Jiang Wei withdrew his forces and camped at Zhongti, while the Wei army encamped outside the city of Didao. Wang Jing welcomed Chen Tai and Deng Ai into the city, bowing in gratitude for lifting the siege. He hosted a banquet in their honor and richly rewarded the entire army. Chen Tai submitted a report of Deng Ai's achievements to the Wei emperor, Cao Mao, who then appointed Deng Ai as General of Pacifying the West, granting him the imperial authority and command as Colonel Protector of the Eastern Qiang. Deng Ai was ordered to garrison the provinces of Yong and Liang alongside Chen Tai. After Deng Ai had presented a formal memorial of thanks for the imperial favor, Chen Tai prepared a feast to congratulate him. "Jiang Wei fled under cover of night," Chen Tai said. "His strength is exhausted. He will not dare to march out again." Deng Ai smiled. "I believe the Shu army will certainly come again, for five reasons." Chen Tai asked him to explain. Deng Ai replied: "First, although the Shu army has withdrawn, they still carry the momentum of victory, while our forces bear the reality of a weak defeat. They are sure to come. Second, every Shu soldier was trained by Zhuge Liang himself; they are elite troops, easily commanded. Our generals are frequently rotated, and the men are not drilled to the same standard. They are sure to come. Third, the men of Shu travel mostly by boat, while our army fights on dry land; the difference in labor and ease is clear. They are sure to come. Fourth, Didao, Longxi, Nan'an, and Qishan are all strategic points for both defense and offense. The Shu may feign attack in the east while striking in the west, or point south while marching north. Our forces must be divided to guard each point, while the Shu army can concentrate in one place, using a single force to face our four separated units. They are sure to come. Fifth, if the Shu army marches from Nan'an or Longxi, they can seize grain from the Qiang tribes' valleys; if they emerge from Qishan, there will be wheat in the fields for them to harvest. They are sure to come." Chen Tai sighed in admiration. "Your insight into the enemy is like that of a god. The Shu army is nothing to fear!" From that day, Chen Tai and Deng Ai formed a friendship that transcended their age difference. Deng Ai drilled the troops of Yong and Liang provinces daily, establishing camps and stockades at every strategic pass to guard against any contingency.
Meanwhile, Jiang Wei held a grand banquet at Zhongti, gathering all his generals to discuss another campaign against Wei. The chief secretary, Fan Jian, counseled against it. "General, you have marched out repeatedly without achieving complete victory. After your recent victory west of the Tao River, the men of Wei already respect your fearsome reputation. Why must you march again? If by some misfortune we fail, all our previous efforts will be wasted." Jiang Wei replied, "You only see that Wei's territory is vast and its population numerous, making it hard to conquer quickly. But you fail to see that there are five reasons why we can defeat them." The assembled officers asked what these reasons were. Jiang Wei answered: "First, their defeat west of the Tao River has shattered their morale. Though we withdrew, we suffered no significant losses. If we advance now, we can win. Second, our troops travel by boat and will not be exhausted, while theirs must come to meet us overland. That is a second advantage. Third, our soldiers are long-trained and disciplined, while theirs are a motley collection with little proper training. That is a third advantage. Fourth, when we march from Qishan, we can seize the autumn harvest for food. That is a fourth advantage. Fifth, their forces must be spread thin to guard every point, while we can concentrate our entire army against one location. How can they possibly reinforce in time? That is a fifth advantage. If we do not strike Wei now, when will we ever?" Xiahou Ba spoke up. "Deng Ai may be young, but his schemes are deep and far-reaching. He has recently been appointed General of Pacifying the West. He will certainly have prepared defenses everywhere.
