Pleased by this proposal, Zhang Lu called for Pang De and provided handsomely for him. He then ordered up ten thousand men and commanded Pang De to take the field. Some ten li from the city, Pang De confronted Cao Cao's force and rode forth to challenge the foe. Cao Cao, having experienced Pang De's prowess in the disastrous battle at the Wei Bridge, advised his commanders: "Pang De is a bold Xiliang warrior who originally served Ma Chao. Though in Zhang Lu's service, he is not content there. I want this man for myself. You are to drag out the fighting—wear him down—then capture him."
Zhang He was first into the field. He fought several bouts, then retired. Xiahou Yuan, followed by Xu Huang, did the same. Next, Xu Chu came forth and fought fifty bouts before retiring. Pang De battled each of Cao's four generals fearlessly, and they praised his martial skill to Cao Cao. Inwardly pleased, Cao Cao said, "How can we get Pang De to surrender?" Jia Xu answered, "Zhang Lu has an adviser named Yang Song whose appetite for bribes is insatiable. Send him gold and silk secretly; have him slander Pang De in front of Zhang Lu. Then we can succeed." "How can we get someone into Nanzheng?" Cao asked. "In tomorrow's fighting," replied Jia Xu, "pretend you are defeated and abandon the camps to Pang De. At night we can raid our own camp and drive Pang De back into the city. We'll find a soldier who speaks well, have him mingle in disguise among the enemy, and thus get into the city."
Cao Cao accepted this proposal and chose an officer shrewd enough to carry it out. He paid him generously, supplied him with a gilded breastplate to be worn against the skin and the outer garments of a Hanzhong soldier, and sent him on toward the enemy. The next day Cao Cao had Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He conceal two detachments a good distance down the road and had Xu Huang go forth to challenge Pang De. After a few encounters Xu Huang retreated, and Pang De waved his army on for the kill. Cao Cao's troops withdrew entirely, and Pang De took possession of their camp.
Pang De was delighted to find Cao's ample stores of grain and reported the fact to Zhang Lu. He then held a banquet in the camp to celebrate the victory. That night shortly after the second watch, three companies of troops suddenly appeared in a blaze of torchlight: in the middle, Xu Huang and Xu Chu; on the left, Zhang He; on the right, Xiahou Yuan. The three squadrons moved in together and sacked the camp. Having no time to defend his position, Pang De took to his horse and fled toward the city, the three squadrons in hot pursuit. Frantically, Pang De shouted to open the gate, and his soldiers swarmed in.
Cao Cao's spy had already smuggled himself into the city and gone directly to Yang Song's residence. To Yang Song he said, "The lord patriarch of Wei, His Excellency, Prime Minister Cao Cao, has long known of your splendid virtue and has sent me with this gilded breastplate as a token of good faith. He has also sent this confidential communication." Yang Song was pleased and, after reading the letter, replied, "Tell the lord patriarch to set his mind at ease. I have a sound plan which will repay his generosity." Song sent Cao's envoy back and went directly to tell Zhang Lu that Cao Cao had bribed Pang De to lose. Zhang Lu angrily called in Pang De and condemned him. He would have executed him but for Yan Pu's strong appeal. "Tomorrow you fight," Zhang Lu told him, "and win—or I'll put you to death." Containing his resentment, Pang De withdrew.
The next day Cao Cao attacked, and Pang De went forth to oppose him. At Cao's command Xu Chu engaged De, then feigned defeat. Pang De gave chase. From horseback on the side of a hill Cao Cao called down to Pang De, "Why not surrender?" Pang De thought: "I can take Cao Cao; he's worth more than a thousand commanders." He raced up the hillside. Suddenly he uttered a loud cry as Heaven and earth seemed to collapse: man and horse had tumbled into a pit. From four sides hooks and nooses went into action; Pang De was delivered to Cao Cao alive. Cao Cao dismounted and dismissed his guards. After personally undoing Pang De's bonds, he asked him if he would surrender. Remembering Zhang Lu's hardness of heart, Pang De did so willingly. Cao Cao helped him onto a horse, and together they rode back to camp, intending that they be seen from the city wall. Someone reported to Zhang Lu that Pang De and Cao Cao had ridden off together, so Zhang Lu now credited Yang Song's slanders.2
The next day Cao Cao erected scaling ladders on three sides of the wall and attacked with stone-throwing machines. Zhang Lu realized his position was untenable and said so to his brother Wei. "Burn out our granaries and treasury and flee into the southern hills," Wei advised. "We can defend ourselves again in Bazhong." "Better to surrender," said Yang Song. Zhang Lu wavered. "Just burn everything," Zhang Wei reiterated. "All along," Zhang Lu said, "I have wanted to offer service to the Han, but I have never fulfilled this ambition. Now though I must flee, the granary and treasury belong to the dynasty and should not be destroyed." He therefore sealed up all the buildings. That night during the second watch Zhang Lu took his whole clan out of the city through the south gate. Cao Cao ordered no pursuit. Entering Nanzheng, Cao found the buildings intact and pitied Zhang Lu's plight. He sent a men to Bazhong to call on Lu to surrender. Lu was willing; his brother Wei was not.
