#and yet somehow Zhuge Liang never managed to conquer the Middle Lands for his boss

[j-august]

Things people have said about Zhuge Liang: "The Prime Minister's calculations are divine and incomprehensible." "O Governor, you are the sport of one of Zhuge Liang's wiles." 'Sima Yi felt sad at having been tricked. "Zhuge Liang is a cleverer man than I am," said he with a sigh of resignation.' "Zhuge Liang's vile tricks are innumerable." '"The man appears like a god and disappears like a demon. He is too much for me," sighed Sima Yi.' '"His comings and goings are not human," said Sima Yi sadly.' '"While he lived, I could guess what he would do; dead, I was helpless!" said Sima Yi.' 'The people had a saying that "A dead Zhuge Liang can scare off a live Sima Yi".'

Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms (trans. C.H. Brewitt-Taylor)