Later, Jiang Wei ordered the troops to withdraw. Liao Hua said, “A commander in the field is not bound to obey every order from the court. Though we have an imperial edict now, we should not act yet.”

Zhang Yi said, “The people of Shu have seen the Grand General raise troops year after year and have many grievances. Better to use this moment of victory to gather them back and steady their hearts before making further plans.”

Jiang Wei said, “Good.” He ordered each army to retire by procedure, and sent Liao Hua and Zhang Yi to hold the rear and prepare for any pursuit from Wei.

Deng Ai then set out in pursuit. He saw in front of him that the Shu banners were in orderly lines and the cavalry withdrew slowly. He exclaimed, “Jiang Wei has truly mastered Wuhou’s methods!” He therefore did not pursue and drew up his forces back to Qishan camp.

Jiang Wei arrived in Chengdu and entered audience with the Son of Heaven to ask why he had been recalled. The Son of Heaven said, “You have been on the frontier for a long time with no return of the army. I feared your soldiers were exhausted by campaigning, so I issued the order for you to return to the court. I had no other intent.”

Jiang Wei said, “I had already reached Qishan camp and was prepared to conclude the operation, and did not expect to have it abandoned halfway through. This must be Deng Ai’s counter-ploting scheme.” The Son of Heaven was silent.

Jiang Wei offered another memorial: “I have sworn to attack the rebels and repay my debt to the state. Your Majesty should not listen to petty men and bring this doubt upon yourself.” After a long pause, the Son of Heaven finally said, “I do not doubt you. Return to Hanzhong and wait for change in Wei; then you may campaign again.”

Jiang Wei sighed and left the court, then returned to Hanzhong.

At that time, Dang Jun returned to Qishan camp and reported all this. Deng Ai and Sima Wang said, “When lord and minister are out of accord, internal treachery is certain.” They then sent Dang Jun to Luoyang to report to Sima Zhao.

Sima Zhao rejoiced and let his thoughts turn toward attacking Shu. He asked Zhonghu Jun, Jia Chong, “How can we take Shu now?”

Jia Chong said, “Not yet. The Son of Heaven still doubts his lord, and if you venture out lightly, an internal crisis will surely erupt.”

“Last year in the spring, two appearances of a yellow dragon were seen in Lingling well. The ministers submitted congratulations and called it a good omen. The Son of Heaven said: ‘Not a good omen. A dragon is a symbol of a ruler: it is neither in heaven above nor in the fields below, but in a well. That is a sign of confinement and humiliation.’ So he composed a poem called Hidden Dragon.

Its meaning made plain what the Son of Heaven intended. The poem says:

Alas, the dragon is constrained and cannot leap into the deep abyss. It flies not through the Han sky above, nor is seen in the fields below. It coils at the bottom of the well as eels and loaches dance before it. It hides its fangs, wraps its claws inside shell; alas, I am in the same plight.

When Sima Zhao heard this, he grew furious and told Jia Chong, “This man seeks to imitate Cao Fang. If we do not plan early, he will surely strike us down.”

Jia Chong said, “I am ready to scheme for the lord, morning and night.”

Now in the fifth year of Ganlu, in the fourth month, Sima Zhao came with sword drawn and entered the hall. Cao Mao came out to receive him. The court officials presented one petition after another: “The Grand General’s merit is lofty. It is fitting to make you Duke of Jin and grant nine honors.”

Cao Mao lowered his head and did not answer.

Sima Zhao spoke in a loud voice: “My father and brothers in all three of us have earned great merit for Wei. Now that I am Duke of Jin, is that not fitting?”

Cao Mao replied, “Who would dare to fail your order?”

Sima Zhao said, “In the Hidden Dragon poem, your phrase treats us as eels and loaches. What courtesy is this?”

Cao Mao could not answer. Sima Zhao laughed coldly and descended from the hall. The officials were solemn.

Back in the inner palace, Cao Mao summoned court attendant Wang Shen, Master of Writing Wang Jing, and Gentleman-in-Attendance Wang Ye, and they debated together in private.

Cao Mao wept: “Sima Zhao will attempt to usurp the throne. Everyone knows this. I will not sit and endure humiliation. Can you help me bring him down?”

Wang Jing said, “Impossible. In the past, Duke Zhaogong of Lu did not restrain the Ji clan and lost his state; now heavy power has long been in the Sima house. Every official inside and out has bent to this wicked clan; there is not one of us who stands on principle. Your Majesty’s household guards are too few and men of command are lacking. If Your Majesty does not endure, great disaster will follow. We must proceed slowly and not act rashly.”

Cao Mao said, “What can be borne? what cannot? My mind is made. Why should I fear death?”

After speaking, he went at once to the Empress Dowager and conveyed his plan.

