The Three Kingdoms: The Sacred Oath

by Luo Guanzhong

  As they drew near the city they heard the sound of a bugle, then a loud shouting, and they saw torches illuminating the gates, which were suddenly thrown open and the drawbridge lowered down. Cao Cao, whipping up his steed, galloped in.

  But when he reached the official residence of the city he noticed that the streets were completely deserted and he realized he had been tricked. Wheeling around he shouted to his followers to retreat. Unfortunately it was too late. At that very moment, an explosion of a signal bomb was heard close by and flaming fires at the four gates rose to the sky. Gongs and drums beat all around with a roar like rolling rivers and boiling seas. From the east and the west came two bodies of soldiers eager to attack.

  Cao Cao dashed off toward the north only to find his way barred. He tried for the south gate, but here again he was stopped by two of Lu Bu’s officers. His trusty henchman Dian Wei, with fierce eyes and gritted teeth, at last burst through and got out, with the enemy close behind him. But when he reached the drawbridge he glanced back and found that his master was not with him. Immediately he turned his horse and forced his way inside again. At the gate he met Li Dian.

  “Where’s our lord?” he asked.

  “I can’t find him, either,” replied Li Dian.

  “You go and get help from outside,” shouted Dian Wei. “I’ll go in to find him.”

  So Dian Wei slashed his way in once again, looking on every side for Cao Cao—but he was nowhere to be found. Dashing out of the city, Dian Wei ran up against Yue Jin, who also asked him the whereabouts of their lord.

  “I’ve entered the city twice in search of him but can’t find him,” said Dian Wei.

  “Let’s go in together,” said Yue Jin.

  They rode up to the gate. But the noise of bombs from the gate tower frightened Yue Jin’s horse, so it refused to enter. Therefore Dian Wei went in alone, braving the smoke and the flames, to search on every side.

  When Cao Cao had been separated from his sturdy protector Dian Wei, he was unable to escape through the south gate, so again he made an attempt to reach the north gate. On the way, sharply outlined against the glow of the fires, he saw the figure of Lu Bu coming toward him, his halberd poised ready to kill. Cao Cao covered his face with his hand, whipped up his steed, and sped past. But Lu Bu came galloping up behind him and, tapping him on the helmet with his halberd, he cried, “Where is Cao Cao?”

  Cao Cao pointed in the opposite direction at a dun-colored horse well ahead and said, “There, on that dun horse! That’s he!”

  Hearing this, Lu Bu left pursuing Cao Cao to gallop after the rider on the dun horse.

  At once Cao Cao turned toward the east gate. Soon he fell in with Dian Wei, who took him under his protection and fought his way through, leaving a trail of death behind, till they reached the gate. Here the fire was raging ferociously and burning beams were falling on all sides. The ground was covered with sparks. Dian Wei warded off the burning pieces of wood with his lance and rode into the smoke, opening a way for his lord. Just as they were passing through the gate a flaming beam fell down from the gate tower, hitting Cao Cao’s steed on the hind quarters and knocking it down. Cao Cao fended off the burning beam but his hand and arm were badly burned and his hair and beard singed.

  Dian Wei turned back to rescue him. Luckily, Xiahou Yuan came along just then and the two helped him up. Setting him on Xiahou Yuan’s horse, they got him out of the flaming city. But the fighting continued till daybreak.

  At last Cao Cao returned to his camp. His officers crowded about his tent and inquired about his health. Cao Cao laughed when he thought of the night’s experience.

  “I blundered into that fool’s trap, but I will have my revenge,” he said.

  “Let us think of a new plan soon,” said Guo Jia.

  “I will turn his trick to my own use. I will spread the false report that I was badly burned in the fire and that I died soon after I got back. Lu Bu will come to attack us as soon as the news gets abroad and I will have an ambush ready for him in the Maling Hills. I will get him this time.”

  “A fine scheme indeed!” applauded Guo Jia.

  So the soldiers were set to mourning and the report went everywhere that Cao Cao was dead. Soon, Lu Bu was informed and he assembled his men at once to make a surprise attack, taking the road by the Maling Hills to his enemy’s camp.

