Three Kingdoms Romance

by Guanzhong Luo

  He bade Zhang Bao prepare an altar whereon to sacrifice the heads of his father's assassins. When he opened the box and saw the fresh features of Zhang Fei, he broke into wailing for the dead. Then the son hewed Fan Jiang and Zhang Da in pieces and offered them upon the altar.

  But this sacrifice did not appease the First Ruler's anger, and he still desired to destroy Wu. Whereupon Ma Liang remonstrated.

  “Your enemies are now all dead: you are avenged. Wu has sent a high officer with large concessions and awaits your reply.”

  But the First Ruler angrily replied, “The one I would grind to pieces is Sun Quan. To act as he proposes and enter into alliance would be treachery to my two brothers and a breach of our oath. Now I will exterminate Wu, and Wei shall follow.”

  He wished also to put the messenger to death to annihilate all emotions with Wu, but relented when his officers insistently interceded.

  Poor Cheng Bing ran off terrified, glad to escape with life. He went back and told the Prince of Wu how implacable his enemy seemed.

  Said he, “The Ruler of Shu, not listening to words of peace, was determined to level Wu before attacking Wei. Those under him protested in vain. What is to be done?”

  Sun Quan was frightened and bewildered.

  Seeing this, Kan Ze stepped forward and said, “Since there is a sky-supporting pillar, why not use it?”

  “Whom do you refer to?” asked Sun Quan. “You once had perfect confidence in Zhou Yu, and he was followed by Lu Su, equally able. Lu Meng succeeded and you pinned your faith upon him. Though now Lu Meng is dead, yet there is Lu Xun. And he is quite near, in Jingzhou. He is reputed to be a scholar, but really he is a bold and capable man, no whit inferior to Zhou Yu, in my opinion. The plan that broke Guan Yu was his. If anyone can destroy Shu, it is he. If he fails, then I will stand the same punishment as may be his.”

  “If you had not spoken thus, my whole scheme might have gone amiss,” said Sun Quan.

  “Lu Xun is a student,” said Zhang Zhao. “He is no match for Liu Bei. You may not use him.”

  Gu Yong also said, “He is too young and too inexperienced. I fear he will not be obeyed, and that will be mischievous.”

  Bu Zhi also said, “He is well enough to control a region, but he is not fit for a big matter.”

  Kan Ze got desperate, shouting, “It is the only hope. I will guarantee him with the lives of all my house!”

  “I know he is able,” said Sun Quan, “and I have now made up my mind he is the man. Gentlemen, that is enough.”

  Lu Xun was called home. Lu Xun was originally named Lu Yi. He was a native of Wu County in Wu, grandson of Lu Jun, who was Commandant of the City Gates, and son of Lu Yu, Commander of Jiujiang. He was eight spans in height, with a beautiful face, like the finest jade.

  When Lu Xun arrived at court and made his bow, Sun Quan said to him, “I wish to send you in supreme command of all the forces against Shu.”

  “Sir, you have numerous old and tried officers under your command; I am very young and not at all clever,” replied Lu Xun.

  “Kan Ze goes bail for you and pledges his whole house. Moreover, I know your abilities. You must be Commander-in-Chief and may not refuse the appointment.”

  “But what will happen if the officers do not support me?”

  “Here is authority!” said Sun Quan, taking his own sword from his side and giving it to Lu Xun. “Slay the disobedient and report afterwards.”

  “I am grateful for this proof of confidence, but I dare not accept forthwith. I pray you assemble all the officers and confer the office upon me in their presence.”

  Said Kan Ze, “The ancient fashion was to set up a platform and thereon present to the leader-elect a white yak's tail and a golden ax with the seal of office and commission. Thereafter his dignity and the reverence due from others were beyond all question. It would be well, O Prince, to follow the old rule. Choose a good day and appoint Lu Xun before all the world, and no one will refuse support.”

  An altar was begun at once. They worked at it day and night, and as soon as it was finished a great assembly was called. Then Lu Xun was requested to ascend and make his bow on receiving his appointment as Commander-in-Chief, Leader of the Senior, General Who Guards the West, and Lord of Fenglou. The sword of authority and the seal of office were presented. His powers extended over the six territories and the eighty-one counties of the South Land, over the forces in Jingzhou and Wu. And in charging him Sun Quan said, “Domestic affairs belong to me; outer affairs are under your direction.”

