Terror seized upon the pursuers, and many fell from their horses. The others scattered among the hills. Wan Zheng braced himself for the encounter and went on. Zhao Yun shot an arrow which struck the plume on his helmet. Startled, Wan Zheng tumbled into a water stream.

Then Zhao Yun pointed his spear at him and said, “Be off! I will not kill you. Go and tell Guo Huai to come quickly, if he is coming.”

Wan Zheng fled for his life, while Zhao Yun continued his march as rear-guard, and the retreat into Hanzhong steadily continued. There were no other episodes by the way.

Cao Zhen and Guo Huai took to themselves all the credit of having recovered the three counties — Nanan, Tianshui, and Anding.

Before the cautious Sima Yi was ready to pursue the army of Shu, it had already reached Hanzhong. He took a troop of horse and rode to Xicheng and there heard from the few people who had formerly sought refuge in the hills, and now returned, that Zhuge Liang really had had no men in the city, with the exception of the two thousand five hundred soldiers, that he had not a single military commander, but only a few civil officers. Sima Yi also heard that Guan Xing and Zhang Bao had had only a few troops whom they led about among the hills making as much noise as they could.

Sima Yi felt sad at having been tricked.

“Zhuge Liang is a cleverer man than I am,” said he with a sigh of resignation.

He set about restoring order, and presently marched back to Changan.

He saw the Ruler of Wei, who was pleased with his success and said, “It is by your good service that Xizhou is again mine.”

Sima Yi replied, “But the army of Shu is in Hanzhong undestroyed; therefore, I pray for authority to go against them that you may recover the Western Land of Rivers also.”

Cao Rui rejoiced and approved, and authorized the raising of an army.

But then one of the courtiers suddenly said, “Your servant can propose a plan by which Shu will be overcome and Wu submits.”

The generals lead their beaten soldiers home,

The victors plan new deeds for days to come.

Who offered this plan? Succeeding chapters will tell.

CHAPTER 96. Shedding Tears, Zhuge Liang Puts Ma Su To Death; Cutting Hair, Zhou Fang Beguiles Cao Xiu.

The proposer of the great plan that was to reunite the empire was the Chair of the Secretariat, named Sun Zi.

“Noble Sir, expound your excellent scheme,” said the Ruler of Wei.

And Sun Zi said, “When your great progenitor, Emperor Cao, first got Zhang Lu, he was at a critical stage in his career, but thenceforward all went well. He used to say the land of Nanzheng is really a natural hell. In the Xie Valley there are one hundred fifty miles of rocks and caves, so that it is an impossible country for an army. If Wei be denuded of soldiers in order to conquer Shu, then for sure we shall be invaded by Wu on the east. My advice is to divide the army among the various generals and appoint each a place of strategic value to hold, and let them train their forces. In a few years the Middle Land will be prosperous and wealthy, while the other two Shu and Wu, will have been reduced by mutual quarrels and will fall an easy prey. I hope Your Majesty will consider whether this is not a superior plan.”

“What does the General think? said Cao Rui to Sima Yi.

He replied, “Minister Sun Zi says well.”

So Cao Rui bade Sima Yi draw up a scheme of defense and station the soldiers, leaving Guo Huai and Zhang He to guard Changan. And having rewarded the army, he the returned to Luoyang.

When Zhuge Liang got back to Hanzhong and missed Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi, the only two generals who had not arrived, he was sad at heart and bade Guan Xing and Zhang Bao go back to afford them assistance. However, before the reinforcing parties could leave, the missing men arrived. Furthermore, they came with their army in excellent condition and not a man short, nor a horse nor any of their equipment.

As they drew near, Zhuge Liang went out of the city to welcome them. Thereupon Zhao Yun hastily dismounted and bowed to the earth, saying, “The Prime Minister should not have come forth to welcome a defeated general.”

But Zhuge Liang lifted him up and took his hand and said, “Mine was the fault, mine were the ignorance and unwisdom that caused all this. But how is it that amid all the defeat and loss you have come through unscathed?”

And Deng Zhi replied, “It was because friend Zhao Yun sent me ahead, while he guarded the rear and warded off every attack. One leader he slew, and this frightened the others. Thus nothing was lost or left by the way.”

“A really great general!” said Zhuge Liang.

He sent Zhao Yun a gift of fifty ounces of gold, and to his army ten thousand rolls of silk.