Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 106 You Don't Understand Politics

May.

martial arts.

Luogu water.

This is the eastern border of Wugong County. Beyond the Luogu River lies the territory of Hu County.

However, more than ten miles east of Luogu River, in the territory of Hu County, there is another river called Mang River, which, like Luogu River, originates from the Qinling Mountains and flows north into the Wei River.

The area is bordered by two rivers and has a low-lying terrain, forming a large wetland.

The wetland is covered with reeds, stretching for more than ten miles from east to west and nearly ten miles from north to south.

Sima Yi's army was to the east of the reed marshes, while tens of thousands of Han soldiers had arrived to the west of the reed marshes.

The actual distance between the two armies was less than twenty li.

In a flat, undefended area, without the shelter of these reeds, the distance would be too short for either side.

The Han army set up camp five miles west of the reed marshes.

On the north bank of the Wei River, two or three hundred elite cavalrymen followed and kept watch. When they saw the Han army stop, they also stopped.

On the south bank of the Wei River, five or six hundred elite cavalrymen kept a distance of about ten miles, patrolling and observing.

To reduce the reconnaissance radius of the Han army scouts, eliminate their eyes and ears, and monitor their every move.

If the Han army were to expose any weakness, then with just five or six hundred cavalry, there was a chance they could directly overwhelm an army of tens of thousands.

But clearly, the Han army in front of them did not give them such an opportunity.

From the moment they broke camp at Wuzhangyuan and marched eastward, this Han army marched slowly at a rate of thirty li per day.

They didn't mind the trouble along the way, cutting down trees and filling in pits whenever they encountered them.

This paved a wide and flat road for the subsequent grain and supply trains.

It also makes it convenient to retreat calmly if things go wrong and a retreat is necessary, preserving more strength and taking more supplies and provisions with us.

Not only that, but the team started looking for a place to set up camp when the sun was still at its hottest.

With trenches, barricades, wooden palisades, and camp walls, all kinds of defensive measures were in place, and it didn't matter if it took two or even three hours.

If you were to say someone is as cautious as a tortoise, probably few would disagree.

At least that's what Wen Qin, who was leading the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry in their raid, thought.

The Wei generals who were stationed in the central camp and holding their ground thought the same thing.

The concept of "knowing yourself and knowing your enemy" begins at this point.

In the central command tent, General Jia Xu drank a mouthful of fine wine from Jingzhen to relieve the summer heat, and then said:

"Our army has been here for nearly twenty days. Logically speaking, the Shu bandits in Xiliu, Jimen, and Gaoling should have run out of food and supplies by now."

"Zhuge Liang is still so cautious and leisurely; I wonder what he's really up to."

General Wei Ping also took a sip of the chilled sweet wine from Jingzhen, having long forgotten the previous defeat at Xiegu, and began to sneer:

"Hmph, Zhuge Liang may be cautious, but I think he's a bit too cautious."

"At this slow pace of traveling only twenty li a day, if he keeps going like this, Zhao Yun will probably run out of supplies and have to retreat!"

"In my opinion, they are just afraid of our Great Wei like tigers, and they don't seem capable of fighting tough battles at all. They are not worth worrying about!"

Most of the generals in the tent laughed heartily, indicating their agreement.

As the saying goes, speed is of the essence in war. Consider their campaign against Meng Da, which took eight days and nights to travel a thousand li. This is what is meant by invasion as swift as fire.

Meanwhile, the Shu bandits at Xiliu, Jimen, and Gaoling were in dire need of supplies, yet Zhuge Liang, leading tens of thousands of troops, repeatedly delayed and acted sluggishly.

The saying goes that "an army marches on its stomach," but this saying is mostly applicable when it comes to coordinating military operations.

Once war breaks out, military affairs are urgent and swift, which is the essence of warfare.

The Wei army had suffered a defeat at Wuzhangyuan, which dampened their morale. However, after about ten days of regrouping, they had gradually recovered, and the Shu invaders had lost their chance to win.

The Wei army's camp along the Wei River is becoming stronger every day, and if the Shu bandits want to launch a strong attack now, they will inevitably pay a bloody price.

General Chen Gui pondered and said:
"The pseudo-Han state resided in a corner of Sichuan and Chongqing, a small country with few people, a small army, and few generals."

