Soon came a hasty messenger from the west to say that Zhao Yun had marched out of Yangping Pass to seize Chang’an. This frightened Cao Pi so much that he decided to withdraw. The various divisions of the army turned back to run their separate ways to the north, pursued by the men of Wu. To hasten the retreat, Cao Pi ordered his men to abandon all the imperial paraphernalia. However, as the dragon ships were about to withdraw into the Huai River, there suddenly arose the sounds of an approaching enemy force, with shouts of men, rolling of drums and the blaring of trumpets, and a troop came upon them from the side. At the head was the impetuous youth Sun Shao.
The men of Wei could make no effective stand and many were slain, while large numbers were driven into the river and drowned. By dint of the great efforts of his officers, Cao Pi was saved and got away up the Huai River. But when they had sailed about thirty li, they saw ahead some blazing reeds. The enemy had poured fish oil over the dry reeds and set them alight. The wind was spreading the flames downstream toward the men of Wei, and the heat was intense. The dragon ships had to stop.
Cao Pi was at once helped into a small boat and taken on shore; his larger ships soon caught fire and were destroyed. Hurriedly he mounted a horse and dashed down the bank, but presently another body of men blocked the way. This time it was the supporting force under Ding Feng.
Zhang Liao rode ahead to engage Ding Feng, who shot an arrow and wounded his opponent in the loins. However, the wounded man was rescued by Xu Huang. In the end the ruler of Wei escaped the turmoil but the loss of men was heavy, and a huge booty of horses, wagons, ships, and weapons fell to the victors.
So the Wei army retreated northward, thoroughly beaten. Xu Sheng scored a great success, for which he was richly rewarded.
Zhang Liao got to Xuchang, where he died from his wounds. He was honorably buried by his master, but the story of his funeral will not be told here.
It has been mentioned above that Zhao Yun had led an army out of Yangping Pass to take Chang’an. But soon after that he received a dispatch from Zhuge Liang, calling him to return, because an aged general in Yizhou, named Yong Kai, had joined himself with the Mans and invaded four of the Shu districts. So Zhao Yun was recalled and Ma Chao was put in charge of the Yangping Pass. Zhuge Liang then prepared an army at Chengdu for an expedition to pacify the southern border.
First Wu met Wei and drove them north,
Then Shu against the Mans went forth.
The result of this expedition will be related in the next chapter.
Footnotes
* In ancient China, it was the practice of a new ruler to adopt a new reign title. Here it means Sun Quan was establishing himself as an independent ruler.
* Referring to Buddhism, Confuciunism, and Taoism.
* A mythical figure with the face of a human and the body of a snake.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN
Zhuge Liang Raises an Army to Subdue the Mans
The King of the Mans Initially Suffers Defeat
As Prime Minister Zhuge Liang was in full charge of the administration of the government, personally looking into every matter, big or small, and making fair and just decisions, there began a period of happiness and prosperity for the people of Shu. Peace prevailed and the society was well nigh perfect, doors unbolted at night, property left by the roadside remaining untouched till the owner returned for it. Moreover, rich harvests followed year after year. The people, old and young, with fair round bellies, well lined, simply sang with joy. They hastened to fulfill their state duties and vied with each other in the performance of any edicts issued by the government. Consequently conditions for military actions were most favorable: all military equipment was ready for use, every granary bursting with grain, and the treasury full to overflowing.
Such was the state of things when news came to the capital that Meng Huo, King of the Mans, had raised a large army to invade and plunder the southern borders and that Yong Kai, Prefect of Jianning and a descendant of a marquis of Han, had collaborated with him. Already two districts had yielded to the invaders, but a third was staunchly holding out. The three rebel prefects, who had joined the invaders, were now acting as guides and assisting them in the attack on Yongchang, whose prefect, Wang Kang, was making a desperate effort to defend the city. The situation was very grave.
After hearing this, Zhuge Liang went into the palace to see his young lord to whom he said, “The rebellion of the Mans is a real threat to our state. I must lead an expedition to bring the barbarians to obedience.”
