The Beginning of the Northern Expedition

By the time I arrived in Hanzhong, the war had already begun.

Liu Bei had passed through Yiling and joined up with Guan Yu in Fancheng, while Ma Chao had headed north with Wang Ping and Gu Pu, taking back his position from Pang De who had been in charge of Tianshui in his stead.

Soon, Liu Bei will lead a large army including Guan Yu’s Jingzhou forces to attack Wancheng.

And one step ahead of Liu Bei, Ma Chao had already begun moving his troops. The battle that would take place in Tianshui was the very beginning of this Northern Expedition, and Ma Chao, who would open the prelude to this war, was our country’s vanguard general.

At the military council being held in Nanzheng County, the seat of government in Hanzhong, Ma Chao’s military actions were being recreated on the map.

“Currently, the General of the Left is said to be marching towards Longxian where the enemy general Yang Fu is stationed.”

Yang Fu, Ma Chao’s old nemesis, was holding out in Longxian, located northeast of Qishan. Though Yang Fu, as Governor of Tianshui, had successfully blocked Ma Chao in the previous attack, this time would be different.

“With Military Advisor Pang accompanying the General of the Left, even Yang Fu won’t be able to hold out. How did they deal with Xu Huang of the Longsishui Army?”

“They say 5,000 troops were given to General Who Conquers the North Wang Ping to block him.”

“If it’s Zijun, he can be trusted.”

The Wei army in Liangzhou could be seen as largely divided into three:

Yang Fu guarding the Tianshui Army. Xu Huang guarding the Longxi Army. Xiahou Mao guarding the Jincheng Army. These were people who had already proven their abilities through various achievements.

Further north, there were also Guan Qiujian, Governor of Wuwei, and Zhang Ji, Inspector of Liangzhou. But that area was such a remote and barren frontier that even Wei had half-abandoned it, so it wasn’t at a level to be a threat. Unless they send small-scale reinforcements.

For Jiang Wei, who was from Tianshui and had once been an official of Wei, those names seemed to come across as even more burdensome.

Looking at the Wei side names marked on the map, he said heavily:

“Yang Fu, Xu Huang, Xiahou Mao… none of them are to be taken lightly.”

They were all talents versed in both civil and military affairs who had completely crushed rebellions of the tough Liangzhou ethnic minorities and appropriately used carrot and stick to make them submit to Wei.

If they had continued guarding Yong and Liang provinces in the original history, Zhuge Liang’s first Northern Expedition might have been blocked before the Battle of Jieting.

‘They weren’t there in Zhuge Liang’s Northern Expedition.’

In the original history, after Liu Bei died in defeat at the Battle of Yiling, thinking Shu was no longer a threat, they recalled them to the central government.

But now, not letting down their guard against Liu Bei, Cao Pi left those capable men in Liangzhou as they were.

Hoping they would faithfully protect Liangzhou from Liu Bei.

‘Not knowing that was a mistake in personnel policy.’

The other appointments were excellent. Yang Fu was an expert against Ma Chao who had blocked him several times, and Xu Huang had deep trust from the ethnic minorities so he wouldn’t be easily shaken.

But Xiahou Mao was wrong.

When Cao Pi received the abdication from Emperor Xian and ascended to the throne in the original history, there were two people in Wei who wore mourning clothes and wailed sadly.

Cao Zhi and Xiahou Mao.

As history twisted, there were changes for them too.

Cao Zhi, who had lamented missing the throne that could have been his, didn’t dare make a sound of wailing under the more brutal checks that had become fiercer than in the original history.

Xiahou Mao, who had stopped after realizing belatedly that Emperor Xian hadn’t died and was still alive, and thought himself foolish, didn’t stop wailing because he remained on the frontier.

If Xiahou Mao had been given more time and leisure, he would have grasped Emperor Xian’s survival, but the situation didn’t allow it. He had to prepare for the Northern Expedition that arose immediately after the abdication.

‘And one more thing.’

Pang Tong, who hadn’t stopped espionage in preparation for the Northern Expedition, sent me a letter as soon as he heard about Xiahou Mao. It was a letter discussing the attempt to make Xiahou Mao defect.

Only after seeing that did I recall the original history and replied that there was enough possibility with Xiahou Mao. At the same time, I recommended a person to entrust with persuading Xiahou Mao.

It was Deng Zhi, who had succeeded in rebuilding the Shu-Wu alliance against Sun Quan after the Battle of Yiling.

If the person in charge of Shu Han’s diplomacy in the past was Sun Qian, it could be said that now there is Deng Zhi, to the extent that Deng Zhi is so capable. Liu Bei personally promoted him to the high position of Minister to the extent of recognizing his wisdom and loyalty.

At the request of Pang Tong and me, Deng Zhi readily agreed to enter that dangerous enemy territory. It was with the same loyalty as in the original history when he visited Sun Quan, who was like a mortal enemy after the Battle of Yiling and Liu Bei’s death.

Mobilizing Deng Zhi, who was in the same Minister position as Liu Ba, was also to show Xiahou Mao how much our country values him.

And Deng Zhi showed through achievements why he was recognized by Liu Bei.

“Xiahou Mao has expressed his intention to defect to our country.”

“What? Is that really true?”

To deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies.

Pang Tong and I hadn’t told anyone except Liu Bei and Ma Chao about persuading Xiahou Mao.

But now that the Northern Expedition has officially begun, it’s fine to speak about it.

