After Chen Jiao left the room of Sima Yi, Sima Yi immediately went to see the emperor and reported to him what the two had discussed earlier.
Of course, the final witty dialogue between the two couldn't be told to the emperor under any circumstances.
What was said was all true, but some details were omitted.
It must be said that it was indeed overqualified to have Chen Jiao, the former Chancellor of Wei, in charge of Qinzhou. What he said covered all three key points that perfectly fit the current situation and were urgently needed to be addressed.
"The three matters, I approve all of them," Cao Rui thought for a moment before slowly saying, "But there are several things I need to correct you on."
"Please allow Your Majesty to show us," Sima Yi bowed and replied.
"Bozhou, summon the General to this place," Cao Rui pointed to Jiang Wei who was standing by.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Jiang Wei received the order and went to find Cao Zhen.
"The Grand Master, please wait. When the General arrives, I will discuss this with both of you together," Cao Rui said.
"That is the way it should be," Sima Yi replied.
As he watched Jiang Wei's departure, Sima Yi began to contemplate.
The standard of selecting and using talents, Your Majesty, has always been clear.
Devoid of strength within and strong on the outside, he sent his trusted and important officials to serve in distant posts.
The former attendants of Your Majesty, Huang Quan of Yu Province, Liu Ye of Yumen Province, Chen Jiao of Qin Province, and Yang Fu of Yong Province.
The most critical states of Wei, all headed by former attendants. Sun Zi in Jian state and Jiang Ji in Yang state, were also left by Your Majesty for observation.
Moreover, Your Majesty has never been sparing in disrupting the appointments made during the Huang Chu years.
With the victory over Huainan last year, Jia Qi was used to control Cao Xu in Wannian city and Zhu Gai was transferred to Guanzhong. For ten years, Zhu Gai's position in Huainan and Zhuo Zhang's in Bianzhong had remained unchanged!
Adding to that, Lu Su and Guo Hua at present...
Whenever there is a vacancy in any of the provinces, Your Majesty sends out a trusted and important minister from his inner circle.
After every victory, Your Majesty would change the garrison locations of the generals and personally promote them in rank and title.
In less than two years, Your Majesty established such authority through the selection and appointment of talents that it surpasses that of Emperor Wen's time by several degrees!
Reflecting on this, Sima Yi couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. Whose teachings had enabled the emperor to possess such abilities? Could it be divine endowment?
Moreover, even without mentioning Jiang Wei and Zhong Taiyan's son Zhong Yuchi...
How did the young and talented men catch Your Majesty's attention?
Cao Zhen entered steadily, bowed with a hand in greeting, and then took his seat at the table.
After a brief introduction by Sima Yi, Cao Rui began to speak:
"What Chen Jiao mentioned are indeed the three most important things to be paid attention to in the current situation,"
"It's correct to launch an attack on Wudu, but leaving the central army to garrison Qin state and oversee the relocation of civilians is a bit overdone."
"What army does Your Majesty want to use?" Cao Zhen asked.
"That's what I said. Once Wu Du is recaptured and the confrontation with Shu is achieved, I will not leave the central army in Qin state. The central army of five thousand troops, I will take all of them back to Luoyang."
"As for the issue of numbers," Cao Rui looked at Cao Zhen, "General Cao, besides the central army, how many troops are there in Guanzhong and Longyou now?"
"General Cao answered: 'I will first give Your Majesty a rough estimate of the number of troops.'"
"Originally, the outer armies of Meng and Liang states had a total of 40,000 troops. Among them, Zhang Heng had 20,000 and Yin Zhao and Zhu Gai together had another 20,000."
"Lupan lost 2,000 in Shangguan, Zhang He's own troops lost 2,000, and Yin Zhao's army lost 6,000. Taking these losses into account, the outer armies are left with 30,000."
"The County militia of Longyou may still have around 2,000 troops, while the County militia of Guanzhong has 9,000. With Chen Qun's deployment from Changan to Xianyang and a total of 10,000 troops, the total military force in Guanzhong and Longyou should be around 51,000."
"51,000 troops..."
Cao Rui whispered and repeated, "Fifty-one thousand troops, still too many."
"General Cao, if the 9,000 County militia in Guanzhong remain unchanged and only the remaining 5,000 outer military forces under Yan Zhao and Zhu Gai are left there, who would be better suited to remain in Guanzhong?"
If that's the case, Guanzhong would only have 9,000 County militia and 5,000 outer military forces left, while the rest would be placed in Qin state? 14,000 troops. Leaving a single heavy general in charge should be sufficient.
Cao Zhen pondered for a moment and then recommended the one who had been in close coordination with him during battles: "I believe it would be more appropriate for Yan Zhao, the Governor of Xiniang, to stay in Guanzhong."
"Where should Zhu Gai go?" Cao Rui asked.
"Let Zhu Gai return to the central army to lead troops! His rank is also adequate. This time, he was the only one who did not achieve any merit in Longyou, and his return to Luoyang can also be considered a form of consolation."
"That's very good." Cao Rui nodded: "Then there are still 37,000 troops left in Qin state? Among them, 35,000 are from the outer army, which is also not lacking in combat strength."
Sima Yi sat by the side and listened to the division of tasks between the emperor and Cao Zhen, which indeed confirmed his previous thoughts.
The central army will always be where the emperor is!
Since the emperor is not in Qin state, even if efforts must be made to squeeze out troops for Qin state, the central army must be taken away in full!
At this time, Sima Yi bowed and asked, "Your Majesty, there are also the 10,000 Qiang soldiers selected by Lu Xun."
