A Great Star falls; the Han Chancellor returns to Heaven.
The Wooden Effigy is seen; the Wei Commander-in-Chief loses his nerve.

Jiang Wei saw Wei Yan stamp out the lamps and was filled with anger. He drew his sword, intent on killing him. Zhuge Liang stopped him and said, “This is my life that is about to be cut off. It is not Wenchang’s fault.” Wei Yan then lowered his sword.

Zhuge Liang spat blood several times, collapsed onto the bed, and told Wei Yan, “This is Sima Yi’s judgment that I am sick. He has sent men to test what remains of me. You should go out quickly and meet the enemy.”

Wei Yan obeyed, left for the gate, mounted his horse, and led his men out of the stockade. When Xiahou Ba saw Wei Yan, he hurriedly withdrew his army. Wei Yan pursued for over twenty li and only then returned. Zhuge Liang ordered Wei Yan to go back to his own camp and hold it.

Jiang Wei entered and went straight to Zhuge Liang’s bed to ask after his condition. Zhuge Liang said, “I meant to offer my loyalty and strength to recover the Central Plain and restore Han. But Heaven has arranged it otherwise; I will die soon.

Over my life I have written twenty-four treatises, totaling one hundred and four thousand one hundred and twelve characters, containing the Eight Duties, Seven Prohibitions, Six Fears, and Five Dreads.

I have reviewed all our generals and found no one fit to receive them except you. Take this and pass it on. Do not treat it lightly.”

Wei Yan knelt and wept as he accepted.

Zhuge Liang said again, “I have the method of the repeating crossbow, but I have never used it. In this method the arrow is eight cun long and one bow can shoot ten shafts. I have drawn all the diagrams. You should reproduce and employ it as set down.”

Wei Yan also bowed and accepted.

“Shu’s mountain roads need not be overly worried over,” Zhuge Liang said. “Only in Yinping the land must be examined very closely. Though it is steep and difficult, in time it will surely be lost.” He then called Ma Dai into the tent, spoke low by the ear, and gave him a secret plan. “After my death, carry out this plan.” Ma Dai took it and left.

After a while Yang Yi arrived. Zhuge Liang called him to the bed and gave him a silk packet, then whispered privately: “When I die, Wei Yan will rebel. When he rebels, open this only while you stand in line before him. There will then be men to kill him.”

All arrangements done, Zhuge Liang soon fainted. By evening he woke and rode by night to send a memorial to the sovereign. When the ruler heard it, he was greatly startled and ordered Shangshu Li Fu to ride through the night and go to camp to ask after him and the after-affairs. Li Fu obeyed and hurried to Wuzhang Plains, entered and conveyed the sovereign’s command. After offering greetings, Zhuge Liang burst into tears: “I am unfortunate to die midway, leaving the great matters of state unattended and offending the realm.

After I die, you all must expend your loyalty in support of the lord. The old state order must not be changed. The men I used cannot be lightly dismissed. I have given all military teaching to Jiang Wei; only he can carry on my will and exert himself for the state.

My life hangs by a thread and a final memorial must be presented at once to the Son of Heaven.”

Li Fu took in these words and left in haste.

By effort, Zhuge Liang held on, ordered attendants to place him in a small cart, and ride through each camp. As he felt the autumn wind on his face, cold ran through his bones. He sighed, “I can no longer ride the battle line to strike the invaders! Vast and distant is Heaven—where is its edge?”

He sighed long, returned to the tent, and his illness sank deeper. He then called Yang Yi and handed down further instructions: “Ma Dai, Wang Ping, Liao Hua, Zhang Yi, and Zhang Ni are men of loyalty and virtue, long tested in battle and heavy with service; they can be relied on. After I die, continue all matters according to former practice. Withdraw step by step, not in haste.

You know counsel deeply; no need for much telling. Jiang Boyue is complete in wisdom and courage; he can hold the rear.”

Yang Yi knelt and accepted.

Zhuge Liang then asked for his writing set, and on the bed wrote the posthumous memorial to be delivered to the sovereign:

I have come to hear that life and death are always present and one cannot evade fixed decrees. As death comes near, may I exhaust my foolish loyalty. I, your servant Liang, by nature are stupid and dull; in a time of hardship I carried seal and tally, held sway over state offices, raised armies for northern campaign, and did not win success. I did not expect illness in my innermost veins, life close to end, and not enough time to complete Your Majesty’s affairs; this brings boundless remorse.

