Sun braced himself for the shock and the battle began. Fifty bouts were fought and still neither combatant had the advantage. Sun Tsʻê’s followers whispered to each other their admiration and amazement. Tʻaishih saw that the spearmanship of his opponent showed no weak point whereby he could gain the advantage so he decided to resort to guile. Feigning defeat he would lead Sun to pursue. Tʻaishih however did not retire along the road by which he had come, but took a path leading around the hill instead of over it. His antagonist followed, shouting, “He who retreats is no worthy son of Han!” But Tʻaishih thought within himself, “He has twelve others at his back and I only one. If I capture him, the others will retake him. I will inveigle him into some secret spot and then try.” So flying and fighting by turns he led Sun Tsʻê, an eager pursuer, down to the plain. Here Tʻaishih suddenly wheeled about and attacked. Again they exchanged half a hundred bouts, without result. Then Sun made a fierce thrust which his opponent evaded by gripping the spear under his oxter, while Tʻaishih did the same with his opponent’s spear. Neither was wounded but each exerting his utmost strength to pull the other out of the saddle they both came to the ground. Their steeds galloped off they knew not whither while the two men, each dropping his spear, began a hand to hand struggle. Soon their fighting robes were in tatters. Sun gripped the short lance that Tʻaishih carried at his back, while Tʻaishih tore off the other’s helmet. Sun tried to stab with the short lance but Tʻaishih fended off the blow with the helmet as a shield. Then arose a great shouting. Liu Yu had come up with a company of soldiers. Sun seemed now in sore straits. His twelve followers came up and each combatant let go his hold. Tʻaishih quickly found another steed, seized a spear and mounted. Sun Tsʻê, whose charger had been caught by Chʻêng Pʻu, also mounted, and a confused battle began between the handful of men on one side and a whole company on the other. It swayed and drifted down the hill side. However, soon Chou Yü came to the rescue, and as evening drew on a tempest put an end to the fight. Both sides drew off and returned to camp. Next day Sun Tsʻê led his army to the front of Liu Yu’s camp and the challenge was accepted. The armies were drawn up. Sun hung the short lance he had seized from Tʻaishih Tzŭ at the end of his spear and waved it in front of the line of battle and ordered his soldiers to shout, “If the owner of this had not fled he would have been stabbed to death.” On the other side they hung out Sun’s helmet and the soldiers shouted back “Sun Tsʻê’s head is here already.” Both sides thus yelled defiance at each other, one side boasting, the other bragging. Then Tʻaishih rode out challenging Sun to a duel to the death and Sun would have accepted, but Chʻêng Pʻu said, “My lord should not trouble himself, I will take him,” and he rode forth.