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So Liu Bei gave him both. Armed with these ensigns of power, Zhuge Liang assembled the officers to receive their orders.

“We will go just to see what he will do,” said Zhang Fei to Guan Yu.

In the assembly Zhuge Liang spoke, saying, “On the left of Bowang are Yushan Hills. On the right is Anlin Forest. There we will prepare an ambush. Guan Yu will go to Yushan Hills with one thousand soldiers. He is to remain there quiescent till the enemy has passed; but when he sees a flame in the south, that will be the signal to attack. He will first burn their baggage train. Zhang Fei will go to a valley behind Anlin Forest. When he sees the signal, he is to go to the old stores depot at Bowang and burn that. Liu Feng and Guan Ping will take five hundred soldiers each, prepare combustibles and be ready with them beyond Bowang Slope. The enemy will arrive about dusk, and then the two generals can start the blare. Zhao Yun, now recalled from Fankou, is to lead the attack, but he is to lose and not win. And our lord is to command the reserve. See that each one obeys these orders and let there be no mistakes.”

Then said Guan Yu, “All of us are to go out to meet the enemy, but I have not yet heard what you are going to do.”

“I am going to guard the city.”

Zhang Fei burst into a laugh, “We are to go out to bloody battle, and you are to stay quietly at home quite comfortable.”

“Here is the sword and here the seal!” replied the strategist, displaying the emblems of authority. “Disobedience of orders will be death.”

Liu Bei said, “Do you not understand that the plans elaborated in a little chamber decide success over thousands of miles? Do not disobey the command, my brothers.”

Zhang Fei went out smiling cynically.

Guan Yu remarked, “Let us await the result. If he fails, then we can look to it.”

The brothers left. None of the officers understood anything of the general line of strategy and, though they obeyed orders, they were not without doubts and misgivings.

Zhuge Liang said to Liu Bei, “You may now lead your soldiers to the hills and camp till the enemy shall arrive tomorrow evening. Then you are to abandon the camp and move away retreating till the signal is seen. Then you will advance and attack with all force. Mi Zhu, Mi Fang, and I will guard the city.”

In the city Zhuge Liang prepared banquets to celebrate the victory and also prepared the books to record exceptional services.

Liu Bei noted all these things with not a little trouble in his heart.

Cao Cao's army of one hundred thousand troops in due course reached Bowang. Then half of them, the veterans, were told off for the first attack, and the remainder were to guard the baggage train and supplies. Thus they marched in two divisions. The season was autumn and a chilly wind began to blow.

They pressed forward. Presently they saw a cloud of dust ahead of them, and Xiahou Dun ordered the ranks to be reformed. He questioned the guides as to the name of the place.

“The place in front is Bowang Slope, and behind us is the River Luo,” was the reply.

Then Xiahou Dun rode to the front to reconnoiter, leaving Yu Jin and Li Dian to finish setting out the battle array.

Presently Xiahou Dun began to laugh and, when they asked the cause of this merriment, he replied, “Xu Shu praised Zhuge Liang to the very skies as something more than human. But now that I see how he has placed his soldiers and the stuff he has put into his vanguard, it seems to me that he is sending dogs or sheep against tigers and leopards. I bragged a little when I said I would take him prisoner, but I am going to make good my boast.”

Then he rode forward at full speed. Zhao Yun rode to meet him, and Xiahou Dun opened a volley of abuse, “You lot, followers of Liu Bei, are only like wraiths following devils.”

This angered Zhao Yun and a combat began. In a little time Zhao Yun turned and retreated as if he was worsted. Xiahou Dun pressed after him and kept up the chase for some three miles. Then Zhao Yun suddenly turned again and offered fight; but only to retreat after a few passes.

Seeing these tactics Han Hao, one of Xiahou Dun's generals, rode up to his chief and urged him to use caution, saying, “I fear he is trying to lead us into an ambush.”

“With such antagonists as these, I should not fear even Ten Ambushes,” replied Xiahou Dun, pressing forward eagerly.

Just as he reached the slope he heard the roar of a bomb and out came Liu Bei to attack.

“Here is your ambush,” said Xiahou Dun, laughing. “I will get to Xinye this evening before I have done.”

Xiahou Dun urged his soldiers forward, and his opponents retired in measure as he advanced. As evening came on, thick clouds overcast the whole sky. The wind increased but the leader still urged his troops after the retreating foe.

The two generals in the rear came to a narrow part of the road with reeds and rushes thick all round them.