The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 (12 page)

Several days later, two young men from the Cao family, Cao Ren and Cao Hong, also came to assist, each accompanied by a thousand soldiers. As the two Cao brothers were accomplished horsemen and trained in the use of arms, they were asked to drill the troops in the village ground. Clothing, armor, flags, and banners were purchased with the money donated by the generous Wei Hong. Numerous people from all sides also poured in to give grain to the army.

When Yuan Shao received the call to arms, he left his prefecture of Bohai with all his advisors and officers as well as 30,000 soldiers to form an alliance with Cao Cao. Then Cao Cao issued a denunciation of Dong Zhuo, which ran as follows:

We, Cao Cao and associates, moved by a high sense of justice, now proclaim to the world: The arch-devil Dong Zhuo defies Heaven and Earth. He has destroyed the empire and slain the Emperor. He pollutes the palace and persecutes the people. Being cruel, vicious, and greedy, he has committed heinous crime upon crime. Now we have received a secret edict from the new Emperor to mobilize soldiers of justice. We vow to cleanse the empire and wipe out all the malicious elements. We hope you will raise a voluntary army. Let us join our forces in an effort to avenge the public wrong, maintain the dynasty, and succor the people. Respond immediately when you receive this.”

Soon, response came from seventeen lords of various regions, including Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Gongsun Zan, Bao Xin, and Sun Jian. All of them led their subordinates, civil and military, and an armed force of about 30,000 soldiers on a journey to the capital Luoyang.

Now Gongsun Zan, Prefect of Beiping,
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was on his way to the capital with his force of 15,000 veteran soldiers. While passing through the city of Pingyuan he saw among the mulberry trees in the distance a yellow banner under which rode a small group of people. When they drew near, he found the leader was Liu Bei.

“Why are you here, my good brother?” asked the general.

“I am magistrate of this district. It was on your recommendation that I got this post. I hear that you and your army are passing through, so I have come specially to invite you to take a rest inside the city.”

“Who are these two?” asked the general, pointing to Liu Bei’s two brothers.

“They are Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, my sworn brothers,” answered Liu Bei.

“Were they the people who fought with you against the Yellow Turban rebels?”

“Yes. I owe all my successes to their efforts,” said Liu Bei.

“And what offices do they fill?”

“Guan Yu is a mounted archer and Zhang Fei, a foot archer.”

“How sad to waste the talents of real heroes like this!” sighed the general. Then he continued, “Now Dong Zhuo is stirring up trouble and all the lords in the country are uniting to destroy him. I suggest you abandon this petty office and join us in our fight against Dong Zhuo for the restoration of the House of Han. What do you think of this?”

“I would like to go with you,” said Liu Bei.

“If you’d let me kill that fellow at that time, you wouldn’t have the trouble today,” said Zhang Fei.

“Well, what’s the use of talking about that? Let’s just pack and go,” said Guan Yu.

So the three brothers, with a few horsemen as their escort, followed Gongsun Zan to the capital, where they were received by Cao Cao. One after another all the other lords also came and set up their camps which extended over 200
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and more. When all had arrived, Cao Cao, as the organizer, prepared sacrificial bullocks and horses and invited all the lords to a great assembly to discuss their plan of attack.

Prefect Wang Kuang of Henei said: “We have assembled here to uphold justice. We must first elect a leader and bind ourselves to obedience to him. Then can we start the battle against our enemy.”

Cao Cao continued, “For four generations the Yuan family have held highest offices in the government and their former subordinates are everywhere. As a descendant of notable ministers of Han, Yuan Shao is a suitable man to be our leader.”

Yuan Shao again and again declined this honor. But all those present said, “It must be you. There is no one else.” Finally he agreed.