"Our Great Wei is rich in resources and has a vast territory, abundant resources, and a strong and capable army."

“Our Great Wei can lose ten times, but the pseudo-Han cannot lose even once. Therefore, Zhuge Liang can only proceed cautiously step by step and cannot afford to make the slightest mistake.”

"However, it is indeed clear that the Shu bandits and the Wu bandits are no different; they are good at defense but lack the ability to advance."

"Although we have won a few battles by chance since the Northern Invaders, upon closer examination, they were all just defensive counterattacks relying on the terrain."

"Now the situation of offense and defense has changed. Our Great Wei has deep trenches and high walls. If Zhuge Liang is unwilling to use the same tactics we used against Meng Da, which spared no expense, then he can only return disappointed."

Zhou Tai nodded slightly, looking at his benefactor calmly and said, "Lord Sima is in a place that the enemy will definitely attack. The Shu bandits can only attack him by force."

Sima Yi, who was sitting at the head of the table, smiled.

Regardless of whether the generals' arguments were reasonable or not, the boost to morale was ultimately a good thing.

On the other side, General Zhou Dang also seemed to realize something and looked at Sima Yi:
"As Sima Gong said before, what our army is worried about is that Zhuge Liang will send troops from Anding, bypass us and go straight to Xinfengcang, attacking the place that our Great Wei must defend."

"Now Zhuge Liang is slowly making his way from Wuzhangyuan, cautious at every turn and proceeding step by step. This is the complete opposite of what Sima Gong was worried about. It is clear that Zhuge Liang does not dare to use any surprise tactics and does not have the courage and boldness of Sima Gong."

Sima Yi stroked his beard, shook his head, and laughed:

"If he were brave, why would he hesitate and advance slowly?"

"In my opinion, he is not determined to pay any price. After failing to attack my camp, he will abandon Chang'an, and Chang'an will be safe."

The generals in the tent were immediately stunned.

Zhou Tai asked in confusion, "How does Lord Sima know this?"

Zhou Tai voiced the question that had been puzzling everyone, and all eyes turned to Sima Yi.

Sima Yi stroked his beard and smiled, then slowly spoke:

"Zhuge Liang previously appointed Ma Su as a general to control the strategic location of Jieting, which shows that he was not wise enough."

"Their decision not to take the Fanxu Road to enter Anding, but instead to follow the Jing River out of Chang'an, and to join forces with the garrison at Gaoling to threaten our army's supply lines, demonstrates their unwiseness."

"It took nearly a month to get here from Longyou. Recently, they have been cautious and hesitant, missing the opportunity to take the lead, which shows their lack of courage."

"Zhao Yun, on the other hand, is different."

"If it weren't for Zhao Yun's strategy in Guanzhong that opened up the situation, Zhuge Liang's campaign against the northern invaders in Longyou would have already been defeated by Zhang He."

"If Zhao Yun hadn't seized the initiative with lightning speed and swift action, capturing Xiliu, Jimen, and Gaoling, Chang'an would have been safe."

"From this perspective, Zhao Yun's military skills far surpassed those of Zhuge Liang."

"Zhao Yun is hiding in Chang'an and not coming out. Zhuge Liang is not wise, brave, or intelligent. How can he be so determined to attack my stronghold at all costs?"
"If this fortified stronghold cannot be taken, how can we even begin to advance on Chang'an?"

After speaking, the general stroked his beard and smiled.

The generals suddenly realized what was happening, and then looked at each other in bewilderment.

Although they failed to win the first battle, their tens of thousands of troops had already established a firm foothold here. They were not afraid of the Shu invaders' attack, but instead looked forward to the Shu invaders coming to their deaths.

At this moment, the General of the Cavalry analyzed that Zhuge Liang was neither wise nor brave, which on the one hand boosted the morale of the generals, but on the other hand, it also made them somewhat disappointed and even anxious.

What if this ignorant, unwise, and cowardly Zhuge Liang were to leave without a fight? How would they ever avenge the humiliation of their previous battle?
Before long, all the generals had departed, leaving only the brothers Sima Shi and Sima Zhao in the main tent. Sima Zhao asked, "Father, since Zhuge Liang is neither wise nor brave, will he ultimately retreat without a fight?"

