Jiang Wei was attacking the Wei camps at Qishan in full force, when three edicts came, all to the same effect, recalling him to the capital. Disobedience being out of the question, Jiang Wei ceased all operations and sent the Taoyang force back first. Then gradually he and Zhang Yi withdrew.
In his camp, Deng Ai wondered at the rolling of drums all night, but by daylight he was told that the men of Shu had withdrawn and their camps were empty. Suspecting some ruse, Deng Ai did not pursue.
Arriving in Hanzhong, the army halted and Jiang Wei went with the envoy to the capital to see the Second Ruler. Here he waited ten days, and still the Second Ruler held no court. Jiang Wei was much puzzled.
One day he again went to court. At the palace gate he met Xi Zheng, a secretary.
Jiang Wei asked him, “Do you know the reason why I was recalled?”
“Why, General, don’t you know?” replied Xi Zheng, smiling. “Huang Hao wanted to give Yan Yu a chance to win merit, so he intrigued for your recall. Now they have found out that Deng Ai is too clever to be tackled, and so they have dropped this idea.”
Jiang Wei was indignant. “I will certainly slay this eunuch!”
“No, General,” Xi Zheng checked him. “You’re the successor of our great prime minister, who bequeathed to you his unfinished task. You have too heavy a responsibility to act hastily or indiscreetly. Should our lord disapprove, it would go ill with you.”
“Thank you, sir, for your good advice,” said Jiang Wei gratefully.
The next day, the Second Ruler was drinking with his favorite eunuch in the garden when Jiang Wei walked in with a few followers. However, before Jiang Wei got close someone alerted Huang Hao, who at once hid himself behind some rocks by the lake.
Jiang Wei approached the pavilion where the Second Ruler sat and made his obeisance. With tears in his eyes he said, “I had Deng Ai surrounded at Qishan when Your Majesty’s three edicts came to recall me. I wonder what has been Your Majesty’s intention.”
The Second Ruler could make no reply.
Then Jiang Wei continued, “This Huang Hao is wicked and cunning. He monopolizes power just as those ten eunuchs did in Emperor Ling’s time. Your Majesty has only to call to mind Zhang Rang in recent times, or Zhao Gao in earlier days. Slay this man quickly and the court will be purified. So will the northern territory be reclaimed.”
The Second Ruler smiled. “Huang Hao is but an attendant of no importance, one who runs errands for me. Even if he tried to gain power, he could not do anything. I used to wonder why Dong Yun seemed to hate poor Huang Hao so much. Why do you take any notice of him, General?”
“Unless Your Majesty gets rid of him now, disaster will not be far away,” said Jiang Wei, bowing his head to the ground.
The Second Ruler replied, “If you love someone, you want him to live; if you dislike him, you desire him to die. Can’t you, General, tolerate a poor eunuch?”
He ordered one of the attendants to go and call Huang Hao. When he approached the pavilion, the Second Ruler told him to ask pardon of Jiang Wei.
Huang Hao prostrated himself before the general and pleaded in tears. “I am merely attending to His Majesty’s needs day and night, and never meddle in state affairs. Pray pay no heed to what people say. My life rests in your hands, General. Pray have pity on me.”
As he finished his words he wept and bowed again. Jiang Wei left the palace, still burning with anger. Then he went to seek Xi Zheng, to whom he related what had happened.
“General, you’re in grave danger,” said Xi Zheng. “And if you’re in peril, the country will perish without you.”
“Sir, can you please advise me as to how I can secure the country and save myself?”
Xi Zheng replied, “There is a place in Longxi, called Tazhong, where the land is rich and fertile. Why don’t you, General, request the Emperor to let you lead the army there for farming and training as Prime Minister Zhuge once did? There are four advantages: first, you can gather in wheat to feed your army; secondly, you can try to seize all the towns in the Longyou region; thirdly, you can keep Wei from ever daring to invade Hanzhong; and fourthly, as you’re away from the capital with the army under your control, no one will dare intrigue against you, and you will be safe from any danger. Thus you can ensure the safety of the state and yourself. But there is no time to lose.”
“Thank you for your words of gold and jewels,” said Jiang Wei appreciatively.
Without loss of time, Jiang Wei petitioned the throne and obtained the Second Ruler’s consent. Then he returned to Hanzhong, where he assembled his officers and told them his plans.
“Our many expeditions have failed to achieve success, owing to lack of supplies. Now I’m going to take 80,000 men to Tazhong, where we will till the land and grow wheat to prepare for future campaigns. All of you are weary with prolonged fighting and may now rest your men in the valley and defend Hanzhong. The men of Wei will have to drag their grain thousands of li distance, struggling up hills and mountains. The drudgery will lead to exhaustion, which will result in their withdrawal. That will be the time to smite them.”
Then he appointed Hu Ji to protect Hanshou, Wang Han to Yuecheng, and Jiang Bin to Hancheng. Jiang Shu and Fu Qian were ordered to hold the passes. Having made these arrangements, Jiang Wei went off to Tazhong to grow grain.
Deng Ai discovered that Jiang Wei had built more than forty camps in Tazhong, each connected with the next like the joints of a huge serpent. He sent out spies to survey the country and draw a map of these encampments, which was duly submitted to the court.
When Sima Zhao, Duke of Jin, examined the map, he was very angry. “Jiang Wei has invaded our land many times and we have been unable to destroy him. He is really my deepest worry.”
Jia Chong said, “He has learned well Zhuge Liang’s strategies and it is hard to drive him away in haste. What we need is a brave and crafty officer to assassinate him, so as to save the trouble of waging war.”
But another official objected: “That is not necessary. Liu Shan, the Second Ruler of Shu, is steeped in dissipation and confides in the eunuch Huang Hao. The high-ranking officials are concerned solely with their own safety, and Jiang Wei has gone to Tazhong to protect himself. If you send an able general to attack Shu, victory is certain. What is the need for an assassin’s dagger?”
“Excellent idea,” said Sima Zhao, laughing. “But who should I send to attack Shu?”
“Deng Ai is a rare talent,” said the official. “If he has Zhong Hui as his second, Shu will be conquered.”
“That’s exactly what I think,” said Sima Zhao.
So he summoned Zhong Hui and said to him, “I want you to lead an army to attack Wu. Will you go?”
“Your lordship’s real intention is to attack Shu, not Wu,” replied Zhong Hui.
“How well you read my mind!” laughed Sima Zhao. “But how are you going to conduct the campaign?”
“I thought that Your Lordship would desire to attack Shu, so I have already prepared maps here.”
Sima Zhao opened the maps and found they had clear and detailed markings of sites where camps were to be pitched, grain and fodder to be stored, and places where the army was to advance or to retreat.
“What an excellent general you are!” said Sima Zhao, extremely pleased. “Would you go with Deng Ai to take Shu?”
“The land of Shu is vast, and more than one army is needed. Deng Ai and I can move along separate routes.”
Zhong Hui was given the title of General–Defender of the West and the insignia of a commander-in-chief over the forces within the passes and the authority to employ the troops of the prefectures of Qing, Xu, Yan, Yu, Jing, and Yang. At the same time a commission was sent to Deng Ai giving him command of the forces outside the passes, with the title of General– Conqueror of the West. He was asked to agree on a time with Zhong Hui to launch a joint offensive against Shu.
On the following day in court, Sima Zhao mentioned his plan to attack Shu.
General Deng Dun objected: “Jiang Wei has repeatedly invaded our country, and the wars have cost us many lives. Our efforts to maintain a firm defense are yet inadequate to guarantee our own safety. How can we venture into a distant and dangerous country, inviting trouble upon ourselves?”
“I am sending a righteous army to destroy an unrighteous ruler,” cried Sima Zhao in wrath. “How dare you oppose me?”
He ordered the executioners to put the general to death, and in a minute the victim’s head was laid below the steps of the hall. All those present turned pale.
Sima Zhao said, “It has been six years since I returned from my expedition to the east, and these years have been spent in training the army and preparing the weaponry. I have long intended to wipe out both Wu and Shu. Now I will destroy Shu first, and then move downstream by water and by land to descend upon Wu and conquer the south. In this way I can eliminate both Shu and Wu. Let me give you my calculation of what forces they have in Shu: there are about 80–90,000 garrisoning the capital; only 40–50,000 guarding the frontier; and some 60–70,000 with Jiang Wei, farming the land in Tazhong. On our side, I have ordered Deng Ai to command the forces outside the passes in the Longyou region—totaling more than 100,000—to engage Jiang Wei and keep him from moving east. I am going to send Zhong Hui with 200–300,000 veterans to go to the Luo Valley and advance from three directions to seize Hanzhong. The ruler of Shu is stupid and confused. With his frontier cities in ruins and his people quaking with fear, his land is doomed to fall.”
