Three Kingdoms Romance

by Guanzhong Luo

  I saw the fragments of a shattered stone

  One spring time on the hillside, when, alone,

  I walked to greet the sun. The pines distilled

  Big drops of dew unceasing; sadness filled

  My heart. I knew this was the Stone of Tears,

  The stone of memory of long-past years.

  On the strength of Yang Hu's recommendation, Du Yu was placed over Jingzhou, and the title of General Who Guards the South was conferred upon him. He was a man of great experience, untiring in study and devoted to the Zuo Volume, the book of commentaries composed by Zuo Qiuming upon the Spring and Autumn Annals. In hours of leisure, a copy of Zuo Volume was never out of his hand; and when he went abroad, an attendant rode in front with the beloved book. He was said to be “Zuo mad.”

  Du Yu went to Xiangyang and began by being kind to the people and caring for his soldiers. By this time Wu had lost by death both Ding Feng and Lu Kang.

  The conduct of the Ruler of Wu waxed worse and worse. He used to give great banquets whereat intoxication was universal. He appointed Rectors of Feasts to observe all the faults committed by guests, and after these banquets all offenders were punished, some by flaying the face, others by gouging out the eyes. Every one went in terror of these Rectors.

  Wang Jun, Imperial Protector of Yiazhou, sent in a memorial advising an attack upon Wu. He said:

  “Sun Hao is steeped in vice and should be attacked at once. Should he die and be succeeded by a good ruler, we

  might meet with serious opposition. The ships I built seven years ago lie idle and rotting; we can use them. I am seventy years of age and must soon die. If any one three events happen — the death of Sun Hao, the destruction of these ships, or my death — then success will be difficult to ensure. I pray Your Majesty not to miss the tide.”

  At the next assembly of officers Sima Yan said to them, “I have decided to act; I have received similar advice from Yang Hu and Wang Jun.”

  At this arose Minister Wang Hun and said, “I hear Sun Hao intends to march north to the Middle Land and has his army ready. Report says it is formidable and would be hard to defeat. I counsel to await another year till that army has lost its first vigor.”

  A command to cease warlike preparations was the result of this counsel. The Ruler of Jin betook himself to his private chamber where he engaged in a game of chess with Zhang Hua as opponent. While at the game, another memorial arrived; it was from Du Yu. It read:

  “Formerly Yang Hu explained his plans confidentially to Your Majesty, but did not lay them before the court. The

  result has been much debate and conflict of opinion. In every project there are pros and cons, but in this the arguments are mostly in favor. The worst that can happen is failure. Since last autumn the proposed attack has become generally known, and, if we stop now, Sun Hao will be frightened and remove the capital to Wuchang, repair his fortifications in the South Land and move his threatened people out of danger. Then the capital cannot be assaulted, nor is there anything left in the countryside to rob. Hence next year's attack will also fail.”

  Just as the Ruler of Jin finished reading, Zhang Hua pushed aside the board, rose and drew his hands into his sleeves, saying, “Your Majesty's skill in war is almost divine, your state is prosperous, and the army strong; the Ruler of Wu is a tyrant, his people are miserable, and his country mean. Now you can easily conquer him, and I pray that there be no further hesitation.”

  “How could I hesitate after your discourse?” said Sima Yan.

  Thereupon he returned to the council chamber and issued his commands. Du Yu was made Commander-in-Chief and, with one hundred thousand troops, was to attack Jiangling; Sima Zhou, Prince of Langye and General Who Guards the East, was to attack Tuzhong; Wang Hun, General Who Conquers the East, to go up against Hengjiang; Wang Rong, General Who Exhibits Prowess, to move against Wuchang; Hu Fen, General Who Pacifies the South, to attack Xiakou. And all divisions, fifty thousand troops each, were under the orders of Du Yu. In addition to the land forces, two large fleets were to operate on the river under Wang Jun, General Who Shows Dragon Courage, and Tang Bin, General Who Possesses Martial Bravery. Marines and lands troops amounted to more than two hundred thousand. A separate force under Yang Ji, General Who Holds the South, was sent away to Xiangyang to coordinate all forces.

  The Ruler of Wu was greatly alarmed at the news of such armies and fleets, and he called to him quickly his Prime Minister Zhang Ti, Minister of the Interior He Zhi, and Minister of Works Teng Xun, to consult how to defend his land.

