“That is not the way; go slowly or you may stir up strife. Promote these two and separate them. After that you may arrest.”
The Prince of Hanzhong saw the prudence of this procedure and stayed his hand. He raised Liu Feng to the Governorship of Mianzhu, and so separated the two delinquents.
Now Peng Yang and Meng Da were old friends. Hearing what was afoot, the former hastened home and wrote warning his friend. The letter was confided to a trusty messenger to bear to Meng Da. The messenger was caught as he went out of the city and carried before Ma Chao, who thus got wind of the business. He then went to Peng Yang's house, where, nothing being suspected, he was received kindly and wine was brought in. The two drank for some time. When Ma Chao thought his host sufficiently off his guard, he said, “The Prince of Hanzhong used to look on you with great favor; why does he do so no longer?”
The host began to rave against his master.
“The obstinate old leather-belly! But I will find some way to pay him out.”
In order to see to what lengths he would go, Ma Chao led him on, saying, “Truth to tell, I have long hated the man too.”
“Then you join Meng Da and attack, while I will win over the people of Eastern and Western Lands of Rivers. That will make it easy enough,” said Peng Yang.
“What you propose is very feasible, but we will talk it over again tomorrow,” said Ma Chao, and took leave.
Taking with him the captured man and the letter he carried, Ma Chao then proceeded to see the Prince, to whom he related the whole story. Liu Bei was very angry and at once had the intended traitor arrested and put in prison, where he was examined under torture to get at full details.
While Peng Yang lay in prison, bitterly but vainly repentant, Liu Bei consulted his adviser.
“That fellow Peng Yang meant to turn traitor; what shall I do with him?” “The fellow is something of a scholar, but irresponsible,” replied Zhuge Liang. “He is too dangerous to be left alive.”
Thereupon orders were given that he should be allowed to commit suicide in gaol. The news that Peng Yang had been made away frightened his sympathizer and friend, Meng Da, and put him in a quandary. What would he better do on the top of this? Liu Feng's promotion and transfer to Mianzhu arrived, and frightened him still more. So he sought advice from two friends and commanders, the brothers Shen Dan and Shen Yi, who lived in Shangyong.
“My friend Peng Yang and I did much for the Prince of Hanzhong. But now Peng Yang is dead, and I am forgotten. More than that, the Prince wishes to put me to death. What can I do?” said Meng Da.
Shen Dan replied, “I think I can find a plan that will secure your safety.”
“What is it?” asked Meng Da, feeling happier.
“Desertion. My brother Shen Yi and I have long desired to go over to Wei. You just write the Prince of Hanzhong a memorial resigning your service and betake yourself to the Prince of Wei, who will certainly employ you in some honorable way. Then we two will follow.”
Meng Da saw that this was his best course, so he wrote a memorandum, which he gave to the messenger who had brought the recent dispatches to take back with him. That night Meng Da left his post and went to Wei.
The messenger returned to Chengdu, handed in Meng Da's memorial and told the story of his desertion. The Prince was angry. He tore open the letter and read:
