Chapter 35: Take Sichuan (Three)

However, Liu Zhang received a report in Chengdu, saying that Liu Bei sent generals Wei Yan, Huang Zhong and Xue Bing to kill Ling Bao. Deng Xian was shocked and anxious to invite everyone to discuss. His eldest son Liu Xun came out of the vocation and said, "I am willing to lead troops to defend Luocheng." Liu Zhang heard this and said, "Since my son is willing to go, who should be punished?" As soon as he finished speaking, another person went out of the vocation and said, "I am willing to go!" Everyone looked at it, but it was Wu Yi. Liu Zhang was overjoyed and said, "It's best to respect my uncle. Who can be the deputy general?" Wu Yi said, "Wu Lan, Lei Tong can be the deputy general." Liu Zhang followed him and ordered Liu Xun to lead 20,000 troops to Luocheng to help the battle.

Besides, Liu Bei was discussing with Pang Tong, Xue Bing and others about how to seize Luocheng. Suddenly, he reported in detail: "Zhang Lu, Dongchuan, is about to come to attack Jiameng Pass." Liu Bei was shocked when he heard the news and said: "If Jiameng Pass is incorrect, cut off my retreat and teach me how to advance and retreat, what should I do?" Pang Tong said: "Lord, don't be surprised, you can send someone familiar with geography to guard the pass." Liu Bei asked: "Who can take this position?" Pang Tong said: "Only Meng Da cannot!" Liu Bei then called Meng Da and asked: "Now I want to ask you to guard Jiameng Pass, are you willing?"

Meng Da said, "I took a man to guard the pass with me, but it was foolproof!" Liu Bei asked, "Who?" Meng Da said, "This man was once a general of the Central Army under Liu Biao's troops in Jingzhou. He was from Zhijiang, Nanjun. His surname was Huo, his name was Jun and his courtesy name Zhongmiao." Liu Bei was overjoyed and sent Meng Da, and Huo Jun went to guard Jiameng Pass.

As soon as Meng Da and his two men left, they reported it carefully, saying: "Liu Zhang heard that Ling Bao and Deng Xian were beheaded, so he urgently sent his son Liu Xun to lead Wu Yi, Wu Lan, Lei Tong, and lead 20,000 troops to Luocheng to assist in the battle."

Liu Bei then asked everyone what strategy? Xue Bing thought to the bottom of the head: "Ling Bao should have planned to divert water from our army's front camp. Now Ling Bao was beheaded by me, but I don't know if anyone would offer this strategy?" After thinking for a while, he thought that it was necessary to prevent it, so he said to Liu Bei: "Lord, be careful that the enemy generals divert water from the village!" Liu Bei was stunned when he heard this. Pang Tong urgently slapped his forehead and said, "If it weren't for General Xue's reminder, we would have almost missed a major problem." Seeing that Liu Bei was puzzled, he said, "Huang Zhong, Wei Yan Village is close to Peijiang. If someone breaks the river and blocks it with troops from front and back, the two generals and nearly 10,000 soldiers will have no choice but to escape." Liu Bei was shocked and urgently sent someone to report to Huang Zhong and Wei Yan secretly, asking him to patrol carefully sooner or later to beware of someone breaking the water. Seeing that the envoy left, Liu Bei said, "If it weren't for all the dukes, it would have hurt Han Sheng, Wen Chang."

A few days later, Wei Yan sent a letter to report that yesterday Zhang Ren led his army to break the river, but was killed by Wei Yan. Liu Bei read the letter and said to everyone: "It was not as expected by Zi Han, Zhang Ren led his army to break the river last night. Fortunately, he was prepared early and was killed by Wen Chang." Xue Bing heard this and said: "Fortunately, he told this matter just in case." Thinking of this, he felt that something was missing. After thinking for a long time, he finally thought about it. It seemed that the person who should have come to join Liu Bei at this time did not come.