Wang Shen and Wang Ye said to Wang Jing, “It is urgent. We must not invite ruin upon our families by our own choices. We should go to Sima Gong’s residence and submit ourselves there so as to avoid even a single death.”

Wang Jing became furious: “My lord suffers, and a servant suffers with him. My lord is disgraced, and a servant may die for him. How can I harbor a divided heart?”

Seeing Wang Jing refused, Wang Shen and Wang Ye went straight to report to Sima Zhao.

After some time, the Son of Heaven, Cao Mao, came out from the inner court, ordered the guard Jiao Bo to gather more than three hundred rough guards from the hall, and with drums and shouting they marched out. Cao Mao, sword in hand, mounted his sedan and shouted at those nearby, then headed straight toward Nanque.

Wang Jing lay before the sedan, weeping, and remonstrated: “Your Majesty leads several hundred men against Zhao. You are driving sheep into a tiger’s den, and it will be empty death. I do not value my life; I truly see this as impossible.”

Cao Mao answered, “My troops are already on the move, minister. You cannot hinder me.” He kept on toward Longmen.

They then saw Jia Chong in armor on horseback, Cheng Cui on his left and Cheng Ji on his right, with several thousand iron-clad palace guards in battle cry and rush.

Cao Mao raised his sword and shouted, “I am the Son of Heaven. You have broken into the court grounds. Are you trying to slay your lord?”

When the guards saw Cao Mao, none dared to move. Jia Chong called out to Cheng Ji: “What did Master Sima raise you for if not this day?”

Cheng Ji stood with a pike and looked back at Jia Chong: “Shall we kill? Or bind?” Jia Chong said, “Master Sima has ordered it: all must die.”

Cheng Ji raised his pike and rushed straight to the Son of Heaven’s sedan. Cao Mao shouted, “A common soldier, do you have no decency?” Before the words were done, Cheng Ji had already driven a pike through Cao Mao’s chest and hurled him from the sedan. A second stroke went through his back and he died at the carriage side.

Jiao Bo ran forward with a spear, but Cheng Ji skewered him through. The crowd fled.

Wang Jing came close behind, then shouted at Jia Chong, “Wicked rebel! How dare you kill the Son of Heaven!” Jia Chong grew angry and ordered him seized. He was brought to Sima Zhao.

Sima Zhao entered and saw the dead emperor. He feigned great shock, crying with his head on the sedan frame and summoning all ministers to report the event.

At that moment Tai Fu, Sima Fu, entered the hall, saw Cao Mao’s corpse, and knelt with his hand on his thigh as he wept: “I am the one at fault for this regicide.” He placed the corpse in a coffin and set it in the west of a side hall.

Sima Zhao then called a council of ministers in the hall. All came, except for Shangshu Puxi Chen Tai, who did not appear. Sima Zhao ordered Xun Yi, the Chancellor and uncle of Chen Tai, to summon him.

Tai, crying bitterly, said, “They used to compare him to his uncle; now the uncle is truly no better than Tai.” He entered in funeral cloth and mourning sash and paid respects before the spirit.

Sima Zhao, feigning mourning, asked, “How should we deal with this matter?”

Chen Tai said, “If only execute Jia Chong, it may at least satisfy the world.”

Sima Zhao was silent for a long while, then asked again: “Think further?”

Tai said, “Whoever has entered this hall has done so without knowing what comes after.”

Sima Zhao replied, “Cheng Ji’s treason is complete. He can be dismembered, and all three branches of his clan exterminated.”

Cheng Ji shouted at Sima Zhao, “This is not my fault; Jia Chong conveyed your command to me!” Sima Zhao ordered that his tongue be cut first. Until death, Cheng Ji never ceased crying innocence. Cheng Cui was also beheaded at the market, and his three clans were entirely exterminated.

A poem later lamented:

It was Sima who once ordered Jia Chong; a robe of red mud stained at Nanque for the slain ruler. Yet Cheng Ji was put to death and three clans destroyed; only the soldiers and people seemed deaf.

Sima Zhao had Wang Jing’s entire household seized and sent to prison. Wang Jing was in the prison court when he suddenly saw his mother brought in bound. He prostrated himself and wept, “An unfilial son has dragged his mother into this.”

His mother laughed: “Who does not die? I only feared they might not let us die in the right way. To lay down our lives for this—what regret is there?”

The next day, the whole family of Wang Jing was marched to the eastern market. Mother and son accepted punishment with smiles. In the city all scholars and commoners alike wept.

A later poem said:

In the early Han, they praised a hidden sword. At the end of Han, we saw Wang Jing. His true fierceness of heart did not change; his will was all the more clear and hard. His integrity weighed as heavy as Mount Tai, his life as light as a feather. The fame of mother and son remains. May it stand and tilt heaven and earth together.

