Three Kingdoms Romance

by Guanzhong Luo

  “A man of false reputation and very ordinary ability,” said Sima Yi. “If Zhuge Liang uses such as Ma Su, he will fail.”

  Then he asked if there were any other camps near the place, and they told him Wang Ping was about three miles off. Wherefore Zhang He was ordered to go and check Wang Ping from coming to rescue.

  This done, Sima Yi ordered Shen Yi and Shen Dan to surround the hill and to block the road to the water supply. Lack of water would cause a mutiny; and when that occurred, it would be time to attack. Zhang He marched out and placed himself between Wang Ping and the hill. Then Sima Yi led the main body to attack the hill on all sides.

  From the summit of his hill, Ma Su could see the banners of his enemy all round, and the country about was full of soldiers. Presently the hemming in was complete, and the soldiers of Shu became dejected. They dared not descend to attack although Ma Su hoisted the red flag signaling for them to move. The generals stood huddled together, no one daring to go first. Ma Su was furious. He cut down two generals, which frightened the others to the point of descending and making one desperate rush. But the troops of Wei would stand firm against their attack, and they reascended the hill.

  Ma Su saw that matters were going ill, so he issued orders to bar the gates and defend till help should come from outside.

  When Wang Ping saw the hill surrounded, he started to go to the rescue, but Zhang He checked him, and after exchanging some ten encounters Wang Ping was compelled to retire whence he had come.

  The Wei troops kept a close siege. The Shu soldiers in the hill camp, having no water, were unable to prepare food, and disorder broke out. The shouting was audible at the foot of the hill and went on far into the night. The soldiers on the south side got out of hand, opened the gates and surrendered. The men of Wei went round the hill setting fire to the wood, which led to still greater confusion in the beleaguered garrison. At last Ma Su decided to make a dash for safety toward the west.

  Sima Yi allowed him to pass, but Zhang He was sent to pursue and chased him for ten miles. But then there came an unexpected roll of drums. Zhang He was stopped by Wei Yan while Ma Su got past. Whirling up his sword, Wei Yan dashed toward Zhang He, who retired within his ranks and fled. Wei Yan followed and drove Zhang He backward toward Jieting.

  The pursuit continued for fifteen miles, and then Wei Yan found himself in an ambush, Sima Yi on one side and Sima Zhao on the other. They went around the hill and closed in behind Wei Yan, and he was surrounded. Zhang He then turned back, and the attack was now on three sides. Wei Yan lost many troops, and all his efforts failed to get him clear of the press. Then help appeared in the person of Wang Ping.

  “This is life for me,” said Wei Yan as he saw Wang Ping coming up, and the two forces joined in a new attack on the force of Wei. So the troops of Wei drew off, while Wei Yan and Wang Ping made all haste back to their own camps — only to find them in the hands of the enemy.

  Shen Yi and Shen Dan then rushed out and drove Wei Yan and Wang Ping to Liliu. There they were received by Gao Xiang who had come out to meet his unfortunate colleagues.

  When Gao Xiang heard their story, he at once proposed a night attack on the Wei camp and the recovery of Jieting. They talked this over on the hillside and arranged their plans, after which they set themselves to wait till it was dark enough to start.

  They set out along three roads; and Wei Yan was the first to reach Jieting. Not a soldier was visible, which looked suspicious. He decided to await the arrival of Gao Xiang, and they both speculated as to the whereabouts of their enemy. They could find no trace, and the third army under Wang Ping had not yet come up.

  Suddenly a bomb exploded, and a brilliant flash lit up the sky; drums rolled as though the earth was rending, and the enemy appeared. In a trice the armies of Shu found themselves hemmed in. Both Wei Yan and Gao Xiang pushed here and shoved there, but could find no way out. Then most opportunely from behind a hill rolled out a thunder of drums, and there was Wang Ping coming to their rescue. Then the three forced their way to Liliu. But just as they drew near to the rampart, another body of soldiers came up, which, from the writing on their flags, they read “Wei Commander Guo Huai”.

  Now Guo Huai had talked over Sima Yi's recall with his colleague Cao Zhen, and, fearing lest the recalled general should acquire too great glory, Guo Huai had set out to anticipate him in the capture of Jieting. Disappointed when he heard of Sima Yi's success there, he had decided to try a similar exploit at Liliu. So he had diverted his march thither.

