Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms podcast.

This is episode 118.

Last time, the Shu forces had routed the Wei army led by the prince consort Xia Houmao, who fled into the city

of Nan'an and was trying to hold off a siege. Meanwhile, Cui Liang, the governor of the nearby

county of Anding, received urgent pleas for help from one of Xia Houmao's officers and set out

to answer that call. But he was in for a rude

surprise. On his way, he found himself trapped by the Shu generals Guan Xing and Zhang Bao. His men

scattered and Cui Liang and about a hundred men managed to fight their way out and flee back to the

city of Anding.

But as he approached the foot of the city wall, he was greeted by a shower of arrows.

I have already taken this city! Surrender now!

A man shouted from atop the wall.

This was the Shu general Wei Yan, who, on Zhuge Liang's

orders, had disguised his troops as the relief force that had set out from Anding earlier,

and managed to trick the guards into opening the gates in the dark of the night, which

allowed him to take the city without breaking a sweat.

Seeing his own city sacked, Cui Liang now fled toward the other neighboring county, Tian Shui,

but he had not gone far before his path was cut off by a line of enemy troops.

Under the main banner sat a man sporting a headband, wearing a Taoist robe with crane patterns,

waving a feather fan, and seated in a carriage. Guess who? Surrounded by enemy soldiers,

Cui Liang figured that surrender was his only option if he wanted to live, which he most certainly

did, so he promptly surrendered,

...