The Three Kingdoms Volume 2 (54 page)

So the two began fencing. Presently, at a glance from Wei Yan, Liu Feng also went up and took a position at his colleague’s side. At once three of the officers of the other side followed suit, saying, “And we three will come in too—it may add to your amusement and help to raise a laugh.”

Startled, Liu Bei hastily drew the sword of an attendant’s in his hand and, standing up, he cried, “We brothers have only come together for a hearty drink, without any other intentions. This is no Hongmeng Banquet.
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Why should there be any sword-play? Put away your swords or I will slay you!”

Liu Zhang also scolded his officers. “Why do you wear swords at all at a meeting of two brothers?” And he ordered all his officers and guards to take off their weapons.

Disarmed, they sulkily withdrew. Then Liu Bei called them into the hall, gave them wine and said, “Have no doubts, gentlemen. We two brothers, of the same flesh and blood, are here to talk over our great design—and we are one in purpose.”

The officers bowed and retired. Liu Zhang took his guest by the hand, saying, “Brother, I will never forget your kindness.”

They continued drinking merrily till nighttime. When at length Liu Bei reached his camp he blamed Pang Tong for having caused the confusion.

“Why did you endeavor to force me into committing a great wrong?” said Liu Bei. “There must be no repetition of this.”

Pang Tong retired, sighing deeply. When Liu Zhang reached his own camp his officers said to him, “Sir, you saw what happened today at the banquet. We think it prudent for you to return at once to Chengdu.”

“My brother is different from ordinary men,” replied Liu Zhang.

“He may not be inclined toward murder himself, but all his men are intent on annexing this land of ours to their own advantage.”

“Do not try to sow dissension between us and make us quarrel,” said Liu Zhang.

And he took no heed of their warning and continued to drink together with his newly-found brother. One day, when he and Liu Bei were enjoying together relaxation from the cares of state, news came that Zhang Lu was mobilizing an army to invade Jiameng Pass. The governor begged Liu Bei to go and defend it. Liu Bei consented and left immediately with his own troops. At once Liu Zhang’s officers took advantage of his departure to urge their master to place his major officers in command of all the strategic points so as to guard against any attempts of Liu Bei’s to seize the land. At first Liu Zhang paid no attention, but later, persuaded by their repeated pleadings, he consented to take some steps to safeguard himself. He sent Yang Huai and Gao Pei to defend Fushui Pass. He himself returned to Chengdu.

Liu Bei, in the meantime, went to Jiameng Pass. Once there, he immediately set about trying to win the hearts of the local people by maintaining strict discipline over his men and bestowing kindness and favors where necessary.

News of these happenings in the west duly reached Wu, and Sun Quan, its ruler, summoned his counselors to consider what counter moves he should take. Gu Yong said, “I have an infallible plan. Liu Bei and part of his army are now far away in the west and separated from us by difficult country. Therefore he cannot return quickly. We can send a troop to hold the key points to cut his path of retreat. Then muster all our forces to seize Jingzhou and Xiangyang. This is a chance you should not miss.”

“This is an excellent plan,” said Sun Quan.

But just then, a voice was heard from behind the screen, crying, “Whoever proposed that scheme should be executed at once! Did he want to kill my daughter?”

Everyone started with surprise. It was the Dowager. She looked very angry as she entered the hall, crying, “What is to become of my only daughter, who is the wife of Liu Bei?”

Then turning her wrathful eyes to Sun Quan, she said, “You were heir to your father and brother and obtained possession of all these districts without the least effort. Yet you are dissatisfied, and would sacrifice your own flesh and blood for the sake of adding a little to your land.”

“It is my fault, mother,” replied Sun Quan obediently. “I would never think of going contrary to your wishes.” Then he dismissed the assembly. The old lady, still nursing her wrath, retired to her chamber.

Left alone beneath the portico, Sun Quan thought, “If this chance is lost, when will Jingzhou be mine?”

While still deep in thought, Zhang Zhao came up to ask, “What is troubling you, my lord?”