  He engaged the three Shu armies at once and slew so many of them that at Wei Yan's suggestion they all left for Yangping Pass, which might be in danger.

  Guo Huai, pleased with his success, gathered in his army after the victory and said to his officers, “I was disappointed at Jieting, but we have taken this place, and that is merit of high order.”

  Thereupon he proceeded to the city gates. Just as he arrived, a bomb exploded on the wall, and, looking up, he saw the rampart bedecked with flags. On the largest banner he read the characters “Sima Yi, General Who Pacifies the West”. At that moment Sima Yi himself lifted a board that hung in front of him and looked over the breast-high rail.

  He looked down and smiled, saying, “How late you are, friend Guo Huai!”

  Guo Huai was amazed. “He is too much for me,” said he.

  So Guo Huai resignedly entered the city and went to pay his respects to his successful rival.

  Sima Yi was gracious, and said, “Zhuge Liang must retire now that Jieting is lost. You join forces with Cao Zhen and follow up quickly.”

  Guo Huai agreed and took his leave.

  Sima Yi called to him Zhang He, and said, “Cao Zhen and Guo Huai thought we should win too great merit, so they tried to get ahead of us here. We are not the only ones who desire to achieve good service and acquire merit, but we had the good fortune to succeed. I thought Wei Yan, Ma Su, Wang Ping, and Gao Xiang would first try to occupy Yangping Pass; and if I went to take it, then Zhuge Liang would fall on our rear. It says in the books on war that one should crush a retreating enemy, not pursue broken rebels; so you may go along the by-roads and smite those withdrawing down the Chi Valley, while I oppose the Xie Valley army. If they flee, do not press them too much, but just hold them up on the road and capture the baggage train.”

  Zhang He marched away with half the force to carry out his part of this plan, while Sima Yi gave orders to go to the Xie Valley by way of Xicheng, which though a small place, was important as a depot of stores for the Shu army, beside commanding the road to the three counties of Nanan, Tianshui, and Anding. If this place could be captured, the other three could be recaptured.

  Sima Yi left Shen Yi and Shen Dan to guard Liliu and marched his army toward the Xie Valley.

  After Zhuge Liang had sent Ma Su to guard Jieting, his mind was constantly disturbed. Then arrived the messenger with the topography and plan prepared by Wang Ping. Zhuge Liang went over to his table and opened the letter. As he read it he smote the table in wrath.

  “Ma Su's foolishness has destroyed the army!” he cried.

  “Why are you so disturbed, O Minister?” asked those near.

  “By this plan I see that we have lost command of an important road. The camp has been made on the hill; and if the Wei army come in force, our army will be surrounded and their water supply interrupted. In two days the soldiers will be in a state of mutiny; and if Jieting shall be lost, how shall we be able to retire?”

  Here High Counselor Yang Yi said, “I am none too clever I know, but let me go to replace Ma Su.”

  Zhuge Liang explained to Yang Yi how and where to camp; but before he could start, a horseman brought the news of the loss of Jieting and Liliu.

  This made Zhuge Liang very sad, and he sighed, saying, “The whole scheme has come to nought, and it is my fault.”

  Zhuge Liang sent for Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, and said, “Each of you takes three thousand of good soldiers and go along the road to Wugong Hills. If you fall
in with the enemy, do not fight, but beat drums and raise a hubbub and make them hesitate and be doubtful, so that they may retire. Do not pursue, but when they retire, make for Yangping Pass.”

  He also sent Zhang Yi to put Saber Pass in order for retreat and issued instructions for making ready to march. Ma Dai and Jiang Wei were told to guard the rear, but they were to go into ambush in the valleys till the whole army would have retreated. Trusty messengers were sent with the news to Tianshui, Nanan, and Anding that the officers, army and people might go away into Hanzhong. He also sent to remove to a place of safety in Hanzhong the aged mother of Jiang Wei.

  All these arrangements made, Zhuge Liang took five thousand troops and set out for Xicheng to remove the stores.

  But messenger after messenger, more than ten of them, came to report: “Sima Yi is advancing rapidly on Xicheng with an army of one hundred fifty thousand troops.”

