In 223, Liu Bei, Emperor Zhaolie of Shu Han, was defeated by Wu Dong in the battle of Yiling, which greatly weakened the national strength of Shu Han. Prime Minister Zhuge Liang assisted the late Liu Chan, and his national strength slowly recovered. At the same time, Kyle, Deng Zhi and Soochow were sent to repair it. In 225, Zhuge Liang conquered the south of Shu and Han, and the materials needed for the Northern Expedition were supplemented.
Liu Chan four years (226), Cao Wei Wendi Cao Pi died of illness, and his son Cao Cao succeeded to the throne, with the title of Wei Mingdi. At that time, there was a discussion in the state of Wei that Zhuge Liang could be used to send troops to attack in Hanzhong. Cao Cao also had this idea, but Sun Tzu thought that Nanzheng in Hanzhong was dangerous and difficult, and large-scale military action would inevitably lead to world turmoil and be too arduous. He suggested that the generals should take risks from all over the world. When Wei Qiang grew up, Shu and Wu surrendered, and Cao Cao postponed sending troops.
Zhuge Liang believed that Cao Wei's regime change and the establishment of a new monarch were good opportunities for the Northern Expedition. At the same time, the northern expedition to Cao Wei and the return to the old capital are also the goals and long-cherished wishes set by Zhuge Liang in Longzhong Dui.
However, judging from the conditions at that time, Shu was the weakest of the three countries, and there was little chance of success in the Northern Expedition.
At that time, Cao Wei had a population of about 4.43 million and a force of 430,000. The population of Shu is about 940,000, and its strength is120,000. Wu has a population of about 2.3 million and a force of 230,000. Zhuge Liang used about 100,000 Shu soldiers in his first Northern Expedition. Before and after this campaign, Wei mobilized 200,000 troops.
In this disparity, it seems difficult for Shu Han to destroy Cao Wei. Especially after the fall of Jingzhou, the conditions for Zhuge Liang to send troops to the Northern Expedition no longer existed. But Zhuge Liang did not give up the Northern Expedition plan.
In the fifth year of Jianxing (227), Zhuge Liang led the Shu army out of Hanzhong to prepare for the Northern Expedition. Before leaving, he went to the rear and said, "Before the first emperor started his business, the middle road collapsed. Today's three points, Yizhou exhausted disadvantages, this is also the key autumn. ..... Today, Jia Bing is enough to settle in the south. When the three armies were rewarded, China was originally scheduled to go north, and the Han Dynasty was revived, and the old capital was returned. The minister therefore reported to the first emperor to show his loyalty to his majesty. " History calls this book "The Former Teacher".
Zhuge Liang earnestly persuaded Liu Chan, the late ruler, to realize the weak position of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms. The three countries are striving for strength, and Shu is at stake. We should strive for strength and not be satisfied with temporary stability.
According to the reflection? According to Dong Yunchuan, Zhuge Liang was worried that the late master would not distinguish between good and evil (Zhu Xi was difficult to distinguish), so he earnestly taught him that he must be a "virtuous minister and a villain" and attributed his loyalty and filial piety to Guo Youzhi, Fei Yi, Dong Yun (the son of Zhu Xi), Zhang Yi and Jiang Wan.
Liu Chan also wrote a letter to Zhuge Liang and started the Northern Expedition.
The first northern expedition
In the spring of the 6th year of lite (228), Zhuge Liang made it clear that he would take Yan from the road (from Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province to Yan County), which made Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi suspicious. Cao Wei sent general Cao Zhen to lead the troops to battle. From this time until Zhuge Liang died in Wuzhangyuan in the 12th year of Jianxing (234), there were six wars between Shu and Cao Wei. Five attacks were launched by Shu Han, one by Cao Wei, and Shu Han defended.
Zhuge Liang led an army to attack Qishan in the west (now northeast of Lixian County, Gansu Province). Due to good training, the morale of the Shu army was strong, the lineup was neat, and the Northern Expedition was progressing smoothly. Cao Wei's Nan 'an (now southeast of Gansu Longxi), Tianshui (now southeast of Gansu Gangu), Anding (now southeast of Zhenyuan, Gansu) and other places rebelled against Wei against Zhuge Liang, and Wei Tianshui's general Jiang Wei also defected to Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang's attack and success shook Guanzhong for a period of time, and the Cao Wei regime was very frightened. Wei Mingdi soon led the army to Chang 'an and sent general Zhang He to lead the army to stop Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang asked Ma Su to command the army and fought Zhang He in Jieting (now south of Tianshui, Gansu). Ma Su violated Zhuge Liang's Day and stationed troops on the mountain, which was broken by Zhang He and shook the whole war.
Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi's army also lost to Ji Gu, because their army was weak and their enemy was strong. "However, they will not be defeated." When withdrawing troops, Zhao Yun personally broke off, and the soldiers did not leave, and there was no loss of military assets. The street pavilion was defeated, and all the troops were scattered. Only Wang Ping led thousands of people and beat the drums. Zhang He suspected that he was ambushed and didn't force him. "Wang Ping can slowly collect the remaining soldiers and return them.
Zhuge Liang collected more than a thousand households in West County this time, rewarded Wang Ping and surrendered Wei Tianshui County to join the army. Although Ma Su was brilliant, eloquent and closely related to Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Liang beheaded Ma Su for serious military discipline.
Zhuge Liang blamed himself and said to his late master, "I ... can't teach the law, and I'm afraid of emergencies, so I disobeyed my orders in the street pavilion and never retreated in the valley." It's all my fault for improper appointment. I know I don't know anyone, and I'm worried about how dark things are. Spring and Autumn Annals is in charge of handsome, and I am a minister. Please downgrade yourself to a third-class supervisor. " Therefore, the latter regards Zhuge Liang as the right general, acting as the prime minister and the president as before.
The Second Northern Expedition
In the autumn of the sixth year of Jianxing (228), Wei Sima and Cao Xiu, an idyllic poem of Yangzhou, were destroyed by Lu Xun, commander-in-chief of Wu (now northeast of Qianshan County, Anhui Province). In winter, Zhuge Liang returned to attack Wei.
According to "History of Han, Book of Jin, Spring and Autumn", Zhuge Liang heard that Sun Quan defeated Cao Xiu, and Wei Bing went down to the East, and Guanzhong was weak, so he gave up his ancestors, which was called "the latter case" in history.
In December, Zhuge Liang led his army north, left Sanguan (now southwest of Baoji, Shaanxi) and surrounded Chencang (east of Baoji). But Cao Zhen came prepared, and the Shu army failed in many attacks. After more than 20 days of fierce fighting, the Shu army was short of food, and Cao Wei reinforcements were about to arrive, so Zhuge Liang had to return to Hanzhong. It is said that Wei will lead troops to chase him, and he was killed by his horse on his way back to the division.
The Third Northern Expedition
In the spring of 229, the seventh year of Jianxing, Zhuge Liang launched the third Northern Expedition. He sent Chen Jie to attack Wudu (now Chengxian County, Gansu Province) and Yangping (now northwest Wenxian County, Gansu Province). Wei led Guo Huai to rescue and suffered a crushing defeat. The Shu army occupied two counties. Zhuge Liang appeased the local minorities such as Di and Qiang, left his own army and led the troops back to Hanzhong. As Zhuge Liang actively seized the second county, Liu Chan resumed Zhuge Liang's position as prime minister.
Cao Wei counterattacked
In the autumn of the eighth year of lite (230), Cao Wei took the initiative to send troops to attack Hanzhong, so that Sima Yi went out from Xicheng (now Tianshui South, Gansu), Zhang He from Woods (now Xi Annan to Ningshan East) and Cao Zhen from Gu Jie (Yanxian to Baocheng). After three attempts to attack Hanzhong, Zhuge Liang stayed in Chenggu and Akasaka (now Yangxian County, Shaanxi Province).
In addition to strengthening the defense, Zhuge Liang also increased the 20,000 troops commanded by Li Yan to Hanzhong to stop Cao Wei's army. Because of the continuous rain, roads such as Woods Valley and Gu Jie were impassable, and Cao retreated. This year, Wei Yan broke the secretariat of Wei Yongzhou in Yuyang Creek, Guo Huai.
The mountains in the middle of Shu are dangerous, easy to defend but difficult to attack, and it is more difficult to transport food and grass to the Shu army. This is also one of the main reasons why the Shu army can't fight with the Cao Wei army for a long time. In order to solve the transportation problem of rations, Zhuge Liang designed and manufactured a kind of "wooden cow".