When Liu Beibei attacked Xianbei in the north, Cao Cao's side, the battle of Bajun also came to an end. After Zhang Wei asked Liu Zhang for help without telling Zhang Lu, Liu Zhang ignored it. Bajun is in chaos.

It's not that Yizhou doesn't have a good source of soldiers, but it also depends on whose hands it is. In the hands of Zhang Lu and Liu Zhang, the combat effectiveness of the army is simply miserable. So even with the help of the local barbarians in Ba County, Zhang Lu was defeated and retreated.

Cao Cao's subordinates are all tiger and wolf divisions tempered from years of warfare, and their own equipment is much better than Zhang Lu's army. Zhang Lu couldn't resist it, it was normal. After repeated failures, Zhang Lu finally decided to give up. Many of the people who died were his followers. Territory is important, but so is mission. If Cao Cao could provide him with better treatment and allow him to preach, then surrender would not matter.

So Zhang Lu sent Gong Cao Yan Pu to see Cao Cao, Yan Pu dragged two large carts of gifts, and then went to Cao Cao's camp, and after meeting Cao Cao, he explained his intentions.

Cao Cao is really unwilling to entangle with Zhang Lu, what he lacks most now is time, and it is the key to quickly sweep Yizhou before Liu Bei frees up his hands and feet. Zhang Lu is willing to surrender, that is the best. At least it can give him more time to come out. Otherwise, the war will drag on until next year. So he agreed to all the requests made by Zhang Lu. What kind of missionary or something, Cao Cao was not interested in it at all. As long as Zhang Lu is not demagogic to rebel, let him go.

At this time, Yang Ang had already died in battle, and although Zhang Wei was not convinced, he was also unable to support himself. He was also a devout Taoist, and after his brother Zhang Lu surrendered, he was so angry that he simply abandoned his official position and went home, and devoted himself to Taoism.

After Zhang Lu received Cao Cao's reply, he raised Jiangzhou to surrender to Cao Cao. Zhang Lu's family was warmly treated by Cao Cao. This made Zhang Lu breathe a sigh of relief. Zhang Lusu had no ambition, and in the later period, he put all his thoughts on Taoism and studied "Lao Tzu Xiang'er Note" wholeheartedly. He and several of his sons, later recorded in history, were dismembered and flew away. His fourth son, Zhang Sheng, later came from the eastern Han Dynasty, opened the Taoist Longhu Mountain, and inherited more than 1,000 families.

The news of Zhang Lu's surrender finally reached Liu Zhang's ears. After losing the barrier between Hanzhong and Bajun, Liu Zhang finally couldn't sit still. Zhang Lu occupied it before, but now it has been replaced by Cao Cao. He is not afraid of Zhang Lu, because everyone is at the same level. But he didn't have the confidence to deal with Cao Cao. Although he felt that he had the court and Liu Bei to rely on, Liu Bei was too far away after all, and Cao Cao was just outside the gate. Liu Zhang really didn't know the bottom in his heart, so he summoned the ministers to discuss.

There are few people who can come up with serious ideas, but there are many crooked ones, and they almost didn't make Liu Zhang's nose crooked.

Some people say: "Hanzhong and Ba County were originally the land of Yizhou. Since Cao Mengde is not a minister for the court, now Zhang Lu has surrendered, and Hanzhong and Bajun should be returned to Yizhou. ”

This was said very reasonably, Liu Zhang almost believed it, and said: "What Qing said is very true, so I bothered Qing to go to Cao Mengde to get back Bajun and Hanzhong for me?" ”

Silence.

The hall was quiet for a while, and there was another humane: "The lord and the traitor Zhang Lu have surrendered, and he has become a scholar to the imperial court, asking the imperial court to appoint a county guard, govern the two counties of Han and Ba, and issue an edict ordering Cao Mengde to withdraw his troops." ”

It's a pretty solid idea, and although whether it has an effect or not is another matter, it's still a path.

Someone else came out to play the right: "My lord, according to the opinion of the ministers, it is advisable to report it to the general as soon as possible." If Cao Mengde comes to invade our territory, he will ask the general to order Zhao Yun, the governor of Sili, and Zhang Xiu, the governor of Liangzhou, to come to our aid. ”

Liu Zhang thought about it and thought it was good. He is the Yizhou pastor of the imperial court, and now Hanzhong and Ba County are occupied by Cao Cao, and Cao Cao is likely to come to invade him. How to deal with it depends on the court. Throw this thorny problem to the imperial court for a headache. It's good to transfer people to guard Jiameng Pass and Baishui Pass first.

Liu Zhang then asked people to go to the court to explain the situation in Yizhou at this time. and let the ministers under his command discuss the matter of increasing troops and Baishui. Speaking of troop transfers, the temple was in chaos again.

"Jia Meng, Bai Shui, the soldiers are full of food, why do you need reinforcements? Deyang is the most important place! ”

"Jia Meng doesn't increase his troops, if Cao Cao's soldiers come, how can it be good?"

"Jokes, the danger of Jia Meng, everyone in Yizhou knows. Now Ba County is owned by Cao Cao, and Deyang and Jiangyang can send troops, so why take the risk to attack Jia Meng? ”

The ministers below were arguing, Liu Zhang had a headache when he heard it, and ordered someone to take the map over to take a look, Liu Zhang couldn't help but gasp. Losing a Hanzhong, Cao Cao was only able to attack Shu County from Baishui Pass and Jiameng Pass. He only needs to send heavy troops to guard Guanghan County. Now Bajun is also lost. Looking at it again, Cao Cao can not only send troops from Hanzhong, but also go up the river to attack Deyang in Guanghan County, and then troops to the strategic point of Fuxian, and then attack Mianzhu by taking advantage of the situation; You can also go south to attack Fujie and Jiangyang, invade Qianwei County, Qianwei County is lost, and where is there any safety in Shu County. It's all hit to the rear, what's the use of Jia Meng in front.

Liu Zhang suddenly broke down in a cold sweat, and immediately made a decision: "Since Jia Meng and Baishui have soldiers, they will order soldiers and horses to reinforce Fujie, Jiangyang, and Deyang." Make no mistake! ”

Liu Zhang made a decision, and the voice below suddenly disappeared. But after a while, another voice came out: "The use of troops in winter, the soldiers are afraid of the cold and hardship, and the cost increases too much, it is better to wait until after the beginning of spring." ”

Liu Zhang was a hesitant person, he was dizzy by the quarrels of the ministers, and he also felt in his heart that now the snow was falling, Cao Cao was tired from fighting in Hanzhong and Bajun for a long time, and there was a situation where the imperial court was restrained, whether he had the courage to invade Yizhou was still a question, and how could he use troops against himself at this critical moment? Since you can save money by transferring troops next spring, let's do it next year, and there is no rush for this time. So Liu Zhang happily followed.

Liu Zhang used this winter as a buffer time for everyone. felt that the imperial court would intervene as soon as it received his report. So he put it behind him and hid in the temple for the winter.

Liu Bei received Liu Zhang's report and frowned. His original intention of conquering Guanzhong was to cross the Qinling Mountains to deal with Zhang Lu, but Guanzhong was slightly settled, and the north was unstable. I had no choice but to go north to solve the hidden dangers in the north. Unexpectedly, as soon as there was a delay here, Cao Cao would even go down to Hanzhong and Ba County. It seems that Cao Mengde has to get it to Yizhou.

Now if he wants to help Liu Zhang, it's not impossible, Zilong can let him send troops to threaten Meng De. However, Liu Zhang had to provide the grain and grass.

After years of war, Yuan Shao, Guan Liang, and Xianbei were conquered, and their small treasury was almost empty.