As Lady Xun finished speaking, she picked up the inkstone to strike Cao Cao. This so enraged him that he forgot himself and the need for caution and bade the executioners lead off the old woman and put her to death.
Adviser Cheng Yu, however, stopped this act, saying, “This old lady wished to die. But if you kill her, your reputation will be damaged and hers enhanced. Beside that will add a keen desire for revenge to the motives which led Xu Shu to labor in the interest of Liu Bei. You would better keep her here so that Xu Shu's body and his thoughts may be in different places. He can not devote all his energies to helping our enemy while his mother is here. If you keep her, I think I can persuade the son to come and help you.”
So the outspoken old lady was saved. She was given quarters and cared for. Daily Cheng Yu went to ask after her health, falsely claiming to being a sworn brother of her son's, and so entitled to serve her and treat her as a filial son would have done. He often sent her gifts and wrote letters to her so that she had to write in reply. And thereby he learned her handwriting so that he could forge a “home” letter. When he could do this without fear of detection, he wrote one and sent it by the hand of a trusty person to Xinye.
One day a man arrived inquiring for one San Fu; he claimed to have a letter from home for him. The soldiers led the man to San Fu. The man said he was an official carrier of letters and had been told to bring this one. San Fu quickly tore it open and read:
“On your brother's death recently I was left alone; no relative was near and I was lonely and sad. To my regret, the
Prime Minister Cao Cao inveigled me into coming to the capital, and now he says you are a rebel and he has throw me into bonds. However, thanks to Cheng Yu, my life has been spared so far, and, if you would only come and submit too, I should be quite safe. When this reaches you, remember how I have toiled for you and come at once, that you may prove yourself a filial son. We may together find some way of escape to our own place and avoid the dangers that threaten me. My life hangs by a thread and I look to you to save me. You will not require a second summon.”
Tears gushed from Xu Shu's eyes as he read, and with the letter in his hand he went to seek his chief, to whom he told the true story of his life.
“I heard that Liu Biao treated people well and went to him. I happened to arrive at a time of confusion. I saw he was of no use, so I left him very soon. I arrived at the retreat of Sima Hui the Water-Mirror late one night and told him, and he blamed me for not knowing a master when I saw one. Then he told me of you and I sang that wild song in the streets to attract your attention. You took me; you used me. But now my aged mother is the victim of Cao Cao's wiles. She is in prison, and he threatens to do worse. She has written to call me, and I must go. I hoped to be able to render you faithful service, but, with my dear mother a captive, I should be useless. Therefore I must leave you and hope in the future to meet you again.”
Liu Bei broke into loud moans when he heard that his adviser was to leave.
“The bond between mother and son is divine,” said Liu Bei, “and I do not need to be reminded where your duty lies. When you have seen your venerable mother, perhaps I may have again the happiness of receiving your instruction.”
Having said farewell, Xu Shu prepared to leave at once. However, at Liu Bei's wish, he consented to stay over the night.
Then Sun Qian said privately to his master, “Xu Shu is indeed a genius, but he has been here long enough to know all our secrets. If you let him go over to Cao Cao, he will be in his confidence and that will be to our detriment. You ought to keep him at all costs and not let him go. When Cao Cao sees Xu Shu does not come, he will put the mother to death, and that will make Xu Shu the more zealous in your service, for he will burn to avenge his mother's death.”
“I cannot do that. It would be very cruel and vile to procure the death of his mother that I might retain the son's services. If I kept him, it would lead to a rupture of the parental lien, and that would be a sin I would rather die than commit.”
Both were grieved and sighed. Liu Bei asked the parting guest to a banquet, but he declined, saying, “With my mother a prisoner I can swallow nothing, nay, though it were brewed from gold or distilled from jewels.”
“Alas! Your departure is as if I lost both my hands,” said Liu Bei. “Even the liver of a dragon or the marrow of a phoenix would be bitter in my mouth.”
