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But when he drew near his camp, he saw no longer the familiar flags of his own side. Instead, alien banners fluttered in the breeze. He checked his steed and stared at the new force. The leader was a general wearing a silver breastplate and clad in a silken robe, no other than Liu Bei himself. On his left was his son and on his right rode his nephew.

“Whither would you come?” cried Liu Bei. “The camp is ours; I have captured it.”

Now Liu Bei had led his troops in the track of the other two armies ready to help either in case of need. He had come across the empty and undefended camp and taken possession.

Left with no place of refuge, Ling Bao set off along a byway to try to get back to Luocheng. He had not gone far when he fell into an ambush and was taken prisoner. Bound with cords he was taken to the camp of Liu Bei.

The ambush had been prepared by Wei Yan, who, knowing he had committed a fault that could in no wise be explained away, had collected as many of his soldiers as he could find and made some of the captured soldiers of Yiazhou guide him to a spot suitable for laying an ambush.

Liu Bei had hoisted the flag of amnesty for his enemies, and whenever any soldier of the Western Land of Rivers laid down his weapons and stripped off his armor he was spared. Also all the wounded were granted life. Liu Bei told his enemies that they had liberty of choice. He said, “You soldiers have parents and wives and little ones at home, and those who wish to return to them are free to go. If any wish to join my army, they also will be received.”

At this proof of generosity the sound of rejoicing filled the land.

Having made his camp, Huang Zhong came to Liu Bei and said, “Wei Yan should be put to death for disobedience!”

The culprit was summoned and came, bringing with him his prisoner. Liu Bei decided that the merit of capturing an enemy should be set against his fault and bade him thank his rescuer, enjoining upon them both to quarrel no more. Wei Yan bowed his head and confessed his fault, and Huang Zhong was handsomely rewarded.

The prisoner was then taken before Liu Bei to decide upon his fate. Liu Bei loosened Ling Bao's bonds by his own hands and gave Ling Bao the cup of consolation. After he had drunk, Liu Bei asked if he was willing to surrender.

“Since you give me my life, I can do no other,” said he. “Moreover, my two companions, Liu Gui and Zhang Ren, and I are sworn to live or die together. If you will release me, I will return and bring them also to you and therewith you will get possession of Luocheng.”

Liu Bei gladly accepted the offer. He gave Ling Bao clothing and a horse and bade him go to the city to carry out his plan.

“Do not let him go,” said Wei Yan. “If you do, you will never see him again.”

Liu Bei replied, “If I treat humans with kindness and justice, they will not betray my trust.”

So the prisoner was set free. When Ling Bao reached the city and saw his two friends, he told them, saying, “I slew many of the enemy and escaped by mounting the steed of one of them.”

Ling Bao said no word of having been captured. Messengers were sent in haste to Chengdu for help.

The loss of his general, Deng Xian, disturbed the Imperial Protector greatly. He called his advisers together to consult.

Then his eldest son, Liu Xun, said, “Father, let me go to defend Luocheng.”

“You may go, my son, but who is there to go with you?”

One Wu Yi at once offered himself. He was brother-in-law to Liu Zhang, who said, “It is well that you go, Brother-in-Law, but who will second you?”

Wu Yi at once recommended two men, Wu Lan and Lei Tong, who were appointed to assist in the command. Twenty thousand troops were given them, and they set out for Luocheng. Liu Gui and Zhang Ren came out to welcome them and told them what had happened.

Wu Yi said, “If the enemy draw near to the walls, it will be hard to drive them off again. What do you two think should be done?”

Ling Bao replied, “The city lies along River Fu and the current is strong. The enemy camp lies low at the foot of the hills; and with five thousand people I can cut the river banks, flood their camp, and drown Liu Bei and his army with him.”

The plan was approved, and Ling Bao went away to carry it out. Wu Lan and Lei Tong were told off to supervise the workers. They began to prepare the tools for cutting the bank.

Leaving Huang Zhong and Wei Yan in command of the two camps, Liu Bei went away to Fucheng to consult with Pang Tong, the army's instructor. Intelligence had been received that Sun Quan had sent a messenger to seek to make a league with Zhang Lu to make a joint attack upon the Jiameng Pass, and Liu Bei was alarmed lest it should come to pass.

“If they do that, I am taken in the rear and helpless in both advance and retreat,” said he. “What do you counsel, O Instructor?”

Pang Tong turned to Meng Da, saying, “You are a native of Shu and well skilled in its topography; what can be done to make the Pass secure?”