Meanwhile, Riverlands Inspector Liu Zhang had sent two commanders, Zhuo Ying and Zhang Yi, to reinforce Luoxian. Zhang Ren left Zhang Yi and Liu Gui to defend the city while he and Zhuo Ying went forth, Ren in the van and Ying at the rear, to drive the enemy off. Kongming led a rather disorderly troop over the bridge and arrayed them against Zhang Ren. Kongming himself appeared in a four-wheeled carriage, holding a feather fan, surrounded by his hundred cavalry. Pointing at Zhang Ren, he cried, "Cao Cao had a million men, but he fled at the mention of my name. Who are you to refuse surrender?" Zhang Ren, noting the careless look of Kongming's lines, smiled coldly from horseback. "It seems there is little reality in Zhuge Liang's reputation as a marvel among strategists," Zhang Ren said and with his spear motioned his force into action.
Kongming abandoned his carriage and retreated across the bridge on horseback, Zhang Ren in hot pursuit. When Ren crossed the bridge, he saw Xuande to the left and Yan Yan to the right, both charging toward him. He strove to pull out of the trap, but the bridge behind him was already down. He started north, but saw Zhao Zilong's men arrayed on the opposite shore and decided to flee south around the river. Riding some five or seven li, he reached the thicket of reeds and rushes. Wei Yan's men sprang out, stabbing furiously with their long spears while Huang Zhong's men slashed at the horses' legs with their long swords. The entire cavalry force was downed, the horsemen captured and bound. How could the infantry follow?
Zhang Ren fled to the hills with a few dozen riders, but Zhang Fei blocked his way. Ren tried to retreat, but a shout from Fei brought his whole force to the fore, and Zhang Ren was taken alive.2 His rear guard commander, Zhuo Ying, had seen the trap closing and had surrendered to Zhao Zilong, who brought him back to the main camp. Xuande rewarded Zhuo Ying.
Zhang Fei brought Zhang Ren in when Kongming was seated in the command tent. Xuande said to Zhang Ren, "The other generals of Shu have submitted. Why not you ? The sooner you do, the better." Eyes glaring, Zhang Ren shouted back, "No loyal vassal serves a second lord!" "You fail to recognize how times have changed," Xuande went on. "Submit and save your life." "I might for today," Ren replied. "But not for long! Kill me quickly!" Xuande could not bear to give the order, but Zhang Ren continued to denounce him. Finally Kongming had him executed to preserve his reputation for loyalty. A poet of later times wrote of Zhang Ren:
No constant man consents to serve two lords;
Loyal and brave, he died a deathless death.
Now he shines like the heavens' circling moon,
Lighting up the city Luo beneath.
Xuande was inconsolable. He had the body interred beside the Gold Goose Bridge to honor Zhang Ren's devotion to his master.
The next day Yan Yan, Wu Yi, and a group of surrendered commanders in the van marched to Luoxian and shouted out, "Open the gates and submit. Spare the people of the city." From the wall Liu Gui shouted back defiance. As Yan Yan put an arrow to his bow, a commander on the wall suddenly drew his sword and cut down Liu Gui. The gate was opened and the city delivered to Xuande. Liu Xun exited from the west gate and headed for Chengdu.
Xuande comforted the population. The man who had killed Liu Gui was Zhang Yi of Wuyang. With Luoxian firmly in hand, Xuande rewarded his commanders richly. "Luoxian has fallen," Kongming said, "and Chengdu will soon be ours. But I am concerned about the outer districts. It would be advisable to have Zhang Yi and Wu Yi lead Zhao Zilong in a campaign to pacify Jiangyang and Jianwei and the regions they administer along the Great River, while Yan Yan and Zhuo Ying lead Zhang Fei in a campaign to pacify Deyang and its subdistricts in Baxi.3 After they have appointed officials there, they can return and move on Chengdu." Zhao Zilong and Zhang Fei set off at once to fulfill their missions.
Kongming next asked about the strongpoints on the road to Chengdu. The former Riverlands commanders replied, "Only Mianzhu is well defended. Once that falls, the capital is easily taken." Kongming called a conference on commencing the attack. Fa Zheng said, "With Luoxian in our hands, the district of Shu cannot stand. If, my lord, you mean to win over the people here by means of humanity and justice, defer taking action while I write to Liu Zhang setting forth the perils of his situation. That should induce him to surrender." "This advice is most pertinent," Kongming added. And so a letter was sent to Chengdu.