  Zhang Ti proposed: “Send Commander of the Flying Cavalry Wu Yan to meet the enemy at Jiangling; Commander of the Flying Cavalry Sun Xin to Xiakou; I volunteer to take command of a camp at Niuzhu, together with the General of the Left Shen Rong and General of the Right Zhuge Xing, ready to lend help at any point.”

  The Ruler of Wu approved his dispositions and felt satisfied that he was safe by land. But in the privacy of his own apartment he felt miserable, for he realized that no preparations had been made against an attack by water under the Wei leader Wang Jun.

  Then the favorite eunuch Cen Hun asked the Emperor why he bore a sad countenance, and Sun Hao told him of his dread of the enemy navy.

  “The armies of Jin are coming, and I have deployed troops for general defense. Only the water front, by which Wang Jun and his several thousand battleships sail east along the tide, makes me feel so worried.”

  “But I have a scheme that will smash all Wang Jun's ships,” cried Cen Hun.

  “What is it?” asked the Ruler of Wu, pleased to hear this.

  “Iron is plentiful. Make great chains with heavy links and stretch them across the river at various points. Also forge many massive hammers and arrange them in the stream, so that when the enemy's ships sail down before the wind, they will collide with the hammers and be wrecked. Then they will sail no more.”

  Blacksmiths were soon at work on the river bank welding the links and forging the hammers. Work went on day and night, and soon all were in place.

  As has been said Du Yu was to attack Jiangling, and he sent General Zhou Zhi with eight hundred sailors to sail secretly along the Great River to capture Yuexiang. There they were to make an ambush in the Bashan Mountains and a great show of flags along the bank and among the trees. Drums were to be beaten and bombs exploded during the day and many fires lighted at night to give the appearance of a great army.

  So Zhou Zhi sailed to the Bashan Mountains.

  Next day Du Yu directed the army and the marine forces in a simultaneous advance. But the navy of Wu, under Sun Xin, came up, and at the first encounter Du Yu's army retired. Sun Xin landed his marines and pursued. But in the midst of the pursuit a signal bomb sounded, and Sun Xin was attacked on all sides by the Jin troops. He tried to retire, but the army he had been pursuing, Du Yu's force, turned back too and joined in the attack. Wu's losses were very heavy, and Sun Xin hastened back to the city. But the eight hundred Jin soldiers of Zhou Zhi mingled with the Wu army at the ramparts and so entered the gates. The Jin soldiers raised signal fires on the walls.

  This maneuver amazed Sun Xin, and he said, “The northern troops had surely flown across the river into the city.”

  Sun Xin made an effort to escape, but the leader of Jin, Zhou Zhi, unexpectedly appeared and slew him.

  A fleet of the ships of Wu had accompanied Sun Xin. The Admiral Lu Jing, saw on the south shore, in the Bashan Mountains, a great standard bearing the name of Jin Commander Du Yu. Lu Jing became alarmed and landed to try to escape, but the Jin General Zhang Shang soon found and slew him.

  At his position at Jiangling, Wu Yan heard of these defeats and knew his position was untenable, so he fled. However, he was soon captured and led into the presence of the victorious general.

  “No use sparing you,” said Du Yu, and he sentenced the prisoner to death.

  Thus Jiangling was captured and all the counties along the River Xiang and River Yuan as far as Huangzhou, which surren
dered at the first summons.

  Du Yu sent out officers to soothe the people of the conquered counties, and they suffered nothing from the soldiery. Next he marched toward Wuchang, and that city also yielded. So the glory of Du Yu became very great. He then summoned his officers to a council to decide upon attacking Jianye.

  Hu Fen said, “A whole century's rebellion will not be reduced completely. The time of the spring rise of waters is near and our position is precarious. We should do well to await the coming spring.”

  Du Yu replied, “In the days of old, Yue Yi overcame the powerful state Qi in one battle in Jixi. Our prestige is now high and success certain, easy as the splitting of a bamboo, which seems to welcome the knife after the first few joints have been overcome. We shall meet no great opposition.”

  So Du Yu gave orders to the various leaders to move in concert against the city of Jianye.

  Now the Jin leader Wang Jun had gone down the river with his naval force. From his scouts he heard of the iron chains and the hammers that had been laid in the river to hinder his progress. But he only laughed. He constructed great rafts of timber and placed on them straw effigies of soldiers in armors and sent them down river with the current. The defenders of Wu took them for real troops and, alarmed by their numbers, fled in panic. Then the great hammers and chains were dragged away as the rafts drifted on. Moreover, on the rafts they laid great torches many fathoms long, and very thick, made of straw soaked in linseed oil. When the raft was checked by a chain, the torches were lighted and the chains exposed to the heat till they melted and broke asunder. Thus the rafts went down stream conquering wherever they came.

  Then the Prime Minister of Wu, Zhang Ti, sent two generals, Shen Rong and Zhuge Xing, to try to check the advance of the armies.

  Shen Rong said to his colleague, “The forces above have failed to stop the enemy, and the enemy will surely come here. We shall have to put forth all our strength. If haply we can succeed, the safety of our South Land is assured. But suppose we fight and lose the battle, then is our country lost.”

  “Sir, you only say what is too true,” said Zhuge Xing.

  Just as they talked of these matters came reports of the approach of their enemies in irresistible force. The two leaders were seized with panic and went back to see the Prime Minister.

  “Our country is lost,” cried Zhuge Xing. “Why not run?”

  “We all know that the land is doomed;” replied Zhang Ti, “but if we make no defense, and no one dies for his country, shall we not be shamed?”

  Zhuge Xing left, weeping; and Zhang Ti went with Shen Rong to the army. The invaders soon arrived, and the Jin General Zhou Zhi was the first to break into the camp. Zhang Ti resisted stubbornly, but was soon slain in a melee, and Shen Rong was killed by Zhou Zhi. The army of Wu was defeated and scattered.

  Jin's army banners waved on Bashan Mountains

  And trusty Zhang Ti in Jiangling fighting died;

  He accepted not that the kingly grace was spent,

  He rather chose to die than shame his side.

  The armies of Jin conquered at Niuzhu and penetrated deeply into the country of Wu. From his camp Wang Jun sent a report of his victory to Luoyang, and Sima Yan was pleased.

  But Jia Chong again opposed further fighting, saying, “The armies have been long absent, and the soldiers will suffer from the unhealthiness of the southern country. It would be well to call them home.”

  Zhang Hua spoke against this course, saying, “The Jin army has reached the very home and center of the enemy. Soon Wu courage will fail, and the Ruler of Wu himself will be our prisoner. To recall the army now would be to waste the efforts already made.”

  The Ruler of Jin inclined to neither side.

  Jia Chong turned upon Zhang Hua savagely, saying, “You are wholly ignorant and understand nothing; you are bent upon winning some sort of glory at the expense of our soldiers' lives. Death would be too good for you.”

  “Why wrangle?” said Sima Yan. “Zhang Hua agrees with me, and he knows my wishes.”

  Just at this moment came a memorial from the leader Du Yu also recommending advance, whereupon the Ruler of Jin decided that the army should go on.

  The royal mandate duly reached the camp of Wang Jun, and the Jin navy went out to the attack in great pomp. The soldiers of Wu made no defense, but surrendered at once.

  When Sun Hao, the Ruler of Wu, heard his armies had surrendered thus, he turned pale, and his courtiers said, “What is to be done? Here the northern army comes nearer every day and our troops just give in.”

  “But why do they not fight?” said Sun Hao.

  The courtiers replied, “The one evil of today is the eunuch Cen Hun. Slay him, and we ourselves will go out and fight to the death.”

  “How can a eunuch harm a state?” cried Sun Hao.

  “Have we not seen what Huang Hao did in Shu?” shouted the courtiers in chorus.

  Moved by sudden fury, the courtiers rushed into the Palace, found the wretched object of their hate and slew him, and even feeding on his palpitating flesh.

  Then Tao Jun said, “All my ships are small, but give me large vessels and I will place thereon twenty thousand marines and go forth to fight. I can defeat the enemy.”

  His request was granted, and the royal guards were sent up the river to join battle, while another naval force went down stream, led by Leader of the Van Zhang Xiang. But a heavy gale came on. The flags were blown down and lay over in the ships, and the marines would not embark. They scattered leaving their leader with only a few score men.

