The big river is swaying with white waves and sparkling white waves, carrying the verdant green on both sides of the river as it meanders northward.
Stopping at the Fortress of Jianyin, you can see as far as the eye can see. The white sheep are walking leisurely on the green grassland, which complements the sky with white clouds.
Summer and May are the time when everything flourishes.
For the Han army in Longyou, it was also a vigorous season for the Northern Expedition.
According to the news from Luoyang, in early April, Wei Dasima Cao Zhen, who had been supervising Yongliang's military affairs and the most powerful opponent of the Han Dynasty's Northern Expedition, died of illness.
Although the Wei State has always been at a disadvantage in the tug-of-war of the Yongliang War in recent years, no one denies Cao Zhen's ability to rule.
For example, Sima Yi, the Wei general who succeeded to control the military affairs of Yongliang and Liangzhou, did not have the ability to force the Yongliang soldiers to death.
At least not in the short term.
As he was born into a noble family, there would be no stories of him eating and sleeping with soldiers, or perhaps it was due to the natural conflict between the Kanto family and the lowly men on the Kansai frontier that he could not gain the will to lead.
Perhaps Cao Zhen had already realized this.
Before receiving the order from Emperor Cao Rui to lead his troops back to Anding County, knowing that his fate was imminent and that the successor to be the governor of Yongliang was none other than Sima, he made the last arrangements for his troops.
For example, Hu Zun, the general who was previously subordinate to Sima Yi, was transferred to Jingzhao to guard the area and clean up the mess caused by Zhang Mu's rebellion, so that Sima Yi could have a stable rear to fight against Bashu.
For example, Guo Huai, who originally guarded Jincheng County, returned to guard the stable Gaoping City.
This is about cherishing talent.
Cao Zhen had always had a talent similar to that of Guo Huai. He knew that Wei would not be able to attack Longyou again in a short period of time, nor would it be able to send troops to contain Bashu when it marched to Hexi. When Jincheng County had become a desperate situation, he did not want him to be trapped in a desperate situation.
It’s also a way to prepare for a rainy day.
Among the many generals in Yongliang, Guo Huai was not only a minister of Emperor Wen of Wei Cao Pi, but also one of the few governors who had dual identities as a border person and a Guandong family. In the rivers and lakes, he could win the support of the border people; in the temple Above all, he can also be praised by the Dukes of Luoyang and Gungun.
No matter who comes to challenge Yong Liang, as long as he brings Guo Huai with him to help him, half of the smooth transition of power will be achieved.
Fei Yao, Xia Houba, Zhang Xiong and others can just continue to perform their respective duties.
After Sima Yi comes to take office, he will use them according to their personal merits.
As for Xia Houru, after Cao Zhen returned to Luoyang, he took advantage of the emperor Cao Rui's personal visit to the mansion to check on his condition and asked him to be transferred to the Jingzhou governor to supervise the military affairs.
With just one sentence, Cao Rui agreed without having to discuss it in the temple.
Nai said:
"Your Majesty, there is almost no one left in charge of Qiao Pei's old governor general!"
Qiao Pei supervises military affairs, and Yingchuan coordinates political affairs.
This is the political pattern of the Wei State formed by Wei Wu and Cao Cao who have been whipping the world for more than thirty years.
Relying on the talented clans Cao and Xiahou, during the reigns of Wei Wu and Wei Wen, all the military commanders at the border of Wei State came from these two families. Even Zhang Liao, who had great military exploits in the past, also served successively when he was guarding Hefei. It was controlled by Cao Ren and Cao Xiu.
But now, Governor Qiao Pei, who could be relied upon as a pillar and foundation stone and closely related to the Wei State, has completely withered.
In terms of generals who are capable of guarding one side, Xia Houru is the only one who can be used today.
Based on this, how could Cao Rui refuse Cao Zhen’s invitation?
On the contrary, he still loved Wujiwu and declared before Cao Zhen's bedside that he would transfer Xiahou Xuan, Xiahou Shang's son, to the local military governor.
