The Three Kingdoms: The Sacred Oath

by Luo Guanzhong

  “I’ll guard the city,” volunteered Guan Yu.

  “I’m constantly in need of your advice. How can you stay behind?”

  “Let me guard the city,” said Zhang Fei.

  “You’ll fail,” said Liu Bei. “After one of your drinking bouts you’ll lose your temper and flog the soldiers. Besides, you’re rash and will not listen to anyone’s advice. I’ll be worried all the time.”

  “From now on I won’t drink any wine. I won’t beat the soldiers and I’ll always listen to advice,” promised Zhang Fei.

  “I fear the mouth doesn’t correspond to the heart,” said Mi Zhu.

  Zhang Fei became angry. “I’ve followed my brother these many years and never broken faith. Why should you be so contemptuous of me?” he bellowed.

  Liu Bei said, “Though you say so, I don’t feel quite assured.” Then he ordered Chen Deng to help his youngest brother to guard the city and keep him sober so that he would not do anything foolish.

  Chen Deng agreed to undertake this duty and the final orders for departure were given. The army, composed of 300,000 horse and infantry, left Xuzhou and marched toward Nanyang.

  When Yuan Shu heard that a memorial had been presented by Liu Bei proposing to take possession of his district he broke out into a violent abuse of his enemy. “That weaver of mats! Maker of straw sandals! He has been audacious enough to get hold of a large district and elbow his way into the ranks of the lords. I was just going to attack him and now he dares to scheme against me! How I detest him!”

  He at once gave orders to prepare an army of 100,000 men under Ji Ling to attack Xuzhou. The two armies met at Xuyi, where Liu Bei had encamped on a plain with hills behind and a stream on his flank as protection, for his army was small.

  Ji Ling, his opponent, was a native of Shandong. He used a very heavy three-edged sword. After he had made camp he rode out and began abusing his enemy. “Liu Bei, you rustic bumpkin, how dare you invade this land?”

  “I have a decree from the court ordering me to destroy your master, who behaves improperly. If you oppose me you will be assuredly punished,” replied Liu Bei.

  Ji Ling angrily rode out, brandishing his weapon. But Guan Yu cried, “You wretch, do not attempt to show off your prowess!” and rode forth to meet him. The two fought and after thirty exchanges neither could prevail over the other. Then Ji Ling called for a rest. So Guan Yu rode back to his own army and waited for him.

  When the moment to renew the combat came, Ji Ling sent out one of his officers to take his place. But Guan Yu said, “Tell Ji Ling to come: I must fight it out with him.”

  “You are a nameless person and unworthy to fight with our general,” replied the officer.

  This reply angered Guan Yu, who made just one attack on his opponent and laid him dead on the ground. At this success Liu Bei urged on the army and Ji Ling’s men were defeated. They retired to the mouth of the Huaiyin River and declined all open challenges. However, he would send his men to make sudden and stealthy attacks on Liu Bei’s camp to try to do what mischief they could, yet all these attempts were to no avail.

  But the armies will be left facing each other while we relate what happened in Xuzhou.

  After Liu Bei had gone on his expedition Zhang Fei placed his advisor Chen Deng in charge of the routine business of the city, keeping military affairs under his own supervision. After thinking over his promise to his brother for some time he gave a banquet to all his colleagues. When every guest had taken his seat he made a speech.

  “Before my brother left he told me to keep clear of the wine cup for fear of accidents. Now, gentlemen, you may drink deep today but from tomorrow wine is forbidden, for we must keep the city safe. So drink your fill.” And with this he himself rose to fill the wine cups for his guests.

  When he came to an officer called Cao Bao, the latter declined it, saying that he never drank as he was forbidden by heaven.

  “What! a fighting man not drinking wine!” cried the host. “I want you to take just one cup.”

  Cao Bao was afraid to offend so he drank.

  After the wine had gone round once the host began to drink huge goblets, and so swallowed an enormous quantity of liquor. He became quite intoxicated. Yet he would drink more and insisted on a cup with every guest. Again it was Cao Bao’s turn, who again declined.

  “Really, I cannot drink any more,” said Cao Bao.

  “You drank just now—why refuse this time?”

