Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 157 Betrayal and Defeat
Won.

Won Ma.

When Jiang Ji presented his theory of ten victories and ten defeats, and Hua Xin further praised it, the officials in charge of recording the emperor's daily life acted as if they were beetles seeing dung. They instinctively took out their brushes from their hats and hair buns, picked up their brushes, and wrote this historic moment on bamboo and silk.

no doubt.

When the world is unified in the future, the discussions between the ruler and his ministers on the banks of the Luo River will surely, as Hua Xin said, shine for a hundred generations and illuminate the annals of history.

Cao Rui was initially somewhat embarrassed by what he heard.

But when Grand Commandant Hua Xin solemnly compared it to Emperor Taizu's ten victories and ten defeats, and a group of court officials recorded it as if it were a treasure, the Emperor of Wei felt somewhat relieved.

Back when Guo Jia presented the theory of ten victories and ten defeats to Emperor Taizu, Emperor Taizu only controlled the two provinces of Yan and Yu, and had Qing and Xu under his control. He was in the center of the country, a place of constant warfare, and was attacked from both sides.

Even the foundations of their rule in the two provinces of Yan and Yu have been shaken. Grain taxes in the Central Plains have been reduced to less than one-tenth, and the number of soldiers and laborers has also dwindled.

The civil and military officials under his command secretly copied military reports and sent them to Yuan Shao. Countless soldiers leaked military secrets and defected to the enemy. It can be said that Yuan Shao was beset by internal threats and faced imminent danger from the outside.

Despite such difficult circumstances, Emperor Taizu persevered in the end.

As Jia Kui said, although he suffered more defeats than victories and repeatedly encountered difficulties, he remained steadfast and unwavering, never giving up even in the face of death, and finally defeated Yuan Shao and unified Hebei.

Now that the Guanzhong region has been lost, the Great Wei has only lost Guanzhong, which doesn't generate much tax revenue. Why say that Heaven is against Wei's virtue?

Seeing that the Emperor was no longer dwelling on the defeat and seemed relieved, Xin Pi, the Commandant of the Guards, approached the Emperor and slowly said:
"Your Majesty, the Guanzhong region today is vastly different from the Guanzhong region when Liu Bang pacified the Three Qin regions. They are not comparable at all."

"Liu Bang's acquisition of Guanzhong began with the reforms of Duke Xiao of Qin and ended with Ziying's surrender to Han, spanning eight generations and nine rulers, a period of more than 140 years."

"The grain in the granary was plentiful and abundant, and the number of registered households was ten times that of the beginning. Liu Bang used this to establish his imperial dynasty."

"However, during Wang Mang's reign, the Red Eyebrows ravaged the Three Auxiliary Regions, wreaked havoc in Guanzhong, and left not a single one of the hundred people alive, thus extinguishing the royal aura of Guanzhong."

"Although the restoration was achieved by Emperor Guangwu and lasted for more than a hundred years in the Later Han Dynasty, the population of Guanzhong recovered slightly and the land area increased slightly, but it never reached the prosperity of Emperor Xuan of the Former Han Dynasty."

"After the calamities left by Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling, the last emperor fled Chang'an. Dong Zhuo burned and looted in front, and Li and Guo fought in the rear. Once again, less than one in ten people survived in Guanzhong, and the eight hundred li of Qin Chuan became a barren land and a den of wolves."

"The land was so barren, with bones piled up everywhere, that the royal aura of the Zhou and Qin dynasties vanished from that point on."

"In my humble opinion, Liu Shan's attempt to seize Guanzhong by exhausting the nation's resources was not only of no benefit to the country, but was also like drinking poison to quench thirst."

"Drinking poison to quench thirst?" Cao Rui was puzzled.

what happened?

Because of Sima Yi's defeat and the loss of Guanzhong, he drank wine and took medicine in the palace for several days. Today, the prophecy that the Luo River would stop flowing has come true, and he feels that Heaven is giving him a warning.

