The Three Kingdoms: The Sacred Oath

by Luo Guanzhong

  The plan of attack upon Qua was the next matter for discussion. The prefect, Liu Yao, was a scion of the imperial family. He had long ruled in Yangzhou but Yuan Shu had driven him across the river to Qua. Hearing of the planned attack on him he summoned his officers for counsel. One of his officers, called Zhang Ying, volunteered to defeat the enemy.

  “I will take an army and entrench at Niuzhu. No army can get past that, whatever its strength,” he boasted.

  He was interrupted by another who shouted, “And I will lead the van!”

  All eyes turned to this man: it was Taishi Ci who, after raising the siege of Beihai, had come to visit Liu Yao and stayed on.

  Hearing him offer to undertake the hazardous post of van leader Liu Yao said: “But you are still young and not yet equal to such a charge. Better stay by my side and wait for my orders.”

  Taishi Ci withdrew sulkily. Soon Zhang Ying led his army to Niuzhu and stored a huge quantity of grain for future consumption. When Sun Ce approached, Zhang Ying went to meet him and the two armies faced each other on the sand banks of Niuzhu. Zhang Ying roundly abused his opponent and Huang Gai rode out to attack, but before the combat had proceeded far, there arose an alarm of fire in Zhang Ying’s camp. He hastily turned back and then Sun Ce advanced in full force, compelling the enemy to abandon their position and flee to the hills.

  Now the fire was started by two men named Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai, both from the Jiujiang district, who in these troubled times had got together a band of men and lived by plundering the country along the Yangtze River. They knew Sun Ce by reputation as a man who treated able men very liberally and wished to join him. So they came with their band, three hundred strong, and helped him in this way to recommend themselves to him.

  Sun Ce welcomed them and gave them ranks. After taking possession of the large stores of grain and arms abandoned by the runaways, and enlisting a large number of those who surrendered into his own ranks, he moved to attack Shenting.

  After his defeat Zhang Ying returned to his master and related his misfortune. Liu Yao was so angry that he would have put him to death if not for the pleadings of his two advisors, who suggested sending him to command the garrison in Lingling. Liu Yao himself set out to meet the invaders at Shenting. He camped south of the hills. Sun Ce camped on the opposite side of the hills.

  Sun Ce inquired of the local men if there was a temple to honor Emperor Guang-wu of the East Han Dynasty in the vicinity, and was told that there was one on the summit of the hills.

  “I dreamed last night that he summoned me so I will go and pray there,” said Sun Ce.

  He was advised not to go as the enemy was on the other side and he might fall into an ambush.

  “The Emperor’s spirit will help me. What do I have to fear?”

  So he put on his armor, took his spear and mounted, taking with him twelve of his officers as an escort. They rode up the hills to the temple where they burned incense and bowed reverently. Then Sun Ce knelt down and made a vow: “If I, Sun Ce, succeed in my design to restore the grand cause of my late father, then I will rebuild this temple and order sacrifices for the four seasons.”

  When they had remounted he said, “I’m going to ride over the ridge and make a survey of the enemy’s position.”

  Again his followers begged him not to, but he was obstinate and they rode away together, noting the villages below. Scouts quickly reported the presence of horsemen on the ridge to Liu Yao but he only said, “It is certainly Sun Ce’s trick to induce us to fight. Do not go out.”

  Taishi Ci, the bold warrior, jumped up and cried out, “What better chance to capture him than this!”

  So, without orders he armed himself and rode out of the camp. “If there be any valiant men among you, follow me!” he called out to his fellow men.

  No one moved save a minor officer who said, “He is really a valiant warrior. I will go with him.” So he also went. The others only laughed at the pair.

  Now having seen all he wished to see, Sun Ce thought it time to return and wheeled round his horse. But when he was coming down the summit someone shouted from above, “Stay, Sun Ce!”

  He turned and saw two horsemen coming at full speed down the next hill. He halted and drew up his escort right and left, he himself with his spear ready.

  “Which of you is Sun Ce?” shouted Taishi Ci.

  “Who are you?” was the reply.

  “I am Taishi Ci of Donglai, coming to take him prisoner.”

  “Then I am he,” said Sun Ce, laughing. “Come, both of you together. I am not afraid of you. If I were, I should not be Sun Bo-fu!”

