Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (5 page)

The visitor made no reply, but went at once straight up the room and lay upon the couch. P'ang felt very suspicious of the man and repeated his question. Pressed again, the visitor said, "Do let me rest a little; then I will talk with you about everything in the world."

This answer only added to the mystery and increased the host's suspicion, but he had wine and food brought in, of which the guest partook ravenously. Having eaten, he lay down and fell asleep.

P'ang was greatly puzzled and thought the man must be a spy. He sent for Fa Cheng, met him in the courtyard and told him about the strange visitor.

"Surely it can be no other than P'eng Jung-yen," said Fa.

He went inside and looked. Immediately the visitor jumped up saying, "I hope you have been well since we parted last."

Because two old friends meet again,

A river's fatal flood is checked.

The next chapter will explain who the stranger was.

CHAPTER LXIII
CHUKO LIANG MOURNS FOR
P'ANG T'UNG: CHANG FEI
RELEASES YEN YEN

F
a
Cheng and the new comer met with every sign of joy, clapping their hands and laughing with pleasure.

"This is P'eng Yang of Kuanghan, one of our heroes. His blunt speech, however, offended Prefect Liu, who put him to shame by shaving his head, loading him with fetters and forcing him into a monastery. That is why his hair is short."

The introduction made, P'ang treated the stranger with all the courtesy due to a guest and asked 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 Pei, who came over to see the visitor. "How many men have you, General?" asked P'eng, when he arrived.

Yuan-te told him.

"As a leader you cannot be ignorant of the lie of the land. Your camps over there are on the Fou River; if the river be diverted and armies hold your men in front and rear, not a man can escape."

Liu Pei realised that this was true. P'eng continued, "The bowl of the Dipper lies toward the west and Venus stands over against us. The aspect is ominous of evil, and some misfortune threatens. It must be warded off."

In order to retain his services, Liu Pei gave P'eng an appointment as a secretary. Then he sent messages to the captains at the camps telling them to keep most vigilant lookout to guard against the cutting of the river bank. When this message came the two captains agreed together to take duty day and day about and maintain the strict watch necessary in the presence of an enemy near at hand. They arranged means of communication in case either met with a body of the enemy.

One very stormy night Leng Pao ventured out with a strong reconnoitring party and went along the river bank to seek a suitable place for the breach. But a sudden shouting in his rear told him that the men of Han were on the alert, and he at once retired. Wei Yen came in pursuit and, as he pressed nearer, Leng's men hurried forward, trampling each other down in their haste. Suddenly Leng and Wei ran against each other, and they engaged. The fight was very short, for Wei soon took his opponent prisoner. Those who came to his rescue were easily beaten off, and Leng was carried away. When he reached the Pass, Yuan-te saw him and greatly blamed him for his base ingratitude.

"I treated you generously and set you free; you repaid me with ingratitude. I cannot forgive again."

So the prisoner was beheaded and his captor was rewarded. A banquet was given in honour of P'eng.

Soon after this came a letter from K'ung-ming, by the hand of Ma Liang, who reported all calm in Chingchin and told Yuan-te that he need feel no anxiety. Opening the letter Yuan-te read: "I have been making some astrological calculations. This is the last year of the cycle, the bowl of the Dipper is in the western quarter and the planet Venus approaches Loch'eng. The configuration is inimical to leaders and the utmost caution is necessary."

Having read this and sent Ma away, Yuan-te said he would return himself to Chingchou and discuss the matter. But P'ang, who thought in his heart that K'ung-ming's warning was due to a jealous desire to prevent him from winning the glory of conducting a victorious campaign, opposed this, saying, "I also have made calculations, and I read the signs to mean that the time is favourable for you to get possession of this land, and no evil is foreshown. Therefore be not of doubtful heart, my lord, but advance boldly."

Yuan-te was won over and decided to follow Pang's advice. He ordered the two captains Huang Chung and Wei Yen to lead.

P'ang asked of Fa Cheng what roads there were to follow, and the latter drew a map, which was. found to agree exactly with that left by Chang Sung.

Fa said, "North of the mountains is a high road leading to the west gate. Both these roads are suitable for the advance of an army."