  Zhang Fei pressed him, but still Cao Bao resisted. Then Zhang Fei in his drunken madness lost control of his temper and said, “If you disobey the order of your general you will be flogged a hundred times.” And he called in his guards.

  Here Chen Deng interfered, reminding him of the strict injunction of his brother.

  “You civilians attend to your civil business and leave us alone,” said Zhang Fei.

  The only way out for Cao Bao was to beg for remission and he said, “Please pardon me for my son-in-law’s sake.”

  “Who is your son-in-law?”

  “Lu Bu.”

  “I did not mean to have you beaten, but if you think of frightening me with the threat of Lu Bu, I will. I will beat you as if I were beating him.”

  The other guests interposed to beg him off, but their drunk host was obdurate and the unhappy officer received fifty blows. Then at the earnest pleadings of the others the remainder of the punishment was canceled.

  The banquet came to an end and the beaten man left, burning with resentment. That night he sent a letter to Xiaopei relating the insult he had received from Zhang Fei. In the letter he also told Lu Bu of Liu Bei’s absence and proposed that a sudden raid be made that very night before Zhang Fei recovered from his drunken fit. Lu Bu at once summoned Chen Gong for counsel.

  “Xiaopei is only a place to occupy temporarily,” said Chen Gong. “If you have a chance to seize Xuzhou, do so. Otherwise you will live to regret it.”

  Lu Bu got ready at once and was soon on the way with five hundred cavalry, while Chen Gong was to follow with the main body. Gao Shun, too, was to follow him.

  Xiaopei being only about forty li away (one gets there almost as soon as one is mounted), so Lu Bu was under the wall at the fourth watch. It was a clear moonlit night. No one on the gate tower was aware of the impending danger. Lu Bu came up close to the wall and called out, “Prefect Liu’s secret messenger is here!”

  Some of the guards on the wall were Cao Boa’s men and they called to him. He came and when he saw who it was he ordered the gates to be opened. Lu Bu gave the secret signal and the soldiers entered with loud shouting.

  Zhang Fei was in his room sleeping off the effects of wine. His servants hastened to arouse him and told him that Lu Bu had got the gates open and was in the city. Zhang Fei hastily got into his armor and laid hold of his mighty spear but he had hardly mounted his horse at the gate when his foe came up. He rushed at him but being still half intoxicated made but a poor fight. Lu Bu, knowing his prowess, did not press him hard and Zhang Fei made his way with eighteen of his native men to the east gate and there galloped out, leaving his brother’s family to their fate.

  Cao Bao, seeing Zhang Fei had but a very small force and was still half drunk as well, pursued. Zhang Fei saw who it was and became mad with rage. He galloped toward him and, after a few passes, Cao Bao had to flee, but Zhang Fei chased him to the edge of the moat and pierced him in the heart from behind. His frightened steed carried him into the moat and both were drowned.

  Once outside the city, Zhang Fei collected his men and they rode off toward the south.

  Lu Bu having seized the city by surprise set himself to restore order. He put a guard over the residence of Liu Bei, so that no one should disturb his family.

  Zhang Fei with his few followers went to Liu Bei’s camp and told him about Cao Bao’s betrayal and Lu Bu’s sudden raid on the city. All were greatly distressed.

  “Possession is not worth rejoicing over, nor is loss worth grieving about,” said Liu Bei with
a sigh.

  “Where are our sisters-in-law?” asked Guan Yu.

  “They’re trapped in the city.”

  Liu Bei fell silent.

  Guan Yu stamped his foot and reproached: “Remember what you said when you promised to guard the city and what orders our brother gave you? Now the city is lost and our sisters-in-law trapped. What’s to be done now?”

  Zhang Fei was overwhelmed by remorse. He drew his sword to kill himself.

  He raised the cup in pledge,

  None might say nay;

  Remorseful, he drew the sword,

  Himself to slay.

  Zhang Fei’s fate will be told in the next chapter.

  Footnotes

  * 697 B.C.–628 B.C., ruler of the Kingdom of Jin in the period of Spring and Autumn. He helped Emperor Xiang of the Zhou Dynasty return to the throne and later became head of the feudal lords.

  * In Central China.

