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

by Luo Guanzhong

  One of the Emperor’s attendants hastened to shut his mouth. “Do not utter such words. You will only bring harm upon yourself.”

  But Huangfu Li shrieked at him as well. “You are also an official of the state and yet you even back up the rebel. As the saying goes, ‘When the Emperor is put to shame his ministers die’. If it were my lot to suffer death at the hands of Li Jue, so be it!”

  And he continued with a torrent of abuse. When the Emperor heard of the incident, he at once called in Huangfu Li and sent him away to his home in Xiliang.

  Now the majority of Li Jue’s men were from Xiliang and he had also relied on the assistance of Qiang tribe soldiers. Huangfu Li had spread the story among them that Li Jue was a rebel and so were those who helped him, and that there would be a day of heavy reckoning. His words were readily believed and the morale of the soldiers sank. Li Jue sent one of his officers to arrest Huangfu Li; but the officer had a moral sense and, instead of carrying out his master’s order, returned to say he could not be found.

  Jia Xu tried to work on the feelings of the Qiang soldiers. He said to them in secret, “The Emperor knows you are loyal to him and have suffered from military campaigning. He has issued a secret command for you to go home and then he will reward you liberally in future.”

  The tribesmen had a grievance against Li Jue for not paying them, so they listened readily to the persuasions of Jia Xu and deserted. Then Jia Xu said to the Emperor, “Li Jue is greedy and unresourceful. Now he is enfeebled with the departure of the tribesmen. If you heap honors upon him, Your Majesty, he can be bought.”

  The Emperor agreed and raised him to the rank of Supreme Commander of the Army. This delighted him greatly and he credited his promotion to the power of the witches’ prayers and incantations. He rewarded them most generously.

  But his army was forgotten. Yang Feng was angry and he said to his colleague Song Guo: “We have taken all the risks and exposed ourselves to stones and arrows in his service, yet instead of giving us any reward he ascribes all the credit to those witches of his.”

  “Let us kill Li Jue and rescue the Emperor,” said Song Guo.

  “You start a fire inside as a signal and I will attack from without.”

  So the two agreed to act together in the second watch that very night. But they had been overheard and the eavesdropper told Li Jue. Song Guo was seized and put to death. That night Yang Feng waited outside for the signal and while waiting, out came Li Jue to look for him. Then a fight began, which lasted till the fourth watch. But Yang Feng got away and fled with his men to Xian in the west.

  From then on, Li Jue’s army was even more weakened and he felt more than ever the losses caused by his opponent’s frequent attacks. Then came news that Zhang Ji, at the head of a large army, was coming down from the west to arrange peace between the two factions. He declared that he would attack the one who was not compliant. Li Jue, whose strength was much diminished, jumped at the opportunity and hastened to inform Zhang Ji of his willingness to accept a peace settlement. Guo Si, too, had to concede.

  So the strife of the rival factions ended at last and Zhang Ji presented a memorial, asking the Emperor to go to Hongnong near Luoyang. The Emperor was delighted to have the opportunity to go back to the east, for he had long wished to revisit the old capital. Zhang Ji was rewarded with the title of General of Carriage and Cavalry and was highly honored. He saw to it that the Emperor and the court had good supplies of food and wine. Guo Si set free all his captive officials and Li Jue prepared transport for the Emperor and his followers to move to the east. Several hundred former palace guards were entrusted with escorting the cavalcade.

  Their progress was without incident as far as Baling. It was fall and the cold west wind blew with great violence. Soon, above the howling of the blast, the trampling of a large body of horses could be heard. They stopped at a bridge and barred the way.

  “Who is there?” cried a voice.

  “The imperial chariot is passing. Who dares to stop it?” said Yang Qi, riding forward.

  Two officers advanced, “General Guo has ordered us to guard the bridge and stop all spies. You say the Emperor is here—we must see him and then we will let you pass.” So the beaded curtain was raised and the Emperor said, “I, the Emperor, am here. Why do you block my way, officers?” They all shouted, “Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!” and fell away to allow the procession through.

