In the sixteenth year of Jian'an (211), Liu Zhang heard that Cao Cao was preparing to send troops to Hanzhong to conquer Zhang Lu, and his heart was terrified. Therefore, Liu Zhang listened to Zhang Song's words and immediately sent Fa Zheng to lead the troops to meet Liu Bei. Liu Zhang's master book, Huang Quan, expressed his opposition, but was not adopted by Liu Zhang. Liu Bei led an army from Jiangling to Fucheng, and Liu Zhang led more than 30,000 infantry and cavalry, driving a mantle and a tent, dazzling, and went to meet Liu Bei. At the meeting in Fucheng, Liu Bei's generals greeted them one after another, and everyone gathered to feast and drink for more than 100 days. Liu Zhang, with a large amount of supplies, helped Liu Bei and asked him to go on a crusade against Zhang Lu, and then the two said goodbye.
In the seventeenth year of Jian'an (212), Liu Bei entered Yemeng. Zhang Song's brother Guanghan Taishou Zhang Su feared that disaster was imminent, so he informed Liu Zhang of zhang Song's plot, and Liu Zhang captured and executed Zhang Song and ordered all the guards at the pass to block the road. Liu Bei was furious and turned his forces to attack Liu Zhang. The war between the two sides lasted nearly three years, during which time Liu Zhang's subordinates killed Liu Bei's adviser Pang Tong, leaving Liu Bei in a bitter battle. Later, Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun reinforced Liu Bei from Jingzhou.
In the nineteenth year of Jian'an (214), Liu Bei invaded Chengdu and sent Jian Yong to persuade Liu Zhang to surrender. At that time, there were 30,000 elite troops in the city, and there was enough food to support it for a year, and the officials and people wanted to resist. In this regard, in the author's opinion, Liu Zhang obviously has the conditions to adhere to it. However, Liu Zhang ultimately chose kaesong to surrender. So, the question is, after Liu Bei besieged Chengdu, Liu Zhang still had 30,000 elite soldiers, why did he easily give up resistance? In this regard, in the author's opinion, the reasons are mainly divided into the following points.
First, Liu Zhang has a weak personality and a kind side
We often say that "character determines destiny", and for Liu Zhang, nature is no exception.
In the Battle of Yizhou, Liu Bei captured Luocheng. Liu Zhang summoned his subordinates to discuss countermeasures. In this regard, Zheng Du offered advice: "Although Liu Bei now attacked the city and seized the land, there were not many soldiers, the soldiers were not attached, the wild valley was a capital, and the army was not heavy. It is better to drive the Brazilian Zi Tong people as far as possible, and cross the fushui west. Its barns and wild valleys are all burned down, and the deep ditches are high and high, waiting for it. He will fight, do not allow it. For a long time, he had no funds, but in a hundred days, the soldiers went by themselves. I take advantage of the false strike, and I can catch it. ”
For Zheng Du, his strategy was very simple, that is, to rely on Jianbi Qingye to force Liu Bei to withdraw from Yizhou. It is worth noting that after Liu Bei heard about Zheng Du's plan, he felt angry and frightened and hurried to inquire about Fazheng. Fa Zheng replied, "Liu Zhang will not listen in the end, there is nothing to worry about." Liu Zhang, as Fa Zheng said, told his subordinates: "I have heard of rejecting the enemy to reassure the people, and I have not heard of moving the people to avoid the enemy." So he deposed Zheng Du from his official position and did not use his strategy. Therefore, it is very obvious that it is precisely because of the fear of alarming the people that Liu Zhang not only refused to adopt the strategy of jianbi qingye, but even removed Zheng Du from his official position, which can be described as too late.
Moreover, when Liu Bei's army surrounded Chengdu, Liu Zhang said: "My father and son have been in Yizhou for more than twenty years, and they have not exerted kindness on the people, but they have fought for three years, and many people have died in the grass and wild, just because of me." How can I be at ease! So he opened the gates of the city and went out of the city to surrender, and there was no one under his men who did not cry. It is true that Liu Zhang also had 30,000 elite soldiers, and as long as he continued to resist, he had every chance to win the turnaround, such as waiting for the intervention of Cao Cao, Sun Quan, Zhang Lu and other princes. However, during this period, Liu Zhang needed to bear a huge cost of casualties. In this regard, because of his own personality problems, Liu Zhang is difficult to make up his mind, and naturally he will not continue to resist.
Second, the defection and death of his subordinates made Liu Zhang suffer a great blow
Before the Battle of Yizhou broke out, Liu Zhang learned of Zhang Song's betrayal of him. Although he had killed Zhang Song, the two subordinates, Fa zheng and Meng Da, had already fallen under Liu Bei's command. After Liu Zhang took the lead in attacking, Liu Bei summoned Yang Huai and Gao Pei, the governor of Baishui, accused them of being rude to the guests, and beheaded them. Liu Bei led his army directly into Guantou and annexed Yang Huai and Gao Pei's forces. Continue the march and capture Fucheng. Therefore, for Yang Huai and Gao Pei, the death was too unjust, which naturally made Liu Zhang feel sad.