  Lu Xun then descended. He chose Xu Sheng and Ding Feng as commanders of his guards, and the army lost no time in taking the field. The various dispositions of horse and foot were made, and dispatches were sent to the outlying commanders.

  When the dispatch reached Han Dang and Zhou Tai, who were camping near Xiaoting, they were alarmed, saying, “Why did the Prince appoint a mere bookish student to the commandership of all armed forces?”

  So when the new Commander-in-Chief came, they showed their discontent by a lack of hearty support. Lu Xun went to his tent to receive the reports, and there the majority of the officers manifested only sullen respect and unwilling deference.

  Then Lu Xun addressed them, saying, “By order of my superior I am Commander-in-Chief, and my commission is to destroy Shu. You, gentlemen, all know the ordinary military rules, and you would do well to obey them. The law is no respecter of persons, as those who disobey will find out. Do not have to regret when it is too late.”

  They nodded in sullen acquiescence. Then Zhou Tai said, “There is Sun Huan, nephew of our Prince; he is surrounded at Yiling and is short of food. I venture to request you to send relief to him and get him out, so that the Prince's heart may be comforted.”

  “I know all about him. His soldiers are faithful, and he can easily maintain his position. There is no need to go to his aid. When Shu is broken, he will be free to come out.”

  They all sniggered as they left the tent, and Han Dang did not fail to express his contempt for the newly appointed Commander-in-Chief.

  “This will be the end of Wu,” said he to his colleague. “Did you note what he said?”

  “I tried him just to see what he would do,” said Zhou Tai. “You see he had no plan ready; he destroys Shu indeed!”

  Next day general orders were issued for defense and prohibitions against giving battle, which provoked more laughter at the incapable pedant, as they thought him in command, and secret resolves to disobey. Moreover, the officers showed their contempt by a general disregard of orders.

  So once more Lu Xun assembled them and said, “You know I am in command; yet the recent orders for defense have been disregarded. Why?”

  Then Han Dang spoke up, “Some of us followed General Sun Ce when he first subdued the South Land. Others won fame in destroying rebels, or in following the present Prince in his campaigns. All of us have donned our armors and gripped our weapons in many a bloody fight. Now, Sir, you have been placed in supreme command to repulse Shu, and there should be some plan of campaign made for us at once, some dispositions of our forces, and some definite advance toward that end. Instead of that we are told to strengthen our defenses and are forbidden to fight. What are we to wait for? Will Heaven destroy our opponents for us? We are not afraid to die. Why is our keenness left to be eaten away and our energies wasted in idleness?'

  All the others applauded this speech and cried that the speaker had expressed their own ideas. “General Han Dang just says what we think: let us fight a decisive battle,” they cried.

  The new general waited till the uproar had subsided; then drawing his sword, he shouted, “That I am a student is true. But I have been entrusted with a great task, a task for which the Prince of Wu considers me competent and for the performance of which I am prepared to bear all the responsibilities. As for you, you will do well to act on the defensive as I ordered and not allow yourselves to be led astray into any attacks. And I shall put the disobedient to death!”<
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  This speech had little effect, and they dispersed grumbling and murmuring.

  Meanwhile the Ruler of Shu had made a long chain of forty camps from Xiaoting to the borders of the Lands of Rivers, spreading out two hundred miles. These base camps looked very imposing with their fluttering banners by day and their fires at night.

  Then the spies came in and reported: “Wu appointed Lu Xun as Commander-in-Chief. Lu Xun ordered his commanders to defend strategic points and not to engage in battle.”

  “What sort of a man is this Lu Xun?” said the First Ruler.

  “He is a scholar among the people of Wu, and, though young, he is very talented,” replied Ma Liang. “His schemes are very deep. He was the author of the villainous and crafty plan of attack on Jingzhou.”

  “His crafty scheme caused the deaths of my brothers; but now I shall have him,” said the First Ruler angrily.

