At Yinguan, Tian Yu, on the emperor's order, eliminated the old and weak in the Xianbei army, leaving only 3,000 cavalrymen in the army of Budugen, Xieguini and Suli.
On March 15th, the army set out and headed northeast towards Dai County.
On the 19th, when Cao Rui had not yet arrived in Dai County, the Shu Han envoy Jiang Wan hurried back to Baishui from Wuchang.
When Fei Yi heard from his subordinates that Jiang Wan was coming, he went to the south gate of Baishui Pass to welcome him. He waited for nearly two hours before he finally saw Jiang Wan's arrival.
"Brother Gongyan must have been exhausted from the long journey." Fei Yi bowed slightly.
"Hey, it's all for national affairs. What is Wenwei doing?" Jiang Wan's face was full of fatigue, but his eyes were bright.
"The Prime Minister is in the palace. Take me to see him quickly!"
Fei Yi stared at Jiang Wan's face for a few moments and replied, "Of course the Prime Minister is in the palace. But Brother Gongyan, do you want to rest first?"
"Why are you taking a break? We're not going to take a break anymore!" Jiang Wan grabbed Fei Yi's wrist and said, "Let's go, Wen Wei, come with me!"
Baishuiguan City is not big, only two miles from east to west and from north to south. It can be reached on foot without riding a horse.
Jiang Wan asked, "Prime Minister, have you successfully tested all the results of your expedition to Yangping Pass?"
Fei Yi nodded: "Logistics, camping and moving, formation coordination, all have been practiced and have reached the prime minister's standard. Zhang He and Guo Huai are advancing from both sides, but they never dare to actually attack."
The wrinkles on Jiang Wan's face due to fatigue seemed to relax a little: "That's good, that's good. The Prime Minister is so talented that you and I may never be able to compare with him in this lifetime!"
Fei Yi said: "Xiao Gui Cao Sui, how can there be so many people like Xiao He? If you and I can be a Cao Shen, it would be enough to comfort us in our lives."
"Has Sun Quan accepted it?"
Jiang Wan sneered and said, "Sun Quan is just a traitor. His intention to usurp power has long been difficult to conceal."
"Although I have to see the Prime Minister first, it doesn't hurt to tell you now." Jiang Wan glanced around and said in a low voice: "Sun Quan will probably be crowned emperor in September!"
Fei Yi did not laugh with Jiang Wan, but sighed deeply: "I don't know whether it is a blessing or a curse!"
Fei Yi had always been in a heavy mood and could not match Jiang Wan's ease in handling heavy tasks.
Jiang Wan patted Fei Yi on the shoulder and said, "Your Majesty and the Prime Minister have their own plans for this matter. It is not something you and I can decide. Just do your part."
The two of them walked into the prime minister's residence while talking.
Now the administrative and military power of Shu Han was all concentrated in Baishui Xiangfu, and Xiangfu military service became the most important position in Shu Han. If you can be an official in Xiangfu, no one wants to be an official in Chengdu.
This scene is 70% similar to Cao Cao's Prime Minister's Mansion back then.
Jiang Wan was also an official military officer in the Prime Minister's Mansion, but he was in charge of foreign affairs and rarely returned to the Prime Minister's Mansion for a long time. This time when he entered the city and the Prime Minister's Mansion, he was stopped by countless people to greet him.
Jiang Wan left Wuchang in mid-February and took a month to reach Baishui. The journey was truly arduous.
Zhuge Liang stood up from behind the desk and walked to Jiang Wan's side. He looked at Jiang Wan's face like Fei Yi and sighed, "State affairs are complicated. Gongyan has worked hard."
Jiang Wan responded solemnly, bowed and saluted: "I will definitely fulfill my mission in Wuchang this time."
"Gongyan, please sit down and sit closer to me." Zhuge Liang asked, "What did Sun Quan say, and what did Your Majesty say?"
Jiang Wan briefly recounted his experience on this mission and then concluded:
"Sun Quan wants to attack Xiangyang instead of Hefei, and wants to be crowned emperor in September."
Zhuge Liang frowned as he listened to Jiang Wan's story: "Does he want to attack Xiangyang?"
Jiang Wan nodded and explained, "I have also had many discussions with Sun Quan's favorite minister Hu Zong. The Eastern Wu attacked Hefei many times but failed, and three years ago they suffered heavy casualties in Lujiang and Wancheng. From Sun Quan to the generals, no one wants to attack Huainan again."
Zhuge Liang sighed, "When Sun Quan attacked Huainan before, everyone in the Han court thought that Cao Xiu's military strategy was right. The year before last, during the battle in Longyou, we realized that the Wei Central Army and Cao Rui should not be underestimated. Sun Quan was reluctant to attack Huainan, and I can probably understand his feelings."
Zhuge Liang paused, raised his head slightly and said with some sadness: "Cao Mengde gave birth to good children and grandchildren!"
Jiang Wan and Fei Yi looked at each other and said to comfort him: "Don't worry, Prime Minister. The Cao family is a usurper and a rebellious party. They will eventually be punished by heaven. The will of heaven is still on the side of the Han Dynasty."
Zhuge Liang said, "Of course I know. Sun Quan's grandson was made king in Wei. How do the people of Dongwu view it?"
Jiang Wan hesitated after hearing this: "Prime Minister, this matter seems quite complicated to me, and I don't know how to explain it to you..."
