Chapter 100

Chapter 100

When the generals learned that Kongming was not pursuing the Wei army, they all went into his tent and reported, "The Wei soldiers, suffering from the heavy rain, could not encamp and have therefore withdrawn. This is the perfect opportunity to pursue them with advantage. Why does the Prime Minister not pursue?" Kongming said, "Sima Yi is skilled in the use of troops. Now that his army is retreating, there must be an ambush. If I pursue them, I would fall right into his scheme. Better to let him go far away. I shall instead send forces by way of Xie Valley to seize Qishan, so that the men of Wei will be taken off guard." The generals said, "There are other roads to the lands of Chang'an. Why does the Prime Minister insist on taking Qishan alone?" Kongming said, "Qishan is the gateway to Chang'an. If troops from the western Longyou region come, they must pass through this place. Moreover, it faces the Wei River in front and leans against Xie Valley behind, with exits to the left and entrances to the right—ideal ground for ambushes. It is truly a place fit for military operations. That is why I wish to seize it first, to gain the advantage of terrain." All the generals bowed in admiration.

Kongming then ordered Wei Yan, Zhang Ni, Du Qiong, and Chen Shi to advance through Jigu Valley; Ma Dai, Wang Ping, Zhang Yi, and Ma Zhong to advance through Xie Valley; all were to converge at Qishan. The dispositions having been made, Kongming himself led the main army, with Guan Xing and Liao Hua as the vanguard, and set out in their wake.

Now Cao Zhen and Sima Yi, who had been supervising the rear of the army, sent a detachment along the old road to Chencang to scout. They reported that no Shu soldiers were coming. After another ten days had passed, the troops who had been lying in ambush in the rear all returned, reporting that there was no trace whatsoever of the Shu army. Cao Zhen said, "With the continuous autumn rains and the plank roads cut off, how could the men of Shu know we have withdrawn?" Sima Yi said, "The Shu forces will be coming after us." Cao Zhen said, "How do you know?" Sima Yi said, "For several days it has been clear and bright, yet the Shu soldiers have not pursued us. They must surmise that we have set an ambush and so are allowing our forces to go far away. Once our troops have all passed, they will seize Qishan." Cao Zhen did not believe him. Sima Yi said, "Zidan, why do you not believe me? I reckon that Kongming will certainly come through the two valleys. Let you and I each guard one valley mouth. Let us set a period of ten days. If no Shu soldiers come, I shall paint my face red, dress in women's clothing, and come to camp to plead my guilt." Cao Zhen said, "If Shu soldiers do come, I will give you the jade belt bestowed by the Emperor and a horse from the imperial stable." They then divided their forces into two routes: Cao Zhen led his troops to encamp west of Qishan, at the mouth of Xie Valley; Sima Yi led his army to encamp east of Qishan, at the mouth of Jigu Valley.

After each had established his camp, Sima Yi first led a detachment to lie concealed in the valley; the remaining troops were stationed along the key roads. Sima Yi changed his attire and mingled among the common soldiers as he inspected the various encampments. He came to a certain camp where a lieutenant general was looking up at the sky and complaining, "We endured the heavy rain for so long and were not allowed to return. Now we are stationed here again, all for some foolish wager. Is this not hard on the officers and men?" Upon hearing this, Sima Yi returned to his camp, ascended his command tent, and assembled all the generals before him. He had the officer brought forward and rebuked him, saying, "The court maintains its troops for a thousand days to use them in a single hour. How dare you utter words of complaint to undermine morale?" The man did not confess. Sima Yi called out his fellow soldiers to testify against him, and the lieutenant could no longer deny it. Sima Yi said, "I am not engaged in a wager. I wish to defeat the Shu soldiers so that each of you may return to court with merit. Yet you dared to speak recklessly and bring punishment upon yourself!" He ordered the guards to lead the man out and behead him. In moments, his head was presented in the tent. The generals were all struck with terror. Sima Yi said, "All of you must devote your full hearts to guarding against the Shu soldiers. When you hear the cannon fire from my central camp, advance on every side." The generals received their orders and withdrew.

