The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 (50 page)

The captive was brought to Xuzhou, where he was summoned into the presence of Liu Bei.

“Who are you? What office do you hold? How dare you falsely display the ensigns of the prime minister?” asked Liu Bei.

“I was simply obeying orders,” said Wang Zhong. “The prime minister told me to give the impression that he was present. Really he is not there.”

Liu Bei treated him kindly, giving him food and clothing, but put him in prison till his colleague could be captured.

Guan Yu said, “I know you have peaceful intentions in mind so I have captured the man instead of slaying him.”

Liu Bei said to Zhang Fei, “I was afraid that with your hasty and impulsive temper you would have slain this man, so I could not send you. There is no advantage in killing persons of this sort. While alive, they are often useful for amicable settlements.”

At this Zhang Fei said, “You’ve got this Wang Zhong; now I’ll go and capture the other man.”

“Be careful,” said his elder brother. “Liu Dai was once governor of Yanzhou and he was one of the lords who fought at Tigertrap Pass to destroy Dong Zhuo. He’s not to be treated lightly.”

“I don’t think he’s worth mentioning. I’ll bring him in alive, just as my brother did with this other.”

“But if you kill him, it’ll upset my great design,” said Liu Bei.

“If I do, I’ll forfeit my own life,” said Zhang Fei.

So he was also given 3,000 men for the task.

The capture of his colleague made Liu Dai careful. He strengthened his defenses and stayed behind them. He took no notice of the daily challenges and continual insults that followed Zhang Fei’s arrival.

After some days Zhang Fei thought of a plan. He ordered his men to prepare a raid on the enemy’s camp that night, but he himself spent the day drinking. Pretending to be very intoxicated he intentionally found fault with a soldier, who was severely flogged and then bound by his hands and feet in the camp. Zhang Fei said, “Wait till I am ready to sally forth tonight—you will be offered as a sacrifice to the flag.” At the same time he gave secret orders to the guards to let the man escape.

The man crept out of camp and went over to the enemy, to whom he betrayed Zhang Fei’s plan of a night attack. As the man bore signs of savage punishment, Liu Dai did not suspect his tale. He made careful arrangements, setting his men in ambush outside his camp so that it was empty.

That night, however, Zhang Fei divided his men into three parties, and only thirty men were ordered to make a show of attacking the camp and lighting a fire. Two larger bodies of men were to go round to the rear of the camp and attack simultaneously, once they saw the fire started.

The plan was carried out as he had designed. At midnight Zhang Fei, with his veterans, went to cut off Liu Dai’s road of retreat. The thirty men commanded to start a fire made their way into the camp and were successful. When the flames arose, Liu Dai’s men who had been lying in ambush rushed out to attack, only to find themselves assailed on both sides. This confused them and as they knew nothing of the number of their attackers they were panic-stricken and scattered.

Liu Dai, with a company of his men, got clear of the fight and fled, but he ran straight into Zhang Fei. Escape was impossible and after only one bout he was captured by Zhang Fei and his men surrendered.

Zhang Fei immediately sent news of this success to his brothers.

Liu Bei was very pleased. He said to Guan Yu, “Yi-de’s always been rather impetuous, but this time he’s acted wisely.”

They rode out of the city to welcome their brother.

“You said I was too rough; how about now?” said Zhang Fei to his brothers.

“If I hadn’t put you on your mettle you’d not have developed this stratagem,” said Liu Bei.

Zhang Fei laughed. Then the captive Liu Dai was brought forth. Liu Bei at once dismounted and loosened the cords. “My young brother was rather hasty. Please pardon him.”

He was welcomed into the city, where his colleague was also released and both were cared for.

Liu Bei said to them, “I was forced to put Che Zhou to death when he tried to kill me, but the prime minister mistook it as defection and sent you two generals to punish me. I have received much kindness from him and certainly would not dream of betraying him. I will appreciate it if you can explain this to the prime minister when you get back.”

“We are deeply grateful that you spare our lives and we will tell the prime minister that we can guarantee your loyalty on the lives of our two households.”

The next day, the two leaders and their army were allowed to depart unharmed. But before they had gone ten
li
they heard the beating of drums and there appeared Zhang Fei, barring the road.

“My brother is not in his right mind. How could he set free you two captives?”

This made the two men tremble with fear, but as the fierce-eyed warrior with uplifted sword charged toward them they heard another man galloping up and shouting, “Don’t behave so disgracefully!”

The newcomer was Guan Yu, whose appearance relieved the two men of all fear.

“Our brother has released them. Why do you disobey his order and try to stop them?” he cried.

“If they’re let go today they’ll surely come back,” said Zhang Fei.

“Wait till they do, then you may kill them,” replied Guan Yu.

The two leaders with one voice cried, “Even if the prime minister slays our whole clan we will never come again. Please pardon us.”

Zhang Fei said, “If Cao Cao himself comes I’ll destroy him completely. Not even a single fragment of armor will remain. But for this time I leave you your heads.”

