"For method I rely on Zhuge Liang; but for action I put my faith in you, my brothers. Are you going to fail me?"

They went out, and Zhuge Liang was called.

"I fear your brothers will not obey me," said Zhuge Liang. "Wherefore, if I am to direct the campaign, you must give me a seal of office and a sword of authority."

So Liu Bei gave him both. Armed with these ensigns of power, Zhuge Liang assembled the officers to receive their orders.

"We will go just to see what he will do," said Zhang Fei to Guan Yu.

In the assembly Zhuge Liang spoke, saying, "On the left of Bowang are Yushan Hills. On the right is Anlin Forest. There we will prepare an ambush. Guan Yu will go to Yushan Hills with one thousand soldiers. He is to remain there quiescent till the enemy has passed; but when he sees a flame in the south, that will be the signal to attack. He will first burn their baggage train. Zhang Fei will go to a valley behind Anlin Forest. When he sees the signal, he is to go to the old stores depot at Bowang and burn that. Liu Feng and Guan Ping will take five hundred soldiers each to the south, prepare combustibles and be ready with them beyond Bowang Slope. The enemy will arrive about dusk, and then the two generals can start the blare. Zhao Yun, now recalled from Fancheng, is to lead the attack, but he is to lose and not win. And our lord is to command the reserve. See that each one obeys these orders and let there be no mistakes."

Then said Guan Yu, "All of us are to go out to meet the enemy, but I have not yet heard what you are going to do."

"I am going to guard the city."

Zhang Fei burst into a laugh, "We are to go out to bloody battle, and you are to stay quietly at home quite comfortable."

"Here is the sword and here the seal!" replied the strategist, displaying the emblems of authority. "Disobedience of orders will be death."

Liu Bei said, "Do you not understand that the plans elaborated in a little chamber decide success over thousands of miles? Do not disobey the command, my brothers."

Zhang Fei went out smiling cynically.

Guan Yu remarked, "Let us await the result. If he fails, then we can look to it."