Now Wei Yan, Zhang Ni, Chen Shi, and Du Qiong, the four generals, led twenty thousand troops and advanced through Jigu Valley. As they marched, it was suddenly reported that the advisor Deng Zhi had arrived. The four generals asked the reason. Deng Zhi said, "The Prime Minister has issued orders: when advancing through Jigu Valley, guard against Wei ambushes and do not advance rashly." Chen Shi said, "Why is the Prime Minister so full of doubts in his use of troops? I reckon that the Wei soldiers, having suffered continuous rains, have had their armor and clothing ruined and must be hurrying home. How could there be any ambush? If our forces advance with doubled speed, we can win a great victory. Why does he now tell us not to advance?" Deng Zhi said, "The Prime Minister's calculations are never wrong, his strategies never fail. How dare you disobey his orders?" Chen Shi laughed and said, "If the Prime Minister's strategies were truly so brilliant, we would not have lost Jieting!" Wei Yan, recalling that Kongming had not heeded his counsel in the past, also laughed and said, "If the Prime Minister had listened to my words and advanced directly through Ziwu Valley, we would have taken not only Chang'an by now—we would have taken Luoyang as well! Now he insists on going through Qishan. What good does it do? He orders us to advance and then tells us not to advance—how unclear his commands are!" Chen Shi said, "I have five thousand troops of my own. I will go straight out through Jigu Valley and be the first to establish camp at the foot of Qishan. Let us see if the Prime Minister feels shame!" Deng Zhi tried again and again to dissuade him, but Chen Shi would not listen. He led his five thousand troops out through Jigu Valley on his own. Deng Zhi had no choice but to send a swift report to Kongming.

Now Chen Shi led his troops forward no more than a few miles when suddenly a cannon was fired and ambushes emerged on all sides. Chen Shi tried to retreat, but the Wei soldiers filled the valley mouth, surrounding them as tightly as an iron bucket. Chen Shi charged left and right but could not break free. Then a great shout arose and a force burst through—it was Wei Yan, who rescued Chen Shi and brought him back to the valley. Of the five thousand troops, only four or five hundred wounded men remained. The Wei soldiers pressed in pursuit, but Du Qiong and Zhang Ni came with troops to meet them, and the Wei forces then withdrew. Only then did Chen Shi and Wei Yan believe in Kongming's foresight as though it were divine, and their regret came too late.

Now let us continue the tale. When Deng Zhi returned to see Kongming, he spoke of Wei Yan and Chen Shi's disrespectful conduct. Kongming smiled and said, "Wei Yan has long borne the marks of rebellion. I know he has always harbored feelings of resentment. I employ him only because I value his courage. In time, he will surely bring disaster upon us."

Even as he spoke, a swift messenger arrived with news that Chen Shi had lost over four thousand men, with only four or five hundred wounded soldiers remaining, encamped in the valley. Kongming ordered Deng Zhi to go to Jigu Valley once more to comfort Chen Shi and guard against any mutiny. At the same time, he summoned Ma Dai and Wang Ping and instructed them: "If Wei troops are guarding Xie Valley, take your forces over the mountain ridges, traveling by night and lying hidden by day, and swiftly emerge to the left of Qishan. Light a fire as our signal."

He then summoned Ma Zhong and Zhang Yi and instructed them: "You are also to take the mountain paths, lying hidden by day and traveling by night, and emerge directly to the right of Qishan. Light a fire as our signal. Join forces with Ma Dai and Wang Ping, and together we shall raid Cao Zhen's camp. I myself will attack from three sides through the valley, and the Wei army can be defeated."

The four generals received their orders and led their troops away separately. Kongming then summoned Guan Xing and Liao Hua and gave them their instructions: "Do thus and so." The two received their secret orders and led their troops away. Kongming himself led his elite forces, traveling at double speed. As he marched, he summoned Wu Ban and Wu Yi and gave them secret orders as well; they too led their troops ahead.

Now let us speak of Cao Zhen. In his heart he did not believe the Shu army would come, and so he grew lax, allowing his soldiers to rest. He intended simply to wait ten days without incident, so as to shame Sima Yi. Before he knew it, seven days had passed. Suddenly someone reported that small groups of Shu soldiers were emerging from the valley. Zhen ordered his deputy general Qin Liang to take five thousand troops on reconnaissance, and forbade him to let the Shu troops approach too close. Qin Liang received his orders and had just entered the valley when he scouted the Shu soldiers retreating. Liang hastily gave chase, advancing fifty or sixty li, but saw no sign of the Shu forces. Growing suspicious, he ordered his men to dismount and rest.

