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One day was very stormy. Then the Mangs saw great flames spring up around them, and at the same time the rolling of drums heralded an attack. The Mangs, instead of going out to meet the enemy, began to force their way out of the Shu attack. Meng Huo became alarmed and fled with all his clans and dependents. They fought their way through and made a dash for their former camp.

Just as they reached it, there appeared a cohort of the enemy led by Zhao Yun. Meng Huo turned off west and sought refuge in the mountains. But he was fiercely attacked by a cohort under Ma Dai. With a small remnant of followers, he got away into a valley. Soon he saw in the west, north and south clouds of smoke rising and the glow of torches, so that he was forced to halt. However, the east remained clear, and presently he fled in that direction. As he was crossing the mouth of a gully, he noticed a few horsemen outlined against a thick wood and saw they were escorting a small carriage. And in that carriage sat Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang laughed, and said, “So King of the Mangs has got here! How does Heaven make you defeated so? I have waited for you a long time.”

Meng Huo angrily turned to his followers and said, “Thrice have I been the victim of this man's base wiles and have been put to shame. Now chance has sent him across my path, and you must attack him with all your energy. Let us cut him to pieces and those with him.” The Mang horsemen, with Meng Huo shouting to encourage them, pushed forward in hot haste toward the wood. But in a few moments they all stumbled and disappeared into some pits that had been dug in the way. And just then Wei Yan emerged from the wood. One by one the Mangs were pulled out of the pits and bound tight with cords.

Zhuge Liang returned to his camp, where the captors of the King could bring in their prisoner. Zhuge Liang busied himself in soothing the other Mang prisoners. Many of the notables and chiefs of the tributaries had betaken themselves to their own ravines and villages with their followers. Many of those who remained came over and yielded to Shu. They were well fed and assured of safety, and allowed to go to their own. They went off gladly enough.

By and by Zhang Yi brought up the King's brother, Meng You. Zhuge Liang reproached him for his brother's behavior.

“Your brother is a misguided simpleton; you ought to remonstrate with him and persuade him to change his course. Here you are, a captive for the fourth time; are you not ashamed? How can you have the effrontery to look anyone in the face?”

A deep flush of shame passed over Meng You's face, and he threw himself to the earth begging forgiveness.

Zhuge Liang said, “If I put you to death, it shall not be today. This time I pardon you, but you are to talk to your brother.”

So Meng You was loosed from his bonds and allowed to get up. He went away weeping.

Very soon Wei Yan brought up Meng Huo, and to him Zhuge Liang simulated great rage, saying, “What can you say now? You see you are in my hands again.”

“I am again an unfortunate victim,” said Meng Huo. “Once more I have blundered into your net, and now I shall die with no one to close my eyes.”

Zhuge Liang shouted to the lictors to take him away and behead him. Meng Huo never blenched at the sentence, but he turned to his captor and said, “If you freed me only once more, I would wipe out the shame of all four captures.”

Zhuge Liang smiled at the bold reply and bade the lictors loose his bonds, and the attendants served him with wine. Meng Huo was invited to sit in the commander's tent.

Said Zhuge Liang, “Four times you have been treated generously and yet you are still defiant. Why?”

“Though I am what you call a barbarian, I would scorn to employ your vile ruses. And that is why I remain defiant.”

“I have liberated you four times; do you think you can give battle again?”

“If you catch me again I will incline my heart to yield and I will give everything in my ravine to reward your army. I will also take an oath not to cause any further trouble.”

Zhuge Liang smiled, but let him go. The King thanked him and left. As soon as he was set at liberty, Meng Huo got together several thousand of his adherents and went away southward. Before long he fell in with his brother, Meng You, who had got together an army and was on his way to avenge his brother. As soon as they saw each other, the brothers fell upon each other's necks and wept. They related their experiences.

Meng You said, “We cannot stand against the enemy. We have been defeated several times. Now I think we would better go into the mountains and hide in some dark gully where they cannot find us. Those soldiers of Shu will never stand the summer heat; they must retire.”

“Where can we hide?” asked his brother.

“I know a valley away southwest from us called 'Bald Dragon Ravine,' and the King, Duo Si, is a friend of mine. Let us take refuge with him.”

“Very well; go and arrange it,” said Meng Huo.