The Three Kingdoms Volume 2 (38 page)

Sun Quan was even more sad when he learned that his faithful warrior Taishi Ci was grievously wounded. Then Zhang Zhao proposed withdrawal to the south and Sun Quan consented. He collected his men together and sailed back to Nanxu, where they camped.

Meanwhile Taishi Ci was dying. When his lord sent Zhang Zhao and others to ask after him, he cried, “When a man is born into a turbulent world, he has to be a soldier and make wondrous services with his three-foot-long sword. Why must I die before I have attained my ambition?”

These were his last words. He was forty-one years of age at the time of his death.

A filial son and a loyal officer,

Such was Taishi Ci, in Donglai was he born,
Far distant frontiers rang with his exploits,
Riding or archery, all men he excelled,
His righteous deeds in Beihai were well remembered,
His true valor at Shenting was by all admired.
Dying, he spoke of his unfulfilled aspirations,
All through the ages men sigh for his doleful fate.

Sun Quan was overcome with sorrow when another of his officers died. He gave orders to bury his remains most honorably at the foot of a hill and took his son into his own house to be brought up.

When Liu Bei heard of the series of misfortunes that had befallen Wu and of their retirement to Nanxu, he discussed the situation with Zhuge Liang. The advisor said, “I was studying the sky during the night and saw a star falling in the northwest. The imperial family is to suffer a loss.”

He had scarcely said this when news arrived of the death of Liu Qi, son of Liu Biao.

Liu Bei at once began to wail bitterly. But his advisor said to him, “Life and death are beyond our control, so do not be too sad, my lord, for grief may injure your health. Rather consider what is necessary to be done. We need to send someone to assume control of Xiangyang and make arrangements for the funeral.”

“Who can go?” asked Liu Bei.

“It must be Guan Yu.”

So they sent him to guard the city of Xiangyang.

Liu Bei soon began to worry about his promise to Lu Su that he would surrender Jingzhou to Wu on the death of Liu Qi, but Zhuge Liang assured him that he knew what to say if an envoy should come. Two weeks later it was announced that Lu Su had come to offer his condolences.

With schemes ready in mind,

They waited for the envoy to arrive.

What reply Zhuge Liang would give will be disclosed in the next chapter.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

Dowager Wu Meets Her Son-in-Law at a Temple

Liu Bei Takes a Worthy Consort

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Bei and Zhuge Liang went out of the city to welcome the envoy of Wu and saw him to the guesthouse. After the usual greetings, Lu Su said, “Hearing of the death of your nephew, my lord has prepared some gifts and sent me to offer them at the funeral. General Zhou Yu also sends his condolences to you both.”

Both rose to thank him for the courtesy. Then the mourning gifts were handed over and the guest was invited to a banquet at which he revealed the real object of his visit.

“You said, sir, that Jingzhou would be returned to us after the death of Liu Qi. Now that he is dead I hope you will keep your promise—I should be glad to know when the transfer can take place.”

“We will discuss that later—in the meantime let us go on with our wine,” said Liu Bei.

Reluctantly, Lu Su continued his drink but after a while he returned to the subject. Before Liu Bei spoke, Zhuge Liang, changing color, said to Lu Su, “How can you be so unreasonable? Why do you have to wait till others point the truth out for you? From the very first days when the Han empire was founded, the great heritage of the Han house has devolved till today when, unfortunately, evil lords have risen one after another and strived to seize such portions of territory where they can. But with Heaven’s will, unity will ultimately be restored. My lord is a member of the imperial house, a descendant of Emperor Jing. Now, as an uncle of the present Emperor, shouldn’t he have a share of the empire? Moreover, Liu Biao was my lord’s elder brother and there is certainly nothing wrong in inheriting a brother’s estate. But what is your master? The son of a petty official on the banks of the Qiantang River, without having rendered any service to the throne. Just because he is powerful he now possesses a large tract of territory, including six districts and eighty-one towns, yet he is still insatiable in his greed and desire to swallow the territory of the Hans. This empire belongs to the Liu family. Isn’t it strange that my lord, who is of that name, has no share in it whereas your master, whose surname is Sun, should claim it by force? Besides, at the battle of the Red Cliff my lord did good service while his officers risked their lives. Was it solely the strength of your men of Wu that won that fight? Had I not brought that southeast wind that meant so much for Zhou Yu, could he have achieved anything? If you had been conquered by Cao Cao, not only the two Qiao beauties would now be gracing the Bronze Bird Tower, but the families of your people would not have survived. Just now my lord did not reply because he was willing to believe that a scholar of your intelligence would understand the situation without a detailed explanation. Why, then, are you so slow to see the point?”

This long speech absolutely shut the guest’s mouth and he could find no word to reply. After an interval he said, “What you say is not without sense but you are making things difficult for me.”

“What is so difficult?” asked Zhuge Liang.

Lu Su replied, “When your lord was in serious straits at Dangyang it was I who conducted you across the river and introduced you to my lord; later, when Zhou Yu was going to attack Jingzhou, I again prevented him from doing so; and then when you proposed returning the place to us at Liu Qi’s death, it was still I who pledged support for you. Now how can I go back and say you have broken your promise? Both my lord and Zhou Yu will hold me guilty. I would not mind death so much, but I fear that my master will be so wrathful that he may make war and you will have no peace in Jingzhou. You will look ridiculous in the eyes of the world.”

