The Three Kingdoms, Volume 1: The Sacred Oath: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation

by Luo Guanzhong

  A day was spent in banquets and the next day Zhang Fei wished to join his newfound brother on his journey to Runan to see their eldest brother Liu Bei. But Guan Yu did not consent.

  “You stay here and take care of the ladies while Sun Qian and I go to get news,” he said.

  So the two of them set out again with a few soldiers. When they reached Runan they were received by the commander Liu Pi, who told them that Liu Bei was no longer in the city. He had only spent a few days there and had gone back to consult Yuan Shao, because he found there were too few soldiers in the city.

  Guan Yu was greatly disappointed and his companion did his best to console him. “Don’t be so sad. It only means the trouble of another journey into Hebei to tell your brother and then we can all meet in the Old City.”

  Sun Qian’s words comforted him so they took leave of Liu Pi and returned to the Old City, where they told the others what they had heard. Zhang Fei at once wanted to go with them to Hebei but Guan Yu again opposed this.

  “This city you have here means we have a place to settle down and we must not abandon it lightly. I’ll go again with Sun Qian to find our eldest brother. You must keep the city safe while we’re away.”

  “You’ve killed their two generals, Yan Liang and Wen Chou. It won’t be safe for you to go, Brother,” said Zhang Fei.

  “That won’t stop me. I’ll act according to changing circumstances,” said Guan Yu to assure him.

  Then Guan Yu summoned Zhou Cang and asked him, “How many men are there with Pei Yuan-shao at the Sleeping Bull Mountain?”

  “Four or five hundred, I should think.”

  “Now, I’m going to take the short cut to find my brother,” said Guan Yu. “You go and summon your men and lead them here along the main road.”

  Zhou Cang obeyed the order and left for the mountain, while Guan Yu and Sun Qian started toward the north with a score or so followers. When they drew near the boundary Sun Qian said, “You mustn’t enter the city right now. Let me go in first to see our lord and we’ll decide what to do. You can take a rest here.”

  Seeing the wisdom of this Guan Yu remained outside the city but sent his companion alone to continue the journey. He and his followers went up to a nearby farm to seek lodging.

  When they got to the farm a venerable man leaning on a stick came out to greet them. After exchanging greetings with the old man Guan Yu told him about himself.

  “My surname is also Guan and my given name is Ding,” said the old man. “I know you by your reputation and I am very pleased to meet you.”

  He then sent for his two sons, who came and bowed to Guan Yu. He put up Guan Yu in his house and entertained him. All his followers were also provided shelter on the farm.

  In the meantime, Sun Qian had made his way to the city and met Liu Bei who said, “Jian Yong is also here. We can send for him secretly to talk over this matter.”

  Soon, his former advisor Jian Yong came and after saluting Sun Qian the three began to consider the means of getting away.

  Jian Yong said to Liu Bei, “You must go and see Yuan Shao tomorrow, sir, and say that you wish to go to Jingzhou to see Liu Biao. Tell him that you will persuade Liu Biao to join him in the destruction of Cao Cao. That will give you an excuse to leave here.”

  “Excellent!” said Liu Bei. “But can you come with me?”

  “I have another plan to free myself,” said Jian Yong.

  Having designed their plan, Liu Bei soon went to see his protector Yuan Shao, and suggested that as Liu Biao was strong and well posted in the nine cities around Jingzhou and Xiangyang, his help should be sought against their enemy.

  “I have sent messengers repeatedly to ask him for an alliance,” replied Yuan Shao, “but he is unwilling.”

  “As he and I are of the same Liu family he will not refuse me if I go and ask him,” said Liu Bei.

  “He is certainly worth much more than Liu Pi in Runan.” And he agreed to let Liu Bei go. Then he continued, “I hear Guan Yu has just left Cao Cao and wants to come here. If he does I will put him to death to avenge my two best officers.”

  “Sir, you wished to employ him and so I sent for him. Why do you now want to destroy him? The two men he slew were but deer compared with such a tiger as he is. When you exchange two deer for a tiger, what do you lose in the bargain?”

  “I do like him,” said Yuan Shao. “I was only joking. You can send another messenger to call him and tell him to come soon.”

  “I will send Sun Qian to bring him here at once,” said Liu Bei to please his protector.

  After Liu Bei had gone, Jian Yong also went in to see Yuan Shao to whom he said, “If Liu Bei goes he will not come back. I will go with him to speak to Liu Biao and at the same time I can keep a watch on Liu Bei.”

  Yuan Shao agreed and gave orders for Jian Yong to accompany Liu Bei on the mission. One of his advisors objected to this mission and argued, “Last time Liu Bei went to speak to Liu Pi but accomplished nothing. Now you are sending Jian Yong to go with him and I am sure neither will ever return.”

  “Do not be so suspicious,” said Yuan Shao. “Jian Yong knows how to deal with him.”

  That was the end of the interview and the advisor left in distress.

  Meanwhile, Liu Bei sent Sun Qian back to inform Guan Yu about this arrangement. Then, along with Jian Yong, he took leave of Yuan Shao and rode out of the city. As soon as they reached the boundary they were met by Sun Qian and all three rode forth to the old man’s farm to see Guan Yu, who came out to welcome them. It was an emotional meeting. Guan Yu bowed to his brother at the gate and the two held each other’s hands, while tears streamed down their faces.

  Presently the two sons of their host came to pay their respects to the visitors. Liu Bei asked them their names.

  “These are of the same surname as myself,” said Guan Yu. “The elder one is Guan Ning, who is a student and the younger one is Guan Ping, who is to be a soldier.”

  “I have been thinking of leaving my second son in your care, General Guan,” said the father. “Would you take him?”

  “How old is he?” asked Liu Bei.

  “Eighteen,” answered the host.

  Liu Bei continued, “Since you are so kind, sir, I venture to suggest that your son be adopted by my brother, who has no son of his own. What do you think of this?”

  Their host was perfectly willing so he called the lad to make a son’s obeisance to Guan Yu and to call Liu Bei “Uncle.”

  Afraid that Yuan Shao might change his mind and pursue them, they hastened to get on their way and with them went Guan Ping, who was placed in the train of his adopted father. The lad’s real father accompanied them for some time and then returned.

  The group took the road toward the Sleeping Bull Mountain, but before they had gone very far they met Zhou Cang with a small band. He was wounded. Guan Yu introduced him to Liu Bei and asked him how he got his wounds.

  Zhou Cang replied, “Before I reached the hill a certain warrior, all alone, had fought with my friend Pei Yuan-shao and killed him. All our men surrendered to him and he occupied our camp. When I got there I tried to entice my men back to my side but only succeeded with a few. The others were too afraid to leave him. I got angry and went to fight with him but he defeated me time after time and I suffered three wounds.”

  “Who is the warrior? What does he look like?” asked Liu Bei.

  “He is powerfully built but I do not know who he is,” answered Zhou Cang.

  Then they advanced toward the hill, with Guan Yu in front and Liu Bei in the rear. When they drew near Zhou Cang began to abuse his enemy who soon appeared, fully mailed and armed, galloping down the hill with his followers.

  Suddenly Liu Bei rode out waving his whip and shouting, “Is that Zi-long?”

  The rider, for it was Zhao Zi-long (Zhao Yun), instantly slipped out of the saddle and knelt by the roadside. The two brothers dismounted to meet him and to inquire how he came to be there.

  Zhao Yun said, “Not
long after we separated, Gongsun Zan was defeated and perished tragically in flames because he would not listen to good advice. Yuan Shao invited me to go to him several times but I thought too little of him to go. Then I wanted to go to you in Xuzhou but news came that you had lost that place and Yun-chang had gone over to Cao Cao and you had joined Yuan Shao. Several times I thought of coming to you, but I feared Yuan Shao might take offense. So I drifted from one place to another with nowhere to rest till I happened to come this way and that man, Pei Yuan-shao, tried to seize my horse. I slew him and took possession of his camp. I recently heard Yi-de was in the Old City and I wanted to join him but thought it might be only a rumor. How fortunate it is that I should see you today!”

  Liu Bei was overjoyed and told him all that had happened to him since they parted. Guan Yu also related his story.

  Liu Bei said, “The first time I saw you I felt drawn to you and did not want to part with you. I am very happy to see you again.”

  “In all my wanderings trying to find a lord worth serving I have seen no one quite like you. Now that I can enter your service all my life’s wish is fulfilled. No matter what may happen to me I will have no regrets.”

  Next they burned the camp and the whole group went with Liu Bei to the Old City, where they were welcomed by Zhang Fei and the Mi brothers. They exchanged the stories of their respective adventures and the two ladies related the heroic deeds of Guan Yu, which moved Liu Bei to deep sighs.

  Then they administered a great sacrifice to Heaven and Earth with the slaughter of an ox and a horse. All the soldiers were also rewarded for their toils. Liu Bei thought on their situation and found much to rejoice at. His two brothers were restored to his side and none of his advisors or officers were missing. Moreover, he had gained Zhao Yun and his brother Guan Yu had acquired Guan Ping and Zhou Cang. There was every reason for feasting and celebration.

  Scattered apart were the brothers, none knew another’s retreat,

  Joyfully now they reunite, dragon and tigers meet.

  At this time the force under the command of the three brothers and their adherents numbered four to five hundred men. Liu Bei was in favor of leaving the Old City for Runan and just then Liu Pi sent a messenger to invite him to go there. So they went and settled in Runan, where they devoted themselves to strengthening their army, recruiting soldiers, and buying horses.

  However, Yuan Shao was much annoyed when Liu Bei did not return and at first he wanted to send an army to destroy him. But the advisor Guo Tu dissuaded him.

  “Liu Bei is nothing to worry about but Cao Cao is your major enemy and must be destroyed. Even Liu Biao, though strongly deployed in Jingzhou, poses no threat to you. There is, however, Sun Ce in the east, who is very strong and much feared, with a wide territory, a large army, and many able advisors and officers. You should make an alliance with him against Cao Cao.”

  This advice appealed to Yuan Shao, who then sent Chen Zhen to deliver his letter to Sun Ce.

  The journey by a warrior from the north

  Brought forth heroes in the east.

  The outcome of this journey will be told in the next chapter.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  The Formidable Little Lord Sun Ce Slays Yu Jie in Wrath

  The Blue-eyed Sun Quan Takes Control of the East

  While Cao Cao and Yuan Shao were opposing each other in the north, Sun Ce had become the confirmed leader in the vast region east of the Yangtze with a strong army and ample supplies. In the fourth year of the period Jian An (A.D. 199) he defeated Prefect Liu Xun and so seized the city of Lujiang. This was followed by the seizure of the city of Yuzhang, when its prefect surrendered after receiving Sun Ce’s letter of challenge. Then his renown increased even further and he boldly sent Zhang Hong as his messenger to present a tribute to the Emperor to report his military successes.

  Cao Cao saw in him a powerful rival and said that he was a lion, difficult to contend with. So he proposed marriage between his niece and Sun Ce’s younger brother and the two families became thus connected. Sun Ce’s messenger, Zhang Hong, was retained in the capital in the service of Cao Cao.

  Then Sun Ce sought the title of Da Si Ma, or Minister of War—one of the highest offices of state—but Cao Cao prevented his attainment of this ambition and Sun Ce keenly resented it. Henceforward his thoughts often turned toward an attack on Cao Cao.

  About this time Xu Gong, Prefect of Wujun, sent a secret letter to Cao Cao in which he wrote that Sun Ce was a fierce fellow and the government ought, under the appearance of bestowing favor to him, to recall him to the capital rather than let him grow stronger in the provinces. But the bearer of the letter was captured on the Yangtze River and sent to Sun Ce, who immediately put him to death. Then he sent someone to ask the writer of the letter to come, pretending that he had to consult with him over some affair. The unsuspecting man came.

  Sun Ce produced the letter and said, “So you want to send me to my death, eh?” Then the executioners came and strangled him. The family of the victim ran away but three of his trusted servants were determined to avenge him—if only they could find some means of attacking Sun Ce.

  One day Sun Ce went hunting in the hills. A stag was spotted and Sun Ce pressed after it at the topmost speed and followed it deep into the forest, where he came upon three armed men standing among the trees. Surprised to see them there, he reined in his horse and asked them who they were.

