Three Kingdoms

by Luo Guanzhong (Moss Roberts trans. )

  Soon Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang, representing the military faction, came to see Zhou Yu. After he had received them and greetings had been exchanged, Cheng Pu began: "Have you heard, Commander, that soon the Southland must lose its independence and be annexed to another power?" "I have not been so informed," was the reply. "We have followed General Sun," Cheng Pu went on, "in the founding of this domain through hundreds of battles, great and small. Thus we have come into possession of the towns and cities of our six districts. What shame we would suffer, what regret, if our lord should heed the advocates of surrender. But we who choose death before disgrace count on you to convince him to muster the troops—a cause to which we dedicate our all." "Is there consensus among you, Generals?" asked Zhou Yu. Huang Gai rose and, striking his palm to his forehead, said hotly, "This shall roll before I submit." The group echoed his oath. "To decide the issue by combat," said Zhou Yu, "is precisely what I desire. How could I acquiesce in surrender? I beg you, Generals, return. After I meet with our lord, the debate will be settled accordingly." Cheng Pu and his party took their leave.

  Soon afterward a party of civil officials led by Zhuge Jin and Lü Fan was welcomed in. Greetings exchanged, Zhuge Jin began: "My younger brother Liang has come downriver to tell us that Lord Liu seeks our cooperation in operations against Cao Cao. Our civil and military officials remain locked in debate. Since my own brother is Lord Liu's representative, I have stood aside, biding my time until you would arrive to settle the question." "What is your own assessment?" Zhou Yu asked him. "Surrender means cheap security," replied Jin. "War puts all at risk." "I have some ideas of my own," Zhou Yu responded with a smile. "Join us tomorrow in the council hall, where we shall settle things."

  As Zhuge Jin and his party withdrew, another group, this led by Lü Meng and Gan Ning, was announced. Zhou Yu invited them in and they expressed their views. Some insisted on surrender, some were determined to fight. They argued back and forth until Zhou Yu said, "This is enough discussion for now. Join us tomorrow in the council hall, where we shall settle things." Long after the group had departed, a cynical smile remained on Zhou Yu's face.

  That evening Lu Su brought Kongming to pay his respects. Zhou Yu came from the central gate to escort them inside. After the formalities they seated themselves as host and guest. Lu Su began with a question to Zhou Yu: "Cao Cao has launched an offensive against the Southland, and between the two courses, war or peace, our lord cannot decide. In this matter he is yours entirely. I would inquire what your own view is." "Cao Cao acts in the name of the Son of Heaven, the Emperor himself," said Zhou Yu. "His host cannot be driven back. His power has grown to the point where it would be futile to risk engagement. If we fight, defeat is certain. If we surrender, security is cheaply bought. I have made my decision. Tomorrow before our lord I shall advocate sending a representative to convey our submission."

  Lu Su was appalled. "But this is most misguided!" he responded. "The estate we have founded now spans three generations. How can we abandon it to strangers on the spur of the moment? The last words of Lord Sun's brother, Sun Ce, charged us to entrust external matters to you. What will befall us if you follow the counsel of cowards now, at the very moment we must rely on you—as if you were the great Mount Tai itself—to preserve the house of Sun?" To this appeal Zhou Yu replied: "The living souls in the six districts of the Southland are more than can be numbered. If we bring upon them the disasters of war, they will lay their grievance to us. That is why I have decided to sue for peace." "How wrong that would be!" cried Lu Su. "With a general of your mettle and the sure defensibility of the land, Cao is far from assured of fulfilling his ambitions." The two men argued round and round while Kongming looked on, detached, smiling with sangfroid.

