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“But now this Latter Ruler is dull and weak, and his kingly aura is already exhausted. I have a command from the Son of Heaven to smite Shu with severity, and I already possess the land. Your capital must quickly fall. Why then do you not bow to the will of Heaven and fall in with the desires of people by acting rightly and coming over to our side? I will obtain the rank of Prince of Langye for you, whereby your ancestors will be rendered illustrious. These are no vain words if happily you will consider them.”

The letter made Zhuge Zhan furiously angry. He tore it to fragments and ordered the bearer thereof to be put to death immediately. He also ordered the escort to bear the head of the messenger to the camp of Wei and lay it before Deng Ai.

Deng Ai was very angry at this insult and wished to go forth at once to battle. But Qiu Ben dissuaded him.

“Do not go out to battle;” said he, “rather overcome him by some unexpected stroke.”

So Deng Ai laid his plans. He sent Wang Qi, Governor of Tianshui, and Qian Hong, Governor of Longxi, to lie in wait in the rear while he led the main body.

Zhuge Zhan happened to be close at hand seeking battle; and when he heard the enemy was near, he led out his army eagerly and rushed into the midst of the invaders. Then Deng Ai fled as though worsted, so luring on Zhuge Zhan. But when the pursuit had lasted some time, the pursuers were attacked by those who lay in wait, and the Shu troops were defeated. They ran away into Mianzhu.

Therefore Deng Ai besieged Mianzhu, and the troops of Wei shouted about the city and watched the ramparts, thus keeping the defenders close shut in as if held in an iron barrel.

Zhuge Zhan was desperate, seeing no way of escape without help from outside. Wherefore he wrote a letter to East Wu begging for assistance, and he gave this letter to Peng He to bear through the besiegers.

Peng He fought his way through and reached Wu, where he saw the Ruler of Wu, Sun Xiu. And he presented the letter showing the wretched plight of Zhuge Zhan and his urgent need.

Then the Ruler of Wu assembled his officers and said to them, “The land of Shu being in danger, I cannot sit and look on unconcerned.”

He therefore decided to send fifty thousand troops, over whom he set the Veteran General Ding Feng, with two able assistants — Sun Yi and Ding Fung. Having received his edict, Ding Feng sent away his commanders with twenty thousand troops to Mianzhu, and he himself went with thirty thousand troops toward Shouchun. The army marched in three divisions.

In the city of Mianzhu, Zhuge Zhan waited for the rescue which never came.

Weary of the hopeless delay, he said to his generals, “This long defense is useless; I will fight.”

Leaving his son Zhuge Shang and Adviser Zhang Zun (Zhang Fei's grandson) in the city, Zhuge Zhan put on his armor and led out three thousand troops through three gates to fight in the open. Seeing the defenders making a sortie, Deng Ai drew off and Zhuge Zhan pursued him vigorously, thinking Deng Ai really fled before his force. But there was an ambush, and falling therein he was quickly surrounded as is the kernel of a nut by the shell. In vain he thrust right and shoved left, he only lost his troops in the raining arrows and bolts. The troops of Wei poured in more flights of arrows, so that his army were all shattered. Before long, Zhuge Zhan was wounded and fell.

“I am done,” cried he. “But in my death I will do my duty!” He drew his sword and slew himself.

From the city walls his son Zhuge Shang saw the death of his father. Girding on his armor he made to go out to fight. But Zhang Zun told him, “Young general, do not go out immediately!”

Cried Zhuge Shang, “My father and I and all our family have received favors from the state. My father has died in battle against our enemies, and can I live?”

He whipped his horse and dashed out into the thick of the fight, where he died. A poem has been written extolling the conduct of both father and son.

In skill he was found wanting, not in loyalty;

But the Lord's word had gone forth,

That the Ruler of Shu was to be cut off,

Noble were Zhuge Liang's descendants.

In commiseration of their loyalty, Deng Ai had both father and son buried fittingly. Then he began attacking the city vigorously. Zhang Zun, Huang Chong, and Li Qiu, the defenders, however, held the city desperately, but to no avail for their numbers being small, and the three leaders were slain. This was the end of the defense, and Deng Ai then entered as conqueror. Having rewarded his army, he set out for Chengdu.

The closing days of the Latter Ruler were full of pain and sorrow,

As had been those of Liu Zhang.

The next chapter will tell of the defense of Chengdu.