When the generals heard that Kongming had no intention of pursuing the Wei forces, they all entered his tent to protest. "The Wei army was suffering from the relentless rains and could not maintain their positions, so they withdrew. This is the perfect moment to press our advantage. Why does the Chancellor refuse to pursue?" Kongming replied, "Sima Yi is a master of military strategy. His retreat surely conceals an ambush. If we chase him, we will fall into his trap. It is better to let him withdraw far away, while we secretly send a separate force through the Xie Valley to seize Mount Qi, catching the Wei forces unprepared." The generals asked, "There are other routes to take Chang'an. Why does the Chancellor insist on taking Mount Qi?" Kongming explained, "Mount Qi is the key to Chang'an. If any troops come from the western commanderies of Longxi, they must pass through this place. Moreover, it faces the Wei River to the south, backs onto the Xie Valley to the north, and has easy access from left and right. It is a perfect place to conceal an ambush—a strategic ground for war. That is why I wish to take it first, to gain the advantage of terrain." The generals all bowed in admiration. Kongming ordered Wei Yan, Zhang Yi, Du Qiong, and Chen Shi to advance through the Ji Valley, while Ma Dai, Wang Ping, Zhang Yi, and Ma Zhong were to advance through the Xie Valley. All were to rendezvous at Mount Qi. After these deployments were set, Kongming himself led the main army, with Guan Xing and Liao Hua as the vanguard, and advanced thereafter.
Now, Cao Zhen and Sima Yi were supervising the rear of their army. They sent a scout into the old Chencang road to reconnoiter, and the scout reported that the Shu army was not coming. Another ten days passed, and all the generals who had been lying in ambush in the rear returned, reporting that there was no sign or sound of the Shu army. Cao Zhen said, "With the unrelenting autumn rains and the plank roads broken, how could the men of Shu know that our army has withdrawn?" Sima Yi replied, "The Shu army will come out soon." Cao Zhen asked, "How do you know?" Sima Yi said, "The skies have been clear for days, yet the Shu army has not pursued. They suspect we have an ambush, so they are letting us go far away. Once our troops have all passed, they will seize Mount Qi." Cao Zhen did not believe him. Sima Yi insisted, "Zidan, why do you not believe? I predict that Kongming will certainly come through the two valleys. Let you and me each guard one valley mouth, with a ten-day deadline. If no Shu army comes, I will paint my face with rouge, wear women's clothing, and come to your camp to confess my fault." Cao Zhen said, "If a Shu army does come, I will give you the jade belt and the imperial steed that the Emperor bestowed upon me." They then divided their forces into two: Cao Zhen led his troops to garrison the mouth of the Xie Valley to the west of Mount Qi, and Sima Yi led his troops to garrison the mouth of the Ji Valley to the east of Mount Qi. After their camps were established, Sima Yi first led a contingent of troops to lie in ambush in the mountain valley, while the rest of his army set up camp at the strategic points.
Sima Yi changed his clothes and mingled among the common soldiers, touring the various camps. Suddenly, he came to a camp where a junior officer was looking up to the sky and complaining, "After all that heavy rain, they wouldn't let us go back. Now we're stuck here again, forced into a foolish wager. This is nothing but misery for the troops!" Upon hearing this, Sima Yi returned to his own camp, convened all the officers to his tent, and singled out the offending officer. Sima Yi rebuked him, "The court feeds the army for a thousand days to use them for a single hour. How dare you speak such seditious words to demoralize the troops!" The officer would not confess. Sima Yi called out his comrades to testify against him, and the officer could no longer deny it. Sima Yi said, "This is not about a wager. I want to defeat the Shu army so that each of you can return to court with merit. Yet you recklessly speak words of resentment, bringing calamity upon yourself!" He ordered the guards to drag the man out and behead him. In a moment, the severed head was presented before the tent. All the officers trembled with fear. Sima Yi said, "All of you must give your utmost to guard against the Shu army. When you hear the signal cannon from my central camp, advance from all sides." The officers received their orders and withdrew.
