Three Kingdoms

by Luo Guanzhong (Moss Roberts trans. )

  Xu Sheng said, "I think the four of us should go together to the chief commander to make our report." They were debating this suggestion when Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai rode up like a whirlwind. "Have you seen Liu Bei?" they asked. "He passed this morning, a good while ago," the four replied. "Why didn't you hold him?" Jiang Qin demanded. The four related what Lady Sun had said. "That is what Lord Sun was afraid of," said Jiang Qin, "and so he pressed his seal to this sword in confirmation of his order to kill first his sister and then Liu Bei. Disobedience is to be punished by death." "They are already far off," said the four. "What can be done?" "Most of them are on foot," said Jiang Qin, "and can't travel too fast. Generals Xu Sheng and Ding Feng, you report back to the chief commander at once and have some fast boats sent after them. We four will pursue them along the shore. Whoever overtakes them first must kill them before they can speak." At that, Xu Sheng and Ding Feng raced back to Zhou Yu. Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai, Chen Wu, and Pan Zhang led their troops along the edge of the river.

  In the meantime, Xuande's column of riders had put some distance between themselves and Chaisang.3 Only on reaching Liulangpu did Xuande begin to feel easier. He searched the shore for a crossing point, but the river loomed wide and no boat was to be found. Xuande lowered his head and mused. "My lord," Zilong said, "has escaped the tiger's mouth, and we are close now to our own territory. I am sure the director general will have arranged something. There is nothing to worry about now." But Xuande's thoughts turned to his life of luxury in the south, and tears of sadness came into his eyes. A poet of later times has left these lines on the marriage:

  Upon these shores the South and West were wed:

  Pearl-screened paths and golden rooms were shared.

  None thought the girl would spurn her status royal,

  Of those who meant Liu's kingly mind to guile.

  Xuande was told of the pursuit after he had sent Zilong scouting ahead for a boat. Xuande climbed to a rise and viewed the plain: it was swarming with riders. Sighing, he said to himself, "Fleeing for days on end, my men and horses are exhausted. Again we are chased. If they catch us, who will give my corpse a resting place?" The noise from the plain grew louder. At this desperate moment Xuande spied a string of some twenty boats, sails down, hugging the shore. "A godsend," said Zilong. "Let's take them across quickly and then plan our next step." Xuande and Lady Sun climbed aboard. Zilong followed with his five hundred. At that moment they spotted someone in the cabin dressed in plain Taoist garb, a band wound round his head. It was Zhuge Liang, laughing loudly as he emerged and said, "What a pleasure, my lord. I have been waiting here for some time." On board were Jingzhou sailors disguised as passengers. Reunited with his men at last, Xuande was overjoyed.

  Presently, the four Southland generals reached the river. Pointing at them, Kongming grinned and shouted, "I arranged this long ago. All of you, return and take Zhou Yu this message: no more seduction schemes!" Arrows from the shore began flying at them, but the boats were already out of range. The surprise rescue left Jiang Qin and the others gasping.

  As Xuande and Kongming proceeded homeward, a mighty roar echoing over the water announced the approach of a vast fleet behind them. Zhou Yu had brought the Southland's most seasoned navy under his command banner; Huang Gai and Han Dang flanked him left and right. The southern war-boats moved with the speed of a horse in full gallop, a star coursing through the sky. As they drew near, Kongming had his oarsmen row straight for the north shore, where everyone fled on horseback or in carriages. Zhou Yu made shore moments later and pressed the chase on land. All his sailors were on foot; only the captains had horses. Zhou Yu took the lead, followed closely by Huang Gai, Han Dang, Xu Sheng, and Ding Feng.

  "Where are we?" Zhou Yu asked. "The Huangzhou border is up ahead," a soldier replied. Seeing that Xuande's party had not gone far, Zhou Yu resumed pursuit. But that moment he heard drums pounding as a troop of swordsmen came charging out of a mountain covert; their commander, Lord Guan. Confounded, Zhou Yu swung round and fled. Lord Guan pursued. Zhou Yu gave his mount its head as he raced for his life. Then two more generals struck—from the left Huang Zhong, from the right Wei Yan—and the southerners were routed. Zhou Yu retreated frantically to his boats as Kongming's soldiers jeered from shore: "Young Master Zhou's brilliant plan of conquest has cost you the lady, and officers and men to boot." Exasperated by the taunts, Zhou Yu shouted to his men, "Let's make one last try!" But Huang Gai and Han Dang firmly refused.

