The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 382 Sima Yi launches his Northern Expedition, Zhuge Liang oversees the Yong and Liang regions.
At the end of July in the eighth year of Zhangwu, the summer heat in Luoyang City gradually intensified.

On this day, Emperor Liu Bei of Han held a court meeting at Weiyang Palace, with civil and military officials lined up on both sides.

Outside the hall, cicadas chirped incessantly, but inside, a solemn atmosphere prevailed.

Suddenly, an urgent report arrived from the border. A close advisor, holding a bamboo slip, quickly stepped forward, knelt on the ground, and reported:
"Your Majesty, an urgent report from the border!"

"Cao Wei appointed Grand Commandant Sima Yi to act on behalf of the emperor, leading an army of over 80,000 men on a northern expedition from Hanzhong."

"With Wutugu, the chieftain of the Southern Barbarian Cave, as his vanguard, he has already entered our territory!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed:

“The Wei traitors must know that our Han army is on a southern expedition, so they want to go north and cause trouble at this time.”

"They want to defend Wu Gou!"

All the civil and military officials in the hall paled, and whispers arose everywhere.

"Sima Yi's arrival must be to support Eastern Wu."

Liu Bei said in a deep voice, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials.

"Who can be the general to repel the Wei army?"

Situ Wang Lang stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:

"Your Majesty, General Ma Chao is currently stationed in Guanzhong. He is exceptionally brave and resourceful and can be entrusted with important responsibilities."

Li Yi stepped forward and said loudly:
"No! Although Ma Chao is brave and resourceful, Sima Yi is wise, resourceful, and deeply versed in strategy."

"Moreover, the main force of our Han Dynasty is all engaged in the southern campaign against Sun Wu, and the troops in Guanzhong number less than 50,000."

“Ma Chao is no match for Sima Yi. I request that another wise and capable person be chosen.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei stroked his beard and laughed:

"...Prime Minister Li is overthinking things."

"Sima Yi has come all the way from Shu, his army is exhausted and weary, how can he last long?"

"Moreover, Ma Chao was a descendant of General Ma Yuan, and he learned strategy from his father from a young age, becoming well-versed in military tactics."

"Although Guanzhong has fewer troops, it has an advantage in defending its strategic location."

"Sima Yi will find it difficult to threaten Guanzhong."

Seeing that Liu Bei had made up his mind, Li Yi had no choice but to leave and say no more.

Liu Bei immediately ordered someone to bring pen and ink, and personally wrote the imperial edict:
"General Ma Chao is hereby ordered to immediately lead 50,000 infantry and cavalry from all the armies of Guanzhong to meet Sima Yi in battle!"

The imperial edict was sent to Chang'an overnight and arrived in Ma Chao's hands in less than a day.

At this time, Sima Yi's army had already left Hanzhong and was heading north along the Baoxie Road.

During the march, Sima Yi stood on his chariot and gazed at the mountains to the north.

He said to Zhang Yi, who was serving in the army beside him:

"This northern expedition is intended to tie down the main force of the Qi army, allowing Sun Quan to catch his breath."

"However, if we can seize Guanzhong while we have the momentum, that would be a great success."

Zhang Yi cupped his hands and said:
"...The Grand Commandant is a man of brilliant strategy."

"But Ma Chao is brave and fierce, so we must not underestimate him."

Sima Yi sneered:
“Ma Chao’s bravery is nothing to speak of. I already have a plan to defeat him.”

It turns out that when Sima Yi returned from his southern expedition, he had subdued a large number of barbarian soldiers.

These barbarians were brave and skilled in battle, and fearless in the face of death.

Most importantly, they are simple-minded and easily fooled and deceived.

Sima Yi used coercion and enticement to bribe their cave chiefs in exchange for the barbarian soldiers' participation in the war.

Honestly, Sima Yi did not want to shed the blood of the people of Shu if he could shed the blood of the barbarians.

Among them, the barbarian troops led by Wutugu were the most elite.

These barbarian soldiers were clad in rattan armor, making them impervious to swords and arrows, and they fought with extraordinary ferocity.

Sima Yi deliberately appointed Wutugu as the vanguard, intending to use this surprise force to achieve victory.

Several days later, Sima Yi's army arrived at a point thirty miles outside Tongguan.

Deng Ai advised:
"We can first establish a stockade, and then launch an attack."

Sima Yi nodded and immediately gave the order:

"Fell down trees and build palisades, dividing the area into three villages!"

"Deng Ai is in the left village, Ma Zhong is in the right village, and I am in the middle village."

The Wei army cut down trees overnight and erected palisades, and three camps quickly sprang up from the ground.

Sima Yi sat in the central command tent and summoned his generals to discuss matters.

"Tomorrow's attack should begin with the barbarian troops."

Sima Yi pointed to the map and began to make strategic deployments.

“Wu Tugu led his barbarian troops in a feigned frontal attack, Deng Ai circled around from the left flank, and Ma Zhong outflanked from the right flank.”

"Advance from three directions, and we will surely break through Tongguan!"

The generals responded in unison.

The following morning, Sima Yi personally led a large army to attack Tongguan.

Unexpectedly, they had not gone far from the camp when a scout rode up to report:
"Reporting to the Grand Commandant, Han Chinese troops have been spotted ahead."

"Judging from their attire, they appear to be Xiliang troops, already arrayed and ready to fight!"

Sima Yi frowned:
"This must be Ma Chao's troops, but how dare he come out of the pass to meet us in battle?"

Therefore, he immediately ordered the entire army to form ranks.

The two armies met on a plain ten miles outside Tongguan Pass and each deployed their respective battle formations.

