In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, there is a particularly famous story: "Empty City Plan". When we looked at this story before, we would simply think that Zhuge Liang successfully deceived Sima Yi's 150,000 troops with the help of a single empty city plan in the case of a small number of soldiers. This Zhuge Liang was really a god and a man, a clever man, resourceful, and worthy of Being Liu Bei's chief military master!
But thinking about it carefully, it seems that something is wrong, this Sima Yi is a very clever person, how can he so easily hit Zhuge Liang's empty city plan? Couldn't he see that this was Zhuge Liang's deception?
In fact, as long as we look at it in light of the historical situation at that time, Sima Yi's empty city plan of Zhuge Liang is particularly reasonable. Why? Let's briefly analyze the situation at that time.
According to the description in the novel, Sima Yi led a total of 150,000 troops at that time, while Zhuge Liang only had 2,500 people. Sima Yi, who was approaching the city, even if he did not know the specific situation in the city, he could have sent a team to inquire first, after all, there was no defender at the city gate at that time, there were only a few sweeping cleaners, and when this team entered the city, no matter what the result was, sima Yi could be given an accurate judgment on whether to withdraw or attack.
In addition, if Sima Yi did not send people into the city to investigate, then he could also let these 150,000 troops surround it, and there was no need to retreat. Moreover, at that time, the Shu army had just passed through the street pavilion and suffered a fiasco, and the Wei army was in full swing, so there was no need to retreat!
These methods that even we ordinary people can think of, didn't Sima Yi, who was extremely clever and calculating, not think of them? You must know that the Cao Wei regime at this time relied on him alone to support, Wei and Shu fought, basically he led the troops, his strategy, courage, and wisdom were not under Zhuge Liang, and in the face of Zhuge Liang's empty city plan, he did not hesitate to retreat, and had to make people suspect that there were other reasons for this!
To find out the reason for Sima Yi's retreat, we have to start from Sima Yi's situation at that time.
Sima Yi's situation
At that time, in the court of the State of Wei, there were only a few capable people, most of whom were people who were well-respected, and when it came to Wen Tao's martial strategy, Sima Yi was the only one in the State of Wei. It is not even an exaggeration to say that he supported the entire Wei kingdom. But this person who is too capable is easily jealous of others, especially those of the Cao clan. Therefore, Sima Yi had many political enemies within the State of Wei at that time, and these people occasionally blew wind in the emperor's ear and gave Sima Yi eye drops.
Zhuge Liang, sima Yi's old rival, took all this in his eyes, so he took the opportunity to send people to the State of Wei to spread rumors, falsely claiming that Sima Yi wanted to rebel. Sure enough, after this news reached the emperor's ears, he almost killed Sima Yi, and if someone had not interceded, Sima Yi would have died in Huangquan a long time ago. However, although his life was saved, his official position was lost!
When Zhuge Liang raised troops for the Northern Expedition, the Emperor of Wei began to panic, and the Wei army without Sima Yi was not Zhuge Liang's opponent at all, so he was forced to start using Sima Yi again, allowing him to regain military power and resist Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition army.
This was the situation when Sima Yi led an army of 150,000 troops under the gates of Zhuge Liang's city at this time! If it had been before, Sima Yi would definitely not have given up this good opportunity to make meritorious contributions, but at this time, the extremely clever Sima Yi could not help but think deeply. So, what was Sima Yi thinking about?
Sima Yi's considerations
In the face of Zhuge Liang's empty city plan, Sima Yi now had nothing more than two choices, one was to lead his troops to kill and destroy his old rival Zhuge Liang, thus establishing this "great feat". But the question is, what will happen after zhuge liang is destroyed? Wei Guo sat back and relaxed, for a long time there was no need to worry about the Shu Han army coming, and those who were not accustomed to themselves would begin to play themselves in front of the emperor, even if the emperor was grateful for his merits for a while and did not kill himself, but since ancient times, "accompanying the king is like accompanying the tiger", in case the emperor is unhappy one day, what if he wants to kill himself? If this is the case, won't your dreams be shattered?
The second is to withdraw his troops on the grounds that "Zhuge Liang pretended to be calm, but in fact laid a net of heaven and earth in the city." Because as long as Zhuge Liang was still there, then the State of Wei needed him, and those political enemies could not easily do anything with him. Of course, you can also understand that as long as Sima Yi is present in the State of Wei, Zhuge Liang's Northern Expedition will not succeed. Moreover, Sima Yi's retreat at this time was not good for the State of Wei, but there was no harm. However, for Sima Yi himself, it is beneficial and harmless!
Therefore, under such consideration, Sima Yi had no need to attack it!
brief summary
Of course, the above is just a simple analysis combined with the story in the novel, in fact, there is no "empty city plan" in history, when the Battle of Jieting occurred, it was not Sima Yi who fought against Zhuge Liang, but another general of the State of Wei. This empty city plan is just a story fabricated by the author Luo Guanzhong.
But although the story is made up, we can also draw one conclusion from this matter, that is:
When a system (can be understood as an enterprise or unit, etc.) can not provide enough security to the individuals in it, then its individuals will not wholeheartedly work for the system, once such a contradictory relationship arises, then the biggest loss is the system itself.
So do you think that's the case?
References: Romance of the Three Kingdoms;
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