  "What makes you smile so disdainfully?" Zhou Yu asked him. "Your antagonist Lu Su, of course, who refuses to recognize the exigencies of the occasion," said Kongming. Lu Su snapped back, "Now you're mocking me for 'refusing to recognize the exigencies of the occasion'?" Kongming replied, "Zhou Yu advocates submission. It seems perfectly reasonable." "Any scholar who recognizes realities—and Kongming is surely one—must be of the same mind," said Zhou Yu. "You too argue this way?" Lu Su asked Kongming. "Cao Cao is a master of warfare," Kongming explained, "whom none in the empire dares engage. Those who did—Lü Bu, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and Liu Biao—have been annihilated. And no such men remain in the empire—save Lord Liu, who has refused to 'recognize the exigencies of the occasion' and struggles with Cao for mastery. But Lord Liu stands alone in Jiangxia, his very survival in question. The general's plan to submit to Cao ensures his family's safety and protects his wealth and status. What if the sacred throne of the house of Sun is transferred to another house? Why, ascribe it to the Mandate of Heaven. What do we need these things for?" Lu Su was moved to wrath. "You would see our sovereign crook his knee and endure disgrace before a treasonous rogue?" he exclaimed.1

  Kongming went on: "I have thought of another possibility that might well save the ritual gifts of sheep and wine as we transfer our lands and render up the seals of state. You would not even need to cross the river yourself, but merely to send a solitary representative to escort two persons to the river. If Cao Cao can get hold of these two, his million-man host will discard their armor, furl their banners, and retire from the field." Zhou Yu spoke: "And with what two persons do you propose to effect this reversal?" "The Southland's parting with these two," Kongming continued, "may be likened to an oak shedding a leaf, a granary diminished by a grain of millet. Yet if he gets them, Cao Cao will depart content." Again Zhou Yu asked, "Well, what two persons?"

  "When I was in residence at Longzhong," Kongming continued, "I heard that Cao was building a new tower on the banks of the Zhang. It is called the Bronze Bird Tower—an absolutely magnificent edifice, and elegant. He has searched far and wide for beautiful women to fill its chambers. Cao Cao, who is basically inclined to wantonness, has known for some time that the Southland patriarch Qiao has two daughters, beauties whose faces would make fish forget to swim or birds to fly, abash the very blossoms and outshine the moon. He has vowed: 'First, I'll sweep the realm and calm it and build an empire; next, I'll possess the Southland's two daughters Qiao and install them in the Bronze Bird Tower so that I may have pleasure in my later years and die without regret.' Cao Cao may lead his million-fold host to menace the Southland, but in reality he comes for the sake of these two women. General, why not seek out the patriarch Qiao, procure his girls with a thousand pieces of gold, and dispatch someone to deliver them to Cao? Once he has them, he will be content and return to the capital. Long ago Fan Li of Yue succeeded with a similar plan when he presented the beauty Xi Shi to the king of Wu. Why not act at once?"2

  "Can you verify Cao's desire to possess these two women?" asked Zhou Yu. "He once commissioned his son, Zhi (styled Zijian), a writer of great genius, to compose a rhapsody. The result was the 'Bronze Bird Tower Rhapsody.' Its theme is the fitness of his house for sovereignty and his vow to wive the daughters Qiao."3 "Can you recall it?" Zhou Yu asked. "Infatuated with its gorgeous language, I committed it to memory," Kongming replied. "May I request a recitation?" said Zhou Yu. Then and there Kongming recited:

  A pleasant promenade beside His Majesty:

  They mount the tiered tower, delight their spirits,

  And view the teeming richness of the realm,

  The sphere his sagely virtue rules.

  These gates he built pierce the mid-sky;

  The double pylons float to the crystalline.

  Splendid viewing rooms sit suspended there,

  Linked chambers seem to hang above the western wall.

  They peer down on the ever-flowing Zhang,

  Whose gardens give promise of teeming glory.4

  Aloft on either side, twin towers—

  Left, Jade Dragon; right, Golden Phoenix—

  To hold his brides, the Southland daughters Qiao,5

  With whom he will take his pleasure, morning, evening.


  Look down on the royal city's spacious elegance;

  Behold the shimmering tints of distant clouds.

  Rejoice in the confluence of many talents;

  Auspicious dreams of aid will be fulfilled.6

  Look up! The gentle solemnity of spring;

  And hear! the lovelorn cries of every bird.

  May these proud towers stand till Heaven's end.

  Our house has gained a twin fulfillment.

  Our benevolent influence spreads across the realm,

  Winning universal homage for our capital.7

  Even the splendor of Huan and Wu, ancient hegemons,

  Pales beside his sagely grace and wisdom.