  Wang Jun, the leader of Jin, set sail and went down the river. After passing Three Mountains, the sailing master of his ship said the gale was too strong for him to go on. He wished to anchor till the storm had moderated.

  But Wang Jun would not listen. Drawing his sword, he said, “I wish to capture Shidou, and will not hear of anchoring.”

  So he compelled the sailing master to continue. On the way Zhang Xiang, one of the leaders of Wu, came to offer surrender.

  “If you are in earnest, you will lead the way and help me,” said Wang Jun.

  Zhang Xiang consented, returned to his own ship, and led the squadron. When he reached the walls of Shidou, he called to the defenders to open the gates and allow the Jin army to enter. The gates were opened.

  When the Ruler of Wu heard that his enemies had actually entered the city, he wished to put an end to his life, but his officers prevented this.

  Secretary Hu Zhong and Minister Xue Rong said, “Your Majesty, why not imitate the conduct of Liu Shan of Shu, now Duke of Anle?”

  So Sun Hao no longer thought of death, but went to offer submission. He bound himself and took a coffin with him. His officers followed him. He was graciously received, and the Jin General Wang Jun himself loosened the bonds, and the coffin was burned. The vanquished Ruler was treated with the ceremony due to a prince.

  A poet of the Tang Dynasty wrote a few lines on this surrender:

  Adown the stream ride storied warships tall;

  With massive chains some seek to stop their way.

  But Jiangling's independence fades away

  And soon “We yield” is signaled from the wall.

  Full oft I think of bygone days and sigh,

  Along the stream, unmoved, the old hills rest,

  While I am homeless on the earth's broad breast,

  Where grim old forts stand gray beneath the sky.

  So Wu was subdued and ceased to exist as a state; its 4 regions, 43 counties, 313 districts, 5,230,000 families, 32,000 civil officers, 230,000 soldiers and military officers, 23,000,000 inhabitants, its stores of grain and over five thousand large ships, all fell booty to the victorious Jin Dynasty. In the women's quarters of the palace were found more than five thousand persons.

  Proclamations were issued; treasuries and storehouses were sealed. Tao Jun's army soon melted away without striking a blow. Wang Jun was greatly elated at his success. Sima Zhou, Prince of Langye, and General Wan
g Rong also arrived and congratulated each other.

  When Du Yu, the Commander-in-Chief, arrived, there were great feastings and rewards for the soldiers. The granaries were opened and doles of grain issued to the people, so that they also were glad of peace.

  One city only stood out; Jianping, under Governor Wu Yan. However, he too surrendered when he heard the capital had fallen.

  The tidings of all these successes reached Luoyang just at the celebration of the birthday of the Ruler of Jin, and the rejoicings and congratulations were redoubled. At one of the banquets the Ruler of Jin did honor to the memory of the late Yang Hu.

  Raising his wine cup, and in a voice broken by emotion, he said, “Today's success is the merit of the Imperial Guardian. I regret that he is not here to share our rejoicings.”

  Sun Xiu, General of the Flying Cavalry in Wu, went away from the court and wailed, facing the south.

  “Alas, ye blue heavens! What manner of man is this Sun Hao to yield thus the heritage of his family, won by the sword of General Sun Jian the Martially Glorious in the brave days that are past?”

  Meantime the victors marched homeward, and Sun Hao went to Luoyang to present himself at court; and in his capacity of minister, he prostrated himself at the feet of the Emperor of the Jin Dynasty in the Hall of Audience. He was allowed a seat.

  “I set that seat for you long since,” said the Ruler of Jin.

  “Thy servant also set a seat for Your Majesty in the south,” retorted Sun Hao.

  The Ruler of Jin laughed loudly.

  Then Jia Chong turned to Sun Hao and said, “I hear, Sir, that when you were in the south, they gouged out people's eyes and flayed their faces; what crimes were so punished?”

  “Murders of princes and malicious speech and disloyal conduct were so punished.”

  Jia Chong was silenced, for he was ashamed.

  Sun Hao was created Lord of Guiming. His sons and grandsons received minor ranks and other grades were conferred upon his ministers who had followed him in his surrender. The sons and grandsons of the late Prime Minister of Wu, Zhang Ti, who had perished in battle, were given ranks. The victorious leader, Wang Jun, was rewarded with the title General Who Upholds the State. And many other ranks were conferred to the