“Yes. If Xiahou Mao defects, they won’t be able to stop our country with just Liangzhou forces anymore.”

With Ma Chao alone it’s slightly uneasy, but as long as Pang Tong is with him, Yang Fu and Xu Huang alone won’t be able to stop our army.

Of course, Wei won’t just sit by and take this. If Liangzhou falls, we can aim for Guanzhong simultaneously from Liangzhou and Hanzhong. And unless it’s a situation where they can’t save it, in Anding Commandery right next to Liangzhou, he is there.

Cao Zhang, who commands the largest and strongest army among Wei forces in Yong and Liang provinces.

“Since Cao Zhang is being cautious, we should push him from this side.”

To draw in Cao Zhang, who was still holding his position despite Ma Chao’s attack being enough incentive to cross over to Liangzhou, I added one more thing on top of Xiahou Mao’s defection.

“Issue military orders to the army camp. Say that we too will march to Liangzhou.”

Cao Zhang will have no choice but to go to Liangzhou.

§

“Xiahou Mao betrayed?”

At the messenger’s words that Xiahou Mao had attacked and absorbed the reinforcements of Guan Qiujian, Governor of Wuwei, Cao Zhang threw aside even the letter from Yang Fu he had been reading and sprang up.

Though he and his lieutenants Cao Xiu and Xiahou You had assumed all kinds of situations, Xiahou Mao’s betrayal was beyond their assumptions.

“He really made up his mind, he really did!”

Since someone like Xiahou Mao wouldn’t turn overnight, there must have been underground communications going on from before the war started.

Not only Xiahou Mao’s betrayal, but the fact that they hadn’t noticed at all while being subjected to such machinations made him even more furious.

“General, this is no time for that. Liangzhou is about to fall entirely!”

After Xiahou You’s urgent cry, Cao Xiu’s calm words followed:

“Please calm down. The situation hasn’t gone to an irreversible point yet. Didn’t we station our army here in Lingxian in preparation for them aiming for Liangzhou? We can enter Liangzhou anytime before they block Jieting.”

Jieting, the gateway in the mountain range dividing Liangzhou and Yongzhou.

In Zhuge Liang’s first Northern Expedition, whose core was to cut off that Jieting to separate Liangzhou from Yongzhou and subjugate it, it was a place that became the turning point determining the course of the war.

Recognizing its importance, Cao Zhang made Lingxian near Jieting his base. So that he could immediately respond no matter which direction, Liangzhou or Yongzhou, the enemy attacked from.

“Right… It was Liangzhou that had to rely on Yang Fu’s support from the start. They say Zhang Ran is also marching to Tianshui?”

“Yes, there’s a report from a messenger that she marched west from Nanzheng.”

West of Nanzheng, the center of Hanzhong, is Wudu Commandery. Tianshui Commandery was right above Wudu.

After confirming Zhang Ran’s movements, Cao Zhang nodded and said:

“This is rather fortunate. I’ll settle things in Liangzhou at this opportunity.”

“Then how about sending word to the Inspector of Yongzhou to send reinforcements as well?”

Guo Huai, the Inspector of Yongzhou, was guarding Chang’an. If what they truly aim for is Liangzhou, it would be the right judgment to focus on Liangzhou, the main battlefield, but Cao Zhang was cautious.

“His Majesty said I should lead the cavalry forward to face the enemy, and Inspector Guo should guard the rear and assist me. We’ll leave Inspector Guo as is. We’ll go to Liangzhou on our own.”

Cao Zhang’s army, mostly composed of cavalry, crossed Jieting in an instant as soon as the order was given.

Cao Zhang’s movements quickly spread to both the Wei and Shu armies.

For the Wei army struggling with inferior numbers and internal shaking, it was truly news like rain in a drought.

The Wei army, which had been flustered by Xiahou Mao’s betrayal, regained morale at the news that reinforcements led by Cao Zhang were coming, and the momentum of the Shu army that had been pushing freely faltered.

Afterwards, Cao Zhang joined up with Yang Fu and faced Ma Chao’s army while waiting for Zhang Ran who would come later, but even as time passed, not even a glimpse of the golden threads of the Nanling Army was seen, let alone Zhang Ran’s face.

Cao Zhang thought Zhang Ran was heading for Tianshui, but that premise itself was an error.

At the very moment Cao Zhang was passing through Jieting, Zhang Ran had already turned her horse’s head and was heading north.

“By now, the General of the Left should have fought a battle with Cao Zhang?”

Zhang Ran’s words were close to talking to herself, but Jiang Wei answered faithfully:

“That should be the case.”

“Then they must have noticed too.”

Zhang Ran’s interest was no longer in Tianshui where Ma Chao and Cao Zhang would clash.

Tianshui is Ma Chao’s battlefield after all. Zhang Ran’s own battlefield was elsewhere.

“That we are crossing the Qinling Mountains.”

Further east than Tianshui. The land that spreads out when you go north from Hanzhong, Guanzhong.

That was Zhang Ran’s battlefield.

And the path Zhang Ran chose to enter Guanzhong by crossing the Qinling Mountains was the Ye Valley Road, also called the Pilgrim’s Path.

It was the path Zhuge Liang chose in his last Northern Expedition, and the path that led to Wuzhang Plains where he ultimately failed to achieve his ambition and passed away.

Zhang Ran headed towards that place where the long-cherished desire of the Northern Expedition had ended.

In order to make the Northern Expedition successful.