Now, the four generals Wei Yan, Zhang Yi, Chen Shi, and Du Qiong led twenty thousand troops and advanced through the Ji Valley. As they were marching, a messenger suddenly arrived, reporting that the strategist Deng Zhi had come. The four generals asked the reason. Deng Zhi said, "The Chancellor has ordered: when you exit the Ji Valley, beware of a Wei ambush. Do not advance recklessly." Chen Shi said, "Why is the Chancellor so overly suspicious in his command? I believe the Wei army, having suffered continuous heavy rains with their armor and weapons ruined, must be eager to return home. How could they possibly have set an ambush? If we march at double speed, we can achieve a great victory. Why does he tell us to stop?" Deng Zhi said, "The Chancellor's plans never fail, and his strategies never miss. How dare you disobey his orders?" Chen Shi laughed and said, "If the Chancellor were truly so resourceful, he would not have lost the Battle of Street Pavilion!" Wei Yan, recalling that Kongming had not heeded his earlier advice, also laughed and said, "If the Chancellor had listened to me and marched straight out of the Ziwu Valley, by now we would have taken not just Chang'an, but even Luoyang! But he insisted on going through Mount Qi. What good has it done? First he orders us to advance, and now he tells us to stop. How unclear are his commands!" Chen Shi said, "I have five thousand men of my own. I will go straight through the Ji Valley and set up camp at Mount Qi first. Let's see if the Chancellor feels ashamed!" Deng Zhi tried to stop him repeatedly, but Chen Shi would not listen. He took his five thousand troops and marched straight into the Ji Valley. Deng Zhi had no choice but to report this to Kongming by fast rider.
Chen Shi had not marched more than a few li when suddenly a cannon boomed, and ambush troops emerged from all sides. As Chen Shi hurriedly tried to retreat, Wei soldiers filled the mouth of the valley, surrounding them like an iron bucket. Chen Shi charged left and right but could not break free. Suddenly, a great shout arose, and a force of men came charging in—it was Wei Yan. He rescued Chen Shi and retreated back into the valley, but of their five thousand troops, only four or five hundred wounded men remained. Behind them, the Wei army pursued, but Du Qiong and Zhang Yi arrived with reinforcements, and only then did the Wei forces withdraw. It was only then that Chen Shi and Wei Yan believed in Kongming's divine foresight, and they were filled with remorse that came too late.
Meanwhile, Deng Zhi returned to see Kongming and reported how Wei Yan and Chen Shi had been so insolent. Kongming smiled and said, "Wei Yan has always borne the look of a rebel. I know he harbors constant discontent. I have spared him only out of pity for his bravery. But in time, he will surely bring disaster." As he was speaking, a rider bearing urgent news arrived, reporting that Chen Shi had lost over four thousand men, with only four or five hundred wounded remaining, now camped in the valley. Kongming ordered Deng Zhi to return to the Ji Valley to console Chen Shi and prevent any mutiny. Meanwhile, he summoned Ma Dai and Wang Ping and instructed them, "If the Wei army is guarding the Xie Valley, you two are to lead your troops over the mountain ridges, marching by night and hiding by day. Move quickly to the left of Mount Qi and light signal fires." He then summoned Ma Zhong and Zhang Yi and instructed them, "You are also to take the hidden mountain paths, hiding by day and marching by night, and go straight to the right of Mount Qi. Light signal fires to coordinate with Ma Dai and Wang Ping, and together we will raid Cao Zhen's camp. I will attack from three sides from within the valley, and the Wei army will be broken." The four men received their orders and led their troops away. Kongming then summoned Guan Xing and Liao Hua and gave them secret instructions. The two men received the secret plan and led their troops away. Kongming himself led his elite troops and marched at double speed. As they marched, he summoned Wu Ban and Wu Yi and gave them secret instructions as well, sending them ahead with their troops.
