Zhuge Liang wrote a letter to Liu Ye to return to Xicheng to prepare for Gan Ning's attack on Hanzhong from the southern front, and agreed to launch an attack before winter.

The two roads in the north and the south, one virtual and one real, are the strategies that have been set in advance.

The southern route takes the Hanshui to attract the main force of Hanzhong, and the northern route enters the hinterland of Hanzhong from the Bao Slope.

If the Baochuan Road is not heavily guarded, the main force in Guanzhong can directly attack Nanzheng.

There are two main roads from Guanzhong to Hanzhong, the Baochuan Road is narrow and difficult to travel, the road is rugged, and the Chencang Road in the west is a wide road, but the distance is far away and there is Yangping Pass at the end, and it takes a certain opportunity to successfully enter Hanzhong.

The reason why Zhuge Liang is so anxious is that the opportunity in front of him is really hard to find.

Ma Teng's coalition army was nearly 40,000 people, and it was not only Guanzhong that was threatened by Chen Cang, but Zhang Lu, an old neighbor in Hanzhong, was also very nervous.

The reputation of the warlords in Liangzhou is not good, if they can't gnaw on the hard bones of Chen Cang, they can't go along Chen Cang Road to rob Hanzhong.

Zhang Lu not only set up heavy troops at Yangping Pass, but also sent scouts to monitor the Dasan Pass.

The slope is in the Qinling Mountains, the four seasons are not distinct, the spring and autumn seasons are very short, the summer is often rainy with mountain torrents and mud, the winter is covered with frost and snow, and the road is muddy.

Although Zhang Lu was wary of Liu Bei, he did not pay attention to the Baochuan Road due to the tense situation in Guanzhong and the geographical situation, which gave Zhuge Liang an opportunity.

After the army arrived in Yixian, Zhuge Liang deliberately let Zhao Yun stay, and he took Wei Yan to Chencang, intending to create opportunities for Zhao Yun.

In the third autumn of September, the heat in Guanzhong has gone, and the wind blows on the body very pleasantly.

Soon it will be winter, Ma Teng and other five Liangzhou soldiers came in thin clothes in summer, neither prepared winter clothes and thick quilts, but the food they brought and looted was about to bottom out at this time.

Originally, he should have withdrawn from the army when the food ran out, but the reason why Ma Teng was still insisting was that there was no news of Han Sui and Cao Hong, and second, he could stretch out his hand to Zhou Muwei.

If the rest of the troops retreated, Ma Teng would naturally retreat, but the news was completely blocked, and he could only spend time in Chencang.

During this time, especially after Zhang Fei changed his defense to Zhao Yun, Ma Chao and Zhang Fei fought heartily several times.

Both of them were addicted to it this time, which made Liu Bei, who was watching the battle in the city, itch.

Praise Ma Chao is as heroic as Lu Bu, but unfortunately he can't use it for himself.

Liu Bei and Zhang Fei guarded Chencang, which had already explained that the Jingzhou soldiers had returned to help, but there were high-level cadres who had good news before, which made Ma Teng hesitate and entangle, neither advancing nor retreating.

made up his mind to withdraw from the army, but was dragged by Zhuge Liang with a suspicious military strategy.

It wasn't until the end of September that the cold wind suddenly rose, and Cheng Yi and Ma Wan were clamoring to return to Liangzhou, so Ma Teng organized everyone to slowly retreat westward.

Just retreated to Shangqi, the third son Ma Tie lost blood to report the news, Yan Han Sui, Zhang Heng, Yang Qiu raided Longyou, most of the relatives in the family were slaughtered, the cattle and sheep of the family were plundered countless times, Ma Teng almost fell from the horse when he heard it.

Cheng Yin, Ma Play, Candidate, and Cheng Yi secretly gloated, but soon got information that their homes had been ransacked.

You are out playing with your life, but your home is stolen by your allies?

A bloody storm and a big brawl in Liangzhou kicked off.

Immediately entering the winter, Ma Teng and others wanted revenge, but they suffered from no food and no clothes, but they saw Jicheng.

Wei Duan was the intermediary who matched the ten generals, and at this time he had to bear joint and several liability, and these border warlords who had suffered losses first vented their anger on Jicheng.

The chaos in Liangzhou has risen, and Zhuge Liang has hidden his merits and fame.

persuaded Zhang Fei to stay in Chencang, and returned to Yixian with Liu Bei in early October, preparing to elect the general to take Hanzhong through the Bao Slope Road.

Zhuge Liang just admonished Zhao Yun to take command, but he was unexpectedly rejected by Liu Bei.

