The Three Kingdoms: The Sacred Oath

by Luo Guanzhong

  “I have been wishing to slay him, too,” said Li Su. “Only I could not find anyone to assist me. Now your intervention is really a heaven-sent opportunity. How can I hesitate?” And he snapped an arrow in two to pledge his allegiance to the scheme.

  “If you can succeed, what glorious rank will not be yours!” said Wang Yun.

  The next day, Li Su set out for Meiwu with a small escort. When he got there he announced himself as bearer of a decree from the Emperor. He was admitted to Dong Zhuo’s presence. After he had made his obeisance the prime minister asked what the decree was.

  “His Majesty has recovered and wishes his ministers to meet him in the palace to consider the question of his abdication in your favor. That is what this summons is about.”

  “What does Wang Yun think of this?”

  “He has already begun the construction of an altar for your succession to the throne and only awaits your arrival, sir.”

  “Last night I dreamed of a dragon coiling round my body,” said Dong Zhuo, greatly pleased. “And now I get this happy tiding! I must not neglect this good opportunity.”

  So he announced his intention of starting for the capital that very day, leaving the palace in the care of Li Jue, Guo Si, and two others with the “Flying Bear” force.

  “When I am Emperor you shall be my precursor,” he said.

  Li Su thanked him, addressing himself as his official.

  Dong Zhuo went inside to bid farewell to his aged mother.

  “Where are you going, my son?” asked his mother.

  “I’m going to receive the throne of Han, and soon you’ll be Empress Dowager.”

  “I’ve been feeling nervous and spooked these last few days. It’s a bad sign.”

  “Anyone about to become the mother of the head of state must have premonitions,” said her son.

  And he left her with these words. Just before starting he said to Cicada: “When I’m Emperor, you’ll be Guei-fei, the first of my ladies.” She knew what this really meant but pretended to rejoice at the news and thanked him.

  He went out, mounted his carriage, and began his journey to the capital with an imposing escort. Less than halfway the wheel of his carriage broke. He stepped down and mounted a horse. But soon after the horse snorted and neighed, threw up his head and snapped the reins.

  Dong Zhuo turned to Li Su and asked what these signs meant.

  “They mean that you are going to be the new ruler, which is to cast away everything old and bring forth the new, to mount the jeweled chariot and sit in the golden saddle.”

  Dong Zhuo believed him. On the second day a violent gale sprang up and the sky became covered with a thick mist. The wily Li Su had an interpretation for this, too. “You are ascending to the dragon seat—there must be red light and lurid vapor to dignify your majestic approach.”

  Dong Zhuo had no more doubts. When he arrived he found all the officials waiting outside the city gate to welcome him—all but Li Ru, who was ill and unable to leave his chamber. He entered and proceeded to his house in the capital and Lu Bu came to congratulate him.

  “When I sit on the throne, you will command the whole army of the Empire, both horse and foot soldiers,” he said.

  That night Lu Bu did not return to his own lodging but stayed at Dong Zhuo’s house. In the suburbs that evening some children at play were singing a little ditty and the words drifted over on the wind.

  The grass in the meadow looks fresh now and green,

  Yet wait but ten days, not a blade will be seen.

  The song sounded ominous but Li Su was again able to provide a happy interpretation. “It only means that the Lius are about to disappear and the Dongs to be exalted.”

  The next morning, at the first streak of dawn, Dong Zhuo set out to appear in court. On arriving there he found all the officials in court dress lining the road. Li Su walked beside his carriage, sword in hand. When he reached the north gate, all his guards were ordered to remain outside and only the pushers of the carriage, a score or so men, were allowed to proceed further. Then he saw in the distance Wang Yun and the other officials standing at the entrance of the Audience Hall. They were all carrying swords in their hands!

  “Why are they all armed?” he asked Li Su.

  Li Su did not reply but pushed the carriage straight to the entrance.

  Suddenly Wang Yun shouted, “The rebel is here! Where are the executioners?”

