The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation

by Luo Guanzhong

  After this ceremony, Zhuge Liang returned to his tent. When he was discussing with his subordinates about the military campaign, scouts sent in a report that Cao Rui had put in motion an army under Xiahou Mao. Wei Yan went in to see Zhuge Liang to suggest a complicated and lengthy ruse, saying, “Xiahou Mao is nothing but a spoilt son of a rich family, soft and stupid. Give me 5,000 men, and I will go out by Baozhong, follow the range of the Qinling Mountains east to the Meridian Valley, and then turn north. In ten days I can reach Chang’an. Hearing of my movements, Xiahou Mao will hasten to abandon the city and escape toward Hengmen for sure. I will move in by the east, and you, sir, can advance with the main body by Ye Valley. In this way the whole region west of Xianyang will be ours all at once.”

  Zhuge Liang smiled at the proposal. “I don’t think the plan is perfect,” he said. “Do you think there are no capable men in the north? If someone suggests placing an ambush on narrow mountain paths to obstruct and destroy your army, the result is not only 5,000 victims but the severe damage this might do to the fighting spirit of the entire force. This ruse won’t work.”

  “But if you go by the high road they will bring their whole host against you and may hold you indefinitely. When can we hope to seize the northern territory?”

  “I’ll take the level ground by way of Longyou and follow the rule of war. How can I fail?”

  So he did not adopt the plan suggested by Wei Yan, who withdrew sulk-ily. Then Zhuge Liang ordered Zhao Yun to advance.

  In the meantime, Xiahou Mao was mustering his forces at Chang’an. There came an officer from Xiliang, named Han De, a man of unusually powerful strength, whose weapon was a mighty battle-ax. He brought with him 80,000 Qiang tribesmen and offered his service to Xiahou Mao, who rewarded him liberally and made him van leader of his army.

  This Han De had four sons, all well-trained soldiers and experts in archery and horsemanship. Han De led his sons and the army to the Hill of Phoenix Songs, where they encountered the men of Shu.

  When the two sides had drawn up in battle formation, the father, with his four sons, rode to the front and began to revile their enemy as rebels and invaders. Provoked to anger, Zhao Yun rode forward alone to challenge the father. The eldest son galloped out to accept the challenge but was slain in the third bout. Immediately his brother went out, whirling his sword. Zhao Yun mustered his powerful dash and vigor of old, and the young man was unable to resist. At this the third son took his great halberd and rode out to his brother’s aid. Faced with two opponents, Zhao Yun nevertheless was totally undaunted, never failing a single stroke. Seeing that his two brothers were unable to defeat Zhao Yun, the fourth son went to join in the fray, armed with his Sun and Moon sword. Surrounded by his three opponents, the veteran warrior still kept them at bay.

  Presently a spear thrust hit home on the youngest of the four brothers, who fell. From the ranks of the Wei army rushed forth an officer, who rescued the young man back to his own side. Then Zhao Yun lowered his spear and turned to leave. Seeing this, the third son took his bow and shot three arrows at the retreating veteran warrior, who parried all three away with his spear. Infuriated, the young man set his halberd again and went in pursuit. By then, Zhao Yun had got his bow ready and shot an arrow that wounded his pursuer in the head. So the third son also fell and died. The second son, Han Yao, then galloped up and raised his sword to strike, but Zhao Yun, throwing down his spear and evading the blow, captured Han Yao with his bare hands. He quickly galloped back to his own lines with his captive, dropped him, and then dashing out again, recovered his spear and pressed on toward the enemy ranks.

  Han De, overwhelmed by the loss of all his sons, turned to seek refuge behind his line. The Qiang tribesmen, who had always known the reputation of Zhao Yun, were frightened to see him as brave as ever. None of them dared to come forward to fight the veteran warrior. So wherever Zhao Yun rode up, the tribesmen retreated. A single rider with a single spear, Zhao Yun rode at will into the enemy ranks. A poem was written in praise of Zhao Yun:

  I thought of Zhao Yun of Changshan,

  Who did a wondrous service at three score and ten.

  Slaying four officers, he dashed into the enemy ranks

  Brave as at Dangyang when he saved his lord’s heir.

