Then he opened his robe and looked—the child was fast asleep.
“Thank Heaven, your son is unhurt, sir,” said Zhao Yun happily as he held out the baby to him in both hands. Liu Bei took the child but threw it to the earth angrily, saying, “To preserve that suckling I very nearly lost a great general.”
Zhao Yun hastily picked up the child and said in tears, “Were I to suffer a violent death I could not prove my gratitude to you.”
From Cao’s army a tiger rushed,
In his breast the child slept.
To show he rated Zhao Yun high,
Liu threw his son aside.
Wen Ping and his men pursued Zhao Yun to the Long Slope Bridge, where they saw Zhang Fei’s bristling mustache and fiercely glaring eyes before them. There he rode his battle steed, his hand grasping his terrible serpent-like spear, guarding the bridge. They also saw great clouds of dust rising behind the woods in the east. Fearing that they might fall into an ambush they halted, not daring to advance further.
In a little time Cao Ren and many other officers also arrived, but none dared press forward, wary not only of Zhang Fei’s fierce look, but also afraid that they should become victims of yet another ruse of Zhuge Liang. As they came up they formed a line to the west of the bridge, while a messenger was sent at once to inform their lord of the situation.
As soon as Cao Cao heard about this he mounted and rode to the bridge to see for himself. Zhang Fei’s fierce eyes, scanning the rear of the army opposite him, saw the silken umbrella and the banners approaching. He concluded that Cao Cao had come to find out for himself how matters stood. So in a mighty voice he shouted, “I am Zhang Yi-de of Yan—who dares to fight with me?”
At the sound of this thunderous voice a terrible quaking fear seized upon all his enemies. Cao Cao immediately told his attendants to take the umbrella away. Turning to his followers he said, “Guan Yu once said that his brother Zhang Fei could easily take the head of a powerful general amid an army of a million soldiers. Now here he is in front of us—we must be careful.”
As he finished speaking, that terrible voice was heard again: “I am Zhang Yi-de of Yan—who dares to fight with me?”
Cao Cao, seeing his enemy so fierce and resolute, began to think of retreat and Zhang Fei, noticing a movement in the rear of the enemy force, once again shook his spear and roared: “What do you mean, cowards? You will not fight, nor do you run away.”
This roar had scarcely finished when an attendant of Cao Cao’s, terror-stricken, reeled and fell from his horse. Panic also overpowered Cao Cao, and he turned at once to run for his life. At this, all his officers and men scurried westward in great haste. They were as frightened as a suckling babe at a clap of thunder, or like a weak woodcutter hearing the roar of a tiger. Many of them threw away their spears, dropped their casques and fled, becoming a wave of panic-stricken humanity and tumbling mass of terrified horses. Some were trampled underfoot by their own comrades.
Zhang Fei was wrathful; and who dared
To accept his challenge? Fierce he glared;
His thunderous voice rolled out, and then
In terror fled Cao Cao’s million men.
Panic-stricken, Cao Cao galloped westward, thinking of nothing but getting away. He lost his headdress and his loosened hair streamed behind him. Presently, Zhang Liao and Xu Chu came up with him and seized his bridle, yet fear had deprived him of all self-control.
“Do not be frightened,” said Zhang Liao. “After all, Zhang Fei is but one man and not worthy of so much fear. If you will only return and attack you will capture your enemy, Liu Bei.”
Their words helped Cao Cao to regain some presence of mind, so he ordered the two of them to go back to the bridge and find out the situation.
Zhang Fei saw the disorderly retreat of the enemy but he dared not pursue. Then he called back his score or so of dust-raising followers to cut loose the branches from their horses’ tails and destroy the bridge. This done, he went to report to his brother and told him of the destruction of the bridge.
“Brave as you are, brother, you’re no strategist, I’m afraid,” said Liu Bei.
“What do you mean, brother?”
“Cao Cao is very unyielding. The destruction of the bridge will bring him in pursuit.”
“He ran away at a mere yell of mine. I don’t think he dares to return.”
