Sun Jian immediately extended his respects from horseback and said, "Why are you making things difficult for a neighbor merely on Yuan Shao's word?" "You are hiding the seal of state," said Liu Biao. "Are you going to rebel?" "May I die by sword or arrow if I have it," swore Sun Jian. "If you expect me to believe you," replied Liu Biao, "then let me search your gear." "Are you so mighty to demean me this way?" retorted Sun Jian. The two warriors stood there on the verge of blows when Liu Biao backed off. Sun Jian gave his horse free rein and pursued Liu Biao—right into the waiting ambush. Kuai Yue and Cai Mao emerged from behind, trapping Sun Jian on all sides.
Thus the royal seal proved no blessing to its finder;
It proved rather a cause of war.
Would Sun Jian escape with his life?
Read on.
7
Yuan Shao Battles Gongsun Zan at the River Pan;
Sun Jian Attacks Liu Biao Across the Great River
By dint of the heroic efforts of his three commanders, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang, Sun Jian broke out of the trap. Half of his men were lost, however, as they struggled to get back to the land south of the Great River. Liu Biao and Sun Jian became mortal enemies.
Yuan Shao had positioned troops at Henei. Food and fodder were scarce, but Han Fu, provincial protector of Jizhou, provided grain for Shao's men.1 Yuan Shao's adviser, Peng Ji, proposed attacking Han Fu. "A brave and powerful leader like yourself, who can move where he will," Peng Ji argued, "should not have to depend on another for supplies. Jizhou is a productive and wealthy province. Why not seize it?" "Have you a sound plan?" asked Yuan Shao. "Write to Gongsun Zan," Peng Ji said. "Suggest that he join us in a two-fronted attack on Jizhou. Zan is sure to muster his army. And Han Fu, who lacks the ability to cope with such a challenge, will invite you to take charge of his province. Thus you can pluck the prize with no effort at all." This advice delighted Yuan Shao, and he wrote Gongsun Zan proposing military action against Jizhou.
Zan was pleased with the idea of dividing Jizhou with Yuan Shao and called up his army the day the letter came. Meanwhile, Yuan Shao quietly informed Han Fu of the threat to his province. Han Fu summoned Xun Chan and Xin Ping to counsel. "Gongsun Zan commands hardened troops from the northern border districts of Yan and Dai," said Xun Chan. "They are advancing rapidly and are too strong to oppose directly. If Xuande and his brothers join then, they will be irresistible. Now then, Yuan Shao is a leader of unsurpassed courage and wisdom. He can field a large number of outstanding commanders. Why not invite him to govern the province jointly with you? He will treat you well and we'll have nothing to fear from Gongsun Zan." Accordingly, Han Fu dispatched his deputy Guan Chun to deliver the invitation to Yuan Shao.
However, Geng Wu, a lieutenant to the provincial protector, protested: "Yuan Shao is isolated and hard-pressed. Like a babe in arms he needs us for the very breath he draws. Cut off his milk, and he soon starves. It makes no sense to entrust our province to him. It's like inviting a tiger into a sheepfold." "I used to be an officer under the Yuans," Han Fu argued back, "and Shao's ability is far greater than mine. In olden times princes yielded their rule to worthy men whom they had selected. Why are you all so jealous?" "Jizhou is done for!" sighed Geng Wu. More than thirty officials resigned, but Geng Wu and Guan Chun decided to waylay Yuan Shao outside the city wall. Several days later, when Yuan Shao arrived at Jizhou, the two bared their knives and tried to murder him, but General Yan Liang cut Geng Wu down instantly, and General Wen Chou swiftly beheaded Guan Chun.
Yuan Shao entered Jizhou,2 commissioned Han Fu as General Known for Vigor-in-Arms, and assigned his own men—Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Xu You, and Peng Ji—to take control of the province. Provincial Protector Han Fu, stripped of all power, now knew the futility of regret. He rode alone to Zhang Miao, governor of Chenliu, to seek refuge.
As soon as Gongsun Zan heard that Yuan Shao was master of Jizhou, he sent his brother, Yue, to claim his share of the territory. But Yuan Shao said to Gongsun Yue, "Have your elder brother come to me himself. We have things to discuss." Gongsun Yue took his leave and had traveled some fifty li homeward when a group of soldiers set upon him. "We are bodyguards for Prime Minister Dong Zhuo!" they cried. The next moment Gongsun Yue was cut down by a volley of arrows. His attendants, however, survived and reported the murder. The news infuriated Gongsun Zan. "Yuan Shao tricked me into raising an army," he railed, "and plucked the prize from behind. Then he killed my brother and tried to put the blame on Dong Zhuo. This injustice must be avenged!" Zan mustered his entire army and headed for Jizhou.
