After capturing Chang'an, a few months later, Liu Shimin took advantage of the situation and entered the Jin territory. He joined forces with Wei Yan, crossed the Yellow River, bypassed Tongguan, and headed straight for the capital city of Luoyang, the seat of Cao Wei.
Some people did advise Liu Shimin, questioning if he was moving too quickly. Liu Shimin replied, "Speed is necessary. If even one man dies, it is all Liang Zhong's fault. Our Prime Minister is too soft-hearted. If we wait a few more years, Cao Wei will raise another batch of strong men. If I were to defeat the Prime Minister, it would not sit well with him."
Pausing for a moment, Liu Shimin smiled and said, "Moreover, I am the Heaven-chosen one. I will unify Cao Wei within three years. It is already too slow."
Liu Shimin was in a good mood.
On the other hand, Cao Rui, inside Luoyang city, had lost control of his courtiers' emotions. Now, in the presence of civil and military officials, only Chen Qun and Cao Shuang were willing to speak a few more words. Cao Rui could see clearly that these aristocratic families had already made their retreat plans and were prepared to surrender at any time.
During the court session, Cao Rui slammed the table and scolded, "Who do you think you are? It is because of you that Great Wei is on the verge of collapse. Do you think that now that the world has become Great Han, you still have your lofty positions? Let me tell you, Liu Shan is different from Zhuge Liang. They won't pay you homage, fear you, or oppress you like I do. Your land and privileges will soon be taken away by them, and your family's books will be spread throughout the world. You prefer to beg for food in Shu Han rather than enjoy your high positions and rich rewards. What kind of people are you!"
After banging the table, Cao Rui's nose started bleeding, and he fainted right there in the great hall.
The civil and military officials were even more chaotic.
Of course, Cao Rui's health might not be good, but it wasn't so easy for him to die. When Cao Rui regained consciousness, both Chen Qun and Cao Shuang were there. Cao Rui trembled and raised his hand, saying, "Let Zhang He return. Bring back the hundred thousand troops from the eastern front. We no longer need to guard against Eastern Wu. The current situation is clear to Sun Quan; he will definitely send troops to attack Bajun. He has always been like this."
Chen Qun nodded repeatedly and said, "I will issue the order immediately."
Cao Rui then turned to Cao Shuang and said, "I entrust the defense of Luoyang city to you. Don't disappoint me."
Cao Shuang nodded heavily, tears in his eyes.
There were still fifty thousand troops inside Luoyang city. Cao Shuang knew that his father and Sima Yi had both died in battle. He didn't want to follow in their footsteps. Holding the city was still a hope. Besides, the food in Luoyang city could sustain them for a few more months under Liu Shimin's siege.
When Cao Xiu leads a hundred thousand troops to reinforce them and Eastern Wu launches a surprise attack on Bajun, Liu Shimin's tired army should retreat.
However, Cao Shuang did not expect that on the first day Liu Shimin arrived outside Luoyang city, his army set up camp
, but he led a detachment straight to Huolao Pass to the east of Luoyang city.
Cao Shuang was stunned for a moment, and then he suddenly realized, "This guy wants to intercept Cao Xiu's hundred thousand troops!"
Is he insane?
Of course, Liu Shimin was not insane. Wasn't this just a simplified version of the Battle of Huolao Pass? They had fought it before. Moreover, the Xianbei people here were too easy to use. They were much better than the Tujue people, friendly and amiable. The Xianbei people didn't demand much in terms of territory or personnel. Liu Shimin gave them many luxurious fabrics, gold, silver, and jewels from the remaining treasures in Chang'an city, and the Xianbei people happily followed him to help attack Huolao Pass.
Liu Shimin thought about it and felt that it was necessary to occasionally suppress the Han people. He decided to maintain this friendly relationship with the Xianbei people for another thousand or eight hundred years.
If everything went according to plan, when Cao Xiu arrived a few months later, Liu Shimin would dare to say that the world was initially settled, and no one would have the strength to fight anymore.