  † Referring to wood, earth, gold, fire, and water, through which ancient Chinese philosophers tried to explain the origin and inter-connectedness of things in the world.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Taishi Ci Fights a Fierce Battle with

  Sun Ce Sun Ce Competes with the White Tiger

  At the close of the last chapter Zhang Fei was about to end his life by his own hand. But his brother Liu Bei rushed forward and caught him with his arms, snatched away the sword, and threw it on the ground.

  “Brothers are like hands and feet; wives are like clothing,” said Liu Bei. “One may mend his torn dress, but who can reattach a lost limb? We three, by the Oath of the Peach Garden, swore to seek the same day of death. The city’s lost, it’s true, and my family trapped, but I couldn’t bear that you should die in the prime of your life. Besides, the city is not really mine. I’m sure Lu Bu won’t harm my family so we can still seek to rescue them. You’ve made a mistake, worthy brother, but is it one deserving of death?”

  And he wept. His brothers were much affected and their tears fell in gratitude.

  As soon as the news of Lu Bu’s successful seizure of Xuzhou reached Yuan Shu, he sent promises of valuable presents to Lu Bu to induce him to join in a further attack on Liu Bei. The presents were said to be 50,000 measures of grain, 500 horses, 10,000 taels of gold and silver, and 1,000 rolls of fine silk. Lu Bu was tempted by the bait and ordered Gao Shun to lead 500,000 men to attack Liu Bei from the rear. But Liu Bei got wind of the threatened attack, so under cover of the rain he turned eastward to take Guangling before the attacking force came up.

  However, Gao Shun demanded the promised reward from Ji Ling, who put him off by saying that he had to wait for Yuan Shu’s decision and asked him to return first.

  With this answer Gao Shun went back to Lu Bu, who could not decide what to do. Then Yuan Shu sent him a letter that said that although Gao Shun had gone to attack Liu Bei, yet Liu Bei had not been destroyed and no reward could be given till he was actually captured. Lu Bu railed at what he called a breach of faith, and was inclined to attack Yuan Shu himself. However, his advisor opposed this course.

  “No, you should not,” he said. “Yuan Shu is in possession of Shouchun with a large army and a good supply. You must not treat him lightly. Rather ask Liu Bei to take up his quarters at Xiaopei as one of your wings and, when the time comes, let him lead the attack. Then both the Yuans will fall before you and you will be very powerful.”

  Finding this advice good, he sent a letter to Liu Bei asking him to return. Meanwhile, Liu Bei’s attack on Guangling was unsuccessful and most of his men were lost during a raid on his camp by Yuan Shu. On his way back he met the messenger sent by Lu Bu, who presented the letter. Liu Bei was quite content with the offer but his brothers were not inclined to trust Lu Bu.

  “Since he treats me kindly, I shouldn’t suspect him,” said Liu Bei.

  So he went back to Xuzhou. Lu Bu, fearing that Liu Bei might doubt his sincerity, restored his family to him first; when the ladies, Gan and Mi, saw their lord, they told him that they had been kindly treated and guarded by soldiers against any harm, and provisions had never been wanting.

  “I knew he wouldn’t harm my family,” said Liu Bei to his brothers.

  However, Zhang Fei still hated Lu Bu and would not accompany his brother into the city when he went to express his thanks. Instead, he went to escort the two ladies to Xiaopei.

  At the interview Lu Bu said, “I didn’t wish to take the city but your brother behaved very badly, drinking and flogging the soldiers, and I came to guard it lest some evil should befall.”

  “But I had long wished to yield it to you,” said Liu Bei.

  Then Lu Bu pretended to wish to give the city back to Liu Bei who, however, would not hear of it and returned to Xiaopei. His two brothers would not take the situation kindly and were very discontented.

  Liu Bei said, “One must accept one’s lot and wait for a chance. It’s the will of Heaven and I can’t struggle against fate.”

  Lu Bu sent presents of grain, silk, and other things to Liu Bei and so peace reigned in the area again.

  Let us now return to Yuan Shu. As the story runs, he was giving a great banquet for his officers and men when reports came of a victory gained by Sun Ce (son of the late Sun Jian) over the prefect of Lujiang. Yuan Shu summoned the victor, who came and bowed to him at the foot of the audience hall. Yuan Shu, sitting on high, asked for details of the battle and then told him to take a seat at the banquet.