My prayer to Your Majesty: calm your heart and reduce desire; govern yourself and care for the people.

Bring filial devotion to the former emperor; spread humaneness and grace beneath Heaven.

Promote hidden worth and advance good and honorable men.

Exclude evil and corrupt men so that customs become sound.

In my home in Chengdu I have eight hundred mulberry trees and fifteen qing of poor fields; my children and descendants’ food and clothing can be supplied from these.

As for my years serving away from home, there are no other allowances. Everything for my food and clothing has depended on office; no private livelihood has been arranged for me.

On the day I die, let there be no extra silk at home and no illicit gain outside, so I do not burden Your Majesty.

When finished, Zhuge Liang told Yang Yi again: “After I die, do not announce mourning. Make one large k'an and seat my body inside it. Put seven grains of rice in my mouth, and a bright lamp at my feet. Keep the army quiet as usual; raise no mourning.

Then the Commander Star will not fall. My lingering spirit will rise and remain here. Sima Yi, seeing the Commander Star not fallen, will surely be startled in doubt.

Let the rear camp go first, and then each camp withdraw slowly in turn.

If Sima Yi comes in pursuit, you may lay out ranks, turn banners, and reverse the drums. When he comes, put out the wooden image I had carved before, place it on a cart, and bring it to the front of the army. Place the officers and soldiers in rank to left and right. Sima Yi seeing it will surely panic and flee.”

Yang Yi received all instructions.

That night Zhuge Liang was helped outside and looked toward the Big Dipper. From afar he pointed to one star: “That is my Commander Star.” The men saw it dim, ashen, swaying as if falling. Zhuge Liang pointed with his sword and chanted spells. After finishing, he hurried back into the tent and lost awareness.

Just when the officers were in great confusion, Li Fu arrived again. Seeing Zhuge Liang in collapse, unable to speak, he wept loudly, “I have betrayed the state in a great matter!”

After a little while, Zhuge Liang woke and opened his eyes, looking at Li Fu standing at the bed. “Now I know the reason you came again.”

Li Fu answered, “Fu comes with the Son of Heaven’s command to ask who can take the major duties after the Chancellor is gone. Because of my haste, I failed in proper consultation, so I came again.”

Zhuge Liang said, “After I die, who can take great affairs: Jiang Gongyan is fitting.”

Li Fu asked, “After Gongyan, who should follow?”

Zhuge Liang replied, “Fei Yi can follow.”

Li Fu asked, “After Wenye, who should then follow?”

Zhuge Liang said nothing.

The officers drew nearer and already he had died.

It was the twenty-third day of the eighth month in autumn, in the twelfth year of Jianxing. He was fifty-four.

Du Gongbu later wrote:

The Great Star last night fell before the forward camp, and today the report of the Master’s death tipped the world. In the Tiger Camp no command is heard, yet at Lintai his meritorious fame still stands out. Three thousand guests alone remain under the gate, and I bear within my breast the burden of one hundred thousand soldiers. In the clear noon of green shade, there is no longer the song of elegant voices.

Bai Juyi also wrote:

The Master’s trace withdrew in silence to mountains and groves, and three visits seeking the Son of Heaven were never returned. Fish reaches Nanyang before it finds water; when the dragon soars in Heaven’s Han, it becomes rain.

Entrusting and finishing the rites to guard the heir, he poured out loyalty to the state to the end. The departure memorials from the campaigns are all still present, and anyone reading them sees tears on the sleeve.

First there was Liao Li, commander in Shu for water transport, who claimed he should be Zhuge Liang’s deputy. He had thought his post free and idle and was full of resentment and blame. Therefore Zhuge Liang demoted him to commoner and moved him to Mount Wenshan.

When he heard of Zhuge Liang’s death, he cried, “I end up as a wronged left-over sleeve!” Li Yan heard him, and he too wept and died.

Indeed, Li Yan had wished to live to see Zhuge recall him and return him for his former fault; now that Zhuge was gone, no one in this world could use him.

