“O Minister, if you will let me and my brother go, we will get together our family and clients and fight you once more. If I am caught that time, then I will confess myself beaten to the ground, and that shall be the end.” “Certainly I shall scarcely pardon you next time,” said Zhuge Liang. “You would better be careful. Diligently tackle your Book of Strategy; look over your list of confidants. If you can apply a good plan at the proper moment, you will not have any need for late regrets.”
Meng Huo and his brother and all the chiefs were released from their bonds. They thanked Zhuge Liang for his clemency and went away.
By the time the released prisoners had got back to the river, the army of Shu had crossed to the farther side and had captured the Mang defenses, the Shu flags fluttering in the breeze. As Meng Huo passed the camp, he saw Ma Dai sitting in state. Ma Dai pointed his sword at the King as he passed, and said, “Next time you are caught, you will not escape.”
When Meng Huo came to his own camp, he found Zhao Yun in possession and all in order. Zhao Yun was seated beneath the large banner, with his sword drawn, and as the King passed, he also said, “Do not presume on the kindness of the Prime Minister because you have been generously treated.”
Meng Huo grunted and passed on. Just as he was going over the frontier hills, he saw Wei Yan and a company drawn up on the slopes. Wei Yan shouted, “See to it; we have got into the inmost recesses of your country and have taken all your defensive positions. Yet you are fool enough to hold out. Next time you are caught, you will be quite destroyed. There will be no more pardons.”
Meng Huo and his company ran away with their arms over their heads. Each one returned to his own ravine.
After the crossing of the river, the soldiers were feasted. Then Zhuge Liang addressed his officers: “I let Meng Huo see our camp the second time he was our prisoner, because I wanted to tempt him into raiding it. He is something of a soldier, and I dangled our supplies and resources before his eyes, knowing he would try to burn them and that he would send his brother to pretend to submit that thereby he could get into our camp and have a chance to betray us. I have captured and released him three times, trying to win him over. I do not wish to do him any harm. I now explain my policy that you may understand I am not wasting your efforts and you are still to work your best for the government.”
They all bowed, and one said, “O Minister, you are indeed perfect in every one of the three gifts: wisdom, benevolence, and valor. Not even Lu Wang or Zhang Liang can equal you!”
Said Zhuge Liang, “How can I expect to equal our men of old? But my trust is in your strength, and together we shall succeed.”
This speech of their leader's pleased them all mightily.
In the meantime Meng Huo, puffed up with pride at getting off three times, hastened home to his own ravine, whence he sent trusted friends with gifts to the Eight Nations and the Ninety-three Sees and all the Mang quarters and clans to borrow shields and swords and warriors and braves. He got together one hundred thousand soldiers. They all assembled on an appointed day, massing like clouds and sweeping in like mists gathering on the mountains, each and all obeying the commands of the King Meng Huo.
And the scouts knew it all, and they told Zhuge Liang, who said, “This is what I was waiting for, that the Mangs should have an opportunity of knowing our might.”
Thereupon he seated himself in a small carriage and went out to watch.
The story of the campaign will be continued in the next chapter.
