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Zhuge Liang led his victorious army to their camp. He intended to advance again, when a messenger arrived from Capital Chengdu with the sad news that Zhang Bao had died. When they told Zhuge Liang he uttered a great cry, blood gushed from his mouth and he fell in a swoon. He was raised and taken to his tent, but he was too ill to march and had to keep his bed. His generals were much grieved.

A later poet sang:

Fierce and valiant was Zhang Bao,

Striving hard to make a name;

Sad the gods should interfere

And withhold a hero's fame!

Zhuge Liang wept his end

In the western winds blowing.

For he knew the warrior gone,

This grieving is beyond knowing.

Zhuge Liang's illness continued. Ten days later he summoned to his tent Dong Jue and Fan Jian, and said, “I feel void and am too ill to carry on, and the best thing for me is to return into Hanzhong and get well. You are to keep my absence perfectly secret, for Sima Yi will certainly attack if he hears.”

Zhuge Liang issued orders to break up the camp that night, and the army retired into Hanzhong forthwith. Sima Yi only heard of it five days later, and he knew that again he had been outwitted.

“The man appears like a god and disappears like a demon; he is too much for me,” sighed Sima Yi.

Sima Yi set certain generals over the camp and placed others to guard the commanding positions, and he also marched homeward.

As soon as the Shu army was settled in Hanzhong, Zhuge Liang went to Chengdu for treatment. The officials of all ranks came to greet him and escort him to his palace. The Latter Ruler also came to inquire after his condition and sent his own physicians to treat him. So gradually he recovered.

In Beginning Prosperity, eighth year and seventh month (AD 230), Cao Zhen, the Commander-in-Chief in Wei, had recovered, and he sent a memorial to his master, saying,

“Shu has invaded more than once and threatened Changan. If this state be not destroyed, it will ultimately be our

ruin. The autumn coolness is now here. The army is in good form, and it is the time most favorable for an attack on Shu. I desire to take Sima Yi as colleague and march into Hanzhong to exterminate this wretched horde and free the borders from trouble.”

Personally, the Ruler of Wei approved, but he consulted Liu Ye, who replied, “The Commander-in-Chief speaks well. If that state be not destroyed, it will be to our hurt. Your Majesty should give effect to his desire.”

When Liu Ye came out, a crowd of officers flocked to inquire, saying, “We heard the Emperor has consulted you about an expedition against Shu: what think you?”

“No such thing,” said Liu Ye. “Shu is too difficult a country to invade; it would be a mere waste of humans and weapons.”

They left him. Then Yang Ji went into the Emperor and said, “It is said that yesterday Liu Ye advised Your Majesty to fall upon Shu; today when we talked with him, he said Shu could not be attacked. This is treating Your Majesty with indignity, and you should issue a command to punish him.”

Wherefore Cao Rui called in Liu Ye and asked him to explain.

Liu Ye replied, “I have studied the details; Shu cannot be attacked.”

Cao Rui laughed.

In a short time Yang Ji left, and then Liu Ye said, “Yesterday I advised Your Majesty to attack Shu; that being a matter of state policy should be divulged to no person. The essential of a military move is secrecy.” Then Cao Rui understood, and thereafter Liu Ye was held in greater consideration. Ten days later Sima Yi came to court, and Cao Zhen's memorial was shown him.

Sima Yi replied, “The moment is opportune; I do not think there is any danger from Wu.”

Cao Zhen was created Minister of War, General Who Conquers the West, and Commander-in-Chief of the Western Expedition; Sima Yi was made Grand Commander, General Who Conquers the West, and was second in command; and Liu Ye was made Instructor of the Army. These three then left the court, and the army of four hundred thousand troops marched to Changan, intending to dash to Saber Pass and attack Hanzhong. The army was joined by Guo Huai and Sun Li.

The defenders of Hanzhong brought the news to Zhuge Liang, then quite recovered and engaged in training his army and elaborating the “Eight Arrays.” All was in an efficient state and ready for an attack on Changan.