Fa Zheng zi filial piety, a native of Fufeng County, Jian'an came from his hometown to Yizhou in the early years of the famine and became a subordinate of Liu Zhang.
However, Fa Zheng was not reused by Liu Zhang, and he worked for several years before he was mixed into the position of lieutenant of the military council, which was equivalent to a staff officer by Liu Zhang's side.
Fa Zheng was born into a famous family and was quite talented, and after mixing for so long, he only achieved a staff officer, which made him very depressed. Coupled with Fa zheng's bad temper, he was depressed and discouraged, and he often vented his dissatisfaction, so he offended many people. Many people reported to Liu Zhang that Fa Zheng's future in Yizhou was completely uncertain.
However, he and Zhang Song have a good relationship, and there is nothing to always go over and swing the dragon gate array with him, complaining about the depression in his heart. In 208, Liu Zhang sent Zhang Song on an envoy to Cao Cao to return, and Zhang Song persuaded Liu Zhang that he should make friends with Liu Bei and not interact with Cao Cao, and recommended that Fa Zheng go to Liu Bei on an envoy. Liu Zhang agreed.
Fa Zheng pretended to be a few times, and then went to Jingzhou, where he did not have much hope for Liu Bei. However, Liu Bei had already figured out the details of Fazheng, and he had great respect for Fazheng and treated him with courtesy, which made the depressed Fazheng really feel the long-lost care.
While Liu Bei defeated Cao Cao and occupied Jingzhou, the army and horses were majestic, and he felt that Liu Bei was the lord who could really serve him. Therefore, after he returned, he conspired with Zhang Song to promote Liu Bei's entry into Yizhou as long as he had the opportunity, and then these frustrated people could turn around and be liberated.
In 211, Zhang Lu in Hanzhong threatened Liu Zhang, and Liu Zhang, fearing that he could not resist, was helpless. At this time, Zhang Song and Fa Zheng urged Liu Zhang to ask Liu Bei for help, and Liu Bei occupied the key territory of Jingzhou and was a relative of the Han Dynasty, so he would certainly not have other plans. Liu Zhang agreed, and sent Fa Zheng and fellow villager Meng Da to each bring 2,000 people to meet Liu Bei.
After seeing Liu Bei, Fa Zheng immediately turned his back. He told Liu Bei that Yizhou was solid, the country of Heavenly Palace, and a place of hegemony. And Liu Zhang is weak and incompetent, not the lord of Yizhou, now Zhang Song is the internal response, I am the foreign aid, the general will take Yizhou will be as easy as a palm.
What Fa Zheng said was exactly what Liu Bei thought, because according to Zhuge Liang's strategy of "Longzhong Pair", Yizhou was a place where it must be obtained. Liu Bei was overjoyed, so he led tens of thousands of troops into Sichuan, and Fazheng borrowed a lot of military funds from Liu Zhang under the pretext of Liu Bei's lack of money and grain, which further enhanced Liu Bei's military strength.
Liu Bei looked at it, and this fa was indeed loyal to himself. And he has been living in Yizhou for a long time, is familiar with the terrain and personnel here, and now that he has just turned to me, he must do the work of dogs and horses, so he keeps his kurama around, and all the big and small affairs are discussed with him.
In order to make a good impression on Liu Bei, Fa Zheng will naturally work hard to mix a good position in the future. In the process of trying to capture Sichuan, Fa zheng also showed his superior military ability, and Liu Bei was very happy, believing that he had discovered a talent that was not inferior to Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong.
Eventually, with the help of Fa Zheng, Liu Bei captured Yizhou. At this time, Fa Zheng also persuaded Liu Bei to marry Liu Zhang's deceased brother Liu Mao's wife Wu Shi (吴氏) in order to gain the support of the Yizhou scholars. Liu Bei did it, the effect was very good, and he had a good trust in Fa Zheng. Soon, Liu Bei made a significant contribution to Fazheng and made him the Taishou of Shu Commandery (which could manage Chengdu), the general of Yangwu, and became a big red man around Liu Bei.
At this time, Fa Zheng finally turned over, and he used his power to begin to rectify the enemies who had slandered and framed him in the first place, and reused the people close to him. Many people expressed their dissatisfaction with Fa Zheng to Zhuge Liang, hoping to repay Liu Bei and kill Fa Zheng as a blessing.
Liu Bei definitely knew about this, but Liu Bei had not expressed his position. Therefore, Zhuge Liang's statement is deeply trusted by Liu Bei, and it is useless to say it. The end result is resigned.
Liu Bei did this because there was still something to use for Fa-rectification. In 217, Fa Zheng persuaded Liu Bei to attack Hanzhong, and Liu Bei agreed. In 219, Liu Bei personally invaded Hanzhong, leaving Zhuge Liang in chengdu to guard the rear, while taking Fa Zheng as a military division. Fa Zheng repeatedly made strange plans, step by step, planned to behead Xiahou Yuan, and made great contributions to Liu Bei's capture of Han Neutrality.
There is also an episode. At that time, Liu Bei was supervising the battle on the front line, the battle situation was unfavorable, the arrows of the Cao army were raining down, Liu Bei was furious, and no one dared to persuade the generals. At this time, Fa Zheng did not say a word and stood in front of Liu Bei. Liu Bei said, Filial piety you dodge the arrow. Fa Zheng said, Lord, you are not afraid, what am I afraid of? Liu Bei had no choice but to retreat with Fa zheng. From this incident, we can see how high the status of Fa Zheng was in Liu Bei's clique at that time, and it can be said that Liu Bei only listened to Fa Zheng's words at that time.
After taking Hanzhong, Liu Bei established himself as the King of Hanzhong, with Fa Zheng as Shang Shu Ling and General of the Protector Army, and Fa Zheng became the core of Liu Bei's clique, and his status was no less than zhuge Liang.
In 220, Fa Zheng died, and Liu Bei wept bitterly for several days. Later, Fa Zheng was posthumously honored as a wing hou, and Fa Zheng thus became Liu Bei's first subordinate to be given the title of Marquis, and his status was evident.
During the Battle of Yiling, Liu Bei insisted on an eastern expedition, and Zhao Yun tried unsuccessfully to persuade him, and finally suffered a crushing defeat. When the news came, Zhuge Liang couldn't help but sigh that if Fa Zheng was still there, he would certainly be able to dissuade Liu Bei. Even if he couldn't, with him on the expedition, he wouldn't have been so defeated.
Based on the above contents, Zhuge Liang's remarks are not false, and Fazheng does have this status and ability.