Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Now it must be told that Cao Cao launched his western campaign, dividing his forces into three columns: Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He led the vanguard; Cao Cao himself commanded the main body with the other generals; and Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun brought up the rear, escorting the provisions. Spies soon carried the news into Hanzhong. Zhang Lu and his younger brother Zhang Wei deliberated on a plan to repel the enemy. Zhang Wei said, "Nowhere in Hanzhong is more strategic than Yangping Pass. On both sides of the pass, amid the mountains and forests, you can build over a dozen stockades to meet Cao Cao's troops. Brother, from Han Ning, send ample supplies to support them."

Zhang Lu followed this counsel and dispatched his generals Yang Ang and Yang Ren, who set out that very day with his brother. The army reached Yangping Pass and established their camps. Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He arrived shortly after with the vanguard and, learning that Yangping Pass was already fortified, made camp fifteen li from the pass. That night the soldiers, exhausted from the march, rested. Suddenly a fire broke out behind the camp, and Yang Ang and Yang Ren attacked from two directions to raid the stockade. Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He scrambled onto their horses, but soldiers poured in from all sides, and the Cao army was routed. They retreated to report to Cao Cao. Cao Cao said angrily, "You two have campaigned for many years. Do you not know that 'when troops march far and grow weary, you must guard against raids'? How could you have made no preparations?" He wished to execute them to enforce military law, but the other officers pleaded for mercy.

The next day Cao Cao personally led the vanguard. Seeing the treacherous mountain terrain and dense thickets, with no clear paths and fearing ambushes, he withdrew his troops to camp and said to his two generals Xu Chu and Xu Huang, "Had I known this place was so perilous, I never would have raised an army to come here." Xu Chu said, "The army has already arrived; Your Lordship must not shrink from the toil." The next day Cao Cao mounted his horse, taking only Xu Chu and Xu Huang with him, to observe Zhang Wei's stockades. The three horses rounded a hillside, and soon Zhang Wei's fortifications came into view. Cao Cao pointed with his whip and said to his two generals, "So solidly built—they will be hard to take quickly!"

Before he finished speaking, a shout rose from behind, and arrows fell like rain. Yang Ang and Yang Ren attacked from two directions. Cao Cao was greatly alarmed. Xu Chu cried out, "I will hold off the enemy! Xu Gongming, protect our lord!" So saying, he raised his sword and spurred his horse forward, fighting the two generals alone. Yang Ang and Yang Ren could not withstand Xu Chu's valor and turned their horses to retreat; the rest dared not advance. Xu Huang escorted Cao Cao across the hillside, where another force appeared—it was Xiahou Yuan and Zhang Zhang He, who, hearing the commotion, had led their troops to the rescue. Together they drove off Yang Ang and Yang Ren and brought Cao Cao safely back to camp. Cao Cao richly rewarded the four generals. From then on the two sides faced each other for over fifty days without engaging in battle. Cao Cao issued orders to withdraw. Jia Xu said, "The enemy's strength has not yet been tested. Why does Your Lordship retreat of his own accord?" Cao Cao replied, "I reckon the enemy is on guard every day, and a quick victory will be difficult. I use the withdrawal as a ruse to make the enemy relax their vigilance, then send light cavalry to strike from behind—we will surely defeat them." Jia Xu said, "The Prime Minister's divine stratagems are beyond fathoming."

He then ordered Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He to divide their forces, each leading three thousand light cavalry by mountain paths to strike behind Yangping Pass. Meanwhile Cao Cao broke camp with the main army and withdrew. When Yang Ang heard that the Cao forces were retreating, he consulted Yang Ren and wished to pursue them. Yang Ren said, "Cao Cao is full of schemes; we cannot know his true intentions. We must not pursue." Yang Ang said, "If you will not go, I shall go alone." Yang Ren earnestly admonished him, but to no avail. Yang Ang gathered the troops from all five stockades and advanced, leaving only a handful of soldiers to guard the camps. That day a thick fog blanketed the land; men could not see each other face to face. Yang Ang's army, halfway along the road, could not proceed and halted to encamp.