In a state of utter confusion, he left the palace, expecting to be met with impeachments and remonstrances from the entire court, which would surely unleash another round of bloodshed in the court.

As a result, apart from Chen Qun's subtle but sharp advice that he should correct his mistakes and telling him the principle that one is born in hardship and dies in comfort,

The other ministers either hoped that he would remain steadfast and emulate the unwavering perseverance of Emperor Taizu, or they offered him a ten-fold analysis of his strengths and weaknesses, telling him that the current situation was far better than that of Emperor Taizu.

Now even a staunch and upright official like Xin Pi has stood up and said that the Shu bandits' capture of Guanzhong is nothing more than drinking poison to quench their thirst.

In conclusion, although the Great Wei was defeated, it was still a victory.
Cao Rui felt uneasy and became wary.

But Xinpi said solemnly:
"Your Majesty is wise."

"Our Great Wei occupies the most fertile land in the world, with a population of one million. It has vast territory, prosperous people, well-trained soldiers, and ample food supplies. Why have we not conquered the Shu bandits for so many years?"

Cao Rui frowned slightly, and after a moment, he roughly figured out what Xin Pi meant by "drinking poison to quench thirst".

Xinpi continued:
"Indeed, it is only because of the Qinling Mountains that the Shu Road is difficult to travel. If our Great Wei wants to conquer Shu, it will need to supply provisions from two thousand miles away, which cannot be sustained for long."

"As long as the Shu bandits hold their ground and do not fight, our Great Wei cannot do anything about it."

"However, the situation has changed now."

"The Shu bandits had luckily captured Guanzhong and were unwilling to lose it again."

Therefore, it is necessary to station a large army in the Three Auxiliary Regions and implement the policy of military farming.

“If the policy of military farming is implemented, within three to five years, Guanzhong will not be able to supply its own grain and fodder, and supplies will have to be transported from Yizhou, which is two thousand li away, to Guanzhong.”

"In this way, the very foundation of the false Han dynasty will be severely damaged."

"Secondly, the grain and fodder are only enough for our own consumption, and we cannot go far to fight off the enemy; we can only defend ourselves."

"Our Great Wei only needs to accumulate enough grain for one year and recruit 100,000 soldiers."

"Then the Grand Marshal Jia Yuzhou, holding the imperial axe, will be appointed as the commander, leading generals Tian Yu, Qian Zhao, Wang Ling, and Man Chong to defeat them."

"Since the troops set out from Luoyang, the supply route is no more than three hundred li along the ancient Xiaohan Road."

"In addition, one can cross the Yellow River westward from Pubanjin in Hedong and go directly into Guanzhong."

"In that case, our Great Wei will no longer need to cross the arduous Qinling Mountains to fight against the Shu bandits."

"The grain transport route was shortened by more than a thousand li, saving millions of shi of grain and fodder."

"Our Great Wei is fortified by mountains and rivers, possesses the strength of the entire nation, forges alliances with heroes abroad, and cultivates agriculture and warfare internally. Yet the Shu bandits must transport grain from two thousand miles away. With only one province, how can they possibly hold out against our Great Wei for long?"

"We only need to fight and defend simultaneously, select the elite troops, divide them into surprise forces, and launch repeated attacks when they are vulnerable to disrupt Guanzhong. If they are to defend the right, we will attack their left; if they are to defend the left, we will attack their right."

"To keep the enemy busy, prevent the people from working in peace, and prevent the soldiers from resting."

“If the Shu bandits cannot establish settlements in Guanzhong, they will surely abandon Chang’an and flee within two or three years. This is a wise strategy.”

After Xin Pi finished speaking, many people nodded in agreement.

Although Guanzhong was lost, the Great Wei had three routes to attack Guanzhong: Hedong, Tongguan, and Wuguan. The furthest supply route was no more than 300 li away, while the closest was separated by the Yellow River, which was only 3 or 4 li wide.

