The Three Kingdoms: The Sacred Oath

by Luo Guanzhong

  Guo Jia also remonstrated: “Even if you would not put him to death you need not let him go. As the proverb says, ‘Release control of the enemy for one day and an age-long harm ensues.’ Please consider this matter more carefully.”

  Cao Cao recognized that these were prudent counsels, so he sent Xu Chu and five hundred men with imperative orders to bring Liu Bei back.

  Liu Bei was marching as rapidly as possible when he noticed a cloud of dust to the rear and remarked to his brothers, “These must be Cao Cao’s men coming to pursue us.”

  He halted and made a stockade and ordered his brothers to be in readiness, one on each side. Presently the messenger arrived and found himself in the midst of an army, ready for battle. He dismounted and entered the camp to speak to Liu Bei.

  “Sir, on what business have you come?” asked Liu Bei.

  “The prime minister has sent me to request that you return as he has further matters to discuss with you.”

  “When a general has once taken the field, even the royal command can be of no effect. I bade farewell to the Emperor and received the prime minister’s command, so there can be nothing further to talk about. Please return at once with that reply to your master.”

  The messenger was undecided what action to take. He knew of the friendship that existed between his master and Liu Bei and besides, he had no orders to fight. He could only return with this reply and ask for further instructions. So he left. When he related what had occurred to his master, Cao Cao still hesitated to take any action. His advisers pointed out to him that this refusal to return indicated betrayal.

  “Still, two of my men are with him,” said Cao Cao. “He will not dare to betray me, I think. Besides, I sent him myself and I cannot go back on my own orders.”

  So Liu Bei was not pursued.

  A poem was written in praise of Liu Bei:

  He fed the horses, disciplined his men,

  And marched forth in a hurry,

  Intent to accomplish his King’s behest

  Deeply engrained in his memory.

  At last he had escaped from confinement,

  Like a tiger breaking loose from its cage.

  He had shaken the shackles from his feet,

  As a dragon soaring to heaven’s gate.

  When Ma Teng heard that Liu Bei had departed, he felt that it would be difficult to carry out the Emperor’s decree in a short time. Meanwhile, pressing business at the frontier urged him to go back and he, too, left the capital for his own district in the west.

  On Liu Bei’s arrival at Xuzhou the governor, Che Zhou, went to meet him. After the official banquet was over, his former subordinates, Sun Qian and Mi Zhu, came to pay their respects to him. Then he proceeded to his residence to see his family.

  Scouts were sent out to discover what Yuan Shu was doing. They came back with the news that his arrogance had driven away two of his officers to the mountains. His forces thus reduced, he wrote to his brother, saying that he would yield his imperial title to him. Yuan Shao at once sent for him. So he packed up the palace fittings, got the remnants of his army in order, and marched toward Xuzhou.

  When he neared Xuzhou, Liu Bei led out his officers and men to oppose him. They were met first by Ji Ling. Zhang Fei rode out and attacked without a word. In the tenth bout Ji Ling was slain and the defeated soldiers fled in all directions.

  Then Yuan Shu came up with his army. Liu Bei placed his brothers and Cao Cao’s two officers on his two sides and began to abuse him. “You wicked rebel, I have the Emperor’s decree to destroy you. Yield at once and you may avoid punishment.”

  “Base weaver of mats and mean maker of straw sandals, how dare you make light of me?” replied Yuan Shu and he gave the signal to attack.

  The four officers on Liu Bei’s right and left fought back with their soldiers. They smote the enemy till corpses littered the plain and blood flowed in streams. Many soldiers deserted. After the defeat, Yuan Shu was further attacked by his former subordinates, who robbed him of all his supplies, completing his destruction. Yuan Shu tried to retreat to his home but the bandits barred the road.

  He had to seek refuge in Jiangting, with only a thousand or so men left of all his army. And these were but the old and the weakly ones, able neither to fight nor flee. It was then the height of summer and their food was nearly exhausted. The whole provision consisted of thirty measures of wheat. This was made over to the soldiers and the members of his household went hungry. Many died of starvation. Yuan Shu could not swallow the coarse food that the soldiers lived on. One day he ordered his cook bring him some honey water to quench his thirst.

