Zhuge Liang's Wit Takes Hanzhong;
Cao Cao's Army Retires To The Ye Valley.

In spite of the most earnest dissuasion, Xu Huang crossed the river and camped. Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun asked to be allowed to go against the host of Cao Cao, and Liu Bei gave his consent.

Then said Huang Zhong, "Xu Huang has been bold enough to come. We will not go out against him till evening, when his soldiers are fatigued. Then we will fall upon him one on either side."

Zhao Yun consented, and each retired to a stockade. Xu Huang appeared and for a long time tried to draw them into a fight, but they refused to go forth. Then Xu Huang ordered his bowmen to begin to shoot straight before them, and the arrows and bolts fell in the Shu camp.

Huang Zhong said, "He must be thinking of retreat, or he would not shoot thus. Now is our time to smite him."

Then the scouts reported that the rearmost bodies of the enemy had begun to retreat. The drums of Shu rolled a deafening peal, and Huang Zhong's army from the left and Zhao Yun's army from the right came to the attack, and the double fight began. Xu Huang was badly defeated, and the flying soldiers were forced to River Han, where many were drowned. But Xu Huang escaped after fighting desperately, and when he got back to camp, he blamed his colleague Wang Ping for not having come to his aid.

"Had I done so, these camps would have been left unguarded," said Wang Ping. "I tried to dissuade you from going, but you would not hear me, and you brought about this reverse yourself."

Xu Huang in his wrath tried to slay Wang Ping, but Wang Ping escaped to his own camp. In the night, Wang Ping set fire on both camps, and great confusion reigned in the lines. Xu Huang ran away, but Wang Ping crossed the river and surrendered to Zhao Yun, who led him to Liu Bei. Wang Ping told Liu Bei all about River Han and the country near by.

"I shall surely capture Hanzhong now that you are here to help me, friend Wang Ping," said Liu Bei.

Liu Bei made Wang Ping General and Army Guide.

Xu Huang reported Wang Ping's defection, which made Cao Cao very angry. Cao Cao placed himself at the head of a force and tried to retake the bank of the river.

Zhao Yun, thinking his troops too few, retired to the west side, and the two armies lay on opposite sides of the stream. Liu Bei and his adviser came down to view the position. Zhuge Liang saw in the upper course of the stream a hill which might well screen a thousand soldiers.

So Zhuge Liang returned to camp, called in Zhao Yun and said, "General, you lead five hundred troops, with drums and horns, and place them in ambush behind the hill, to await certain orders which will come some time during the night or at dawn. When you hear a detonation, you are not to appear, only give a long roll of the drums at every report."

Zhao Yun departed to play his part in the drama, while Zhuge Liang went to a hill whence he could overlook the scene.

When next the army of Cao Cao approached the camp of Shu and offered battle, not a man came out, nor was an arrow or a bolt shot. They retired without any result. But in the depths of the night, when all the lights in the camp were extinguished and all appeared tranquil and restful, Zhuge Liang exploded a bomb, and at once Zhao Yun beat his drums and blared his trumpets. Cao Cao's soldiers awoke in alarm, thinking it was a night raid. They rushed out, but there was no enemy, and as the hubbub ceased they went back to sleep. Soon after there was another bomb, and again the drums and the trumpets seeming to shake the earth itself, and the fearsome roar echoing along the valleys and from the hills again scared Cao Cao's soldiers. Thus the night passed in constant alarms. The next night was the same, and the next. On the fourth day Cao Cao broke up his camp, marched his troops ten miles to the rear and pitched his camp in a clear, wide space among the hills.

Zhuge Liang was pleased at the result of his ruse. Said he, smiling, "Cao Cao is skilled in war, but still he is not proof against all deceitful tricks."

The troops of Shu then crossed the river and camped with the stream behind them. When Liu Bei asked the next move, he was told, but also told to keep the plan a secret.

Seeing Liu Bei thus encamped, Cao Cao became doubtful and anxious, and, to bring things to a decision, he sent a written declaration of war, to which Zhuge Liang replied that they would fight a battle on the morrow.

On the morrow the armies faced each other half way between the two camps in front of the Mountain of Five Borders, and there they arrayed. Cao Cao presently rode up stood beside his banner, with his officers right and left and the dragon and phoenix banners fluttering in the wind. His drums rolled thrice, and then he summoned Liu Bei to a parley. Liu Bei rode out supported by Liu Feng, Meng Da, and other leaders. Then Cao Cao insolently flourizshed his whip and vilified his opponent.

"Liu Bei, you have forgotten kindness and lost the sense of right. You are a rebel against the government."

Liu Bei answered, "I am related to the imperial family, and I hold an edict authorizing me to seize all rebels. You have dared to lift up your hand against Empress Fu, made yourself a king, and arrogantly presume to an imperial chariot. If you are not a rebel, what are you?"

Then Cao Cao ordered Xu Huang out to give battle, and Liu Feng went to meet him. As the combat began, Liu Bei retired within the ranks of his array. Liu Feng was no match for his opponent, and fled.

Cao Cao issued an order to capture Liu Bei, saying, "He who captures Liu Bei will be made Prince of Hanzhong!"

At this the army of Wei uttered one great roar of rage, then they came surging on. The troops of Shu fled toward the river abandoning everything, even throwing aside their weapons, which littered the road. But as Cao Cao's army pressed forward, he suddenly clanged the gongs, called a halt and drew off.

