Sima Yi takes position at Beiyuan’s Wei Bridge. Zhuge Liang builds the wooden oxen and flowing horses.

Now Qiao Zhou, who served in charge of astronomy and was well versed in the stars, learned that Kongming was preparing to campaign again and submitted a memorial to the Son of Heaven:

I am charged with the duties of the celestial observatory, and whenever I see omens of disaster and blessing, I must report them. Recently, tens of thousands of birds flew in from the south and died in the Han River. This is an ominous sign. I have also observed the heavens and seen the star Kui in the course of Venus, with its strong qi in the north. It does not favor marching against Wei. In Chengdu, everyone now reports hearing the cypresses cry out at night. With these several signs, the Chancellor should only act with caution and not make a reckless move.

Kongming replied, “I bear the late emperor’s charge to protect him, and I must apply all my strength to subduing the rebels. Shall I allow a mood of foreboding to halt a matter of state?”

He then ordered the officials to set up a grand sacrificial feast at the temple of Emperor Zhaolie, wept, and bowed as he made his report:

In five campaigns at Qishan I have gained no inch of land. My guilt is no light matter. Now I have once again mustered the full army and returned to Qishan. I vow to devote my whole strength and heart, to exterminate the Han usurpers and restore the Central Plains, to exhaust my body and efforts to the end, and not to rest before I die.

After the rite, he took leave of the Son of Heaven and rode through the night to Hanzhong, gathering the generals to discuss the campaign. Suddenly a report arrived: Guan Xing had died of illness. Kongming cried out loudly, then collapsed to the ground, only reviving after half a watch. The generals begged him to steady himself repeatedly. Kongming sighed:

“Alas for loyal and righteous men—Heaven does not grant them long lives. This is another major general I lose this time I take to the field.”

A verse was later composed in lament:

The course of life and death is ordinary, and mayflies are brief in the air. If loyalty, filial duty, and integrity remain, why must one live long like the tall pine?

Kongming led three hundred and forty thousand Shu soldiers in five columns forward, sending Jiang Wei and Wei Yan as the vanguard to take Qi Mountain; he ordered Li Hui to pre-position supplies at the Xia Valley crossing in advance.

In Wei, there had been in a prior year a Green Dragon rising from the bottom of a well at Moping, and the court altered the era to Green Dragon. Now it was the second month of the second year of that era. Nearby officials reported:

Scouts from the frontier report over three hundred thousand Shu troops, now divided into five columns, have again left for Qishan.

Cao Rui, ruler of Wei, was startled and immediately summoned Sima Yi, saying, “Shu has not raided for three years. Now Zhuge Liang goes out to Qishan again. What are we to do?”

Sima Yi reported,

“I watched the heavens in the night; I saw the qi in the Central Plains at its height, while Kui violated its course under Venus and the strong qi was in the north. This does not favor Xichuan. Kongming trusts his own brilliance and will act against Heaven; he is choosing ruin. Entrusting in your august blessing, I will go and break them. I wish the four of them to accompany me.”

“Four of whom?” the emperor asked.

Sima Yi replied, “Xiahou Yuan has four sons: the eldest Ba, courtesy name Zhongquan; the second Wei, courtesy name Jiquan; the third Hui, courtesy name Yaq quan; the fourth He, courtesy name Yiquan. Ba and Wei are long practiced in bow and horse; Hui and He know stratagems well. These four have long wished to avenge their father. I propose taking Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Wei as forward commanders, and Xiahou Hui and Xiahou He as campaign vice-commanders to coordinate operations and help force back Shu forces.”

“The father in this case was Xiahou Mao,” Cao Rui said. “Did he not violate orders and disgrace himself by losing large numbers of men and horses, and still not recover his honor? Are these four like him too?”

Sima Yi answered, “These four are not to be compared with Mao.”

Cao Rui agreed and appointed Sima Yi as Grand Commander. He ordered that all officers and soldiers should be assigned by merit, and that every unit should obey deployment orders.