The assembly praised him for his perspicacity.
Zhong Hui began to mobilize his troops for the expedition against Shu as soon as he received his seal of office. Apprehensive that his real target of attack should be known, he gave out that his force was directed against the south; to give substance to the pretense, he ordered the five prefectures of Qing, Yan, Yu, Jing, and Yang to construct large ships, and sent an officer, Tang Zi by name, to regions along the sea coast to collect more vessels. This move even fooled Sima Zhao, who called him in and asked him why he was building ships.
Zhong Hui replied, “If Shu hears that we intend to attack the west they will turn to Wu for assistance. So I let it be known that I am going to attack the south, to ensure that Wu will not dare to stir. Within a year Shu will be beaten and the ships will be ready, and our expedition against the south can begin. Thus everything follows in good order, does it not?”
Sima Zhao was extremely pleased. A day was then chosen for the army to start its march westward.
On the third day of the seventh mouth of the fourth year of the period Jing Yuan in Wei (A.D. 263), Zhong Hui set out on his military campaign against Shu.
Sima Zhao escorted him out of the city for ten li and then returned. An official named Shao Ti whispered a word of warning to him: “My lord, you have given Zhong Hui command of a large army to go against Shu. I think he is too ambitious to be trusted with such power all to himself.”
“Do you think I’m not aware of this?” answered Sima Zhao, smiling.
“Then why have you sent him alone without a co-commander?”
Sima Zhao said something to Shao Ti, which put his doubts at rest.
Zhong went alone, although his master knew,
Occasion serving, he would be untrue.
What Sima Zhao said will be disclosed in the next chapter.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN
Zhong Hui Divides His Army to Take Hanzhong
Zhuge Liang Makes an Appearance at Dingjun Hill
Sima Zhao said to Shao Ti, “The courtiers all maintained that Shu could not be attacked because they are afraid if we force them to fight, we will certainly be defeated. Now Zhong Hui alone puts forward a plan to subdue Shu, which shows that he is not afraid. Since he is fearless, he will surely defeat Shu. As the country falls, the people of Shu will be drained of any courage. As the saying goes, ‘Generals defeated in war have no right to brag about courage, and officials of a fallen country cannot hope to restore it.’ Even if Zhong Hui attempts to revolt, how will the men of Shu be in a position to help him? As for our men, whose only thought will be to return home after the victory, they will not follow him in revolt. Hence it is not a problem to worry about. But keep all this to yourself.”
Convinced, Shao Ti bowed.
In the meantime, Zhong Hui had finished setting up camps. He summoned his eighty officers to his tent to issue them orders.
“I need a general of rank to be the van leader,” said Zhong Hui. “He must cut trails in the hills and build bridges across rivers. Who is bold enough to take up this responsibility?”
“I am,” responded Xu Yi, son of the “Tiger General” Xu Zhu.
“None is more suitable than him,” said all those present.
“All right,” approved Zhong Hui. “You’re lithe and strong, bold as your father, and all your colleagues also recommend you. Take 5,000 cavalry-men and a thousand infantrymen to seize Hanzhong without delay. The army will march in three directions. You’re to lead the center unit and advance through Ye Valley, while the left and the right units are to proceed from the Luo and Meridian Valleys. These are all rugged and precipitous mountain areas. You must order your men to level the ground, repair bridges, cut trails through the hills, and break away rocks to ensure that no obstacles lie in the way of the advancing army. Use all diligence, for failure will entail punishment by military law.”
Xu Yi took the order and departed immediately. Zhong Hui soon followed in all haste with his large army.
At Longxi, Deng Ai had also received the order to attack Shu. He at once sent Sima Wang to enlist the aid of the Qiang tribesmen. Next he summoned the prefects of the neighboring four districts, who came to his place with their own forces to receive his orders.
When all the troops gathered in Longxi, Deng Ai had a dream: he had climbed up a lofty mountain and was looking across at Hanzhong, when suddenly a spring gushed out beneath his feet and the water welled up with great force. He awoke all in a sweat. Unable to sleep again, he sat waiting for dawn. At daybreak he summoned his personal guard, Yuan Shao, who was skilled in divination according to the Book of Changes. He told the guard his dream and asked for an interpretation.
Yuan Shao replied, “According to the Book of Changes, ‘water on a mountain’ signifies the symbol Jian,* which means ‘propitious to the southwest, but unpropitious to the northeast.’ The sage Confucius said, ‘Jian augurs well to the southwest: go there and win success; but ill to the northeast: no road lies ahead.’ In this expedition, General, you are sure to overcome Shu, but unfortunately you will be held there and cannot return.”
Deng Ai listened to his interpretation with distress. Just then, a dispatch arrived from Zhong Hui, asking him to raise an army and join him in Hanzhong. So Deng Ai sent Zhuge Xu, Governor of Yongzhou, to cut off Jiang Wei’s retreat, and three others to attack Tazhong from the left, right, and rear respectively. Each of them was given 15,000 men. Deng Ai himself took command of 30,000 men to reinforce them.
Here a small incident must be recounted. On the day when Zhong Hui embarked on his expedition to the west all the court officials came out of the capital to see him off. It was a grand sight, the array of banners shading the sunlight, and the helmets and armor of the men glittering like frost. The soldiers were fit and the horses sturdy. All the officials expressed admiration and envy of the commander.
All except Liu Shi, who only smiled, saying nothing. Noticing his cold demeanor, another official, Wang Xiang, held Liu Shi’s hand and asked: “Do you think Zhong Hui and Deng Ai will overcome Shu on this expedition?”
“They will overcome Shu all right, but I’m afraid neither will ever come back,” replied Liu Shi.
“Why do you say that?” asked Wang Xiang.
But Liu Shi smiled without answering. Wang Xiang did not persist.
At Tazhong Jiang Wei was informed of the intended invasion by Wei. He at once dispatched a memorial to the Second Ruler, which said: “Pray issue an edict
to order Zhang Yi to go and defend Yangan Pass and Liao Hua to hold Yangping Bridge. These two places are of crucial importance and their loss will endanger Hanzhong. In the meantime, send an envoy to Wu to seek their support. I will raise the army in Tazhong to resist the enemy.”
At this time the reign title of Shu had been changed to the first year of Yan Xing. The Second Ruler spent his days amusing himself in the company of his favorite eunuch, Huang Hao. One day Jiang Wei’s memorial arrived. After reading it the Second Ruler summoned the eunuch and said, “Wei has raised two huge armies under Deng Ai and Zhong Hui to invade us by two different routes. What is to be done?”
“There is nothing of the sort. Jiang Wei is making all this up because he wants to win fame for himself. Have no worry, Your Majesty. I hear there is a wise woman in the city, who worships a god that can predict future events. Your Majesty can summon her for inquiries.”
The Second Ruler consented. The rear hall was then fitted up for the seance, where incense, candles, and sacrificial articles were laid out in order. Then the woman was conducted to the palace in a carriage and asked to sit in the Second Ruler’s dragon couch. The Second Ruler lit the incense and prayed. Suddenly the woman let down her hair, slipped out of her shoes, and began to leap barefoot dozens of times in the hall. After that she coiled herself up on a table.
The eunuch said, “The spirit has now descended. Send everyone away and pray to her.”
So the attendants were dismissed, and the Second Ruler bowed and prayed again.
She cried out, “I am the guardian spirit of Shu. Your Majesty enjoys peace and happiness. Why do you have to inquire about other matters? Within a few years the land of Wei will also belong to you. You have never to worry, Your Majesty.”
She then fell to the ground as in a swoon, and it was some time before she revived. The Second Ruler was well satisfied with her prophesy and gave her rich presents. From then on he believed all she told him and ignored Jiang Wei’s concerns. Each day, he drank and feasted in the palace, giving himself wholly to pleasure. Jiang Wei dispatched one urgent memorial after another, but the eunuch intercepted them all. Thus the country became in grave danger.
The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: An Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation Page 59