Now, Cao Zhen, not believing that the Shu army would come, had grown lax. He allowed his soldiers to rest, waiting only for the ten days to pass without incident so he could humiliate Sima Yi. After seven days of this, a scout suddenly reported that a small force of Shu troops had appeared in the valley. Cao Zhen ordered his deputy general, Qin Liang, to lead five thousand men to scout the area, forbidding the Shu army from approaching their perimeter. Qin Liang received his orders and led his troops to the mouth of the valley, where he saw the Shu troops retreating. Qin Liang immediately gave chase. After pursuing for fifty or sixty li, he saw no sign of the Shu army and began to grow suspicious. He ordered his men to dismount and rest. Suddenly, a scout reported, "There is a Shu ambush ahead!" Qin Liang mounted his horse and saw a great cloud of dust rising from the mountains. He urgently ordered his men to be on guard. In an instant, war cries erupted from all sides. Ahead, Wu Ban and Wu Yi led their troops in a charge. Behind them, Guan Xing and Liao Hua attacked. To the left and right were mountains, leaving no escape. From the hills, Shu soldiers shouted, "Dismount and surrender, and you will be spared!" Most of the Wei troops surrendered. Qin Liang fought to the death, but Liao Hua cut him down with a single stroke of his blade.
Kongming kept the surrendered troops in the rear of his army. He then took the armor and weapons of the Wei soldiers and dressed five thousand of his own Shu troops in them, disguising them as Wei soldiers. He ordered Guan Xing, Liao Hua, Wu Ban, and Wu Yi to lead this disguised force straight to Cao Zhen's camp. First, they sent a scout into the camp to report, "Only a few Shu soldiers have appeared, and they have all been driven away." Cao Zhen was overjoyed. Suddenly, a messenger from the Grand Commander Sima Yi arrived. Cao Zhen called the man in and questioned him. The man said, "The Grand Commander used an ambush and killed over four thousand Shu soldiers. He sends his regards and asks that you not dwell on the wager, but focus on being vigilant." Cao Zhen said, "There are no Shu soldiers here at all." He then sent the messenger back. Soon after, another report came that Qin Liang had returned with his troops. Cao Zhen personally went out of his camp to welcome him. But as he reached the camp gate, he was told that fires had broken out both in front and behind. Cao Zhen hurried to the rear of the camp to see, and there, Guan Xing, Liao Hua, Wu Ban, and Wu Yi were directing their disguised Shu troops to charge into the camp from the front. At the same time, Ma Dai and Wang Ping attacked from the rear, and Ma Zhong and Zhang Yi also arrived with their forces. The Wei army, caught completely off guard, scattered in all directions to save their lives. The generals protected Cao Zhen as they fled eastward, with the Shu army in hot pursuit.
As Cao Zhen was fleeing in panic, a great shout suddenly arose, and a force of men came charging at him. Cao Zhen's heart was in his throat. He looked up and saw that it was Sima Yi. Sima Yi fought a fierce battle, and only then did the Shu army withdraw. Cao Zhen escaped, but his shame was beyond measure. Sima Yi said, "Zhuge Liang has seized the strategic ground of Mount Qi. We cannot stay here long. We should set up camp along the Wei River and devise a new plan." Cao Zhen asked, "Zhongda, how did you know that I had suffered such a defeat?" Sima Yi replied, "When your messenger reported that you had said there were no Shu soldiers at all, I knew that Kongming would launch a secret raid on your camp. That is how I knew, and I came to reinforce you. Now we have indeed fallen into his trap. Do not speak of the wager anymore. Let us only unite our hearts to serve the state." Cao Zhen was filled with dread and shame. The shock caused him to fall ill, and he took to his bed, unable to rise. Their army camped by the Wei River. Fearing that the army's morale would be shaken, Sima Yi did not dare let Cao Zhen command the troops.
Kongming, meanwhile, drove his men and horses forward with great vigor and emerged again at Mount Qi. After rewarding his troops, Wei Yan, Chen Shi, Du Qiong, and Zhang Yi entered his tent, prostrated themselves, and begged for punishment. Kongming asked, "Who caused the loss of our troops?" Wei Yan said, "Chen Shi disobeyed orders and secretly entered the valley mouth, which led to the great defeat." Chen Shi said, "Wei Yan was the one who urged me to do it." Kongming said, "He saved you, and now you try to implicate him! You have violated the commands, so do not try to argue!" He then ordered the guards to drag Chen Shi out and behead him. In a moment, his head was hung before the tent as a warning to all the officers. Kongming did not execute Wei Yan at this time, intending to keep him for future use.