In the course of the Battle of Yizhou, Liu Zhang sent his troops to resist Liu Bei, Liu Yan, Ling Bao, Zhang Ren, Deng Xian, and Wu Yi, all of whom were defeated and retreated to Mianzhu, and the wu yi and Wu ban brothers surrendered to Liu Bei's army. It is worth noting that Wu Yi and Wu Ban's sister, Wu Shi, married Liu Zhang's brother Liu Mao. Therefore, they and Liu Zhang have an in-law relationship. As a result, this naturally could not stop the betrayal of Wu Yi and wu Ban brothers.
In this context, Liu Zhang also sent his protectors Li Yan of Nanyang and Fei Guan of Jiangxia to command the various armies and horses stationed in Mianzhu, but Li Yan and Fei Guan also led their own subordinates to surrender to Liu Bei. Liu Bei's army became more powerful, and sent his subordinate generals to occupy the surrounding counties. Among them, as far as Fei Guan is concerned, the Fei clan of the family is the Jiangxia clan, the Fei Guan family and the Liu Yan family have been friends for generations, and the Fei Guan clan aunt married Liu Yan as his wife and gave birth to four sons for Liu Yan. Liu Zhang also married his daughter to Fei Guan. His brother, Boren, was sent by Liu Zhang to welcome him into Shuzhong. At this time, Liu Zhang can be said to be a rebel and a relative.
Soon after, Liu Xuan, Zhang Ren, and Liu Zhang's son Liu Xun retreated to Luocheng, and Liu Bei marched to besiege Luocheng. Zhang Ren led his army out of the city and fought liu Beijun at Yanqiao, where Zhang Ren was defeated and eventually killed on the battlefield. For Zhang Ren, he can be described as a fierce general under Liu Zhang, and he is even more loyal to Liu Zhang. Now, Zhang Ren's death naturally caused Liu Zhang to suffer a huge blow and setback, thus speeding up Liu Zhang's decision to surrender. In addition, in 213 AD, Liu Bei attacked and besieged Luocheng, and Liu Zhang's son Liu Xun led an army to resist and held out for nearly a year. As a result, Liu Bei still conquered Luocheng and captured Liu Xun. As a father, the news of his son's capture was also a thunderbolt on a sunny day. Although Liu Bei did not kill Liu Xun, if Liu Zhang insisted in Chengdu, it would be difficult to ensure that Liu Xun would not have to worry about his life.
Third, the arrival of Ma Chao became the last straw that crushed Liu Zhang
In the Zizhi Tongjian, it is recorded that Ma Chao knew zhang Lu's inadequacies and planning, and Lu harmed Yang Ang and other numbers of his abilities, and Chao Nei was pregnant with Yi. Bei envoy Jianning Governor Li Hui said that Chao Sui fled from Wudu into Qizhong, and the secret letter please surrender to Bei. Prepare people to stop overtaking, and dive into military resources. Super arrived, causing the army to lead the army to the north of tun city, and the city was shocked.
At the time of the Battle of Yizhou, Ma Chao was attached to Zhang Lu, who was in charge of Han. For Ma Chao, knowing that Zhang Lu was not worth discussing with him, Zhang Lu's general Yang Ang and others repeatedly denigrated his talents, so his heart was depressed. Liu Bei sent Li Hui, the governor of Jianning, to lobby Ma Chao, and Ma Chao fled from Wudu to the Tribe of the Qi people, secretly writing to Liu Bei to request surrender. Liu Bei sent people to stop Ma Chao, but secretly sent troops to help. When Ma Chao came to Chengdu, Liu Bei ordered him to lead an army to garrison the north of the city, and the people in Chengdu were very shocked and fearful.
It is worth noting that Liu Bei secretly sent a soldier and horse to Ma Chao, and then let Ma Chao lead the army to Chengdu, which naturally made Liu Zhang more afraid. Because Ma Chao had previously defected to Zhang Lu's command, this would make Liu Zhang misunderstand that Zhang Lu had already joined forces with Liu Bei. Moreover, Ma Chao was originally a fierce general in the Liangzhou area, and many of the people and soldiers in Chengdu city also knew Ma Chao's reputation, and now his joining made Liu Bei's side feel like a tiger.
In addition, after abandoning resistance, Liu Bei moved Liu Zhang to Jingzhou, returned his belongings to him, and then pei Zhenwei's general Seal Letter. For Liu Bei, there is still a certain risk in letting Liu Zhang continue to stay in Yizhou. In the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an (219), Sun Quan of Eastern Wu took advantage of Guan Yu's Northern Expedition to send Lü Meng and Lu Xun to attack Jingzhou, so Liu Zhang surrendered to the Eastern Wu side, and was appointed by Sun Quan as the pastor of Yizhou, living in Zigui County, and Liu Zhang died about 221 AD.