  He gave orders to advance. But Ma Liang ventured to remonstrate and dissuade him.

  “Be very careful;” said he, “this Lu Xun is no whit inferior to Zhou Yu.”

  “I have grown old in the field,” said the Emperor. “Don't you think me a match for this callow youth?”

  He confirmed the order to go forward, and they attacked passes and fords and redoubts wherever they were.

  Han Dang notified his chief of the movement of the Shu army, and Lu Xun, still rather dubious of the strict obedience to his orders, hastened to the point of danger. He found Han Dang on a hill surveying the enemy's force, which advanced like a great wave. Amidst the army they saw a wide yellow umbrella, and Han Dang pointed it out.

  “That must be Liu Bei,” said he. “I should like to kill him.”

  “Careful,” said Lu Xun. “So far he has scored victory after victory, and his soldiers are very keen and confident. Maintain a careful defense on high grounds and do not go out to battle. If you do, you will lose. Impress that upon your officers and soldiers and make them understand the strategy while you follow the enemy's moves. They are hastening into the wide open space, and I do not wish to hinder them. Nor will I accept any challenge to battle, but wait till they have moved their camps into the forest and among the trees. Then I shall have a scheme ready.”

  Han Dang agreed so far as words went, but in his heart he was still ill-conditioned. When the Shu army drew near, a small force came to challenge. They shouted all sorts of abuse and hurled reproaches to put their opponents to shame, but Lu Xun took no notice and bade his troops stop their ears. He would not allow them to go out to battle, but he went from fort to redoubt, encouraging the soldiers to remain carefully on the defensive.

  The First Ruler's heart burned within him at this refusal to come out to battle.

  Said Ma Liang, “Lu Xun is a deep and crafty fellow. He recognizes the disadvantages of Your Majesty's troops in being far from their base, and from spring to autumn he will not come out to fight till some move occurs that he may profit by.”

  “What ruse can he be contemplate?” said the First Ruler. “The real fact is that he is afraid. Their army has suffered nothing but defeat times and again. They dare not meet us.”

  One day the leader of the van, Feng Xi, memorialized the First Ruler, saying, “The weather is scorching, and the troops are camped in the full glare of sun. Beside, water is scarce and hard to get.”

  Thereupon orders were given to move the camps into the shade of the forest close by and near the streams till the summer heats should have passed. This order given, Feng Xi moved the camp to a retired and shady spot for his troops.

  Ma Liang said, “If our soldiers move, the enemy will rush out on us and we shall be hard set.”

  “I will provide for that,” said the First Ruler. “I will send Wu Ban with ten thousand of our inferior troops to camp near their lines. But I will choose eight thousand of veterans and place them in ambush. Wu Ban will have orders to flee before the soldiers of Wu and lead them into my ambush if they come out, and I will cut off their retreat. We ought to capture this precocious youth.”

  “A genius in plans, a marvel of prevision!” cried ail those about him as this plan was unfolded. “None of us can approach him in cleverness.”

  So they felicitated their ruler.

  But Ma Liang said, “They say the Prime Minister is on a tour of inspection of the defenses in the eastern portion of Shu, seeing that they are in good order against any attack on the part of Wei. Why not send him a sketch of your present dispositions of troops and ask his opinion?”

  “I also am not entirely ignorant of the art of war, and I see no reason to seek advice,” was the cold reply.

  “There is an old saying about hearing both sides,” said Ma Liang.

  “Well, then you go round to all the camps and make a map and take it to the Prime Minister. If he finds any fault, you may come and tell me.”

  So Ma Liang went, while the First Ruler busied himself with getting his army into shelter from the fierce heat of summer.

  His move was no secret, and the scouts soon told Han Dang and Zhou Tai, who rejoiced at the news and soon went to tell Lu Xun.

  “All the enemies' forty camps had been moved into the shade. Now, Sir, you can attack!” said they.

  That was not a bad plan, an ambush to set,

  Thus thought he his chiefest opponent to get.

  Whether Lu Xun acted upon the suggestion of his subordinates will be seen in the next chapter.

  CHAPTER 84. Lu Xun Burns All Consecutive Camps; Zhuge Liang Plans The Eight-Array Maze.