But the Second Ruler said, “There are Wu to the east* and Wei in the north. If you leave me here and either kingdom attacks, what should I do?”
“Your Majesty need have no fear. We have just entered into a league of peace with Wu, and I think they will be true to their pledge. Even if they are not, Li Yan is there at the city of Baidi. He is quite a match for Lu Xun. As for Cao Pi, his recent defeat has taken the keenness out of his men and I do not think he is able to make an expedition at the moment. Besides, Ma Chao is in command of the defense of all the passes between Wei and Hanzhong. I have also left your two cousins with forces to reinforce any point where danger may appear. I can assure Your Majesty that nothing will go wrong. I am going to subdue the Mans’ country so that we may have a free hand to conquer Wei when the day comes. Only thus will I be able to return the kindness bestowed upon me by your father, who came thrice to my cottage to seek my service and who doubled my obligation when he entrusted to me the care of Your Majesty.”
“I am young and ignorant,” said the Second Ruler, “and I rely on you to decide for me.”
At that moment an official, Wang Lian by name, stepped forward and voiced his objection. “No, no, sir, you must not go. The south is an uncultivated country reeking with malaria. As prime minister you have the heaviest responsibilities of the state and therefore it is not proper for you to leave on a distant expedition. These rebels and barbarians are but a minor irritation, not a fatal disease—another general should be enough to subdue them.”
Zhuge Liang replied, “This country of the Mans is far from the capital and the people there are mostly unruly. To bring them to submission will be difficult and I deem it my duty to go. When to be harsh and when to show leniency are matters that require subtle decisions, and I cannot trust these to another.”
Wang Lian attempted again to dissuade him but Zhuge Liang steadily refused to listen to his words. He took leave of his young lord and made ready to start. He took with him several civil officials and dozens of officers. Zhao Yun and Wei Yan were made commanding generals, while Wang Ping and Zhang Yi were second-in-command to each. The whole force, numbering 500,000 in all, started toward Yizhou.
One day, Zhuge Liang had an unexpected visitor in his camp. It was Guan Suo, third son of General Guan Yu. It so happened that after the fall of Jingzhou this youth had fled to a village, where he had been nursing his wounds. He had wanted to go to Chengdu to see his uncle, the First Ruler, to avenge his father but was prevented from doing so because of his severe wounds, which had only just healed. Having learned that vengeance had been taken on the enemies of his father, he left the village for the capital to see the new ruler. He was traveling toward Chengdu when he fell in with Zhuge Liang’s army. He asked to take part in this expedition.
Zhuge Liang heard his story with sadness and surprise. He accepted the young man and appointed him van leader of the expedition, while news of his arrival was dispatched to the capital.
The army marched in the best of order, eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, camping at night and moving by day. No plundering was permitted and the life of the local people was undisturbed.
When Yong Kai and his fellow rebels heard that the prime minister himself was leading an army to suppress them, they decided to meet their enemy in three divisions—Gao Ding in the center, Yong Kai and Zhu Bao on the two wings, each with about 50,000 men. Gao Ding sent his officer, Er Huan, to lead the van. Tall of stature but ugly and vicious-looking, t
his Er Huan was a valiant fighter and his weapon was a halberd. He led his own men out ahead of the main body.
By then Zhuge Liang’s army had already arrived at the boundary of Yizhou. The leading elements of the army led by Wei Yan encountered Er Huan and his men immediately after they entered Yizhou. The two sides drew up for battle and Wei Yan rode out and vilified the rebels, calling upon them to surrender. In retaliation, Er Huan galloped out to fight with him. After a few bouts Wei Yan faked defeat and fled. Er Huan pursued. Soon, however, he fell into an ambush and was captured.
He was taken to the tent of Zhuge Liang, who told his attendants to loosen his bonds and treat him with wine and food. Then he asked him who he was.
Er Huan replied, “I am one of the officers under Gao Ding.”
“I know Gao Ding is a loyal and good man but he has been deceived by Yong Kai. Now I am going to release you. I want you to go back and tell Gao Ding to surrender soon to avoid disaster.”
