Zhang Wen was very satisfied, but Fei Yi and the others were very worried. After sending Zhang Wen to the guest station, Fei Yi immediately rushed back and asked Zhuge Liang directly: "Prime Minister, is this appropriate?" ”

Zhuge Liang didn't have a trace of a smile on his face at this time, he waved his hand, motioned for Fei Yi to sit, and said to Ma Yan: "Youchang, you tell Wen Wei about the situation again." ”

"Whoa." Ma Jian answered, took out a roll of account books, and handed it to Fei Yi.

Fei Yi took it and saw that it was the latest report of Shu Han last year, and hurriedly opened it and looked at it. When he left Longyou, the battle of Longyou was not over, and he didn't know much about the results and losses of Zuihou, but now when he saw this report, he knew how nervous Shu Han was now. What a price the Northern Expedition paid and how many difficulties it faced.

In a word, with the national strength of Shu Han, it cannot support a two-front battle, let alone a three-front battle. The military force may be barely sufficient, but the economy does not allow it. Fighting requires not only people, but also a large amount of money, soldiers need food, clothing, weapons, and all kinds of ordnance consumption, these are all money. It takes 20,000 yuan a year to raise a soldier normally, and if it is less, it will cost more than 10,000 yuan. Now there are 30,000 main forces in Guanzhong, 30,000 in Fangling, 50,000 in Yong'an and Jiangzhou, a total of 110,000 soldiers, which is almost all the mobile forces that Shu can mobilize. Just raising these soldiers will require an annual expenditure of 1.2 billion to 2 billion yuan. This does not include the standing forces of the counties.

How much is the financial income of the whole Yizhou? Since Liu Bei entered Yizhou, Zhuge Liang has worked hard to operate, and the most haode year is only one billion, and last year because of a large number of laborers in the army, the income has been greatly reduced, only less than 600 million. Excluding various expenses, the annual savings are about 200 million. The two-year-long Northern Expedition, the real battle was only half a year, and the materials and wealth accumulated by Zhuge Liang in the previous years were consumed.

There is a serious disproportion between income and expenditure. Can this battle still be fought?

"In today's plan, we will unite with Wu to attack Wei and transfer the main battlefield to Xiangyang. The only way out is to let Yizhou have a chance to breathe, or to free up his hands and manage Guanzhong well. Ma Tan explained: "The prime minister wants to form an alliance with Sun Quan. It is also a last resort. Otherwise, let alone a three-front war, it is a two-front war at the same time. In less than three years, we will be dragged down. ”

Fei Yi sighed and covered the account book: "However, in this way, Jingxiang has become the main battlefield, Wu Yi and Meng Da have made meritorious contributions, and there will be many factions in the court." Each seeks its own interests, and there are more people who hinder it, how can the prime minister's great cause of rejuvenating the country be realized? Prime Minister, this is drinking water to quench thirst. It's not a long-term solution. ”

Zhuge Liang smiled bitterly: "I know that this is to drink a donkey to quench my thirst, but now I am about to die of thirst, and I only have wine to drink." In order to buy a little more time, I had to drink this wine. Otherwise, Sun Quan was forced by Cao Wei to launch an attack on me, what could I do? ”

Fei Yi sighed and was helpless. He also knew that Shu Han's economy could not support a large-scale war for a long time, but without looking at these account books, he couldn't imagine that the difficulties would be so great. In order to gain buffer time, Zhuge Liang was willing to admit Sun Quan as emperor, which was a choice in desperation. After all, Sun Quan's claim to be emperor relied on his strength, and whether you agree with it or not, you can't really change the result.

"Wen Wei, what's going on with the warship?" Zhuge Liang interrupted Fei Yi's thoughts, and asked with some displeasure: "Until now, there has been no report from Fangling, if you hadn't notified me in advance, I would have made a fool of myself in the face of Zhang Wen." ”

Fei Yi frowned: "I also know very little about this matter, but Wei Ba took the initiative to inform me." He said that he was going to find fighters and take the initiative to attack Xiangyang, stimulate Wu Wei, and make them turn against each other. Cao Wei's construction of warships was an opportunity. As for ......" Fei Yi pondered for a moment: "As for whether the jishu of this new warship was deliberately released by him, or accidentally leaked, I can't say for sure." ”

"Prime Minister, could it be that the Xiahou Emblem next to him leaked it?" Jiang Wei suddenly reminded: "Xiahou Hui is a Wei person. ”

"Boyo, don't speculate." Zhuge Liang interrupted Jiang Wei: "Wei Ba is a cautious person, he will not make such a mistake. ”

Fei Yi shook his head: "Prime Minister, I think what Boyo said makes sense. However, I think this may have been deliberately done by Wei Ba, who just wanted to arouse Sun Quan's vigilance. As things stand, this is in line with our hopes. Just by doing this, Cao Wei's water war strength is stronger, which is tantamount to raising tigers. ”

Zhuge Liang frowned slightly, was silent for a moment, and said worriedly: "If Xiahou Hui is really a Wei person's meticulous work, then it would be too dangerous for Wei Ba to keep her by his side." In case Xiahou Hui had bad intentions and harmed Wei Ba's life, what would it be? ”

Ma Tan suddenly laughed: "What the prime minister is worried about is that I think Wei Ziyu is good for everything else, but he is not vigilant enough against the people around him." Last time, it was the woman of the Peng family, and now it is the woman of the Xiahou family, and he really doesn't have a long memory. ”

Fei Yi and Jiang Wei also laughed, and the originally somewhat dull atmosphere became a little more relaxed.