  But when they reported what they had done to Guo Si, he was very angry. “I meant to outwit Zhang Ji, seize the Emperor, and hold him in Meiwu. Why did you let him get away?” He put the two officers to death and set out to pursue the cavalcade himself.

  As the cavalcade reached the town of Huayin a great shouting arose behind the travelers and a loud voice commanded the chariot to stop. The Emperor burst into tears.

  “Out of the wolf’s den, into the tiger’s mouth! What is to be done?” cried the Emperor.

  No one knew what to do, for they were all too frightened. But as the rebel army was closing upon them, they heard the beating of drums and from behind some hills came an armed force preceded by a great banner bearing the name of Yang Feng, the officer who had betrayed Li Jue.

  Now after Yang Feng’s defeat he had camped under the Zhongnan Mountains, but as soon as he knew of the Emperor’s journey he came up to guard him. Seeing it was necessary to fight, he drew up his line of battle and one of Guo Si’s fighters rode out and let forth a volley of abuse. Yang Feng turned to his men and shouted, “Where is Xu Huang?”

  In response a valiant warrior galloped forth on his bay steed, carrying a heavy battle-ax. He made directly for his opponent and killed him with the first blow. At this Yang Feng led his men to press forward and routed Guo Si, who withdrew some twenty li. Yang Feng also called back his men and then he went to see the Emperor.

  “You have rendered a great service by saving my life,” said the Emperor graciously.

  Yang Feng bowed and thanked him. The Emperor then asked to see the warrior who had slain the rebel. Presently Xu Huang was led to the chariot, where he bowed reverently to the Emperor.

  Then the cavalcade proceeded, Yang Feng acting as escort as far as Huayin, where they halted for the night. A general there presented clothing and food to the Emperor, who spent the night in Yang Feng’s camp.

  The next day Guo Si, having mustered his men, reappeared in front of the camp and Xu Huang rode out to engage him in battle. But Guo Si’s army was much greater in number and in no time the loyalist force was entirely surrounded, with the Emperor and Yang Feng in the center. At this critical moment, an army arrived from the southeast led by a galloping horseman and the rebels fell back. Then Xu Huang smote them and so scored a victory.

  Their helper turned out to be Dong Cheng, a relative of the imperial house. The Emperor wept as he related what he had been through.

  Dong Cheng said, “Do not worry, Your Majesty. General Yang and I pledge to kill both rebels and so purify the state.”

  The Emperor bade them travel east as soon as possible and so they set out immediately toward their destination.

  Guo Si led his defeated army back and on the way he met Li Jue to whom he said, “The Emperor is going to Hongnong. If he reaches Shandong and gets settled there, he will surely send out a decree to the whole country, calling up the nobles to attack us—all our families will be in danger.”

  “Zhang Ji is holding Chang’an and is unlikely to venture out,” said Li Jue. “Why don’t we take this opportunity to launch a joint attack on Hongnong? We will kill the Emperor and divide the country between us.”

  Guo Si thought this a good scheme, so their armies merged and they united in plundering the countryside. Wherever they went they left destruction behind them. Yang Feng and Dong Cheng heard of their plot when they were yet a long way off, so they turned back to meet them and fought the rebels at Dongjian.

  Seeing that the loyalist troops were few as compared with their own, the rebels planned to overwhelm them
like a flood. So when the battle started they poured out in enormous numbers, covering the hills and filling the plains. Yang Feng and Dong Cheng fought desperately but only managed to protect the Emperor and the Empress from harm. The officials, attendants, archives and records, and all the paraphernalia of the court, were left unguarded. The rebels ravaged Hongnong, but the two got the Emperor safely away to travel to the north of Shanxi.

  When the rebels showed signs of pursuit the two loyalists sent people to mediate peace terms with them while also despatching a secret edict to Hedong asking for help from three former “White Wave Rebels.” Li Yue, one of the three, was actually a brigand, but their need was desperate.

  These three being promised pardon for their faults or crimes and a grant of official rank, naturally responded to the call. Thus the loyalists were strengthened and they planned to recapture Hongnong. Meanwhile, the rebels laid waste to whatever place they reached, slaying the aged and the weak and forcing the strong to join their ranks. When going into battle they forced these people-soldiers to the front and called them the “dare-to-die” soldiers.