  At this call, more than a hundred armed guards sprang from both sides and attacked Dong Zhuo with their halberds and spears. He had worn a soft breastplate underneath and the weapons could not penetrate his heart. But he was wounded in the arm and he fell down from his carriage. Feeling desperate, he called loudly, “Where is my son Feng-xian?”

  “Here, and with a decree to execute you, the rebel!” said Lu Bu savagely, as he appeared from behind his carriage.

  With one thrust of his halberd he pierced his victim’s throat. Then Li Su hacked off the head and held it up. Lu Bu, holding his halberd in his left hand, drew the decree from his bosom with his right hand. “The decree was to slay the rebel Dong Zhuo only, but no other.”

  The whole assembly shouted, “Long live the Emperor!”

  The lust for blood awakened, Lu Bu urged the slaughter of Li Ru as he had helped Dong Zhuo to do evil. Li Su volunteered to go in search of him. But just then a shouting was heard at the gate and it was reported that Li Ru’s servants had brought him in. Wang Yun ordered his immediate execution in the market place.

  Dong Zhuo’s head was exposed in a crowded thoroughfare. He was very fat and the guards made torches by sticking splints into his navel. The passers-by pelted the head with stones and kicked the body.

  A large force under Lu Bu was sent to confiscate his property and exterminate his clan at Meiwu. Their first captive was Cicada. Then they slew every member of the Dong family, sparing none, not even his aged mother. Many young ladies of good family were hidden in the place. These were set free. Then they searched the whole palace for valuables. The spoils were enormous—stores of wealth of all types had been collected there. However, four of Dong Zhuo’s main supporters, including Li Jue and Guo Si, fled to Liangzhou with the “Flying Bear” force.

  When they returned to report their success, Wang Yun gave big feasts in celebration. Banquets were also held in the meeting hall to which all the officials were invited. They drank and congratulated each other. While the feasting was in progress, a messenger came in to say that someone was wailing over the corpse exposed in the market place.

  “Everybody is glad at Dong Zhuo’s execution,” said Wang Yun angrily. “Who is this man that dares to lament over him?”

  So he gave orders to arrest the mourner. Soon the man was brought in. When they saw him all were startled, for he was none other than the talented Cai Yong.

  Wang Yun reproached him angrily, “Dong Zhuo has been put to death and all the land rejoices. Yet you, a Han minister, instead of rejoicing, weep for him. Why?”

  Cai Yong admitted guilt. “Unworthy though I am, I know what is right. Am I the man to turn my back on my country and toward Dong Zhuo? Yet once I experienced his kindness and I could not help mourning for him. I know my crime is grave but I pray you consider the reasons. If you punish me severely but do not kill me, you may still use me to continue the writing of the history of Han. In this way I may have the good fortune of expiating my crime.”

  All were sorry for him, for he was a man of great talents and they begged that he might be spared. One of them secretly interceded for him, pointing out that he was a rare scholar and it would be wonderful if he could be entrusted with the writing of the annals. He also argued that it was inadvisable to put to death a man renowned for filial piety. But his effort was in vain. Wang Yun was now strong and obdurate.

  He said, “In the past, Sima Qian* was spared and employed on the annals, with the result that many slanderous stories have been handed down to later generations. These are trying times of great perplexity and we dare
not let a specious fellow like this wield his pen in criticism of the court and a youthful emperor, and abuse us as he will.”

  Remonstrance and appeal being in vain, the official retired. But he said to his colleagues: “Does Wang Yun have no regard for the future? Worthy men are the mainstay of the state and laws are the precepts of action. To destroy the mainstay and nullify the laws is to hasten destruction.”

  Meanwhile, ignoring the appeal of the others, Wang Yun ordered Cai Yong to be thrown into prison and there strangled. Officials and men of letters all wept for him. Later, people commented that it was wrong for Cai Yong to lament over the tyrant’s death, but it was equally wrong for Wang Yong to kill the scholar.

