As we all know, Cao Cao began his southern expedition after unifying the north. However, Chibi encountered stubborn resistance from Sun Liu's combined forces and was eventually broken by Eastern Wu's plan of attacking with fire. After Cao Cao's great defeat, he saw that the general situation had gone, and immediately led the remnants of the defeated army to Huarong Road.
However, Zhuge Liang, who was clever and calculating, had already calculated that Cao Cao's army was defeated and would take huarong dao. However, for both Sun Quan and Liu Bei, Cao Cao was an object that must be eliminated, especially for Liu Bei, whether it was a public vendetta or a private vendetta. Then, at this time, Cao Cao was also the weakest time, and it was simply a godsend opportunity to kill him, how could he miss it. So he sought Zhuge Liang's advice and asked who to go to Huarong Dao to intercept Cao Cao.
Zhuge Liang already had a plan in his mind, he had already given the general who went to guard Huarong Dao, and this person was Guan Yu, who was known for his loyalty. In fact, in Liu Bei's view, Cao Cao was already a bird of fright, the end of the strong crossbow, and the result of whoever went cao cao was doomed. However, Zhuge Liang sent Guan Yu, who had received Cao Cao's favor, to Huarong Dao. Zhuge Liang also knew very well in his heart that Guan Yu had received Cao Cao's grace and would certainly have pity for him and eventually let him go. But Zhuge Liang was Liu Bei's confidant, and he should have thought about the candidate from Liu Bei's position, so why did he go to Guan Yu, who was serious about love and righteousness, to intercept Cao Cao, and finally let Cao Cao escape smoothly? Could it be that Zhuge Liang was in the shu camp heart in Cao, and Cao Mengde was inserted next to Liu Bei? The answer is definitely no.
For Zhuge Liang's true intention of knowing that Guan Yu would release Cao Cao, but preferring Guan Yu to go to Huarong Dao, it can be described as painstaking. Zhuge Liang was well aware that Cao Cao had just unified the north, but there were still many forces in the north that did not completely and willingly submit to him. If Cao Cao died at this time, then the north would inevitably be in chaos, and Eastern Wu had just defeated Cao Jun, and the army's morale was already greatly encouraged. Looking at the world, only Cao Cao had enough strength to fight against Eastern Wu, and if he died, the biggest beneficiary would be Eastern Wu. After that, Eastern Wu would surely first destroy Liu Bei, who had no foothold, and then swing his army north. In this way, the unification of the world may be Eastern Wu. This was a situation that Neither Liu Bei nor Zhuge Liang wanted to see, and as long as Cao Cao was there, Eastern Wu did not dare to act rashly. In this way, Zhuge Liang could free up Liu Bei's hands to make perfect preparations for taking one of the three points of the world.
Zhuge Liang's move can be said to be well-intentioned. Therefore, letting Cao Cao go back is only for the sake of the overall situation, and really has to obey zhuge Kongming's wisdom, which is really very comparable.