It was Lu Meng, whose ensign soon appeared against the fiery background. Cao Cao urged his small party of fugitives forward, bidding Zhang Liao defend him from Lu Meng.
Soon after Cao Cao saw the light of torches in front, and from a gorge there rushed out another force. And the leader cried, “Ling Tong is here!”
Cao Cao was scared; his liver and gall both seemed torn from within. But just then on his half right, he saw another company approach and heard a cry, “Fear not, O Prime Minister, I am here to rescue you!”
The speaker was Xu Huang, and he attacked the pursuers and held them off.
A move to the north seemed to promise escape, but soon they saw a camp on a hill top. Xu Huang went ahead to reconnoiter and found the officers in command were Cao Cao's Generals Ma Yan and Zhang Yi, who had once been in the service of Yuan Shao. They had three thousand of northern soldiers in camp. They had seen the sky redden with the flames, but knew not what was afoot so dared make no move.
This turned out lucky for Cao Cao who now found himself with a fresh force. He sent Ma Yan and Zhang Yi, with a thousand troops, to clear the road ahead while the others remained as guard. And he felt much more secure.
The two went forward, but before they had gone very far, they heard a shouting and a party of soldiers came out, the leader of them shouting, “I am Gan Ning of Wu!”
Nothing daunted the two leaders, but the redoubtable Gan Ning cut down Ma Yan; and when his brother warrior Zhang Yi set his spear and dashed forward, he too fell beneath a stroke from the fearsome sword of Gan Ning. Both leaders dead, the soldiers fled to give Cao Cao the bad news.
At this time Cao Cao expected aid from Hefei, for he knew not that Sun Quan was barring the road. But when Sun Quan saw the fires and so knew that his soldiers had won the day, he ordered Lu Xun to give the answering signal. Taishi Ci seeing this came down and his force joined up with that of Lu Xun, and they went against Cao Cao.
As for Cao Cao, he could only get away toward Yiling. On the road Cao Cao fell in with Zhang He and ordered him to protect the retreat. Cao Cao pressed on as quickly as possible.
At the fifth watch he was a long way from the glare and he felt safer. He asked, “What is this place?” They told him, “It is west of the Black Forest and north of Yidu.”
Seeing the thickly crowded trees all about him, and the steep hills and narrow passes, Cao Cao threw up his head and laughed.
Those about him asked, “Why are you, Sir, so merry?”
And he said, “I am only laughing at the stupidity of Zhou Yu and the ignorance of Zhuge Liang. If they have only set an ambush there, as I would have done, why, there is no escape.”
Cao Cao had scarcely finished his explanation when from both sides came a deafening roll of drums and flames sprang up to heaven. Cao Cao nearly fell off his horse — he was so startled. And from the side dashed in a troop, with Zhao Yun leading, who cried, “I am Zhao Yun, and long have I been waiting here!”
Cao Cao ordered Xu Huang and Zhang He to engage this new opponent, and he himself rode off into the smoke and fire. Zhao Yun did not pursue; he only captured the banners, and Cao Cao escaped.
The faint light of dawn showed a great black cloud all around, for the southeast wind had not ceased. Suddenly began a heavy downpour of rain, wetting every one to the skin, but still Cao Cao maintained his headlong flight till the starved faces of the soldiers made a halt imperative. He told the men to forage in the villages about for grain and the means of making a fire. But when these had been found and they began to cook a meal, another pursuing party came along, and Cao Cao again was terrified. However, these proved to be Li Dian and Xu Chu escorting some of his advisers whom he saw with joy.
When giving the order to advance again, Cao Cao asked, “What places lay ahead?”
They told him, “There are two roads; one was the highway to South Yiling, and the other a mountain road to North Yiling.”
“Which is the shorter way to Jiangling?” asked Cao Cao.
“The best way is to take the south road through Hulu Valley,” was the reply.
So Cao Cao gave orders to march that way. By the time Hulu Valley was reached, the soldiers were almost starving and could march no more; horses too were worn out. Many had fallen by the roadside. A halt was then made, food was taken by force from the villagers, and as there were still some boilers left, they found a dry spot beside the hills where they could rest and cook. And there they began to prepare a meal, boiling grain, and roasting strips of horse flesh. Then they took off their wet clothes and spread them to dry. The beasts, too, were unsaddled and turned out to graze.
Seated comfortably in a somewhat open spot, Cao Cao suddenly looked up and began to laugh loud and long.