  As he was passing the hills he suddenly heard the beating of drums as the ambush was sprung and enemy soldiers leapt out all around. Only by desperate fighting did he get out of the melee and with a sadly diminished force he returned to his camp at Puyang. There he strengthened the fortifications and could not be tempted forth to battle.

  That year the land was infested with locusts which consumed every green blade. Famine soon followed and in that area grain rose to an exorbitant price. People even took to cannibalism. Cao Cao’s army suffered from want and had to withdraw to Juancheng. Lu Bu, too, took his army to Shanyang to get provisions. So the fighting ceased temporarily.

  Let us return to Xuzhou. The prefect, Tao Qian, then age sixty-three, suddenly fell seriously ill and summoned Mi Zhu to his chamber to make arrangements for the future.

  Mi Zhu said, “Cao Cao abandoned his attack on our city because of Lu Bu’s seizure of Yanzhou. Although they are both keeping the peace due to the famine, Cao Cao will surely renew the attack in the spring. When you tried to make Liu Bei accept the office of the city you were still in good health. Now you are ill and weak and you can use this as a reason for retirement. He will not refuse again.”

  The prefect was very pleased with this idea and invited Liu Bei over, saying that he wanted his counsel on military affairs. Liu Bei came to the city with his two brothers and a small escort. He was at once called in to the sick man’s bedchamber. The greetings over, the prefect went straight to the real reason for his invitation.

  “Sir, I have asked you to come for the sole reason that I am very ill and may die at any time. I look to you, sir, to consider the Han empire as more important than anything else, and so to take over the office of this district. Then I may close my eyes in peace.”

  “You have two sons, why not nominate them to the office?” asked Liu Bei.

  “Both lack the requisite talents. I trust you will instruct them after I have gone, but do not let them meddle into the city affairs.”

  “But I am unequal to so great a responsibility.”

  “Let me recommend to you one who can assist you. This man is called Sun Qian and he can be entrusted with the administration of the city.”

  Turning to Mi Zhu, he said, “The noble Liu is the most prominent man of the day and you should serve him well.”

  Still Liu Bei declined again and again but just then the prefect, pointing to his heart to indicate his sincerity, passed away.

  When the ceremonial mourning and wailing of the officials were over, the marks of office were brought to Liu Bei, but once more, he refused to accept. The following day, inhabitants of the city crowded before his residence. Bowing and crying, they entreated him to stay. “If you do not we cannot live in peace,” they said with one voice. To these requests were added his two brothers’ persuasion, till at length he consented to assume the administrative duties of the city. He first appointed Sun Qian and Mi Zhu as his official advisors and Chen Deng, his secretary. Then he called in his army from Xiaopei and issued a proclamation to placate the people. In the meantime, arrangements for the funeral were made. Liu Bei and all his army were dressed in mourning. After the sacrificial ceremony was over, the late prefect was buried by the side of the Yellow River. His testament was forwarded to the court.

  News in Xuzhou reached the ears of Cao Cao, who was beside himself with rage. “I have not yet had my revenge but he has simply stepped in to command the district without so much as shooting an arrow. I will first put him to death and then dig up Tao Qian’s corpse to avenge the death of my late father.”

  Orders were issued for the army to prepare for a new campaign against Xuzhou.
But his advisor Xun Yu remonstrated: “In the past the founder of the Han Dynasty secured Guanzhong and later, Emperor Guangwu took Henei. They both consolidated their own positions for the command of the whole country. So when they advanced they could succeed, and when they retreated they could have a base to return to. In the end they accomplished their great designs, despite setbacks. And to you, sir, Yanzhou is your Guangzhong and Henei, which is a strategically important place and which you occupied first. If you leave many men here while you are on your expedition to attack Xuzhou, you will not be able to win the battle. But if you leave too few here, Lu Bu will seize the initiative to fall upon us and you will lose Yanzhou. If you fail to gain Xuzhou, where will you return to? Although Tao Qian has gone, Liu Bei now holds it, and since the people support him they will fight to death for him. To abandon this place for that is to give up the great for the small, to barter the root for the branch, and exchange safety for danger. I implore you to reconsider carefully.”

  Cao Cao replied, “It is not a good plan to keep soldiers idle here during a time of scarcity.”

