In Chinese history, the Three Kingdoms period is known as a magnificent chapter, and the battle between Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi has become a good story that has been praised through the ages. Among them, the Battle of the Upper Valley is a battle that attracts people's attention. This article will reveal the three major mysteries of the Battle of the Upper Valley, and delve into why Zhuge Liang chose not to start the battle the day before the battle.
First, let's look at the background of the Battle of the Upper Valley. This battle took place in 234 AD and was the key battle of Zhuge Liang's Fourth Northern Expedition. At that time, the power of Shu Han was gradually weakening, and Zhuge Liang had the ambition of unifying the country, hoping to defeat Cao Wei in one fell swoop through the Northern Expedition. Sima Yi served as the commander of the Wei state, responsible for fending off the attacks of Shu Han. This crucial battle was raging in the upper valley.
Then, let's reveal the first of the three weirdness: why didn't Zhuge Liang start the war a day earlier?The first is the weather factor. According to historical records, the Battle of the Upper Valley took place in the sixth month of the lunar calendar, during the summer when there was a lot of rain. The reason why Zhuge Liang chose to start the war in June may have been due to the fact that the day earlier might lead to limited tactics due to weather conditions. The heavy rain made the mountain roads muddy, which was not conducive to the march of the army, and for Zhuge Liang, who was good at using terrain tactics, this was a factor that could not be ignored.
This is followed by military rations**. Zhuge Liang was well aware of the difficulties of transporting grain and grass in Shu, so he chose to start a war in June to make full use of the summer grain and grass reserves. Starting a war a day earlier may lead to a shortage of food and grass, affecting the entire battle situation.
Finally, there is the deployment of troops. Zhuge Liang carried out a careful troop mobilization before the war, gathering the elite of Shu in the upper valley. Starting a war a day earlier may cause some troops to fail to arrive on the battlefield in time, affecting the overall combat effectiveness.
Again, we reveal three strange things about the Battle of the Upper Valley. The first is that Zhuge Liang burned Sima Yi. During the battle, Zhuge Liang used fire attacks to trap Sima Yi in the upper valley. However, the fire was suddenly extinguished at a critical moment, and it is recorded in the history books that the fire was extinguished by a sudden heavy rain from the sky. This phenomenon made Zhuge Liang fall short.
followed by Zhuge Liang crying Sima Yi. During the battle, Zhuge Liang witnessed Sima Yi's escape, and felt heartbroken and burst into tears. This is because Zhuge Liang knew that the outcome of this battle was related to whether Shu Han could seize the ruling power of Wei and achieve the grand goal of unifying the country.
Finally, Sima Yi laughed at Zhuge Liang. Although Sima Yi suffered heavy losses in the battle, he developed a deep understanding of Zhuge Liang's strategy. He sighed: "The food and grass of the Shu army have run out, and Zhuge Liang will die soon." Sure enough, Zhuge Liang died of illness in Wuzhangyuan not long after. Sima Yi's smile at Zhuge Liang was because he knew that Shu Han could no longer support him to continue fighting, and Zhuge Liang's decision was tantamount to seeking his own death.
To sum up, the three strange features of the Battle of the Upper Valley make this battle a mystery in the history of the Three Kingdoms. Although Zhuge Liang failed to fulfill his wish in this battle, his heroic wisdom and loyalty to Shu Han will always be remembered. The battle of wits with Sima Yi has also become the most classic chapter in history.