Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (81 page)

The dying man answered, "I bowed before the officials in open court, I besought the kindness of the private attendants, but all in vain."

So he died, and Ssuma Yen wailed for him and then returned to his palace. He conferred on the dead leader the posthumous rank of
T'ai-fu
and the title of Marquis. The traders closed their shops out of respect to his memory, and all the frontier camps were filled with wailing. The people of Hsiangyang, recalling that he loved to wander on the Hsien Hills, built there a temple to him and set up a stone and sacrificed regularly at the seasons. The passers-by were moved to tears when they read Yang's name on the tablet, so that it came to be called "The Stone of Tears."

I saw the fragments of a shattered stone
One spring time on the hillside when, alone,
I walked to greet the sun. The pines distilled
Big drops of dew unceasing; sadness filled
My heart. I knew this was the Stone of Tear,
The stone of memory sad of long-past years.

On the strength of Yang's recommendation Tu Yu was placed over Chingchou, and the title of "Guardian of the South" was conferred upon him. He was a man of great experience, untiring in study and devoted to the Tso Chuan, the book of history composed by Tso Ch'iu-ming upon the record "Spring and Autumn." In hours of leisure a copy was never out of his hand and when he went abroad an attendant rode in front with the beloved book. He was said to be "Tso Chuan mad."

Tu went to Hsiangyang and began by being kind to the people and caring for his soldiers. By this time Wu had lost by death both Ting Feng and Lu K'ang, its two most famous leaders.

The conduct of the King of Wu waxed worse and worse. He used to give great banquets whereat intoxication was universal. He appointed Rectors of Feasts to observe all the faults committed by guests, and after these banquets all offenders were punished, some by flaying the face, others by gouging out the eyes. Every one went in terror of these Rectors.

Wang Chun, Governor of Yichou, sent in a memorial advising an attack upon Wu. He said, "Sun Hao is steeped in vice and should be attacked at once. Should he die and be succeeded by a good ruler we might meet with serious opposition. The ships I built seven years ago lie idle and rotting; why not use them? I am seventy years of age and must soon die. If any one of three events happen, the death of Sun Hao, the destruction of these ships, or my death, then success will be difficult to ensure. I pray Your Majesty not to miss the tide."

At the next assembly of officers King Ssuma Yen said to them, "I have decided to act; I have received similar advice from two officers."

At this arose Wang Hun and said, "I hear Sun Hao intends to march north and has his army ready. Report says it is formidable and would be hard to defeat. I counsel to await another year till that army has lost its first vigour."

A command to cease warlike preparations was the result of this counsel. The king betook himself to his private chamber where he engaged in a game of
mi-ch'i,
with Chang Hua as opponent. While at the game, another memorial arrived; it was from Tu Yu. It read:—

"Formerly Yang Hu explained his plans confidentially to Your Majesty, but did not lay them before the court. The result has been much debate and conflict of opinion. In every project there are
pros and cons,
but in this the arguments are mostly in favour. The worst that can happen is failure. Since last autumn the proposed attack has become generally known, and, if we stop now, Sun Hao will be frightened and remove the capital to Wuch'ang, repair his fortifications in Chiangnan and move his threatened people out of danger. Then the capital cannot be assaulted, nor is there anything left in the countryside to rob. Hence next year's attack will also fail."

Just as the King finished reading, Chang Hua pushed back the board, rose and drew his hands into his sleeves, saying, "Your Majesty's skill in war is almost divine, your state is prosperous and the army strong, the King of Wu is a tyrant, his people are miserable and his country mean. Now you can easily conquer him, and I pray that there be no further hesitation."

"How could I hesitate after your discourse?" said the king.

Thereupon he returned to the council chamber and issued his commands. Tu Yu was given chief command and was to attack Chiangling; Wang Yu, of Langya, to attack Ch'uChung, Wang Hun to go up against Hengchiang; Yang Jung to move against Wuch'ang; Hu Fen to attack Hsiak'ou. And all divisions were under the orders of Tu Yu. In addition to the land forces, two large fleets were to operate on the river. A separate force was sent away to Hsiangyang.