"Why did you call us off, O Prince, just as we were on the point of success?" said his commanders.

"Because I saw the enemy had encamped with the river in their rear, which was very suspicious. They also abandoned their steeds and weapons, which made me doubt. Wherefore I could only retire. But retain your armor. Let not a person take off his harness on pain of death. Now retire as quickly as you can march."

As Cao Cao turned about to retire, Zhuge Liang hoisted the signal to attack, and the retreating soldiers were harassed on every side both night and day till they were all disordered. Cao Cao ordered his army to retire to Nanzheng.

Presently they saw flames rising all around, and soon it was known that their city of refuge was in the hands Zhang Fei and Wei Yan, who, after Yan Yan had taken the command of Langzhong, had launched a double attack and captured Nanzheng. Disappointed and saddened, Cao Cao bade them march to Yangping Pass. Liu Bei with the main army followed them to Baozhou and Nanzheng and there pacified the people and restored confidence.

"Cao Cao was exceedingly quickly overcome this time," said Liu Bei. "How was that?"

"He has always been of a suspicious nature," said Zhuge Liang, "and that has led to many failures although he is a good leader of armies. I have defeated him by playing upon his doubts."

"He is rather weakened now," said Liu Bei. "Can you not devise a plan to drive him away finally?"

"That is all thought out."

Next Zhang Fei and Wei Yan were sent along two different roads to cut off Cao Cao's supplies. Two other cohorts led by Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun were bidden to go and fire the hills and forests. All these four armies had natives of the place to act as guides and show the way.

Cao Cao's scouts sent out from Yangping Pass returned to report: "The roads far and near are blocked by the troops of Shu, and every place seems to be burning. No soldier is seen."

Cao Cao knew not what to do. Then other scouts told him, "Our stores are being plundered by Zhang Fei and Wei Yan."

At this, Cao Cao called for a volunteer to drive off the plunderers; and Xu Chu offered. He was given a thousand veterans, and went down the Pass to act as escort of the grain wagons.

The officers in charge of the transport were very glad to receive a general of such renown.

"Except for you, O General, the grain could never reach Yangping Pass."

They entertained Xu Chu with the wine and food on the carts; and he ate and drank copiously, so that he became very intoxicated. And in that state he insisted on marching, urging the convoy to start at once.

"The sun has nearly set," said the transport officers, "and the road near Baozhou is bad and dangerous, so that we cannot pass there at night."

"I can face any danger," boasted the drunken general. "I am brave as a myriad men put together. What do you think I fear? Beside, there is a good moon tonight, just the sort of thing to take grain carts along by."

Xu Chu took the lead, sword in hand. By the second watch they were passing Baozhou. About half the train had passed when the rolling drums and the blare of horns came down to them through a rift in the hills. It was soon followed by the appearance of a cohort led by Zhang Fei. With spear ready, he came racing down straight for Xu Chu, who, whirling his sword, dashed to the front to meet the enemy.

But Xu Chu was too drunk to stand against such a warrior. After a few bouts he received a spear thrust in the shoulder, turned round in his saddle, and fell from his horse. His men rushed to his help, and they carried him away as they retreated, while Zhang Fei took the whole transport train of fodder and forage away to his own camp.

The defeated escort carried their wounded leader back to Cao Cao's camp, where he was placed in the care of physicians. Then Cao Cao himself led out his army to fight a decisive battle with the army of Shu. Liu Bei went out to meet him, and, when both sides were arrayed, Liu Feng went out to challenge. Cao Cao at once let loose a torrent of taunts and reproaches.

"Seller of shoes, you are always sending out this pretended son of yours to fight for you. If I only call my golden-bearded son Cao Zhang, your so-called son will be chopped to mincemeat!"

These words enraged Liu Feng, who raised his spear and galloped toward Cao Cao. Cao Cao bade Xu Huang do battle with the young man, and Liu Feng at once ran away. Cao Cao led on his legions, but he was harassed by the explosion of bombs, the beating of drums, and the blare of trumpets that came from every side. He concluded that he was being led into an ambush, and he hastened to retire. The retreat was unfortunate, for the soldiers trampled upon each other and many were killed. Anon they all ran off to Yangping Pass as quickly as they could.

But the soldiers of Shu came right up to the walls of the Pass, and some burned the east gate while others shouted at the west. Others, again, burned the north gate while drums rolled at the south. Leaders and led were alike harassed and frightened, and presently they left the Pass and ran away. They were pursued and sore smitten.

The road to safety was not easy. In one direction Zhang Fei barred the way, while Zhao Yun attacked the rear. Then Huang Zhong came from Baozhou and pressed a slaughter on the flank. Cao Cao's army lost many troops, and he was severely defeated in this triple attack. His commanders gathered about him and took him off toward the Xie Valley. Here a great cloud of dust was seen in the distance.

"If that is an ambush, it is the last of me," sighed Cao Cao.

The soldiers came nearer, and then Cao Cao recognized not a enemy but his second son, Cao Zhang. As a lad Cao Zhang was a good horseman and an expert archer. He was more powerful than most men and could overcome a wild beast with his bare hands. Cao Cao did not approve of the young man's bent, and often warned him to study instead.

"You do not study, but only love your bow and your horse; this is the courage of a mere person. Think you that this makes for an honorable career?"

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