The Grand Tutor Sima Fu asked to bury Cao Mao with the rites of a king. Sima Zhao allowed this.

Jia Chong and others then urged Sima Zhao to accept the Wei transfer of power and become emperor. Sima Zhao replied, “Formerly King Wen held two-thirds of the realm while serving the Yin house and was praised as supremely virtuous. Emperor Wudi of Wei refused to receive the edict from Han; it is no different from my refusal now to accept an edict from Wei.”

Jia Chong and the others already knew that Sima Zhao had his mind on Sima Yan. They no longer pressed him on succession.

In that year, sixth month, Sima Zhao enthroned Cao Huang, Marquis of Changdao Township, as emperor and changed the era name to Jingyuan, first year.

Cao Huang took the name Cao Huan, courtesy name Jingzhao. He was Cao Cao’s grandson and the son of Prince Cao Yu of Yan.

Huan made Sima Zhao Chancellor, Duke of Jin, and gave him one hundred thousand qin of silver and ten thousand bolts of silk. He bestowed numerous offices and rewards on ministers and commanders.

There had long been informers reporting into Shu. When Jiang Wei heard that Sima Zhao had killed Cao Mao and enthroned Cao Huan, he said with joy, “I have gained a name beyond all for my campaign against Wei today.”

He sent a letter to Wu and ordered troops raised to demand why Sima Zhao had slain the Son of Heaven. At the same time, he petitioned the Son of Heaven and raised one hundred and fifty thousand men. Thousands of wagons were prepared, each carrying board-crates on top. He appointed Liao Hua and Zhang Yi as the vanguard.

Liao Hua was assigned Zixia Valley, Zhang Yi Lop Valley, and Jiang Wei himself Xie Valley. All three were to pass by Qishan before turning to Qi. The three columns advanced in force and came dashing toward Qishan.

At that time Deng Ai was in the mountain fort, training men and horses. He heard the report that three Shu columns were advancing and gathered his officers to debate.

Army Adviser Wang Guan presented a plan: “I have one stratagem that cannot be spoken aloud. I have written it down and humbly submit it for the general’s inspection.” He handed it over.

When Deng Ai read it through, he laughed. “This plan is good, but I fear it will not deceive Jiang Wei.”

Wang Guan said, “I am willing to lay down my life to go.”

Deng Ai replied, “If your resolve is firm, you can certainly make it succeed.” He sent him five thousand men.

At night Wang Guan came from Xie Valley at once and collided directly with the forward pickets of the Shu vanguard. He called out, “I am a deserter from Wei. I can report to the field commander.”

The pickets reported to Jiang Wei. Jiang Wei ordered the remaining men to block and told the one in charge to come forward.

Wang Guan knelt on the ground and said, “I am Wang Guan, nephew of Wang Jing. I recently saw Sima Zhao slay the Son of Heaven and have seen his whole family exterminated. I grieve to the bone. Now, since Your Excellency has risen in arms to punish him, I have brought this branch of my troops, five thousand in all, to surrender. I beg to be posted where I may serve, destroy the traitors, and repay my uncle’s death.”

Jiang Wei was greatly pleased and said, “If you have come in earnest, I must also receive you in earnest. The one thing my army lacks is grain. The stores are at Chuan Gate; you may carry them to Qishan. I only need to go and take Qishan camp now.”

Inwardly Wang Guan rejoiced, thinking he had taken the bait, and gladly accepted. Jiang Wei said, “You need not bring all five thousand to carry grain. Take three thousand with you and leave two thousand behind as guides and to strike at Qishan.”

Fearing Jiang Wei still suspected him, Wang Guan took only three thousand men.

Jiang Wei told Fu Qian to bring two thousand former Wei soldiers to follow and obey later orders.

A moment later, Xiahou Ba arrived. Xiahou Ba said, “How did the Commander trust Wang Guan so quickly? Though I am in Wei and do not know every detail, I have not heard that Wang Guan is truly Wang Jing’s nephew. There is much deceit here, please inspect him closely.”

Jiang Wei laughed. “I already know Wang Guan is deceit. That is why I split his strength and use his own plan against him.”

Xiahou Ba said, “Tell me your reading.”

Jiang Wei replied, “Sima Zhao is as a villainous hero like Cao Cao: he killed Wang Jing and wiped out three clans. How could he spare his own nephew in a frontier garrison? Hence I know it is a ruse. My companion Zhongquan has seen this with me.”

Thus Jiang Wei did not leave Xie Valley. He sent soldiers to lie in ambush along the roads in preparation for Wang Guan’s trick. In less than ten days, the ambush did indeed seize Wang Guan and a messenger bringing letters to Deng Ai. The latter came to report everything.