They looked into each other's eyes and wept. They sat silent till dawn. When all was ready for the journey, the two rode out of the city side by side. At Daisy Pavilion they dismounted to drink the stirrup cup.
Liu Bei lifted the goblet and said, “It is my mean fortune that separates me from you, but I hope that you may serve well your new lord and become famous.”
Xu Shu wept as he replied, “I am but a poor ignorant person whom you have kindly employed. Unhappily I have to break our intercourse in the middle, but my venerable mother is the real cause. Though Cao Cao use all manner of means to coerce me, yet will I never plan for him.”
“After you are gone, I shall only bury myself in the hills and hide in the forests,” said Liu Bei.
Xu Shu said, “I had in my heart for you the position of leader of the chieftains, but my plans have been altogether upset by my mother. I have been of no advantage to you nor should I do any good by remaining. But you ought to seek some person of lofty wisdom to help you in your great enterprise. It is unseemly to be downcast.”
“I shall find none to help better than you, my master.”
“How can I permit such extravagant praise?” said Xu Shu. “I am only a useless blockhead.”
As he moved off, he said to the followers, “Officers, I hope you will render the Princely One good service, whereby to write his name large in the country's annals and cause his fame to glow in the pages of history. Do not be like me, a person who has left his work half done.”
They were all deeply affected. Liu Bei could not bring himself to part from his friend. He escorted him a little further, and yet a little further, till Xu Shu said, “I will not trouble you, O Princely One, to come further. Let us say our farewell here.”
Liu Bei dismounted, took Xu Shu by the hands, and said, “Alas! We part. Each goes his way and who knows if we shall meet again?”
His tears fell like rain and Xu Shu wept also. But the last goodbyes were said; and when the traveler had gone, Liu Bei stood gazing after the little party and watched it slowly disappear. At the last glimpse he broke into lamentation.
“He is gone! What shall I do?”
One of the trees shut out the traveler from his sight, and Liu Bei pointed at it, saying, “Wish that I could cut down every tree in the countryside!”
“Why?” said his officers.
“Because they hinder my sight of Xu Shu.”
Suddenly they saw Xu Shu galloping back.
Said Liu Bei, “He is returning; can it he that he is going to stay?”
So he hastened forward to meet Xu Shu, and when they got near enough, he cried, “This return is surely for no slight reason.”
Checking his horse, Xu Shu said, “In the turmoil of my feelings I forgot to say one word. There is a person of wonderful skill living about seven miles from the city of Xiangyang; why not seek him?”
“Can I trouble you to ask him to visit me?”
“He will not condescend to visit you; you must go to him. But if he consents, you will be as fortunate as the Zhou when they got the aid of Lu Wang, or the Han when Zhang Liang came to help.”
“How does the unknown compare with yourself?”
“With me? Compared with him I am as a worn-out carthorse to a palomino, an old crow to a phoenix. This man often compares himself with the ancient sages Guan Zhong and Yue Yi but, in my opinion, he is far their superior. He has the talent to measure the heavens and mete the earth; he is a man who overshadows every other in the world.”
“I would know his name.”
“He belongs to Langye; and his name is Zhuge Liang. He is of th
e family of the former General Zhuge Feng. His father, Zhuge Gui, was the Governor Deputy of Taishan but died young, and the young fellow went with his uncle Zhuge Xuan to Jingzhou. Imperial Protector Liu Biao was an old friend of his uncle, and Zhuge Liang became settled in Xiangyang. Then his uncle died, and he and his younger brother, Zhuge Jun, returned to their farm in Nanyang and worked as farmers. They used to amuse themselves with the composition of songs in the Liangfu style.
“On their land was a ridge of hills called the Sleeping Dragon, and the elder of the brothers took it as a name and called himself Master Sleeping-Dragon. This is your man; he is a veritable genius. You ought really to visit him; and if he will help you, you need feel no more anxiety about peace in the empire.”