The difference lies in the nature of offense and defense. If the Shu bandits wanted to hold Guanzhong, they had to transport grain over thousands of miles and disperse their forces to defend everywhere. In contrast, the Great Wei could concentrate their forces on one point and launch a fierce attack to break through.

Taking back Guanzhong is indeed not a difficult task.

As for Xin Pi's strategic plan of "attacking the left to rescue the right, and attacking the right to rescue the left, thus exhausting the enemy," it is also a superior strategy.

Back when Emperor Taizu and Yuan Shao were locked in a stalemate at Guandu, Tian Feng offered Yuan Shao the same strategy, but Yuan Shao did not adopt it and instead pinned his hopes on a single battle, ultimately suffering a crushing defeat.

Now, the Great Wei is just like the powerful Yuan Shao of yesteryear, and Liu Shan is just like the weak Taizu of yesteryear. If Yuan Shao could use Tian Feng's strategy, how could he possibly lose?

Just as everyone was deep in thought, Xin Pi addressed the Emperor of Wei again:
"Your Majesty, although the Shu bandits have now gained control of Guanzhong, they have not been able to use their population and taxes for their own purposes."

"Furthermore, since our Great Wei does not need to cross the arduous Qinling Mountains, we can send a large army to attack Guanzhong. The Shu bandits will then have no choice but to fight against our Great Wei. However, our troops will suffer casualties and cannot be replenished for more than ten years."

"Our Great Wei's military resources are inexhaustible compared to the Shu bandits. We can defeat them ten times, but the Shu bandits cannot be defeated even once."

"The Shu bandits simply followed their old ways, gathered their people to resist dangers, protected their rocky outcrops, and amassed troops to besiege Hanzhong and Bashu. Our Great Wei could do nothing about it."

"But they were delusional and wanted to swallow an elephant with a snake, which gave our Great Wei the opportunity to fight them in Guanzhong and destroy their foundation."

"From this perspective, isn't the Shu bandits' occupation of Guanzhong akin to drinking poison to quench their thirst, ultimately leading to their own destruction?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Rui remained silent.

The pseudo-Han state was small and sparsely populated. When Liu Bei suffered a disastrous defeat at Yiling, most of his troops were killed, severely weakening the Shu state.

Now, Zhuge Liang and Liu Shan have somehow managed to summon another 70,000 to 80,000 troops.

But these 70,000 to 80,000 troops were undoubtedly gathered by the entire Shu Kingdom with all its strength, and it was impossible to conjure up any more.

With 70,000 to 80,000 troops guarding Hanzhong and Bashu, they couldn't take it.

However, with only 30,000 to 50,000 men guarding the pass, the Great Wei had no reason to fear him. Especially since they still held Puban, Tongguan, Yaoguan, and Wuguan.

Back then, Ma Chao and Han Sui gathered an army of 100,000 and even occupied Tongguan and Yaoguan, but in the end they were defeated by Emperor Taizu.
What if... what if we could achieve a great victory in Guanzhong, annihilating tens of thousands of enemies? Wouldn't the Shu Kingdom be just as Xin Pi said, drinking poison to quench thirst and bringing about its own destruction?

Unfortunately, Hua Xin and Jiang Jisheng were born at the wrong time and never heard of Li Shimin's earth-shattering victory at Hulao Pass, where he captured two powerful figures, Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande, with minimal cost and in the shortest time, achieving his goal in a single, earth-shattering battle.

Otherwise, he might cite classical texts again, like the ten victories and ten defeats theory just now, and talk at length about his wonderful vision of annihilating Liu Shan in Guanzhong in one fell swoop.

After being comforted by his ministers, Cao Rui gradually emerged from the shadow of the crushing defeat.

This defeat will only delay the unification of the world by a few years.

Chen Qun, Zhong Yao, Jiang Ji, Jia Kui, and other veterans of three reigns will probably not live to see that day.

However, he, the Emperor of Great Wei, is in his prime and has the strength to live another thirty or fifty years without any problem, so he can afford to wait and should indeed make long-term plans.

