Chapter 100: Han soldiers robbed the stronghold and defeated Cao Zhen, and Wu Hou humiliated Zhongda in a battle:
Zhuge Liang left Qishan on the second day and sent troops to surround Chencang. Because Wei general Hao Zhao was guarding the defense closely, The city could not be attacked for days. Cao Rui appointed General Cao Zhen as the Commander-in-Chief and led his troops to resist the Shu army. Cao Zhen sent Wang Shuang to rescue Chen Cang.
Wang Shuang is brave and good at fighting, making Chencang more difficult to capture. Jiang Wei came up with a plan to fake surrender to Cao Zhen, but Cao Zhen believed it and almost died. Zhuge Liang led his army to attack Qishan and defeated Cao Zhen.
Cao Rui issued an edict, ordering Cao Zhen to stand firm and not fight. When the Shu army ran out of food, he would retreat. Cao Zhen did not want to wait, so the deputy governor Guo Huai came up with a plan and sent Sun Li to pretend to be a grain transport team to transport grain back to the camp. He used grain trucks as bait to set up an ambush and annihilate the Shu army when they looted the grain.
This plan was seen through by Zhuge Liang, who followed it up and ordered Ma Dai and others to set up an ambush and defeat Sun Li. Zhuge Liang temporarily retreated to Hanzhong because his army was out of food. Wang Shuang led his troops to pursue him, but was beheaded by Wei Yan. Cao Zhen heard that he was worried and fell ill, so he returned to Luoyang to recuperate.
Zhuge Liang left Qishan three times and led his troops to capture Chencang and Sanguan. Emperor Wei Ming Cao Rui appointed Sima Yi to replace Cao Zhen as the governor to resist the Shu army. Sima Yi knew that Cao Zhen had a prejudice against him, so he went to visit Cao Zhen in person and said that he would not be able to shoulder the heavy responsibility when the Shu army invaded, and he spoke modestly. Cao Zhen understood what he meant and felt deeply guilty for not listening to Sima Yi's plan. He hoped to put the state affairs first and hand over the Great Seal to Sima Yi.
Sima Yi led 100,000 troops out of Chang'an and set up camp on the south bank of the Wei River. He ordered Guo Huai and Sun Li to attack the back roads of the Shu army to break the siege of Wudu and Yinping. He himself sent people to attack the Shu army every day. Challenge before the battle. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang had already sent Jiang Wei and Wang Ping to capture Wudu and Yinping. Guo Huai and Sun Li were attacked and killed by the Shu army again, and they abandoned their horses and fled back on foot.
Sima Yi knew that after Kong Ming won the two lands, he would definitely go to pacify the people. Without being in the camp, he hurriedly ordered Zhang He and Dai Ling to lead 10,000 elite troops each, set out overnight, and raided the rear of the Shu military camp. He himself led troops to deploy in front of the camp. In the formation, the two armies worked together to seize the Sichuan village.
Zhang He and Dai Ling had just traveled thirty miles when they saw hundreds of grain and grass carts blocking their way. They urgently sent an order to retreat. Suddenly they heard a loud vibration from the drums and horns, and ambush troops came out from all directions. They fell into Zhuge Liang's plan and were seriously injured. Return defeated. Sima Yi had no choice but to stay behind closed doors and not fight.
Extended information:
Main characters:
1. Cao Zhen
Cao Zhen (?~231 years), whose real name is Qin Zhen, whose name is Zidan was born in Qiao County, Peiguo (now Bozhou City, Anhui Province). A famous general in Wei during the Three Kingdoms period, he was the adopted son of Cao Cao, Emperor Wu of Wei.
He lost his father when he was young. He was so strong and brave that he was taught to ride on tigers and leopards. He participated in suppressing the Yellow Turban Uprising and was named Lingshou Tinghou. He successively served as a partial general, a central leader, and a guard of the Shu army, and participated in the Battle of Hanzhong.
After Cao Pi succeeded to the throne, he was appointed as the General of Zhenxi and the Commander-in-Chief of the Yongliang Army. He was responsible for guarding the northwest border and was granted the title of Marquis of Dongxiang. He moved to Chijie, the general of the Shang army, and oversaw all the Chinese and foreign military forces, becoming one of the highest commanders of Cao Wei's army.
The Qiang and Hu coalition forces were defeated and the Hexi area was pacified. He led his army to surround Jiangling, defeated Sun Sheng, the general of Wu State, and moved to Shizhong, the general of the Chinese army. When Cao Pi was seriously ill, he accepted the imperial edict and became one of the auxiliary ministers.
After Wei Ming Emperor Cao Rui came to the throne, he paid homage to the general and was granted the title of Marquis of Shaoling. He led his army to resist Zhuge Liang's attack in Shu and moved to Da Sima.
In the fifth year of Taihe (231), he died of illness. His posthumous title was Yuan, and he was entitled to the temple of Taizu (Cao Cao).
2. Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang (181-October 8, 234), courtesy name Kongming, alias Wolong, was born in Yangdu, Langya, Xuzhou (now Yinan County, Linyi City, Shandong) , the Prime Minister of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period, an outstanding politician, strategist, diplomat, writer, calligrapher, and inventor.
In his early years, he followed his uncle Zhuge Xuan to Jingzhou. After Zhuge Xuan's death, Zhuge Liang lived in seclusion in Longzhong. Later, Liu Bei visited the thatched cottage three times to invite Zhuge Liang, and joined forces with Sun Yat-sen to fight against Cao Cao, and defeated Cao's army in the Battle of Chibi. It formed a tripartite power among the Three Kingdoms and captured Jingzhou.
In the 16th year of Jian'an (211), Yizhou was captured. Then he defeated Cao Jun and captured Hanzhong. In the first year of Shu Zhangwu (221), Liu Bei established the Shu Han regime in Chengdu, and Zhuge Liang was appointed prime minister to preside over the government.
After Liu Chan, the lord of Shu, succeeded to the throne, Zhuge Liang was named the Marquis of Wuxiang and led the pastoral care of Yizhou.
Be diligent and prudent, handle all political affairs personally, and strictly enforce rewards and punishments; alliance with Soochow to improve relations with all ethnic groups in the southwest; implement the policy of farming and strengthen war preparations.
The six Northern Expeditions to the Central Plains were mostly spent on food but in vain. He eventually became ill due to overwork and died of illness in Wuzhangyuan (now Qishan, Baoji, Shaanxi) in the twelfth year of Jianxing Shu (234) at the age of 54. Liu Chan named him Zhongwuhou, and later generations often called Zhuge Liang the honorific name Wuhou.
Baidu Encyclopedia - Cao Zhen
Baidu Encyclopedia - Zhuge Liang