While he was thinking, he suddenly reported that the military advisor of Zhuge Liang in Jingzhou sent Ma Liang to hold a letter here. Liu Bei then recruited Ma Liang to come in and asked about the current situation in Jingzhou. After Ma Liang bowed and said, "Jingzhou is safe, and the lord will not worry." Then he took out Zhuge Liang's letter and submitted it to Liu Bei. Liu Bei dismantled the book and read it. After reading it, he said to Ma Liang: "You can go back to Jingzhou first!" Then he said, "I will also return to Jingzhou later."

However, Pang Tong was always beside Liu Bei, so he could see clearly the content of the letter, saying that Zhuge Liang did not want him to take the credit, so he immediately said to Liu Bei: "Lord takes Xichuan in an emergency!" So he used Taiyi's numerology to talk to each other. When Liu Bei heard this, he gave up his thoughts of returning to Jingzhou and ordered troops to go to Luocheng.

Xue Bing heard it clearly below and said, "When I first read the Romance, I only remember that Pang Tong died in battle, but I did not remember Zhuge Liang's letter to warn him. It's ridiculous that many people even said that Zhuge Liang killed Pang Tong. Who is really a person? What do you think!" He also saw that Pang Tong was obsessed with this, and in order to make contributions, he lost his mind, so he sighed: "Why should he die? Pang Tong's talent is extraordinary, and he is happy to win with strange things. Those who make strange things are gambling for life. If they succeed, they will succeed. If they fail, they are afraid that their lives will not be guaranteed. However, such a genius will inevitably be inadequate and often lose their lives because of a small loss." Thinking of this, Xue Bing thought to himself: "How should he save his life?"

The next day, the army advanced and left at the front camp. Huang Zhong and Wei Yan led Liu Bei into the camp, and the generals discussed the plan to seize Luocheng in the tent.

Pang Tong asked Fa Zheng: "How many roads are there to reach Luocheng?" Fa Zheng then drew a simple picture, and Liu Bei also took out the map presented by Zhang Song to compare, and there was no mistake. Fa Zheng: "There is a big road in the north of the mountain, and you can go straight to the east gate of Luocheng. There is a small road in the south of the mountain, which can take the west gate of Luocheng. Both roads can advance." After hearing this, Pang Tong thought for a while and said to Liu Bei: "The chief commander Wei Yan to be the vanguard and take the southern small road!" Perhaps he had not landed, the account was hired.

Ban said: "The lord and the military advisor took General Wei as the vanguard, and they called us the deposed people?" Pang Tong was stunned. Seeing Wen Pin and Yu Jinzheng with anger on their faces, they understood that the two men had entered Sichuan and had never fought a big battle. So he laughed and said: "This is Tong's negligence, and he forgot the two generals!" So he changed his words and said: "Tong regards Yu Jin as the vanguard, and takes a small path. The lord can use Wen Pin as the vanguard, and take the big path to the east gate. Yu Ercheng Gate attacks Luocheng together."

When Liu Bei heard this, he shook his head and said, "I have been familiar with bows and horses since I was a child, and I have traveled many small roads. The military advisor can go to the main road to get the east gate, and I will take the west gate."

Pang Tong said, "There must be an army to block the road, and the lord can be a fair and righteous army. Take the small path." Liu Bei just refused. When Xue Bing saw him, he knew that Pang Tong was determined to walk the small path, so he said, "If lord is not relieved, Bing will lead the troops of the headquarters to follow the military advisor, and the military advisor will be safe." Liu Bei heard this and said, "If Zihan goes with me, I will be relieved!" Xue Bing was about to accept the order, but Pang Tong said, "General Xue should protect the lord fairness and safety, what should I do with me?" Xue Bing said, "You dead bird, you really don't know how to live or die!" Then, "The guards of Luocheng are all from Sichuan, so why don't you know there is a small path here? In addition, Zhang Ren is a famous general in Sichuan, so he must hold troops here. Military advisors should be careful. And I will go with the military advisor. General Huang and General Wei can walk with the lord, so you should keep the lord without any trouble."

