Later, Kongming told Huang Zhong: “Since you are going, I will have Fa Zheng assist you. Think through every move before you act. I will send troops after you to come as support.” Huang Zhong agreed and took his main force off with Fa Zheng.

Kongming told Liu Bei, whose courtesy name was Xuande: “This old general will not be moved by coaxing words; he may not succeed through mere persuasion. Since he has already set out, send troops forward to reinforce him.” He then summoned Zhao Yun and gave him one company of troops, ordering him to move through the smaller path as a hidden force: “If Huang Zhong wins, do not ride out to engage. If Zhong encounters difficulty, go at once to relieve him.”

He also sent Liu Feng and Meng Da: “Lead three thousand soldiers to the precarious points in the hills, raise many banners, and swell the appearance of our strength, so the enemy becomes fearful and uncertain.” The three each took their men and went. He also sent instructions to Ma Chao, telling him to do the same. He further sent Yan Yan to Langzhong in Baxi to hold the pass there, so that, together with Zhang Fei and Wei Yan, he could jointly seize Hanzhong.

Zhang He and Xiahou Shang came to Xiahou Yuan and said, “Tiandang Mountain has already fallen; Xiahou De and Han Hao have been routed. Now Liu Bei has personally led troops against Hanzhong. Please report to the King of Wei at once, and dispatch selected troops and fierce officers to support us.” Xiahou Yuan immediately sent a messenger to Cao Hong.

Cao Hong rode all night to Xu, and reported to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was deeply alarmed. He quickly gathered his officials and generals to discuss sending troops to rescue Hanzhong. The Minister Liu Ye spoke up: “If Hanzhong is lost, the Central Plains will shake. Your Highness should not talk about the hardship of campaigning; you must personally lead the suppression.” Cao Cao regretted, “I wish I had listened to your advice before, or we would not be where we are now.”

He then issued orders without delay: four hundred thousand troops were to be raised for him to lead in person. It was autumn, the seventh month of the twenty-third year of Jianan. Cao Cao divided his forces into three routes. Xiahou Dun led the vanguard; Cao Cao took the center; Cao Xiu was ordered to command the rear. The three armies moved out in succession.

Cao Cao rode a white horse with a golden saddle, wearing a jade-belted brocade robe. The guards carried large red silk parasols edged in gilt. At his side were officials holding golden mace-heads, silver halberds, crossbars, and spears. Dragon-and-phoenix banners with sun-and-moon designs rippled above them. His personal guard, the Dragon-Tiger bodyguard, numbered twenty-five thousand, split into five squadrons of five thousand each, marked by blue, yellow, red, white, and black colors. Banners, pennons, armor, and horses all followed their own hue. The splendor was brilliant and imposing.

When the army passed Tong Pass, Cao Cao looked down from his horse and saw a dense, luxuriant grove. He asked one nearby, “What place is this?” “That is Lantian,” came the reply. “In the grove stands the estate of Cai Yong. His daughter, Cai Yan, now lives there with her husband Dongsi.”

In truth, Cao Cao and Cai Yong had long been close. In earlier days, Cai Yan had been the wife of Wei Daojie; she was then captured by the northern tribes, bore two sons in the northern lands, and composed the Eighteen Variations on the Hu Jia. She later drifted back to Zhongyuan. Cao Cao pitied her deeply and sent a thousand pieces of gold north to ransom her. Prince Xiao of Xian, fearing Cao Cao’s power, returned Cai Yan to Han lands. Cao Cao then married Yan to Dongsi.

When they arrived at the estate gate that day, Cao Cao, remembering Cai Yong, sent the main horsemen on ahead. He then rode with more than a hundred attendants and dismounted at the gate. Dongsi was away on official duty, so only Cai Yan was at home. Hearing that Cao Cao had come, she hurried out to receive him. In the hall, after she rose and took her places, she stood at his side.

Cao Cao happened to notice a painted stone inscription hanging on the wall. He stood up to see it and asked Yan about it. “This is the stele of Cao E,” she said. “During the reign of Emperor He, in Shangyu there was a shaman named Cao Xu who could call the spirits. On the fifth day of the fifth month, he drunkenly danced in a boat and fell into the river and died. The girl who was then fourteen went round the riverbank and wept for seven days and nights, then leapt into the water. Five days later, bearing her father’s corpse, she floated upon the river. The villagers buried her by the bank.

