With the night falling gradually, Zhang He led his army to depart eastward in the morning.
In addition to leaving Xiahou Yu in Wuxing and stationing 6,000 troops there to rest, the remaining more than 13,000 troops were all under the command of Zhang He and advanced toward Hanzhong.
The emperor had already instructed that we should seek real benefits rather than pursue empty fame.
In pursuit of the Southern Qi forces on the mountain path, capturing some remnants of the Southern Qi forces and possibly missing key Southern Qi characters with a high probability is a wasteful expenditure of troops and time for the pursuit of empty reputation.
And to the east was quite different!
Zhang Fei led his army to retreat southward, which is clearly handing over Hanzhong without a fight. This is the greatest real benefit!
Cities and passes along the way, such as Ju County and Yangping Pass, must be in a state of panic.
And the importance of Hanzhong need not be said. By taking Hanzhong, we can utilize the Han River and connect with Jingzhou.
The chance of capturing Zhuge Liang is not even comparable to the strategic importance of Hanzhong!
Speaking of Hanzhong, both Zhang He and Cao Zhen can be considered old acquaintances. Even Guo Huai, who is currently in the military, is the same.
In the 20th year of Jian'an, Cao Cao led an army of 100,000 troops to advance to Hanzhong. After capturing Yangping Pass, Zhu Ruzhu's troops collapsed in a complete line. After Cao Cao led his main forces back north, he left Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He to oversee the military here.
In the 23rd year of the Jian'an era, when Liu Bei attacked Hanzhong, Zhang He was blocking Liu Bei's army outside Yangping Pass, forcing Liu Bei to cross the Han River to the south and camp on Dingjun Mountain by crossing mountains and ridges.
In the summer of the 24th year of Jian'an, after Xiahou Yuan's death, Zhang He was recommended by Guo Huai and others to take charge of the military. When Cao Cao arrived, Zhang He was responsible for defending against the enemy Southern Qi forces outside Yangping Pass, and it was replaced by Cao Zhen.
Yangping Pass?
For Zhang He and Cao Zhen, they are as familiar as can be! They are almost like our own backyard!
On the eighth night, Cao Zhen marched all night for a hundred miles and arrived at the outskirts of Ju County.
Ju County was just a small county, not in the defense focus of Shu Han, how could it resist the strength of 10,000 cavalry attacking?
Moreover...
Prime Minister Zhao Chi was not at Chiting Pass fighting against Wei forces? How did Wei's 10,000 cavalry get to Ju County? Where is Prime Minister Zhao Chi?
Ju County surrendered cleanly.
As the city gates opened, Wei's cavalry rushed in, took control of all the key places within the city and took over the defense.
Cao Zhen also personally received the Ju County's Longest Garrison Administrator, Fu Xin.
Since it was late at night, and Cao Zhen also wanted to know about the situation at Yangping Pass, he summoned Fu Xin over for a discussion.
"Princely subject paying homage to the Great General!" Fu Xin quickly stepped forward and kneeled directly to bow.
"Count Fu, please rise! Since you have already sworn allegiance to Great Wei, according to the emperor's command, you should be rewarded handsomely. As fellow officials of the same court, why should you kneel?"
"Thank you, General!" Fu Xin put away his obsequious demeanor and stood with hands clasped, facing the hall after rising.
Looking at Fu Xin, the forty-year-old, rotund county magistrate, he looked quite appealing in a sudden moment.
"Could Count Fu please provide an account of the current military strength in Hanzhong?"
"Ten thousand soldiers!" Fu Xin replied with a decisive tone.
Cao Zhen was slightly surprised and asked: "How did you know this number?"
Fu Xin bowed slightly: "Since we retreated from Qishan, all the personnel and troops who returned to Hanzhong passed through outside Ju County. How could I not know about it?"
Cao Zhen smiled, rubbing his beard: "Then according to you, where should this ten thousand army be stationed in Hanzhong at the moment?"
Fu Xin calmly replied: "The 2,000 troops at Yangping Pass, 2,000 in Mianyang, 4,000 in Nanzheng, and 2,000 in Chenggu."
Cao Zhen was truly surprised this time. Rising from his seat, his tone became more serious: "Count Fu, how did you come to know about the distribution of military forces? You are merely a county magistrate; you should have no way of knowing such military intelligence!"
Fu Xin bowed his hands and answered: "General Cao Zhen, the truth is that I indeed had no way of knowing the military situation. However, when the great army returned, I led the people to serve as laborers for transportation."
"How many troops are missing from Ju County to Yangping Pass, and then to Mianyang?" Fu Xin laughed: "How can this be hidden from the responsible transport personnel?"
Cao Zhen stepped closer to Fu Xin, stared at this middle-aged, slightly overweight county magistrate for a few moments, and said with a click of his tongue, "I've been to Ju County many times before, and I never expected that there would be someone like you who knows so much!"
"Tomorrow, you will accompany the main army to Yangping Pass! If everything you said is true, I will definitely recruit you into the central army as an official!"
Fu Xin's face showed no fear, and he remained calmly bowing: "I will obey the General's order."
After Fu Xin left, Cao Zhen pondered over the man's actions alone and couldn't figure out why he had acted so obsequiously at the beginning.
...
Capturing Chiting Pass brings not only military victory.
Thanks to the waterway function of the ancient road, the grain transported from Guanzhong can directly reach the side of the main army, reducing much of the transportation burden.
Cao Zhen led 30,000 troops southbound on the morning of the sixth day.
Over the past few days, Cao Rui has finally had the time and energy to start handling some of the government affairs at the rear.
If we delve into the matter, this military campaign has lasted nearly half a year, which is even longer than the previous campaign against Huaiyuan. With the emperor being outside of the capital Luoyang for such a long time, and only relying on Wei Zhen's reports every three days, how could he attend to state affairs in detail?
