Yet all the commanders, hearing that Zhuge Liang had not given chase to the Wei troops, entered the pavilion together and reported: “The Wei army was soaked by the hard rain and could not set up an orderly camp, so it has turned back. This is the moment to press them, why does the Chancellor not pursue?”

Zhuge Liang said, “Sima Yi is very good at using troops. Now that the army has withdrawn, there must be an ambush. If I pursue, I will be walking into his trap. Better to let him go far away. I will split the forces and go straight through Xie Valley, then seize Qishan. In that way, the Wei men will have no defenses.”

A commander asked, “To take the lands of Chang’an there is another route. Why does the Chancellor insist only on Qishan?”

Zhuge Liang replied, “Qishan is the front gate of Chang’an. If troops from the Longxi commanderies come, they must pass this place. More, it faces the Wei River, depends on Xie Valley behind, can exit to one side and enter on the other, and is a place where one can lie in wait. It is exactly a place fit for war. That is why I want to take it first and gain the advantage of terrain.” The generals all bowed in agreement.

Zhuge Liang ordered Wei Yan, Zhang Ni, Du Qiong, and Chen Shi to take Jī Valley; Ma Dai, Wang Ping, Zhang Yi, and Ma Zhong to take Xie Valley. They were all to unite at Qishan. With the dispositions set, Zhuge Liang himself brought the main force and, with Guan Xing and Liao Hua as vanguard, advanced.

Now Cao Zhen and Sima Yi were in the rear, overseeing the army and horses. Cao Zhen ordered a detachment along the old road through Chencang to reconnoiter, and they reported no approach of Shu troops. After another ten days, the troops holding ambush all returned and said there was no news of Shu at all.

Cao Zhen said, “The autumn rains have come in one stretch; boardwalk roads have given way. How could the Shu know we have withdrawn?”

Sima Yi answered, “The Wei troops will come out behind us shortly.”

Cao Zhen asked, “How do you know?”

Sima Yi said, “There have been clear days for two days, yet the Shu do not press hard. That means they expect I have an ambush; they let our army go far out, then when our troops pass the point, they will seize Qishan.”

Cao Zhen did not believe him.

Sima Yi said, “How can Zidan not believe? I think Zhuge Liang will come by both valleys. I and Zidan will guard each pass in turn. We have ten days to measure this. If no Shu comes, I shall paint my face with rouge, wear women’s clothing, and come into camp to take the blame.”

Cao Zhen said, “If there is Shu, I will give you one jade sash of imperial bestowal and one imperial horse.”

Then the troops separated into two routes. Cao Zhen brought his men to camp at the west of Qishan at the mouth of Xie Valley. Sima Yi brought his army to the east of Qishan at the mouth of Jī Valley.

The camps were all set.

Sima Yi first led a detachment into a mountain ravine and hid them there; all the rest of the cavalry and troops camped at key roads. Sima Yi changed his clothing, mixed among the troops, and inspected each encampment in turn.

By chance he came to one camp and one officer muttered up to heaven in complaint: “We have been soaked by rain for so long, we refused to return; now we are held here again and compelled to gamble—who in the army does this not feel?”

Sima Yi heard this and went back to camp. He called the senior commanders to the pavilion and ordered the officer to be brought forward.

Sima Yi shouted, “The court has fed the army for a thousand days to use in one moment. How dare you grumble and weaken soldiers’ resolve?”

The man did not yield.

Sima Yi called two of his companions to testify. The officer still could not deny it.

Sima Yi said, “I did not force gambling. If we defeat the Shu, each of you will return to court with merit. Instead you have dared to complain. You invite punishment yourself!” He ordered the guards to bring him out and execute him.

In a short while, the head was delivered before the pavilion. The commanders trembled.

Sima Yi said, “You all should guard against the Shu with all your mind and heart. When you hear the cannon from the center, all of you must advance from all four sides.” The commanders obeyed and withdrew.

Now Wei Yan, Zhang Ni, Chen Shi, and Du Qiong, with twenty thousand troops, went through Jī Valley and pressed on. While they were moving, there came news that Adviser Deng Zhi had arrived.

