Not long after, Pang Tong (aka Young Phoenix) started to work for Cao Cao. He pointed out that Cao Cao's troops were mainly from the North, and as such, unaccustomed to the motion of ships. This, he said, puts them at a disadvantage.
So, he proposed that the ships be joined side by side with iron chains, effectively reducing the ships' rocking to the waves. One of Cao Cao's advisors quickly pointed out that this would cause great damage if the enemy used fired to attack them.
Cao Cao countered by pointing out that it was now winter. So, only the North-western wind was blowing. This was also weighing on Zhou Yu's mind. The sudden realization that using fire would actually work against them made him so anxious that he started coughing blood and fell ill.
Zhouge Liang wrote a prose for Zhou Yu:
To defeat Cao Cao/you have to use fire;/All are within your wish/except wind from the East.
Zhuge Laing then offered to help 'procure' a Southeast gale. He asked Zhou Yu to build the Altar of the Seven Stars. He then put on a Taoist robe and approached the altar to carry out prayers. A few days later, a Southeast wind began to blow. Granted Zhuge Liang didn't know magic, but he had studied astronomical and climatic phenomena, and knew that a Southeast wind would soon be blowing.
Convinced that Zhuge Liang has remarkable abilities, Zhou Yu decided to get rid of him as soon as possible. So, he sent his men after Zhuge Liang. Anticipating harm to befall him, Zhuge Liang had made arrangements for Zhao Yun to come in a boat and take him back to Xiakou.
- Compiled from The Three Kingdoms
