When Zhao Yun saw Liu Shimin, he was dumbfounded. This little emperor ran three horses to death, running himself pale-faced. In just three days, he arrived at the Jigu camp and immediately smashed the jade seal on the ground, saying, "I am the emperor. Quickly summon General Zhao to see me."
At that time, Zhao Yun was patrolling the camp. When he heard the noise, he thought he was hallucinating. He turned around and suddenly realized, thinking to himself, "So he's really the emperor... What a ghost! Why did A Dou suddenly appear in the Jigu camp? How come there isn't even a single piece of news from Chengdu?"
"Uncle Zhao, don't blame them. I ran too fast, and even in these few days, there is hardly any spare time. Quickly find Pu Yuan, the swordsmith. I have something to ask him," said Liu Shimin as he entered the camp, gulping down two bowls of water and speaking of important matters.
Zhao Yun hadn't recovered from his dumbfounded state and asked, "Your Majesty, why have you come here in the first place?"
Liu Shimin didn't have time to explain in detail and gestured vigorously to the soldier in Zhao Yun's tent.
The soldier looked at Liu Shimin, then at Zhao Yun.
Liu Shimin blurted out, "What are you looking at? I called you over, but you're still looking at General Zhao. Can General Zhao defy orders?"
The soldier was startled and quickly went over. Liu Shimin immediately instructed him to find Pu Yuan and gather the craftsmen inside and outside the Jigu camp for an important task.
Zhao Yun watched from the side, not annoyed at all. In fact, he was somewhat pleasantly surprised. When the soldier was about to leave, Zhao Yun handed him a military order, then turned and smiled at Liu Shimin, saying, "Although I don't know why Your Majesty has come, your decisive and resolute actions are commendable."
Liu Shimin laughed and said, "Zhao Uncle, don't blame me for taking matters into my own hands. It's just that the military situation is urgent and can't be delayed."
Zhao Yun asked in confusion, "What exactly is the military situation?"
Liu Shimin pointed to the north and said, "In the past two days, Ma Su has been defeated. Zhang He will definitely send a message to Cao Zhen. That side is our main force. Zhao Uncle, with a bunch of old and weak farmer soldiers, you need to lure Cao Zhen's main force to the Baoxie Road. Once Cao Zhen knows, he will lead his troops to attack. We need to be prepared."
Zhao Yun became serious and asked, "Ma Su was defeated? When did it happen?"
Liu Shimin looked up and calculated, "Probably tomorrow."
Zhao Yun: ???
Liu Shimin smiled and said, "Zhao Shu, don't be so serious. Regardless of whether Ma Su wins or loses, we just need to see if Cao Zhen will launch an attack in a few days to know the outcome."
Zhao Yun frowned and said, "Your Majesty, if Ma Su is truly defeated, it will be difficult for Longyou to hold on. We should withdraw our troops as soon as possible to protect our soldiers and preserve their lives."
Liu Shimin smiled again and looked at Zhao Yun, saying, "I traveled to Jigu for three days and three nights, not to retreat. I have given an order to the Prime Minister to hold onto Jieting. I will wait here for Cao Zhen's attack. Zhao Yun, listen to my command."
Without hesitation, Zhao Yun immediately saluted and accepted the order.
Liu Shimin felt a surge of emotion in his heart. He knew that this was Liu Bei's spirit commanding Zhao Yun. He thought to himself, "Emperor Zhao, go ahead. I will not let Zhao Zilong die of old age in Shu. Zhuge Liang's life will not be lost in the autumn wind again."
He said, "Increase the number of scouts and closely monitor the movements of Cao's army. Set up ambushes with crossbowmen on the Baoxie Road, and mobilize all cavalry to follow my orders."
Zhao Yun loudly complied with the orders.
Afterward, Liu Shimin looked deeply at Zhao Yun, who smiled and turned to issue the orders.
From Zhuge Liang to Zhao Yun, no one caused trouble, no one acted as a master for Adou. When Adou stepped forward himself, they all smiled at Adou, with smiles of relief, contentment, and joy.
Liu Shimin watched Zhao Yun's figure as he left, without doubting that this old man had already made up his mind. No matter what happens, he is determined to protect himself and return to Chengdu alive, even if it means risking his life to enter and exit seven times.
This reminded him of his ancestors in the Tang Dynasty four hundred years later.
Liu Shimin took a long breath.
A moment later, the tent was lifted, and it was Zhao Yun's personal guards returning to the tent, accompanied by Pu Yuan and the leader of the craftsmen.
Liu Shimin smiled.
Except for the elderly and weak, Zhao Yun's troops were mainly peasant soldiers, and their combat power was indeed inferior to Cao Zhen's. Even if they achieved a temporary victory with an ambush, it was not the victory Liu Shimin sought.
Throughout King Qin's military campaigns, he always pursued an advantage and never showed mercy, relentlessly pursuing and eliminating the enemy.
To achieve this goal, the current army and cavalry were not enough. First, they needed elite cavalry to break through Cao's formation, so they could rely on peasant soldiers and the elderly and weak Han army to fight when conditions were favorable.
