Romance of the Three Kingdoms

by Guanzhong Luo

  As he finished speaking again that terrible voice was heard,“I am Chang I-te of Yen; who dares fight with me?”

  Ts’ao, seeing his enemy so fierce and resolute, was too frightened to think of anything but retreat and Chang Fei, seeing a movement going on in the rear, once again shook his spear and roared,“What mean you, cowards? You will not fight nor do you run away.” This roar had scarcely begun when one of Ts’ao’s staff reeled and fell from his horse terror-stricken, paralysed with fear. The panic touched Ts’ao Ts’ao, and spread to his whole surroundings and he and his staff galloped for their lives. They were as frightened as a suckling babe at a clap of thunder or a weak woodcutter at the roar of a tiger. Many threw away their spears, dropped their casques and fled, a wave of panicstricken humanity, a tumbling mass of terrified horses. None thought of aught but flight, and those who ran trampled the bodies of fallen comrades under foot.

  Chang Fei was wrathful; and who dared

  To accept his challenge? Fierce he glared;

  His thundrous voice rolled out, and then

  In terror fled Ts’ao’s armed men.

  Panic stricken Ts’ao Ts’ao galloped westward with the rest, thinking of nothing but getting away. He lost his headdress and his loosened hair streamed behind him. Presently Chang Liao and Hsu Ch’u came up with him and seized his bridle; fear had deprived him of all self-control.

  “Do not be frightened,” said Chang Liao.“After all Chang Fei is but one man and not worthy of extravagant fear. If you will only return and attack you will capture your enemy.”

  By that time Ts’ao had somewhat overcome his panic and become reasonable. Two captains were ordered back to the bridge to reconnoitre.

  Chang Fei saw the disorderly rout of the enemy but he dared not pursue. However, he bade his score or so of dustraising followers to cut loose the branches from their horses’ tails and come to help 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, and no one is braver, you are no strategist,” said Liu Pei.

  “What mean you, brother?”

  “Ts’ao Ts’ao is very deep. You are no match for him. The destruction of the bridge will bring him in pursuit.”

  “If he ran away at a yell of mine, think you he will dare return?”

  “If you had left the bridge he would have thought there was an ambush and would not have dared to pass it. Now the destruction of the bridge tells him we are weak and fearful, and he will pursue. He does not mind a broken bridge. His legions could fill up the biggest rivers that we could get across.”

  So orders were given to march and they went by a bye-road which led diagonally to Hanching and then took the road to Minyang.

  The two captains sent by Ts’ao to reconnoitre near Ch’angpan Bridge returned, saying,“The bridge has been destroyed, Chang Fei has left.”

  “Then he is afraid,” said Ts’ao.

  He at once gave orders to set a legion at work on three floating bridges to be finished that night.

  Li Tien said,“I fear this is one of the wiles of Chuko Liang; so be careful.”

  “Chang Fei is just a bold warrior, but there is no guile about him,” said Ts’ao Ts’ao.

  He gave orders for immediate advance.

  Liu Pei was making all speed to Hanching. Suddenly there appeared in his track a great cloud of dust whence came loud rolls of drums and shoutings. Yuan-te was dismayed and said,“Before us rolls the great river; behind is the pursuer. What hope is there for us?”

  But he bade Chao Yun organise a defence.

  Now Ts’ao Ts’ao in an order to his army had said,“Liu Pei is a fish in the fish kettle; a tiger in the pit. Catch him this time, or the fish will get back to the sea and the tiger escape to the hills. Therefore every captain must use his best efforts to press on.”

  In consequence every leader bade those under him hasten forward. And they were pressing on at great speed when suddenly soldiers appeared from the hills and a voice cried,“I have waited here a long time.”

  The leader who had shouted this bore in his hand the Black Dragon sword and rode “Red Hare,” for indeed it was no other than Kuan Yu. He had gone to Chianghsia for help and had returned with a whole legion. Having heard of the battle he had taken this very road to intercept pursuit.

  As soon as Kuan Yu appeared Ts’ao stopped and said to his officers,“Here we are, tricked again by that Chuko Liang.”

  Without more ado he ordered a retreat. Kuan Yu followed him some ten li and then drew off to act as guard to his elder brother on his way to the river. There boats were ready and Yuan-te and family went on board. When all were settled comfortably in the boat Kuan Yu asked where was his sister, the second wife of his brother. Then Yuan-te told him the story of Tangyang.

  “Alas!” said Kuan Yu.“Had you taken my advice that day of the hunting in Hsut’ien we should have escaped the misery of this day.”

  “But,” said Yuan-te,“on that day it was ‘Ware damage when pelting rats.’”

  Just as he spoke he heard war-drums on the south bank. A fleet of boats, thick as a flight of ants, came running up with swelling sails before the fair wind. He was alarmed.

  The boats came nearer. There he saw the white clad figure of a man wearing a silver helmet who stood in the prow of the foremost ship. He cried,“Are you all right, my uncle? I am very guilty.”

  It was Liu Chi. He bowed low as the ship passed, saying,“I heard you were in danger from Ts’ao Ts’ao and I have come to aid you.”

  Yuan-te welcomed him with joy and his soldiers joined in with the main body and the whole fleet sailed on, while they told each other their adventures.

  Unexpectedly in the southwest there appeared a line of fighting ships swishing up before a fair wind. Liu Chi said,“All my men are here and now there is an enemy barring the way. If they are not Ts’ao Ts’ao’s ships they must be from Chiangtung. We have a poor chance. What now?”

  Yuan-te went to the prow and gazed at them. Presently he made out a figure in a turban and Taoist robe sitting in the bows of one of the boats and knew it to be K’ungming. Behind him stood Sun Ch’ien.

  When they were quite near Yuan-te asked K’ungming how he came to be there. And he reported what he had done, saying,“When I reached Chianghsia I sent Kuan Yu to land at Hanching with reinforcements, for I feared pursuit from Ts’ao Ts’ao and knew the road you would take. So I prayed your nephew to go to meet you while I went to Hsiak’ou to muster as many men as possible.”

  The newcomers added to their strength and they began once more to consider how their powerful enemy might be overcome.

  Said K’ungming,“Hsiak’ou is strong and a good strategical point; it is also rich and suited for a lengthy stay. I would ask you, my lord, to make it a permanent camp. Your nephew can go to Chianghsia to get the fleet in order and prepare weapons. Thus there will be two threatening angles to our position. If we all return to Chianghsia the position will be weakened.”

  Liu Chi replied,“The Adviser-General’s words are excellent, but I would rather my uncle stayed awhile in Chianghsia till the army was in thorough order. Then he could go to Hsiak’ou.”

  “You speak to the point, nephew,” replied Yuan-te. Then leaving Kuan Yu with half a legion at Hsiak’ou he, with K’ungming and his nephew, went to Chianghsia.

  When Ts’ao Ts’ao saw Kuan Yu with a force ready to attack he feared lest a greater number were hidden away behind, so he stopped the pursuit. He also feared lest Yuan-te should take Chiangling, so he marched thither with all haste.

  The two officers in command at Chingchou had heard of what happened at Hsiangyang and, knowing that there was no chance of successful defence against Ts’ao Ts’ao’s armies, they led out the people of Chingchou to the outskirts and offered submission. Ts’ao entered the city and, after restoring order and confidence, he released Han Sung and gave him the dignified office of Director of Ambassadorial Receptions. He rewarded the oth
ers.

  Then said Ts’ao Ts’ao,“Liu Pei has gone to Chianghsia and may ally himself with Wu and the opposition to me will be greater. Can he be destroyed?

  Hsun Yu said,“The splendour of your achievements has spread wide. Therefore you might send a messenger to invite Sun Ch’uan to a grand hunting party at Chianghsia and you two could seize Liu Pei, share Chingchou with Sun and make a solemn treaty. Sun will be too frightened not to come over to you and your end will be gained.”

  Ts’ao agreed. He sent the letters by a messenger and he prepared his men, horse and foot and marines. He had in all eighty-three legions, but he called them a hundred. The attack was to be by land and water at the same time.

  The fleet advanced up the river in two lines. On the west it extended to Chinghsia, on the east to Ch’ihuang in Hupeh. The stockades stretched three hundred li.

  At this point the narrative must digress. The story of Ts’ao Ts’ao’s movements and successes reached Sun Ch’uan, then in camp at Ch’aisang. He assembled his strategists to decide on a scheme of defence.

  Lu Su said,“Chingchou is contiguous to our borders. It is strong and defensive, its people are rich. It is the sort of country that an emperor or a king should have. Liu Piao’s recent death gives an excuse for me to be sent to convey condolence and, once there, I shall be able to talk over Liu Pei and the officers of the late prefect to combine with you against Ts’ao. If Liu Pei does as I wish, then success is yours.”

  Sun Ch’uan thought this a good plan, so he had the necessary letters prepared, and the gifts, and sent Lu Su with them.

  All this time Liu Pei was at Chianghsia where, with K’ungming and Liu Ch’i, he was endeavouring to evolve a good plan of campaign.

  K’ungming said,“Ts’ao Ts’ao’s power is too great for us to cope with. Let us go over to Wu and ask help from Sun Ch’uan. If we can set north and south at grips we ought to be able to get some advantage from our mediary position between them.”

  “But will they be willing to have anything to do with us?” said Yuan-te.“It is a large and populous country and Sun Ch’uan has ambitions of his own.”

  K’ungming replied,“Ts’ao with his army of a hundred legions holds the Han and the Yangtse. Chiangtung will certainly send to find out all possible about the position. Should any messenger come I shall borrow a little boat and make a little trip over the river and trust to my little lithe tongue to set north and south at each other’s throats. If the southern men win, we will assist in destroying Ts’ao in order to get Chingchou; if the north win, we shall profit by the victory to get Chiangnan. So we shall get some advantage either way.”

  “That is a very fine view to take,” said Yuan-te.“But how are you going to get hold of any one from the south to talk to?”

  Liu Pei’s question was answered by the arrival of Lu Su, and as the ship touched the bank and the envoy came ashore, K’ungming laughed, saying,“It is done!”

  Turning to Liu Ch’i he asked,“When Sun Ts’e died did your country send any condolences?”

  “Is it likely there would be any mourning courtesies between them and us while there was the death of a father to avenge?”

  “Then it is certain that this envoy does not come to present condolences but to spy out the land.”

  So he said to Yuan-te,“When Lu Su asks about the movements of Ts’ao Ts’ao, you will know nothing. If he press the matter, say he can ask me.”

  Having thus prepared their scheme they sent to welcome the envoy, who entered the city in mourning garb. The gifts having been accepted, Liu Ch’i asked Lu Su to meet Yuan-te. When the introductory ceremonies were over the three men went to one of the inner chambers to drink a cup of wine. Presently Lu Su said to Yuan-te,“By reputation I have known you a long time, Uncle Liu, but till today I have not met you. I am very gratified at seeing you. You have been fighting Ts’ao Ts’ao, though, lately, so I suppose you know all about him. Has he really so great an army? How many, do you think, he has?”

  “My army was so small that we fled whenever we heard of his approach; so I do not know how many he had.”

  “You had the advice of Chuko K’ungming and you used fire on Ts’ao Ts’ao twice. You burned him almost to death so that you can hardly say you know nothing about his men,” said Lu.

  “Without asking my adviser I really do not know the details.”

  “Where is K’ungming? I should like to see him,” said Lu.

  So they sent for him and he was introduced. When the ceremonies were over 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 I may speak of present politics.”

  Replied K’ungming,“We know all Ts’ao Ts’ao’s infamies and wickednesses, but to our regret we were not strong enough to withstand him. That is why we avoided him.”

  “Is the Imperial Uncle going to stay here?”

  “The Princely One is an old friend of Wu Ch’en, Prefect of Ts’angwu and intends to go to him.”

  “He has few men and insufficient supplies, he cannot ensure safety. How can he receive the Uncle?” said Lu.

  “His place is not one to remain in long, but it is good enough for the present. We can make other plans for the future.”

  Lu said,“Sun Ch’uan is strongly posted and is exceedingly well supplied. He treats able men and scholars with the greatest courtesy and so they gather round him. Now if you are seeking a plan for your Prince you cannot do better than send some friend to confer with him.”

