flstandardbreds Chapter 180 The Northern Expedition! The Northern Expedition!
Chapter 180 The Northern Expedition! The Northern Expedition!
The person who understands you best is always your enemy.
Having fought Cao Cao for so many years, Liu Bei knew Cao Cao better than he knew his own wife. Therefore, he was not surprised when he heard that Zhang He was going to support Guanzhong. He calmly smiled and said, "Cao Cao really did smell the scent. The strategist is very thoughtful. I just didn't expect Cao Cao to send Zhang He. It's quite unexpected."
According to the custom of Cao Wei, the commander should have been one of the Xiahou and Cao families. Liu Bei originally thought that Cao Hong would be the one to come, but unexpectedly it was Zhang He.
Zhang Fei cursed and said, "King against king, general against general, Cao Cao didn't even come in person this time. Isn't that a bit disrespectful?"
In the past, when Cao Cao fought against Liu Bei, Cao Cao always personally led the army. Why did he change his mind this time?
Zhuge Liang explained, "Cao Cao didn't not want to come, but he couldn't. He's already sixty-five years old and suffers from headaches. He can't withstand the arduous journey. So we had to delegate power."
Zhang Fei said excitedly, "That old scoundrel is finally about to die! That's great! Now we'll meet Zhang He again and avenge the humiliation we suffered at Xiabian back then."
During the Battle of Hanzhong, Zhang Fei was in charge of the Xiabian battlefield and defeated Zhang He at Wakou Pass. Unfortunately, before he could expand his gains, he was defeated by Cao Hong, which Zhang Fei deeply regretted. Now that he had encountered his old rival Zhang He again, Zhang Fei was somewhat excited.
Liu Bei said, "Zhang He is also a veteran general who has fought many battles, so we must not be careless. Since Cao Cao has already seen through our intention to launch a northern expedition, let's proceed with the original plan to feign an attack on Guanzhong and seize Longxi. Gongzhong (Liu Feng's courtesy name), do you have any questions on your end?"
Liu Feng stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Father, rest assured, as long as I live, I will never allow the Wei army to set foot in Xicheng."
Liu Bei nodded and said, "Then let's move out. Gongzhong, you rest for a bit and then immediately return to Xicheng to keep a close watch on the Wei army in Xiangyang. I will lead the troops out tomorrow morning. Strategist, you wait patiently for two days until I have drawn the Wei army's attention away before we set off."
"Yes..." The generals bowed and took their leave.
After a night's rest, at dawn, Liu Bei led Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, Wei Yan, Huang Quan, and other generals who were of particular interest to Cao Wei, along with more than 20,000 soldiers, raising banners and displaying the appearance of an army of 50,000 to 60,000, to Baoxie Road, officially launching the first Northern Expedition of the Shu Han dynasty.
Zhuge Liang stayed in Nanzheng, pretending to coordinate logistics to confuse the Wei army. He lay in bed for two days before heading to the mountain camp to join forces with generals Chen Ji, Guan Ping, Zhang Bao, Huo Yi, Sha Moke, Xi Zhen, Xi Hong, Fan Zhou, Feng Xi, Zhang Nan, Chen Shi, Wu Ban, Fu Kuang, Zhao Rong, Liao Chun, Fu Tong, Ma Dai, Wang Ping, and others, along with 40,000 troops, to set out on the expedition.
This army of 40,000 was the same group that followed Liu Bei in the Battle of Yiling in history; they were the absolute elite of the Shu Han.
Zhuge Liang led his army out of Yangping Pass and entered Wudu County a few days later.
Although Wudu Commandery was located in Liangzhou, it bordered Hanzhong. After Liu Bei's victory in the Battle of Hanzhong, he cut off the connection between Wudu Commandery and Guanzhong. Cao Cao was forced to abandon Wudu Commandery and relocate the people there to Youfufeng. As a result, Wudu Commandery was occupied by Liu Bei.
Since it was his own territory, Zhuge Liang naturally encountered no obstacles when passing through Wudu County. He easily traversed the entire territory of Wudu and entered the winding Qishan Road, heading firmly towards Tianshui County, the exit of Qishan Road.
……
Chang'an City.
Zhang He, under Cao Cao's orders, led an army of 50,000 to support Guanzhong. Upon entering Guanzhong, he immediately went to Chang'an to pay his respects to Zhang Ji, the governor of Yongzhou.
In the eighteenth year of Jian'an, Cao Cao, for reasons unknown, issued an edict in the name of the imperial court to merge the fourteen provinces of the empire into the nine provinces of the ancient system, and merge the two provinces of Yong and Liang into Yong Province, and appointed Zhang Ji as the governor of Yong Province.
In other words, Zhang was nominally the governor of Yongzhou, but in reality, he was the governor of both Yongzhou and Liangzhou. The territory of Guanzhong, Longxi, and even the later northern Shaanxi was nominally under his control. He was the first person in the northwestern war zone of Cao Wei.
