Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (37 page)

First Wu met Wei and drove them north,
Then Shu against the
Mans
went forth.

The story of this campaign will follow in the next chapters.

CHAPTER LXXXVII
K'UNG-MING'S SOUTHERN EXPEDITION:
THE KING OF THE MANS

W
ith
K'ung-ming's administration of affairs in the Two Ch'uan began a period of happiness and prosperity for the people. Tranquillity prevailed, and the state of society was well nigh perfect, doors unbolted at night, property left by the roadside remaining untouched till the owner returned for it. Moreover, the harvests were rich year after year, and old and young, with fair, round bellies, well lined, simply sang with joy. The people hastened to fulfil their state duties and vied with each other in the performance of any
corvee.
As a natural consequence all military preparations were perfect, the granaries bursting with grain and the treasury full to overflowing.

Such was the state of things when, in the third year, the news came to the capital that a host of
Alans
had invaded the south and were laying waste the country, and that the Prefect of Chienning, a man of an honourable and even noble family, had joined them. Already two districts had yielded to the invaders, but a third was staunchly holding out. The three rebels, who had joined the invaders, were now acting as guides and assisting in the attack on Jungch'ang, which had remained faithful. Wang K'ang, the Prefect of Jungch'ang, ably seconded by Lu K'ai, one of his subordinates, was making a desperate effort to defend the city with only its ordinary inhabitants as fighting men. The position was very desperate.

When this news came, K'ung-ming went into the palace and thus memorialised to his lord, "The contumacy of the
Mans
is a real danger to our state. I feel it incumbent upon me to lead an expedition to reduce the barbarians to obedience."

But the king was afraid, and said, "There are enemies on two sides; if you abandon me and either of them comes, what shall I do?"

"Your Majesty need have no fear. We have just concluded a league of peace with Wu, and I think they will be true to their pledge. Li Yen is quite a match for Lu Hsun. Ts'ao P'ei's recent defeat has taken the keenness out of his men, so that he will not feel inclined to make any expeditions further. Ma Ch'ao is in command at the Pass between Wei and HanChung. I shall also leave Kuan and Chang with forces to reinforce any point where danger may appear. I can assure Your Majesty that no untoward event will happen. I am going to sweep clean the
Man
country, so that we may have a free hand to attack Wei when the day comes. Thus I shall be enabled to requite the honour paid me by your father the First Ruler, who came thrice to seek me and who doubled my obligation when he confided to me the care of his son."

"Indeed I am young and ignorant," replied the king, "and can only exist with you to decide for me."

At that moment an officer, Wang Lien by name, a man of Nanyang, stepped forward, crying, "No, no, Sir; you may not go. The south is a desert country reeking with malaria. It is wrong that an officer of state in such an exalted and responsible position should go away on a distant expedition. These rebels and barbarians are but an irritation, not a disease, and an ordinary leader would be enough to send against them. He would not fail."

K'ung-ming replied, 'This country of the
Mans
is distant and mostly uncivilised. To reduce them to reasonableness will be difficult, and I feel I ought to go. When to be harsh and when to show leniency are matters to be decided on at the moment, and instructions cannot be easily given to another."

K'ung-ming steadily opposed all Wang's efforts to bring about a change of intention, and he soon took leave of his master and made ready to start.

Chiang Yuan was Councillor of the expedition. Fei Wei was Recorder; Tung Chueh and Fan Chien were Historians; Chao Yun and Wei Yen were Generals; Wang P'ing and Chang I were Deputy Generals and leaders of the fighting men. Beside these were officers originally belonging to Shu, and the whole force was fifty legions.

Soon after the force marched south, the third son of Kuan the Noble appeared and wished to see K'ung-ming. After the fall of Chiangchou this youth had fled to Paochia, where he had fallen ill. His illness had been long and severe, and he had only just recovered. He was then travelling toward Ch'engtu. He knew that vengeance had been taken on the murderers of his father. And he asked to take part in this expedition.

