It was the autumn of the sixteenth year of Long Enjoyment (AD 253), and Jiang Wei's army of two hundred thousand was ready to march against the north. Liao Hua and Zhang Yi were Leaders of the Van; Xiahou Ba was Army Strategist; Zhang Ni was in command of the commissariat. The army marched out by the Yangping Pass.
Discussing the plan of campaign with Xiahou Ba, Jiang Wei said, “Our former attack on Yongzhou failed, so this time they will doubtless be even better prepared to resist. What do you suggest?”
Xiahou Ba replied, “Nanan is the only well-provided place in all Longshang; if we take that, it will serve as an excellent base. Our former ill-success was due to the non-arrival of the Qiangs. Let us therefore send early to tell them to assemble at Longyou, after which we will move out at Shiying and march to Nanan by way of Dongting.”
“You spoke well,” said Jiang Wei.
He at once sent Xi Zheng as his envoy, bearing gifts of gold and pearls and silk to win the help of the King of the Qiangs, whose name was Mi Dang. The mission was successful; King Mi Dang accepted the presents and sent fifty thousand troops to Nanan under the Qiang General Ehe Shaoge.
When Guo Huai heard of the threatened attack, he sent a hasty memorial to Luoyang.
Sima Shi at once asked his leaders, “Who will go out to meet the army from the west?”
Xu Zhi volunteered, and as Sima Shi had a high opinion of his capacity, he appointed Xu Zhi as Leader of the Van. The brother of the Prime Minister, Sima Zhao, went as Commander-in-Chief.
The Wei army set out for Xizhou, reached Dongting and there fell in with Jiang Wei. When both sides were arrayed Xu Zhi, who wielded a mighty splitter-of-mountains ax as his weapon, rode out and challenged. Liao Hua went forth to accept, but after a few bouts he took advantage of a feint and fled.
Then Zhang Yi set his spear and rode forth to continue the fight. He also soon fled and returned within his own ranks. Thereupon Xu Zhi gave the signal to fall on in force, and the army of Shu lost the day. They retired ten miles, Sima Zhao also drew off his troops, and both sides encamped.
“Xu Zhi is very formidable; how can we overcome him?” asked Jiang Wei.
“Tomorrow make pretense of defeat and so draw them into an ambush,” replied Xiahou Ba.
“But remember whose son this Sima Zhao is,” said Jiang Wei. “Sima Zhao cannot be a novice in war; and if he sees a likely spot for an ambush, he will halt. Now the troops of Wei have cut our transportation many times; let us do the same to them, and we may slay this Xu Zhi.”
He called in Liao Hua and Zhang Yi and gave them secret orders, sending them in different directions. Then he laid iron thorns along all the approaches and planted thorny barriers as if making a permanent defense. When the troops of Wei came up and challenged, the troops of Shu refused battle.
The scouts reported to Sima Zhao: “The Shu supplies are coming up along the rear of Iron Cage Mountain, and they are using the wooden oxen and running horses as transport.”
They also reported the look of permanency in the defenses and said they were evidently awaiting the arrival of their allies the Qiang tribes.
Then said Sima Zhao to Xu Zhi, “We formerly defeated the army of Shu by cutting off supplies, and we can do that again. Let five thousand troops go out tonight and occupy the road.”
About the middle of the first watch Xu Zhi marched across the hills; and when he came to the other side, he saw a couple of hundred soldiers driving a hundred or so heads of mechanical animals laden with grain and forage. His army rushed down upon them with shouts, and the troops of Shu, seeing that their road was impassable, abandoned their supplies and ran away. Xu Zhi took possession of the supply train, which he sent back to his own camp under the escort of half his troops. With the other half he set out in pursuit.
About three miles away, the road was found blocked with carts set across the track. Some of his soldiers dismounted to clear the way; but as they did so, the brushwood on both sides burst into a blaze. Xu Zhi at once drew off his force and turned to retire, but coming to a defile he found the road again blocked with wagons, and again the brushwood began to burn. He made a dash to escape, but before he could get clear a bomb roared, and he saw the troops of Shu coming down on him from two directions. Liao Hua and Zhang Yi from left and right fell on Xu Zhi with great fury, and the troops of Wei were wholly defeated. Xu Zhi himself got clear, but without any following.
