Now, Qiao Zhou, who held the office of Grand Historian and was well-versed in astronomy, saw that Kongming was again preparing to launch a campaign. He submitted a memorial to the Later Ruler, saying, "Your servant is in charge of the Imperial Observatory, and whenever portents of fortune or calamity appear, I must report them. Recently, tens of thousands of birds flew from the south and plunged into the Han River to die—an ill omen. I have also observed the heavens: the Kui star is encroaching upon the region of Venus, and the vital energy of the north is strong, which is unfavorable for an attack on Wei. Furthermore, the people of Chengdu have heard the cypress trees weeping at night. With these many calamitous signs, Your Chancellor should only remain on the defensive and not act rashly." Kongming replied, "I bear the heavy burden of the late Emperor's dying command. I must exert all my strength to destroy the traitors. How can I abandon the great affairs of state because of empty, imaginary portents of disaster?" He then ordered the proper officials to prepare a grand sacrifice of an ox, a sheep, and a pig at the temple of the Illustrious Emperor (Liu Bei). There, weeping and prostrating himself, he declared: "Your servant, Liang, has marched out of Qishan five times without gaining even a foot of land—my guilt is immense! Now, I again lead the entire army out of Qishan, vowing to exhaust my heart and strength, to annihilate the traitors of Han, and to restore the Central Plains. I will bend every sinew and wear myself out, and only death will end my service." After the sacrifice, he took leave of the Later Ruler and, traveling day and night, reached Hanzhong. There, he assembled his generals to discuss the campaign. Suddenly, a report arrived that Guan Xing had died of illness. Kongming let out a great cry, collapsed to the ground, and did not regain consciousness for some time. After the generals had repeatedly urged him to calm himself, Kongming sighed, "Alas, that a loyal and righteous man should be denied a long life by Heaven! In this campaign, I have lost another great general!"
A poet of the time lamented this loss: Life and death are the constant way of man, as fleeting and empty as the mayfly's span. But if one preserves loyalty, filial piety, and integrity, why must one live as long as the pine tree? Thus, Kongming led 340,000 soldiers of Shu, advancing in five columns. He ordered Jiang Wei and Wei Yan to serve as vanguard commanders, both to rendezvous at Mount Qishan. He also ordered Li Hui to first transport grain and fodder to the mouth of the Xie Valley to await further orders.
Meanwhile, in Wei, because a blue dragon had emerged from a well at Mopo the previous year, the reign title had been changed to Qinglong (Blue Dragon) Year One. It was now the second month of spring in Qinglong Year Two. A courtier reported to the throne, "Border officials have sent urgent dispatches that over 300,000 Shu troops have again emerged from Qishan in five columns." Emperor Cao Rui was greatly alarmed and hastily summoned Sima Yi. When Sima Yi arrived, the Emperor said, "The men of Shu have not invaded for three years. Now Zhuge Liang has again come out of Qishan. What is to be done?" Sima Yi replied, "Your servant has observed the heavens at night. The vital energy of the Central Plains is at its peak. The Kui star is encroaching upon Venus, which is unfavorable for the Riverlands of Shu. Kongming, trusting in his own talents, is acting against the will of Heaven—he is seeking his own destruction. Relying on Your Majesty's vast good fortune, I shall go and defeat him. But I request that four men accompany me." The Emperor asked, "Whom do you recommend?" Sima Yi answered, "Xiahou Yuan had four sons: the eldest, Ba, styled Zhongquan; the second, Wei, styled Jiquan; the third, Hui, styled Zhiquan; and the fourth, He, styled Yiquan. Ba and Wei are skilled in archery and horsemanship; Hui and He are well-versed in strategy. These four men have long wished to avenge their father.
I now recommend Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Wei as left and right vanguard commanders, and Xiahou Hui and Xiahou He as adjutants to the march, to assist in military planning and drive back the Shu army." The Emperor said, "In the past, the Imperial Son-in-Law Xiahou Mao mishandled military affairs, losing many men and horses, and he still has not returned in shame. Are these four men of the same caliber?" Sima Yi replied, "These four cannot be compared to Xiahou Mao." The Emperor granted his request and appointed Sima Yi as Grand Commander-in-Chief, giving him full authority to deploy all officers according to their abilities and to command all troops from every region. Sima Yi received his orders, took leave of the court, and departed the city. The Emperor also gave Sima Yi a personal edict, which read: When you reach the banks of the Wei River, you should strengthen your walls and fortifications and hold your ground. Do not engage the enemy in battle. When the Shu army fails to achieve its objectives, it will surely feign a retreat to lure you out. Be careful not to pursue. Wait until their grain is exhausted, and they will be forced to withdraw on their own. Then, you can attack them by exploiting their weakness. This is the best strategy for achieving victory without tiring your men and horses. Sima Yi bowed his head and accepted the imperial command. That very day, he arrived at Chang'an, where he assembled a total of 400,000 troops from various regions, all of whom encamped on the banks of the Wei River. He also deployed 50,000 men to build nine pontoon bridges across the Wei. He ordered the vanguard commanders Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Wei to cross the Wei and establish a camp.
Behind the main camp, on the Eastern Plain, he built a fortress to guard against unforeseen events.
As Sima Yi was discussing strategy with his generals, a report arrived that Guo Huai and Sun Li had come to see him. Sima Yi welcomed them in, and after the formalities were completed, Guo Huai said, "The Shu army is now at Qishan. If they cross the Wei, ascend the plain, link up with the northern mountains, and cut off the Long Road to the west, it will be a great cause for concern." Sima Yi replied, "What you say is very true. You may take command of the Longxi military forces, establish a camp at the North Plain, dig deep moats and build high ramparts, and hold your position without moving. Only when the enemy's grain is exhausted should you attack." Guo Huai and Sun Li accepted their orders and led their troops to set up camp.
Now, Kongming, having again emerged from Qishan, established five large camps, arranged as left, right, center, front, and rear. From the Xie Valley all the way to Jian'ge, he set up a continuous line of fourteen more large camps, dividing his forces to garrison them, as a plan for a long-term campaign. Every day, he sent out patrols. Suddenly, a report arrived that Guo Huai and Sun Li had led the Longxi troops and had set up camp at the North Plain. Kongming said to his generals, "The Wei army has encamped at the North Plain because they fear we will take that route and cut off the Long Road. I now intend to feign an attack on the North Plain, but secretly seize the banks of the Wei River. I will have over a hundred rafts built, loaded with bundles of reeds and grass. I will select five thousand skilled boatmen to steer them. Under cover of night, I will attack the North Plain, and Sima Yi will surely lead his troops to its rescue. If he suffers a slight defeat, I will have the rear army cross the river first, and then send the front army onto the rafts. They are not to come ashore. Instead, they will go with the current, burn and cut the pontoon bridges to attack the enemy's rear. I will lead one army myself to attack the gate of the forward camp. If we can seize the southern bank of the Wei, advancing will no longer be difficult." The generals followed his orders and set out.
Scouts quickly reported this to Sima Yi. Sima Yi summoned his generals and said, "Kongming's deployment contains a trick. Under the pretense of attacking the North Plain, he plans to go with the current to burn the pontoon bridges, disrupt our rear, and then attack our front." He immediately sent orders to Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Wei: "When you hear the signal from the North Plain, lead your troops to the southern mountains by the Wei River and attack the Shu troops when they arrive." He also ordered Zhang Hu and Yue Chen to lead two thousand archers and crossbowmen to lie in ambush on the north bank of the Wei pontoon bridges: "If the Shu army comes down the river on rafts, shoot at them all at once. Do not let them approach the bridges." He also sent orders to Guo Huai and Sun Li: "Kongming will try to secretly cross the Wei at the North Plain. Your newly established camp has few men. Hide them all halfway along the road. If the Shu army crosses the river in the afternoon, they will surely attack you around dusk. You feign defeat and flee. The Shu army will pursue you. You will then shoot them with arrows. I will advance by both land and water. If a large Shu force arrives, watch for my signal to attack." After issuing these orders everywhere, he also ordered his two sons, Sima Shi and Sima Zhao, to lead troops to reinforce the forward camp. Sima Yi himself led one army to rescue the North Plain.
Meanwhile, Kongming ordered Wei Yan and Ma Dai to lead troops across the Wei to attack the North Plain. He ordered Wu Ban and Wu Yi to lead the raft troops to burn the pontoon bridges. He ordered Wang Ping and Zhang Ni as the front line, Jiang Wei and Ma Zhong as the middle line, and Liao Hua and Zhang Yi as the rear line. The army was divided into three columns to attack the Wei camp on the dry land of the Wei River. At noon that day, the men and horses left the main camp, crossed the Wei River, formed their battle formations, and advanced slowly. As Wei Yan and Ma Dai approached the North Plain, dusk had fallen. Sun Li's scouts spotted them, and he abandoned his camp and fled. Wei Yan, suspecting an ambush, hastily ordered a retreat. But then war cries erupted on all sides. To the left was Sima Yi; to the right, Guo Huai. Two armies attacked. Wei Yan and Ma Dai fought with all their might to break out, but most of the Shu soldiers fell into the water. The remaining troops fled, finding no escape. Fortunately, Wu Yi's troops arrived and helped the defeated soldiers cross the river, where they held their ground. Wu Ban divided half his men, who poled their rafts downstream to burn the pontoon bridges. But Zhang Hu and Yue Chen on the bank shot a continuous volley of arrows at them. Wu Ban was struck by an arrow and fell into the river, drowning. The remaining soldiers jumped into the water to save their lives, and all the rafts were captured by the Wei troops. Meanwhile, Wang Ping and Zhang Ni, unaware of the defeat at the North Plain, advanced straight toward the Wei camp. It was already the second watch of the night when they heard war cries rising from all directions.
Wang Ping said to Zhang Ni, "Our troops are attacking the North Plain—we don't know the outcome. The camp south of the Wei is right before us. Why don't we see a single Wei soldier? Could Sima Yi have found out and made preparations? Let's wait until we see the pontoon bridges catch fire before we advance." The two men halted their forces. Suddenly, a horseman arrived from behind, reporting, "The Chancellor orders the army to return immediately. The troops at the North Plain and the pontoon bridge troops have both been lost." Wang Ping and Zhang Ni were greatly alarmed and hastily ordered a retreat. But the Wei troops had already cut behind them. At the sound of a signal cannon, they attacked all at once. Flames lit up the sky. Wang Ping and Zhang Ni led their troops to meet the attack. A chaotic battle ensued. The two men fought their way out with great effort, but more than half of their Shu soldiers were killed or wounded. Kongming returned to his main camp at Qishan and gathered his defeated troops. He had lost about ten thousand men, and he was deeply troubled.
Suddenly, a report arrived that Fei Yi had come from Chengdu to see the Chancellor. Kongming invited him in. After the formalities, Kongming said, "I have a letter that I need you to deliver to the Kingdom of Wu. Would you be willing to go?" Fei Yi replied, "How could I refuse a command from the Chancellor?" Kongming immediately wrote a letter and entrusted it to Fei Yi, who then departed. Fei Yi carried the letter straight to Jianye and went to see the Lord of Wu, Sun Quan. He presented Kongming's letter. Sun Quan opened it and read it. The letter read roughly as follows: The House of Han has been unfortunate; the laws of the state have fallen into disarray. The traitor Cao has usurped and rebelled, and this evil has spread to this day. Liang, having received the heavy burden of the Illustrious Emperor's trust, dares not fail to exert all his loyalty. Now, the great army has assembled at Qishan. The mad rebels are about to perish on the Wei River. I humbly hope Your Majesty will remember the alliance between our states and order your generals to march north, to capture the Central Plains together and divide the realm between us. This letter cannot express all that is in my heart. I earnestly hope Your Majesty will give it your attention. Sun Quan finished reading and was overjoyed. He said to Fei Yi, "I have long wished to raise an army, but I have never been able to coordinate with Kongming. Now that his letter has arrived, I will personally lead a campaign on this very day. I will enter through the Juchao Gate to take Wei's new city.
I will also order Lu Xun and Zhuge Jin to station troops at Jiangxia and Miankou to take Xiangyang. Sun Shao and Zhang Cheng will lead troops from Guangling to take Huaiyang and other places. These three forces will advance together, a total of 300,000 men, and will set out on an appointed day." Fei Yi bowed and thanked him, saying, "If this is done, the Central Plains will surely fall in no time!" Sun Quan hosted a banquet in Fei Yi's honor. During the feast, Sun Quan asked, "In the Chancellor's camp, who is the foremost general in breaking the enemy?" Fei Yi replied, "Wei Yan is the leader." Sun Quan laughed and said, "This man has courage in abundance, but his heart is not upright. If Kongming should ever be gone, he will surely cause disaster. Does Kongming not know this?" Fei Yi replied, "Your Majesty's words are most appropriate! When I return, I will tell Kongming what you have said." He then took his leave of Sun Quan and returned to Qishan. There, he reported to Kongming in detail that the Lord of Wu was raising a great army of 300,000, would lead the campaign personally, and that the troops would advance in three columns. Kongming then asked, "Did the Lord of Wu say anything else?" Fei Yi told him about the remarks concerning Wei Yan. Kongming sighed and said, "He is truly a wise ruler! I am not unaware of this man's nature. But I value his courage, and so I employ him." Fei Yi said, "The Chancellor should make arrangements as soon as possible." Kongming replied, "I have my own methods." Fei Yi then took his leave and returned to Chengdu.
As Kongming was discussing the advance with his generals, a report arrived that a Wei general had come to surrender. Kongming summoned him and asked his name. The man replied, "I am Zheng Wen, a partial general of Wei. Recently, I was given command of troops alongside Qin Lang, under Sima Yi's orders. But Sima Yi is partial and biased. He promoted Qin Lang to the rank of Front General, while treating me like worthless grass. In my indignation, I have come to surrender to Your Chancellor. I beg you to accept me." Before he had finished speaking, a messenger reported that Qin Lang had brought troops to the camp and was personally challenging Zheng Wen to battle. Kongming asked, "How does this man's martial skill compare to yours?" Zheng Wen said, "I will cut him down on the spot." Kongming said, "If you kill Qin Lang first, I will have no doubts." Zheng Wen mounted his horse with joy and rode out of the camp to engage Qin Lang. Kongming himself came out of the camp to watch. He saw Qin Lang leveling his spear and cursing loudly, "Traitor! You stole my warhorse and came here! Return it to me quickly!" With these words, he charged straight at Zheng Wen. Zheng Wen spurred his horse and whirled his blade to meet the attack. In a single pass, he cut Qin Lang down from his horse. The Wei soldiers scattered in flight. Zheng Wen carried the severed head into the camp. Kongming returned to his tent, sat down, and summoned Zheng Wen. He flew into a violent rage and ordered his attendants, "Take him out and behead him!" Zheng Wen cried out, "I have committed no crime!" Kongming said, "I have long known Qin Lang. The man you just killed is not Qin Lang. How dare you deceive me!" Zheng Wen prostrated himself and confessed, "That was actually Qin Ming, Qin Lang's younger brother."
Kongming laughed and said, "Sima Yi sent you to feign surrender and to create trouble from within. How could you hope to deceive me? If you do not tell me the truth, I will have you executed!" Zheng Wen had no choice but to confess that it was indeed a feigned surrender. Weeping, he begged for his life. Kongming said, "Since you wish to live, write a letter instructing Sima Yi to come and raid my camp himself. Then I will spare your life. If I capture Sima Yi, it will be your merit, and I will give you an important post." Zheng Wen had no choice but to write the letter and present it to Kongming. Kongming ordered that Zheng Wen be placed under guard. Fan Jian asked, "How did the Chancellor know that this man was feigning surrender?" Kongming replied, "Sima Yi does not appoint men lightly. If he promoted Qin Lang to Front General, he must have been a man of high martial skill. Yet, in a single pass with Zheng Wen, he was killed. That man could not have been the real Qin Lang. That is how I knew it was a trick." All the generals bowed in admiration.
Kongming selected a soldier with a glib tongue and whispered instructions in his ear. The soldier accepted his orders, took the letter, and went straight to the Wei camp to request an audience with Sima Yi. Sima Yi summoned him in, opened the letter, and read it. He then asked, "Who are you?" The soldier replied, "I am a man from the Central Plains who drifted into Shu. Zheng Wen and I are from the same village. Now, because of his merit, Kongming has made Zheng Wen a vanguard commander. Zheng Wen specially entrusted me to deliver this letter. He requests that tomorrow night, at the signal of a beacon fire, you, Grand Commander, lead the entire army to raid the camp. Zheng Wen will be your inside man." Sima Yi questioned him repeatedly and examined the letter carefully. It seemed genuine. He then gave the soldier wine and food and instructed him, "The time is set for the second watch tomorrow night. I will come to raid the camp myself. If the plan succeeds, I will surely reward you handsomely." The soldier bowed and took his leave. He returned to his own camp and reported everything to Kongming. Kongming performed a ritual sword dance and offered a prayer. Then, he summoned Wang Ping and Zhang Ni and gave them their secret orders. He summoned Ma Zhong and Ma Dai and gave them their secret orders. He summoned Wei Yan and gave him his secret orders. Kongming himself, with a few dozen attendants, sat atop a high mountain to direct the troops.
When Sima Yi saw Zheng Wen's letter, he wanted to take his two sons and lead the main army to raid the Shu camp. His eldest son, Sima Shi, counseled, "Father, why would you go into such a dangerous place based on a mere scrap of paper? If something goes wrong, what then? It would be better to send another general first, and you can follow as support." Sima Yi agreed. He ordered Qin Lang to lead ten thousand troops to raid the Shu camp, while he himself led the main army to follow as backup. That night, during the first watch, the wind was clear and the moon bright. As it approached the second watch, suddenly dark clouds gathered on all sides. A black mist filled the sky, making it impossible to see even the man in front of you. Sima Yi was overjoyed and said, "Heaven is helping me succeed!" The men were all gagged, and the horses were all muzzled. They drove forward at full speed. Qin Lang led the way, charging with his ten thousand men straight into the Shu camp. But not a single man was to be seen. Qin Lang knew he had fallen into a trap and hastily ordered a retreat. Then, torches blazed up on all sides, and war cries shook the earth. To the left were Wang Ping and Zhang Ni; to the right, Ma Dai and Ma Zhong. Two armies attacked. Qin Lang fought to the death but could not break out. Behind him, Sima Yi saw the Shu camp lit up by flames and heard the endless war cries. Not knowing the outcome of the battle, he pressed forward with his troops to provide support, charging into the midst of the flames. Suddenly, a great shout arose. Drums and horns filled the air; signal cannons shook the earth. To the left was Wei Yan; to the right, Jiang Wei. Two armies attacked. The Wei army was utterly defeated. Eight or nine out of every ten men were killed or wounded, and the survivors scattered in all directions. The ten thousand men led by Qin Lang were now completely surrounded by the Shu army. Arrows fell like a swarm of locusts. Qin Lang was killed in the chaos. Sima Yi led his defeated troops and fled back to his own camp.
After the third watch, the sky cleared again. Kongming, atop the mountain, sounded the gong to recall his troops. The dark clouds and black mist at the second watch had been caused by Kongming's use of the art of the Hidden Stems. After he had finished recalling his troops, the sky cleared again, for Kongming had summoned the Six Ding and Six Jia spirits to sweep away the floating clouds.
Having won the victory, Kongming returned to his camp. He ordered Zheng Wen to be executed. Then, he discussed his next strategy for taking the land south of the Wei River. Every day, he sent troops to challenge the enemy, but the Wei army refused to come out. Kongming rode in his small carriage to the front of Mount Qishan, east and west of the Wei River, to survey the terrain. Suddenly, he came to a valley mouth that was shaped like a gourd. Inside, it could hold over a thousand men. Two mountains formed another valley that could hold four to five hundred men. Behind, the two mountains curved around, leaving a path wide enough for only one man or one horse to pass. Kongming was overjoyed at the sight. He asked the guide, "What is the name of this place?" The guide replied, "This is called the Upper Valley, also known as the Gourd Valley." Kongming returned to his tent and summoned two subordinate generals, Du Rui and Hu Zhong. He whispered a secret plan into their ears. He ordered them to gather over a thousand craftsmen from the army and take them into the Gourd Valley to build the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses. He also ordered Ma Dai to lead five hundred troops to guard the mouth of the valley. Kongming instructed Ma Dai, "Do not let the craftsmen out, and do not let anyone from outside in. I will come to inspect the work from time to time. The plan to capture Sima Yi depends entirely on this. You must not let any information leak out." Ma Dai accepted his orders and left. Du Rui and Hu Zhong supervised the craftsmen in the valley, building the devices according to the specifications. Kongming came every day to direct the work.
One day, the Chief Secretary, Yang Yi, came to report, "The grain is now all stored at Jian'ge. Transporting it with porters and oxen and horses is very inconvenient. What is to be done?" Kongming laughed and said, "I have been planning this for a long time. I have had wooden beams and large timber purchased from the Riverlands of Shu made into Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses to transport the grain. They are very convenient. The oxen and horses do not need to eat or drink, and they can travel day and night without stopping." All the generals were astonished and said, "From ancient times to the present, we have never heard of such things as Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses. We wonder what wonderful method the Chancellor has to create such extraordinary devices?" Kongming said, "I have already ordered them to be built according to the specifications, but they are not yet finished. I will now write down the method for building the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses, with all the dimensions, square and round, long and short, wide and narrow, clearly specified. You may look at it." The generals were overjoyed. Kongming then wrote out a page in his own hand and gave it to them to examine. The generals gathered around to look. The method for building the Wooden Oxen was as follows: A square belly and a curved head, one axle and four legs. The head is set into the yoke, and the tongue is attached to the belly. It can carry a heavy load but moves slowly: a single one can travel several tens of li in a day, but when traveling in a group, only twenty li.
The curved part is the ox's head; the paired parts are the ox's feet; the horizontal part is the ox's yoke; the rotating part is the ox's hoof; the covering part is the ox's back; the square part is the ox's belly; the hanging part is the ox's tongue; the curved part is the ox's ribs; the carved part is the ox's teeth; the upright part is the ox's horns; the thin part is the ox's shoulder strap; the gripping part is the ox's crupper and axle. The ox has two shafts. When a man takes a step of six feet, the ox moves four steps. Each ox can carry one month's grain for ten men. The men are not greatly fatigued, and the ox does not need to eat or drink. The method for building the Flowing Horses was as follows: The ribs are three feet five inches long, three inches wide, and two inches two tenths thick—the same for left and right. The front axle hole is four inches from the head, with a diameter of two inches. The front leg hole is two inches from the front axle hole, four inches and five tenths from it, and one inch wide. The front shaft hole is two inches and seven tenths from the front leg hole, two inches long, and one inch wide. The rear axle hole is one foot and five inches from the front shaft hole, the same size as the front. The rear leg hole is three inches and five tenths from the rear axle hole, the same size as the front. The rear shaft hole is two inches and seven tenths from the rear leg hole, and the rear load notch is four inches and five tenths from the rear shaft hole.
The front shaft is one foot eight inches long, two inches wide, and one inch five tenths thick. The rear shaft is the same. There are two square board bags, eight tenths of an inch thick, two feet seven inches long, one foot six inches and five tenths high, and one foot six inches wide. Each bag holds two hu and three dou of rice. The upper shaft hole is seven inches from the ribs below—the same for front and back. The distance between the upper shaft hole and the lower shaft hole is one foot three inches. The hole is one inch five tenths long and seven tenths wide—the same for all eight holes. The front and rear four legs are two inches wide and one inch five tenths thick. The shape is like an elephant. The yoke strap is four inches long, with a diameter of four inches and three tenths. The axle hole is three-legged. The shaft is two feet one inch long, one inch five tenths wide, and one inch four tenths thick—the same for the shafts. After the generals had read it all, they bowed in admiration and said, "The Chancellor is truly a divine man!" After a few days, the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses were all completed. They looked exactly like living creatures and could go up and down hills with perfect ease. When the soldiers saw them, they were all overjoyed. Kongming ordered the Right General, Gao Xiang, to lead a thousand men to drive the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses from Jian'ge directly to the main camp at Qishan, transporting grain and fodder back and forth for the use of the Shu army.
A poet of later times praised this invention: Through the perilous passes of Jian'ge, the Flowing Horses were driven; Over the rugged roads of Xie Valley, the Wooden Oxen were steered. If later generations could practice this method, how could transporting supplies ever cause them worry?
Meanwhile, Sima Yi was feeling deeply worried. Suddenly, a scout reported, "The Shu army is using Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses to transport their grain. The men are not greatly fatigued, and the oxen and horses do not need to eat." Sima Yi was greatly alarmed and said, "The reason I have held my position and refused to come out is that I was waiting for their grain to run out, hoping they would destroy themselves. Now that they are using this method, they must be planning for a long-term campaign and have no thought of retreat. What is to be done?" He hastily summoned Zhang Hu and Yue Chen and instructed them, "Each of you take five hundred men, go by a side path through the Xie Valley, and wait until the Shu men have driven the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses past. After they have all passed, attack them together. Do not take too many—just seize three or five and return." The two men followed their orders. Each led five hundred men, disguised as Shu soldiers, and crossed over by a small path at night. They lay in ambush in the valley. Sure enough, they saw Gao Xiang leading his men, driving the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses along. When they had almost passed, the ambushers raised a great shout from both sides and attacked. The Shu soldiers were caught off guard and abandoned several of the devices. Zhang Hu and Yue Chen were delighted. They drove them back to their own camp. Sima Yi examined them and saw that they could advance and retreat just like living things. He was overjoyed and said, "You can use this method—how could I not use it?" He ordered over a hundred skilled craftsmen to dismantle the devices on the spot and instructed them to build more Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses according to the exact dimensions, lengths, widths, and thicknesses. In less than half a month, they had built over two thousand, which followed the same principles as Kongming's and could also move. He then ordered the General Who Pacifies the Distant Regions, Cen Wei, to lead a thousand men to drive the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses to Longxi to transport grain and fodder, going back and forth without stopping. The officers and men of the Wei camp were all overjoyed.
When Gao Xiang returned and reported to Kongming that the Wei troops had seized five or six of the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses, Kongming laughed and said, "That is exactly what I wanted them to take. I have only lost a few Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses, but soon I will gain a great deal of military supplies." The generals asked, "How does the Chancellor know this?" Kongming replied, "When Sima Yi sees the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses, he will surely imitate my method and build the same kind. When that happens, I will have another plan." A few days later, a report came that the Wei troops had also learned to build Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses and were using them to transport grain to Longxi. Kongming was overjoyed and said, "It is just as I calculated." He then summoned Wang Ping and instructed him, "Take a thousand men, disguise yourselves as Wei soldiers, and cross the North Plain by night. Claim to be grain patrol troops. Go straight to the grain transport depot, kill or scatter all the guards, and then drive the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses back, heading straight for the North Plain. Wei troops will surely pursue you. When that happens, turn the tongues of the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses. The devices will then be unable to move. Abandon them and flee. When the Wei troops arrive, they will not be able to pull or lift them. Then, when my other troops arrive, you can turn the tongues back, and the devices will move freely again. The Wei troops will surely think it is sorcery!" Wang Ping accepted his orders and led his men away.
Kongming then summoned Zhang Ni and instructed him, "Take five hundred men, all disguised as the Six Ding and Six Jia spirit soldiers. Wear ghost heads and animal bodies, paint your faces in five colors, and make yourselves look as strange and monstrous as possible. Hold an embroidered banner in one hand and a magic sword in the other. Hang gourds on your bodies, filled with smoke and fire materials. Lie in ambush by the mountain side. When the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses arrive, release the smoke and fire, and rush out en masse to drive the devices along. When the Wei men see this, they will surely think you are ghosts and gods and will not dare to pursue." Zhang Ni accepted his orders and led his men away. Kongming then summoned Wei Yan and Jiang Wei and instructed them, "You two will lead ten thousand men to the camp at the North Plain to support the Wooden Oxen and Flowing Horses and guard against battle." He summoned Liao Hua and Zhang Yi and instructed them, "You two will lead five thousand men to cut off Sima Yi's retreat." He summoned Ma Zhong and Ma Dai and instructed them, "You two will lead two thousand men to challenge the Wei camp south of the Wei River." The six men each followed their orders and departed.
The soldiers all tried to drive them, but the tongues were twisted and the oxen and horses would not move. As they were struggling, a report came that troops were approaching from the rear. It was Sima Yi himself leading a great army. Guo Huai, seeing the situation was urgent, abandoned the grain and fled. Sima Yi arrived and, seeing the grain scattered everywhere, ordered his men to gather it and retreat. But just then, war cries erupted from all sides, and Shu troops poured in like a flood. Sima Yi, caught in an ambush, fought desperately to break out. As he fled, he encountered a divine general blocking his path, and his grain convoy was seized; his own life was now in grave danger. How would Sima Yi resist this enemy? Read on to find out.