  “We are Han Dang’s men, shooting deer here,” was the reply.

  So Sun Ce shook his bridle to proceed with his pursuit of the deer. But just as he was starting one of the men suddenly struck him in the left thigh with his spear. He at once drew the sword he wore at his side to fight back, but as he did so the blade of his sword fell to the ground, leaving only the hilt in his hand. At this moment another assassin, drawing his bow and an arrow, wounded Sun Ce in the cheek. He plucked out the arrow and with it shot back at the man, who fell; but the other two men attacked him furiously with their spears, shouting, “We are Prefect Xu’s men and his avengers!”

  Sun Ce then understood. He had no weapons save his bow so he tried to draw off, keeping them at bay by striking with his bow. But the fight was getting too much for him and both he and his steed were wounded in several places. However, just at the critical moment some of his own men came up and they made short work of the two remaining avengers.

  But their lord was in a sorry condition. His face was streaming with blood and some of the wounds were very serious. They tore up a robe to bind up his wounds and carried him home.

  A poem was written in praise of the three avengers:

  In all the east the bold Sun Ce was a man to fear

  But he was attacked in the hills while hunting a deer.

  Three loyal servants went to avenge a murdered lord,

  Like the faithful Yu Rang they dreaded not the sword.

  Being badly wounded Sun Ce sent for the famous doctor Hua Tuo, but he was away in the north and could not be reached. However, his assistant came to treat his wounds.

  “The arrowheads were poisoned,” said the doctor, “and the poison has penetrated deep. It will take a hundred days of perfect repose before danger is over. But if you give way to passion or anger the wounds will not heal.”

  Sun Ce was an extremely impatient man and the prospect of such a slow recovery was very distasteful. However, he managed to remain quiet for some twenty of the hundred days. Then he heard that Zhang Hong, who had been retained in the capital by Cao Cao, had sent back a messenger, and he insisted on seeing and questioning him.

  “Cao Cao fears you greatly, my lord,” said the messenger, “and his advisors have immense respect for you too—all except Guo Jia.”

  “What did he say?” asked the sick man.

  The messenger was afraid to tell him and kept silent, which only irritated his master, who forced him to speak the truth. So the messenger said, “Guo Jia told Cao Cao that he did not have to fear you, that you were rash and unprepared, impulsiv
e and shallow, just a foolhardy soldier but no strategist, who would one day come to his death at the hands of some petty persons.”

  This provoked the sick man beyond endurance.

  “How dare he say this of me, the impudent fool!” cried Sun Ce. “I will take the capital from Cao Cao, I swear!”

  He forgot all about repose. Ill as he was he wanted to begin preparations for an expedition at once. His subordinates remonstrated with him, reminding him of the doctor’s words, and urged him to rest.

  “You are endangering your priceless life for a moment’s anger,” said his chief advisor Zhang Zhao.

  Just then Chen Zhen, the messenger from Yuan Shao, was announced. Sun Ce had him brought in. Chen Zhen said, “My master hopes to form an alliance with you in an attack on Cao Cao.”

  Such a proposal was just after Sun Ce’s heart. That very day he assembled his officers in the wall tower and prepared a banquet in honor of the messenger. While this was in progress he noticed many of his officers whispering to each other and leaving the banquet table. He was surprised and asked the attendants near him what it meant. They told him that the holy man Yu Ji had just gone by and the officers had gone down to pay their respects to him. Sun Ce rose from his seat and leaned over the railing to look at the man. He saw standing in the middle of the road a Taoist priest dressed in a cape of feathers and carrying a stick, while the crowd about him burnt incense and offered obeisance.

  “What wizard fellow is this? Bring him here!” said Sun Ce angrily.

  “This is Yu Ji,” said the attendants. “He lives in the east and goes about distributing charms and draughts. He can cure every disease and is regarded as a holy man. He must not be profaned.”

  This only angered Sun Ce the more, and he told them to arrest the man at once or suffer death themselves if they dared to disobey. There being no alternative they had to go down into the road and hustle the priest up the steps.

  “You madman! How dare you incite men to evil?” shouted Sun Ce.