The commandery administrator, Du Shang, petitioned the court and recommended her as a filial daughter. Du Shang then had an able craftsman, Handan Chun, carve a stele to record the matter. At that time Handan Chun was only thirteen; without draft or correction, he finished it in one handstroke and set it beside the stone of her tomb. People were astonished. My father, Cai Yong, went there in the dusk. Unable to read the light, he felt the inscription by touch and somehow read the text. He then took up a brush and wrote eight large characters on its reverse. Later engravers copied the stone but did not carve those eight characters.”

Cao Cao read the eight characters as “黄絹幼婦，外孫齏臼.” He asked Yan, “Do you understand what this means?” She said, “Though my father once left these notes, I truly do not understand.”

He turned back to his advisers and asked, “Can any of you read this?” None could answer. From among them one man came forward: “I have understood it.” It was Yang Xiu, the bureau clerk. Cao Cao said, “Say nothing yet. Let me think.” He dismissed Cao Yan and withdrew with his attendants from the estate. After riding three li, he suddenly recalled the matter and laughed, saying, “Explain it now.” Yang Xiu answered, “This is a hidden reading. Add the thread of silk to 黃, and 色 with that thread becomes 絕. 幼婦 means a young maiden. Add the graph 少 beside 女 and it becomes 妙. 外孫 means one’s daughter’s child; add 子 to 女 and you get 好. 齏臼 is a vessel for the Five Aromatics. Add 辛 to it and you obtain 辭. In total, this yields the four characters 絕妙好辭.”

Cao Cao was astonished. “Exactly what I had thought!” he exclaimed. All praised Yang Xiu’s quick intellect.

After only a short time, the army reached Nanzheng. Cao Hong came up and reported to Cao Cao what Zhang He had done. Cao Cao said, “It is not Zhang He’s fault; victory and defeat are always constant in war.” Cao Hong said, “At present Liu Bei has assigned Huang Zhong to attack Dingjun Mountain. Xiahou Yuan knows Your Highness’s army has arrived, yet he holds fast and has not moved.” Cao Cao replied, “If he does not leave his lines, he is showing cowardice.” He immediately sent an envoy with commands to Dingjun Mountain instructing Xiahou Yuan to advance.

Liu Ye objected: “Yuan is too rigid by nature. He may be taken by a treacherous stratagem.” Cao Cao wrote out an order by hand and sent it under seal to him.

When the messenger entered Xiahou Yuan’s camp and delivered the order, Xiahou Yuan read it: “As one who would be general, one must combine firmness and flexibility and not rely only on courage. If one trusts to courage alone, one is no more than a single-man challenge. I have now encamped this great army at Nanzheng to see your ‘clever skill’; do not bring me shame.”

When Xiahou Yuan finished reading, he was very pleased. He sent the messenger back and then consulted Zhang He. “Now that His Highness has brought his main force to Nanzheng to punish Liu Bei, how can I and you hold this place forever and still earn merit? On the morrow I shall take the field. We must capture Huang Zhong alive.”

Zhang He answered, “Huang Zhong has both strategy and courage, and with Fa Zheng behind him this is no light foe. This mountain route is treacherous; we should hold fast.” “Then if another wins merit and praise, what face do you and I have before the King of Wei?” Xiahou Yuan said. “You defend the mountain; I will go out and fight.” He then ordered, “Who dares go forward on an outpost to entice the enemy?” Xiahou Shang answered, “I will go.” “Go then,” Xiahou Yuan said. “You are not to win when you meet Huang Zhong; you are to lose. I have a scheme, this and that.” Xiahou Shang accepted the order and marched three thousand troops from the forward camp at Dingjun Mountain’s great redoubt.

Meanwhile, Huang Zhong and Fa Zheng held at the gate of Dingjun Mountain and repeatedly challenged the enemy, but Xiahou Yuan held firm and refused to come out. Whenever he tried to attack, he feared the dangerous mountain roads and unable to know the foe, so he only kept his position. That day, word came that Wei troops had come down from the mountain to engage. Huang Zhong was about to lead out his troops, when the armored captain Chen Shi said, “General, do nothing yet. I will take this on.”

