Three Kingdoms Romance

by Guanzhong Luo

  “Could I possibly decline any task you laid upon me?” said Fei Yi.

  So Zhuge Liang wrote a letter and sent it to Sun Quan. Fei Yi took it and hastened to Jianye, where he saw Sun Quan, the Ruler of Wu, and presented this letter:

  “The Hans have been unfortunate, and the line of rulers has been broken. The Cao party have usurped the seat of

  government and still hold the command. My late master, Emperor Bei, confided a great task to me, and I must exhaust every effort to achieve it. Now my army is at Qishan, and the rebels are on the verge of destruction on River Wei. I hope Your Majesty, in accordance with your oath of alliance, will send a leader against the north to assist by taking the Middle Land, and the empire can be shared. The full circumstances cannot be told, but I hope you will understand and act.”

  Sun Quan was pleased at the news and said to the envoy, “I have long desired to set my arm in motion, but have not been able to arrange with Zhuge Liang. After this letter I will lead an expedition myself and go to Juchao and capture Xincheng of Wei. Moreover, I will send Lu Xun and Zhuge Jin to camp at Miankou and Jiangxia, and take Xiangyang. I will also send an army under Sun Shao into Guangling to capture Huaiyang. The total number will be three hundred thousand troops, and they shall start at once.”

  Fei Yi thanked him and said, “In such a case the Middle Land will fall forthwith.”

  A banquet was prepared. At this, Sun Quan said, “Whom did the Prime Minister send to lead the battle?”

  Fei Yi replied, “Wei Yan was the chief leader.”

  “A man brave enough, but crooked. One day he will work a mischief unless Zhuge Liang is very wary. But surely he knows.”

  “Your Majesty's words are to the point;” said the envoy, “I will return at once and lay them before Zhuge Liang.”

  Fei Yi quickly took leave and hastened to Qishan with his news of the intended expedition of Wu.

  “Did the Ruler of Wu say nothing else?” asked Zhuge Liang.

  Then Fei Yi told him what had been said about Wei Yan.

  “Truly a comprehending ruler,” said Zhuge Liang, appreciatively. “But I could not be ignorant of this. However, I use Wei Yan because he is very bold.”

  “Then Sir, you ought to decide soon what to do with him.”

  “I have a scheme of my own.”

  Fei Yi returned to Chengdu, and Zhuge Liang resumed the ordinary camp duties of a leader.

  When Zhuge Liang was in a council with his commanders, suddenly a certain Wei leader came and begged to be allowed to surrender. Zhuge Liang had the man brought in and questioned him.

  “I am a leader, Zheng Wen by name. General Qin Lang and I are old colleagues. Recently Sima Yi transferred us and, showing great partiality for my colleague, appointed him Leader of the Van and threw me out like a weed. I was disgusted and left, and I wish to join your ranks if you will accept my service.”

  Just at that moment a soldier came in to say that Qin Lang with a company had appeared in front of the tents and was challenging Zheng Wen.

  Said Zhuge Liang, “How does this man stand with you in fighting skill?”

  “I should just kill him,” said Zheng Wen.

  “If you were to slay him, that would remove my doubts.”

  Zheng Wen accepted the proposer with alacrity, mounted his horse, and away he went. Zhuge Liang went out to see the fight. There was the challenger shaking his spear and reviling his late friend as rebel and brigand and horse-thief.

  “Give me back my horse you stole!” cried Qin Lang, galloping toward Zheng Wen as soon as he appeared.

  Zheng Wen whipped up his horse, waved his sword, and went to meet the attack. In the first bout he cut down Qin Lang. The Wei soldiers then ran away; the victor hacked off the head of his victim and returned to lay it at Zhuge Liang's feet.

  Seated in his tent, Zhuge Liang summoned Zheng Wen and burst out: “Take him away and behead him!”

  “I have done nothing wrong!” cried Zheng Wen.

  “As if I do not know Qin Lang! The man you have just killed was not Qin Lang. How dare? you try to deceive me?”

  Zheng Wen said, “I will own up; but this was his brother Qin Ming.”

  Zhuge Liang smiled.

  “Sima Yi sent you to try this on for some reason of his own, but he could not throw dust in my eyes. If you do not tell the truth, I will put you to death.”

