In Chang'an, Emperor Wei Cao Rui visited the palace.
Dozens of bronze grease lamps illuminate the rather grand hall.
Occasionally, sparks burst out from the wicks, and the light and shadow flickered between the light and darkness, dragging the shadows of the three people sitting on the palace wall, making the spacious palace in the low twilight even more gloomy.
Just like the look in the eyes of the attendants Liu Ye and Zhongshu Ling.
They were urgently summoned by Cao Rui. After seeing General Cao Zhen come to the table, they all fell into silence.
It's not that they don't have a decision in mind, but they are thinking about how to make the emperor and the general give up this all-or-nothing idea.
Of course.
They did not agree with Cao Zhen's suggestion.
Such radical methods as burning the boat and fighting against Shu should not appear in the thoughts of those running the country.
After all, even if he rebelled against Shu and captured Longyou, he would still be unable to compete with Wei in terms of national strength and financial resources. Why risk the country's security now?
It's extremely unwise.
However, Cao Zhen was the minister of Gu Ming and the Cao Wei clan, and he was also the commander-in-chief who was most familiar with the situation in the northwest in the country.
Now that he had put forward the battle plan, Liu Ye and Sun Zi, who had never set foot in Xiliang in their lives, could not persuade the emperor without sufficient reasons.
Moreover, failure to recapture Longyou will lead to instability in Liangzhou.
In other words, Liangzhou will also be gradually cannibalized by Nishu and then taken away.
From Guanzhong Sanfu out of Liangzhou, if Guanlong Road and Xiaoguan Road are not possible, we can only rely on the mountain road in Anding County to go around Wuwei County. Whether it is rushing for reinforcements or transporting grain and baggage, it will be twice the result with half the effort.
With only the 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers and horses currently stationed in Liangzhou, it is difficult to suppress the local wealthy families and Qianghu tribes, and they cannot be expected to withstand the attack of the Shu army.
Moreover, the local area of Liangzhou was barren and the grain production was not abundant, so the Wei State could not increase its troops to garrison again.
Xiliang, located in the west, is always cold and cool!
When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty set up the Liangzhou Governor's Department, he named it accordingly.
This was the case hundreds of years ago, let alone in the past few decades, the climate in Xiliang counties has been getting colder every year. White disasters occur frequently in spring and winter, causing countless people, cattle and sheep to freeze to death, and grain crops have also been destroyed. Gradually reduce production.
For example, Yin Feng, the governor of Dunhuang, had been promoting garrisoning in the fields and protecting merchants on the Silk Road since he took office for several years.
However, the income earned by soldiers in the county from working in the fields was less than half of the income earned by merchants from customs duties.
This is evident from this.
The Silk Road trade that had been reopened since Emperor Wen was one of the reasons why Liu Ye and Sun Zi could not easily talk about it and claimed to abandon Longyou.
Those who have the financial and material resources to seek profit along the Silk Road are all nobles and nobles of the Wei Kingdom and wealthy families!
If Longyou is no longer owned by Wei, the Silk Road will be cut off.
The loss of territory and soldiers is already detrimental to the country's prestige. If they continue to criticize and harm the interests of the wealthy officials, they may not be able to maintain peace internally.
Sun Zi, who had been serving as Zhongshu Ling since the time of Cao Pi, and who was always accompanying him, became more lively and spoke first, "Your Majesty, I have recently received reports that hundreds of Li people from Jingzhaohao County are passing through Ziwu Valley. He fled to Hanzhong County."
He was obviously asked whether it was okay to follow Cao Zhen's strategy, but he answered the question incorrectly.
However, after hearing this, Cao Rui's expression suddenly froze.
He was loved by Cao Cao of the Wei Dynasty since he was a child, and he was always at his side. He even said, "I have been based on you for three generations." His intelligence was beyond ordinary people.
Therefore, he heard what Sun Zi said without having to think about it.
The time between Cao Wei and Han Dynasty was too short!
It has been less than ten years, the prestige of the Mandate of Heaven has not been established, and the concubines have not attached themselves to it, and it cannot erase the four hundred years of Liu's surname from the Han Dynasty that has been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
Even when Wei Wu and Cao Cao killed many Han loyalists; or when Emperor Wen Cao Pi was in charge of Yecheng, he implicated Wei Zhi in the rebellion and killed thousands of people, they could not completely change people's hearts.
