The Three Kingdoms Volume 2 (58 page)

“Can it be Peng Yang?” said Fa Zheng.

He went inside and looked. Immediately the visitor jumped up, saying, “My friend, I hope you have been keeping well since we parted last.”

Because two old friends meet again,

A river’s fatal flood is checked.

Who the strange visitor was will be disclosed in the next chapter.

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

Zhuge Liang Mourns the Death of Pang Tong

Zhang Fei Releases Yan Yan

F
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Zheng and the visitor showed every sign of joy to see each other, clapping their hands and laughing with pleasure.

“This is Peng Yang, one of the notable figures of this land. His blunt speech had once offended Prefect Liu, who put him to shame by shaving his head, chaining him, and forcing him to toil as a slave. That is why his hair is short.”

The introduction made, Pang Tong treated the stranger with all the courtesy due to a guest and asked him why he had come.

“To save a myriad of your men’s lives. I will explain fully when I see General Liu.”

A message was sent to Liu Bei, who came over to see the visitor.

“How many men do you have in the two camps, General?” asked the visitor, when he arrived.

Liu Bei told him.

“As a commander you cannot be ignorant of the topography of the land. Your camps over there are on the Fu River. If your enemy should divert the course of the river and hold your army in between their forces, not a single man of yours can escape.”

Liu Bei realized that this was true. The visitor continued, “The bowl of the Dipper is at present in the west and Venus stands above us, which forewarns of some misfortune. You must be very careful.”

Gratified for this warning, Liu Bei gave Peng Yang an appointment as an advisor. Then he sent a message to Huang Zhong and Wei Yan at the camps, telling them to keep a most vigilant lookout to guard against any plot to collapse the riverbank. After receiving this message the two officers decided to take turns to maintain a strict watch over the river and promised to keep the other informed as soon as enemy movement was spotted.

Away in the city, Ling Bao chose one very stormy night to carry out his scheme. Taking 5,000 men with him, he proceeded along the riverbank to seek a suitable place for the breach. But a sudden shouting to his rear told him that his enemy was on the alert, and he at once retreated. Wei Yan came in pursuit and many of Ling Bao’s men, in their haste to get away, trampled each other down. Suddenly Ling Bao and Wei Yan ran into each other, and they engaged in combat. The fight was very short, for Wei Yan soon took his opponent prisoner. The other two officers who came to assist Ling Bao were beaten off by Huang Zhong.

The prisoner was taken before Liu Bei at Fushui Pass. When he saw him, Liu Bei rebuked him severely for his ingratitude: “I treated you generously and set you free—you repaid me with betrayal. I cannot forgive you this time.”

So the prisoner was beheaded and his captor was rewarded. A banquet was given in honor of Peng Yang, who had alerted them to the danger.

Soon after this a letter came from Zhuge Liang, delivered by Ma Liang, who reported that all was calm in Jingzhou and told Liu Bei not to worry. Opening the letter, Liu Bei read: “I have been making some astrological calculations. This is the last year of the cycle, and the bowl of the Dipper is in the western quarter while Venus is above Luocheng. The configuration is unfavorable to commanders and utmost caution is necessary.”

Having read this and sent Ma Liang back, Liu Bei said he would return to Jingzhou and discuss the matter. But Pang Tong was opposed to this, for he thought in secret that Zhuge Liang’s warning was due to a jealous desire to prevent him from gaining the glory of seizing the whole of the west country. So he said, “I also have made calculations, and the fact that the bowl of the Dipper is in the western quarter can only mean that you are to get possession of this land. As for the evil omen indicated by Venus above Luocheng, the execution of Ling Bao has already proven it. Therefore there is no need to have any doubt, my lord. Just advance boldly.”

Liu Bei was persuaded and decided to follow Pang Tong’s advice. He ordered the two officers Huang Zhong and Wei Yan to lead.

Pang Tong asked Fa Zheng how far it was to get to Luocheng, and the latter drew a map, which was found to agree exactly with that left by Zhang Song.

Fa Zheng said, “North of the mountains is a high road leading to the east gate of Luocheng; south of the mountains is a byway leading to its west gate. Both these roads are suitable.”

So Pang Tong said to Liu Bei, “With Wei Yan to lead the way, I will go along the southern road, while you, my lord, will advance along the high road, with Huang Zhong in the van. We will attack at the same time.”

Liu Bei replied, “I was trained as a soldier and am accustomed to by-roads. I think you should take the high road and let me take the other.”

“There will be enemy opposition on the high road and you are the best to deal with it. Let me take the byroad.”

“No, you should not do that,” said Liu Bei. “I dreamed last night of a spirit hitting my right arm with a massive iron club and it still felt painful when I woke up. Could it mean that this expedition will turn out badly?”

Pang Tong replied, “When a soldier goes to battle he may be wounded, if not killed—he accepts whichever is his fate. Should he hesitate because of a dream?”

“The real thing that troubles me is the letter from Zhuge Liang. You had better remain here and guard Fu Pass. Do you agree to that?”

Pang Tong laughed, saying, “Zhuge Liang has filled your mind with doubts. He is unwilling to let me have the merit of accomplishing a great undertaking alone. That is why he has written that letter. And that dream of yours is the result of your doubts and hesitations and not a sign of ill omen. I am prepared for any sacrifice and I mean what I say. Please say no more, my lord. We will set forth early tomorrow morning.”