Zhang He was merely a minor general tasked with suppressing bandits, and Cao Cao's orders to him were to support Guanzhong, not to give him full command of the war zone's army like Cao Ren did. Therefore, he had to listen to Zhang Ji for the time being.
However, Zhang He had the authority to act as commander of the imperial axe. Last year, during the Battle of Hanzhong, Xiahou Yuan, the main general on the western front, was killed at Dingjun Mountain, causing chaos in the Wei army.
At a critical moment, veteran generals such as Sima Guo Huai and Du Xi, the military supervisor, jointly recommended Zhang He as the commander-in-chief to replace Xiahou Yuan in leading the Wei army to stabilize the situation. Not long after, Cao Cao sent Zhang He as an envoy to act on behalf of the emperor.
Zhang He thus gained the authority to act as a general, and after the war, Cao Cao, whether intentionally or by forgetting, never revoked Zhang He's authority.
The result was that Zhang He held a low official rank but high power, while Zhang Ji, despite holding a high position and being the most powerful person in the northwest of Cao Wei, did not have the authority to act as an imperial envoy.
If this matter were to be taken seriously, Zhang He and Zhang Ji would likely start fighting first.
Fortunately, both Zhangs were mature and prudent, and it was impossible for them to make a mistake at a critical moment. Upon learning of Zhang He's arrival, Zhang Ji led the officials of Chang'an to go ten miles outside the city to welcome him. He warmly invited Zhang He into the governor's mansion and, after asking for Zhang He's opinion, proceeded directly to a meeting without a banquet.
In the main hall of the Yongzhou Governor's Mansion, the generals who came to provide support and the officials of Yongzhou stood on the left and right, clearly separated.
Standing on the left are General Zhang He, who quelled the bandits; Cao Zhen, who was in charge of the expedition against Shu; Sima Yi, who was the Crown Prince's Junior Tutor and Military Advisor; and Xiahou Ba, a Lieutenant General.
Standing on the right are Protector-General of the Qiang, Su Ze; Chief Clerk of the Imperial Household, Du Xi; Military Commander, Guo Huai; and General of the Army, Fei Yao.
Zhang Ji sat at the head of the table, and after scanning the generals one by one, he said, "After receiving the news that Liu Bei might launch a northern expedition, I sent spies to Hanzhong to gather information. Yesterday, the spies reported that Liu Bei is gathering troops and provisions in Hanzhong. It seems that this northern expedition by the big-eared scoundrel is a foregone conclusion."
"So here's the question, General Zhang He, where do you think Liu Bei's main target will be this campaign, Guanzhong or Longxi?"
Zhang He bowed and said, "Reporting to the lord, on the way here, Zhongda and I discussed it and agreed that Liu Bei would mainly attack Longxi, but would feign an attack on Guanzhong to attract our attention."
"There are two reasons. First, we saw through Liu Bei's intention to launch a northern expedition. Liu Bei must also know that we saw through his intention, and even know that I am leading troops to support Guanzhong. Under such circumstances, it would be somewhat unwise to insist on attacking Guanzhong. Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang would not be that stupid."
"Secondly, although Guanzhong is difficult to conquer and even if it is conquered, it is difficult to maintain control. But Longxi is different. There, the Qiang and Hu people live together and there are constant rebellions. The court has very limited control over Longxi."
"Moreover, it is six or seven hundred miles away from Chang'an. Once Longxi is attacked by the Shu army, it will be difficult for Guanzhong to provide support. The long supply line alone will be enough to greatly reduce our combat strength."
"Finally, the strategic location of Longxi Highlands is too important. Liu Bei is determined to take Longxi. In view of this, I and Zhongda agree that the Shu army will feign an attack on Guanzhong and then attack Longxi."
"Therefore, I suggest that I lead 40,000 troops to Longxi to resist the main force of the Shu army, and leave 10,000 troops to cooperate with the Guanzhong garrison to guard Chencang, Meixian and other places, and prevent the Shu army from entering Guanzhong."
Zhang Ji stroked his beard and said, "General's thoughts coincide with mine, but once the war breaks out in Longxi, the leaders of the Qiang and Hu tribes will surely rebel. These barbarians who are always eager for chaos will definitely join the Shu army. Can 40,000 troops stop the Shu army and the Qiang and Hu allied forces?"
Zhang He said firmly, "We have to stop them even if we can't. We must drive the Shu army back to Hanzhong. Otherwise, if the Shu army takes over Longxi and gains a foothold, Guanzhong will be in danger."
Longxi's location was too important; whoever controlled Longxi controlled the strategic initiative. Knowing how capable Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang were, Zhang He naturally could not give up such an important strategic location to the Shu army.
Zhang Ji felt the same way. He was already old and wouldn't be able to serve for many more years. He didn't want to end up with a bad reputation for losing cities and territories. Hearing this, he firmly said, "Alright, go ahead and fight with peace of mind. I'll take care of the food and supplies for you."
Zhang He bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Excellency. However, Your Excellency, although the Shu army's attack on Guanzhong is feigned, we cannot be careless. I wonder if Your Excellency has a plan for the defense of Guanzhong?"