Zhang Fei, whose courtesy name was Yide, asked for counsel from Yan Yan. Yan said, “From here to Luocheng, all the defensive passes are under my command. The court forces are all within my control. I can never repay your grace, my lord. Let me take the van. Wherever we go, I will call out and make them surrender.” Zhang Fei thanked him repeatedly. So Yan Yan took the vanguard, with Zhang Fei following with the main column. Wherever they came, it was all within Yan Yan’s command, and he called out all who saw him to submit. If someone hesitated, Yan said, “I have already surrendered. Why should you not do the same?” From then on, all yielded at a glance. Not a single pitched battle was fought.

Kongming had already reported the departure date to Xuande, and ordered everyone to assemble at Luocheng. Liu Bei met with his officers: “Now Kongming and Yide are taking two routes for Chuan, and they will join at Luocheng before moving into Chengdu. Since the army left by water and overland on the twentieth day of the seventh month, now it should arrive soon. We can advance now.” Huang Zhong said, “Zhang Ren fights skirmishes every day. Seeing no sortie from the city and a loose enemy, whose troops are unprepared, this night is the moment. We should divide our forces, raid the camp, and win as if in broad daylight.” Liu Bei agreed and ordered Huang Zhong to take the left wing, Wei Yan to take the right, while Liu Bei himself took the center road. At the second watch, the three columns of horse and men set out together.

Zhang Ren really had made no preparations. The Han army pushed into the main camp, set fires, and the flames rose high. The Shu soldiers rode through the night to report at once to Luocheng, and troops from the city marched to reinforce inside. Liu Bei returned to the middle column and set his camp down; the next day he led the army to Luocheng and surrounded and attacked. Zhang Ren held back and did not fight outside. On the fourth day, Liu Bei personally led one detachment in assault against the west gate and ordered Huang Zhong and Wei Yan to strike the east gate, leaving the south and north gates open for troops to move through. The south gate led to mountain paths, and the north gate faced the Fu River; so neither was fully closed in.

When Zhang Ren saw Liu Bei at the west gate riding back and forth directing operations from the hours between Chen and Wei, horses and men were already growing fatigued. He ordered Wu Lan and Lei Tong to lead forces out by the north gate and wheel to the east gate to meet Huang Zhong and Wei Yan. He himself drew out troops by the south gate, wheeling to the west gate to meet Liu Bei alone. The people of the city sent everyone onto the walls and raised drums and shouting cries.

As the sun dropped westward, Liu Bei saw it and ordered the rear troops to withdraw first. They turned back, and from the walls came a single roar of battle cries as riders surged out through the south gate. Zhang Ren rode straight into the midst of Liu Bei’s force to seize him. Liu Bei’s command was thrown into confusion. Huang Zhong and Wei Yan were held by Wu Lan and Lei Tong, so neither could keep eye on the other. Liu Bei could not bear Zhang Ren’s pressure and turned his horse toward a little mountain road to slip away. Zhang Ren chased from behind, nearly catching him.

Liu Bei, exhausted and still pushing forward at full gallop, suddenly saw a troop burst from the mountain road ahead. From horseback he cried in distress, “There are ambushers ahead and pursuers behind. Heaven abandons me!” At the head of the arriving troops was a great commander: it was Zhang Fei. Zhang Fei had come with Yan Yan on that route; seeing the rising dust, they had known they had run into the Sichuan troops in combat. Zhang Fei came first and collided with Zhang Ren; they met on horseback. They fought for more than ten rounds. Yan Yan then brought a large force in from the rear. Zhang Ren quickly turned and ran. Zhang Fei drove straight to the city wall. Zhang Ren retired into it and hauled up the hanging bridge.