Huang Zhong was pleased and ordered Chen Shi to lead a thousand men out of the mountain gate and form ranks. Xiahou Shang arrived and exchanged blows. After only a few encounters, Shang feigned defeat and withdrew. Chen Shi chased after him. Halfway through, stone-throwing engines on both mountain sides began hurling rocks and he could not press forward. As he turned back, Xiahou Yuan sent troops out from behind and appeared upon the ridge. Chen Shi could not hold, and was taken alive by Xiahou Yuan. Many of his soldiers surrendered. The few who had broken out survived and returned to report Huang Zhong that Chen Shi had been captured.

Huang Zhong hurried to consult Fa Zheng. Fa Zheng said, “Yuan is a man of hasty impulse and hard courage with little planning. We should whip up our men, lift camp, and advance step by step, setting temporary camps along the way to lure him into battle and then seize him. It is the method of making the guest into the host.”

Huang Zhong used this plan. He distributed rewards equal to what each man had expected, and cheer rose through the valley. The army vowed to fight to the death. The same day he lifted camp and advanced, then settled each day at a temporary encampment and advanced again. Xiahou Yuan heard of this. He wanted to fight. “This is the ‘guest-becomes-host’ plan,” said Zhang He. “You should not advance; once you do, it will bring loss.” Xiahou Yuan refused, and ordered Xiahou Shang to lead several thousand men against the enemy, advancing as far as Huang Zhong’s camp. Huang Zhong mounted, drew his blade, and rode out to receive him. At the very first clash he captured Shang alive and brought him back to camp. The rest of Shang’s men fled in disorder and returned with the news. Xiahou Yuan quickly sent word to Huang Zhong, offering to exchange Chen Shi for Shang. The two fixed an agreement: they would trade at the front lines on the morrow.

Next day, both armies reached the wider part of a mountain valley and arrayed themselves. Huang Zhong and Xiahou Yuan each set their mounts beneath each main gate banner. Each carried Shang and Chen Shi with him. Neither wore his coat-and-armor, only a light body covering. A drum sounded once. Chen Shi and Xiahou Shang each turned and ran back to their own camps. When Shang reached the gate, Huang Zhong shot him with one arrow through the back. Shang staggered away with the arrow. Xiahou Yuan, furious, drove straight at Huang Zhong at once. Huang Zhong prepared to meet him in close combat. They charged horse to horse and fought for over twenty exchanges, but suddenly from within Cao’s camp a bronze-gong was struck to sound recall. Xiahou Yuan wheeled his horse back in confusion. Huang Zhong seized the moment and cut one full round into him. Back in his own lines, Xiahou Yuan asked the officer commanding camp, “Why did you sound the gong?” “He saw several banners inside a mountain hollow and thought there must be ambush troops,” came the answer. “He drew Your General back in haste.” Xiahou Yuan believed him and held firm, refusing to go out.

Huang Zhong pursued to below Dingjun Mountain and spoke with Fa Zheng. Fa Zheng pointed with his hand: “To the west of Dingjun Mountain stands a high peak, and all around it are hidden paths. From that peak one can look down and read the condition of Dingjun Mountain. If the General secures this mountain, Dingjun lies in the palm of your hand.”

Looking up, Huang Zhong saw a relatively level crest with a few troops on it. In the second watch of the night, he ordered his men to beat gongs and drums and rode straight up the hill to seize the peak. The peak was guarded by Du Xi, one of Xiahou Yuan’s generals, with barely more than a few hundred men. At first glance at Huang Zhong’s massed ascent, he had no choice but to abandon it and run. Huang Zhong took the summit, facing Dingjun Mountain opposite. Fa Zheng said, “You should hold half-way down. I will stay at the top. When Xiahou Yuan’s troops arrive, I will raise a white flag. Do not move. When they grow weary and careless, I will raise a red flag. Then you must descend and strike. Resting while he tires, our strategy is to meet him at leisure; we will surely win.” Huang Zhong approved it, and followed the plan.

Du Xi withdrew to Xiahou Yuan and reported that Huang Zhong had taken the opposing mountain. Xiahou Yuan roared with anger: “If Huang Zhong has occupied the opposing mountain, I cannot avoid battle.” Zhang He remonstrated: “This is Fa Zheng’s stratagem. General, you must not go out. Hold your lines.” “But if he has taken my opposite mountain and now sees through our defenses, how can I not fight?” Xiahou Yuan said. Zhang He repeated counsel with great insistence, but the general ignored him. He split his force and ringed the opposite peak, shouting threats and taunts. Fa Zheng raised the white flag on the summit. No matter how much Xiahou Yuan abused him, Huang Zhong did not engage. After midday, Fa Zheng saw the Wei troops growing weary, their sharpness already gone. Many dismounted and sat down to rest. He then unfurled the red flag. Drums and horns rang together, and loud shouts rolled across the valley. Huang Zhong, his horse foremost, rushed down the slope like a landslide.