  “You and all your crowd come on and I will not flinch,” cried Taishi Ci, putting his horse at a gallop and setting his spear.

  Sun Ce braced himself and the combat began. Fifty bouts were fought and still neither combatant had the advantage. Sun Ce’s followers whispered their admiration and amazement. Seeing that the spearmanship of his opponent showed no weak point, Taishi Ci decided to resort to guile. Feigning defeat, he induced Sun Ce to pursue him. However, he did not retreat by the road he had come but took a path leading to the back of the hill. Sun Ce followed, shouting: “He who retreats is no hero!”

  Taishi Ci thought to himself: “He has twelve helpers but I have only one. If I capture him here, the others will get him back. I must lead him further so that they will not find him and then try.” So fleeing and fighting by turns he led Sun Ce, an eager pursuer, down to the plain.

  Here, Taishi Ci suddenly wheeled about and attacked. Again they exchanged half a hundred bouts without result. Sun Ce made a fierce thrust, which his opponent evaded by gripping the spear tightly. Then Taishi Ci did the same but his spear was also firmly gripped by his opponent. Neither was wounded but each exerted himself to pull the other out of the saddle and they both ended up falling to the ground.

  Their steeds galloped off out of sight, while the two men, each dropping his spear, began a hand-to-hand struggle. Soon their fighting robes were in tatters. Sun Ce snatched the short lance that his opponent carried at his back while Taishi Ci tore off the other’s helmet. Sun Ce tried to stab him with the short lance but Taishi Ci fended off the blow with the helmet as a shield.

  Then a great shouting arose. Liu Yao had sent more than a thousand soldiers to support Taishi Ci. Sun Ce was now in great danger and he became much alarmed. At this moment, however, his twelve followers also arrived on the scene. It was only then that each of the two combatants let go of the other. Taishi Ci quickly found another steed, took his spear, and mounted. Sun Ce, whose charger had been caught by Cheng Pu, also mounted and a confused battle began between the dozen men on the one side and a whole thousand on the other. They fought on and on till they drifted to the foot of the hills when Zhou Yu came to the rescue. Liu Yao, too, had come up with the main body of his army. But by that time dusk was falling and a heavy storm swept up, which put an end to the fight. Both sides drew off and returned to camp.

  The next day Sun Ce led his army to the front of Liu Yao’s camp and his challenge was accepted. The two armies were drawn up. Sun Ce held up the short lance he had seized from Taishi Ci and waved it before the line of battle while his soldiers were ordered to shout: “If Taishi Ci had not fled he would have been stabbed to death.”

  On the other side, Taishi Ci held up Sun Ce’s helmet and the soldiers shouted back: “Sun Ce’s head is here already.”

  Both sides thus yelled defiance at each other, one side boasting and the other side bragging. Then Taishi Ci rode out to challenge Sun Ce to a duel. His rival would have accepted, but Cheng Pu said, “You need not trouble yourself, sir. I will fight him.” And he rode forth.

  “You are no antagonist to me,” said Taishi Ci. “Tell your master to come.”

  This infuriated Cheng Pu, who rode at his opponent, and they fought many bouts. Suddenly the duel was stopped by the sound of the gong on Liu Yao’s side.

  “Why did you draw off?” asked Taishi Ci. “I was just going to capture the
wretch.”

  “I have just heard that Qua has been taken by Zhou Yu. A certain man called Chen Wu was in league with him and secretly led him into the city. Now that my base is lost I cannot remain here for long. I must hasten to Moling to get help from there.”

  Liu Yao’s army retreated but was not pursued. Taishi Ci, too, went with his master. At Sun Ce’s camp, the advisor Zhang Zhao said, “Zhou Yu’s seizure of Qua is the cause of this move. They are in no mood to fight. A night raid on their camp will finish them.”

  Divided into five divisions for the surprise attack, that night the army hastened toward the enemy camp. The attack was a great success and their opponents scattered in all directions. Taishi Ci alone could not withstand a whole army so he escaped with a few followers to Jingxian.

