Zhuge Liang's first proposal.
Citing Liu Bang, the Emperor Gaozu of Han, and his example of "mending the plank roads and crossing the Chencang secretly," it was argued that Shu was the weaker party. Shu's campaign against Wei should follow Gaozu's strategy of achieving victory through surprise and avoiding direct confrontation.
The second point.
Through analysis and judgment of the terrain, it was concluded that the party exiting the Shu Pass first was at a disadvantage in terms of "terrain advantage."
The third point.
An analysis of the situation revealed that the current circumstances were not the same as the strategic planning during the Kongming Era. Due to the existence of Cao Yu, the division of the world into three parts from the Kongming Plan had been forced to change to a situation of merely holding a corner of the land.
The strategies and deployments of the past... naturally could not be strictly adhered to anymore.
The fourth point.
To take the most extreme view, what was the significance of capturing Hanzhong? The people of Hanzhong had already been relocated... Even with ten thousand mu of fertile land, who would cultivate it? And advancing through Qishan, given the current situation, could the five hundred li of continuous Qishan be traversed?
Just now, Zhao Yun slowly recounted these words of Zhuge Liang to Li Yan, and these words made Li Yan tremble with shock.
Indeed... without exaggeration, Li Yan dared to be sure that if these words were spoken by "Zhao Yun" and reached the ears of Lord Liu Bei, then...
With a "gulp," Li Yan subconsciously swallowed again. He sighed and stared blankly at Zhao Yun.
Now, what he most wanted to know were the answers to his two questions... Zhao Yun's reply?
"Why is General Ziyun helping this old man?"
"It seems that in recent years, Prime Minister Zhuge has not treated Ziyun poorly?"
"Not poorly?" Finally, Zhao Yun spoke. His eyes flickered uncertainly. "Although Yun is one of the Four Tiger Generals, in the end, I am merely an 'Imperial Guard General'..."
When His Majesty ascended the throne, the title of General of Cavalry was conferred. The Prime Minister has yet to fulfill this for Yun!
As soon as these words were spoken... Li Yan understood.
When Liu Bei ascended the throne, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and Wei Yan were all enfeoffed as the Four Tiger Generals.
Among them, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were Grand Generals, and Zhang Fei was the General of Chariots and Cavalry. Originally, Zhao Yun should have been the General of Hard Cavalry, but for some reason, he was only given the title of Imperial Guard General, while the title of General of Cavalry was given to Wei Yan.
What was the concept of "Imperial Guard"?
This was an original official post created by Liu Bei. It was a miscellaneous general with no real worth.
Let alone the Four Generals of Pacification, Four Generals of Stabilization, Four Generals of Peace, and Four Generals of Tranquility, even any official genuine general below them was worth more than an Imperial Guard General.
"So that's how it is." Li Yan narrowed his eyes, paced two steps to the left, and then lamented, "For Ziyun, the Prime Minister truly showed favoritism, didn't he?"
"If I only defend, Yun will only ever be a miscellaneous general for a lifetime!" Zhao Yun's tone became resolute. "If I am to remain unknown like this, why would I need to leave Changshan? Why would I need to travel ten thousand li to reach Bashu? How will the name of Zhao Zilong echo throughout the thirteen prefectures! How can I make my hometown elders proud of me?"
Li Yan repeatedly nodded his head...
"Buddhas compete for incense, and people compete for a breath of pride."
Zhao Yun's feelings were exactly the same as Li Yan's. Li Yan could deeply empathize.
"For this old man to have Ziyun is like long-awaited rain after a drought!"
Li Yan grabbed Zhao Yun's hand. "Come, come, General Ziyun, look, this is the deployment of all the armies for the Northern Expedition that this old man has prepared!"
As he spoke, Li Yan took out a map from a sandalwood box. He quickly unfolded it and pointed to the Jinnio Road. "On this route, I plan to dispatch General Yide and Strategist Xiaozhi to take the initiative. General Yide has a surge of momentum, and Fa Zheng is skilled in planning. They will surely be competent!"
"As for this Mincang Road, I do not intend to dispatch General Wei Yan or General Ziyun. This Mincang Road has the most complex mountain paths and the densest jungles. It is better to send generals more familiar with the local terrain, such as Huang Zu and Wu Yi!" Da Feng Novel Network
"As for... Lizhi Road, this is a perilous path. This old man is considering a candidate... I did not expect General Ziyun to arrive!"
Li Yan had extraordinary trust in Zhao Yun and expounded his deployment here.
"I am grateful that Minister Li does not think little of me. Yun is willing to go through fire and water to repay the favor of a dog and horse!" Zhao Yun cupped his hands.
"Haha," Li Yan laughed again. "To be honest, General Ziyun, among the Four Tiger Generals, this old man's favorite is General Ziyun! However..."
Li Yan changed his tone. He seemed to have suddenly thought of something. "General Ziyun, in fact, this old man still has a concern. This old man has carefully reviewed the ancient maps of Bashu many times, and besides these three roads, there is another one... This one can bypass Hanzhong and directly attack Chang'an!"
