Why is the empty city plan a win-win situation?

For Zhuge Liang, it is possible to follow the army with almost no losses; for Sima Yi, it is difficult to hide good bows as there are many flying birds. Since it is beneficial to both parties, it is called a win-win situation. It's also possible.

The story of the Empty City Strategy is only found in Chapter 95 of "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and is not recorded in official history, so let's just tell it as a story.

After Zhuge Kongming put down the Menghuo Rebellion in the Southern Barbarians, Liu Chan, the leader of the list, wanted to send his troops to the Northern Expedition to fulfill the late emperor Liu Bei’s last wish to unify the world. Liu Chan was just a decoration to put it bluntly, so naturally he didn’t Secondly, Zhuge Liang personally led an army of more than 300,000 to attack Wei.

For the first time out of Qishan, the Shu Han soldiers were well-prepared and unstoppable. Zhuge Kongming successively captured Nan'an, Tianshui, and Ancheng; he also surrendered Jiang Wei and Jiang Boyue, and cursed Cao Wei's Situ Wang Lang to death. , defeated the Qiang chariot soldiers. It can be said that the military power is growing day by day, but everyone in Cao Wei is afraid.

However, something unexpected happened. Just when Zhuge Liang was preparing to take the opportunity to attack Chang'an, Cao Wei reactivated the wily Sima Yi. Zhuge Liang misused Ma Su again, causing the loss of Jieting, an important road in Hanzhong. The incident happened suddenly, and Zhuge Liang had no choice but to put himself in danger and set up an empty city plan in Xicheng County to wait for Sima Yi.

Kong Ming sent an order to the whole city: put down all the flags and hide them. The only 2,500 soldiers in the city were guarding the city. No one dared to go in or out without permission or speak loudly. ,cut! The city gates were wide open, and twenty soldiers pretending to be commoners were deployed in front of each gate to sweep the streets. The Wei soldiers should not panic when they arrived.

Then Kong Ming put on the crane cloak, put on the silk scarf, ordered the two children to bring their own harp, sit on the tower, burn incense and play the harp, as if they were immortals.

Seeing such a scene, Sima Yi's outpost didn't dare to come forward. He reported back to Sima Yi. Sima Yi laughed and didn't believe it at all, so he flew to the front army in person and looked at the west city. As expected, he saw Zhuge Liang talking and laughing calmly, not thinking he was far away. Cao Jun, who was here, took it seriously. Sima Yi watched carefully for a long time, returned to the central army, and ordered Zhe's army. Zhuge Liang also retreated completely.

The story of the Empty City Strategy can be described as an eternal masterpiece. Only Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi used this strategy to the extreme this time, and no descendants can surpass it. Because these two people are both rivals and close friends. The empty city plan was just a show for future generations, and the real situation was probably due to the tacit understanding between the two.

Zhuge Liang knew that although Sima Yi was talented, he was jealous of Cao Wei, so he needed someone to help Sima Yi prove the value of his existence; Sima Yi also knew that without Zhuge Liang as an opponent, his ending would probably be like the saying goes. It is said in "The birds are gone, the good bow is hidden, the cunning rabbit is dead, and the lackeys are cooked."

If Sima Yi did not follow the army but led his army to cover up the killing, then Zhuge Liang would be defeated, and he would probably be captured, Shu Han Without Zhuge Liang, it would be difficult to pose a threat to Cao Wei. In this way, although Sima Yi made great achievements on the surface, because he eradicated Cao Wei's disease, he himself may not last long. After all, the important officials in the court at that time were suspicious of the careerist Sima Yi.

Sima Yi is a smart man, and he couldn't have thought of this; therefore, seeing Zhuge Liang's empty plan just gave him a step up, which is convenient for others and convenient for himself, but because The reason could not be discovered by others, so he could only pretend to regret afterwards and sigh to the sky: "I am not as good as Kong Ming!"

Similarly, Zhuge Liang naturally saw this, so he expected that Sima Yi would not attack the city. But because the street pavilion was lost, Cao Wei choked the Northern Expedition. He had no choice but to retreat with hatred, ending his first Northern Expedition.

It was an empty and sincere plan. Although Zhuge Liang was defeated, he preserved his strength to the maximum extent. Sima Yi won without cutting off his own retreat, so of course it was a win-win situation.