  “If so, it would be more advantageous to attack the rebels in the east and feed our army on their supplies. Some remnants of the Yellow Turbans there have amassed a lot of grain and money by plundering wherever they could. Rebels like these are easily defeated. Destroy them, and you can feed your army with their grain. Moreover, this will please both the court and the common people.”

  This new scheme appealed strongly to Cao Cao and he quickly began his preparations to carry it out. Leaving Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren to guard Juancheng, he led the main body of his army to march toward the east.

  When the rebels learned about Cao Cao’s approaching they came out in a great force to oppose him. The two armies met at Goat Hill. Though numerous in number, the rebels were an undisciplined bunch, a mere pack of foxes and dogs without organization. Cao Cao ordered his strong archers and vigorous crossbowmen to check their advance. Then he ordered Dian Wei to challenge. From the rebel side came the assistant chief to give battle, but he was vanquished in the third bout. Cao Cao’s army pushed forward and drove the rebels over the hill, where they encamped.

  The following day the rebel leader himself led forth his army and deployed his men in battle array. A fighter, wearing a yellow turban on his head and a green robe over his body, advanced on foot to offer combat. Waving his iron mace, he shouted, “I am He Man the Devil, who dares to fight with me?”

  Cao Hong uttered a great shout and jumped from his saddle to accept the challenge. Sword in hand he advanced on foot and the two engaged in a fierce struggle before the two armies. They exchanged some scores of passes but neither could gain any advantage over the other. Then Cao Hong feigned defeat and ran away. He Man went after him. Just as he got close, Cao Hong suddenly wheeled about and struck with all his might. Two slashes, and He Man lay dead.

  At once Li Dian dashed forward into the midst of the enemy and laid hands on the rebel chief who, caught unprepared, became his captive. Cao Cao’s men then charged ahead and scattered the rebels. The spoils of money and grain was immense.

  The other rebel leader fled with a few hundred horsemen toward a hill. But while they were on their way, there suddenly appeared from behind the hill a company of men led by a very powerful-looking warrior. He was of medium height, thickset and stout, with a waist ten spans in girth. Whirling his long sword he barred their way. The rebel leader set his spear and rode toward him, but at the first encounter the warrior caught him under his arm and made him a prisoner. Terror-stricken, all the others dismounted from their horses and allowed themselves to be bound. The victor drove them all into an enclosure with high banks.

  After a while Dian Wei, still pursuing the rebels, also reached a hill. The warrior came up to meet him.

  “Are you also a rebel?” asked Dian Wei.

  “I have some hundreds of them prisoners in an enclosure here,” answered the warrior.

  “Why not submit them to me?”

  “I will if you can win this sword from my hand.”

  This angered Dian Wei so much that he raised his twin spears and attacked his opponent. The two engaged in combat, which lasted for four long hours, but neither could beat the other. Both rested for a while. The unknown warrior was the first to recover and renewed his challenge. They fought till dusk and then, as their horses were quite spent, the combat was once more suspended.

  In the meantime, some of Dian Wei’s men had run off to tell the story of this wondrous fight to Cao Cao, who greatly alarmed, hastened to the scene to watch, followed by his officers.

  The next day the warrior rode out again to offer battle. Cao Cao was very much impressed by his powerful-looking physique. In his heart he rejoiced to see such a valiant hero and desired to gain his services for himself. So he told Dian Wei to feign defeat.

  Dian Wei rode out in answer to the challenge. After some score of bouts he turned and fled toward his own side. The warrior followed him and came quite close but was driven away by a flight of arrows. Cao Cao hastily withdrew his men and then he secretly prepared a trap, sending some soldiers carrying hooks to lie in ambush.

  So the following day Dian Wei was again sent out with a hundred or so horsemen. His adversary came out to meet him.

  “You have been defeated by me. How dare you come again?” he laughed. So saying he rode forth to fight but after a faint show of fighting, Dian Wei turned to flee. His opponent, intent upon the pursuit, did not notice the trap, and soon both he and his horse fell into the pit. He was taken prisoner by the soldiers, who tied him up and took him to their chief.

  As soon as he saw the prisoner, Cao Cao stepped down from his seat, sent away the soldiers, and with his own hands loosened the bonds. Then he brought out clothes for him to wear, bade him sit down, and asked him his name and place of birth.

