Three Kingdoms Romance

by Guanzhong Luo

  Liu Bei called Mi Zhu and Sun Qian to him to ask advice.

  Said Sun Qian, “The one person that Cao Cao detests is Lu Bu. Let us then abandon the city and take refuge with Cao Cao, from whom we may borrow troops to destroy him.”

  “If we try to get away, who will lead the van?”

  “I will do my best,” said Zhang Fei. So Zhang Fei led the way; Guan Yu was rearguard; and in the center was Liu Bei with the non-fighting portion. The cavalcade started and went out at the north gate under the bright moon. They met opposition from Song Xian and Wei Xu's men, but the soldiers were driven off by Zhang Fei, and the besieging force was passed without difficulty. Zhang Liao pursued, but was held off by Guan Yu's rearguard. It seemed Lu Bu was not dissatisfied at the flight, for he took no personal trouble to prevent it. He made formal entry into the city, settled local affairs, and appointed Gao Shun as Governor.

  Liu Bei approached Xuchang and encamped outside the city, whence he sent Sun Qian to see Cao Cao and relate the events that brought him there. Cao Cao was very friendly and said, “Liu Bei is as my brother.”

  Then Cao Cao invited Liu Bei to enter the city.

  Leaving his brothers at the camp, Liu Bei, with Sun Qian and Mi Zhu, went to Cao Cao, who received him with the greatest respect. The story of Lu Bu's perfidy was again related.

  “He has no sense of right,” said Cao Cao. “You and I, my brother, will attack him together.”

  Liu Bei was very grateful. A banquet was then prepared, and it was late evening before the visitor left for his own camp.

  Xun Yu then had an interview with his master and said, “If you are not on your guard, Liu Bei will be your undoing. You ought to destroy him. He is too much of a hero.”

  Cao Cao made no reply and his adviser retired. Presently Guo Jia came, and Cao Cao said, “I have been advised to kill Liu Bei; what of such a scheme?”

  “A bad scheme,” said Guo Jia. “You are the popular champion, pledged to relieve the people from oppression, and only by truth and rectitude can you secure the support of the noble-minded. Your only fear is lest they stay away. Now Liu Bei is clearly a hero. He has come to you for help and protection, and to put him to death would be to alienate all good people and put fear into the hearts of all the able advisers. Hampered by these difficulties, where will you find those whose help you need? To remove the dangers represented by one man and thereby injure yourself in the eyes of all humankind is a sure means of destruction. These conditions need careful consideration.”

  “What you say exactly fits in with what I think,” said Cao Cao, greatly pleased with these remarks.

  His next step was to memorialize the Emperor to give Liu Bei the imperial protectorship of Yuzhou.

  Again Cheng Yu said, “Liu Bei is certain to rise to the top; he will never remain in a subordinate position. You would better remove him.”

  Cao Cao answered, “Now is just the time to make use of good people. I will not forfeit the regard of the world for the sake of removing one individual. Guo Jia and I both see this in the same light.”

  Wherefore Cao Cao rejected all persuasion to work against Liu Bei but sent him three thousand soldiers and ten thousand carts of grain, and set him on his way to Yuzhou. Liu Bei was to march to Xiaopei, occupy it, call together his former soldiers, and attack Lu Bu.

  When Liu Bei reached Yuzhou, he sent to inform Cao Cao, who prepared to march an army to subjugate Lu Bu. But just then hasty news came that Zhang Ji, who had gone to the attack of Nanyang, had been wounded by a stray arrow and had died. His nephew, Zhang Xiu, had succeeded to the command of his army; and with Jia Xu as strategist, Zhang Xiu had joined Liu Biao and camped at Wancheng. They intended to attack the capital and get possession of the Emperor's person.

  Cao Cao was placed in a quandary. He would go to attack this combination, but he feared lest Lu Bu would attack the capital if he left it. So he sought the advice of Xun Yu.

  Said the Adviser, “Lu Bu has no notion of a policy. He is led astray by any little advantage that presents itself to his eyes. All you need do is to obtain promotion for him, giving him some additional title, and tell him to make peace with Liu Bei, and he will do it. The south is no threat then.”

  “Good,” said Cao Cao.

  And he acted upon the hint and sent an Imperial Legate, Wang Ze, to Xuzhou with the official announcement and a letter urging peace, while he went on with preparations to meet the other danger from Zhang Xiu.

