Romance of the Three Kingdoms

by Guanzhong Luo

  “Although the damsel is a woman yet in mind she surpasses many a man, and she has said she will never wed any one who is unknown to fame. Now, Sir, you are renowned throughout the four seas. Marriage with you would be the chaste maiden mating with the born gentleman. Of what consequence is the difference in age?”

  “Sir, stay here awhile and I will give you a reply tomorrow,” said Liu Pei.

  So that day the envoy was entertained at a banquet and then conducted to the guest house to repose, while, late as it was, Yuan-te and K’ungming discussed their plans.

  “I knew what he had come about,” said the adviser.“While he was talking I consulted the oracle and obtained an excellent sortilege. Wherefore you may accept the proposal and send Sun Ch’ien back with this envoy to arrange the details. When the promise has been ratified we will choose a day and you shall go to complete the ceremony.”

  “How can I thus go into enemy territory? Chou Yu has wanted to slay me for a long time.”

  “Let Chou Yu employ all his ruses; think you he can get beyond me? Let me act for you and his calculations will always fail halfway. Once Sun Ch’uan’s sister is in your power there will be no fear for Chingchou.”

  Still Yuan-te doubted in his mind. However, the messenger was sent to Wu, with definite instructions, and travelled thither with Lu Fan. At the interview Sun Ch’uan said,“I wish my sister could induce Yuan-te to live here with us. He would come to no harm.”

  Sun Ch’ien took his leave, and returning to Chingchou he told the bridegroom elect that Sun Ch’uan’s sole desire was for him to go over and complete the marriage.

  However, Yuan-te feared and would not go. K’ungming said he had prepared three plans but they needed Chao Tzu-lung to carry them out. Wherefore he must go as guard. So he called in Chao Yun, gave him three silken bags and whispered in his ear saying,“Here are three schemes enclosed in three bags. When you escort our lord to Wu you will take these with you and act as they direct.”

  Chao Yun hid the three silken bags in his breast so that they should be at hand when required.

  K’ungming next sent the wedding gifts, and when these had been received the preliminaries were settled.

  It was then the early winter of the fourteenth year of “Established Tranquillity” (209 A.D.) and the bridegroom elect, his escort and the intermediary, left Chingchou with a fleet of ten fast ships to sail down the river to Nanhsu. K’ungming remained to guard and rule the City.

  But Liu Pei was far from feeling comfortable. They arrived and the ships were made fast. This done the time had come for the first of the silken bags to be opened. And so it was; and thereupon Chao Yun gave each of the soldiers of his half company his instructions and they went their several ways. Next he told Liu Pei what he was to do; that he was to pay his visit first to Ch’iao “Kuo-lao,” who was the father-in-law of Sun Ts’e and of Chou Yu. He resided in Nanhsu and to his house,“leading sheep and bearing wine jars,” went the bridegroom elect. Having made his obeisance he explained that as Lu Fan had arranged he had come to marry a wife.

  In the meantime the half company of the escort, all in gala dress, had scattered over the town buying all sorts of things, as they said, for the wedding of Liu Pei with the daughter of the House of Wu. They spread the news far and wide and the whole town talked about it.

  When Sun Ch’uan heard of Yuan-te’s arrival he bade Lu Fan wait upon him and take him to the guesthouse. Meanwhile Ch’iao Kuo-lao went to the Dowager of Wu, mother of Sun Ch’uan, to congratulate her on the bappy event.

  “What happy event?” ejaculated the old lady.

  “The betrothal of your beloved daughter to Yuan-te. And he has arrived too, as surely you know.”

  “My poor old self does not know,” said the Dowager,“I have heard nothing of all this.”

  She at once summoned her son and also sent her servants out into the town to see what was going about. They quickly returned to say that the whole town knew of the coming wedding, and the bridegroom was then at the guesthouse. Moreover, he had come with a large escort and the men were spending freely, buying pork and mutton and fruits, all in readiness for the wedding feasting. They also told her the names of the intermediaries on each side, and said they were in the guesthouse too.

  The Dowager was terribly taken aback and upset so that, when Sun Ch’uan arrived, he found his mother beating her breast and weeping bitterly.