Xiahou Yuan could not react in time. Huang Zhong drove him down to the standard’s banner, then gave a great shout, like thunder. Before Xiahou Yuan could meet him properly, Huang Zhong’s treasure-cutting saber landed, severing head and shoulder as one.

Afterward people of later times composed a poem:

His hoary head before a mighty enemy, his white beard flaunting divine fierceness; His strength snapped like a released bow; with the wind, the snowy blade whirled in his sweep; His voice roars like a tiger, his swift horse flies like a dragon; He offered severed heads for fame and merit of weight, he opened the borders and extended the imperial domain.

Huang Zhong killed Xiahou Yuan and Cao troops broke apart and fled in confusion. In the wake of that blow, Huang Zhong took Dingjun Mountain. Zhang He came to oppose him with troops. Huang Zhong and Chen Shi pressed from both flanks, slaughtering together for a while, and Zhang He broke and ran. Suddenly a body of men flashed from beside the mountain and blocked the retreat route. At their head was a towering commander who shouted, “Zhao Zilong of Changshan is here!” Zhang He was startled and drew out his broken troops, slipping away toward Dingjun Mountain. A detachment came forward to meet him; it was Du Xi. “Dingjun Mountain has now been taken by Liu Feng and Meng Da,” he said. Zhang He was shaken. He and Du Xi led the broken troops down to the Han River and set camp there. At once he sent a fast rider to Cao Cao with the news.

When Cao Cao heard of Yuan’s death, he shouted and wept openly. He finally remembered Guan Lu’s words: “three-eight in all directions” had meant the twenty-fourth year of Jianan; “the yellow pig meets the tiger” meant the year was Jihai and it was the first month, “south of Dingjun” meant south of Dingjun Mountain, and “one branch broken” meant that Yuan and Cao had once been as close as brothers.

He ordered men out in search of Guan Lu, but no one knew where he had gone.

Cao Cao deeply hated Huang Zhong. He personally led a great army to Dingjun Mountain to avenge his fallen kinsman and ordered Xu Huang to advance as the vanguard. As they came down to the Han River, Zhang He and Du Xi joined Cao Cao. The two generals advised, “Now that Dingjun Mountain is lost, we should move grain and fodder from Micang Mountain into the northern mountain camp for storage, and then push forward.” Cao Cao agreed.

Huang Zhong then returned with Xiahou Yuan’s head to Jiameng Pass and presented his achievement to Liu Bei. Liu Bei was delighted, promoted Huang Zhong to General Who Conquers the West, and set a banquet for celebration. Then an armored officer named Zhang Zhuo reported, “Cao Cao has brought two hundred thousand under his own hand to avenge the death of Xiahou Yuan. At present Zhang He is at Micang Mountain moving supplies to the foot of the mountain north of the Han River.”

Kongming said, “Since Cao Cao has brought such a force here, he may not push forward because supplies are insufficient. If one person can enter his camp, burn his grain, and seize his transport, Cao Cao’s sharpness will be blunted.” Huang Zhong said, “I will take that assignment.” Kongming said, “Cao Cao is not Xiahou Yuan; do not underestimate him.” Liu Bei said, “Though Xiahou Yuan was a grand commander, he was only a brave man. What of Zhang He? If you cut him down, it is worth ten times taking Xiahou Yuan.”

Huang Zhong spoke up with force: “Then I will go and do it.” Kongming answered, “Take one branch with Zhao Yun. In every matter, act only after proper planning and counsel. We will see who makes the greater merit.” Huang Zhong assented and set out. Kongming made Zhang Zhuo the deputy commander to accompany him.

Zhao Yun said to Huang Zhong, “Cao Cao has brought twenty thousand, split into ten camps. For you to seize grain before the Lord is watching is no small matter. What will you do?” Huang Zhong said, “Watch me go first.” Zuo Yun replied, “Then let me go first.” Huang Zhong said, “I am the commanding general, you my deputy. How can we argue over who goes first?” Zhao Yun answered, “We both serve the lord as one. Why count precedence? Let us draw lots; whoever draws first goes first.” Huang Zhong agreed. It was Huang Zhong who drew first.