  Dong, the cruel dictator,

  Tyrannized the state,

  Fell and his sole mourner

  Shared his direful fate.

  But Zhuge Liang the sage

  Content to live unknown.

  Ne’er would he stain his name

  To help a tyrant’s reign.

  Now let us follow the story of the four adherents of Dong Zhuo who had fled to Shanxi when their master was slain. There, they offered a petition entreating amnesty. But Wang Yun would not hear of it.

  “These four were the chief instruments of Dong Zhuo’s evils,” he said. “Although a general amnesty was proclaimed, these men should be excluded from enjoying its benefit.”

  The messenger returned to tell the four that there was no hope of pardon, so they decided to flee separately. But the advisor Jia Xu thought differently.

  He said, “If you throw away your army and flee singly, you will fall easy victims to any village official who may seize you. Why not cajole the Shanxi people to share your lot and make a sudden attack on the capital, and so avenge the old master? If you succeed, you gain control of the court and the country. If not, there will be time enough to run away.”

  The plan was adopted and they started spreading the rumor that Wang Yun intended to harry the district. The people there were thrown into a state of terror. Then they went a step further and said, “There is no point in dying for nothing. Revolt and join us.” So they succeeded in inciting the people to join them. Together they mustered a huge army, which was divided into four units, and they all set out to raid the capital. On the way they fell in with Niu Fu, a son-in-law of their late chief, with 5,000 soldiers. He had set out to avenge his father-in-law and he became the van leader of the rebel force.

  When the news of their rebellion came to Wang Yun he consulted Lu Bu. “Don’t worry,” Lu Bu assured him. “They are mere rats to me. Never mind how many there are of them.”

  So Lu Bu and Li Su went to oppose them. The latter was in advance and met Niu Fu. They fought hard but Niu Fu was outmatched and retreated. However, he returned unexpectedly in a night attack. Li Su was quite unprepared and was driven some thirty li from his camp, losing many of his men.

  When Lu Bu learned about the defeat he raged at his former friend, saying, “You have blunted the fighting spirit of my army.” Then he put Li Su to death, exposing his head at the camp gate.

  The next day Lu Bu led his own force to engage Niu Fu in battle. But how could the wretch be strong enough to confront the powerful Lu Bu? He was immediately driven off.

  That night Niu Fu took a trusted friend of his into confidence. “Lu Bu is too valiant a fighter for us to hope to overcome. I think we’d better desert Li Jue and the others, take our valuables, and leave the army.”

  His friend agreed and the two traitors packed up and left their camp with several followers. Before long they came to a river. Tempted by greed, his companion slew him and went to see Lu Bu to offer his head. Lu Bu inquired into the matter and when he learned about the truth he put the double traitor to death.

  Then he advanced and soon fell in with Li Jue’s force. Without giving them time to form in battle array, he led his men in a fierce attack against his enemy; Li Jue, making no stand, retreated a long way. At last he took up a position beside a hill, where he called together the other three.

  Li Jue said, “Though he is brave in battle, Lu Bu is no strategist and so not really formidable. I will lead my men to hold the mouth of the gorge and every day I will incite him to attack. And when he comes toward me, General Guo can smite his rear. Both of us will begin our assault at the sound of gongs and withdraw at the sound of drums. While we are thus engaged, you other two will march off on different routes to capture the capital. Such an attack at two points is sure to end in his defeat.”

  All being of one mind, they prepared themselves to carry out this scheme. As soon as Lu Bu reached the hills, Li Jue came out to attack him. Lu Bu made an angry dash toward the enemy, who withdrew to the hills, from where they shot arrows and hurled stones like rain. Lu Bu’s men halted. At this moment a report came with the urgent news that the rear was being attacked by Guo Si. At once Lu Bu wheeled toward his new enemy but immediately the rolling drums gave them the signal to retreat, so Lu Bu could not come to blows with them. As he called in his men the gongs clanged on the other side and his former opponent came forth as if to smite him. But before he could give battle, his rear was again threatened by Guo Si, who in his turn drew off without striking a blow.