“I was thinking about what we had been discussing just now.”

“The difficulty can be easily removed,” said Zhang Zhao. “Choose a trusty person with five hundred men to get into Jingzhou without being detected and deliver a secret letter to your sister, saying that her mother is dangerously ill and anxious to see her. Hearing of her mother’s illness she will rush home at once. Tell her to take with her the only son of Liu Bei, who will then be glad enough to exchange Jingzhou for his son. If he will not, you can still send the army.”

“That is a wonderful plan,” said Sun Quan. “Furthermore, I have the right person to carry it out successfully. He is called Zhou Shan, a very bold man. He used to work in the palace, waiting on my brother, and my sister knows him. He is the man to send.”

“Keep it to yourself, then, sir,” said Zhang Zhao, “and let him start quickly.”

The messenger, Zhou Shan, was given five hundred soldiers disguised as traders to sail in five vessels loaded with weapons. He also took with him a forged letter to look like a veritable message from the court of Wu to the ruler of Jingzhou, in case he was stopped by guards.

Zhou Shan set out for Jingzhou by water and was not long on the way. The boats were anchored by the bank while he alone landed and went into the city to Liu Bei’s residence, where he asked the doorkeepers to announce him to their mistress. He was admitted and led into the presence of Lady Sun, to whom he submitted the secret letter. When she read that her mother was dying she began to weep and asked the messenger about her condition. Zhou Shan knelt down and said, “The Dowager is seriously ill and frets day and night for seeing you, madam. If you do not go quickly it will be too late.” He added that she should take little A-dou with her so that the Dowager might see him once before she died.

Lady Sun replied, “My husband is away on an expedition. I think I must inform Zhuge Liang before I go.”

“But what if he says he must inform your husband and await his consent?” said Zhou Shan.

“If I went without permission, we might be stopped on our way.”

“My ships are all ready in the river,” said Zhou Shan. “Please take the carriage and leave the city at once, madam.”

Naturally the news of her mother’s illness greatly disturbed the young wife. In a short time her carriage was ready and she mounted, taking the boy A-dou with her. She took an escort of thirty people, all armed, and was soon at the riverside and had embarked before her departure was reported to the chief advisor. But just as the boats were starting, a voice was heard, shouting, “Do not start yet—let me bid my lady farewell.”

The voice was Zhao Yun’s—he had just returned from an inspection trip and was told of Lady Sun’s sudden departure. He was so startled that he dashed down to the riverbank like a whirlwind, with only a few followers. He arrived just as the boat was setting out, and there he saw Zhou Shan standing in the prow, a long spear in his hand.

“Who are you that dares to hinder the movements of your mistress?” cried Zhou Shan.

Zhou Shan ordered his men to cast off and get under way, and also to take out their weapons to fight. The ship sailed swiftly off with a favorable wind and a strong current beneath her keel.

But Zhao Yun followed along the bank. “My lady, you can go as you please,” he cried. “But there is one thing I have to say to you.”

Zhou Shan turned a deaf ear and only urged his men to row faster. Zhao Yun followed down the bank for some ten or more
li
. Then he saw a fishing boat made fast to the bank. He at once dismounted, cast off the rope, took his spear, and leaped into the boat. Two of his men went down into the boat with him and rowed as fast as they could toward the big vessel in which sat Lady Sun.

Zhou Shan ordered his men to shoot at Zhao Yun with arrows which were, however, parried into the river by the latter’s spear. As he approached, the men of Wu threatened him with their spears. Throwing his spear into the bottom of the fishing boat, Zhao Yun drew the sharp sword that he wore at his side, pushed aside the opposing spears and leaped upon the larger vessel. The men of Wu fell back in surprise and fear as Zhao Yun advanced into the body of the ship. There sat Lady Sun with little A-dou in her arms.

“Why this rude intrusion?” she said angrily.

The warrior sheathed his sword and asked humbly, “Where are you going, madam? And why not let our advisor know about it?”

