Han Zhong, Mian Yang.
After the nearly month's march, Zhuge Liang has led most of the Prince's Mansion and two thousand middle troops near Chengdu to arrive at the county of Mianyango.
The terrain of Hanzhong Commandery is actually more or less a basin.
During the seven years that Wei Yan garrisoned Hanzhong, the headquarters of the viceroy's office, Nanchong, were located approximately in the center of the Hanzhong basin.
Mianyango is located at the westernmost end of Hanzhong basin.
The Dingjun Mountain where Former Lord Liu Bei led his forces against the Wei army and where Huang Zhong killed Xiahou Yuan in battle, is also on the outskirts of Mianyango.
According to reason, the Chang'an of Wei kingdom should be located in the northeast of Hanzhong.
The reason why Wei army attacked Hanzhong by taking a detour to the west from Qinling Mountains is essentially due to the barrier of the Qinling Mountains. The north-south route (Zi Wu Dao), Bo Xia Dao, and Tang Luo Dao leading directly to Guan Zhong are extremely difficult for large armies.
It is also for this reason that Zhuge Liang chose to locate the Prince's Mansion in Mianyango on the western side of Hanzhong. From Mianyango, if you head northwest, you will be facing Qishan.
On the first day after arriving at Mianyango, the time was late and everyone had already gone to bed early. The next morning, Zhuge Liang held a meeting in the palace to discuss matters.
The sunlight filtered through the windows in the morning, casting a slightly bright look on Zhuge Liang's face.
Zhuge Liang looked at the ministers in the hall and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I submitted a memorial to His Majesty for the purpose of the northern campaign in March. Today, as the Prince's Mansion and our troops have arrived in Mianyango, I will make an initial arrangement for the affairs of the mansion."
The ministers in the hall stood up respectfully.
"Zhanyang." Zhuge Liang looked at Wei Yan: "You, who received the mandate of the deceased emperor to serve as the prefectural commander of Hanzhong, please first explain to the people in the Prince's Mansion and our troops about military affairs in Hanzhong."
"Commanded." Wei Yan stepped forward and bowing said, "Your Excellency, when I first became the Prefectural Commander of Hanzhong in the 24th year of the Jian'an era, the total military strength in Hanzhong was approximately ten thousand."
"Over the years, as the court migrated and settled people in Hanzhong, the military strength in Hanzhong has gradually increased."
"At present, the total number of troops under the jurisdiction of Hanzhong is fifteen thousand."
Wei Yan raised his eyes to glance at Zhuge Liang and continued, "Eight thousand are stationed in Nanzheng, two thousand in Baogong, one thousand at the Yangping Pass, one thousand at Wuxing, two thousand encamped around Xingshi, and one thousand encamped around Huangjin."
"Before Zhuge Liang led the army to Hanzhong, the military distribution was like this in Hanzhong."
Zhuge Liang nodded slightly: "What Wei Yan has just said, have all of you heard clearly?"
"Who will explain to everyone the reason for such distribution?"
Wei Yan, standing at the front among the ministers and generals, looked at Zhuge Liang with a slight smile of pride as he held his military deployment.
At the moment, there were only about twelve people standing in the hall.
At the time, Zhuge Liang's system at the Prince's Mansion was actually not much different from Cao Cao's imperial system during his reign. For example, Wei Yan, as the Administrator of Qingcheng Commandery, Prefectural Commander of Hanzhong, and General in Charge of Northern Region, also had to hold the title of 'Chief Strategist' in the Prince's Mansion.
Yang Yi stepped forward, bowed, and indicated, "I, your subordinate, would like to make an explanation."
Zhuge Liang pointed to Yang Yi and said, "Let's hear what you have to say."
Yang Yi said in a slow and steady tone, "According to my view, General Wei's arrangement in Hanzhong is basically in line with the strategy set by the deceased emperor, combined with the former wisdom of Zhang Lu when he guarded Hanzhong."
"Traditional tactics? Why do you make it sound as if all of my General Wei Yan's military arrangements come from others?"
Wei Yan, standing at the front among the ministers and generals, was not pleased and frowned, turning his head to look at Yang Yi.
Yang Yi, a man Wei Yan had heard of before, had never really interacted with him before. Why was he speaking out of turn?
Moreover, when discussing matters in the Prince's Mansion, one should address by their official titles. Just now, Yang Yi should have addressed me as 'General Wei, the Chief Strategist,' not simply 'General Wei.' Is he treating me, Wei Yan, as an outsider of the Prince's Mansion?
Yang Yi's gaze was fixed on Zhuge Liang in the hall, as if he couldn't see Wei Yan's expression at all.
Zhuge Liang naturally noticed the expressions of the two, but at that moment, he didn't pay much attention.
"Go on," Zhuge Liang said in a calm tone.
Wei Yan heard Zhuge Liang's words and turned around to face the front, wanting to hear what Yang Yi had to say.
Yang Yi, whose name is Wei Gong, served as the functionary officer of Guan Yu early in his career. Afterwards, Guan Yu sent Yang Yi to Chengdu to report to Liu Bei about official business and discuss great matters with him. As a result, Yang Yi was summoned to Liu Bei's Left General's Office.
When Liu Bei was enfeoffed as the King of Hanzhong, he promoted Yang Yi to the post of Minister of Ceremonies.
Later, when Yang Yi was serving as the Minister of Ceremonies, he became quite hostile with the then-Secretary of State Liu Ba, causing so much disturbance that even Liu Bei was shaken. In the end, Yang Yi was dismissed from the post and transferred elsewhere by Liu Bei.
Although Liu Ba was not exactly a person of good temperament, for Yang Yi to have gotten into such a conflict with Liu Ba shows that he is indeed not an easy character.
Yang Yi bowed and said, "I have heard that when the deceased emperor was stationed in Hanzhong, he sent Your Excellency to the Xingshi Pass of Tangluo Dao in the south to build a fortification and defend. The emperor also placed the Military Commander of Wuxing to the west of Ju County to defend against Wei forces coming from Wu County."
"And when Zhang Lu was stationed in Hanzhong, he had once stationed troops in Golden Valley on the east side where it connects with the Zi Wu Dao. And General Wei's construction of Huangjin fortification over the years is likely also a reference to Zhang Lu's wisdom."
It's worth mentioning that this was the first day for Wei Yan to formally start working in the Prince's Mansion, and he was a newcomer who wasn't well-acquainted with his colleagues. Therefore, even though Yang Yi said this, Wei Yan didn't want to argue with him.
Wei Yan bowed and replied, "Your Excellency, as I garrison in Hanzhong, the things I have done are only according to local conditions. It is common sense to defend key passes in a basin like Hanzhong."
Wei Yan paused for a moment and then said, "Given the geographical conditions of Hanzhong, anyone who comes here would naturally arrange their military forces in this manner. It is not as Yang Jianzhi said, that it is inherited from the old system or borrowed from someone's wisdom."
Zhuge Liang nodded in agreement, "That's right, Zhanyang. What Yang Jianzhi said just now was a bit excessive."
Yang Yi bowed leisurely and then returned to the queue, as if nothing had happened.
Zhuge Liang continued, "As Wei Yan said just now, there are eight thousand troops stationed in Nanzheng and two thousand in Baogong within Hanzhong Commandery."
"This expeditionary force of twenty thousand brought by me is also stationed between Mianyango and Nanzheng for military training."
"Now it's April, and it will take some time for us to train, stockpile supplies, and prepare weapons. From now to next spring, I hope the gentlemen in the Prince's Mansion can work together and prepare for the Northern Expedition."
Everyone bowed in unison.