  The rebel force was very strong. When Li Yue, the late brigand, approached, Guo Si bade his men scatter clothes and booty along the road. The former robbers could not resist the temptation so a scramble began. The rebels fell upon the disordered ranks and defeated them completely. At this, Yang Feng and Dong Cheng escorted the Emperor toward the north.

  But the rebels pursued. Li Yue said, “The danger is grave. Pray mount a horse and go in advance, Your Majesty.”

  The Emperor replied, “But I cannot abandon my officials.”

  All the officials wept and struggled on as best they could. One of the three “White Wave Generals” was killed in battle. The enemy came over very near and the Emperor had to leave his carriage and went on foot to the bank of the Yellow River, where they found a boat to carry him to the other side. The weather was very cold and the Emperor and Empress cuddled up close to each other, shivering. They reached the river but the banks were too high and they could not get down into the boat. However, some rolls of white silk were found and they rolled up the two imperial personages in the silk and thus they lowered the Emperor down into the boat. The brother of the Empress carried her on his back and got into the boat. Then Li Yue took up his position in the prow, leaning on his sword.

  The boat was too small to carry everybody and those unable to get onboard clung to the cable, but Li Yue cut them down and they fell into the water. After the royal family had been ferried over the river the boat came back for the others. There was a desperate scramble to get on board and Li Yue chopped off the fingers of those who persisted in clinging to the boat.

  The lamentation rose to the heavens. When they finally got to the other bank, only a score of the Emperor’s retinue remained. A bullock cart was found in which the Emperor traveled to Dayang. They had no food and at night sought shelter in a poor, tile-roofed house. The owner gave them some boiled millet but it was too coarse to swallow.

  The next day, the Emperor conferred titles on those who had protected him and they traveled on. Soon, two officials of rank caught up with them and they cried bitterly as they knelt before His Majesty. They were Yang Biao and Han Rong. The Emperor and Empress also wept with them.

  Han Rong said to the Emperor: “Li Jue and Guo Si rather believe in my words. I will take my life in my hands and try to bring about peace. Take care of yourself, Your Majesty.”

  After he had gone the Emperor rested for some time in Yang Feng’s camp and then was requested to stop at a small town called Anyi, now the temporary capital. But the town did not contain a single building of any substance and the Emperor and his suite had to live in thatched huts devoid even of doors. They surrounded these with a fence of thorns as a protection, and within the Emperor held a counsel with his ministers. The soldiers camped round the fence.

  Li Yue and his fellow ruffians soon showed their true colors. They wielded power as they wished and officials who offended them were beaten or abused, even in the presence of the Emperor. They purposely provided unstrained wine and coarse food for the Emperor’s consumption. The poor man struggled to swallow what they sent. Li Yue and his friend Han Xian recommended to the throne more than two hundred convicts, common soldiers, sorcerers, leeches, and such people to be given official rank. As seals could not be engraved pieces of metal were hammered into some sort of a shape.

  Now Han Rong had succeeded in his negotiations with the two rebels, who listened to him and set free the officials and palace attendants.

  A famine occurred that same year and people were reduced to eating grass from the roadside. Corpses of starved people could be seen everywhere. Then two prefects from the neighboring districts sent the Emperor some food and clothing and he began to enjoy a little repose.

  Dong Cheng and Yang Feng wanted to send workmen to restore the palaces in Luoyang, with the intention of moving the throne there. Li Yue, however, was opposed to this but the two of them argued that Luoyang was really the capital when compared to the paltry town of Anyi, and removal would be only reasonable. In the end, Li Yue gave in.

  “You may get the Emperor to Luoyang but I will remain here,” he said.

  But hardly had the Emperor started on his journey than Li Yue secretly sent his men to arrange with Li Jue and Guo Si to capture him again. However, this plot leaked out and the Emperor and his escort pressed on to Qi Pass as rapidly as possible. Li Yue heard this and, without waiting for his accomplices to join him, he set out to act alone.

