In 217 AD, after pacifying Hanzhong and subduing Zhang Lu, Cao Cao left generals Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He to garrison the region, then hurried back north.
Liu Bei had a strategist named Fazheng, known for his sharp counsel and decisive judgment. At this critical moment, Fazheng advised, "Cao Cao's hasty retreat north suggests urgent troubles at home, leaving him no time for Ba and Shu. In my estimation, the talents of Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He cannot match our generals. If we lead our forces to attack, we will surely defeat them."
Liu Bei nodded slightly. Fa Zheng continued, "If we take Hanzhong, we can plant fertile fields, stockpile grain, and wait for the right moment. At best, we can destroy our enemies and aid the throne; at worst, we can steadily encroach on Yong and Liang provinces; at the very least, we can hold this strategic ground as a long-term base. Heaven itself offers us this chance—we must not lose it!"
After hearing this, Liu Bei clapped in approval and said, "Excellent! Let's proceed with your plan, sir!"
Two years later, the Shu Han army crossed the Han River at Yangping Pass and defeated the Cao army at Dingjun Mountain, where Xiahou Yuan was killed, allowing Liu Bei to seize the land of Hanzhong.
Later, the idiom "A Long-Term Plan" came to describe a lasting strategy or scheme.
Source: *Records of the Three Kingdoms*, "Biography of Fa Zheng"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "持久之计" came to describe a lasting strategy or scheme.