Zhuge Liang, who was seated in the stern of his boat, just laughed aloud, saying, “Return and tell the General to make good use of his soldiers. Tell him I am going up river for a spell and will see him again another day.” “Pray wait a little while,” cried Xu Sheng. “I have something most important to tell you.”
“I knew all about it, that Zhou Yu would not let me go and that he wanted to kill me. That is why Zhao Yun was waiting for me. You would better not approach nearer.”
Seeing the other ship had no sail, Xu Sheng thought he would assuredly come up with it and so maintained the pursuit.
Then when he got too close, Zhao Yun fitted an arrow to the bowstring and, standing up in the stern of his boat, cried, “You know who I am, and I came expressly to escort the Directing Instructor. Why are you pursuing him? One arrow would kill you, only that would cause a breach of the peace between two houses. I will shoot and just give you a specimen of my skill.”
With that he shot, and the arrow whizzed overhead cutting the rope that held up the sail. Down came the sail trailing in the water and the boat swung round. Then Zhao Yun's boat hoisted its sail, and the fair wind speedily carried it out of sight.
On the bank stood Ding Feng. He bade his comrade come to the shore and said, “Zhuge Liang is too clever for any one; and Zhao Yun is bravest of the brave. You remember what he did at Dangyang, at the Long Slope Bridge. All we can do is to return and report.”
So they returned to camp and told their master about the preparations that Zhuge Liang had made to ensure safety. Zhou Yu was indeed puzzled at the depth of his rival's insight.
“I shall have no peace day or night while he lives,” said Zhou Yu.
“At least wait till Cao Cao is done with,” said Lu Su.
And Zhou Yu knew Lu Su spoke wisely.
Having summoned the leaders to receive orders, first Zhou Yu gave orders to Gan Ning: “Take with you the false deserter Cai Zhong and his soldiers, and go along the south bank, showing the flags of Cao Cao, till you reach the Black Forest just opposite the enemy's main store of grain and forage. Then you are to penetrate as deeply as possible into the enemy's lines and light a torch as a signal. Cai He is to be kept in camp for another purpose.”
The next order was: “Taishi Ci is to lead two thousand troops as quickly as possible to Huangzhou and cut the enemy's communications with Hefei. When near the enemy, he is to give a signal; and if he sees a red flag, he will know that our lord, Sun Quan, is at hand with reinforcements.”
Gan Ning and Taishi Ci had the farthest to go and started first. Then Lu Meng was sent into the Black Forest with three thousand troops as a support to Gan Ning who was ordered to set fire to Cao Cao's depot.
A fourth party of three thousand troops was led by Ling Tong to the borders of Yiling and attack as soon as the signal from the forest was seen. A fifth party of three thousand under Dong Xi went to Hanyang to fall upon the enemy along the River Han. Their signal was a white flag; and a sixth division of three thousand commanded by Pan Zhang would support them.
When these six parties had gone off. Huang Gai got ready his fire ships and sent a soldier with a note to tell Cao Cao that he was coming over that evening. Four naval squadrons were told off to support Huang Gai. The four squadrons, each of three hundred ships, were placed under four commanders: Han Dang, Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, and Chen Wu. Twenty fire ships preceded each fleet. Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu went on board one of the large ships to direct the battle. Their guards were Ding Feng and Xu Sheng. Lu Su, Kan Ze, and the advisers were left to guard the camp. Cheng Pu was greatly impressed with Zhou Yu's ordering of the grand attack.
Then came a messenger bearing a mandate from Sun Quan making Lu Xun Leader of the Van. He was ordered to go to Qichun. Sun Quan himself would support Lu Xun. Zhou Yu also sent a unit to the Western Hills to make signals and to hoist flags on the Nanping Mountains.
So all being prepared they waited for dusk.
Liu Bei was at Xiakou anxiously awaiting the return of his adviser. Then appeared a fleet, led by Liu Qi, who had come to find out how matters were progressing. Liu Bei sent to call him to the battle tower and said, “The southeast wind had begun to blow, and that Zhao Yun had gone to meet Zhuge Liang.”
Not long after a single sail was seen coming up before the wind, and Liu Bei knew it was Zhuge Liang, the Directing Instructor of the Army.
So Liu Bei and Liu Qi went down to meet the boat. Soon the vessel reached the shore, and Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun disembarked.
Liu Bei was very glad, and after they had inquired after each other's well-being, Zhuge Liang said, “There is no time to tell of any other things now. Are the soldiers and ships ready?”
“They have long been ready,” replied Liu Bei. “They only await you to direct how they are to be used.”
