The head of Ma Su was paraded round the camps. Then it was sewn again to the body and buried with it. Zhuge Liang conducted the sacrifices for the dead and read the oration. A monthly allowance was made for the family, and they were consoled as much as possible.
Next Zhuge Liang made his memorial to the Throne and bade Jiang Wan bear it to the Latter Ruler. Therein Zhuge Liang proposed his own degradation from his high office.
“Why does the Prime Minister speak thus?” said the Latter Ruler. “It is but the ordinary fortune of war.”
Minister Fei Yi said, “The ruler must enhance the majesty of the law, for without law how can people support him? It is right that the Prime Minister should be degraded in rank.”
Thereupon an edict was issued reducing Zhuge Liang to the rank of General of the Right Army, but retaining him in the same position in the direction of state affairs and command of the military forces. Fei Yi was directed to communicate the decision.
Fei Yi bore the edict into Hanzhong and gave it to Zhuge Liang, who bowed to the decree. The envoy thought Zhuge Liang might be mortified, so he ventured to felicitate him in other matters.
“It was a great joy to the people of Shu when you, O Minister, captured the four northwest counties,” said he.
“What sort of language is this?” said Zhuge Liang, annoyed. “Success followed by failure is no success. It shames me indeed to hear such a compliment.”
“His Majesty will be very pleased to hear of the acquisition of Jiang Wei.”
This remark also angered Zhuge Liang, who replied, “It is my fault that a defeated army has returned without any gain of territory. What injury to Wei was the loss of Jiang Wei?”
Fei Yi tried again. “But with an army of one hundred thousand bold veterans, you can attack Wei again.”
“When we were at Qishan and Chi Valley, we outnumbered the enemy, but we could not conquer them. On the contrary, they beat us. The defect was not in the number of soldiers, but in the leadership. Now we must reduce the army, discover our faults, reflect on our errors, and mend our ways against the future. Unless this is so, what is the use of a numerous army? Hereafter every one will have to look to the future of his country. But most diligently each of you must fight against my shortcomings and blame my inefficiencies; then we may succeed. Rebellion can be exterminated and merit can be set up.”
Fei Yi and the officers acknowledged the aptness of these remarks. Fei Yi went back to the capital, leaving Zhuge Liang in Hanzhong resting his soldiers and doing what he could for the people, training and heartening his troops and turning special attention to the construction of apparatus for assaults on cities and crossing rivers. He also collected grain and fodder and built battle rafts, all for future use.
The spies of Wei got to know of these doings in the Lands of Rivers and reported to Luoyang. The Ruler of Wei called Sima Yi to council and asked how Shu might be annexed.
“Shu cannot be attacked,” was the reply. “In this present hot weather they will not come out, but, if we invade, they will only garrison and defend their strategic points, which we should find it hard to overcome.”
“What shall we do if they invade us again?”
“I have prepared for that. Just now Zhuge Liang is imitating Han Xin when he secretly crossed the river into Chencang. I can recommend a man to guard the place by building a rampart there and rendering it absolutely secure. He is a nine-span man, round shouldered and powerful, a good archer and prudent strategist. He would be quite equal to dealing with an invasion.”
The Ruler of Wei was very pleased and asked for his name.