This is not the same as before." Jiang Wei raised his voice sharply. "Why should I fear him? Do not magnify the enemy's courage and diminish our own! My mind is made up. We will first take Longxi." No one dared to offer further objections. Jiang Wei himself led the vanguard, ordering the other generals to follow. The entire Shu army left Zhongti and marched straight for Qishan. Scouts reported that the Wei army had already established nine camps in a chain at Qishan. Jiang Wei did not believe it. He took a few riders to a high vantage point and saw for himself: the nine Wei camps stretched like a long snake, their heads and tails mutually supporting each other. Jiang Wei turned to his attendants and said, "Xiahou Ba's words were not false. The formation of these camps is exquisite. Only my teacher, the Chancellor Zhuge, could have devised such a thing. Looking at Deng Ai's work now, he is not inferior to my teacher." He returned to his own camp and summoned his generals. "Since the Wei are prepared, they must know we are coming. I suspect Deng Ai is here in person. You are to set up camp at the mouth of this valley, displaying our banners in a show of force. Each day, send out a hundred cavalry as scouts, and each time they return, change their armor, clothing, and banners, rotating through the five colors: blue, yellow, red, white, and black. Meanwhile, I will lead the main army secretly through Dongting to launch a surprise attack on Nan'an." He ordered Bao Su to hold the camp at the mouth of the Qishan valley while he led the main force toward Nan'an.
Deng Ai, knowing that the Shu army had marched to Qishan, had already prepared his defenses alongside Chen Tai. When he saw that the Shu army did not come to challenge him for several days, but sent out five patrols of scouts daily, riding ten or fifteen li before returning, Deng Ai climbed a height to observe. He then hurried back to his tent and said to Chen Tai, "Jiang Wei is not here. He must have gone through Dongting to attack Nan'an. The scouts we see are just a few riders. They keep changing their armor and banners, but their horses are all exhausted. The commander here must be a man of little ability. General Chen, you can lead a force to attack this camp and break it. Once you have taken it, march to cut the road through Dongting and block Jiang Wei's retreat. I will go ahead with another force to relieve Nan'an, first seizing Mount Wucheng. If I can occupy that peak, Jiang Wei will be forced to attack Shanggui. Near Shanggui there is a valley called Duan Valley, a narrow, treacherous place perfect for an ambush. When he comes to contest Mount Wucheng, I will have two forces already hidden in Duan Valley. Jiang Wei's defeat will be certain." Chen Tai said, "I have guarded Longxi for twenty or thirty years, yet I have never seen such clear-eyed analysis of the terrain. What you have said is truly divine strategy! Go quickly, and I will attack this camp myself." So Deng Ai led his army on a forced march day and night, straight to Mount Wucheng. He had his camp established before the Shu army arrived. He then ordered his son, Deng Zhong, and his personal commandant, Shi Cuan, each to lead five thousand men to set up an ambush in Duan Valley, following specific instructions. The two men received their orders and departed. Deng Ai ordered all banners furled and drums silenced, waiting for the Shu army.
Jiang Wei marched from Dongting toward Nan'an. When he reached Mount Wucheng, he said to Xiahou Ba, "Near Nan'an there is a mountain called Mount Wucheng. If we can take it first, we will control the approach to Nan'an. But I fear Deng Ai is cunning and will have already prepared for this." While he was still hesitating, a cannon suddenly roared from the mountain peak. War cries shook the sky, drums and horns sounded in unison, and banners rose everywhere—all of them Wei banners. In the center, a yellow standard fluttered in the wind, bearing the name "Deng Ai." The Shu soldiers were terrified. From several points on the mountain, elite Wei troops charged down with irresistible force, routing the Shu vanguard. Jiang Wei hurriedly led the central army to their rescue, but by the time he arrived, the Wei forces had already withdrawn. Jiang Wei rode directly to the foot of Mount Wucheng and challenged Deng Ai to battle, but the Wei troops on the mountain did not come down. Jiang Wei ordered his men to hurl insults. As evening approached, he was about to withdraw when the drums and horns on the mountain sounded again, yet still no Wei soldiers descended. Jiang Wei tried to charge up the mountain, but the defenders rolled down stones and fired artillery, making it impossible to advance. He held his position until the third watch, then decided to retreat. The drums and horns on the mountain sounded once more. Jiang Wei moved his troops down to the foot of the mountain to make camp. But as his men were gathering wood and stone to build fortifications, the drums and horns on the mountain sounded yet again, and Wei troops suddenly attacked. The Shu army fell into chaos, trampling each other in their panic as they fled back to their old camp. The next day, Jiang Wei ordered his men to bring supply wagons to Mount Wucheng, linking them together to form a defensive wall, intending to establish a permanent camp. That night, at the second watch, Deng Ai sent five hundred men with torches down the mountain in two columns to set the wagons on fire. The two sides fought fiercely through the night, and the camp could not be established.