But unfortunately, there were unexpected events.
The unexpected events originated from Bajun. The surprise attack that everyone knew was bound to happen had indeed occurred.
Eastern Wu once again betrayed the alliance and launched a surprise attack on Bajun. However, what Liu Shimin didn't expect was that Eastern Wu claimed to have won over important officials from the Jihan period and had also gained the allegiance of Li Yan, the guardian of Jiangzhou.
Li Yan was also very angry. He had complained to Eastern Wu's envoys countless times. Why was there such a big difference between serving as a guardian and a regent? I have submitted requests to receive more territory and become the governor of Bazhou. What's the problem with that?
Since they won't grant me any power, don't blame me for seeking a new place to settle.
With the betrayal of Jiangzhou, the entire Bajun immediately became turbulent. Taking advantage of the situation, Eastern Wu's navy attacked, casting their net on all sides, and anyone who surrendered was accepted, while any city captured was theirs.
Going deeper, that would be Chengdu. By lingering around this area, even if they couldn't capture the city, they could still affect grain production.
When the news reached Liu Shimin, everyone looked at each other and said, "Your Majesty, should we go back?"
After pondering for a moment, Liu Shimin threw away the military report and said proudly, "I trust the Prime Minister. Even if Eastern Wu comes with all their forces, the Prime Minister will surely make them return empty-handed."
"We fight our battles, and they fight theirs."
In the ninth month of the eighth year of Jianxing, as the autumn wind began to blow, Cao Xiu's army arrived at the front of Hulao Pass. Liu Shimin used the maneuver of mobilizing the large army near Luoyang City to rush to Hulao Pass, anticipating that Cao Shuang would send troops to obstruct and intercept them on the way, resulting in a great victory over Cao Shuang.
Afterward, Cao Shuang dared not come out of hiding and show his face.
Thirty thousand soldiers and horses newly arrived at Hulao Pass, before they could set up camp, Cao Xiu relied on the advantage of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to launch a surprise attack on the enemy's camp. Wang Ping also deployed the Six-Flower Formation to engage the enemy. Although they were unable to capture the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, the Iron Shield and Long Spear completed their formation in the midst of the battle and suddenly appeared in front of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, forcing Cao Xiu to retreat.
However, he was unable to withdraw completely.
At the moment of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry's surprise attack, Liu Shimin was inspecting the terrain outside with Wei Yan. When they hurried back, they witnessed the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry being trapped within the Six-Flower Formation. Liu Shimin's eyes lit up, and he said to Wei Yan, "Wenchang, do you want to know who is the number one cavalry in the world?"
Wei Yan drew his sword and replied, "The mere Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, I am willing to swallow them for Your Majesty."
Liu Shimin smiled and said, "Good, when they are ready to charge, we will attack!"
There were only nine people scouting the terrain, but at the moment the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry left the formation, these nine individuals charged forward. Nine against five hundred, with Liu Shimin taking the lead!
With one arrow, he shot down the warhorse of the leader commanding the five hundred Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, and with another arrow, it was narrowly blocked by that person.
No problem, there were plenty more behind.
He shot three consecutive crossbow arrows, and along with Liu Shimin, twenty-seven arrows killed the leader of the five hundred-man squad. The Han army also caught sight of their Majesty. Wang Ping's eyelids twitched, thinking that if it were the Prime Minister, he would probably scold their Majesty's ears until they were numb.
Jiang Wei didn't even hesitate, and directly ordered the cavalry to charge out and support the battle.
With the head of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry gone, they went to pursue Liu Shimin, but instead, they were shot down by more than ten people who surrounded and attacked them. When the encircling cavalry finally intercepted these nine individuals, Liu Shimin grinned, dismounted, and switched to a Tang-style broadsword.
Since you divided your troops, there were less than a hundred men in one group, and the gap in the middle was so wide, who couldn't charge through?