  Zhou Yu reflected, "My plan has failed. How am I to face Lord Sun?" A howl broke from his lips, and his wound reopened as he collapsed on the deck. Men rushed to aid him, but he had lost consciousness. Indeed:

  Trapped a second time in his own tricks,

  Zhou Yu tasted humiliation added to rage.4

  What was Zhou Yu's fate?

  Read on.

  56

  Cao Cao Feasts at Bronze Bird Tower;

  Kongming Riles Zhou Yu for the Third Time

  Under Kongming's direction the three companies—Lord Guan's, Huang Zhong's, and Wei Yan's—had ambushed and defeated Zhou Yu's southern troops. Huang Gai and Han Dang had brought Zhou Yu safely aboard their boat, but countless sailors were lost in the operation. Later, the defeated southern leaders watched Xuande, Lady Sun, and their party of attendants relaxing on a knoll safely beyond reach. Rage welled up in Zhou Yu; his wound burst, and he fainted. His commanders struggled to revive him as they steered downriver toward safety. Ordering no pursuit, Kongming returned to Jingzhou with Xuande to celebrate and to reward the imperial uncle's commanders.

  Zhou Yu went back to Chaisang; the others marched on to Nanxu and reported to Sun Quan. Quan's first angry impulse was to send Cheng Pu as chief commander to capture Jingzhou. Zhou Yu, hoping to redeem his disgrace, also proposed new action. But Zhang Zhao argued: "Day and night Cao Cao ponders revenge for Red Cliffs. Fear alone restrains him—fear of the alliance that Liu Xuande and Lord Sun maintain against him. My lord, annexing Xuande's Jingzhou for a moment's satisfaction would expose the Southland to extreme danger of an attack by Cao Cao."

  Gu Yong added his views: "Do you think Xuchang1 has no spies here? At the first sign of conflict, Cao Cao will try to work something out with Liu Bei. And if Bei turns to Cao for protection, will the Southland know another single day of peace? Would not the wiser course be to send a petition to the throne recommending Liu Bei's appointment as protector of Jingzhou? That should deter Cao Cao from moving in this direction and alleviate any grievance on Liu Bei's part. It will also put us in a position to pit our enemies Cao and Liu against each other and to our advantage."

  "There is wisdom in Gu Yong's words," said Sun Quan. "But whom shall we send to court?" "There is someone here," Gu Yong replied, "someone whom Cao Cao admires and respects." Sun Quan asked his name, and the adviser went on, "What would you say to Hua Xin for this mission?" Pleased by this suggestion, Sun Quan dispatched Hua Xin to the capital to present his memorial to the throne.2 But the envoy reached Xuchang only to find that Cao Cao had gone to Ye to celebrate the completion of his Bronze Bird Tower. And so Hua Xin continued his journey to Ye in hopes of being received.

  Cao Cao was indeed determined to avenge his great defeat at Red Cliffs, but the united strength of the Sun and the Liu houses deterred him. In the spring of the fifteenth year of Jian An (a.d. 210) the Bronze Bird Tower that Cao Cao had ordered built was completed. To honor the event Cao Cao held a grand banquet in Ye at which he entertained both court officials and army officers. The structure overlooked the River Zhang: the central tower was the Bronze Bird; to the left stood the Jade Dragon Tower, and to the right the Golden Phoenix. Each side tower rose some hundred spans high and was linked by an overhead walkway to the central tower. There were innumerable entrances and doorways, and the interplay of gold and jasper was striking to the eye. On this day Cao Cao donned a golden cap inlaid with jade and wore a fine gown of green damask; he had a belt of jade tesserae and pearl-sewn shoes. Below the height where he sat his civil an
d military officials stood in rank.

  Cao Cao wished to observe his military officers compete in marksmanship. He had an attendant drape a Riverlands red brocade battle gown on the branch of a poplar, beneath which a mound with a target had been raised. The marksmen—officers divided into two groups—were to shoot from one hundred paces. All members of the Cao clan wore red. Other officers wore green. Each carried a carved bow and long arrows as, mounted, they held their horses in until the signal to begin. The rules were: "Whoever strikes the red center on the target wins the damask battle gown. Whoever misses must drink a penalty cup." The first order was given, and a young commander from the Cao clan charged into the lists. All eyes turned to Cao Xiu as he made three flying passes up and down the field. Then, fitting arrow to string, he drew, shot, and hit the target! Gongs and drums sounded in unison, and shouts of acclaim filled the air.

