The Three Kingdoms, Volume 1: The Sacred Oath: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation

by Luo Guanzhong

  This was the moment Zu Mao was waiting for. He rushed out of the woods and swinging his double swords, dashed at Hua Xiong. But his enemy was too powerful for him. With a loud yell, Hua Xiong cut him down from his horse. The killing continued till daybreak and it was only then that the victor led his men back to the pass.

  Sun Jian’s three other chief officers finally joined him. They collected the remaining soldiers and encamped again. He was much grieved at the loss of the faithful Zu Mao.

  When news of the disaster was reported to Yuan Shao he was greatly alarmed and called all the lords to a council. All came, with Gongsun Zan being the last to arrive. Yuan Shao invited them to sit inside his tent and said: “First it was General Bao’s brother who disobeyed the orders and rashly went to attack the enemy. He ended up getting himself slain and with him many of our soldiers. Now General Sun has also been defeated. Our fighting spirit has suffered from these two losses. What do you think we should do?”

  Everyone was silent. Lifting his eyes, Yuan Shao looked from one to another till he came to Gongsun Zan and noted the three unusual-looking men behind his seat. All three were smiling cynically.

  “Who are those men behind you?” he asked.

  Gongsun Zan asked Liu Bei to come forth and said, “This is Liu Bei, Magistrate of Pingyuan and an old friend of mine. We used to live under the same roof.”

  “He must be the Liu Bei who defeated the Yellow Turban rebels,” said Cao Cao.

  “Yes, he is,” replied Gongsun Zan. And he asked Liu Bei to pay his respects to the assembly, to whom he then related in full detail Liu Bei’s services and his origin of birth.

  “He should be seated since he is of the Han line,” said Yuan Shao and he bade Liu Bei sit down.

  Liu Bei thanked him modestly.

  Yuan Shao said, “This consideration is not for your fame or your office. I respect you as a scion of the imperial family.”

  So Liu Bei took his seat at the end of the long line of lords while his two brothers stood behind him with folded arms.

  Suddenly a scout came in to say that Hua Xiong and his mail-clad horsemen had left the pass and were already outside their camp. They were flaunting Sun Jian’s red turban on the end of a bamboo pole and hurling insults at people inside the stockade, challenging them to fight.

  “Who dares to go out and fight?” asked the commander.

  “I will,” answered Yu She, a veteran officer under Yuan Shu.

  So he went out and almost immediately a messenger came back to say that he had been killed by Hua Xiong in the third bout. Fear began to lay its cold hand on the assembly. Then another lord said, “I have a brave warrior among my men. Pan Feng is his name and he can slay this Hua Xiong.” So Pang Feng was ordered to meet the foe. With his great ax in hand he mounted and rode forth. But soon came the sorrowful news that he, too, had fallen. All those present turned pale at this.

  “What a pity my two able officers, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, are not here! If but one of them was present, how could Hua Xiong defy us?”

  He had hardly finished his speech when from the lower end someone cried out, “I will go and take his head! I will lay it before you here!”

  All turned to look at the speaker. He was very tall of stature with a long beard. He had eyes like those of a phoenix and bushy eyebrows like sleeping silkworms. His face was a swarthy red and his voice deep and resonant, like the sound of a great bell.

  “Who is this man?” asked the commander.

  Gongsun Zan told him that it was Guan Yu, sworn brother of Liu Bei.

  “And what office does he hold?”

  “He is a mounted archer in the service of Liu Bei.”

  “An insult to us all!” roared Yuan Shu from his seat. “Do you think we have no valiant officers of our own? How dare an archer speak thus before us ? Drive him out!”

  But Cao Cao quickly intervened. “Don’t be angry. Since he talks big he must be valiant. Let him go and if he fails, you can punish him then.”

  “Hua Xiong will laugh at us if we send a mere archer to fight with him,” said the commander.

  “He doesn’t look a common person. How can the enemy know he is but a bowman?” said Cao Cao.

  “If I fail you can behead me,” persisted Guan Yu.

  Cao Cao bade the attendants bring some hot wine and offered a stirrup cup to Guan Yu as he went out to fight.

  “Wait until I come back to drink it,” he said.