The King of Wu was greatly alarmed at the news of such armies and fleets, and he called to him quickly his Prime Minister Chang Ti and two others, Ho Chih and Hsi Hsiu, to consult how to defend his land. The Prime Minister proposed to send Wu Yen to meet the enemy at Chiangling, Sun Hsin to Hsiak'ou, while he himself took command of a camp at Niuchu, ready to lend help at any point.

The King approved his dispositions and felt satisfied that he was safe by land. But in the privacy of his own apartment he felt miserable, for he realised that no preparations had been made against an attack by water. Then Ts'en Hun asked the king why he bore a sad countenance and King Sun Hao told him of his dread of the enemy navy.

"But I have a scheme that will smash all their ships," cried Ts'en.

"What is it?" asked the King, pleased to hear this.

"Iron is plentiful. Make great chains with heavy links and stretch them across the river at various points. Also forge many massive hammers and arrange them in the stream so that when the enemy's ships sail down before the wind they will collide with the hammers and be wrecked. Then they will sail no more."

Blacksmiths were soon at work on the river bank welding the links and forging the hammers. Work went on day and night, and soon all were in place.

As has been said Tu Yu was to attack Chiangling, and he sent Chou Chih with eight hundred sailors to sail secretly along the river to Lohsiang. There they were to make a great show of flags along the bank and among the trees. Drums were to be beaten and bombs exploded during the day and many fires lighted at night to give the appearance of a great army.

So Chou sailed to Pashan. Soon after the army and the marine forces made a simultaneous advance, but the navy of Wu, under Sun Hsin, came up, and at the first encounter Tu Yu's army retired. Sun Hsin landed his men and pursued. But in the midst of the pursuit a signal bomb sounded and Sun Hsin was attacked on all sides. He tried to retire, but the army he h'ed been pursuing, Tu's force, turned back too and joined in the attack.

Wu's losses were very heavy, and Sun Hsin hastened back to the city. At the ramparts the men of Chin mingled with his own and so entered the gates. They raised signal fires on the walls. This manoeuvre amazed Sun, and he said that the northern men had surely flown into the city. He made an effort to escape, but the leader of Chin, Chou Chih, unexpectedly appeared and slew him.

A fleet of the ships of Wu had accompanied Sun Hsin. The admiral, Lu Ching, saw on the south shore a great standard bearing the name of Tu Yu. He became alarmed and landed to try to escape, but was soon found and slain.

At his position at Chiangling Wu Yen heard of these defeats and knew his position was untenable, so he fled. However, he was soon captured and led into the presence of the victorious general.

"No use sparing you," said Tu Yu, and he sentenced the prisoner to death.

Thus Chiangling was captured and all the districts along the Hsiang and Yuan rivers as far as Huangchou, which surrendered at the first summons.

Tu Yu sent out officers to soothe the people of the conquered districts, and they suffered nothing from the soldiery. Next he marched toward Wuch'ang, and that city also yielded. So the glory of Tu Yu was very great.

Tu summoned his officers to a council to decide upon attacking Chienyeh. Hu Fu said, "A whole century's raiding will not reduce it completedly. The time of the spring rise of waters is near and our position is precarious. We should do well to await the coming spring."

Tu Yu replied, "In the days of old, Yo I obtained the aid of the west and overcame Ch'i in one battle. Our prestige is now high and success certain, easy as the splitting of a bamboo, which seems to welcome the knife after the first few joints have been overcome. We shall meet no great opposition."

So he gave orders to the various leaders to move in concert against the city.

Now Wang Chun had gone down the river with his naval force. From his scouts he heard of the chains and the hammers that had been laid in the river to hinder his progress. But he only smiled. He constructed great rafts of timber and placed on them straw effigies of men in armour and sent them down river with the current. The defenders of Wu took them for real men and, alarmed by their numbers, fled in panic. Then the great hammers were lifted out of the stream and the rafts drifted on.

