Presently Liu Bei thought his brother in danger. So he girded on his armor and went down into the plain. He watched till they had fought another hundred bouts, and then as both seemed to wax fiercer than ever, he gave the signal again to cease the battle. Both drew off and returned each to his own side.
It was then getting late, and Liu Bei said to his brother, “You would better retire for today; he is a terrible opponent. Try him again tomorrow.”
But Zhang Fei's spirit was roused, and was it likely that such advice would be palatable?
“No,” shouted he, “I will die and not come back!”
“But it is late; you cannot go on fighting,” said Liu Bei.
“Let them bring torches, and we will have a night battle,” said Zhang Fei.
Ma Chao having mounted a fresh steed, now rode out and shouted, “Dare you try a night battle, Zhang Fei?”
Zhang Fei's excitement rose higher. He hastily changed horses with his brother and rode forth.
“If I do not capture you, I will not go back to the Pass,” said Zhang Fei.
“And if I do not overcome you, I will not return to the camp,” said Ma Chao.
Both sides cheered. They lit many thousand torches till it seemed as light as day, and the two great generals went to the front to fight. At the twentieth bout Ma Chao turned his steed and tied.
“Whither are you going?” called out Zhang Fei.
The fact was that Ma Chao had begun to see he could not win in direct and simple combat, so he thought to try a ruse. By a false flight, as though he knew he had lost, he would inveigle Zhang Fei into pursuit. He picked up a copper mace secretly and kept a careful watch on his opponent for the most favorable moment to strike. But Ma Chao's flight only put Zhang Fei upon his guard, and when the moment came for the blow with the mace he dodged, so that the weapon flew harmlessly past his ear. Then Zhang Fei turned his horse. Whereupon Ma Chao began to pursue. Then Zhang Fei pulled up, took his bow, fitted an arrow to the string, and let fly at Ma Chao. But Ma Chao also dodged, and the arrow flew by. Then each returned to his own side.
Then Liu Bei came out to the front of his battle line and called out, “Note well, O Ma Chao, that I, who have never treated people other than with kindness and justice and truth and sincerity, swear that I will not take advantage of your period of repose to pursue or attack. Wherefore you may rest awhile in peace.”
Ma Chao, hearing these words, withdrew guarding the rear, and the other generals one by one returned, while Liu Bei drew off his army toward the Pass.
Early next day Zhang Fei was once more going down out of the Pass to fight, when they told him that the Directing Instructor had arrived. Liu Bei went to receive him, and Zhuge Liang at once began to speak of Ma Chao.
“He is the most terrible leader of the age; if he fights a desperate battle with Zhang Fei, loss of a general will ensue. So I have come as quickly as I could. I left Mianzhu in the safe hands of Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong. I think I have a little ruse left that will bring Ma Chao over to our side.”
“Now I have seen the man. I greatly admire him,” said Liu Bei. “If we could only win him over!”
“Then listen, my lord,” said Zhuge Liang. “Zhang Lu greatly desires the title of 'Prince of Hanzhong.' Among his most intimate subordinates, I know Yang Song open to bribery. So we will send a person secretly to see him and give him gold and silver and so win his support. This done, we will write to Zhang Lu and tell him that you are set upon taking Yiazhou from its present ruler, which will give an opportunity to wipe out the enmity he has so long nourished against Liu Zhang, and that the reward of his remaining firmly on our side to the end will be that you will memorialize the Throne for the coveted title for him. This will make him order Ma Chao to return, and, when that is done, I shall find a means of winning him over.”
Liu Bei wrote a letter and sent it by the hand of Sun Qian together with gold and pearls. Sun Qian went by secret roads to give these to Yang Song. And when he found Yang Song and explained his mission in private, he was quickly led into the presence of Zhang Lu.
“How can Liu Bei memorialize the Throne to confer on me the rank of a prince when he is but a simple General himself?” asked Zhang Lu, when he understood the offer and its conditions.
“He is an Imperial Uncle;” said Yang Song, “with such a rank he could present such a memorial.”
Zhang Lu assented. He sent orders to Ma Chao to cease fighting, and Sun Qian remained as the guest of Yang Song till he should see whether Ma Chao would obey the command. Before long the messenger returned with a word from Ma Chao that he could not cease fighting till he had been successful. A second and third messenger returned with a similar response.
“This Ma Chao is untrustworthy,” said Yang Song. “He will not withdraw his soldiers because he contemplates rebellion. That is the real reason.”