The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry were also armored, but apparently, they hadn't mastered the advanced steel smelting techniques even after a year. After a wave of head-on clashes, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry lost seven men, while Liu Shimin's nine men were all unscathed.
Liu Shimin looked back and saw that Jiang Wei was getting close.
So Liu Shimin smiled, turned around, and charged back again, using himself as bait to keep the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry hanging in the middle.
Finally, the five hundred riders were completely annihilated.
The exchange between the cavalry was too fast. By the time Cao Xiu arranged his formation and pressed forward with his main army, a quarter of his Tiger and Leopard Cavalry had already perished.
Uncertain about immediately engaging Liu Shimin in battle, Cao Xiu hesitated for a moment and reluctantly ordered a retreat.
Liu Shimin raised an eyebrow and smiled at Wei Yan, saying, "He's quite cautious, isn't he? We need to give him some real intelligence to lure him out."
Wei Yan asked, "Real intelligence?"
Liu Shimin looked back towards Shu and maintained his smile, saying, "Hasn't the Prime Minister already prepared it for us?"
Yizhou, Bajun.
From Jiangzhou heading north, we arrive at Dianjiang City. Since Li Yan had already surrendered, many influential families from Yizhou followed suit. Most of those who came to surrender were acquaintances.
For example, at Dianjiang City, they encountered a familiar face.
Mi Fang, who had betrayed Guan Yu in the past, was now General Mi of Eastern Wu.
Mi Fang explained that he now enjoyed wealth and prosperity, and he was highly valued in Eastern Wu. Just a few months ago, he had led troops under the command of the Commander-in-Chief to suppress rebellions, which was much stronger than dealing with minor uprisings in Shu.
The city defender asked, "If there are more rebellions, does that mean more military achievements?"
Mi Fang smiled and replied, "More rebellions mean more military achievements, and more military achievements mean faster promotions."
The city defender pondered for a moment and asked again, "Did you betray General Guan for the sake of these things? Do you regret it?"
Mi Fang laughed and said, "What is there to regret? That old man relied on his martial prowess and didn't even allow me to take a share from the treasury. He should have died long ago."
The city defender's gaze suddenly turned strange, showing a mix of pity, anger, and a strong sense of contempt.
The city defender looked at Mi Fang with eyes that resembled watching a monkey.
Mi Fang wondered, "What's wrong with you?"
The city defender sighed and said, "You should talk to him yourself."
As soon as he finished speaking, two figures emerged from the city defender's residence. One person sat in a small carriage, while the other pushed it. The person pushing the carriage fixed a stern gaze on Mi Fang—it was Guan Yu's second son, Guan Xing.
Naturally, the one sitting in the carriage was Zhuge Liang.
Mi Fang couldn't help but take three steps back, intending to escape, but found that his legs had gone weak.
Zhuge Liang asked softly, "How do you suggest we deal with him?"
Guan Xing continued to stare at Mi Fang. He said, "Before this day arrived, I had thought about it many times. I had thought about how I would curse him and torture him in various ways. But now, after seeing him and hearing his reasons, suddenly I don't want to do any of those things."
Mi Fang was overjoyed and fell to the ground, repeatedly kowtowing and expressing his gratitude, saying, "Thank you, thank you, Second Brother Guan."
Guan Xing shook his head and said, "You don't need to thank me. I don't want to say much to you, and I don't want to see you in this world anymore."
"Guan Yu should have killed you long ago."
Inside Dianjiang City, Guan Xing drew his sword and approached, striking a blow that resulted in a spray of fresh blood. The city defender
shouted loudly, declaring that Mi Fang was dead, expressing his gratitude for General Guan's favor, and expressing his willingness to surrender to the Lord of Wu.
Zhuge Liang glanced at Guan Xing, and Guan Xing nodded. The two of them concealed themselves in the shadows once again.
Guan Xing took a deep breath and told himself that today was just the first day of avenging his grievances. Lu Xun, Sun Quan, you all wait. The good days of Eastern Wu won't last long.