The next day, a three-storied altar was erected and all around it were planted banners inscribed with the five characters meaning east, south, west, north, and center. They also set up white yaks’ tails and golden axes as well as emblems of military authority and the commander’s seal on the altar. Clad in a ceremonial robe and girt with a sword, he stepped onto it like a true hero. There he lit the incense and bowed reverently several times. Then he read out the oath:

Misfortune has befallen the House of Han and the imperial authority has suffered. The wicked minister Dong Zhuo takes advantage of this to start trouble. He brought disasters to the Emperor and tyrannized over the common folk. We, Shao, and his confederates, have assembled military forces to rescue the country from calamity. All of us who join the alliance pledge to exert ourselves and act in unison for the success of our cause. There must never be any departure from our aim. Should anyone fail to observe this pledge, may he lose his life and leave nothing for posterity. Almighty Heaven and Earth and the enlightened spirits of our ancestors, please be our witnesses!

The reading finished, he smeared the blood of the sacrifice upon his lips. Moved by the strong fervor of his speech, all the listeners shed tears.

Then he descended from the altar and was led to his tent, where he took the seat of the commander-in-chief while the others arranged themselves on both sides according to rank and age.

After serving wine for several rounds, Cao Cao said, “Now that we’ve chosen our own leader we must obey him in every move and join our efforts in protecting the empire. There must be no feeling of rivalry or superiority among us.”

Yuan Shao said, “Unworthy as I am, yet as elected leader I will reward every merit and punish every offense. A state has its criminal laws and an army its precepts. All of us must obey these and not break them.”

“Your orders will be strictly observed,” promised everyone.

Then Yuan Shao appointed his brother Yuan Shu to be in charge of army provision and ordered him to keep all the camps well-supplied.

He continued, “But the need for the moment is a van leader who will go to Sishui Pass to provoke a battle and the others must take up key positions to support him.”

“I will lead the van,” volunteered Sun Jian, Prefect of Changsha.

“You are valiant and fierce, equal to this service,” said the commander.

The army under Sun Jian set out and presently came to Sishui Pass. The officer there dispatched a swift rider to Dong Zhuo’s house in the capital to report the urgency of the situation.

Ever since Dong Zhuo had secured his dominant position he had indulged himself in excessive eating and drinking. When Li Ru, his chief advisor, got the urgent news, he went straight to his master. On hearing this, Dong Zhuo was much alarmed and immediately called a great council.

Lu Bu stood up and said, “Don’t worry, father. I look upon all the lords outside the pass as mere stubble and with the men of our fierce army I will put every one of them to death and hang their heads at the gates of the capital.”

“With you in my service I can sit back and relax.” Dong Zhuo was greatly relieved.

He had hardly finished his speech when someone behind Lu Bu cried out, “A butcher’s knife to kill a chicken! There is no need for the young master to go. I will cut off their heads as easily as I would take a thing out of my pocket.”

Dong Zhuo looked up and his eyes rested upon a stalwart man of fierce mien, lithe and supple. He had a tiger’s body and a wolf’s waist. His head was like a leopard’s and his shoulders like an ape’s. His name was Hua Xiong. Dong Zhuo was overjoyed at his bold words and at once gave him high rank and command over 50,000 horse and foot soldiers. Without delay, Hua Xiong led the men on a quick march toward Sishui Pass together with three other commanding officers.

Among the lords serving Yuan Shao was Bao Xin, who was jealous lest the chosen van leader, Sun Jian, should win the honor of the victory of the first battle. Determined to meet the foe first, he secretly dispatched his brother Bao Zhong with 3,000 horse and foot soldiers to get to the pass by a back road. As soon as this small force reached their destination they offered battle. Hua Xiong, at the head of five hundred mail-clad horsemen, swept down from the pass to meet them. Frightened, Bao Zhong hastened to turn back but it was too late. Hua Xiong raised his arm and the great sword fell, cutting his victim down from his horse. Many of his men were captured. The poor man’s head was sent to Dong Zhuo as proof of the victory and Hua Xiong was duly promoted to an even higher rank.

Soon Sun Jian also approached the pass. He had four subordinate officers with him: Cheng Pu, whose weapon was an iron-spined spear; Huang Gai, who wielded an iron whip; Han Dang, a swordsman; and Zu Mao, who fought with double swords. Sun Jian himself donned fine silver armor and wore a red turban wrapped around his head. He carried across his body his sword of ancient ingot iron and rode a dappled horse with flowing mane. He advanced to the pass and shouted up at its defenders: “Surrender, you lackeys of Dong Zhuo!”