So an order was issued that the morning meal was to be taken at the fifth watch and the army was to depart at dawn. Huang Zhong and Wei Yan were to take the lead, one along each road. These two set out first, and in due time Liu Bei and Pang Tong mounted and followed. Suddenly, Pang Tong’s horse shied and stumbled, throwing him off. Liu Bei jumped down and seized the horse by the bridle, saying, “Why do you ride this wretched beast?”

“I have ridden him a long time and he has never done this before,” was the reply.

“A shying steed in battle harms a man’s life,” said Liu Bei. “Ride my white horse, which is thoroughly trained and will never fail you. Give me yours.”

They exchanged horses. “I am deeply grateful for your kindness,” said Pang Tong. “I could never repay you if I were to suffer death a thousand times.”

Soon their ways diverged. After his advisor had left, Liu Bei felt ill at ease and rode on gloomily.

When the news of Ling Bao’s death reached Luocheng the commanders there took counsel together. Their comrade, Zhang Ren, said, “To the southeast of the city is a byroad which is of great importance. I am going to guard that point while you must do all you can to hold the city. There must be no mistakes.”

Soon news came of the advancing enemy to attack the city. Zhang Ren at once led 3,000 men to the byroad and placed them in ambush. They remained hidden and made no attack while Wei Yan passed. The main body under Pang Tong soon followed. The ambushing soldiers saw a rider on a fine white horse and pointed him out to Zhang Ren, saying that it must be Liu Bei. Zhang Ren, rejoicing greatly, gave orders to his men.

Suspecting nothing, Pang Tong hastened forward. By and by the mountain road narrowed to a defile with dense thickets on either side, and as the season was just changing from summer to fall, the foliage was thick and impenetrable. Suspicion began to rise in his heart. Reining in his steed, he asked his men if they knew the name of that place. One of the Shu soldiers, who had recently surrendered, said, “This place is called ‘Slope of the Fallen Phoenix’.”

Pang Tong was startled. “An evil omen for me!” he cried. “My Taoist name is ‘Phoenix Fledgeling’ and this place is called ‘Slope of the Fallen Phoenix’. There is no luck for me here.”

He immediately ordered the rearguard to retreat. But even as he gave the order, the roar of a bomb rent the air and arrows began to fly toward him, thick as swarming locusts. All the hidden men were shooting at the rider on the white horse. And there, pierced by numerous arrows, the poor strategist Pang Tong died at the age of thirty-six.

A poem says:

Deep in the blue recesses of the hills

Lay hid the modest hut of Pang Tong.

Each village urchin knew his story,
And any village rustic told his exploits.

He knew the empire must be triply rent,
And far he traveled lonely, to and fro.

None knew that Heaven would cast down his star,
Forbidding his return in glory clad.

A song was also written about Pang Tong and Zhuge Liang:

They were two, the Phoenix and the Dragon,

And they would travel far to Shu;

But on the road thither
The Phoenix died on the mountain slope.
The wind sends off the rain,
The rain pelts with the wind.

It was the day of the Han restoration,
When Shu was attained,
But in the attainment
Only the Dragon remained.

Not only was the leader of the expedition slain, but the majority of the soldiers died in the narrow road that fatal day. Some of the men in the van escaped and ran to tell Wei Yan of the mishap, and he hurriedly halted his advance. However, the narrow byroad rendered it impossible for him to fight and what is worse, his way of retreat was cut by Zhang Ren, whose archers and crossbowmen sent down flights of arrows at his men from all the heights. Wei Yan became seriously alarmed.

Then one of the former Shu soldiers proposed taking the high road for Luocheng. Wei Yan took the advice and the army started toward the city. But in front of them arose a great cloud of dust, signaling the approach of an enemy force which turned out to be Wu Lan and Lei Tong, two of the defenders of the city. Soon, from behind came Zhang Ren in pursuit and Wei Yan was closed in between the two armies like the kernel of a nut. Wei Yan fought desperately but was still unable to get through. When his situation seemed most dangerous and hopeless, he saw signs of confusion in the rear of the enemy force that lay between him and the city. The two leaders turned in a hurry to rally their men. Wei Yan, taking advantage of this, pressed after the enemy and presently saw men of his own side, led by the veteran Huang Zhong.

“I have come to rescue you,” he shouted to Wei Yan as he came near.

Attacking from two sides, they smote Wu Lan and Lei Tong and thus got to the very walls of Luocheng. Seeing them near, Liu Gui, who had been left to defend the city, came out to assist his colleagues. Fortunately, Liu Bei arrived at that moment and assisted them in the rear. Then Liu Bei and his two officers retreated to the two stockades. But then the situation became perilous. Not only did Zhang Ren come along a byroad to attack, but the other three defenders of the city also came on so that the stockades could not be held and Liu Bei’s army had to withdraw toward Fu Pass. Now fighting and now retreating, the army of Liu Bei strove hard to get back to the pass. The men of Shu pressed the pursuit, with Zhang Ren in the lead. Near the pass, however, they were smitten by Liu Bei’s adopted son and nephew, who rushed out with a fresh force of 30,000 soldiers, and not only drove back the pursuers but chased them some twenty
li,
besides catching a great number of horses.