Sima Yi put on a stern face: "What do you mean by being ignorant, unwise, and cowardly? You two actually believed what I said to the generals?"

Sima Shi and Sima Zhao looked at each other in bewilderment.

Sima Yi paced back and forth, then slowly began to speak, adopting the posture of lecturing his two brothers:
"Zhuge Liang held supreme command of the military and political affairs of the pseudo-Han state, wielding immense power. The pseudo-emperor Liu Shan was always trembling with fear, as if walking on thin ice."

"But now the situation has suddenly reversed. Taking advantage of Zhuge Liang's defeat, the false emperor appointed Zhao Yun, a veteran of Liu Bei, as his general. Zhao Yun has won many victories in Guanzhong. His military prestige and power have grown day by day."

"Once Chang'an is captured, the power of the pseudo-Han regime will probably no longer belong to Zhuge Liang, the prime minister, and his office alone."

Sima Zhao scratched his head for a moment.

He was still young and hadn't even finished reading the Book of Han, which was a family classic, so he hadn't developed any political awareness and couldn't quite understand the subtle nuances in his father's words.

Sima Shi understood:

"What Father Commander is saying is that Zhuge Liang may not want Liu Shan to gain power, which is why he is hesitant and slow to advance?"

"In fact, it's not that he's particularly cautious, but rather that he simply doesn't want to waste his forces attacking us?"

Sima Yi stroked his beard and nodded. Half a lifetime of political experience had imbued his eyes with a wisdom rarely seen in ordinary people.
"The loss of Jieting was caused by Zhuge Liang going against the wishes of the generals of Shu and promoting his confidant Ma Su to a general position, intending to further consolidate military power in Shu in his own hands."

"As a result, Ma Su fled the battlefield, and Zhuge Liang was greatly guilty."

"If Liu Shan were a ruler with real power, he could have directly punished Zhuge Liang, gradually stripping him of his power to govern and manage affairs, and slowly taking back military and political power."

"Although Liu Shan's military might and power are growing day by day, Zhuge Liang has successfully seized half of Longyou. His merits and demerits can be balanced out."

"Liu Shan was helpless against Zhuge Liang, and he wanted to advance on Chang'an, so he ordered Zhuge Liang to descend from Longxi."

"It both slowed down Zhuge Liang's momentum to take over Longyou, allowing him to take it himself in the future, and also allowed Zhuge Liang to help him take over Guanzhong."

"In Zhuge Liang's army, there were still veteran generals of Liu Bei such as Wei Yan and Wu Yi who were hindering him. Chang'an was also of great significance to the pseudo-Han regime. Although Zhuge Liang held great power, he could not make a decision on his own and had no choice but to come."

"Liu Shan was still personally leading the expedition. Even if Zhuge Liang successfully captured Chang'an, the great achievement of recovering Guanzhong would still belong to Liu Shan, the emperor."

"Zhao Yun, who obeys Liu Shan, holds the city and does not come out, preserving his strength. But Zhuge Liang wants to lead his personal army to fight a bloody battle against our Great Wei. How can he be willing to accept this?"

"If he can defeat us, that's fine. But if he can't, then not only will he suffer heavy losses, but the blame for the failure to capture Chang'an will also be placed entirely on Zhuge Liang."

"Therefore, it would be better to take the opportunity to slow down and wait for Zhao Yun to run out of supplies and retreat."

"In this way, he preserved his troops."

"As for Zhao Yun, who is far away in Chang'an, his morale will be greatly dampened when he runs out of food and has no reinforcements. He may very well be pursued and killed by our Great Wei when he returns, suffering heavy losses."

"If things had developed in this way, Zhuge Liang would have retreated to Wuzhangyuan and preserved the half of Guanzhong that Liu Shan had acquired."

"He also captured half of Longyou, making him an evenly matched opponent to Liu Shan."

Sima Zhao seemed to understand, but not quite.

Sima Shi suddenly realized:
"From this perspective, Father Commander's decision to lead his troops deep into enemy territory and cut off Zhao Yun's supply lines actually did Zhuge Liang a great favor."

Sima Zhao asked in confusion:

"Father, brother, if Zhuge Liang really doesn't attack our stronghold, won't Liu Shan blame him for the failure to capture Chang'an?"