Sima Yi gazed at the Western Liang army formation from under the gate, where banners fluttered and swords and spears stood like a forest.

The soldiers of Xiliang were all burly and fierce, their eyes gleaming with menacing light; they were indeed the elite of the land.

Looking again at the generals at the front,

One of them was dressed in white robes and silver armor, with a face as white as powder and lips as red as rouge.

With a slender waist and broad shoulders, wielding a gleaming silver spear, it was none other than Ma Chao.

Pang De on the left and Ma Dai on the right were both formidable generals of their time.

Sima Yi was secretly alarmed, but showed no sign of it on his face. He spurred his horse out of the formation and shouted loudly:
"Ma Mengqi! Now that my army has arrived, why don't you surrender immediately?"

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao's eyes widened, and he gritted his teeth, saying:
"You old scoundrel! You have deceived the emperor and committed a heinous crime!"

"I am a descendant of a famous general of the Han Dynasty, and I have received great favor from the Han Emperor. How could I betray my lord and defect to the enemy?"

"Today I will capture you alive, you old scoundrel, and devour your flesh!"

Sima Yi was also furious and shouted sternly:

"Li Yi, that treacherous dog, slaughtered my entire clan! This hatred is irreconcilable!"

"Since you have acted as an accomplice to the tiger, you deserve to die!"

Enraged, Ma Chao charged forward on horseback with his spear at Sima Yi.

Zhang Yi rode up behind Sima Yi to meet him.

The two horses clashed, spears and knives clashing.

After only a few exchanges, Zhang Yi felt his arms go numb and weak, and unable to defend himself, he turned his horse and fled.

Seeing this, Ma Zhong quickly thrust his spear into the fray.

Ma Chao sneered, his silver spear flying up and down like a dragon.

After five or six rounds of fighting, Ma Zhong was also defeated.

"Old scoundrel Sima, do you dare to fight in person?"

Ma Chao shouted sternly.

Sima Yi's face was gloomy, but he dared not go out lightly.

Seeing this, Ma Chao waved his spear backward, and the Xiliang army immediately rose up in a clamor, surging towards the Wei army's lines like a tide.

The Xiliang troops came with fierce momentum, and the Wei generals and officers on both sides could not withstand them.

Generals Ma Chao, Pang De, and Ma Dai personally led over a hundred elite cavalrymen and charged straight at Sima Yi's central army.

"The one in the red robe is Sima Yi!"

Someone in the Xiliang army shouted.

Sima Yi was greatly alarmed and hurriedly took off his red robe and threw it away.

Then a shout was heard:

"The man with the long beard is Sima Yi!"

In a panic, Sima Yi drew his sword and with a "whoosh" cut off his long beard.

Someone in the army told Ma Chao about this, and Ma Chao laughed and gave the order:

"The man with the short beard is Sima Yi!"

Upon hearing this, Sima Yi hurriedly grabbed a corner of the flag to cover his neck and fled in the chaos.

As he was running, he suddenly heard the sound of horses' hooves behind him. He turned around and saw that it was Ma Chao chasing after him.

"Sima Yi, don't run away!"

Ma Chao shouted loudly.

Sima Yi was so shocked that his whip fell to the ground.

As Ma Chao approached, the silver spear had already pierced his back.

Sima Yi, quick-witted, walked around a large tree.

Ma Chao thrust his spear into the tree trunk, and by the time he pulled it out, Sima Yi had already escaped more than ten zhang away.

Just as Ma Chao was about to give chase, a general suddenly emerged from the hillside and shouted:

"Horse, cease your arrogance! Wang Ping is here!"

Wang Ping, wielding a large sword, blocked Ma Chao's path.

The two fought on the spot, wielding swords and spears, for twenty rounds.

Wang Ping gradually lost strength, and his swordsmanship became scattered.

Just when things were at a critical moment, a deafening battle cry was heard, as Wutugu led his barbarian soldiers to arrive.

Seeing the enemy's overwhelming strength and realizing he was alone and deep in enemy territory, Ma Chao feared for his life and had no choice but to turn his horse and return.

Seeing that it was getting late, Wutugu did not pursue them and withdrew his troops back to camp.

Sima Yi fled back to his camp in a sorry state. Seeing that Deng Ai had already led his troops to secure the camp and that the losses were not too heavy, he was somewhat relieved.

That night, Sima Yi sat in his tent, stroking his severed beard.

Recalling the perilous situation during the day, I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

"Ma Chao's bravery is indeed well-deserved."

Sima Yi muttered to himself, "However, I have the advantage of barbarian troops. I should devise a better plan tomorrow."

Therefore, Sima Yi rewarded Wutugu and Wang Ping handsomely to repay their life-saving grace.

The tent was brightly lit, and the generals were seated in rows. Sima Yi raised his cup and said:

"If it weren't for General Wang and the brave warrior Wutugu saving me today, I would have been captured by Ma Chao!"

Wang Ping cupped his hands and said:
"Grand Commandant, you are the commander of the three armies. How dare I not give my all?"

Wutugu also said in broken Chinese:

"Ma Chao may be brave, but he is not to be feared!"

"Our rattan armor soldiers are impervious to swords and spears. We will fight again tomorrow and surely take their heads to present to the Grand Commandant!"

Sima Yi nodded with a smile, but secretly he was making plans.

Several days later, a spy urgently reported:

"Li Yan came from Liangzhou, leading 20,000 fresh troops to reinforce Ma Chao."

"Among them, the Qiang cavalry are exceptionally brave!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals looked worried, but Sima Yi alone laughed heartily.