Down from the pass came Hu Zhen with 5,000 men to respond to the challenge. Cheng Pu with the snaky lance rode out to fight against him. After only a few bouts, Hu Zhen was killed by a thrust through his throat. Then Sun Jian led his army to push forward, but from the pass rained down showers of stones that proved too much for the assailants and they retired into their camp at Liangdong. A messenger was sent to announce the victory to Yuan Shao and also to ask Yuan Shu for immediate supplies of grain.

But some of his advisors said to Yuan Shu, “Sun Jian is a very tiger. If he should take the capital and destroy Dong Zhuo, it would be like driving out a wolf to bring in a tiger. Do not send him grain and his army will fall apart.” Yuan Shu listened to this and sent no grain or forage. Soon, chaos emerged among the hungry soldiers under Sun Jian and spies reported the news to the pass defenders, who decided upon a speedy attack on Sun Jian from the front and rear. They hoped to capture him in this way.

Hua Xiong gave his soldiers a large meal and told them to be ready to set out when darkness fell. That night the moon was bright and the wind cool. By midnight his troops had reached Sun Jian’s camp. Then they beat drums and shouted loudly as they pressed forward. Sun Jian hastily put on his fighting gear and rode out. He ran straight into Hua Xiong and the two immediately engaged in battle. After they had exchanged a few passes, another army came up from the rear and set fire to whatever would burn. Sun Jian’s men were thrown into great confusion and fled like rats. A general melee ensued and soon only Zu Mao was at his chief’s side. The two of them broke through the enemy’s encirclement and fled. Hua Xiong came in hot pursuit. Sun Jian took his bow and let fly two arrows in quick succession but both missed. When he fitted a third arrow to the string he drew the bow so fiercely that it snapped. He had to give it up and rode off at full speed.

Zu Mao said, “My lord, the red turban around your forehead is a mark that the enemy recognizes easily. Take it off and let me wear it.”

So they exchanged their headpieces and parted. The pursuers went only after the wearer of the red turban. So Sun Jian was able to escape through a bypath. Zu Mao, hotly pursued, tore off the headpiece and hung it on the post of a half-burned house. Then he dashed into the thick woods to hide. Seeing the turban from a distance, Hua Xiong’s men dared not approach it but instead encircled from every side and shot at it with arrows. Before long the deception was discovered and they went up to seize the turban.

This was the moment Zu Mao was waiting for. He rushed out of the woods and swinging his double swords, dashed at Hua Xiong. But his enemy was too powerful for him. With a loud yell, Hua Xiong cut him down from his horse. The killing continued till daybreak and it was only then that the victor led his men back to the pass.

Sun Jian’s three other chief officers finally joined him. They collected the remaining soldiers and encamped again. He was much grieved at the loss of the faithful Zu Mao.

When news of the disaster was reported to Yuan Shao he was greatly alarmed and called all the lords to a council. All came, with Gongsun Zan being the last to arrive. Yuan Shao invited them to sit inside his tent and said: “First it was General Bao’s brother who disobeyed the orders and rashly went to attack the enemy. He ended up getting himself slain and with him many of our soldiers. Now General Sun has also been defeated. Our fighting spirit has suffered from these two losses. What do you think we should do?”

Everyone was silent. Lifting his eyes, Yuan Shao looked from one to another till he came to Gongsun Zan and noted the three unusual-looking men behind his seat. All three were smiling cynically.

“Who are those men behind you?” he asked.

Gongsun Zan asked Liu Bei to come forth and said, “This is Liu Bei, Magistrate of Pingyuan and an old friend of mine. We used to live under the same roof.”

“He must be the Liu Bei who defeated the Yellow Turban rebels,” said Cao Cao.

“Yes, he is,” replied Gongsun Zan. And he asked Liu Bei to pay his respects to the assembly, to whom he then related in full detail Liu Bei’s services and his origin of birth.