I saw him say in high spirits: "Yun Changfan defeated Cai Mao, Yide Chen Cang rejected Ma Chao, Bei is now in the prime of life, how can he sit in the rear and enjoy his success?" This time, I want to personally conquer Hanzhong, and the military and political affairs of Guanzhong will continue to be taken care of by the labor division. ”

"The slope is slippery in winter, and it is extremely inconvenient to march. Zilong is brave and strategic, and he will be able to defeat the enemy, so please think twice. ”

After Zhuge Liang finished persuading, Zhao Yun also clenched his fists and admonished: "The lord must not be involved in danger, Zhao Yun is willing to make a military order."

"Zilong doesn't have to be like this, let's go to Hanzhong together."

Liu Bei stretched out his hand to interrupt Zhao Yun, and explained in a serious tone: "I don't believe Zilong, but there are some things to face by myself, in the past, Yuan Benchu fought a decisive battle in Guandu, and everything was faked to others, and in the end, it was a failure, so you don't have to persuade again, because of the inconvenience of the winter march, I personally went to inspire the soldiers, and maybe also help persuade Zhang Lu to surrender."

"Yes"

Zhao Yun was speechless, so he subconsciously looked at Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang also hesitated at this time, he thought that Liu Bei personally took command, which would indeed help boost morale, but the lord did it himself, and once something happened, the consequences would be immeasurable.

Seeing this, Liu Bei reminded Zhuge Liang with a smile: "The military advisor forgot Huayin? Prepare for half a horse's life, and this trip will be unhindered. ”

"Okay."

Zhuge Liang compromised and no longer persuaded each other, recalling Liu Beihua's demeanor in the shadows, and said in his heart that the strength of the lord was not weak, but it was just covered by Guan Zhangguang.

At present, in addition to Liu Bei himself, the generals under his command are only Guan Yu and Hefei Longxiang, if it is not for the winter through the slope, Zhuge Liang has no reason to stop it.

At this time, there was no military threat in Guanzhong, Wei Yan performed well against Han Sui, Zhuge Liang suggested that Liu Bei take it with him, and he dispatched grain and grass and military supplies to ensure that Liu Bei's logistics were not short.

Due to the preparations made in advance, after it was determined that Liu Bei was personally in command, 15,000 elite soldiers immediately drove into the valley.

In winter, you can cross the 500-mile ramp, and you need to take frequent breaks to pass.

Liu Bei's team took 20 days and did not leave Baogukou until early November.

With the clairvoyant vision suppressed, the Taniguchi stronghold was easily eliminated, and Zhang Lu, who was in Nanzheng, didn't know it at all, because his attention was all on the Han River.

Half a month ago, Gan Ning and Liu Ye led 5,000 sailors to sail upstream by boat as agreed, and successively uprooted the strongholds they had mastered in advance.

Zhang Lu was shocked, and sent his brother Zhang Wei to lead the army to reinforce and block Gan Ning and Liu Ye in Longting.

Gan Ning only had a few thousand soldiers, so he connected them with boats on the south bank of Longting to build a water village, which had the meaning of being stationed for a long time.

Where can Zhang Wei endure this when he sees this? He couldn't force back after many attacks, so he had to keep asking Zhang Lu for reinforcements, so that the defenders of Nanzheng were emptied.

Seeing that Gan Ning had taken root in the hinterland of Hanzhong, Zhang Lu sent the Yangping Pass garrison to Longting.

As a result, without waiting for Yang Ang to lead his troops to cross the border, Liu Bei took the lead in approaching the city.

At that time, Nanzheng only had 2,000 city defense troops, and in the face of the 15,000 tiger and wolf army outside the city, Zhang Lu and his subordinates were trembling.

Zhang Lu was reluctant to give up his wealth and power, so he refused Liu Bei's first persuasion.

Liu Bei was not in a hurry to attack the city, he knew that it was useless to rely on lip service, and he had to show the corresponding strength, so he did not stop the scouts who asked for help.

At the end of November, Yang Ang arrived from Yangping Pass and found Liu Bei in formation.

Zhang Lu watched the battle on the city of Nanzheng, and saw that he was defeated head-on by Liu Bei's army, and the main general Yang Ang was beheaded by Wei Yan.

In mid-December, Zhang Wei returned from Longting to aid Nanzheng.

finally got rid of Gan Ning's pursuit, but was ambushed by Zhao Yun halfway, and Zhang Wei himself was captured by Zhao Yunsheng.

When he saw Zhang Wei being escorted to the city of Nanzheng, Zhang Lu knew that the general trend had gone and had to give up the struggle, and led the crowd to open the city at the end of the year to surrender.

In the eleventh year of Jian'an, Liu Bei got Hanzhong, which was of great significance to him, and the land of Emperor Taizu Gao Longxing.

(End of chapter)