Jiang Wei examined the matter in detail and searched out the private letter. The letter fixed an appointment for the twentieth day of the eighth month, by a small path, to transport supplies home to the main camp and had also instructed Deng Ai to send troops to Tan mountain valley to meet them.

Jiang Wei had the messenger killed, then changed the contents to order a meet on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, and for Deng Ai to bring his main force to Tan mountain valley.

He then sent men, dressed as Wei soldiers, to the Wei camp with a fresh letter. At the same time, he had hundreds of supply wagons unloaded of grain and filled with dry brushwood and kindling to make an igniting load, covered in blue cloth.

Fu Qian was ordered to lead two thousand former Wei men in the guise of grain transport.

Jiang Wei and Xiahou Ba each took a force into the valley to lie hidden. He also ordered Jiang Shu out through Xie Valley while Liao Hua and Zhang Yi each pushed forward to capture Qishan.

Deng Ai received Wang Guan’s letter and rejoiced. He hastily drafted a reply and sent the envoy back. On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, Deng Ai led fifty thousand elite troops straight to Tan mountain valley.

He sent men to a rise to reconnoiter. From afar they saw endless grain wagons, one after another, coming through a mountain hollow.

Deng Ai reined in and watched. It seemed truly all Wei soldiers. His men said, “It is already dusk and getting dark. Dispatch one quickly to Tan valley to support Wang Guan at the exit.”

Deng Ai replied, “The mountain in front covers the ground. If there is an ambush ahead, retreat will be hard. We should wait here.”

As he spoke, two riders came at speed: “General Wang has grain crossing the frontier and his rear is driving up; they look to us for quick aid.”

Deng Ai was greatly startled and urged his men forward in haste. It was the first watch and the moon shone like day.

Then they heard shouting from the mountains behind, as though Wang Guan himself was striking there. He rode straight past the mountain’s back when suddenly a thicket of troops burst from the trees. The commander was Fu Qian, leading on horseback.

Fu Qian cried out, “Deng Ai, you wretch! You are already caught in my lord’s net. Why not dismount and die?”

Deng Ai panicked, turned and rode back. He fled.

The wagons were instantly lit as signal fires. Both lines of Shu troops poured out together and cut down the Wei soldiers—seven out of eight, nearly all. From the valley floor to the peaks came cries: “Seize Deng Ai and receive a thousand jin; grant him the title of marquis of ten thousand households!”

Deng Ai dropped his armor and cast off his helmet. He leapt down from horseback and mingled in the infantry, scrambling over the ridges and ridges and escaping over the hills.

Jiang Wei and Xiahou Ba moved at the head of their horsemen to capture him, but not expecting him to escape on foot, Deng Ai vanished from the mounted pursuit.

Jiang Wei sent victorious troops to seize Wang Guan’s supply wagons.

Afterwards, Wang Guan had secretly arranged with Deng Ai to have the grain carts already in rank and fully prepared before raising the uprising. Then an insider reported: “The secret is exposed. General Deng has suffered a great defeat; we do not know whether he yet lives.”

Wang Guan had scouts sent out. They reported that three Shu columns were closing in from all sides and that rising dust still came from behind; there was no road left for escape. Wang Guan shouted at his men to set fire to the wagons and burn all the grain cars.

At once flames leapt up; a fierce fire blazed into the sky.

Wang Guan cried out, “The matter is urgent! You must die fighting!” He then led his men westward to break out.

Jiang Wei pursued from behind with all three columns.

Jiang Wei thought Wang Guan was fighting himself to save his life and return to Wei, and he did not expect Wang Guan instead to force his way into Hanzhong. Wang Guan feared the pursuers would catch him, so he burned bridges and mountain passes alike.

Jiang Wei, fearing for Hanzhong, stopped and did not pursue Deng Ai. He gathered men and took the night side road in chase of Wang Guan.

Wang Guan was attacked from all four sides by Shu troops and threw himself into Black Dragon River, where he died. The remainder of his soldiers were all put to death by Jiang Wei’s forces.

Though Jiang Wei had defeated Deng Ai, he had lost many grain stores and had destroyed the mountain roads, so he withdrew his force back to Hanzhong.

Deng Ai took his shattered men and fled back to Qishan camp, submitting a memorial and asking punishment in return; he requested demotion.

Sima Zhao, seeing that Deng Ai had done great service several times already, could not bring himself to demote him and again gave him rich rewards.

Deng Ai distributed all gifts he had already received to the bereaved families of fallen officers.

Fearful that Shu troops might yet march out again, Sima Zhao added fifty thousand men and stationed them with Deng Ai to hold defense.

Jiang Wei repaired the roads and ladders through the night, and then again proposed another campaign.

He repairs the roads and ladders, and the troops keep coming out in one force. If they do not conquer the Middle Kingdom, they will not rest before death. How this turned out will be told in the next chapter.