Zhang Fei returned to Liu Bei and said, “The strategist rowed upriver and had not yet arrived, yet I have taken the first merit.” Liu Bei asked, “On this road, with its dangerous passes, how did you arrive here so quickly without any delay?” Zhang Fei replied, “There were forty-five passes to clear, all through the efforts of old-general Yan Yan. That is why we came along this route without spending a coin of blood.” He then narrated everything about calling out Yan Yan and brought Yan Yan before Liu Bei. Liu Bei replied, “If it were not for you, old general, how could my younger brother have reached here?” He removed his golden chain-mail coat and gave it to him. Yan Yan bowed in thanks. As they were about to arrange a feast, a messenger on a relay horse arrived: “Huang Zhong and Wei Yan are fighting Wu Lan and Lei Tong; inside the city, Wuyi and Liu Gui have brought out troops to aid the fighting, and our lines are being pinched from two sides. Our armies cannot hold, and the two generals have broken and retreated eastward.” Hearing this, Zhang Fei asked Liu Bei to split the army into two routes and ride to rescue. So Zhang Fei took the left and Liu Bei the right, and they rode hard forward. Wuyi and Liu Gui, hearing the shout from behind, fled in panic back inside the city. Wu Lan and Lei Tong kept driving their troops to pursue Huang Zhong and Wei Yan, and then Liu Bei and Zhang Fei cut off their route back. Huang Zhong and Wei Yan wheeled their mounts and counterattacked. With no way to stand, Wu Lan and Lei Tong brought their main troops over and surrendered. Liu Bei accepted their capitulation and drew the troops to camp near the city.

Having lost two generals, Zhang Ren was uneasy. Wuyi and Liu Gui said, “Our troops are in danger. If we avoid a fight to the death, how can they retreat? Send a runner to Chengdu to urge our lord for emergency command, and in the meantime devise a trick against them.” Zhang Ren said, “Tomorrow I will lead a force out to skirmish and feign a retreat, then turn back toward the north side of the city. Inside, another force will sally out and cut off their line. We can win then.” Wuyi said, “General Liu (Wen) is supporting you in guarding the city. I will lead troops out to join the fight.”

The arrangement was made. The next day Zhang Ren led several thousand men, wreathed the banner, and shouted as he came out to skirmish. Zhang Fei mounted and rode out to meet him without speaking and faced him in combat. After no more than ten rounds, Zhang Ren feigned defeat and ran around the city. Zhang Fei pressed him hard in pursuit. Wuyi’s force blocked his way, and Zhang Ren turned his troops back, surrounding Zhang Fei in the center of the field, giving him no room to advance or retreat. Just when there seemed no remedy, a force burst from the riverbank. Leading it was a commanding figure, spear raised in the hand and horse leaping, who engaged Wuyi directly. In one clash he captured Wuyi alive, drove the enemy back, and saved Zhang Fei. When they saw it, it was Zhao Yun. Zhang Fei asked, “Where is the strategist now?” Zhao Yun said, “The strategist has arrived. He should by now have met the lord.” The two captured Wuyi and returned to camp. Zhang Ren withdrew inside through the east gate.

Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun returned to camp and found Kongming, Jian Yong, and Jiang Wan already in the tent. Zhang Fei dismounted and saluted the strategist. Kongming asked, surprised, “How did you arrive first?” Liu Bei explained in full how Yan Yan had been used. Kongming congratulated him: “General Zhang, being able to wage strategy as you did is all because of my lord’s great fortune.” Zhao Yun presented Wuyi to Liu Bei. “Have you surrendered?” Liu Bei asked. Wuyi replied, “Since I was captured alive, how can I not surrender?” Liu Bei rejoiced and personally removed his bonds.

Kongming asked, “How many men still hold the city?” Wuyi replied, “Liu Xun of the Liu family of Jiyu is Liu Xun; commanders Liu Gui and Zhang Ren are still here. Liu Gui is no matter of concern, but Zhang Ren is from Shu Commandery and very bold in spirit. He is not to be taken lightly.” Kongming said, “First capture Zhang Ren, and then take Luocheng.” He asked, “What is the name of this bridge to the east of the city?” Wuyi said, “The Golden Goose Bridge.”

