The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: An Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation

by Luo Guanzhong

  Zhuge Liang asked, “Is the Prefect of Nanan a friend of yours?”

  “His name is Yang Ling, a cousin of Yang Fu. Living in neighboring districts we are very good friends.”

  “I would like to trouble you to go to Nanan and persuade him to capture Xiahou Mao,” said Zhuge Liang. “Will you do it?”

  “If you order me to go, please withdraw your army for the time being so as to let me get into the city to speak with him.”

  Zhuge Liang consented and ordered his forces to draw off twenty li and camp. Cui Liang rode out by himself to the city and hailed open the gate. He went at once to see his friend in his residence. After they had greeted each other, Cui Liang related in detail what had happened.

  Yang Ling said, “We have received great kindness from our lord. How can we betray him? But we can turn Zhuge Liang’s ruse against himself.”

  He led Cui Liang to Xiahou Mao and told him the whole story.

  “What is your plan?” asked Xiahou Mao.

  “We can pretend to offer the city to induce the men of Shu within. Once they are inside, we can massacre them.”

  Cui Liang agreed to comply with this scheme. He then went back to see Zhuge Liang, to whom he told the necessary lie, saying that Yang Ling would have tried to capture Xiahou Mao himself, but as he had but few valiant officers he would open the gates to let the Shu army in for the purpose.

  “That is simple enough,” replied Zhuge Liang. “Your hundred men who surrendered with you are here. Let some of my officers mix among them, disguised as your men from Anding, and so get into Nanan, where they can hide in Xiahou Mao’s dwelling. Meanwhile, you can arrange with Yang Ling to open the gates at midnight to let our men in to assist.”

  Cui Liang thought to himself, “If I object, Zhuge Liang might suspect me. It’s better to take them with me and kill them as soon as they get into the city. Then I’ll raise a fire as signal to beguile Zhuge Liang to enter, and so dispose of him as well.”

  So he consented.

  Then Zhuge Liang said, “I will let my faithful officers Guan Xing and Zhang Bao go with you. To set Xiahou Mao’s mind at rest, you can tell him that you have brought a rescue force. When you raise a signal fire I will come in person to capture him.”

  At dusk the two young officers, having received their secret orders from Zhuge Liang, put on their armor, mounted their steeds, took their weapons, and mingled with the Anding men. Cui Liang led the small force to the gate. Yang Ling, who was on the wall, had the drawbridge hoisted. Leaning against the railing, he scanned the men below.

  “Who are you?” he asked.

  “We are rescuers from Anding,” replied Cui Liang.

  So saying he shot an arrow over the wall, to which was attached a secret note to his friend. It ran as follows: “Zhuge Liang is sending two of his officers into the city to lie in wait and collaborate with his men from outside. But do not alarm them now, lest our plan becomes known. Wait until we get inside. We can deal with them then.”

  Yang Ling went to show this note to Xiahou Mao, who said, “Since Zhuge Liang has fallen into our trap, we can place a hundred or so guards in the house and, as soon as these two Shu officers get inside, shut the gates and slay them. Then give the signal fire from the wall to induce Zhuge Liang to enter. Once he is in, set the men in ambush and he will be seized.”

  All arrangements being made, Yang Ling went back to the wall and said to the warden, “These are Anding men. Let them in.”

  The gate was thrown open. Guan Xing went ahead, closely following Cui Liang, while Zhang Bao stayed behind. Yang Ling came down from the wall and stood by the gate to welcome them. As he got near Guan Xing suddenly lifted his sword and slew Yang Ling. Scared, Cui Liang hurriedly turned his steed to flee to the drawbridge. But Zhang Bao was on him at once.

  “You ruffian!” he cried. “Did you think your vile plot could deceive our prime minister?”

  With that he raised his spear and pierced Cui Liang to death. By then Guan Xing had climbed up the wall and lit a fire. Soon the men of Shu swarmed into the city. Xiahou Mao, utterly unprepared, tried to fight his way out through the south gate. There he found his way blocked by a troop led by Wang Ping. The two engaged, but in one bout Xiahou Mao was captured alive. Those with him were slain.

  Zhuge Liang entered the city to call the Wei soldiers to surrender and pacify the inhabitants. His army observed strict discipline and the local people were not harmed.

