Thereupon Hua Xin said, “It will be necessary for Your Majesty to go in person. You should call together all the nobles, and each will have to exert himself. Unless this is done, Capital Changan will be lost and the whole country be in danger.”
But Imperial Guardian Zhong Yao opposed him.
Said he, “The knowledge of every leader must exceed that of those led; then only will he be able to control them. Sun Zi the Strategist sums it up very briefly: 'Know the enemy, know thyself; and every battle is a victory.' I know Cao Zhen has had great experience in the field, but he is no match for Zhuge Liang. Still there is such a match, and I will pledge my whole family that he will succeed. But Your Majesty may be unwilling to listen to me.” The Ruler of Wei replied, “You are a minister of high rank and old. If you know any wise person able to repel these soldiers of Shu, call him without delay and ease my mind.”
Then said Zhong Yao, “When Zhuge Liang decided to invade us, he was afraid of the one man I will name. Wherefore he spread calumnies concerning him, raising suspicion in Your Majesty's mind that you might dismiss him. That done, Zhuge Liang invaded. Now employ this man again, and the enemy will retire.”
“Who is it?” asked the Ruler of Wei.
“I mean the Regent Marshal Sima Yi.”
“I have long regretted my action,” said Cao Rui. “Where now is friend Sima Yi?”
“He is at the city of Wancheng, idle.”
An edict was prepared recalling Sima Yi and restoring him to his rank and titles, and conferring upon him the new title Commander-in-Chief and General Who Pacifies the West. All troops of Nanyang were set in motion, and Cao Rui led them to Changan. At the same time Cao Rui ordered Sima Yi to be there to meet him on a certain day. And the orders were sent by a swift messenger to the city of Wancheng.
At this time Zhuge Liang greatly rejoiced at the success he had had. He was at Qishan, busy with plans for other victories, when Li Yan, who was in command at the Palace of Eternal Peace, sent his son Li Feng to the camp. Zhuge Liang concluded that such a visit could only mean that Wu had invaded them, and he was in consequence cast down. However, he summoned Li Feng to his tent, and when asked the object of his mission, Li Feng replied that he had joyful news to impart.
“What is your joyful news?” said Zhuge Liang.
“Formerly Meng Da deserted to Wei, but only because he could do nothing else. Cao Pi thought much of his capabilities, treated him most generously, kept him at his side, gave him titles of General Who Establishes Strong Arms and Lord of Pingyang, and appointed him to the posts of Governor of Xincheng and Commander of Shangyong and Jincheng, and so on. But when Cao Pi died, all was changed. In Cao Rui's court were many who were jealous of Meng Da's influence and power, so that he enjoyed no peace.
“He used to talk about being originally one of the Shu leaders, and he was forced to do so-and-so. Lately he has sent several confidants with letters to my father asking that he would state his case to you as to the happenings when the five armies came upon Shu. Now he is at Xincheng, and, hearing you are attacking Wei, he proposes to lead the army of the three counties about Xincheng, Jincheng, and Shangyong to attack Luoyang while you attack Changan, whereby both capitals will be taken. I have brought with me his messenger and his letters.”
This was good news, and the bearer was fittingly rewarded. But at that moment came the news that Cao Rui was leading an army to Changan and had recalled the banished Sima Yi to office. This piece of bad news saddened Zhuge Liang not a little.
He told Ma Su, who said, “Cao Rui should not be your worry. If he goes to Changan, we will march there and capture him on the road, and there will be an end of him.”
“Do you think I fear him?” said Zhuge Liang bitterly. “But the recall of Sima Yi is another matter; that troubles me. And Meng Da's proposal will avail nothing if he comes across this man. Meng Da is no match for him. He will he captured, and, if he should be, the Middle Land will be hard to conquer.” “Why not put Meng Da on his guard then?” said Ma Su.
Zhuge Liang decided to write, and the letter was dispatched immediately.
Meng Da was then at Xincheng, anxiously expecting the return of his last confidential messenger, when, one day, the man returned and gave him this letter from Zhuge Liang himself:
“Your last letter has convinced me of your loyal rectitude, and I still remember with joy our old friendship. If your plan
succeeds, you will certainly stand in the first rank of most worthy ministers. But I scarcely need impress upon you the extreme necessity for most perfect secrecy. Be very careful whom you trust. Fear everyone, guard against everyone. This news of the recall of Sima Yi and the proposed junction of armies at Changan is very serious; and if a word reaches Sima Yi, he will come to you first. Therefore take every precaution and do not regard this as a matter of unimportance.”
“They say Zhuge Liang leaves nothing to chance,” said Meng Da, smiling as he read. “This proves it.”
He lost no time in preparing a reply, which he sent also by a trusty messenger. This letter was like this:
“I acknowledge your most valuable advice, but is it possible that I should be remiss? For my part I do not think the
Sima Yi's affair need cause anxiety, for Wancheng is three hundred miles from Luoyang and four hundred miles from Xincheng. Should he hear anything, it would take a month to send a memorial to the capital and get a reply. My ramparts here are strong and my forces posted in the best positions. Let him come! I am not afraid of the result, so you, O Minister, need feel no anxiety. You have only to wait for the good news of success.”
Zhuge Liang read the letter and threw it on the ground, stamping his foot with rage.
“Meng Da is a dead man;” said he, “a victim of Sima Yi.”
“Why do you say that?” said Ma Su.
“What does the Art of War say? 'Attack before the enemy is prepared; do what he does not expect.' What is the use of reckoning upon a month's delay for sending up a memorial? Cao Rui's commission has already gone, and Sima Yi may strike whom he will. He will not have to wait to memorialize the Throne. Ten days after he hears of Meng Da's defection, he will be upon Meng Da with an army, and Meng Da will be helpless.”'
The others agreed. However, Zhuge Liang sent the messenger back again to say that if the matter had not yet actually started, no other person was to be told of it; for if anyone knew, it would certainly come to nothing. And the man left for Xincheng.
In his idle retreat in Wancheng, Sima Yi had heard of his master's ill-success against the armies of Shu, and the news made him very sad. He lifted up his eyes and sighed.
He had two sons, Sima Shi the elder and Sima Zhao, both clever and ambitious, and both earnest students of military books. One day they were present when their father seemed very cast down, and Sima Shi asked his father the reason.
“You would not understand,” said the father.
“I think you are grieving because the Ruler of Wei does not use you,” replied Sima Shi.
“But they will send for you presently,” said Sima Zhao. The prophecy was not long in fulfillment, for even then the bearer of the command stood at the gate, and the servant announced a messenger from the court bearing a commission.
As soon as he heard its terms, Sima Yi set about ordering the armies of Wancheng. Soon came a messenger from Governor Shen Yi of Jincheng with a secret message for Sima Yi. The messenger was taken into a private chamber, and his message was that Meng Da was on the point of rebellion. The leakage of this news was due to Li Fu, a confidential subordinate of Meng Da, and Deng Xian, Meng Da's nephew. Li Fu and Deng Xian went to confess the plot in exchange for a promise of amnesty.