Wei Yan said: "I am at the front of the vanguard and should be assigned to the front line to defeat the enemy. Why should I guard this peaceful place?" Kong Ming said with a smile: "Actually, the vanguard is what a young general should do to defeat the enemy. Now You responded to the street pavilion, guarded the main road of Yangpingguan, and guarded the throat of Hanzhong. This is a very important task. How can it be called a place of peace? Don't be careless and throw away my important things. Be sure to proceed with caution!”
Wei Yan didn't know that this mission was of such great significance. He was very happy and left with his troops.
Kong Ming looked at Wei Yan's leaving figure and felt a little relieved. He summoned Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi and said: "Sima Yi is sending troops now, which is different from before. You two each led a team of troops out of Ji Valley as suspected soldiers. If you encounter the Wei army, attack, then retreat, then attack again, just to disturb them. I will personally lead the army and capture Xicheng from Xiegu. If Xicheng is captured, Chang'an will not be far away."
The two were ordered to leave, and Kong Ming asked Jiang Wei to be the vanguard, and the soldiers and horses came out of the Xie Valley.
Ma Su and Wang Ping quickly led their troops to the street pavilion. After looking at the terrain, Ma Su smiled and said: "The Prime Minister is too cautious. This place is so remote. How dare the Wei army attack!"
Wang Ping said: "Although the Wei army does not dare to come over, they can set up a stronghold at the main entrance of the Fifth Road and let the soldiers cut down the wood as a fence so that they can guard it for a long time."
In order to show that he was a scholar, Ma Di said: "How can the main entrance of the Fifth Road be the place to go to the village? There is a mountain on the side here, there are no connecting places on all sides, and there are many trees. This is a dangerous place given by God. That’s the best place for us to set up camp.”
Wang Ping retorted after hearing this, saying: "The idea of joining the army is wrong. If we station troops on the important road and repair the fortifications, there will be a total of 100,000 thieves who cannot pass through. If we abandon this important place and station the troops and horses on the mountain, If the Wei army suddenly attacks and surrounds everything, what method should be used to protect it?"
Ma Di laughed and said: "I'm not telling you, you are just as knowledgeable as a woman. It is said in the Art of War that by relying on a high position and being condescending, you will be unstoppable. If the Wei army comes over, I will definitely kill them until they can't come back!"
Wang Ping said: "I have followed the Prime Minister in setting up battles for many years. Everywhere I go, the Prime Minister gives guidance. Looking at this mountain now, it is a desperate place. If the Wei army cuts off our water source, the soldiers will be in chaos if they don't fight!"
Ma Di reminded: "Do you still remember the battle when the new emperor won Xiangyang City? He stationed his troops and horses on Jingshan Mountain. The enemies thought he was going to come down from the mountain to attack and ambush the key road. As a result, the new emperor used kites to Attack across the city wall, not to mention Sun Tzu said, risk your life and survive. If the Wei army cuts off our water source, then the Shu army will definitely have high morale and fight to the death. One can fight a hundred. I have read a lot of military books, Prime Minister You have to ask me for advice on many things, why do you want to stop me?"
Wang Ping knew that his persuasion was ineffective and said: "If you join the army and plan to camp in the mountains, then divide your troops with me. I will set up camp in Shanxi. We will feed each other. If the Wei army comes, we can respond."
Ma Di was not willing to agree. Suddenly, the residents of the mountains rushed over in groups and reported that the Wei army had arrived.
Wang Ping was about to leave, and Ma Su advised him: "Since you don't obey my orders, I will give you five thousand soldiers and horses to go to the stronghold. When I defeat the Wei army and get in front of the prime minister, you don't want to share the credit with me!"
So Wang Ping led his soldiers and horses to set up camp ten miles away from the mountain. At the same time, he drew a map of the terrain and sent people to report to Kong Ming, explaining that Ma Su had set up camp on the mountain.
Sima Yi was in the city and sent his son Sima Zhao to explore the way, saying: "If there are soldiers and horses guarding the street pavilion, we will not move."
Sima Zhao followed the order and went to investigate on horseback. When he came back to see his father, he said: "The street pavilion is guarded by soldiers and horses."
Sima Yi sighed: "Zhuge Liang is really a god, but I can't keep up with him in resourcefulness."
Sima Zhao smiled and said: "Why does my father want to enhance other people's ambitions and destroy his own prestige? I think the street pavilion is easy to get."
Sima Yi asked: "How dare you say such arrogant words?"
He replied: "I personally went to investigate and found that there are no fences in the key sections of the road, and the troops and horses are stationed on the mountain, so I know that the street pavilion can be obtained."
Sima Yi was very happy after hearing this and said: "If the Shu army is all on the mountain, then it is an opportunity given to me by God. Let us succeed!" After saying that, he immediately changed his clothes and personally led more than a hundred cavalry to the scene. Look, the weather was fine that day, so Sima Yi went directly to the foot of the mountain, inspected the surroundings, and then returned.
Ma Su had already noticed it on the mountain and laughed and said: "If they cherish their lives, they will not come to surround the mountain!" Then he sent an order to the generals, saying: "If the Wei army comes and sees the red flag waving on the top of the mountain, Then we can attack from all sides.”
After Sima Yi returned to the camp, he sent someone to inquire about the general guarding the street pavilion. He came back and reported: "It's Ma Liang's younger brother, his name is Ma Su!"
Sima Yi laughed and said: "This man has a false reputation and is just a mediocre person! How could Kong Ming appoint such a person without delaying important events?" He then asked: "Are there any other troops around the street pavilion?"
He replied: "About ten miles away from the mountain, Wang Ping has set up camp there."
Sima Yi ordered Zhang He to lead a group of troops to block the road between Wang Ping and the mountain. He also asked Shen Dan and Shen Yi to lead two groups of soldiers and horses to surround the mountain. They first cut off the water source at the bottom of the mountain, and waited until the Shu army was in chaos. Take advantage of the situation and attack.
The attack strategy was determined that night. At dawn the next day, Zhang He led his troops and horses to the rear. Sima Yi drove the troops and horses to surround the mountain on all sides. When Ma Di looked on the mountain, the Wei army at the bottom of the mountain was all over the mountain and was very orderly. After seeing this, the Shu army felt a little scared and did not dare to go down the mountain.
Ma Di waved the red flag, and the sergeants blamed each other, but refused to go down the mountain to attack. Ma Di was furious and killed both generals. Everyone was very frightened and could only rush down to attack the Wei army, but the Wei army had already been prepared. , the Shu army had no choice but to retreat up the mountain.
Ma Su saw that the development of things was different from what he imagined, so he could only ask the soldiers to close the gate of the camp and wait for foreign help.
Wang Ping saw the Wei army coming and came to fight with his troops. When he met Zhang He, the two fought for more than ten rounds. Wang Ping was no match and could only retreat. The Wei army besieged the mountain from Chenshi to Xushi, and the water source was cut off. The soldiers on the mountain had no food, and a riot soon broke out. Until midnight, the Shu army in Shannan secretly opened the camp and went down the mountain to surrender to the Wei army.
Ma Su couldn't stop it, so Sima Yi sent people to set fire along the mountain road. The Shu soldiers on the mountain were infected by the black smoke and became even more chaotic. Ma Su thought that they could no longer hold on, so he could only take the remaining defeated soldiers to escape to the west of the mountain. Sima Yi directly He opened a road and let Ma Su go. Zhang He came with his troops and horses from behind and chased him for more than thirty miles. The drums and horns in front sounded and a group of people rushed out. He let Ma Su go and stopped Zhang He. Wei Yan, Wei Yan brandished his sword and rode his horse to attack Zhang He.