Yang Song secretly assured Cao Cao that an attack on the city would have his cooperation. On receiving Song's letter, Cao Cao led his army to Bazhong. Zhang Lu sent Zhang Wei to meet the enemy. Xu Chu cut him down in the first clash. The troops reported the defeat to Zhang Lu, who wanted to continue holding the city. Yang Song said, "To stay inside is to await death passively. Let me defend the city while Your Lordship decides the issue with the enemy." Zhang Lu agreed, overriding Yan Pu's objections.
No sooner was Zhang Lu in the field than his rear guard deserted. Retreating swiftly before Cao's troops, Lu reached Bazhong; but Yang Song had barred the gates, leaving Zhang Lu no recourse. Closing in, Cao Cao shouted, "Surrender now!" Zhang Lu dismounted and submitted. Cao Cao was pleased and, grateful to Lu for securing the granary and treasury, treated him well and enfeoffed him as General Who Controls the South. Yan Pu and the others received honorary fiefs. And so Hanzhong finally came into Cao Cao's possession. Cao Cao ordered every district to appoint a governor and a commander and rewarded his troops well. Yang Song, however, was publicly executed for betraying his lord in search of profit. A later poet left these verses describing Yang Song:
Thwarter of able men, betrayer of his lord,
Hoarder of gold and silver—all for naught!
No glory for his house, his death a shame—
A laughingstock for all and for all time.
After the conquest of the eastern Riverlands, Cao Cao's first secretary, Sima Yi, advanced a proposal: "Liu Bei has overthrown Liu Zhang by deception and force; the people of Shu have yet to give him their true allegiance. Attack at once and they will fall apart. Wise men know the value of timely action. This is a unique opportunity." Cao Cao sighed and said, "As they say, 'Man never knows when to stop; that's the trouble. Once you have Longxi, next you want Shu.'"3 Liu Ye responded, "Sima Yi is correct. The slightest delay will enable Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, who is enlightened in governing, and Lord Guan, Zhang Fei, and the other generals to control the population and make the Riverlands impregnable." "Our troops are suffering from the long trek," Cao Cao argued back. "We must think of them." In the end he took no action.
When the people of Riverlands heard that Cao Cao had taken the eastern Riverlands, they assumed he would march on and take the western Riverlands. Fear and anxiety were rampant. Xuande asked his director general for advice. "I have a plan," Kongming replied. "Well?" said Xuande. "Cao Cao keeps an army near Hefei," Kongming continued, "because he fears Sun Quan. So, if we return the three districts of Jiangxia, Changsha, and Guiyang to the Southland and have a skilled spokesman argue the case, we may be able to get the south to attack Hefei. That would destabilize the northern position and force them to shift troops to the south."4 "Whom could we send?" Xuande asked. "I volunteer," Yi ji said.
A relieved Xuande wrote the letter and prepared suitable gifts. Yi Ji went first to Jingzhou to inform Lord Guan and then on to the Southland.5 In Moling, he was received by Sun Quan. After the exchan
ge of courtesies Sun Quan asked, "What brings you to the Southland?" "Some time ago," Yi Ji began, "we were fortunate to have a visit from Zhuge Jin, who came to recover Changsha and two other districts for the Southland. Unfortunately, due to the director general's absence, the transfer was not made. I have here the documents confirming your possession. Originally, we wanted to hand over all the districts of Jingzhou, including Nanjun and Lingling, but with Cao Cao seizing the eastern Riverlands, General Guan had to have a place to go. Now Hefei is vulnerable. We hope Your Lordship will attack it and force Cao Cao to move his army south. Once Lord Liu takes the eastern Riverlands, the rest of Jingzhou will be turned over to you." "Could you wait in the guesthouse," Sun Quan replied, "while I discuss this with my advisers?"
