Liu Bei visited the thatched cottage three times and finally succeeded in inviting Zhuge Liang to be his military adviser. Yet his sworn brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, did not take Zhuge seriously. Before long, Cao Cao dispatched an army of 100,000 to attack Liu Beis headquarters at Xinye. Caos troops were at the command of General Xiahou Chun. When Liu Bei turned to Zhuge Liang for advice, Zhuge said: Ihave to borrow your majestys sword of authority in that I am fafraid that Guan Yu and Zhang Fei will not listen to me. Liu lost no time in lending his sword of authority to Zhuge who then started to dispatch Lius army for the defence. Zhuge ordered Guan Yu to Lck and wait at Mount Yushan with 1,000 troops. Guan was not to attack the enemy but rather let them pass. He would charge at the enemy as soon as he saw fire break out in the enemy procession. Zhang Fei was ordered to Lrk and wait in the valley with another 1,000 troops. Zhang was to attack the town of Bowang as soon as he saw fire break out in the enemy procession. Guan Ping, adopted son of Guan Yu and General Liu Feng were ordered to each guide 500 troops to wait behind the slope of Bowang. They would set fire to the enemy procession as soon as the enemy arrived at the slope. Zhuge recalled Zhao Yun from Fancheng to be the vanguard of Lius army. But Zhao was ordered not to defeat the advancing enemy but rather pretend to be defeated. Liu Bei was given 1,000 troops as the back up force. |