Er Huan thanked him and returned to his own side. He told Gao Ding what Zhuge Liang had said and praised him for his kindness. Gao Ding, too, was deeply grateful for Zhuge Liang’s kindly act.
The next day Yong Kai came over to Gao Ding’s camp to inquire how Er Huan could have been released.
“Zhuge Liang released him out of pure kindness,” replied Gao Ding.
“This is a ruse of his to sow dissension between you and I and make us enemies.”
Gao Ding, half-convinced, could not decide what to do next.
Just then scouts reported that some officers of Shu were offering battle outside. Yong Kai led out his men to take up the challenge. But after a short encounter he fled. Wei Yan pursued him and harried him for a distance of about twenty li.
The next day Yong Kai challenged but the men of Shu refused to fight, and remained within their lines for three days. On the fourth day Yong Kai and Gao Ding went to attack the Shu camp from two sides. Now Zhuge Liang had told Wei Yan to wait for this combined attack—so when the two rebel leaders sallied forth, both of them fell into an ambush and suffered heavily, losing many men killed and captured.
The prisoners were taken to the camp and Gao Ding’s men were confined separately from those of Yong Kai’s. Then Zhuge Liang told his soldiers to spread a rumor among the captured that only Gao Ding’s men would be spared and the others would be put to death. When time had been given for this story to be circulated among all the prisoners, Yong Kai’s men were brought before Zhuge Liang.
“Whose men are you?” he asked.
“Gao Ding’s,” they cried falsely.
Then they were all pardoned and, after being given wine and food, they were taken out of the camp and set free.
Next Gao Ding’s actual troops were brought forward and the same question was put to them.
“We are really under Gao Ding’s command,” they answered.
In like manner they were pardoned and treated with wine and food. Then Zhuge Liang said to them, “Yong Kai has just sent a messenger to offer submission and he promises to bring with him the heads of your commander and of Zhu Bao as a proof of his sincerity. But I feel sorry for your commander. Since you are his men I will release you and allow you to return to him. Let there be no rebellion again—for if there is, I certainly will not pardon you next time.”
They thanked him and left. When they reached their own camp they told Gao Ding the whole story. Then Gao Ding secretly sent a spy to the camp of his colleague to find out how things really stood. There the secret agent found that the men who had been released were all talking about Zhuge Liang’s kindness and many of their fellow men were inclined to desert to Gao Ding.
Although this seemed good fortune to Gao Ding, yet he did not feel convinced. So he sent another man to Zhuge Liang’s camp to try to verify what he had learned so far. But this man was captured and taken before Zhuge Liang, who pretended that he mistook the spy to be Yong Kai’s man and said to him, “Why has your commander failed to send me the heads of Gao Ding and Zhu Bao as he promised? You are so stupid. How can you be a spy?”
The spy mumbled something incoherently as a sort of reply. However, Zhuge Liang did not seem to mind but gave him wine and food, and then wrote a letter, which he handed to the spy, saying, “Take this letter to your commander, Yong Kai, and tell him to get the job done quickly.”
The spy took the letter and swiftly departed. As soon as he reached his own camp he handed the letter to Gao Ding and told him what Zhuge Liang had said. Gao Ding read the letter and became very angry.
“This is intolerable!” cried Gao Ding. “I have always been true to him, yet he wants to kill me.”
Then he called Er Huan in to discuss the matter. Er Huan, who was much in favor of Zhuge Liang, said, “Zhuge Liang is a most benevolent man and we are wrong to rebel against him. It is Yong Kai’s fault that we are now rebels. We had better slay him and give ourselves up to Zhuge Liang.”
“How can this be done?” asked Gao Ding.
“Let us invite him to a banquet. If he comes it means he has no ill intention, but if he refuses it means he is a traitor. Then you can attack him in front while I will lie in wait behind his camp to capture him when he tries to run away.”
Gao Ding agreed to try this plan. The banquet was prepared and Yong Kai invited. But as his mind was full of suspicion after hearing what his returned soldiers had said, Yong Kai was afraid to go. So that night Gao Ding attacked his camp as planned.
