Now Jiang Wei withdrew his troops and camped at Zhongdi, while the Wei army had encamped outside Didao City.

Wang Jing went out to welcome Chen Tai and Deng Ai into the city, thanked them for ending the encirclement, and hosted a banquet to treat them and reward the Three Armies. Chen Tai submitted a memorial praising Deng Ai’s service to Wei ruler Cao Mao. In reply, Cao Mao enfeoffed Deng Ai as General Who Pacifies the West, gave him temporary authority to command the Cavalry Commandant Guarding the Eastern Qiang, and ordered him to camp with Chen Tai in Yong, Liang, and other places.

After presenting thanks to Cao Mao, Deng Ai was also welcomed by Chen Tai at banquet, who said, “Jiang Wei has fled by night. His strength is gone; he will not dare to ride out again.”

Deng Ai laughed. “I judged that the Shu soldiers must come out in five ways.” Chen Tai asked why.

Deng Ai said, “Though the Shu force withdrew, they still have the momentum of victory; and my troops carry the reality of weakness. So they must come out one way. The Shu soldiers were all trained under Kongming’s instruction and are elite troops, easy to maneuver. I do not rotate mine as often, and my soldiers are not fully trained in field exercise; so they must come out a second way. Most of the Shu men move by boat, while my army is all on dry land and so has different levels of hardship and rest; that is a third reason. Didao, Longxi, Nan'an, and Qishan are all places where one can stand and fight; the Shu may feint east while striking west, point north while aiming south. My troops would have to hold several passes with divided columns. If the Shu come together as one body, then one part against our four parts, that is the fourth way. If the Shu march from Nan’an or Longxi, they can seize grain from the Qiang for food; if they come out at Qishan, they can harvest wheat. They have ready victuals. That is the fifth way.”

Chen Tai exclaimed in admiration, “Your estimate of the enemy is like a god’s; what has Jiang Wei to fear from us?” From then on, Chen Tai and Deng Ai became intimate friends despite the difference in their ages. Deng Ai then drilled the troops in Yong, Liang, and other outposts every day. At every mountain pass, he raised stockades and entrenchments to guard against the unexpected.

Now Jiang Wei held a great feast at Zhongdi, bringing together his generals to discuss raiding Wei. His adjutant Fan Jian cautioned him, “General, you have gone out again and gained no complete victory. In today’s battle of Taoxi, the Wei men already bent to your power. Why do you want to campaign again? If things turn poorly, your past achievements may be thrown away in one stroke.”

Jiang Wei said, “You all only know that Wei has vast land and many people and cannot be easily conquered. Yet you do not know that one who attacks Wei can win in five ways.” The others asked how.

Wei replied, “First, at Taoxi they suffered a defeat that broke their elan. Though my army withdrew, it did not suffer real damage. If we now advance, I can win that way. Second, my army will march by boats and suffer little exhaustion, while their troops come from dry ground to meet us; that is a second way. Third, my men are a force long-trained under discipline; theirs are merely a rabble gathered from various places and know no order, so this is the third way. Fourth, my troops can go out from Qishan and forage the autumn grain for food. Fifth, though their soldiers are distributed across defensive positions and scattered in force, if my army goes as one mass, how can they send aid?”

He leaned forward and said, “If we do not strike Wei now, when else will we?”

Xiahou Ba said, “Though Deng Ai is young, his strategic thinking is deep. Since he was just appointed General Who Pacifies the West, he has made preparations everywhere. He is no longer as he was in former days.”

Jiang Wei raised his voice, “What is there for me to fear from him? All of you should stop praising the enemy’s sharpness and speak instead of our own vigor. My decision is made. We must first seize Longxi.” No one dared to remonstrate.

Jiang Wei led the vanguard himself and ordered the others to follow behind. Thus all the Shu soldiers left Zhongdi and rushed toward Qishan.

A scout horseman reported that Wei troops had already occupied nine barracks at Qishan. Jiang Wei refused to believe it and mounted with several riders to inspect from high ground. He indeed saw the nine encampments at Qishan stretching out like a long serpent, head and tail watching each other. Jiang Wei looked back at those around him. “Xiahou Ba spoke truly. The arrangement of these stockades is excellent. Only our Chancellor of Shu, Kongming, could devise such a disposition. Observing Deng Ai’s actions now, he is not one step behind my Chancellor.”

He returned to his own encampment and called his generals, saying, “Since the Wei already prepared, they must know I am coming. I expect Deng Ai to be somewhere in this region. You must show a false flag display of my standards. Occupy this valley-mouth below and post a hundred or so horsemen for scouting each day. Each scouting sortie should return before changing to another set of armor and livery. The banners should be exchanged through the five directional colors—blue, yellow, red, white, black. I, meanwhile, will quietly lead the main army out through Dongting and strike straight for Nan’an.”