Sima Yi bowed and accepted the edict, then left the court that day. Cao Rui also issued a hand memorial to him:

When you reach the Wei shoreline, hold firm behind strong fortifications and keep your position secure. Do not engage in open battle. Shu’s soldiers, finding no gain, will likely feign retreat and lure the enemy; do not chase. Wait until their grain runs out, and they will move of their own accord. Then attack only at the right moment and your victory will be easy, and your men and horses will not be worn out. There is no better plan than this.

Sima Yi, kneeling, took the order and within the day arrived at Chang’an to gather the armies from every command. Four hundred thousand were assembled there and all camped along the Wei banks. He also ordered fifty thousand troops along the Wei River to build nine pontoon bridges, and told the forward commanders Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Wei to cross first and establish camps. Behind the main camp, he had an inner wall erected at Dongyuan to guard against the unexpected.

While he was still deliberating with his generals, word came that Guo Huai and Sun Li sought audience. Sima Yi received them and heard their report.

Guo said, “Shu now has all its armies at Qishan. If they cross the Wei and move up onto the ridge, then link by the northern hills and cut off the Long Road, they may threaten us greatly.”

Sima Yi replied, “What you say is correct. You will now assume command of the Longxi troops, camp in the north plain, dig deep ditches and raise high ramparts, and hold fast without moving. Wait until they have no grain, then we can strike.”

Given the order, Guo Huai and Sun Li took men and camped below.

Kongming again led out at Qishan and established five large camps in a formation: left, right, front, rear, and center. From Xia Valley to Jianmen Pass he laid fourteen additional large camps in one line, rotating forces with the intention to stay the long term and sending scouts every day. Then word arrived that Guo Huai and Sun Li had moved the Longxi army to camp at Beiyuan.

Kongming said to his commanders, “The Wei troops camp at Beiyuan to block our route and shut the Long Road. I will make a feigned attack on Beiyuan, but move secretly on the Wei bank. Have a hundred raft boats prepared and loaded with bundled straw; choose five thousand skilled boatmen to man them. I will attack Beiyuan only overnight. Sima Yi will have to come to relieve it. If he suffers a small defeat, I will send the rear army across at once, and then send forward troops into the rafts. They must not disembark, but let the current carry them to the floating bridges and then set those bridges aflame so they burn through. I will bring one army directly at the gate of the forward camp. Once we gain the southern bank of the Wei, advancing troops becomes straightforward.” The commanders carried out his commands.

Before long, patrol scouts rode in to report that Sima Yi was near. Sima Yi called a council and said,

“Kongming has set this up with calculation. He makes it seem he is taking Beiyuan, but the plan is to use the current, burn our bridges, create confusion in our rear, and then attack our front.”

He then ordered Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Wei:

If you hear shouts from Beiyuan, immediately bring your troops into the southern hills on the Wei and await the Shu approach, then strike.”

He also ordered Zhang Hu and Le Chen to hide two thousand bowmen and crossbowmen on the northern bank of the Wei bridges:

If the Shu troops come downstream on rafts, shoot together and never allow them near the bridges.”

Next he told Guo Huai and Sun Li:

Kongming will cross in secret to the north of the bank. Your new camp has few men and horses. Hide and fall back along the road. If the Shu cross in the afternoon, by dusk they will surely attack you. Stage a retreat; the enemy will pursue. All of you must shoot with bow and crossbow. I will strike by water and land together. If the Shu forces are too many, watch my commands and strike in concert.”

After all orders were issued, Sima Yi sent his two sons Sima Shi and Sima Zhao with troops to support the forward camp. He personally led a column to Beiyuan.

Kongming then ordered Wei Yan and Ma Dai to cross the Wei and attack Beiyuan; he ordered Wu Ban and Wu Yi to send the raft troops to burn the bridges; he assigned Wang Ping and Zhang Ni to the vanguard, Jiang Wei and Ma Zhong to the middle, and Liao Hua and Zhang Yi to the rear, dividing the attack into three columns aimed at the Wei dry camp. At the hour of noon the men and horses left the large camp and fully crossed the Wei, forming ranks and moving slowly forward.

