Zhang Yi welcomed Zilong back to camp; then, seeing the dust clouds of pursuit in the distance, he said to Zilong, "The enemy is coming. Seal up the gates and defend from the watchtower." "No such thing," Zilong shot back. "Have you forgotten Steepslope, when, with one spear and one mount, I stared down Cao's multitudes? What should we fear today when we have men and leaders?" So saying, Zilong deployed archers and crossbowmen in ambush trenches beyond the perimeter of the camp. At the same time he had those inside the camp down their spears and flags and put away drum and gong. Then with a single spear, Zilong rode alone to the front of the entrance.
Zhang He and Xu Huang had pursued Zilong to his camp. In the fading daylight, they noted that no flags were flying and the drums were still. They also saw Zilong, riding alone with his spear, just outside the open entrance to the camp. Cao's two generals were debating what to do when Cao Cao himself rode up and pressed them to advance. At Cao's order the troops, yelling madly, rushed headlong toward the camp. But something about Zilong's motionless stance made Cao's troops stop in their tracks and turn around. Then Zilong waved his spear, and the hidden archers and bowmen stood up in their trenches, releasing volleys of arrows.
By this time it was dark and Cao's troops could not tell the number of their enemies. Cao Cao first guided his horse around and fled; but behind him a great cacophony, mingled with horn and drum, announced the pursuing western soldiers. The northern troops stumbled over each other in confusion as they thronged toward the edge of the River Han, and many were lost in its waters. Three contingents—Zilong's, Huang Zhong's, and Zhang Zhu's—harried the fleeing army. Cao Cao himself was in headlong flight when the two contingents of Liu Feng and Meng Da swept down from Mount Micang and burned the supplies. Cao Cao abandoned the supplies he had recently moved to the northern hills and raced back to Nanzheng. Zhang He and Xu Huang, unable to make a stand, abandoned their positions as well.
Zilong occupied Cao Cao's camp; Huang Zhong seized grain and fodder and occupied enemy positions on the River Han. In addition, they took great quantities of the military equipment left behind. The victory was reported to Xuande, who went to the river, accompanied by Kongming. There they asked Zilong's soldiers how he had fought and were informed in detail how he had rescued Huang Zhong and held the line at the River Han. Xuande was delighted and, after looking over the arduous slopes, said appreciatively to Kongming, "The man has valor through and through." A poet of later times left this verse:
Then at Steepslope, no less now:
A mighty man of power,
Tearing the enemy lines,
Breaking through their traps.
Ghosts moaned below, spirits howled above;
Heaven quaked, and earth grieved sore.
Zhao Zilong of Changshan—
"Valor through and through."
On this occasion Xuande dubbed Zilong "General of Tiger Might," rewarded commanders and troops generously, and feasted late into the night.
Suddenly a report came that Cao Cao had sent another large force through the paths of Ye Gorge toward the River Han. Smiling, Xuande said, "Cao Cao will accomplish nothing by that. I am certain we will take the river," and led his troops west of the river to meet the enemy.
Cao Cao ordered Xu Huang to be the vanguard for the deciding battle. At that moment someone stepped forward and said, "I am well versed in the topography here. Let me help General Xu destroy the westerners." Cao Cao regarded the man: Wang Ping (Zijun) from Dangqu in Baxi, currently serving as a general of the Standard. Cao Cao was delighted and appointed Wang Ping lieutenant commander of the vanguard to assist Xu Huang. Cao Cao had his own troops stationed north of Dingjun Mountain.
Xu Huang and Wang Ping led their men to the River Han. Huang told his men to cross and take up positions on the opposite shore. Wang Ping said, "In an emergency will you be able to get back to this side?" Xu Huang answered, "The great Han general Han Xin once deployed his men with their backs to the water, forcing them to fight to the death so they might survive." "I think you're wrong," Wang Ping continued. "When Han Xin used that plan, he foresaw that the enemy would have no plan of action. Can you tell what Zhao Zilong and Huang Zhong will do?" But Xu Huang replied, "You lead the infantry. Watch me defeat them with the cavalry." Then he had a floating bridge set up and quickly passed over the River Han to do battle. Indeed:
The foolish northern men of Wei made Han Xin their guiding light;
They little knew that the chief minister of Shu would be another Zhang Liang.4
What was the outcome?