  No leader of rank was left to Zhuge Liang; he had only the civil officials and the five thousand soldiers, and as half this force had started to remove the stores, he had only two thousand five hundred left.

  His officers were all frightened at the news of near approach of the enemy. Zhuge Liang himself went up on the rampart to look around. He saw clouds of dust rising into the sky. The Wei armies were nearing Xicheng along two roads.

  Then he gave orders: “All the banners are to be removed and concealed. If any officer in command of soldiers in the city moves or makes any noise, he will be instantly put to death.”

  Next he threw open all the gates and set twenty soldiers dressed as ordinary people cleaning the streets at each gate. When all these preparations were complete, he donned the simple Taoist dress and, attended by a couple of lads, sat down on the wall by one of the towers with his lute before him and a stick of incense burning.

  Sima Yi's scouts came near the city gate and saw all this. They did not enter the city, but went back and reported what they had seen. Sima Yi smiled incredulously. But he halted his army and rode ahead himself. Lo! It was exactly as the scouts had reported; Zhuge Liang sat there, his face with all smiles as he played the lute. A lad stood on one side of him bearing a treasured sword and on the other a boy with the ordinary symbol of authority, a yak's tail. Just inside the gates a score of persons with their heads down were sweeping as if no one was about. Sima Yi hardly believed his eyes and thought this meant some peculiarly subtle ruse. So he went back to his armies, faced them about and moved toward the hills on the north.

  “I am certain there are no soldiers behind this foolery,” said Sima Zhao. “What do you retire for, Father?”

  Sima Yi replied, “Zhuge Liang is always most careful and runs no risks. Those open gates undoubtedly mean an ambush; and if our force enter the city, they will fall victims to his guile. How can you know? No; our course is to retire.”

  Thus were the two armies turned back from the city, much to the joy of Zhuge Liang, who laughed and clapped his hands as he saw them hastening away.

  The officials gasped with astonishment, and they asked, “Sima Yi is a famous general of Wei, and he was leading one hundred fifty troops. By what reason did he march off at the sight of you, O Minister?”

  Zhuge Liang said, “He knows my reputation for carefulness and that I play not with danger. Seeing things as they were made him suspect an ambush, and so he turned away. I do not run risks, but this time there was no help for it. Now he will meet with Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, whom I sent away into the hills to wait for him.”

  They were still in the grip of fear, but they praised the depth of insight of their chief and his mysterious schemes and unfathomable plans.

  “We should simply have run away,” said they.

  “What could we have done with two thousand five hundred soldiers even if we had run? We should not have gone far before being caught,” said Zhuge Liang.

  Quite open lay the city to the foe,

  But Zhuge Liang's lute of jasper wonders wrought;

  It turned aside the legions' onward march

  For both the leaders guessed the other's thought.

  “But if I had been in Sima Yi's place, I should not have turned away,” said Zhuge Liang, smiling and clapping his hands.

  He gave orders that the people of the place should follow the army into Hanzhong, for Sima Yi would assuredly return.

  They abandoned Xicheng and returned into Hanzhong. In due course the officials and soldiers and people out of the three counties also came in.

  It has been said that Sima Yi turned aside from the city. He went to Wugong Hills. Presently there came the sounds of a Shu army from behind the hills.

  Sima Yi turned to his sons, saying, “If we do not retire, we shall yet somehow fall victims to this Zhuge Liang.”

  Then appeared a force advancing rapidly, the banners bearing the name of Zhang Bao. The soldiers of Wei were seized with sudden panic and ran, flinging off their armors and throwing away their weapons. But before they had fled very far, they heard other terrible sounds in the valley and soon saw another force, with banners of Guan Xing. The roar of armed troops echoing up and down the valley was terrifying; and as no one could tell how many men there were bearing down on them, the panic increased. The Wei army abandoned all the baggage and took to flight. But having orders not to pursue, Zhang Bao and Guan Xing let their enemies run in peace, while they gathered up the spoils. Then they returned.

  Seeing the valley apparently full of Shu soldiers, Sima Yi dared not marched by the main road. He hurried back to Jieting.

