228 AD.
April 18.
Morning——
Under Tongguan City.
Thirty-seven members of Guo Huai's family, and twenty-six people including Cao Zhen and Xia Houmao, were imprisoned in sixty-three prison cars.
Guo Huai stood at the top of the city, watching every move outside the city.
At this moment, his mood was full of mixed emotions.
He was originally deeply favored by the Emperor of Wei.
But from now on, he became a traitor in the Wei Dynasty, but on the Han side, he was deeply moved. In order to exchange for his family, Emperor Liu Chan did not hesitate to release the captured Wei concubine Xia Houzhen and the general Cao Zhen.
Wei State.
Alas——
Now it can only be said that it is God’s will that makes people do something.
Sixty-three prison cars stood in front of the Tongguan Pass in front of the two armies. To the east of the prison cars were 5,000 Wei troops led by Cao Wei Zuo General Zhang He. To the west of the prison cars were 5,000 Wei troops led by Han Zhenbei General Wei Yan.
Han Army.
Tongguan City Head.
Thousands of Han archers, their bowstrings fully drawn, were staring at the city.
Not long after, the soldiers from the two armies escorting the prison car drove the prison car towards each other. At this moment, the soldiers on both sides of the prison car were highly nervous.
Guo Huai at the top of the city was already heartbeating rapidly.
Now he only hopes that there will be no mistakes in this exchange.
Zhang He stared closely at Wei Yan, and Wei Yan naturally stared at Zhang He.
Fifty meters.
Thirty meters.
Ten meters.
The prison cars on both sides were getting closer and closer, and the scene became eerily quiet. Everyone held their breath and could only hear the unhurried clatter of horse hooves.
The two soldiers escorting the prison car were extremely nervous.
When the distance between the two prison cars was only a few meters, the two prison cars stopped almost at the same time. The soldiers escorting the prison cars stared at each other closely, and then slowly walked towards each other.
Cao Zhen in the prison car had red eyes and a gloomy face.
He is a general of the Wei Dynasty. When did he receive such an insult?
If he hadn't been tied up now and had a ball of rag stuffed in his mouth, he would have wanted to crash into the prison car immediately and die.
As for the prince-in-law Xia Houmao, he was nervous and a little excited, because he would be free soon. He was looking forward to this moment and the soldiers to quickly pull him back to Wei.
"Well——"
Just as the Wei soldiers were holding the reins of the horses in Cao Zhen's prison car, Cao Zhen's eyes widened and he gasped for air, as if he wanted to break free, and he seemed to want to roar.
But no one paid attention to him.
Soldiers from both sides led the prison carts, immediately accelerated their speed, and ran towards their own camp.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort.
Thirty-seven prison cars arrived in front of the Han army's formation. Before Wei Yan could say anything, the Han soldiers naturally made way for the prison cars to enter Tongguan first.
The same was true for the Wei army. When the prison car just arrived in front of the formation, Zhang He breathed a sigh of relief, and the exchange was successfully completed.
When Guo Huai's family members all entered Tongguan, Wei Yan led five thousand Han troops, retreated into Tongguan City, and then closed the gate of Tongguan tightly.
"Mother!"
As soon as the prison car entered the city, Guo Huai staggered to the front of the car and knelt on the ground. The old woman in the car was Guo Huai's mother, who had been living in Luoyang before.
Mother Guo glanced at her son but said nothing, her face still a little ugly.
Guo Huai knew that his mother was blaming him.
Accusing him of surrendering to the enemy and treason.
"The son is unfilial," Guo Huai kowtowed on the ground, muttering, "It is the son who is unfilial, which has caused his mother to suffer this humiliation."
"Husband, get up!" Guo's mother was helped out of the prison car and ignored Guo Huai. Instead, Guo Huai's wife, Wang, walked to Guo Huai's side and helped Guo Huai up from the ground.
Liu Chan exchanged Cao Zhen, Xia Houmao and others for Guo Huai's family. Guo Huai should have been very happy, but at this moment Guo Huai was really not happy at all.
Because of Guo’s mother’s expression, she had already told him.
Surrendering to the enemy and treason is a disgrace.
I feel it is a shame, and of course Cao Zhen, the general of Cao Wei.
The city of Chang'an was captured and he had given up the idea of surviving.
