Zhang Fei and Ma Chao collide in a battle for the ages.

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Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms Podcast. This is episode 82.

Last time, with Liu Bei tightening the noose around his metaphorical neck, Liu Zhang was so desperate for help that he turned to his long-time nemesis Zhang Lu, promising to give him 20 districts if he helped repel Liu Bei’s invasion. Zhang Lu agreed and sent his new acquisition, the general Ma Chao, to lead an army to attack Liu Bei.

Meanwhile, Liu Bei was on the move, marching toward the key city of Mianzhu (2,2), which laid between him and his ultimate destination, Liu Zhang’s power base at the city of Chengdu. Liu Zhang had sent reinforcements to garrison Mianzhu, and this force was led by two men, Fei (4) Guan (1), who was Liu Zhang’s brother-in-law, and Li (3) Yan (2). When they heard that Liu Bei was coming their way, Fei Guan sent Li Yan out to meet the enemy.

Li Yan led 3,000 men out to meet the oncoming force. Once they lined up, Liu Bei’s general Huang Zhong rode out and faced Li Yan. They fought for 40-some bouts without either man getting the upperhand. Zhuge Liang now ordered the gong to be sounded to signal retreat.

Huang Zhong returned to his lines and asked, “I was just about to capture Li Yan, why did you call me back?”

“From what I can see, Li Yan cannot be defeated by force,” Zhuge Liang said. “Tomorrow we will take him on again. At that time, you will pretend to lose and lure him into following you into a canyon, where we will stage an ambush to defeat him.”

 

So the next day, Li Yan came to meet them again, and this time, Huang Zhong fought him for less than 10 bouts before feigning defeat and leading his men in retreat. Li Yan gave chase and followed them into the nearby canyon. After he entered the canyon, Li Yan suddenly realized he was being played and quickly turned around, but by then, Liu Bei’s general Wei Yan had already blocked his path with a squad of soldiers.

Now, Zhuge Liang shouted to Li Yan from atop a hill: “Sir, if you do not surrender, I have strong crossbows set up on both sides, ready to avenge Pang Tong.”

Well, this was enough to convince Li Yan to dismount, pull off his armor, and surrender, just like so many of his Riverlands buddies. Not a single one of his soldiers came to any harm. Zhuge Liang brought him to go see Liu Bei, who treated him with great kindness.

“Even though Fei Guan (1) is Liu Zhang’s relative, he and I are very close,” Li Yan said to Liu Bei. “I will go persuade him to surrender.”

So Liu Bei sent Li Yan back to the city, where Li Yan told his friend how wonderful Liu Bei was. And oh yeah, if you don’t surrender, there’s gonna be hell to pay. Tempted by the carrot and mindful of the big stick, Fei Guan (1) quickly surrendered as well, flinging the gates open for Liu Bei. So now, Liu Bei had a clear path to Chengdu.

 

But before Liu Bei could make his next move, he got some bad news. An urgent dispatch arrived, telling him that Ma Chao was laying siege to Jiameng (1,2) Pass, the key city on the border between Yi Province and Hanzhong, and that the pass would surely fall without reinforcements. Liu Bei was greatly alarmed and consulted with Zhuge Liang.

“Only Zhang Fei or Zhao Yun would be up to this task,” Zhuge Liang said.

“Zhao Yun is still out on campaign,