Deng Ai was then left to hold Qishan’s mouth.

Now as Deng Ai learned the Shu army had come out to Qishan, he had already camped with Chen Tai in readiness. He saw that the Shu forces did not come to skirmish for several days; one day he sent out five rounds of horse scouts, each ranging ten or fifteen li. After reaching a high point and looking out, he hurried into his command tent and said to Chen Tai, “Jiang Wei is not here. He has gone for Dongting and will attack Nan’an. These sortie riders are only a handful. They wear different armor each time, and the scouting horses are already worn out. Their commander cannot have strength. General Chen should lead one army against this camp and the stockades can be broken. Once the barricades fall, send troops to the road toward Dongting and first cut off Jiang Wei’s rear.”

“I will first bring one army to relieve Nan’an and then go straight to Wucheng Mountain. Whoever controls that hill first, Jiang Wei will certainly go to Shanggui. At Shanggui there is a valley called Duan Valley, narrow and hemmed by mountains, perfect for an ambush. When he comes to contest Wucheng Mountain, I will first set two armies hidden in Duan Valley and then break Jiang Wei for sure.”

Chen Tai said, “I have guarded Longxi for two or three decades and have never seen geography judged so clearly. What you say is truly divinatory strategy. Go at once. I will attack this line of barracks.”

So Deng Ai led his soldiers by night, doubled on another road, and went straight to Wucheng Mountain. He settled the camp; before the Shu forces arrived he ordered Deng Zhong and the captain-by-the-tent, Shi Zuan, each with five thousand troops, to go first to Duan Valley and lie in ambush. They departed with exactly this plan in mind. Deng Ai ordered the banners lowered and drums silent and waited for the Shu army.

Now Jiang Wei came from Dongting toward Nan’an and reached before Wucheng Mountain. He said to Xiahou Ba, “There is a mountain near Nan’an called Wucheng. If we secure it first, we can seize the advantage at Nan’an. I only fear Deng Ai has many devices and will block the crossing ahead.”

Just as doubt hung over him, suddenly from up the mountain came a single thunderous cannon report. Loud shouts rose; war horns blared in unison, and banners were raised all over—Wei troops. A yellow banner streamed in the middle wind with the large characters “Deng Ai” written on it.

The Shu soldiers were startled. Elite troops poured down from several points on the mountain; they were unstoppable. The forward lines were badly beaten. When Jiang Wei rushed the center troops to come to the rescue, the Wei had already withdrawn. Jiang Wei came straight down to Wucheng Mountain foot to meet Deng Ai in battle. The Wei on the heights did not descend.

Jiang Wei ordered soldiers to hurl insults and taunts. Near evening he intended to retire the army, but mountain horns and drums sounded again and still no Wei came down. Jiang Wei tried to rush up the mountain and charge through, but the bombardment of cannon stones on the heights was severe, and he could not advance.

The watch lasted until the third watch; he began to withdraw. Again the horns above sounded. He moved his troops down the mountain and camped, and only after ordering wood and earth carried to build stockades did he begin to raise them. The horns sounded once more from above, and Wei forces arrived in a rush. The Shu troops broke in confusion, trampling one another and falling back to their old camp.

The next day Jiang Wei ordered troops with supply carts to Wucheng Mountain, setting them in connected lines, hoping to raise fortifications and make a new garrison. At second watch that night, Deng Ai sent five hundred men, each carrying torchlight, down by two routes to burn the supply wagons. The two armies then slaughtered one another through the night, and the stockades could not be completed again.

Jiang Wei rallied and withdrew his force once more. Again he discussed it with Xiahou Ba, saying, “Nan’an is not yet gained. Better to take Shanggui first. Shanggui is where the grain for Nan’an is stored; if I take Shanggui, Nan’an is in danger.”

He left Xiahou Ba in garrison at Wucheng Mountain and brought all his elite troops and fierce commanders to go straight for Shanggui. They marched through one night; dawn came and, seeing steep, narrow ridges and rough roads, he asked the local guide, “What is this place called?”

He answered, “Duan Valley.” Jiang Wei was shocked. “That is an ominous name: Duan can mean a cut-off valley. If someone cuts off its mouth, what then?”

Exactly as he hesitated, a report came that the vanguard was sounding from behind: dust rose heavily in the rear and there was certainly an ambush. Jiang Wei ordered a withdrawal at once. Shi Zuan and Deng Zhong burst out with their forces in battle.

Jiang Wei fought while he withdrew. In front, loud war-cries rose; Deng Ai came with troops and closed in. Attacked from three directions, the Shu army was routed. Fortune favored them only because Xiahou Ba arrived with troops; only then the Wei troops withdrew and saved Jiang Wei, who aimed to return toward Qishan.

Xiahou Ba said, “The Qishan stockades have already been broken by Chen Tai, and Bao Su has been killed. All his men have withdrawn back to Hanzhong.”