  The last chapter closed with the report that the First Ruler had shifted camp in search of cool shade, and the news was very welcome to Lu Xun. He went forthwith to assure himself of the truth of the report and observe the new position. A level plain lay at his feet, whereon he saw something short of ten thousand Shu troops, the greater part of whom appeared invalids. On the banner of their leader he read the name “Van Leader Wu Ban”.

  “We consider these troops children,” said Zhou Tai. “Let me and General Han Dang go out and smite them. I will give the formal guarantee of victory.”

  The Commander-in-Chief made no reply, but remained gazing out before him. Presently he said, “It seems to me that an air of slaughter is rising over there from that valley; surely there is an ambush there. These poor troops in the foreground are nothing but a bait. No, Gentlemen; do not leave your positions.”

  Those who heard this took it only as another proof of the imbecility of their pedant commander.

  Next day Wu Ban's soldiers approached closer and challenged to battle, swaggering about and brandishing their weapons and shouting volleys of abuse without end. They manifested contempt by throwing off their armor and clothing and moving to and fro with the utmost carelessness, bare bodies and naked forms, blatantly unready to fight. Some even sat or lay asleep.

  Xu Sheng and Ding Feng came to the commander's tent to complain, saying, “Those Shu soldiers despise us so much. Let us go out and punish them!”

  But Lu Xun only smiled, saying, “You see everything from the point of view of brute courage. You seem not to know the principles of war laid down by Sun Zi and Wu Qi. This display is only meant to entice us into fight. You will see the pretense yourselves in about three days.”

  “In three days the change of camp will be complete, and the enemy will be too strongly posted for our success,” said they.

  “I am just letting them move their camp.”

  Xu Sheng and Ding Feng left the tent also sniggering. But on the third day the officers were assembled at a look-out point whence they saw that Wu's army had left.

  “There is still a deadly look over the valley,” said Lu Xun. “Liu Bei will soon appear.”

  Very soon they saw a whole army all well accoutered pass across the field escorting the First Ruler. And the sight took away all their courage.

  “That is why I would not listen to those of you who wanted to fight Wu Ban,” said Lu Xun. “Now that the ambush has been withdrawn, we can settle them in about t
en days.”

  “The proper time to attack was when they began to transfer their camp. Now they are fully established with encampments stretching two hundred miles. Having spent seven or eight months in strengthening where they might be attacked, will it not be difficult to destroy them?” said they.

  “I see you do not understand how to carry on war. This man Liu Bei is a capable and crafty man. When he first started on this expedition his methods were of the best, and he kept to them for a long time, so we gave him no chance against us. When his troops are worn out and his thoughts cease to be clear, that will be our day to attack.”

  At last they agreed with their chief.

  The general discoursed on war,

  According to the book;

  Right craftily the bait for whales

  Was put upon the hook.

  When kingdoms three were carved out,

  Though famous men were many,

  Lu Xun of Wu

  At least stands high as any.

  Lu Xun had already had the plan whereby the Shu army was to be crushed, and at this stage he wrote to the Prince of Wu in full details, even naming a day for the victory.

  “We have found another remarkably able leader,” said the Prince, “and I have no further anxiety. They all said he was a useless pedant, and only I knew better. Reading this letter shows him nothing at all of a pedant.”

  Then the Prince of Wu mustered the remainder of his soldiers to hold in reserve.

  Meanwhile the First Ruler had sent orders to hasten the marines down the river and take up stations along the banks deep in the territory of Wu.

  However, Huang Quan spoke against this, saying, “It is easy enough for the ships to go a down, but how about returning? Let me make the first advance, and Your Majesty may follow. That will make it more than probable that nothing will go wrong.”

  “Those Wu enemy are afraid,” objected the ruler, “and I want to make a dash at them. Where is the difficulty?”

  Though many others had spoken against the proposal, the First Ruler did not give up the notion of going into the forefront of the attack. Then dividing the army into two portions, he placed Huang Quan in command on the North of the Great River, to keep a watch on Wei, while he commanded on the South of the Great River. They made encampments and stations along the bank.