  Sword in hand, he went out and vaulted onto his horse. Then loud shouts and the fierce beating of drums could be heard as if the sky was falling and the earth sinking, mountains trembling and hills tearing asunder. All those inside the tent were gripped with fear. When they were about to send someone out to inquire, there came the gentle tinkle of a horse bell—then Guan Yu threw at their feet the head of Hua Xiong. The wine was still warm! This heroic deed was celebrated in verse:

  The most brilliant deed shook the world far and wide, At the gate of the camp was heard the rolling of the battle drums. Guan Yu set aside the wine cup till his valor was displayed, And the wine was still warm when the enemy was slain.

  Cao Cao was greatly pleased at this success. Just then Zhang Fei stepped forth from behind Liu Bei and shouted, “My brother has slain Hua Xiong. Why don’t we just break through the pass and seize Dong Zhuo? There could be no better time than this!”

  Again arose the voice of the peevish Yuan Shu, “We high officials are modest and yielding. Here are the petty followers of a small magistrate daring to flaunt their prowess before us! Expel them from the tent, I say!’

  But again Cao Cao interposed, “Should we consider the status of him who has done a great service?”

  “If you hold a mere magistrate in such honor then I will simply withdraw,” answered Yuan Shu.

  “We cannot allow our great cause to suffer just for one word,” said Cao Cao.

  He told Gongsun Zan to take his three companions back to their own camp. Then the other lords also dispersed. That night Cao Cao secretly sent meat and wine to soothe the three brothers.

  In the meantime, Hua Xiong’s men had returned to the pass and related to one of the other commanding officers the story of the defeat. He immediately wrote to his master to ask for emergency aid. Dong Zhuo called in his trusted advisors for counsel. Li Ru summed up the situation: “We have lost our senior officer Hua Xiong and the enemy has therefore become very strong. Yuan Shao is head of this confederacy and his uncle, Yuan Wei, is holding a high office in the government. If those inside the capital collaborate with those outside, we will suffer. Therefore, we must first remove the ones in the city. Then I suggest your lordship should place yourself at the head of your army and lead it to wipe out all the rebels.”

  Dong Zhuo agreed and at once ordered two of his followers, called Li Jue and Guo Si, to take five hundred soldiers to surround the residence of Yuan Wei. They killed everyone in the household, no matter whether old or young, and even hung the head of the old official outside the gate as a trophy. Then Dong Zhuo commanded 200,000 soldiers to advance in two armies. The first 50,000 men were under Li Jue and Guo Si, who were to hold Sishui Pass and not to fight. The main body under Dong Zhuo himself went to Tigertrap Pass, which is about fifty li from the capital.

  As soon as they arrived there, Lu Bu was ordered to take 30,000 men and make a stockade outside of Tigertrap Pass. The major force with Dong Zhuo occupied the fortress.

  News of this deployment of Dong Zhuo’s soon reached the confederate lords and a meeting was again convened in Yuan Shao’s camp. Cao Cao said, “The occupation of Tigertrap Pass will cut our force in two. We must use half of our armies to oppose them.” This being generally accepted, eight of the lords, including Gongsun Zan and Bao Xin, marched toward Tigertrap Pass to oppose the enemy. Cao Cao and his men acted as a reserve force to render help where needed.

  Of the eight, Wang Kuang, Prefect of Henei, was the first to arrive with his army. Lu Bu rushed forth to give battle with 3,000 mailed horsemen.
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  When Wang Kuang had arranged his army, horse and foot, in battle array, he took his position under the great banner and looked over at his foe. There he saw Lu Bu, a conspicuous figure in the front. On his head was a triple curved headdress of ruddy gold. He wore a robe of Xichuan silk embroidered with flowers; over that, breast and back mail adorned with a gaping animal’s head, joined by rings at the sides and girt to his waist with a belt fastened by a beautiful lion’s head clasp. His bow and arrows were slung over his shoulders and he carried a halberd. He was seated on his snorting steed, the Red Hare. Indeed he was a man among men, as his steed was a horse among horses.

  “Who dares to go and fight with him?” asked the prefect, turning to those behind him.

