When it comes to Ma Chao during the Three Kingdoms period, many people will feel sorry for his tragic experience. Ma Chao's life can be said to be very absurd. The turbulent Three Kingdoms period was an era of heroes and heroes. The Shu Han camp of "gathering heroes" has a different, can be said to be a lonely person, Ma Chao.
Before ma chao defected to Liu Bei, he was a well-known figure in Xiliang and even in Hanzhong, but when he made up his mind to submit to the Shu Han camp, he had long lost his former glory.
Arrogant, helpless to lose
In the seventeenth year of Jian'an, Cao Cao decided to send troops to attack Zhang Lu in Hanzhong, and considering the entire battle situation, Cao Cao's army had to pass through the city of Liangzhou occupied by Ma Chao and Han Sui. However, Ma Chao believed that Cao Cao's move was a false way to destroy The Evil, and without hesitation, he sent 100,000 troops, lined up in the Weihe and Tongguan areas, and was ready to block Cao's army at any time.
These 100,000 elite soldiers were composed of Liangzhou warlords in Guanzhong. These soldiers were brave and good at fighting, and there was plenty of food and grass, and Ma Chao was confident that Cao Cao's army would come and go this time.
Unexpectedly, the scheming Cao Cao only used a divisive strategy to break the alliance between Ma Chao and Han Sui. The Western Liang army was in chaos as a result, and many warlords withdrew their troops one after another after seeing that the situation was not right, and this infighting greatly reduced Ma Chao's strength.
His wife and children were killed and he had no choice but to flee
Ma Chao, who had suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Tongguan, was not weakened by a battle, and he quickly adjusted his state and regrouped his forces. It made a comeback and annexed the counties of Longshang with the "momentum of lightning that could not cover the ears and steal bells". Zhang Lu also sent the powerful general Yang Ang to assist Ma Chao in battle, and Ma Chao gathered more than 10,000 troops to jointly besiege Jicheng, the assassin of Liangzhou.
In the case of a disparity in strength, Wei Kang was forced to open the city gates and surrender, and then was killed, and his men were also under the command of Ma Chao, and Cao Cao, after learning of the loss of Jicheng, hurriedly sent troops to try to save the situation.
However, Cao Cao's reinforcements were subsequently defeated by Ma Chao, and from then on, Ma Chao used Jicheng as his base camp, gathered his army, continued to divide Longshang, and declared himself the general of Zhengxi, leading and supervising the Liangzhou military.
After Ma Chao occupied Jicheng, his wife Yang Shi heard that Ma Chao had a new subordinate, Zhao Ang, and that person's wife, Wang Yi, was very famous in terms of behavior and morality. In order to improve his self-cultivation, he set up a banquet to entertain Wang Yi, hoping to get some guidance. In order to make Zhao Ang a confidant of Ma Chao, Wang Yi gained Ma Chao's trust and created opportunities for future rebellions.
Therefore, designed in advance, at the banquet, Wang Yi pretended to say to Yang: "In the past, Guan Zhong entered the State of Qi and made nine great contributions; from Yu to the State of Qin, Qin Mugong thus achieved hegemony. Now that the society has just stabilized, and in order to successfully solve the situation of the division of Longxi, it is necessary to employ people properly and manage them properly, so that the strength of liangzhou can compete with the Central Plains. ”
The simple Yang family, because he has not felt the sinister of the officialdom, coupled with Wang Yi's superb acting skills. In this way, he was deceived by Wang Yi and called Wang Yi a sister, thinking that Zhao Ang, like his wife, was of noble character and loyal to Ma Chao, and recommended Zhao Ang to Ma Chao. Since then, Ma Chao has also relaxed his vigilance against Zhao Ang and other weikang old departments.
In the eighteenth year of Jian'an, after Wei Kang's death, those old subordinates who were now serving Ma Chao finally found the right time after a long time of planning, launched a rebellion, and together they united with Liang Kuan, Zhao Qu, and Pang Gong of Nan'an to plan an army. Liang Kuan and Zhao Qu secretly occupied Jicheng first, quickly closed the gates, and brutally killed Ma Chao's wife and children.