Liu Xun, meanwhile, after his escape from Luoxian, had returned to Chengdu to inform his father of its fall. Inspector Liu Zhang hurriedly gathered his advisers. An assistant, Zheng Du, proposed: "Despite his victories, Liu Bei still lacks troops and the adherence of the officials and the population. He feeds his men with wild grains, and he has no supply train. I suggest that we drive the people of Zitong in Baxi west across the River Fu and burn all their stored foodstuffs and all grain in the field. Then we can dig in quietly and wait them out, refusing to engage when they come to fight. Without supplies, they will have to leave inside of one hundred days. That will give us the opportunity to strike and capture Liu Bei." "I doubt it," responded Liu Zhang. "They say one drives off an enemy to secure the people. But who has ever heard of dislodging the people to prepare for the enemy? This is no way to ensure our safety."
During this discussion Fa Zheng's letter arrived. It read:
Only recently I was charged with binding Liu Bei to us in friendship. Little did I expect the opposition of those around Your Lordship would bring us to this pass. Yet Bei remains mindful of our longstanding amity and shared ties of kinship. If Your Lordship would reverse course and tender your allegiance, I am sure you would be treated most generously. We pray you will reflect and make your wishes known.
Infuriated, Liu Zhang ripped the letter to shreds. "Fa Zheng is a traitor! A mercenary, glory-seeking, faithless ingrate!" he cried and drove the messenger from the city. He ordered his wife's younger brother, Fei Guan, to reinforce the defense at Mianzhu. Fei Guan recommended Li Yan (Zhengfang) of Nanyang as his co-commander. They took thirty thousand troops to Mianzhu.4 The governor of Yizhou, Dong He (Youzai) from Zhijiang in Nanjun, submitted a proposal to seek help from Hanzhong. Inspector Liu Zhang, however, rejected it. "Zhang Lu is my mortal enemy," he said, "and would never rescue me." Dong He responded, "Nonetheless, with Liu Bei in Luoxian, the situation is critical. And you still serve Lu as a buffer. It would to be his advantage to oblige." And so a messenger was sent to Hanzhong.
It was now more than two years since Ma Chao had suffered defeat and gone to live among the Qiang; he formed an alliance with them and seized the district of Longxi.5 Every city there had surrendered to him; only Jicheng remained unconquered. Imperial Inspector Wei Kang had sent a number of messengers to Chang'an asking Xiahou Yuan for aid, but the latter would not act without Cao Cao's approval. Despairing of assistance, Wei Kang was inclined to surrender to Ma Chao. But his military adviser, Yang Fu, protested bitterly, "How can you submit to a rebel against the Emperor's authority?" "What else can we do?" said Wei Kang, and he ordered the gates opened to the conqueror, despite Yang Fu's strong objection.
Ma Chao said angrily, "You submitted out of desperation, not sincerity," and he executed Wei Kang and all forty members of his clan. Someone urged him to execute Yang Fu for urging Wei Kang not to submit; but Ma Chao said, "He kept his honor. We will not kill him." And so Yang Fu became a military adviser to Ma Chao. Fu in turn recommended Liang Kuan and Zhao Qu, who subsequently joined Ma Chao as officers. Yang Fu appealed to Ma Chao for two months' leave to bury his wife, who had died at Lintao. Ma Chao assented.
On the way, in Licheng, Yang Fu visited his cousin Jiang Xu, General Who Protects Remote Peoples.6 (Xu's mother, aged eighty-two, was Yang Fu's paternal aunt.) On entering Jiang Xu's home, Yang Fu paid his respects to his aunt and then said to her tearfully, "I have failed to defend the city placed in my care. I have failed to follow my lord in death. How can I face you again? Ma Chao is a rebel who has wantonly murdered district officials. He is hated throughout the province. My cousin sits tight here in Li-cheng and has no interest in bringing the traitor to justice. Is th
at how a servant of the Emperor should act?" So saying, he wept sorely.
Jiang Xu's mother summoned her son and berated him: "Imperial Inspector Wei Kang's death is on your shoulders." She turned to Yang Fu and said, "You have submitted and accepted office; why would you turn around and think of attacking him?" To this reproach Yang Fu responded, "I have followed the traitor and preserved my worthless life only to avenge my lord." "Ma Chao is a fighter of great courage," said Jiang Xu, "not an easy adversary." "Brave but incapable," answered Yang Fu, "no great problem. I've already secretly arranged for the cooperation of Liang Kuan and Zhao Qu should you be willing to take the field." To this Jiang Xu's mother added, "Act now. There will be no better time. All men must die, but to die for loyalty, for honor, is to die nobly. My life matters little; and if you do not heed your cousin's advice, I'll end it and end your worries too."