  When ready Cao Cao marched out with one hundred fifty thousand troops in three divisions. Xiahou Dun was the Van Leader, and they went to River Yu and camped there.

  Jia Xu succeeded in persuading Zhang Xiu of the hopelessness of resistance.

  “You would do well to surrender, since Cao Cao's army is too large for you to oppose,” said Jia Xu.

  Seeing the truth of this, Zhang Xiu sent his adviser to propose sub mission. Cao Cao was greatly pleased with the messenger, admiring his ready and fluent repartee, and tried to win him to his service.

  “I was formerly with Li Jue and was guilty with him. Now I am with Zhang Xiu who esteems my advice, and I should not like to abandon him,” said Jia Xu.

  Jia Xu left and next day conducted his master into Cao Cao's presence. Cao Cao was very generous. Then he entered Wancheng with a small force, the greater part of the army being put in camp outside where the lines extended some three miles. Great banquets were given every day by Zhang Xiu, and Cao Cao was always being entertained.

  One day, when Cao Cao returned to his quarters in a more than usual merry mood, he asked the attendants if there were any singing girls in the city. His nephew, Cao Amin, heard the question and said, “Peeping through one of the partitions last evening, I saw a perfectly beautiful woman in one of the courts. They told me she was the wife of Zhang Ji, Zhang Xiu's uncle. She is very lovely.”

  Cao Cao, inflamed by the description given him of the beauty, told his nephew to go and bring her to visit him. Cao Amin did so, supported by an armed escort, and very soon the woman stood before Cao Cao.

  She was a beauty indeed, and Cao Cao asked her name. She replied, “Thy handmaid was wife to Zhang Ji; I was born of the Zhou family.”

  “Do you know who I am?”

  “I have known the Prime Minister by reputation a long time. I am happy to see him and be permitted to bow before him,” said she.

  “It was for your sake that I allowed Zhang Xiu to submit; otherwise I would have slain him and cut him off root and branch,” said Cao Cao.

  “Indeed, then, I owe my very life to you; I am very grateful,” said she.

  “To see you is a glimpse of paradise, but there is one thing I should like better. Stay here and go with me to the capital where I will see that you are properly cared for. What do you say to that, my lady?”

  She could but thank him.

  “But Zhang Xiu will greatly wonder at my prolonged absence, and gossips will begin to talk,” said she.

  “If you like, you can leave the city tomorrow.”

  She did so; but instead of going at once to the capital, she stayed with him among the tents, where Dian Wei was appointed as a special guard over her apartments. Cao Cao was the only person whom she saw, and he passed the days in idle dalliance with the lady, quite content to let time flow by.

  But people told Zhang Xiu what had gone amiss, and he was angry at the shame brought upon the family. He confided his trouble to Jia Xu who said, “Keep this secret, wait till he appears again to carry on business, and then do so and so.”

  A plan was arranged quite secretly. Next day Zhang Xiu went into Cao Cao's tent, saying, “Since the surrendered troops are deserting in great number, it would be well to camp them in the center of your camp to prevent this.”

  Cao Cao gave the permission, and Zhang Xiu moved and placed his army in four camps.

  But Dian Wei, the especial guard of Cao Cao's tent, was a man to be feared, being both brave and powerful. It was hard to know how to attack him. So counsel was taken with
Hu Juer, the commander of one camp and a man of enormous strength and activity. He could carry a burden of six hundred pounds and two hundred miles in a day. Hu Juer proposed a plan.

  He said, “The fearsome thing about Dian Wei is his double halberds. But get him to come to a party and make him quite drunk before you send him back. I will mingle among his escort and so get into his tent and steal away his weapons. One need not fear him then.”

  So the necessary arms were prepared and orders given in the various camps. This done Zhang Xiu gave a banquet, and the intended victim was invited and plied vigorously with wine so that he was quite intoxicated when he left. And, as arranged, Hu Juer mingled with his escort and made away with his weapons.

  That night, when Cao Cao was at supper with Lady Zhou, he heard the voices of men and neighing of horses and sent out to ask what it meant. They told him it was the night patrol going the rounds, and he was satisfied.

  Near the second watch of the night again was heard some noise in the rear of his tent, and one of the fodder carts was reported to be burning.