In particular, most of the Li Shu who were settled in Jingzhao were settled by Wei Wu and Cao Cao after they returned from Hanzhong after Zhang Lu surrendered in the past.
Zhang Lu had ruled Hanzhong for nearly thirty years and was known for his benevolence, righteousness and love for the people.
Let these common people have long been accustomed to lenient laws and easy taxes.
After he moved to Guanzhong, the taxes and corvees set by Wei were more than those set by Zhang Lu in Hanzhong.
Today is the spring plowing season, and the Longyou War breaks out. All the common people in Guanzhong have been conscripted into corvee service. Under the hard work, they have grown complaints, and with the complex of "returning to their hometown", it is not surprising that they defected to Shu.
But now Zhongshu ordered Sun Zi to mention this matter and gave him a veiled advice.
The third assistant in Guanzhong can no longer bear the burden of fighting anymore!
Even if Cao Rui, the emperor of the Wei Dynasty, was personally in charge of Chang'an, he could not stop Li Shu from working hard in the war and running away!
In other words, Cao Zhen's strategy of sending troops out of Wudu County and attrition against Shu lost the basis for execution.
Guanzhong is unstable, can An Neng drive his troops to fight against evil?
However, Cao Rui and Cao Zhen had the same mind, and they could not accept sitting back and watching Ni Shu occupy Longyou.
After a moment of silence, he cast his questioning eyes on Liu Ye, the servant sitting on the other side of the row.
"Your Majesty, my thoughts are no different from those in Zhongshu Order."
Seeing this, Liu Ye did not dare to be negligent, and hurriedly saluted and said, "However, I have an idea, maybe I can let the counter-Shu conquer Longyou and be tired of running around, and let me, the great Wei Dynasty, recapture it someday."
"oh?"
Hearing this, Cao Rui was immediately overjoyed and asked with blazing eyes, "Why does Liu Qing think of evil? Tell me quickly!"
"only!"
Obeying the leader's order, Liu Ye said in a calm voice, "Your Majesty, my thoughts are to indulge the powerful people of Liangzhou and the Qiang and Hu tribes."
Uh~~~~
After hearing this, Cao Rui's expression turned extremely complicated.
He pinched his beard again and fell into deep thought.
Because Liu Ye's advice was more bold than Cao Zhen's march to Longyou: he wanted to give up Xiliang!
The original intention was that since Longyou had been lost, Liangzhou was in an embarrassing predicament. It was a waste of food, supplies, and garrisoned troops, and it was difficult to hold on.
In this case, it is better to take the opposite direction and hand over the counties and counties in Liangzhou to the Haoyou and Qianghu tribes in Liangzhou, so that they can protect their own interests and become a barrier against Shu.
The Wei State can take this opportunity to recuperate and accumulate strength. When they and Ni Shu are exhausted and each other is weak, they can then send troops to recapture Longyou and Liangzhou.
Anyway, Wei's current control over Liangzhou is only meager.
In other words, since Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty Liu Xiu established his capital in Luoyang, Xiliang has become an uneasy place with frequent rebellions.
Because if the capital is Chang'an, it can lead to the Western Regions; if the capital is Luoyang, it can control Guandong!
Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty opened Liangzhou, Chang'an has been the capital, and the permanent garrison of the three auxiliaries in Guanzhong has never been less than 100,000 soldiers.
The powerful deterrence prevented Xiliang Haoyou and the Qiang and Hu tribes from rebelling.
At that time, Xiliang was benefiting from the benefits of the Silk Road. The people had no worries about food and peace of mind, and not many people committed rebellion.
But Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty, causing the world to be in a state of uproar.
Longyou was separatist by Kuai Xiao, which gave birth to countless others who wanted to imitate him.
Since the destruction of Weixiao, the intermittent Qiang rebellion in the northwest has lasted for more than a hundred years, becoming a bottomless pit that dragged down the Han Dynasty's finances.
For example, during the period of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty, "Wheat Ballad" was widely praised in the Guandong area.