As soon as these words were spoken...
Zhao Yun's heart sank. Li Yan's hand had already pointed to a small road on the map.
Zhao Yun could see clearly. Besides the "Yinping Road," what else could it be?
And this...
This was precisely the critical route that Cao Yu intended to use to cross Yinping and attack Shu Han, as reported by the Wei Army's intelligence department.
"General Li, this Yinping Road... is not easy to travel!" Zhao Yun pointed at Motianling. "These steep mountains and peaks, let alone people, can even birds fly over them?"
"Indeed..." Li Yan nodded. The Shu army did not have wings, and the Wei army did not grow wings! This old man was overthinking it!"
The next day, in Bashu, at a tea stall in Chengdu Commandery.
Zhao Yun often came here, so much so that the surrounding markets whispered that General Ziyun liked the flower tea of Chengdu Commandery.
Today... Zhao Yun, as usual, ordered a cup of flower tea and began to drink it by himself.
Originally...
This was a perfectly ordinary event, but this time, a man dressed as a traveling merchant was also walking towards the tea stall on the road. "A pot of flower tea!" the man shouted.
This shout caught Zhao Yun's attention. He looked up and saw the merchant's sturdy figure.
Because the trade routes between Bashu and Great Wei were not blocked, there were many merchants coming and going, which indirectly boosted the economy of Bashu... Currently, Bashu had a great demand for material goods from Great Wei.
At this moment, the merchant clearly noticed Zhao Yun looking at him. He did not show much surprise and continued to walk forward by himself.
As he passed Zhao Yun's seat, the merchant deliberately paused for a moment and gave Zhao Yun a faint smile.
Zhao Yun also smiled slightly... and nodded in greeting.
Their statuses were vastly different, as if they did not know each other, yet as if... in the vast sea of people, two men met by chance, neither showing any intention of sitting at the same table to chat.
However... at the moment they brushed past each other, Zhao Yun's lips moved slightly, and he uttered a very soft but extremely stern sentence: "The goods are at the old place!"
...
...
Outside Luoyang City, next to the Imperial Academy, several new official schools had been built.
There were "Junior Schools" for students under ten years old, and "Senior Schools" for students over ten years old.
Similar to Luoyang, countless official schools had been built in every county and every prefecture throughout Great Wei, and many private schools were also being vigorously established with the support of the government.
For a time, an extremely strong academic atmosphere permeated Great Wei.
And around the Imperial Academy, countless students were discussing excitedly.
"Do you guess why there are so many schools suddenly appearing in Great Wei? Why does the court so highly advocate academics?"
"Because of what?"
"Isn't it because of our Empress of Great Wei and Director Cai of the Imperial Academy?"
"Director Cai?"
"Lean closer, let me tell you, I have someone working in the palace. Guess what? The Emperor, who had never missed a morning court session in five years, actually canceled two consecutive days of morning court five days ago. During these two days, he was entirely in the Weiyang Palace and did not even leave the door, remaining at Director Cai's place!"
"This... Director Cai is the Empress, so it's natural for His Majesty to be in the Weiyang Palace, right?"
"What do you understand? It was only after His Majesty came out of the Weiyang Palace that he issued an edict to establish schools throughout Great Wei, planning to build over three hundred official schools and over five hundred private schools, so that every young student would have books to read! And teachers to instruct them... This means..."
"...Director Cai's two days of keeping His Majesty in Weiyang Palace had an effect..."
"Oh... you mean Director Cai slept with (convinced) His Majesty... uh... I see, I see!" Many students suddenly realized...
But their eyes were still wide open, filled with astonishment.
It turned out that this all-knowing and skilled Emperor of Great Wei... also had a weakness.
Was Her Majesty the Empress challenging his weakness?
Using such a method... to win so many schools for the students of the world.
Her Majesty the Empress... was truly painstaking!
"Her Majesty the Empress is truly a 'female Confucius' of this era... Even compared to the two Sages Confucius and Dong, she is not inferior!"
"For Great Wei to have such an Empress... it is the fortune of us scholars, the fortune of us scholars!"
...
...
In Luoyang Imperial Palace, Weiyang Palace.
First Xiao Qiao, then Ma Yunlu, Sun Shangxiang, Lu Lingqi, and finally Zhang Qiying. It could be said that except for the two "well-behaved girls," Xiahou Yuan and Da Qiao... all the concubines had arrived.
"What authority does the Medical Office have? Why should it send female officials... to examine our bodies? To regulate our diet?"
Xiao Qiao looked very aggrieved...
"Yes..." Sun Shangxiang was also displeased. "I am not only the Princess of Jiangdong but also the Noble Consort of Great Wei. How can my body be examined and diagnosed by ordinary female officials? This is an insult to this Noble Consort!"
Lu Lingqi and Ma Yunlu also looked like they were sharpening their knives...
Zhang Qiying remained silent, waiting for an answer.
The reason why so many palace concubines were in this state was that early this morning, the Medical Office had sent female physicians to various palaces. This was not a routine check-up, but rather to reside in the palaces and conduct daily dietary adjustments, physical examinations, and the like...