Zhuge Liang said, "Gong Yan, please feel free to speak."
Jiang Wan pursed his lips and replied, "When it comes to attacking Wei, Sun Quan agreed very readily, as if he and Wei Ni had no such relationship." "But I have heard from many sources that every New Year, Sun Quan and Cao Rui would exchange letters and gifts, and there was a sense of Qin and Jin."
Zhuge Liang saw through it and said calmly, "Sun Quan is a two-faced person by nature. He treats military affairs like this, and he treats this matter like this."
"If what I expected is correct, Sun Quan's submissive attitude towards Cao Rui is probably just to leave a way out for the Sun family."
Fei Yi, who was sitting opposite, said angrily: "How can there be so many escape routes in the world! Sun Quan and Wei Ni tried to beg for mercy, but how could Cao let him go!"
Zhuge Liang said with emotion: "Sun Quan is wavering, and the Han Dynasty cannot let him waver. If he wants to attack Xiangyang, then let him attack Xiangyang."
"Gong Yan, you have come from Chengdu. What does His Majesty have to say about this matter?"
Although the Shu Han court had always been accustomed to ignoring Liu Chan's opinions when handling political affairs, even Zhuge Liang was the same.
However, since this major event involved helping their ally Sun Quan become emperor, Liu Chan's feelings had to be taken into consideration.
Jiang Wan raised his eyes and looked at Zhuge Liang: "Your Majesty didn't say anything, he just told me that the Prime Minister can make the decision."
"But when I set out from Chengdu to Baishui the next day, I heard that Your Majesty had been sitting alone in the Imperial Ancestral Temple for the entire night."
Zhuge Liang's eyes flushed slightly. He took a deep breath, looked up, and forcibly suppressed the tears in his eyes: "It is my fault that I failed to protect the foundation of the late emperor!"
Jiang Wan and Fei Yi hurriedly tried to persuade and calm Zhuge Liang down.
In fact, Zhuge Liang, Jiang Wan and Fei Yi had completely different feelings towards the current Han Dynasty.
Zhuge Liang joined Liu Bei in his time of hardship, worked tirelessly and never stopped, and finally built a foundation for himself after going through many hardships.
Jiang Wan and Fei Yi were more like traditional scholars who were loyal to the Han Dynasty. If you ask them why they were loyal to the Han Dynasty, they would answer that it was the duty of a minister and the moral principles of heaven, but they did not have the deep friendship like Zhuge Liang.
It's hard to ask for too much.
Zhuge Liang calmed down and continued, "If Sun Quan wants to be crowned emperor in September, Gongyan will have to go to Wuchang again."
Jiang Wan bowed and said, "I obey your orders. This is my job. I dare not say it is hard work."
Zhuge Liang nodded: "Gongyan, Wenwei, Sun Quan wants to attack Xiangyang. When do you think Sun Quan would attack?"
Jiang Wan was the first to speak: "Prime Minister, it is already the end of March. If we make an appointment with Sun Quan, it may be May before his troops receive the news."
"I think it would be better to let Sun Quan attack Xiangyang in July?"
Fei Yi said from the side: "Brother Gongyan is wrong."
"If Sun Quan is determined to be crowned emperor in September and attack in July, how can he stay in Xiangyang for a long time? If he only attacks Xiangyang for one or two months, how can he capture the big city of Xiangyang?"
Zhuge Liang continued Fei Yi's words and said, "Wen Wei is right. July is indeed a little anxious. Sun Quan is so eager to become emperor that he probably won't allow such interference to happen."
Jiang Wan argued: "Since the Prime Minister has already trained his troops successfully, it is natural for the Han Dynasty to attack Wei as soon as possible."
"Since being attacked by Zhang Wenyuan in Hefei, when has Sun Quan personally braved the arrows and stones to take charge of the front line? It was either Lü Ziming or Lu Boyan. Now I'm afraid it has to be handed over to Quan Cong and his generation."
Zhuge Liang pondered for a long time before he sighed, "Well, both of you have a point. The Han army stationed in Baishui can go out at any time. Instead, we need to communicate with Sun Quan and decide on Sun Quan's timing."
"Gong Yan should send someone to Wuchang again. Don't go there in person this time." Zhuge Liang looked at Jiang Wan and said, "Send someone to ask Sun Quan what he really thinks and when he is willing to attack Wei."
"If he sets a time, I will be at Baishui heading north at the same time as him."
Jiang Wan bowed and said, "I understand the Prime Minister's intention and will definitely select someone to go."
"But Prime Minister, I have just reported to you that Sun Quan wants to divide the world with the Han Dynasty. I wonder what your opinion is?"
Zhuge Liang said: "What the Han Dynasty needs right now is Yongliang. If we can get Yongliang, it will be enough for the Han Dynasty to revive again."
"Gong Yan and Sun Quan said it very well. This division on paper is just to fill in the numbers in the alliance. How can it be taken seriously? When the Wei Kingdom is defeated, it will really depend on each person's ability."
"Given the hatred between the Han Dynasty and Sun Quan, I will not let Sun Quan go."
Fei Yi sighed: "For now, I still have to be patient with Sun Quan. It's all for the sake of the Han Dynasty."
Zhuge Liang nodded solemnly: "For the Han Dynasty!" (End of this chapter)
