Three Kingdoms Romance

by Guanzhong Luo

  “Wu and Wei have no fundamental quarrel, and their dissension has been brought about by Liu Bei. My master sends me to covenant with you for an attack on Jingzhou, while he goes against Hanzhong. This double attack being successful, the conquered country can be divided between us two, and we can both swear to respect each other's territory.”

  Having read the letter, Sun Quan prepared a banquet in honor of Man Chong and then sent him to the guest-house to rest while he discussed the matter with his council of advisers.

  Said Gu Yong, “Although the messenger's speech was all special pleading, it was correct in form. I propose that the messenger be allowed to return and that a covenant be made with Cao Cao for joint attack. In addition, let spies be sent over the Great River to find out Guan Yu's movements, and then we may act.”

  Zhuge Jin said, “I hear that since Guan Yu has been in Jingzhou, Liu Bei has found him a wife, who has borne him a son and a daughter. The daughter is too young to have been betrothed, wherefore let me go to ask her in marriage with your heir. If Guan Yu agrees, then we can arrange with him to attack Cao Cao. If Guan Yu refuses, then let us aid Cao Cao in an attack on Jingzhou.”

  Sun Quan took this advice. So he sent Man Chong away and sent Zhuge Jin to Jingzhou to try to arrange the betrothal. Zhuge Jin was received; and when the time came to state the reason for his coming, Guan Yu asked him, “What have you come for, Zhuge Jin?”

  “I have come seeking to ally the two houses. My master, the Marquis of Wu, has a son who is quite clever. Hearing that you have a daughter, General, I ask her in marriage, hereby the two houses may join in an attack on Cao Cao. This would be an admirable result, and I pray you consider the proposal.”

  But the warrior flared up.

  “How can my tiger's daughter marry with a dog's whelp? Were it not for your brother, I would take your head. Say no more!”

  Guan Yu called his servants to hustle forth the hapless messenger, who ran away with his hands over his head, too astonished to look any one in the face. And reaching his own place, he dared not hide the manner of his reception, but told the whole truth.

  “What ruffianism!” exclaimed the Marquis.

  Thereupon Sun Quan ordered the council again to consider an attack on Jingzhou.

  Bu Zhi rose and said, “It has been long manifest that Cao Cao wishes to usurp the Throne, but he is afraid of Liu Bei. Now we are to attack Shu with an army, and Cao Cao want to shift the misfortune to us indeed.” “But I also want the place,” said Sun Quan.

  Said Bu Zhi, “Cao Ren is already camped at Fankou and Xiangyang and in no danger from the river. If Cao Cao can take Jingzhou by land, why does he not take it? However, he wants you, my lord, to send your army, and you can judge his real intention from this. Send to Cao Cao and tell him to make Cao Ren attack by land. Then Guan Yu must take the army from Jingzhou to Fankou. When Guan Yu has left Jingzhou, you can send an army to seize it.”

  Sun Quan thought the scheme good and sent letters with these proposals to Cao Cao. Cao Cao adopted the plan, and having sent the messenger back to the South Land, he next sent Man Chong to help Cao Ren at Fankou as Assistant Adviser in the matter of attack. He also sent dispatches to the South Land to ask for the assistance of Sun Quan's marine force.

  Having laid on Wei Yan the task of holding the Eastern Land of Rivers, the Prince of Hanzhong, with his officers, returned to Chengdu and began to set his new house in order. A palace was begun and public guest-houses were built, and between Chengdu and Baishui, at selected places, they built four hundred rest-houses and post stations. The Prince of Hanzhong also set himself to accumulate great stores of grain and forage and to till his arsenals with weapons with the design of mastering the capital in the north and the whole empire.

  Then his spies told him of the treaty between Cao Cao and Sun Quan, with designs upon Jingzhou, and he hastily called in Zhuge Liang to ask what should be done.

  “I felt that Cao Cao would try to do this,” said Zhuge Liang, “and most of the advisers in the South Land will persuade Cao Cao to order Cao Ren to begin the campaign.”

  “But what am I to do?” asked the Prince.

  “First send a special messenger to Guan Yu with his new title, telling him to capture Fankou, which will so damp the ardor of the enemy that they will break off themselves.”