"If a person has strengths, he will have weaknesses." Zhuge Liang interrupted them, frowning slightly: "The young man is in the ring." I heard that Xiahou Hui was a beautiful woman, and Wei Ba was probably confused by her beauty, but he forgot that there was a knife on his head. He thought for a while, and suddenly said, "Youchang, you rush to Fangling, talk to Wei Bahaode, don't let him indulge in it anymore." Women are the first to be moral, and they are obsessed with beauty, which is not what a husband should do. ”

Ma Tan was stunned for a moment and promised to do so.

"After solving this matter, you will stay in Fangling and assist Wu Yi with Wei Ba, so that you can make preparations. If the timing is right, the Battle of Xiangyang may be an opportunity. ”

Fei Yi asked, "Prime Minister, do you really want to attract Wu Wei to Xiangyang?" ”

"Why not?" Zhuge Liang asked rhetorically: "If you can use 30,000 soldiers to contain Wei and Wu, for me, this is the best result." What I'm worried about is just self-defeating, and if I can't fight the tiger, I will be injured by the tiger. Wei Ba is too young after all, Cao Rui and Sun Quan are not easy to match, and the good generals around them cannot be underestimated. Lu Xun or Sima Yi, which one is not a masterpiece? It's not so easy to fiddle with them. However, Wu Yi is steady, although Meng Da is repeated, he is also good at using soldiers, Wei Ba is young, witty, coupled with his childish foresight and careful operation, he is not unable to control the heavy with light. ”

He looked into Ma Yan's eyes: "Young Chang, the burden on your shoulders is very heavy." ”

Ma Tan bowed down and received the order: "Huh." ”

Fei Yi looked at Zhuge Liang and then at Ma Yan, feeling a little uneasy. He could see from this short time together that Zhuge Liang had certainly changed, but it was insignificant compared to Ma Yan's changes. Ma Tan used to be such a flamboyant person, but now he has become silent. What worries Fei Yi even more is that the tacit understanding between him and Zhuge Liang is gone, and the two respect each other like guests, without the feeling of being a confidant in the past.

He glanced at Zhuge Liang, Zhuge Liang's eyes were a little helpless, but he didn't say anything.

……

Ma Tan and Zhang Wen went down the river together, and then broke up in Zigui. Zhang Wen naturally returned to Jiangling with Zhuge Liang's conditions to report the good news to Sun Quan, but Ma Jian turned to Anqiaosai and went straight to Fangling. learned that Wei Ba and others were in Zhuyang, and rushed to Zhuyang non-stop.

As soon as he arrived in Zhuyang, Ma Jian was a little surprised. The Zhuyang battalion waved its flags, and the shouts of the soldiers who were training could be heard from afar, and the neat roar revealed the desire for war and the urgent mood of meritorious service. This desire made Ma Jian suddenly feel a little moved, as if he remembered something.

When Ma Jian saw Wu Yi, Wu Yi was watching Meng Da command the siege. Next to the Han River, a city wall was built, about twenty steps wide and two zhang high, although it was only one section, but it was fully equipped. The soldiers defending the city were guarding carefully, and the soldiers attacking from the city were fierce, and the almost hoarse roar made it hard to imagine that this was just a mock battle. The figures who fell from the city one by one had little need for a real siege.

The drums of war sounded, and the siege stopped. Meng Da's face was pale, his beard was bent, he tore off his helmet, ran over and kicked Deng Xian, who was accusing in battle, to the ground, and whipped it with a horsewhip, causing Deng Xian to scream miserably.

"You pig brains, huh? How many times have I told you, you have to go all at once, all at once. Someone went to the city, weishenme did not storm with all his might? Meng Da whipped twice and scolded breathlessly, looking even more tired than Deng Xian, who personally went into battle to attack the city. He whipped at the head of the city and scolded: "Just like you, you still want to attack Xiangyang and Fancheng? You go home and pick up the child, don't embarrass Lao Tzu. ”

Ma Tan was dumbfounded. He knew that Deng Xian was Meng Da's nephew, and Meng Da treated him like his own son, slapping in front of so many people, where would Deng Xian's face go? It's just a drill, as for being so aggressive?

Ma Jian was thinking about it, when Wu Yi and Wei Ba walked over quickly. Far away, Wu Yi's old face smiled like a flower: "Haha, you're always here, you're here." ”

Ma Yan was inexplicable, and said in his heart, do you know that I am coming?

Wu Yi walked up to him and grabbed Ma Yan's hand, affectionately like an old friend who hadn't seen him for many years. Wei Ba followed, smiling and bowing to Ma Yan. Wu Yi pulled Ma Jian with one hand and Wei Ba with the other, looking up to the sky: "Haha, the prime minister is really interesting, the two generations of the prime minister's mansion have been sent to help me." If I don't take down Xiangyang and teach Cao Rui a lesson, how can I be worthy of the prime minister's kindness. ”

Ma Tan understood, and asked Wei Ba with his eyes. Wei Ba shrugged helplessly and gave Ma Jian a look back. Ma Tan smiled slightly: "The general said that he was joking, with Ziyu by the general's side, the general is enough to establish miraculous feats." I'm just here to fill in the gaps and learn from the generals. ”

Wu Yi daxiao. He didn't wait for Ma Jian to speak, he first insisted that Zhuge Liang had high hopes for him, Ma Jian knew him very well, and he didn't refute him face to face, which was enough. He took Ma Yan's hand and said with a smile as he walked: "Come, young Chang, take a look at our training and make suggestions." ”

Ma Tan pointed at Meng Da: "This ...... What's going on? General Meng seems to be really angry? ”

"Just want him to be angry." Wu Yi deliberately leaned into Ma Yan's ear and whispered: "If you don't stir up his anger, how can he be willing to work hard at that time?" Childish, don't you say? hahaha......"

Ma Jian closed his mouth tightly and said no more. (To be continued.) )