Liu Bei visited the thatched cottage（茅草屋） three times and finally succeeded in inviting Zhuge Liang to be his military adviser. Yet his sworn brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, did not take Zhuge seriously.

Before long, Cao Cao dispatched an army of 100,000 to attack Liu Bei's headquarters at Xinye. Cao's troops were at the command of General Xiahou Chun. When Liu Bei turned to Zhuge Liang for advice, Zhuge said: "I have to borrow your majesty's sword of authority in that I am afraid that Guan Yu and Zhang Fei will not listen to me." Liu lost no time in lending his sword of authority to Zhuge who then started to dispatch（分派） Liu's army for the defence.

Zhuge ordered Guan Yu to wait at Mount Yushan with 1,000 troops. Guan was not to attack the enemy but rather let them pass. He would charge at the enemy as soon as he saw fire break out in the enemy procession（队伍） . Zhang Fei was ordered to Lurk and wait in the valley with another 1,000 troops. Zhang was to attack the town of Bowang as soon as he saw fire break out in the enemy procession. Guan Ping, adopted son of Guan Yu and General Liu Feng were ordered to each guide 500 troops to wait behind the slope of Bowang. They would set fire to the enemy procession as soon as the enemy arrived at the slope. Zhuge recalled Zhao Yun from Fancheng to be the vanguard of Liu's army. But Zhao was ordered not to defeat the advancing enemy but rather pretend to be defeated. Liu Bei was given 1,000 troops as the back up force.

Guan Yu was so curious that he asked: "We all go out to fight the battle. But what will you do?" Zhuge Liang answered smiling, "I will sit and wait here in town." Zhang Fei burst into larghter and said: "We all go out to risk our lives while you enjoy your time carefree（无忧无虑的） inside the town!" Zhuge said: "I have the sword of authority. Those who disobey my orders will be executed." Guan and Zhang had nothing more to say, but they walked away sneeringly（轻蔑地） .

Since the generals carried out Zhuge Liang's orders to the letter, the enemy was routed Zhuge's first military advice truned out to be smart and farsighted. Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and other generals in the Liu camp soon came to respect the new military adviser.