The four generals asked why.

Deng Zhi said, “The Chancellor ordered: when moving out through Jī Valley, guard against a Wei ambush and do not advance recklessly.”

Chen Shi said, “How can the Chancellor be so suspicious? This rain has ruined our Wei troops’ armor and clothing; they surely wish to return quickly. How could there be an ambush now? My troops are moving on a second road and can win a great victory—why do you still order us to halt?”

Deng said, “The Chancellor’s calculations never fail; his plans do not come up short. How can you dare disobey?”

Chen Shi laughed, “If the Chancellor really had deeper stratagems, this would not have happened at Jieting.”

Wei Yan recalled that Zhuge Liang had not followed his advice before, and he too laughed: “If only the Chancellor had listened to me then and gone straight by Ziwu Valley, this could have taken Chang’an and even Luoyang. Now he has fixed to leave by Qishan. What benefit is that? He has ordered us to advance, then he orders us to halt—what confusion of command is this?”

Chen Shi said, “I have five thousand troops of my own. I will go straight out through Jī Valley, get to the foot of Qishan first, and see whether the Chancellor feels ashamed or not.”

Deng Zhi blocked him again and again. Chen Shi still refused and led out his five thousand through Jī Valley at once. Deng had no choice but to fly back and report to Zhuge Liang.

Chen Shi had gone only a few li when he heard a cannon blast, and ambushes emerged from all four sides at once. He tried to retreat, but Wei troops filled the mouth of the valley and enclosed him as if in an iron kettle. He thrust left and right in desperation and could not break out. Suddenly a great cry rose, and a great band of soldiers surged in—it was Wei Yan, who rescued him.

Chen Shi returned to the valley with them. Of his five thousand, only four or five hundred wounded men and horses were left.

Wei troops came from the rear in pursuit. Only then did Du Qiong and Zhang Ni bring reinforcements; the Wei forces then withdrew.

Chen and Wei at last understood that Zhuge Liang had seen through events like a spirit and regretted too late.

Deng Zhi then returned and reported to Zhuge Liang that Wei Yan and Chen Shi had behaved without courtesy.

Zhuge Liang laughed and said, “Wei Yan has naturally harbored disloyal feeling toward others. I know he has long carried resentment. I used him because of his courage. In time he will become a source of harm.”

At that moment there came fast riders with news: “Chen Shi has lost more than four thousand men and has only four or five hundred wounded among men and horses left, camped in the valley.”

Zhuge Liang ordered Deng Zhi to return to Jī Valley again to comfort Chen Shi so he should not turn treacherous. He then called Ma Dai and Wang Ping and gave them separate orders: “If Wei troops guard Xie Valley, the two of you lead your units over the mountain ridge, move by night, lie in wait by day, and break out to the left side of Qishan. Use fire as signal.”

He called Ma Zhong and Zhang Yi and said, “You too take a side path through the hills, move by day in concealment and by night in motion, come out on the right side of Qishan, and use fire as signal. Join Guan Xing and Ma Dai, and together raid Cao Zhen’s camp. I will attack in three directions from within the valley; then the Wei force can be broken.”

The four took their commands and each led troops away.

Zhuge Liang told Guan Xing and Liao Hua much the same and they, after receiving secret instructions, set off with their troops. Zhuge Liang himself took an elite force and moved by a separate route.

Meanwhile Cao Zhen and Sima Yi remained unconvinced that Shu troops would come, so they grew negligent and let the soldiers rest. They intended to wait ten days without incident and then mock Sima Yi.

After seven days, they were still unaware; then a report came that some small Shu force had broken out of the valley. Cao Zhen ordered his deputy, Qin Liang, to take five thousand men on reconnaissance and not allow Shu forces to near the boundary.

Qin Liang obeyed. As soon as he reached the valley, he saw the Shu troops turning away. He raced back, and after traveling fifty or sixty li saw no Shu troops. Puzzled, he told the men to dismount and rest. Just then a scout horse cried: “There is Shu ambush ahead!”

When he mounted and looked, he saw dust rising in the mountain, and he ordered the troops to take position for defense at once. Before long, shouts thundered from all sides: Wu Ban and Wu Yi broke out frontally with troops; Guan Xing and Liao Hua came charging from behind.

The mountains were on both sides, with no road to escape. Shu soldiers on the heights shouted, “Dismount and surrender, and you will not die!” Most of the Wei army surrendered.

Qin Liang fought to the end and was cut down by Liao Hua with one stroke beneath his horse.

Zhuge Liang held the surrendered soldiers in the rear camp. He then gave Wei armor and horse armor to five thousand of his men and had them dress as Wei troops. Then he ordered Guan Xing, Liao Hua, Wu Ban, and Wu Yi to lead those five thousand and rush straight for Cao Zhen’s camp.

First he had a rider report in, “Only a few small Shu troops came, and we all drove them off.” Cao Zhen was overjoyed.

Suddenly there arrived Sima Yi’s trusted man from camp headquarters. Cao Zhen called him in and asked what he brought.

He said, “Shu troops are using an ambush plan and have killed more than four thousand Wei soldiers. Sima Yi sends this warning: do not think only of your gambling, be careful and guard well.”

Cao Zhen said, “There is not one Shu soldier in this place.” He sent the man away.

Again there arrived a report that Qin Liang had returned with his force. Cao Zhen came out of the pavilion to receive him. As he came to the encampment, reports came of fires rising at both front and rear.

Cao Zhen hurried back and looked. Guan Xing, Liao Hua, Wu Ban, and Wu Yi came charging into the front of the camp. Ma Dai and Wang Ping came in from the rear. Ma Zhong and Zhang Yi also arrived with troops. The Wei soldiers were at a loss and ran in all directions to survive. Their commanders protected Cao Zhen and ran eastward while Shu soldiers pursued behind.

As Cao Zhen ran in panic, a roar shook the air, and a whole unit crashed down upon them. He trembled and looking saw it was Sima Yi.

A hard struggle followed once. The Shu then withdrew.

Cao Zhen escaped, ashamed and humiliated.

Sima Yi said, “Zhuge Liang has taken the position of Qishan. We should not remain here long. We ought to camp along the Wei bank and plan further.”

Cao Zhen asked, “How did you know I had suffered so great a defeat?”

Sima Yi said, “Those messengers saying that Zidan saw no Shu soldiers made me suspect that Zhuge Liang had entered silently to raid the camp. That is why I came to match him. My forecast was right. Do not speak of gambling now. Let us stand united and serve the state.”

Cao Zhen was greatly alarmed and ashamed. His anger became illness; he lay in bed and did not rise.

Sima Yi kept the troops camped on the Wei bank, fearing disorder in morale, and did not dare to tell Cao Zhen to move the force.

Meanwhile Zhuge Liang drove the men and horses hard once more and returned from Qishan.

The camp inspection was done. Wei Yan, Chen Shi, Du Qiong, and Zhang Ni entered and knelt to confess fault. Zhuge Liang said, “Who caused this breach?”

Wei Yan replied, “Chen Shi disobeyed orders and slipped into the valley mouth and this is why there was such a great loss.”

Chen Shi said, “Chen Shi says this is by Wei Yan’s instruction.”

Zhuge Liang said, “He did rescue you, and yet you run to him. You have broken command and need no clever excuses.” He ordered the guards to bring Chen Shi out and execute him.

In a short while, the head was hung before the pavilion as a warning.

At this time Zhuge Liang did not execute Wei Yan, so that he could keep him for later use.

As soon as Chen Shi was beheaded, Zhuge Liang was considering further advance when a scout reported that Cao Zhen was ill in bed and being treated in camp.

Zhuge Liang was rejoiced. He told the commanders, “If Cao Zhen recovers soon, he will surely return to Chang’an. If the Wei force does not truly withdraw, he must be gravely ill and remain here, which will steady our men. I will write a letter and have the men who surrendered from Qin Liang carry it to him. If he sees it, he will die of anger.”

He called the surrendered Wei men to his pavilion and asked, “You are all Wei troops; your parents and wives are mostly in the Central Plains, and it is not right for you to stay in Shu. If I release you to return home, what do you say?”

All soldiers wept and knelt in thanks.

Zhuge Liang said, “Cao Zidan and I have an understanding. I have a letter. You all must take it back and deliver it to Zidan. Great rewards await you.”

The Wei men took it and ran back to their old camp and presented Zhuge Liang’s letter to Cao Zhen.

Cao Zhen rose from bed with great effort, broke the seal, and read:

To the Grand Marshal Cao Zidan, from the Chancellor of Han, Marquis of Wuxiang, Zhuge Liang.

A general ought to know when to withdraw and when to stand, when to be soft and when to be hard; to advance and to retreat, to be gentle and to be stern. He should be immovable as mountains, subtle as the alternation of yin and yang, boundless as heaven and earth, full as the great granary, vast as the Four Seas, brilliant as the three lights.

He knows, beforehand, drought and flood from the stars and the condition of ground and ease of terrain. He judges when formations meet and measures an enemy’s strengths and weaknesses.

Alas, you are unlearned and behind in the arts. You have rebelled against Heaven, aided the usurping rebel who wrongs the empire, and proclaimed yourself ruler in Luoyang. Your straggling troops have run to Xie Valley and endured drenching rain in Chencang. You are exhausted in both water and land transport, and men and horses are out of control. You fling spears and armor into the fields of Yingjiao, leaving swords and halberds strewn everywhere.

Your commander's heart has broken and courage shivered; the general scurries like a rat and rushes like a wolf. You dare not face the elders of Guanzhong, nor show your face in the halls of the Secretariat. Historians will write it down and the people will spread it with their mouths.

Zhongda will tremble upon hearing the battle line; Zidan will stare into the wind and be at a loss.

My troops are strong and my horses sturdy. Great generals rise like tigers and surge forth like dragons. We will sweep Qinchuan into a level plain and turn Wei into waste and ruin.

When Cao Zhen had read it, rage filled his chest. He died in camp that evening.

Sima Yi used a wagon and had him sent to Luoyang for burial.

When the Wei ruler learned that Cao Zhen had died, he issued an edict at once urging Sima Yi to go to battle. Sima Yi brought out the main army to face Zhuge Liang and sent formal declarations on the next day.

Zhuge Liang told the commanders, “Cao Zhen is surely dead.” He marked for a response and arranged for the engagement to begin the next day.

The envoy left.

That night Zhuge Liang gave Jiang Wei secret orders and then dispatched him as instructed. He also called Guan Xing and gave him instructions in secret. As they were setting out, he summoned Wu Ban and Wu Yi, gave them a separate secret plan, and sent them ahead with troops as well. The next day Zhuge Liang brought all force from Qishan to the Wei bank: one side river, the other mountain, and in the center an open plain and broad field—good ground for battle.

The two armies came face to face and loosed arrows at the corners of each formation. After three drumbeats, and the gate flag in Wei’s camp lifting open, Sima Yi rode out with his generals.

Zhuge Liang sat upright in a four-wheeled war carriage, fanning with a feather fan.

Sima Yi said, “My lord follows Yao and Shun in governing by virtue, passing on the Son of Heaven’s office from two emperors and holding Zhongyuan. He has allowed your Shu and Wu to remain because he is merciful and broad-minded, fearing injury to the people. You are a southern farmer from Nanyang, ignorant of heaven’s pattern, and yet you insist on invading. It is proper that we exterminate you. If you truly repent in your heart, return early, each keeping to the frontier, forming a stable three-legged balance and sparing all living creatures from ruin. Then you all will live.”

Zhuge Liang laughed: “I was entrusted with the late emperor’s charge as guardian; how could I not with all my heart and every strength go to suppress the traitors? The Cao house will not be long in being destroyed by Han. Your grandfathers were all Han ministers who lived on Han stipend and yet did not serve in return, but aided the usurping treachery. Are they not ashamed?”

