The Three Kingdoms Volume 2 (45 page)

“What good will that be? He is just one of those conceited mad fellows.”

“He did the first meritable service at the battle of the Red Cliff. It was he who tricked Cao Cao into chaining his ships together.”

“No, it was simply Cao Cao who wanted to chain his ships together, and not necessarily to his credit. In any case, I give you my word that I will not employ him.”

Lu Su went out and explained to Pang Tong that the failure was not due to lack of recommendation, but a whim of Sun Quan’s and he asked Pang Tong to be patient. The disappointed strategist hung his head and sighed without speaking.

“Are you thinking of leaving Wu?” said Lu Su.

But still Pang Tong was silent.

“With your wonderful talents you will certainly be successful wherever you go. Please tell me exactly where you want to go?”

“I think I will join Cao Cao,” said Pang Tong.

“That would be flinging a gleaming pearl into the dust,” said Lu Su. “Better go to Liu Bei, who would appreciate you and give you an important position.”

“I am also thinking of going to him,” said Pang Tong. “I was only joking just now.”

“I will give you a letter to recommend you to Liu Bei. If you go to him you must try to maintain peace between him and my lord and get them to act together against Cao Cao.”

“That has been the one desire of my life.”

He took the letter offered by Lu Su and soon made his way to Jingzhou. He arrived at a moment when Zhuge Liang was away on an inspection journey. When he was announced Liu Bei at once asked him to come in, for he was no stranger in name.

When Pang Tong was admitted he saluted but did not make an obeisance and this, coupled with his ugly appearance, did not please his host.

“You have come from a long and arduous journey,” said Liu Bei.

At this point Pang Tong should have produced the recommendation letters from Zhuge Liang and Lu Su, but he did not. Instead he replied, “I hear that you welcome the wise and receive the talented, so I have come to offer myself to your service.”

“The country has only known a little peace and there is unfortunately no vacant office. But away to the northeast there is a small town called Leiyang, which needs a chief. I can offer you that post until there should be something more fitting.”

“How unfair Liu Bei treats me!” thought Pang Tong in distress. He wanted to impress Liu Bei with his learning, but seeing his friend Zhuge Liang was absent, he had to control his annoyance and accept the offer against his wish. Soon he took his leave and started for his new office.

But when he arrived at his post he paid no attention to business at all but gave himself up entirely to dissipation. The taxes were not collected and the lawsuits not resolved. News of this neglect of his duty reached Liu Bei, who became angry and said, “How dare this stiff-necked pedant throw my administration into disorder?”

So he sent Zhang Fei on a general inspection tour of the southern district to look into any misconduct and disorder. Sun Qian was appointed Zhang Fei’s assistant to help him in handling matters where tact was needed. In due course the inquisitors arrived at Leiyang, where they were welcomed by the officials and the people at the boundary. But the magistrate did not appear.

“Where is the magistrate?” asked Zhang Fei.

“Ever since his arrival, a hundred days and more ago, he has attended to no business, but spent his time from morning to night in drinking wine and is always intoxicated. Right now he is sleeping off a debauch and is not yet awake.”

This put Zhang Fei in a rage and he would have gone and seized the offender at once had not his colleague Sun Qian said, “Pang Tong is a man of great ability and it’d be wrong to deal with him in a summary fashion. Let’s go and inquire into it first. If he’s really so guilty we can punish him then.”

So they went to the magistracy, took their seats in the hall of justice, and summoned the magistrate before them. Pang Tong came dressed improperly, still under the influence of alcohol.

“My brother took you for a decent man,” said Zhang Fei angrily, “and sent you here as magistrate. How dare you neglect all the affairs of the district?”

“What affairs of the district do you think I have neglected, General?” asked Pang Tong.

“You have been here over a hundred days yet you spent the whole time in dissipation. Can you deny that?”

“What will be the difficulty in dealing with the trivial business of a trifling district like this? Just sit down for a while, General, and I will attend to it.”