When Wei Yan and Ma Dai reached near Beiyuan, dusk had already fallen. Sun Li sighted them and abandoned his camp in flight. Wei Yan, sensing the enemy had prepared, rushed back. Four directions erupted in cries. On the left was Sima Yi; on the right, Guo Huai, and both columns moved to strike. Wei Yan and Ma Dai fought hard to break out. Most of the Shu troops went down into the water; the survivors tried to flee but found no way out. Then Wu Yi’s force arrived and rescued the broken troops, holding them as they crossed back to the bank.

Wu Ban split half his men to man rafts and run downstream to burn the bridges, but they were pinned by arrows from Zhang Hu and Le Chen on the bank. Wu Ban was struck and drowned. The remaining men leapt into the water and fled; the rafts were all seized by Wei troops.

Meanwhile, Wang Ping and Zhang Ni, not knowing the Beiyuan force had failed, pushed straight for the Wei camp. It was already after two gongs of the night watch when all around them shouts arose. Wang Ping said to Zhang Ni, “Our troops are attacking Beiyuan; we do not yet know the result. The camp on the southern bank is before us, and not one Wei soldier is in sight. Does Sima Yi already know and prepare? Let us wait until we see the bridges fire up before we move.” The two checked their horses. Suddenly a rider came up behind with this report: “The Chancellor orders the army to hurry back. The Beiyuan troops and the bridge troops are both lost.” Wang Ping and Zhang Ni were startled and turned back in haste. They were then intercepted from behind by Wei soldiers. A cannon blast sounded, and both sides closed in. Wang Ping and Zhang Ni met them in battle. The two armies clashed in close combat. The two broke through with valiant effort, but more than half the Shu force was shattered. Kongming returned to the Qishan camp, gathered the remnants—somewhere over ten thousand men—and withdrew to his own lines, deeply troubled.

Then Fei Yi arrived from Chengdu to report to the Chancellor. After he was received, Kongming said,

“I have a letter and planned to ask you to carry it to Eastern Wu. Will you take it?”

Fei Yi replied, “How could I refuse your command?”

Kongming then had the letter written and sent him off.

Fei Yi took it straight to Jianye and presented it to the Wu lord Sun Quan, with all due ceremony.

Sun Quan read the text, which ran:

The Han house is unfortunate. Court order has failed. The Wei traitors have usurped and overthrown. Their misrule spreads to the present day. General Kongming, entrusted by Emperor Zhaolie with a great charge, can only strain every power and devotion. The great army is already assembled at Qishan; the raging raider is about to be destroyed at the Wei River. I beg Your Majesty to honor our alliance and send armies north to reclaim the Central Plains and divide the realm together. The letter cannot include all I mean. May I have Your Majesty’s indulgent hearing.

After reading it, Sun Quan rejoiced and said to Fei Yi,

“Long have I wished to raise troops but not find the chance to meet Kongming. Now that this letter has come, I myself will mobilize today: I will advance at once to Jiaomen and seize Xinye New City. I will then dispatch Lu Xun and Zhuge Jin to garrison Jiangxia and Miankou and take Xiangyang. Sun Shao and Zhang Cheng, etc., shall move on Guangling and seize Huaiyang and related places. Three routes together, one campaign of three hundred thousand, set to start at the chosen day.”

Fei Yi thanked him. During the banquet Sun Quan asked,

“Who do you think will lead the first shock in battle before Kongming?”

Fei Yi answered, “Wei Yan.”

Sun Quan smiled and said, “This man has courage in excess but is not upright of heart. Should Kongming fall, he will become the realm’s ruin. Does Kongming not know this?”

Fei Yi answered, “Your Majesty is entirely correct. I will report this to him as soon as I return.”

After thanking Sun Quan, Fei Yi rode back to Qishan and told Kongming: Wu had raised three hundred thousand and Sun Quan himself would lead a three-pronged campaign.

Kongming asked, “Did the Son of Heaven speak of anything else?”

Fei Yi then repeated Sun Quan’s judgment of Wei Yan.