  “What has disturbed you, mother?” asked he.

  “What you have just done,” said she.“You have treated me as a nonentity. When my elder sister lay dying, what did she tell you?”

  Sun Ch’uan began to be frightened, but he said boldly,“Please speak out plainly, mother; what is this great sorrow?”

  “When a son is grown he takes a wife, and when a girl is old enough she goes to her husband. And that is right and proper. But I am the mother and you ought to have told me that your sister was to become the wife of Liu Pei. Why did you keep me in the dark? It was my place to promise her in marriage.”

  “Whence comes this story?” said the Marquis, really much frightened.

  “Do you pretend ignorance? There is not a soul in the city who does not know! But you have succeeded in keeping me in the dark.”

  “I heard it several days ago,” said Ch’iao.“And I came just now, to offer my felicitations.”

  “There is no such thing,” said Sun.“It is just one of the ruses of Chou Yu to get hold of Chingchou. He has used this means to inveigle Liu Pei here and hold him captive till Chingchou is restored to us. And if they will not give it back, then Liu Pei will be put to death. That is the plot. There is no real marriage.”

  But the Dowager was in a rage and vented her wrath in abusing Chou Yu.“He is a pretty sort of a governor over the eighty-one districts if he cannot find any means of recovering one city except making use of my child as a decoy. Truly this is a fine deed, to spoil the whole of my child’s life and condemn her to perpetual widowhood because he wants to use the fair damsel ruse to slay a man! Who will ever come to talk of marriage with her after this?”

  Said Ch’iao Kuo-lao,“By this means you may indeed recover Chingchou but you will be a shameful laughing stock to all the world. What can be done?”

  Sun Ch’uan had nothing to say; he could only hang his head, while the Dowager abused his general.

  Ch’iao tried to soothe her.“After all Liu, the Imperial Uncle, is a scion of the reigning family. You can do nothing better now than to welcome him as a son-in-law and not let this ugly story get abroad.”

  “I am afraid their ages do not match,” interposed Sun Ch’uan.

  “Liu is a very famous man,” said Ch’iao.“There can be no shame in having such a son-in-law.”

  “I have never seen him,” said the Dowager.“Arrange that I may get a look at him tomorrow at the Gentle Dew Temple. If he displeases me, you may work your will on him. But if I am satisfied with him then I shall simply let the girl marry him.”

  Now Sun Ch’uan was above all things filial and at once agreed to what his mother said. He went out, called in Lu Fan and told him to arrange a banquet for the morrow at the temple so that the Dowager might see the bridegroom.

  “Why not order Chia Hua to station some men in the wings of the temple? Then if the Dowager be not pleased we can call them out and fall upon him,” said Lu Fan.

  Accordingly the ambush was prepared and ruffians posted to act as the Dowager’s attitude might determine.

  When Ch’iao took his leave and had reached his house, he sent to tell Yuan-te that on the morrow the Dowager wished to see him and she was well disposed.

  Yuan-te and his faithful henchman discussed their plans. Chao Yun said,“The morrow bodes rather ill than well. However, the escort shall be there.”

  Next day the Dowager and Ch’iao went to the Temple of Gentle Dew as had been arranged. Sun Ch’uan came with a number of his strategists, and when all were assembled Lu Fan was sent to the guest house to request Yuan-te to come. He obeyed
the summons, but as a precaution he put on a light coat of mail under his brocaded robe. His followers too took their swords upon their backs and followed close. He mounted his steed and the cavalcade set out for the temple. At the door of the temple he met Sun Ch’uan on whom the visitor’s brave demeanour was not lost. After they had exchanged salutations, Sun led Liu Pei into the presence of his mother.

  “Just the son-in-law for me!” said the Dowager delighted with the appearance of Liu Pei.

  “He has the air of an emperor and a look like the sun,” remarked Ch’iao.“When one remembers also that his fair fame has spread over the whole earth, you may well be congratulated on getting such a noble son-in-law.”

  Liu Pei bowed, in acknowledgment of his reception. Soon after they were all seated at the banquet in the temple, Chao Yun entered and took his place beside Yuan-te.

  “Who is this?” asked the Dowager.

  This is Chao Yun of Ch’angshan.”

  “Then he must be the hero of Tangyang Slope, who saved the little O-tou.”

  “Yes, this is he,” replied Yuan-te.

  “A fine captain!” said the Dowager, and she gave him wine.

  Presently Chao Yun said to his master,“I have seen a lot of armed ruffians hidden away in the purlieus of the temple. They can be there for no good and you should ask the Dowager to get them sent away.”

  Thereupon Liu Pei knelt at the feet of the Dowager and, weeping, said,“If you would slay me, let it be here.”

  “Why do you say this?” asked she.

  “Because there are assassins in hiding in the wings of the temple; what are they there for if not to kill me?”

  The Dowager wrathfully turned on Sun Ch’uan.“What are armed men doing there today when Yuan-te is to become my son-in-law and the pair are my son and daughter?”

  Sun Ch’uan said he did not know and sent Lu Fan to enquire. Lu Fan put the blame on Chia Hua. The Dowager summoned him and upbraided him severely. He had nothing to say and she told them to put him to death. But Yuan-te interceded saying that it would do him harm and make it hard for him to stay at her side.

  Ch’iao Kuo-lao also interceded and she only ordered the captain out of her presence. His men also scattered and ran like frightened rats.

  By and bye, strolling out of the banquet room into the temple grounds, Yuan-te came to a boulder. Drawing his sword he looked up to heaven and prayed saying,“If I am to return to Chingchou and achieve my intent to become a chief ruler, then may I cleave this boulder asunder with my sword, but if I am to meet my doom in this place then may the sword fail to cut this stone.”

  Raising his sword he smote the boulder. Sparks flew in all directions, and the boulder lay creft in twain.

  It happened that Sun Ch’uan had seen the blow and he said,“Why do you thus hate that stone?”

  Yuan-te replied,“I am near my fifth decade and have so far failed to rid the State of evil; I greatly regret my failure. Now I have been accepted by the Dowager as her son-in-law, and this is a critical moment in my life. So I implored of Heaven a portent that I might destroy Ts’ao as I would that boulder and restore the dynasty. You saw what happened.”

  “That is only to blind me,” thought Sun. Drawing his own sword he said,“And I also ask of Heaven an omen, that if I am to destroy Ts’ao I may also cut this rock.”

  So he spoke. But in his secret heart he prayed “If I am to recover Chingchou and extend my borders, may the stone be cut in twain.”

  He smote the stone and it split in twain. And to this day there are cross cuts in the stone, which is still preserved.

  One who saw this relic wrote a poem:—

  The shining blades fell and the rock was shorn through,

  The metal rang clear and the sparks widely flew.

  Thus fate then declared for the dynasties two

  And the tripartite rule there began.

  Both put up their swords and returned hand in hand to the banquet hall. After some more courses Sun Ch’uan gave his master a warning look and Liu Pei said,“I pray you to excuse me as my drinking powers are very small.” Wherefore Sun Ch’uan escorted him to the gate. As they walked down looking at high land and rolling river spreading in glorious panorama before their eyes, Yuan-te exclaimed,“Really this is the finest scene in the whole world!”

  These words are recorded on a tablet in the Temple of the Centle Dew and one who read them wrote a poem:—

  From the river-side hills the rain clears off,

  And the black clouds roll away,

  And this is the place of joy and mirth

  And never can sorrow stay.

  And here two heroes of ages past

  Decided their parts to play,

  And the lofty heights flung back wind and wave

  Then, as they do today.

  Yes, they stood both entranced by the beautiful scene. And gradually along the vast river the wind whipped the waves into snowy foam and raised them high toward heaven. And in the midst of the waves appeared a tiny leaf of a boat riding over the waves as if all was perfect calm.

  “The southern people are sailors and the northern men riders; it is quite true,” sighed Liu Pei.

  Sun Ch’uan hearing this remark took it as a reproach to his horsemanship. Bidding his servants lead up his steed he leaped into the saddle and set off, full gallop, down the hill. Then wheeling he came up again at the same speed.

  “So the southerners cannot ride, eh?” said he laughing.

  Not to be outdone Liu Pei lifted the skirts of his robe, jumped upon his horse and repeated the feat.