Sima Yi, flushed with shame, said, “I will settle the matter with you as to who prevails. If you can win, I swear I will not be called Great General. If you fail, return quickly to your homeland; I will not harm you.”

Zhuge Liang said, “Do you want to duel generals, duel soldiers, or duel arrays?”

Sima Yi said, “First, the battle array.”

Zhuge Liang said, “Then watch me set array first.”

Sima Yi entered the central camp, a yellow flag raised in hand, signaling both sides to move and arrange into formation. He remounted and rode out, asking, “Do you know my arrangement?”

Zhuge Liang laughed: “Even the lowly in my own ranks can form one. This is the Hunyuan One Breath Array.”

Sima Yi said, “What of mine? You call this the Eight Trigram Array, how could you not know it?”

Zhuge Liang said, “If you recognize it, dare you attack mine?”

Sima Yi replied, “Now that I recognize it, how could I not?”

Zhuge Liang said, “Then just come on and strike.”

Returning to his own camp, Sima Yi called Dai Ling, Zhang Hu, and Le Lin, and ordered: “The array Zhuge has set has eight gates: Rest, Life, Injury, Block, Sorrow, Death, Alarm, Open. You three can enter by the central east Sheng gate, break out through the southwest Xiu gate, then from the true north Open gate strike in. This array can be broken. Pay close attention!”

So Dai Ling was in the center, Zhang Hu in front, Le Lin behind. Each led thirty riders. They entered through the Sheng gate. Both armies shouted and aided. The three entered the Shu array and saw it like a walled city—after collision they could not get out.

The three riders hurriedly turned and rode around the array corner, charging southwest. They were then shot at by Shu soldiers and again trapped. In that formation there were layered gates upon gates; there was no real east, west, south, or north to separate. The three could not even see one another and simply battered on at random. The air thickened in clouds of sorrow and haze. As their cries rose, Wei soldiers were each bound and sent back to the center camp.

Zhuge Liang was in the pavilion. Around him, Zhang Hu, Dai Ling, and Le Lin along with ninety soldiers had been all tied and brought before the pavilion. Zhuge Liang laughed: “To capture such men as you is no wonder for me. I will release you and have you return to Sima Yi. Tell him to read military treatises again and weigh warfare more closely; when he is ready, he may come and settle who is superior. Since you have been spared your lives, leave behind the arms and war horses.”

He then had their uniforms and armor removed, rubbed ink on their faces, and had them march out on foot from the array.

When Sima Yi saw this he was furious. Looking back on his commanders, he said, “So this defeat has weakened your sharpness—by what face can you return before the ministers of the Central Plains?” He then led three armies and urged the fiercest on the charge.

With sword drawn, he brought more than a hundred chosen captains and drove the charge. The armies had hardly met when suddenly drums and horns sounded from the rear in unison and great shouts arose. A great band of troops struck from the southwest: it was Guan Xing.

Sima Yi sent the rear to meet him and then drove his army again into close slaughter. Suddenly the Wei ranks broke into chaos. That had been Jiang Wei, who had led another force to strike quietly.

Shu troops attacked on three fronts and Sima Yi was deeply alarmed. He quickly withdrew the army. Shu soldiers closed around on all sides, and Sima Yi led three armies southward and charged hard to break through.

The Wei suffered six or seven wounded out of ten. Sima Yi withdrew and camped on the south bank of the Wei River, holding firm and refusing to go out.

When Zhuge Liang had taken the troops he could call victory, he returned to Qishan. Li Yan had Captain Ji An deliver grain and rice to the army. Ji An loved liquor and, while on the way, delayed and exceeded the ten-day limit.

Zhuge Liang was angry: “In our army, supplies are the utmost matter. If delayed three days one should be beheaded. You delayed ten days. What excuse is there?” He ordered him brought out for execution.

Chief Clerk Yang Yi said, “Ji An is a man appointed by Li Yan and also handles money and grain for Sichuan. If this one is killed, there will be none left willing to bring provisions.”

