Zhuge Liang blazes to victory in his first battle, but Cao Cao turns up the heat on Jing Province.

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Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast. This is episode 49.

Last time, Cao Cao had sent his general Xiahou Dun and 100,000 men to wipe out Liu Bei in Xinye County. Liu Bei’s new adviser Zhuge Liang cooked up a plan to repel the invaders near the city of Bo (2) Wang (4), but most of the people he was giving orders to, including Liu Bei himself, were a bit skeptical.

So Xiahou Dun was marching his army toward Bo (2) Wang (4). He put half in front as the vanguard, and the rest marched in the back of the column, defending the provisions. It was autumn, and strong winds were starting to blow. As they marched, they saw dust being kicked up ahead, a sure sign of oncoming troops. So Xiahou Dun ordered his men to line up for battle, and he asked the guide where they were.

“Bo (2) Wang (4) is ahead. Behind that is the mouth of the River Luo (2),” the guide answered.

Xiahou Dun ordered the officers Yu (1) Jin (4) and Li (2) Dian (3) to hold the line, while he himself rode forward to scope out the oncoming force. When he saw them, he suddenly started laughing. When his men asked why, he answered, “In front of the prime minister, Xu (2) Shu (4) had praised Zhuge Liang to the heavens. But now I see how he deploys his troops. Look at the sorry state of his vanguard. Pitting such troops against me is like driving a herd of dogs and goats into a fight with tigers and leopards! I had told his excellency that I will capture Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang alive. And now, I’m going to make that happen for sure!”

So he rode out to meet the enemy. From the oncoming force, the general Zhao Yun rode out to meet him, and Xiahou Dun cursed him, saying, “You followers of Liu Bei are like lost souls chasing a ghost!”

This riled up Zhao Yun, and he rode forward to fight Xiahou Dun. After a few bouts, Zhao Yun turned and fled, just as Zhuge Liang had instructed. Xiahou Dun gave chase. After a few miles, Zhao Yun turned around and fought some more, but then turned and fled again.

Now, one of Xiahou Dun’s lieutenants, Han (2) Hao (4), rode up and cautioned Xiahou Dun: “Zhao Yun looks like he’s trying to lure us into a trap.”

“[Scoff] With an enemy as sorry as this, even if they have traps all around us, I would not be afraid!” Xiahou Dun said. So he ignored the warning and kept chasing until he reached Bo (2) Wang (4) Hill. There, at the sound of an explosive, Liu Bei himself rode out with an army to face him.

“So this is their ambush,” Xiahou Dun laughed as he said to Han (2) Hao (4). “I will not rest until I reach Xinye tonight!”

So he pressed his army forward, while Liu Bei and Zhao Yun kept running. By this time, it was getting dark. The sky was covered with clouds, there was no moon light, and a strong gale kicked up. Xiahou Dun kept pushing his troops ahead. As his officers Yu Jin and Li Dian, who were in the middle of the column, reached a narrow point where dry reeds crowded the road on both sides, Li Dian said to Yu Jin, “He who underestimates the enemy is doomed to defeat. The path south is a narrow mountain pass with thick woods. If the enemy attacks us with fire, what would we do?”

“You’re quite right,” Yu Jin said. “I will ride on ahead to warn the commander. You should stop the rear of the army.”