  The battle being over, the officers all came to report their deeds of valor. Zhuge Liang ordered his men to place Xiahou Mao in a prisoner’s cart.

  Then Deng Zhi asked, “How did you know that Cui Liang was playing a trick?”

  “I knew the man was unwilling in his heart to yield, so I deliberately sent him into the city, where I expected him to inform Xiahou Mao of our plan and weave a counter plot with him against us. When he returned I could tell from his manner that he was treacherous, and so I proposed sending Guan Xing and Zhang Bao with him into the city to give him a feeling of security. Had he been true to me, he would have opposed this, but he accepted it readily because he was afraid of arousing my suspicion. He thought these two could easily be slain once inside while we, thinking we had placed our own men in the city, would feel safe enough to enter. But I had already given orders to Guan Xing and Zhang Bao to slay the traitors at the gate. Those inside the city would be totally unprepared and immediately afterwards our army would fall upon them, taking the enemy by surprise.”

  All the officers bowed in appreciation of the prime minister’s wonderful foresight.

  Then Zhuge Liang said, “I sent one of my trusty men to deceive Cui Liang, pretending to be a Wei officer called Pei Xu. I have also sent him to Tianshui to play the same trick but so far the prefect has not sent his men here. I wonder what could be the reason. Now let us set out to seize that place.”

  Then he left two officers to guard the newly taken cities of Nanan and Anding, while Wei Yan and his men were to capture Tianshui.

  Now let us look back and find out what was happening in Tianshui. When Ma Zun, Prefect of Tianshui, heard of the besieging of Nanan and Xiahou Mao’s predicament, he called a council to discuss the matter. Several of his subordinates strongly advised him to send a rescue force without delay.

  “If anything should happen to the imperial son-in-law we will be held guilty of having made no attempt to save him,” they argued. “Why not dispatch our entire force to his rescue?”

  Ma Zun was still pondering over what was best to do when it was announced that Xiahou Mao’s trusty officer, Pei Xu, had arrived. The messenger was summoned before the prefect, to whom he showed the document and said, “The general wishes the two districts of Tianshui and Anding to dispatch rescue forces immediately.” Then he hurriedly went away. The next day came another messenger who said that the Anding men had set out and urged Ma Zun to lead his men to join them. The prefect then decided to take action.

  But just then a man suddenly walked in and said, “Sir, you have fallen into Zhuge Liang’s trap.”

  The speaker was Jiang Wei, son of a former local official who had died in the Emperor’s service during a riot of the Qiang tribesmen. Since childhood Jiang Wei had read very widely, and was also skilled in martial arts and military strategies. His filial piety to his mother won him much esteem from his fellow men. Later he was employed in the local government and held a military rank.

  Jiang Wei said to the prefect, “I hear Zhuge Liang has defeated General Xiahou, who is now so completely besieged in Nanan that even a single drop of water cannot escape. How then can this messenger have got out? Secondly, none of us has heard the name Pei Xu, let alone met him. And thirdly, this other messenger from Anding did not have any official document. Judging from these facts I think the men must be impostors sent to beguile you into leaving the city undefended. And they must have placed an ambush near here. After you set out, they will come to capture the city.”

  The prefect began to understand. “I would h
ave fallen into their vile trick if not for you.”

  Jiang Wei said with a smile, “But do not be anxious—I have a scheme by which we can capture Zhuge Liang and relieve Nanan.”

  However cleverly one may scheme and design,

  An unexpected rival comes to spoil your plan.

  Jiang Wei’s strategy will be disclosed in the next chapter.

  CHAPTER NINETY-THREE

  Jiang Wei Submits to Zhuge Liang

  Zhuge Liang Reviles Wang Lang to Death

  Jiang Wei explained his scheme to the prefect in the following way: “Zhuge Liang must have placed an ambush somewhere near and, after our soldiers are inveigled into leaving our city, his men will take the advantage to seize it. Now give me 3,000 veterans, and I will place them in ambush at a key point. Then you, sir, can lead your men out, but do not go far. Turn back after thirty li. When you see the signal fire I raise, join me in attacking the enemy from the front and the rear. If Zhuge Liang is there we will capture him.”