The generals were puzzled and asked:
"Why is it that Ma Chao's reinforcements have pleased the Grand Commandant?"

Sima Yi stroked his beard and said:

"I will explain in detail to you all after I have won."

Three days later, news came that more troops had been added to the border, and Sima Yi actually held a banquet in his tent to celebrate.

The generals looked at each other, secretly laughing.

Sima Yi looked around at everyone and said:
"Do you gentlemen laugh at me for having no strategy to defeat the enemy?"

"If you have good ideas, feel free to speak them out."

Deng Ai pondered for a moment, then offered his advice:
"Now the Grand Commandant's army is stationed in front of Tongguan, and Ma Chao has also gathered a large force here, leaving Hexi vulnerable."

"If we send an army to secretly cross the Puban Ferry, we can sever the connection between Guanzhong and Guanxi."

"Then, with the Grand Commandant's main force crossing the Wei River to attack from the north, Ma Chao will be unable to defend both ends, and he will surely be defeated!"

Sima Yi slapped the table in praise:
"Shi Zai's words are exactly what I was thinking!"

He then ordered Deng Ai and Zhang Yi to lead 4,000 elite troops to secretly advance to Hexi and ambush him, so that they could attack Sima Yi's main force when it crossed the river.

Deng Ai accepted the order and left.

Sima Yi then ordered Wang Ping to prepare boats and rafts at Pubanjin, while he himself led a large army to prepare to cross the Wei River and head north.

Before leaving, he left his younger brother Sima Fu to guard the camp in case Ma Chao attacked.

A spy had already informed Ma Chao.

Upon hearing the news, Ma Chao sneered:

"Sima Yi is not attacking Tongguan, but instead intends to cross the river to the north. He must be trying to cut off the connection between Guanzhong and Guanxi!"

Li Yan was by his side. He had been operating in Liangzhou for several years and had already won over many Qiang tribes.

Of the 20,000 Liangzhou soldiers brought this time, nearly half were Qiang soldiers.

For any country, it would certainly be more inclined to shed the blood of others.

The Han army was no exception.

Why not use the opportunity to get the Qiang people to fight for us and minimize the casualties among the Han people?

Li Yan then advised:

"In that case, General, you can lead an army to defend the river and prevent them from crossing."

"Wait until their supplies run out, then attack them, and Sima Yi can be captured!"

Ma Chao pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said:
"Although this plan is sound, it will take a long time."

"It would be better to wait until they are halfway across the river and then attack them, so that they will all drown in the Wei River!"

Li Yan clapped his hands and said:
"Brilliant plan! Military strategy says, 'Attack when the enemy is halfway across the river,' and this is exactly what we should do!"

Ma Chao then dispatched scouts to monitor the movements of the Wei army day and night.

At dawn the next day, Sima Yi divided his troops into three groups, which crossed the river in turn.

As the sun rose, the vanguard of the Wei army reached the north bank and set up camp.

Sima Yi personally led a hundred soldiers, sat on the south bank with his hand on his sword, and supervised the army to cross the river.

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves thundered from behind, raising clouds of dust.

A white-robed general led his army to attack; it was none other than Ma Chao!

The Wei army was thrown into chaos as they scrambled to board the ships, creating a great commotion on the shore.

Sima Yi remained seated, his hand on his sword, and shouted:
"Don't panic!"

Before he finished speaking, Ma Chao had already led his iron cavalry close in, the distance being no more than a hundred paces!

Upon seeing this, Wutugu roared:
"The bandits have arrived! Please, Grand Commandant, board the ship immediately!"

Sima Yi remained seated, calmly saying:

"What harm is there if thieves come?"

Wutugu didn't care about anything else, he grabbed Sima Yi and jumped onto the boat.

At this moment, the boat was more than ten feet away from the shore. Wutugu was incredibly strong and actually carried Sima Yi and jumped onto the boat!

The remaining soldiers jumped into the water and clung to the side of the boat to survive.

The boat was small and crowded, and it almost capsized.

Enraged, Wutugu swung his sword and severed the hands of those climbing the boat. Amidst screams, countless people fell into the water.

Ma Chao chased the boat to the riverbank and, seeing it had reached the middle of the river, immediately nocked an arrow and shouted:
"Fire arrows!"

The Xiliang army rained down arrows, and the soldiers piloting the boats were hit by arrows and fell into the water.

Fearing that Sima Yi would be injured, Wutugu actually shielded Sima Yi with his own body!
Sima Yi was greatly alarmed and hurriedly exclaimed:

"Young man, take cover from the arrows!"

Who knew that this Wutugu was twelve feet long, did not eat grains, but fed on live snakes and ferocious beasts, and was covered with scales that made it difficult for swords and arrows to penetrate!
Although Ma Chao's arrows never missed, he couldn't harm him in the slightest.

The boat spun erratically in the rapids, and Wu Tugu gripped the rudder with his legs.

With one hand on the pole and the other protecting Sima Yi, he managed to stabilize the boat!
Wu Yi was on the southern mountain when he saw Ma Chao pursuing Sima Yi very closely.

Fearing something might go wrong, he quickly came up with a plan and ordered all the cattle and horses in the camp to be driven out.

The mountains and fields were covered with livestock.

Seeing this, the Xiliang soldiers scrambled to grab the cattle and horses, losing all interest in pursuing them.

Ma Chao shouted to stop them, but no one listened.

He could only watch helplessly as Sima Yi crossed the river and escaped, filled with regret.

After Wutugu reached the north bank, he immediately sank the boats and rafts, cutting off Ma Chao's pursuit route.

The generals of Wei rushed to his aid and were overjoyed to see that Sima Yi was safe and sound.