  Most blessed! Most marvelous!

  His generous favor, extending far and wide.

  Lend the sovereign house your aid

  That unto the four corners peace may reign.

  Our king is on a scale with Heaven and earth,

  Radiant as the light of sun or moon,

  Ever honored as the ultimate principle,

  Immortal as the sky's sovereign star.8

  Driving the dragon banners round the royal circuit,

  Guiding the phoenix chariot round the realm:

  His clement influence bathes the kingdom's corners;

  Prize offerings to him heap high—the people prosper.

  May these towers stand firm for all time,

  For pleasure never failing and without end.

  When Kongming's performance was done, Zhou Yu started violently from his seat and pointed north.9 "Old traitor! Rogue!" he cried. "You abuse us past endurance." Kongming rose too, swift to check him. "Remember when the khan, chief of the Xiongnu, encroached on our border," he said, "and the Emperor of Han granted him a princess to forge amity through kinship? Can we not now spare two female commoners?" "There is something you are not aware of," Zhou Yu replied. "The elder daughter of the patriarch Qiao was the first wife of the late general Sun Ce. The younger is my own wife." "Truly, I did not know," said Kongming, feigning astonishment. "I have said something unforgivable and offended you most gravely. A thousand pardons!" "Cao, old traitor," Zhou Yu went on, "you and I cannot share footing on this earth. So I swear." "The situation calls for careful consideration," Kongming cautioned, "lest our actions entail regret." But Zhou Yu continued, "I had our late lord Sun Ce's solemn trust and could never crook the knee to Cao. I only meant to test you. When I left the Poyang Lakes I resolved to take up arms against the north. The executioner's axe upon my neck could not alter my resolve. I hope for your stout aid, Kongming, that together we may smite the traitor Cao." "If you would accept my humble efforts, I would toil unsparingly, like a dog or a horse, entirely at your service." "Tomorrow," Zhou Yu responded, "I will present myself to our lord to debate the mustering of the troops." With that, Kongming and Lu Su bid Zhou Yu good-bye and left.

  On the morning of the next day Sun Quan ascended the assembly hall: to his left, some thirty civil officials led by Zhang Zhao and Gu Yong; to his right, thirty or more military officials led by Cheng Pu and Huang Gai. The caps and robes of the officials rustled against each other, and the swords and pendants of the officers jostled and clanked. All stood at attention in their respective lines. Moments later Zhou Yu appeared.

  After formal salutations and a few kind words from Sun Quan, Zhou Yu said, "I have been told that Cao Cao has marched south, stationed his forces along the River Han, and sent us a letter. I wonder, my lord, what your own honorable wishes might be?" Sun Quan passed the letter to Zhou Yu, who read it and smiled. "The old traitor," he said, "must imagine we have no men worthy of the name in the Southland, to approach us so insolently!" "What is your own view?" Quan asked. "Have you discussed the matter thoroughly with your officers and officials, my lord?" responded Zhou Yu. "For days on end," replied Quan. "Some advocate submission, some war. Because I have not yet reached a final decision, I appeal to you to resolve it once and for all." "Who are those urging submission?" asked Zhou Yu. "Zhang Zhao and his party," said Sun Quan. Turning to Zhang Zhao, Zhou Yu said, "I beg to hear your reasons."

  "Cao Cao controls the Emperor," Zhao began, "and his campaigns across the land enjoy the sanction of the court. His recent victory in Jingzhou makes his power all the more formidable. The Great River was the Southland's only hope of blocking him. But now he has thousands of light attack craft and war-boats; a combined advance by land and sea could never be stopped. It is better to submit for now and live to plan another day."

  "The twisted reasoning of a pedant!" cried Zhou Yu. "Now, in the third generation since the founding of the Southland, how could we bear to throw it all away overnight?" "So then," Quan said to Zhou Yu, "what is your grand strategy to be based on?"