So he asked the clerks to bring in all the cases accumulated over the hundred days and he would settle them at once. They brought in the piles of papers and ordered the accusers and the accused to appear before him, who soon came and knelt in the hall. Pang Tong, pen in hand, began to deal with the cases in an amazingly swift yet clear way, his ears listening to the pleadings, his mouth adjudging right or wrong, and his hand writing down the verdicts simultaneously. All his rulings were sound and reasonable, and never a mistake was made, as the grateful bows of the people proved. In less than half a day all the cases were handled correctly and the arrears of the hundred days settled and decided. Then, throwing aside his pen, the magistrate turned to Zhang Fei and asked: “Where is the neglect? When I can take on Cao Cao and Sun Quan as easily as I can read this paper, what attention do I need to give to the business of this paltry place?”

Overwhelmed by the man’s ability, Zhang Fei rose from his seat to apologize to him. “You are indeed a genius, sir. Forgive me for my disrespectful behavior. I will strongly commend you to my brother.”

Then Pang Tong drew forth Lu Su’s letter and showed it to Zhang Fei.

“Why didn’t you show this to my brother when you first saw him?” asked Zhang Fei.

“If I had done so, it would seem as if I had to rely on a letter of recommendation to get myself an office.”

Zhang Fei turned to his colleague gratefully. “If not for you, we would have lost a great talent.”

They left the magistracy and returned to Liu Bei, to whom they related what had happened. Liu Bei was astonished and said, “It’s my fault—I’ve treated a wise sage wrongly.”

Zhang Fei then gave his brother Lu Su’s letter which read: “Pang Tong is a genius, seldom met in a vast area. Employ him in some capacity where extraordinary talent is required and his powers will become apparent. Beware not to judge him by his looks or you may fail to appreciate his abilities. Then some others will gain him, which would be unfortunate.”

While he was feeling mortified at the mistake he had made it was announced that Zhuge Liang had returned. Soon he entered the hall and, after saluting his lord, his first question was, “How is Advisor Pang?”

“He is in charge of Leiyang,” replied Liu Bei, “where he is given to drinking and neglects his administration.”

Zhuge Liang laughed. “My friend Pang Tong has extraordinary abilities and is ten times superior to me in learning. I gave him a letter for you, my lord. Did he present it?”

“Only today have I received this letter from Lu Su. I have seen no letter by you.”

“When a man of transcendent abilities is sent to a paltry post, he usually turns to his cups out of disillusion,” said Zhuge Liang.

“If it had not been for what my brother said, I should have lost a great man,” said Liu Bei. Without delay he sent Zhang Fei to invite Pang Tong to Jingzhou. When he arrived, Liu Bei went out to meet him and at the foot of the steps asked pardon for his mistake. At this moment Pang Tong produced the letter that Zhuge Liang had given him.

The letter briefly ran like this: “As soon as Phoenix Fledgling arrives he should be given an important post.”

Liu Bei rejoiced indeed as he read it, for he remembered what the recluse Sima Hui had told him: “Sleeping Dragon and Phoenix Fledgling—any man who can obtain the help of either of them can conquer the world.” Now that he had acquired both of them he felt sure the Hans would rise again.

Then he appointed Pang Tong as Zhuge Liang’s assistant and gave him a general’s rank, and the two famous strategists began training the army for future expeditions.

News of these happenings reached the capital and Cao Cao was told that Liu Bei, with Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong as his strategists, was recruiting and training men, gathering supplies, and forming a league with Sun Quan. Evidently he would launch an attack on the capital sooner or later. So Cao Cao summoned his strategists to discuss the plausibility of another expedition to the south.

Xun You said, “We can destroy Sun Quan first, since his ablest general, Zhou Yu, has just died. Liu Bei can be dealt with after that.”

Cao Cao replied, “If I go on such a distant expedition, I am afraid Ma Teng will fall upon the capital. Last time, when we were at the Red Cliff, there were such rumors—we must guard against it.”

Xun You said, “To my mind it is better to confer on Ma Teng the title of General–Conqueror of the South and send him against Wu. Thus he can be enticed to the capital and removed. Then you can have no fear of your southward expedition.”

Cao Cao gladly approved and soon sent an envoy to summon Ma Teng from Xiliang in the far west.

