Jiang Wan's arrival relieved Zhang Xi's work pressure a lot.
There is no need to doubt Jiang Wan's political ability. Later generations will call Zhuge Liang, Jiang Wan, Fei Yi, and Dong Yun together the Four Prime Ministers of Ji and Han, which itself proves Jiang Wan's ability.
When Jiang Wan angered Liu Bei before, it was not because he was incompetent, but simply because of Jiang Wan's attitude.
Now Jiang Wan, after serving as a county magistrate in Badong County and a grassroots official in Chengdu, and having been trained and inspected by Zhuge Liang, at least in terms of attitude, he is no longer the arrogant Jiang Wan he was before.
After correcting his attitude, Jiang Wan also allowed Liu Bei to see his abilities and at the same time changed Liu Bei's attitude towards him.
There were so many changes in Nanzhong this time, and Zhang Xi obviously didn't have enough manpower, so Liu Bei sent Jiang Wan to Zhang Xi as his deputy. On the one hand, he was training Jiang Wan, and on the other hand, it was to reduce the pressure on Zhang Xi's government affairs.
Facts have proved that Jiang Wan was of great help to Zhang Xi.
What's more, Jiang Wan didn't come alone, he also brought two helpers.
One is named Chen Zhi and the other is named Lu Yi.
Chen Zhi was the person responsible for assisting Jiang Wan in implementing the trial implementation of the imperial examination system, while Lu Yi was the person responsible for assisting Jiang Wan in managing various mines and building the Cangda County cement factory.
These two people have something to say, they are both temporary talents.
Chen Zhi is the grandson of Xu Jing. He comes from a wealthy family and is knowledgeable. Later, he was Ji Han's minister, helping Liu Chan manage the government and wielding great power.
Moreover, Chen Zhi was a staunch Northern Expeditionist and always supported Jiang Wei's Northern Expedition. In this regard, he was much stronger than Qiao Zhou, Chang Yu, Zhou Qun and others.
The only thing that Chen Zhi was criticized for was probably because he and Huang Hao were mutually exclusive and gave Huang Hao the opportunity to participate in government affairs.
After all, in the Han Dynasty, collusion between nobles and eunuchs was a very taboo thing. In addition, Huang Hao also had a certain responsibility for the fall of Ji Han. Therefore, Chen Zhi's reputation... Well, Chen Shou wrote " When "Three Kingdoms" was published, there was no biography of him, but a few simple mentions in other people's biographies.
But putting aside Huang Hao's matter, there is no doubt about Chen Zhi's ability.
Now Chen Zhi is still young, only in his early twenties, but he has good abilities, profound knowledge, and is a descendant of a famous family. Asking him to assist Jiang Wan in managing this imperial examination trial will not appear particularly grand and make people misunderstand Liu Bei. The group attaches great importance to this imperial examination, and can rely on Chen Zhi's talent and learning to select a group of useful talents from poor families.
As for Lu Yi, this person is not young anymore, he is almost forty this year.
Lu Yi came to Nanzhong on the recommendation of Wang Lian and specially sent by Liu Bei.
Lu Yi had been working under Wang Lian, the prefect of Zitong County, and he was doing work in the salt and iron franchise. He was very familiar with mineral supervision matters and was a professional in the mineral franchise.
Nowadays, mineral resources are being developed everywhere in Nanzhong, and a cement factory is to be built in Zangda County. Liu Bei does not have any professionals in this field, so Wang Lian quickly recommended his right-hand assistant Lu Yi to Liu Bei. , Liu Bei was overjoyed after inspecting Lu Yi's talents, and hurriedly added him to Jiang Wan's team heading south.
Of these two people, one is a potential talent and the other is a professional talent. After arriving at Nanjing Middle School, apart from being a little uncomfortable with the climate of Nanjing Middle School, they did things in a clear and logical manner and handled matters carefully and prudently, showing quite a lot of talent. secular ability.
Coupled with Jiang Wan's overall management ability, Zhang Xi now has free time to think about his wife and children.
After all, it has been a year since Zhang Xi went south to put down the rebellion.