  A delighted Cao Cao watched from the terrace. "Our champion colt!" he said admiringly and was about to have the prize fetched for Cao Xiu when a horseman raced out from the green ranks, crying, "His Excellency's precious battle gown should go to an outsider. You should not allow your own clansman to preempt it." Cao Cao regarded the man closely. It was Wen Ping. The commanders said, "We might as well see what Wen Ping can do."

  Wen Ping hefted his bow and in swift career hit the red bull's eye. The commanders hailed the shot, and the gongs and drums sounded wildly. Wen Ping shouted, "Bring the gown at once!" But from the red ranks of the Cao clan another commander dashed into the lists, demanding stridently, "Cao Xiu made the first shot. How dare you try to take it from him? Watch as my arrow takes its place between your two." The speaker bent his bow to the full, and his arrow too struck home. The spectators cheered again.

  Who was the marksman? Cao Hong. Now Hong, the famed commander, went to take the battle gown. But another commander from the green ranks came forth, holding his bow high. "There's nothing exceptional in the marksmanship of you three," he cried. "Watch this!" The audience turned to Zhang He as he rode like the wind into the arena, twisted himself round, and shot with his back to the target. Another bull's eye! Four shafts in a row were now stuck in the center of the target. "A great shot!" the crowd declared. "The prize belongs to me!" Zhang He cried.

  His claim was still ringing in the air when a commander from the red party raced out to make his challenge. "I see nothing to marvel at in your parting shot," he cried. "Watch me top you all." The spectators turned to view Xiahou Yuan. Yuan charged to the very end of the lists, turned around, and let fly. His arrow landed in the center of the other four. The gongs and drums burst out afresh. Xiahou Yuan reined in, braced his bow and said, "That shot must win the prize!" But in response yet another contender from the green side appeared.

  "Leave the gown for Xu Huang," he cried. "What skill can you display," cried Xiahou Yuan, "to take this prize from me?" "Your last shot was nothing special," answered Xu Huang. "Watch me take down the damask gown." His long-range shot snapped the slender branch that held the gown; it dropped to earth. Xu Huang raced forward and seized the garment. He draped it over himself, then charged up to the dais and chanted ritually, "My thanks to Your Excellency for this battle gown."

  Cao Cao and his retinue voiced their approval. But as Xu Huang started back to his place, a green-coated commander sprang out from beside the dais, shouting, "Where are you going with that battle gown? Leave it here right now." The assembly turned to Xu Chu. "The gown is mine," Xu Huang said. "What right have you to demand it?" Making no reply, Xu Chu rode out to snatch the prize. As the two horses closed, Xu Huang lifted his bow to strike Chu, but Chu held it fast with one hand, nearly wrenching Huang out of the saddle. Huang quickly dropped his bow and slid to the ground. Chu also dismounted, and the two men wrestled wildly. Cao Cao had someone pull them apart. But the battle gown was torn to shreds.

  Cao Cao ordered the two men to the dais. Xu Huang's eyes were wide with wrath. Xu Chu gnashed his teeth. They both lusted for combat. Laughing, Cao said, "Courage is all I admire. That gown means nothing." And he had each commander ascend the dais to receive a roll of Shu silk.3 After the commanders had given their thanks, Cao Cao had them seated in order of rank, and music rose harmoniously as delicacies from land and sea were served. Officials and officers exchanged toasts and congratulations.

  Cao Cao turned to his civil officials and said, "The military leaders have enjoyed themselves with feats on horseback and marksmanship in a gratifying display of strength and daring. Now perhaps you learned scholars who share the dais would present us with some excellent stanzas to commemorate this splendid occasion ?" The officials bowed low and said, "It is our desire to comply with your puissant command."

  At this time the civil staff included Wang Lang, Zhong You, Wang Can, and Chen Lin. Each of them submitted verses lauding Cao Cao for his towering achievements and magnificent virtue and asserting his fitness to receive the Mandate of Heaven and rule as emperor himself. Cao Cao read each in turn and smiled. "Gentlemen," he said, "your praise goes beyond the measure. I am but a crude and simple man who began his official career by being cited for filial devotion and integrity. Later on, because of the disorder in the realm, I built a retreat fifty li east of the fief at Qiao, where I wished to devote myself to reading in spring and summer and hunting in autumn and winter until tranquility returned to the world and I could enter public life. Beyond all my expectations the court assigned me to serve as commandant for Military Standards, and so I forsook my life as a recluse and dedicated myself to achieving distinction by punishing the rebels in the Emperor's behalf. If after I die my tombstone reads 'Here Lies the Late Lord Cao, Han General Who Conquers the West,' my lifelong ambition will have been fulfilled.