  In response, a skilled warrior spurred to the front, his spear set ready for battle. The two met, but before the fifth bout, he fell under a thrust of the halberd and Lu Bu dashed forward. The prefect’s men could not hold and scattered in all directions. Lu Bu went to and fro, slaying whoever was in his way. He was quite irresistible.

  Fortunately, two other prefects with their troops came to the rescue and Lu Bu retreated. All three having lost many men, withdrew thirty li and made a stockade. And before long the remaining five lords also arrived and joined them. They held a council.

  “This Lu Bu is invincible,” they said.

  But even as they sat there anxious and uncertain, news came that Lu Bu had returned to challenge them to a battle. All the eight lords mounted and their forces spread out in eight lines on high hills. They saw in the distance under fluttering banners Lu Bu and his army charging forward to break their battle array.

  Mu Shun, an officer from Shangdang, rode out but, to the horror of the others, he fell at first contact with Lu Bu. Then Wu An-guo from Beihai rushed out, swinging his iron mace. Lu Bu, whirling his halberd, rode forth to meet him. After about a dozen bouts a blow from the halberd broke Wu’s wrist, and he fled, giving up his weapon. Then all eight armies came up to his rescue and Lu Bu withdrew.

  The lords also retired to camp for another council. Cao Cao said, “Lu Bu’s prowess has no match. Let’s consult all the lords for a good plan. If only he could be captured, then Dong Zhuo would be easily destroyed.”

  However, while the council was still in progress, again Lu Bu came forth to challenge them and again they went out to oppose him. This time Gongsun Zan, flinging his mace, went to meet the enemy himself, but had to flee after a few bouts. Lu Bu followed at topmost speed on the Red Hare. As his horse was as swift as the wind and could ride a thousand li a day, Lu Bu gained rapidly upon his fleeing opponent, with his weapon poised, ready to pierce Gongsun Zan’s heart from behind. Just at that moment, from the confederate side a warrior with round, glaring eyes and a bristling mustach dashed in, his long, snaky spear raised high to strike.

  “Halt, you menial servant with three surnames!” he roared. “I, Zhang Fei, am here, waiting for you!”

  Seeing his new opponent, Lu Bu gave up his pursuit of Gongsun Zan and turned around to fight with Zhang Fei. They were equally matched and neither could gain any advantage over the other after an exchange of about three score of bouts. At this point, Guan Yu urged his horse forward and, whirling his weighty moon-shaped sword, he attacked Lu Bu from the other side. The three steeds stood like the letter T and their riders fought to the thirtieth bout, yet Lu Bu still held his ground.

  Then Liu Bei went to his brothers’ aid, drawing out his double swords and urging his horse to cut in at an angle. The three of them circled around Lu Bu and attacked him, one after another, like a revolving lantern during New Year. All the spectators from the eight confederate forces gazed aghast at such a battle. But gradually Lu Bu’s defense began to flag and he looked for a chance to retreat. As Liu Bei was the weakest in strength of the three brothers, Lu Bu feigned a fierce thrust in the face of Liu Bei, who dodged to one side to avoid him. Lu Bu immediately dashed through this temporary opening, his trident lowered to force a way out of the encirclement.

  The three brothers, however, would not allow him to escape. They whipped their steeds and pressed hard upon him.

  The men of the eight armies cheered in a thunderous roar and all rushed forward, chasing after Lu Bu and his troops as he made for Tigertrap Pass. And first among the pursuers were the three heroic brothers, who followed him to the very gate of the pass. Looking up, they saw an immense umbrella of blue gauze, its lace fluttering in the west wind.

  “That must be Dong Zhuo!” cried Zhang Fei. “What’s the use of pursuing Lu Bu? Better seize the chief villain and so eradicate the evil by plucking up its roots.”

  And Zhang Fei whipped up his steed toward the pass to seize the wicked minister.

  To quell rebellion seize the leader if you can;

  A wondrous service waits a wondrous man.

  The result of this battle will be told in the next chapter.

  Footnote

  * An old town in modern Hebei in north China.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Burning the Capital, Dong Zhuo Commits Atrocities

  Hiding the Emperor’s Seal, Sun Jian Breaks His Faith

  Zhang Fei galloped to the pass but there showered a rain of arrows and stones from on top, which prevented him from entering and he returned. The eight lords all joined in felicitations to the three heroes for their remarkable services and the victory of the battle was sent to Yuan Shao, who then ordered Sun Jian to advance.