So P'ang said to Liu Pei, "With Wei to lead the way, I will go along the southern road, while you, my lord, will advance along the high road, with Huang in the van. We will attack at the same time."

Yuan-te replied, "I was trained as a mounted archer and am accustomed to by-roads, wherefore, O Commander I think you should take the high road and let me take the other."

"There will be opposition on the high road and you are the best to deal with it. Let me take the by-road."

"No; this does not suit me," replied Yuan-te. "A spirit bearing a massive iron club appeared to me in a dream and struck my right arm, so that I suffered great pain. I feel sure this expedition will turn out badly."

P'ang replied, "When a soldier goes into battle he may be killed, or he may be wounded; he accepts whichever is his fate. But should one hesitate because of a dream?"

"The real reason of my hesitation is the letter from K'ungming. Wherefore I wish you to remain and guard the Pass. Do you agree to that?"

P'ang smiled, saying, "K'ung-ming has indeed filled your mind with doubts. The real thing is that he is unwilling to let me have the merit of accomplishing a great undertaking alone. That is why he has written this. And your doubts and hesitations have produced the dream. But I see nothing ill-omened, and I am prepared for any sacrifice and mean just what I say. Pray, my lord, say no more, but prepare to set forth."

So the order went forth that the morning meal was to be taken early and the army was to march at dawn. Huang and Wei were to take the lead, one along each road. These two set out first, and in due time Liu Pei and P'ang T'ung mounted and followed. Suddenly Pang's horse shied and stumbled, throwing him off. Yuan-te 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 risks a man's life," said Yuan-te. "Ride my horse, which is thoroughly trained and will never fail you. Give me yours."

They exchanged horses. "I am deeply affected by your kindness," said P'ang. "I could never repay you if I suffered death a thousand times."

Soon their ways diverged. After his adviser had left, Yuan-te felt ill at ease and rode gloomily.

When the news of Leng Pao's capture and death reached Loch'eng the two commanders there took counsel together. Their colleague, Chang Jen, said, "I know a by-road on the east which is of great importance, and I pray you to let me guard it while you two hold the city."

So as soon as the news of the advancing armies came, Chang led three companies to this road and placed them in ambush. They remained hidden while Wei Yen passed and made no attack. The main body under P'ang T'ung soon followed. The soldiers in ambush saw a rider on a fine white horse and pointed him out to one another, saying, "That surely is Liu Pei on the white horse." Their leader rejoiced too, and he gave certain orders, which need not be recorded here.

P'ang hastened forward. By and by the mountain road narrowed to a defile with dense thickets on either hand, and as the season was when summer changes into autumn, the foliage was thick and impenetrable. His heart misgave him, and presently he reined in his steed and asked if any knew the name of that place. One of the Shu soldiers who had joined his army said, "This is called 'The Slope of the Fallen Phoenix.'"

P'ang shuddered. "An evil omen for me, since 'Phoenix Fledgeling' is my Taoist name. There is no luck for me here."

He decided to retire. But 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 of the white horse. And there, wounded by many arrows, poor P'ang T'ung died at the age of thirty-six.

A poem says:—

Deep in the blue recesses of the hills
Lay hid the modest cot of Shih-yuan.
But now each village urchin knows his story,
And any village rustic tells his exploits.
He knew the empire must be triply rent,
And far he travelled lonely, to and fro.
None knew that Heaven would cast down his star,
Forbidding his return in glory clad.

A song was also written referring to P'ang T'ung:—

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 drives off the rain,
The rain sends off the wind.
It was the day of the Han restoration,
When Shu was attained,
But in the attainment
The Dragon was alone.

Not only was the leader of the expedition slain, but more than half the soldiers fell in the narrow road that fatal day. Some of the men in the van escaped and ran off to tell Wei of the mishap to the army, and he halted and turned back to help. However, it was difficult to march back and he could not hack a way through, for the road was held by Chang, and archers and crossbowmen occupied all the heights.