Kongming then rode to the bridge and circled along the riverbank before returning to camp. He summoned Huang Zhong and Wei Yan to hear his orders: “Five or six li south of Golden Goose Bridge, both banks are thick with reed and rush. Make an ambush there. Wei Yan will lead a thousand spearmen to hide on the left and thrust at riders; Huang Zhong will lead a thousand axe-men to hide on the right and chop the horses down from the ground. Once we break Zhang Ren’s force, he will surely retreat along the little road to the east of the mountain. General Yide, take a thousand men there and catch him there.” Then he summoned Zhao Yun to lie in wait north of Golden Goose Bridge. “When I draw Zhang Ren across the bridge, you break the bridge. Keep troops posted on the north side to hold the appearance of a force, so he dares not run north and is forced to circle south. We will catch him in that very snare.”

Meanwhile, Liu Zhang sent Zhuo Ying and Zhang Yi to join the fight at Luocheng. Zhang Ren ordered Zhang Yi and Liu Gui to hold the city and paired with Zhuo Ying as front and rear teams, with Zhang Ren in front and Zhuo Ying behind, to ride out and repel. Kongming rode out across Golden Goose Bridge with a disorderly army to face Zhang Ren. He mounted a four-horse carriage, with a silk scarf and feather fan, and emerged with more than one hundred riders around him. He pointed at Zhang Ren and said, “Cao Cao, with his host of a million men, hears my name and flees in his tracks. Who are you, then, that dares not submit?”

Zhang Ren saw Kongming’s troops in disorder from afar and sneered from horseback, “People say Kongming commands war like a god. They have a name but no reality!” He thrust his spear and led all captains and men to charge at once. Kongming abandoned the four-wheeled carriage, mounted a horse, and withdrew across the bridge. Zhang Ren pursued him from behind. As he crossed Golden Goose Bridge he saw Liu Bei’s troops on the left and Yan Yan’s on the right, driving in. Realizing it was a stratagem, he turned back in haste, but by then the bridge had already been broken. He tried to go north, but Zhao Yun’s force blocked the opposite bank in a line, so he dared not and turned south to follow the river.

He had gone no more than five or six li when he already reached the patch of dense reeds. Wei Yan’s men rose up from within the reed bed and jabbed with long spears in all directions. Huang Zhong’s force had hidden in the reeds and, with long knives, cut down horse legs. The cavalry all fell and were bound. Where could their infantry have dared to go? Zhang Ren led a few dozen riders toward a mountain track, only to run straight into Zhang Fei. As Zhang Ren was trying to retreat, Zhang Fei shouted once, all the troops surged up at once, and Zhang Ren was taken alive. Unknown to him, Zhuo Ying, seeing his trap sprung, had already gone over to Zhao Yun’s side and surrendered. He reached the main camp the same day.

Liu Bei rewarded Zhuo Ying. Zhang Fei brought Zhang Ren before him, and Kongming was also seated in the tent. Liu Bei said to Zhang Ren, “The Shu generals are surrendering at the first sign of this wind. Why did you not surrender earlier?” Zhang Ren opened his eyes and shouted in anger, “How can a loyal minister serve two lords?” Liu Bei replied, “You do not understand the season of Heaven. If you surrender now, your life will be spared.” Zhang Ren said, “If I were to surrender today, I would still not surrender later. Kill me at once!” Liu Bei could not bring himself to kill him. Zhang Ren shouted fierce curses. Kongming ordered him beheaded to preserve his honor.

A later poem praised him:

A loyal hero would not consent to serve two lords; for Zhang Jun, to die was still to be alive. Clear and upright as the moon by Heaven’s rim, night after night its light shone on Luocheng.

Liu Bei could not stop himself from sighing. He ordered Zhang Ren’s remains collected and buried beside Golden Goose Bridge as witness to his loyalty.

The next day he ordered Yan Yan, Wuyi, and the other former Shu surrendering generals to lead the vanguard to Luocheng and proclaim loudly: “Open the gates at once and submit. Do not let this city and its people suffer further.” Liu Gui cursed violently in the city. Yan Yan was about to shoot arrows at him when an officer on the wall drew a sword, cut Liu Gui down, opened the gate, and surrendered. Liu Bei’s horsemen entered Luocheng. Liu Xun opened the west gate and fled, escaping to Chengdu. Liu Bei issued proclamations to reassure the people. It was Zhang Yi of Wuyang who had killed Liu Gui.