  Sun Jian, together with two of his trusted subordinates, went over to Yuan Shu’s camp. Tracing figures on the ground with his staff, Sun Jian said, “I bear no personal grudge against Dong Zhuo, yet I have thrown myself into this life-and-death battle regardless of my own safety and exposed my own person to the enemy’s fierce attacks. And why? That I might help eliminate an evil in the country and for the private advantage of your family. But you, giving heed to some slanderous tongues around you, deliberately withheld the supplies of grain, and so I suffered defeat. How can you explain that, General?”

  Yuan Shu, feeling guilty and afraid, had no word to reply. To placate Sun Jian, he ordered the death of the slanderers.

  Then suddenly a messenger came with the news that Sun Jian had a visitor from the pass waiting for him in his camp. So Sun Jian took his leave and returned to his own camp, where he found the visitor was a favorite officer of Dong Zhuo’s, named Li Jue.

  “What do you want?” he asked.

  “You are the one person that the prime minister truly admires,” said Li Jue, “so he sends me here to arrange a matrimonial alliance between your family and his. He wishes that his daughter may marry your son.”

  Sun Jian was enraged at this. “What nonsense!” he rebuked, “Dong Zhuo acts against the will of Heaven and subverts the throne. I wish I could uproot his nine generations to appease the nation! Do you think I will ever consent to having an alliance with such a family? I am not going to kill you now. But go back quickly and yield the pass at once and I may spare your life. If you delay you will be killed without mercy.”

  Li Jue threw his hands over his head and scurried off like a rat. He returned to his master and told him of Sun Jian’s rudeness. Dong Zhuo, very angry, asked Li Ru how to reply to this.

  As always, Li Ru gave an appraisal of the general situation. He said that as Lu Bu’s late defeat had somewhat blunted the edge of the army’s desire for battle it would be better to return to Luoyang first and then remove the Emperor to Chang’an* so as to respond to what street boys had been singing recently:

  A Han in the west, a Han in the east;

  The deer will be safe in Chang’an, poor beast.

  Li Ru continued to explain the street rhyme: “I think ‘a Han in the west’ refers to the founder of the dynasty, who became ruler in the western city of Chang’an, which became the capital for twelve emperors; while ‘a Han in the east’ refers to Emperor Guangwu, who ruled from the eastern city of Luoyang, which has also been the capital of twelve emperors. It is the will of Heaven for us to return. If you mo
ve back to Chang’an, sir, there will be no need for anxiety.”

  Dong Zhuo was exceedingly pleased and said, “I would not have seen it in this light if you had not explained it to me.” So he set out at once for the capital, taking Lu Bu with him.

  Back at Luoyang, he called all the officials and generals together in the palace.

  “After two centuries of rule here in Luoyang,” he declared, “the fortune of Han has been exhausted. I perceive that the aura of rule has actually migrated to Chang’an. So I intend to move the court there. All of you had better pack up for the journey.”

  Three high-ranking officials voiced their opposition to the move, saying that the city of Chang’an had been burned down during a previous rebellion and that it would not be right to abandon the imperial tombs and ancestral temples. They also argued that the move would alarm the people so greatly that it would be difficult to pacify them again. But Dong Zhuo paid no heed to any of them and that day all three were stripped of their official ranks and reduced to common folk. Two other officials again tried to dissuade him but were ruthlessly put to death. Thus Dong Zhuo had silenced all objectors to the scheme. An order was issued for the journey to begin the next day.

  But before he set out, he did not forget to rob the people of Luoyang of their property and to destroy the city completely. Several thousand rich families were labeled “rebels” and put to death outside the city, their money confiscated. Millions of people were driven from their homes and forced to make the journey. Countless innocent folks died on the way, some falling into ditches and others killed by soldiers. In order to get more gold and jewelry, he even ordered Lu Bu to desecrate the tombs of former emperors and their consorts for the treasures buried within. However, worse was still to come. His most atrocious act was his final order to burn the whole city, houses, palaces, and temples and the capital became nothing but a patch of scorched earth.