Zhuge Liang replied, “Even Cao Cao, with his million men and the Emperor at his back, could not scare me—do you think I will fear such a youngster as your Zhou Yu? However, as it may cause you some embarrassment I will try to persuade my master to put it in writing that he is temporarily occupying Jingzhou as a base, and when he can obtain possession of some other place this will be returned to you. What do you think of this?”

“Wait till what other place is obtained?” asked Lu Su.

“Well, it is too early to think of attacking the north, but Liu Zhang in West Chuan is weak and my master will attack him. If he gets that western province then this place will be handed over to you.”

Lu Su had no alternative but to accept the offer. Liu Bei wrote down the pledge himself and signed his name. Zhuge Liang, as guarantor, also signed the document.

“Since I belong to one party I can hardly be a proper guarantor,” said Zhuge Liang to Lu Su. “I will trouble you to sign, too. The document will look better when you show it to your master.”

Lu Su agreed. “I know that your master is perfectly honorable and will not fail me.”

And so he signed. Then, taking the document, he departed. He was escorted away with every mark of great respect, both Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang accompanying him to his boat. There, Zhuge Liang made a last exhortation to Lu Su. “When you see your master, explain the situation fully to him so that he will not do anything rash. If he rejects our document we may get angry and we will take all his territory. The important thing now is for our two sides to live in harmony and not give Cao Cao an opportunity to laugh at us.”

Lu Su went down to his ship. He first went to Caisang to see Zhou Yu, who asked, “Well, how did you fare with your demand for Jingzhou?”

“I have obtained a written pledge,” said Lu Su, giving the document to Zhou Yu to read.

“You have been fooled by Zhuge Liang,” said Zhou Yu, stamping his foot in distress. “In name it may be temporary occupation but in fact it is humbug. They say the place is to be returned when they get the western province. Who knows when that will be? If they don’t get the place in ten years, does it mean Jingzhou won’t be returned to us in ten years? What’s the use of such a document as this? And you are a guarantor of its execution! If they don’t give us the city, you’ll get into trouble. Suppose our lord blames you for it, what then?”

Lu Su was dumbfounded. Then he said, “I think Liu Bei will be true to me.”

“You, my friend, are honest and sincere but Liu Bei is an unscrupulous adventurer and Zhuge Liang, a cunning schemer. They and you are utterly different.”

“What then is to be done?” cried Lu Su, crestfallen.

“You’re my dear friend and your kindness in generously offering your store of grain to relieve my difficulty is still fresh in my memory. Of course I’ll save you. Don’t be anxious, but wait a few days until my spies come back with news of what is happening there—then we can decide upon a plan.”

Lu Su passed some very uneasy days. Then the spies came back saying that a funeral was being prepared in Jingzhou, while outside the city they were building a new tomb for Lady Gan, wife of Liu Bei. All the soldiers were in mourning.

When Zhou Yu knew who was dead, he said to his friend, “My plan is made. You will see Liu Bei stand to be captured and we will get Jingzhou as easily as turning a hand.”

“What is your plan?” asked Lu Su.

“Liu Bei will want to marry again now that his wife is dead. Our lord has a sister who is a veritable amazon. Her female guards number many hundreds, all armed with weapons of war, and her chamber is arrayed with all kinds of weapons. I will write to our lord asking him to send an intermediary to Jingzhou to propose a marriage between her and Liu Bei so that we can entice him to come here for the wedding. But instead of marrying, he will find himself a prisoner, and then we will demand Jingzhou as ransom. When they have handed over the city I will have some other plan ready. Nothing will fall on your head.”

Lu Su bowed to him in gratitude. Then Zhou Yu wrote a letter to his master and chose a swift boat to take Lu Su to see Sun Quan.

When he saw his master, Lu Su first told him about Liu Bei’s desire to retain Jingzhou and then presented him the document.

“What is the use of such nonsense as this?” said Sun Quan angrily, after he’d read it. “How could you be so muddle-headed?”

“Here is a letter from General Zhou and he says that if you will employ his scheme you can recover Jingzhou,” replied Lu Su.

Having read that letter, Sun Quan was pleased and began to consider who would be the best man to send to propose the marriage. Suddenly he cried, “I have it—Lu Fan is the man to send.”

He summoned Lu Fan and said to him, “I have just heard that Liu Bei has lost his wife. I have a sister whom I should like to marry to him and so make a bond of union between our two sides. Thus we should be united against Cao Cao and in support of the House of Han. You are the most suitable man to be the intermediary and I hope you will go to Jingzhou without delay to attend to this.”

Under these orders Lu Fan at once began to prepare for the voyage and soon set out.

Liu Bei was greatly distressed at the death of Lady Gan, fretting day and night. One day he was talking with his advisor when the arrival of Lu Fan, an envoy from Wu, was announced.

“One of Zhou Yu’s devices,” said the advisor smiling. “He must have come for this city. I will stand behind the screen and listen. But you, my lord, just agree to whatever he proposes and send him to the guesthouse. We can arrange what is to be done later.”