Now it must be told that Xiahou Yuan's force, having crossed behind the mountains, saw the heavy fog hanging in the air and heard the sounds of men and horses. Fearing an ambush, he urged his troops forward, but in the dense fog they mistakenly came upon Yang Ang's camp. The garrison soldiers, hearing the hoofbeats, assumed it was Yang Ang's men returning and opened the gate to admit them. The Cao troops surged in, found the camp empty, and set it ablaze. The soldiers from all five stockades abandoned their posts and fled. By the time the fog lifted, Yang Ren arrived with troops to relieve them, but after a few exchanges with Xiahou Yuan, Zhang He's force appeared from behind. Yang Ren cut his way out and fled back to Nanzheng. When Yang Ang tried to return, Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He had already seized his stockades. Cao Cao's main army arrived from behind as well. Attacked on both sides with no escape on any front, Yang Ang tried to break through the encirclement and ran straight into Zhang He. The two engaged, and Zhang He killed him. The defeated soldiers fled back to Yangping Pass and reported to Zhang Wei. As it turned out, Zhang Wei, learning that his two generals had fled and all the camps were lost, abandoned the pass in the middle of the night and escaped. Cao Cao thus seized Yangping Pass and all the stockades.

Zhang Wei and Yang Ren returned to Zhang Lu. Zhang Wei reported that the two generals had lost the strategic pass and therefore could not hold it. Zhang Lu was furious and wished to execute Yang Ren. Yang Ren said, "I once admonished Yang Ang not to pursue Cao Cao's troops. He would not listen, and so we suffered this defeat. Grant me another force to go out and challenge them—I will surely slay Cao Cao. If I fail, I will submit to military law." Zhang Lu took his written pledge. Yang Ren mounted his horse and led twenty thousand troops to make camp outside Nanzheng.

Now it must be told that Cao Cao advanced his army and first sent Xiahou Yuan with five thousand troops to scout the road to Nanzheng. They met Yang Ren's army head-on, and the two forces arrayed for battle. Yang Ren sent his lieutenant Chang Qi into combat, who engaged Xiahou Yuan. After fewer than three exchanges, Xiahou Yuan cut him down from his horse. Yang Ren himself rode out with his spear and fought Xiahou Yuan for over thirty exchanges without either gaining the advantage. Xiahou Yuan feigned retreat, and Yang Ren pursued. Xiahou Yuan used the dragging-sword stratagem and cut him down from his horse. Yang Ren's troops were routed and fled.

When Cao Cao learned that Xiahou Yuan had slain Yang Ren, he advanced immediately and made camp outside Nanzheng. Zhang Lu, in a panic, assembled his civil and military officials to deliberate. Yan Pu said, "I can recommend one man who can match all of Cao Cao's generals." Zhang Lu asked who it was. Yan Pu said, "Pang De of Nan'an, who formerly served Ma Chao and surrendered to Your Lordship. Later, when Ma Chao went to Xichuan, Pang De was too ill to accompany him. He has been under Your Lordship's gracious care ever since. Why not send this man?"

Zhang Lu was overjoyed at once summoning Pang De and bestowing rich rewards upon him. He then mustered ten thousand troops and ordered Pang De to advance. When they had marched some ten li from the city, they found themselves facing Cao Cao's forces. Pang De rode out to challenge the enemy. Cao Cao, having known Pang De's valor well since the battle at Wei Bridge, instructed his generals: "Pang De is a brave general of Xiliang, originally serving under Ma Chao. Now though he serves Zhang Lu, his heart is not truly with him. I wish to win this man over. You must all engage him in prolonged combat, let him exhaust his strength, and then we shall capture him."

Zhang He rode out first, fought a few bouts, and then withdrew. Xiahou Yuan also fought a few bouts and retreated. Xu Huang then fought three to five bouts and likewise pulled back. Finally, Xu Chu fought over fifty bouts and also withdrew. Pang De battled all four generals without the least sign of fear or hesitation. Each of the generals returned to Cao Cao praising Pang De's martial prowess. Cao Cao was inwardly delighted and consulted with his officers: "How can we secure his surrender?"

Jia Xu said, "I know that Zhang Lu has an adviser named Yang Song. That man is exceedingly greedy for bribes. We may secretly send him gold and silks to slander Pang De before Zhang Lu, and then we can act accordingly."

Cao Cao asked, "But how can we get into Nanzheng?"

Jia Xu replied, "Tomorrow, when we engage in battle, we shall feign defeat, pretend to lose, and abandon our camp. Let Pang De occupy our camp. Then in the dead of night, we shall lead our troops to raid it. Pang De will surely retreat into the city. Meanwhile, we shall select a soldier skilled in speech, disguise him as one of their troops, and have him mix in among their ranks—and so he shall gain entry into the city."