After taking Luocheng, Liu Bei rewarded all the generals heavily. Kongming said, “Luocheng is broken and Chengdu is at hand, yet we still fear unrest in the outer commanderies. Send Zhang Yi and Wuyi with Zhao Yun to pacify the river regions and settle Jiangyang and Qianwei and the attached commanderies. Send Yan Yan and Zhuo Ying with Yide to pacify Bazha and Deyang and the attached commanderies there, restore civil order, and then draw troops back to Chengdu to assemble our forces.” Zhang Yi and Zhao Yun accepted the orders and led away with their men separately.

Kongming asked the surrendered Shu generals, “Which pass lies ahead on this road?” One replied, “Only Mianzhou has heavy troops posted to guard it. If we get Mianzhou, Chengdu is at arm’s reach.”

Kongming then began planning the advance. Fa Zheng said, “Now that Luocheng is lost, Shu is in danger. Since the lord intends to rule by benevolence and virtue, do not yet advance. Let me write to Liu Zhang, setting out costs and benefits clearly. Once he sees this, he will naturally submit.” Kongming said, “Xiaozhi’s words are best.” He ordered a letter written and sent immediately straight to Chengdu.

Liu Xun returned and told his father Liu Zhang that Luocheng had fallen. Liu Zhang hurriedly gathered officials and consulted. The attendant Zheng Du offered a plan: “Although Liu Bei has attacked a city and seized land, his troops are not many, his men are not yet attached, and his stores are from field grain. He has no logistics. Better drive all people from Ba Xi and Zitong to the west of the Fu River. Burn grain barns and open fields, dig deep ditches and raise high stockades, and wait in stillness. If he seeks battle we should not give it. In no time, without supplies, he must leave within a hundred days. Then I can strike him.” Liu Zhang said, “No. I have heard that pacifying the people is to protect them from enemies, not to move the people to prepare for enemies. This is not a plan for preservation.”

In the middle of this discussion, someone reported that Fa Zheng’s letter had arrived. Liu Zhang summoned him, and the letter was presented. He tore it open and read:

We had sent envoys to befriend Jing Province. I did not expect that my lord’s aides were not worthy men, and it came to this. The former ties to Jing Province are old and enduring; the bonds of family are not forgotten. If my lord were to turn in whole and at once, he would not be treated harshly. Pray consider this with thought and decide.

Liu Zhang was furious, tore the letter apart, and shouted, “Fa Zheng is a traitor who sold his lord for glory and forgot grace and loyalty!” He drove the messenger out of the city. At once he sent his brother-in-law Fei Guan with troops forward to defend Mianzhou. Fei Guan promoted a man from Nanyang, whose surname was Li and who was named Yan, courtesy name Zhengfang. Together they took command. Fei Guan and Li Yan immediately brought thirty thousand men to guard Mianzhou.

Dong He, governor of Yi Province, a native of Zhiping in Nanyang Commandery, submitted a memorial to Liu Zhang asking to borrow troops from Hanzhong. Liu Zhang asked, “Zhang Lu has been my family enemy for generations. Why would he come to aid us?” He replied, “Though we have a feud, Liu Bei’s army is in Luocheng and in a perilous position. What threatens one tooth chills its neighbors. If you argue it by practical benefit he will surely come.” Liu Zhang therefore drafted a letter and sent an envoy to Hanzhong.

Elsewhere, Ma Chao had been in the Qiang lands since his defeat, and for more than two years had cultivated friendship with Qiang troops and taken Longxi commanderies. Everywhere he came, all surrendered, only Jicheng resisted. The inspector Wei Kang repeatedly sent men to Xiahou Yuan for aid. Yuan could not obtain orders from Cao Cao, and dared not move troops. Seeing no reinforcements come, Wei Kang discussed with his officers: “Better to surrender to Ma Chao.” Yang Fu, his staff officer, wept and protested: “These men who follow Chao have rebelled against the Son of Heaven. How can you surrender to them?” Wei Kang replied, “As matters stand now, why wait?” Yang Fu’s remonstrance did not move him. Wei Kang opened the city gates and surrendered. Ma Chao was furious. “You submit only because your situation became dire. It is not from the heart,” he said, and executed more than forty of Wei Kang and all of them.