  “There is no water with honey, save that tainted with blood,” replied the cook.

  This was the last straw. Yuan Shu sat up on his couch and rolled out onto the floor with a loud cry. Blood gushed from his mouth and thus he died. It was the sixth month of the fourth year of the reign of Jian An.

  The last days of Han approached and weapons clashed in every quarter,

  The misguided Yuan Shu, lost all sense of honor,

  Forgetful of his forefathers, who had filled the State’s highest offices.

  Madly aspired to make himself Emperor,

  Resting his outrageous claim on the possession of The Seal,

  And arrogantly boasting that thus he fulfilled the design of Heaven.

  Alas! Sick unto death he vainly begged for a little honey water;

  He died, alone on his empty bed.

  Yuan Shu being dead, his nephew escorted his coffin and his family toward Lujiang. There, the magistrate, Xu Miao, slew all the survivors. Among the possessions he found the Imperial Seal, which he at once took to the capital and presented to Cao Cao, for which service he was made a prefect.

  When Liu Bei heard that Yuan Shu was dead, he prepared a report to the throne and sent it to Cao Cao. He also sent the two officers appointed by Cao Cao back to the capital, but kept the army to defend Xuzhou. Then he personally went through the countryside to call back the people to resume their lives.

  Cao Cao was angry when his two officers returned without the army and wanted to put them to death. Xun Yu reasoned with him.

  “The power was in Liu Bei’s hands and they had no alternative,” he said.

  So they were pardoned.

  “You should instruct Che Zhou to try to destroy him,” said Xun Yu.

  Accordingly he sent secret orders to Che Zhou, who took Chen Deng, who had earlier betrayed Lu Bu, into his confidence. Chen Deng proposed placing an ambush near the city gate to attack Liu Bei on his return from the country. “I will attack his escort with arrows from the city walls,” he added. Che Zhou agreed to try this.

  Chen Deng then went to tell the scheme to his father who, however, bade him go and warn Liu Bei of the danger. He at once rode away to do so. Before long he met the two younger brothers, to whom he related the story.

  Now the two brothers had returned earlier and Liu Bei was still some distance behind. As soon as Zhang Fei heard of the plot, he wanted to attack the ambushing force, but Guan Yu said he had a better plan.

  He said, “He’s laid an ambush there. It’ll be to our disadvantage if we go and attack. I think we can do this—in the night, we’ll pretend to be Cao Cao’s men and lure him out to meet us. We’ll slay him then.”

  Zhang Fei approved of the plan. Now the soldiers, who used to serve under Cao Cao, had his army banners and wore the same armor. At about the third watch, they came to the city wall and hailed the guards to open the gate, saying that they were Zhang Liao’s troops sent from the capital. This was reported to Che Zhou, who sent hastily for Chen Deng to discuss the matter.

  “If I don’t receive them they will suspect my loyalty,” he said. “Yet if I do I may be victim of a trick.”

  So he went up on the wall and said it was too dark to distinguish friends from foes and they must wait till daylight. The men shouted back that Liu Bei had to be kept in ignorance and they begged him to let them in. Still he hesitated. But the s
houting only grew louder.

  Presently, Che Zhou put on his armor, placed himself at the head of a thousand men, and went out. He galloped over the drawbridge and shouted, “Where is Zhang Liao?”

  Then lights blazed around and he recognized Guan Yu, with his sword drawn.

  “Wretch!” cried Guan Yu. “How dare you plot to slay my brother?”

  Che Zhou was too frightened to make a good defense, and after a few bouts, he turned to re-enter the gate. But as he reached the drawbridge flights of arrows met him, for Chen Deng had betrayed him. So he turned aside and galloped along under the wall. But Guan Yu came quickly in pursuit. His sword was raised aloft and as it came down the poor man was slain and his head cut off.

  Guan Yu shouted up to those on the wall, “I have slain the rebel Che Zhou. You others need not fear if you only surrender.”

  The soldiers threw down their spears and gave in. As soon as order was restored Guan Yu took the head to show Liu Bei and told him the story of the plot.