Moreover, on the rafts they laid great torches many fathoms long, and very thick, made of straw soaked in linseed oil.

When the raft was checked by a chain the torches were lighted and the chains exposed to the heat till they melted and broke asunder. Thus the rafts went down stream conquering wherever they came.

Then the Prime Minister of Wu sent two generals, Shen Jung and Chuko Ching, to try to check the advance of the armies. Shen Jung said to his colleague, "The forces above have failed to stop the enemy, and they will surely come here. We shall have to put forth all our strength. If haply we can succeed, the safety of our country is assured. But suppose we fight and lose the battle, then is our country lost."

"Sir, you only say what is too true," said his colleague.

Just as they talked of these matters came reports of the approach of their enemies in irrestible force. The two leaders were seized with panic and went back to see the Prime Minister.

"Our country is lost," cried Chuko. "Why not run?"

"We all know that the land is doomed," replied the Prime Minister, "but if we make no defence, and no one dies for his country, shall we not be shamed?"

Chuko Ching left, weeping, and the Prime Minister went with Shen Jung to the army. The invaders soon arrived, and Chou Chih was the first to break into the camp. Chang Ti, the Prime Minister, resisted stubbornly, but was soon slain in a melee, and Shen was killed by Chou Chih. The army of Wu was defeated and scattered.

Chin's army banners waved on Pashan mount
And trusty Chang in Chiangling fighting died,

He recked not that the kingly grace was spent,
He rather chose to die than shame his side.

The armies of Chin conquered at Niuchu and penetrated deeply into the country of Wu. From his camp Wang Chun sent a report of his victory to Loyang, and Ssuma Yen was pleased.

But Chia Ch'ung again opposed further fighting, saying, "The armies have been long absent and the men will suffer from the unhealthiness of the country. It would be well to call them home."

Chang Hua spoke against this course, saying, "The army has reached the very home and centre of the enemy. Soon their courage will fail and the king himself will be our prisoner. To recall the army now would be to waste the efforts already made."

The king inclined to neither side. Chia turned upon his opponent savagely, saying, "You are wholly ignorant and understand nothing, you are bent upon winning some sort of glory at the expense of our soldiers' lives. Death would be too good for you."

"Why wrangle?" said the king. "Chang Hua agrees with me, and he knows my wishes."

Just at this moment came a memorial from the leader Tu Yu also recommending advance, whereupon the king decided that the army should go on.

The royal mandate duly reached the camp and the Chin navy went out to the attack in great pomp. The men of Wu made no defence, but surrendered at once.

When the King of Wu heard his men had surrendered thus, he turned pale, and his courtiers said, "What is to be done? Here the northern army comes nearer every day and our men just give in."

"But why do they not fight?" said the king.

The courtiers replied, "The one evil of today is the eunuch Ts'en Hun. Slay him, and we ourselves will go out and fight to the death."

"How can a eunuch harm a state?" cried the king.

"Have we not seen what Huang Hao did in Shu?" shouted the courtiers in chorus.

Moved by sudden fury, the courtiers rushed into the palace, found the wretched object of their hate and slew him, some even tasting of his palpitating flesh.

Then T'ao Chun said, "All my ships are small, but give me large vessels and I will place thereon two legions and go forth to fight. I can defeat the enemy."

His request was granted, and the royal guards were sent up the river to join battle, while another naval force went down stream. But a heavy gale came on. The flags were blown down and lay over in the ships, and the men would not embark. They scattered leaving their leader with only a few score men.

Wang Chun, the leader of Chin, set sail and went down the river. After passing Three Hills, the sailing master of his ship said the gale was too strong for him to go on. He wished to anchor till the storm had moderated. But Wang would not listen. "I wish to capture Shiht'ouch'eng (now Nanking)," said he, "and will not hear of anchoring."