At the end of October, Anding's mounted scouts captured a spy near Qi County and learned of Liu Bei's latest movements.
Facing Liu Bei's near all-star lineup, Cao Zhen had been led around by the nose across the Yong-Liang Region for months. Not only had he lost Guanzhong, but Tianshui Commandery as well. In just a few months, worry had turned his beard and hair completely white. He had once hoped that Cao Pi would send troops out from Tong Pass, but the tense situation around Chang'an lasted less than half a year.
Liu Bei had launched campaigns against both Longyou and Tianshui at once, proving that the spy's intelligence was highly credible. Eastern Wu had been destroyed by Lan Tian of Jiao Province in March, and troops had already begun moving into Ruxu. Left with no choice, Cao Pi withdrew the soldiers he had deployed from Huainan and pulled more back from the Central Plains as well. The plan to pincer Guanzhong from Tong Pass had vanished like a bubble.
Cao Zhen sent mounted scouts to Guanzhong to verify the intelligence. Sure enough, large-scale troop movements were taking place around Chang'an. Upon receiving the news, he hurriedly summoned the generals under his command to discuss countermeasures.
After months of watching and probing, the Wei generals in Anding had suffered blow after blow to their confidence. The hope of retaking Chang'an had grown ever more distant. Their supply lines had been completely severed, and the clothing, blankets, and grain from the Central Plains were gone as well.
After years of war, Anding Commandery's population had fallen from three hundred thousand to one hundred sixty thousand. The people Zhang Ji had forcibly relocated from Wudu had basically all been absorbed by Tianshui Commandery and Guanzhong, and now they had once again