The news of the city defender of Dianjiang "defecting" quickly spread. It seemed that Eastern Wu had found a vulnerable spot in Shu. Many influential families in Yizhou were unwilling to live under the rule of the Han Dynasty, and numerous cities were persuaded to surrender. The momentum appeared significant.
However, it was still challenging to march towards Chengdu.
Lu Xun quickly changed his strategy and planned to intercept the grain route in the northern part of Yizhou.
But this significant movement didn't go unnoticed in Hebei. The news reached Cao Xiu's ears, and he dispatched scouts to gather information. Finally, he received reliable intelligence.
Liu Shimin was short on supplies and considering a retreat. It was the perfect opportunity to raid their autumn harvest before they withdrew. It wouldn't be in vain.
As long as Liu Shimin released people to search for provisions, leaving the camp empty, a massive attack would catch him off guard.
The weather in September had started to change, with intermittent rainfall. Cao Xiu's troops were always ready to leave the camp, often getting washed by the rain and stumbling in the mud.
Autumn rain was continuous, and Cao Xiu arrived in haste, with few spare shoes to change into.
Liu Shimin, on the other hand, had Zhuge Prime Minister and would never neglect such logistical matters.
On September 26th, the sky was gloomy, and Liu Shimin suddenly moved north after leaving the pass. Cao Xiu, seemingly unperturbed, secretly ordered his cavalry to pursue and determine whether Liu Shimin intended to retreat.
The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry quickly returned, reporting that the Han army was harvesting grain. All the warhorses were grazing freely on the grass, and the Han army had no intention of fighting. It was the perfect opportunity to attack.
Cao Xiu took two rapid breaths. After waiting for so long, he finally received good news from Eastern Wu. He had been eagerly waiting for this opportune moment!
Then let's attack!
Cao Xiu left 20,000 men to launch a fierce attack on Hulao Pass, while the remaining 80,000 pursued Liu Shimin to the plateau where he was located. Suddenly, a thunderous sound came from the sky, and heavy rain poured down.
On the grassland of the plateau, only a few scattered horses could be seen. Liu Shimin's main force seemed to have disappeared.
Cao Xiu frowned and sent out the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to scout again. But when they returned, he noticed that the soldiers were exhausted, with many of them revealing their toes.
"Shu's army is the same. As long as someone thinks of retreating, they will certainly lose," Cao Xiu silently warned himself, unsure if he was deceiving himself in the end.
After searching for a long time, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry finally discovered thousands of Han soldiers taking shelter from the rain on another hillside.
Without hesitation, Cao Xiu led his troops to charge, believing that capturing prisoners would lead him to the exact location of Liu Shimin.
However, Cao Xiu himself had not anticipated the dire situation of the Wei army. Just two intense marches in the heavy rain had already caused soldiers to drop out and desert.
Before reaching their destination, Cao Xiu gritted his teeth and ordered the troops to set up camp and find shelter from the wind and rain.
If they continued in this state, Cao Xiu couldn't predict the outcome. Most likely, it would end in a disastrous defeat. The opposing side had the Emperor himself leading the expedition, and they might not be able to withstand it.
He had no choice but to gather the generals in the camp and seek their opinions.
Amidst the pouring rain, some suggested to continue the fight, disregarding the lives of ordinary soldiers, while others proposed to quickly break through while the defenders at Hulao Pass were few and join forces in Luoyang, which was more important.
Cao Xiu was still assessing which suggestion was more significant when the ground beneath his feet trembled.
Cao Xiu was taken aback. He was familiar with this kind of tremor. Could it be that the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry had made some new discovery?
The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry had found nothing, and even the existence of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry itself would vanish from history after this day. Because along with the earthquake, there was wave after wave of cries and killings.
Liu Shimin personally observed the terrain every day, dispatching scouts to patrol every important point. When Cao Xiu did not arrive at the next location as expected, Liu Shimin knew that the strategy of fatiguing the enemy and luring them in had worked.