Zhang Zhao spoke first. "It's only a scheme," he said. "Liu Bei fears Cao Cao will take the western Riverlands. All the same, Cao Cao's campaign in the west means that we can take Hefei; and that is what we should do." Sun Quan approved. He sent Yi Ji back and began mobilizing for war with Cao Cao. He dispatched Lu Su to take possession of Changsha, Jiangxia, and Guiyang, stationed troops at Lukou, and recalled commanders Lü Meng and Gan Ning. He also sent for Ling Tong, stationed in Yuhang.
In a short while Lü Meng and Gan Ning arrived. Meng proposed a plan. "At present," he said, "Cao Cao has Zhu Guang, governor of Lujiang, stationed at the city of Huan. They are growing rice on a large scale there and furnishing grain to Hefei. We should capture Huan first, then attack Hefei." "Exactly my thinking," said Sun Quan. He put Lü Meng and Gan Ning in the van, had Jiang Qin and Pan Zhang take the rear, and assumed command of the main army himself, assisted by Zhou Tai, Chen Wu, Dong Xi, and Xu Sheng. Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang had been posted elsewhere and did not join the campaign.
The southern army crossed the river and captured Hezhou, then marched straight to Huan. Governor Zhu Guang sent to Hefei for help, all the while strengthening his defenses and refusing to come out. When Sun Quan reached the city walls, arrows rained down on him, and one struck his plumed helmet. Sun Quan returned to camp and asked his commanders how to capture Huan. Dong Xi replied, "Have the soldiers raise mounds of earth." Xu Sheng said, "Set up scaling ladders and towers so that we can see inside and then attack." "Either would take too long," said Lü Meng. "Once they get help from Hefei, anything could happen. Our men have just arrived and their morale is high. This is the moment for an energetic attack. We advance at dawn and by midday should have broken through the wall." Sun Quan approved.
The next day after mess at the fifth watch the whole army set out. From the walls of Huan arrows and missiles poured down on them. Gan Ning, wielding an iron chain, climbed up the walls, braving the volleys. Zhu Guang ordered his bowmen to mass their shots at him, but Ning fended off the bolts and knocked Zhu Guang down with his chain. Lü Meng beat the drums himself, and his men stormed the wall. Zhu Guang was slain in the wild slashing of sword blades; his force surrendered, and Sun Quan took possession of Huan by early evening. Zhang Liao, on his way to rescue Zhu Guang when his scouts told him of the loss of Huan, returned to Hefei.
Sun Quan entered the captured city, and Commander Ling Tong arrived with his men. After receiving them, Quan feasted the army and rewarded Lü Meng, Gan Ning, and the other commanders. All celebrated at a grand banquet. In the seating Lü Meng deferred to Gan Ning and proclaimed his merits and achievements.
Then something untoward occurred. Ling Tong, seeing Lü Meng praise the man who had killed his father, stared angrily at Gan Ning. Suddenly he took an attendant's sword and, standing in the center of the company, cried out, "We lack for entertainment. Allow me to perform a sword dance." Gan Ning knew exactly what Ling Tong wanted to do. He pushed over the table loaded with fruit and rose to his feet. Clasping a halberd under each arm, he strode forward. "Let me show the company how I handle these," Gan Ning said. Lü Meng saw that both were looking for trouble and, taking a shield in one hand and a sword in the other, he stepped between them.
"Neither of you is so skillful as I," Lü Meng boasted and, dancing with shield and sword, he succeeded in separating the antagonists. Sun Quan, who had already been told of the incident, rushed to the scene, and all parties put down their weapons. "I have told both of you more than once to set aside your enmity," Sun Quan said. "How could this have happened?" Weeping, Ling Tong threw himself to the ground. Sun Quan reiterated his admonition. The next day he led the entire army in the assault on Hefei.
Zhang Liao returned to Hefei, his heart heavy over the loss of Huan. Unexpectedly he was greeted by Xue Ti with a wooden box bearing Cao Cao's seal and inscribed "Open only when the rebels come." Having been told of Sun Quan's arriving with one hundred thousand soldiers, Zhang Liao opened the box. Inside was a note reading, "If Sun Quan attacks, Zhang Liao and Li Dian are to meet him, Yue Jin to guard the city." Zhang Liao showed the directive to the two generals. Yue Jin said, "What do you think, General?" "His Lordship is campaigning afar," Zhang Liao replied, "and the Southlanders think they have a sure victory. We should send our forces into the field to do battle with them and blunt their drive. That will reassure our own army. Then we can go back to the defensive."