  Therefore Liu Bei sent Fei Shi, a minister from his Board of War, to take the patent of the new title to Guan Yu, who received the delegate with great deference and conducted him into the city. After they had arrived at the official residence, Guan Yu inquired what new title had been conferred upon him.

  “The First of the Five Tiger Generals,” replied Fei Shi.

  “And who are the five?”

  “Their names are Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong.”

  “The second is my brother,” said Guan Yu. “Ma Chao comes of a famous family, and Zhao Yun has been with my elder brother so long that he is as a brother. It is right for them to be put on a level with me. But what sort of a man is this Huang Zhong that he is ranked with us? The really great man does not stand shoulder to shoulder with any old soldier that comes along.”

  And Guan Yu refused both title and seal.

  “You do wrong to refuse,” said Fei Shi. “Of old, Xiao He and Cao Shen helped Liu Bang, the Founder of the Han Dynasty, in his great enterprise and were very dear friends, while Han Xin was but a runaway leader from Chu. Yet Liu Bang made Han Xin a prince, and so placed over the heads of the other two. I have never heard that these two resented it. The Prince of Hanzhong has his Five Tiger Generals, but he is still your brother and all that that means. As his brother, you are he and he is you. Is there any comparison with any other? The Prince has always treated you with the greatest kindness. You two are one in sorrow and joy, sharers of disaster and good fortune. No such question as that of a mere title ought to reckon at all. I pray you, Sir, reflect.”

  Guan Yu understood, and thanked Fei Shi, saying, “You have prevented me from making a great mistake due to my ignorance.”

  Guan Yu then received the seal with all humility.

  Next Fei Shi produced the edict ordering the capture of Fankou. Guan Yu lost no time in obeying its command. He appointed Fu Shiren and Mi Fang Leaders of the Van to take the first army out of the city into camp. This done, a banquet was prepared for Fei Shi, and they sat late at their wine. While still at table there was an alarm of fire in the new camp, and Guan Yu hastened out of the city to see. He found that the two generals had also been feasting, and the fire had started behind their tent, a spark having fallen into some explosives, whence it spread and destroyed the whole camp and all that was in it. Guan Yu and his soldiers did what they could to put out the fire and then reentered the city. There Guan Yu summoned the two generals before him, abused them for their lack of care, and sentenced them to death.

  However, Fei Shi interceded for them, saying, “It is not well to put two leaders to death at the beginning of a campaign, before even the army has marched. You might reprieve them at least.”

  Guan Yu's anger had by no means subsided, but he recalled the two generals and said, “Were it not that I have the greatest regard for Chairman Fei Shi here, I had let the sentence take its course. Now I will only flog you.”

  So the two officers received forty blows each and were degraded from leading the van. Their seals were taken away, and Mi Fang was sent to Nanjun, Fu Shiren to Gongan.

  “Now be warned,” said Guan Yu. “If, when I return from my victories, there is the least sign of disorder on your part, you will suffer for both faults.”

  The two men flushed crimson and went out.

  Then two new officers were appointed, Liao Hua and Guan Ping. Next Guan Yu took command of the main army, and he had two advisers — Ma Liang and Yi Ji. Then it was that Hu Hua's son, Hu Ban, came to Jingzhou and joined Guan Yu, who loved him for the sake of his father and the good service Hu Ban had rendered when he saved Guan Yu. Guan Yu sent Hu Ban to the Prince of
Hanzhong in the train of Fei Shi.

  The day that Guan Yu sacrificed to his standard before starting, he was lying in his tent resting when suddenly there dashed into his tent a huge boar, very large, as big as a bullock and quite black. It bit his foot. He jumped up to kill the creature, when it squealed with the sound of tearing cloth — and he awoke. It was a dream, but he had a pain in his foot.

  The dream perplexed him, and he could not explain it. He related it to his son, who interpreted it happily, saying, “The boar is a royal beast, like the dragon, and coming to your feet means a rise of your dignity.”

  When the dream got noised abroad, for he told his officers, some interpreted it as auspicious and some the reverse. “When a person nears sixty, he ought not to be greatly disturbed by the thought of death,” said Guan Yu. “After all, I am a warrior.”