Kongming sighed, “He is a most sagacious lord, and I am not unaware of this man. I do employ him only because he is useful and brave.”

Fei Yi urged, “Then you should assign him with care.”

Kongming answered, “I have my own methods.”

Fei Yi left and returned to Chengdu.

Kongming was again conferring with his generals when he received word of a Wei commander surrendering. He called him in and asked why. The man answered,

“I am Zheng Wen, a Wei provincial colonel. Not long ago I served with Qin Lang over the same force and was assigned by Sima Yi under his command. Yet Sima Yi has favored me unfairly with bias and promoted Qin Lang to forerunner general while treating me like chaff. In resentment, I have come to submit to you. Grant me a place in your service.”

Before he had finished speaking, a messenger announced that Qin Lang had ridden out and was sparring with troops outside camp.

Kongming asked, “How does his fighting compare to yours?”

Zheng Wen said, “I would rather cut him down at once.”

Kongming replied, “If you first kill Qin Lang, only then will I accept you.”

Grateful, Zheng Wen mounted and rode out to fight. Kongming watched from camp. Qin Lang advanced with spear raised, cursing,

“Traitor, you have stolen my war horse and come here. Return it at once!”

Then he charged straight at Zheng Wen. The newcomer met him with horse-whirling swordplay. In one pass he severed Qin Lang’s head while still in the saddle. The Wei troops fled in all directions. Zheng Wen carried the head to camp.

Back in his tent Kongming seated himself and summoned him. He grew furious and shouted to his attendants, “He must be beheaded.”

Zheng Wen said, “I am innocent!”

Kongming replied, “I knew Qin Lang before. The one you killed is not him. How could you deceive me?”

Zheng Wen then knelt and declared, “He was Qin Ming, Qin Lang’s brother.”

Kongming laughed. “So Sima Yi sent you to feign surrender and strike in the middle; how could I be fooled! If what you say is false, you die.”

Zheng Wen could only confess it was an attempt to deceive and pleaded for mercy.

Kongming said, “If you truly wish to live, write one letter and summon Sima Yi himself to seize this camp. If you bring him in, that will be your merit, and I will then reward you greatly.”

Reluctantly, Zheng Wen wrote a letter and handed it over. Kongming ordered him confined under watch.

When Fan Jian asked, “How did you know he was deceitful?” Kongming answered,

“Sima Yi does not promote men lightly. If Qin Lang had really been made forward commander, he must be a man with excellent military skills. Yet in horse battle Zheng Wen slew him in one exchange. He is certainly not Qin Lang. Therefore I knew this was a ruse.”

The surrounding officers agreed.

Kongming chose one tactician-soldier, gave him a whispered order, and sent him at once with the letter to seek Sima Yi’s presence at the Wei camp.

Sima Yi read the letter and asked,

“Who are you?”

The man said, “I am from the Central Plains, now a drifter in Shu. Zheng Wen is from my native place as well. Kongming has promoted him through his exploits as a forward commander and entrusted him with this role. He asked me to present this letter to you and begs that tonight at dusk he raise fires for signals and invite your commander-in-chief to lead the main force and overrun his camp, where he will coordinate from inside.”

Sima Yi cross-examined him repeatedly and examined the letter again in detail. It proved true. He gave the soldier food and wine and said,

“The second watch tonight is our signal. I will come to overrun the camp. If this succeeds, you will be rewarded heavily.”

The soldier departed. Kongming, having taken up his sword and finished his divinatory prayers, summoned Wang Ping and Zhang Ni, issuing precise instructions, then Jiang Wei and Ma Zhong, then Wei Yan likewise. He brought a few dozen men, climbed to a high hill, and directed the whole army from there.

When Sima Yi saw the letter from Zheng Wen, he planned to bring his two sons and lead the entire force to seize the Shu camp. His eldest son, Sima Shi, counseled, “Why does Father ride into a deep place on one sheet of paper? If there is danger or a misstep, what then? Better send another general first and hold Father back in reserve.”

Sima Yi agreed and ordered Qin Lang to lead ten thousand to seize the Shu camp while he followed with supporting troops.

At the first watch of that night the wind was clear and the moon bright. Around the second watch, dark clouds suddenly gathered and black vapors filled the sky so that nothing was visible across the river. Sima Yi rejoiced, “Heaven aids my success!” Everyone bit down on arrowheads and bridle lines and drove forward in one rush.

Qin Lang took the lead with ten thousand, charging straight into the Shu camp, and saw no one in sight. Realizing he had been trapped, he shouted for withdrawal. Torches flared everywhere, cries split the air, and at the left came Wang Ping and Zhang Ni, at the right Wei Yan and Ma Zhong. They both rushed to slaughter. Qin Lang fought to the death and could not escape.

Behind them Sima Yi saw the Shu camp ablaze and cries unending; unaware of his own side’s state he only drove his troops forward to support, charging toward the fire. Then a cry rose. War horns blared, drums thundered. On the left came Wei Yan; on the right Jiang Wei. A battle erupted. The Wei force was badly defeated, with perhaps nine-tenths killed. They scattered in panic. At that moment Qin Lang’s ten thousand had all been enveloped by Shu soldiers; arrows fell like locusts. He died in the confusion, and Sima Yi pulled back with survivors into his own camp.

After the third watch, the sky cleared again. Kongming, on the hilltop, sounded the signal gong and gave the order to collect troops. The earlier darkening of the sky had come from his own art of concealed array. Once battle was over and he withdrew, the sky cleared. The movement had been his casting of six ding six jia to sweep away the clouds.

Kongming then won back and returned to camp and ordered Zheng Wen executed, then returned to the plan for the Wei south bank. Each day he set small engagements, but the Wei army still would not come out.

Kongming rode in a light cart around the terrain on both sides of the Wei at Qishan, and found a valley shaped like a calabash: it could hold over a thousand men; two hills merged into another valley capable of four or five hundred. Behind, two surrounding ridges left only space for one rider and mount. He rejoiced inwardly and asked the local guide,

“What is this valley called?”

The guide replied, “This is called Shangfang Valley, also called Hulu Valley.”

Kongming returned to camp and summoned the junior officers Du Rui and Hu Zhong, whispering a secret plan. He ordered more than a thousand accompanying artisans to enter Hulu Valley and manufacture the wooden-ox and flowing-horse devices. He assigned Ma Dai to hold the valley entrance with five hundred men.

He told Ma Dai,

“The artisan crews are not to be let out, and no outsiders are to be let in. I will come often to inspect. The whole scheme against Sima Yi rests on this. You must keep this from leaking.”

Ma Dai obeyed and departed. Du Rui and Hu Zhong were left to supervise the craftworkers in the valley. Kongming visited each day with instructions.

One day, Chief Clerk Yang Yi reported,

“Now that grain supplies are all at Jianmen, men and horses are hard to move. How do we solve this?”

Kongming smiled,

“I have already prepared this scheme for a long while. The timber we accumulated was all sourced in Xichuan and shaped beforehand, so that we can use these for wooden oxen and flowing horses to move grain. It is far more convenient. Because these devices require no fodder or drinking water, transport can run continuously day and night.”

All were astonished:

“From antiquity to now, no one has heard of such wooden oxen and flowing horses. We do not know by what wonderful method the Chancellor has conceived this marvel.”

Kongming replied,

“It is already made according to my plans though not yet finished. I will write out the dimensions and shapes clearly, and you may read them now.”

The men gathered and took turns reading. The method for the wooden ox is given as follows:

Curved body, bent shanks, one body and four legs. The head goes through the mouth opening, and the tongue lies to the belly. It carries much while moving little. A single one travels tens of li; a crowd can go thirty li. Curved ones are the ox heads; paired ones are the hoofs. The cross members are the ox neck; rotating ones are the ox feet. The covering is the ox back; the square one is the ox belly. Dangling parts are the ox tongue; curved parts the ox ribs. Carvings are the ox teeth; upright projections are the ox horns. Fine rigging is the ox yoke; reins are the ox traces. The driver sits on twin yokebars. A man can walk six feet, and the ox travels four paces. The men are not greatly exhausted, and the ox needs no fodder or water.

