Jiang Gan, an old friend of Zhou Yu's in Cao's service offered to visit Zhou Yu to convince him to surrender.
Zhou Yu seeing through his thoughts, made him drunk, and conspired to make it look like their Chief in command of Navy is secretly in league with him and will offer Cao's head to him.
With help from the beauty of his wife who did a sword dance as the men drank, a well written scroll placed inconspicuously on his table and a late night visit from Lu Meng, that 'Cai Mao's messenger' had arrived to bear news of the impending Cao assasination.
Hurrying back camp the next day to report to Cao, Cao is enraged and has Cai Mao executed. Cao realises he has fallen for Zhou Yu's trick and appoints Yu Jin as the new head who suggested chaining the ships for stability.
Seen through by Kongming, when Zhou Yu asked Lu Su to sound him out if he was aware of what happened, Kongming offered his congratulations as Lu Su arrived, adding that the purpose of the visit was to sound him out.
On knowing the news and seeing Kongming as a future threat to him and Dongwu, Zhou Yu is determined to get rid of Kongming officially.
Zhuge Liang borrows 100,000 arrows
Requesting for 100,000 arrows to be made, arrows being the first warfare used in naval battles, Zhou Yu gave Zhuge Liang 10 days to complete the task.
Zhuge Liang asked for 3 days.
Later requesting Lu Su's help to borrow 20 speed boats, 30 men on each boat, stuffed with a 1000 strawmen on both sides of every boat, Kongming made use of the fog that he foresaw, advanced near to the Cao camp and sounded the drums, where the enemies repelled with arrows. Kongming knew the enemy would not send out their battle ships for fear of an ambush in the fog. When one side of the boats were shot completely, he turned the boats the other way.
Eventually he completed the task with 120,000 - 130,000 arrows, earning Lu Su's deep respect and Zhou Yu acknowledging that he is not within his league.
On his victory, to Lu Su he said:
为将者如不通天文，不识地理，
不知阴阳， 不晓奇门，
不观阵图，不掌兵势，庸才耳
Zhou Yu falls sick
One day when observing the Cao camp, a night wind blew, and Zhou Yu gave a shout, and fainted. The doctors were unable to come up with a diagnosis, and Lu Su sought Kongming's advice.
Lu Su brought Kongming to Zhou Yu's tent when he told him that he knew how to treat Zhou Yu's illness.
Knowing that Zhou Yu is worried about the wind direction because of using fire as a main attack, in the depth of winter (Long Dong Festival), there is only a Southeast wind in the Chang Jiang River, never a northeast wind.
If it persists, using fire would backfire on their own ships instead of the enemy.
Kongming then told Zhou Yu that although he is of little talent, he was lucky to be trained in the ways of rituals of the heavens and earth by an exceptional person, with that, he can command the Northeast wind for 3 days and nights...
He said, it is the 11th month of the 15th day, if it were the 11 month of the 20th day, Jia Zi Qi Feng, the wind arises from the 60 year cycle，and on the 22th day the wind will stop, what do you think?
Zhou Yu expressed his gratitude to Kongming for saving his life.
The 20th day was the 3rd day Kongming conducted the rituals, the winds changed direction, the ritual was a success. Knowing that Zhou Yu will make an attempt on his life, he flees Jiangdong, meeting Zhou Yu's wife Xiao Qiao in her horse carriage. Lu Meng quickly catches up but she dismisses them saying that she has no seen Zhuge Liang. She saved his life as gratitude for him saving Zhou Yu's.
Zhuge Liang is dropped off at Yan Zi Ji, where Zhao Yun is waiting. She had passed by 2 days ago and judging from his heroic aura, she knew he is no mere fisherman and must have been sent by Kongming.
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