Sima Yi dismounted to examine Wutugu's injuries and, seeing that he was completely unharmed, exclaimed in amazement:
"I have long heard that the South is full of extraordinary talents; you are truly a god among men!"

He then richly rewarded Wutugu, bestowing upon him the title of "General of Tiger Might in the South" and a set of golden armor.

After escaping danger by crossing the river, Sima Yi immediately summoned his generals to discuss countermeasures.

He surveyed the generals in the tent and said in a deep voice:
"Ma Chao is brave and cannot be defeated by force; we must outsmart him."

He then issued the order:

"The generals each set up their own paths to build a tunnel along the river, which would serve as the temporary base of the camp."

"If the enemy attacks, we will deploy our troops outside the passageway, while leaving the interior empty with flags as a diversion."

"They dug trenches along the river and covered them with loose soil."

"Once the Xiliang troops arrive, lure them into a trap, then attack them!"

He then instructed Wang Ping:

"Wang Ping can lead archers to ambush on both sides, and once they fall, unleash a volley of arrows!"

Everyone went to carry out their orders.

Meanwhile, Ma Chao returned to camp and sighed to Li Yan:

"They almost captured Sima Yi! Unfortunately, he was rescued by a fierce general, but we don't know who it was."

Li Yan stroked his beard and said:
“I have heard that when Sima Yi was on his southern expedition, he selected strong barbarian soldiers to serve as his personal guards, calling them the ‘Wudang Flying Army,’ and led by the cave chief Wutugu.”

"This man is tall and strong. He does not eat grains but feeds on live snakes and ferocious beasts. He is covered in scales and armor, making him impervious to swords and arrows."

"He also commands a rattan armor army, all of whom are fierce and brave, and should not be underestimated."

Ma Chao frowned and said:
"...I have long heard of his name."

"Sima Yi has now crossed the Yellow River to the north, intending to sever the connection between Guanzhong and Guanxi. We should attack him quickly."

Li Yan stood up and said:
"General, you can defend the camp, and I will lead my army along the river to attack!"

Ma Chao pondered for a moment and said:
"In that case, I will appoint Pang De as the vanguard to accompany Li Liangzhou."

The following day, Li Yan and Pang De led an army of 30,000 to Weinan.

The Wei army set up an ambush on both sides of the passageway as planned.

Pang De led over a thousand cavalry ahead when suddenly a clapper sounded, and he and his horse fell into a pit.

With a loud shout, Pound leaped forward and brought his knife down.

He killed several Wei soldiers and fought his way out of the encirclement on foot.

At this time, Li Yan was surrounded by the Wei army.

Seeing this, Pang De seized Zhu Yong's warhorse and charged into the enemy ranks.

With a single stroke, he cut Zhu Yong down from his horse and fought his way out to rescue Li Yan.

Just as the two were about to retreat, they suddenly saw Ma Chao leading his army to their aid, defeating the Wei troops and saving most of their forces.

At dusk, the troops were withdrawn and the losses were tallied. Two generals, Cheng Yin and Zhang Heng, were killed, and more than two hundred people died in the pit.

Ma Chao said to Li Yan:

"If Sima Yi is allowed to establish a firm foothold, there will be endless troubles in the future."

"Why not raid their camp tonight!"

Li Yan nodded:

"When forces are divided to provide support from the front and rear."

So Ma Chao took the lead himself, and ordered Pang De and Ma Dai to be the rearguard, and launched a night attack on the camp.

Sima Yi had anticipated this plan and addressed his generals:

"...The thieves will surely come to raid the camp."

"We can scatter our troops in ambush and set up a false central army."

"Once they are caught in our trap, we can capture them in one fell swoop!"

That night, Ma Chao sent Cheng Yi with thirty cavalry to scout ahead.

Seeing that the Wei camp was empty, Cheng Yi went straight into the central army.

Suddenly, a bugle sounded, and the ambush troops emerged, surrounding all thirty riders.

Wang Ping rode up on horseback and with a single stroke, cut Cheng Yi down from his horse.

Upon hearing the news, Ma Chao, along with Pang De and Ma Dai, launched a three-pronged attack.

The two armies fought fiercely until dawn, when they each withdrew their troops.

After that, Ma Chao sent troops to harass Sima Yi day and night, and Sima Yi was unable to establish a camp.

Sima Yi ordered his men to connect three pontoon bridges with iron chains, linking the boats together to connect the north and south.

Wang Ping built a fortified village on the riverbank, using grain carts as a barrier.

Upon receiving the report, Ma Chao ordered his soldiers to each carry bundles of straw and, together with Li Yan, lead a surprise attack, setting fire to the camp.

The Wei army was thrown into chaos, and the pontoon bridge and grain carts were all burned.

The Xiliang army won a great victory and gained control of the Wei River.

Sima Yi was deeply worried when he saw that it would be difficult to establish a camp.

Deng Ai offered his advice and suggestions:
"We can use river sand to build a city and defend it."

However, the sand and soil were loose, and Pang De and Ma Dai led their cavalry back and forth to fight, causing the city walls to collapse repeatedly as they were built.

It was late September, the weather suddenly turned cold, and the sky was overcast.

Sima Yi looked up at the sky and laughed loudly:
"God help me too!"

That night, a strong north wind blew, and he ordered his soldiers to fill silk bags with water and pour it onto the sand.

Water freezes into ice, and by dawn, a crystal-clear and solid ice city stands majestically on the north bank of the Wei River.

Ma Chao woke up early and saw it, and was greatly surprised:

"Sima Yi actually built a city overnight!"