  Now Sun Ce acquired a new adherent in the person of Chen Wu, who was rather an odd-looking man of medium height with sallow complexion and red eyes. But Sun Ce held him in high esteem, gave him an officer’s rank, and put him in the van for the attack on Xue Li at Moling. As van leader he and half a score horsemen made a dash into the enemy’s formation, killing many as they went. So Xue Li would not fight but remained within the walls of his city. As Sun Ce was attacking the city a messenger came with the news that Liu Yao and his ally, Ze Rong, had gone to take Niuzhu. Sun Ce was very angry and at once moved back to fight Liu Yao. His two opponents were ready for battle.

  “I am here,” Sun Ce shouted. “You had better surrender.”

  An officer came out from behind Liu Yao to accept the challenge but in the third bout he was captured. Sun Ce carried him under his arm and turned to ride back to his own army. Seeing his colleague thus captured, another of Liu Yao’s men rode out to his rescue and got quite close. But just as he was going to thrust, Sun Ce’s soldiers shouted to warn him of an enemy behind his back. At this Sun Ce turned and cried out in such a thunderous voice that his opponent fell out of his saddle from mere fright. He cracked his skull and died. When Sun Ce returned to his own lines, he threw his prisoner to the ground. And he was also dead, crushed to death between the arm and the body of his captor. So in a few moments Sun Ce had disposed of two enemies, one crushed to death and the other frightened to death. From then on he was known as the Formidable Little Lord.

  After Liu Yao’s defeat the greater portion of his force surrendered and the number of those put to death exceeded 10,000. Liu Yao and Ze Rong sought refugee with Liu Biao.

  Another attack on Moling was the next move. As soon as Sun Ce arrived there, he called out across the moat to Xue Li and ordered him to surrender. But from the gate tower someone shot a furtive arrow which wounded Sun Ce in the left thigh and he fell from his steed. Hastily his officers picked up their wounded chief and returned to the camp, where the arrow was pulled out and the wound dressed.

  By Sun Ce’s command the story was spread abroad that the injury had been fatal and all the soldiers gave out cries of lamentation. The camp was broken up. The defenders of the city led by their chief Xue Li and two other officers launched a night chase, but fell into a carefully prepared ambush and presently Sun Ce himself appeared on horseback, shouting, “Sun Ce is here!”

  His sudden appearance created such a panic that the soldiers dropped their weapons and knelt on the ground. Sun Ce gave orders not to kill them but their leaders fell, one from a spear thrust as he turned to run away, another from an arrow; the chief commander Xue Li was slain in the confusion of the battle. Thus Sun Ce gained possession of Moling. Having calmed the people he set out again to Jinxian where Taishi Ci was in command.

  By then Taishi Ci had assembled 2,000 strong young men in addition to his own troops for the purpose of avenging his former master, Liu Yao. Sun Ce, on the other hand, consulted Zhou Yu on how to capture Taishi Ci alive. Zhou Yu’s plan was to attack the city on three sides, leaving the east gate free for flight. At some distance from the city an ambush was to be prepared on three separate roads, where their target, his men fatigued and horses spent, would fall an easy prey.

  The new recruits under Taishi Ci were mostly local hillmen unaccustomed to discipline. Besides, the walls of the city were pitiably low. That night Sun Ce ordered Chen Wu, striped of his long robe and armed with a dagger, to climb up the wall and set fire to the city. Seeing the flames spreading, Taishi Ci made for the east gate. As soon as he got outside, Sun Ce followed in pursuit. The chase was maintained for quite some time, when the pursuers stopped. Taishi Ci rode for as long as he could, finally halting to rest in a spot surrounded by reeds. Suddenly, a tremendous shouting was heard. Taishi Ci was about to move when tripping ropes arose on both sides, throwing him and his horse down on the ground. He was taken prisoner and carried off to Sun Ce’s camp. As soon as Sun Ce heard the news he rode out to meet him. Ordering the soldiers to disperse, he loosened the cords that bound Taishi Ci with his own hands. He took off his own embroidered robe and put it over the captive’s shoulders. Then he invited him into his camp.

  “I know you are a real hero,” said Sun Ce. “Liu Yao was a fool not to employ you as his chief officer, so he was beaten.”

  Taishi Ci, overcome by this generosity, agreed to surrender.

  Sun Ce seized his hand and said, laughing: “If you had taken me at that fight we had near the temple, would you have killed me?”

  “Who knows?” said Taishi Ci, smiling.

  Sun Ce laughed again and they entered his tent, where his former rival was placed in the seat of honor at a banquet.

