“If you are determined to camp on the hill, then give me part of the force to camp there on the west so that I can support you in case the enemy come.” But Ma Su refused. Just then a lot of the inhabitants of the hills came running along saying that the Wei soldiers had come.
Wang Ping was still bent on going his own way, and so Ma Su said to him, “Since you will not obey me, I will give you five thousand troops and you can go and make your own camp; but when I report my success to the Prime Minister, you shall have no share of the merit.”
Wang Ping marched about three miles from the hill and made his camp. He drew a plan of the place and sent it quickly to Zhuge Liang with a report that Ma Su had camped on the hill.
Before Sima Yi marched, he sent his younger son to reconnoiter the road and to find out whether Jieting had a garrison. Sima Zhao had returned with the information that there was a garrison.
“Zhuge Liang is rather more than human,” said his father regretfully when Sima Zhao gave in his report. “He is too much for me.”
“Why are you despondent, Father? I think Jieting is not so difficult to take.”
“How dare you utter such bold words?”
“Because I have seen. There is no camp on the road, but the enemy are camped on the hill.”
This was glad news.
“If they are on the hill, then Heaven means a victory for me,” said his father.
At night Sima Yi changed into another dress, took a small escort, and rode out to see for himself. The moon shone brilliantly, and he rode to the hill whereon was the camp and looked all round it, thoroughly reconnoitering the neighborhood. Ma Su saw him, but only laughed.
“If Sima Yi has any luck, he will not try to surround this hill,” said he.
Ma Su issued an order to his generals: “In case the enemy come, you are to look to the summit for a signal with a red flag, when you shall rush down on all sides.”
Sima Yi returned to his camp and sent out to inquire who commanded in Jieting. They told him Ma Su, brother of Ma Liang.
“A man of false reputation and very ordinary ability,” said Sima Yi. “If Zhuge Liang uses such as Ma Su, he will fail.”
Then he asked if there were any other camps near the place, and they told him Wang Ping was about three miles off. Wherefore Zhang He was ordered to go and check Wang Ping from coming to rescue.
This done, Sima Yi ordered Shen Yi and Shen Dan to surround the hill and to block the road to the water supply. Lack of water would cause a mutiny; and when that occurred, it would be time to attack. Zhang He marched out and placed himself between Wang Ping and the hill. Then Sima Yi led the main body to attack the hill on all sides.
From the summit of his hill, Ma Su could see the banners of his enemy all round, and the country about was full of soldiers. Presently the hemming in was complete, and the soldiers of Shu became dejected. They dared not descend to attack although Ma Su hoisted the red flag signaling for them to move. The generals stood huddled together, no one daring to go first. Ma Su was furious. He cut down two generals, which frightened the others to the point of descending and making one desperate rush. But the troops of Wei would stand firm against their attack, and they reascended the hill.
Ma Su saw that matters were going ill, so he issued orders to bar the gates and defend till help should come from outside.
When Wang Ping saw the hill surrounded, he started to go to the rescue, but Zhang He checked him, and after exchanging some ten encounters Wang Ping was compelled to retire whence he had come.
The Wei troops kept a close siege. The Shu soldiers in the hill camp, having no water, were unable to prepare food, and disorder broke out. The shouting was audible at the foot of the hill and went on far into the night. The soldiers on the south side got out of hand, opened the gates and surrendered. The men of Wei went round the hill setting fire to the wood, which led to still greater confusion in the beleaguered garrison. At last Ma Su decided to make a dash for safety toward the west.
Sima Yi allowed him to pass, but Zhang He was sent to pursue and chased him for ten miles. But then there came an unexpected roll of drums. Zhang He was stopped by Wei Yan while Ma Su got past. Whirling up his sword, Wei Yan dashed toward Zhang He, who retired within his ranks and fled. Wei Yan followed and drove Zhang He backward toward Jieting.
The pursuit continued for fifteen miles, and then Wei Yan found himself in an ambush, Sima Yi on one side and Sima Zhao on the other. They went around the hill and closed in behind Wei Yan, and he was surrounded. Zhang He then turned back, and the attack was now on three sides. Wei Yan lost many troops, and all his efforts failed to get him clear of the press. Then help appeared in the person of Wang Ping.
“This is life for me,” said Wei Yan as he saw Wang Ping coming up, and the two forces joined in a new attack on the force of Wei. So the troops of Wei drew off, while Wei Yan and Wang Ping made all haste back to their own camps — only to find them in the hands of the enemy.
Shen Yi and Shen Dan then rushed out and drove Wei Yan and Wang Ping to Liliu. There they were received by Gao Xiang who had come out to meet his unfortunate colleagues.
When Gao Xiang heard their story, he at once proposed a night attack on the Wei camp and the recovery of Jieting. They talked this over on the hillside and arranged their plans, after which they set themselves to wait till it was dark enough to start.
They set out along three roads; and Wei Yan was the first to reach Jieting. Not a soldier was visible, which looked suspicious. He decided to await the arrival of Gao Xiang, and they both speculated as to the whereabouts of their enemy. They could find no trace, and the third army under Wang Ping had not yet come up.
Suddenly a bomb exploded, and a brilliant flash lit up the sky; drums rolled as though the earth was rending, and the enemy appeared. In a trice the armies of Shu found themselves hemmed in. Both Wei Yan and Gao Xiang pushed here and shoved there, but could find no way out. Then most opportunely from behind a hill rolled out a thunder of drums, and there was Wang Ping coming to their rescue. Then the three forced their way to Liliu. But just as they drew near to the rampart, another body of soldiers came up, which, from the writing on their flags, they read “Wei Commander Guo Huai”.
Now Guo Huai had talked over Sima Yi's recall with his colleague Cao Zhen, and, fearing lest the recalled general should acquire too great glory, Guo Huai had set out to anticipate him in the capture of Jieting. Disappointed when he heard of Sima Yi's success there, he had decided to try a similar exploit at Liliu. So he had diverted his march thither.
He engaged the three Shu armies at once and slew so many of them that at Wei Yan's suggestion they all left for Yangping Pass, which might be in danger.
Guo Huai, pleased with his success, gathered in his army after the victory and said to his officers, “I was disappointed at Jieting, but we have taken this place, and that is merit of high order.”
Thereupon he proceeded to the city gates. Just as he arrived, a bomb exploded on the wall, and, looking up, he saw the rampart bedecked with flags. On the largest banner he read the characters “Sima Yi, General Who Pacifies the West”. At that moment Sima Yi himself lifted a board that hung in front of him and looked over the breast-high rail.
He looked down and smiled, saying, “How late you are, friend Guo Huai!”
Guo Huai was amazed. “He is too much for me,” said he.
So Guo Huai resignedly entered the city and went to pay his respects to his successful rival.
Sima Yi was gracious, and said, “Zhuge Liang must retire now that Jieting is lost. You join forces with Cao Zhen and follow up quickly.”