"Truly divine!"

The next day at dawn, just as the eastern sky began to lighten with the first hint of white.

Both armies had left their camps and formed battle formations on the open field.

In the Xiliang army formation, Ma Chao, dressed in silver armor and a white robe, stood majestically at the front of the formation.

He assigned Pang De to the left wing, Ma Dai to the right wing, and Li Yan to command the central army.

The three armies' flags were bright, and their swords and spears fluttered in the morning breeze.

On the opposite side of the Wei army, Sima Yi sat upright on his horse, his eyes keenly observing the deployment of the Xiliang army.

Behind him, banners covered the sky, and tens of thousands of Wei soldiers stood ready for battle.

Spears stood like a forest, shields like a wall, their imposing presence was in no way inferior to that of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry.

Ma Chao brandished his spear and rode out into battle alone, his silver spear gleaming coldly in the morning sun.

He shouted:
"Sima Yi, you old scoundrel! Do you dare to go into battle against me?"

"Today I will take your head!"

The sound was like thunder, causing the Wei army's front-line soldiers to involuntarily take a half-step back. Sima Yi, hearing this from under his banner, stroked his beard and smiled, turning to his generals and saying:

"Ma Mengqi is no less brave than Lü Bu!"

"Who dares to fight?"

Before the words were finished, a strange cry was heard from within the formation, and a general spurred his horse and brandished his sword as he charged out.

Ma Chao stared intently and saw that the newcomer was wearing a hat with a sun and moon design and wolf whiskers, with two large wolf teeth embedded in it.

It gleamed with a pale white light in the sunlight.

Adorned with gold and pearl tassels, they jingled as she moved.

Blue scales protruded from its sides, gleaming eerily in the morning light.

What is most astonishing are its eyes, which gleam with a faint green light, like a beast roaming in the night.

"Are you the one who saved Sima Yi the other day?"

Ma Chao was secretly alarmed, but he asked the question without showing any emotion.

The general did not answer, but let out a low roar and spurred his horse straight at Ma Chao.

Enraged by his rudeness, Ma Chao raised his spear to meet him in battle.

The two horses clashed, swords and spears were drawn, and sparks flew everywhere.

Upon their first encounter, Ma Chao sensed that this man was no ordinary person.

Although the sword technique was haphazard, it was powerful and heavy, and each strike made Ma Chao's tiger's mouth go numb.

The scales on that body were even stranger; when the spear tip grazed them, it produced a metallic clang.

"Could this person not be made of flesh and blood?"

Ma Chao thought to himself, but dared not slack off, displaying his family's spear technique to the fullest.

His silver spear moved like a dragon emerging from the sea, sometimes like a snake spitting its tongue, sometimes like a tiger descending the mountain, each move aimed straight for vital points.

That general was none other than Wutugu, the great general of the Southern Barbarians.
Undeterred, he wielded his broadsword with impenetrable skill, defusing Ma Chao's exquisite spear techniques one by one.

The two fought for fifty rounds without a clear winner.

The soldiers on both sides stared in disbelief, the drums thundered, and the shouts shook the heavens.

After another fifty or so rounds, both horses were drenched in sweat and foaming at the mouth.

Seeing that the battle had dragged on without a clear victor, Ma Chao feigned an attack with his spear and then turned his horse to retreat back to his lines.

Wutugu did not pursue them, and returned to camp to change horses.

Before long, the two changed their mounts and went out to the front of the battle again.

Ma Chao changed to a black horse, its body as black as ink, its hooves swift as the wind.

Wutugu rode a crimson warhorse, its mane like fire and its neigh like thunder.

The two clashed again, fighting for over fifty rounds, but still neither could gain the upper hand.

At this moment, Wutugu's temper flared, and he suddenly turned his horse and returned to the formation.

Just as Ma Chao was wondering what was going on, he saw Wutugu remove his armor in front of the formation, revealing his muscular body.

Its veins coiled like a dragon, and its entire body was covered in bluish-black scales that gleamed eerily in the sunlight.

"How dare these barbarians be so rude!"

Ma Chao roared in anger, only to see Wutugu already naked, sword in hand, mounted his horse, and charged again.

The soldiers of both armies were horrified by what they saw.

Ma Chao roused himself and raised his spear to meet the challenge.

After fighting for more than thirty rounds, Wutugu suddenly unleashed his power and slashed at Ma Chao's head with his sword.

This strike was powerful and heavy, accompanied by a whistling sound.

Ma Chao dodged quickly, his blade grazing the helmet plume and slicing off a few strands of red tassel.

Taking advantage of the situation, Ma Chao thrust his spear into Wutugu's heart, and a crisp "clang" was heard.

The spear tip was as if it had pierced iron and stone, unable to penetrate even an inch.

Ma Chao was shocked: "What kind of sorcery is this?"

Wutugu grinned maliciously and reached out to snatch the gun.

The two fought on horseback. Although Ma Chao was strong, he was no match for Wutugu's innate superhuman strength.

With a "crack" sound, the gun barrel was snapped in two.

The two men each held half of the weapon and fought wildly on horseback.

Upon seeing this scene in the camp, Sima Yi wanted to take advantage of the chaos to kill them, in order to avenge the day he was ambushed and killed at the Wei River.

So he waved the command flag and shouted:
"Army attack!"

The Wei army's drums thundered, and tens of thousands of troops surged forward like a tidal wave.

Seeing this, Li Yan quickly ordered Pang De and Ma Dai:
"Iron cavalry on both flanks, attack!"

Immediately, the Xiliang army's two flanks of iron cavalry, like two sharp knives, charged straight into the Wei army's formation.

