Han Xiang

Chapter 589 Zhuge Kongming offers a stray horse

Zhang Lu occupied Hanzhong for more than ten years, and his improper position was not recognized by the court. However, Hanzhong was surrounded by mountains and was easy to defend and difficult to attack. The land of Hanmiang Plain was fertile, but it was a good place for separatist rule and self-defense.

At the end of the Han Dynasty, when the princes were fighting for hegemony in the Central Plains, no one spent energy to capture Hanzhong. In addition, wars and famines continued in Guanzhong, and a large number of refugees from the three auxiliaries moved south, allowing Zhang Lu to gather the refugees and control the people with his doctrines.

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

Liu Bei was very surprised when he looked at the household registers and the treasury. No matter Xuzhou, which he took over at the beginning, or the three counties of Guanzhong, which he took over soon, the money, food, and population were not as good as Hanzhong.

No wonder Zhuge Liang decided to take Hanzhong first and then Liangzhou, thinking that this was a warehouse hidden deep in the mountains.

Liu Bei was a clan member of the Han Dynasty and recognized as an imperial uncle by the emperor. His identity was more easily recognized by the people, and the transfer of power in Hanzhong was surprisingly smooth.

Those believers who were originally loyal to Zhang Lu were mostly refugees who migrated from Sanfu. They recognized Zhang Lu not because of his good teachings, but because they could survive by farming in Hanzhong. It didn't matter who the governor of Hanzhong was.

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

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 about his plan to move Zhang Lu's family to Chang'an, and promised to build a Taoist temple in the city and allow Zhang Lu to continue preaching.

The people of Guanzhong were poor in resources, so they were fed back by Hanzhong.

Liu Qi has become the governor of Jingzhou, and the governor of Hanzhong is vacant again.

Liu Bei then asked the meritorious Cao Liu Ye to take over, and appointed Gan Ning as the commander-in-chief of the county to help him stabilize the situation.

In March of the 12th 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.

When Liu Bei arrived in Chang'an in April, he realized that in the six months since he had been in Hanzhong, Liangzhou had become a mess.

The state shepherd Wei Duan and his family were killed by the rebels, and Ji County was also plundered by Ma Teng and others.

Ma Teng and the five generals initially united for revenge, but Han Sui lured them to pieces and fell apart. Ma Teng also died due to the betrayal of Cheng Yin and Ma Wan, and Cheng Yin and Ma Wan were killed by Ma Chao.

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

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

Ma Chao was short of troops, food, and armor. He was defeated in Didao, Zhangxian, and Lintao, and then fled to Wu where there was no news.

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

When he heard Xiahou Dun's sneak attack on Jingzhou, Liu Bei jumped up and said angrily: "My second brother and Yuan Zhi not only have few troops, but they also have to defend Fancheng and Wancheng at the same time. It's hard to feel at ease if we let them go."

"My lord, be safe and don't be impatient."

Zhuge Liang supported Liu Bei and comforted him with earnest words: "Yun Chang and Yuan Zhi have retreated from the enemy, and Guan Tanzhi has also led his troops back to Fancheng. There should be no danger in Jingzhou at this time. We should take Liangzhou first, and then go to Jingzhou without any worries; Han Sui, Although Yang Qiu, Hou Xuan, and Cheng Yi formed an alliance, based on their past habits, it was only a matter of time before they turned against each other and became enemies.

I guess it won't be more than this year, so we must always be prepared. If Liangzhou is in chaos again, it will be time to send troops. "

Liu Bei frowned and asked: "Why are the military advisors so sure? Han Sui's four generals have annexed other people's territory, and their strength has been greatly improved. The greater the strength, the harder it is to fight. I'm afraid it won't be that easy to have the previous melee, right?" Don’t make mistakes and waste your time.”

"What my lord said is true. The stronger you are, the less war you will have. Once a fight breaks out, it will be a big war. But the situation of the Liangzhou people is different."

Zhuge Liang first affirmed Liu Bei, then changed the subject and began to explain:
"Liangzhou is a half-agricultural and half-pastoral area, and its food reserves are far less than those of the Central Plains. The ten generals of Liangzhou, including Ma Teng and Han Sui, have been consuming their food reserves for a whole year since they invaded Guanzhong last summer and fought against each other.
They fight each other and plunder the people and livestock, causing the land to become barren and reducing cattle and sheep production. By this winter, various tribes will fight for lack of food. A large territory and a large population are advantages in good years, but wars and famines are disasters. Everyone has his own destiny. "

"I never thought that Hanzhong could be so wealthy."

Liu Bei smiled awkwardly, thinking that Han Sui's land grab and the population were a burden, but the Hanzhong he got was a treasure trove. He felt a little fond 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 wishes of the military adviser, it seems that the materials in Hanzhong should be used to collect military supplies from Liangzhou. However, the Baoxie Road is narrow and difficult to navigate. If we transport it by boat from the Baoshui River, the mountain streams and rivers are narrow and difficult to navigate, and some places If the current is fast, you will get twice the result with half the effort;
If it is transferred from Chencang Road in the west, Wudu County is not under our control. There are many Qiang, Di and other foreign tribes there, and the army will be needed to escort the money and food, which will not be worth the loss."

After hearing this, Zhuge Liang looked calm and asked Liu Bei, "So, what do you think, lord?"

"I mean."

Liu Bei thought for a while and replied: "Hanzhong and Fancheng can be reached by one water. Isn't it safer to use Hanzhong's money, food and soldiers to capture Jingzhou?"
Before I left, I had asked to build more warships. In the future, I would go down the river to join my second brother, which would shorten the shipbuilding time in Fancheng. Once Cai Mao loses his water advantage, wouldn't Xiangyang be easily available? "

"Well, my lord's plan is indeed prudent, but"

Zhuge Liang smiled mysteriously and added: "If my lord sends troops to attack Xiangyang, Cao Cao will not stand aside. If Han Sui and others come to Guanzhong again to plunder, won't we be attacked on many sides again? So it is best to relieve our worries first. As for my lord, Liang already has a solution to the transportation problem that worries us."

"What is it?"

Before Liu Bei finished speaking, Zhuge Liang took out a piece of silk from his arms and drew a pattern on it that looked like a ship but not a ship.

Just as he was about to ask what it was, Zhuge Liang took the initiative to explain: "This thing is called a flowing horse, which can travel through fast and narrow rivers. It was drawn by Liang Gong during his farming period in Longzhong, by reading ancient Mohist books and combining it with Qimen numerology. It was used as a plaything." The inspection of the small boat is feasible, and it is suitable for military use at this time."

"Flowing horse? What a fantastic idea, the talent of a military advisor is immeasurable."

Liu Ma's outer shape was normal, but the difference was that it contained mechanisms for stability. Liu Bei nodded frequently when he saw it, and he spoke out with praise.

Zhuge Liang was not modest either. He stroked his beard and added: "I have ordered people to go to Xiegu to build ships. When the water level of Baoshui River rises in summer, we can ride the flowing horses south to Hanzhong to carry them.
Transporting this material will definitely get twice the result with half the effort. Just in time for the chaos in Liangzhou in winter, when the army will lead the army to carry relief food, won't the people of Liangzhou eat pots of pulp to welcome the general? "

"Hahaha, good good good good good good"

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

(End of this chapter)