Romance of the Three Kingdoms

by Guanzhong Luo

  But his master angrily replied,“Do you want to play the traitor and take the side of the rebels and help them?”

  He called in the lictors and told them to put Kung to death. The other officers interceded for him, saying,“It augers ill to start an expedition by slaying your own men.”

  So the Prefect merely sent Kung Chih away. He himself led the army out of the city. After marching twenty li he met with Chang Fei’s army.

  Chang Fei at once rode to the front, spear ready to thrust, and opened with a shout. Chin Hsuan turned to his officers and asked who would go out to fight him, but no one replied; they were too afraid.

  So the Prefect himself galloped out, flourishing his sword. Seeing him advance Chang Fei shouted in a voice of thunder. Poor Chin was seized with panic, turned pale and could not go on. He turned his steed and fled. Then Chang Fei and his army went in pursuit and smote the fugitives, chasing them to the city wall.

  Here the fugitives were greeted by a flight of arrows from their own wall. Greatly frightened, Chin Hsuan looked up to see what this meant and there was Kung Chih, who had opposed him, standing on the wall.

  “You brought defeat upon yourself because you opposed the will of God,” cried the traitor.“I and the people with me are determined to yield to Liu Pei.”

  Just as he finished speaking an arrow wounded Chin Hsuan in the face and he fell to the ground. Thereupon his own men cut off his head, which they forthwith presented to Chang Fei. Kung Chih then went out and made formal submission and Chang Fei bade him take his letter and the seal to Kueiyang to Liu Pei, who was pleased to hear of Chang Fei’s success and gave the prefectship to Kung Chih. Soon after Yuan-te came in person and soothed the people.

  This done he wrote to his other brother telling him I-te and Tzu-lung had gained a district each. Kuan at once wrote back and said that Changsha was yet to be taken and if he was not thought too feeble he would like to be sent to attack it. Yuan-te agreed and sent Chang Fei to relieve his brother, whom he ordered to return and prepare for an expedition to Changsha. Kuan Yu came and went in to see his elder brother and K’ungming.

  At this interview K’ungming said that the other two successful warriors had done their work with three companies. The Prefect of Changsha, Han Yuan, was not worth mentioning, but there was a certain general with him, named Huang Chung, who had to he reckoned with.

  “Huang Chung,” said K’ungming,“is a native of Nanyang. He used to be in the service of Liu Piao and was a colleague of Liu Pan, when he was in command of Changsha. After Liu Piao’s death he joined Han Yuan when he took command of the district. Now, although he is nearly sixty he is a man to be feared and a warrior of a thousand. You ought to take a larger number of men.”

  Kuan Yu replied,“General, what makes you damp another man’s ardour to fight and do away with your own dignity? I do not think the old leader need be discussed and I do not think I require three companies of men. Give me my own half company of swordsmen and I will have the heads of both our enemies to sacrifice to our standard.”

  Yuan-te resisted this decision of Kuan Yu, but Kuan would not give way. He just took his half company and set out.

  “If he is not careful how he attacks Huang Chung there will be a mishap,” said K’ungming.“You must go to support him.”

  Yuan-te accordingly, at the head of another and larger party, set out toward Changsha.

  The Prefect of Changsha was of hasty temperament with small compunction in matters of life and death and was universally hated. When he heard of the army coming against him he called his veteran leader, Huang, to ask advice. The latter said,“Do not be distressed, this sword of mine and my bow are equal to the slaughter of all who may come.”

  Huang Chung had been very strong and could bend the two hundred catty bow and was a most perfect archer. When he referred to his one-time prowess a certain man spoke up and said,“Let not the old General go out to battle. Trust to my right arm and you shall have this Kuan a prisoner in your hands.”

  The speaker was named Yang Ling. The Prefect accepted his offer and told off a company to go with him and they quickly rode out of the city. About fifty li from the city they observed a great cloud of dust approaching and soon distinguished the invaders. Yang Ling set his spear and rode to the front to abuse and fight. Kuan Yu made no reply to the abuse, but rode forward flourishing his sword. The warriors soon met and in the third encounter Yang Ling was cut down. Kuan Yu’s company dashed forward and pursued the defeated force to the city wall.

