On receiving Kongming's memorial, the Second Emperor was agitated. He hastily ordered Chief Secretary Li Fu to the front to inquire about Kongming's health and to seek his advice about the future. After reaching Wuzhangyuan by rapid stages, Li Fu entered Kongming's presence and transmitted the Emperor's command. Li Fu asked about Kongming's illness; shedding tears, Kongming said, "Ill fate takes me now, my task but half done. I have forsaken the Emperor's cause and I have failed the empire. After my death all of you must guide and support the Emperor with unstinting devotion. The dynasty's institutions must not be altered, nor the men I have brought into service dismissed. My military methods and doctrines have been handed on to Jiang Wei, and he will exert himself for the dynasty in continuing my work. My life hangs in the balance. Let me now give you one final petition to submit to His Majesty." Li Fu noted Kongming's words and departed in haste.
Kongming lifted himself with difficulty, and his attendants put him onto his wagon so he could inspect the campsites outside the fortifications. The autumn wind blew against his face, and a sharp chill took his bones. With a long sigh he said, "Never shall I go to the front and fight the rebels again! Oh, you infinite skies, what could be more sad?" After pondering for some time, Kongming returned to his tent. His condition worsened.
Kongming summoned Yang Yi and instructed him: "Wang Ping, Liao Hua, Zhang Ni, Zhang Yi, Wu Yi, and the others are loyal and honorable men. Having survived arduous trials through long years of war, they will prove worthy of whatever you require of them. After my death I want everything to go on in our accustomed manner. Make a slow and deliberate retreat; show no haste. You are well versed in our strategy and need no further instruction. Jiang Wei has the wit and courage to protect the rear." Yang Yi wept as he received his commands. Kongming called for writing materials and in his bed penned his testament for the Second Emperor:
Mortality is man's common lot; his years are numbered. Now death approaches, and I wish here to give full expression to my humble loyalty.
I, Liang, endowed with a nature both ordinary and graceless, encountered a time of troubles. After I was granted military authority, major decisions were placed in my hands. I fielded armies for the northern expedition but failed to reach the goal I sought. Now, stricken by unforeseen and incurable illness, I face imminent death, and I despair that my service to Your Majesty remains unfinished.
I humbly beg that Your Majesty keep an honest mind and limit your desires, disciplining yourself and caring tenderly for the people. Serve the late Emperor in a spirit of filial piety; show humane generosity throughout your kingdom. Promote those not in the public eye to advance the cause of true excellence; deny access to the vicious and depraved to strengthen the moral tone of the realm.
My home in Chengdu, with its eight hundred mulberry trees and a meagre fifteen hundred mou of land, should provide for my children. On assignment outside the capital I have acquired nothing of value; beyond the food and clothing that Your Majesty's officers supplied, I have had no other income. Hence, after my death no excess silks, no surplus wealth, nor any other violation of Your Majesty's trust will be discovered.
When Kongming had finished writing, he instructed Yang Yi further: "After my death no funeral is to be held. Make a large case to hold my corpse in a sitting position. Place seven grains of rice inside my mouth. Set a lamp at my feet. Keep everything quiet and normal in the army: no mourning cries at all. That will prevent my guiding star from falling to earth, for the darker of my souls will rise to steady it. Sima Yi will be puzzled when he sees the star holding its place. The rear forces should decamp first; next, the various sites, slowly and singly. Should Sima Yi pursue, re-form your battle line and turn your banners and drums around to face them. Wait for them to arrive, then take the wooden statue I've had carved, set it in my wagon, and push the wagon to the front flanked by the entire leadership high and low. That should frighten Sima Yi away." Yang Yi noted each command.
That night Kongming's attendants helped him out of his tent. Looking up at the Northern Dipper, he pointed to one of its stars and said, "There—my guiding star." Everyone studied the star, which dimmed and wavered as if it would fall from its place. Kongming pointed his sword to it and read a magical charm. Then he hurried back into the tent and fainted. At this moment of confusion and despair among the commanders, Chief Secretary Li Fu reappeared. Seeing Kongming unconscious, he could hardly speak. Through tears, he said, "I am too late. I have failed my kingdom!"