As a general of the Wei Dynasty, he lost his city and territory, and his only option was death.
But now he is alive.
What makes him depressed is that his life was bought by betraying his family.
After returning to Luoyang, Cao Zhen immediately submitted his resignation to Cao Rui.
As a defeated general, he felt that he had no shame to continue to stay in the court.
"I don't allow it," Cao Rui said: "The defeat in this battle is not due to love for you, but actually due to the treason of Guo Huai's traitors."
Guo Huai surrendered to Shu, which gave Cao Rui a good excuse.
He attributed all the reasons for Cao Wei's defeat in Guanzhong to Guo Huai's surrender to the enemy.
"Your Majesty is wise."
The minister ordered Chen Qun to immediately agree.
Cao Rui was very satisfied and then said: "Although this battle has caused the Wei Dynasty to temporarily lose Yongliang, I swear that I will regain the lost territory in the future and avoid today's shame."
"Your Majesty is wise!"
All the ministers followed and agreed.
After this great defeat, Cao Wei lost Yongliang, but Cao Rui firmly believed that with the strong soldiers and horses of the Wei Dynasty, it would not be long before he would not only retake Yongliang, but also invade Chengdu and directly destroy the Shu Han regime. Fang eliminates the hatred in his heart.
Just now.
He still can't spare his hands.
Because the siege of Hefei has not yet been resolved, Jiangxia has not yet been recovered.
"Zhang He!"
Cao Rui immediately ordered: "Aiqing will immediately lead his troops and rush to the aid of Hefei." As he said this, he looked at Zhang He seriously: "Hefei must not be lost."
The Wei Dynasty has already lost Yongliang and Jiangxia. If it loses Hefei again, it will be a disaster for the Wei Dynasty.
Because Cao Rui knew very well that if Hefei was lost, Wu and Shu would definitely threaten the security of Wei at all times in the future.
The Shu Han regime can march into the Central Plains from Guanzhong, while Soochow can march north by water.
If that is the case, the Wei Dynasty will be in danger.
Now that Guanzhong has been lost, the western gateway is open, but Cao Rui knows that after this battle, the Shu Han regime will not be able to leave Tongguan and march into the Central Plains for the time being.
Now the Wei Dynasty can do its best to deal with Sun Quan who is besieging Hefei.
As long as Hefei is defended and Sun Quan of Soochow is defeated, the Wei Dynasty can reorganize its troops and then march westward to Guanzhong to regain the lost territory.
Cao Wei has temporarily transferred all his thoughts to the southern battlefield, which has given Zhuge Liang valuable time.
The morning of April 20th.
Chang'an——
"Your Majesty!"
Zhuge Liang said to Liu Chan: "The battle in Guanzhong is not over yet. Please, Your Majesty, please return to Chengdu to live temporarily."
"Xiangfu!" Liu Chan said hurriedly: "Xiangfu's Northern Expedition, didn't he want to return the old capital? Now I am in Chang'an, the old capital of the Han Dynasty, why don't we just move the capital?"
Liu Chan was a little confused. Now Chang'an has returned to the Han Dynasty, and Zhuge Liang has also sent troops to Tongguan, Wuguan, and Pubanjin.
Why go to Chengdu now?
Although Chengdu is good, once the Han Dynasty takes control of Guanzhong, it is inevitable to move the capital.
Since the capital must be moved to Chang'an sooner or later, it is better to move it now.
But Zhuge Liang said: "Although Chang'an is stable, Guanzhong is not yet stable. It is not the time to move the capital yet. Your Majesty is concerned with the world. Please return to Chengdu to live temporarily. After the old ministers have pacified the entire Guanzhong and repaired the palace, we can welcome you again." Return to the old capital."
When Liu Chan heard this, he had no choice but to ask: "I don't know, how long will it take?"
Liu Chan naturally understood Zhuge Liang's words and asked him to return to Chengdu now because Zhuge Liang was worried about the safety of his emperor. After all, the Han Dynasty had only occupied Chang'an, but the cities in Guanzhong had not yet surrendered.
"It may take as long as one year, or as short as half a year, and I will definitely pacify the entire Guanzhong to welcome Your Majesty." Zhuge Liang said with certainty.
......
......
This chapter has been completed!