“If you’d left the bridge standing where it was, he wouldn’t have dared to pursue for fear of an ambush. Now the destruction of the bridge tells him we’re weak and fearful, and he’ll pursue. With his huge army he can even fill up the big rivers to cross over. Do you think he’ll be intimidated by a broken bridge?”
So Liu Bei and his men at once resumed their flight, taking a byroad toward Minyang, which led diagonally to the river.
At the same time the two officers sent by Cao Cao to the Long Slope Bridge returned with the news that the bridge had been destroyed and Zhang Fei had left.
“Then he is afraid,” said Cao Cao.
He at once gave orders to set 10,000 men to start work on erecting three floating bridges for the army to cross the river that very night.
His officer Li Dian said, “This may be one of Zhuge Liang’s tricks. We must be careful.”
“Zhang Fei is just a bold warrior, and is not capable of any guile,” said Cao Cao.
He then issued the command for an immediate advance.
Liu Bei, in the meantime, had got near the big river. Suddenly, there appeared in his track a great cloud of dust accompanied by loud rolls of drums and shouting. Dismayed, Liu Bei said, “Before us rolls the great river, behind are the pursuers. What hope is there for us?”
Hastily he asked Zhao Yun to organize a defense.
Meanwhile, Cao Cao issued an order to his army: “Liu Bei is now a fish in a pot, a tiger in a pit. If we do not catch him this time, the fish will get back to the sea and the tiger escape to the hills. Therefore every officer must spare no effort to press on.”
Consequently every officer commanded those under him to hasten forward. As they were pressing on at great speed there suddenly appeared a force from behind some hills and a voice cried, “I have waited here a long time.”
The warrior who had shouted this held in his hand the Blue Dragon sword and rode Red Hare, for indeed it was none other than Guan Yu. He had gone to Jiangxia for help and had returned with an army of 10,000 soldiers. Having heard of the battle he had taken this road to intercept.
As soon as he saw Guan Yu, Cao Cao stopped and said to his officers, “We have been tricked again by that Zhuge Liang!”
Without more ado he ordered a retreat. Guan Yu followed him some ten li and then drew off to guard his elder brother on his way to the river. There, boats were ready and Guan Yu asked his brother and family to go on board. When all were seated in the boat Guan Yu, finding his second sister-in-law missing, asked his brother about her. Then Liu Bei told him of the battle at Dangyang.
“Alas!” sighed Guan Yu. “Had you taken my advice during that hunting expedition near the capital we would have escaped the misery of this day.”
“But on that day I was afraid lest the Emperor might be harmed,” said Liu Bei. “As the saying goes, ‘Beware of damage to the vessel when pelting the rat.’”
Just as he spoke he heard war drums on the south bank. A fleet of boats, thick as a swarm of ants, came running up with swelling sails in the fair wind. He was greatly alarmed.
The boats came nearer. There he saw the figure of a young man, clad in a white robe and silver armor, who stood in the prow of the foremost boat. He cried, “Are you all right, uncle? Sorry I haven’t come earlier.”
It was Liu Qi. He came over to Liu Bei’s boat and bowed low to him. “I heard you were attacked by Cao Cao and I have come to help you.”
Liu Bei welcomed him with joy and they combined forces. The whole fleet sailed on, while they told each other of their adventures.
Unexpectedly in the southwest there appeared a line o
f fighting boats riding the wind. Liu Qi said, “All my men are here and now there is an enemy barring the way. If they are not Cao Cao’s ships they must be from Sun Quan in the east. We have a poor chance. What shall we do now?”
Liu Bei went to the prow and gazed at the newcomers. Presently he made out a figure in a turban and Taoist robe sitting in the bow of one of the boats and knew it to be Zhuge Liang. Behind him stood Sun Qian.
When Zhuge Liang joined his master he was asked how he came to be there. Zhuge Liang said, “When I reached Jiangxia I first sent Guan Yu to cross the river and assist you on land. I knew Cao Cao would pursue so I calculated which way you would take. I asked your nephew to come and meet you here on the river while I went to Xiakou to muster as many men as possible as reinforcements.”
The new force added to their strength and they began to explore how their powerful enemy might be overcome.