Moments later Kongming revived, opened his eyes, and looked around. Seeing Li Fu by his bed, Kongming said, "I know why you have come." Excusing himself, Li Fu said, "The Son of Heaven mandated me to inquire of Your Excellency what man, after your mortal term, might be entrusted with this great mission. But in my distress I neglected to consult Your Excellency, and so I have returned." Kongming answered, "Jiang Wan (styled Gongyan) would be the most suitable." "And second to him?" Li Fu then asked. "Fei Yi (styled Wenwei)," Kongming replied. "And then, if not Fei Yi, who should it be?" Li Fu asked again. Kongming gave no answer. The commanders pressed closer to the bed to study him, but he had succumbed. It was the autumn of the twelfth year of Jian Xing, the twenty-third day of the eighth month. Kongming was fifty-four.2 Du Fu has left this poem:
The star that dropped last night upon his camp3
Announced to all: "The master fell this day."
No longer from his tent will orders flow;
The Hall of Fame will honor his success.
Three thousand followers left masterless,
The hosts in his mind's eye denied their day.
Nor, in the green woods, clear and sunlit,
Will Kongming's fine-voiced chants be heard again.
Bo Juyi has also left a poem:
Ensconced in hills, the master hid his tracks;4
By twist of fate a sage king sued three times.
Only in Nanyang could "fish" and "water" meet:
"The dragon flies to Heavenly Han—a wholesome rain."5
To Liu Bei's heir Kongming gave zealous care;6
Serving the state, he poured forth his loyal heart.
And still today his calls to war live on;
How many readers can restrain their tears?
At an earlier point Liao Li, Chang River commandant in Shu, had considered himself able and renowned enough to become Kongming's lieutenant. Subsequently, Liao Li had scanted his official duties, worn the air of a man who had been treated shabbily, and complained no end. Kongming had therefore removed him from office, made him a commoner, and transferred his residence to Minshan. When Liao Li learned of Kongming's death, he wept freely and said, "Then I am doomed to live apart from Han for good!"
When Li Yan heard the news of Kongming's death, he took sick with grief and died. Apparently, Li Yan had hoped that Kongming would restore his position and allow him to amend his previous mistakes; Kongming's death ended Li Yan's hopes of returning to service.
In later times Yuan Weizhi left these lines in praise of Kongming:
To set the times aright he backed Liu Bei;
With earnest zeal he took the orphan king.
His splendid gifts surpassed Guan Zhong's, Yue Yi's;
His unique schemes excelled Sunzi's, Wu Qi's.7
How awe-inspiring his two-part call to war!
How proud and grand the Eightfold Ramparts plan!
Such a lord as this—all virtues' height—
Had never been, nor ever was again.
That night Heaven despaired and earth grieved. The moon waned as Kongming's fleeting soul went home to Heaven. Jiang Wei and Yang Yi, as Kongming had advised, forbade public mourning. They dressed the corpse and placed it in a case, as arranged; it was guarded by three hundred trusted captains and soldiers. Then they issued secret orders to Wei Yan to protect the rear while the army withdrew from the various encampments and strongpoints in perfect order, one after another.8
Sima Yi, watching the night sky, saw a large, ruddy star with a horn rising on i
ts awn. The star began streaming from the northeast toward the southwest and fell to earth within the Riverlands camps; thrice it had lurched and risen again before landing with a faint rumble. Startled but delighted, Sima Yi cried, "Kongming has died!" and ordered the whole army to strike out after the enemy. But on leaving the base, he reconsidered: "Kongming knows well how the Six Ding deities and the Six Jia deities control celestial phenomena. He sees how long we have refrained from battle and now tempts us forth with false news of his death. Pursuit will play into his hands." Thus, Sima Yi returned and kept to his base, only letting Xiahou Ba quietly take a few score of riders to scout the hills by Wuzhangyuan.
Meanwhile, back in his own camp Wei Yan had dreamed that two horns had suddenly sprung from his head; he awakened deeply troubled. The next day when Infantry Commanding Officer Zhao Zhi arrived, Wei Yan spoke to him about it: "You are known for your deep understanding of the Book of Changes. Last night in a dream two horns sprang from my head. Could I trouble you, sir, to interpret the meaning?" After some consideration Zhao Zhi replied, "An omen of great good fortune! The unicorn carries a horn on his head, and so does the green dragon. It is a simulacrum of soaring transformation!" Delighted, Wei Yan said, "If your prediction proves correct, I shall thank you well for it."