In the past two or three years, Zhang Xi really didn't have enough time to get along well with Sun Shangxiang and others.
Ever since the Battle of Xiangfan started, Zhang Xi and Sun Shangxiang had been living apart in two places. They finally met in Hanzhong, and when they arrived in Chengdu together, they didn't even get along for a while before Zhang Xi led his troops south to put down the rebellion. After the counterinsurgency is over, the local area must be managed.
Nanzhong is really not a good place in this era. Not to mention the sweltering climate, there is often miasma. Zhang Xi does not want his wife and children to suffer in this place, so he has always let Sun Shangxiang and Xiaoba I stayed in Chengdu with Xiao Xuan'er and Xiao Zheng'er.
Therefore, although Zhang Xi misses his wife and children very much, under this situation, Zhang Xi has no intention of bringing his wife and children to live in Nanzhong.
Sun Shangxiang, on the other hand, would receive a letter every two months. In addition to asking about Zhang Xi's food and daily life, he also hinted in the letter that if Zhang Xi really couldn't hold it in any longer, he would really find a Nanzhong sister to come back. She admitted it too.
After all, Zhang Xi went to Nanzhong this time to serve as the governor of Xijiang, and he didn't know how long his term would be. Zhang Xi didn't want Sun Shangxiang and others to go to Nanzhong and suffer. If Zhang Xi had to hold it in like this, Sun Shangxiang felt that it wasn't very humane.
But to be honest, Zhang Xi was indeed tempted by this, but after going back to Nanzhong for a casual walk, Zhang Xi felt that he had better endure it until Nanzhong became more stable, and then he could take his wife and children with him. .
Nanzhong women, even the daughters of local wealthy families, are not Zhang Xi's type.
Zhang Xi prefers those with fair skin and good looks, and is not too fond of the "wheat-colored" beauties from South China and South China these days.
It's better to put your energy into work now.
Well, Zhang Xi originally thought so, but things are unpredictable.
In late February of the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an, Zhang Xi was slacking off in the Dudu Mansion of Nujiang, spending almost two months of the New Year's holiday, and preparing to get back to work again. An envoy from Chengdu came and asked Zhang Xi to leave as soon as possible. Debate in Chengdu.
This matter is really a big deal.
In January of the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an, King Cao Cao of Wei died of illness in Yecheng.
To a certain extent, with Cao Cao's death, the heroes who represented an era began to withdraw from the stage of history one after another.
The news was expedited by Xiang Zuo from the north and reached Chengdu through Guan Yu in Xiangyang.
In early February, Liu Bei got the news and locked himself in his room for three days. Then, he immediately summoned the civil and military ministers to discuss the matter.
Liu Bei wants to expedition to the north.
Yes, Liu Bei wanted to take advantage of the opportunity when Cao Cao died of illness and Cao Pi just succeeded to the throne to launch a northern expedition to help the Han Dynasty.
This idea was so abrupt that Zhuge Liang didn't even react.
Indeed, according to the plan of "Longzhong Dui", once there is a change in the north, Liu Bei should send troops to Qinchuan, and at the same time order Guan Yu to attack Nanyang, attack on two fronts, and jointly attack Cao Wei.
Now that Cao Cao has died of illness, it can indeed be said that "there are changes in the north."
However, before Cao Cao died of illness, he had almost eliminated all the opposition forces within his sphere of influence that should be eliminated.
Now Cao Pi is not young when he succeeds to the throne. He is already in his thirties this year. The transition of this regime should be said to be relatively smooth.
Therefore, Zhuge Liang once tactfully persuaded Liu Bei that now was not the best opportunity for the Northern Expedition.
But Liu Bei told Zhuge Liang privately that he was already sixty years old this year.
Cao Cao died of illness at the age of sixty-six, and Liu Bei himself was not sure how many years he had left to live. If possible, Liu Bei really wanted to march into Xudu in his lifetime and see the Emperor of Han again.
In fact, Liu Bei also knew that now was indeed not a good opportunity for the Northern Expedition, but time was really running out.