“Water-Mirror spoke that time of two persons, Sleeping-Dragon and Blooming-Phoenix, and said if only one of them could be got to help me all would be well. Surely he, whom you speak of, is one of them.”
“Blooming-Phoenix is Pang Tong of Xiangyang, and Sleeping-Dragon is Zhuge Liang.”
Liu Bei jumped with delight, “Now at last I know who the mysterious ones are. How I wish they were here! But for you I should have still been like a blind man,” said he.
Some one has celebrated in verse this interview where Xu Shu from horseback recommended Zhuge Liang:
Liu Bei heard that his able friend
Must leave him, with saddened heart,
For each to the other had grown very dear,
Both wept when it came to part.
But the parting guest then mentioned a name
That echoed both loud and deep,
Like a thunder clap in a spring-time sky,
And there wakened a dragon from sleep.
Thus was Zhuge Liang recommended to Liu Bei, and Xu Shu rode away.
Now Liu Bei understood the speech of the hermit Water-Mirror, and he woke as one from a drunken sleep. At the head of his officers, he retook the road to the city and having prepared rich gifts set out, with his brothers, for Nanyang.
Under the influence of his emotions at parting, Xu Shu had mentioned the name and betrayed the retreat of his friend. Now he thought of the possibility that Zhuge Liang would be unwilling to play the part of helper in Liu Bei's scheme, so Xu Shu determined to go to visit him. He therefore took his way to Sleeping Dragon Ridge and dismounted at the cottage.
Asked why he had come, he replied, “I wished to serve Liu Bei of Yuzhou, but my mother has been imprisoned by Cao Cao, and has sent to call me. Therefore I have had to leave him. At the moment of parting I commended you to him. You may expect him speedily and I hope, Sir, you will not refuse your aid but will consent to use your great talents to help him.”
Zhuge Liang showed annoyance and said, “And so you have made me the victim of the world sacrifice.”
So saying, Zhuge Liang shook out his sleeves and left the room. The guest shamefacedly retired, mounted his horse, and hastened on his way to the capital to see his mother.
To help the lord he loved right well,
He summoned the aid of another
When he took the distant homeward way
At the call of a loving mother.
What was the sequel will appear in the following chapters.
CHAPTER 37. Sima Hui Recommends A Scholar To Liu Bei; Liu Bei Pays Three Visits To The Sleeping Dragon Ridge.
As has been said Xu Shu hastened to the capital. When Cao Cao knew Xu Shu had arrived, he sent two of his confidants, Xun Yu and Cheng Yu to receive the newcomer at the city gate, and so Xu Shu was led first to the Prime Minister's palace.
“Why did such an illustrious scholar as you bow the knee to Liu Bei?” said Cao Cao.
“I am young and I fled to avoid the results of certain escapades. I spent some time as a wanderer and so came to Xinye where I became good friends with him. But my mother is here, and when I thought of all her affection, I could no longer remain absent.”
“Now you will be able to take care of your mother at all times. And I may have the privilege of receiving your instructions.”
Xu Shu then took his leave and hastened to his mother's dwelling. Weeping with emotion, he made his obeisance to her at the door of her room.
But she was greatly surprised to see him and said, “What have you come here for?”
“I was at Xinye, in the service of Liu Bei of Yuzhou, when I received your letter. I came immediately.”
His mother suddenly grew very angry. Striking the table she cried, “You shameful and degenerate son! For years you have been a vagabond in spite of all my teaching. You are a student and know the books. You must then know that loyalty and filial piety are often opposed. Did you not recognize in Cao Cao a traitor, a man who flouts his king and insults the mighty ones? Did you not see that Liu Bei was virtuous and upright as all the world knows? Moreover, he is of the House of Han, and when you were with him you were serving a fitting master. Now on the strength of a scrap of forged writing, with no attempt at any inquiry, you have left the light and plunged into darkness and earned a disgraceful reputation. Truly you are stupid. How can I bear to look upon you? You have besmirched the fair fame of your forefathers and are of no use in the world.”