Cao Cao adopted his plan. He chose a clever soldier, richly rewarded him, and gave him a gold breastplate to wear against his skin beneath the uniform of a Hanzhong soldier, sending him ahead to wait along the road. The next day, he first dispatched Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He with two detachments to lie in ambush at a distance. Then he ordered Xu Huang to challenge the enemy; after only a few bouts, Xu Huang feigned defeat and fled. Pang De rallied his troops to pursue, and Cao's forces withdrew entirely. Pang De seized Cao Cao's camp. Seeing that the camp contained an abundance of grain and supplies, he was overjoyed. He at once reported this to Zhang Lu and held a feast in the camp to celebrate.

After the second watch that night, suddenly fires broke out on three sides: Xu Chu and Xu Huang in the center; Zhang He on the left; Xiahou Yuan on the right. Three columns of troops came rushing to raid the camp. Pang De had no time to prepare; he could only mount his horse and fight his way out, heading toward the city. Behind him the three columns pursued. Pang De called out for the city gates to be opened, and his troops poured in.

Meanwhile, the spy had already slipped into the city and gone straight to Yang Song's residence to present himself. He said, "The Duke of Wei, Prime Minister Cao, has long heard of your great virtue and has sent me to present this golden armor as a token of his esteem. He also has a confidential letter for you." Yang Song was overjoyed. After reading the contents of the letter, he said to the spy, "Reply to the Duke of Wei and tell him to set his mind at ease. I have a fine plan to repay him." He dismissed the messenger to return first, then went in the middle of the night to see Zhang Lu, telling him that Pang De had taken bribes from Cao Cao and had deliberately lost the battle. Zhang Lu flew into a rage, summoned Pang De, and rebuked him, intending to execute him. Yan Pu pleaded earnestly against it. Zhang Lu said, "Tomorrow you shall go out to battle. If you do not prevail, you shall die!" Pang De withdrew, nursing a bitter grudge.

The next day, Cao Cao's forces attacked the city. Pang De led his troops out to meet them. Cao Cao ordered Xu Chu to engage him. Xu Chu feigned defeat, and Pang De gave chase. Cao Cao himself rode to the top of a hillside and called out: "Pang Lingming, why do not you surrender?" Pang De thought to himself, "If I can capture Cao Cao, it would be worth a thousand top generals!" He spurred his horse up the slope. At the sound of a shout, the ground collapsed beneath him—both horse and rider fell into a pit. Hooks and ropes seized him from all sides, and Pang De was captured alive and brought up the slope. Cao Cao dismounted, ordered his soldiers to stand back, and personally loosened Pang De's bonds, asking whether he was willing to surrender. Pang De reflected that Zhang Lu had treated him unjustly and was ready to submit. Cao Cao helped him personally back onto his horse, and they returned together to the main camp, deliberately making sure those on the city walls could see. When this was reported to Zhang Lu—that Pang De was riding side by side with Cao Cao—Zhang Lu was all the more convinced that Yang Song's words were true.

The next day, Cao Cao erected scaling ladders on three sides and bombarded the city with catapults. Zhang Lu saw that the situation was hopeless and consulted his brother Zhang Wei. Zhang Wei said, "Set fire to all the granaries and treasuries, then flee south to the mountains and hold Bazhong." Yang Song said, "Better to open the gates and surrender." Zhang Lu hesitated, unable to decide. Zhang Wei said, "We need only burn everything and go." Zhang Lu replied, "It has long been my wish to submit to the state, but I never had the means to do so. Now that I am forced to flee, the graneries and treasuries belong to the state—they must not be destroyed." He ordered them all sealed up.

That night, after the second watch, Zhang Lu led his entire family out through the south gate and broke through. Cao Cao ordered his troops not to pursue. He led his army into Nanzheng and, seeing that Zhang Lu had sealed the storehouses, was moved with compassion. He sent an envoy to Bazhong to persuade Zhang Lu to surrender. Zhang Lu wished to submit, but Zhang Wei refused. Yang Song sent a secret letter to Cao Cao, advising him to advance, with Yang Song acting as an inside accomplice. Cao Cao received the letter and personally led his army toward Bazhong. Zhang Lu sent his brother Zhang Wei to lead troops out to oppose him. Zhang Wei engaged Xu Chu in combat and was cut down from his horse. When the defeated soldiers reported this to Zhang Lu, Zhang Lu wished to hold fast behind his walls. Yang Song said, "If we do not go out now, we shall simply sit here and wait for death. I will guard the city; Your Lordship must lead a decisive battle in person."