Jiang Xu took counsel with his commanders, Yin Feng and Zhao Ang. It so happened that Ang's son, Zhao Yue, was a subordinate commander under Ma Chao. The day Ang accepted Jiang Xu's assignment, he returned to his wife, Lady Wang, and said, "Today Jiang Xu, Yang Fu, Yin Feng, and I discussed avenging the murder of Inspector Wei Kang. But I am afraid that once we take the field, our son will be killed immediately by Ma Chao. What can we do?" His wife replied loudly and indignantly, "To cleanse the shame of king or father one should gladly sacrifice even one's own life. If you fail to act simply in order to save his life, I will take my own." Zhao Ang was resolved. The next day he joined the march against Ma Chao. Jiang Xu and Yang Fu stationed their forces in Licheng; Yin Feng and Zhao Ang, in Qishan. Lady Wang personally donated her jewelry and silks to the Qishan army to reward the troops and raise their morale.
When Ma Chao learned that Jiang Xu, Yang Fu, Yin Feng, and Zhao Ang were joining forces against him, he executed Ang's son, Yue. He then ordered Pang De and Ma Dai to attack Licheng in full force. Jiang Xu and Yang Fu went forth to meet them. Both sides assumed battle formation as Yang Fu and Jiang Xu appeared in white battle gowns. "Rebel! Dishonored traitor!" they shouted. Ma Chao plunged toward them, and the two armies fought. Overwhelmed, Jiang Xu and Yang Fu fled in defeat. Ma Chao took after them; but to his rear loud cries announced a fresh attack by Yin Feng and Zhao Ang. Ma Chao tried to reverse course, but pressed front and back, his army became divided.
At the height of the battle a new force came into play. Xiahou Yuan, having received Cao Cao's command, had come to destroy Ma Chao. Ma Chao's army was demolished by the combined strength of the three forces, and the remnant fled. Chao rode through the night, arriving at daybreak at the gates of Jicheng; demanding entrance, he was met with a storm of arrows and curses from Liang Kuan and Zhao Qu standing on the wall. They brought out his wife, Lady Yang, cut her down, and flung her corpse from the wall. Next, three of Ma Chao's infant sons and a dozen close kin were butchered one by one and pieces of their bodies were thrown to the ground. His bosom bursting, Ma Chao nearly toppled from his mount. To his rear Xiahou Yuan was catching up. The danger was too great. Ma Chao lost all taste for battle. With Pang De and Ma Dai, he fought his way free. Jiang Xu and Yang Fu were waiting ahead, but he broke past them after an interval of slaughter. He then battled his way past Yin Feng and Zhao Ang.
After the slaughter a bare remnant of Ma Chao's forces, fifty or sixty riders, reached Licheng. The guards, assuming that Jiang Xu had returned, threw open the gates to welcome him. Ma Chao began a chain of attacks inside the walls, beginning from the south end and sweeping through the commoners' quarters until he had reached the home of Jiang Xu. Xu's mother was dragged before him, but she showed no sign of fear. Pointing at Ma Chao, she reviled him, and Chao dispatched her personally. The households of Yin Feng and Zhao Ang were also put to the sword. Ang's wife, Lady Wang, happened to be with the army and escaped the massacre.
The next day Xiahou Yuan arrived in force; Ma Chao abandoned the city, broke through the enemy line, and fled west. Less than twenty li away he encountered the army of Yang Fu deployed before him. His face contorted with hatred, Ma Chao lashed his horse to top speed as he trained his spear on Yang Fu. Seven of Yang Fu's brothers and clansmen sprang to Fu's defense; but Ma Dai and Pang De blocked off the reinforcement, and Ma Chao slew all seven of them. Yang Fu himself, wounded five times, fought till he fell. To the rear Xiahou Yuan was coming up; Ma Chao fled again, followed by Ma Dai, Pang De, and half a dozen riders.
Xiahou Yuan personally delivered the pronouncement comforting the people of Longxi. He had Jiang Xu and the other commanders defend the various key points, and he sent Yang Fu to the capital in a carriage. There he was received by Cao Cao, who wanted to make him an honorary lord. Declining the offer, Yang Fu said, "I have neither the merit of having suppressed the insurrection, nor the honor of having died with my lord. By law I should be executed. How can I accept office?" Cao Cao regarded him highly and insisted on awarding him the lordship.
Ma Chao, Pang De, and Ma Dai decided to go straight to Hanzhong and join Zhang Lu. Welcoming them gladly, Zhang Lu thought he now had the strength to gobble up Yizhou to his west and hold Cao Cao at bay to his east. He suggested giving Chao his daughter in marriage, a proposal Yang Bo opposed: "Ma Chao himself brought on the disaster that befell his family. Your Lordship should not give your daughter to him." Zhang Lu agreed and dropped the idea.
