Three Kingdoms Romance

by Guanzhong Luo

  Now after Sun Quan succeeded to the heritage of his father and brother, he sent far and wide to invite people of ability to aid him. He established lodging places for them in Kuaiji in Wu, and directed Gu Yong and Zhang Hong to welcome and entertain all those who came. And year by year they flocked in, one recommending another. Among them were Kan Ze of Kuaiji; Yan Jun of Pengcheng; Xue Yong of Beishan; Cheng Bing of Runan; Zhu Huan of Wujun; Lu Ji of the same place; Zhang Wen of Wucheng; Luo Tong of Kuaiji; and Wu Can of Wushang; and all these scholars were treated with great deference.

  Many able leaders came also. Among them were Lu Meng of Runan; Lu Xun of Wujun; Xu Sheng of Langye; Pan Zhang of Dongjun; and Ding Feng of Lujiang. Thus Sun Quan obtained the assistance of many poeple of ability both in peace and war and all went well with him.

  In the seventh year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 202), Cao Cao had broken the power of Yuan Shao. Then he sent a messenger to the South Land ordering Sun Quan to send his son to court to serve in the retinue of the Emperor. Sun Quan, however, hesitated to comply with this request, and the matter was the subject of much discussion. His mother, Lady Wu, sent for Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao and asked their advice.

  Zhang Zhao said, “Cao Cao wishes a son to be present at court as a hostage whereby he has a hold upon us, as formerly was the case with all the feudal chiefs. If we do not comply with this request, he will doubtless attack the territory. There is some peril.”

  Zhou Yu said, “Our lord has succeeded to the heritage and has a large army of veterans and ample supplies. He has able officers ready to do his bidding, and why should he be compelled to send a hostage to any perosn? To send a hostage is to be forced into joining Cao Cao, and to carry out his behests, whatever they be. Then we shall be in his power. It would be better not to send, but rather to wait patiently the course of events and prepare plans to attack.”

  “That is also my opinion,” said the Dowager.

  So Sun Quan dismissed the messenger but did not send his son. Cao Cao resented this and had since nourished schemes against the South Land. But their realization had been delayed by the dangers on the north and, so far, no attack had been made.

  Late in the eighth year (AD 203), Sun Quan led his armies against Huang Zu and fought on the Great River, where he was successful in several battles. One of Sun Quan's leaders, Ling Cao, led a fleet of light vessels up the river and broke into Xiakou but was killed by an arrow of Gan Ning, a general of Huang Zu. Ling Cao left a son, Ling Tong, fifteen years of age, who led another expedition to recover his father's corpse and was so far successful. After that, as the war was inclined to go against him, Sun Quan returned again to his own country.

  Now Sun Quan's younger brother, Sun Yi, was Governor of Dangyang. He was a hard man and given to drink and, in his cups, very harsh to his people, ordering the infliction of severe floggings. Two of his officers, Military Inspector Gui Lan and Secretary Dai Yuan, bore their chief a grudge and sought to assassinate him. They took into their confidence one Bian Hong, of the escort, and the three plotted to kill their master at a great assembly of officials at Dangyang amid the banquets.

  Sun Yi's wife, Lady Xu, was skilled in divination, and on the day of the great banquet she cast a most inauspicious lot. Wherefore she besought her husband to stay away from the assembly. But he was obstinate and went. The faithless guardsman followed his master in the dusk when the gathering dispersed, and stabbed him with a dagger.

  The two prime movers at once seized Bian Hong and beheaded him in the market place. Then they went to Sun Yi's residence, which they plundered. Gui Lan was taken with the beauty of the dead Governor's wife and told her, “I had avenged the death of your husband, and you must go with me.”

  Lady Xu pleaded, saying, “It is too soon after my husband's death to think of remarriage; but as soon as the thirty-day mourning sacrifices are over, I will be yours.”

  She thus obtained a respite, which she utilized to send for two old generals of her husband, Sun Gao and Fu Ying. They came and she tearfully told her tale. “My husband had great faith in you. Now Gui Lan and Dai Yuan have compassed his death and have laid the crime on Bian Hong. They have plundered my house and carried off my servants. Worse than this, Gui Lan insists that I shall be his wife. To gain time I have pretended to favor this proposal, and I pray you now send the news to my husband's brother and beg him to slay these two miscreants and avenge this wrong. I will never forget your kindness in this life or the next.”