Zhao Yun said, “Then since the General goes first, I shall assist.” They fixed a time. “If the General returns by noon, I will hold back. If he does not return by then, I will come in with reinforcements.” Huang Zhong said, “Your word is enough.” They fixed noon as the deadline. Zhao Yun returned to his own camp and told his chief captain, Zhang Yi: “Huang Hansheng has agreed to raid the grain tomorrow. If he fails to return by noon, I shall go to assist. My camp faces the Han River and the ground is dangerous. While I am away, you must guard the breastworks carefully and not move lightly.” Zhang Yi answered in assent.

Back in camp, Huang Zhong told deputy Zhang Zhuo, “I have cut down Xiahou Yuan and frightened Zhang He. At dawn tomorrow I will lead this charge for grain. Leave only five hundred to guard camp. You will help me.” “Tonight, at the third watch, feed everyone well and depart at the fourth with all men ready. We go first to seize Zhang He, and then to steal the grain.”

That is what Zhang Zhuo obeyed. That night Huang Zhong led the main body and Zhang Zhuo followed. They crossed the Han River in silence and reached the base of the northern mountain. By dawn they saw grain piled high like a mountain. A few sentries watched, but as soon as they saw the Shu troops they fled. Huang Zhong ordered his horsemen to dismount together and bring brushwood, covering the grain mounds. He was about to set it alight. At that moment Zhang He’s men arrived and a general melee broke out with Huang Zhong. Cao Cao heard of it and urgently ordered Xu Huang to send aid. Xu Huang marched forward and trapped Huang Zhong in the center of a battle-ring. Zhang Zhuo led three hundred men to break clear and began to return toward camp, when another enemy force burst out and blocked the way. At its head was the Wei general Wenpin. Behind him other Wei troops arrived and enveloped Zhang Zhuo.

Zhao Yun was in camp and waited until noon. He saw that Huang Zhong had not returned and quickly buckled on his armor and mounted, leading three thousand troops to reinforce. As he left, he told Zhang Yi, “Hold your camp firmly. Set many crossbows along both sides of the wall.” Zhang Yi answered repeatedly in assent. Zhao Yun surged forward with spear and reins in hand. The first commander to block him was Murong Lie, a subordinate of Wenpin. He struck and came in whirling his blade to meet Zhao Yun, but Zhao Yun thrust his spear once and killed him. The Wei troops broke and fled. Yun pressed in through the crushing ranks. Then another detachment cut him off; its leader was the Wei general Jiao Bing. Zhao Yun shouted, “Where are the Shu soldiers?” Jiao Bing replied, “All have been cut down.” Zhao Yun grew furious, spurred his horse, and with one spear thrust killed Jiao Bing again. He scattered the rest and hurried onward to the foot of the northern mountain, where he saw Huang Zhong and Zhang He, with Xu Huang, still surrounding the trapped General and with his men held in danger for a long while.

Zhao Yun gave one great shout, lowered his spear, and drove his horse forward. Left and right he broke through as if entering empty ground. His spear moved over his whole body, like dancing pear blossoms; the air around him seemed to drift with auspicious snow. Zhang He and Xu Huang trembled and dared not close with him. Zhao Yun rescued Huang Zhong and kept fighting while withdrawing, and wherever he rode, no one dared to stand in his way.

From a high place Cao Cao saw this and asked the assembled officers, “Who is this man?” A man who knew answered, “It is the Zhao Zilong of Changshan.” Cao Cao said, “So the hero of Changban still lives!” He shouted immediate orders: “Where he comes, do not treat him lightly.”

After Zhao Yun rescued Huang Zhong and tore open the encirclement, a soldier pointed out, “The man who was blocking the southeast outer ring must be Deputy Zhang Zhuo.” “Zhao Yun did not return to camp,” he said, and turned and rode southeast to kill his way through. In every place he arrived, he saw banners marked “Zhao Yun of Changshan.” Men who had heard of his courage at Changban and repeated stories of his valor all fled. Zhao Yun then rescued Zhang Zhuo.

