As soon as Qin became powerful, it began to move eastward. During the period of Qin Xiaogong, the land of Hexi, which had been lost for many years, was recovered, and dangerous terrain such as hills and Hanguguan was occupied. During the reign of Qin Huiwen, Qin seized all the territory west of the Yellow River in Wei State and established a bridgehead east of the Yellow River for the next eastward campaign.
Qin
In 3 18 BC, Korea, Zhao, Wei, Yan and Chu jointly attacked Qin, and at the same time, the western Yiqu also sent troops to attack Qin. Under the attack of east and west, the state of Qin was unable to resist, so it had to cede territory for peace and temporarily stopped its eastward strategy. This is the biggest failure suffered by Qin State since Shang Yang's political reform, and it is almost national subjugation.
Although King Huiwen of Qin ceded land for temporary peace, the enterprising spirit of Qin has not changed, and the national strength is still increasing. Qin Huiwen Wang faces the next development strategy. In the discussion with ministers, Qin has two opinions:
Qin
1 headed by Zhang Yi, it is suggested that Qin continue to attack South Korea, and then seize the Zhou Emperor to make the world. At that time, the Zhou royal family was in South Korea. Zhang Yi's strategy is simply to conquer South Korea and seize the emperor and establish a prince, which is the earliest source of seizing the emperor and establishing a prince in China's history.
2. Headed by Sima Cuo, they advocated attacking Bashu first and capturing the rear area of Qin. To put it simply, Sima Cuo's strategy is: to conquer Bashu and southern Shu, Chu can be destroyed.
After some thinking and discussion, King Huiwen of Qin finally adopted Sima Cuo's suggestion and attacked Bashu first. Then the question is, why did Qin Huiwen attack Bashu in Wang Yaoxian?
Sima Cuo
Let's talk about Zhang Yi's strategy: attack South Korea in the east, seize the emperor and make vassals. To tell the truth, Qin's strength at that time was not enough to do this. Although South Korea is good at fighting and taking Zhou Wang as hostage, it is a taboo in the world, which will cause strong opposition from various vassal States and unite five or six vertical and horizontal alliances that have already collapsed. At that time, although the Qin State under Shang Yang's political reform was powerful, it was far less powerful than the sum of five or six countries, and stronger than a single vassal state at most. Once Qin dares to do this, when the strength comes,
In addition, in the second year of the five-nation attack on Qin, Qin sent Zhang Yi to crack the five-nation alliance. Zhang Yi persuaded Wei to leave the alliance and make peace with Qin. The five-nation alliance has collapsed, and Qin has the conditions to attack South Korea. But in the end, Qin Huiwen chose to attack Bashu, which was actually very correct. The reason is that there is a Hanzhong county belonging to the State of Chu near Qin's bed, that is, King Qin Huiwen.
Zhang yi
At that time, Hanzhong County belonged to the State of Chu, and Hanzhong County is now Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province. Look at the map and you will know that it is only nearly 600 miles from Hanzhong to Xianyang, the capital of Qin State. Although there is a natural barrier of Qinchuan in the middle, after all, it is beside the bed and will not let others sleep soundly. Wouldn't it be dangerous if Chu attacked the capital of Qin one day?
During the reign of Qin Huiwen, the capital of Qin generals moved from Liyang (now Fuping, Shaanxi) to xianyang (now Xi 'an, Shaanxi). The Guanzhong Plain with Xianyang as the center is the core hinterland of Qin State. Now Chu has established a stronghold in Hanzhong, not far from the core hinterland of Qin, which makes Qin people fidgety.
Hanzhong county was in a very important position at that time. Crossing the Qinling Mountains to the north to the Guanzhong Plain of Qin State, and breaking through Xiaguan to the south to reach the Chengdu Plain. After the State of Chu occupied Hanzhong, if Ba, Shu and Ju were captured, the whole southern part of Qin would be surrounded by the State of Chu, and the State of Chu and Qin would directly border on the Qinling Mountains.
Pakistan at that time included all of today's Chongqing, Enshi, Hubei and eastern Sichuan. At that time, in Guangyuan, Sichuan, Shu was in Chengdu. Together, Pakistan, Sichuan and Shu are today's Sichuan and Chongqing, and a small area in western Hubei borders on Chu. If the State of Chu occupies these countries, it will gain another State of Qin.
Sima Cuo saw this threat and proposed to Qin Huiwen that as long as Bashu was captured, Chu could be captured. This strategy is very important and extremely correct in the history of Qin's hundred-year development. At the same time, there are still deep contradictions among Pakistan, Shu and Shu. Pakistan and Shu jointly attacked each other and asked Qin for help. Qin took this opportunity to+in 3638 BC.
In this way, Hanzhong County of Chu became an isolated place extending to the territory of Qin. Four years after Qin captured Bashu, it launched the battle of Danyang, captured Hanzhong County of Chu, and completely drove the forces of Chu out of the south of Qin. It took Qin four or five years to capture Bashu and Hanzhong, bringing the whole Chengdu Plain into the sphere of influence, and at the same time solving the possible threat of Chu to the southern part of Qin. From then on 100 years, Bashu became the rear area of Qin State and the granary of the world, which provided logistical support for Qin State's strategy of unifying the world. This strategy is very important, and it is also an important reason why Qin Huiwen gave up attacking South Korea and went south to attack Bashu.