And Jia Kui was reprieved; but he was not assigned any part in the campaign, and his troops were left in reserve. Cao Xiu himself went away to the East Pass.
When Zhou Fang heard that Jia Kui had been broken, he rejoiced in his heart, saying, “If Cao Xiu had attended to his words, then Wu would have lost. Heaven is good to me and is giving me the means of achieving great things.”
Then he sent a secret messenger to Huancheng, and Lu Xun knew that the time had come. He assembled the officers for orders.
Lu Xun said, “Shiding, lying over against us, is a hilly country fit for preparing an ambush. It will be occupied as suitable to array our army and await the coming of Wei. Xu Sheng is to be leader of the van, and the army will move there.”
Now Cao Xiu told Zhou Fang to lead the way for his attack. While on march, Cao Xiu asked, “What is the place lying ahead?”
Zhou Fang replied, “Shiding, a suitable place to camp in.”
So a great camp was made there. But soon after the scouts reported that a very large number of soldiers of Wu had occupied the hills. Cao Xiu began to feel alarmed.
“Zhou Fang said there were no soldiers; why these preparations?”
Cao Xiu hastily sought Zhou Fang to ask him, and was told he had gone away with a few riders, no one knew whither.
“I have been deceived and am in a trap,” said Cao Xiu, now very repentant of his easy confidence. “However, there is nothing to fear.”
Then he made his arrangements to march against the enemy, and when they were complete and the array drawn up, Zhang Pu, the leader of the van, rode out and began to rail at the men of Wu.
“Rebel leader, come and surrender!” cried Zhang Pu.
Then rode out Xu Sheng and fought with him. But Zhang Pu was no match for Xu Sheng, as was soon evident, wherefore he led his troops to retire.
“Xu Sheng is too strong,” said Zhang Pu when he saw Cao Xiu.
“Then will we defeat him by a surprise,” said Cao Xiu.
He sent Zhang Pu with twenty thousand troops to hide in the south of Shiding, while another equal party under Xue Qiao was sent north. And Cao Xiu arranged, saying, “Tomorrow I will lead a thousand soldiers to provoke the troops of Wu into battle, then I will feign defeat and lead them to the hills in the north, when a bomb will explode and a three-pronged ambush will bring us victory.”
On the other side Lu Xun called his two generals, Zhu Huan and Quan Zong, and said, “Each of you is to lead thirty thousand troops and take a cross cut from Shiding to the enemy's camp. Give a fire signal on arrival, and then the main army will advance.”
As evening fell these two moved out their troops, and by the middle of the second watch both had got close to the camp of Wei. Zhang Pu, Cao Xiu's general, who was there in ambush, did not recognize that the troops who approached him were enemies, but went as to meet friends and was at once slain by the blade of Zhu Huan. The soldiers of Wei then fled, and Zhu Huan lit his signal fires. Quan Zong, marching up, came across the northern ambush under Xue Qiao. Quan Zong began a battle at once, and the troops of Wei were soon put to flight. Both the armies of Wu pursued, and confusion reigned in Cao Xiu's camp, troops fighting with others of their own side and slaying each other.
Cao Xiu despaired and fled toward Jiashi. Xu Sheng, with a strong force, came along the high road and attacked. And the soldiers of Wei killed were very many. Those who escaped did so by abandoning all their armors.
Cao Xiu was in straits, but he struggled along the Jiashi Road. Here came a cohort into the road from the side. It was led by Jia Kui. Cao Xiu's alarm gave place to shame on meeting Jia Kui.
“I took no notice of what you said, and so this evil came upon me,” said he.
Jia Kui replied, “Sir, you should quickly get out of this road; for if the troops of Wu block it, we shall be in grave danger.”
So Cao Xiu hastened, while Jia Kui protected his retreat. And Jia Kui ordered his soldiers to set flags and banners up among trees and in thickets and along by-paths, so as to give an impression of having many men posted all round. Wherefore when Xu Sheng came in pursuit, he thought the country was full of ambushing men and dared not proceed far. So he gave up the pursuit and retired.
By these means Cao Xiu was rescued, and finally Sima Yi withdrew his army upon the news of Cao Xiu's defeat.
In the meantime, Lu Xun was awaiting news of victory. Soon Xu Sheng, Zhu Huan, and Quan Zong came and reported their successes, and they brought great spoil of carts and bullocks, horses and mules and military material and weapons. And they had also ten thousand prisoners. There was great rejoicing, and Lu Xun with Zhou Fang led the army home into Wu.
On their return Sun Quan, the Prince of Wu, came out with a numerous cortege of officers to welcome the victors, and an imperial umbrella was borne over the head of Lu Xun as they wended their way homeward.
When the officers presented their felicitations, Sun Quan noticed that Zhou Fang had no hair, and Sun Quan was very gracious to him, saying, “This deed of yours, and the sacrifice you made to attain it, will surely be written in the histories.”
He made Zhou Fang the Lord of the Gate Within. Then there were great feastings and greetings and much revelry.
Lu Xun said, “Cao Xiu has been thoroughly beaten, and the soldiers of Wei are cowed. I think now is an occasion to send letters into Shu to advise Zhuge Liang to attack Wei.”
Sun Quan agreed, and letters were sent.
The east, successful in one fight,
Would unto war the west incite.
The next chapter will say if Zhuge Liang once more tried to overcome Wei.
CHAPTER 97. Sending A Second Memorial, Zhuge Liang Renews The Attack On Wei; Forging A Letter, Jiang Wei Defeats The Northern Army.
It was in the autumn of the sixth year of Beginning Prosperity (AD 229) that the Wei army was defeated, with very great loss, by Lu Xun of Wu. Cao Xiu's mortification brought on an illness from which he died in Luoyang. By command of Cao Rui, the Ruler of Wei, Cao Xiu received most honorable burial.
Then Sima Yi brought the army home again. The other officers went to welcome him and asked, “The defeat of Commander Cao Xiu is also partly yours. Why, O General, did you hurry home?”
Sima Yi replied, “I came for reasons of strategy, because of Zhuge Liang's probable intentions. If he knows I have suffered a defeat, he may try to attack Changan. The whole west would be helpless if I did not return.”
They listened and smiled; for they thought he was afraid.
Letters from Wu came to Shu proposing a joint attack on Wei and detailing their recent victory. In these letters two feelings were gratified — that of telling the story of their own grandeur and prowess, and furthering the design of a treaty of peace. The Latter Ruler was pleased and sent the letters to Zhuge Liang in Hanzhong.
At that time the army was in excellent state, the soldiers hardy, the horses strong. There were plentiful supplies of all kinds. Zhuge Liang was just going to propose a new war.
On receipt of the letter he made a great banquet to discuss an expedition. A severe gale came on from the northeast and brought down a fir tree in front of the general's shelter. It was an inauspicious omen to all the officers, and they were troubled.
Zhuge Liang cast lots to know what portent was intended, and announced, “That gale signals the loss of a great leader.”
They hardly believed him. But before the banquet ended, two sons of Zhao Yun, Zhao Tong and Zhao Guang, came and wished to see the Prime Minister.