Cao Xiu must be reorganizing his troops on the spot, and reorganizing troops meant that the command center of the Cao army, the central army camp, was no longer useful.
Liu Shimin decisively left the main army behind and led only three thousand cavalry to charge recklessly, breaking through the rain curtain that covered the sky and earth, breaking through the exhausted Wei army. Countless arrows and blades tried to block their path, but they couldn't stop the unstoppable Xuanjia army.
With overwhelming force, Liu Shimin's troops broke into Cao Xiu's central army tent!
Cao Xiu, who had heard the sound of horse hooves earlier, reacted swiftly and immediately led his men to retreat. With the withdrawal of the Wei army's
command center, they were unable to stop Liu Shimin's three thousand troops from overpowering one hundred thousand. A single slash cut down the banner of the Cao army, causing numerous Wei soldiers to kneel in the mud.
The heavy rain continued.
If the wind does not stop, the pursuit will not cease. Liu Shimin stared at the figure of Cao Xiu and the others as he raised his sword to attack.
He chased them all the way until Cao Xiu's horse stumbled due to the muddy ground and fell into a ditch.
Liu Shimin dismounted and wiped away the rain in front of his eyes. He grabbed Cao Xiu's collar and pulled him up, smiling, "Cao Wei, this year will mark your demise!"
Perhaps due to the fall, Cao Xiu still looked dazed. He couldn't understand how he had suddenly lost so decisively.
Then Cao Xiu saw Liu Shimin's shoes.
Although they were ordinary shoes, it was clear that they hadn't been worn for many days. They were neither worn out nor soaked by the rain. Cao Xiu suddenly said, "Do only you have these shoes, or does everyone in your camp have them?"
While binding Cao Xiu, Liu Shimin replied, "Not everyone, but about seventy to eighty percent."
Cao Xiu fell silent for a moment, then sighed, "I'm not unjust in my defeat, but aren't you going back to take a look?"
Liu Shimin finished tying up Cao Xiu and laughed heartily, saying that since Cao Xiu considered his defeat just, how could this clown Sun Quan possibly take away so much territory from Prime Minister Zhuge?
Cao Xiu suddenly realized and tried to point at Liu Shimin, but his hands were already bound.
He gritted his teeth and said, "You and Zhuge Liang have plotted well!"
Liu Shimin's laughter grew louder, echoing amidst the thunder and rain.
Indeed, this was all Zhuge Liang's plan. After Li Yan defected, Zhuge Liang instantly came up with this method, dispatching many high-ranking officials to Eastern Wu as undercover agents. Surrounded on all sides, intelligence was sent to the frontlines, and the Wei army naturally responded.
As for Liu Shimin... Zhuge Liang had an unexplainable confidence that he would understand and win. And when the situation in the north settled, and officials in Yizhou rose up once again, Zhuge Liang led a large army to engage in a naval battle, with Guan Xing standing at the bow, operating the improved trebuchets designed by Liu Shimin.
Pitched oil and five or six large stones were launched at once, setting countless Eastern Wu ships ablaze.
Guan Xing laughed heartily amidst the flames, his laughter filled with tears. He said, "Father, the place you couldn't hold, Prime Minister, has been held by you. Now I can avenge you!"
On the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month in the eighth year of Jianxing, Luoyang surrendered.
On the first day of the first month in the ninth year of Jianxing, Liu Shimin changed the era name to Zhen'guan.
In the first year of Zhen'guan, Liu Shimin advanced by land and water, and before capturing a few cities, Sun Quan sent envoys to surrender. Liu Shimin replied in a letter: "Save those words for General Guan."
In March of the first year of Zhen'guan, Liu Shimin marched south from Hefei, joined forces with Zhuge Liang's navy, captured Jiankang,
and executed Sun Quan.
Thus, the three kingdoms were unified, and a new Great Han was established.