He sought Pu Yuan and the craftsmen to enhance the combat power of the cavalry.
Pu Yuan was known for his ability to accurately distinguish the influence of different water qualities on the quality of tempering. He was the best blade-forging master in the world. He had forged three thousand precious blades for Zhuge Liang in Xiegu to aid the northern expedition.
Liu Shimin was not an ironworker himself, but he came from the Tang Dynasty.
Coming from the Tang Dynasty, many things from the Three Kingdoms period were not familiar to him, and he wanted to use the equipment from the Tang Dynasty again.
Liu Shimin's inner thoughts: "I won't pretend anymore. I'm revealing my true intentions. I want to cheat."
Liu Shimin smiled and said, "Pu Yuan, have you only thought about quenching with water? Have you ever thought that besides water, other things can also be used for quenching?"
Before Pu Yuan could kneel and bow to the emperor, he heard the emperor's words that revealed the secret.
Pu Yuan stopped himself from kneeling and stared with wide eyes. He said, "Yes, why do we have to quench with water? Can't we add something to the water, like salt? Will adding salt cool it faster?"
Liu Shimin laughed and said, "I don't have enough salt to give you. Go quickly and collect animal urine from the vicinity. Quench the first fire with urine and then use animal fat to quench the second fire. There's no need to rely on traditional steelmaking methods. I have other ways here."
Pu Yuan's eyes lit up, looking at Liu Shimin as if he had seen a god. He immediately knelt down and said, "Please enlighten me, Your Majesty."
"Burn pig iron into molten iron, pour it onto wrought iron, and it will naturally become steel with carbonization. It only takes a few smelting processes to produce steel. With the previous quenching method, I grant you control over one battalion of soldiers. You can produce as much as you can."
"But the ironware in the battalion may not be enough..."
"Then go to Hanzhong to collect more. Iron pots and iron hoes will do. Just say it's what Prime Minister Zhuge wants, leave evidence for them. They trust the Prime Minister anyway."
Pu Yuan: ...
After a moment of silence, Pu Yuan immediately set out to gather his disciples and test the new method of forging blades.
Then Liu Shimin looked towards the craftsmen.
The craftsman blinked his eyes, not knowing what treasure the emperor was going to reveal.
Liu Shimin walked up to him, grabbed him, and the craftsman was puzzled until Liu Shimin led him to the side of a horse and pointed at something next to the saddle, saying, "Don't you think it's unreasonable to have only one of these things?"
The craftsman scratched his head and said, "Isn't the horse stirrup one thing?"
Liu Shimin shook his head and said, "This thing shouldn't be called a horse stirrup, it should be called a horse pedal. The horse pedal shouldn't be one-sided, it should be a double-sided horse pedal. With a person stepping on it, they can hold a sword, a spear. Ordinary cavalry can compete with tiger and leopard riders."
The craftsman was thunderstruck.
Everyone always thought that the essence of cavalry lies in the high cost of training, and that equestrian skills rely solely on the rider's own abilities. Who would have thought that this thing could also make things easier?
Truly worthy of being an emperor who has been slacking off in the palace for so many years!
Liu Shimin patted his shoulder and said, "This thing also needs to be rushed. Make as many as you can, understand?"
The craftsman nodded eagerly.
In fact, there were already high-arched saddles before the cavalry, with raised ends that allowed cavalry to make long-distance raids and launch large-scale charges without falling off their horses. But as the saddle became higher, it naturally required external force to mount the horse.
The horse stirrup was used for this purpose.
Perhaps in a few more years, everyone will realize that standing on the horse stirrup can also stabilize their posture, and then the double-sided horse pedal will appear accordingly. Liu Shimin brought this little thing out ahead of time, showing up a few years earlier, and then stepped on Cao Wei's throat.
Two days later, Ma Su suffered a major defeat at Jiaping.
On the same day, the scout who rushed from Chengdu to Jiaping delivered the imperial decree to Zhuge Liang.
The Jigu Camp was bustling with activity, with many things happening. Liu Shimin shuttled through the residence of blacksmiths and craftsmen, shouting loudly, "Pu Yuan, stop forging iron, twenty times is enough, there's no time, quantity is paramount, quantity is paramount!"
Zhao Yun was watching nearby, his son Zhao Tong looked at Liu Shimin, then at Zhao Yun, and said, "Father, is His Majesty really serious?"
Zhao Yun smiled and said, "Let's see if this knife is sharp or not."
After another two days, Cao Zhen finally confirmed from Zhang He that the enemy who had been dragging him for several months was indeed a decoy. It was damn suspicious.
Can we endure it? Who can't endure it?
Inside Meicheng, Cao Zhen gathered the generals and held a brief meeting. Should they divide their forces to assist Zhang He, reclaim the lost territories in Longyou, or cripple Zhao Yun and test an attack on Hanzhong?
Amidst various opinions, Cao Zhen keenly caught wind of some news.