When Cao Cao saw him charging east and west without obstruction, impossible to stand before, and having rescued both Huang Zhong and Zhang Zhuo, he grew indignant. He personally led the men near at hand to chase Zhao Yun. Zhao Yun had already cut his way back to camp. Zhang Yi came up behind him and saw dust rising behind them. “Pursuers are near,” he said. “Order the troops to close the camp gates and defend on the wall.” Zhao Yun shouted, “Do not close the gate! Do you not know, when I was at Changban in the past, I on spear and horse regarded Cao Cao’s eight hundred and thirty thousand as mere weeds? Now I have troops and generals with me—what fear have I?” He set archers and crossbowmen in ambush in the ditches beyond the gate, laid all flags and spears inside the camp in a prostrated position, and kept gong and drum silent. He stood by the camp gate on horseback, spear in hand.

Zhang He and Xu Huang chased to the Shu camp. It was already dusk. They saw the flags lowered and drums silent inside, and Zhao Yun alone on horseback and spear outside, with the gate wide open. The two generals did not dare to advance. Before they could make sense of it, Cao Cao himself arrived and urgently urged all soldiers forward. At the command, the men gave one cry and ran toward the camp front. Seeing Zhao Yun remain unmoving, the Wei troops immediately turned and ran back. Zhao Yun made one spear motion and the crossbows hidden in the ditch sent out a synchronized volley. It was dark, and no one knew how many Shu soldiers there were. Cao Cao turned his horse and rode away first. From behind came a great crash of shouting and horns, and the Shu troops came charging. The Wei army trammeled one another in panic. They reached the Han River edge, where many fell into the water and drowned. The number who perished is unknown.

Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, and Zhang Zhuo each led a body of troops in heavy pursuit. While Cao Cao was running, Liu Feng and Meng Da came with two contingents along the Micang Mountain road and set fire to the supplies. Cao Cao abandoned his northern mountain grain, hurried back to Nanzheng, and Xu Huang and Zhang He, unable to set firm footing, also abandoned their own camps and withdrew. Zhao Yun captured the Wei camp. Huang Zhong took the grain. He gained huge quantities of arms at the Han River, and won a broad victory. He sent men to report to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei, with Kongming, went to the Han River and asked one of Zhao Yun’s captains, “How did Zilong fight it through?” The soldiers told in detail how Zhao Yun had rescued Huang Zhong and held against the river crossing. Liu Bei rejoiced. Looking at the steep and fierce roads ahead and behind him, he said with pleasure to Kongming, “Zilong is courage itself!”

Later men composed a poem for him:

Once he fought at Changban, and his majesty of mien had not diminished; He broke into formation and showed himself a hero, and while encircled he displayed boldness; Ghosts wailed and spirits cried out; heaven shuddered and earth was shaken; Zhao Zilong of Changshan—his whole body is made of courage.

Liu Bei therefore conferred upon Zilong the title Tiger-Warrior General, praised the soldiers greatly, and made a joyful feast late into the night.

A report came in: Cao Cao was sending a large army again by the slanting valley path to seize the Han River. Liu Bei laughed: “Cao Cao comes again yet he cannot do a thing. I can see we will take the Han River.” He led his troops to the west of the Han River to meet them.

Cao Cao made Xu Huang the vanguard to decide the battle. A man came out before the pavilion and said, “I know this terrain well. I wish to assist General Xu and break the Shu.” Cao Cao recognized him as Wang Ping of Dangqu in Baxi, with name Wang and courtesy name Zijun, and the rank of Guard Captain. Cao Cao was pleased and made Wang Ping the deputy vanguard, to assist Xu Huang.

Cao Cao encamped north of Dingjun Mountain. Xu Huang and Wang Ping led their men to the Han River. Xu Huang ordered the front guard to cross and form rank. Wang Ping said, “If the army has crossed and then must retreat quickly, what then?” Xu Huang replied, “General Han once formed his array with his back to water; this is what is called setting men in a dead-end so they can be reborn.” Wang Ping answered, “Not so. Han Xin used that only when he expected no cunning in the enemy. Can this General truly read the intentions of Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong?” Xu Huang said, “You lead the infantry to hold them off. I will bring the cavalry and break through.” He ordered a floating bridge raised and then crossed at once to meet the Shu forces.

It was then said:

The men of Wei foolishly invoke Han Xin, yet the Shu Prime Minister knows not Zi Fang; Who can yet tell how victory will be decided?

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