  Seeing the invincible Zhao Yun, Deng Zhi led his men to join the fight. This completed the distress of the Xiliang men, who fled. Han De, who was nearly captured by Zhao Yun, threw off his armor and escaped on foot. The men of Shu drew off and returned to their camp.

  “Congratulations, General!” said Deng Zhi. “At the age of seventy, you’re very much the same hero as of old. Your feat in slaying four officers today is indeed rare.”

  “Well, the prime minister thought me too old and didn’t wish to employ me. I had to give him some proof.” Then he sent his men to deliver the captive Han Yao and an account of the victory to the prime minister.

  In the meantime, Han De led his defeated army back to his chief, to whom he related his sad story in tears. Then Xiahou Mao decided to lead his own army out against Zhao Yun.

  When scouts reported his coming, Zhao Yun took his spear and mounted his steed. Leading some thousand men, he rode out to the Hill of Phoenix Songs, at the foot of which he deployed his forces. Xiahou Mao wore a golden helmet, rode a white horse, and carried in his hand a huge sword. From his place beneath the great standard he saw Zhao Yun galloping to and fro. He was going out to give battle when Han De checked him.

  “Let me go and avenge my four sons!” he shouted.

  He picked up his battle-ax and rode directly at Zhao Yun, who advanced furiously to engage. The contest was but short, for in the third encounter Zhao Yun’s spear thrust brought Han De to his death. Without waiting a second he made straight for Xiahou Mao, who hastily dashed behind his ranks to escape. Then Deng Zhi led on the main body and completed the victory. The men of Wei retired more than ten li, where they established another camp.

  Xiahou Mao, having lost two battles, discussed the situation with his officers that evening. He said, “I have long heard of Zhao Yun’s name but I have never seen him. In spite of his old age he is still so brave and powerful. Now at last I believe the story of his heroism at Dangyang. None of us can repel him, I think. What is to be done, then?”

  Cheng Wu, an advisor (and son of Cao Cao’s old advisor, Cheng Yu), said: “To my mind, he may be a brave soldier but he knows nothing about strategies. We need not be afraid of him. Next time before you go out to give battle, you can place two forces in ambush on the right and left flanks. When the fighting begins, feign retreat and so draw him into the ambuscades. Then from a vantage point you can direct the forces to surround him on all sides. In this way Zhao Yun can be captured.”

  The plan was adopted. Two parties of 30,000 men each, led by Dong Xi and Xue Ze, set up in ambush. Having made the preparation, Xiahou Mao advanced once more to challenge, with drums rolling and flags flying. Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi went out to meet him.

  Deng Zhi said, “The men of Wei were beaten only yesterday. This renewed attempt must mean they have some trick. You should be cautious, General.”

  “I don’t think this youth, with the smell of his mother’s milk still on his lips, is worth caring about. I’ll surely capture him today.”

  So ignoring the warning Zhao Yun sallied forth, and from the Wei side came an officer to meet him. But after only three bouts the man quickly ran way. Zhao Yun pursued. Then there came out to engage him no less than eight officers of Wei. The combat was not long either, for these eight men, after letting their commander Xiahou Man escape first, also fled one after another. Zhao Yun pressed forward at full speed, Deng Zhi coming up behind.

  By degrees Zhao Yun was led into the heart of the enemy’s trap. All of a sudden a deafening shouting rose all around. Deng Zhi hastened to halt the pursuit and retreat, but it was too late. From two sides emerged the Wei officers waiting in ambush and Deng Zhi, with his weak force, was unable to go to his comrade’s rescue. Zhao
Yun was thus entirely surrounded. However, he fought on fearlessly but the enemy seemed to increase at every attempt he made to break through, while he had but a meager force of about a thousand. Presently Zhao Yun fought to the foot of a hill, where he saw Xiahou Mao directing the operation from the top. Whichever direction he took, Xiahou Mao would indicate to his men, thus making it impossible for Zhao Yun to escape. Zhao Yun decided to charge up the hill, but was hampered by rolling logs and tumbling rocks.

  The battle lasted almost a whole day, yet Zhao Yun was still unable to escape. So he dismounted to rest a while, intending to renew the struggle when the moon was up. But he had barely sat down with his armor off and the moon had just risen when, amid towering flames, thundering drums, and showers of arrows, his enemies came up, all shouting loudly, “Surrender quickly, Zhao Yun!”