  The prefect adopted this plan and gave the required number of men to Jiang Wei, who departed at once. Then he and an officer, named Liang Qian, led the remaining soldiers out to wait for the agreed signal. Only two civil officials, Liang Xu and Yin Shang, were left to guard the city.

  Just as Jiang Wei had predicted, Zhuge Liang had sent Zhao Yun to lie in ambush among some hills to wait till the Tianshui men left the city to capture it. That day his spies reported the departure of the prefect. Greatly pleased, Zhao Yun at once sent on the news to two of his colleagues, Zhang Yi and Gao Xiang, and told them to intercept Ma Zun. These two officers had been lying in wait for that purpose at the order of Zhuge Liang.

  Zhao Yun and his 5,000 men then quickly marched to the city wall and called out, “I am Zhao Zi-long of Changshan. You have fallen into our trap, you know. Surrender quickly, and you may save your lives.”

  But instead of being alarmed Liang Xu laughed loudly, saying, “On the contrary, you have fallen into our trap—only you do not know it yet.”

  Zhao Yun was about to begin the attack on the city when suddenly a tremendous shouting broke out and roaring flames shot up all around. And there appeared a youthful officer on a bucking steed, armed with a spear.

  “Jiang Wei of Tianshui is here!” he cried.

  Zhao Yun raised his spear and rode directly at him. After a few bouts Jiang Wei seemed to fight with redoubled strength, and Zhao Yun, very much surprised, thought to himself, “Why, I never expected to find such a warrior here in Tianshui!” As the combat went on, the prefect and Liang Qian came back to join in the battle. Zhao Yun, finding himself caught in between enemy forces, set to cut his way through and led off his defeated men. He was pursued, but the timely intervention of his two colleagues helped him get away safely.

  When Zhuge Liang heard of what had happened he was surprised. “Who is this person that has discovered my secret plan?”

  A man from Nanan, who happened to be present, told him Jiang Wei’s name, his devotion to his mother, his courage and his wisdom, and his mastery in both books of learning and martial arts, concluding that he was the real hero of the day. Zhao Yun also praised him for his skill with the spear, which he said was quite different from any other warrior’s.

  “I want to take Tianshui now,” said Zhuge Liang, “but I did not expect it to be guarded by such a man.” Then he marched his great army toward the city.

  Meanwhile, Jiang Wei had gone back to see the prefect and said, “Zhao Yun’s defeat will bring Zhuge Liang here with the main body. He will expect us to be in the city. Therefore we can divide our force into four groups. I will lead one group to go into hiding on the east and intercept them when they come. You, with Liang Qian and Yin Shang, can prepare two ambushes outside the city. Leave Liang Xu and the common people to go up on the wall and defend the city.”

  His plan was adopted and the arrangements made.

  Now Zhuge Liang, concerned about Jiang Wei, took command of the advance guard himself and proceeded toward Tianshui. As the army drew near the city he gave the order to attack at once. He said, “The best policy to seize a city is to encourage the men to attack it on the day of arrival, accompanied by loud shouting and heavy rolling of drums. Any delay will wear down the men’s fighting spirit and spoil everything.”

  So the army went straight to the city wall, where they saw an orderly display of flags and banners and they dared not attack at once but waited. At midnight, however, fires suddenly started up all around and a great shouting was heard. The men of Shu were wondering where the enemy had come from when they noticed that there were answering shouts from above the wall. Frightened, they began to run away. Zhuge Liang hastened to mount his horse and, with Guan Xing and Zhang Bao as escort, escaped from the danger. Looking behind, they saw a troop in the east, each man carrying a torch, winding along like a huge serpent. Zhuge Liang bade Guan Xing find out who they were, and when he heard that these were Jiang Wei’s men, he said with a sigh, “An army owes more to how it is commanded than to its number. This Jiang Wei really has the making of a great general.”

  He led his army back to camp, where he mused for a long time. Then he summoned a native of Anding and asked, “Where does Jiang Wei’s mother live?”

  “She lives in Jixian,” the man replied.

  Zhuge Liang called in Wei Yan and said to him, “Take a troop and spread the tale that you are going to take Jixian. If Jiang Wei turns up, let him enter the city.”

  “What is the most important place in this region?” asked Zhuge Liang of the Anding man again.

