In May 219 (the twenty-fourth year of Emperor Jian'an of the Eastern Han Dynasty), Cao Cao had just experienced the defeat in Hanzhong, and Xiahou Yuan, the general of Zhengxi (the second rank of the army), was also killed in this battle, and he had not had time to appease the soldiers. Shu Han's Dangkou general Xiangyang Taishou Guan Yu cooperated with Liu Bei's offensive in Hanzhong and began the Northern Expedition, with the goal of opening up the Han River basin and connecting Liu Bei's Yizhou and Guan Yu's Jingzhou.
The upper reaches of the Han River are divided into two parts, the east and the west in ancient times, the Western Han Dynasty in the Western Han Dynasty mainly has the Bao country where Bao Xi is located, and the Eastern Han Dynasty is mainly the sphere of influence of the Yong State. During the Warring States Period, the Qin State took the Western Han Dynasty, and the Chu State occupied the Eastern Han Dynasty, and the two sides fought for the Hanzhong region, and the Battle of Danyang and Lantian broke out. Later, the Qin State occupied the entire Hanzhong, and during the Qin and Han dynasties, the Eastern and Western Hanzhong were in Hanzhong County, and the capital was in Nanzheng in the Western Han Dynasty.
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Hanzhong County was divided into two again, Zhang Lu controlled the Western Han Dynasty, and the local wealthy families Shen Tan and Shen Yi brothers controlled the Eastern Han Dynasty. The Eastern Han Dynasty was later split into three counties, Xicheng, Shangyong and Fangling, which were located in the east of the original Hanzhong County, also known as the three eastern counties.
When Liu Biao led Jingzhou Mu, he sent troops to capture Fangling in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and changed Fangling County to Fangling County, and led Fangling Taishou with Kuaiqi. Yizhou Mu Liu Zhang did not even control the Western Han Dynasty, and could not do anything about it, Liu Biao actually cut out a county from the territory of the Shen brothers, which had little impact on Liu Zhang.
Liu Biao's main purpose in taking Fangling was to increase the depth of Xiangyang, and he was very measured, and did not continue to embarrass Shen Tan and Shen Yi. The Shen brothers did not invade each other in the west and Zhang Lu, and the east and Kuai Qi also had a tacit understanding of non-interference with each other.
The Kuai family is the Luhao clan in Xiangyang, Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue, and Kuai Qi are the three brothers, and the first two are Liu Biao's henchmen.
When Cao Cao went south to Jingzhou, the Kuai brothers advocated surrender, and later Kuai Liang officials to the Ministry of Shangshu, Kuai Yue officials to Guangluxun (one of the nine Qing, the second rank of the official position), Kuai Qi still led Fang Ling Taishou. Kuai Qi married Zhuge Liang's eldest sister Zhuge Shi, and he was also inextricably linked with Liu Bei's army.
Shen Tan and Shen Yi sent envoys to pay homage to Cao Cao, so Cao Cao used Shen Tan to lead the Shangyong Taishou and seal the townspeople.
Liu Beijun and Guan Yu's army were divided into two routes: on the side of Yidu County in Jingzhou, Yidu Taishou Meng Da attacked Fangling County from Zigui to the north, and on the side of Hanzhong County in Yizhou, Liu Feng, the deputy general of the army (the fourth rank of the military rank), attacked Shangyong County along the Han River from Hanzhong.
Since Liu Bei entered Sichuan to replace Liu Zhang, Meng Da led Yidu Taishou, and was controlled by Guan Yu, the general of Dangkou (military rank three), he was not in Yizhou, and did not participate in Liu Bei's battle to take Hanzhong.
Meng Da has been operating in Yidu County for several years, and his soldiers are strong. Before this battle, he and Guan Yu planned for a long time, and the marching route was from Yiling to the Yangtze River, to Zigui at the mouth of the Xiangxi River, and then to the north to trace the Xiangxi River valley up, and then abandon the boat to land on the shore, climb over the Shennongjia of the Daba Mountains, go down along the pink water, and attack Fangling City (now Shiyanfang County, Hubei) by surprise.
Yidao, the capital of Yidu County (now Yichang Yidu), is located at the place where the Qingjiang River joins the Yangtze River. From Yidao to the mouth of the Xiangxi River, the former section is the Yangtze River, and the latter section is the Xiling Gorge of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, which is about 76 kilometers long. The width of the Xiangxi estuary is about 500-700 meters, and the Yangtze River is called the Xiangxi Wide Valley in this section, which is about 800-1000 meters wide. However, after the confluence of the two rivers, the width of Xiling Gorge is only 300-400 meters, and the speed of the river is accelerated by several times.
