Zhuge Liang, a wise man during the Three Kingdoms period, was known for his wisdom and strategic strategy. However, there is a rather confusing plot in the historical record that is puzzling. In the second Northern Expedition, Zhuge Liang led tens of thousands of troops to besiege Chencang, but faced Hao Zhao, who only had more than a thousand defenders, why did he fail to break through Chencang City in the end? This is a question that deserves to be dissected in depth.
Chencang, located in the east of Baoji City, Shaanxi Province, north of Dasanguan, is located in the gap between Qinling and Longshan, and is known as "the throat of Qinshu". On this piece of fortress in and out of the southwest of the Guanzhong Plain through the Qinling Mountains, Zhuge Liang chose to attack Chencang, obviously not for no reason.
Historical context and the importance of geographical location.
Chencang was once the capital of the Qin State and an important position against the Rong people. With the eastward shift of the ruling center and the opening of other passages, the status of Chencang declined slightly. However, Han Xin's allusion to "Ming repairs the plank road, and darkness Chen Cang" shows that Chen Cang has always been a battleground for soldiers. Its steep terrain made it an important stronghold for the defense of Guanzhong.
The relationship between Cao Cao and Chen Cang.
Cao Cao also attached great importance to Chen Cang during his conquest of Zhanglu, and sent generals to garrison it in case Liu Bei, who had just occupied Hanzhong. Chen Cang is not only easy to defend and difficult to attack, but also valued by Cao Wei, which shows that the strategic value here is extraordinary.
After understanding the geostrategic value of Chencang, we need to understand why Zhuge Liang had to attack this city.
The goal of Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition has always been to "break off Longzhong", that is, to cut off the connection between Guanzhong and Longyou, and then divide Longyou. This was due to the fact that Cao Wei's power in Longyou was relatively weak, and by blocking the Wei army from the east into Longyou, the Shu army could weaken Cao Wei's control in the region.
Chencang's geographical location makes it a strategic key stronghold. By capturing Chencang, the Shu army could threaten and cut off the transportation lines of the Wei army to the east, making it impossible for Cao Wei's troops in Longyou to receive effective support, increasing the flexibility of the Shu army in the battle situation.
Eastern Wu defeated the Wei army at the Battle of Shiting, causing Emperor Wei to mobilize Guanzhong troops to Jingzhou to accept Sima Yi's command, leaving Guanzhong empty. This provided Zhuge Liang with an opportunity to take advantage of the weakness to capture Chencang, and also showed the friendship between Eastern Wu and the Shu army.
Hao Zhao joined the army at a young age, and with his rich combat experience and experience in attacking and defending the city, he became a popular general. He has been in Hexi for more than ten years and has made outstanding achievements, especially in the attack and defense of the city.
Hao Zhao adopted a variety of ingenious defensive measures in the face of the Shu army's attack. By using flint stones to resist cloud ladders and ropes to destroy rushing cars, he successfully defused the Shu army's various siege methods. In addition, he built heavy walls in the city, effectively resisting the Shu army's attempts to climb the city.
3.Hao Zhao's "heavy city" strategy.
Hao Zhao's measures in city defense were not only to deal with the offensive of the Shu army, but also to reflect the strategy of "heavy city". By building a new city outside the city, he increased the solidity and resistance of his defenses. This made it possible for the Shu army to face a stronger second line of defense even if it once broke through a defensive line.
Zhuge Liang used a variety of siege equipment and methods in the process of attacking Chencang, including ladders, rushing cars, and wells. He also tried to break into the city from underground by digging tunnels, showing a variety of siege tactics.
However, it cannot be ignored that Cao Zhen had predicted the situation that Zhuge Liang would attack Chen Cang more than half a year ago. He sent Hao Zhao to defend the city, and prepared in terms of siege equipment, predicted the direction of the Shu army's attack in advance, and prepared for subsequent resistance.
The Shu army showed great efforts in besieging the city, but under Hao Zhao's ingenious layout and Cao Zhen's advance prediction, they ultimately failed to capture Chencang. Hao Zhao's tenacity and skillful counterattack cost the Shu army dearly, and Cao Zhen's timely reinforcements further strengthened Chencang's defenses.
In this clash of wit, although Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition plan contained the Wei army to a certain extent, it ultimately failed to capture Chencang. This failure was due not only to geographical location and strategic value, but also to the outstanding performance of Hao Zhao and Cao Zhen in urban defense strategy. Although Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition failed, it also showed some of the results he achieved in the retreat, highlighting the military contest of wisdom and courage in this history.
Undoubtedly, the dispute between Chencang and Cang is an important drama in the history of the Three Kingdoms, leaving a lot of profound thoughts on wisdom and strategic layout. This period of history is not only a testimony to military history, but also a full embodiment of wisdom and military strategy.