When it was just dawn the next day, the drums were turned off and Ma Chao's troops arrived. When Liu Bei came out to watch, he only saw Ma Chao riding with a spear in the shadow of the gate flag, wearing a lion helmet and animal belt, and white silver armor. The robe, firstly, shows that it is different from ordinary people in terms of momentum, and secondly, the appearance is dignified. Liu Bei sighed: "Others say he is Jin Ma Chao. When we meet him today, he is indeed worthy of his reputation!" Zhang Fei was about to go down to the pass to challenge, but Liu Bei hurriedly came out to stop him and said: "Don't fight yet, we have to avoid their attacks."
So Ma Chao yelled in front of the pass and asked Zhang Fei to come out for a duel. Zhang Fei was very angry after the pass was closed and wanted to go down immediately and cut Ma Chao into pieces. However, Liu Bei stopped him many times. In the afternoon, Liu Bei saw that some of Ma Chao's troops were tired. So he selected five hundred cavalry and walked to Guanxia with Zhang Fei.
When Ma Chao saw Zhang Fei's army and horses arriving, he moved his gun back. The soldiers retreated a distance. Zhang Fei stopped the soldiers, and the closed army horses also arrived at the scene one after another.
Zhang Fei stepped out and shouted: "Do you recognize Zhang Yide from Yan?"
Ma Chao sneered and said: "Our family has been filled with princes for generations, how could I know a common man from the countryside!"
Zhang Fei was very angry. The two came out of the formation and started a duel. They quickly fought for hundreds of rounds, with no winner or loser. Liu Bei watched the whole fight and sighed: "What a tiger general!" He was afraid of Zhang Fei. He made a mistake and lost his general. He quickly called for gold and retreated his troops, and the two of them went back.
Zhang Fei returned to the formation. After resting for a while, he did not wear a helmet, but just wrapped a turban and went out. He went to the front of the formation to challenge Ma Chao. Ma Chao came out immediately and the two had a duel. Liu Bei was always worried, so he personally He put on his horse and went to watch in front of the formation. Zhang Fei and Ma Chao fought for hundreds of rounds again, and their spirits were getting better and better. Liu Bei felt that he was almost done, so he ordered his troops to withdraw. The two separated again and returned.
At night, Zhang Fei still wanted to fight in a duel. Zhang Fei said: "Ma Chao is very brave and cannot underestimate the enemy. Let's retreat to the gate first and let's talk tomorrow."
Zhang Fei thought that the fight was not over yet and he was not willing to rest, so he shouted: "No, I have to fight again!"
Liu Bei said: "It's getting dark, we can't fight anymore!"
Zhang Fei said: "Light some torches, let's have a night battle!"
Ma Chao also wanted to fight, so he went directly to the front of the formation and shouted, "Zhang Fei! Do you dare to come out to fight at night?"
After hearing this, Zhang Fei naturally couldn't sit still. He changed his mount to Liu Bei and came out of the battle directly, shouting: "I swear you won't go to prison until I capture you alive!"
Ma Chao replied: "If I can't defeat you, I will never return to the camp!"
The soldiers on both sides shouted and lit the torches, lighting up the night like day. The two went to the front of the formation for a duel. At the 20th round, Ma Chao turned his horse's head and retreated, and Zhang Fei shouted: "Go!" Where to go!”
It turned out that Ma Chao saw that he still couldn't defeat Zhang Fei after fighting for so long, so he hatched a plan in his mind. He pretended to be defeated and asked Zhang Fei to come over. Then he hid the hammer in his hand, turned around and threw it in the direction of Zhang Fei. Zhang Fei saw Ma Chao left. As an experienced man in single combat, he was also on guard. When the hammer came, Zhang Fei quickly dodged and passed by the ear. Zhang Fei turned his horse around. Ma Chao chased him in turn. Zhang Fei turned around and shot an arrow. Ma Chao He also hid.
In this way, there was still no winner. Liu Bei shouted in front of the battle: "I treat others with benevolence and righteousness, and I will not use conspiracy. Ma Chao, you withdraw your troops and rest, I will not take advantage of the situation to catch up with you!"