Zhang Lu followed this advice. Yan Pu urged Zhang Lu not to go out, but Zhang Lu would not listen. He led his troops out to meet the enemy. Before the battle could even be joined, his rear forces began to flee. Zhang Lu hastily retreated, with Cao's troops pressing hard behind him. When Zhang Lu reached the city, Yang Song had shut the gates and refused him entry. Zhang Lu had no road left open to him. Cao Cao pursued him from behind and called out: "Why do you not surrender!" Zhang Lu dismounted and submitted. Cao Cao was overjoyed. Mindful of Zhang Lu's care in preserving the storehouses, he treated him with the highest honors and appointed Zhang Lu as General Who Guards the South. Yan Pu and the others were all made marquises. Thus all of Hanzhong was pacified. Cao Cao issued orders for each commandery to appoint a Grand Administrator and a Commandant, and richly rewarded all the troops. Only Yang Song, who had betrayed his master for glory, was ordered beheaded in the marketplace as a warning to all. A later poet wrote:

Selling your lord to flaunt your cunning,

Hoisting gold and silver—all in vain.

Your family never knew glory, and you yourself met the blade:

For a thousand years men laugh at Yang Song.

Cao Cao had already taken the Eastern Province. His Registrar Sima Yi came forward and said, "Liu Bei seized Liu Zhang by trickery and force; the people of Shu have not yet given their hearts to him. Now that Your Excellency has obtained Hanzhong, Yizhou is shaken. If you advance swiftly to attack it, the situation is bound to collapse. The wise man values seizing the moment, and this moment must not be lost." Cao Cao sighed and said, "Man's failing is ever to be unsatisfied—having gained Long, does one then look to Shu as well?" Liu Ye said, "Sima Zhongda speaks rightly. If you delay even slightly, Zhuge Liang governs the state with brilliance and serves as prime minister; Guan, Zhang, and others surpass all others in valor and serve as generals. Once the people of Shu are settled and they hold the mountain passes, they will not be assailable." Cao Cao said, "My officers and men have marched far toilsome distances; for now they must be spared and cared for." Thereupon he kept his troops from advancing.

Now the people of Xichuan had heard that Cao Cao had taken the Eastern Province and concluded that he would surely come to take Xichuan as well. In a single day, they were thrown into panic several times. Xuande asked his strategist to deliberate. Kongming said, "I have a plan by which Cao Cao will withdraw of his own accord." Xuande asked what the plan was. Kongming said, "Cao Cao has divided his army to garrison Hefei, fearing Sun Quan. Now if we return the three commanderies of Jiangxia, Changsha, and Guiyang to Wu and send an eloquent envoy to lay out the advantages and disadvantages, causing Wu to raise troops to attack Hefei and divert his forces, Cao Cao must surely pull his army southward." Xuande asked, "Who could serve as envoy?" Yi Ji said, "I am willing to go." Xuande was greatly pleased. He drew up a letter and prepared gifts, ordering Yi Ji first to go to Jingzhou to inform Yun Chang, and then to enter Wu. Arriving at Moling, he came to see Sun Quan, first announcing his name. Quan summoned Yi Ji inside. Yi Ji, having completed his obeisance, was asked by Quan, "Why have you come here?" Yi Ji said, "Recently, when诸葛子瑜 was to receive the three commanderies of Changsha and the others, the military strategist was absent, and the transfer was neglected. Now I bear a letter to return them. As for the commanderies of Nanjun and Lingling in Jingzhou, we had intended to return them as well, but Cao Cao's seizure of the Eastern Province has left General Guan without a place to stand. Now Hefei is undefended. I hope Your Lordship will raise troops to attack it, causing Cao Cao to withdraw his forces and return south. If my lord then takes the Eastern Province, he will return all the territory of Jingzhou."

Sun Quan said, "Return for now to your quarters; let me deliberate."

Yi Ji withdrew, and Sun Quan asked his counselors for their views. Zhang Zhao said, "This is because Liu Bei fears Cao Cao will take Xichuan, and so he has devised this scheme. Even so, now that Cao Cao is in Hanzhong, it would be an excellent plan to seize the moment and take Hefei." Quan followed this counsel. He sent Yi Ji back to Shu and then discussed raising troops to attack Cao Cao: he ordered Lu Su to take the three commanderies of Changsha, Jiangxia, and Guiyang and to encamp his forces at Lukou; he summoned Lü Meng and Gan Ning back; and he also went to Yuhang to summon Ling Tong back.