The song goes: "The wheat is green and the barley is withered. Who should win the prize? My wife and my aunt. Why are my father-in-law attacking the barbarians in the west? The officials buy horses and you have your chariots. Please drum up the barbarians for all the gentlemen."
The general meaning is that all the Qiang people in Liangzhou rebelled, invaded Shu and Han in the south, copied Sha Sanfu in the east, and extended to Bing and Hebei, causing great harm to the people.
The imperial court conscripted men to suppress the rebellion, but the army was defeated due to incompetent command, and because the army was defeated and it was necessary to defend the border and defend the enemy, the army was recruited. As a result, the labor force was depleted and the fields were desolate. The common people were suffering, but they did not dare to speak out.
During the period of Emperor Ling, the Qiang rebellion in the northwest reached its peak.
Beigong Boyu and Li Wenhou took the lead in raising the flag of rebellion, and successively coerced Han Sui, Bian Zhang, Guo Guo, Ma Teng and others, so that Liangzhou would no longer be owned by the Han Dynasty.
Later, Dong Zhuo rebelled against the Han Dynasty, and Emperor Xian fled eastward. Even the land of Guanlong was divided up by more than ten rebel armies.
Later, in the Battle of the Weishui River, Cao Wei regained the land in Guanzhong.
However, it did not form effective rule over Liangzhou and Longyou.
For example, after Wei Duan, the shepherd of Liangzhou, was recruited into the court to serve as a servant, the governor of Liangzhou appointed by Wei Wu Cao Cao was Wei Kang, the son of Wei Duan!
When Ma Chao attacked Long and besieged Wei Kang in Ji County for eight months, Xiahou Yuan, who was stationed in Guanzhong, stood still and waited for Wei Kang to be killed before sending out troops.
After that, Xiahou Yuan moved to the right of the pass and wiped out all the separatist regimes in Liangzhou, allowing the Wei state to begin to realize its rule over Liangzhou.
However, after rebelling against Shu and capturing Hanzhong County, Wei's foundation in Liangzhou became unstable.
Haoyou and Qianghu tribes often rebelled.
In other words, without the threat of a large army stationed in Guanzhong, the separatist intentions of the various tribes in Liangzhou will not disappear.
Liu Ye's advice was based on this.
After rebelling against Shu and capturing Longyou, in order to build up cavalry and maintain the stability of Longyou, they would inevitably covet the Hexi Corridor.
There will also be conflicts of interest with various ministries in Liangzhou.
These people are not willing to submit to Wei, and they will not condescend to rebel against Shu!
It must be said that Liu Ye's policy was very ruthless.
At least, it is more in line with the current situation in Wei than what Cao Zhen planned.
However, from Cao Rui's perspective, this strategy is no less dangerous than Cao Zhen's.
Because the Battle of Longyou was already a huge defeat, if Liangzhou was abandoned again, the Wei Dynasty, which was still short-lived in the Han Dynasty, would face an unbearable burden in terms of prestige and popular support.
After all, the weather is not peaceful today.
There are Bashu and Qianghu in the west, Sunwu in the south, and Xianbei in the north. They are all watching with eager eyes. Who can harm the power of the Wei Dynasty?
In particular, when he was in Luoyang earlier, Cao Rui heard some unpleasant remarks.
There was a Confucian named Qiao Zhou who rebelled against Shu. He wantonly declared that the Wei Dynasty was violent and harsh, and deceived people's hearts!
After Sun Wu heard about it, he also spread the same rumors in Jingzhou and Huainan, making the common people feel vaguely alienated.
Cao Rui didn't need to think about it to predict that if he abandoned Liangzhou in accordance with the advice of his attendant Liu Ye, Ni Shu would definitely send his spies to serve as the three assistants in Guanzhong to seduce the Li Shu who migrated from Hanzhong County and Badi.
It made the people of Sanfu in Guanzhong turbulent.
Instead, he was more inclined to use Cao Zhen's national strength to fight.
It was not because of Liu Ye's bad intentions that he did not dare to use his ears!
"I know what you mean."
Cao Rui, who was thinking about making a decision, nodded slightly and said, "I am in chaos right now and have no decision yet. You will wait and return. After I have made a decision, I will talk to you again."