  The two steeds stood side by side on the declivity, the riders flourishing their whips and laughing.

  Thence forward that hillside was known as the “Slope where the Horses Stood” and a poem was written about it.

  Their galloping steeds were of noble breed,

  And both of spirit high,

  And the riders twain from the hill-crest gazed

  At the river rolling by.

  One of them mastered the far off west,

  One ruled by the eastern sea,

  And the name of the hill to this very day

  Brings back their memory.

  When they rode side by side into Nanhsu the people met them with acclamations. Yuan-te made his way to the guesthouse and there sought advice from Sun Ch’ien as to the date of the wedding. Sun Ch’ien advised that it be fixed as early as possible so that no further complications could arise. So next day Yuan-te went to Ch’iao “Kuo-lao” and told him in plain words that it was clear the people of the place meant harm to him and he could not stay there long. He must return soon.

  “Do not be anxious,” said Ch’iao.“I will tell the Dowager and she will protect you.”

  He saw the Dowager and she was very angry when she heard the reason for Liu Pei’s desire to leave.

  “Who would dare harm my son-in-law?” cried she.

  But she made him move into the library of the Palace as a precaution and she chose a day for the celebration of the wedding. But his soldiers could not keep guard at the library. Yuan-te explained to his hostess and when she understood this she gave her son-in-law rooms in her own Palace so that he might be quite safe.

  Yuan-te was very happy and there were fine banquets and the bride and bridegroom duly plighted their troth. And when it grew late and the guests had gone the newly wedded pair walked through the two lines of red torches to the nuptial apartment.

  To his extreme surprise Yuan-te found the chambers furnished with spears and swords and banners and flags, while every waiting-maid had girded on a sword.

  Walls hung with spears the bridegroom saw,

  And armed waiting-maids;

  His heart fell back on all its fears

  Of well-laid ambuscades.

  What happened will be related in the next chapter.

  CHAPTER LV

  YUAN-TE ROUSES THE SPIRIT OF HIS BRIDE: K’UNGMING A SECOND TIME ANGERS HIS RIVAL

  T he bridegroom turned pale; b
ridal apartments lined with weapons of war and waiting maids armed! But the housekeeper said,“Do not be frightened, O honourable one. My lady has always had a taste for warlike things and her maids have all been taught fencing as a pastime. That is all it is.”

  “Not the sort of thing a wife should ever look at,” said Liu Pei.“It makes me feel cold and you may have them removed for a time.”

  The housekeeper went to her mistress and said,“The weapons in your chamber displease the handsome one; may we remove

  them?’

  The Lady Sun laughed, saying,“Afraid of a few weapons after half a life time spent in slaughter!”

  But she ordered their removal and bade the maids take off their swords while they were at work. And the night passed happily enough.

  Next day Yuan-te distributed gifts among the maids to secure their good will. He also sent Sun Ch’ien to Chingchou with news of the wedding, while he gave himself up to feasting and enjoyment. The Dowager loved him more every day.

  The results of the plot to destroy Liu Pei were thus very different from the originators’ intention. Sun Ch’uan sent to his general to say that his mother had insisted upon marrying her daughter to their proposed victim and so by juggling witb the fictitious they had made it real. What was to be done?

  The news troubled Chou Yu, but eventually he thought out another scheme which he embodied in a letter sent to his master. Here is the outline of the missive:—“Contrary to expectation the plot that I, Chou Yu, contrived has turned the wrong way. However, since by juggling with deceit we have ended in a solid truth our future plans must start from the actual present facts. To the boldness of the adventurer is added the aid of such great captains as Kuan, Chang and Chao Yun, not to mention that Liu Pei has a strategist like Chuko. He is not the man to remain long in a lowly position. Wherefore I can think of no better plan than to enervate him by surrounding him with softness and keeping him in Wu, a prisoner of luxury. Therefore build for him a fine Palace to blunt the edge of his determination and surround him with sensuous luxury. In this way the affection of his brothers will be alienated and Chuko will be driven away. When this result has been attained we can smite him and so end a great matter. If we be at all careless I fear the recumbent dragon may fly to the skies; it is no beast to be kept in a pond.