Before many days had passed, Lü Meng and Gan Ning arrived first. Meng offered a plan: "At present, Cao Cao has ordered the Grand Administrator of Lujiang, Zhu Guang, to garrison troops at Wan City, where he has opened wide rice fields and stores grain at Hefei to supply the army. We could first take Wan City and then attack Hefei." Quan said, "This plan accords well with my thinking." He then appointed Lü Meng and Gan Ning as vanguard, Jiang Qin and Pan Zhang as rear guard, and led the central force himself with Zhou Tai, Chen Wu, Dong Xi, and Xu Sheng. At this time, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang were guarding various locations and did not accompany the expedition.

The army crossed the river, took Hezhou, and advanced directly to Wan City. The Grand Administrator of Wan City, Zhu Guang, sent a man to Hefei to beg for help, while holding firm behind his walls and refusing to come out. Quan went himself to observe the city walls, when arrows rained down from above, striking Sun Quan's canopy. Quan returned to camp and asked his generals, "How can we take Wan City?" Dong Xi said, "We could have soldiers build up an earthen mound to attack from." Xu Sheng said, "We could erect cloud ladders and construct a rainbow bridge to look down into the city and attack from there." Lü Meng said, "These methods would take many days to complete, and once the Hefei relief force arrives, the city cannot be taken. Now that our army has just arrived and morale is at its height, we can ride this vigor and attack with all our strength. If we advance at dawn tomorrow, the city should fall by midday."

Quan followed this counsel. The next day, after the morning meal at the fifth watch, the three armies advanced in force. Arrows and stones rained down from the walls. Gan Ning, grasping an iron chain, scaled the wall through the hail of missiles. Zhu Guang ordered his crossbowmen to fire together. Gan Ning parted the forest of arrows and with one swing of his chain struck Zhu Guang to the ground. Lü Meng personally beat the drum. The soldiers surged forward in a mass and cut Zhu Guang to pieces with their blades. The remainder largely surrendered, and Wan City was taken—it was only the hour of the Chen. Zhang Liang led his army halfway there when scouts returned to report that Wan City was already lost. Liang turned back to Hefei.

Sun Quan entered Wan City, and Ling Tong also arrived with his army. After Quan had offered his thanks and rewards, he held a great feast for the three armies and richly rewarded Lü Meng, Gan Ning, and the other generals, setting out a banquet to celebrate the victory. Lü Meng yielded the seat of honor to Gan Ning, praising his merits at length. When the wine was half gone, Ling Tong, recalling that Gan Ning had killed his father, and seeing Lü Meng extol him further, was seized with rage. He glared fixedly for a long while, then suddenly drew the sword worn by an attendant and stood before the banquet, saying, "There is no music at this feast—watch me perform with my sword." Gan Ning, knowing his intent, pushed back his seat and rose, taking up two halberds and stepping forward, saying, "Watch me wield my halberds before this feast." Lü Meng, seeing that both men harbored ill intent, took up a shield in one hand and a sword in the other, standing between them, saying, "Both of you are capable, but neither is as clever as I." So saying, he danced with sword and shield, separating the two men.

Someone quickly reported this to Sun Quan. Quan hastily mounted his horse and rode straight to the feast. When the generals saw Quan arrive, each laid down his weapon. Quan said, "I have often told you two not to dwell on old grudges—why do you behave so today?" Ling Tong fell to the ground weeping. Sun Quan urged him repeatedly to rise. The next day, the army advanced to take Hefei, the three armies setting forth in full force.

Zhang Liao, having lost the city of Wan, returned to Hefei with a heavy heart in his bosom. Then Cao Cao sent Xue Ti with a wooden box, sealed on the outside by Cao's own hand, with these words written beside it: "Open only when the enemy arrives." That very day a report came that "Sun Quan is personally leading a hundred thousand troops to attack Hefei." Thereupon Zhang Liao opened the box and read the order inside: "When Sun Quan arrives, Generals Zhang and Li will go out to battle, and General Yue will guard the city."

Zhang Liao showed the order to Li Dian and Yue Jin. Yue Jin said, "What does Your Excellency think we should do?"

Zhang Liao replied, "Our lord is away on a distant expedition. The Wu army believes they can destroy us without fail. We should now send out troops to meet them, fight with all our might, break their sharp edge, and thereby settle the hearts of the people. Only then can we hold the city."

Li Dian had long been at odds with Zhang Liao, and upon hearing these words, he remained silent and made no reply. Yue Jin, seeing that Li Dian did not speak, said, "The enemy is many and we are few. It is difficult to meet them in battle. It would be better to hold firm behind the walls."