Clapping their hands to their heads the two men scuttled off, while the two brothers returned to the city.

“Cao Cao will certainly come,” they said.

Sun Qian advised, “This is not a city that can hold out for long. We should send part of our forces to the two neighboring towns of Xiaopei and Xiapi. The three places can assist each other against Cao Cao.”

Liu Bei agreed and told Guan Yu to guard Xiapi, to which he also sent his two wives, the ladies Gan and Mi. The former was a native of Xiaopei, while the latter was Mi Zhu’s sister. Sun Qian and three others were left to defend Xuzhou and Liu Bei went to station in Xiaopei with Zhang Fei.

The two released officers returned to the capital and explained to Cao Cao that Liu Bei had not rebelled. But he became exceedingly angry with them. “You shameful cowards, what use do you have?”

He roared to the guards to take them away for instant execution.

How can a dog or a pig expect to conquer in a tiger’s strife?
Minnows and shrimps that with dragons contend already have done with life.

The fate of the two officers will be told in the next chapter.

*
Works of poetry allegedly composed by two Maos in the beginning of the West Han Dynasty (206
B.C.
–
A.D.
24)

*
A powerful eunuch in the Qin Dynasty, who controlled the state after the death of the first emperor of Qin.

*
Wife of Liu Bang, founder of the Han Dynasty, who tried to establish her own rule after her husband’s death.

*
Yuan Shao’s territory included the four prefectures of Jizhou, Youzhou, Qingzhou, and Bingzhou in north China.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Mi Heng Strips and Rails at Cao Cao

Ji Ping Is Tortured for Poisoning Cao Cao

A
t
the close of the last chapter the two unsuccessful officers, Liu Dai and Wang Zhong, were in danger of death. However, Kong Rong remonstrated with Cao Cao, saying, “You knew these two men were no match for Liu Bei. If you put them to death because they failed, you will lose the support of your men.”

Therefore the death sentence was not carried out but they were deprived of rank and status. Cao Cao would have led an army himself to attack Liu Bei, but the weather was too inclement. So it was decided to wait until the spring. In the interval there would be time to arrange peace with Zhang Xiu and Liu Biao.

So an envoy was sent to Zhang Xiu and in due time he reached his destination. He first had an interview with Jia Xu, to whom he extolled Cao Cao’s virtues. Jia Xu seemed to be impressed, and kept him as a guest at his home.

The next day the advisor went in to see Zhang Xiu and told him that Cao Cao had sent a messenger to negotiate peace. While the discussion was in progress another messenger from Yuan Shao was announced and he was called in. The man presented Yuan Shao’s letter, which also proposed terms of peace. Jia Xu asked him how his master’s war with Cao Cao was progressing.

“The war is suspended for the moment on account of the cold weather,” replied the messenger. “As you, General, and Liu Biao are both well respected officers of the state, I have been sent to request your help.”

Jia Xu laughed. “You can return to your master and say that he could not even tolerate rivalry from his own brother. How could he put up with that of all the officers of the state?”

So saying he tore the letter into fragments before the messenger’s face and angrily sent him away.

Zhang Xiu said, “But his master, Yuan Shao, is stronger than Cao Cao. You have torn up his letter and driven away his man. What if he comes to attack us?”

“Better to join hands with Cao Cao,” said Jia Xu.

“Between us there is still an unavenged enmity. He will not really accept me.”

Jia Xu said, “There are three advantages in joining hands with Cao Cao. First, he has an order from the Emperor to restore peace in the country. Secondly, as Yuan Shao is very strong, the little help we can offer will not be appreciated, while we will loom large and be well treated by Cao Cao. Thirdly, Cao Cao has ambitious designs and he will ignore all private feuds in order to impress the whole country of his magnanimity. I hope, General, you will see these things clearly and hesitate no longer.”

Zhang Xiu was persuaded and received Cao Cao’s messenger, who again eulogized the virtues of his master. “If my master had any thought of the old quarrel he would hardly have sent me to make peace, would he?” he added.

Zhang Xiu, now convinced, proceeded with Jia Xu to the capital, where formal submission was made. At the interview he bowed low at the entrance, but Cao Cao, hastening forward, took him by the hand and helped him to his feet. “Please forget that little fault of mine,” said Cao Cao.

Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu were both rewarded with high ranks.

Cao Cao then asked Zhang Xiu to write to his friend Liu Biao to seek his support.

Jia Xu said, “Liu Biao favors scholarly men. If some famous scholar can be delegated with the job he would submit immediately.”

Then Xun You suggested that Kong Rong was the right person to take up the task. Cao Cao agreed and sent him to speak with Kong Rong about this.

Xun You went to see Kong Rong and said, “The prime minister wants a scholar of reputation to act as a messenger to Liu Biao. Can you undertake this task?”

Kong Rong replied, “I have a friend called Mi Heng whose talents are ten times greater than mine. He ought to be constantly at the side of the Emperor and not merely be sent as a state messenger. I will recommend him to the Emperor.”

So he wrote the following memorial: