Next day Wutu Gu led the Wugo warriors across the stream, and, with a rolling of drums, Wei Yan went out to meet them. The Wugo men approached bent double. The soldiers of Shu shot at them, but neither arrows nor bolts penetrated their armors; they rolled off harmless. Nor could swords cut or spears enter. The enemy, thus protected and armed with big swords and prongs, were too much for the troops of Shu, who had to run away. However, they were not pursued. When, on the retreat, they came to Peach Flower Ford, they saw the Mangs crossing as if walking on the water. Some of them were tired, so they took off their rattan breastplates, sat upon them and floated to the other side.
When Zhuge Liang heard the report of his general, he summoned Lu Kai and called in some natives.
Lu Kai said, “I have heard of the Wugo Kingdom as perfectly barbarous, the people having no codes of law as they are understood in the Middle Empire. I have also heard of the rattan armor, which can withstand all thrusts, and the harmful River of Peach Flowers. The Southern Mangs are so untameable that victory will mean little. We would rather retreat.”
“No, no,” said Zhuge Liang merrily, “we have had too much difficulty in getting here to go back so easily. I shall have a counter-plan for these people tomorrow.”
Having provided for the defense of his camp, he gave strict orders to his generals not to go out to fight, Zhuge Liang went to reconnoiter. He rode in his light chariot with a few natives as guides. He came to the ford, and from a secluded spot in the mountains on the north bank, he looked about him.
The whole country was mountainous and difficult, impassable for any carriage. So he got out and went afoot. Presently, from a hill he saw a long winding valley, like a huge serpent. The sides were very precipitous and bare. However, a road ran through the middle.
“What is the name of the valley?” asked Zhuge Liang.
“It is called 'Coiled Serpent Valley,'“ said the guides. “At the other end you come into the high road to Three Rivers. The road goes by a valley called 'Talang See.'“
“The very thing,” cried Zhuge Liang. “Surely this is providence. I shall score a great success here.”
Having seen enough, he retraced his steps, found his chariot, and returned to camp. Arrived at the camp, Ma Dai was called and put in charge of the preparations. Zhuge Liang gave him an order: “I will give you the ten black painted carts, and you are to get a thousand long bamboo poles. Open the carts, and follow my instructions there. Then you are to keep the two ends of the Coiled Serpent Valley. Half a month is the deadline, and all of these must be performed with the most perfect secrecy under military law and punishment.”
Next Zhao Yun was sent to a point on the Three River road; Wei Yan to camp at the Peach Flowers Ford.
Zhuge Liang told Wei Yan, “If the Mangs come over the river, you are to abandon the camp and march toward a certain white flag you will see. Further, in half a month you would have to acknowledge defeat some fifteen times and abandon seven camps. On no account are you to come to interview me even after fourteen defeats.”
Wei Yan went off, not a little hipped at the prospect, but prepared to obey. Next, Zhang Yi was sent to make a stockade at a certain indicated point, and Zhang Ni and Ma Zhong was told to lead the Mang soldiers who had surrendered, and other orders were given.
Meng Huo had begun to have a real terror of Zhuge Liang, and he warned King Wutu Gu of Wugo, saying, “This Zhuge Liang is exceedingly crafty. Ambush is one of his favorite ruses, so you should warn your soldiers that on no account should they enter a valley where the trees are thick.”
“Great King, you speak with reason,” said Wutu Gu. “I have always heard that the people of the Middle Empire are full of wiles, and I will see that your advice is followed. I will go in front to fight, and you may remain in the rear to give orders.”
Presently the scouts told them of the arrival of the troops of Shu on the bank of the Peach Flowers River. Wutu Gu sent his two generals — Xi Ni and Tu An — to cross the river and engage them. The two sides met, but Wei Yan soon suffered a defeat and left the field. The Mangs were afraid to pursue as they dreaded an ambush.
In the meantime, Wei Yan laid out another camp. The Mangs crossed the river in greater force. Wei Yan came out to meet them, but again fled after a very short fight. This time the Mangs pursued, but having lost their hold of the enemy after three miles, and coming then to the late camp of the Shu army, which seemed quite safe, they occupied it.
Next day Xi Ni and Tu An asked their King Wutu Gu to come to the camp, and they reported what had happened. Wutu Gu decided to make a general advance to drive the troops of Shu before him. They fled, even casting aside their breastplates and throwing away their arms; they were in such haste to flee. And the troops of Shu went toward a white flag that appeared in the distance. They found a camp already made, which they occupied.
Soon, however, Wutu Gu came near, and as he pressed forward Wei Yan abandoned this camp and fled. When the Mangs reached the camp, they took up quarters therein.
Soon after they set out to renew the pursuit, but Wei Yan turned back and checked them. This was only a temporary check, for he fled after three encounters, going toward a white flag in the distance.
This sort of thing continued daily until the soldiers of Shu had been defeated and driven out of the field fifteen times and had abandoned their camp on seven different occasions.
The Mangs were now hot in pursuit and pressed on with all their might, Wutu Gu being in the forefront of the pursuers. But then they came to a thick umbrageous wood; and he halted, for he saw flags moving about behind the sheltering trees.
“Just as you foretold,” said Wutu Gu to Meng Huo. “The men of Shu like using ambush.”
“Yes; Zhuge Liang is going to be worsted this time. We have beaten off his troops now daily for half a month and won fifteen successive victories. His troops simply run when they hear the wind. The fact is he has exhausted all his craft and has tried every ruse. Now our task is nearly done.”
Wutu Gu was greatly cheered and began to feel contempt for his enemy.
The sixteenth day of the long fight found Wei Yan leading his oft-defeated troops once more against the rattan-protected foe. King Wutu Gu on his white elephant was well in the forefront. He had on a cap with symbols of the sun and moon and streamers of wolf's beard, a fringed garment studded with gems, which allowed the plates or scales of his cuirass to appear, and his eyes seemed to flash fire. He pointed the finger of scorn at Wei Yan and began to revile him.
Wei Yan whipped up his steed and fled. The Mangs pressed after him. Wei Yan made for the Coiled Serpent Valley, for he saw a white flag calling him thither. Wutu Gu followed in hot haste, and as he saw only bare hills without a sign of vegetation, he felt quite confident that no ambush was laid. So he followed into the valley. There he saw some score of black painted carts in the road.
The soldiers said to each other, “The carts must be the commissariat wagons of the enemy, abandoned in their hasty flight when they heard of the coming of Your Majesty.”
This only urged the King to greater speed, and he went on toward the other mouth of the valley, for the soldiers of Shu had disappeared. However, he saw piles of timber being tumbled down across the track and great boulders rolled down the hill side into the road. The pursuers cleared away the obstacles. When they had done so and advanced a little, they saw certain wheeled vehicles in the road, some large, some small, laden with wood and straw, which was burning. Wutu Gu was suddenly frightened and ordered a retreat.