Then one of the renegades proposed that they should try to return along the high road, and they started for Loch'eng this way. But in front of them arose a great cloud of dust, betraying the approach of an enemy. The defenders of the city were moving toward them, and Wei Yen was between the two armies closed in like the kernel of a nut. Wei fought hard to get through. When his case seemed most desperate and hopeless, he observed signs of confusion in the army that lay between him and the city. Soon that army turned and faced the other way. He pressed forward and presently saw men of his own side, led by the veteran Huang Chung

"I will rescue you, Wen-chang," shouted he, as he came near.

Now the defenders of Loch'eng found themselves between two enemies, and they were smitten heavily. They could not check Wei and Huang, who got through to the very walls of Loch'eng. Seeing them near, Liu Kuei, who had been left to defend the city, came out against them. Thereupon Huang and Wei, in spite of the nearness of the army of Liu Pei, refused battle and turned away from the city. Yuan-te's army made a dash for two stockades, but when Chang came along a by-road and the other three defenders of the city came on, the stockades could not be held and Yuan-te's army had to retire. Now fighting and now marching, the army of Liu Pei strove hard to reach Fou Pass, but Chang pressed close. However, Liu Pei's adopted son and nephew came up, and not only drove back the pursuers but chased them some twenty
li.
Finally, Liu Pei and his men reached the Pass, weary and dispirited. His son and nephew returned from the pursuit with many horses they had captured from the flying enemy. However, nothing had been gained and the victory lay rather with the army of Shu.

One of the fugitives from the army finally reached Fou Pass and told Yuan-te of the sad news of the death of his adviser, man and horse wounded to death. He turned his face to the west and mourned bitterly.

Although the body of the slain leader lay far away they instituted sacrifice to call the spirit, and all the captains keened for him.

Then said Huang, "Now that our leader is no more, certainly the enemy will return to attack the Pass. What is to be done? I think we had better send to Chingchou for Choko Liang and get him to lay plans for getting possession of the country."

And even then came in one to say that the enemy under Chang Jen had come and were now offering a challenge at the rampart. Huang and Wei wished to go forth to fight, but Liu Pei disapproved, saying, "We have suffered a severe check and the men are low-spirited. Let us rather remain on the defensive until the great adviser can arrive."

Huang and Wei made no objection, but set themselves to guard the Pass most vigilantly, while a letter was written to K'ung-ming and sent by the hand of Kuan P'ing. He set forth at once and Yuan-te gave himself up to holding the Pass.

It was the seventh day of the seventh moon, and in the evening K'ung-ming invited his officers to a banquet. Conversation turned toward the enterprise in Ssuch'uan. Suddenly a large and brilliant meteor appeared in the west, illuminating the whole sky. It so disturbed the host that he dashed his wine cup to the ground, covered his face and burst into tears.

"Alas! Alas!"

The guests eagerly asked him why he wept. He replied, "I knew by my calculations that the bowl of the Dipper would be in the west at this season and that the auspices would be unfavourable to leaders of armies, and Io! the Heavens have gone against our men. When Venus was about to stand over Loch'eng I wrote to our lord warning him to be very cautious. I never contemplated the falling of the star this evening. Now P'ang T'ung is no more."

Again he fell to weeping. "My lord has lost an arm!" moaned he.

The guests were rather disturbed, but they only half believed that such a misfortune had happened.

"We shall hear the sad news in a very few days," said K'ung-ming.

The banquet ended sadly enough, and the guests went their ways. A few days later, while K'ung-ming was sitting with Kuan Yu and a few others, they reported the arrival of Kuan P'ing with letters from the west. When the letters were opened they knew that P'ang T'ung had fallen the same evening that the meteor had appeared.

K'ung-ming wailed and the others wept with him.

Then K'ung-ming said, "I must go to help our lord; he is hemmed in at the Pass and cannot move."

"If you go away, who will guard this city?" asked Kuan Yu. "It is of very great importance."

"Our lord has not written plainly, but I know what was in his mind." Then he showed the letter to the others and said, "Provision for the defence of this city is laid upon me and I am to find one equal to the task. I read the letter to mean that he desires Kuan Yu to undertake the defence, and I know that he will do it for the sake of the pledge taken long ago in the Peach Garden. The task is no light one."