Having executed Chen Shi, Kongming was about to discuss the next advance when a spy reported that Cao Zhen was ill and bedridden, being treated in his camp. Kongming was overjoyed and said to his officers, "If Cao Zhen's illness were light, he would have returned to Chang'an. Since the Wei army has not withdrawn, his illness must be severe. They are keeping him in the camp to reassure the men. I will write a letter and have one of Qin Liang's surrendered soldiers deliver it to Cao Zhen. When he sees it, he will surely die!" He then summoned the surrendered soldiers to his tent and asked them, "You are all Wei soldiers, with parents, wives, and children back in the Central Plains. It is not fitting for you to remain long in Shu. I will now release you to return home. What do you say?" The soldiers wept and bowed in gratitude. Kongming said, "Cao Zidan and I have an understanding. I have a letter here. Take it back and give it to Zidan, and you will be richly rewarded."
The Wei soldiers took the letter and hurried back to their camp. They presented Kongming's letter to Cao Zhen. Cao Zhen, struggling to rise from his sickbed, tore open the seal and read. The letter read:
"The Chancellor of Han, the Marquis of Wuxiang, Zhuge Liang, writes to the Grand Commandant Cao Zidan: I have heard that a general must know when to advance and when to withdraw, when to be soft and when to be hard; when to attack and when to retreat, when to be weak and when to be strong. He must be as immovable as a mountain, as unfathomable as yin and yang; as inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth, as full as the great granaries; as vast as the four seas, as dazzling as the sun, moon, and stars. He must foresee the droughts and floods of Heaven's seasons, and first recognize the safety and peril of the land; he must observe the timing of battle formations and gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy. Alas, you, an unlearned upstart, have turned against the vault of Heaven! You aid a usurping rebel who has proclaimed himself Emperor in Luoyang. You led your broken troops to the Xie Valley, where you were met by the drenching rains of Chencang. Trapped by land and water, your men and horses ran wild, abandoning armor and weapons across the fields! Your Grand Commander's heart has burst with terror, and your general scampers like a rat! You have no face to meet the elders of Guanzhong, nor any shame to enter the halls of your own Chancellor's mansion! The court historian will record this with his brush, and the common people will spread the tale far and wide: Zhongda trembles at the mere mention of our formations, and Zidan flees in panic at the sight of our banners! My army is strong and my horses are fat, my generals are as fierce as tigers and as soaring as dragons! We will sweep the land of Qinchuang clean and turn the Kingdom of Wei into a wasteland!"
When Cao Zhen finished reading, his chest was filled with rage and bitterness. That very night, he died in his camp. Sima Yi had his body placed in a war chariot and sent to Luoyang for burial.
When the Wei Emperor learned of Cao Zhen's death, he immediately issued an edict urging Sima Yi to give battle. Sima Yi led a great army to confront Kongming and first sent a challenge for the next day. Kongming said to his officers, "Cao Zhen must be dead by now." He then wrote his acceptance on the challenge letter and sent the messenger back. That night, Kongming gave Jiang Wei secret instructions to follow, and also gave Guan Xing his own secret orders.
The next day, Kongming moved his entire army from Mount Qi to the banks of the Wei River. On one side was the river, on the other were the mountains, and in between lay a vast, open plain—a perfect battlefield! The two armies faced each other, with archers securing their flanks. After three drum rolls, the central banner of the Wei formation parted, and Sima Yi rode out, followed by his generals. There, they saw Kongming sitting calmly in his four-wheeled carriage, gently waving his feather fan. Sima Yi said, "My Emperor has lawfully succeeded the throne, following the example of Yao and Shun. He now sits in power over the Central Plains. That he tolerates your kingdoms of Shu and Wu is only due to his great mercy and benevolence, for he fears harming the people. You are nothing but a farmer from Nanyang, ignorant of the Mandate of Heaven, yet you stubbornly invade our lands. You deserve to be annihilated! If you come to your senses and repent, you should return home at once, each keeping to his own borders to maintain the tripartite balance. This will spare the people from suffering, and you and your men will be allowed to live!" Kongming laughed and said, "I have been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of the late Emperor's dying wish. How could I not devote my heart and strength to punishing the traitors? Your Cao family will soon be destroyed by Han. Your father and grandfather were all ministers of Han, who ate of Han's grain for generations. Instead of repaying this debt, you aid a usurper. Are you not ashamed?" Sima Yi's face flushed with shame. He said, "I will settle this with you once and for all! If you can defeat me, I swear I will never be a general again! If you lose, return to your homeland at once, and I will not harm you."
Kongming asked, "Do you wish to contest generals, contest troops, or contest formations?" Sima Yi replied, "Let us first contest formations!" Kongming said, "Array your formation for me to see." Sima Yi entered his central command tent, took a yellow banner, and waved it. His troops on the left and right moved, forming a battle array. He then mounted his horse and rode out again, asking, "Do you recognize my formation?" Kongming smiled and said, "Even a junior officer in my army could form that. It is the Mixed Primordial One Formation." Sima Yi said, "Now you array a formation for me to see." Kongming entered his own formation, waved his feather fan once, and then rode out again, asking, "Do you recognize my formation?" Sima Yi said, "How could I not recognize this mere Eight Trigram Formation!" Kongming said, "If you recognize it, do you dare to attack it?" Sima Yi replied, "Since I recognize it, why would I not dare to attack it?" Kongming said, "Then go ahead and attack." Sima Yi returned to his own formation and summoned the three generals Dai Ling, Zhang Hu, and Yue Chen. He instructed them, "The formation Kongming has laid out is based on the eight gates: Rest, Life, Hurt, Block, View, Death, Shock, and Open. You three are to break in from the Life Gate in the exact east, then fight your way out through the Rest Gate in the southwest, and then break in again from the Open Gate in the exact north. This will break the formation. Be careful!"
So, with Dai Ling in the center, Zhang Hu in front, and Yue Chen in the rear, each leading thirty horsemen, they broke in from the Life Gate. The two armies cheered them on. The three men charged into the Shu formation, but found it as impenetrable as a chain of cities. They could not break out. Panicking, they led their horsemen around the edge of the formation and charged toward the southwest, but were driven back by Shu archers. The formation was layered and complex, with gates everywhere, and they could no longer tell east from west or north from south. The three generals lost sight of each other and simply crashed about in confusion. A gloomy mist and a heavy fog seemed to descend. At the sound of war cries, the Wei soldiers were all captured, one by one, and brought to the central command.
Kongming sat in his tent, and his guards brought Zhang Hu, Dai Ling, Yue Chen, and ninety other soldiers, all bound, before him. Kongming smiled and said, "Even if I have captured you, it is nothing remarkable! I will release you to go back and see Sima Yi. Tell him to study his books on war again and review his military strategies. Only then, when he is ready to decide the outcome, will it not be too late. Since I am sparing your lives, you must leave your weapons and warhorses behind." He then had their clothes stripped off and their faces smeared with black ink, and they were forced to walk back to their own formation. When Sima Yi saw this, he was furious. He turned to his officers and said, "With such a humiliating defeat, what face do I have to return to the ministers of the Central Plains?" He immediately ordered his entire army to launch a desperate assault. Sima Yi himself drew his sword and led over a hundred elite officers, urging them forward with all their might.
The two armies had just clashed when suddenly, drums and horns sounded from behind the Shu formation. A great shout arose, and a force of men charged from the southwest—it was Guan Xing. Sima Yi sent his rear troops to meet them, while he continued to drive his main force forward. Suddenly, the Wei army fell into chaos. It turned out that Jiang Wei had secretly led a force to attack, and the Shu army was now pressing from three sides. Sima Yi was terrified and hastily began a retreat. The Shu army surrounded them, and Sima Yi led his men in a desperate charge southward. Seven or eight out of ten of the Wei troops were killed or wounded. Sima Yi retreated and set up camp on the south bank of the Wei River, holding his position and refusing to come out again.
As Kongming was leading his victorious army back to Mount Qi, Li Yan from Yong'an City sent a Commandant named Gou An to deliver grain supplies to the army. Gou An was fond of drink and had delayed on the road, arriving ten days late. Kongming was furious and said, "In this army, grain is the most important matter. A delay of three days is punishable by death! You are ten days late. What do you have to say for yourself?" He ordered the guards to drag him out and behead him. The Chief Clerk Yang Yi said, "Gou An was sent by Li Yan, and moreover, most of our grain and money comes from Western Shu. If you kill this man, no one will dare to deliver grain in the future." Kongming then ordered the guards to untie him, give him eighty strokes of the bastinado, and release him. Gou An, nursing a deep grudge from the beating, fled that very night with five or six of his trusted followers to the Wei camp and surrendered. Sima Yi called him in, and Gou An prostrated himself and told his story. Sima Yi said, "Even so, Kongming is full of schemes. Your words are hard to believe. If you can perform a great service for me, I will petition the Emperor to make you a high general." Gou An asked, "What is the task? I will do it." Sima Yi said, "Return to Chengdu and spread rumors that Kongming harbors resentment against the Emperor and intends to proclaim himself Emperor. Get your ruler to recall Kongming. That will be your merit."
Gou An agreed and returned to Chengdu. He went to the eunuchs and spread the rumor that Kongming, relying on his great achievements, would soon usurp the throne. The eunuchs were alarmed and immediately went to the palace to report this to the Emperor, detailing the matter. The Later Ruler, Liu Shan, was astonished and asked, "What should be done?" The eunuch replied, "Your Majesty should issue an edict recalling him to Chengdu and strip him of his military command, to prevent any rebellion." The Later Ruler issued an edict, ordering Kongming to return to court. Jiang Wei stepped forward and said, "Since the Chancellor took the field, he has achieved great victories. Why recall him?" The Later Ruler said, "I have secret state affairs to discuss with the Chancellor in person." He then sent a messenger with the edict, who traveled day and night to recall Kongming.
The messenger arrived at the great camp at Mount Qi. Kongming received him and, after accepting the edict, looked up to Heaven and sighed. "The Emperor is young. There must be a treacherous minister at his side! I was just about to achieve great merit. Why recall me? If I do not return, it would be an act of defiance against my lord. But if I obey the order and retreat, I will never have such an opportunity again." Jiang Wei asked, "If the army retreats, Sima Yi will surely take advantage to attack. What should we do?" Kongming said, "When I retreat, I will do so in five separate columns. Today, we will first withdraw from this camp. If the camp had a thousand soldiers, we will dig two thousand cooking stoves. Tomorrow, we will dig three thousand, and the day after, four thousand. Each day, as we retreat, we will increase the number of stoves." Yang Yi said, "In ancient times, Sun Bin captured Pang Juan by using the method of adding troops and decreasing stoves. Why does the Chancellor increase the stoves when retreating?" Kongming said, "Sima Yi is a skilled commander. When he sees that we have retreated, he will surely pursue. But he will suspect an ambush and will count the stoves in our old camp. When he sees that the number of stoves increases each day, he will not know whether we have truly retreated or not, and he will hesitate and dare not pursue. We can withdraw slowly and safely, without losing a single man." He then gave the order to retreat.
Meanwhile, Sima Yi was waiting for Gou An's plot to take effect, planning to launch a full-scale attack as soon as the Shu army retreated. While he was deliberating, a report came that the Shu camp was empty and the army had gone. Sima Yi, knowing Kongming's cunning, did not dare to pursue rashly. He led a hundred horsemen to personally inspect the Shu camp and ordered his men to count the stoves. He then returned to his own camp. The next day, he sent his men to the next Shu camp to count the stoves again. They reported, "The number of stoves in this camp is even greater than the last." Sima Yi said to his officers, "I knew Kongming was full of schemes. Now he has indeed reinforced his army and increased his stoves. If I pursue, I will surely fall into his trap. It is better to retreat and plan a different course." So he turned his army around and did not pursue. Kongming, without losing a single man, marched toward Chengdu. Later, a local from the Sichuan passes reported to Sima Yi that when Kongming retreated, he had not added any troops, only increased the number of stoves. Sima Yi looked up to Heaven and sighed, "Kongming used the method of Yu Xu and fooled me! His strategic genius is beyond mine!" He then led his great army back to Luoyang.
Truly, it was:
When matched chess players meet, it is hard for one to win; when a general encounters a worthy rival, he dares not be proud.
Whether Kongming’s return to Chengdu would bring further developments, let the next chapter reveal.