Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms podcast.

This is episode 133.

Last time, after many, many tries,

Zhuge Liang finally got his nemesis Sima Yi to take the bait,

luring Sima Yi into a valley.

As soon as Sima Yi, his two sons and his army were inside,

Zhuge Liang's men sealed off the entrance and set the place on fire,

triggering the explosives that they had buried inside the valley,

Sima Yi and company found themselves trapped like rats. As the flames closed in, all Sima Yi could do

was to pull his sons into his arms and wait for death. As the fire inched closer, Zhuge Liang looked on from a nearby hill with delight.

This was his finest hour. In a matter of minutes, Sima Yi would be dead, and the path to the

heartlands would be cleared, and his dream and lifelong work of reuniting the empire would be so close to fruition.

Once the kingdom of Wei falls, it would be only a matter of time before Dongwu succumbs

as well, and then...

Wait, what's happening?

Out of nowhere, a powerful gale kicked up, and the sky quickly grew dark.

Then, with the loud clap of a thunderbolt, a drop of rain plopped to the ground.

Then another, and then another.

No, you have got to be kidding me!

As Zhuge Liang looked on, the heavens opened up and a torrential rain poured down on him and on the valley below.

Soon, the fire inside the valley was extinguished, the landmines were silenced, and all the firework had gone out.

Now is our chance to get out of here, Sima Yi shouted.

...