The first companies of the army of Shu sent out their scouts as far as Chencang. They came back and reported: “A rampart has been built and behind it is a general named Hao Zhao in command. The rampart is very strong and is further defended by thorny barriers. Instead of taking Chencang, which seems difficult, it would be easier to go out to Qishan by the Taibo Mountains, where is a practicable, though winding, road.”
But Zhuge Liang said, “Due north of Chencang is Jieting, so that I must get this city in order to advance.”
Wei Yan was sent to surround Chencang and take it. He went, but days passed without success. Therefore he returned and told his chief the place was impregnable. In his anger, Zhuge Liang was going to put Wei Yan to death, but an officer stepped forth and said, “I have followed the Prime Minister for a long time, but have not achieved worthy service. Now I want to go to Chencang and persuade Hao Zhao to yield; thus, our army does not need to use a single bow or arrow.”
Others turned their attention to Counselor Jin Xiang.
“How do you think you will persuade him?” said Zhuge Liang. “What will you say?”
“Hao Zhao and I are both from Xizhou and pledged friends from boyhood. If I can get to see him, I will so lay matters before him that he must surrender.”
Jin Xiang got permission to try, and rode quickly to the wall of Chencang. Then he called out, “Friend Hao Zhao, your old chum Jin Xiang has come to see you.”
A sentry on the wall told Hao Zhao, who bade them let the visitor enter and bring him up on the wall.
“Friend, why have you come?” asked Hao Zhao.
“I am in the service of Shu, serving under Zhuge Liang as an assistant in the tactical department. I am created exceedingly well, and my chief has sent me to say something to you.”
Hao Zhao was rather annoyed, and said, “Zhuge Liang is my enemy. I serve Wei while you serve Shu. Each serves his own lord. We were brothers once, but now we are enemies; so do not say any more.”
And the visitor was requested to take his leave. Jin Xiang tried to reopen the conversation, but Hao Zhao left him and went up on the tower. The Wei soldiers hurried Jin Xiang on to his horse and led him to the gate. As he passed out, he looked up and saw his friend leaning on the guard rail.
He pulled up his horse, pointed with his whip at Hao Zhao, and said, “My friend and worthy brother, why has your friendship become so thin?”
“Brother, you know the laws of Wei,” replied Hao Zhao. “I have accepted their bounty, and if that leads to death, so be it. Say no more, but return quickly to your master and tell him to come and attack. I am not afraid.” So Jin Xiang had to return and report failure.
“He would not let me begin to explain,” said he.
“Try again,” said Zhuge Liang. “Go and really talk to him.”
So the go-between soon found himself once more at the foot of the wall. Hao Zhao presently appeared on the tower, and Jin Xiang shouted to him, “My worthy brother, please listen to my words while I explain clearly. Here you are holding one single city; how can you think of opposing one hundred thousand troops? If you do not yield, you will be sorry when it is too late. Instead of serving the great Hans, you are serving a depraved country called Wei. Why do you not recognize the decree of Heaven? Why do you not distinguish between the pure and the foul? Think over it.”
Then Hao Zhao began to get really angry. He fitted an arrow to his bow and he called out, “Go! Or I will shoot. I meant what I said at first, and I will say no more.”
Again Jin Xiang returned and reported failure to Zhuge Liang.
“The fool is very ill-mannered,” said Zhuge Liang. “Does he think he can beguile me into sparing the city?”
He called up some of the local people and asked about the forces in the city. They told him about three thousand.
“I do not think such a small place can beat me,” said Zhuge Liang. “Attack quickly before any reinforcements can arrive.”
Thereupon the assailants brought up scaling ladders, upon the platforms of which ten or more men could stand. These were surrounded by planks as protection. The other soldiers had short ladders and ropes, and, at the beat of the drum, they attempted to scale the walls.
But when Hao Zhao saw the ladders being brought up, he made his soldiers shoot fire-arrows at them. Zhuge Liang did not expect this. He knew the city was not well prepared for defense, and he had had the great ladders brought up and bade the soldiers take the wall with a rush. He was greatly chagrined when the fire arrows set his ladders on fire and so many of his soldiers were burned. And as the arrows and stones rained down from the wall, the soldiers of Shu were forced to retire.
Zhuge Liang angrily said, “So you burn my ladders; then I will use battering rams.”
So the rams were brought and placed against the walls and again the signal given for assault. But the defenders brought up great stones suspended by ropes, which they swung down at the battering rams and so broke them to pieces.