  And she bowed before them.

  They wept also and said, “We were much attached to our master; and now that he has come to an untimely end, we must avenge him. Dare we not carry out your behests?”

  So they sent a trusty messenger to Sun Quan. On the day of the sacrifices Lady Xu called in her two friends and hid them in a secret chamber. Then the ceremonies were performed in the great hall. These over, she put off her mourning garb, bathed and perfumed herself, and assumed an expression of joy. She laughed and talked as usual, so that Gui Lan rejoiced in his heart, thinking of the pleasure that was to be his.

  When night came she sent a servant girl to call her suitor to the Palace, where she entertained him at supper. When he had well drunk, she suggested that they should retire and led him to the chamber where her friends were waiting. He followed without the least hesitation. As soon as she entered the room, she called out, “Where are you, Generals?”

  Out rushed Sun Gao and Fu Ying, and the drunken Gui Lan, incapable of any resistance, was dispatched with daggers.

  Next Lady Xu invited Dai Yuan to a supper, and he was slain in similar fashion. After that, she sent to the houses of her enemies and slew all therein. This done, she resumed her mourning garb, and the heads of the two men were hung as a sacrifice before the coffin of her husband.

  Very soon her brother-in-law came with an army, and hearing the story of the deeds of the two generals from the widow, gave them the commandership and put them over Dangyang. When Sun Quan left, he took the widow to his own home to pass the remainder of her days. All those who heard of her brave conduct were loud in praise of her virtue:

  Full of resource and virtuous, few in the world are like her,

  Guilefully wrought she and compassed the death of the lusty assassins,

  Faithful servants are always ready to deal with rebellion,

  None can ever excel that heroine famous in Wu.

  The brigandage that had troubled the South Land had all been suppressed, and a large fleet of seven thousand battleships was in the Great River ready for service. Sun Quan appointed Zhou Yu to be the Supreme Admiral and Commander-in-Chief over all military forces.

  In the twelfth year (AD 207), the Dowager Wu, feeling her end approaching, called to her the two advisers Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao and spoke thus: “I came of a family of the old Wu, but losing my parents in early life; my brother Wu Jing and I went into the old Yue, and then I married into this family. I bore my husband four sons, not without premonitions of the greatness to be theirs. With my first, Sun Ce, I dreamed of the moon and with my second, Sun Quan, of the sun, which omens were interpreted by the soothsayer as signs of their great honor. Unhappy Sun Ce died young, but Sun Quan inherited, and it is he whom I pray you both assist with one accord. Then may I die in peace.”

  And to her son she said, “These two you are to serve as they were your teachers and treat them with all respect. My younger sister and I both were wives to your father, and so she is also a mother to you, and you are to serve her after I am gone as you now serve me. And you must treat your sister with affection and find a handsome husband for her.”

  Then she died and her son mourned for her that year.

  The following year they began to discuss an attack upon Huang Zu.

  Zhang Zhao said, “The armies should not move during the period of mourning.”

  However, Zhou Yu, more to the point, said, “Vengeance should not be postponed on that account; it could not wait upon times and seasons.”

  Still Sun Quan halted
between two opinions and would not decide. Then came Commander Lu Meng who said to his master, “While I was at Dragon Gorge, one leader of Huang Zu, Gan Ning from Lingjiang, offered to surrender. I found out all about him. He is something of a scholar, is forceful, fond of wandering about as a knight-errant. He assembled a band of outlaws with whom he roamed over the rivers and lakes where he would terrorize everybody. He wore a bell at his waist, and at the sound of this bell every one fled and hid. He fitted his boats with sails of Xichuan brocade, and people called him the 'Pirate with Sails of Silk.'

  “Then he reformed. He and his band went to Liu Biao, but they left him when they saw he would never accomplish anything, and now they would serve under your banner, only that Huang Zu detains them at Xiakou. Formerly when you were attacking Huang Zu, he owed the recovery of Xiakou to this same Gan Ning, whom he treated without liberality. When Commander Su Fei recommended Gan Ning for promotion, Huang Zu said, 'he is unsuited for any high position as, after all, he is no more than a pirate.'

