In the history of the Three Kingdoms, the late Shu Han period always seems to be depicted as a period when heroes withered and generals were scarce. However, the truth of history is far more complex and rich than we think. In fact, there was no shortage of generals in the late Shu Han period, but a group of heroes who had been ignored by history, and they played a key role in that turbulent era. Let's unveil the mystery of this period of history with the stories of these misunderstood and forgotten Shu Han generals.
Wang Ping – Guardian of the Frontier.
In the later period of the Shu Han Dynasty, it was not a military decline. During this period, in addition to Jiang Wei, many outstanding generals emerged, such as Wang Ping, Zhang Yi, Ma Zhong, etc., although they are not recorded much in historical sources, but they played a key role in the military and political stability of Shu Han.
After Zhuge Liang's death, Shu Han's Northern Expedition was suspended, and frontier defense became a top priority. At this time, Wang Ping became a key figure in Hanzhong's defense. In 244, when the Wei army led by Cao Shuang marched south, Wang Ping had already laid a tight defensive line in Hanzhong.
Hanzhong, as the gateway of Shu Han, its terrain is dangerous, and it has been a battleground for soldiers since ancient times. Wang Ping was well aware of the importance of the place, and he not only strengthened the construction of the city walls, but also placed ambushes on key mountain passes and roads. When Cao Shuang's army attacked, they found that every passage to Hanzhong was firmly controlled by the Shu army.
Wang Ping stood on the city wall, observing the dusty Wei army in the distance. He said to the lieutenant general beside him: "Although the Wei army is numerous, the terrain here is dangerous and can be used to defend it. The adjutant nodded in response: "General Wang, we will definitely be able to hold this place." Wang Ping held the handle of the knife tightly and calmly gave the battle order.
The Wei attack was very ferocious, but each time it was thwarted by Wang Ping's carefully arranged defensive positions. Wang Ping took advantage of the terrain of the Bao Slope Road, the Fu Luo Road, and the Meridian Road to skillfully arrange the troops, making it difficult for the Wei army to give full play to its numerical superiority. The soldiers of the Shu army, under the leadership of Wang Ping, were highly motivated and resisted bravely.
During a night attack, Wang Ping led elite troops to raid the Wei army's grain and grass ranks, successfully destroying the enemy's logistical supply lines. He commanded his troops to move quickly, caught the Wei army by surprise, and then quickly withdrew to the defensive line, avoiding a counterattack by the Wei army.
After several days of fierce fighting, the morale of the Wei army began to decline. The shortage of grain and grass, coupled with successive defeats, made Cao Shuang have to consider retreating. Wang Ping looked at the Wei army on the city wall and turned to the soldiers behind him and said: "All the kings have worked hard, and today's achievements are enough to tell the world!" The soldiers cheered, they were proud to protect the territory of Shu Han.
Wang Ping's victory was not only a military success, but also an important contribution to the stability of the Shuhan frontier. His wisdom and determination stabilized the situation for Shu Han during this critical period, allowing the country more time to prepare and adjust. Wang Ping left an indelible mark in the history of the late Shu Han Dynasty and became a symbol of the Shu Han frontier guards.
Zhang Yi and Ma Zhong - the guardians of Nanzhong.
Zhang Yi and Ma Zhong played an extremely important role as the key generals of Shu Han in the southern and central regions. During his tenure, Zhang Yi laid the foundation for the long-term stability of Shu Han in the southern and central regions with his steady strategy and foresight. His military layout is both tight and resilient, and he is able to respond quickly to all kinds of unexpected situations.
Zhang Yi's well-designed fortifications are located in various key locations in Nanzhong. He personally patrolled the various lines of defense to ensure that the soldiers were ready for a possible attack. At a defensive deployment meeting, Zhang Yi said to his generals: "The terrain here is dangerous, and it is conducive to defense. We must take strict precautions and not afford to fail. The generals nodded in agreement.
After Ma Zhong succeeded Zhang Yi in his position, he continued to maintain and strengthen this defense system. On the basis of Zhang Yi, he further improved the defensive layout of Nanzhong and made it more solid. Ma Zhong said to his subordinates: "We are shouldering the heavy responsibility of guarding Nanzhong, and every inch of land must not be lost. "The soldiers brace their spirits and vow to defend their homeland.
Under the leadership of these two generals, the situation in the southern and central regions gradually stabilized. Their efforts are not only reflected in the military, but also include the reasonable adjustment of the local ethnic policy, so that the relationship between the ethnic minorities in the southern and central regions and the Shu Han is more harmonious.
Special mention should be made of Zhang Wei. Under Ma Zhong's tutelage, Zhang Wei showed extraordinary military talent and bravery. He was not only good at commanding operations, but also performed many miraculous feats in actual combat. In an encounter with the enemy, Zhang Wei personally led the elite troops, skillfully used the terrain, set up an ambush, and successfully ambushed the enemy's main force. After the war, Ma Zhong said to Zhang Wei: "The general's outstanding performance in this battle can be described as the luck of Shu Han." Zhang Wei responded: "It all depends on the wise guidance of the governor." ”
On the recommendation of Ma Zhong, Zhang Wei was appointed as the Taishou of Yuewang and guarded Nanzhong together with Ma Zhong. The cooperation between the two of them was very tacit, and they jointly formulated a series of defense and development strategies, which greatly enhanced the influence of Shu Han in Nanzhong.
Under Zhang Wei's management, the Yuewang area not only had a strong military defense, but also had proper local governance and a stable livelihood. In his foreign exchanges, he paid special attention to the harmonious coexistence with the local ethnic minorities, which effectively reduced the number of people and strengthened the foundation of Shu Han's rule in the southern and central regions.
