Chapter 3: Are Military Advisors Trustworthy, Ghosts, and Deities

Taking advantage of the fact that the day's busy political affairs had not yet officially commenced, Zhuge Liang planned to have a heart-to-heart conversation with Liu Shan

Xiahou Yuan was a prominent minister under Cao Cao, who had always acted with impunity and achieved remarkable military accomplishments

Liu Shan is expected to become the lifelong successor of Liu Bei without any surprises, and it would not be too unexpected if some charlatans attempted to exert influence over him

Lift water

Zhuge Liang did not hastily blame his subordinates; he quickly stepped forward and spoke in a gentle tone

Young Master

Zhuge Liang was determined to put on a stern face today and give Liu Shan a good lesson, insisting that this young noble must muster his spirits and fulfill the responsibilities expected of Liu Bei's son

It is not surprising that Liu Shan's prophecy predicted Liu Bei's victory; what is astonishing is that he could also foresee Huang Zhong slaying Xiahou Yuan

"Return to the strategist, the young master is currently drawing water..."

Who said this to the young master

At the beginning of the month, the lord crossed the Mi Cang Mountain and has already arrived here. Xiahou Yuan is concerned that the lord will cut off his retreat, and he will inevitably come to battle in person

Liu Shan was a person of great filial piety. He was deeply concerned about Liu Bei and, yesterday during the day, secretly slipped into Zhuge Liang's residence to inquire about the situation on the front lines in Hanzhong.

Zhuge Liang shook his head and said

Having reached this point in the conversation, Liu Shan naturally realized that the current situation on the battlefield was not optimistic

What is the young master doing?

Upon hearing the words "Dingjun Mountain," Zhuge Liang furrowed his thick brows and said

Liu Shan scratched his head and said

In the early morning at the residence of General Zuo, several maidservants and strong attendants were supposed to be tidying up, yet now everyone surprisingly stood up and moved about. Zhuge Liang sensed something unusual and thus inquired.

How did Liu Shan come to know? In order to keep it a secret, it was clearly not stated that he was aware of it

Zhuge Liang had seen countless people, and he discerned that Liu Shan was not lying. He truly did not understand where this confidence came from, believing so firmly in such prophecies. Could it be that there really were deities protecting him

"Strategist, did you come early today because there is a matter in Hanzhong?"

Where is the young master

Liu Shan was examining the map while silently reciting the names on it, seemingly unaware of how unfavorable the situation was for Liu Bei's side.

Liu Shan invited Zhuge Liang into the room, and once they were seated, he could not wait to say:

At present, Liu Bei is not in Chengdu and has fully entrusted Zhuge Liang with handling all daily affairs of the Left General's Office

It is currently unknown; I have been preoccupied with state affairs in recent days, and I have often neglected your inquiries. Today, I have come specifically to discuss the situation of the Han Zhong military campaign with you

The region of Shu has been significantly influenced by the Five Pecks of Rice teaching, with numerous charlatans actively engaging in activities, often creating disturbances among the populace through the use of witchcraft and sorcery.

Zhuge Liang pondered for a moment and said

Isn't this too precise

This made Zhuge Liang even more anxious

The Jinniu Path is the essential route for attacking Yangping Pass from the west, as the Jinniu Path is narrow, making it impossible for large troops to deploy.

It is indeed unknown.

As soon as the new lunar month began, he personally led a large army, taking a detour of several hundred miles through the vast primitive jungle of the Mi Cang Mountain in the south, and successfully arrived at the camp at Dingjun Mountain on the southern bank of the Han River, preparing to encircle the rear route of Yangping Pass

This military operation is a desperate tactical gamble for survival. If Xiahou Yuan had been a bit more astute, instead of merely guarding Yangping Pass and sleeping, he would have sent someone to set up an ambush at Dingjun Mountain early on. It is likely that Liu Bei's army, emerging from Micang Mountain, would have faced total annihilation.

Zhuge Liang spoke in a slightly gentler tone, explaining the current situation of the battle to Liu Shan while pointing at the map

Zhuge Liang held a very high level of prestige within Liu Bei's army, and any deployment of military operations in Hanzhong would be immediately reported to him in Chengdu. Therefore, he was quite well-informed about Liu Bei's military situation, to the extent that he could even deduce the general state of affairs at present

Last time, Zhang Fei decisively defeated Zhang He, nearly cornering him in the mountains, yet it was still Zhang He who managed to escape by climbing the mountain.

"Young master, no, A Dou, please tell me honestly, what did the divine message say?"

He originally thought that Liu Shan would be terrified and at a loss for words, at the very least showing some signs of unease and anxiety

The strategist has arrived

The Jinniu Road is inherently distant, and with the addition of the Micang Mountain, our military's transport capacity is insufficient, making it imperative to engage in a decisive battle in the coming days

Hearing someone shout loudly, "Men should fight, women should support," Liu Shan happened to be in the corridor

Following the direction indicated by the maid's finger, one could see Liu Shan dressed in coarse clothing and a short brown robe, struggling to lift a water bucket in the cold morning light of early spring, laboriously straightening up and puffing as he trudged through the courtyard

However, Zhuge Liang soon thought of another issue

Uh?

Where is Dinging Mountain

Divine Communication

Liu Shan was raised by Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang spoke while carefully observing Liu Shan's expression

Therefore, this operation was quite secretive, to the extent that even Zhuge Liang only learned a few days ago that Liu Bei had unexpectedly made his way to such a distant location.

Zhuge Liang believed that Liu Bei would surely win this battle, but he stated that it was certain he would be able to kill this person

I hope that, as you say, General Huang will achieve success in battle; if so, then Hanzhong will be entirely in my hands

Dingjun Mountain is located south of the Han River, and the lord indeed led the army to this place

Why is the young master so spirited today? It truly surprises Liang.

Even if one is truly guessing blindly, one should at least say something like "the three-eight crosswise, the yellow pig encounters the tiger" to avoid being slapped in the face

If Hanzhong cannot withstand the attack, it is likely that Shuzhong will also be unable to hold its ground. It is no wonder that this only 12-year-old boy is filled with fear and anxiety

He really does not believe it very much

With a spirit of Liu Shan revitalized and holding the books respectfully, he clasped his hands in gratitude and said

He took out a scroll from his sleeve, which depicted a map painted on silk, and pointed to several mountains and rivers illustrated on it, saying:

I, I received a message from the divine last night, my father achieved a great victory in Hanzhong, General Huang Zhong beheaded the rebel leader Xiahou Yuan at Dingjun Mountain, hence I ask this question

Liu Shan saw the caution in Zhuge Liang's eyes and quickly said

Advisor, may I ask if you know what Peking opera is

The divine has proclaimed that the heavens will not forsake my Yan Han, and in this battle, our army is destined for a great victory. Moreover, Xiahou Yuan shall surely perish at the hands of General Huang Lao

Since ancient times, the prophecies of charlatans have always been vague and unclear, leaving you guessing and unable to grasp the essence, thus allowing one to feel the boundless power of the master

Liu Shan relaxed his grip, and the water bucket immediately fell to the ground at his feet, splashing cold water all over him.

Liu Bei understood that being in a standoff with Xiahou Yuan at Yangping Pass would eventually lead to his exhaustion. Following Fa Zheng's advice, he took the initiative to embark on a military adventure.

Uh ... ...

Last year, the lord led the army along the Jinniu Road to attack Yangping Pass but was unsuccessful. Additionally, when sending Chen Shi north via Maming Pavilion Road, he also met with failure. Therefore, we are currently at a stalemate here with Xiahou Yuan.

Seeing Liu Shan drenched in sweat and exhausted, with his chest heaving up and down, Zhuge Liang quickly called for a servant to bring a silk cloth, and compassionately helped Liu Shan wipe himself down, saying

A Dou, you must take on the heavy responsibility of reviving the Han dynasty. The difficulties ahead will be even greater; how can you be flustered by such trivial matters

After all, Liu Bei has not achieved any significant victories in battle against Cao Cao over the years, and there were also quite a few people in Shu who had secretly colluded with Cao Wei before.

Liu Shan felt a chill run down his spine under Zhuge Liang's piercing gaze, and he dared not speak recklessly. He straightened his posture and said solemnly

Yangping Pass is located to the west, guarding the throat of Hanzhong

"Strategist, I originally intended to find a stone lock to train my strength, but unable to find one for the moment, I resorted to practicing with this water bucket instead, which may seem amusing."

As dawn was just breaking, Zhuge Liang hurriedly arrived at the residence of the Left General

At that time, Zhuge Liang had just received a letter from Liu Bei requesting support. Concerned that the people of Shu might take the opportunity to cause unrest, he was momentarily indecisive and thus invited Yang Hong to discuss the matter.

Even Zhuge Liang, despite his astute intelligence and resourcefulness, was momentarily taken aback

Xiahou Yuan gathered Zhang He and Xu Huang here, preparing to exhaust Liu Bei by utilizing the grain transport route of 1,500 li along the Golden Ox Road

Then I would ask the strategist to elaborate on it

Liu Bei had a son in his old age, and Liu Shan was raised in a pampered manner. Although he had a gentle disposition, he was also quite lazy

A maid saw that it was Zhuge Liang who had arrived, and quickly bowed, saying

However, Liu Shan's performance left Zhuge Liang momentarily stunned

He did not allow the servants of the military strategist's office to inform Zhuge Liang, but instead staggered back to his residence, immediately shutting the door and not going out, clearly having been quite frightened

It is acceptable for him to practice archery and read the classics, but if he is asked to rise early to build his strength, he would absolutely refuse