Zhuge Liang shouted for soldiers to free him, unbound him, and release him with eighty lashes.

Ji An was punished with words and nursed grudge. In one night he rode out with five or six retainers and went straight to a Wei camp to surrender.

Sima Yi called him in. Ji An explained the earlier matter.

Sima Yi said, “Though what you bring is true, still Zhuge Liang is too crafty for this to be fully believed. If you can do one great deed for me, I shall at once petition the Son of Heaven and have you made a high commander.”

Ji An said, “If there is anything, I shall serve.”

Sima Yi said, “You can go back to Chengdu and spread rumor that Zhuge Liang bears hatred toward the Son of Heaven and intends every day or night to claim the throne, and then ask the imperial edict to summon him. That will be your achievement.”

Ji An promised and returned straight to Chengdu. He saw court eunuchs and spread the rumor that Zhuge Liang relied on his success and would one day usurp the state.

When the eunuchs heard, they were greatly alarmed and promptly presented it to the emperor. The Emperor, surprised, said, “How is this to be handled?”

The eunuch said, “Issue an edict to recall him to Chengdu, reduce his control of military power, and avert rebellion.”

The emperor issued the order and conveyed that Zhuge Liang should return to court. Jiang Wan presented a memorial: “Since the Chancellor first marched out, he has built success after success. Why summon him home now?”

The emperor said, “The Son of Heaven has a private matter that must be discussed face to face with the Chancellor.” He sent a messenger with the edict through the night.

The mission reached the great camp at Qishan without delay. Zhuge Liang received it and, after reading fully, looked toward heaven and sighed: “The ruler is young; there must be sycophants at his side. I was just seeking to secure merit—why am I called back now? If I do not return, I am deceiving him. If I do return in obedience, I may never have this opportunity again.”

Jiang Wei asked, “If the main army withdraws, and Sima Yi strikes then, what happens?”

Zhuge Liang said, “If we now retire, we should withdraw by five routes. Today we pull out this camp. If there are a thousand soldiers inside, we dig two thousand stove-pits. Today we dig three thousand; tomorrow four thousand; each day we retreat and move forward with the stove count increasing.”

Yang Yi asked, “General Sun Bin once captured Pang Juan using a method of adding troops while reducing stoves. Why should the Chancellor increase stoves while retreating?”

Zhuge Liang said, “Sima Yi is capable with troops. He will know we are withdrawing and naturally pursue. He suspects hidden force and will choose a few places in our old camps to watch closely. If he sees the number of stove-pits increasing, thinking the army neither truly withdrawn nor still, he will dare not give chase. If we pull back slowly, we can lose no men.” He ordered the retreat.

Sima Yi, for his part, calculated Ji An’s scheme would be in place and waited only for Shu’s withdrawal to strike all at once. As he hesitated, a report came that the Shu camp was empty, men and horses all gone.

Because he was cautious about Zhuge Liang’s layered designs, he did not pursue. He led more than a hundred riders into the old Shu camp to inspect, had soldiers count the stove-pits, then returned to his own camp. The next day he again sent soldiers to that camp to check the count.

The report returned: “The number of stove-pits here has increased by one more than before.”

Sima Yi told his commanders, “I had thought Zhuge Liang very crafty. Now the pits truly increase with each step. If I pursue, I will surely fall into his plan. Better to turn back and make new plans.” He withdrew, making no pursuit.

Zhuge Liang did not lose a single person and turned his force toward Chengdu.

Later the Sichuan mouth locals reported to Sima Yi that when Zhuge Liang withdrew, they had seen no added troops, only additional stove-pits.

Sima Yi looked to heaven and sighed long: “Zhuge Liang used Yu Xiu’s method and tricked me. I do not match his stratagems.” He then withdrew the great army back to Luoyang.

The meeting of equal enemies cannot be easily won; a commander who has outmatched a fine general should not boast. Who knows how Zhuge Liang will return to Chengdu? How this turned out will be told in the next chapter.