"Wei! Ye, please retire."
"Wei! Zi resigned."
Upon hearing this, Liu Ye and Sun Zi immediately stood up and said goodbye.
But what they didn't expect was that after Cao Rui watched them leave, he sent someone to summon Yang Fu, the captain of the city gate.
Well, because Yang Fu was from Ji County, Tianshui, and was familiar with Longyou affairs, and was praised as "a man of public assistance", he was also among those traveling to Chang'an this time.
When I was young, Yang Fu arrived.
After being greeted and seated, Cao Rui asked Cao Zhen to take a look at the table, and then asked impatiently, "Yang Qing has been in Longyou for a long time. Do you think the general's plan is feasible?"
"Back to Your Majesty, I boldly say that this strategy is not feasible."
Yang Fu, who had an upright temperament and often violated Yan Zhi's remonstrances, became solemn when asked and retorted loudly, "Although the general is dedicated to serving the country, if there is any deviation in this policy, we, the Wei Dynasty, will inevitably fall into despair." This land. I believe that sincerity is undesirable!"
Well.
Cao Rui was speechless again.
In his heart, he thought that Yang Fu, a native of Tianshui, would support Cao Zhen's plan based on emotion and reason, and send troops out of Wudu County to recapture Longyou.
Who would have expected that he would categorically reject it?
Could it be that the general’s plan is really undesirable?
Three important ministers in a row all held a negative attitude, which made Cao Rui feel a little shaken.
After thinking for a while, he asked, "Yang Qing, can you elaborate."
"only."
After bowing at the table, Yang Fugong said in a loud voice, "Your Majesty, there are three people I rely on for this decision."
"First, Sun Tzu said, 'The master must not be angry and raise an army, and the general must not be angry and go to war.' Longyou is occupied by Ni Shu, and our great Wei Guanzhong and Liangzhou will definitely be shaken. The most urgent thing now is to appease Li Shu. The common people and officers and soldiers are concerned! An Ke will come out with a large army again, will there be an opportunity for those with ulterior motives to take advantage of it?"
"Secondly, the thief chief Ke Bi Neng in northern Xianbei will definitely attack our border counties in the autumn and winter, so Jizhou's troops cannot move. Moreover, Ni Shu and the thief Sun Wu have already formed an alliance. Now Ni Shu sends troops to Longyou, and Sun Wu They must also plan their troops to go north. If the troops from Jingzhou and Huainan are mobilized to attack Ni Shu according to the general's will, it may be difficult to defeat the thief Sun Wu. Your Majesty, the national power of thief Sun Wu is stronger than Ni Shu! "
"Again, it's about taking precautions before they happen. If we follow the general's plan and raise troops from all the prefectures and counties in the Wei Dynasty to fight, the country will not have enough soldiers. If there is turmoil, who can be safe?"
"These three reasons can put our Wei Dynasty into danger, so I think it is not advisable! I hope your Majesty will understand clearly."
"Oh~~~~"
After hearing this, Cao Rui closed his eyes and sighed sadly.
After a long while, Fang opened his eyes again, and said with satisfaction, "Yang Qing's words are as good as the whip, and they live up to the praise of the 'public assistant'! I will not allow the general's plan to end."
In response to this, Yang Fu quickly stood up and showed humility.
However, after Cao Rui sighed, he recounted Liu Ye's plan and asked, "Yang Qing thinks Liu Qing's plan is acceptable?"
"Reporting to your Majesty, I believe that this strategy is not feasible."
After hearing this, Yang Fu once again replied without hesitation, "Because the wealthy families of Xiliang and the Qiang Hu people are cunning and capricious, they cannot be trusted! It is absolutely impossible to confer it on all Liangzhou. I have heard this before, and it is contrary to this." Zhuge Liang, the prime minister of Shu, is known as a man of popular support. He is afraid that the Qiang and Hu and others will be defeated by Shu and surrender, so he will turn his sword and attack me, the Wei Dynasty."
After finishing his words, before Cao Rui could ask again, he continued, "Your Majesty, I believe that the current plan is based on the general's plan and Liu Shizhong's strategy, each taking advantage of their strengths!"