Zhang Lu occupied Hanzhong for more than ten years, and his improper position was not recognized by the imperial court, but Hanzhong was surrounded by mountains and easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the land of the Hanchu Plain was fertile, but it was a good place to divide and defend itself.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the princes competed for hegemony in the Central Plains, and no one spent energy to seize Hanzhong, coupled with the continuous wars and famines in Guanzhong, a large number of Sanfu refugees moved south, so that Zhang Lu could collect the refugees and control the people with his teachings.

The relatively stable external environment for more than ten years has created a good situation of abundant treasury and population growth in Hanzhong County.

Liu Bei was very surprised when he looked at the household register and the treasury, whether it was Xuzhou, which he took over at the beginning, or the three counties of Guanzhong, which he had not won for a long time, the money, grain, and population were not as good as Hanzhong.

The heart said that it is no wonder that Zhuge Liang planned to take Hanzhong first and then Liangzhou, and dared to love that this is a warehouse hidden in the depths of the mountains.

Liu Bei is a relative of the Han family, and the Son of Heaven recognizes the emperor's uncle, his identity is easier to be recognized by the people, and the transfer of power in Hanzhong is surprisingly smooth.

Those believers who were originally loyal to Zhang Lu were mostly displaced people from Sanfu, and they recognized Zhang Lu not because of good teachings, but because Hanzhong could survive by cultivating fields, and it didn't matter who Hanzhong Taishou was.

Because Zhang Lu was very cooperative, Liu Bei did not embarrass him and his clansmen.

However, Zhang Lu's continued stay in Hanzhong was not conducive to governance, and he and Zhang Wei themselves felt embarrassed.

Liu Bei consulted Liu Ye for advice, moved Zhang Lu's family to Chang'an, and promised to build a Taoist temple in the city and allow Zhang Lu to continue his mission.

The people of Guanzhong are scarce and thin, and they are just being fed back by Hanzhong.

Liu Qi has been assassinated in Jingzhou, and Hanzhong Taishou is suspended again.

Liu Bei then let Gongcao Liu Ye take over, and appointed Gan Ning as the county governor to help him stabilize the situation.

In March of the twelfth year of Jian'an (207), Liu Bei generously gave Zhang Lu's family twenty carts of property and returned to Chang'an with the army.

Liu Bei arrived in Chang'an in April, only to know that in the half year he had been in Hanzhong, Liangzhou had become a mess.

Zhou Mu Weiduan's family was killed by the rebels, and Ji County was also looted by Ma Teng and others.

Ma Teng's five generals took revenge at first, but they were divided and disintegrated by Han Sui's lure, and Ma Teng also died due to the betrayal of Cheng Yin and Ma Play, and Cheng Yin and Ma Play were killed by Ma Chao.

In just half a year, the ten generals of Liangzhou who invaded Guanzhong were only Han Sui, Yang Qiu, Hou Xuan, and Cheng Yi, among which Jincheng Han Sui was the strongest.

Because Ma Chao was excellent in martial arts and regarded the generals of Liangzhou as enemies, Han Sui united with the other three generals to encircle and suppress.

Ma Chao lacked soldiers, food, and armor, and was defeated in many places in Didao, Yanxian, and Lintao, and then fled to Wu.

During Liu Bei's absence in Guanzhong, in addition to the chaos of the warlords in Liangzhou, Xiahoudun also took advantage of the emptiness of Jingzhou to invade, but was defeated by Xu Shu again.

Hearing that Xiahoudun had attacked Jingzhou, Liu Bei took the case and said angrily: "The second brother and Yuan Zhi not only have few soldiers, but now they have to defend Fancheng and Wancheng at the same time. ”

"Don't be impatient, my lord."

Zhuge Liang supported Liu Bei, and said earnestly and comfortingly: "Yunchang and Yuan Zhi have retreated from the enemy, Guan Tanzhi has also led troops back to Fancheng, Jingzhou should be in no danger at this time, we still take Liangzhou first, and then go down to Jingzhou without worries;

Although Han Sui, Yang Qiu, Hou Xuan, and Cheng Yi formed an alliance, according to their past habits, it was a matter of time before they turned against each other.

