These two having gone away to carry out their portions of the plan, Zhuge Liang next called up Guan Xing and Zhang Bao: “You are to take each ten thousand troops and hide in the high road to the mountain. When the troops of Wei come, let them pass and then march along the road they came by to their camp that they have just left.”

These two having left, Zhuge Liang placed Ma Dai, Wang Ping, Zhang Ni, and Zhang Yi in ambush about the camp.

Within the camp the tents and shelters were left standing as if the camp was occupied, while wood and straw were heaped up ready to give the signal. This done, Zhuge Liang and his officers retired to the rear of the camp to watch proceedings.

On the side of Wei the two van-leaders, Cao Zun and Zhu Zan, left at dusk and hastened toward the camp of Shu. About the second watch they saw troops busily moving about in front of the hill.

Cao Zun thought to himself, “Commander Guo Huai is an excellent strategist and of wonderful prevision.”

Then he hastened the march, and in the third watch reached the camp of Shu. He at once dashed into the enclosure, but only to find it totally deserted. Not a man was visible. At once he knew he had stumbled into a trap, and began to withdraw. Then the flames sprang up. Zhu Zan arrived already to fight, and the two bodies of troops, thrown into confusion, fought with each other till the two leaders met, when they found out they were fighting their own men.

As they were restoring order, on came the four bodies of troops of Shu under Ma Dai, Wang Ping, Zhang Ni, and Zhang Yi who had lain in ambush ready for them. Cao Zun and Zhu Zan, with more than a hundred of those nearest to them, ran away to get to the high road. But before long the rolling drums announced another body of their enemy, and their flight was stopped by Zhao Yun.

“Whither go ye, O rebel leaders?” cried Zhao Yun. “Stop, for here is death!”

But Cao Zun and Zhu Zan still fled. Then came up a force led by Wei Yan and completed the defeat. The soldiers of Wei were wholly beaten and ran away to their own camp. But the guard left in the camp thought they were the enemy come to raid, so they lit the fires, and at this signal Cao Zhen rushed up from one side and Guo Huai from the other, and a fierce fight with their own troops began.

While this was going on, three cohorts under Wei Yan, Guan Xing, and Zhang Bao arrived from three points, and a great and confused battle began. The soldiers of Wei were driven off and chased for three miles.

In the fight Wei lost many leaders, and Zhuge Liang gained a great success. Cao Zhen and Guo Huai got together their beaten troops and went back to their own camp.

When they discussed the fight, Cao Zhen said, “The enemy are too strong for us. Have you any plan to drive them away?”

Replied Guo Huai, “Our defeat is one of the ordinary events of war. Let us not be cast down. I have a plan to suggest that will disorder them so that one body cannot help the other, and they will all be compelled to flee.”

Wei leaders fail and sadly send

To pray tribespeople help to lend.

The plan will be unfolded in the next chapter.

CHAPTER 94. Zhuge Liang Defeats The Qiangs In A Snowstorm; Sima Yi Quickly Captures Meng Da.

The scheme by which Guo Huai proposed to overcome the army of Shu he laid before his colleague, saying, “The Qiang tribes have paid tribute regularly since the days of the Founder of Wei. Emperor Pi regarded them with favor. Now let us hold such points of vantage as we may, while we send secret emissaries to engage their help in exchange for kindly treatment. We may get the Qiangs to attack Shu and engage their attention, while we gather a large army to smite them at another place. Thus attacking, how can we help gaining a great victory?”

A messenger was sent forthwith bearing letters to the Qiang tribespeople.

The King of the western Qiangs was named Cheli Ji. He had rendered yearly tribute since the days of Cao Cao. He had two ministers, one for civil and the other for military affairs, named, respectively, Prime Minister Ya Dan and Chief Leader Yue Ji.

The letter was accompanied by presents of gold and pearls, and when the messenger arrived, he first sought Prime Minister Ya Dan, to whom he gave gifts and whose help he begged. Thus he gained an interview with the King, to whom he presented the letter and the gifts. The King accepted both and called his counselors to consider the letter.

Ya Dan said, “We have had regular intercourse with the Wei nation. Now that Cao Zhen asks our aid and promises an alliance, we ought to accede to his request.”