  “My name is Xu Chu from the district of Jiaoguo. When the rebellion broke out I gathered several hundred of my kinfolk to build a stronghold for protection. One day the robbers came, but I had told my men to prepare a lot of stones for me and I threw them, hitting someone every time I aimed. This drove off the robbers.

  “Another time they came again and we were short of grain. So I made peace with them and agreed to exchange cattle for their grain. They delivered the grain and were driving away the cattle when the beasts took fright and ran back to their pens. I seized two of them by the tail, one with each hand, and hauled them backwards a hundred or so paces. The robbers were so scared that they dared not come back for the cattle. From then on they never troubled us again.”

  “I have long heard of your heroic exploits,” said Cao Cao. “Will you join my army?”

  “Yes, that is my strongest desire,” replied Xu Chu.

  So he called up his clan, some hundreds in all, and they formally submitted to Cao Cao. The strong man received the rank of a senior officer and received ample rewards. The two captured rebel leaders were executed and the area returned to peace.

  Then Cao Cao returned to his own district and was met by Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren. These two told him that scouts had reported Yanzhou to be left defenseless, most of its garrison having given themselves up to plundering the surrounding country, and they suggested attacking it as soon as possible. “With these soldiers fresh from victory, the city will fall at a tap of the drum,” they said.

  Acting on their advice, Cao Cao led his army to march to Yanzhou without delay. The two officers in the city, Xue Lan and Li Feng, were quite unprepared for this sudden assault, but had to come out with their small force to fight. Xu Chu said to his new master that he would capture these two as a gift to him.

  Cao Cao was very happy to hear it and ordered him out to challenge for battle. Li Feng, with his halberd, advanced to meet him. The combat was brief, as Li Feng fell in the second bout. Seeing this, his colleague retreated with his men but, to his dismay, he found the drawbridge was seized by the enemy. He dared not go back to the city, so he led his men toward another town. Then an ar
row killed him and his soldiers scattered to the four winds. So Yanzhou was restored to Cao Cao.

  Next an expedition was prepared to take Puyang. The army set out in perfect order with van leaders and commanders for the flanks and the rear. Cao Cao led the center; Dian Wei and Xu Chu were van leaders. When they approached Puyang, Lu Bu wanted to go out alone to fight his enemy but his advisor protested, begging him to wait the arrival of his officers.

  “Who do I fear?” said Lu Bu.

  So he threw caution to the wind and went to meet his foes. Holding his halberd he began to revile them. From Cao Cao’s side, Xu Chu came out to fight with him and after a score of bouts neither combatant was any the worse.

  “Lu Bu is not the type that a single man can overcome,” said Cao Cao, and he sent Dian Wei to assist. Lu Bu withstood the combined attack but soon after four other officers joined in. The six opponents proved too many for him so he turned back toward the city.

  However, the gate tower had been seized by the rich Tian family. When they saw him returning beaten, they immediately raised the drawbridge. Lu Bu shouted to them to open the gates, but the Tians said: “We have gone over to General Cao Cao.” Lu Bu was so angry that he abused them roundly before he left for Dingtao. The faithful Chen Gong got away through the east gate, taking with him Lu Bu’s family.

  Thus Puyang came into Cao Cao’s hands. The Tian family were forgiven their previous indiscretion of sending the false letters because of this new service.

  Liu Ye said, “Lu Bu is a veritable tiger. To leave him alive would be a great danger. We must hunt him down while he has not yet recovered from defeat.”

  Cao Cao saw this was true. Therefore he decided to follow Lu Bu to Dingtao, leaving Liu Ye and others to guard Puyang.

  Lu Bu, Zhang Miao, and Zhang Chao were assembled in the city but four of his major officers were out foraging for provisions. Soon Cao Cao’s army arrived. However, it did not attack for several days and then retreated a long way to set up camp. It was harvest time and the soldiers were told to cut the wheat for food. Lu Bu’s men reported this to him and he hurried over with his army, but when he saw that Cao Cao’s camp lay near a thick wood he feared there might be an ambush inside and returned to the city. When Cao Cao heard that Lu Bu had come and gone, he guessed the reason.