  When the Prefect heard of this reverse he ordered the veteran Huang Chung to go out while he went up on the city wall to watch the fight.

  Huang Chung took his sword and crossed the drawbridge at the head of his men. Kuan Yu, seeing an old leader riding out, knew it must be Huang Chung. He halted his men and placed them in line with their swords at the point. Then sitting there on horseback he said,“He who comes is surely Huang Chung, eh?”

  “Since you know me, how dare you come within my boundaries?” replied the veteran.

  “I have come expressly to get your head.”

  Then the combat began. They fought a hundred and more bouts and neither seemed nearer victory. At this point the Prefect, fearing some mishap to his veteran general, beat the gong to retreat and the battle ceased, one side going into the city and the other camping ten li away to the rear.

  Kuan Yu thought in his heart that the fame of the veteran opposed to him was well merited. He had fought a hundred bouts and discovered never a weak spot. He determined that in the next encounter he would use a feint (or “Parthian” stab) and so overcome him.

  Next day, the early meal eaten, Kuan Yu came to the city wall and offered his challenge. The Prefect seated himself on the city wall and bade his veteran warrior go out to accept it and, at the head of a few horsemen, he dashed across the drawbridge. The two champions engaged and at the end of half a hundred bouts neither had the advantage. On both sides the soldiers cheered lustily.

  When the drums were beating most furiously, suddenly Kuan Yu wheeled round his horse and fled. Of course Huang Chung followed. Just as the moment for the feint arrived Kuan Yu heard behind him a tremendous crash and turned to see his pursuer lying prone upon the ground. His steed had stumbled and thrown him. Kuan Yu turned, raised his sword in both hands, and cried in a fierce tone,“I spare your life, but quick! get another horse and come again to battle.”

  Huang Chung pulled his horse to its feet hastily, leapt upon its back and went into the city at full speed. The prefect was astonished and asked for an account of the accident.“The horse is too old,” replied Huang.

  “Why did you not shoot since your arm is so perfect?” asked the Prefect.

  “I will try again tomorrow,” said Huang.“Then I will run away as if overcome and so tempt him to the drawbridge and then shoot him.”

  The Prefect gave the veteran a grey horse that he usually rode himself, Huang thanked him and retired.

  But he could not forget Kuan Yu’s generous conduct, nor could he understand it. He could not make up his mind to shoot the man who had spared his life. Yet if he did not shoot he betrayed his duty as a soldier. It was very perplexing and the whole night spent in thinking it over found him still undecided.

  At daybreak a man came in saying that Kuan Yu was near the wall and challenging them again. So Huang Chung gave orders to go out.

  Now Kuan Yu, having fought for two days and not having overcome Huang Chung, was very ill at ease. So he called up all his dignity when he went forth to fight that day. When they had got to the thirtieth bout Huang Chung fled as if he was overcome. Kuan Yu pursued.

  As he rode away Huang Chung thought in his heart,“He spared me only yesterday and I cannot bear to shoot him today. Putting up his sword he took his bow and twanged the string only; no arrow flew. Kuan Yu dodged, but seeing no arrow in the air, he re-took the pursuit. Again Huang twanged an arrowless bowstring and again Kuan dodged, but no arrow came. Then he said to himself,“He cannot
shoot,” and pressed on in pursuit.

  As they neared the city wall, the veteran stopped on the drawbridge, fitted an arrow, pulled the bow and sent an arrow flying that just hit the base of the plume on Kuans helmet. The soldiers shouted at the display of marksmanship. Kuan Yu was taken aback and set off for camp with the arrow still sticking. Then he heard that Huang Chung’s skill was said to be equal to piercing a willow leaf at a hundred paces and he understood that he owed this warning in the shape of an arrow in his plume to gratitude for sparing the veteran the preceding day.

  Both withdrew. But when the veteran leader went up on the wall to see the Prefect, he was at once seized.“What have I done?” cried Huang Chung.