  The man replied, “The money and grain of Tianshui are stored in Shanggui—if that place is taken, the supplies will be cut off.”

  This was good news, so Zhao Yun was sent to attack Shanggui while Zhuge Liang made a camp some thirty li south of the city.

  Spies took the news of the movements of these three forces into Tianshui. When Jiang Wei heard that one body of the enemy army was to attack Jixian he pleaded with the prefect to let him go to its defense, so that he might also protect his aged mother at the same time. The prefect granted his wish and he was given command of the defence of his hometown with 3,000 soldiers. At the same time Liang Qian was sent to defend Shanggui.

  When Jiang Wei came to Jixian he encountered a cohort under Wei Yan. The two of them engaged in combat but after a few passes Wei Yan feigned defeat and ran away. Jiang Wei entered the city, where he closed the gates and prepared to maintain a strong defense. Then he went home to see his mother.

  In the same way Zhao Yun allowed Liang Qian to enter Shanggui.

  Then Zhuge Liang sent for his prisoner, Xiahou Mao, and, when he was brought to his tent, asked suddenly. “Are you afraid of death?”

  Xiahou Mao prostrated himself and begged for his life.

  “Well, Jiang Wei of Tianshui, who is now guarding Jixian, has sent a letter to say that he would surrender if only that would secure your safety. Now I am going to let you go if you agree to induce Jiang Wei to come over to me. Do you accept the condition?”

  “I am willing to do that for you,” said Xiahou Mao.

  Zhuge Liang then gave his prisoner clothing and a saddled horse, but let him ride away all by himself.

  Having been set free, Xiahou Mao tried to get back to his own people but he did not know the way. Presently he came across some townsfolk, apparently in flight, and he questioned them.

  “We are Jixian people,” they said. “Jiang Wei has surrendered the city to Zhuge Liang. The men of Shu are looting and burning, and we have escaped. We are going to Shanggui.”

  “Do you know who is holding Tianshui?”

  “Prefect Ma Zun,” they answered.

  Hearing this, Xiahou Mao rode quickly toward Tianshui. On the way he met more people, leading sons and carrying daughters, who told him the same story. By and by he arrived at Tianshui, and, as he was recognized, the wardens hastened to open the gate for him, and the prefect came to greet him and asked in surprise of his adventure. He told him what
Zhuge Liang had said about Jiang Wei and what he had heard from the fugitives.

  “Well, I never thought Jiang Wei would have gone over to Shu,” said the prefect sadly.

  “It seems he was only pretending to surrender in order to save you, General,” said Liang Xu. “But he has surrendered,” said Xiahou Mao. “How could it be just a pretense?”

  They were all perplexed. At the first watch the men of Shu came to attack again. By the light of the flames, the men on the wall saw Jiang Wei underneath, armed with his spear and reining in his horse. He called out for Xiahou Mao.

  Xiahou Mao and the prefect ascended the wall, where they saw Jiang Wei swaggering to and fro. Seeing them, he cried out, “I surrendered for your sake, General—why have you gone back on your word?”

  “You have received Wei’s bounty—why did you surrender to Shu?” reproached Xiahou Mao. “And what do you mean by saying that I have gone back on my word?”

  “How can you talk like that? Was it not you who sent me a letter telling me to surrender? To secure your own safety you have sacrificed me. But I have surrendered to Shu and now I am a general of a high rank. I see no sense in returning to Wei.”

  So saying, he urged his men to attack the city and did not withdraw till dawn. (In fact, this Jiang Wei was but a Shu soldier in disguise. It was Zhuge Liang’s ruse to let it appear as if Jiang Wei had been leading the attack on the city. In the fire during the night no one could detect the disguise.)

  Zhuge Liang then led the army to attack Jixian. The grain in the city was insufficient to feed the soldiers. From the wall Jiang Wei saw wagons of grain and forage being driven into Wei Yan’s camp, and he decided to try to snatch some. So he led his 3,000 men out of the city to attack the grain wagons. As soon as he appeared the convoy abandoned the wagons and fled. Jiang Wei seized them, and was taking them into the city when he was met by a troop under the command of Zhang Yi. They fought but after a short while Wang Ping came to reinforce his colleague, so that Jiang Wei was attacked on two sides. This proved too much for him and he had to abandon the spoils and try to re-enter the city.