Jiang Wei withdrew again and consulted with Xiahou Ba. "Since we cannot take Nan'an, perhaps we should seize Shanggui first. Shanggui is where Nan'an stores its grain. If we take it, Nan'an will fall on its own." He left Xiahou Ba to hold the position at Mount Wucheng and led all his elite troops and fierce generals straight for Shanggui. After marching for a night, as dawn was breaking, Jiang Wei saw that the mountain passes were narrow and steep, and the roads were rough and treacherous. He asked his guide, "What is the name of this place?" The guide replied, "Duan Valley." Jiang Wei was startled. "That name is unlucky. 'Duan Valley' sounds like 'valley of severance.' If someone were to block the mouth of this valley, what would we do?" While he was still debating what to do, scouts from the vanguard reported, "Dust is rising thickly behind the mountain ahead. There must be an ambush!" Jiang Wei urgently ordered a retreat. Shi Cuan and Deng Zhong's forces then attacked from both sides. Jiang Wei fought as he fell back, but then a great shout arose from ahead, and Deng Ai himself arrived with his main force. Attacked from three directions, the Shu army was utterly defeated. Fortunately, Xiahou Ba arrived with reinforcements, forcing the Wei troops to withdraw and saving Jiang Wei. Jiang Wei wanted to march back to Qishan, but Xiahou Ba said, "The camp at Qishan has already been taken by Chen Tai. Bao Su was killed in action, and the entire garrison has retreated back to Hanzhong." Jiang Wei did not dare to take the road through Dongting. He fled instead through a remote mountain path. Deng Ai pursued closely from behind. Jiang Wei ordered his army to press forward while he covered the rear. As they marched, a force suddenly burst out from the mountains—it was the Wei general Chen Tai. With a great shout, the Wei troops surrounded Jiang Wei. His men were exhausted, and his horses were spent. He charged left and right but could not break free. The General of Quelling the Rebels, Zhang Ni, heard that Jiang Wei was trapped. He led several hundred riders and cut his way into the encirclement. Taking advantage of this, Jiang Wei fought his way out. But Zhang Ni was struck down by a hail of arrows from the Wei soldiers and died. Jiang Wei escaped the encirclement and returned to Hanzhong. Grieving over Zhang Ni's loyalty and courage in dying for the cause, he submitted a memorial to the throne requesting that honors be bestowed upon Zhang Ni's sons and grandsons. Many officers and men of Shu had fallen in this campaign, and they all blamed Jiang Wei. Following the precedent set by the Chancellor Zhuge Liang after the loss of Jieting, Jiang Wei submitted a memorial to the throne, demoting himself to General of the Rear while still acting in the capacity of Grand General.
Deng Ai, seeing that the Shu army had completely withdrawn, held a feast with Chen Tai to celebrate, richly rewarding the entire army. Chen Tai submitted a report of Deng Ai's achievements. Sima Zhao sent an envoy bearing the imperial credentials to promote Deng Ai's rank and grant him seal and ribbon of office. Deng Ai's son, Deng Zhong, was also enfeoffed as a Village Marquis.