The method for the flowing horse is as follows:

Ribs are three chi and five cun long, three cun wide, two cun and five fen thick. The same at left and right. From the front axle socket to its head is four cun; the hole is middle-sized at two cun. From the front foot socket to its head is four cun and five fen, length one cun and five fen, breadth one cun. From the front axle socket to the front shaft-socket is three cun and seven fen, with depth two cun and breadth one cun. From the front shaft-socket to the rear axle socket is one chi and five cun, and the rear axle is the same size as the front. From the rear foot-socket to the rear axle socket is one cun and two fen, with depth three cun and five fen, and size the same as the front. From the rear shaft-socket to the rear foot-socket is two cun and seven fen; the rear load is removed and from the rear shaft to load-bearing line is four cun and five fen. The front shaft is one chi and eight cun long, two cun wide, one chi and five fen thick. The rear shaft is the same. Two square boxes, each eight fen thick, two chi and seven cun long, one chi and six cun high, one chi and six cun wide, can each hold two hu and three dou of grain. From the upper shaft socket to the underside rib is seven cun, front and back alike. From the upper shaft socket to the lower shaft socket is one chi and three cun, hole length one cun and five fen, width seven fen; eight such holes alike. The four front and rear feet are each two cun wide and one chi and five fen thick. Its form resembles an elephant; canopy is four cun long, and the mouth is four cun and three fen across. Across the center shaft, three foot-bars run, each two chi and one cun long, one chi and five fen wide, one chi and four fen thick.

Every officer who read it knelt and praised,

“The Chancellor is truly a godly man.”

Within several days the wooden oxen and flowing horses were complete and moved as if living, climbing hills and descending ridges with ease. The whole army saw them and rejoiced.

Kongming ordered the right general, Gao Xiang, to take one thousand men and drive the devices from Jianmen straight to the Qishan main camp, hauling grain continually to supply the Shu army.

A later verse praised this method:

The Jianmen cliffs and steep heights are tamed by the flowing horse, The Xia Valley’s rough way is crossed by the wooden ox. If later ages use this method, who will still fret over transport?

At this time Sima Yi, while worried and uncertain, received a patrol report:

“The Shu are transferring grain with wooden oxen and flowing horses. Men need little labor, and horses and cattle need no feed.”

Sima Yi was shocked.

“Why have I held on as firmly as this? It was to starve him out and wait for him to collapse. If he uses this, he has a long design. I cannot withdraw now. What should I do?”

He immediately called Zhang Hu and Le Chen and ordered,

“You two each lead five hundred troops from the Xia Valley by a minor path. When the Shu drive the wooden oxen and flowing horses through, let all pass and then strike as one. Do not steal many—just seize three or five each and return.”

They obeyed and each took five hundred men, disguising themselves as Shu troops, and slipped by night through the valley path to ambush. They saw Gao Xiang driving the wooden oxen and flowing horses with soldiers. As that procession passed, both sides burst into shouts and slaughtered as one. The Shu men were caught unprepared and left several devices behind; Zhang Hu and Le Chen were delighted and drove back to their camp.

Sima Yi saw those machines, clearly made as if alive, and smiled,

“You have figured out how to use this—why should I not do the same?”

He ordered more than a hundred skilled artisans to dismantle them in front of everyone and instructed them, by the same measurements, length, breadth, and thickness, to build wooden oxen and flowing horses in the same way. In less than half a month he had over two thousand made, made by the same rules as Kongming’s and able to run as well. He then ordered Zhenyuan General Cen Wei to take one thousand troops and drive them to move grain in Longxi. Their operations never ceased.

The Wei camp army rejoiced.

When Gao Xiang returned and reported to Kongming that Wei troops had seized three to five of the wooden oxen and flowing horses, Kongming smiled.

“That is just what I intended. I only let a few of mine be taken, and soon I will gain substantial aid from the army all over.”