Some said, “Yang Fu urged Wei Kang not to surrender. He should be put to death.” Ma Chao said, “This man held to the right thing. He should not be killed.” He restored Yang Fu to the post of staff officer and used him. Yang Fu recommended Liang Kuan and Zhao Qu, and Ma Chao used both as officers. Yang Fu told Ma Chao, “Fuy’s wife died at Linjiao. Grant me two months to go back and bury her before I return.” Ma Chao agreed.

Yang Fu passed through Licheng and came to General Fuyi, Jiang Xu. Jiang Xu and Yang Fu were cousins by their mothers. Jiang Xu’s mother was Yang Fu’s aunt and was eighty-two years old. That day Yang Fu entered Jiang Xu’s inner house, bowed to his aunt, and wept while saying: “I could not keep the city, and my lord died and I failed to die with him. I have no face to face you. Ma Chao has rebelled against his lord and murdered a prefect without cause. He has slaughtered all the men of a commandery’s people. Now my brother sits occupying Licheng with no desire to punish this bandit. Is this what a minister owes his lord?” Tears came bloodshot from him.

Jiang Xu’s mother, hearing this, called Jiang Xu in and said, “The killing of Wei Jianjun is also your fault. Yang Fu, you have already received favor and salary from this enemy. Why then do you nurse a wish to oppose him?” Yang Fu answered, “I followed this rebel only to stay alive, but now I seek to make amends to my lord.” Jiang Xu said, “Ma Chao is brave and fast; this is a difficult time.” Yang Fu replied, “Where there is courage without planning, he is easy to defeat. I have already arranged in secret with Liang Kuan and Zhao Qu. If your brother raises troops, those two will act as inside helpers.”

Jiang Xu’s mother said, “You did not move early enough; what else is there to wait for? Does no one die? If one dies for loyalty and righteousness, then death is in the right place. Do not think of me. If you will not follow what Your Lady of Righteousness says, I shall die first to sever your hesitation.”

Jiang Xu then consulted the regimental captain Yinfeng and Zhao Ang. Zhao Ang’s son Zhao Yue was currently serving Ma Chao as an auxiliary officer. When Zhao Ang agreed on that day, he returned home and told his wife Wang: “Today I discussed with Jiang Xu, Yang Fu, and Yinfeng about avenging Wei Kang’s death. Zhao Yue, our son, now follows Ma Chao. If I raise troops, Chao will certainly execute our son first. What should we do?” His wife replied sharply, “To restore honor to your father’s dishonor, even death is nothing to refuse. What then of one son? If you stay back out of concern for him, I will die first.” Zhao Ang decided at once. The next day they rose in arms together. Jiang Xu and Yang Fu pitched at Licheng; Yinfeng and Zhao Ang held Qishan. Wang herself handed over all her jewelry and silk gifts and personally went to the Qishan camp, rewarding the soldiers to hearten them.

When Ma Chao heard Jiang Xu and Yang Fu had joined Yinfeng and Zhao Ang and raised troops, he became furious and immediately beheaded Zhao Yue. He ordered Pang De and Ma Dai to mount and ride hard for Licheng. Jiang Xu and Yang Fu rode out. When their two formations came into circle, Yang Fu and Jiang Xu came out in white robes and shouted, “You rebels who have no loyalty to your lord!” Ma Chao, enraged, charged in. The two armies locked and fought hand to hand. How could Jiang Xu and Yang Fu withstand Ma Chao? They were routed and fled. Ma Chao drove after them, and then shouts rose behind as Yinfeng and Zhao Ang were charging in. Ma Chao hurriedly turned, and the enemy attacked from both sides, so he could not support front and rear at once.

In the midst of the battle, a large troop came in from the slanting path; it was Xiahou Yuan, who had received Cao Cao’s orders and now led an army to break Ma Chao. How could Chao withstand a three-pronged cavalry force? He was routed and fled back through the night. By dawn he reached Jicheng and called at the gate, where arrows rained from above in chaos. Liang Kuan and Zhao Qu stood on the wall, shouting and berating Ma Chao. They struck down his wife, Yangshi, from the wall with one slash and threw down her body. They then cut down Ma Chao’s three young sons and more than ten close kin from above, one stroke each.

Ma Chao choked with rage and breath caught in his chest, nearly falling from his horse. Xiahou Yuan pursued him from behind. Seeing the tide had turned, he did not linger in battle, and with Pang De and Ma Dai he cut open a way to escape. Ahead he crashed again into Jiang Xu and Yang Fu and fought a bout; then he burst past them, only to crash into Yinfeng and Zhao Ang and fight again. Broken and scattered, only fifty or sixty riders remained by night’s end. Around the fourth watch they reached below Licheng. The gate guards thought Jiang Xu’s army had returned and opened the gate wide to admit him. Ma Chao struck in from the south gate and massacred the townsfolk. He came to Jiang Xu’s house and dragged out the old mother. She showed no fear and pointed at Ma Chao, shouting abuse. In blind fury, he drew his sword and killed her. Yinfeng and Zhao Ang’s entire household, old and young, were also killed by Ma Chao. Zhao Ang’s wife, Wang, was in the army and was spared by chance.

The next day Xiahou Yuan’s main army arrived. Ma Chao abandoned the city and fled west. He could not ride more than twenty li before meeting a force drawn up ahead, headed by Yang Fu. Chao ground his teeth in hatred, spurring his horse and thrusting with his spear. Yang Fu’s seven brothers came to aid him at once. Ma Dai and Pang De held off the rear. Yang Fu’s seven brothers were all killed by Ma Chao. Yang Fu himself took five spears, yet he still fought to the death. When Xiahou Yuan’s main army came up behind, Ma Chao fled. Only Pang De and Ma Dai went after him with six or seven riders. Xiahou Yuan calmed the people of the western provinces, ordered Jiang Xu and others to take turns keeping the posts, and sent Yang Fu by cart to Xuchang to meet Cao Cao. Cao Cao enfeoffed Yang Fu as Marquis of the Inner Realm. Yang Fu said, “I have no merit of rescuing danger nor courage to die in danger. By law I ought to be executed. How can I accept an office?” Cao Cao approved, and still granted him his rank.

Ma Chao conferred with Pang De and Ma Dai and went straight to Hanzhong to seek aid from Zhang Lu. Zhang Lu rejoiced, believing that with Ma Chao he could swallow west Yi and hold east against Cao Cao. He discussed making a daughter-in-law match with him. The senior general Yang Bai advised, “Ma Chao’s wife and children were ruined by him; that is his own doing. How could the lord give him a daughter?” Zhang Lu accepted the advice and abandoned that marriage plan. Yang Bai’s words reached Ma Chao. Ma Chao grew furious and considered killing Yang Bai. Yang Bai understood him and, with his brother Yang Song, also plotted against Ma Chao’s intent.

Just then Liu Zhang sent an envoy begging aid from Zhang Lu, and Lu refused. There was then word that Liu Zhang had sent Huang Quan again. Huang Quan first went to Yang Song and said, “Eastern and western Sichuan are in a jaw-and-tooth relation; if west Sichuan falls, east Sichuan cannot hold. If you will help, it will be repaid with twenty commanderies.” Song was greatly pleased and brought Huang Quan to Zhang Lu, explaining the strategic dependence and offering twenty commanderies in thanks. Zhang Lu, delighted at the gain, agreed. Yan Pu from Bazha remonstrated, “Liu Zhang has been your sworn enemy for generations. He calls for help in urgency and offers to concede land falsely. Do not accept it.”

At the courtyard steps, someone suddenly stepped in and said, “Though I am not talented, I beg for one contingent of troops to take Liu Bei alive. I must have those lands cut and returned.”

This closes the chapter:

Just when one can see the true ruler come to western Shu, one sees the elite troops come out of Hanzhong. Who this man was remained to be seen.

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