K'ung-ming was greatly surprised to see him. However, he sent news of the young man's arrival to the court and gave Kuan So a military appointment.

The army, foot and horse, marched in the best of order, eating when hungry, drinking when thirsty, camping at night and moving by day. No plundering was permitted, and the people suffered not at all.

When Yung K'ai and his fellow rebels heard that the Prime Minister of Shu was marching against them, they called their men together and formed three divisions, Kao Ting in the centre, Yung and Chu on the wings. They mustered about five legions in all, and they went to oppose the march of the Shu army. Kao Ting sent O Huan to lead tbe van.

This O Huan was tall of stature, but ugly and evil of countenance. His weapon was a sort of halberd. He was very valiant, and no one could face him. He led his own cohort out in advance of the main body and fell in with the leading bodies of the Shu army immediately after they had got into Ichou. The two sides drew up for battle, and, the arrays being complete, Wei Yen rode out and vilified the rebels, calling upon them to surrender. Instead, O Huan galloped out and fought with Wei. After a few bouts Wei seemed to be bested and fled. But this was only a ruse. However, O Huan followed, fell into the ambush as had been arranged, and was captured.

He was taken to the tent of K'ung-ming, who bade his attendants loose his bonds, gave him wine and comforted him. Then he asked who he was.

O Huan replied, "I am one of the captains under Kao Ting."

"I know Kao Ting as a loyal and good sort, but he has been led away by this Yung K'ai. Now I shall release you, but you are to bring Kao to his senses and see to it that he comes to surrender. It will be best for him."

O Huan thanked him and withdrew. He went to his own side and soon saw Kao Ting. He told him what K'ung-ming had said, and K'ung-ming's kindly feeling deeply affected Kao.

Soon after, Yung K'ai came over to Kao Ting's camp to visit him. After the exchange of salutations, Yung asked how it came about that O Huan had been released.

"Chuko Liang released him out of pure kindness," replied Kao Ting.

"This is a ruse of his to separate you from me: he wishes to make us enemies."

Kao Ting almost believed this too, and he was much perplexed.

Just then the watchers reported that the leaders of Shu had come up and were offering battle. So Yung K'ai led out three legions to take up the challenge. But after the third encounter he fled. Wei Yen pursued him and smote for a distance of two score
li.

Next day
Yung
K'ai challenged, but the men of Shu refused to fight, and remained within their lines for three days. On the fourth day Yung and Kao divided their men into two parts and came to attack the camp. Now K'ung-ming had told Wei
Yen
to wait for this double attack, and so when it came to pass both divisions fell into an ambush and suffered great loss, many being killed and more captured.

The prisoners were taken to the camp, and the men belonging to the two divisions were confined separately. Then K'ung-ming told the soldiers to let it be known that only those belonging to Kao Ting would be spared, the others would be put to death. When time had been given for this story to spread among the prisoners, Yung's men were brought up to the commander's tent.

"Whose men were you?" asked he.

"Kao Ting's" cried they all, falsely.

Then they were all pardoned, and, after being given wine and food, they were taken to the frontier and set free.

Next the real Kao Ting's men were brought forward, and the same question was put to them.

"We all really belong to Kao Ting's command," said they.

In like manner they were pardoned and refreshed with wine and food. Then K'ung-ming addressed them, saying, "Yung K'ai has just sent a messenger to ask that he may surrender, and he offers to bring with him the heads of your commander and of Chu Pao as a proof of merit. But I will not receive him, and you, since you are Kao Ting's men, shall be released and allowed to return to him. But let there be no ingratitude and fighting again, for if there is, I certainly will not pardon you next time."

So they thanked their liberator and went away. As soon as they reached their own camp they told the whole story. Then Kao Ting sent a spy to the camp of his colleague to find out what was doing. There he met the men who had been released, and they were all talking about K'ung-ming's kindness, and many of them were inclined to desert their own camp for the other. Although this seemed very satisfactory, yet Kao Ting did not feel convinced, and he sent another man to K'ung-ming's camp to try to verify what had happened. But this man was captured and taken before the Commander-in-chief, who pretended that he thought the spy belonged to Yung K'ai, and said to him, "Why has your leader failed to send me the heads of Kao and Chu as he promised? You lot are not very clever, and what are you come to spy out?"