  “But what will Cao Cao think of this?” said Liu Bei. “And he may come.”

  “If he does come, Zhang Fei and I will meet him,” said Guan Yu.

  But Liu Bei was grieved beyond measure. Nevertheless, there was no alternative for him and he entered the city. The elders of the people knelt in the road to welcome him. Then he hurried to his residence and looked for his youngest brother, only to find that Zhang Fei had already exterminated the entire family of Che Zhou.

  Liu Bei said, in distress, “We’ve slain one of Cao Cao’s trusted officers. How will he stand that?”

  “I have a plan to withstand Cao Cao,” said Chen Deng.

  Just from grave danger extricated,

  An impending war must be averted.

  What plan Chen Deng had in mind will be told in the next chapter.

  Footnote

  * Referring to the banquet given by Xiang Yu to his rival Liu Bang (later founder of the Han Dynasty), in which sword play was performed in an attempt to stab the guest. Hongmeng is situated near modern Sian.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Yuan Shao and Cao Cao Both Take the Field

  Guan Yu and Zhang Fei Capture Two Enemy Officers

  Chen Deng said, “Cao Cao’s only fear is Yuan Shao. He is strongly positioned in the four northern districts, with a million fighting men and many able officers and advisors. Why not write to him for help?”

  Liu Bei replied, “But we have never had any dealings with each other and he is unlikely to assist the person who has just destroyed his brother.”

  “There is someone here whose family has been on intimate terms with the Yuans for a hundred years. Yuan Shao would surely come if he would write.”

  “And who is this?”

  “A man you know well and respect greatly. Can you have forgotten him?”

  “You surely mean Zheng Xuan,” said Liu Bei suddenly.

  “That is he,” said Chen Deng, smiling.

  Now Zheng Xuan was a scholar of great talent, who had once studied under Ma Rong. This man was rather peculiar as a teacher. Whenever he lectured he would assemble his students in front of a curtain, behind which sang and danced singing girls, while young maids stood in attendance all around. Zheng Xuan attended these lectures for three years and never once let his eyes wander to the curtain or to the girls around.

  Naturally the master admired his pupil. After he had finished his studies and gone home his teacher said, “Only one man has penetrated the inner meanings of my instructions, and that one is Zheng Xuan.”

  In the Zheng household the waiting maids were familiar with Mao’s edition of the Odes.* Once one of the maids behaved against Yuan’s wishes, so as punishment she was made to kneel in front of the steps. Another girl made fun of her, quoting from an ode:

  What are you doing there in mire?

  The kneeling girl answered back, quoting from another ode:

  ‘Twas but a simple word I said,

  Yet brought it wrath upon my head.

  Such was his highly refined household. In the reign of Emperor Huan he was a minister, but when the ten eunuchs began to control the government he gave up office and retired into the country to Xuzhou. Liu Bei had known him before, had consulted him on many occasions, and greatly respected him.

  Liu Bei was glad that he had remembered this man and with no time to lose, he and Chen Deng went to ask Zheng Xuan to write the letter, which he generously consented to do. Afterwards, Sun Qian was entrusted with delivering the letter. He set out at once.

  Yuan Shao read the letter and thought to himself, “Liu Bei destroyed my brother and I ought not to help him, but out of consideration for the writer of this letter I have to go.” Therefore he assembled his officers and advisors to discuss an attack on Cao Cao.

  Tian Feng, one of his advisors, said, “Do not raise an army. The people are worn out and the granaries are empty with these constant wars. Let us rather report our recent victory against Gongsun Zan to the throne. If that does not reach the Emperor, then present a petition to accuse Cao Cao of hindering our communication with the Emperor. Then raise an army to occupy Liyang. At the same time, assemble a fleet in Henei and prepare a large quantity of weapons. When all this is done, send out your best officers and men to occupy key points on the borders—within three years you will accomplish your great design.”

  Another advisor named Shen Pei objected, “I do not agree. With the military genius of our lord and the powerful strength of the north, to dispose of Cao Cao is as simple as turning one’s hand. It is not necessary to wait.”