Yuan Shao learned of Gongsun Zan's approach and led his own army out. The two met at the River Pan, the former on the east, the latter on the west side of a bridge linking the two shores. Gongsun Zan guided his horse onto it and shouted, "Treacherous villain, so to play me false!" Yuan Shao urged his horse toward the bridge and shouted back, "Han Fu knew his limits and turned his province over to me voluntarily. What concern is that of yours?" "There was a time," answered Gongsun Zan, "when I regarded you as loyal and just, and supported you as leader of the confederation. Today I see that you think like a wolf and act like a dog. How can you stand up in the world of men without a shred of self-respect left?" Outraged, Yuan Shao cried, "Who will take him?"
Wen Chou sped forward and leveled his spear. He fought his way to the bridge and crossed points with Zan. After ten passes Zan gave way and retreated and his line broke. Wen Chou pursued headlong, riding on his momentum. Zan entered his own ranks, but Chou rushed the center and wrought havoc, charging back and forth. Four of Gongsun Zan's ablest commanders faced Wen Chou. He killed one with a single thrust, and the other three fled. With Wen Chou in hot pursuit, Zan headed into the hills for safety. Wen Chou, close behind, called out, "Dismount and surrender!" Gongsun Zan had already lost his bow and arrows. His helmet, too, had fallen to the ground. Disheveled, he rode for his life, veering and swerving over the slopes, but his horse slipped and threw him to the bottom of a hill. Wen Chou fingered his spear and moved in for the kill.
Suddenly a young commander, spear in hand, rode into view, racing toward Wen Chou. Gongsun Zan climbed the slope and observed his rescuer: a towering figure of eight spans, with thick eyebrows and enormous eyes, a broad face and heavy jaws. He made an awesome impression. The unfamiliar warrior engaged Wen Chou, and they clashed fifty or sixty times, but neither prevailed. In the meantime, a rescue force under Gongsun Zan's lieutenants arrived, and Wen Chou swung round and departed. The young warrior did not pursue him, and Zan hurried down to ask his name. Bowing low, the youth replied, "I come from Zhending in Changshan. My surname is Zhao; given name, Yun; and my style is Zilong. I was serving under Yuan Shao but soon realized he was neither loyal to the throne nor a savior of the people, so I left him to join your camp. I never expected we would meet here!" Overjoyed, Gongsun Zan took Zhao Zilong back to camp with him and began reordering his forces.3
The following day Gongsun Zan divided his army into two wings. His force was primarily a mounted one, numbering more than five thousand horses, most of which were white. In his previous campaigns against the Qiang tribesmen Gongsun Zan had put white horses in the vanguard because the Qiang would flee at the sight of one.4 Gongsun Zan thus kept a large supply of these animals and was known as the White Horse General. Yuan Shao ordered his generals, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, to take one thousand crossbowmen each and deploy into two wings at the front. Those on the left were to fire on Gongsun Zan's right wing, those on the right on Gongsun Zan's left. In addition, Yuan Shao ordered Qu Yi to deploy eight hundred archers and fifteen thousand foot soldiers between the crossbowmen. Yuan Shao himself brought up the rear with tens of thousands of troops, foot and horse.
Gongsun Zan was still not entirely sure of his rescuer, Zhao Zilong, so he gave him a rear unit to command. General Yan Gang had the van, and Gongsun Zan led the main army up to the bridge. There he reined in. In front of his horse he planted a banner with a large red circle enclosing the words "Commanding Gener
al" woven in gold. Through the morning hours the drums rolled incessantly, but Yuan Shao made no move. Qu Yi kept his archers behind their shields with orders not to shoot until the bombards roared. Then amid heavy drumming and the war cries of soldiers Yan Gang began the onslaught. Crouching low, Qu Yi's soldiers watched their attackers draw near. Then a bombard sounded, and eight hundred archers stood up and let fly.
Before Yan Gang could turn, Qu Yi charged and cut him down. Gongsun Zan's contingent was mauled, and his two wings were pinned down by Shao's crossbowmen when they tried to effect a rescue. Yuan Shao's forces advanced en masse and cut their way straight to the bridge separating the adversaries. The bridge once gained, Qu Yi struck down the standard-bearer, and the embroidered banner fell before Gongsun Zan's eyes. He backed off the bridge and fled. Qu Yi kept riding toward Zan's rear line until he met Zhao Zilong, who sprang to the challenge. In moments Zilong had pierced Qu Yi through with his lance and left him dead on the ground. He then ran unaided across Yuan Shao's line, slashing right and thrusting left as if moving through a no-man's-land. Gongsun Zan rejoined the battle, and the two warriors dealt their enemy a nasty defeat.