The occurrence of this event caused an uproar in the entire Great Wei harem...
Countless concubines rushed to Weiyang Palace... Such a major event, the Empress must manage it!
"Her Majesty the Empress, your humble subject and your sisters are but women... yet we bear the heavy responsibility of monitoring the four directions for His Majesty, which is truly taxing and worrisome. But... to have female officials reside in your humble subject's palace and closely monitor us... what is the reason for this?"
Ma Yunlu also expressed her dissatisfaction...
"That's right!" Lu Lingqi gritted her teeth. "Your humble subject and your sisters follow His Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress's lead, and dedicate ourselves to the prosperity of Great Wei. Yet... yet we cannot endure such insult!"
With the exception of Zhang Qiying... everyone expressed their dissatisfaction.
Cai Zhaoji patiently listened to them finish speaking and then turned to look at Zhang Qiying. "Qiying? Do you have anything to say?"
"What the other sisters have said is what I wish to say..." Zhang Qiying blinked her eyes, pondered for a moment, and then said so.
"Then, this palace understands." Cai Zhaoji nodded. She slowly rose from the "Phoenix" position in Weiyang Palace. "Since all my younger sisters have doubts, then this palace will tell you. It is this palace's intention to send female medical officials to reside in each palace!"
Ah...
This sudden statement surprised all the concubines.
How could they have imagined...
That the usually gentle and kind Empress Cai Yan, who never put on airs...
Would... would make such an arrangement?
Would she be so indifferent to their feelings? This was completely different from the Cai Yan they had in their hearts. Do people change? Especially with this supreme phoenix position?
Just as everyone was filled with doubt, Cai Yan sighed softly and continued, "This palace knows you are all in doubt, even questioning. But these words, this palace still must say... It has been five years since you entered the imperial palace, hasn't it? Granted... under the coordination of Sister Fu, you have managed the 'Sparrow Gate' and obtained a lot of intelligence for His Majesty, and you can be considered to have made considerable contributions. But in fact... have you forgotten your duties as women... especially palace women? The Sparrow Gate must be managed, but is it not also important to propagate His Majesty's lineage? Cai Zhaoji's words instantly made all the women blush.
Filial impiety has three forms, the greatest of which is to have no descendants. Moreover, it is in the imperial family... The former Emperor Cao Cao had over twenty sons, but His Majesty... is in his prime, yet he only has one daughter... This is indeed somewhat unreasonable!
The prosperity of offspring... determines the rise and fall of an empire...
All the women understood this clearly...
"So... this is the reason Her Majesty the Empress sent medical officials to reside in our palaces... is that correct?" Zhang Qiying pursed her lips and said softly.
Cai Yan did not answer, but nodded her head...
Understood, now... all the concubines understood.
These five years... the Sparrow Gate had just been established. It was to spread "hidden posts" everywhere and to infiltrate "Sparrow Gate" women into the residences of various powerful officials. It sounded easy, but it was extremely difficult to do.
The concubines present, except for Xiao Qiao... had all worked tirelessly for this, and indeed had not focused their energy on His Majesty!
"You manage the Sparrow Gate for the good of Great Wei..." Cai Zhaoji continued, "But do not forget your identities either... From today onwards, put aside matters of the Sparrow Gate and properly condition your bodies according to the medical officials' instructions. If there is no good news, then continue conditioning. Furthermore... for the prosperity of Great Wei's princes, starting today, the palace's arrangements for imperial consorts will be handled by this palace. This palace will discuss with the Medical Office, calculate the time, and strive to allow my younger sisters to welcome good news as soon as possible!"
Although it was about matters of the bedchamber, the words had already reached this point.
Despite their shyness... all the concubines repeatedly nodded in agreement.
Only Xiao Qiao...
She was accustomed to being willful and spoke without thinking. "Her Majesty the Empress, but... but what if it's not our reason, but His Majesty's..."
"Silence!" Before Xiao Qiao could finish speaking, Cai Zhaoji's incredibly cold words came out.
Along with her sudden rise, she transformed instantly from a learned and virtuous woman into a queen exuding overwhelming dominance. "His Majesty is the Lord of Great Wei, His Majesty is your man. If you cannot conceive, it is your fault, and it has nothing to do with His Majesty! Moreover..."
It seemed Cai Zhaoji had more to say, but she ultimately swallowed all her words.
She actually wanted to say, I have already tested for you. His Majesty is in his prime, and two days are not a problem. How could it be his problem?
Of course, these words were too explicit and carried too much of a bragging element. As the Empress, Cai Zhaoji could say them, but as women... which woman would not be shy and awkward?
...
Over there, in the Chongde Hall, an urgent report was sent back.
The Huben Army presented the letter with both hands and reported quickly.
It was better not to report, but his words... made Lu Yu, who was drowsy from lack of sleep, instantly perk up his spirits.
"A letter from Ziyun conveyed through the Wudoumi Sect?"
"About the deployment of the four armies for the Northern Expedition in Bashu?"
"Finally, it's here!"
...
...
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