The commanders asked, “How did the Chancellor know that?”

Kongming said,

“Once Sima Yi sees the wooden oxen, he will certainly imitate the method and make his own in like form. That is where my next scheme applies.”

After several days, word arrived that Wei now had also begun making and using wooden oxen and flowing horses to carry grain to Longxi. Kongming rejoiced.

“This is not beyond my count.” He called Wang Ping and told him:

“You bring one thousand men and disguise yourselves as Wei troops. At night slip over Beiyuan and claim to be an escort grain train, mixing among his transport columns. Kill all the grain guards and drive the wooden oxen and flowing horses back, then immediately return over Beiyuan. There the Wei soldiers must give chase. Twist the tongues in each device backward, so horse and ox cannot move. Then you will discard them and run. The pursuers will reach them but cannot drag them out or shoulder them. When I bring more men, turn your tongues forward again and drive away at full speed. The Wei troops will think it a marvel.”

Wang Ping followed the plan and left.

Kongming then called Zhang Ni and said,

“You bring five hundred men dressed as the six ding six jia warrior spirits, with ghostly heads and beastly bodies, painted in five colors and made to look like all sorts of wonders. Carry embroidered flags in one hand and a jeweled sword in the other. Hang gourds at your waists with fire devices concealed inside, and hide by mountain sides. When the wooden oxen and flowing horses arrive, raise those fire devices, surge out together, and drive the oxen and horses along. Seeing this, the Wei troops will think they are spirits and will not dare to pursue.”

Zhang Ni obeyed and departed.

Kongming also called Jiang Wei and Wei Yan,

“You two take ten thousand and go to the Beiyuan camp mouth to support the wooden oxen and flowing horses and prevent battle.”

He then called Liao Hua and Zhang Yi,

“You two take five thousand and cut off Sima Yi’s route.”

And called Ma Zhong and Ma Dai,

“You two bring two thousand to grapple with the enemy on the Wei south bank.”

Each of the six carried out their orders.

Now General Cen Wei had taken the transport force in front, with grain loaded, when he learned that patrol troops were in front. He sent scouts and found they were Wei soldiers and continued his march in relief. When both forces were together, cries rose from within the line and Shu soldiers struck from their own ranks, shouting,

“Great General Wang Ping is here!”

The Wei troops, taken by surprise, were cut down in large numbers. Cen Wei, who fled to regroup, was cut down by a single stroke from Wang Ping, and the rest broke apart.

Wang Ping drove the soldiers and forced all the wooden oxen and flowing horses to return as fast as possible. The fleeing men rushed into Beiyuan to report. Guo Huai, hearing that military grain had been robbed, hurried out with troops to assist.

Wang Ping ordered his men to twist the tongues on the devices and leave them on the road, fighting as they fell back. Guo Huai said, “Do not chase; just seize back the grain oxen and horses.” All the troops drove them onward, yet somehow could not drive them. Guo Huai was baffled by this. At that moment war horns exploded and shouts rose; soldiers of two columns struck in together. It was Wei Yan and Jiang Wei. Wang Ping drove back again. With three-way pressure, Guo Huai was defeated and withdrew.

Wang Ping ordered the men to reverse the tongue pivots and drive the devices onward. As Guo Hui looked to turn back and chase, he saw smoke rise from behind the mountain. A troop of ghostly soldiers emerged all at once, each carrying a flag and sword in strange forms, driving the wooden oxen and flowing horses as if by wind.

Guo Huai exclaimed, “It must be divine assistance!” The whole army saw them and were filled with fear, so none dared to pursue.

Now Sima Yi, hearing of the Beiyuan defeat, hurried to come in relief. He was only halfway there when a resounding signal blast sounded, and from a steep place two columns cut loose. Their cries shook the earth. The banners bore the writing: “Han General Zhang Yi and Liao Hua.”

When he saw it, Sima Yi was startled. The Wei army faltered and scattered.

The final verse stood thus:

Their route meets a divine general, and the grain transport is lost; strange troops strike, and life hangs in peril. How this turned out will be told in the next chapter.