The joint efforts of these generals Zhang Yi, Ma Zhong and Zhang Wei made the situation in the southern and central regions of Shu Han stable for a long time. Their contribution was not only in military victories, but more importantly in the political and social spheres, they made significant contributions to the long-term peace and stability of Shu Han. Their names have thus left a strong mark in the history of Shu Han.
Jiang Wei's Northern Expedition and the transformation of national defense strategy.
As the main military leader of the late Shu Han Dynasty, Jiang Wei actively promoted the Northern Expedition strategy, aiming to recover lost territory and restore the former glory of the Han dynasty. Under his command, the Shu Han army repeatedly penetrated deep into enemy territory and launched a series of large-scale military operations against Wei.
In a northern expedition, Jiang Wei personally led the main force deep into the enemy territory and approached the border of Wei. He said to the generals in the military tent: "This Northern Expedition is related to the life and death of Shu Han, and we must go all out." The generals promised one after another: "I am willing to go to the battlefield with the generals and swear to protect Shu Han to the death." "Jiang Wei's military prowess was on full display in these battles, and he was adept at using various tactics and achieved notable victories in many battles.
However, frequent northern expeditions led to the emptiness of Shu Han's domestic defenses. A large number of troops were transferred to the front, making the country's defenses weak. Hanzhong is an important strategic location of Shu Han, and the defensive pressure increases in this situation. Although Hanzhong had a strong city defense and layers of defense, these defenses appeared to be stretched thin after the main force moved north.
During this period, some generals such as Huo Yi saw this crisis. Huo Yi proposed at a military meeting: "Although the Northern Expedition is important now, Hanzhong is the lifeline of Shu and Han, and its defense cannot be ignored. He suggested strengthening the defenses of Hanzhong in case the Wei army took advantage of the weakness. However, this suggestion was not adopted, and the top brass of Shu Han were more inclined to continue the Northern Expedition in order to achieve a breakthrough on the outer front.
As the Northern Expedition of the Shu Han army continued, the defensive forces of Hanzhong became increasingly empty. The Wei army understood this and began to plan an attack on Hanzhong. They took advantage of the emptiness of the Shu army's Northern Expedition to organize a large-scale military operation aimed directly at Hanzhong.
The Wei army broke through the outer defenses of Hanzhong overnight and quickly penetrated deep into the Hanzhong region. Although the defenders of the Shu army in Hanzhong resisted hard, the defensive situation was precarious due to insufficient troops and insufficient preparations. The Wei army's attack was like a bamboo, and soon captured a number of important places in Hanzhong.
At this time, the main force of the Shu Han army was still on the outer line, and the crisis in the Hanzhong region could not be supported in time. The top brass of Shu Han began to realize the gravity of the situation, but by this time it was already too late. The Wei offensive continued, the defenses of Hanzhong were gradually broken, and Shu Han's control of the region began to be lost.
Although the Shu Han army showed strong combat effectiveness in the Northern Expedition, the emptiness of domestic defenses became a fatal weakness. This strategic imbalance eventually led to the Wei army being able to easily attack Hanzhong, and the *** Shu Han, which directly threatened Shu Han, lost a key strategic location, and this incident also became one of the important reasons for the demise of Shu Han.
Deng Zhi and Diplomatic Strategy.
During the period from Zhuge Liang to Liu Chan, the governor of Jiangzhou in Shu Han was known for his diplomatic and military capabilities, among which Deng Zhi's performance was particularly prominent. Deng Zhi not only had an outstanding military performance, but also showed superb political wisdom in diplomacy with Wu.
During his tenure as governor of Jiangzhou, one of Deng Zhi's main tasks was to deal with the complex relationship between Shu Han and Eastern Wu. In his many diplomatic representations with Eastern Wu, he skillfully balanced the balance of power and safeguarded the national interests of Shu Han. He had many meetings with diplomatic envoys from Soochow, and during these talks, Deng Zhi was always able to properly handle the differences between the two sides and promote the stable development of relations between the two countries.
In a meeting with the envoys of Wu, Deng Zhi said of the relations between the two countries: "Although Shu and Wu have differences, the long-term solution is to jointly confront Wei. The envoy of Wu State responded: "Governor Deng Du has a unique insight, and Wu State is also willing to maintain peace with Shu." Through this kind of diplomatic activity, Deng Zhi not only enhanced the mutual trust between Shu and Wu, but also won a favorable position for Shu and Han in the diplomatic pattern of the three kingdoms.
In addition to his diplomatic talents, Deng Zhi also excelled in military affairs. In 228, Zhuge Liang launched the Northern Expedition, and Deng Zhi, as one of the military commanders, was responsible for cooperating with the actions of Zhao Yun's corps. He showed a high level of military literacy in the tactical layout, effectively contained the strength of the Wei army, and provided important support for Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition. At the tactical discussion, Deng Zhi made a detailed analysis of the balance of forces between the enemy and the enemy, and formulated a reasonable battle plan. These military actions of his not only enhanced Shu Han's military strength, but also reflected his ability as a military leader.
Deng Zhi's political wisdom and military talents made him an important historical figure in the Shu Han period. His diplomatic and military strategies played an important role in maintaining Shu Han's international status and border security. In the history of Shu Han, Deng Zhi's contribution lies not only in his victories in various battles, but also in his significant diplomatic contribution to the stability and development of Shu Han. His name and achievements have become an indelible part of the history of the Three Kingdoms.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms