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Now the Jin leader Wang Jun had gone down the river with his naval force. From his scouts he heard of the iron chains and the hammers that had been laid in the river to hinder his progress. But he only laughed. He constructed great rafts of timber and placed on them straw effigies of soldiers in armors and sent them down river with the current. The defenders of Wu took them for real troops and, alarmed by their numbers, fled in panic. Then the great hammers and chains were dragged away as the rafts drifted on. Moreover, on the rafts they laid great torches many fathoms long, and very thick, made of straw soaked in linseed oil. When the raft was checked by a chain, the torches were lighted and the chains exposed to the heat till they melted and broke asunder. Thus the rafts went down stream conquering wherever they came.

Then the Prime Minister of Wu, Zhang Ti, sent two generals, Shen Rong and Zhuge Xing, to try to check the advance of the armies.

Shen Rong said to his colleague, “The forces above have failed to stop the enemy, and the enemy will surely come here. We shall have to put forth all our strength. If haply we can succeed, the safety of our South Land is assured. But suppose we fight and lose the battle, then is our country lost.”

“Sir, you only say what is too true,” said Zhuge Xing.

Just as they talked of these matters came reports of the approach of their enemies in irresistible force. The two leaders were seized with panic and went back to see the Prime Minister.

“Our country is lost,” cried Zhuge Xing. “Why not run?”

“We all know that the land is doomed;” replied Zhang Ti, “but if we make no defense, and no one dies for his country, shall we not be shamed?”

Zhuge Xing left, weeping; and Zhang Ti went with Shen Rong to the army. The invaders soon arrived, and the Jin General Zhou Zhi was the first to break into the camp. Zhang Ti resisted stubbornly, but was soon slain in a melee, and Shen Rong was killed by Zhou Zhi. The army of Wu was defeated and scattered.

Jin's army banners waved on Bashan Mountains

And trusty Zhang Ti in Jiangling fighting died;

He accepted not that the kingly grace was spent,

He rather chose to die than shame his side.

The armies of Jin conquered at Niuzhu and penetrated deeply into the country of Wu. From his camp Wang Jun sent a report of his victory to Luoyang, and Sima Yan was pleased.

But Jia Chong again opposed further fighting, saying, “The armies have been long absent, and the soldiers will suffer from the unhealthiness of the southern country. It would be well to call them home.”

Zhang Hua spoke against this course, saying, “The Jin army has reached the very home and center of the enemy. Soon Wu courage will fail, and the Ruler of Wu himself will be our prisoner. To recall the army now would be to waste the efforts already made.”

The Ruler of Jin inclined to neither side.

Jia Chong turned upon Zhang Hua savagely, saying, “You are wholly ignorant and understand nothing; you are bent upon winning some sort of glory at the expense of our soldiers' lives. Death would be too good for you.”

“Why wrangle?” said Sima Yan. “Zhang Hua agrees with me, and he knows my wishes.”

Just at this moment came a memorial from the leader Du Yu also recommending advance, whereupon the Ruler of Jin decided that the army should go on.

The royal mandate duly reached the camp of Wang Jun, and the Jin navy went out to the attack in great pomp. The soldiers of Wu made no defense, but surrendered at once.

When Sun Hao, the Ruler of Wu, heard his armies had surrendered thus, he turned pale, and his courtiers said, “What is to be done? Here the northern army comes nearer every day and our troops just give in.”

“But why do they not fight?” said Sun Hao.

The courtiers replied, “The one evil of today is the eunuch Cen Hun. Slay him, and we ourselves will go out and fight to the death.”

“How can a eunuch harm a state?” cried Sun Hao.

“Have we not seen what Huang Hao did in Shu?” shouted the courtiers in chorus.

Moved by sudden fury, the courtiers rushed into the Palace, found the wretched object of their hate and slew him, and even feeding on his palpitating flesh.

Then Tao Jun said, “All my ships are small, but give me large vessels and I will place thereon twenty thousand marines and go forth to fight. I can defeat the enemy.”

His request was granted, and the royal guards were sent up the river to join battle, while another naval force went down stream, led by Leader of the Van Zhang Xiang. But a heavy gale came on. The flags were blown down and lay over in the ships, and the marines would not embark. They scattered leaving their leader with only a few score men.