Yuan Weizhi then praised:

Restoring disorder and guarding the perilous lord, he received the entrusted charge with all humility. His brilliance surpassed that of Guan Le, and his subtle stratagem surpassed Sun Wu. His Departure Memorial was majestic, his Eight-formation diagram truly grand. With such complete virtue as his, past and future ages have cause to exclaim in awe.

That night heaven and earth were heavy with grief, and the moon was without light. Zhuge Liang suddenly returned to Heaven.

Jiang Wei and Yang Yi, obeying his orders, did not raise lamentation; they prepared the corpse as instructed and set him in the k'an. They posted three hundred trusted men to guard it and transmitted his sealed orders so Wei Yan held the rear while each camp withdrew in turn.

Now, Sima Yi at night watched the sky and saw a great red star, with an aura of horns, moving from the northeast to the southwest and falling within the Shu camp. It seemed to strike three times and rise again twice, with a faint sound.

Sima Yi, pleased and astonished, said, “Zhuge Liang is dead!” and at once sent out the main forces in pursuit.

As he was about to step beyond the stockade gate, doubt returned: “Zhuge Liang is skilled in six Ding, six Jia arts. Since I have not gone to battle long, he has used such arts to fake death and entice me. If I pursue now, I will surely walk into his plan.”

So he reined in and returned to camp. He ordered Xiahou Ba alone to lead a few dozen riders to the remote outposts around Wuzhang and check the news.

Wei Yan in his camp dreamed that two horns had suddenly grown on his head. He woke deeply disturbed.

The next day the marches officer Zhao Zhi came to him. Wei Yan asked him in, saying, “For long I have known you to understand the principles of the Yi. In the night I dreamt my head had two horns. I do not know whether this is good or evil. Pray decide it for me.”

Zhao Zhi thought for a while and answered, “This is an auspicious sign: a qilin has horns on its head, and a blue dragon has horns on its head; it is an image of changing and taking flight.”

Wei Yan rejoiced, “As you said, I will repay you heavily.” Zhao Zhi left. A few li later he met Shangshu Fei Yi.

Fei Yi asked, “Where from?”

“I just came from Wei Wenchang’s camp,” Zhao Zhi said. “Wenchang dreamt horns on his head and asked me to judge good and evil. This is not really good fortune, but fearing to shock him, I explained with qilin and dragon symbols.”

Fei Yi asked, “How do you know it is not good?”

Zhao Zhi said, “The shape of the character for horns is the character use (yong) under a knife. A knife below yong is dire misfortune.”

Fei Yi said, “Do not speak of this.” Zhao Zhi departed.

Fei Yi came to Wei Yan’s camp, sent everyone away, and said, “By the third watch the Chancellor has already left. Before he died, he repeated and repeated that he entrusted with you that Yang Yi should meet Sima Yi at the rear and withdraw slowly; do not raise mourning. This command tally is with me, so you may take command now.”

Wei Yan said, “Though the Chancellor has died, I still stand. Yang Yi is only a chief clerk—how can he manage the Chancellor’s great affairs? He should only carry the bier into Shu and bury it. I will lead great troops against Sima Yi and win. Could one, for one man, cast aside the state’s great business?”

Fei Yi said, “The Chancellor ordered that we should withdraw for now. Do not violate it.”

Wei Yan shouted in anger, “If the Chancellor had followed my plan he would have already taken Chang’an! I now hold the rank of Front General, General Who Conquers the West, Marquis of Nanzheng; how can I accept a chief clerk covering the rear?”

Fei Yi replied, “Though your words are true, you should not move rashly and make the enemy laugh. Let me go to Yang Yi and argue in terms of profit and danger; I will have him yield command to you. Is that not best?”

Wei Yan agreed.

Fei Yi left and quickly came to the main camp to report this to Yang Yi. Yang Yi said, “The Chancellor privately entrusted me before dying: ‘Wei Yan will hold strange intentions.’ I carried the tally to test his mind; now it matches the Chancellor’s warning. I have already set Jiang Boyue to cover the rear.”

So Yang Yi led out the bier first and ordered Jiang Wei to cover the rear, then withdrew by degrees according to Zhuge Liang’s instruction.

Wei Yan, in his own camp, did not see Fei Yi return. In suspicion he ordered Ma Dai with a dozen riders to scout.