His elder brother, Sima Shi, gently shook his head:

"Zhuge Liang dared not not attack, but he would not attack at any cost."

"It's inevitable that we'll put on a show for Liu Shan, so we'll inevitably have to fight Zhuge Liang to some extent."

"In this way, the responsibility for the failure to conquer Chang'an will have nothing to do with Zhuge Liang."

"It was Zhao Yun's negligence that led us to the upper reaches of the Wei River, but he did not come to clear the supply route while our camp was still unstable, which ultimately resulted in us running out of food and having to leave."

After Sima Shi finished speaking, Sima Yi looked at his eldest son with a hint of satisfaction.

This kid is not bad.

As for the other one, it was barely satisfactory.

...

...

The next day.

The Han army, which had already set up camp in the reed marshes of Xi'an, dispatched an auxiliary force to build a wooden bridge across the Wei River, which was only about a hundred paces wide, to connect the north and south.

The further downstream the Wei River flows, the more severe the problem of siltation becomes.

In particular, with only one in ten households remaining in Chang'an, and without official dredging of the waterways, many sandbars and mudflats accumulated.

Cao Cao fought against Han Sui and Ma Chao at Tong Pass and occupied the area north of the Wei River, while Han Sui and Ma Chao were in the area south of the Wei River.

Cao Cao would occasionally send men to sneak across the river, but because the downstream area had little clay and much silt, it was impossible to build earthen walls around the camp. As a result, Cao Cao was always ambushed by Ma Chao's cavalry, suffering heavy losses.

Finally, Lou Gui offered a plan: build a city wall out of sand and flood it with water. In a short time, the sand froze into ice, making it as solid as iron and stone. Overnight, Cao Cao's army erected hundreds of walls and finally gained a foothold in Weinan.

The riverbanks here have less silt than downstream, but the river meanders and the sand tends to accumulate easily.

The riverbank mudflats and sandbars in the river narrowed the river channel, and in some sections the river was even wide enough for arrows to be fired from north to south.

These places were the best locations for building bridges, and Sima Yi, who lived downstream, built his bridge in a similar spot.

The Wei army obviously did not expect that the Han army from Weinan would also follow the example of the Great Wei, wanting to connect the north and south through the wooden bridge and set up camps on both sides of the Wei River.

What was even more unexpected was that the Han army from Weinan suddenly transferred all of its more than 2,000 cavalrymen from Wuzhangyuan to Weibei.

Although the Wei cavalry was numerous and more elite, they were also more dispersed.

Especially after seeing the Han army attacking from the south bank of the Wei River, most of the Wei cavalry were deployed in Weinan, looking for an opportunity to harass them.

Two to three hundred cavalrymen were left in the north of the Wei River, mainly to monitor the movements of the Han army in the south of the Wei River.

So when the Han army's more than two thousand cavalrymen launched a surprise attack early in the morning, the two or three hundred Tiger and Leopard Cavalrymen who were monitoring the area across the Wei River were caught off guard.

After only two rounds of fighting, they abandoned dozens of corpses and fled in disarray.

The Han army on the south bank quickly built several wooden bridges across the Wei River, connecting the north and south banks.

Wei Yan's 5,000 elite troops began to cross the river and lined up in battle formation.

Another 5,000 auxiliary soldiers and 5,000 laborers transported the timber, baggage, and provisions that had been prepared beforehand to the north of the Wei River via a wooden bridge to build fortifications.

First make yourself invincible, then wait for the enemy to become vulnerable.

One's invincibility lies in oneself, but one's capability lies in the enemy.

This move, which imitated Sima Yi's army and established camps in the north and south, instantly aroused a commotion among the generals in Sima Yi's army.

Wei Ping was extremely excited:

"General of the Flying Cavalry! The Shu bandits are imitating our strategy of luring the snake out of its hole!"
"In my opinion, we should take advantage of the fact that their camp is not yet firmly established and send troops out to wipe them out!"

Zhou Tai shook his head in opposition:

"The analysis by the General of the Cavalry yesterday was indeed correct."

"As expected, Zhuge Liang did not have the determination to attack our camp at all costs. Instead, he tried to lure our army out of the battle by using the strategy of 'luring the snake out of its hole'."

"In my opinion, we just need to hold our ground and not fight."

(End of this chapter)