“Do not be anxious,” said Lord Qiao. “I will tell the Dowager to protect you.”
Soon Lord Qiao went to tell the Dowager of Liu Bei’s worries and his eagerness to return home. She was very angry when she heard the reason for Liu Bei’s desire to leave.
“Who dares to harm my son-in-law?” she cried.
She at once asked him to move into the study of the palace as a precaution until a day would be chosen for the wedding. This arrangement, however, made it impossible for his soldiers to keep guard at his side.
So Liu Bei went to see her again and said, “It would be inconvenient for Zhao Yun to be left outside. The soldiers might get unruly.”
She then told him to bring all his men into the palace so that nothing would go amiss. Liu Bei secretly rejoiced in his heart.
Several days later, huge banquets were given to celebrate the wedding of Liu Bei and his bride, Lady Sun. Once it had grown late and the guests had departed, the bridegroom was conducted by two lines of red candles to the nuptial chamber.
To his utmost shock Liu Bei found the chamber furnished with spears and swords, while on two sides stood waiting-maids with swords girded to their waists.
Walls hung with spears the bridegroom saw,
And armed waiting-maids;
His heart fell back on all its fears
Of well-laid ambuscades.
What this meant will be related in the next chapter.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Liu Bei Cleverly Persuades His Bride to Leave Wu
Zhuge Liang Provokes Zhou Yu to Anger a Second Time
The bridegroom turned pale with fright—the bridal chamber was lined with weapons of war and the waiting-maids armed! But the housekeeper said, “Do not be frightened, Your Lordship. My lady has always had a taste for martial arts and often amused herself by watching her maids fencing. That is all.”
“Not the sort of thing a lady should ever look at,” said Liu Bei. “It makes me feel cold and you may have them removed for a time.”
The housekeeper went to her mistress and said, “The weapons in your chamber displease His Lordship—may we remove them?”
Lady Sun laughed and said, “He’s afraid of a few weapons after half a lifetime spent in fighting!”
But she ordered their removal and told the maids to take off their swords while at work. And the night passed happily for the newly weds.
The next day Liu Bei distributed gifts among the maids to win their hearts and sent Sun Qian back to Jingzhou with news of the wedding. From then on he gave himself up to feasting and enjoyment. The Dowager liked him more every day.
The result of the plot to destroy Liu Bei was thus very different from the originator’s intention. Sun Quan sent news of this to Zhou Yu and asked him for further advice, saying that due to his mother’s insistence his sister was married to Liu Bei, so turning a fantasy into reality.
The news deeply troubled Zhou Yu and he could not concentrate on anything else until he finally thought out another scheme, which he put down in a letter and sent to his master. Here is the outline of the letter:
“Contrary to our expectations, my plan has taken a wrong course. However, since the make-believe ended in reality our future plans must evolve from this new situation. To his own daring ambition Liu Bei is aided by such mighty warriors as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, as well as the strategist Zhuge Liang. He is not the man to remain long in a lowly position. I can think of no better plan than to keep him in Wu, a prisoner of self-indulgence. Therefore build for him a fine palace to blunt the edge of his aspirations and surround him with sensuous luxury so as to alienate him from the affection of his brothers and disrupt his friendship with his strategist. When this result has been attained, we can smite him and so end a great matter. If we let him go free this time I fear the dragon is no beast to be kept in a pond, but will ultimately fly to the skies. I pray, sir, you will consider this most carefully.”
The letter was shown to Zhang Zhao who said, “I agree with him completely. Liu Bei began life in a humble position and for years has been a vagrant. He has never tasted the delights of wealth. Give him the means of luxury, a beautiful dwelling, fair women, gold and silk, and as he enjoys them thoughts of Zhuge Liang and his brothers will fade away and they, on their side, will be filled with resentment. Thus we can lay our plans for recovering Jingzhou. I recommend that you quickly put into place the actions as suggested by Zhou Yu.”
Sun Quan then set about redecorating the eastern wing of the palace, laying out the grounds and filling the rooms with beautiful furniture for his sister and her husband. He also sent them scores of fair maids who could sing and dance, and every kind of fancy ornaments of gold and silver, as well as brocade and silk stuffs. And his mother was delighted at his kindness to her son-in-law.
Indeed, Liu Bei was soon so immersed in sensuous pleasure that he gave no thought to returning to Jingzhou. Zhao Yun and the soldiers under him led an idle life in the front portion of the residence, and they tried to kill time by practicing archery and horse racing outside the city. And thus days passed quickly and it was nearly the end of the year.
Suddenly Zhao Yun remembered the advisor’s orders and the three silk bags with the plans in them: to open the first one on arrival, the second one at year’s end, and the third one in an emergency, when there appeared no way out. Inside the bags were wonderful plans to guarantee the safe return of his lord. He thought to himself, “Our lord has indulged himself so much in pleasure that I can hardly see him. The year is drawing to a close. Why don’t I open the second bag and see what I can do?” So he opened the bag and discovered the wonderful scheme therein.
Acting accordingly, Zhao Yun went inside and asked to see his master. The maid in attendance went within and said, “Zhao Yun has some important matter to report to the master.”
Liu Bei called him in and asked what the business was. Zhao Yun assumed an appearance of great distress and asked, “My lord, you are secluded in the beautiful chamber—have you quite forgotten Jingzhou?”
“But what is the matter that you seem so disturbed?” asked Liu Bei.
“This morning Zhuge Liang sent a messenger to say that Cao Cao was trying to avenge his last defeat and was leading half a million men to attack Jingzhou. The city is in great danger and he wishes you to return immediately.”
“I must speak to my wife,” said Liu Bei.
“If you consult her she will be unwilling to let you leave. It would be better to say nothing but to start this evening. Delay may cause great damage.”
“Leave me alone for the time being,” said Liu Bei. “I know what to do.”
Zhao Yun deliberately pressed him several times with the need to return before going away.
Liu Bei went in to see his wife, weeping silently. Seeing his tears she asked, “Why are you so upset?”
Liu Bei replied, “I have been driven hither and thither all my life. I was never able to do my duty to my parents when they were alive nor have I been able to offer sacrifices to my ancestors. I have been most unfilial. The new year is at hand and its approach disquiets me greatly.”
“Don’t try to deceive me,” said the lady. “I heard and I know all. Just now, Zhao Yun came to tell you Jingzhou was threatened and you wish to return home. That is why you put forward this excuse.”
Then Liu Bei fell on his knees and said, “Since you know already I dare not withhold the truth from you. If I don’t go, and if Jingzhou is lost, I’ll be an object of ridicule to everyone. If I go, I can’t bear to leave you. So I’m grieved.”
She replied, “I’m your wife and wherever you go it’s my duty to follow.”
“Although you think so, your mother and brother will never allow you to leave. If you’d only have pity on me, let me go for a time.” And again his tears fell freely.
“Don’t be so sad,” she said. “I’ll implore my mother to let us go and she’ll surely agree.”
“Even though the Dowager permits I’m sure
your brother will object.”
Lady Sun said nothing for a long time while she weighed the matter thoroughly in mind. Finally she spoke: “On New Year’s Day you and I will go and pay our respects to my mother. Then we’ll give an excuse of offering sacrifices to ancestors on the riverbank and leave from there without their knowledge. Will that suit you?”
Liu Bei knelt at her feet and expressed his gratitude. “If you can do that,” he said. “I will never forget it, dead or alive. But this must be kept strictly as a secret.”
This having been decided, Zhao Yun received secret orders to lead his men out of the city on New Year’s Day and wait on the high road for his master and mistress, who would leave together with him.
Sun Quan held a grand celebration on New Year’s Day of the fifteenth year of Jian An (A.D. 210). All the military officers and civil advisors were assembled in the main hall. Liu Bei and his bride went in to pay obeisance to the Dowager. Then Lady Sun said, “Mother, my husband has been thinking of his parents and ancestors, who were buried in the north, and grieves day and night that he cannot perform his filial duty. Today we wish to go to the riverside and offer sacrifices toward the north. I’ve come to tell you this, mother, and hope you’ll allow us to go.”
“A very filial proceeding,” said the Dowager. “I should not think of stopping you. Although you have never known your husband’s parents yet you should go with him to offer sacrifices as it’s proper for a wife to do.”
Both thanked the Dowager and went out, rejoicing at having so far hoodwinked Sun Quan. Lady Sun got into her carriage, taking only a few valuable things and clothing with her, while Liu Bei followed with a small escort of riders. They went out of the city and met Zhao Yun at the pre-arranged place. With the five hundred soldiers guarding the front and rear they left the precincts of the city, traveling as quickly as they could.
That day, at the new year banquet, Sun Quan drank freely so that he had to be helped to his chamber, and then the officials all left. By the time the escape of the fugitives became known it was already dark, and when the officials tried to tell Sun Quan they could not rouse him. He slept heavily until the fifth watch.
It was the next morning that Sun Quan heard of the escape and he hastened to seek advice from his counselors. Zhang Zhao said, “Liu Bei has got away today and trouble will surely come of it. You must pursue them without loss of time.”
So Chen Wu and Pan Zhang, with five hundred veterans, were sent out with orders to chase at full speed both by day and by night and bring back the fugitives.
They left. Sun Quan’s fury burned hot against Liu Bei. In his wrath he seized his jade inkstone and smashed it to pieces.
Cheng Pu, the deputy commander of his army, said: “My lord, your wrath is in vain for I do not think those two will catch the runaways.”
“Will they dare to disobey my order?” said Sun Quan.
“Our young lady has always delighted in martial arts and is very fierce and determined. All the officers fear her. Now she has gone with her husband of her own free will and those sent in pursuit will not dare to lay hands on Liu Bei in her presence.”
Sun Quan’s wrath burned the more fiercely at these words. He drew the sword girded at his side and summoned Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai, saying, “You two take this sword and bring back the heads of my sister and Liu Bei. And if you do not I will put you to death.”
With this order they set out in pursuit, leading a force double that of their predecessors. Meanwhile, Liu Bei and his wife were pressing forward at the fastest speed. When night fell they rested for a time by the roadside, but not for long. Just as they reached the confines of Caisang, they noticed a great cloud of dust behind and soldiers came to report that the pursuers were closing.
Liu Bei asked Zhao Yun anxiously, “What is to be done? Our pursuers are here.”
“My lord, you go on in front and I will check the pursuit.”
However, as they rounded the foot of a hill they saw another troop blocking their road in front. Two officers were there and they bellowed, “Liu Bei, dismount and yield yourself captive. We are here by order of General Zhou and you have kept us waiting long.”
Now, it had occurred to Zhou Yu that Liu Bei would try to flee, and so he had sent Xu Sheng and Ding Feng, with 3,000 soldiers, to intercept him at this critical place. They had made a camp there and kept a lookout on the hilltops, for Zhou Yu had calculated that Liu Bei would certainly take that route if he was going by land. So when Liu Bei and his cavalcade appeared they all buckled on their arms and barred the way.
Greatly alarmed, Liu Bei rode back to consult Zhao Yun, to whom he said, “We are caught in between two forces. There is no escape. What can we do?”
“Do not be alarmed, my lord. Our great strategist gave me three wonderful plans enclosed in three silk bags. Two have been used and have answered admirably. There is yet the third one and my orders are to open the bag in such a plight as this. I think it is time to open it.”
So he opened the small silk bag and handed it to Liu Bei. As soon as Liu Bei had read the contents he hastened to Lady Sun’s carriage and, weeping, said to her, “There is something I must confide in you now.”
“What have you to say to me?” she asked. “Tell me the whole truth.”
“Your brother and Zhou Yu formerly plotted together for you to marry me, not for your sake, but to get me under their power so that they might seize Jingzhou. They were intent on murdering me and you were the bait with which to hook me. Careless of consequences I came, for I knew that the spirit of a man dwelt in your bosom and you would pity me. Yesterday I heard that harm was intended to me and so I made the excuse of Jingzhou being in danger in order to escape. Happily for me, you have remained true and come with me. But now your brother is pursuing us and Zhou Yu’s men are in front. Only you, my wife, can extricate us from this danger. And if you refuse, then slay me where I stand so that I may thus show my gratitude for your kindness.”
Lady Sun grew angry and said, “Since my brother doesn’t regard me as his sister, how will I ever want to see him again? I’ll certainly extricate us from this danger.”
So she bade her people push the carriage to the front. She rolled up the blind and called out, “Xu Sheng, Ding Feng, are you trying to rebel then?”
The two officers slid out of their saddles, dropped their arms and stood meekly in front of the carriage.
“We are no rebels,” they said. “We have General Zhou’s orders to camp here and await Liu Bei.”
“How dare he, that rebel!” she cried in wrath. “We of the land of Wu have never ill treated him! Liu Bei, uncle of the Emperor, is my husband and I have already told my mother and my brother of our journey to Jingzhou, but you two lead an army here at the foot of this hill, preventing our passage. Do you intend to plunder us of our valuables?”
The two officers meekly denied the charge and said, “Do not be angry, madam. This is no plan of ours—we are but obeying our commander’s orders.”
“So you fear Zhou Yu and not me!” she cried scornfully. “Do you think he can slay you while I cannot?”
She broke into a torrent of abuse about Zhou Yu. Then she bade the soldiers to push her carriage forward.
The two officers thought to themselves, “We are but servants—we dare not dispute with Lady Sun.” Besides they saw Zhao Yun was bursting with wrath. So they ordered their men to stand aside and leave the road clear.
The cavalcade had only gone a little distance when up came the pursuers sent by Sun Quan. The two officers told the newcomers what had happened. “You were wrong to let them pass,” said Chen Wu and Pan Zhang. “We have orders from our lord himself to arrest them.”
So all four went in pursuit. When the noise of the approaching force reached the ears of Liu Bei he implored his wife again, “They are again pursuing us—what now?”
“You go on in front. Zhao Yun and I will keep them off.”
So Liu Bei and three hundred men pushed on toward the riverbank while
Zhao Yun reined up beside the lady’s carriage and deployed his men ready for battle. And when the four men came up they dismounted and stood with folded arms.
“What are you doing here, officers?” asked Lady Sun.
“We have orders from our lord to request you and Liu Bei to return.”
Calmly but bitterly she said, “This is exactly the work of you ruffians! You would sow dissension between brother and sister. I am a married woman and I am on my way to my husband’s home, not eloping with someone. Nor am I leaving clandestinely, for I have my mother’s gracious permission to go with my husband to Jingzhou—and even if my brother were here himself he would have to observe the rules. Now because you have weapons in your hands you think you can slay me!”
She abused the four men to their faces so that they looked from one to another, unable to reply. And each thought to himself, “After all she and our lord are brother and sister, and the Dowager is on her side. Our lord is most filial and would never dare oppose his mother’s decision. When they make up later then we will certainly be the ones to blame. We’d better just let them go.” Besides, Liu Bei was nowhere to be seen and Zhao Yun looked angry and dangerous, ready to fight. So finally they gave way and withdrew. Then Lady Sun ordered the carriage to proceed.
“Let us all four go and report this to the commander,” said Xu Sheng.
But that did not please them at all and they stood irresolute. After some time they saw a troop sweeping down on them like a hurricane. These were Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai with their thousand men.
“Have you fellows seen Liu Bei?” they cried as they rushed up.
“He passed in the morning.”
“Why didn’t you arrest him?”
The Three Kingdoms, Volume 2: The Sleeping Dragon: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation Page 28