Ma Chao learned of the incident and wanted to kill Yang Bo. But Yang Bo found out and, together with his older brother Yang Song, began counterplotting against Ma Chao. Thus was the situation when Liu Zhang's appeal reached Zhang Lu. Lu refused initially, and so Liu Zhang sent Huang Quan, who went first to appeal to Yang Song. Huang Quan said, "Our two regions depend on one another for survival. If the western region falls, will the eastern endure? If you relieve us now, we will yield twenty counties to compensate you." Delighted, Yang Song brought Huang Quan to Zhang Lu and explained the new proposal. This time Zhang Lu agreed. Yan Pu of Baxi now took up the protest: "Liu Zhang and Your Lordship are mortal enemies. He has made this deceitful offer in desperation. Do not accede."
At this moment a man came forward. "I have little merit," he said, "but grant me a small force and I can bring Liu Bei back alive as a hostage to guarantee the twenty counties." Indeed:
No sooner does a true lord reach the Riverlands
Than crack troops from Hanzhong go forth against him.
Who was the man?
Read on.
65
Ma Chao Attacks Jiameng Pass;
Liu Bei Assumes the Protectorship of the Riverlands
The speaker, Ma Chao, rose to his feet and cut short Yan Pu's argument against helping Riverlands Inspector Liu Zhang: "Allow me to thank Your Lordship for his kindness," Ma Chao said to Zhang Lu. "Give me a company of soldiers; I'll seize Jiameng Pass, take Liu Bei alive, and see to it that Liu Zhang hands over those twenty counties." Delighted, Zhang Lu sent Huang Quan back by a short route to inform Liu Zhang that help was coming; he also gave Ma Chao twenty thousand troops. Pang De remained behind in Hanzhong due to illness. Zhang Lu ordered Yang Bo to supervise the army. Ma Chao and his nephew Ma Dai selected a day for the campaign.
Liu Xuande's forces were in Luo. Fa Zheng's messenger reported to him: "Zheng Du has advised Liu Zhang to burn all crops and stores of grain and to lead the people of Baxi over to the west bank of the Fu. He means to dig in and refuse battle." Alarmed, Xuande and Kongming said, "That would put us in great danger." But Fa Zheng smiled and replied, "Fear not, my lord. Liu Zhang will not use so vicious a tactic." Sure enough, to Xuande's relief Liu Zhang's rejection of Zheng Du's plan was soon reported. Kongming said, "We must capture Mianzhu at once; then Chengdu will be easily taken." He sent Huang Zhong and Wei Yan to Mianzhu with an advance force.
Fei Guan had Li Yan deploy three thousand troops against Xuande's approaching force. Huang Zhong rode out and fought forty or fifty bouts with Li Yan, but neither prevailed and Kongming sounded the gong. On rejoining the line, Huang Zhong said, "I was on the verge of capturing Li Yan. Why did you recall me,
Director General?" "His martial skills are too great for you to win by force. Tomorrow feign defeat, lure him into the gorges; we'll surprise him there." Huang Zhong agreed to carry out his assignment.
The next day Li Yan and Huang Zhong met in combat. After less than ten bouts Zhong feigned defeat and fled. Yan gave chase and tracked him into the gorges. Suddenly, sensing danger, he tried to turn back, but the troops of Wei Yan were already before him. Kongming called down to Li Yan from a hilltop: "Surrender! Crossbowmen on both sides of the gorge are ready and eager to avenge the death of our Pang Tong." Li Yan dismounted at once, dropped his armor, and surrendered. Not a single soldier fell.
Kongming brought Li Yan to Xuande, who treated him courteously and generously. Li Yan said, "Although a relative of Inspector Liu Zhang, Fei Guan is a close friend of mine. Let me see if he will join us." Xuande approved. Li Yan reentered Mianzhu; he praised Xuande's humanity and virtue to Fei Guan, urging him to surrender to save himself. Fei Guan, convinced, threw open the gates of the city, giving Xuande possession of Mianzhu. Planning for the campaign against Chengdu had hardly begun when an urgent message came: "Zhang Lu has sent Ma Chao, Yang Bo, and Ma Dai against Jiameng Pass. The pass guardians, Meng Da and Huo Jun, are hard-pressed. The pass will fall unless we help now." Xuande was alarmed. "Only generals Zhang Fei and Zhao Zilong can deal with this," Kongming said. "Zilong is still away," Xuande said. "But Zhang Fei is back. He should go at once." "Say nothing to him yourself, Your Lordship," Kongming responded. "I know how to get him to do his best."
Three Kingdoms Page 84