  “So Gan Ning became a disappointed and resentful man. Su Fei tried to win him over to good humor and invited him to wine parties and said, 'I have put your name forward many times, but our chief says he has no place suitable for you. However, time slips away and man's life is not very long. One must make the most of it. I will put you forward for the magistracy of Exian, whence you may be able to advance.'

  “So Gan Ning got away from Xiakou and would have come to you then, but he feared that he would not be welcomed, since he had assisted Huang Zu and killed Ling Cao. I told him you were always ready to welcome able people and would nourish no resentment for former deeds. After all, every person was bound to do his best for his master. He would come with alacrity if he only felt sure of a welcome. I pray you express your pleasure.”

  This was good news for Sun Quan and he said, “With his help I could destroy Huang Zu.”

  Then Sun Quan bade Lu Meng bring Gan Ning to see him.

  When the salutations were over, the chief said, “My heart is entirely captivated by your coming; I feel no resentment against you. I hope you will have no doubts on that score, and I may as well tell you that I desire some plan for the destruction of Huang Zu.”

  Gan Ning replied, “The dynasty is decadent and without influence. Cao Cao will finally absorb the country down to the river unless he is opposed. Liu Biao provides nothing against the future, and his sons are quite unfitted to succeed him. You should lay your plans to oust him at once before Cao Cao anticipates you. The first attack should be made on Huang Zu, who is getting old and avaricious, so that every one hates him. He is totally unprepared for a fight and his army is undisciplined. He would fall at the first blow. If he were gone, you would control the western passes and could conquer the lands of Ba and Shu [0 Lands of two ancient states in the empire.]}. And you would be securely established.”

  “The advice is most valuable,” said Sun Quan, and he made his preparations.

  Zhou Yu was appointed Commander-in-Chief; Lu Meng was Van Leader; Dong Xi and Gan Ning were Generals. Sun Quan himself would command the main army of one hundred thousand troops.

  The spies reported that Huang Zu, at the news of an expedition against him, called his officers together to consult. He placed Su Fei in chief command. He also appointed Chen Jiu and Deng Long as Van Leaders, and prepared for general defense. He had two hundreds of warships under the command of Chen Jiu and Deng Long. On these he placed strong bows and stiff crossbows to the number of more than a thousand and secured the boats to heavy hawsers so that they formed a barrier in the river.

  At the approach of the southern fleet, the drums beat for the ships to attack. Soon arrows and bolts flew thick, forcing back the invaders, who withdrew till several miles of water lay between them and the defenders.

  “We must go forward,” said Gan Ning to Dong Xi.

  So they chose a hundred light craft and put picked men on them, fifty to a boat. Twenty were to row the boats and thirty to fight. These latter were armored swordsmen. Careless of the enemy's missiles these boats advanced, got to the defenders' fleet, and cut the hawsers of their ships so that they drifted hither and thither in confusion. Gan Ning leaped upon one boat and killed Deng Long. Chen Jiu left the fleet and set out for the shore. Lu Meng dropped into a small boat and went among the larger ships setting them on fire. When Chen Jiu had nearly reached the bank, Lu Meng reckless of death went after him, got ahead, and struck him full in the breast so that he fell.

  Before long Su Fei came along the bank with reinforcements, but it was too late; the armies of the South Land had already landed, and there was no hope of repelling them. Su Fei fled into the open country, but he was made prisoner.

  Su Fei was taken to Sun Quan who ordered that he be put into a cage-cart and kept till Huang Zu should be captured. Then he would execute the pair. And the attack was pressed on; day and night they wrought to capture Xiakou.

  He sees his ships cut loose and burned,

  By the Silk-sailed Pirate he once spurned.

  For Huang Zu's fate, see next chapter.

  CHAPTER 39. At Jingzhou The Son Of Liu Biao Thrice Begs Advice; At Bowang Slope The Directing Instructor Plans His First Battle.

  Now Sun Quan fought against Xiakou. When Huang Zu recognized that he was beaten and could not maintain his position, he abandoned Jiangxia and took the road to Jingzhou. Gan Ning, foreseeing this, had laid an ambush outside the east gate of Jiangxia. Soon after the fugitive, with a small following, had burst out of the gate, he found his road blocked.