  At about the fourth watch during the night, just as the cavalcade was passing the Jishan Mountains, a voice was heard shouting, “Stop those carriages! Li Jue and Guo Si are here!”

  This frightened the Emperor greatly and his terror increased when he saw the whole mountainside suddenly lit up by fire.

  The rebel party of two,

  Erstwhile split in twain,

  Is now joined by a third

  For a most wicked aim.

  How the Emperor was to escape this peril will be told in the following chapter.

  Footnote

  * Legendary king noted for his skill in archery.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Cao Cao Moves the Throne to Xudu

  Lu Bu Raids Xuzhou at Night

  The last chapter closed with the arrival of Li Yue, who shouted out falsely that Li Jue and Guo Si had come to recapture the Emperor. But Yang Feng recognized his voice and ordered Xu Huang to go out and fight him. Xu Huang killed the traitor in the first bout and then dispersed his followers, so the imperial cavalcade got safely through Qi Pass. Prefect Zhang Yang came to welcome the Emperor at Zhidao and supplied him plentifully with food and other necessaries. For his timely help the Emperor conferred a very high rank upon him, who then took his leave and camped near Luoyang.

  The Emperor presently entered Luoyang, where he found total destruction. The palaces and halls had been burned out and the streets were overgrown with grass and brambles. What remained of the old palaces and courts were broken roofs and toppling walls. A small palace was hastily built and the officials presented their congratulations, standing in the open air among thorn bushes and brambles. The reign title was changed from Xing Ping to Jian An.

  That was a year of grievous famine. The Luoyang people, reduced in number to a few hundred households, had nothing to eat and they prowled about outside the city, stripping the bark off trees and grubbing up the roots of plants to stave off hunger. All officials, except those of the highest ranks, went out into the country to gather firewood for fuel. Many died between ruined walls of dilapidated houses. At no time during the last days of Han did misery press harder than at this period.

  Yang Biao went to see the Emperor and said, “Your Majesty’s decree to call in Cao Cao was issued to me some time ago but has never been acted upon. Now he is very strong in Shandong and it would be well to link him with the government so that he might support the ruling house.”

  The Emperor repli
ed, “There is no need to tell me about this again. Send for him when you will.”

  So the decree was prepared and an envoy bore it into Shandong.

  In the meantime, Cao Cao had heard that the Emperor was back in Luoyang. He called together his advisors to consult them on the matter.

  Xun Yu said, “Of old, King Wen* of Jin supported Emperor Xiang of the Zhou Dynasty and all the feudal lords backed him. The founder of the Hans also won popular favor by arranging the funeral ceremony for Emperor Yi, who never really occupied the throne. Now the present Emperor has been an exile on the dusty roads. To take the lead in offering an army to restore him to honor is to have an unrivaled opportunity to win universal respect. But you must act quickly or someone else will get in there before you.”

  Cao Cao was very pleased with his words and at once prepared his army to move. Just at this moment the imperial envoy was announced with the very command he wanted and he set out without delay.

  At Luoyang everything remained to be done. The city walls had fallen and there were no means of rebuilding them. But worse was yet to come. Soon reports arrived that Li Jue and Guo Si were on their way to invade the city.

  The frightened Emperor asked Yang Feng, “What can be done? There is still no answer from Shandong and our enemies are near.”

  Yang Feng and Han Xian said, “We will fight to the death to protect Your Majesty.”

  Dong Cheng objected, “The fortifications are weak and our military resources are small. If we fight, we can hardly hope for victory. And what if we are defeated? I think we had better move into Shandong.”

  The Emperor agreed to this and the journey began without further preparations. There being few horses, the officials had to follow on foot. However, no sooner had they left the capital than they saw a thick cloud of dust out of which came all the clash and clamor of an advancing army. The Emperor and his consort were dumb with fear. Then a single horseman emerged, who turned out to be the envoy returning from Shandong. He rode up to the chariot, bowed and said: “General Cao has received the order and is coming with all the military forces of Shandong, but on hearing that Li Jue and Guo Si had again approached the capital he has sent Xiahou Dun in advance. With him are ten capable warriors and 50,000 proven soldiers. They will guard Your Majesty.”