Li Dian went away to muster his troops and prepare the ambush. As has been recorded, the leaders of the advance guard of the southern army were the veterans Lu Meng and Gan Ning. Sun Quan and Ling Tong were in the center; the other generals followed them. The leaders of the van met Yue Jin first, and Gan Ning rode out and challenged him. After a few bouts, Yue Jin pretended to be defeated and fled. Gan Ning called to his colleague to join in the pursuit.
When Sun Quan heard that this advance guard had been successful, he hastened his army to the Flageolet Ford. But then there came a series of explosions, and up came Zhang Liao and Li Dian, one on each flank. Sun Quan was unprepared for this and sent messengers to call off the pursuit and ask for help from Lu Meng and Gan Ning. Before it could arrived, Zhang Liao had come up.
Manifestly, Ling Tong, who had with him only a small troop of three hundred horse, could not long withstand the army of Cao Cao, but he faced them and fought bravely and presently cried to his lord, “Cross the Flageolet Bridge and run back, my lord!”
Sun Quan galloped for the bridge, but the southern end had been already broken down and there was a wide breach between the end of the bridge and the shore. Not a single plank was there by which to cross. What could be done? Sun Quan was in a quandary, and helpless.
“Go back and jump for it!” yelled one of the generals, Gu Li by name.
Sun Quan did so. Backing his horse some thirty spans or so, he then gave it its head and lashed it with his whip.
The good beast leaped, cleared the chasm and his master wee safe on the southern shore.
Having reached the farther shore, Sun Quan embarked on one of the boats of Xu Sheng and Dong Xi and was rowed to a place of safety, while Ling Tong and Gu Li were still fighting with Zhang Liao's army. Gan Ning and Lu Meng, coming to their aid, were pursued by Yue Jin, and Li Dian also stayed their progress. But the soldiers of the South Land fought bravely; half of their force fell, and Ling Tong's troop of three hundred horse perished all, while Ling Tong himself was wounded, but found his way to the bridge. Finding it destroyed, he fled along the stream. Presently he was seen by Sun Quan from the boat and taken on board by Dong Xi. Gan Ning and Lu Meng also cut their ways back to the southern shore.
The terrible slaughter at this battle put such fear into the minds of the people of the South Land that the name of Zhang Liao kept the very children quiet at night.
When Sun Quan reached his camp, he richly rewarded Ling Tong and Gu Li. Then he led his army back to Ruxu and began to put his ships in order so that the army and navy might act in unison. He also sent home for reinforcements.
Zhang Liao reflected that he had insufficient force to meet another attack if it should be supported by the navy of the South Land, so he sent Xue Ti through the night to carry an urgent message to his master in Hanzhong. When the messenger arrived, Cao Cao saw that his western expedition would have to yield to the urgency of home defense. However, he called in his counselors and put a direct question to them.
“Can we take the Western Land of Rivers now, or not?” “Shu is too well prepared; we cannot,” replied Liu Ye. “It is better to go to the succor of Hefei and then go down the river to take the South Land.”
Wherefore, leaving Xiahou Yuan to station at the Dingjun Mountains to guard Hanzhong, and Zhang He to keep Mount Mengtou Pass, Cao Cao broke up his camp and went toward Ruxu with all his commanders.
The subsequent course of the war will be unfolded in later chapters.
Sun Quan was occupied in ordering his army at Ruxu when he heard of the coming of Cao Cao with four hundred thousand troops to the relief of Hefei. He told off a fleet of fifty large ships to lie in the port while Chen Wu went up and down the river banks on the look-out.
“It would be well to inflict a defeat upon Cao Cao's army before they recover from the long march; it would dishearten them,” said Zhang Zhao.
Looking around at the officers in his tent, Sun Quan said, “Who is bold enough to go forth and fight this Cao Cao and so take the keen edge off the spirit of his army?”
And Ling Tong offered himself.
“I will go!” said he.