Xiahou Xuan is Cao Zhen's nephew and the brother-in-law of Sima Yi's son Sima Shi.
With such an identity, Cao Rui didn't mind suppressing his displeasure and giving him a chance to practice.
Therefore, when Sima Yi received the order to transfer to Yongliang, the governor of Guanzhong, he also learned that Xiahou Xuan became his army Sima, and that Guanqiu Jian succeeded Xu Miao, who was recruited to the court, and served as the governor of Yongzhou.
It made him feel a little constrained.
Xia Houxuan is the second best. For the sake of his in-laws, just tolerate his temperament that he prides himself on being a celebrity.
But Guanqiu Jian is different.
As a Qiandi minister of Cao Rui, his late father Guanqiuxing had led the army in the northwest for many years. His reputation and achievements were second only to the famous minister Su Ze, and he was quite famous among the Yongliang armies.
At certain specific times, if Guanqiu Jian acted contrary to his will, there was nothing he could do.
Thinking about it, there is nothing wrong with that.
The soldiers and horses of Yongliang's troops are the elite of Wei State after the guards of Luoyang, and their strength accounts for almost half of the country's troops. The combined strength of the other two major war zones, Huainan and Jingzhou cannot be compared. Cao Rui dared to use these With the troops and horses under his supervision, how could we not make prepared arrangements in advance?
However, when Sima Yi took office, he was not dissatisfied.
When Cao Zhen withdrew his troops and returned to Guanzhong, he was unable to continue his conquest because of insufficient supplies of materials, food, fodder, etc. The strength of the various ministries in Guanzhong was still there, and he was not left in a mess.
Furthermore, Cao Zhen bought him several years, allowing him to calmly and securely respond to Bashu's advance from the rear.
Wei State abandoned the Hexi Corridor and Jincheng County.
To be precise, Cao Zhen was worried that he would be out of reach, so he took the risk and regarded Liangzhou as an abandoned son.
The abandoned son who played a time game with the Han army.
Before his death, Cao Rui's last private note suggested that Wei State did not need to send troops to Longyou again when the Han army attacked Liangzhou.
Instead, choose to accumulate strength.
Strive to have the strength of hundreds of thousands of troops to march out of Longyou again before the Han army conquers Liangzhou.
By then, the Han army, which already had a long front and few troops, would be trapped in the quagmire of the Liangzhou War and its forces would be dispersed, making it unable to deal with another Wei army attack.
Of course, this advice is a double-edged sword.
If the Han army could quickly defeat Liangzhou, then Wei would have surrendered Liangzhou.
But Cao Rui did not hesitate.
In other words, he had no other choice.
Above the Luoyang Temple, the voices for abandoning Liangzhou were once again fierce when Cao Zhen returned from his retreat. It had reached a point where even he, the emperor, could not contain it. If Cao Zhen's disease had not been cured by medicine, there might have been more Voices criticizing the defeat of the army due to the mobilization of troops appeared.
This strategy is more of a helpless move than taking advantage of the situation.
Cao Rui could only hope that Wei Ping, the governor who would stick to the Hexi Corridor and Jincheng County, would buy as much time as possible for Wei to accumulate power.
Wei Ping took the initiative to ask for orders to hold on to the Jedi.
"I lost Xiaoguan first, and then I lost Yinsai. I have died a hundred times and cannot pay for my crime. Thanks to your majesty's magnanimity, the commander-in-chief did not take any action, and still authorized me to supervise the army. I have nothing to repay. I can only die to serve the country and repay the kindness of the king." one."
This is what he wrote in his petition to Cao Zhen to bring him to Luoyang.
It is said that he even prepared a suicide note and passed it on to his family in Luoyang and his clan in Jingzhou Township.
The strong wind knows the strong grass, the rough wind knows the honest minister, it is nothing more than this.
But sometimes, personal loyalty and belief are vulnerable to so many pragmatic and profit-seeking people.
The hearts of people in the Hexi Corridor are already shaken.