  “There have never been any relations between my master and yours,” said K’ungming.“I fear there would be nothing but a waste of words. Besides, we have no one to send.”

  “Your elder brother is there as adviser and is longing to see you. I am but a simple wight but I should be pleased to discuss affairs with my master and you.”

  “But he is my Director-in-Chief,” said Yuan-te,“and I cannot do without him. He cannot go.”

  Lu Su pressed him. Yuan-te pretended to refuse permission.“It is important I pray you give me leave to go,” said K’ungming.

  Then Yuan-te consented. And they soon took leave and the two set out by boat for Sun Ch’uan’s headquarters.

  A little boat sailed down the stream

  With Chuko well content;

  For he could see his enemies

  To black perdition sent.

  The result of this journey will appear in the following chapter.

  CHAPTER XLIII

  CHUKO LIANG DISPUTES WITH THE SCHOLARS: LU SU DENOUNCES THE MAJORITY OPINION

  I n the boat on the way to Ch’aisang the two travellers beguiled the time by discussing affairs. Lu Su impressed upon his companion the necessity of concealing from Sun Ch’uan the truth about the magnitude of Ts’ao Ts’ao’s army.

  “I do not promise to do what you ask,” replied Chuko Liang,“but I shall know how to reply.”

  When the boat arrived K’ungming was lodged in the guests’ quarters and Lu Su went alone to see his master. He found him actually at a council, assembled to consider the situation. Lu Su was summoned thereto and questioned at once upon what he had discovered.

  “I know the general outline, but I want a little time to prepare my report,” replied he.

  Then Sun Ch’uan produced Ts’ao Ts’ao’s letter and gave it to Su.“That came yesterday. I have sent the bearer of it back and this gathering is to consider the reply,” said he.

  Lu Su read the letter, which said,“When I, the solitary one, received the imperial command to punish a fault my banners went south and Liu Ts’ung became my prisoner, while his people flocked to my side at the first rumour of my coming . Under my hand are a hundred legions and I have many able captains. My desire is, General, that we go on a great hunting expedition into Chianghsia and together attack Liu Pei. We will share his land between us and we will swear perpetual amity. If happily you would not be a mere looker-on I pray you reply quickly.”

  “What have you decided upon, my lord?” asked
Lu as he finished the letter.

  “I have not yet decided.”

  Then Chang Chao said,“it would be imprudent to withstand Ts’ao’s many legions backed by the imperial authority. Moreover your most important defence against him is the Long River (Yangtse) and since Ts’ao has gained possession of Chingchou the river is his ally against us. We cannot withstand him, and the only way to tranquillity, in my opinion, is submission.”

  “The words of the speaker accord with the manifest decree of providence,” echoed all the assembly.

  Sun Ch’uan remaining silent and thoughtful, Chang Chao again took up the argument.“Do not hesitate, my lord. Submission to Ts’ao means tranquillity for the people of Wu and safety for the inhabitants of Chiangnan.”

  Sun Ch’uan still remained silent, his head bent in deep thought. Presently he arose and paced slowly out at the door and Lu Su followed him. Outside he took Lu by the hand, saying,“What do you desire?”

  “What they have all been saying is very derogatory to you. A common man might submit; you cannot.”

  “Why? How do you explain that?”

  “If people like us submitted we could just return to our village, and everything would go on as before. If you submit, whither will you go? You will be created a Marquis, perhaps. You will have one carriage, no more, one saddle horse, that is all. Your retinue will be half a score. Will you be able to sit facing the south and call yourself by the kingly title of ‘the solitary’? Each one in your crowd of hangers-on is thinking for himself, is purely selfish, and you should not listen to them, but take a line of your own and that quickly. Determine to play a bold game.”

  Sun Ch’uan sighed,“They all talk and talk, they miss my point of view. Now you have just spoken of a bold game and your view is the same as mine. Surely God has expressly sent you to me. Still Ts’ao is now the stronger by all Yuan Shao’s army and he has possession of Chingchou. I fear he is almost too powerful to contend with.”