At this time, the Wei emperor, Cao Mao, changed the reign title from the third year of Zhengyuan to the first year of Ganlu. Sima Zhao had himself appointed Commander-in-Chief of all the realm's armies. Whenever he went out, he was preceded and followed by three thousand elite armored cavalry as his personal guard. All matters of state were decided in his own chancellery without being reported to the court. From this time, he harbored ambitions of usurping the throne. One of his most trusted confidants was a man named Jia Chong, styled Gonglv, the son of the late General Jianwei, Jia Kui. Jia Chong served as a senior clerk in Sima Zhao's household. Jia Chong said to Sima Zhao, "My lord, now that you hold the great power of the realm, the hearts of the people everywhere are not yet settled. You should first make secret inquiries before gradually proceeding with the great enterprise." Sima Zhao replied, "That is exactly what I intend to do. You shall go east for me, on the pretext of rewarding the soldiers who returned from the campaign, and secretly gather intelligence." Jia Chong accepted the order and went straight to Huainan, where he presented himself to the General of Pacifying the East, Zhuge Dan. Zhuge Dan, styled Gongxiu, was a native of Nanyang in Langye and a younger cousin of the Marquis of Wu, Zhuge Liang. He had long served Wei, but because Zhuge Liang was Chancellor of Shu, he had never been given high office. After Zhuge Liang's death, Zhuge Dan had held important positions in Wei and was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Gaoping, commanding all the military forces of the Huai River region. When Jia Chong arrived in Huainan under the pretext of rewarding the troops, he visited Zhuge Dan, who hosted a banquet for him. When the wine was half finished, Jia Chong tested Zhuge Dan's loyalty. "Recently, many wise men in Luoyang have said that the emperor is weak and unfit to rule. The Grand General Sima Zhao has served the state for three generations, and his virtue and merit are as vast as Heaven. He could rightfully accept the abdication of the Wei throne. What is your esteemed opinion on this?" Zhuge Dan flew into a rage. "You are the son of Jia Kui, a man who ate the grain of Wei for generations! How dare you speak such treason!" Jia Chong apologized. "I was only repeating what others have said." Zhuge Dan replied, "If the court faces trouble, I will repay it with my death." Jia Chong said nothing more. The next day, he took his leave and returned to report the entire conversation to Sima Zhao. Sima Zhao was furious. "How dare that rat speak to me like this!" Jia Chong said, "Zhuge Dan is deeply loved by the people of Huainan. If we leave him be, he will become a lasting threat. We must eliminate him quickly."
Sima Zhao secretly sent a confidential letter to the Inspector of Yang Province, Yue Chen. At the same time, he dispatched an imperial envoy to summon Zhuge Dan to the capital to serve as Minister of Public Works. When Zhuge Dan received the edict, he immediately knew that Jia Chong had informed against him. He seized the envoy and tortured him for information. The envoy said, "Yue Chen knows about this." Zhuge Dan asked, "How would he know?" The envoy replied, "General Sima has already sent a secret letter to Yue Chen in Yang Province." In a fury, Zhuge Dan ordered the envoy executed. He then raised a thousand of his own troops and marched straight for Yang Province. When he reached the southern gate, he found the city gates closed and the drawbridge raised. Zhuge Dan called out to the city walls, but no one answered from above. "That villain Yue Chen!" Zhuge Dan roared. "How dare he do this!" He ordered his men to attack the city. A dozen of his most daring riders dismounted, forded the moat, and scaled the city walls. They scattered the guards, threw open the gates, and Zhuge Dan led his troops into the city. Taking advantage of the wind, they set fires and fought their way to Yue Chen's residence. Yue Chen fled upstairs in panic. Zhuge Dan climbed the stairs, sword in hand, and shouted, "Your father, Yue Jin, once received great favor from the state of Wei! You have forgotten to repay that debt and instead choose to serve Sima Zhao!" Before Yue Chen could reply, Zhuge Dan cut him down. He then composed a memorial listing Sima Zhao's crimes and sent a messenger to present it in Luoyang. At the same time, he gathered together more than one hundred thousand farming households from the Huai River garrisons, along with over forty thousand newly surrendered troops from Yang Province. He stockpiled grain and fodder and prepared to march. He also ordered his chief clerk, Wu Gang, to take his son, Zhuge Jing, to Wu as a hostage to secure an alliance, requesting that the two kingdoms join forces to punish Sima Zhao.
