The story of Zhuge Liang's seven captures of Meng Yu was widely circulated, and most people thought that Zhuge Liang was merciful, cherished talents, and could not bear to kill Meng Yue; but in fact, Zhuge Liang adopted the "strategy of attacking the heart", which meant that through Meng's capture, the south was completely submitted to the Shu state, so that his Northern Expedition had no worries!
Let's go back to history and find out.
Liu Bei died of illness and Washun succeeded to the throne. After Liu Chan succeeded to the throne, almost everything in Shuzhong was decided by Zhuge Liang alone. Zhuge Liang conscientiously governed the country and wanted to make shu Han prosperous, but he did not think that after Liu Bei's death, several counties in Yunnan and Guizhou first made trouble.
There was a powerful man named Yong Min in Yizhou, who heard that Liu Bei had died of illness and murdered Yizhou Taishou and launched a coup d'état. While he defected to Eastern Wu, he co-opted Meng Yue, the leader of an ethnic minority tribe.
At that time, the Shu Han Had just suffered a major defeat at the Pavilion and the death of the ancestor, and his vitality was seriously injured, and he could not send troops. While sending people to make peace with Eastern Wu, Zhuge Liang rewarded production, built water conservancy, saved grain and grass, and trained soldiers and horses.
Two years later, the situation stabilized, and Zhuge Liang decided to send troops to the south.
In 225 AD, Zhuge Liang led an army to the south in order to consolidate the rear. When the completion of the work, the southern Yi leader Meng Yue gathered the defeated scattered troops to attack the Shu army. Zhuge Liang had heard in advance that Meng Yue was loyal, sincere, and brave and good at war, and was extremely popular in the south. Therefore, it was decided to win him over.
Zhuge Liang was good at scheming, and Meng Yu had courage and no strategy. Zhuge Liang commanded the Shu army to show signs of defeat and retreat, which led Meng Yu to lead the army to go deeper, so he captured him in one fell swoop.
Logically, the two sides are engaged, the enemy commander is captured, and his army has collapsed, and it is only necessary to take advantage of the victory to pursue and break the enemy army. However, Zhuge Liang considered Meng Yue's prestige in the south and believed that only by allowing Meng Yu to truly surrender could he ensure the true stability of the south. Therefore, he personally untied Meng Yue and accompanied him to see his own military camp and released him.
Returning to the camp, Meng Yu regrouped, believing that he had figured out Zhuge Liang's deployment, and once again attacked the Shu army. But where did he know Zhuge Liang's thoughts, and once again "obediently sent to the door" and was captured.
Meng Yue, who was captured for the second time, still expressed dissatisfaction, and Zhuge Liang smiled indifferently and released him again.
Meng Yue, who had once again returned to the tribe, became cautious and could not hold out. Zhuge Liang sent troops to pretend to cross the river, while ordering the army to go around the upper and lower reaches, cross the river to surround Meng Yue, without any accidents, Meng Yu was captured for the third time.
Even though Meng Yu was captured three times, he did not show a hint of obedience, and Zhuge Liang also treated him as usual and let him go back. The generals were puzzled, and Zhuge Liang explained: "Relying on force is often suppressed and disobedient, so that he will be satisfied and convinced." If our army wants to completely pacify the south, it must reuse people like Meng Yue. ”
In this way, he was caught and released, again and again, until after being captured seven times, Zhuge Liang entertained as usual, and then sent Meng Yu out of the house, this time, Meng Yu was unwilling to leave. With tears in his eyes, he said, "Seven strokes and seven indulgences, when I can say that I have exhausted my benevolence and righteousness, I am obedient from the bottom of my heart." From now on, I dare not turn back. ”
Zhuge Liang appointed Meng As an official of the Shu Han Dynasty, and did not retain the Han official. After Meng's return, there was not another rebellion in the south. Meng Was loyal to the Shu Han, and the southern region was completely stable.
The capture of Meng Meng in the Seventh Fully shows that Zhuge Liang is a person who is good at attacking and scheming, and is also a concrete manifestation of Zhuge Liang's superhuman academic talent, which makes the world admire. The story of Zhuge Liang's "Seven Captures of Meng" has also been passed down as a good story.