"10,000 Qiang soldiers, I think that's far from enough," Cao Rui glanced at Sima Yi and said indifferently, "The Qiang people fall under my rule. In battle, do I let my outer military forces fight and leave the Qiang people to live in peace in the rear?"
"This is the second thing I want to discuss with you."
"Excluding Lu Xun's 10,000 Qiang soldiers, I think Zhang He must select an additional 13,000 Qiang soldiers in Qin state to reach a total of 60,000 troops."
"How can one state like Qin state cope with Shu state without 60,000 troops? If the Qiang people are to be integrated into Great Wei and not make sacrifices for it, how can they unite against the common enemy?"
"I believe no one is born to fight. Since the Qiang people have been accepted, soldiers and officers should be chosen from among them. This is what it means to treat everyone equally!"
"Your Majesty is truly wise!" Both Sima Yi and Cao Zhen bowed in response.
"I haven't finished yet," Cao Rui waved his hand: "Three thousand Qiang soldiers brought by Lu Xun will be taken tomorrow after the best ones are selected."
"The remaining 20,000 before they are disbanded, have them help me relocate the Qiang people! Let the Qiang people relocate other Qiang people; do not tarnish the reputation of the court."
"..."
On the first day of the second month, most of the troops gathered outside the city walls of Shangguan were finally ready to depart.
Jiang Wei rode alongside the emperor, gazing at the moving army and the countless colorful banners, momentarily lost in thought.
Yesterday, Jiang Wei found an opportunity to recommend his sworn brother, Shi Changqi, hoping that he could have the chance to become an official at the TaiXu.
But the emperor only smiled at him and did not grant the request. Instead, he converted Shi Changqi's position as a county official to that of an assistant to Governor Chen Jiao of Qin state.
The emperor also said that not all talents are qualified to go to Luoyang. People like Shi Changqi, young county officials, should be experienced in state affairs rather than go to Luoyang to study the Five Classics!
The Five Classics...state affairs...
Just as Jiang Wei was puzzled, the emperor explained with a smile: "Jiang Wei thinks that I place great importance on the Five Classics or state affairs? In fact, for those scholar families in Yu, Ying, Wan and Luo, I must select them using the Five Classics. However, for talents like Shi Changqi from the frontier areas who are capable administrators, Qin state is precisely the time to use them!"
For a moment, Jiang Wei wanted to ask the emperor why he was being used, but just a thought in his mind, he dared not ask it out loud.
On the first day of the second lunar month, the large army advanced no more than 40 li per day, and the tents of each army and camp covered nearly 20 li in front.
On the fifth day, they arrived at Xixian and received an empty city.
Following the emperor's command, Jiang Wei placed the ancient zither he had brought from Shangguan on the city wall of Xixian.
On the eighth day, they arrived at Luchun city and temporarily camped here, waiting for the arrangement of the next advance.
At the personal command of the emperor, the cavalry officer Zhou Si, who had been defending at Qiushan fort for over two months, was dispatched by General Zhang He to join the main camp at Luchun.
Upon seeing Zhou Si for the first time, Zhang He smiled and patted his shoulder: "I've always thought you were someone who could be of great use! You've earned face for me in the presence of Your Majesty by holding Qiushan fort for two months!"
"How were the casualties in Qiushan Fort?"
Zhou Si, who had been full of joy just a moment ago, now hesitated and stammered: "General, can I speak the truth?"
Zhang He's heart sank, and he grew stern. "You young fellow, don't try to play dumb in front of me! Speak the truth. How many of the fifteen hundred men I gave you are left?"
"Only 80 people were lost."
"What's going on?" Zhang He frowned and asked: "You were attacked by Shu troops for two months, but only lost 80 people? Guo Boji lost 3,000 men in Shangguan!"
Zhou Si said awkwardly, "Forty-plus of them were killed on the first day when the Shu army attacked. They were outside, transporting grain that had not yet been brought into the fort and were killed by the Shu army."
"Except for the first day, the Shu army only encircled the fort, never launched a strong attack."
"Besides the 30 or so who died of being killed by the Shu army while exploring the night, sending messages, and never returned. Three more died from arrows in flight..."
Zhang He felt a bit disappointed in his heart, but quickly adjusted his attitude: "When you are in the presence of Your Majesty, you must say whatever happens without any concealment! Don't exaggerate or underreport. Got it?"
Zhou Si nodded repeatedly.
The Shu troops initially advanced at high speed and did not bother to siege Qiushan fort. They just sent people to surround it and continued their advance.
On their return journey, they also had no intention of attacking the fortress built on the mountain, and they swept past Qiushan fort as if it were just a breeze.
To Zhang He's surprise, the emperor only praised Zhou Si and said he would be rewarded after the troops returned.
On the second day after arriving at Luchun, Cao Rui, along with the ministers and generals, personally visited Qiushan fort.
Qiushan Fort is indeed easy to defend and difficult to attack, it can be said to be at the peak of difficulty.
The mountain on which Qiushan Fort stands rises abruptly from the Heshan River Valley, about 10 zhang (over 16 meters) in height, and completely cuts off the central valley from the surrounding mountains.
"General Zhang, what is the circumference and height of Qiushan Fort?" Cao Rui asked, turning to Zhang He beside him.
"Your Majesty," Zhang He replied, bowing: "The circumference of Qiushan Fort is 1.5 li (about 240 meters) and its height is 15 zhang (about 45 meters)."
"It took quite a bit of effort to build Qiushan Fort that year."
Cao Rui nodded while feeling a sense of awe: "I will make Qiushan Fort the center and connect the two ends of the mountain range. I will build a strong city within this Heshan River Valley!"
"The state capital of Qin state will be here!" (End of this chapter)