  Thus caught, the false deserter confessed and begged his life.

  Zhuge Liang said, “You can save your life by writing a letter to Sima Yi telling him to come to raid our camp. I will spare you on this condition. And if I capture Sima Yi, I will give you all the credit and reward you handsomely.”

  There was nothing for it but to agree, and the letter was written. Then Zheng Wen was placed in confinement.

  “How did you know this was only a pretended desertion?” said Fan Jian.

  “Sima Yi looks to his people,” replied Zhuge Liang. “If he made Qin Lang a leading general, Qin Lang was certainly a man of great military skill and not the sort of man to be overcome by this fellow Zheng Wen in the first encounter. So Zheng Wen's opponent certainly was not Qin Lang. That is how I knew.”

  They congratulated him on his perspicacity. Then Zhuge Liang selected a certain persuasive speaker from among his officers and whispered certain instructions in his ear. The officer at once left and carried the letter just written to the Wei camp, where he asked to see the Commander-in-Chief. He was admitted, and the letter was read.

  “Who are you?” said Sima Yi.

  “I am a man from the Middle Land, a poor fellow stranded in Shu. Zheng Wen and I are fellow villagers. Zhuge Liang has given Zheng Wen a van-leadership as a reward for what he has done, and Zheng Wen got me to bring this letter to you and to say that he will show a light tomorrow evening as a signal, and he hopes you will lead the attack yourself. Zheng Wen will work from the inside in your favor.”

  Sima Yi took great pains to test the reliability of these statements, and he examined the letter minutely to see if it bore any signs of fabrication, but he found it was Zheng Wen's writing.

  Presently he ordered in refreshments for the bearer of the letter, and then he said, “We will fix today at the second watch for the raid, and I will lead in person. If it succeeds, I will give you a good appointment as a reward.”

  Taking leave, the soldier retraced his steps to his own camp and reported the whole interview to Zhuge Liang.

  Zhuge Liang held his sword aloft toward the North Star, took the proper paces for an incantation, and prayed. This done, he summoned Wang Ping, Zhang Ni, Wei Yan, Ma Dai, Ma Zhong, and Jiang Wei, to whom he gave certain instructions. When they had gone to carry them out, he ascended a hill, taking with him a few score guards only.

  Sima Yi had been taken in by Zheng Wen's letter and intended to lead the night raid. But the elder of his sons, Sima Shi, expostulated with his father.

  “Father, you are going on a dangerous expedition on the faith of a mere scrap of paper,” said his son. “I think it imprudent. What if something goes unexpectedly wrong? Let some general go in your place, and you come up in rear as a reserve.”

  Sima Yi saw there was reason in this proposal, and he finally decided to send Qin Lang, with ten thousand troops, and Sima Yi himself would command the reserve.

  The night was fine with a bright moon. But about the middle of the second watch the sky clouded over, and it became very black, so that a man could not see his next neighbor.

  “This is providential,” chuckled Sima Yi.

  The expedition duly started, soldiers with gags, and horses with cords round their muzzles. They moved swiftly and silently, and Qin Lang made straight for the camp of Shu.

  But when he reached it, and entered, and saw not a soldier, he knew he had been tricked. He yelled to his troops to retire, but lights sprang up all round, and attacks began from four sides. Fight as he would, Qin Lang could not free himself.

  From behind the battle area Sima Yi saw flames rising from
the camp of Shu and heard continuous shouting, but he knew not whether it meant victory for his own army or to his enemy. He pressed forward toward the fire. Suddenly, a shout, a roll of drums, and a blare of trumpets close at hand, a bomb that seemed to rend the earth, and Wei Yan and Jiang Wei bore down upon Sima Yi, one on each flank. This was the final blow to him. Of every ten soldiers of Wei, eight or nine were killed or wounded, and the few others scattered to the four winds.

  Meanwhile Qin Lang's ten thousand troops were falling under arrows that came in locust-flights, and their leader was killed. Sima Yi and the remnant of his army ran away to their own camp.