After Xue Bing finished speaking, Liu Bei said, "What do you mean by Zi Han's words? Don't say more about the military advisor! I will pass on my order to advance to Luocheng tomorrow, and the troops will be divided into two groups, and the two southeast gates will be divided into two groups!" So he stopped listening to Pang Tong's words and went back to rest. When everyone saw that the lord had left, they went back to the camp to rest one after another. Xue Bing was also waiting to go back, but was called by Pang Tong.

Pang Tong looked at Xue Bing up and down and said, "I know Zi Han never does useless things, but I don't know what is going on today? I insist on walking with me. What did Zi Han expect?" Pang Tong has worked with Xue Bing for the past few months and admired his views. Therefore, he spoke very politely at this time.

Seeing that there was no one around him, Xue Bing pulled Pang Tong and walked and said, "If I say to Shi Yuan, can I understand the art of observing human numerology? Is Shi Yuan trustworthy?"

Pang Tong was stunned when he heard this, but he didn't expect Xue Bing to answer like this, so he said, "Isn't it that Zihan saw that something was wrong with me?"

Xue Bing said: "I have recently seen the Shiyuan Heavenly Court turn black, and there is a black air that always accompany you. I think I will suffer a great disaster!"

Pang Tong didn't believe it when he heard this, but when he thought of Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei's repeated words, he even said this, and he couldn't help but mutter: "Can I really encounter a great disaster?" Then he asked, "Zi Han really knows the art of observing human numerology?"

Xue Bing said intimately, "I know the nonsense of observing people. Who told you to take this set?" But he said seriously: "I learned this technique from a strange person when I was a child, and I have not missed it yet."

Pang Tong said: "Why haven't I heard Zihan say it in the past?"

Xue Bing said: "Because I taught that strange people said that this technique can only be seen by human numerology, but cannot be said casually. It is because a person's destiny is innate. If he says it casually, it is against the will of heaven and change his destiny. If he does it, this technique will be completely broken."

When Pang Tong heard Xue Bing say this, he believed it seven times in his heart and said to himself, "I think Zi Han really understands such a magical technique." Xuan thought that Xue Bing said this to him was equivalent to breaking the magical technique he learned, so he was shocked: "If Zi Han says this, if I save me, wouldn't I breaking the magical method I learned? What a pity!" After saying that, he shook his head and sighed.

Xue Bing said, "You are the lord's arm. You can save any useless magic and protect your arms. Why don't you cherish it?" Pang Tong heard this and thanked him again and again. Xue Bing laughed secretly and said, "It can be considered fooling you."

The next day, the soldiers followed the general's order and made meals at the fifth hour. Ping Ming was ready to go. Wenpin, and Yu Jin led the army to go first. Liu Bei and Pang Tong talked at the camp gate. While they were talking, Pang Tong suddenly turned Pang Tong off the horse. Liu Bei rushed forward and grabbed the horse. He helped Pang Tong up again and said, "How can the military advisor ride such a bad horse?" Pang Tong said, "I have been riding this horse for a long time, but I have never done this." But he said in his heart: "I said yesterday that I had a great disaster today. Could it be that this is a warning?" People are like this. If they don't believe it, they will not take it seriously if they encounter anything. Once they believe it, they will start to suspicion.

Just as he was thinking, Liu Bei said, "The horse was shocked at the battle and it was a disaster. The white horse I rode was very familiar with. The military advisor could take advantage of it, and it was foolproof!" Xue Bing said in a clear audition and said, "It was your white horse that killed Pang Tong's life." Then he said, "No!"

Pang Tong was about to thank Liu Bei, but suddenly heard Xue Bing shouting, and looked at him with a puzzled look. Xue Bing walked over and said from Liu Bei: "The horse that the lord rides is called Lu, which is beyond the reach of a person. The lord is possessed of noble character and has nothing to do. If an ordinary person rides it, it will harm his life!"

Liu Bei said: "How could Zihan believe in such superstitious things? How can a person's life and death be determined by one horse?" So he exchanged mounts with Pang Tong.

Pang Tong was grateful to Liu Bei for his kindness and thanked him: "I deeply feel that my lord is very kind, and even if I die, I cannot repay you!" So he rode on a white horse and led his army to look out at the small road.
Chapter completed!