Meng Huo hastily changed his route to go deeper into the mountains, but Zhao Yun's soldiers spread around, and the Mangs could not make a stand. Here many were captured. Meng Huo and a few horsemen got away into a valley, which, however, soon became too narrow for the horses to advance. Meng Huo then left his horse and crawled up the mountains, but very soon he fell upon Wei Yan, who had been sent with five hundred troops to lie in wait in that very valley. Meng Huo tried to struggle but soon was captured.
The King and his followers were taken to the main camp, where Zhuge Liang was waiting with wine and meat ready for the captives. But his tent was now guarded by soldiers all well armed with snow-glittering weapons, beside the lictors bearing the golden axes, a present from the Emperor, and other insignia of rank. The feather-hatted drummers and clarion players were in front and behind, and the Imperial Guards were extended on both sides. The whole was very imposing and awe-inspiring.
Zhuge Liang was seated at the top of it all and watched the captives as they came forward in crowds. When they were all assembled, he ordered their bonds to be loosed, and then he addressed them.
“You are all simple and well-disposed people who have been led into trouble by Meng Huo. I know your fathers and mothers, your brothers and wives, and your children are anxiously watching from the doorways for your return, and they are cut to dear suffering that the news of defeat and capture has reached their ears. They are weeping bitter tears for you. And so I will set you all free to go home and comfort them.”
After they had been given food and wine and a present of grain, he sent them all away. They went off grateful for the kindness shown them, but they wept as they thanked Zhuge Liang.
Then the guards were told to bring the King before the tent. He came, bound, being hustled forward. He knelt in front of the Commander-in-Chief, who said, “Why did you rebel after the generous treatment you have received from our Emperor?”
“The two Lands of the Rivers belonged to others, and your lord took it from them by force, and gave himself the title of Emperor. My people have lived here for ages, and you and yours invaded my country without the least excuse. How can you talk of rebellion to me?”
“You are my prisoner; will you submit or are you still contumacious?”
“Why should I submit? You happened to find me in a narrow place; that is all.”
“If I release you, what then?”
“If you release me I shall return, and when I have set my army in order, I shall come to fight you again. However, if you catch me once more, I will submit.”
The King's bonds were loosed; he was clothed and refreshed, given a horse and caparisons, and sent with a guide to his own camp.
Further results of this war will be related in the next chapter.
The officers did not approve of the release of the King of the Mangs, and they came to the tent of Zhuge Liang and said, “Meng Huo is the most important personage of all the Mangs, and his capture is the key to restoring order in the south. Why then, O Minister, did you release him?”
“I can capture him just as easily as I can get something out of my pocket. What I want to do is to overcome and win his heart, so that peace may follow of itself.”
They listened, but they had no great confidence in the success of the policy of conciliation.
In the meantime Meng Huo had reached the River Lu, and there he fell in with some of his defeated leaders, who were trying to get news of their King's fate.
They were surprised, but glad, to see him, and asked, “How were Your Highness able to get back?”
The King lied, saying, “They confined me in a tent, and I broke out in the night. I slew more than ten guards and ran. And then I met one of their sentries, killed him, and that is how I got this horse.”
They never doubted his word, and very joyfully they hurried him over the river to a camping place. Then all the notables assembled from the various ravines, and the soldiers that had escaped death were mustered and got into shape as a fighting force.
The two leaders in the late campaign, Dongtu Na and Ahui Nan, were in one of the ravines, and Meng Huo sent to ask them to come. They were afraid, but they could not disobey, and they came with an escort.