  From horseback, Huang Zu said, “I treated you well in the past; why do you now press me so hard?”

  Gan Ning angrily shouted, “I did good service for you, and yet you treated me as a pirate. Now what have you to say?”

  There was nothing to be said, and Huang Zu turned his horse to escape. But Gan Ning thrust aside his troops and himself rode in pursuit. Then he heard a shouting in his rear and saw General Cheng Pu coming up. Fearing lest this other pursuer should overpass him and score the success he desired for himself, Gan Ning fitted an arrow to his bow and shot at the fugitive. Huang Zu was hit and fell from his steed. Then Gan Ning cut off his head. After this, joining himself to Cheng Pu, the two returned bearing the ghastly trophy to their lord. Sun Quan ordered them to place it in a box to be taken back home and offered as a sacrifice to the manes of his father.

  Having rewarded the soldiers for the victory and promoted Gan Ning, Sun Quan next discussed the advisability of sending a force to hold Jiangxia.

  But his adviser, Zhang Zhao, said, “It is impossible to try to hold one distant city alone. It is better to return home and prepare for the expedition that Liu Biao will surely send in revenge. We will meet and defeat his worn army, push home the attack, and capture his whole region.”

  Sun Quan saw the advice was wise, so he left Jiangxia and led his army home to the South Land.

  Now Su Fei was still confined, but he got some one to go to Gan Ning to beg him to plead for mercy. Gan Ning had expected this although the prisoner had said no word, and he was averse from leaving his friend and one-time protector to perish.

  “I should not have forgotten him even if he had said nothing,” said Gan Ning.

  When the army had returned, Sun Quan gave orders for Su Fei's execution that his head might be offered with that of Huang Zu.

  Then Gan Ning went in to his lord and said, weeping, “Long ago, if it had not been for Su Fei, my bones would have been rotting in some ditch and how then could I have rendered service under your banner? Now he deserves death, but I cannot forget his kindness to me, and I pray you take away the honors you have bestowed on me as a set-off to his crime.”

  Sun Quan replied, “Since he once showed kindness to you, I will pardon him for your sake. But what can be done if he run away?”

  “If he be pardoned and escape death, he will be immeasurably grateful and will not go away. If he should, then will I offer my life in exchange.”

  So the con
demned man escaped death, and only one head was offered in sacrifice. After the sacrificial ceremonies, a great banquet was spread in honor of the victories. As it was proceeding, suddenly one of the guests burst into loud lamentations, drew his sword, and rushed upon Gan Ning. Gan Ning hastily rose and defended himself with the chair on which he had been sitting. The host looked at the assailant and saw it was Ling Tong, whose father Ling Cao had fallen under an arrow shot by Gan Ning. The son was now burning to avenge his father's death.

  Hastily leaving his place, Sun Quan checked the angry officer, saying, “If he slew your noble father, then remember each was fighting for his lord for whom he was bound to exert himself to the utmost. But now that you both are under one flag and are of one house, you may not recall an ancient injury. You must regard my interests continually.”

  Ling Tong beat his head upon the floor and cried, saying, “But how can I not avenge this? It is a blood feud and we may not both live under the same sky.”

  The guests interfered, beseeching the man to forgo his revenge, and at last he ceased from his murderous intention. But he sat glaring wrathfully at his enemy.

  So soon after Gan Ning was dispatched with five thousand troops and one hundred warships to guard Xiakou, where he was beyond the reach of Ling Tong's wrath. Then Sun Quan promoted Ling Tong, and so he was somewhat appeased.

  From about this time the South Land enlarged her fleets, and soldiers were sent to various points to guard the river banks. The brother of the chieftain, Sun Kuang, was placed in command at Wujun, and Sun Quan himself, with a large army, camped at Chaisang.

  Zhou Yu, Commander-in-Chief of the army and Supreme Admiral of the navy, was on the Poyang Lake training the naval forces, and general preparations were made for defense and attack.

  By his spies, Liu Bei had tidings of the doings in the lower portion of the Great River, and knew of the death of Huang Zu. So he consulted Zhuge Liang as to his action. While they were discussing matters, there arrived a messenger from Liu Biao, begging Liu Bei to go to see him.