Now those of Yong Kai’s men who had been released by Zhuge Liang were convinced of the goodness of Gao Ding and quite ready to help him fight. So they mutinied against their commander and confusion arose within his army. Yong Kai mounted his steed and fled. Before he had gone far he found his road blocked by the troops under Er Huan, who galloped out with his halberd and confronted the fugitive. Yong Kai could not defend himself and was struck down. Er Huan decapitated him. All his men surrendered to Gao Ding, who then led the combined forces to submit to Zhuge Liang.
Seated in state in his tent, Zhuge Liang received him but at once ordered him to be put to death.
Gao Ding cried, “I was grateful for your kindness, sir, so I have brought the head of Yong Kai as a proof of the sincerity of my surrender. Why do you want to kill me?”
“Your surrender is false—do you think you can hoodwink me?” said Zhuge Liang, laughing.
“What proof do you have against me?”
Zhuge Liang drew a letter from his box and said, “Zhu Bao sent this secret letter to say he wished to surrender, and he said you and Yong Kai were such intimate friends that you were ready to die for each other. How could you suddenly change your feelings and slay him? That is how I know of your treachery.”
“This is only Zhu Bao’s trick to stir up trouble,” cried Gao Ding, feeling greatly wronged.
Zhuge Liang, still pretending not to believe him, said, “I cannot take your side of the story only. If you slay Zhu Bao I will take that as a proof of your sincerity.”
“Do not suspect me,” replied Gao Ding. “I will go and capture him.”
“If you do that my doubts will be laid to rest.”
Therefore Gao Ding and his subordinate, Er Huan, led away their men to the camp of Zhu Bao. When they were about ten li from the camp, Zhu Bao appeared with his men. As soon as they recognized each other, Zhu Bao hastily came forward to speak to his comrade. But Gao Ding cried out to him, “Why did you write a letter to the prime minister and so conspire to get me killed?”
Entirely unprepared for such an accusation, Zhu Bao stared open-mouthed and could not reply. Suddenly Er Huan rode out from behind his chief and struck Zhu Bao with his halberd. He fell dead to the ground. At this Gao Ding shouted to his men that they should either yield or be slain, and they yielded in a body.
Gao Ding then went back to Zhuge Liang and offered the head of the slain man. Zhuge Liang laughed again. “I have made you kill both these men so that you can prove your loyalty.”
Then he created Gao Ding Prefect of Yizhou, i
n charge of the three districts, and Er Huan his chief officer. Thus the three rebellious forces were subdued and the danger to Yongchang lifted.
The prefect then came out of the city to welcome Zhuge Liang inside. When he had entered that city Zhuge Liang asked the prefect who had aided him in the defense.
The prefect said, “The safety of this city is due entirely to Lu Kai.”
So Lu Kai was called. He came and paid his respects to the prime minister.
Zhuge Liang said, “Long have I heard of you as a remarkable man of this district. I am greatly indebted to you for its security. Now I wish to conquer the Mans—have you any advice to offer?”
Lu Kai then produced a map of the country and said, “From the time of my appointment here I have felt certain that the Mans would rise in rebellion, and so I secretly sent people to map their country and locate the strategic points. From that information I prepared this map, which I call ‘An In-depth Map to Conquer the Mans.’ I would like to present it to you, sir.”
Greatly pleased, Zhuge Liang took Lu Kai into his service as advisor and guide. With his help the army advanced and penetrated deeply into the southern country.
While the army was progressing, there came a messenger from the capital. When he appeared, Zhuge Liang saw it was Ma Su, dressed in white. He was in mourning for his brother, Ma Liang, who had just died. He had come by special order of the Second Ruler to deliver gifts of wine and silk to the army. When the gifts were distributed as instructed, Ma Su was asked to remain to talk over matters.
Zhuge Liang said, “I have His Majesty’s orders to conquer these Mans. I hear you are a man of superior views and I should be pleased if you would instruct me.”
The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: An Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation Page 18