Suddenly a scout reported: "There are Shu soldiers lying in ambush ahead." Liang mounted his horse and saw great clouds of dust rising from the mountains. He quickly ordered his men to be on guard. In no time, shouts erupted from all sides: in front, Wu Ban and Wu Yi charged out with their troops; from behind, Guan Xing and Liao Hua led their soldiers in attack. Mountains flanked them on both sides, and there was no road of escape. Shu soldiers on the mountains shouted: "Dismount and surrender, and your lives will be spared!" The greater part of the Wei army surrendered. Qin Liang fought desperately, but Liao Hua cut him down with a single stroke of his blade from horseback.

Kongming had the surrendered soldiers confined to the rear camp. He then dressed five thousand Shu soldiers in the armor and clothing of the Wei troops, disguising them as Wei soldiers, and ordered Guan Xing, Liao Hua, Wu Ban, and Wu Yi—the four generals—to lead them directly to Cao Zhen's camp. He first sent a messenger ahead to enter the camp and report: "There were only some small Shu soldiers; they have all been driven away." Cao Zhen was overjoyed.

Then it was reported that Sima Yi, the Commander-in-Chief, had sent a trusted aide. Zhen had him brought in and questioned him. The man reported: "The Shu troops have used an ambush and killed over four thousand Wei soldiers. Commander Sima sends his respects to the general and instructs you not to dwell on your wager, but to be vigilant and prepared." Zhen said, "Not a single Shu soldier has come near here." He then dismissed the messenger.

Then it was reported that Qin Liang was leading his troops back. Zhen went out from his tent to greet him. But before Liang reached the camp, word came that fires had broken out in two places, front and rear. Zhen hurried back to look, and saw Guan Xing, Liao Hua, Wu Ban, and Wu Yi leading Shu soldiers, charging straight into the camp from the front. Ma Dai and Wang Ping attacked from behind. Ma Zhong and Zhang Yi also led their troops in. The Wei soldiers, caught unprepared, fled for their lives. The generals protected Cao Zhen as they fled eastward, with the Shu soldiers in pursuit.

As Cao Zhen fled, suddenly there was a great clamor, and a force of soldiers burst upon them. Zhen was terrified. When he looked, it was Sima Yi. Yi fought a great battle, and only then did the Shu troops withdraw. Zhen escaped, overcome with shame. Yi said, "Zhuge Liang has seized the strategic ground at Qishan. We cannot remain here long. We should go to the banks of the Wei River and make camp, then devise a new plan." Zhen said, "How did you know I had suffered such a great defeat?" Yi replied: "I heard the messenger report that Zidan said not a single Shu soldier was present. I surmised that Kongming had come in secret to raid your camp. That is why I came to meet you. And indeed, the ruse succeeded. Say no more about the wager—let us unite our hearts in service to the state."

Cao Zhen was deeply mortified and fell ill, taking to his bed. The army was encamped by the Wei River. Yi feared the soldiers' morale would collapse and did not dare let Zhen lead them.

Meanwhile, Kongming drove his forces forward in great strength and once more emerged at Qishan. After rewarding the troops, four generals—Wei Yan, Chen Shi, Du Qiong, and Zhang Ni—entered the tent, prostrated themselves, and begged for punishment. Kongming said, "Who was it that lost the army?" Wei Yan said, "Chen Shi disobeyed orders and advanced into the valley mouth, and thus we suffered this great defeat." Chen Shi said: "It was Wei Yan who instructed me to do this." Kongming said: "He tried to save you, and yet you drag him down instead! The command has already been violated—there is no point in clever excuses!" He ordered the guards to seize Chen Shi and execute him. In a short while, his head was hung before the tent as a warning to all the generals. Kongming did not kill Wei Yan at this time, wishing to keep him for future use.

After Kongming had executed Chen Shi, he was just discussing the advance when a spy reported that Cao Zhen was gravely ill and confined to his bed, being treated in his camp. Kongming was overjoyed. He said to his generals, "If Cao Zhen's illness were mild, he would certainly have returned to Chang'an. The fact that the Wei army has not withdrawn means his illness must be severe, and so he remains among the troops to reassure the men. I shall write a letter and have it delivered to Cao Zhen by the surrendered soldiers under Qin Liang. When he reads it, he will surely die."