  Another advisor, Ju Shou, supported Tian Feng and said, “Victory does not always belong to the powerful. Cao Cao is a good commander and his soldiers are brave and well drilled. He will not sit down quietly waiting to be surrounded as Gongsun Zan did. I think it unwise if you abandon the good plan to inform the throne of our recent success, but send out an army against Cao Cao without any valid excuse.”

  However, his view was refuted by the advisor Guo Tu who said: “This is wrong. No expedition against Cao Cao can lack an excuse. I think you, sir, should take this chance to achieve your own great design. I suggest you accede to Minister Zheng’s request and ally yourself with Liu Bei for the destruction of Cao Cao. This would win the approval of Heaven and the support of the people. A double blessing indeed!”

  Thus the four advisors differed and wrangled and Yuan Shao could not decide which to follow. Then there came two other advisors, Xu You and Xun Shen, and, seeing them, their master said: “These two are very experienced. Let us see what they think of this.”

  The two made their obeisances and Yuan Shao said, “Minister Zheng has written to me, asking me to support Liu Bei in an attack on Cao Cao. Now am I to send an army or not to send an army?”

  They cried with one voice, “You should send an army for you will be stronger in number and in strength against Cao Cao. Besides, you will be acting under the just cause of destroying a traitor and helping the House of Han.”

  “Exactly what I think,” said Yuan Shao. So the discussion focused on the expedition.

  Sun Qian was sent back with Yuan Shao’s consent and instructions for Liu Bei to get ready to cooperate.

  General provisions were immediately made for the expedition. The army was to be composed of 300,000 men, half infantry and half cavalry. The two most valiant officers, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, were named generals and Tian Feng and several others were to be advisors. They were to march toward Liyang.

  When these were complete Guo Tu said, “In order to justify the righteousness of your attack on Cao Cao, it would be well to issue a manifesto with a summary of his various crimes.”

  Yuan Shao approved of this and Chen Lin, well known as a scholar, who had served in court in the late Emperor’s reign, was entrusted with the composition of such a document. And in no time the manifesto was completed. It reads as follows:

  “A perspicacious ruler prepares against political upheavals; a loyal minister asserts authority in
times of trouble. Therefore, a man of extraordinary talents precedes an extraordinary situation, and of such a man the achievements will be extraordinary. For indeed, the ordinary man is quite unequal to an extraordinary situation.

  “In former days, after gaining ascendancy over a weakling emperor of the powerful Qin Dynasty, Zhao Gao* wielded the whole authority of the throne, overruling the government. All punishment and reward came through him and his contemporaries were pressed into silence. Slowly but surely evolved the tragedy of Wangyi Palace, when the emperor was forced to commit suicide and the imperial tablets perished in the flames. This disgrace has since been held as a bitter lesson for later generations.

  “In the latter days of Empress Lu* of the Hans the world saw Lu Chan and Lu Lu, brothers of the Empress and fellows in wickedness, monopolizing the rule of the government. Within the capital they commanded two armies and without, they ruled the feudal states of Liang and Chao. They arbitrarily controlled all state affairs and decided every matter in the imperial palaces. This dominance of the base over the noble saddened the hearts of the people throughout the land. Therefore two lords, Zhou Bo and Liu Zhang, raised an army to vent their wrath. They destroyed the rebellious ministers and restored the crown prince to his royal state. Thus they enabled the imperial rule to flourish and the glory of the Emperor to be manifested. This is an instance of how ministers asserted authority.

  “This Cao Cao, now a high-ranking minister, is in truth the grandson of a certain eunuch named Cao Teng who, together with two other eunuchs, stirred up trouble in the country. They were wicked and greedy beyond measure. They were immoral and preyed upon the populace. Cao Cao’s father, Cao Song, who begged to be adopted by the eunuch, presented gold and jewels at the gates of the influential and contrived, through bribery, to sneak his way into office, where he could subvert authority. Thus Cao Cao is the depraved descendent of a monstrous excrescence, devoid of all virtue in himself, ferocious and cunning, delighting in disorder and reveling in public calamity.