In the midst of the chaotic battle, Wutugu led a troop of rattan-armored soldiers in a valiant charge.

These barbarian soldiers were all clad in rattan armor, impervious to swords and spears, and wielded sharp knives and steel forks; they were exceptionally fierce.

The Xiliang soldiers fired powerful crossbows at them, and the arrows fell to the ground after hitting the rattan armor.

It cannot be penetrated by knives or spears.

Wherever the barbarian soldiers' weapons went, the Xiliang soldiers fell to the ground.

"What is this thing? It's impervious to swords and arrows!"

Pang De was shocked and swung his sword at a soldier in rattan armor, but only left a white mark on the rattan armor.

The barbarian swung his fork backhand, nearly piercing Pang De's throat.

Seeing this, Ma Dai hurriedly ordered his cavalry to retreat, but it was too late.

The barbarian soldiers surged in like a tide, throwing the Xiliang army into disarray and forcing them to fight and retreat.

The sounds of drums, battle cries, and the neighing of horses mingled together, dust billowed, and blood splattered across the battlefield.

As dusk fell, the Xiliang army suffered heavy losses and was forced to retreat to their main camp.

Ma Chao counted his troops and found that nearly 30% had been lost, causing him to frown deeply.

As night fell, the central command tent was brightly lit.

Ma Chao removed his armor, revealing a knife wound on his shoulder.

Li Yan personally applied medicine and bandaged him, and the atmosphere in the tent was heavy.

"I never imagined that the Wei army had such a fierce force."

Ma Chao sighed deeply, "Swords, spears, and halberds cannot penetrate it, what can we do?"

Li Yan pondered for a moment and said:

"General, do not worry. Although these rattan armor soldiers are brave, there must be a way to break them."

"The best course of action now is to report to the imperial court in Luoyang and request that additional reinforcements be sent."

"At the same time, we sent out spies to investigate the origins and weaknesses of this army."

Ma Chao nodded in agreement:

"As General Li said, we will write a letter tonight and send it to Luoyang by fast horse."

Having said that, he walked outside the tent, gazing at the scattered lights of the Wei army camp under the starry sky, and thought to himself:
"Wutugu... the rattan armor army... where did Sima Yi find such a strange force?"

The Wei army won a victory over the Han army, and all the generals came to congratulate Sima Yi.

Sima Yi shook his head and said:
"Soldiers who, deception also."

"Today's victory is only due to the help of the Southern Barbarians; it is not because our Wei army is truly capable of defeating the Xiliang Iron Cavalry."

He looked up and gazed south. "I wonder how the Han army is doing in their southern campaign, but it is autumn now."

"I expect the Han army to end the war in Jiangnan soon."

"Once they return, our army will never have such a good opportunity again."

The implication is that Sima Yi's original plan to seize Guanzhong has failed.

Ultimately, if Sima Yi hadn't seized Guanzhong immediately, the main force of the Han army would have had to return from the south.

Then the Wei army has no chance.

The generals looked at each other, wondering what the Grand Commandant meant by that.

At this moment, Deng Ai stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting:

"Grand Commandant, you have profound and far-sighted plans. I would like to hear more about them."

Sima Yi's gaze swept over the generals, and he said in a deep voice:
"Our army has now crossed the Wei River, cutting off the connection between Guanzhong and Guanxi. This is a golden opportunity."

He pointed west and gave the order.

"Shi Zai, you shall lead 10,000 elite troops to Guanzhong immediately and relocate all its people to Hanzhong."

"Remember, act quickly and do not let Ma Chao notice."

A glint of light flashed in Deng Ai's eyes:
"Is the Grand Commandant planning to seize people?"

"Sichuan is a small and sparsely populated region; it is better to gain the people than to gain the land."

Sima Yi smiled slightly, "In the past, the late king moved people from Guanzhong and Henan to Shu, which led to the prosperity of Shu and Wei today."

"If we follow their old wisdom and sever the foundation of Qi and Han, this is the best course of action."

The generals were all surprised upon hearing this, and Wang Ping hesitated before saying:

"If Ma Chao notices this and leads his troops to pursue us, what should we do?"

Sima Yi chuckled:
"Therefore, I will personally lead a large army to deal with Ma Chao, so that he has no time to look west."

He turned to Deng Ai and said, "This matter concerns the fate of the nation and must be completed within three days."

Deng Ai solemnly accepted the order:

"This humble general will certainly not fail the Grand Commandant's trust!"

That night, Deng Ai led his army westward in secret.

at the same time,

Sima Yi ordered his men to plant the captured Xiliang army flags all over the camp, and also ordered Wutugu's rattan armor troops to line up in front, making it seem as if he wanted to fight Ma Chao to the death.

At dawn the next day, the war drums thundered.

Ma Chao, clad in silver armor and riding a white horse, charged to the front of the battle like lightning, his spear pointing directly at the Wei army camp.

"You old scoundrel Sima, do you dare to fight me!"

Sima Yi stood atop the gate, his feather fan waving lightly:

Why is Mengqi in such a hurry?

"Your Xiliang cavalry may be brave, but can they break through my rattan armor army?"

Before he finished speaking, Wutugu had already led three thousand rattan-armored soldiers out in formation.

The barbarian soldiers, clad in oil-soaked rattan armor, gleamed eerily in the morning light.

Ma Chao laughed in extreme anger:

"You mere southern barbarians dare to block my mighty army of Xiliang?"

Having said that, he thrust his spear straight at Wutugu.

The two armies immediately engaged in a fierce battle.

By noon, the Xiliang army had not gained any advantage whatsoever.