He summoned the surrendered soldiers to his tent and said, "You are all Wei soldiers, and your parents, wives, and children are mostly in the Central Plains. You should not remain long in Shu. What if I were to send you home?" The soldiers wept and kowtowed in gratitude. Kongming said: "Cao Zidan and I had an agreement. I have a letter here. Take it back and deliver it to Zidan—there will be a great reward."

The Wei soldiers took the letter and fled back to their own camp, where they presented Kongming's letter to Cao Zhen. Zhen, though ill, rose from his bed and broke the seal to read it. The letter read:

Zhuge Liang, Chancellor of Han and Marquis of Wuxiang, sends this letter to Grand Marshal Cao Zidan: I humbly say that the one who serves as a general must be able to retreat and to advance, to yield and to be firm; to press forward and to fall back, to show weakness and to show strength. He must be immovable as the mountains and hills, unfathomable as yin and yang; boundless as heaven and earth, full as the Great Granary; vast as the four seas, dazzling as the three luminaries. He must foresee the droughts and floods of the heavens, and recognize in advance the level and treacherous terrain of the earth. He must perceive the opportune moments of battle formations and gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy. Alas, you ignorant and unworthy youth who defy the heavens above! You aid a rebel who has usurped the throne and proclaim an imperial title at Luoyang. Your broken troops flee through Xiegu, and you are plagued by torrential rains at Chencang! Both by water and by land you are in dire straits, your men and horses are thrown into chaos! Spears and armor are strewn across the outskirts, swords and spears lie abandoned across the fields! Your commanders' hearts shatter and their courage breaks; your generals scurry like rats and scramble like wolves! You have no face to meet the elders of Guanzhong, nor any countenance to enter the halls of the chancellor's residence! The historians' brushes will record it, and the mouths of the common people will spread it far and wide: Sima Yi trembles upon hearing of your formations, and Zidan panics at the mere sight of our approach! Our army has mighty soldiers and powerful horses, our great generals advance with the ferocity of tigers and the soaring of dragons! We shall sweep the Qin plains as flat as a level plain, and raze the state of Wei to a barren wasteland!

Cao Zhen finished reading the letter, his chest brimming with rage, and died that evening in his camp. Sima Yi placed him in a war carriage and sent men to escort him to Luoyang for burial. When the Ruler of Wei learned that Cao Zhen had died, he at once issued an edict urging Sima Yi to take the field. Yi led forth his great army to engage Kongming, and on the following day first sent a challenge to battle.

Kongming said to his generals, "Cao Zhen shall surely die." He then wrote on the challenge that they would engage the next day, and the messenger departed. That very night Kongming instructed Jiang Wei to receive secret orders and act accordingly; he also summoned Guan Xing and gave him his instructions. The next day, Kongming led forth all the troops of Qishan to the banks of the Wei River: on one side was the river, on the other a mountain, and in the center a broad and level plain—an excellent battlefield! The two armies faced each other, and arrows were shot to mark the corners of the formations. After three rolls of the drum, from where the gate-banners opened in the Wei formation, Sima Yi rode out, with the generals following behind. There they saw Kongming seated upon a four-wheeled chariot, a feather fan in hand. Yi said, "Our lord in emulation of Yao, who yielded to Shun, has received the throne passed down through two emperors, and sits in firm possession of the Central Plains. That he tolerates your two states of Shu and Wu is due solely to our lord's magnanimity and benevolent compassion, for he fears to bring harm to the common people. You are but a plowman from Nanyang who does not understand the will of Heaven, yet you stubbornly insist on encroaching upon us—by all rights you ought to be wiped out! If you would but reflect and mend your ways, you should withdraw at once, each to guard his own borders, so that the tripod may stand firm and the people be spared from suffering, and all of you may preserve your lives!" Kongming smiled and said, "I received the dying emperor's solemn charge to care for his orphan. How could I fail to devote every ounce of my heart and strength to punish the traitors? The Cao house shall soon be destroyed by Han. Your grandfathers were all ministers of Han, who for generations received the stipends of Han. Yet instead of repaying that kindness, they aided the usurpers—are they not ashamed of themselves?" Sima Yi, flushed with shame from brow to chin, said, "Let us settle this once and for all! If you can defeat me, I swear I shall never again serve as a general! If you are defeated, return early to your homeland, and I shall not harm you!"