Jiang Wei dared not take Dongting and hurried back by a small mountain path. Deng Ai pursued hard from behind. Jiang Wei ordered the divisions forward and himself to hold the rear guard. As they were moving, a detachment suddenly emerged from the hills: it was Wei general Chen Tai.

The Wei soldiers raised one shout and Jiang Wei was at their center. His men and horses were worn and tired; with blows to the left and right they could not break out. Zhang Ni, the General Who Quells Rebels, heard that Jiang Wei was trapped and led several hundred riders into the heavy encirclement. Taking advantage of the moment, Jiang Wei fought his way out.

Zhang Ni was struck down by a shower of Wei arrows. Once Jiang Wei had escaped the encirclement and returned to Hanzhong, he remembered Zhang Yi’s loyalty and courage—who had died in service to the state—and submitted a memorial commending his sons and descendants.

In the Shu army many had fallen, and all the blame was laid on Jiang Wei. Following the precedent from Zhuge Liang’s old battle at Jieting, Jiang Wei submitted a memorial and demoted himself to Rear General and Acting General-in-Chief.

When Deng Ai saw the Shu forces completely withdrawn, he held a feast with Chen Tai and generously rewarded the three armies. Chen Tai praised Deng Ai’s achievements, and Sima Zhao sent an envoy with the seal and orders, adding to Deng Ai’s rank, conferring office and honor, and also ennobling his son Deng Zhong as a Marquis of a District.

At this time, in the third year of the corrected first year of Zhongyuan, it became the first year of the Ganting era for Wei ruler Cao Mao.

Since Sima Zhao had made himself the Grand Commander of all troops and armies under heaven, he constantly ordered three thousand iron-clad valiant riders to surround him in front and behind as an escort. He handled all matters himself, not submitting them to the court, and made all judgments in his own residence.

From then on he constantly harbored a usurping intention; he only feared that the people in south and north had not yet all yielded their hearts. Among his close associates was Jia Chong, courtesy name Gonglu, son of former Jianwei General Jia Kui, and long-serving as a subordinate scribe under Sima Zhao.

Jia Chong said to Sima Zhao, “Now you hold the great weight of state. The people in the four directions cannot be entirely at peace. If so, we should first quietly probe, and then in time we may plot the major matter.”

Zhao said, “I intend just that. You can go east for me. Put forward the pretext that you are gathering troops to reward troops gone on campaign, and use that as cover to gather reports.”

Jia Chong took command and went straight to Huainan, and presented himself before General Who Guards the East, Zhuge Dan.

Zhuge Dan’s courtesy name was Gongxiu. He was from Langya, Nanyang, and was a cousin of Zhuge Liang. He had served Wei first; because of his relation to Zhuge Liang in Shu, he had not been heavily promoted. Later, after Zhuge Liang’s death, Dan rose through heavy posts in Wei, was enfeoffed as Marquis of Gaoping, and administered the armies and horsemen of both Jiang region. On that day Jia Chong took the name of rewarding exhausted troops as pretext and came to Huainan to see Zhuge Dan.

Zhuge Dan hosted him at a banquet. When the wine had reached half-intoxication, Jia Chong provoked him in speech:

“Recently all the worthy men of Luoyang say the ruler is timid and too weak to be emperor. The Grand Commander Sima, who has for three generations supported the state, has accomplishments and virtue beyond measure and can receive transfer of Wei’s rule. What is your private opinion?”

Zhuge Dan was furious. “You are Jia, son of Yuezhou—descended by family on Wei salary. How dare you utter such disorderly words?”

Jia Chong said, “I am only relaying what others have said to you.”

Zhuge Dan said, “When the court is in peril, I will answer with my life.” Jia Chong held his tongue.

Later, after taking leave, he relayed the matter in detail to Sima Zhao. Zhao was enraged and shouted, “A rat-born commoner dares speak like that!”

Jia Chong said, “Dan in Huainan has deep support among people and will surely become dangerous in time; he should be removed quickly.”

Sima Zhao then sent a secret letter to Yue Lei, Inspector of Yang Province, and at the same time dispatched an envoy bearing a decree to summon Zhuge Dan as Minister of Works.

When Dan received the edict, he already knew it was a report planted by Jia Chong. He seized the arriving envoy and interrogated him.

The envoy said, “This matter Yue Lei knows.”

Dan asked, “How did he know?”

The envoy said, “Sima Commander has already sent someone to Yang Province with the sealed letter to Yue Lei.”

Dan was furious and shouted to his men, then immediately had the envoy beheaded. He then assembled a thousand soldiers under his command and charged for Yang Province.

When he arrived at the south gate, the city gate had been closed and the pontoon bridge pulled up. Dan called from under the walls, but no one on the walls answered.

He roared, “How dare Yue Lei, a single common man, do this?”