They returned saying, “The rear army is under Jiang Wei; most of the forward army has already gone into the valley.”

Wei Yan cried, “How can this lowly scholar dare deceive me! I will kill him!” Then he asked Ma Dai, “Will you assist?”

Ma Dai said, “I have long resented Yang Yi. I now wish to help you attack him.” Wei Yan rejoiced, broke camp, and led his main force south.

Xiahou Ba then led troops to Wuzhang and found no one. He hurried back to Sima Yi, saying, “Shu troops have completely withdrawn.”

Sima Yi stamped and said, “Zhuge Liang is truly dead! Pursue quickly!”

Xiahou Ba said, “The Commander should not pursue quickly. Send forward detachments first.”

Sima Yi replied, “In this turn I myself must go.” He set out with two sons and both rushed in close pursuit toward Wuzhang.

When he came shouting with flags and drums, he found himself at the gate of the camp, only to find it empty.

He told his two sons, “Drive the troops quickly and overtake. I will lead the vanguard.”

Sima Shi and Sima Zhao urged the forces from behind. Sima Yi himself led at the front, pursued down to the mountain foot, and when he saw Shu troops not far off, he redoubled the chase.

Then came a great blast from behind the mountain, and cries shattered the air. They saw the Shu ranks turning banners and drums backward. In the shadows of trees floated the main flag of the center, with one line: “Han Chancellor, Lord of Wuxiang, Zhuge Liang.”

Sima Yi was struck dumb with shock. As his eyes fixed, he saw in the middle dozens of senior commanders bringing a four-wheeled cart. On it sat Zhuge Liang upright, with silk kerchief, feather fan, and crane-feather robe with a black sash.

Sima Yi cried, “Zhuge Liang is alive! I entered this deep place too lightly and have stepped into his trick!” He pulled the reins and ran.

Behind him Jiang Wei shouted, “Bandit commander, do not run! You are in my Chancellor’s trap!”

Wei troops were terrified, panic-stricken. They threw off armor and helmets, dropped spears and halberds, and fled each by each. Countless were killed.

Sima Yi ran for fifty li and more. Two Wei commanders caught him up, holding his horse. “Commander, do not fear,” they said.

He touched his own head and asked, “Did I still keep my head?”

The two answered, “Fear nothing, commander; the Shu troops are already far away.”

After several breaths and his features settled, he recognized them as Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Hui. He then slowly pulled the reins and, with the two, took a small path back to the main camp, while ordering everyone to send units out to scout in many directions.

After two days, villagers ran in to report: “When the Shu troops withdrew into the valley, wails shook the earth. A white banner rose in their camp. Zhuge Liang truly has died. Only Jiang Wei remains with one thousand troops covering the rear.

The Zhuge on the cart before was a wooden figure.”

Sima Yi sighed, “I can foresee his life, but not his death.” Thus among people of Shu it was said: “Only after Zhuge dies can one make it through life under Zhongda.”

Another poem later said:

The long star at midnight fell by the pivot of heaven, it rushed by so quickly one still wonders if Liang had really died. Even beyond the frontier, men still laugh with coldness to this day, asking with their heads whether there is agreement or not.

When Sima Yi knew for sure of the report of Zhuge’s death, he again ordered pursuit. He reached Chihan Slope and found the Shu troops far away; he then turned back. Looking at the assembled generals he said, “Now that Zhuge Liang is dead, we can all sleep secure.”

They executed a return march.

On the road he saw everywhere Zhuge Liang had camped and how each station had been established in proper order. Sima Yi sighed, “This was a talent beyond the world.” He then returned to Chang’an, assigned and relocated generals to the frontier passes, and eventually returned to Luoyang to report at court.

Yang Yi and Jiang Wei formed their lines, withdrew slowly through the gate to the stockade road, then changed into mourning and raised banners with lamentation.

Shu soldiers bumped and collided as they wept; some died in their crying.

When the forward command of Shu soldiers had just returned to the stockade-road mouth, they suddenly saw flames rising skyward, cries shaking the ground, and a band of troops blocking the way.

The senior officers were alarmed and hastened to report to Yang Yi.

So:

Already it is seen that the officers of the Wei camp have gone; who can know what force from Shu comes near? Unknown from where this horse and army arrive; How this turned out will be told in the next chapter.