Now Ma Teng was a descendant of a famous general called Ma Yuan. His father, Ma Su, had held a minor magistracy in the reign of Emperor Huan, but had lost it and drifted into western regions, where he mingled with the tribesmen of Qiang, and later married one of their women. Ma Teng was the son of this Qiang woman. Tall and majestic-looking, Ma Teng was nevertheless of a gentle and kindly disposition. He was much respected by the people. In the reign of Emperor Ling many Qiang people made trouble and Ma Teng raised a force and put down the uprising. For his service he received the title of General–Conqueror of the West. He and Han Sui, whose title was General–Guardian of the West, were pledged brothers.

On receiving the summons to the capital from Cao Cao he took his eldest son, Ma Chao, into his confidence and told him of his past life. “When Dong Cheng got the Girdle Edict from the Emperor, six of us had formed a secret society, of which Liu Bei was one, to destroy Cao Cao. For a long time we could accomplish nothing. Then Dong Cheng was put to death and Liu Bei was defeated time and again, while I was here in the far west, unable to help him. Recently, however, I hear that Liu Bei now holds Jingzhou, and I have been thinking of carrying out the plan we made so long ago. But here comes this summons by Cao Cao. What is to be done?”

Ma Chao replied, “Cao Cao sends for you in the name of the Emperor and if you do not go it will mean disobeying an imperial command and you will be punished. I think you can take this opportunity to go to the capital, where you may be able to carry out your original plan.”

But his nephew, Ma Dai, was opposed to this. “Cao Cao’s designs are unfathomable and if you go, uncle, I fear you will fall into his trap.”

“Let me lead our entire army to go with you and purge the empire of evil,” said Ma Chao. “Will that do?”

But his father did not agree. “No, you must take command of the Qiang troops for the defense of our territory here. Let your two brothers and your cousin go with me. When Cao Cao knows that you have the army here at your call and that Han Sui is prepared to assist, he will hardly dare to inflict any harm on me.”

“Father, if you go you must be careful not to enter the city straight away but must find out exactly what plots are afoot and act in accordance with the situations.”

“I will certainly take great care, so have no worries,” said the father.

Soon Ma Teng took 5,000 soldiers, with his two sons leading the van and his nephew bringing up the rear. These set out along the tortuous road toward the capital. Twenty
li
from the city they camped.

When Cao Cao heard of Ma Teng’s arrival he summoned an official called Huang Kui, to whom he said, “Ma Teng is to be sent to conquer the south and you are to be his advisor. I want you to go now to his camp and convey my regards to the army. Tell Ma Teng that as Xiliang is so remote and transport of grain difficult, he is not able to take too large an army of his own. I will send a large force to help him. Also tell him to come soon for an audience with the Emperor and I will send him supplies then.”

With these instructions Huang Kui went to see Ma Teng, who brought out wine and entertained him well. In his cups the messenger blurted out, “My father perished at the hands of Li Jue and Guo Si and my hatred burns still. Now there is another rebel in power wronging our prince.”

“Who is that?” asked Ma Teng.

“Cao Cao, of course. Do you mean to say you do not know?”

Fearing that these words were but a trap for him, Ma Teng hastened to ask his guest to be careful lest he be overheard.

But he became angry. “Have you quite forgotten the Girdle Edict, eh?”

Ma Teng began to see he was sincere, so he confided in him his plan.

“He wants you to go in to see the Emperor, but there is no good intention there,” said Huang Kui. “Do not go in but lead your men up close to the city and get Cao Cao to come out and inspect them—and when he comes out, assassinate him.”

They two decided on how this plan could be worked out and the messenger, still hot with anger and excitement, returned home.

Seeing him so disturbed in mind, his wife asked him what was wrong. But he would not tell her anything. However, he had a concubine, who had an intrigue with the wife’s younger brother, Miao Ze, who much desired to marry her. Noticing, too, how agitated her lord was, the concubine spoke of it to her lover, and he told her to draw him out by putting a provocative question to him. “Ask him why people say Liu Bei is kindly and virtuous while Cao Cao is crafty and evil.”