  Hurriedly he mounted his steed to fight back. But the men of Wei pressed closer and closer on four sides, while dense flights of arrows were shot at Zhao Yun and his men from eight directions. No advance was possible for either men or horses, and the end seemed very near.

  “I refused to acknowledge my waning powers,” sighed Zhao Yun, “and now I’m going to die here.”

  At this instant, however, he heard loud shouting from the northeast corner, and there the men of Wei suddenly started to flee. To his joy he saw Zhang Bao coming up with reinforcements, his father’s long spear in his hand, and a man’s head hanging from the bridle of his horse.

  “The prime minister was worried about you, General, so he sent me here with 5,000 men to aid you,” said Zhang Bao. “When I heard that you were surrounded, I decided to come to your rescue. This man, Xue Ze, tried to stop me and I slew him.”

  Zhao Yun was very happy to hear this. As he and the young officer began to make a sortie from the northwest, they were surprised to see the men of Wei abandoning their arms and fleeing. Soon they saw another cohort sweep in from outside, the leader wielding a huge curved sword in one hand and holding a human head in another. It was Guan Xing! To the veteran general he told the same story as his cousin had done, only that the enemy he had encountered and slain was Dong Xi. Then he told him that the prime minister would soon be there, too.

  Zhao Yun said, “Since you two have scored such a wonderful victory, why don’t we press on to capture Xiahou Mao and so settle the whole issue this very day?”

  Zhang Bao took the advice and went ahead with his troops. Guan Xing soon followed suit, saying, “I must go and win merit for myself.”

  “They belong to the generation of my sons and nephews,” said Zhao Yun to those around him, “yet they strive to win merits. I’m a senior general and a founding member of the state. How can I stay behind? I will risk my remaining days to repay the kindness of the late Emperor.”

  So he also led his men to try to capture Xiahou Mao. That night the army of Wei was sorely smitten by the three forces of Shu, till the earth was strewn with corpses and steeped with streams of blood. As well as being young and inexperienced in warfare, Xiahou Mao was not a resourceful person by nature. Seeing his army utterly routed, he fled toward Nanan, taking with him about a hundred bold officers. Left without a commander, the remaining soldiers all fled.

  Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, who had heard of his escape, pressed on with the pursuit without even resting for the night. As soon as he entered Nanan, Xiahou Mao ordered the gates to be closed and dispatched his men to defend the city. Zhang Bao and his cousin soon came up and besieged the city. Presently they were joined by Zhao Yun, and a little later by Deng Zhi, so that the city was surrounded on all sides.

  For ten days they kept attacking the city but their efforts were in vain. Then reports came to say that the prime minister had arrived with the central force of the main army, after leaving the rear, the left, and the right elements at Mianyang, Yangping, and the Rock City respectively. The four officers went to see him and told him about their futile effort to seize the city. Hearing this, Zhuge Liang got into his light chariot and rode around the city wall to reconnoiter, after which he returned and summoned the officers to his tent.

  He said, “This city, with its deep moat and steep walls, is difficult to capture. Anyway, it is not my major concern at the moment. You people think only of seizing the city. Has it occurred to you that the enemy might send part of their forces to attack Hanzhong? If so, our army will be in danger.”

  “But Xiahou Mao is a son-in-law of the imperial house of Wei,” said Deng Zhi. “His capture would be worth more than slaying a hundred of their officers. Now he is besieged here, and it will be a pity to give up the opportunity.”

  “I know what to do,” replied Zhuge Liang. “To the west of this city lies the town of Tianshui and to the north, Anding. Who are the prefects of these two places?”

  “Ma Zun is the Prefect of Tianshui, and Cui Liang that of Anding,” replied a scout.

  Zhuge Liang seemed very pleased to hear this. He summoned in turn Wei Yan, Zhang Bao, Guan Xing, and two trusted soldiers to whom he gave some secret instructions. They all left to carry out his plan. After they were gone, Zhuge Liang ordered the soldiers to pile up heaps of firewood and straw beneath the city wall, saying that he was going to burn the city. When the men of Wei heard of this they were not intimidated at all but laughed heartily at this foolery.