  It must be told here that after the unhappy death of his father Sun Ce had returned to the south, where he had devoted himself to peaceful ends, inviting to his side able men and learned scholars. Afterwards when a quarrel broke out between his mother’s brother, prefect of Danyang, and Tao Qian, the late prefect of Xuzhou, he moved his family to Qua, while he himself went to serve under Yuan Shu, who admired him greatly.

  “If I had a son like him,” said Yuan Shu, “I should die without regret.” He employed Sun Ce as an officer and sent him on various expeditions, all of which were successful.

  After the banquet, Sun Ce returned to his camp very bitter over the arrogant and patronizing airs of his master. Instead of retiring to his tent he went for a stroll under the moonlight.

  “Here I am, a mere nobody and yet my father was such a hero!” he cried out—and wept in spite of himself.

  Then someone suddenly appeared and said, laughing loudly, “What’s this, Bo-fu?* While your noble father was alive, he made free use of me. If you have any difficulty to solve, why don’t you refer it to me instead of weeping here alone?”

  Looking at the speaker Sun Ce saw it was Zhu Zhi, who had been in his father’s service. Sun Ce then dried his eyes and the two sat down to talk.

  “I wept from regret at being unable to continue my father’s work,” he said.

  “Why stay here bound to the service of a master? Why not borrow an army from Yuan Shu with the excuse of an expedition to rescue your uncle in the east? Then you can accomplish great designs.”

  While these two were talking another man suddenly came up and said, “I know what you two are planning, noble sirs. I have a hundred bold fellows who can help you in what you wish to achieve.”

  The speaker was one of Yuan Shu’s advisors named Lu Fan. Sun Ce asked him to sit down and join their discussion.

  “The only fear is that Yuan Shu may refuse to lend you the soldiers you need,” said the newcomer.

  “I still have the Imperial Seal that my father left me—that should be a good pledge.”

  “Yuan Shu earnestly desires possession of that,” said Zhu Zhi. “He’ll certainly lend you men for that purpose.”

  The three talked over their plans, gradually settling the details, and the next day Sun Ce obtained an interview with his patron. Assuming the appearance of deep grief he said, “I have been unable to avenge my father. Now the Prefect of Yangzhou is opposing my uncle and my mother and family are in danger. I would like to borrow a few thousand fighting men from you, sir, to rescue them. In case you might
lack confidence in me I am willing to deposit the Imperial Seal, left to me by my late father, as a guarantee.”

  “Let me see it if you have it,” said Yuan Shu, overjoyed. When the seal was given to him, he said: “I do not really want the seal but you may as well leave it with me for the time being. I will lend you 3,000 men and 500 horses. Return as soon as peace can be made. As your rank is hardly sufficient for such powers, I will petition to obtain for you higher rank with the title of general, and you can soon start.”

  Sun Ce thanked his patron most humbly and soon put the army in motion, taking with him his two new friends as well as his father’s former officers. On the way he saw a body of troops in front of him, and at their head was a dashing leader of handsome and refined appearance. As soon as this man saw Sun Ce he dismounted and bowed to him. It was Zhou Yu, native of Shucheng.

  In the past when Sun Jian was fighting the tyrant Dong Zhuo, the family had moved to Shucheng, in modern Anhui, and as Zhou Yu and Sun Ce were of the same age, they became exceedingly good friends and later sworn brothers. Sun Ce, being older by two months, became the elder brother. Zhou Yu was on his way to visit his uncle when the happy meeting took place.

  Naturally Sun Ce confided his projects and inmost ideas to his friend, who at once promised fidelity and service. They decided to work out the grand design together.

  “Now that you’ve come to my side the design is as good as accomplished,” said Sun Ce in great joy. Then he introduced Zhou Yu to his two new friends.

  Zhou Yu said, “Do you know of the two Zhangs of this region? They’ll be most useful men in working out your schemes.”

  “Who are they?” asked Sun Ce.

  “Their names are Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong. Both are men of transcendent genius who choose to live in seclusion here for the sake of tranquillity in these troubled times. Why don’t you invite them to help you, brother?”

  Sun Ce lost no time in sending letters and gifts, but they both declined. Then he visited them in person and was greatly impressed by their speech. At last, by dint of large gifts and much persuasion, he got them to promise to join him. They were given substantial offices.