This was evil tidings. He bade his generals keep his own standard flying and hold Deng Ai while he went to try to recover the camps. On the way he met Yang Xin, but Yang Xin had no stomach for a fight with Jiang Wei and made for the hills. Jiang Wei followed till he came to a precipice down which the enemy were hurling boulders and logs of wood so that he could not pass.
Jiang Wei turned to go back to the battle-field he had just left, but on the way he met the army of Wei, for Deng Ai had crushed his generals. Jiang Wei was surrounded, but presently got clear with a sudden rush and hastened to the great camp.
Next came the news: “Zhong Hui has defeated the Yangping Pass; Jiang Shu has surrendered, while Fu Qian has fallen in the field. Hanzhong is now in the possession of Wei. Wang Han of Yuecheng and Jiang Bin of Hancheng has also opened their gates and yielded to the invaders at the loss of Hanzhong. Hu Ji has gone to Chengdu for help.”
This greatly troubled Jiang Wei, so he broke camp and set out for Hanzhong. That night the Shu army reached the Frontier River Pass. An army under Yang Xin barred his way, and again Jiang Wei was forced to fight. He rode out in a great rage, and as Yang Xin fled, he shot at him thrice, but his arrows missed.
Throwing aside his bow, he gripped his spear and set off in pursuit, but his horse tripped and fell, and Jiang Wei lay on the ground. Yang Xin turned to slay his enemy now that he was on foot, but Jiang Wei thrust Yang Xin's horse in the head. Other Wei troops came up rescued Yang Xin.
Mounting another steed of his follower, Jiang Wei was just setting out again in pursuit when they reported that Deng Ai was coming against his rear. Realizing that he could not cope with this new force, Jiang Wei collected his troops in order to retreat into Hanzhong.
However, the scouts reported: “Zhuge Xu, Imperial Protector of Yongzhou, is holding Yinping Bridge, our retreat path.”
So Jiang Wei halted and made a camp in the mountains. Advance and retreat seemed equally impossible, and he cried in anguish, “Heaven is destroying me!”
Then said Ning Sui, one of his generals, “If our enemies are blocking Yinping Bridge, they can only have left a weak force in Yongzhou. We can make believe to be going thither through the Konghan Valley and so force them to abandon the bridge in order to protect the city. When the bridge is clear, you can make a dash for Saber Pass and plan for a recapture of Hanzhong.”
This plan seemed to promise success, so Jiang Wei ordered them to march into the Konghan Valley, making as though they would go to Yongzhou.
When Zhuge Xu, who was at the Yinping Bridge, heard this, he said in great shock, “Yongzhou is my own city, and headquarters; if it would be lost, I would be punished.”
So Zhuge Xu set off to its relief by the south road. He left only a small force at the bridge.
Jiang Wei marched along the north road for ten miles till he guessed that Zhuge Xu had abandoned the bridge, when he reversed his course, making the rearguard the van. He dispersed the small force left at the bridge head and burned their camp. Zhuge Xu, as he marched, saw the flames, and he turned back to the bridge, but he arrived too late. The army of Shu had already crossed, and he dared not pursue.
Soon after Jiang Wei crossed the bridge, he saw another force, but this was led by his own generals, Liao Hua and Zhang Yi.
They told him, “Huang Hao, firm in his faith in the wise woman, would not send help to defend the frontiers. We heard Hanzhong was threatened, and thus marched there to its rescue, but then Zhong Hui had taken the Yangping Pass. We also heard you were surrounded here, so we came to your help.”
The two armies amalgamated and marched together.
Liao Hua said, “We are attacked all round, and the grain transportation is blocked. It seems to me wisest to retire on the Saber Pass and plan other designs.”
But Jiang Wei was doubtful. Then they heard that Deng Ai and Zhong Hui were approaching in ten divisions. Jiang Wei was disposed to stand, but Liao Hua said, “This country of White Water is too narrow and difficult to fight in with any hope of success. It would better to retreat to the Saber Pass. If we loss that pass, all paths will be closed to us.”
At last Jiang Wei consented, and the march began. But as they neared the pass, they heard drums rolling and saw flags fluttering, which told them that the pass was held.
What force was at the pass will be told in the next chapter.