The son remained bowed to the earth, not daring to lift his eyes while his mother delivered this vilifying tirade. As she said the last word, she rose suddenly and left the room. Soon after one of the servants came out to say Lady Xun had hanged herself. Xu Shu rushed in to try to save her, but was too late. A eulogy of her conduct has been written thus:
Wise Mother Xun, fair is your fame,
The storied page glows with your name,
From duty's path you never strayed,
The family's renown you made.
To train your son no pains you spared,
For your own body nothing cared.
You stand sublime, from us apart,
Through simple purity of heart.
Brave Liu Bei's virtues you extolled,
You blamed Cao Cao, the basely bold.
Of blazing fire you felt no fear,
You blenched not when the sword came neat,
But dreaded lest a willful son
Should dim the fame his fathers won.
Yes, Mother Xun was of one mold
With famous heroes of old,
Who never shrank from injury,
And even were content to die.
Fair meed of praise, while still alive,
Was yours, and ever will survive.
Hail! Mother Xun, your memory,
While time rolls on, shall never.
At sight of his mother dead, Xu Shu fell in a swoon and only recovered consciousness after a long time. By and bye Cao Cao heard of it and sent mourning gifts, and in due course went in person to condole and sacrifice. The body was interred on the south of the capital, and the dead woman's unhappy son kept vigil at her tomb. He steadily rejected all gifts from Cao Cao.
At that time Cao Cao was contemplating an attack on the south. His adviser Xun Yu dissuaded him, saying, “The winter is not favorable for this campaign. My lord should await milder weather.”
And Cao Cao yielded. But he began to prepare, and led the River Zhang's waters aside to form a lake, which he called the Aquamarine Lake, where he could accustom his soldiers to fight on the water.
As has been said Liu Bei prepared gifts to offer to Zhuge Liang on his visit. One day his servants announced a stranger of extraordinary appearance, wearing a lofty head-dress and a wide belt.
“Surely this is he” said Liu Bei, and, hastily arranging his dress, he went to welcome the visitor.
But the first glance showed him that it was the recluse of the mountains, Sima Hui. However, Liu Bei was glad to see him and led him into the inner apartment as he would an old friend.
There Liu Bei conducted him to the seat of honor and made his obeisance, saying, “Since leaving you that day in the mountains I have been overwhelmed with military preparations and so have failed to visit you as courtesy demanded. Now th
at the brightness has descended upon me, I hope this dereliction of duty may be pardoned.”
“I hear Xu Shu is here. I have come expressly to see him,” replied Water-Mirror bluntly.
“He has lately left for Xuchang. A messenger came with a letter telling of the imprisonment of his mother.”
“Then he has just fallen into Cao Cao's trap, for that letter was a forgery. I have known his mother to be a very noble woman; and even if she were imprisoned by Cao Cao, she would not summon her son like that. Certainly the letter was a forgery. If the son did not go, the mother would be safe; if he went, she would be a dead woman.”
“But how?” asked Liu Bei dismayed.
“She is a woman of the highest principles, who would be greatly mortified at the sight of her son under such conditions.”
Liu Bei said, “Just as your friend was leaving he mentioned the name of a certain Zhuge Liang. What think you of him?”
Water-Mirror laughed, saying, “If Xu Shu wanted to go, he was free to go. But why did he want to provoke Zhuge Liang into coming out and showing compassion for some one else?”
“Why do you speak like that?” asked Liu Bei.
He replied, “Five persons, Zhuge Liang of Nanyang, Cui Zhouping of Boling, Shi Guangyuan of Yingchuan, Meng Gongwei of Runan, and Xu Shu of Yingchuan were the closest of friends. They formed a little coterie devoted to meditation on essential refinement. Only Zhuge Liang arrived at a perception of its meaning. He used to sit among them with his arms about his knees muttering and then, pointing to his companions, he would say, 'You, gentlemen, would become governors and protectors if you were in official life.'
Three Kingdoms Romance Page 54