Romance of the Three Kingdoms

by Guanzhong Luo

  In the seventh year of “Established Tranquillity” Ts’ao Ts’ao had broken the power of Yuan Shao. Then he sent a messenger to Chiangtung ordering Sun Ch’uan to send his son to court to serve in the retinue of the Emperor. Sun, however, hesitated to comply with this request and the matter was the subject of much discussion. His mother, the lady Wu, sent for Chou Yu and Chang Chao and asked their advice.

  The latter said,“He wishes a son to be present at court as a hostage whereby he has a hold upon us, as formerly was the case with all the feudal chiefs. If we do not comply with this request he will doubtless attack the territory. There is some peril.”

  Chou Yu said,“Our lord has succeeded to the heritage and has a large army of veterans and ample supplies. He has able men ready to do his bidding, and why should he be compelled to send a hostage to any man? To send a hostage is to be forced into joining Ts’ao, and to carry out his behests, whatever they be. Then we shall be in his power. It would be better not to send, but rather to wait patiently the course of events and prepare plans to attack.”

  “That is also my opinion,” said the Dowager.

  So Sun Ch’uan dismissed the messenger but did not send his son. Ts’ao Ts’ao resented this and had since nourished schemes for the destruction of the Suns. But their realisation had been delayed by the dangers on the north and, so far, no attack had been made.

  Late in the eighth year, Sun Ch’uan led his armies against Huang Tsu and fought on the Great River, where he was successful in several battles. One of Sun’s leaders, Ling Ts’ao, led a fleet of light vessels up the river and broke into Hsiak’ou but was killed by an arrow. He left a son, Liug T’ung, fifteen years of age, who led another expedition to recover his father’s corpse and was so far successful. After that, as the war was inclined to go against him, Sun Ch’uan turned again to his own country.

  Now Sun Ch’uan’s brother, Sun I, was Prefect of Tanyang. He was a hard man and given to drink and, in his cups, very harsh to his men, ordering the infliction of severe floggings. Two of his officers, Kuei Lan and Tai Yuan, bore their chief a grudge and sought to assassinate him. They took into their confidence one Pien Hung, of the escort, and the three plotted to kill their master at a great assembly of officials at Tanyang amid the banquets and junketings.

  Sun’s wife was skilled in divination and on the day of the great banquet she cast a most inauspicious lot. Wherefore she besought her husband to stay away from the assembly. But he was obstinate and went. The faithless guardsman followed his master in the dusk when the gathering dispersed, and stabbed him with a dagger. The two prime movers at once seized their accomplice and beheaded him in the market place. Then they went to Sun’s residence, which they plundered. Kuei Lan was taken with the beauty of the dead Prefect’s wife and told her that as he had avenged the death of her husband she must go with him, or he would slay her. The wife pleaded that it was too soon after her husband’s death to think of re-marriage but promised to be his after the mourning sacrifices.

  She thus obtained a respite, which she utilised to send for two old Generals of her husband’s, Sun Kao and Fu Ying. They came and she tearfully told her tale.

  “My husband had great faith in you. Now Kuei and Tai have compassed his death and have laid the crime on Pien Hung. They have plundered my house and carried off my servants and slaves. Worse than this Kuei Lan insists that I shall be his wife. To gain time I have pretended to favour this proposal and I pray you now to send the news to my husband’s brother and beg him to slay these two miscreants and avenge this wrong. I will never forget your kindness in this life or the next.”

  And she bowed before them. They wept also and said,“We were much attached to our master and now that he has come to an untimely end we must avenge him. Dare we not carry out your behests?”

  So they sent a trusty messenger. On the day of the sacrifices the lady called in her two friends and hid them in a secret chamber. Then the ceremonies were performed in the great hall. These over, she put off her mourning garb, bathed and perfumed herself, and assumed an expression of joy. She laughed and talked as usual, so that Kuei Lan rejoiced in his heart, thinking of the pleasure that was to be his.

  When night came she sent a slave girl to call her suitor to the Palace, where she entertained him at supper. When he had well drunk she suggested that they should retire and led him to the chamber where her friends were waiting. He followed without the least hesitation. As soon as she entered the room she called out,“Where are you, Generals?” Out rushed the two men, and the drunken man, incapable of any resistance, was despatched with daggers.

  Next she invited Tai Yuan to a supper and he was slain in similar fashion. After that, she sent to the houses of her enemies and slew all therein. This done, she resumed her mourning garb and the heads of the two men were hung as a sacrifice before the coffin of her husband.

  Very soon her brother-in-law came with an army, and hearing the story of the deeds of the two generals from the widow, gave them office and put them over Tanyang. When he left he took the widow to his own home to pass the remainder of her days. All those who heard of her brave conduct were loud in praise of her virtue:—

  Full of resource and virtuous, few in the world are like her,

  Guilefully wrought she and compassed the death of the lusty assassins,

  Faithful servants are always ready to deal with rebellion,

  None can ever excel that heroine famous in East Wu.

  The brigandage that had troubled Wu had all been suppressed and a large fleet (of seven thousand) keels were in the Yangtse River ready for service. Sun Ch’uan appointed Chou Yu to be the Admiral-in-Chief.

  In the twelfth year (207 A.D.) the Dowager Lady Wu, feeling her end approaching, called to her the two advisers Chou Yu and Chang Chao and spoke thus:—“I came of a family of Wu, but losing my parents in early life, my brother and I went into Yueh, and then I married into this family. I bore my husband four sons, not without premonitions of the greatness to be theirs. With my first, I dreamed of the moon and with my second, Ch’uan, of the sun, which omens were interpreted by the soothsayer as signs of their great honour. Unhappy Ts’e died young, but Ch’uan inherited and it is he whom I pray you both to assist with one accord. Then may I die in peace.”

  And to her son she said,“These two you are to serve as they were your masters and treat them with all respect. My sister and I both were wives to your father, and so she is also a mother to you and you are to serve her after I am gone as you now serve me. And you must treat your sister with affection and find a handsome husband for her.”

  Then she died and her son mourned for her, but of that and her burial nothing will be said.

  The following year they began to discuss an attack upon Huang Tsu. Chang Chao said the armies should not move during the period of mourning; however, Chou Yu, more to the point, said that vengeance should not be postponed on that account; it could not wait upon times and seasons. Still Sun Ch’uan halted between two opinions and would not decide.

  Then came Lu Meng, the Commander of the North, who said to his master,“While I was at Lungchiushuiki’ou one of Huang Tsu’s captains, Kan Ning by name, offered to surrender. I found out all about him. He is something of a scholar, is forceful, fond of wandering about as a knight-errant. He assembled a band of outlaws with whom he roamed over the rivers and lakes where he would terrorise everybody. He wore a bell at his waist and at the sound of this bell every one fled and hid. He fitted his boats with sails of Ssuch’uan brocade and people called him the ‘Pirate with Sails of Silk.’

  “Then he reformed. He and his band went to Liu Piao, but they left him when they saw he would never accomplish anything and now they would serve under your banner, only that Huang Tsu detains them at Hsiak’ou. Formerly when you were attacking Huang Tsu, he owed the recovery of Hsiak’ou to this same Kan Ning, whom he treated with liberality, but when Su Fei, the Commander-in-Chief, recommended him for promotion, Huang Tsu said he was unsuited for any high positi
on as, after all, he was no more than a pirate.

  “So Kan Ning became a disappointed and resentful man. Su Fei tried to win him over to good humour and invited him to wine parties and said, ‘I have put your name forward many times but our chief says he has no place suitable for you. However, time slips away and man’s life is not very long. One must make the most of it. I will put you forward for the magistracy of Ohsien, whence you may be able to advance.’ So Kan Ning got away from Hsiak’ou and would have come to you then, but he feared that he would not be welcomed, since he had assisted Huang Tsu and killed Ling Ts’ao. I told him you were always ready to welcome able men and would nourish no resentment for former deeds. After all, every man was bound to do his best for his master. He would come with alacrity if he only felt sure of a welcome. I pray you to express your pleasure.”

  This was good news for Sun Ch’uan and he said,“With his help I could destroy Huang Tsu.” Then he bade Lu Meng bring Kan to see him.

  When the salutations were over, the chief said,“My heart is entirely captivated by your coming; I feel no resentment against you. I hope you will have no doubts on that score and I may as well tell you that I desire some plan for the destruction of Huang Tsu.”

  He replied,“The dynasty is decadent and without influence. Ts’ao Ts’ao will finally absorb the country down to the river unless he is opposed. Liu Piao provides nothing against the future and his sons are quite unfitted to succeed him. You should lay your plans to oust him at once before Ts’ao Ts’ao anticipates you. The first attack should be made on Huang Tsu, who is getting old and avaricious, so that every one hates him. He is totally unprepared for a fight and his army is undisciplined. He would fall at the first blow. If he were gone, you would control the western passes and could conquer Pa and Shu (Szech’uan). And you would be securely established.”

  ‘The advice is most valuable,” said Sun Ch’uan, and he made his preparations. Chou Yu was appointed Commander-in-Chief; Lu Meng was van-leader; Tung Hsi and Kan Ning were sub-leaders. Sun Ch’uan himself would command the main army of ten legions.

  The spies reported that Huang Tsu, at the news of an expedition against him, called his officers together to consult. He placed Su Fei in chief command. He also appointed van-leaders, and other officers, and prepared for defence. He had two squadrons of ships under the command of Ch’en Chiù and Teng Lung. On these he placed strong bows and stiff crossbows to the number of more than a thousand and secured the boats to heavy hawsers so that they formed a barrier in the river.

  At the approach of the men of Wu the drums beat for the ships to attack. Soon arrows and bolts flew thick, forcing back the invaders, who withdrew till several li of water lay between them and the defenders.

  “We must go forward,” said Kan Ning to his colleague.

  So they chose a hundred light craft and put picked men on them, fifty to a boat. Twenty were to row the boats and thirty to fight. These latter were armoured swordsmen. Careless of the enemy’s missiles these boats advanced, got to the defenders’ fleet and cut the hawsers of their ships so that they drifted hither and thither in confusion. Kan Ning leaped upon one boat and killed Teng Lung. Ch’en Chiu left the fleet and set out for the shore. Lu Meng dropped into a small boat and went among the larger ships setting them on fire. When Ch’en Chiu had nearly reached the bank, Lu reckless of death went after him, got ahead and struck him full in the breast so that he fell.

  Before long Su Fei came along the bank with reinforcements, but it was too late; the armies of Wu had already landed and there was no hope of repelling them. Su Fei fled into the open country, but he was made prisoner. He was taken to Sun Ch’uan who ordered that he be put into a cage-cart and kept till Huang Tsu should be captured. Then he would execute the pair. And the attack was pressed; day and night they wrought to capture Hsiak’ou.

  He sees his ships cut loose and burned,

  By the “Silk-sailed Pirate” he once spurned.

  For Huang Tsu’s fate, see next chapter.

  CHAPTER XXXIX

  AT CHINGCHOU THE SON OF LIU PIAO THRICE BEGS ADVICE: AT POWANG SLOPE THE MASTER DIRECTS HIS FIRST BATTLE

  N ow Sun Ch’uan fought against Hsiak’ou. When Huang Tsu recognised that he was beaten and could not maintain his position, he abandoned Chianghsia and took the road to Chingchou. Kan Ning, foreseeing this, had laid an ambush outside the east gate. Soon after the fugitive, with a small following, had burst out of the gate he found his road blocked.

  From horseback, Huang Tsu said,“I treated you well in the past, why do you now press me so hard?”

  Kan Ning angrily shouted,“I did good service for you and yet you treated me as a pirate. Now what have you to say?”

  There was nothing to be said, and Huang turned his horse to escape. But Kan Ning thrust aside his men and himself rode in pursuit. Then he heard a shouting in his rear and saw Ch’eng P’u coming up. Fearing lest this other pursuer should overpass him and score the success he desired for himself, Kan fitted an arrow to his bow and shot at the fugitive. Huang was hit and fell from his steed. Then Kan Ning cut off his head. After this, joining himself to Ch’eng P’u, the two returned bearing the ghastly trophy to their lord. Sun Ch’uan ordered them to place it in a box to be taken back home and offered as a sacrifice to the manes of his father.

  Having rewarded the soldiers for the victory and promoted Kan Ning, Sun Ch’uan next discussed the advisability of sending a force to hold Chianghsia. But his adviser, Chang Chao, said it was useless to try to hold one city alone. It would be better to return home and prepare for the expedition that Liu Piao would send in revenge. They would defeat him, push home the attack and capture his district.

  Sun Ch’uan saw the advice was wise so he left Chianghsia and led his army home to the east.

  Now Su Fei was still confined, but he got some one to go to Kan Ning to beg him to plead for mercy. Kan Ning had expected this although the prisoner had said no word and he was averse from leaving his friend and one-time protector to perish.“I should not have forgotten him even if he had said nothing,” said Kan.

  When the army had reached Wuhui the victor gave orders for Su Fei’s execution that his head might be offered with that of Huang Tsu. Then Kan Ning went in to his lord and said, weeping,“Long ago, if it had not been for Su Fei, my bones would have been rotting in some ditch and how then could I have rendered service under your banner? Now he deserves death, but I cannot forget his kindness to me and I pray you take away the honours you have bestowed on me as a set-off to his crime.”

  Sun Ch’uan replied,“Since he once showed kindness to you, I will pardon him for your sake. But what can be done if he runs away?”

  “If he be pardoned and escape death he will be immeasureably grateful and will not go away. If he should, then will I offer my life in exchange.”

  So the condemned man escaped death and only one head was offered in sacrifice. After the sacrificial ceremonies a great banquet was spread in honour of the victories. As it was proceeding suddenly one of the guests burst into loud lamentations, drew his sword and rushed upon Kan Ning. Kan hastily rose and defended himself with the chair on which he had been sitting. The host looked at the assailant and saw it was Ts’ao T’ung, whose father had fallen under an arrow shot by Kan Ning. The son was now burning to avenge his father’s death.

  Hastily leaving his place, Sun Ch’uan checked the angry officer, saying,“If he slew your noble father, then remember each was fighting for his lord for whom he was bound to exert himself to the utmost. But now that you are under one flag and are of one house you may not recall an ancient injury. You must regard my interests continually.”

  Ts’ao Ling beat his head upon the floor and cried, saying,“But how can I not avenge this? It is a blood feud and we may not both live under the same sky.”

  The guests interfered, beseeching the man to forgo his revenge, and at last he ceased from his murderous intention. But he sat glaring wrathfully at his enemy.

  So soon after
Kan Ning was despatched with half a legion and a squadron of ships to guard Hsiak’ou, where he was beyond the reach of his enemy’s wrath. Then Sun Ch’uan promoted Ts’ao Ling and so he was somewhat appeased.

  From about this time Wu enlarged her fleets, and men were sent to various points to guard the river banks. The brother of the chieftain was placed in command at Wuhui and Sun Ch’uan himself, with a large army, camped at Ch’aisang. Chou Yu, the Commander-in-Chief of the forces, was on the P’oyang Lake training the naval forces, and general preparations were made for defence and attack.

  Here our story digresses to follow the adventures of Liu Pei. By his spies he had tidings of the doings in the lower portion of the great river, and knew of the death of Huang Tsu. So he consulted K’ungming as to his action. While they were discussing matters, there arrived a messenger from Liu Piao, begging Liu Pei to go to see him. K’ungming advised him to go and said,“This call is to consult you about avenging Huang Tsu. You must take me with you and let me act as the circumstances direct. There are advantages to be got.”

  Leaving his second brother in command at Hsinyeh, Liu Pei set forth, taking Chang Fei with half a company as his escort. On the way he discussed the course of action with his adviser, who said,“First you must thank him for having saved you from the evil that was planned against you at Hsiangyang. But you must not undertake any expedition against Wu; say you must return to Hsinyeh to put your army in good order.”

  With this admonition Liu Pei came to Chingchou and was lodged in the guesthouse. Chang Fei and the escort camped without the walls. In due course Liu Pei and K’ungming were received, and after the customary salutations, the guest apologised for his conduct.

  The host said,“Worthy brother, I know you were the victim of a vile plot and I should have put the prime mover to death for it had there not been so universal a prayer for mercy. However, I remitted that penalty. I hope you do not consider that I was wrong.”