Read on.
72
Zhuge Liangs Cunning Captures Hanzhong;
Cao Cao's Army Retreats to Ye Gorge
Wang Ping's protest did not deter Xu Huang; he led Cao's troops across the Han and camped on the west bank. Huang Zhong and Zilong informed Xuande and volunteered to meet Cao's army; Xuande approved. Huang Zhong said to Zilong, "Courage is all Xu Huang has, for now we should not fight. By evening, when his men will have tired, you and I can divide our forces and strike." Zilong agreed, and each kept his men waiting behind their barricades.
Xu Huang's calls to combat began at sunrise and went on all day. But the western troops did not respond. Finally, Xu Huang ordered his archers to advance and let fly on the Riverlands positions. Huang Zhong said to Zilong, "Actually, this barrage means that he's pulling back. It's time to strike." At that moment word came confirming the enemy's departure. The hubbub of drums and voices arose in the western camps as Huang Zhong led his men out on the left and Zilong led his on the right. At once they struck from two sides and dealt Xu Huang a major defeat: forced back into the river, the northerners suffered heavy losses.
Xu Huang escaped in desperate fighting. Back at camp he charged Wang Ping: "You saw the danger and did not come to the rescue. Why?" Wang Ping answered, "I'd only have lost this base. Didn't I warn you not to go? This is what comes of ignoring my advice." Xu Huang was in a murderous rage. That night Wang Ping had his men set fires in the camp, forcing Xu Huang to flee. Then Wang Ping crossed the river and submitted to Zhao Zilong, who took the defector to Xuande. Wang Ping described for him the geography of the Han River area. Delighted, Xuande said, "Your help encourages me to conquer Hanzhong," and made him an assisting general and army guide. Xu Huang reported Wang Ping's defection to Cao Cao, who, in great anger, personally led the main army to recover the base camps on the east shore of the Han. Rather than resist the enemy alone, Zilong retreated to the western shore, leaving the two armies facing each other across the water.
Xuande and Kongming came to observe the situation. Kongming noticed at the headwaters of the river a patch of earthen hills which could conceal a thousand men or more. Returning to camp, Kongming instructed Zilong: "Take five hundred men with drums and horns and conceal them by those hills. During the night or at dusk you will hear my bombards; give the drums a roll at once and stay down." Zilong went off to carry out Kongming's orders.
Kongming meanwhile quietly installed himself on a hilltop to watch. The next day Cao's troops came to offer battle, but not one of the western troops showed himself, not an arrow was shot. Cao Cao went back to his camp. The night deepened; Kongming watched the lights die away in Cao's camps as the soldiers settled in. Then he released the signal bombard. In response Zilong sounded his drums and horns. Cao's men, unnerved, feared a raid. They scouted the outer area but found no one. No sooner did they start to settle in again, however, than the bombard sounded again, followed by the drums and horns and the cries of battle in the hills. Cao's troops could not rest that night. The next two nights, too, they spent in agitation. Cao Cao, beginning to give in to the fear, decamped and withdrew thirty li, recamping in open ground. Smiling, Kongming said, "Cao Cao may know military science, but not the art of deception," and suggested that Xuande cross the river and pitch camp with his back to the water. Xuande wanted to know the plan, and Kongming whispered some details to him.
That Xuande had camped on the eastern shore bewildered Cao
Cao, who sent a written challenge; Kongming approved the following day for combat. The next day the two armies met midway before Five Boundaries Mountain and deployed themselves into formation. Between two rows of dragon-and-phoenix standards Cao Cao rode to the bannered opening in his line. Three rounds of drumrolls sounded; then he called to Xuande, who came forth, flanked by Liu Feng, Meng Da, and a group of Riverlands commanders. Cao Cao, raising his whip, denounced Xuande: "Liu Bei! Dishonored ingrate and rebel against the royal court!" "I am myself a royal kinsman," Xuande replied, "empowered by the Emperor to bring the real traitor to justice. You have murdered the Empress, set yourself up as king, and arrogated the imperial carriage. What is that if not treason?" Angered, Cao Cao ordered Xu Huang into the field. Liu Feng dashed forth. The warriors came to grips. Xuande returned to his line. Liu Feng, unable to withstand Xu Huang's charge, wheeled and fled. Cao Cao sent down an order: "Whoever takes Liu Bei rules the Riverlands!" At these words the entire army began shouting and charging toward the western army. The westerners headed for the river to avoid the enemy onslaught, abandoning all camps and bases and scattering horses and weapons on the road. Cao Cao's soldiers vied for the booty, and so Cao rang the gong calling them back.