And those who hold this view are not only Liu Bei, but also Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
These two are both in their sixties. Zhang Fei is better, in his early fifties, but Guan Yu is also fifty-eight years old this year.
If they do not continue the Northern Expedition, then when they grow old in the future, they may not have the chance to fight back to the Central Plains and welcome back the Han Emperor.
This was the common wish of people of their time, so this time, Liu Bei hoped that Zhuge Liang could understand his feelings and agree with his Northern Expedition strategy.
Zhuge Liang had nothing to say about this.
After leaving the Hanzhong Palace, Zhuge Liang began to formulate a formal strategy for the Northern Expedition.
Although it is not the best time for the Northern Expedition at this time, it does not mean that there is no chance at all.
After Cao Cao died and Cao Pi succeeded to the throne, the possibility of turmoil in the hinterland of the Central Plains and Hebei was unlikely, but in the Yongliang area, there was not nothing to do.
Cao Cao regained Yongzhou only in the past five or six years. The foundation of his rule is not stable. Moreover, in Yongzhou, there is also Chang'an, a city with great symbolic significance. If Chang'an can be conquered, it will also be of great significance to Liu Bei. of great significance.
As for Liangzhou, this place has been inseparable from the central court since a hundred years ago.
Liangzhou cannot really be blamed for the cause. It was Liangzhou that was abandoned by the imperial court first, allowing the powerful Han people in Liangzhou to fight against the Western Qiang and the Hu people from the Western Regions without any support. The central court itself does not have much sense of identity.
The connection between Liangzhou and Yongzhou is actually very narrow, which is where Longshan is.
If this Northern Expedition takes the Qishan Road, with the goal of occupying Longshan and achieving the end of Longshan, regaining Liangzhou and peeking at Yongzhou, it is not impossible to capture Chang'an if possible.
This was the Northern Expedition strategy formulated by Zhuge Liang for Liu Bei.
But Liu Bei was not very satisfied.
Liu Bei didn't want to take care of Liangzhou's affairs.
Liangzhou has no benefits except for war horses. Once Liangzhou is occupied, it will have to continuously subsidize Liangzhou. At the same time, it will have to guard against the invasion of Xiqiang and Hu people, which will involve a lot of energy.
Liu Bei now does not have so much energy to get involved with the powerful people and barbarians in Liangzhou. His purpose is to take the Chencang Road directly into the Guanzhong Plain and attack Chang'an regardless of Liangzhou's reaction without occupying Longshan. .
Then, using Chang'an as a base, he coordinated Guan Yu of Xiangfan to attack Xudu, led his own troops to attack Luoyang, recaptured the two capitals, welcomed back the emperor, and revived the Han Dynasty.
In the final analysis, there are strategic differences between Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang's strategic purpose is to use the cutting off of Long to cut off the connection between Liangzhou and the Central Plains step by step, first regain Liangzhou, and after digesting Liangzhou and obtaining Liangzhou war horses, he will then march to Yongzhou and occupy Chang'an.
But Liu Bei couldn't wait any longer. He wanted to occupy Yongzhou and Chang'an first, so that he could peek into the hinterland of the Central Plains and cooperate with Guan Yu to form an effective threat to the Central Plains. Maybe when the time comes, he could kill Luoyang and Xudu and rescue the emperor. Kuang Fu Han room.
As for Liangzhou, let’s wait until the emperor is rescued.
There is a saying that Liu Bei's steps were a bit too big.
Yes, doing so is indeed the fastest way to revive the Han Dynasty. If it succeeds, Liu Bei will definitely fulfill his long-cherished wish and be famous forever.
But once it fails, the Yizhou soldiers may be trapped in the Yongliang area, unable to advance or retreat, and ultimately defeated miserably, with no place to run.
Even Xiangfan may be implicated and suffer heavy losses.
Zhuge Liang had to consider this situation.
Therefore, Zhuge Liang repeatedly persuaded Liu Bei to think twice about this strategy. Although there was a possibility of success, the risk was too great.
Yongzhou is not a dead land or an enclave. On the contrary, it is a very important strategic location.
(End of chapter)
