The Three Kingdoms Volume 2 (50 page)

Cao Cao in person joined the pursuit and got as far as Anding, but after learning that Ma Chao was far in advance he gave up and returned. Gradually the officers did the same, all coming back to Chang’an. Han Sui, with the loss of his left hand, was reduced to an invalid, but he was rewarded with the marquisdom and his two remaining officers, the other three being slain, were given rank and office.

Then orders were given to lead the whole army back to the capital. Yang Fu, a military officer of rank in Liangzhou, came to Chang’an to point out the danger of withdrawal. “Ma Chao has the valor of Lu Bu and the support of the Qiang people. Unless you destroy him this time he will grow stronger, and the whole of this district will be lost for the government. Pray do not withdraw your army, sir.”

Cao Cao said, “I would be quite willing to stay and hunt him down but there is much to do in the capital and the south is still to conquer. So I cannot remain. I want you, sir, to secure this country for me.” Yang Fu accepted the order. He then recommended to Cao Cao a man called Wei Kang, who was made Governor of Liangzhou. Both of them were to hold an army in Jicheng against Ma Chao. Just before Yang Fu left, he asked Cao Cao to leave a strong reserve force in Chang’an in case of emergency.

“That has already been seen to,” replied Cao Cao.

With this assurance Yang Fu took his leave and went away.

Although Ma Chao was driven away, the tactics that Cao Cao used to worst him remained a mystery to his officers. They asked him to explain his recent strategy. “Why didn’t you attack him first from the east bank instead of wrestling with him at Tong Pass? Why did you wait for so long before you crossed to the north bank and erected camps?”

Cao Cao replied, “The rebels first held Tong Pass. Had I at once taken the east the rebels would have divided their forces to defend all the ferries, and I would never have the chance to cross the river from the west bank. So I massed men against Tong Pass to make the rebels concentrate their defense on the south. As a result, the west was left open. Thus Xu Huang could cross over. Later I crossed over to the north, where I ordered the soldiers to build floating bridges, dig tunnels, and erect mud walls. All this was to give our enemy a false impression that I was weak and thus embolden them up to the point of neglecting their defense. Then by using the clever device of sowing dissension among them I was able, in one day, to destroy the combined energy of all their forces. It was as fast as ‘a thunder clap before you could cover your ears’. You see, the variations of the art of war are infinite.”

“But there is still one more thing that puzzled us,” said the officers. “When you heard the enemy was reinforced you seemed to grow happier. Why was that?”

“Because the western regions were remote and if all these rebels had taken advantage of defensible points and held them, they could not have been quelled in less than a couple of years. When they assembled together they seemed to make a formidable multitude—but they were not unanimous in their outlook. They easily quarreled and, disunited, were easily overcome. So I had reason to rejoice when they came altogether.”

“Indeed, no one can equal you in strategy,” said his officers, bowing low before him.

“Well, remember that I rely on you, too,” said Cao Cao.

Then he issued substantial rewards to the army and appointed Xiahou Yuan commander at Chang’an. The soldiers who had surrendered were distributed among the various troops. Xiahou Yuan recommended a local man called Zhang Ji to defend the city with him.

So the army returned to the capital, where it was welcomed by the Emperor in his royal chariot. As a reward for his service, Cao Cao was given the three court privileges of not announcing his name when being received by the Emperor, of proceeding to court at a leisurely pace, and of ascending the audience hall armed and booted. These were the privileges that were once enjoyed by Xiao He,
*
the Han prime minister of old. From then on his prestige extended far and wide.

The fame of these doings penetrated west into Hanzhong, and one of the first to be moved to alarm was Zhang Lu, Prefect of Hanning. This Zhang Lu was the grandson of a Taoist, called Zhang Ling. A long time ago, Zhang Ling had retired to Mount Huming, in West Chuan, where he had composed a work on Taoism for the purpose of deluding the multitude.

Yet all the people respected him, and when he died his son, Zhang Heng, carried on his work, and taught the same doctrines. Disciples had to pay a fee of five measures of rice, so Zhang Heng came to be known as the Rice Thief.

Zhang Lu, his son, styled himself Master Superior and his disciples were called commonly “devil soldiers.” A headman was called Libationer and those who had a large following were called Chief Libationers. Perfect sincerity was then made the ruling tenet of the cult and no deceit was permitted. When anyone fell ill an altar was set up and the invalid was taken into the Room of Silence, where he was to reflect upon his sins and make an open confession. Then he was prayed for. The leading prayer was called Libation Superintendent.

When praying for a sick person they wrote his name on a slip of paper, expressed his willingness to renounce his sin, and made three copies of what was called “The writing of the Three Officers.” One copy was placed on the mountain top as a means of informing Heaven; another was buried underground to inform Earth; and the third was sunk in water to tell the Controller of the Waters. If the sick person recovered he was to pay as fee five measures of rice.

Zhang Lu also built public houses of charity in which the poor found rice, meat, and means of cooking. Any wayfarer was allowed to take of these according to the measure of his appetite. However, those who took in excess would invite punishment from on high. Offenses were pardoned thrice—afterwards, offenders were punished. There were no officials but all were subject to the control of the Libationers.