Just a few days ago, when the battle was fought in the Qingniyao Valley, Cao Rui, Cao Zhen, Sima Yi, and Chen Jiao played a day's checkers together.
The mental pressure of waiting for the decisive result on the front lines, sitting at the rear, is enough to make one's heart anxious.
One can only play a game of checkers, place some bets to while away the time; there's no energy left for handling state affairs.
Sima Yi is already the Chief Clerk of the Treasury and a Senior Minister. It is his job to manage the government affairs.
"Your Majesty, there are many pending matters in the Office of Master of Works. "Sima Yi said in the tent with a bow: "The subject has selected the three most important items, and humbly requests the supreme will to be shown."
"Vice Minister, please speak." Cao Rui nodded.
"The first item is the case of the escaped conscripts from Linjin and Wannian counties."
Sima Yi glanced at the emperor and continued: "At the end of February, the people of Linjin and Wannian counties were conscripted for a second time to transport grain to Longyin."
"As they reached Yong County, over 3,000 people, led by Chen Da and Hu Ning, abandoned their supplies and fled, wanting to return to their home counties and killed the county officials overseeing the grain transport."
"Xin Minister dispatched people to capture Chen Da and Hu Ning, and the 3,000 people were also sent back to their respective counties under the care of their towns and villages."
Sima Yi handed the original document from Xin Zhi to the emperor: "Xin Zhongshu suggested that Chen and Hu be destroyed three families and the 3,000 people be banished 1,000 kilometers."
Cao Rui flipped through the document and sighed, "It's not easy to transport grain in winter! They've already gone once and have to go again!"
"Vice Minister, has the Office of Master of Works ever counted how many people from various places have died while transporting grain?"
Sima Yi replied: "In the past six months, more than 2,000 conscripts from Mawei State and Hedong, Heping and Pingyang prefectures in the Mawei area have died. Some died from cold, some from disease, and some from accidents."
"Xin Zhi is responsible for Guanzhong and Hedong, Pingyang, but the supervision of transporting grain and fodder in the other states is handled by the Ministry of Works, and Xin Zhi is not aware of it."
"Yuwen Master hasn't told Your Majesty either." Cao Rui whispered: "From December to the end of March, if we calculate it as four months and 120 days, that's more than 20 people dying every day just for transporting grain."
"I have already ordered all counties and districts to provide protection, yet it is still unavoidable."
Sima Yi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, do not worry. This is an unavoidable matter. It has always been the case that when a large army goes into battle, conscription of labor is necessary, and injuries and deaths in winter are unavoidable."
"Even if the emperor does not issue conscription, people will still die in winter."
Cao Rui glanced at Sima Yi: "Although this is the case, I still cannot deal with it in this way."
"Tell Minister Xin that the leaders who killed officials and rebelled should be executed and their families destroyed to the third generation, those who have shed blood should be beheaded, but the rest of the people should not be banished a thousand miles. They should be forgiven of other crimes, but each should receive ten lashes as a warning!"
"If they are banished 1,000 miles, who knows how many more people will die? Executing the ringleaders is enough."
"Following the order." Sima Yi casually accepted the command, then started discussing the second matter.
"The second item, in early March, the Longyou people from Qin passed through Guanzhong and arrived in various places such as Chiyang, Wudong, Lanyin, Yong County, and Zheng County. Minister Xin dispatched people to camp them in these five places."
"But the newly relocated Qin people in Guanzhong are generally unstable. Although their original tribal groups have been thoroughly disrupted during the relocation, fights and even deaths still occur from time to time in the various places where they are settled."
"Minister Xin has asked Your Majesty to determine the standards for dealing with this situation."
Cao Rui looked up at Sima Yi and asked, "What do you think should be done?"
Sima Yi bowed and replied, "I believe that a severe and heavy-handed approach should be taken."
"The Qin people do not accept the rule of the Great Wei. Although the tribal leaders received great benefits from the Great Wei, most Qin people still adhere to their old customs and habits."
"If there are fights that result in deaths or injuries, the ringleaders should be executed, and the rest should be severely punished!"
"I understand your meaning, Vice Minister," said Cao Rui, nodding: "We should combine leniency and severity in dealing with these Qin people. But their 'leniency' from the emperor will not be felt or understood by them in a short period of time, nor will they comprehend the deep intentions of the emperor."
"But in terms of 'frightening', it comes faster and is more effective, isn't that so?"
"Your Majesty's wisdom is beyond question." Sima Yi bowed.
"Then tell Minister Xin," Cao Rui commanded: "Although I moved them here, the Qin people have no privileges when it comes to breaking the law. Execute those who should be killed and punish those who should be punished, and do so severely!"
"A heavy-handed approach for a few years will eventually change their habits."
"There is one more matter……"
...
State affairs are complex, but Cao Rui's basic principle is to cherish human resources and restore production as soon as possible.
Cao Zhen arrived in Ju County on the eighth, and by the afternoon of the ninth, he had set off towards Yangping Pass and made camp there with composure.
Zhang He left the foot soldiers under Guo Huai and personally went to meet Cao Zhen to discuss the military strategy for their advance.
"General Zhang, have you reported all the events of the past two days to the emperor?"
Zhang He nodded and replied, "I have reported all the events. However, since it was a hurried report from Ju County, I have not yet received the emperor's reply."
Cao Zhen nodded and asked, "Although we have withdrawn from Han for so many years, Yangping Pass is still Yangping Pass. How many days will it take to capture it again?"
Zhang He, looking at Cao Zhen's smiling expression, paused for a moment and replied, "Five days?"
Cao Zhen laughed heartily, "General Zhang, you really think alike with me! Five days is more than enough!" (Chapter ends)