  After the third watch the sky cleared. Zhuge Liang from the hill-top sounded the gong of retreat. This obscurity in the third watch was due to an incantation called “Concealing Method.” The sky became clear, because Zhuge Liang performed another incantation to have the Deities of Six Layers sweep away the few floating clouds that still persisted.

  The victory was complete. The first order on Zhuge Liang's return to camp was to put Zheng Wen to death.

  Next he considered new plans for capturing the south bank. Every day be sent a party to offer a challenge before the camps of the enemy, but no one accepted.

  One day Zhuge Liang rode in his small chariot to the front of the Qishan Mountains, keenly scanned the course of River Wei and carefully surveyed the lie of the land. Presently he came to a valley shaped like a bottle-gourd, large enough to form a hiding place for a whole thousand soldiers in the inner recess, while half as many more could hide in the outer. In rear the mountains were so close that they left passage only for a single horseman. The discovery pleased the general mightily, and he asked the guides what the place was called.

  They replied, “It is called Shangfang Valley, and nicknamed Gourd Valley.”

  Returning to his camp, he called up two leaders named Du Rui and Hu Zhong and whispered into their ears certain secret orders. Next he called up a thousand craftspeople and sent them into the Gourd Valley to construct “wooden oxen and running horses” for the use of the troops. Finally he set Ma Dai with five hundred troops to guard the mouth of the Gourd Valley and prevent all entrance and exit.

  Zhuge Liang said, “People from outside cannot enter, from inside cannot exit. I will visit the valley at irregular intervals to inspect the work. A plan for the defeat of Sima Yi is being prepared here and must be kept a profound secret.”

  Ma Dai left to take up the position. The two generals, Du Rui and Hu Zhong, were superintendents of the work in the Gourd Valley. Zhuge Liang came every day to give instructions.

  One day Yang Yi went to Zhuge Liang and said, “The stores of grain are all at Saber Pass, and the labor of transport is very heavy. What can be done?”

  Zhuge Liang replied, smiling, “I have had a scheme ready for a long time. The timber that I collected and bought in the Lands of Rivers was for the construction of wooden transport animals to convey grain. It will be very advantageous, as they will require neither food nor water and they can keep on the move day and night without resting.”

  All those within hearing said, “From old days till now no one has ever heard of such a device. What excellent plan have you, O Minister, to make such marvelous creatures?”

  “They are being made now after my plans, but they are not yet ready. Here I have the sketches for these mechanical oxen and horses, with all their dimensions written out in full. You may see the details.”

  Zhuge Liang then produced a paper, and all the generals crowded round to look at it. They were all greatly astonished and lauded, “The Prime Minister is superhuman!”

  A few days later the new mechanical animals were complete and began work. They were quite life-like and went over the hills in any desired direction. The whole army saw them with delight. They were but in charge of General Gao Xiang and a thousand soldiers to guide them. They kept going constantly between Saber Pass and the front carrying grain for the use of the soldiers.

  Along the Saber Pass mountain roads

  The running horses bore their loads,

  And through Xie Valley's narrow way

  The wooden oxen paced each day.

  O generals, use these means today,

  And transport troubles take away.

  Sima Yi was already sad enough at his defeat, when the spies told him of these wooden bullocks and horses of new design which the soldiers of Shu were using to convey their grain.

  This troubled him still more, and he said to his generals, “I knew the transportation from the Lands of Rivers was difficult; therefore, I shut the gates and remained on the defensive waiting for the enemy to be starved. With this device, they may never be compelled to retreat for want of food.”

  Then he called up Zhang Hu and Yue Chen and gave orders: “Each of you with five hundred troops will goes to the Xie Valley by by-roads. When you see the Shu soldiers transport their grain by, you are to let them through, but only to attack at the end and capture four or five of the wooden horses and bullocks.”

  So a thousand soldiers went on this service disguised as soldiers of Shu. They made their way along the by-ways by night and hid. Presently the wooden convoy came along under the escort of Gao Xiang. Just as the end of it was passing, they made a sudden rush, and captured a few of the “animals” which the soldiers of Shu abandoned. In high glee they took them to their own camp.

  When Sima Yi saw them, he had to confess they were very life-like. But what pleased him most was that he could imitate them now that he had models.

  “If Zhuge Liang can use this sort of thing, it would be strange if I could not,” said he.