The rattan armor was impervious to swords and spears, and difficult to harm from arrows.

Although Ma Chao's elite cavalry were brave, they were like tigers encountering hedgehogs, unable to find a way to attack.

"General, the Wei army is plotting!"

Deputy General Pang De rode up to Ma Chao's side and said, "Our army has suffered more than a thousand casualties, yet we are still unable to shake their formation."

Ma Chao wiped the blood from his face, his eyes burning with even greater rage:

"Order the entire army to launch successive attacks. I refuse to believe that these rattan armors are truly without flaws!"

After three days of fierce fighting, Ma Chao launched a relentless attack every day, but Sima Yi consistently resisted with his rattan armor troops.

The Wei army camp was piled high with corpses, yet the Xiliang army was not allowed to advance an inch.

On the evening of the fourth day, Li Yan hurriedly rushed into the central command tent:

"Mengqi, something terrible has happened!"

"A spy reports that a detachment of the Wei army has plundered several counties in Guanzhong and forcibly relocated more than 10,000 people to Hanzhong!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Chao dropped his wine cup to the ground with a thud.
"Is this true?"

Li Yan said urgently:

“It’s absolutely true! That Wei army was under the guise of ‘pacifying the people,’ but in reality, they were herding the people like cattle and sheep.”

"Anyone who resists along the way will be killed on the spot!"

Ma Chao slammed his hand on the table and stood up, causing the table to shatter with a crash:

"That old scoundrel Sima! He actually resorted to such despicable means!"

He turned and took the silver spear from its rest. "Gather the troops; I will pursue them personally!"

Li Yan hurriedly stopped him:

"General, you mustn't!"

"This must be Sima Yi's plan to lure the tiger away from the mountain."

"That old thief has been only defending and not attacking for days, clearly just stalling for time!"

"How can I face Your Majesty if Sima Yi abducts the people of Guanzhong right under my nose?"

Ma Chao's eyes widened in fury. "Guanxi is the foundation of my Xiliang. If we lose its people, it will be difficult to recover in ten years!"

Li Yan earnestly advised:

"General, please reconsider!"

"The Xiegu Pass is a treacherous place; if we were ambushed, we would surely suffer."

Ma Chao has already donned his armor and mounted his horse.
"Li Liangzhou, do not worry. I will lead a light cavalry to pursue them. We will arrive in half a day."

"With Sima Yi's main force here, how many ambushes could there be?"

Having said that, he led five thousand elite cavalry away in a cloud of dust before Li Yan could speak again.

The night was as dark as ink, and Ma Chao led his army swiftly through the narrow Xiegu Pass.

The cliffs on both sides are as if cut by a knife and axe, and the moonlight can only illuminate a sliver of sky.

"General, the road ahead is narrowing; there may be an ambush."

Pound reminded him in a low voice.

Ma Chao reined in his horse and looked around. Suddenly, he saw flames erupting on the cliff.

A clapper resounded through the valley, followed by a rain of arrows.

"I've fallen for their trap!"

Ma Chao hurriedly ordered his shields to be raised, but then he heard a deafening roar of battle cries from his men.

On the left, Wang Ping led the Wudang Flying Army down the cliff, while on the right, Zhang Yi led the White Ear Elite Troops to cut off their retreat.

"Ma Mengqi, the Grand Commandant has been waiting for you for a long time!"

Amidst Wang Ping's loud laughter, logs and boulders began to cascade down from the height.

Ma Chao wielded his silver spear in a burst of white light, deflecting several arrows, only to find himself completely surrounded by the Wei army.

The Xiliang cavalry found themselves in a difficult position in this narrow valley, resulting in heavy casualties.

"General, hurry up!"

Pang De led his personal guards and fought his way through the enemy lines.

Ma Chao gritted his teeth and broke through the encirclement, but an arrow had already struck his shoulder.

After breaking through the encirclement, only less than two thousand of the five thousand elite cavalry remained.

At dawn, the defeated troops retreated back to their camp.

When Li Yan saw that Ma Chao's shoulder was stained with blood, he asked in surprise what had happened.

Ma Chao slumped to the ground:

"I regret not heeding your advice, which led to this defeat."

He looked westward, his eyes filled with pain, "The people of Kansai, alas!"

"His Majesty entrusted me with the important task of guarding Guanzhong. Now that I have suffered such a great defeat, how can I face His Majesty and the Prime Minister again!"

……

Meanwhile, on the road to Hanzhong, Deng Ai was leading his troops and civilians forward. An old man stumbled and fell, and Wei soldiers immediately whipped and drove him away.

"General, these people are slow-moving and may not be able to reach Hanzhong on time."

The lieutenant said worriedly.

Deng Ai watched coldly from the sidelines:

"Pass down the order: anyone who falls behind will be killed on the spot."

"What the Shu region needs are able-bodied men who can farm and fight, not the old, weak, sick, or disabled."

Deng Ai could be considered Sima Yi's half-disciple, and he learned Sima Yi's ruthlessness in doing things.

As for the State of Wei, their total population was less than that of the Han people.

Therefore, when it comes to population acquisition, the goal is to acquire as many people as possible.

If we can't keep what we've robbed, then we certainly can't leave it to the Han people either.

This is a matter of strategic principles.

This was determined by the founding principles of the State of Wei.

On a distant mountain peak, Sima Yi gazed westward and said to Sima Fu beside him:
"Ma Chao was brave but lacked strategy. Although he lost some troops this time, he gained ten years of national fortune for Shu and Wei."

"When the Han army returned from its southern expedition, Guanzhong was no longer the Guanzhong of the past."

