Your Majesty, please spare Diao Chan; your yang energy is too strong.

Thus, in the ninth year of Jian'an.

Zhou Heng once again captured Xichuan without bloodshed.

As for the name not being correct and the words not being proper.

Liu Bei also wanted to use the death of his strategist as an excuse to send troops to Xichuan.

Zhou Heng isn't exactly a person of great benevolence and righteousness.

Of course, there's no need to care about these things.

Therefore, it was only natural that they took over Nishikawa.

Having a map in hand is almost equivalent to having the Shu region.

Naturally, it doesn't require a huge price to pay.

If Cao Cao had launched an attack at this time, he would have had the opportunity to take Jingzhou while Zhou Heng was attacking Xichuan.

They will then divide the river and oppose Zhou Heng.

But at this crucial moment, Tadun, far away in Wuheng, rebelled.

Although the other side had already defeated Yuan Shao two years ago.

However, defeating Yuan Shao does not mean that you can take over the territory under Yuan Shao's control.

His sons were no pushovers either.

Therefore, it took Cao Cao two years to successfully wipe out all of Yuan Shao's troops.

It unified the entire north.

He originally planned to rest and recuperate for two years before leading an army of 500,000 south.

They swept away the entire world in one fell swoop.

But opportunities do exist.

Because Zhou Heng took advantage of this opportunity to seize Xichuan.

It represents the emptiness of Jiangdong.

If he were to send troops now, he would be very confident that he could unify the country.

But at this very moment, the Wuhuan rebelled.

How could he not hate him to the core?

Therefore, after a brief period of consideration, Boss Cao personally led the expedition.

It took a year.

They beat Wu Heng so badly that even his own mother wouldn't recognize him.

This completely eliminated his worries about the north.

Even Gongsun Du of Liaodong bowed down and submitted to the emperor.

It can almost be said that the world has been divided into four parts.

But this also gave Zhou Heng an opportunity.

They successfully conquered Xichuan in six months.

We sailed down the Yangtze River and crossed it with Boss Cao.

They truly achieved a two-way division of power.

In the same year, he also defeated Zhang Lu in Hanzhong.

Cao Cao was not idle either; after defeating the Wuhuan, he launched a campaign against Xiliang.

Neither of them made a move at that moment, tacitly agreeing to the decision.

Because the best opportunity has already been lost, it would be too risky to act rashly at this point.

This is not the best time.

It would be best to eliminate all your worries.

The outcome will be decided in one battle.

It can be considered a tacit understanding between the two of them.

.............

The eleventh year of Jian'an.

Cao Cao was utterly defeated by Ma Chao, losing his armor and beard, and becoming a laughingstock.

Zhou Heng successfully defeated Zhang Lu, thus completely taking control of Hanzhong and threatening Chang'an.

The twelfth year of Jian'an.

Cao Cao launched a counterattack and decisively defeated Ma Chao in Xiliang.

Forced into a corner, Ma Chao fled to Hanzhong.

He was successfully recruited by Zhou Heng.

The thirteenth year of Jian'an.

Liu Biao of Jingzhou died of illness.

The time was ripe, and Cao Cao led an army of 500,000 southwards.

They were closing in on Jingzhou.

Zhou Heng also successfully subdued the Danyang soldiers in Jiangdong.

To use for one's own benefit.

He appointed Yan Baihu as one of his generals.

The army numbered nearly 800,000.

Before he conquered Xichuan, he had an army of 400,000.

After conquering Sichuan.

Having acquired Liu Zhang's 200,000-strong army, they decisively defeated Zhang Lu in Hanzhong.

They gained another 100,000 troops.

And he successfully brought Fazheng under his command.

Ma Chao came to join them, and they gained tens of thousands of Xiliang cavalry again.

The troops under his command are now even greater than those under Cao Cao.

After all, Cao Cao only gained a significant number of Yuan Shao's troops when he decisively defeated Yuan Shao.

Other expeditions included the Wuhuan attacking Ma Chao.

They didn't gain many troops, and even suffered considerable losses.

That is, during the period of conquering the Southern Xiongnu.

They gained over 100,000 barbarian soldiers.

Their strength has increased considerably.

Therefore, the two armies were evenly matched.

.............

As for Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei, they were completely bewildered after hearing that Sichuan had been lost.

The Longzhong Plan, which was previously discussed, has become a laughing stock.

The Longzhong Plan was based on the premise that Sichuan was still under Liu Zhang's control.

It has now fallen into Zhou Heng's hands.

Divide the country along the river to govern it.

The situation of the world being divided into two is already very clear.

The tripartite division of power he described simply doesn't exist.

Let alone dividing the world into three parts.

Having lost their last piece of habitat in Sichuan, they now have nowhere to live.

Only Jingzhou allowed them to eke out a living.

They had nowhere else to stand in the world.

How could this not leave them feeling completely bewildered?

However, whatever their current feelings or plans may be, they are still in the past.

Neither Cao Cao nor Zhou Heng paid them any attention.

After all, given the prevailing trend, everything else is insignificant.

Now it remains to be seen which side will decide the fate of the world in one battle.

Especially Xiangyang.

This is the only buffer zone between the two sides.

For a time, both sides wanted to win.

Both Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang were caught in the middle, facing a dilemma.

In the end, the only option was to hold Xiangyang.

Xiangyang was a vital passage for those heading south.

Once Xiangyang is captured, the army can advance unimpeded and threaten Jiangdong.

If Zhou Heng captures Xiangyang, it will be equivalent to capturing the gateway to Jiangnan.

The historical geographical location of Xiangyang needs no further explanation.

You can see from watching The Legend of the Condor Heroes why Guo Jing insisted on defending Xiangyang to the death.

Because Xiangyang was the only major passage for people from the north to travel south.

If Xiangyang falls, the consequences will be unimaginable.

After Guo Jing's death, Xiangyang, which was defended by the Southern Song Dynasty, was destroyed.

But this very spot held off the Mongol army's attacks for decades.

Even the Mongol Khan Möngke died here.

Because there is no other way.

This is the only crossroads in the entire Yangtze River basin that allows travel south.

It can be said to be of paramount importance.

It far surpasses Hulao Pass and Sishui Pass in Luoyang.

If we can't take Xiangyang.

There are only two routes to enter Jiangnan.

Alternatively, one could cross the Qinling Mountains and traverse the vast, desolate landscape.

Alternatively, they could take the Chencang Trail, enter Liangzhou, and sweep across the Central Plains.

This is only from Zhou Heng's perspective.

If we look at it from Cao Cao's perspective...

Apart from Xiangyang, he had nowhere else to go.

The road to Shu is more difficult than ascending to heaven.

Having conquered Sichuan and Yiling and Zigui, taking over Jiangdong would be virtually impossible.

The only place he could go was Xiangyang.

During this period, Zhou Heng successfully subdued Gan Ning, the Jin Fan bandit.

He ordered the enemy to lead 30,000 troops in a night raid on Jiangxia.

He decisively defeated Huang Zu at Jiangxia.

They marched from Jiangxia into Nanjun, captured Hefei, and their forces reached the walls of Xiangyang.

Cao Cao on the other side was not to be outdone.

The army marched from Wancheng and stationed itself in Jiangling and Fancheng, forming a strategic defensive position.

They are eyeing Xiangyang covetously.

In Xiangyang today, almost half the people say they will surrender to Cao Cao, and the other half say they will surrender to Zhou Heng.

It's incredibly annoying.

Only Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei remained steadfast in their commitment.

However, it is clear that no matter what choices they make, they cannot change the outcome of the war.

...........