But Fei Yi, Chair of the Secretariat, opposed any expedition, saying, “We have lately lost by death two trusty minister, Jiang Wan and Dong Yun, and there is no one left fit to take care of the government. The attempt should be postponed; no hasty move should be made.”
“Not so,” replied Jiang Wei. “Life is short. Our days flash by as the glint of a white horse across a chink in the door. We are waiting and waiting. Are we never to try to restore Han to its old glory?”
“Remember the saying of the wise Sun Zi: 'Know thyself and know thine enemy, then is victory sure.' We are not the equals of the late Prime Minister, and where he failed, are we likely to succeed?”
Jiang Wei said, “I would enlist the aid of the Qiangs. I have lived near them in Xizhou and know them well. With their help, even if we do not gain the whole empire, we can at least conquer and hold all west of Xizhou.”
The Latter Ruler here closed the discussion, saying, “Sir, as you desire to conquer Wei, do your best. I will not damp your enthusiasm.”
Thus the Latter Ruler's consent was given. Then Jiang Wei left the court and betook himself, with Xiahou Ba, into Hanzhong to prepare for a new expedition.
“We will first send an envoy to the Qiangs to make a league with them,” said Jiang Wei. “Then we will march out by the Xiping Pass to Yongzhou, where we will throw up two ramparts in Qushan in Qushan Mountains and garrison them. The position is a point of vantage. Then we will send supplies beyond the pass by land and waterways, and advance gradually, according to the plan devised by the late Prime Minister.”
In the autumn of the year (AD 249) they sent the two Shu generals, Li Xin and Gou An, with fifteen thousand troops, to construct the two ramparts in Qushan in Qushan Mountains, of which Gou An was to hold the eastern and Li Xin the western.
When the news reached Yongzhou, the Imperial Protector, Guo Huai, sent a report to Luoyang and also dispatched Chen Tai with a force of fifty thousand troops to oppose the troops of Shu. When that army
arrived, Li Xin and Gou An led their troops to meet it; but their armies were too weak to stand such a large force, and they once more retired into the city. Chen Tai ordered his army to lay siege and occupy the road that led to Hanzhong, so that supplies were cut off.
After some days, and when the soldiers of Shu began to feel the pinch of hunger, Guo Huai came to see what progress his general was making.
At sight of the position he rejoiced exceedingly, and when he returned to camp he said to Chen Tai, “In this high country the city must be short of water, which means that the besieged must come out for supplies. Let us cut off the streams that supply them, and they will perish of thirst.”
So the Wei soldiers were set to work to divert the streams above the city, and the besieged were soon distressed. Li Xin led out a strong force to try to seize the water sources and fought stubbornly, but was at length worsted and driven back within the walls. After that Li Xin and Gou An joined their forces and made another attempt to go out and fight. But the Yongzhou troops surrounded them, and a melee ensured until Li Xin and Gou An fought their way back to the city.
Meanwhile the soldiers were parched with thirst. Gou An discussed the circumstance with Li Xin, saying, “I do not understand the delay of Commander Jiang Wei's reinforcements.”
Li Xin said, “Let me try to fight my way out and get help.”
So the gates were opened, and Li Xin rode out with some twenty horsemen. These were opposed and had to fight every inch of the way, but eventually Li Xin won though severely wounded. All his followers had fallen.
That night a strong north wind brought a heavy fall of snow, and the besieged were thus temporarily relieved from the water famine. They melted the snow and prepared food.
Li Xin, severely wounded, made his way west along the hill paths. After two days he fell in with Jiang Wei.
He dismounted, prostrated himself, and told his story: “Qushan had been surrounded and cut off water supplies. By luck it snowed, and our soldiers were partly relieved. But the situation was very urgent.”
“The delay is not due to my slackness; the Qiang allies we depended upon have not come,” said Jiang Wei.
Jiang Wei sent an escort with the wounded Li Xin to conduct him to Chengdu, where his wounds could be treated.
Turning to Xiahou Ba, Jiang Wei asked, “The Qiangs do not come, and the Wei army is besieging Qushan; General, do you have any plan to propose?”
Xiahou Ba replied, “If we wait for the coming of the Qiangs, it looks as if we shall be too late to relieve Qushan. It is very probable that Yongzhou has been left undefended, wherefore I propose that you go toward Ox Head Hills and work round to the rear of Yongzhou, which will cause the Wei army to fall back to relieve Yongzhou and so relieve our force.”
“The plan appears excellent,” replied Jiang Wei. And he set out.
When Chen Tai knew that Li Xin had escaped, he said to his chief, “Now that this man has got out, he will tell Jiang Wei of the danger and Jiang Wei will conclude that our efforts are concentrated on the ramparts and will endeavor to attack our rear. Therefore I suggest, General, that you go to River Yao and stop the supplies of our enemies, while I go to the Ox Head Hills and smite them. They will retreat as soon as they know their supplies are threatened.”
So Guo Huai marched secretly to River Yao, while Chen Tai went to the hills.
When the Shu army led by Jiang Wei came near the Ox Head Hills, they heard a great shouting in front, and the scouts came in to report that the road was barred. Jiang Wei himself rode out to look.
“So you intended to attack Yongzhou, did you?” shouted Chen Tai. “But we know it and have been watching for you a long time.”
Jiang Wei rode forth to attack. Chen Tai advanced with a flourish of his sword, and they engaged. Chen Tai soon ran away. Then the soldiers of Shu came forward and fell on, driving the soldiers of Wei back to the summit of the hills. But they halted there, and Jiang Wei encamped at the foot of the hills, whence he challenged the enemy every day. But he could gain no victory.
Seeing no result after some days of this, Xiahou Ba said, “This is no place to remain in. We can get no victory and are tempting fate by remaining open to a surprise. I think we should retire till some better plan can be tried.”
Just then it was reported that the supplies road by River Yao was in the hands of Guo Huai, and it was imperative to retreat. Shocked with the news, Jiang Wei bade Xiahou Ba march away first, and he covered the retreat. Chen Tai pursued in five divisions along five different roads, but Jiang Wei got possession of the meeting point and held them all in check, finally forcing them back on the hills. But from this position Chen Tai ordered his troops to shoot heavy discharges of arrows and stones so that Jiang Wei was forced to abandon his position. He went to River Yao, where Guo Huai led his force out to attack. Jiang Wei went to and fro smiting where he could, but he was surrounded and only got out by a desperate effort and after suffering more than half of his force.
Jiang Wei hastened toward Yangping Pass, but fell in with another body of the enemy, at the head of which he saw a fierce, youthful leader, who at once rode out furiously to attack. This leader had a round face, long ears, and a square mouth with thick lips. Below his left eye was a large hairy mole. It was the elder son of Sima Yi. He was General of the Flying Cavalry, Sima Shi.
“Simpleton, how dare you stand in my way?” yelled Jiang Wei, as he rode forward with his spear set.
Sima Shi met the attack, and a few bouts were fought before Sima Shi fled. Jiang Wei came off victor and so was free to continue his way. Presently he reached the pass and was welcomed within its sheltering walls. Sima Shi soon followed and attacked the Pass after his arrival, but those within the ramparts replied with the multiple crossbows which threw ten bolts at each discharge. For the army of Shu had made these engines of war after the design left by Zhuge Liang.