The commanders said to Cao, "We were on the verge of capturing Liu Bei. Why did Your Majesty recall us?" "The first thing that made me suspicious," Cao answered, "was that they were backed against a river. The second thing was that they left too many horses and weapons behind. Retire at once and refrain from snatching objects of value." Cao ordered an immediate retreat and the execution of anyone caught pilfering. The moment the retreat began, Kongming sent out his signals. Xuande emerged with the center contingent; Huang Zhong and Zhao Zilong charged out from the left and the right. Cao's soldiers ran in disorder. Kongming pursued the same night. Cao Cao ordered his army back to Nanzheng, only to see flames rising on five approaches. It was then Cao Cao learned that Wei Yan and Zhang Fei, after putting Langzhong in Yan Yan's hands, had jointly seized Nanzheng.
Cao's fear turned to panic as he headed for Yangping Pass while Xuande's main army arrived at Nanzheng and Baozhou. After assuring the people of their security, Xuande asked Kongming, "What made Cao Cao lose so quickly this time?" "Cao Cao has always had a suspicious nature," Kongming explained. "And he usually loses when his mind is overcome by uncertainty. I defeated him with decoys."1 Xuande said, "He has retreated to Yangping Pass, completely isolated. How will you drive him back, master?" "My plans are made," Kongming answered and sent Zhang Fei and Wei Yan to cut Cao Cao's grain route, and Huang Zhong and Zilong to set fires on the hill. The four commanders departed, conducted by guides.
Cao Cao guarded the pass. His scouts reported: "The western soldiers have sealed off all the small roads near and far and set fire to all the woods. But we can't find their men." Torn by indecision, Cao Cao received another report: Zhang Fei and Wei Yan were on the way to seize the grain. "Who dares to stop Zhang Fei?" he asked. His commander Xu Chu volunteered. On Cao Cao's order Xu Chu took a thousand crack troops and went down from the pass to protect the grain wagons; the officer in charge of delivery welcomed him gratefully and said, "But for you we couldn't get this grain to the pass," and presented Xu Chu with the wine and meat they were carrying. Xu Chu drank heavily; then, animated by the wine, he pressed the wagons to advance. "It is late," the grain officer warned. "Though Baozhou is just ahead, those hills are hard to cross in the dark." "I am bolder than ten thousand," Xu Chu boasted, "and fear no man. We have the moon tonight. It's a favorable time to move."
Xu Chu, sword leveled, led the way. Shortly after the second watch they were approaching Baozhou, when suddenly from the natural depressions in the hills came a clamorous uproar of drums and horns: a troop of soldiers stood before them, General Zhang Fei at their head. Fei raised his spear and charged Xu Chu. Xu Chu waved his sword and met the charge but, still drunk with wine, could not maintain his defense. Zhang Fei stabbed his shoulder and he fell from his horse. Xu Chu's men rescued him in good time; then they fled. Zhang Fei returned with a haul of grain and wagons.
The commanders guarding Xu Chu came before Cao Cao, who had a surgeon treat the wound. He then took personal command of the troops and went to settle his score with the western army. Xuande led his army to meet Cao Cao, and the two moved into formation. Xuande sent Liu Feng forth. Cao Cao reviled him: "Cheap sandal-maker!" he cried. "Do you always send your bastard to the field? If I call my little yellowbeard Cao Zhang over, he'll make meatballs of him." Fired by these insults, Liu Feng raised his spear and charged Cao Cao. Cao Cao sent Xu Huang forth. Feng feigned defeat and fled.
Cao led his men in pursuit. From their camp the western troops hurled bombards to all sides and beat their drums and blew their horns. Cao Cao feared ambush and quickly ordered retreat. Cao's lines became confused and many soldiers were trampled to death as they scrambled back to Yangping Pass; but before they could compose themselves, the pursuers were at the very walls. Western troops built fires at the east and south gates, hooted and hollered at the west, and pounded their drums at the north. A panicked Cao Cao abandoned the pass and fled.