Sima Fu was impressed:
"Brother's calculations are divine, beyond the reach of ordinary people."

"However, with such forced relocation of people, many of the people in Sichuan will not be native to the area in the future, and I'm afraid they will not have a sense of belonging."

"If a national crisis were to truly occur, I fear the people of Shu might not be willing to offer their full assistance."

Sima Yi smiled calmly:
“Those who achieve great things do not dwell on small details.”

"The former king once said, 'I would rather betray others than be betrayed by them,' which is why we have the foundation we have today."

He turned and looked south, his gaze distant.

The autumn wind swept across the Wei River, swirling up withered leaves from the ground.

Their opponents will only become stronger in the future.

Because the Han state has a high tolerance for error.

……

A refreshing autumn breeze swept through Luoyang, yet it could not dispel the somber atmosphere within the Weiyang Palace.

Liu Bei sat upright on the throne, holding the memorial from Guanzhong in his hands, his brows furrowed.

The civil and military officials in the hall stood on both sides, all holding their breath and not daring to speak recklessly.

This is the first time since the restoration of the Han Dynasty that such a major military setback has been encountered.

"Ma Mengqi submitted a memorial to plead guilty, explaining the reasons for the defeat in Guanzhong."

Liu Bei slowly put down the memorial, his voice low and deep.

"The old scoundrel Sima Yi was able to relocate the people of the six counties of Guanzhong right under my nose. It was truly my oversight."

Li Yi, standing at the head of the civil officials, slightly raised his eyes upon hearing this.

“Your Majesty,” Li Yi stepped forward and bowed, saying:
"...Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war."

"Sima Yi is cunning and resourceful, and our main force is all in Jiangnan. General Ma alone cannot hold out. This defeat is not due to a fault in battle."

Li Yi had previously suggested that Liu Bei replace him, but Liu Bei did not listen.

Now that the army has been defeated, Li Yi says it's not Ma Chao's fault.

This was actually giving Liu Bei a way out.

Liu Bei's eyes flickered slightly, he nodded slightly, and followed up with the question:
"Is Ziyu trying to exonerate Mengqi?"

"I don't dare."

Li Yi calmly replied, "I am merely stating the facts."

"Guanzhong is a vast and sparsely populated area. Sima Yi used the relocation of people as a strategy to weaken the foundation of our army."

"General Ma may be the bravest in the army, but even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice."

"It is not that they are incapable of fighting, but rather that the situation dictates it."

Upon hearing this, the officials in the hall all nodded in agreement.

Pang Tong stroked his long beard and added:

"What Prime Minister Li said is absolutely right."

"Sima Yi's move was intended for the long term."

"The relocation of the people in Kansai has affected our army's food, supplies, and manpower."

"The ebb and flow of this situation must be carefully observed."

Liu Bei's expression softened slightly, and he sighed:
“Ziyu advised me against letting Mengqi guard Guanzhong alone, but I did not heed his good advice, which led to today’s mistake.”

He stood up and bowed to Li Yi.

"I regret not heeding your advice."

The assembled officials were all shocked by what they saw.

Li Yi immediately knelt down:

"Your Majesty is too kind to me! I was merely doing my duty."

"General Ma is unparalleled in loyalty and bravery. This defeat is truly due to our poor planning."

Liu Bei helped Li Yi up and sighed:

"Your noble character has greatly pleased me."

He then turned to his ministers and said, “Although Ma Chao is responsible for the loss of territory, considering his many years of military achievements, I have decided not to punish him.”

"But he was transferred back to Luoyang to serve."

"What do you, my esteemed ministers, think of this as insufficient?"

Everyone looked at each other.

Only then did I realize that the emperor and his minister were just putting on an act of harmony.

Liu Bei did not intend to punish Ma Chao, both because he liked him and because Ma Chao was a veteran general who had made great contributions to his cause.

Liu Bei did not want to suppress his veteran officials.

Now that both the top leader and the second-in-command have spoken...

How could the ministers be so unaware of the times?
Then they all said in unison:
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

After everyone had returned to their places, Li Yi stepped forward again:

"...Your Majesty, I have a concern."

"Since Sima Yi has gained control of the population in Guanzhong, he will not remain in Hanzhong."

"In my opinion, before the snow falls this winter, the Wei army will likely launch a large-scale invasion northward."

Liu Bei frowned:
"This winter? The war in Jiangnan is raging, and it may be difficult to resolve quickly."

"If we fight on two fronts, even though our Han Dynasty is strong, it may not be able to withstand the pressure in the long run."

"exactly."

Li Yi's expression was solemn. "Therefore, I urge Your Majesty to make a decision as soon as possible and select a capable general to guard the northwest in order to prevent any unforeseen events."

Liu Bei surveyed the hall:

"Do any of you gentlemen have any recommendations?"

For a moment, the hall fell silent.

The situation in the Northwest is complex.
Facing a formidable enemy like Sima Yi and dealing with ethnic relations, only a person of great talent could be competent.

After a long silence, Li Yi spoke again:
"I recommend one person who can shoulder this important responsibility."

"Oh?"

Liu Bei's eyes gleamed. "Whom do you wish to recommend?"

At this moment, everyone's eyes fell on Li Yi.

Those who received Prime Minister Li's recommendation must have been exceptionally capable.

Most importantly, there's the Prime Minister's guarantee, which makes it an even greater success in terms of fame, fortune, and wealth.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Li Yi, with a resolute expression, stepped forward, holding his scepter.

His voice was loud and clear, and he uttered seven words in a clear and resonant voice:
"Zhuge Liang, the Governor of Jiaozhou!"

(End of this chapter)