I guess it won't be more than this year, so we must always be ready, and if Liangzhou is chaotic, it will be time to send troops. ”

Liu Bei frowned and asked, "Why is the military advisor so determined?" Han Sui's four generals annexed other people's territory, and their strength has been greatly improved, the bigger the strength, the more they can't fight, if you want to have the previous melee, I'm afraid it's not so easy, right? Don't make a mistake and waste your time. ”

"What the lord said is not bad, the stronger the strength, the fewer the wars, once the fight starts, it will be a big war, but the situation of several people in Liangzhou is different."

Zhuge Liang first affirmed Liu Bei, and then turned around and began to explain:

"Liangzhou is a land, half farming and half pastoral, and the grain reserves are far from catching up with the Central Plains, and the ten generals of Liangzhou, such as Ma Teng and Han Sui, have been consuming grain stocks for a whole year since they invaded Guanzhong last summer and attacked each other;

They fought each other and plundered the people and livestock, resulting in the barren land and the reduction of cattle and sheep production, and when this winter came, the various tribes will definitely fight because of the lack of food, and the large territory and large population are advantageous in good years, and in the event of war and famine, it is a disaster, and not everyone has the luck of the lord. ”

"I never thought that Hanzhong would be so rich."

Liu Bei smiled embarrassedly, and said in his heart that Han Sui's grabbing of land and population was a burden, but the Hanzhong he got was a treasure trove, and he had a good impression of Zhang Lu in his heart, and planned to fulfill his promise to build a Taoist temple as soon as possible.

"By the way, according to the meaning of the military division, it seems that the materials in Hanzhong should be used as the collection of military funds in Liangzhou, but the Baochuan Road is narrow and difficult to travel, if it is transported by boat from Baoshui, the mountain stream is narrow and difficult to travel, and the water flow is turbulent in some places, so I am afraid that it will be half the effort;

If it is transferred from Chencang Road in the west, Wudu County is not under our control, and there are many foreign races such as Qiang and Di there, and we need to use the army to escort money and grain, so the gain will not outweigh the loss."

Zhuge Liang's expression was calm after hearing this, and he asked Liu Bei rhetorically: "So what does the lord think?" ”

"I mean."

Liu Bei thought for a while and replied: "Hanzhong and Fancheng can reach one water, isn't it more secure to use Hanzhong's money, grain and soldiers to take Jingzhou?"

Before I left, I instructed to build more warships, and in the future, I will go down the river to join my second brother, which will shorten the shipbuilding time of Fancheng. ”

"Well, the lord's plan is indeed serious, but"

Zhuge Liang smiled mysteriously and added: "If the lord sends troops to attack Xiangyang, Cao Cao will not stand by his side, if Han Sui and others come to Guanzhong to plunder again, won't we be attacked from many sides?" So it's best to get rid of your worries first, as for the transportation problem that the lord is worried about, Liang already has a way to solve it. ”

"What is it?"

Before Liu Bei's words fell, Zhuge Liang took out a silk silk from his arms, on which a pattern was drawn that looked like a boat but not a boat.

was about to ask what it was, Zhuge Liang took the initiative to explain: "This thing is called Liuma, which can travel through turbulent and narrow rivers. ”

"Flowing horses? It's a wonderful idea, and the talent of the military advisor is immeasurable."

The normal shape of the boat on the outside of the flowing horse, the difference is that it contains a mechanism for stability, Liu Bei nodded frequently, and the beautiful words followed.

Zhuge Liang was not modest, and then added to his beard: "I have ordered someone to go to the valley to build a ship, and when the water level rises in the summer, you can drive the horse south to Hanzhong to carry it;

The transportation of this material will inevitably get twice the result with half the effort, just in time for the chaos in Liangzhou in winter, when the army will carry relief food, will the people of Liangzhou not eat pot pulp to welcome the general? ”

"Hahaha, good, good"

Liu Bei put down the drawings, took Zhuge Liang's hand and laughed at himself: "When the military division is in Longzhong, he can plan according to the situation, and now that Guanzhong and Hanzhong are in my hands, how can Liangzhou be far away?" You really shouldn't have to worry about it."

(End of chapter)