After Ma Chao heard about it, he personally broke up the rear, and the other soldiers also retreated.
Liu Bei also returned to the pass with his troops and horses. On the second day, Zhang Fei was preparing to continue the decisive battle with Ma Chao. Someone reported that the military advisor had arrived, and Liu Bei greeted Kong Ming.
Kong Ming paid his respects and said: "I heard that Ma Chao is a brave tiger general. If he and Zhang Fei fight to the death, one of them will definitely be killed or injured, so I asked Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong to guard Mianzhu. I came here overnight. I can Use a strategy to make Ma Chao surrender to the lord."
Liu Bei quickly stepped forward and held Kong Ming's hand, unable to conceal his excitement, and said: "I have seen Ma Chao very brave these days. I like him very much. How can I get him?"
Kong Ming smiled and said: "I heard that Zhang Lu of Dongchuan was planning to proclaim himself the king of Hanzhong. He had a counselor named Yang Song who was very greedy for money. The lord could send someone from the alley to Hanzhong, bribe Zhang Song with gold and silver, and then write a letter To Zhang Lu, tell me that Liu Zhang and I are fighting for Xichuan. This is to avenge you. You can't listen to the slander. After the incident is completed, I will definitely elect you as the king of Hanzhong. I hope you will withdraw Ma Chao. When Ma Chao retreats, I will use tactics to recruit Ma Chao."
Liu Bei was very happy and immediately wrote a letter and sent Sun Qian to Hanzhong with gold, silver and jewelry. He first went to Yang Song to arrange the matter, explained the matter in detail, and then sent a lot of gold and silver.
Yang Song was very happy and took Sun Qian to Zhang Lu first to explain the convenience.
Zhang Ludao: "Liu Bei's official position is only General Zuo. How can he recommend me as the King of Hanzhong?"
Yang Song said: "He is the imperial uncle of the Han Dynasty who was personally rewarded by Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty. He just happened to go to report it."
Zhang Lu was very happy and sent someone to ask Ma Chao to stop his troops. Sun Qian waited for a reply at Yang Song's house. In less than a day, the envoy came back and reported, "Ma Chao means that if we don't succeed, we will definitely not retreat."
Zhang Lu sent people to persuade him again, but he still refused to come back. He went there three times in a row, but still refused to listen.
Yang Song immediately took advantage of this and said: "Ma Chao has never had any faith to speak of. If he refuses to stop his troops, he is preparing to rebel!" Then he sent people to spread rumors around the city: Ma Chao was preparing to capture Xichuan for the sake of peace. The lord of Shu wanted to avenge his father and refused to surrender to Hanzhong.
Zhang Lu was a little worried after hearing this, so he went to Yang Song to ask for a solution. Yang Song said: "On the one hand, I went to Ma Chao and said that since you want to come back after success, I will give you a one-month period, but you must agree to three things. If If you agree, you will be rewarded. If you disagree, you will definitely be killed! The first is to take Xichuan, the second is to take Liu Zhang’s head, and the third is to drive back Jingzhou’s troops. If the three things are not successful, I can bring your head to see you, and then Send people with soldiers and horses to guard the pass to prevent Ma Chao from mutiny."
Zhang Lu followed this suggestion and sent someone to Ma Chao's camp to explain.
Ma Chao was very surprised after hearing this and said: "What should we do?" So he discussed with Ma Dai and said: "Why don't we stop our troops and go back."
Yang Song spread another rumor: Ma Chao must have some ideas when he came back this time, so Zhang Wei divided seven armies to guard the pass and not let Ma Chao enter.
At this time, Ma Chao was unable to advance or retreat and had no choice.
Kong Ming said to Liu Bei: "Now Ma Chao is in a dilemma. With my sharp tongue, I personally went to Ma Chao's camp to explain and let Ma Chao surrender."
Liu Bei said: "Sir, you are my right-hand man. If there is danger, what should I do?"
Kong Ming insisted on going in person, but Liu Bei disagreed because he deeply regretted Pang Tong's death.
At this time, it was suddenly reported that Zhao Yun had recommended a man from Xichuan to come and surrender.