Zhao Zhi took his leave. He met up with Fei Yi after he had traveled only a short distance. Fei Yi asked where he had come from. Zhao Zhi replied, "I was just in Wei Yan's camp. He dreamed of horns on his head and asked me to divine the meaning. Actually, it bodes ill; but rather than offend him by speaking frankly, I explained the dream in terms of the unicorn and the green dragon." "How do you know, sir, that it is inauspicious?" Fei Yi asked. Zhao Zhi responded, "Look at the components of the character 'horn': 'sword' above, 'using' below. 'Using a sword' above the head is most ominous." "Keep this to yourself for now, sir," Fei Yi said, and they parted.
When Fei Yi came to Wei Yan's camp, he sent Yan's attendants away and then told him, "Last night during the third watch His Excellency took leave of this world. At the end, he instructed us repeatedly that you are to hold the front against Sima Yi while we evacuate. Also, no mourning is to be allowed. Here is the tally authorizing you to muster the troops." Wei Yan asked, "Who will assume His Excellency's duties?" Fei Yi answered, "His duties as prime minister have all been entrusted to Yang Yi, and his secret methods of command have been handed on to Jiang Wei. This tally was sent to you by order of Yang Yi." Wei Yan said, "His Excellency may be gone, but I am here. Yang Yi is only a senior adviser. How could he hold so high a position? Let him take the coffin home for proper burial; I'll advance and score a big victory against Sima Yi. Shall we abandon the cause of the kingdom simply because the prime minister has died?"
Fei Yi responded, "His Excellency's final command was to retreat temporarily; it cannot be disobeyed." Wei Yan retorted angrily, "Had His Excellency taken my advice, we would have captured Chang'an long ago! I am the general of the Forward Army, Chief General Who Conquers the West, lord of Nanzheng, and yet you expect me to 'hold the front' for a mere senior adviser!" "Though what you say makes sense," Fei Yi answered, "we cannot risk an action that might make fools of us in the enemy's eyes. Let me see if I can show Yang Yi where our best interest lies and persuade him to relinquish military authority to you, General." Wei Yan agreed.
Fei Yi took his leave, quit Wei Yan's camp, and hurried to the main base. There he recounted to Yang Yi his conversation with Wei Yan. Yang Yi said, "Just before he died, His Excellency told me in confidence that Wei Yan might turn on us. I sent the tally over with these instructions only to find out what he was thinking. His Excellency has been proved right. I will have Jiang Wei protect our retreat." Thus, Yang Yi ordered the bearers to start out with the coffin and Jiang Wei to defend the rear; the retreat proceeded slowly in accordance with Kongming's last command.
Wei Yan grew suspicious when Fei Yi did not return, and he sent Ma Dai with a few score of riders to investigate. Ma Dai reported back: "Yang Yi has put Jiang Wei in command of the rear army; the better part of the forward army has already withdrawn into the gorge." "How dare that useless pedant trifle with me! I'll kill him!" Wei Yan responded. Turning to Ma Dai, he added, "Will you help me?" "I have always despised Yang Yi," Ma Dai replied, "and I am willing to help you against him, General." Well pleased, Wei Yan broke camp and led his forces south.
Meanwhile, Xiahou Ba had reached Wuzhangyuan; not a soul was there. He reported at once to Sima Yi: "The Riverlands army has evacuated." Losing composure, Sima Yi said, "So Kongming has died. Pursue at once!" "Not too hastily, Field Marshal," Xiahou Ba advised him. "Let a subordinate commander go before you." "This time I need to go myself," Sima Yi answered.
Sima Yi and his two sons raced for Wuzhangyuan. Shouting and swinging their banners, they charged into the evacuated base: it was deserted. Turning to his sons, Sima Yi said, "Follow up with your troops. I will start after them." With Sima Shi and Sima Zhao bringing up the rear, Sima Yi tracked the Riverlanders to the foot of some hills and, seeing them still within range, pursued vigorously. Suddenly from behind one hill a bombard sounded, and the noise of war cries shook the ground. Sima Yi watched amazed as the Riverlands army reversed banners and drums to face him. Laced by trees' shadows, the grand banner of the central army billowed out, bearing a single line of large characters: "Zhuge Liang, Prime Minister of Han, Lord of Wuxiang."