At this time, Ma Chao was attacked by the rebels and Xiahou Yuan, and with the troops completely crushed, there was no doubt that Ma Chao was defeated. After paying a painful price, Ma Chao successfully broke through, but only more than a hundred soldiers and horses were left.
Cornered, the frustrated Ma Chao had to defect to the Zhang Lu camp in Hanzhong. Zhang Lu greatly admired Ma Chao and sealed Ma Chao as a sacrificial wine. In addition, in order to firmly trap Ma Chao, Zhang Lu also plans to marry his daughter to Ma Chao and let Ma Chao completely use it for himself. However, under the advice of his subordinates, in the end, there was no promise.
In order to avenge the murder of his wife, but also with his inner reluctance, Ma Chao successfully borrowed soldiers and horses from Zhang Luna, and was bent on preparing to send troops to fight Against Cao Cao, vowing to retake Liangzhou. Unexpectedly, he met Xiahou Yuan again on the road, and he had no choice but to collect the troops and return.
And Zhang Lu's general Yang Bai has always been jealous of Ma Chao's talent, so he tried to harm him after Zhang Lu began to have suspicions about Ma Chao, everywhere wary of Ma Chao, and even hidden the killing machine. In desperation, Ma Chao began his escape journey again. Later, he defected to the Qiang clan and the Qiangzhong, hoping to seek self-preservation by linking the Qiang people.
Exhausted and lonely, he turned to Liu Bei
After Liu Bei entered Sichuan, Li Hui, who was originally a strategist under Liu Zhang's palace, realized that Liu Bei was the monarch who would eventually achieve great things, and immediately defected to the Shu Han camp.
At that time, Liu Bei was at war with Ma Chao. Zhuge Liang successfully put Ma Chao in a dilemma by means of divisive measures, and at this moment, Ma Chao's mind was already shaken, and he only needed to send a suitable candidate to find a way to subdue Ma Chao. Li Hui said that he was willing to go and surrender as a courtesy of sight.
Before Li Hui arrived at the Ma Chao camp, he reported himself to the sentry. After Ma Chao knew, he was very dismissive, but he still let People Bring Li Hui in.
When Ma Chao saw him, he asked Li Hui, "You and I are in the hostile camp, what are you doing here?" Li Hui did not bend over backwards, directly indicating that he had come as a lobbyist for Liu Bei in order to recruit Ma Chao.
Then Li Hui said, "General, you have a vendetta against Cao Cao for killing your father, and you have a hatred with Longxi to the bone. You can't save Liu Zhang and then repel the enemy forces in Jingzhou now, and then you can't subdue Yang Song to meet Zhang Lu. Now he is a masterless man, and his belly and back are attacked. ”
Such a passage of words poked Ma Chao's sore spot fiercely. When I first met Li Hui, my arrogance was gone. Only to see Ma Chao take a few deep breaths and then say, "In your opinion, what should I do?" ”
Li Hui immediately said, Now, Corporal Li Xian, The Uncle of Emperor Liu, because he greatly appreciates your ability, let me convince you. Moreover, your father had made a pact with Liu Bei to fight Cao Cao, and shouldn't the general inherit his father's legacy?
Defecting to Uncle Liu Huang and crusading against Cao Thief, not only revenge for killing his father, but also having a meritorious name, is this not a double victory?
After hearing these words, Ma Chao immediately drew his sword and beheaded Yang Bai, the overseer sent by Zhang Lu. After making his position clear, Ma Chao immediately gathered his few troops, and after the reorganization was completed, he set out with Li Hui and accepted Liu Bei's request to surrender.
Ma Chao, the overlord of the divided side at that time, was due to the lack of loyal advisers around him and the improper use of people many times. After experiencing some ups and downs, he finally joined the Shu Han camp, and then Liu Bei's appreciation and Ma Chao's great achievements on the battlefield also allowed Ma Chao to receive a corresponding reward.