  Thus Lu Bu was baited till his bosom nearly burst with rage. The same tactics continued for several days. He could neither advance nor retreat; his men had no rest.

  In the midst of these distracting maneuvers a messenger rode up in haste to say that the capital was in imminent danger from a double attack. Lu Bu at once ordered a march back to save the capital. At this, both his opponents came to attack him from behind. As he was in a hurry to return to Chang’an, he had no heart to involve himself in serious fighting and his losses were quite heavy.

  However, he eventually reached the capital and found the rebels there in enormous numbers and the city besieged. His attack had but little effect and as his temper became more savage many of his men went over to the rebels.

  Lu Bu fell into deep melancholy. Several days later, two of Dong Zhuo’s adherents still in the capital secretly opened the city gate and the besiegers poured in. Lu Bu exerted himself to the utmost but could not stem the tide. So at the head of a few hundred horsemen he dashed over to Qingsuo Gate and called out to Wang Yun. He told the minister that the situation was desperate and asked him to ride with him to safety.

  Wang Yun replied: “If the fortune of the state prevails and tranquillity is restored, my wish is fulfilled; if not, then I will sacrifice myself for it. I will not quail before danger. Pray give my thanks to the noble supporters east of Tong Pass and ask them to remember their country.”

  Lu Bu urged him again and again, but he would not leave. Soon fires started up all over the city and Lu Bu had to leave, abandoning his family to their fate. He fled to seek protection from Yuan Shu in Nanyang.

  Now Li Jue and his fellow rebel leaders gave full license to their ruffians, who robbed and murdered their fill. Many high officials perished in the disaster. In time they penetrated into the inner palace and the courtiers begged the Emperor to ascend the tower of Xuanping Gate to quell the rioting. At the sight of the yellow umbrella Li Jue and Guo Si checked their men and paid their respects to the Emperor. The young ruler leaned over the tower and addressed them: “My generals, why do you enter the capital in this unruly manner without my summons?”

  The two rebel leaders looked up and said, “The prime minister has been slain by Wang Yun and we are here to avenge him. We are not rebels, Your Majesty. Let us have Wang Yun and we will withdraw our men.”

  Wang Yun was actually among the courtiers at the Emperor’s side. Hearing this demand he said, “My plan to kill Dong Zhuo was for the benefit of the country, but as this evil has grown out of it, I will go down to these rebels.”

  Torn by sorrow, the Emperor hesitated. But the faithful minister leaped from the wall, crying, “Wang Yun is here.”

  The two men drew their swords and asked, “For what crime was Prime Minister Dong slain?”
>
  “His crimes filled the heavens and covered the earth, too numerous to list. The day he died was a day of rejoicing in the whole city as you well know,” said Wang Yun.

  “And if he was guilty, what have we done not to be forgiven?”

  “Seditious rebels, why bandy words? I am ready to die.”

  And he was slain at the foot of the tower.

  Moved by the people’s sufferings,

  Vexed at his prince’s grief,

  Wang Yun compassed the tyrant’s death

  That they might find relief.

  His courage to all was known,

  His loyalty across the land spread,

  Dead though he is, his noble soul

  Keeps guard at the tower today.

  Having put the loyal minister to death, they proceeded to exterminate his whole family. All the people wept in great sorrow.

  But the rebels did not stop here. Li Jue and Guo Si said to each other: “Since we have gone thus far, what could be better than to do away with the Emperor and establish our own rule?” So thinking, they drew their swords and rushed in.

  The arch-devil was slain when the disaster ended,

  But his licentious followers disturbed the Empire’s peace again.

  Whether the Emperor would be slain or not will be told in the next chapter.

  Footnote

  * Famous historian in West Han, author of the Book of History, written between 104 and 91 B.C.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Ma Teng Raises an Army to Fight the Rebels

  Cao Cao Attacks Xuzhou to Avenge his Father