Stunned, Sima Yi turned pale. Looking intently, he saw several dozen ranking commanders grouped around a four-wheeled wagon; inside sat Kongming with his Taoist headdress, feather fan, crane plumes, and black tunic. "Kongming, alive?" cried the astounded Sima Yi. "I have blundered into their strongpoint and sprung their trap." He wheeled his mount and fled. Behind him Jiang Wei shouted: "Stand your ground, rebel! You're in my prime minister's hands!" The northern soldiers felt their souls take flight, and flinging down armor and helmets, lances and halberds, they trampled one another in the stampede to escape. Those killed were beyond numbering.
Sima Yi had gone some fifty li, when two Wei generals overtook him and took hold of his horse's reins. "Do not panic, Field Marshal," they shouted. Sima Yi rubbed his head with his hand and said, "Have I still got it?" "Have no fear. The Riverlands troops are far away," they replied. Sima Yi caught his breath and calmed himself. He looked steadily at the two generals; recognizing Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Hui, he slowly let go of the reins. The three hurried back to their base along a small path and told their commanders to patrol on all sides.
Two days later some local villagers came to tell Sima Yi, "When the Riverlands army entered the gorge, their mourning cries shook the ground and a white banner went up amongst them. Kongming has in fact died. Only Jiang Wei stayed behind with a thousand men to hold the rear. It was a wooden statue in the wagon." Sima Yi sighed and said, "I could gauge him in life, but not in death." After this, a saying gained currency in Shu, "A dead Zhuge puts a live Sima to flight!" A poet of later times has left these lines:
That night from Heaven's Pole a fireball fell,
But Sima fled for fear his foe lived still.
And western mockers still remember how
He wondered if his head were on or no!
Having verified the news of Kongming's death, Sima Yi resumed pursuit. On reaching Redbank Slope, however, he saw the enemy was beyond overtaking, so he led his force back. He said to his commanders, "With Kongming gone, we can sleep in peace!" Bringing the army home to the capital, he passed the camps and bases that Kongming had set up—each superbly laid out—and he said with a sigh, "A rare genius!" On reaching Chang'an, he sent his commanders to protect the various strongpoints and continued on to Luoyang to see the sovereign.
Meanwhile, Yang Yi and Jiang Wei, having organized the retreat, slowly approached the cliffside plank road to Saber Gateway. Only then did they don their mourning garb. The Riverlands soldiers held funeral services for Kongming, lifting high their streamers and giving voice to their grief, striking themselves and stamping the ground as they wep
t—some so fiercely that they died. But as their forward squads began reaching the plank road, they saw fires ahead climbing into the sky. Soon the ground began to shake as a shouting band of soldiers occupied the road. The commanders sped a report back to Yang Yi. Indeed:
Once the northern force withdrew,
An unknown force appeared on western soil.
Whose men were standing before Yang Yi?
Read on.
105
Kongming Leaves a Plan in the Brocade Bag;
Cao Rui Removes the Ambrosia-collecting Bowl
Told of the blockade ahead, Yang Yi sent scouts to investigate. They reported back that Wei Yan had burned the wooden plank road and deployed troops to bar the route. Yang Yi said anxiously, "His Excellency foresaw that this man would turn against us— and now the day has come! He controls our route home. What are we to do?" Fei Yi replied, "He could not take this action without first petitioning the Emperor, falsely claiming that we are rebels. We too should petition, and expose Wei Yan's deception. Then we can deal with him." "A small road near here called Chashan is steep and dangerous, but it will take us around the wooden plank road," Jiang Wei said. And so they dispatched their petition to the Son of Heaven, and also sent men out by Chashan Road.
Meanwhile, in Chengdu the Second Emperor, restless and uneasy in everything he did, dreamed one night of an avalanche on the Damask Screen Hills outside the capital. Waking with a start, he sat up until his civil and military advisers came at dawn and offered to explain his dream. Qiao Zhou said, "Watching the heavens last night, I noticed a ruddy falling star, a horn protruding from its awn. The star came from the northeast and landed in the southwest, signifying great disaster for the prime minister. Your Majesty's dream of an avalanche is a corresponding sign." The Emperor grew more uneasy. Suddenly Li Fu was announced. Summoned directly before the sovereign, he knocked his head to the ground and wept as he announced the prime minister's death. Then he repeated Kongming's final words. The Second Emperor burst into loud wails. "Heaven decrees our doom!" he cried and collapsed on his couch. Attendants rushed him to a rear chamber of the palace. Queen Mother Wu, Liu Bei's widow, also wept steadily at the news. The officials were grief-stricken and the common folk cried freely.
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