The westerners kept up the chase. Cao Cao's flight was blocked by Zhang Fei and Zhao Zilong ahead and behind; and Huang Zhong soon brought in another contingent from Baozhou. This three-part assault inflicted a major defeat on Cao Cao. Protected by his commanders, Cao Cao fled to the entry to Ye Gorge. There again he saw dust ahead in the distance heralding another force. "I am done for this time if it's another ambush," he cried. But it turned out to be Cao's second son, Zhang.
Cao Zhang (Ziwen) was from his youth an expert shot and a fine horseman. He had limbs of surpassing strength and could grapple barehanded with fierce animals. Once Cao Cao had warned him: "You love your bow and horse but not your books. This is the bravery of a common fighter. What is it worth?" To this reproach Cao Zhang had replied, "A man of action should follow in the footsteps of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, both for their great victories in the Gobi2 and for their mastery of leadership over hundreds of thousands of men as they traversed the empire. I couldn't stand to be a scholar." Once Cao Cao asked his sons about their ambitions, and Cao Zhang replied, "To be a general!" "What do you think that means?" Cao Cao pressed the lad. "Strapping on the hard shell of armor and hefting the pointed weapon; facing danger without looking back; leading my men by taking the van; making rewards unstinting and punishments sure." Cao Cao laughed with delight.
Earlier in the year, Jian An 23 (a. d. 218), the Wuhuan nation had revolted in Dai district and Cao Cao had given Cao Zhang fifty thousand men to pacify the region.3 On the eve of Cao Zhang's departure, Cao Cao had warned him, "In my house you are my son; but in the field you are my vassal, bound by the law. Take my words to heart." Cao Zhang went to the north border and marched as far as Sanggan, where his victories brought peace. Hearing of Cao Cao's defeat at Yangping Pass, Cao Zhang had come west to aid him.
Cheered by the sight of his son, Cao Cao said, "With my yellowbeard boy here, Liu Bei will be beaten!" He brought all his troops back to Ye Gorge where he established camps. When Xuande was apprised of Cao Zhang's arrival, he called for a volunteer to do battle with him. Liu Feng and Meng Da came forward. "Both of you go, and we'll see who succeeds," Xuande decided. Each warrior took five thousand men; Liu Feng went first, Meng Da followed.
Cao Zhang and Liu Feng met; Feng, worsted in a brief clash, retired. Next, Meng Da advanced. As the battle began, he saw a great disturbance among Cao's troops—the result of an attack by Ma Chao and Wu Lan. Cao Zhang was caught between two forces. Ma Chao's troops had been training for this encounter and, at the peak of their form, had overwhelmed Cao Zhang's men. Zhang, however, met up with Wu Lan and killed him in a quick engagement with a single halberd thrust. All three armies, Meng Da's, Ma Chao's and Cao Zhang's, strove furiously for mastery. Meanwhile, Cao Cao's soldiers regrouped at the entrance to Ye Gorge.
Cao Cao held his forces at the gorge for many days, unable to advance for fear of Ma Chao,
unwilling to retreat for fear of exciting the scorn of the western army. Cao Cao was in a state of indecision. At this moment the chief cook brought in chicken broth for Cao Cao, who noticed pieces of ribs in the bowl. The sight gave rise to a thought. As he was musing, Xiahou Dun entered his tent to ask what the password would be that night. "Chicken ribs. Chicken ribs." Cao replied unthinkingly. Xiahou Dun passed the information to the officers. First Secretary Yang Xiu heard the words and instructed the soldiers assigned to him to pack up and prepare for the journey home. This was reported to Xiahou Dun, who in amazement invited Yang Xiu to his tent and asked why he was preparing to leave. Yang Xiu replied, "I knew by the night signal that the king of Wei would be returning in a few days. You see, chicken ribs have no meat on them, yet one relishes them for the flavor. If we advance, we cannot prevail. Retreat will earn us men's contempt. There's no advantage either way, so a quick return home is the best choice. Tomorrow His Highness will order us home to the capital; I thought I'd better put my things in order and avoid the last-minute rush." "How well you know His Lordship's inmost thoughts," Xiahou Dun said and began arranging his own affairs. Soon all the commanders had begun to do the same.
Three Kingdoms Page 94