  Just about that time came an edict from the Prince of Hanzhong making him Commanding General, with honorable insignia of rank and control over the nine territories of forty-one counties in Jingzhou. When the officers congratulated him on his new honors, they did not forget the dream.

  “This shows what a dream of boars means.”

  This new distinction pleased Guan Yu greatly, and he had no more perplexing doubts. Soon he marched away along the great road to the point of danger.

  Cao Ren was in Xiangyang when he heard that Guan Yu was coming against him. He was much put about, and inclined to trust solely to defense. But his next command, Zhai Yuan, did not support this course and argued against it.

  “The Prince of Wei has ordered you to act in concert with Wu and take Jingzhou. For the other side to come against such a combination is to walk in the way of death; certainly we have no occasion to avoid a conflict.”

  On the other hand the newly sent Adviser Man Chong inculcated caution. Said he, “Guan Yu is brave and cunning and one not to be met lightly. I think defense is best.”

  Then General Xiahou Cun said contemptuously, “This is all the talk of a lot of book-folk. When the flood approaches, bank up to keep it out. Let the enemy come with their tired soldiers, and we shall go out, defeat them, and receive our reward, for we are sure of victory.”

  Cao Ren was won over to the side of those of action. He placed Man Chong in command of the defenses while he went outside to beat off Guan Yu. When the two forces met, Guan Yu called to his side Guan Ping and Liao Hua, to whom he gave certain orders. These two advanced, settled their array, and Liao Hua then rode out and offered a challenge. Zhai Yuan accepted it; but soon after the combat began, Liao Hua made as if he was defeated and turned to leave the field. Zhai Yuan went after him. The Jingzhou troops retired seven miles or so.

  Soon the Jingzhou soldiers came again and offered battle, when Xiahou Cun and Zhai Yuan both went out. The maneuver of the preceding day was repeated, and the Jingzhou army retreated another seven miles. But suddenly there was a detonation behind the army of Cao Cao, and the rolling of drums as for attack. Cao Ren hastily called upon his troops to return. They did so; but Guan Ping and Liao Hua then turned and followed on their heels so that the troops of Cao Cao were thrown into confusion.

  Cao Ren by this time had seen that a trap had been laid and he had fallen therein, so he hastily marched with one army to Xiangyang. He got to within a short distance of the city when he saw before him a handsome banner waving in the wind, and out came Guan Yu with his green-dragon saber ready to slay. Cao Ren was powerless from fear, and, fighting being impossible, he turned off in a diagonal direction for Xiangyang.

  Then Xiahou Cun came. He fell into a rage at the sight of the old warrior and went to fight him. But Xiahou Cun was slain in the first encounter. Zhai Yuan fled, but Guan Ping pursued and slew him. Then the pursuit was continued, and the loss of Cao Cao's side was very heavy. More than half were drowned in River Xiang. This phase ended with Cao Ren fleeing to Fankou and Guan Yu in possession of Xiangyang.

  “You have obtained this city very easily,” said the Marching General, Wang Fu, “but the task is not ended. Cao Cao's army have been beaten and their courage broken, but there is danger from the side of Wu. Lu Meng is at Lukou, and he has long cherished the desire to lay hands on Jingzhou. Suppose he now attacks; what will happen?”

  “I was even thinking of that myself. You may go and attend to this matter. You will certainly be able to find certain elevated spots on the river bank, about seven miles apart, suitable for alarm beacons, whence could be signaled any attempt of the marines of Wu to cross the river. Fifty soldiers could guard each station. Let there be a flame by night and a smoke by day. If they cross the river, I must go and smite them.”

  Wang Fu replied, “Fu Shiren and Mi Fang are defending important places, but they may not be able to defend the Passes well. There ought to be a commander-in-chief over Jingzhou City.”

  “There is no need for anxiety; Army Inspector Pan Jun is guarding the city.”

  “The objection is the character of Pan Jun. He is jealous and selfish and not a fit person for the task. I think you would do well to replace him by Zhao Lei, now of the Chief of the Commissariat. Zhao Lei is loyal, trusty, clean-handed, and straight, a much more desirable man for the post.”

  “I know Pan Jun very well, but I have delegated him for that duty and cannot change now. The work Zhao Lei has to do in the supplies is also most important. I do not think you need be anxious. Just get along with those beacons for me.”