“My mother is dying—there is no time to inform any person of my departure,” said Lady Sun.

“But why are you taking the young master with you if you are going to visit a sick person?”

“A-dou is my son and I cannot leave him behind, neglected.”

“You are wrong, madam. My lord has but this one son and I rescued the child from among a million men in the great battle at the Long Slope. There is no reason for you to take him away.”

Lady Sun flared up in anger. “You are but a common soldier in our service. How dare you interfere in our family affairs?”

“My lady, if you want to go, then go, but leave the young master behind.”

“Are you insubordinate, jumping on board the ship like that?” cried Lady Sun.

“If you will not leave the young master behind I cannot let you go, even if I have to die ten thousand deaths,” said Zhao Yun stubbornly.

Lady Sun ordered her maids to seize him, but he just pushed them off. Then he snatched the boy from her arms and ran out to the prow of the ship. He wished to get the vessel over to the bank, but no one would aid him; and as Lady Sun was his mistress, he thought it would be wrong to begin to slay indiscriminately. So he was stuck, alone on the ship, not knowing what to do. Lady Sun shouted to her maids to get the boy back from Zhao Yun. But, holding the child in one hand and his sword in the other, he kept everyone at bay. All this time Zhou Shan was at the helm, steering the ship into midstream. Zhao Yun, without anyone to assist him, could only keep the boy from harm. It was quite impossible for him to get the vessel in toward the shore.

At this desperate moment, Zhao Yun saw a string of ships filing out from a creek lower down the stream, flags fluttering and drums beating. He was just thinking in dismay that he had fallen for a trick of Wu when he noticed a mighty warrior standing in the prow of the leading craft. He was armed with a long spear, and it was Zhang Fei. He also shouted to his sister-in-law to leave the child.

Zhang Fei had been out scouting when he heard the news of his sister-in-law’s abrupt departure. He at once made for the river with the intention of intercepting her.

He had arrived in the nick of time to stop the ships of Wu. Sword in hand, he jumped aboard Lady Sun’s vessel. As he came on board Zhou Shan drew his sword and advanced toward him, but one sweep of Zhang Fei’s spear laid him dead on the deck. And the grim warrior flung his head at the feet of his sister-in-law.

“Why are you so very rude, brother?” cried Lady Sun, now quite frightened.

“Sister,” said Zhang Fei, “you thought very little of my brother when you tried to leave without his permission. That was improper.”

“My mother is very ill—it is a matter of life and death,” she cried. “If I had waited for your brother’s permission to go it would have been too late. If you do not let me go now I will throw myself into the river.”

The two soldiers took counsel together. It was hardly right, they thought, for officers to force their lord’s wife into committing suicide. They decided to keep the child and let the lady go.

Then Zhang Fei said, “Sister, my brother is an uncle of the Emperor and a good match for you. We will take our leave now. Return soon if you remember our brother.”

Taking the child with him, he left the vessel with Zhao Yun, and the five ships of Wu continued their voyage downstream. One poet has praised Zhao Yun of his conduct:

Some years before, he saved the child,

That time his mother died;

Again like service he performs,
Upon the Yangtze’s tide.

The men of Wu all in the ship,
Were stricken down with fear,
Search all the world, you’ll never find
Of bold Zhao Yun the peer.

Another has eulogized Zhang Fei:

At Long Slope Bridge,

With rage he boiled,
Like wild beast roared,
And men recoiled.
From danger now

His prince is saved.

On history’s page
His name is engraved.

Quite satisfied with their success the two warriors sailed homeward. Before they had gone far they met Zhuge Liang with a squadron of ships. The advisor was very pleased to find they had recovered the child and they three joyfully returned to Jingzhou, where a written account of the whole incident was sent to Liu Bei.

When Lady Sun reached her home she related to her brother how Zhou Shan was slain and the child snatched from her. Naturally Sun Quan was infuriated at the miscarriage of his scheme and he resolved to attack Jingzhou in revenge of his slain messenger.