Yuan Shao was unprepared for the counterattack because his mounted scouts had informed him only of the initial victories—Qu Yi's killing of the standard-bearer, his capture of the standard, and his pursuit of the defeated troops. Yuan Shao was with General Tian Feng, a few hundred lancers, and a few dozen mounted archers, laughing pompously, exclaiming as he observed the scene, "How useless that Gongsun Zan is!" Even as he spoke, Zhao Zilong charged into view. Yuan Shao's archers scrambled for their weap-:ns. Zilong stabbed several soldiers, and the others fled. More of Zan's troops swarmed round. Tian Feng cried anxiously, "My lord, hide inside this hollow wall." But Yuan Shao threw his helmet to the ground and shouted, "A worthy man of war must face death in battle, not seek safety in a wall." Heartened by his words, his men fought fiercely, holding off Zilong's advance. Yuan Shao's main army then arrived on the scene, followed by Yan Liang's troops, and the two units pressed the enemy back. Defeated again, Gongsun Zan, guarded by Zhao Zilong, forced a passage through the encircling soldiers and made his way back to the bridge.
In pursuit of Gongsun Zan, Yuan Shao's army crossed the bridge in full force. Many drowned in the river. Yuan Shao, in the lead, had advanced less than five li when he heard a great cry coming from behind a hill. A bank of soldiers flashed into view, led by Xuande, Lord Guan, and Zhang Fei. While in Pingyuan they had learned of the battle and had come to Zan's aid. Accosted by three fresh warriors with their various weapons, Shao took fright. His sword dropped from his hand, so he immediately swung round and rode back across the bridge to safety, with the help of many more who risked their lives. Gongsun Zan gathered up his men and returned to camp. The three brothers made courteous inquiry after Zan's condition. "If not for Xuande, coming so far to help us," Zan declared, "we would have been battered to pieces." Gongsun Zan introduced the brothers to Zhao Zilong; Xuande took an instant liking to him and secretly hoped the respected warrior would join him.
Though defeated, Yuan Shao clung to his position and did not retire; the two armies stayed locked in place for more than a month. The situation was reported to the court in Chang'an, and Li Ru advised Dong Zhuo: "Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan, two outstanding men of the present day, are in mortal combat at the River Pan. It might be useful to arrange for an imperial order to settle their quarrel. Both sides will be grateful for your kindness and transfer their loyalties to you, Imperial Preceptor."5 "Good!" responded Dong Zhuo and sent the imperial guardian, Ma Midi, and the court steward, Zhao Qi, to deliver the decree.
When the two men reached Hebei, Yuan Shao received them one hundred li from his camp and accepted the royal order with deep respect. The next day Dong Zhuo's two representatives entered Gongsun Zan's camp and read out the decree. In response, Gongsun Zan sent a letter to Yuan Shao suggesting peace talks. The officials returned to Chang'an and reported the success of their mission. Gongsun Zan withdrew his forces that same day and recommended to the court that Xuande be appointed governor of Pingyuan fief. For Xuande and Zilong parting was difficult, and they held onto one another tearfully in their reluctance to be separated. "I thought Gongsun Zan was a true hero," Zilong sighed, "but now I see I was wrong. His conduct today befits a Yuan Shao!" "Bear up and serve him well for now," Xuande said. "Time will bring us together again." They shed more tears and went their ways.
Back in the district of Nanyang, Yuan Shu learned that his brother had taken possession of Jizhou, and sent a messenger there requesting one thousand horses. Yuan Shao refused, and thereafter the brothers were on bad terms. Yuan Shu next tried to borrow a large amount of grain from Liu Biao, imperial inspector of Jingzhou. Biao also said no. Yuan Shu was so galled by these refusals that he wrote Sun Jian urging him to attack Jingzhou.6 The note read as follows:
When Liu Biao blocked your way south, he was acting in collusion with my brother Benchu [Yuan Shao], Now the two of them are conspiring to attack your lands south of the Great River. You should raise an army as swiftly as possible and attack Liu Biao while I deal with Benchu for you. Two accounts will be settled. You will gain Jingzhou; I will gain Jizhou. Don't let the opportunity pass.