Li Dian, who was often at odds with Zhang Liao, made no response. Yue Jin, seeing Li Dian remain silent, said, "The enemy is too numerous for us to engage. Better to mount a strict defense." "Gentlemen," answered Zhang Liao, "are you not regarding your private interests and forgetting our common cause? I will go out and fight—or die." He ordered his horse readied. Li Dian rose and said grandly, "In that case, General, how can I let my personal chagrin distract me from public duty? I will do as you command." Delighted, Zhang Liao said, "If you are willing to help, bring a company north of Xiaoyao Ford tomorrow and place them in ambush. When the southern troops approach, cut the Xiaoshi Bridge, and Yue Jin and I will strike." As commanded, Li Dian went to order up the troops.
Sun Quan directed Lü Meng and Gan Ning to lead the van while he and Ling Tong took the center. The other commanders set out one after another to join the battle at Hefei. Lü Meng and Gan Ning confronted Yue Jin; Gan Ning and Yue Jin charged at each other and fought several rounds. Then Yue Jin feigned defeat and fled. Gan Ning called to Lü Meng to join the chase. Sun Quan, in the second battalion, heard of the victory of the van and was pressing on to the north side of Xiaoyao Ford when a string of bombards echoed around him. On the left Zhang Liao's company was coming; on the right, Li Dian's. Sun Quan panicked and called for Lü Meng and Gan Ning to turn back and help, but Zhang Liao was upon him.
Ling Tong had only three hundred riders and could not stand up against the onslaught of Cao's forces. "Quick, cross Xiaoshi Bridge, Your Lordship," Ling Tong shouted. That moment Zhang Liao's two thousand horsemen stood before them. Ling Tong dove into the fray as Sun Quan rode to the bridge. But it had been torn down at the southern end, leaving a ten foot gap. Sun Quan was at a loss. Gu Li, a garrison commander, shouted to him, "Back up, Your Lordship, then race forward to vault the gap." Sun Quan retreated more than thirty spans, then loosening the reins and swinging the whip, he urged the horse over the missing planks. A poet of later times has left this verse:
Once White Forehead took Liu Bei o'er the Tan;6
And then Lord Sun vaulted onto land.
He pulled back, laid on, sprinted hard;
At Xiaoyao Ford a jade dragon soared.
Safely across, Sun Quan was met by boats piloted by Xu Sheng and Dong Xi. Ling Tong and Gu Li, the garrison commander, checked Zhang Liao. Gan Ning and Lü Meng came back to the rescue but suffered heavy losses, caught between the armies of Yue Jin and Li Dian. All of Ling Tong's three hundred soldiers were killed. Tong himself, badly wounded, fought his way to the bridge but, finding it impassable, skirted the river to make his escape. Sun Quan, watching from his boat, had Dong Xi row over and take Ling Tong on board. Then they all crossed again to the southern shore.
Lü Meng and Gan Ning also made it to the southern shore after desperate fighting. This bloody engagement became so not
orious and terrified the southerners so, children crying in the night would hush at the mere mention of Zhang Liao's name. The southern commanders got Sun Quan safely back to camp. Quan rewarded Ling Tong and Gu Li handsomely. Then he led the army back to Ruxu to put his ships in fighting condition and lay plans for a counterattack by land and sea. He also sent a call for reinforcements to the Southland.
Zhang Liao heard that Sun Quan was at Ruxu preparing for a fresh campaign. Concerned that Hefei was too thinly defended, he sent Xue Ti to Hanzhong to solicit a rescue force from Cao Cao. Cao Cao put the key question to his counselors: "Can we take possession of the western Riverlands at this time?" Liu Ye replied, "The area is somewhat stable now and rather well defended. Instead of attacking, we should relieve our forces at Hefei and then descend on the Southland."
So Cao Cao left Xiahou Yuan guarding the Dingjun Mountain strongpoint in Hanzhong, and Zhang He guarding Mengtou Cliff; he pulled up all the remaining camps and hastened back to the Ruxu barricade. Indeed:
No sooner had his strong cavalry conquered Longxi
Than he turned his war banners southward once again.
How would Cao Cao's southern campaign turn out?7
Read on.
68
Gan Ning's Band Sacks the Northern Camp;
Zuo Ci Throws a Cup, Teasing Cao Cao
Sun Quan regrouped his forces at the Ruxu naval base. Informed suddenly that Cao Cao was shifting four hundred thousand men from Hanzhong to Hefei, Sun Quan and his advisers decided to deploy fifty large concealed war-junks at Ruxu under Dong Xi and Xu Sheng. Sun Quan ordered Chen Wu to keep the shore of the river patrolled.
Three Kingdoms Page 88