He ordered his officers to beat the walls. More than ten picked riders dismounted and waded across the river, leaping up to the city, scattering the guards and opening the gate.

Then Zhuge Dan led the troops into the city, set fires with the wind, and drove to Yue Lei’s residence. Yue Lei had scrambled up to an upper floor to hide.

Dan drew his sword and mounted the stairs, shouting: “Your father Le Jìn once received great grace from Wei. Will you not think of your old obligations and instead choose to align with Sima Zhao?”

Yue Lei had no time to reply before Dan slew him.

At the same time he drafted a memorial listing Sima Zhao’s crimes and sent it to be presented in Luoyang. He also gathered more than ten thousand households of registered settlers from the two river regions, and more than forty thousand newly surrendered men from Yang Province, stacked grass and provisions, and prepared for advance.

He ordered his chief clerk Wu Gang to send Zhuge Liang’s son, Zhuge Li, into Wu as a hostage and asked for aid, demanding all allied troops to join in punishing Sima Zhao.

At this time Eastern Wu Chancellor Sun Jun had died in illness, and his cousin Sun Chen was handling administration. Sun Chen’s courtesy name was Zitong; he was a violent and overbearing man. He killed grand marshal Teng Yin, General Lu Ju, and Wang Dun, and therefore all authority came into his hands.

Wu ruler Sun Liang, though intelligent, could not resist it. Wu Gang then escorted Zhuge Li to Shitou City and presented him before Sun Chen.

Sun Chen asked the reason for the visit.

Gang said, “Zhuge Dan is Zhuge Liang’s cousin, the brother in Shu-Han. He formerly served Wei. He now sees Sima Zhao deceive the Son of Heaven, discard the ruler, and usurp power, and wishes to muster arms against him but lacks strength. So he has come to surrender, bringing his own son Zhuge Li as a hostage as proof of sincerity. I beg you to send troops to assist.”

Sun Chen agreed and then dispatched General Quanyi and Quandu as main commanders, Yuquan as reserve commander, Zhu Yi and Tang Zi as vanguard, and Wen Qin as local guide. He raised seventy thousand soldiers and sent them forward in three divisions.

Wu Gang returned to Shouchun and reported to Zhuge Dan. Dan rejoiced and put his forces in order.

Now Zhuge Dan submitted a memorial to Luoyang. When Sima Zhao saw it, he was furious and wanted to go out personally to chastise him.

Jia Chong remonstrated, “Your Excellency inherited your father and elder brothers’ foundations; your benevolence has not yet reached all under Heaven. If you now abandon the Son of Heaven and go forth, then if any change comes in one morning, what remedy would there be? Better to petition that both Empress Dowager and emperor make the expedition together, and only then will there be no risk.”

Zhao was pleased: “This is exactly in line with my thought.” He then memorialized the Empress Dowager, “Zhuge Dan plans revolt; I have discussed this matter with both civil and military officials, and the plans are settled. I respectfully request that Her Majesty and the Son of Heaven personally ride out to campaign and thereby carry out the late emperor’s intent.”

The empress dowager, frightened, could only comply.

The next day Sima Zhao requested Wei ruler Cao Mao to set out. Cao Mao said, “You are the Grand Commander of armies and horses of all under heaven and command them in appointment and movement. Why must I come in person as well?”

Zhao said, “No, this is not so. In former times, Emperor Wu ranged across the four seas, and Emperors Wen and Ming held universal ambition and the intent to encompass the world. Whenever a grave enemy rises, the emperor himself must go in person. Your Majesty should pursue the will of your ancestors, sweep away wicked traitors, why shrink now?”

Fearful of Zhao’s power, Cao Mao reluctantly assented.

Zhao then issued orders mobilizing the two capital armies of two hundred and sixty thousand, naming General Who Guards the South Wang Ji as principal vanguard, General Who Pacifies the East Chen Qian as assistant vanguard, military supervisor Shi Bao as left wing, and Ji Province Administrator Zhou Tai as right wing. He protected the imperial carriage as they set forth in force and surged onward, heading to Huainan.

Eastern Wu vanguard commander Zhu Yi went out to meet them. The two armies faced one another.

Wang Ji rode forward, and Zhu Yi came out to answer. In less than three rounds of battle, Zhu Yi was defeated and broken. Tang Zi rode out; again before three rounds there was heavy defeat and rout. Wang Ji drove on with his troops and cut down the fleeing army. Wu soldiers were utterly routed and retreated fifty li to make camp, then withdrew into Shouchun.

Zhuge Dan himself led his own picked force and joined with Wen Qin and his two sons, Wen Yang and Wen Hu, a force of tens of thousands, to meet Sima Zhao.

Then it was that:

At just this moment, the Wu army’s sharp spirit began to collapse, and fresh and powerful Wei forces rode hard in.

How this turned out will be told in the next chapter.