  Zhou Yu replied: "Posing as prime minister of the Han, Cao Cao is in reality a traitor to the dynasty. But you, General, true heir to your father and your brother, have possession of this territory. Your martial skill is godlike, your troops are keen, and your grain stores are ample. Now is the time to make your might felt the length and breadth of the empire and eliminate a cruel and violent enemy for the sake of the ruling house. How can we submit! Furthermore, by coming here, Cao has broken the most sacred rules of military science. While the north is still untamed and while Ma Teng and Han Sui threaten his rear, he is losing time on this campaign. That's the first rule broken. With troops unused to naval warfare, Cao has put away his saddles and steeds and taken to boats to contest for this land of mariners. That's the second rule broken. Now the height of winter is upon us, and his horses want for hay. That's the third rule broken. He has driven his northerners far afield to unfamiliar rivers and lakes, into a strange clime where disease is rife. That is the fourth rule broken. However numerous his men, they will be defeated. This is the moment to make Cao Cao your captive. I appeal to you: grant me between fifty and a hundred thousand crack troops to place at Xiakou,10 and I will destroy the invaders for you."

  Eyes flashing, Sun Quan stood up. "Long, too long,'' he cried," has the traitor sought to remove the Han and establish his own house. Four of those he had to fear—Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Lü Bu, and Liu Biao—are gone. I alone remain. One of us—the old traitor or I—must fall. That is my oath. Good vassal, your voice for war meets my own thoughts. You must have come to me by Heaven's grace. "" I am resolved upon the bloody course and shrink from no extremity. Yet I fear, General, that you remain undecided, "Zhou Yu responded. Sun Quan drew his sword and sheared off a corner of the table at which he received the petitions of his ministers." Any officer or official who advocates submission will be dealt with so! " he declared and, handing the sword to Zhou Yu, honored him as first field marshal. Cheng Pu was made second field marshal, and Lu Su consulting commander.

  In giving his sword, Sun Quan had empowered Zhou Yu to execute any officer or official who disobeyed. Zhou Yu accepted the weapon and addressed the assembly: "I am authorized to lead you in battle to destroy Cao Cao. Tomorrow all commanders and subordinate officers are to assemble at my headquarters on the riverbank to receive further orders. Anyone who delays or interferes with our mission will be punished in accordance with the Seven Prohibitions and the Fifty-four Capital Offenses."11 With these words, Zhou Yu took leave of Sun Quan and left the building. The officials adjourned without further comment.

  Back at his quarters Zhou Yu summoned Kongming. "Now that the debate is settled," Zhou Yu began, "what would you consider a sound plan for defeating Cao Cao?" "General Sun's resolve is weak. We cannot make any decision," Kongming answered. "What do you mean, 'his resolve is weak'?" responded Zhou Yu. "The sheer size of Cao Cao's army still intimidates him," Kongming went on. "He wonders if the few can withstand the many. Before our cause can succeed, General, you will have to reassure him by making an analysis of the enemy's numerical strength." "Your judgment, master, is correct," said Zhou Yu, and he went back to see Sun Quan.

  "Only a matter of some importance," said Sun Quan, "would bring you back so late at night." "My lord," replied Zhou
Yu, "are you still in doubt about beginning the expedition tomorrow?" "My only concern," said Sun Quan "is the numerical imbalance between our forces." With a smile Zhou Yu reassured him: "I have come to set your mind at ease on precisely this point, my lord. Your fears and uncertainties arise from mention in Cao's letter of his million-man land and sea force. And you have taken his claim at face value. Let us lay out the facts: Cao Cao is leading no more than one hundred and fifty or sixty thousand northern troops, who are almost entirely exhausted. The soldiers he took over from Yuan Shao number some seventy or eighty thousand, the greater part of whom have little trust in their new leader and consequently little commitment. You have little to fear from one long-wearied army and another with no fixed purpose, whatever their numbers. Fifty thousand men are all I need to break them. Let Your Lord-ship worry no further." Sun Quan placed his hand gently on Zhou Yu's shoulder and said, "You have allayed my fears. Zhang Zhao has no sense12 and has deeply disappointed me. Only you and Lu Su share my view. You two and Cheng Pu should pick your forces at once and advance. I will reinforce you with more soldiers and plenty of supplies. If your vanguard runs into difficulties, come back to me at once, and I will meet the traitor Cao in combat personally. My doubts are dispelled."