  Now the prefect of Anding, Cui Liang, was much frightened when he heard that Xiahou Mao was besieged in Nanan, and began to see to his own defenses with his 4,000 soldiers. One day there came a stranger from the south, who said he had a secret message for the prefect. Cui Liang called him in and questioned him.

  The man said, “My name is Pei Xu. I am a trusted officer of General Xiahou, who has sent me to ask for help from your city and Tianshui. The situation in Nanan is most critical. For days we have raised signal fires on the city wall and waited anxiously for your two places to send relief forces, but so far neither of you has responded to our urgent call. So I was ordered to fight my way through the besiegers to seek emergency help from you. Now set your men in motion tonight. The general will open the gates for you when you get there.”

  “Have you a letter from the general?” asked the prefect.

  Pei Xu produced a letter hidden close to his skin, which was already soaked with sweat. After showing it very briefly to the prefect, he took it back, changed his horse and went on to Tianshui.

  Two days later another mounted messenger came to say that the prefect of Tianshui had already started for Nanan, and he urged Prefect Cui to take action at once.

  Cui Liang sought advice from his subordinates, most of whom said, “If Nanan is lost and the imperial son-in-law comes to harm, our two places will be blamed for not sending rescue forces. We have to try to save him.”

  Following their advice the prefect assembled his troops and started on the rescue mission, leaving only the civil officials to defend the city. On the high road to Nanan, he saw in the distance flames shooting up to the sky. When the besieged city was still fifty li away, there suddenly thundered the drums of an attacking force, and scouts came to report that the road ahead was held by Guan Xing, while Zhang Bao was coming up quickly in the rear.

  At this news the soldiers began to flee in all directions. The prefect had about a hundred men left with whom he managed to escape through some bypath to get back to Anding. But when he came near his own city a flight of arrows greeted him from the wall, and there stood Wei Yan who shouted down to him, “I have taken the city—you had better yield.”

  How did Wei Yan get inside Anding? This was what had happened. Disguised as Anding soldiers, Wei Yan and his men had, in the darkness of the night, beguiled the wardens of the gate into opening it, letting the men of Shu inside.

  Cui Liang hastened to set off for Tianshui. But shortly after a troop spread out before him, and beneath the great flag he saw a light chariot in which sat upright a man in a silk headpiece, a Taoist robe, and a white cloak, holding a feather fan in his hand. He at once recognized Zhuge Liang, but as he turned to flee in a
hurry, up came Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, who summoned him to surrender. Finding himself entirely surrounded, he reluctantly submitted. Then he went to the Shu camp with Zhuge Liang, who treated him with courtesy.

  Zhuge Liang asked, “Is the Prefect of Nanan a friend of yours?”

  “His name is Yang Ling, a cousin of Yang Fu. Living in neighboring districts we are very good friends.”

  “I would like to trouble you to go to Nanan and persuade him to capture Xiahou Mao,” said Zhuge Liang. “Will you do it?”

  “If you order me to go, please withdraw your army for the time being so as to let me get into the city to speak with him.”

  Zhuge Liang consented and ordered his forces to draw off twenty li and camp. Cui Liang rode out by himself to the city and hailed open the gate. He went at once to see his friend in his residence. After they had greeted each other, Cui Liang related in detail what had happened.

  Yang Ling said, “We have received great kindness from our lord. How can we betray him? But we can turn Zhuge Liang’s ruse against himself.”

  He led Cui Liang to Xiahou Mao and told him the whole story.

  “What is your plan?” asked Xiahou Mao.

  “We can pretend to offer the city to induce the men of Shu within. Once they are inside, we can massacre them.”

  Cui Liang agreed to comply with this scheme. He then went back to see Zhuge Liang, to whom he told the necessary lie, saying that Yang Ling would have tried to capture Xiahou Mao himself, but as he had but few valiant officers he would open the gates to let the Shu army in for the purpose.

  “That is simple enough,” replied Zhuge Liang. “Your hundred men who surrendered with you are here. Let some of my officers mix among them, disguised as your men from Anding, and so get into Nanan, where they can hide in Xiahou Mao’s dwelling. Meanwhile, you can arrange with Yang Ling to open the gates at midnight to let our men in to assist.”