Xiangxi River, also known as Zhaojun Creek, Zhaojun (Wang Zhaojun) lives near the water, hands in the stream, and the stream is fragrant. The Xiangxi River originates from the Shennongjia forest area and flows into the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River from north to south, with a length of about 94 kilometers.
Meng Da has to go up the Yangtze River and the Xiangxi River, and also pass through the eastern part of Shennongjia, which is no less difficult than crossing the Qinling Mountains from Hanzhong to Guanzhong.
Since the capture of the general Yidu Taishou Zhang Fei into Sichuan, Meng Da was able to lead Yidu Taishou. In the past five years, he has trekked through mountains and rivers, wearing stars and moons, and led scouts to explore the road many times.
From Yidao to Fangling, hundreds of miles of land are divided into two sections: water and land. In the Yangtze River and Xiangxi sections, although it is feasible to boat, the water is turbulent, and someone has to pull the fiber along the river. Climbing over the steep mountain road of Shennongjia, the soldiers put on helmets and armor, held all kinds of weapons, and could no longer carry grain and grass baggage.
Meng Da had 5,000 soldiers, so he organized the soldiers' families into military households, and the soldiers went north to Fangling, and the military households were responsible for logistics such as pulling fibers, transporting grain, grass, and baggage. Some soldiers have no relatives, so they are organized into a common people's family to form a military household. Meng Da led 5,000 men and horses to the north, but there were actually 5,000 households, all of which were counted as his troops.
Kuaiqi led Fang Ling Taishou, and for several years his main defensive direction was Shangyong on the west side. If the Shen brothers attacked Fangling City (present-day Shiyanfang County, Hubei), they could cross the hills and mountains in the western part of Fangling, or they could bypass Wudang Mountain along the Han River and turn to the Nanhe, a tributary of the Han River northeast of Fangling. And Meng Dajun's slaughter from Shennongjia in the Daba Mountains in the south was really caught off guard.
Figure - Fang County
Kuaiqi's soldiers are inferior to armor, horses are inferior to saddles, military horses trample on each other, countless people died, and Kuaiqi also died in the chaos.
Meng Da raised soldiers for five years, and sure enough, he became famous and attacked and killed Fang Ling Taishou Kuaiqi, that is, Zhuge Liang's eldest brother-in-law Kuaiqi. And Zhuge Liang's eldest sister also died in the war.
At this time, Zhuge Liang's military position was the general of the military division (military rank 2), and Meng Da's backer was General Yangwu (military rank 3), but Fa Zheng also served as Shang Shuling, and the left general Liu Bei's mansion had to go through the hands of Fazheng.
Kuai Qi died in the chaos, which was beyond Meng Da's control. But Zhuge Liang's eldest sister died in the war, probably because Meng Da was not strict with the tribe, not every general will ask the tribe to have no offense with Minqiu, and even protect the family of the enemy general. At this time, Liu Bei trusted Meng Da's backer Fa Zheng very much, and soon Fa Zheng would worship the general of the Protector Army (military rank 2), ranking before Zhuge Liang, Meng Da did not take this matter to heart.
Meng Da did not stay long in Fangling, but took advantage of the victory to march westward and joined Liu Feng at Shangyong City (southwest of present-day Zhushan County, Shiyan, Hubei).
Figure - Zhushan County
Although the capital of Shangyong County attacked by Liu Feng was in Shangyong City in the southeast, there were many cities and fortresses on the Han River. If Liu Feng breaks through these defense points one by one, I'm afraid it will not be easy.
However, Meng Da quickly took Fangling, and went west over the hills and mountains to kill Shangyong City, so Liu Feng did not need to attack the city. Liu Feng led his army through Anyang, Xicheng (now Ankang, Shaanxi), Xunyang, and Tin County on the Han River, but instead of attacking, they went around to the Han River tributary to block the river, and directly took Shangyong, the core area of the Shen brothers.
If Meng Da didn't take Fangling first, Liu Feng would not dare to go deep into Shangyong City alone, because Meng Da took Fangling, even if the war was unfavorable, there would be a place to retreat.
At this time, Liu Bei's main force was in Hanzhong, Liu Feng and Meng Da were pressed by the two large soldiers, and Shangyong was too guarded by Shen Tan, of course, he would not fight for Cao Cao. In particular, he learned that Fang Ling's Taishou Kuaiqi was dead, and there was only one way to negotiate, as long as the conditions were suitable, Kaicheng would surrender immediately.
Liu Bei's condition for the Shen brothers was to divide Shangyong County into two, and Shen Tan worshiped the general of Zhengbei (the second rank of the military rank), and still led the Shangyong Taishou and the feudal townsman;