  Taishi Ci said, “I am thinking of going back to muster as many of the soldiers of my late master as I can. They will turn against him after his recent defeat and they will be a great help for you. But can you trust me so far as to let me go?”

  “This is exactly what I most desire. I will make an agreement with you that I expect you back by noon tomorrow.”

  Taishi Ci agreed and went off. All the other officers said he would never return.

  “He is trustworthy and will not break his word,” said Sun Ce.

  None of the officers believed he would come back. The next day they planted a bamboo stick outside their camp and just as its shadow marked noon Taishi Ci returned, bringing with him about a thousand men. Sun Ce was very pleased and all his officers had to admit that he had rightly judged this man.

  Sun Ce now had an army of several hundred thousand soldiers and the east was his. He improved the conditions of the people and maintained order so that adherents and supporters increased daily. He was known to the local people as Sun Long, or Sun, the Junior. On hearing of his army’s approach people would flee in terror, but when they saw that his men were ordered not to loot or make any attempt on their houses, they rejoiced and presented the soldiers with oxen and wine, for which they were duly rewarded. Happiness filled the countryside. The former soldiers of Liu Yao were kindly treated. Those who wished to join his army were allowed to stay, while those who preferred not to be soldiers were sent home with presents. Thus Sun Ce won the respect and praise of the people in the region and became very powerful.

  He settled his mother and the rest of his family in Qua and appointed his brother, Sun Quan, to guard the city of Xuan together with Zhou Tai. And he himself headed for another expedition to the south to conquer Wujun and its neighboring districts. At that time Wujun was ruled by Yan Bai-hu, or the White Tiger, who styled himself Virtuous Prince of Eastern Wu. Hearing of Sun Ce’s approach, he sent his brother Yan Yu to oppose him. The two armies met at the Maple Bridge.

  Yan Yu, sword in hand, took his stand on the bridge. This was reported to Sun Ce, who prepared to accept the challenge. One of his advisors tried to dissuade him: “The commander’s fate is bound up with that of his army and should not risk himself for a mere ruffian. I hope you will remember your own status, sir.”

  “Your words are as good as precious stones, sir, but I fear my men will not exert themselves if I myself do not share their danger,” replied Sun Ce.

  Then he ordered Han Dong to take up the challenge. But before he reac
hed the bridge two other officers, Jiang Qin and Chen Wu, had already got under the bridge by boat, from where they shot out a flight of arrows and drove off the enemy soldiers on the bank. Then the two men rushed up and fiercely attacked Yan Yu, who fled in fright. Han Dong pursued Yan Yu up to the city gate, where he escaped.

  Sun Ce advanced by both land and water and laid siege on Suzhou. For three days no one came out to offer battle. Then at the head of his army he came to the city gate and summoned his enemy to surrender. From the gate tower an officer of inferior rank stood out with one hand resting on a beam, while with the other he used to point as he abused those below. Quickly Taishi Ci reached for his bow and arrow.

  “See me hit that fellow’s left hand,” he said to his companions.

  Even before the sound of his voice died away, the bowstring twanged, the arrow flew and pierced the officer’s left hand to lodge in the beam, thus firmly pinning the hand to the beam. Both sides, those on the wall and those below it, marveled at such marksmanship.

  The wounded man was taken away. When the White Tiger heard of this he was greatly upset. “How can we hope to withstand an army with such men as this in it?” he said.

  And his thoughts turned toward a peace. He sent his brother Yan Yu out to see Sun Ce, who received him politely, invited him into his tent, and set wine before him.

  “And what does your brother propose?” asked Sun Ce.

  “He is willing to share this district with you,” was the reply.

  “The rat! how dare he put himself on a level with me?’ cried Sun Ce.

  He commanded that the messenger be put to death. Yan Yu started up and drew his sword, but out flew Sun Ce’s blade and the victim fell to the ground. His head was hacked off and sent into the city to his brother.

  This had its effect. The White Tiger saw resistance was hopeless, so he abandoned the city and fled. Sun Ce pressed on with the invasion. Soon, Huang Gai captured Jiaxing and Taishi Ci took Wucheng. The district was quickly subdued. The White Tiger rushed off toward Hangzhou in the south, plundering wherever he went, till the local people organized themselves under the leadership of one Ling Cao and drove him fleeing toward Guiji.