Ma Su's defeat was too swift, and Zhuge Liang was still consolidating his scattered troops. From Jieting to Meicheng, it was all under the control of Wei. If the Shu army wanted to transmit intelligence back to the Jigu main camp, they would have to take a long detour.
A smile curved on Cao Zhen's lips as he struck the table and said, "Gentlemen, Zhao Yun is still unaware of the defeat at Jieting. He believes we are falling for his deception. If we attack now, Zhao Yun will undoubtedly be defenseless!"
Cheers erupted within Meicheng.
In the distant Jigu main camp, Zhao Yun sneezed. A scout had come earlier to report that Cao Zhen's troops had left Meicheng.
Zhao Yun exchanged a glance with Liu Shimin, and Liu Shimin smiled and asked, "General Zhao, what do you think?"
Seventy-year-old Zhao Yun also smiled and replied, "Your Majesty has made a wise decision. This old man can still wield a spear!"
This was the fifth day of Liu Shimin's arrival at the Jigu main camp. The craftsmen and Pu Yuan were summoned by him once again. Matching stirrups were good, and even wooden ones could be used if there was no iron. However, there were not many of the steel-infused, wrought-iron swords that appeared during the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
There were only eight hundred of them.
Liu Shimin smiled and said, "Eight hundred is sufficient."
He rose and ascended the platform, pointing at the soldiers.
In the chilling northern wind, Liu Shimin's grand banner fluttered without restraint, with Liu Shimin and Zhao Yun positioned beneath it. The three armies fell silent, but their gazes were filled with discussions. Only a few knew Liu Shimin's true identity, and they stared at him, waiting for him to reveal his background.
Such a scene had been absent for a long time.
Liu Shimin took a deep breath and stepped forward, saying, "Two or three days ago, Ma Su fled during the battle at Jieting, abandoning the army without hesitation. The Prime Minister, for the sake of rescuing the people of Longyou and protecting the dignity of Shu, is currently facing off against Zhang He. However, reinforcements from Cao Wei keep pouring in, and we will likely lose this battle."
The shifting gazes within the three armies abruptly halted.
Liu Shimin continued, "When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact? With the defeat at Jieting, Cao Zhen naturally knows that we are employing a deceptive strategy. Now that he is launching an attack, what can we do?"
The gazes within the three armies started moving again, with many looking to their sides or glancing towards the rear.
Liu Shimin knew that these people were contemplating escape.
"You can flee, but where will you go? If you escape today, it will be extremely difficult for the Northern Expedition to succeed. Sooner or later, Cao Wei will break through the mountains and enter Hanzhong. You are well aware of the military discipline of the Cao army. They will not spare the city, they will not refrain from looting. Your families and friends will be left to the whims of fate. Even if you survive, there will be little land left, and what remains will be heavily taxed by Cao Wei, forcing you to become servants or dogs for the Cao aristocracy."
"Some of you have come to cultivate the fields in Hanzhong, leaving your homes behind. Naturally, it was to defend your hometowns. Now that you hold swords and spears, will you allow yourselves to be exploited or flee from it? And what about those who are old or wounded, who have fought in Yiling and Chengdu and have experienced life and death in various corners of the world? How about it? Escaping from one chaotic era to another, haven't you had enough?"
Liu Shimin suddenly fell silent.
And thus, the three armies fell silent as well. This sudden silence lingered like a cloud over everyone's hearts.
Liu Shimin suddenly sighed.
Liu Shimin said, "I won't talk to you about restoring the Han dynasty and returning to the old capital, nor do I know if you understand that ultimately, this Great Han belongs to all of you. The people can support the boat, but they can also capsize it. This cannot be explained in a short moment."
With these words spoken, or more precisely, with Liu Shimin's first word spoken, the three armies couldn't help but erupt into clamor.
Is this the emperor from Chengdu?
How did the emperor end up in the Jigu main camp? General Zhao hasn't said a word, and General Zhao is still standing behind him. Is he truly the emperor?
Amidst the low and spreading clamor in the three armies, Liu Shimin suddenly raised his voice and said, "I just want to tell you that I, for one, don't want to escape anymore. I don't want to hide behind the Prime Minister or cower in Chengdu. Today, I want to make it clear to you all that Cao Zhen is coming, and I want to send him back defeated. In this battle, I don't ask for anything else. I only want your resolute obedience. I won't hesitate to compensate and care for the sacrifices of our brothers who fall, and for those who survive, I will take you on a journey to the north. Return home in glory!"
The clamor within the three armies grew louder, chaotic as if countless voices were jumbled together.
Liu Shimin leaped onto his horse, hoisted the grand banner, and shouted amidst the fierce winds, "I am the Emperor of Great Han, leading the charge against the enemy! Will you be willing to accompany me on this expedition?"
The first to step forward was the white-haired Zhao Yun, lifting his long spear and responding, "I will join the expedition!"
Unleashed emotions finally found an outlet. Many within the three armies clenched their fists, and shouts resounded throughout the entire camp as the two words "expedition" echoed through Hanzhong.
Unbeknownst to all, Cao Zhen charged forward.