Looking at the dried-up Luo River before him, and then at the ignorant masses gathered on its banks causing trouble, Cao Rui frowned:
"You gentlemen must all have heard of the prophecy that the Luo River will stop flowing, right?"

Jia Kui looked worried about the country: "Your Majesty, when I was building dikes in Yiyang, I heard this prophecy circulating among the people."

"The news has reached Yiyang?" Jiang Ji's expression turned serious. "Yiyang is a thousand miles away from here. Who is behind this?"

Jia Kui could only shake his head helplessly, then looked at the emperor and said:

"Your Majesty, the Grand Marshal has dispatched his troops to execute those who spread rumors along the banks of the Luo River. May I ask if this is an imperial decree?"

Cao Rui was startled: "No, the Grand Marshal has already arrived?"

After speaking, he looked around and did not see the entourage belonging to the Grand Marshal.

Jia Kui then brought forward the general under Cao Xiu whom he had just captured. When the general saw that the emperor and a group of court officials were all there, he did not dare to speak recklessly.

"The Grand Marshal ordered you to kill people?" Cao Rui asked in a low voice.

Cao Xiu's subordinates nodded nervously.

Cao Rui frowned, pondered silently for a moment, and then said to the man, "Tell them all to stop."

Jia Kui said nothing and ordered his men to release Cao Xiu's generals.

Cao Rui looked at the man: "Where is the Grand Marshal?"

Cao Xiu's subordinate cautiously reported: "Your Majesty, the Grand Marshal said that the Luo River's flow interruption is definitely caused by a traitor blocking the river upstream, so he has led men to inspect the upstream area."

"Intercept the flow?" Cao Rui frowned and paused, a glimmer of hope rising in his heart.

He raised his head, gesturing for the person to leave.

Cao Xiu's generals felt as if they had been granted a pardon. They thanked the emperor and said "Yes, sir!" before running away.

Cao Rui then looked at Jia Kui: "Minister Jia, if it wasn't caused by the damming of the Luo River, is there any way to stop this prophecy?"

After Cao Rui's death, Zhong Yao, Chen Qun, Jiang Ji, and others all looked worried.

Jia Kui also shook his head helplessly:
"Your Majesty, the only way to calm this ominous storm is to appease the people and bestow kindness upon them."

Cao Rui gritted his teeth in exasperation.

The Luo River and Long River are hundreds of miles long. Can you kill everyone in front of Luoyang City, or everyone along the banks of the Luo River?
There is no other way but to extend kindness and goodwill.

Killing won't solve the problem; it will only make it worse.

He then ordered the central army to disperse the people who had gathered along the banks of the Luo River, temporarily bringing the matter of the Luo River to a close. Cao Rui then spoke to his ministers about another matter that had been on his mind recently:
"Now that the Shu bandits are entrenched in Guanzhong, the connection between Guandong and Liangzhou is completely severed."

"What do you all think we should do about Lord Xu?"

Upon hearing this, all the ministers sighed inwardly.

The Xu Gong mentioned by His Majesty is Xu Miao, the Protector-General of the Qiang and Governor of Liangzhou.

According to Sima Yi's messenger, after Guo Huai, the governor of Yongzhou, abandoned Tianshui and fled, he and Xu Miao retreated to Xiangwu.

The two governors also sent light cavalry down the mountain via a side path to inform Sima Yi that they would lead the Liangzhou Qiang cavalry to cut off the Shu bandits' supply lines, hoping that Sima Yi would draw the Shu bandits' attention in Guanzhong.

As a result, news of Sima Yi's major defeat reached Luoyang, and it seems that Xu Miao, Guo Huai, You Chu, and others failed to cut off the enemy's supply lines.

As for whether they surrender or defend, whether they live or die, no one knows.

There are indeed rumors circulating in the court that Xu Miao and Guo Huai have probably both betrayed Wei and surrendered to Shu.