Kongming said, "Do you wish to contest by single combat of generals, by pitched battle of troops, or by the test of formations?" Yi said, "First let us test formations." Kongming said, "Deploy your formation first for me to see." Yi entered the central command tent, waved his yellow banner, and the left and right divisions moved into position, forming a single formation. He then mounted his horse again and rode out from the formation, asking, "Do you recognize my formation?" Kongming smiled and said: "Even the humblest officer in my army could deploy this! This is the 'Primordial Unity Formation.'" Yi said, "Let me see your formation then." Kongming entered his formation, gave a wave of his feather fan, and rode out again to the front, asking, "Do you recognize my formation?" Yi said: "This is merely the 'Eight Trigrams Formation'—how could I not recognize it!" Kongming said: "You recognize it, well and good. But dare you attack it?" Yi said: "Since I recognize it, how dare I not attack it!" Kongming said: "Then attack as you will."

Sima Yi returned to his own formation and summoned the three generals Dai Ling, Zhang Hu, and Yue Lin, instructing them: "Now the formation deployed by Zhuge Liang is arranged according to the eight gates: Rest, Life, Harm, Block, View, Death, Surprise, and Open. The three of you are to enter through the Life Gate in the east, charge out through the Rest Gate in the southwest, and then re-enter through the Open Gate in the north: this formation can then be broken. Take care!" And so Dai Ling took the center, Zhang Hu led the van, and Yue Lin brought up the rear, each leading thirty riders, and they entered through the Life Gate. Both armies raised shouts to aid them. The three men charged into the Shu formation, and they saw that the formation was layered like linked walls—they could not break through. In alarm, the three men turned their horses and rushed toward the southwest, but they were pinned down by Shu archers and could not force their way out. Within the formation, layer upon layer, there were gates everywhere—how could they tell east from west or south from north? The three generals could not keep sight of one another, but only charged about at random, seeing nothing but gloomy clouds of sorrow and dense mists of misery. Where the shouting arose, the Wei soldiers one and all were bound and sent to the central army.

Kongming sat in his tent, with Zhang Hu, Dai Ling, Yue Lin, and ninety of his men all bound below. Kongming smiled and said: "Though I have captured you, it is nothing remarkable! I shall release you to return to Sima Yi, and let him read his books of war again and review his strategies. Then let him come and settle the contest with me—it will not be too late. Since I spare your lives, you shall leave your weapons and warhorses." He then stripped the armor from all of them, smeared their faces with black ink, and sent them on foot out from the formation. Sima Yi was filled with fury when he saw this, and turning to his generals said, "To have our fighting spirit so humiliated—what face do we have to return before the ministers of the Central Plains?" At once he commanded the three divisions to fight desperately to seize the formation. Yi himself drew his sword, led over a hundred valiant generals, and urged the charge. The two armies had only just joined when suddenly drums and horns sounded together from behind the formation, and the shouting rose to a thunderous roar. A force of troops came charging from the southwest: it was Guan Xing! Yi detached his rear division to meet them and again drove his troops forward to fight. Then suddenly the Wei soldiers fell into great disorder. It was because Jiang Wei had led a force in stealthily to attack. The Shu troops assaulted from three sides, and Yi, greatly alarmed, hastily withdrew his army. The Shu soldiers closed in from all sides, and Yi led his three divisions to break desperately toward the south. The Wei army suffered sixty or seventy percent casualties. Sima Yi withdrew to the southern bank of the Wei River and made camp there, defending firmly and not coming out.

Zhuge Liang gathered his victorious troops and returned to Mount Qi, where Li Yan, stationed at Yongan City, sent an officer named Gou An with a supply of grain to deliver to the army. Gou An was fond of wine and had dawdled along the way, exceeding the deadline by ten days. Zhuge Liang was furious and declared, "In my army, provisions are of paramount importance. A delay of three days warrants execution! You have delayed ten days—what excuse do you have?" He ordered the guards to drag him out and behead him. Chief Clerk Yang Yi interjected, "Gou An is a man appointed by Li Yan, and moreover, most of our provisions come from Xichuan. If you kill this man, no one will dare to deliver grain in the future." Zhuge Liang then commanded the guards to remove his bonds, and instead had him flogged eighty times before releasing him. Gou An nursed a grievance from this punishment and, that very night, led five or six of his personal riders straight to the Wei camp to surrender. Sima Yi summoned him in, and Gou An kowtowed and recounted what had happened. Sima Yi said, "Even so, Zhuge Liang is full of stratagems, and your words are hard to believe. If you can accomplish a great deed for me, I will then petition the Son of Heaven to guarantee you a general's rank." Gou An said, "Whatever the task, I shall give my all." Sima Yi said, "You may return to Chengdu and spread rumors that Zhuge Liang harbors resentment toward his sovereign and intends to declare himself emperor before long. If you can cause your lord to recall Zhuge Liang by edict, that will be your merit."

Gou An agreed and made his way straight back to Chengdu. He met with the eunuchs and spread the rumors that Zhuge Liang, relying on his great achievements, would inevitably usurp the state before long. The eunuchs were greatly alarmed and went at once into the inner court to report this to the Emperor, recounting the matter in detail. The Second Emperor was astonished and said, "If this is so, what is to be done?" The eunuchs said, "Issue an edict recalling him to Chengdu, strip him of his military authority, and thereby avert rebellion." The Second Emperor issued an edict summoning Zhuge Liang to return with his army. Jiang Wan stepped forward from the court and said, "Since the Chancellor took the field, he has achieved merit upon merit. Why summon him back?" The Second Emperor said, "I have a confidential matter that I must discuss with the Chancellor in person." He then dispatched a messenger bearing the edict, instructing him to ride day and night to summon Zhuge Liang back.

The messenger went straight to the main camp at Mount Qi. Zhuge Liang received him, accepted the edict, and then looked up to heaven with a sigh. "The Emperor is young, and there must be flatterers at his side! I was just on the point of achieving great things—why am I recalled? If I do not return, I would be deceiving my sovereign. Yet if I obey the order and withdraw, such an opportunity will not come again in the future." Jiang Wei asked, "If the army withdraws, and Sima Yi seizes the moment to pursue and attack us, what then?" Zhuge Liang said, "When I withdraw the army now, I shall divide it into five columns. Today we shall first evacuate this camp. Suppose there were a thousand soldiers in the camp—we shall dig two thousand cooking stoves. Tomorrow we shall dig three thousand stoves, and the day after four thousand. Each day we withdraw, we shall add more stoves as we go." Yang Yi said, "In the past, Sun Bin captured Pang Juan by adding troops while reducing the number of stoves. Now, as the Chancellor withdraws, why do you increase the stoves instead?" Zhuge Liang said, "Sima Yi is skilled in the use of troops. When he learns that I am withdrawing, he will certainly pursue. But he suspects I may have laid an ambush, so he will go to the old camp to count the stoves. Seeing that the number increases each day and being uncertain whether the troops have withdrawn or not, he will hesitate and dare not pursue. I shall withdraw gradually, and there will be no loss of soldiers." He then gave the order to retreat.

Now, Sima Yi had calculated that Gou An's scheme was in place and was simply waiting for the Shu troops to withdraw before launching a combined attack. While he was deliberating, a sudden report came that the Shu camp was empty and all the men and horses had left. Because Sima Yi knew Zhuge Liang was full of stratagems, he dared not pursue rashly. He personally led over a hundred riders to the Shu camp to inspect it and ordered his soldiers to count the stoves, then returned to his own camp. The next day, he again ordered soldiers to hasten to that camp and tally the number of stoves. They reported back, "The number of stoves in this camp has increased by a portion compared to before." Sima Yi said to his generals, "I reckoned that Zhuge Liang was full of stratagems, and indeed he has added troops and increased the stoves. If I pursue him, I will surely fall into his trap. We had better withdraw for now and devise a better plan." And so he turned back his army and did not pursue. Zhuge Liang returned toward Chengdu without losing a single man. Later, a native of the Sichuan passes reported to Sima Yi that when Zhuge Liang withdrew his troops, there had been no addition of soldiers—only an increase in stoves. Sima Yi looked up to heaven and said with a long sigh, "Zhuge Liang has employed the method of Yu Xu and deceived me! In strategy and planning, I am no match for him!" He then led his great army back to Luoyang. Truly:

When chess meets its equal, victory is hard to achieve;

A general surpassing worthy talent dare not grow arrogant.

It remains to be seen what happened when Zhuge Liang returned to Chengdu. Read on in the following chapter.