Zhuge Liang said, “Xiakou has strong fortifications as well as plentiful supplies for a lengthy stay. I think you, my lord, should camp there for the present. Your nephew can return to Jiangxia to get the fleet in order and prepare weapons. Thus you two will be able to aid each other. If we all go to Jiangxia our position will be weakened.”
Liu Qi replied, “You are quite right, sir, but I would rather my uncle stayed awhile in Jiangxia till the army was in good shape. Then he could go to Xiakou.”
“Your idea is good too,” replied Liu Bei. Then leaving Guan Yu with 5,000 men at Xiakou, the others all went to Jiangxia.
When Cao Cao saw Guan Yu emerge on land with a force, he feared lest an ambush was set out of sight, so he stopped the pursuit. He also feared in case Liu Bei should cross the river and take Jiangling before him, so he set out for the place with all haste.
The two officials in command of Jingzhou had heard of what happened at Xiangyang and, knowing that there was no chance of successful defense against Cao Cao’s army, they led out the people to the outskirts and offered submission. Cao Cao entered the city, and after restoring order and confidence, he rewarded the officials.
Then he said, “Liu Bei has gone to Jiangxia and may ally himself with Wu, then the threat to me will be greater. How can he be destroyed?”
Xun You said, “Your fame has spread wide with your splendid victories. Therefore you can send a messenger to invite Sun Quan to hunt down Liu Bei together at Jiangxia. Say that you will share Jingzhou with him and you two will then form a permanent alliance. Sun Quan will be frightened into submission and your end will be achieved.”
Cao Cao agreed and sent an envoy with a letter to Wu. At the same time he prepared his army, which amounted to 833,000 men, including horse, foot, and marines—but he called it a million. The attack was to be from both land and water simultaneously. Their camps stretched some 300 li from east to west.
At this point the narrative must digress. The story of Cao Cao’s movements and successes reached Sun Quan, then in camp at Caisang. He assembled his strategists to decide on a scheme of defense.
Lu Su said, “Jingzhou is contiguous to our borders. It is strong and defensible; its people are rich. It is the sort of place an emperor or a king should have. Now Liu Biao has died recently and Liu Bei has suffered a defeat. I pray you will send me there with the excuse of conveying condolences so that I can persuade Liu Bei to bring round the officers of the late prefect to cooperate with you against Cao Cao. If Liu Bei does as I wish, then success is yours.”
Sun Quan thought this a good plan, so he had the necessary gifts prepared and sent Lu Su to Jiangxia.
At Jiangxia, Liu Bei was formulating plans for dealing with the enemy with Zhuge Liang and Liu Qi.
Zhuge Liang said, “Cao Cao’s power is too great for us to cope with. Let us go over to Wu and ask help from Sun Quan. If we can set north and south against each other we ought to be able to get some advantage from our medial position between them.”
“But will they be willing to have anything to do with us?” doubted Liu Bei. “Sun Quan has many able men in his command and he must have ambitions of his own.”
Zhuge Liang replied, “Cao Cao, with his immense army, holds the Han and Yangtze rivers. Sun Quan will certainly send someone to find out the real situation. Should any messenger come I will harness a fair wind and sail down the river to Wu. Once there, I will trust to my tongue to set north and south at each other’s throats. If the southern men win, we will assist them in destroying Cao Cao in order to get Jingzhou; if the north wins, we will take the opportunity to get Wu. So we will get some advantage either way.”
“That is a very fine view indeed,” said Liu Bei. “But how are you going to get someone from Wu to come here?”
Liu Bei’s question was answered by the announcement of the arrival of Lu Su, and as his boat touched the bank and the envoy came ashore, Zhuge Liang laughed, saying, “My plan is done!”
Turning to Liu Qi he asked, “When Sun Ce died did you send any condolences?”
“The Suns resent us for the death of their father. How can there be any mourning courtesies between us?”
“Then it is certain that this envoy does not come to present condolences but to collect military information.”
So he said to Liu Bei, “When Lu Su asks about the movements of Cao Cao, you will say you know nothing. If he presses the matter, tell him to ask me.”