Cao Rui knew of this rumor, but did not believe it:

"Eunuch Xu is loyal to the country and holds my imperial seal to govern a region on my behalf. He will never betray me. However, due to my mistake, he was isolated by the Shu bandits a thousand miles away. I do not want the story of Geng Gong to be repeated in Xu Gong's life. I wonder if any of you gentlemen have a way to send an envoy to contact Xu Gong?"

When the ministers heard of Geng Gong, they remained silent for a moment, and most of them showed a sad expression.

When the Later Han Dynasty established the Protectorate of the Western Regions, Geng Gong was appointed as the Commandant of Wuji.

As soon as he took office, the Northern Xiongnu Chanyu sent troops to attack Cheshi, killing the Cheshi king, and then attacked Geng Gong's garrison, besieging him in the city.

At that time, Emperor Ming of Han had just passed away, and the Han Dynasty was too busy to send troops.

With no reinforcements arriving, the Cheshi Kingdom betrayed the Han Dynasty and joined forces with the Xiongnu to attack Geng Gong.

The Han army ran out of food and was in dire straits.

Geng Gong boiled armor and crossbows, ate their sinews and leather, refused the Xiongnu's offer of surrender, and held the city firmly until Emperor Zhang of Han ascended the throne, at which point he sent troops to defeat the Xiongnu.

When reinforcements arrived at the city defended by Geng Gong, only twenty-six men remained. By the time they returned to Yumen Pass, only thirteen men were left. Historical records state that these thirteen men were ragged and looked haggard.

Now, the Shu bandits are entrenched in Guanzhong and Longyou. If Xu Miao and Guo Huai, the two governors of Wei, had not surrendered to Shu and were instead isolated in Liangzhou, they would have been like the thirteen warriors returning to Yumen Pass...

The imperial court is currently powerless to look westward to Liangzhou. If it doesn't even send a single envoy, will Xu Miao and Guo Huai follow Geng Gong's lead or surrender to Shu?

If it were Geng Gong, the court would not have issued a single envoy; that would be truly too callous.

Hua Xin said, “Your Majesty, I have heard that Generals Tian Yu and Qian Zhao are well-liked by the Xianbei chieftain Su Li and others. Perhaps we could summon the Xianbei cavalry to Liangzhou to deliver a message to Prefect Xu and Prefect Guo.”

The Xianbei were not a monolithic entity.

Tian Yu used both kindness and force towards the Xianbei, and Su Li submitted to the Great Wei. He had been fighting with Xianbei leaders such as Kebineng and Budugen for many years.

Meanwhile, Tian Yu and Qian Zhao defeated Kebineng and Budugen in the past month, killing and capturing tens of thousands, and their power shook the northern frontier.

Perhaps this is the time to support Suli.

Cao Rui thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

He then looked down at the now-dead Luo River:

"Although the situation is difficult, we can always get through it. I wonder if any of you gentlemen have any other strategies that can be used in the current situation?"

Liu Ye, a Grand Master of the Palace who was knowledgeable in military affairs and possessed excellent strategic acumen, stood beside the emperor upon hearing this, bowed respectfully, and said:
"Your Majesty, since the false emperor Liu Shan invaded the north, he has often supervised the army on the front lines and taken risks in the army, hoping for a lucky break."

"This shows that Liu Shan's personality was quite similar to that of his father, Liu Bei."

"Liu Bei, disregarding the opposition of his officials, acted arrogantly and arbitrarily, and waged war against Sun Quan, which led to the disastrous defeat at Yiling."

"I believe that we can take advantage of Liu Shan's stubborn nature as the father of mankind to sow discord between him and Sun Quan, causing the alliance between the two traitors to break itself."

"If we can cause Sun Quan and Liu Bei to turn against each other, break their alliance, and fight each other, then the loss of Guanzhong will truly be as the Commandant of the Guards said, a self-destructive act by Liu Shan, like drinking poison to quench his thirst."

(End of this chapter)