  "Let it be remembered that since bringing Dong Zhuo to justice and rooting out the Yellow Scarves, we have eliminated Yuan Shu, defeated Lü Bu, wiped out Yuan Shao, and won over Liu Biao. Thus peace has been restored in the realm. I have become the Emperor's highest servant, the chief steward of his realm. What greater ambition could I have? If not for me, who knows how many would have declared themselves emperor, or prince of a region?

  "There are those who have drawn unwarranted conclusions concerning my power, suspecting me of imperial ambitions. This is preposterous. I remain constantly mindful of Confucius' admiration for King Wen's 'ultimate virtue.' His words burn bright in my heart.4 I long only to relinquish my armies and return to my fief as lord of Wuping. But practically speaking I cannot; for once I relinquish power, I might be murdered—and that would imperil the house of Han. I cannot expose myself to real dangers for the sake of reputation. So it seems, gentlemen, that not one of you understands my thinking."5 The officials rose as one and made obeisance. "Not even the great prime ministers of old, Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou," they said, "approach Your Excellency." A poet of later times wrote:

  Once Zhougong feared the slander of the world;

  Once Wang Mang treated scholars with respect.

  What if they had perished then, misjudged,

  Their chronicles forever incorrect?

  The wine had inspired Cao Cao. He called for writing brush and inkstone, intending to celebrate the Bronze Bird Tower in verse6 and was about to set pen to paper when someone announced: "Lord Sun Quan has sent Hua Xin with a petition recommending Liu Bei as protector of Jingzhou. Sun Quan's sister is now Liu Bei's wife, and most of the nine districts along the River Han already belong to Liu Bei." This report shattered Cao Cao's composure, and he threw the brush to the ground.

  Cheng Yu said, "Your Excellency has led tens of thousands of men, faced slings and arrows in the heat of battle, and never once lost his nerve. Why does Liu Bei's capture of Jingzhou trouble you so?" "Liu Bei," Cao Cao replied, "is a veritable dragon among men, but he has never found his element. Now the dragon is confined no more; he has reached the open sea. Of course I am troubled." "Do you know what Hua Xin really wants?" Cheng Yu asked. "No," Cao replied. "Liu Bei worries Sun Quan," Cheng Yu explained. "Quan wants to attack him but fears
that Your Excellency might attack the Southland while he is occupied with Liu Bei. That is why he has sent Hua Xin to recommend the appointment: to reassure Liu Bei and thus deter any move by Your Excellency against the south." "True enough," said Cao Cao, nodding.

  Cheng Yu continued: "I have a plan, however, for turning Sun and Liu against each other. It would allow Your Excellency to maneuver both enemies into ruining each other—two vanquished at one stroke!" Cao was delighted and asked for details. "The pillar of the south," Cheng Yu went on, "is Zhou Yu, the chief commander. Your Excellency should petition the throne to appoint Zhou Yu governor of Nanjun and Cheng Pu governor of Jiangxia;7 and Hua Xin should be kept here at court and given an important position. Zhou Yu will then consider Liu Bei his mortal enemy, and we will profit from their conflict. Does this not seem apt?"8

  "My thought exactly," Cao Cao responded. He called Hua Xin to the dais and bestowed rich gifts on him. After the banquet Cao Cao led his officials and officers back to Xuchang, where he submitted the appointments for Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu to the Emperor. Hua Xin was made junior minister of justice and kept in the capital. The documents confirming the appointments were then sent to the south, and Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu accepted their new offices.

  Now governor of Nanjun, Zhou Yu pondered his revenge against Xuande even more intently. His first step was to petition Lord Sun Quan to have Lu Su try again to reclaim Jingzhou. Accordingly, Sun Quan commanded Lu Su: "You served as guarantor when we loaned Jingzhou to Liu Bei. But he's dragging things out. How long must we wait to get it back?" "The document," Lu Su said, "provides for its return only after they acquire the Riverlands." This answer provoked Sun Quan to say, "That's all I hear, but so far they haven't sent one soldier west. I don't intend to wait for it until I've grown old." "Let me go and speak to them," responded Lu Su. And so he sailed to Jingzhou once more.