The people who come to the Prime Minister's Mansion every day to ask for a meeting don't know how much, but it is the first time they have seen a woodcutter who was not blasted out, but was a guest of honor.

How not to impress him?

Seeing Cao Jun ask at this moment, he took a few steps back with a puzzled face, looked at Cao Jun carefully, and immediately clapped his hands and exclaimed exaggeratedly: "It turns out that you are the woodcutter at the beginning?" ”

"I haven't seen you for a few months, I didn't cover my body at the beginning, but now I am full of wealth and wealth, I must have climbed up to some rich and powerful relative, developed!"

This little guy spoke very well, and with a snap, he slapped Cao Jun on the shoulder casually.

"Presumptuous!"

The two pro-soldiers behind him suddenly stopped, and the blades in their hands were pulled out with a bang, and with the murderous aura that broke out from the sea of corpses and fires, this little guy was startled.

He hurriedly took two steps back, bothered his courage, pointed to the plaque on the door of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and shouted in a dog-like manner: "I don't care which general you are, you can't be presumptuous here, this is the Prime Minister's Mansion." ”

There is only one prime minister's mansion in Shu, which refers to Zhuge Liang's prime minister's mansion.

Cao Jun waved his hand to stop the overreaction of the pro-soldiers behind him, and as he did a few months ago, he bowed and said politely: "Dare to ask the prime minister if he is in the house?" Cao Wenwu asked to see him. ”

"That Cao Wenwu?"

"General Zhengxi of the Great Han Dynasty, General Wenwu Cao, the Marquis of Qingshan personally appointed by His Majesty, in fact, you can call him by his name?"

This time, without waiting for Cao Jun's voice, the soldiers behind him indignantly helped him answer.

The little guy looked at Cao Jun who was standing at the door with a respectful face, and his eyes gradually merged him with the woodcutter a few months ago, and his mouth couldn't help but open wide.

the same person;

Same here;

It's just that I haven't seen him for a few months, and he has become the general of the Han Dynasty, the Marquis of Qingshan?

I have to say that the world is impermanent, thirty years in Hedong and thirty years in Hexi.

Cao Jun saw that the little guy had not spoken for a long time, so he had to urge: "Can the prime minister be in the house?" If you delay the military situation, I'm afraid you won't be able to do this gatekeeper for long. ”

Cao Jun laughed to himself as he spoke.

Let the tense atmosphere rippling in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion be swept away.

"In ...... Naturally, in the house, this General Cao can go in directly, the prime minister has already ordered, if it is a big future in the army, there is no need to report. ”

Cao Jun asked his soldiers to wait outside the door, then waved his sleeves, and entered the Prime Minister's Mansion unimpeded in the surprise on the little servant's face.

He didn't come to see Zhuge Liang this time, but to see Ma Yan.

When he went to Ma Tan's mansion to ask for a meeting, the people in the house had told him that since Ma Tan came back from Hanzhong, he had come to the Prime Minister's Mansion every day to wait, but he was more diligent than before.

Zhuge Liang accepted him as always, but there were many new rumors.

Some people say that Ma's five constants are all talented.

This horse's talent, but not on the battlefield, if he is sent to Soochow, he will definitely be able to make contributions.

Some people also say that the two have been together for many years, and they have the love of teachers and students, and the prime minister misses the old days, so they opened up and spared Ma Tan's life.

Cao Jun also guessed in his heart.

Zhuge Liang has always governed the army strictly, and his wisdom is close to demons, but there is no one around him who can be close to him.

Most of the time, this Ma Tan can read half of Zhuge Liang's mind, and he can be regarded as half a disciple and half a friend.

Whoever is in Zhuge Liang's position will be lonely for a long time.

If a man is not a sage, who is unselfish?

In addition, the Ma family is all Hanchen, and the five Chang of the Ma family all serve the Han in different positions, and this Ma Tan often accompanies the first emperor and Zhuge Liang for many years, and has also made some meritorious achievements.

Perhaps, Zhuge Liang is also a nostalgic person!

This is the reason why Cao Jun gave up his personal anger and spared Zhuge Liang's life at a critical moment.

Next, it was Ma Tan's turn to repay his debts.