  “I have seen these last three days that you were fooling me; you were slack the day before yesterday, which proved you had some sinister intention. Yesterday, when your horse stumbled and he spared you, it showed that you were in league with him. And today you twice twanged a vain bowstring, while at the third shot you only hit your opponent’s helmet. Dare you say there is no secret understanding in all this? If I do not put you to death it will assuredly redound to my own hurt.”

  The Prefect ordered him to be executed outside the city gate. The intercession of the officers he met by saying that any one who pleaded for the condemned would be regarded as in the plot.

  The executioners had hustled the old man out of the city and the sword was in the air and on the point of descending, when a man suddenly dashed in, cut down the lictor and rescued Huang Chung.

  “Huang Chung is our bulwark,” shouted he,“to destroy him is to destroy the Changsha people. This Han is too fierce and cruel, too lightly values good men and is too arrogant toward his officers. We ought rather to kill him, and those who will, let them follow me.”

  All eyes turned toward this bold speaker, who was bronzed and had eyes like the Cowherd’s star. Some of them knew him as Wei Yen, a native of lyang. He had followed Liu Pei from Hsiangyang but, unable to come up with him, had gone into the service of Han Yuan. Han Yuan took exception to his arrogant carriage and lack of polish and neglected him. And so he had come to this place.

  After the rescue of Huang Chung he called upon the people to make an end of the Prefect. He waved his arm and shouted to the people. Soon he had a following of several hundreds. Huang Chung could not stop them. In a very short time Wei had dashed up on the wall and the Prefect lay dead. Taking his head, Wei Yen rode off out of the city to lay the bloodstained trophy at the feet of Kuan Yu, who forthwith went into the city to restore confidence.

  When the people were all quiet, Kuan sent to request Huang Chung to come to see him, but the old general pleaded illness. Next he sent the good news to his brother and to K’ungming and asked them to come.

  Soon after Kuan Yu had left to capture Changsha, Liu Pei and K’ungming had followed him up with supports in case of need. While on the march a black flag was furled backwards and a crow flew over from north to south croaking thrice as it passed.

  “What good or evil things do these omens presage?” asked Yuan-te.

  With hands hidden within his long sleeves, K’ungming performed a rapid calculation on his fingers of the auspices and replied,“Changsha is taken and a great leader mastered. We shall know soon after noon.”

  Sure enough a simple soldier presently came galloping along with the welcome tidings of the capture of the city and saying that the two city warriors who had aided them were near waiting the arrival of Liu Pei. Soon after they arrived Liu Pei entered the city, where he was escorted to the magistracy and heard the recital of Huang Chung’s deeds.

  Yuan-te went in person to Huang’s house and enquired for him, whereupon he came forth and yielded formally. He requested to be permitted to bury the remains of the late Prefect on the east of the city.

  Lofty as is heaven above earth was the spirit of the captain,

  Who, even in his old age, suffered sorrows in the south;

  Cheerfully had he approached death, with no thought of resentment,

  But, bowing before the conquerer, he hung his head and was ashamed.

  Praise the sword, gleaming snow-white, and the glory of superhuman bravery,

  Consider the mail-clad steed snuffing the wind and rejoicing in the battle,

  That warrior’s name shall stand high and its brightness be undiminished,

  While the cold moon sheds her light on the waters of Hsiang and Tan

  Yuan-te was generous toward the veteran leader who had come under his banner. But when Wei Yen was introduced, K’ungming suddenly ordered him to be thrust forth and put to death.

  “He has merit; he has committed no fault,” exclaimed Yuan-te.“Why slay him?”

  But K’ungming replied,“Ingratitude; to eat a man’s bread and slay him is most disloyal; to live on his land and offer his territory to another is most wrong. I see the bone of treachery at the hack of his head and he will certainly turn against his master. Wherefore it is well to put him to death and prevent him from doing harm.”

  “If we slay this man others who may wish to surrender will be deterred by the danger. I pray you forgive him.”

  K’ungming pointed his finger at Wei Yen and said,“You are pardoned. You would do well to be perfectly faithful to your lord as well as grateful. Do not let a single thought stray elsewhere or I will have your head by fair means or foul.”

  Wei Yen went away muttering to himself.