Zhang Liao said, "You are both following private sentiments and disregarding public duty. I shall go out myself to meet the enemy and fight to the death." He then ordered his attendants to saddle his horse.

Li Dian rose up with an air of resolution and said, "Since Your Excellency is thus determined, how dare I let personal grudge outweigh public duty? I am ready to follow your commands."

Zhang Liao was overjoyed and said, "Since Mancheng is willing to lend his aid, tomorrow lead a force to lie in ambush north of Xiaoyao Ford. When the Wu troops come charging across, first cut down the Lesser Shi Bridge. I and Wenqian will strike them from the front."

Li Dian received the orders and went off to select his troops and set the ambush.

Now Sun Quan had ordered Lü Meng and Gan Ning to lead the vanguard, while he himself with Ling Tong held the center. The other generals advanced in succession, all making for Hefei. When Lü Meng and Gan Ning's vanguard encountered Yue Jin, Gan Ning rode out to engage him. After only a few bouts, Yue Jin feigned defeat and fled. Gan Ning summoned Lü Meng, and together they led their troops in pursuit. Sun Quan, who was with the second division, heard that the vanguard had won and pressed forward until he reached the north of Xiaoyao Ford. Suddenly a string of cannon shots rang out, and from the left a force led by Zhang Liao came charging, and from the right a force led by Li Dian. Sun Quan was greatly alarmed. He hastily sent orders for Lü Meng and Gan Ning to return to his aid, but Zhang Liao's troops had already arrived. Ling Tong had only three hundred or so horsemen under his command, and they could not withstand the Cao forces, who came like an avalanche. Ling Tong cried out in a loud voice, "Why does Your Lordship not quickly cross the Lesser Shi Bridge!"

Before he had finished speaking, Zhang Liao led over two thousand horsemen in the first charge. Ling Tong turned and fought desperately. Sun Quan spurred his horse onto the bridge, but the southern end had been torn up for more than a zhang, with not a single plank remaining. Sun Quan was seized with panic and knew not what to do. His bodyguard general Gu Li shouted loudly, "Your Lordship should rein the horse back, then let it gallop forward and leap across the bridge."

Sun Quan pulled his horse back some three zhang, then gave it the whip and urged it forward. The horse sprang and flew across to the south bank of the bridge. A later poet wrote:

As Dilu once leaped across Tanxi,

So the Lord of Wu fled his defeat at Hefei.

Reining back, then lashing the noble steed—

A jade dragon soared above Xiaoyao Ford.

Sun Quan having leaped to the south bank, Xu Sheng and Dong Xi came out in boats to meet him. Ling Tong and Gu Li held off Zhang Liao. Gan Ning and Lü Meng led their troops back to the rescue, but Yue Jin pursued them from the rear, while Li Dian blocked them and joined battle. Half the Wu forces were lost. All three hundred or so men under Ling Tong's command were slain. Ling Tong himself received several spear wounds. He fought his way to the bridge, but it had already been cut down, so he fled along the river. Sun Quan, watching from the boat, urgently ordered Dong Xi to pole the boat out to meet him, and so he managed to cross back. Lü Meng and Gan Ning barely escaped with their lives to the south of the river. This battle struck such terror into all south of the river that even children, upon hearing Zhang Liao's name, would not cry at night. The generals escorted Sun Quan back to camp.

Sun Quan rewarded Ling Tong and Gu Li richly, then gathered his army and returned to Xu. He put his ships in order and deliberated on advancing by both land and water. Meanwhile he sent someone back south of the river to raise more troops to aid the campaign.

Zhang Liao, hearing that Sun Quan was at Xu and preparing to advance in force, feared that Hefei had too few troops to resist and hastily ordered Xue Ti to travel by night to Hanzhong to report to Cao Cao and beg for reinforcements. Cao Cao discussed with his officers: "Can we take Xichuan now?"

Liu said, "The region of Shu has only just been settled and they are already prepared. We cannot attack. It would be better to withdraw our troops to relieve the crisis at Hefei and then move south of the river."

Cao Cao then left Xiahou Yuan to guard the passes at Dingjun Mountain in Hanzhong, and leave Zhang He to guard the passes at Mengtou Rock. The rest of the army broke camp and hastened to Xu. Truly it might be said:

The armored horsemen had only just pacified Longyou,

When once again the banners pointed south of the river.

What the outcome would be, read on in the next chapter.