At this time, the Wu Chancellor, Sun Jun, had died of illness, and his younger cousin, Sun Chen, had taken over the government. Sun Chen, styled Zitong, was a violent and brutal man. He had murdered the Grand Commandant of the Army, Teng Yin, the general Lu Ju, and Wang Dun, among others, concentrating all power in his own hands. The Wu emperor, Sun Liang, though intelligent, was powerless to stop him. Wu Gang brought Zhuge Jing to Stone City and presented himself before Sun Chen. Sun Chen asked the reason for their visit. Wu Gang replied, "Zhuge Dan is a younger cousin of the Marquis of Wu, Zhuge Liang of Shu-Han. He has long served Wei, but now, seeing Sima Zhao's treachery, his usurpation of power, and his bullying of the emperor, he wishes to raise an army to punish him. But his strength is insufficient, so he has come to offer his allegiance. As a token of good faith, he has sent his own son, Zhuge Jing, as a hostage. We humbly beg you to dispatch troops to aid him." Sun Chen agreed to the request. He sent the generals Quan Yi and Quan Duan as commanders, Yu Quan as the rearguard, Zhu Yi and Tang Zi as the vanguard, and Wen Qin as the guide. Raising an army of seventy thousand, they advanced in three columns. Wu Gang returned to Shouchun to report to Zhuge Dan, who was overjoyed and arrayed his forces in preparation.
When Zhuge Dan's memorial reached Luoyang, Sima Zhao read it and flew into a rage. He wanted to lead the campaign himself. Jia Chong counseled him, "My lord, you have inherited the foundation laid by your father and elder brother, but your grace and virtue have not yet spread throughout the realm. If you leave the emperor behind and go, and something unexpected happens, regret will be too late. It would be better to request that the Empress Dowager and the emperor accompany you on the campaign. That way, there will be no cause for worry." Sima Zhao was pleased. "This plan suits my wishes exactly." He went to court and said to the Empress Dowager, "Zhuge Dan has rebelled. I have consulted with the civil and military officials, and we have decided to request that Your Majesty and the emperor personally lead the expedition, continuing the will of the late emperors." The Empress Dowager, intimidated, had no choice but to agree. The next day, Sima Zhao asked the Wei emperor, Cao Mao, to prepare for the journey. Cao Mao said, "You, Grand General, command all the armies of the realm. You may deploy them as you see fit. Why must I go myself?" Sima Zhao replied, "That is not correct. In former days, the Martial Ancestor [Cao Cao] ranged across the realm, and Emperors Wen and Ming had the ambition to encompass the entire universe and swallow up the eight frontiers. Whenever they faced a great enemy, they always led the campaign in person. Your Majesty should follow the example of your predecessors and sweep away these rebels. Why do you show such fear?" Cao Mao, cowed by Sima Zhao's power, had no choice but to obey. Sima Zhao then issued an imperial edict, raising the entire military force of both capitals—260,000 men. He appointed the General of Pacifying the South, Wang Ji, as the vanward commander, the General of Pacifying the East, Chen Qian, as his deputy, the Army Supervisor Shi Bao as commander of the left wing, and the Inspector of Yan Province, Zhou Tai, as commander of the right wing. With the imperial carriage under their protection, the enormous army marched in full force toward Huainan.
The Wu vanguard commander, Zhu Yi, led his troops to meet the enemy. The two armies drew up in battle array. Wang Ji of Wei rode out to challenge. Zhu Yi advanced to meet him. After less than three exchanges, Zhu Yi was defeated and fled. Tang Zi then rode out, but after less than three exchanges, he too was routed. Wang Ji drove his troops forward in pursuit, and the Wu army was badly beaten, retreating fifty li before making camp. A messenger reported the defeat to Zhuge Dan in Shouchun. Zhuge Dan personally led his own elite troops and joined forces with Wen Qin and his two sons, Wen Yang and Wen Hu, mustering tens of thousands of fierce soldiers to confront Sima Zhao. As the saying goes: Just as the Wu army's sharp edge was blunted, the Wei general's powerful forces came on.
Whether victory or defeat would follow, let the next chapter unfold.