The soldier muttered and mumbled in confusion. But K'ung-ming gave the man wine and food, and then wrote a letter which he handed to the spy, saying, "You give this letter to your commander, Yung K'ai, and tell him to get the job done quickly."

The spy took the letter and got away. As soon as he reached camp he gave the letter to Kao Ting and also the message.

Kao Ting read the missive and became very angry.

"I have ever been true to him, and yet he wants to kill me. It is hard to be either friendly or reasonable."

Then he decided to take O Huan into his confidence, and called him. O Huan was much prejudiced in favour of K'ung-ming, and said, "K'ung-ming is a most benevolent man, and it would be ill to turn our backs upon him. It is Yung K'ai's fault that we are now rebels, and our best course would be to slay him and betake ourselves to K'ung-ming."

"How could it be done?" asked Kao Ting.

"Invite him to a banquet. If he refuse, it means he is a traitor, and then you can attack him in front while I will lie in wait behind his camp to capture him as he runs away."

They agreed to try this plan; the banquet was prepared and Yung invited. But as his mind was full of suspicion from what his returned men had said, he would not come. That night, as soon as darkness fell, Kao Ting attacked his camp.

Now the men who had been released were imbued with the goodness of Kao Ting and quite ready to help him fight. On the other hand, Yung K'ai's men mutinied against him, and so Yung K'ai mounted his steed and fled. Before he had gone far he found his road blocked by the cohort under O Huan, who galloped out with his halberd and confronted the fugitive. Yung could not defend himself, and was struck down. O Huan decapitated him. As soon as they knew he was dead, his men joined themselves to Kao Ting, who then went and surrendered to K'ung-ming.

K'ung-ming received him sitting in state in his tent, but at once ordered the lictors to decapitate him.

But Kao Ting said, "Influenced by your kindness, Sir, I have brought the head of my colleague as a proof of the sincerity of my surrender: why should I die?"

"You come with false intent; do you think you can hoodwink me?" said K'ung-ming, laughing.

"What proof have you that I am false?"

K'ung-ming drew a letter from his box, and said, "Chu Pao sent this secretly to say he wished to surrender, and he said you and Yung K'ai were sworn friends to death. How could you suddenly change your feelings and slay him? That is how I know your treachery."

"Chu Pao only tried to make trouble," cried Kao, kneeling.

K'ung-ming still refused to believe him, and said, "
I
cannot believe you without more solid proof. If you would slay Chu I could take that as proving you were sincere in your surrender."

"Do not doubt me. What if I go and capture this man?"

"If you did that my doubts would be set at rest."

Thereupon Kao Ting and his subordinate, O Huan, led away their men to the camp of Chu Pao. When they were about ten
li
from his camp Chu Pao appeared with a cohort. As soon as they recognised each other, Chu Pao hastily came forward to parley. But Kao Ting cried out to him, "Why did you write a letter to the Prime Minister and so intrigue with him to get me killed?"

Chu Pao stared open mouthed and could not reply. Then O Huan rode out from behind his chief and struck Chu with his halberd so that he fell to the ground. Thereupon Kao Ting shouted to the men that they should either yield or be slain, and they yielded in a body.

Kao Ting then went back to K'ung-ming and offered the head of the man just slain. Kung-ming laughed again.

"I have made you kill both these as a proof of loyalty."

Then he created Kao Prefect of Ichou and chief of three districts, while O Huan was given a junior rank. Thus the three divisions were disposed of and troubled the peace no more.

The Prefect of Jungch'ang then came out of the city and welcomed K'ung-ming, and, when he had made his entry into that city, he called Wang K'ang and asked who had aided bim in the defence.