Liu Bei sought refuge with Liu Biao in Jingzhou, and Liu Biao assigned Liu Bei to guard Xinye. In Xinye, Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang cleverly used fire attacks to defeat Cao Cao's arrogant general Xiahou Dun.

Liu Bei worried that Cao Cao would seek revenge. Zhuge Liang said, 'Xinye is a small county and cannot be resided in for long. I recently heard Liu Biao is gravely ill; we could seize this opportunity to take Jingzhou as our place to settle down, and perhaps then we can resist Cao Cao.'

Liu Bei replied, 'What you said is good, but I have received Liu Biao's kindness, how can I bear to do such a thing?'

Zhuge Liang said, 'If you don't take it today, you will surely regret it later!'

Liu Bei said, 'I would rather die than do such an ungrateful thing.'