  “One of the soldiers has dropped a spark; there is nothing to be alarmed at,” said Cao Cao.

  But very soon the fire spread on all sides and became alarming. Cao Cao called Dian Wei. But he, usually so alert, was lying down quite intoxicated.

  However, the beating of gongs and rolling of drums mingling with his dreams awoke Dian Wei, and he jumped up. His trusty halberds had disappeared. The enemy was near. He hastily snatched up an infantryman's sword and rushed out. At the gate he saw a crowd of spearmen just bursting in. Dian Wei rushed at them slashing all around him, and twenty or more fell beneath his blows. The others drew back. But the spears stood around him like reeds on the river bank. Being totally without mail, he was soon wounded in several places. He fought desperately till his sword snapped and was no longer of any use. Throwing it aside he seized a couple of soldiers and with their bodies as weapons felled ten of his opponents. The others dared not approach, but they shot arrows at him. These fell thick as rain, but he still maintained the gate against the assailants.

  However, the mutineers got in by the rear of the camp, and they wounded Dian Wei in the back with spear thrusts. Uttering a loud cry he fell. The blood gushed from the wound in torrents, and he died. Even after he was dead not a man dared to come in by the main gate.

  Cao Cao, relying on Dian Wei to hold the main gate, had fled in haste by the rear gate. Cao Amin accompanied him on foot. Then Cao Cao was wounded by an arrow in the arm, and three arrows struck his horse. However, fortunately, the horse was a fine Dawan beast full of spirit and, in spite of its wounds, it bore its master swiftly and well as far as the bank of River Yu.

  Here some of the pursuers came up, and Cao Amin was hacked to pieces. Cao Cao dashed into the river and reached the further side, but there an arrow struck his steed in the eye and it fell. Cao Cao's eldest son, Cao Ang, dismounted and yielded his horse to his father, who galloped on. Cao Ang was killed by arrows, but Cao Cao himself got away. Soon after he met several of his officers who had rallied a few troops.

  The soldiers of Qingzhou under Xiahou Dun seized the occasion to plunder the people. Yu Jin took his army, fell upon them, and slew many. Thus he protected and appeased the people. The plunderers, meeting Cao Cao on the road, knelt down howling and said Yu Jin had mutinied and attacked them. Cao Cao was surprised, and he gave order to Xiahou Dun, Xu Chu, Li Dian, and Yue Jin to attack Yu Jin.

  Now when Yu Jin saw his master and a great company approaching, he at once stopped the attack and set his troops to make a camp.

  An officer asked him, “The Qingzhou soldiers say you have turned traitor; why do you not explain now that the Prime Minister has arrived? Why first make a camp?”

  Yu Jin replied, “Our enemies are coming up in our rear and are very close. It is necessary to prepare for defense or we shall not withstand them. Explanation is a small matter, but defense is very important.”

  Soon after the camp was finished, Zhang Xiu fell upon them. Yu Jin himself rode out to face them. Zhang Xiu drew back. The other generals of Yu Jin, seeing he advance thus boldly, also attacked, and Zhang Xiu was overcome. They pursued him a great distance until his force was almost annihilated. With the miserable remnant he finally fled to Liu Biao.

  Cao Cao's army reformed, and the commanders mustered. Then Yu Jin went to see his master and told him of the conduct of the Qingzhou soldiers and their looting and why he had attacked them.

  “Why did you not tell me before you made the camp?” Yu Jin related what had occurred.

  Said Cao Cao, “When the first thought of a leader in the time of greatest stress is to maintain order and to strengthen his defenses, giving no thought to slander but shouldering his burdens bravely, and when he thereby turns a defeat into a victory, who, even of the ancient leaders, can excel Yu Jin?”

  Cao Cao rewarded Yu Jin with a golden armor and the lordship of Yishou. But Cao Cao reprimanded Xiahou Dun for the lack of discipline among his soldiers.

  Sacrifices in honor of the dead warrior Dian Wei were instituted. Cao Cao himself led the wailing and paid due honors. Turning to his officers he said, “I have lost my first born son, but I grieve not so heavily for him as for Dian Wei. I weep for him.”

  All were sad at the loss of this general. Then orders were issued to return to the capital.

  When Imperial Legate Wang Ze, bearing the imperial decree, reached Xuzhou, he was met by Lu Bu, who conducted him into the residence where the decree was read. It conferred Lu Bu the title General Who Pacifies the East, and a special seal accompanied the mandate. The private mediating letter was also handed over and the messenger detailed the high appreciation in which Lu Bu was held by the Chief Minister of State. Lu Bu was greatly pleased.

  Next came news that a messenger from Yuan Shu had arrived. When he had been introduced, he said, “My master's project of declaring himself emperor is advancing. He has already built a palace and will speedily choose Empress and concubines and would come to the South of River Huai. He is looking forward to receiving the fiancee of the Heir Apparent.”

  “Has the rebel gone so far?” cried Lu Bu in a rage.

  He put the messenger to death and Han Yin into the cage. He drafted a memorial of thanks and sent it to the capital, at the same time sending, too, Han Yin, the unfortunate agent who had arranged the marriage alliance. He also replied to Cao Cao's private meditating letter asking to be confirmed in his protectorship of Xuzhou. The letter was sent by the hand of Chen Deng.

  Cao Cao was pleased to hear of the rupture of the marriage arrangement between the houses of Yuans and Lus, and forthwith put Han Yin to death in the market place.

  However, Chen Deng secretly told Cao Cao, saying, “Lu Bu is cruel, stupid, and facile. The longer he remains, the worse.”

  “I know Lu Bu quite well,” replied Cao Cao. “He is a wolf with a savage heart, and it will be hard to feed him for long. If it had not been for you and your father, I should not have known all the circumstances and you must help me to get rid of him.”

  “Anything the Prime Minister wishes to do shall have my assistance,” was the reply.

  As a reward Cao Cao obtained an annually grant of two thousand carts of grain for Chen Gui and the governorship of Guangling for Chen Deng, who then took his leave.

  As he was saying farewell, Cao Cao took him by the hand, saying, “I shall depend upon you in the eastern affairs.” Chen Deng nodded acquiescence. Then he returned to Lu Bu, who asked him how the visit was.

  Chen Deng told him, “My father received a generous annuity, and I was made Governor of Guangling.”

  Lu Bu enraged, saying, “You did not ask Xuzhou for me, but you got something for yourself. Your father advised me to help Cao Cao by breaking off the marriage, and now I get nothing at all of what I asked, while you and your father get everything. I have been victimized by your father.”

  He threatened Chen Deng with his sword.

  Chen Deng only laughed,
saying, “O General, how unwary you are!”

  “I, unwary?”

  “When I saw Cao Cao, I said that to keep you going was like feeding a tiger. The tiger must be kept fully fed or he would eat humans. But Cao Cao laughed and replied, 'No; not that. One must treat the Commander like a falcon. Not feed it till the foxes and hares are done. Hungry, the bird is of use; full fed it flies away.' I asked who were the quarry. He replied, 'Yuan Shu of the South of River Huai, Sun Ce of the South Land, Yuan Shao of Jizhou, Liu Biao of Jingzhou, Liu Zhang of Yiazhou, and Zhang Lu of Hanzhong; these are the foxes and hares.'“

  Lu Bu threw aside his sword and laughed, saying, “Yes; he understands me.”

  But just about that time came news of the advance of Yuan Shu on Xuzhou, and that frightened Lu Bu.

  When discord rose between Qin and Jin,

  They were attacked by Yue and Wu,

  And when a promised bride never came,

  An army marched against army to enforce the claim.

  How all this fell out will be shown in the next chapter.

  CHAPTER 17. Yuan Shu Marches Out An Army Of Seven Divisions; Cao Cao And Three Generals Join Forces

  The south of River Huai was very fruitful, and Yuan Shu, as governor of such a large territory, was very influential. He was not a little puffed up. The possession of the Imperial Hereditary Seal, pledged by Sun Ce, added to his pride. And he seriously thought of assuming the full style.

  As a preliminary he assembled all his officers and addressed them thus: “The Supreme Ancestor, the Founder of Han Dynasty, was only a very minor official, and yet he became ruler of the empire. The dynasty has endured four centuries, and its measure of fortune has run out. It no longer possesses authority; the cauldron is on the point of boiling over. My family has held the highest offices of state for four generations and is universally respected. Wherefore I wish, in response to the will of Heaven and the desire of the people, to assume the Imperial Dignity. What think ye of the proposal, my officers?”