  He called to him many clever craftspeople and made them then and there take the machines to pieces and make some exactly like them. In less than half a month, they had completed a couple of thousand after Zhuge Liang's models, and the new mechanical animals could move. Then Sima Yi placed Cen Wei, General Who Guards the Frontiers, in charge of this new means of transport, and the “animals” began to ply between the camp and Xizhou. The Wei soldiers were filled with joys.

  Gao Xiang returned to camp and reported the loss of a few of his wooden oxen and horses.

  “I wished him to capture some of them,” said Zhuge Liang, much pleased. “I am just laying out these few, and before long I shall get some very solid help in exchange.”

  “How do you know, O Minister,” said his officers.

  “Because Sima Yi will certainly copy them; and when he has done that, I have another plan ready to play on him.”

  Some days later Zhuge Liang received a report that the enemy were using the same sort of wooden bullocks and horses to bring up supplies from Xizhou.

  “Exactly as I thought,” said be.

  Calling Wang Ping, he said, “Dress up a thousand soldiers as those of Wei, and find your way quickly and secretly to Beiyuan. Tell them that you are escort for the convoy, and mingle with the real escort. Then suddenly turn on them so that they scatter. Next you will turn the herd this way. By and by you will be pursued. When that occurs, you will give a turn to the tongues of the wooden animals, and they will be locked from movement. Leave them where they are and run away. When the soldiers of Wei come up, they will be unable to drag the creatures and equally unable to carry them. I shall have soldiers ready, and you will go back with them, give the tongues a backward turn and bring the convoy here, The enemy will be greatly astonished.”

  Next he called Zhang Ni and said, “Dress up five hundred soldiers in the costume of the Deities of the Six Layers so that they appear supernatural. Fit them with demon heads and wild beast shapes, and let them stain their faces various colors so as to look as strange as possible. Give them flags and swords and bottle-gourds with smoke issuing from combustibles inside. Let these soldiers hide among the hills till the convoy approaches, when they will start the smoke, rush out suddenly and drive off the wooden animals. No one will dare pursue such uncanny company.”

  When Zhang Ni had left, Wei Yan and Jiang Wei were called.
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  “You will take ten thousand troops, go to the border of Beiyuan to receive the wooden transport creatures and defend them against attack.”

  Then another five thousand under Zhang Yi and Liao Hua was sent to check Sima Yi if he should come, while a small force under Ma Dai and Ma Zhong was sent to bid defiance to the enemy near their camp on the south bank.

  So one day when a convoy was on its way from Xizhou, the scouts in front suddenly reported some soldiers ahead who said they were escort for the grain. Commander Cen Wei halted and sent to inquire. It appeared the newcomers were really the soldiers of Wei, however, and so he started once more.

  The newcomers joined up with his own troops. But before they had gone much farther, there was a yell, and the men of Shu began to kill, while a voice shouted, “Wang Ping is here!”

  The convoy guard were taken aback. Many were killed, but the others rallied round Cen Wei and made some defense. However, Wang Ping slew Cen Wei, and the others ran this way and that, while the convoy was turned toward the Shu camp.

  The fugitives ran off to Beiyuan and reported the mishap to Guo Huai, who set out hot foot to rescue the convoy. When he appeared, Wang Ping gave the order to turn tongues, left the wooden animals in the road, and ran away. Guo Huai made no attempt to pursue, but tried to put the wooden animals in motion toward their proper destination. But he could not move them.

  He was greatly perplexed. Then suddenly there arose the roll of drums all round, and out burst two parties of soldiers. These were Wei Yan and Jiang Wei's troops, and when they appeared Wang Ping's soldiers faced about and came to the attack as well. These three being too much for Guo Huai; he retreated before them. Thereupon the tongues were turned back again and the wooden herd set in motion.

  Seeing this, Guo Huai came on again. But just then he saw smoke curling up among the hills and a lot of extraordinary creatures burst out upon him. Some held swords and some flags, and all were terrible to look at. They rushed at the wooden animals and urged them away.

  “Truly these are supernatural helpers,” cried Guo Huai, quite frightened.

  The soldiers also were terror-stricken and stood still.