Having thus prepared their scheme they sent some people to welcome the envoy, who entered the city in mourning garb. The gifts having been accepted, Liu Qi asked Lu Su to meet Liu Bei. After the introduction the guest was entertained with wine in the inner hall.
Lu Su said to Liu Bei, “I have long heard your glorious name, sir, but until today I have not had the good fortune of paying my respects to you. I am very gratified to meet you. You have been fighting with Cao Cao lately, though, so I presume you know his military strength. May I ask how big is his army?”
Liu Bei replied, “My army was so small that we fled whenever we heard of his approach—so I do not know how many men he has.”
“I was told that you adopted the advice of Zhuge Liang and used fire on Cao Cao twice, burning his men so badly that they were scared out of their wits. How can you possibly deny any knowledge of his military strength?” said Lu Su.
“I really do not know the details unless I ask Zhuge Liang.”
“Where is Zhuge Liang? I should like to meet him,” said Lu Su.
So he was sent for and introduced to the guest. Then Lu Su said, “I have long admired your genius but have never been fortunate enough to meet you. Now that I have met you I hope you will enlighten me on the present crisis.”
Zhuge Liang answered, “I know all of Cao Cao’s wicked designs, but to our regret we are not strong enough to withstand him. That is why we have tried to avoid him.”
“Is your lord going to stay here?”
“Well, my lord is an old friend of the Prefect of Cangwu and intends to go to him.”
“He has but few men and insufficient supplies, unable even to ensure his own safety. How can he protect you?”
“His place is not one to remain for long, but it is good enough for the present. We can make other plans for the future later.”
Lu Su said, “My master General Sun is strongly posted and exceedingly well supplied. He treats able men and scholars with the greatest courtesy and so all the heroes in the east gather round him. For your sake I think you cannot do better than send someone you trust to confer with him.”
“There has never been any friendship between my master and yours,” said Zhuge Liang. “I fear it will be nothing but a waste of words. Besides, we have no one to send.”
“Your elder brother is an advisor of General Sun’s and he is longing to see you,” said Lu Su. “Although I am only a man of poor learning I should be pleased to introduce you to my master so that you can discuss weighty plans together.”
“But he is my chief advisor,” interrupted Liu Bei, “and I cannot do without him, not even for a moment. He cannot go.”
Lu Su pressed him. Liu Bei pretended to refuse permission.
“It is important—I pray you give me leave to go,” said Zhuge Liang at last.
Only then did Liu Bei consent. And they soon took leave and the two set out by boat for Sun Quan’s headquarters.
A little boat sailed down the stream with Zhuge well content;
For he could see his enemies to black perdition sent.
The result of this journey will appear in the next chapter.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Zhuge Liang Debates With the Scholars of Wu
Lu Su Denounces the Majority Opinion
In the boat on the way to Wu, Lu Su discussed with Zhuge Liang how they should present the matter to his master. Lu Su said, “When you see General Sun, please don’t tell him the actual strength of Cao Cao’s army.”
“Don’t worry, Zi-jing,” replied Zhuge Liang, “I know how to reply.”
When the boat arrived Zhuge Liang was asked to rest in the guest-house while Lu Su went alone to see his master. He found him at a council with his advisors and officers in the audience chamber. Lu Su was at once summoned and questioned about what he had discovered on his trip to Jiangxia.
“I know the general situation,” replied Lu Su. “I will report it to you presently.”
Then Sun Quan showed Cao Cao’s letter to him. “This came yesterday. I have sent the messenger back and this meeting is to consider how to reply,” he said.
Lu Su read the letter, which briefly was something like the following:
At the imperial command to punish the wrong doers I recently led my army to the south. Liu Zong surrendered and his people flocked to my side at the first sight of my arrival. Under my command are a million brave soldiers and a thousand able officers. My desire is, General, that we go on a hunting expedition in Jiangxia and together we will attack Liu Bei. We will share his land between us and pledge to live in perpetual friendship. I pray you will not hesitate but send me a speedy reply.
The Three Kingdoms, Volume 2: The Sleeping Dragon: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation Page 11