Novel scene
Wild Beasts Driven, the Nanman Defeated the Sixth Time 驅巨獸六破蠻兵
About this event
"Wild Beasts Driven, the Nanman Defeated the Sixth Time" is the first scene of Chapter 90 of the Romance, whose chapter title is "Driving Giant Beasts, He Routs the Man Army a Sixth Time; Burning the Rattan Armour, He Captures Meng Huo a Seventh Time." When Meng Huo, released for the fifth time, returned to Yinkeng Cave, Zhuge Liang took Sanjiang City, captured Lady Zhurong and exchanged her for Zhang Ni and Ma Zhong, and drove off King Mulu's wild beasts with giant beasts made of wood to take Yinkeng Cave. He then captured Meng Huo, who had feigned surrender, for the sixth time and released him. This is one episode of Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign as depicted in the Romance. Romance, Ch. 90 §1 · 10–11 · 18–19 · 25–30
Chen Shou's text has neither this scene nor Meng Huo, Lady Zhurong or King Mulu. The Biography of the Later Ruler in Records of Shu 3 states that in the spring, in the 3rd month of the 3rd year of Jianxing (225), the Chancellor Zhuge Liang campaigned against the four southern commanderies and pacified them all, and the Biography of Zhuge Liang in Records of Shu 5 states only that all was pacified by the autumn of that year. Records, Shu 3 §6Records, Shu 5 §24
In the Romance
In Chapter 90 of the Romance, on the recommendation of his wife's brother, the Dailai Cave Chief, Meng Huo sent a letter and gifts to King Mulu of Bana Cave and had King Duosi guard Sanjiang City. When Zhao Yun and Wei Yan could not prevail against the poisoned arrows pouring down from the walls, Zhuge Liang pulled his troops back a few li and kept his camp closed for five days. When a wind rose at dusk, he had each soldier wrap earth in the flap of his garment and dump it at the foot of the wall, and the piled earth formed a hill reaching the top of the wall. The Shu troops scaled the wall, and King Duosi died in the confused fighting. Romance, Ch. 90 §5–10
When the Shu army reached the front of the cave, Meng Huo's wife, Lady Zhurong, came forth. Skilled at throwing the Feidao, flying knives, she hit Zhang Ni's left arm with one and captured him, and she also captured Ma Zhong, who came to rescue him. Meng Huo, saying that Zhuge Liang had released him five times, had the two commanders imprisoned rather than killed. Following Zhuge Liang's plan, Zhao Yun and Wei Yan feigned defeat to lure the Lady out, and Ma Dai, lying in ambush, captured her with a rope for tripping horses. Zhuge Liang sent the Lady back and got the two commanders back in return. Romance, Ch. 90 §11–19
When King Mulu, riding a white elephant, chanted spells and shook a bell, a fierce wind arose and wild beasts such as tigers, leopards and venomous snakes charged, and Zhao Yun and Wei Yan were defeated. Zhuge Liang said he had known before he left his thatched cottage that the Nanman had such sorcery, and took out giant beasts carved from wood from ten red-lacquered chest carts brought from Shu. The next day, when Zhuge Liang waved his feather fan, the wind blew back toward the Man troops, and the wild beasts, frightened by the false beasts breathing fire from their mouths, charged into the Man troops. King Mulu died in the confused fighting, and Zhuge Liang took Yinkeng Cave. Romance, Ch. 90 §19–26
The next day the Dailai Cave Chief said that he would seize and hand over Meng Huo, who had refused to listen when urged to surrender, together with Lady Zhurong and several hundred of their clan, but Zhuge Liang hid Zhang Ni and Ma Zhong in the corridors on both sides and had them all seized. When they were searched, each was found to be carrying a sharp knife. Meng Huo said that they had come to their deaths of their own accord and that it was not Zhuge Liang's ability, and that if captured a seventh time he would submit with all his heart. Saying that the lair had already been destroyed, Zhuge Liang had him untied and released him again. Romance, Ch. 90 §27–30
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.