This sort of cult had been practiced in Hanzhong for some thirty years and had escaped repression so far because of the remoteness of the district. Later the court appointed Zhang Lu Prefect of Hanning so as to secure from him a full quota of tribute.

When reports of Cao Cao’s victory over the Xiliang men and his rising prestige reached him, Zhang Lu assembled his men for consultation. He said, “Ma Teng is slain and his son Ma Chao has recently been defeated. I fear our region will be the next to be invaded by Cao Cao. I think I should assume the title of King of Hanning and oversee the defense. What do you say to this?”

In reply, Yan Pu said, “Our province is blessed by a large population of many households, ample supplies, and naturally defensible positions. With the recent setback of Ma Chao, we are even more strengthened by the inrush of numerous fugitives from Xiliang, who have escaped from the Meridian Valley into our region. As Liu Zhang of Yizhou is weak, my humble advice is that you should take possession of the forty-one towns of West Chuan first to establish a solid base for your kingdom. Then consider styling yourself King of Hanning.”

This speech greatly pleased Zhang Lu, who then began to devise measures with his brother to raise an army.

News of the movement soon traveled further west. Now the Governor of Yizhou was Liu Zhang, a son of Liu Yan and a descendant from a prince of the imperial house. The prince had been given his fief in Jingling many generations ago and the family had settled there. Later, Liu Yan became ruler of Yizhou, and when he died of illness in due course, his son was recommended for the vacant governorship of Yizhou. There was enmity between Liu Zhang and Zhang Lu because Zhang Lu’s mother and brother had died at the hands of the governor. To protect himself against his foe, Liu Zhang had appointed Pang Xi commander of Baxi, a place not too far from Hanzhong.

When he learned of the impending invasion, Pang Xi immediately dispatched the news to Liu Zhang who, a weakling by nature, was seized by anxiety and fear and he hastily called in his advisors.

At the council a man stood up and said bravely, “Sir, do not be alarmed. I am no genius but with my little tongue I will make Zhang Lu afraid even to look our away.”

When plots did grow in the west,

It suited Liu Bei’s plans the best.

The speaker’s name will be told in the next chapter.

*
Prime minister to the founder of Han.

CHAPTER SIXTY

Zhang Song Turns the Tables on Yang Xiu

Pang Tong Advises Liu Bei to Seize the West

T
he
bold speaker was called Zhang Song, who held the office of Bi Jia, an important civil position, in Yizhou. His appearance was grotesque. He had a pointed head and a broad forehead like a countryman’s hoe. His nose was flat and his teeth protruded. He was a dwarf in stature but had a voice like a huge bell.

“What proposal do you have that may avert this danger?” asked Liu Zhang.

“My proposal is that we gain the support of Cao Cao. As we know, he has made a clean sweep of the entire country. Lu Bu went first and both the Yuans followed, all exterminated. Lately he has destroyed Ma Chao. In short he is the one man against whom no one can stand. Therefore, my lord, prepare me some valuable gifts to take to the capital and I will persuade Cao Cao to send an expedition to take Hanzhong, which will keep this Zhang Lu, occupied and we will be left in peace.”

This pleased Liu Zhang very much and so he prepared gold and pearls and rich stuffs, all valuable presents to be presented to the man of power. And when these were ready he appointed Zhang Song as his emissary. Zhang Song, however, secretly drew maps of the western regions and took these with him, well-concealed among his things, to the capital. He was accompanied by a small escort.

News of this soon got to Jingzhou and Zhuge Liang sent a trusty person to the capital to keep him informed of Zhang Song’s visit.

Zhang Song arrived in the capital and, after finding lodging for himself, he paid daily visits to the prime minister’s residence to try to obtain an interview. But his last victory over Ma Chao had filled Cao Cao with insufferable conceit and he indulged himself in drinking and feasting. As he seldom went out, state affairs were administered in his own residence. So Zhang Song had to wait for three days before he was able to send in his name. But even then he had to bribe those who were close attendants of the prime minister to obtain an audience.

Cao Cao was seated in the high place, and after his visitor had made his obeisance, asked, “Your master Liu Zhang has sent no tribute for several years running. Why is that?”

“Because the roads are infested with thieves and robbers, unable to pass through.”

Cao Cao interrupted in a loud, harsh voice, “What thieves and robbers can there be when I have cleansed the country?”

“How can you say the land is peaceful when one sees Sun Quan in the south, Zhang Lu in the north, Liu Bei in the west—and even the weakest of them has an army of several hundred thousand?”

The mean appearance of the emissary had displeased Cao Cao from the outset, and when he heard these blunt words he rose angrily with a flick of his sleeves and left the hall. Those in attendance were annoyed with Zhang Song and said, “How can you behave so rudely when you come on a mission? Your whole attitude was blunt and outrageous. Fortunately for you, our lord remembered you had come from afar and did not punish you for your fault. The best thing for you to do now is to go back as quickly as you can.”

Zhang Song only smiled. “We have no servile flatterers and glib talkers in our western country,” he said.

At this, a man from below the steps called out in a stern voice, “If you have no such people, can there be any here?”