  Wang Fu, annoyed, took his leave. Then Guan Ping was bidden to prepare ships ready to cross the river and attack Fankou, whither Cao Ren had retired after his defeat.

  Now Cao Ren said to Man Chong, “Neglecting your advice, I lost my soldiers, my two generals, and the city of Xiangyang. What am I to do now?”

  “Guan Yu is very dangerous, too brave and skillful for us to try to defeat. We would better remain on the defensive,” replied Man Chong.

  Just about this time came the tidings that Guan Yu was crossing the river on the way to attack. Man Chong maintained his policy of defense. But one of Cao Ren's generals, Lu Chang, was for going out to meet the enemy.

  “I ask for a few thousand troops,” said Lu Chang, “and I will meet the enemy on the way.”

  “You cannot do any good,” said Man Chong.

  “According to the advice of you and the other bookish officials, there is only one thing to do. But will defense drive off the enemy? The proper way is to attack your enemy while he is crossing a river, and as Guan Yu is doing that now, why not attack? It will be quite another matter if you let him reach the walls and get possession of the moat.”

  As a result of his arguments and protest, Lu Chang got command of two thousand troops, whom he led to the river. And there he found Guan Yu already arrayed for battle. Guan Yu at once rode out, and the bold Lu Chang was going to attack him. But his soldiers were panic-stricken at the sight of Guan Yu's fierce countenance and ran away. Lu Chang called them to come back, but they would not stop, and as Guan Yu came on with a rush, the army of Cao Cao again lost the day. Many were slain, and the remainder ran into Fankou. Cao Ren sent off a hasty messenger for help and a letter to Xuchang to tell what Guan Yu had done and how Fankou was in imminent danger of falling.

  The letter reached Cao Cao, who chose a certain general among his leaders and assigned the task, “You go and defend Fankou!”

  The man at once stepped out and accepted the assignment.

  The man was Yu Jin.

  “Let me have another general to lead the van,” said Yu Jin.

  “Who volunteers?” asked Cao Cao, looking around.

  “I do;” cried a man, “I will give my poor services for what they are worth. And I will capture this fellow Guan Yu and bring him as an offering before your standard.”

  The soldiers of Wei began the war

  Even before Wu had sent out armies.

  But who was the man bold enough to say he would capture Guan Yu? For his name see the next chapter.

  CHAPTER 74. Pang De Takes His Coffin On A Decisive Campaign; Guan Yu
Drowns The Seven Armies.

  The bold and self-confident leader of Cao Cao's army who promised to make an end of Guan Yu was Pang De. Cao Cao was glad to find such a man.

  “That fellow Guan Yu has a great reputation, and in the whole country he has no rival. He has not met his match yet, but now you are going, he will find all his work cut out.”

  So spoke Cao Cao. He conferred on Yu Jin the title of General Who Corrects the South and on Pang De that of General Who Corrects the West, and he made Pang De Leader of the Van. The two generals marched out with their seven armies to Fankou.

  These seven armies were composed of sturdy fellows from the north, led by two of their own commanders named Dong Heng and Dong Chao. Hearing who was to command them, these two, supported by their generals, went to see Yu Jin and represented that the Leader of the Van was unsuitable.

  Dong Heng said, “Sir General, the expedition you lead is for the relief of Fankou, and it can confidently expect victory, but is it not unwise to place such as Pang De in command of the van?”

  “Why?” said Yu Jin, surprised.

  “Because Pang De was once under the command of Ma Chao. He had no alternative but to surrender and fight for Wei. But his former chief is now in high honor in Shu, one of the Five Tiger Generals, and his own brother Pang Rou is there, too, as an officer. To send Pang De as Leader of the Van just now seems like trying to extinguish a fire with oil. Would it not be well to inform the Prince of Wei and ask him to exchange this man for another?”

  Without further argument or delay, Yu Jin went to see the Prince and laid before him the objections to Pang De's appointment. As soon as Cao Cao understood, he summoned Pang De to the steps and bade him yield his seal as Leader of the Van.

  “O Prince, why do you reject my services? I was just about to do my best for you.”

  “I do not doubt you, but Ma Chao is now in the west, and your brother also; both in the service of Liu Bei. I myself have no doubts, but it is what all the crowd are saying. What can I do?”