So the edict was issued and sent to Zhuge Liang. The messenger was at once received as soon as he reached Qishan.
“The Emperor is young, and there is some jealous persons by his side,” said Zhuge Liang sadly. “I was just going to achieve some solid success; why am I recalled? If I go not, I shall insult my Prince; if I retire, I shall never get such a chance again.”
“If the army retire, Sima Yi will attack,” said Jiang Wei.
“I will retire in five divisions. Thus today this camp goes. Supposing that there are a thousand soldiers in the camp, then I shall have two thousand cooking places prepared, or if there are three thousand soldiers, then four thousand cooking plates shall be got ready; and so on, increasing the cooking arrangements as the troops are sent away.”
Yang Yi said, “In the days of old, when Sun Bin was attacking Pang Juan, Sun Bin decreased the cooking arrangements as the soldiers were increased. Why do you reverse this, O Minister?”
“Because Sima Yi is an able leader and would pursue if he knew we were retreating. But he would recognize the probability of an ambush; and if he sees an increase in the cooking arrangements in a camp, he will be unable to conclude whether the troops have gone or not, and he will not pursue. Thus I shall gradually withdraw without loss.”
The order for retreat was given.
Confident of the effect that Gou An's lying report would produce, Sima Yi waited for the retreat of the Shu army to begin. He was still waiting when the scouts told him the enemy's camps were empty. Wishing to make sure, he rode out himself with a small reconnoitering party and inspected the empty camps. Then he bade them count the stoves. Next day he paid a second visit to another empty camp, and again the cooking stoves were counted. The count showed an increase of a half.
“I felt sure that Zhuge Liang would have more troops ready. He has increased the cooking arrangements, and so, if we pursue, he will be ready for us. No; we also will retire and await another opportunity.”
So there was no pursuit, and Zhuge Liang did not lose a soldier on his retreat to Hanzhong.
By and by, people came in from the Lands of Rivers to say that the retreat was a fact, and that only the cooking arrangements had been increased, not the soldiers.
Sima Yi knew that he had been tricked, and looking up the sky, he sighed, “Zhuge Liang imitated the ruse of Sun Bin to rouse my suspicion. His thinking is superior to mine.”
And Sima Yi set out for Luoyang.
What happened when Zhuge Liang returned to Chengdu will be told next.
By means of the artifice just described, Zhuge Liang withdrew his army safely into Hanzhong, while Sima Yi retreated upon Changan. Zhuge Liang distributed the rewards for success and then went to Capital Chengdu for audience.
“Your Majesty recalled me just as I was about to advance upon Changan; what is the important matter?” said the Prime Minister.
For a long time the Latter Ruler made no reply. Presently he said, “I longed to see your face once more, that is the only reason.”
Zhuge Liang replied, “I think my recall was not on your own initiative; some slanderous persons has hinted that I cherished ulterior objects.”
The Latter Ruler, who indeed felt guilty and ill at ease, made no reply, and Zhuge Liang continued, “Your late father laid me under an obligation which I am pledged to fulfill to the death. But if vile influences are permitted to work at home, how can I destroy the rebels without?”
“The fact is I recalled you because of the talk of the eunuchs. But I understand now and am unutterably sorry.”
Zhuge Liang interrogated the eunuchs and thus found out the base rumors that had been spread abroad by Gou An. He sent to arrest this man, but Gou An had already fled and gone over to Wei. The eunuchs who had influenced the Emperor were put to death, and all the other eunuchs were expelled from the Palace. The Prime Minister also upbraided Jiang Wan and Fei Yi for not having looked into the matter and set the Son of God right.
Zhuge Liang then took leave of the Latter Ruler and returned to the army. He wrote to Li Yan to see to the necessary supplies and began preparations for a new expedition.