After reading the letter, Sun Jian said, "Oh, to be rid of Liu Biao! He cut me off that time. I may not get another chance at him." Jian called his generals—Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang—to counsel. "Yuan Shu is full of tricks," Cheng Pu said, "and not to be trusted." "I want revenge, with or without Yuan Shu," said Sun Jian and sent Huang Gai to prepare warships and load them at the Great River, most of them with weapons and provisions, the larger ones with war-horses.
Spies brought word of these preparations to Liu Biao, who hastily conferred with his advisers. Kuai Liang said, "No cause for alarm. Let Huang Zu lead the van with men from Jiangxia. You hold the rear with forces from the Xiangyang area. Once Sun Jian has crossed rivers and lakes to get here, how much strength will he have left for the battle?" Liu Biao approved these steps.
Sun Jian had four sons by Lady Wu. The eldest was Ce (Bofu); the next, Quan (Zhongmou); the third, Yi (Shubi); and the fourth, Kuang (Jizuo). Sun Jian had a second wife, Lady Wu's younger sister. She bore him a son, Lang (Zaoan), and a daughter, Ren. Sun Jian had also adopted a son—Shao (Gongli)—from the Yu family. Finally, he had a younger brother, Jing (Youtai).
As Sun Jian was about to set out against Liu Biao, his brother Jing led all six sons in front of his horse in an effort to stop him. "Dong Zhuo controls the throne," Jing argued. "The Emperor is powerless; the empire in disorder. Each region is really a separate domain, and ours here, south of the river, is at peace. It makes no sense to raise a major force for the sake of a trifling insult. Please reconsider." "Say no more, brother," Sun Jian answered. "I'll have my way in every part of the empire and will never leave unanswered an enemy like Liu Biao." "Father, if you insist on going," Sun Ce pleaded, "allow me to come." Sun Jian agreed and took his eldest son on board. They set out for the city of Fankou.
Liu Biao's general, Huang Zu, had posted archers and crossbowmen along the river. As Sun Jian's war-boats neared shore, Huang Zu's men shot heavy volleys. Sun Jian ordered his men not to fire back but to huddle down in the holds and let the enemy shoot. Over a three-day period the boats approached shore a dozen times, drawing fresh volleys each time. As Sun Jian had anticipated, Huang Zu's stock of arrows was finally depleted, while he had accumulated a supply of more than one hundred thousand from the enemy. The fourth day the wind favored the shipborne force. Sun Jian ordered his men to shoot. Waves of arrows drove the men on shore into retreat as Sun Jian's warriors landed. Cheng Pu and Huang Gai led their contingents directly to Huang Zu's camp. Han Dang, moving swiftly, joined them. Squeezed from three sides, Huang Zu abandoned Fankou for the town of Deng. Sun Jian had Huang Gai guard the boats while he personally gave chase. Huang Zu led his men into open country and there confronted his pursuer. Sun Jian formed his lines and rode out in fro
nt of his banners, accompanied by his son Ce in full military dress, spear at the ready.
With Huang Zu were two generals, Zhang Hu from Jiangxia and Chen Sheng from Xiangyang. Huang Zu raised his whip and shouted, "Vermin from the south! How dare you intrude on the territory of an imperial relative?" He sent Zhang Hu to taunt the opposing line. Han Dang came out to meet him. The two horsemen closed and fought some thirty passages-at-arms. Chen Sheng saw Zhang Hu tiring and rushed to his aid. Observing from a distance, Sun Ce set aside his spear, took up his bow, and let fly. The arrow hit Sheng squarely in the forehead, and he collapsed. Zhang Hu was distracted by the sight of Chen Sheng on the ground, and in that moment Han Dang cleaved his skull with a stroke of his sword. Cheng Pu galloped to the front, hunting for Huang Zu, who got rid of his helmet and his horse and saved himself by mingling with the foot soldiers. Sun Jian pressed the slaughter all the way to the Han River. Then he ordered Huang Gai to move the boats upriver and moor them.
Huang Zu regrouped his shattered force and went to tell Liu Biao that Sun Jian was too powerful to resist. Liu Biao conferred with Kuai Liang, who said, "After a defeat like this, our men will have no fighting spirit. All we can do now is hold our strongpoints, avoid the thrust of their attack, and try to get help from Yuan Shao. Then we can break their siege."7 "That's a clumsy plan," said Cai Mao. "With the enemy at our very gates and moat, are we to tie our hands and await our end? However unfit I may be, I beg to take one contingent outside the walls and fight to the finish." With Liu Biao's approval, Cai Mao led more than ten thousand men out of Xiangyang and deployed his line at Xian Hill.
Three Kingdoms Page 10