  Having given in with good grace, Huang Chung introduced a nephew of Liu Piao, named Pan, then living in Yuhsien near by. Yuan-te employed him in the administration of Changsha.

  All being tranquil at Changsha, Yuan-te and his army returned to Chingchou. The name Yuchiangk’ou was changed to Kungan and soon all was prosperous. Taxes were freely paid and able men from all sides came to assist in the administration. Guards were placed at strategic points.

  It is time to return to Chou Yu. When he went to Ch’aisang to recover from his wound he left Kan Ning in command at Lingchun and Ling T’ung at Hanyang. The fleet was shared between these two places to be ready to move when required. The remainder of the force was under Cheng P’u and he went to Hofei, where Sun Ch’uan had been since the fight at Red Wall. He was still fighting the northern army and in half a score encounters, small and great, neither had gained a decided advantage. He could not approach the city but entrenched himself about fifty li away.

  When he heard of the coming of reinforcements he was very pleased and went in person to meet and welcome the leaders. Lu Su was in advance of the main body and Sun Ch’uan dismounted and stood by the roadside to greet him. As soon as he saw this, Lu Su slid out of the saddle and made his obeisance.

  But the officers were amazed at the attitude of Sun Ch’uan, and still more so when Sun Ch’uan asked Lu Su to remount and ride by his side. Presently he said secretly to Lu Su,“I, the Lone One, dismounted to greet you as you saw; was that manifestation enough for you?”

  “No,” replied Lu Su.

  “Then what further can I do?”

  “I want to see your authority and virtue spread over the four seas and enfold the nine provinces and you yourself playing your part as Emperor. Then will my name be inscribed in the annals and I shall indeed be known.”

  Sun Ch’uan clapped his hands and laughed gleefully.

  When they reached the camp a banquet was prepared and the services of the new arrivals were praised and glorified.

  The destruction of Hofei was one day under discussion when one came in to say that Chang Liao had sent a written challenge to battle. Sun Ch’uan tore open the cover and what he read therein made him very wrath.“This Chang has insulted me grossly,” said he,“he hears that Cheng P’u has arrived and sends a challenge. Tomorrow, O newly-come warriors, you shall see me fight with him. You shall have no share in the battle.”

  Orders were given that next morning the army would move out of camp and advance on Hofei. Early in the morning, when they had advanced about halfway, they met the army of Ts’ao and prepar
ed for battle. Sun Ch’uan, with helmet and breastplate of silver, rode to the front with Sung Ch’ien and Chia Hua, each armed with a ch’i halberd to support him and guard him one on each side.

  When the third roll of the drum ceased, the centre of the Ts’ao array opened to allow the exit of three warriors, all fully armed. They were Chang Liao, supported by Li Tien and Yo Chin. Chang Liao, the central figure, especially designated Sun Ch’uan as the object of his challenge. Sun Ch’uan took his spear and was about to accept the challenge, when the ranks behind him were broken by T’aishih Tzu, who galloped forth with his spear ready to thrust. Chang Liao whirled up his sword to strike the newcomer and the two fought near a hundred bouts without a decisive blow.

  Then said Li Tien to Yo Chin,“He there opposite us with the silver helm is Sun Ch’uan; could I but capture him the loss of our four score legions would be amply avenged.”

  So speaking he rode out, alone, just one man and one sword, and went sidelong toward the two combatants. Then suddenly, swift as a flash of lightning, he ran forward and slashed at Sun. Βπ· Sun Ch’uan’s two guards were too quick for him. Up went the two ch’i guarding their lord’s head. The blow fell, but on the crossed ch’i which were shorn through near the head, and in another moment they were hammering away on the head of Yo Chin’s steed with the shafts of their broken weapons and forcing him back.

  Sung Ch’ien snatched a spear from a soldier near and went in pursuit of Yo Chin, but Li Tien, on the other side, fitted an arrow to his bow and aimed at Sung’s heart from behind. And he fell as the bowstring twanged.

  Then T’aishih Tzu, seeing a squadron of horse in motion toward him, left off the fight with Chang Liao and returned to his own line. At this Chang Liao fell on in a swift attack and the army of Wu, thrown into confusion, scattered and fled.