  At this time Cao Zhen, hearing that the army of Shu was retreating, went in pursuit. But at a certain point he encountered a strong force under Ma Dai and Jiang Wei. Valleys and hills seemed to swarm with enemies, and Cao Zhen became alarmed. Then Chen Zao, his van-leader, was slain by Ma Dai, and the soldiers were panic-stricken and fled in disorder. And the soldiers of Shu were hastening night and day along the road into Hanzhong.

  Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi, who had been lying in ambush in Chi Valley, heard that their comrades were retreating.

  Then said Zhao Yun, “The army of Wei will surely come to smite us while we are retreating. Wherefore let me first take up a position in their rear, and then you lead off your troops and part of mine, showing my ensigns. I will follow, keeping at the same distance behind you, and thus I shall be able to protect the retreat.”

  Now Guo Huai was leading his army through the Chi Valley. He called up his van-leader, Su Yong, and said to him, “Zhao Yun is a warrior whom no one can withstand. You must keep a most careful guard lest you fall into some trap while they are retreating.”

  Su Yong replied, smiling, “If you will help me, O Commander, we shall be able to capture this Zhao Yun.”

  So Su Yong, with three thousand troops, hastened on ahead and entered the valley in the wake of the Shu army. He saw upon a slope in the distance a large red banner bearing the name of Zhao Yun. This frightened him, and he retired.

  But before he had gone far a great uproar arose about him, and a mighty warrior came bounding forth on a swift steed, crying, “Do you recognize Zhao Yun?”

  Su Yong was terrified.

  “Whence came you?” he cried. “Is there another Zhao Yun here?”

  But Su Yong could make no stand, and soon fell victim to the spear of the veteran. His troops scattered, and Zhao Yun marched on after the main body.

  But soon another company came in pursuit, this time led by a general of Guo Huai, named Wan Zheng. As they came along Zhao Yun halted in the middle of the road to wait for the enemy. By the time Wan Zheng had come close, the other Shu soldiers had gone about ten miles along the road. However, when Wan Zheng drew nearer still and saw who it was standing in his path, he hesitated and finally halted. Presently he turned back and retired altogether, confessing on his return that he had not dared to face the old warrior, who seemed as terrible as ever.

  However, Guo Huai was not content and ordered him to return to the pursuit of the retreating army. This time Wan Zheng led a comp
any of several hundred horsemen. Presently they came to a wood, and, as they entered, a loud shout arose in the rear, “Zhao Yun is here!”

  Terror seized upon the pursuers, and many fell from their horses. The others scattered among the hills. Wan Zheng braced himself for the encounter and went on. Zhao Yun shot an arrow which struck the plume on his helmet. Startled, Wan Zheng tumbled into a water stream.

  Then Zhao Yun pointed his spear at him and said, “Be off! I will not kill you. Go and tell Guo Huai to come quickly, if he is coming.”

  Wan Zheng fled for his life, while Zhao Yun continued his march as rear-guard, and the retreat into Hanzhong steadily continued. There were no other episodes by the way.

  Cao Zhen and Guo Huai took to themselves all the credit of having recovered the three counties — Nanan, Tianshui, and Anding.

  Before the cautious Sima Yi was ready to pursue the army of Shu, it had already reached Hanzhong. He took a troop of horse and rode to Xicheng and there heard from the few people who had formerly sought refuge in the hills, and now returned, that Zhuge Liang really had had no men in the city, with the exception of the two thousand five hundred soldiers, that he had not a single military commander, but only a few civil officers. Sima Yi also heard that Guan Xing and Zhang Bao had had only a few troops whom they led about among the hills making as much noise as they could.

  Sima Yi felt sad at having been tricked.

  “Zhuge Liang is a cleverer man than I am,” said he with a sigh of resignation.

  He set about restoring order, and presently marched back to Changan.

  He saw the Ruler of Wei, who was pleased with his success and said, “It is by your good service that Xizhou is again mine.”

  Sima Yi replied, “But the army of Shu is in Hanzhong undestroyed; therefore, I pray for authority to go against them that you may recover the Western Land of Rivers also.”

  Cao Rui rejoiced and approved, and authorized the raising of an army.

  But then one of the courtiers suddenly said, “Your servant can propose a plan by which Shu will be overcome and Wu submits.”