The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 (13 page)

Authors: Luo Guanzhong

BOOK: The Three Kingdoms Volume 1

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“He should be seated since he is of the Han line,” said Yuan Shao and he bade Liu Bei sit down.

Liu Bei thanked him modestly.

Yuan Shao said, “This consideration is not for your fame or your office. I respect you as a scion of the imperial family.”

So Liu Bei took his seat at the end of the long line of lords while his two brothers stood behind him with folded arms.

Suddenly a scout came in to say that Hua Xiong and his mail-clad horsemen had left the pass and were already outside their camp. They were flaunting Sun Jian’s red turban on the end of a bamboo pole and hurling insults at people inside the stockade, challenging them to fight.

“Who dares to go out and fight?” asked the commander.

“I will,” answered Yu She, a veteran officer under Yuan Shu.

So he went out and almost immediately a messenger came back to say that he had been killed by Hua Xiong in the third bout. Fear began to lay its cold hand on the assembly. Then another lord said, “I have a brave warrior among my men. Pan Feng is his name and he can slay this Hua Xiong.” So Pang Feng was ordered to meet the foe. With his great ax in hand he mounted and rode forth. But soon came the sorrowful news that he, too, had fallen. All those present turned pale at this.

“What a pity my two able officers, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, are not here! If but one of them was present, how could Hua Xiong defy us?”

He had hardly finished his speech when from the lower end someone cried out, “I will go and take his head! I will lay it before you here!”

All turned to look at the speaker. He was very tall of stature with a long beard. He had eyes like those of a phoenix and bushy eyebrows like sleeping silkworms. His face was a swarthy red and his voice deep and resonant, like the sound of a great bell.

“Who is this man?” asked the commander.

Gongsun Zan told him that it was Guan Yu, sworn brother of Liu Bei.

“And what office does he hold?”

“He is a mounted archer in the service of Liu Bei.”

“An insult to us all!” roared Yuan Shu from his seat. “Do you think we have no valiant officers of our own? How dare an archer speak thus before us ? Drive him out!”

But Cao Cao quickly intervened. “Don’t be angry. Since he talks big he must be valiant. Let him go and if he fails, you can punish him then.”

“Hua Xiong will laugh at us if we send a mere archer to fight with him,” said the commander.

“He doesn’t look a common person. How can the enemy know he is but a bowman?” said Cao Cao.

“If I fail you can behead me,” persisted Guan Yu.

Cao Cao bade the attendants bring some hot wine and offered a stirrup cup to Guan Yu as he went out to fight.

“Wait until I come back to drink it,” he said.

Sword in hand, he went out and vaulted onto his horse. Then loud shouts and the fierce beating of drums could be heard as if the sky was falling and the earth sinking, mountains trembling and hills tearing asunder. All those inside the tent were gripped with fear. When they were about to send someone out to inquire, there came the gentle tinkle of a horse bell—then Guan Yu threw at their feet the head of Hua Xiong. The wine was still warm! This heroic deed was celebrated in verse:

The most brilliant deed shook the world far and wide, At the gate of the camp was heard the rolling of the battle drums. Guan Yu set aside the wine cup till his valor was displayed, And the wine was still warm when the enemy was slain.

Cao Cao was greatly pleased at this success. Just then Zhang Fei stepped forth from behind Liu Bei and shouted, “My brother has slain Hua Xiong. Why don’t we just break through the pass and seize Dong Zhuo? There could be no better time than this!”

Again arose the voice of the peevish Yuan Shu, “We high officials are modest and yielding. Here are the petty followers of a small magistrate daring to flaunt their prowess before us! Expel them from the tent, I say!’

But again Cao Cao interposed, “Should we consider the status of him who has done a great service?”

“If you hold a mere magistrate in such honor then I will simply withdraw,” answered Yuan Shu.

“We cannot allow our great cause to suffer just for one word,” said Cao Cao.

He told Gongsun Zan to take his three companions back to their own camp. Then the other lords also dispersed. That night Cao Cao secretly sent meat and wine to soothe the three brothers.

In the meantime, Hua Xiong’s men had returned to the pass and related to one of the other commanding officers the story of the defeat. He immediately wrote to his master to ask for emergency aid. Dong Zhuo called in his trusted advisors for counsel. Li Ru summed up the situation: “We have lost our senior officer Hua Xiong and the enemy has therefore become very strong. Yuan Shao is head of this confederacy and his uncle, Yuan Wei, is holding a high office in the government. If those inside the capital collaborate with those outside, we will suffer. Therefore, we must first remove the ones in the city. Then I suggest your lordship should place yourself at the head of your army and lead it to wipe out all the rebels.”

Dong Zhuo agreed and at once ordered two of his followers, called Li Jue and Guo Si, to take five hundred soldiers to surround the residence of Yuan Wei. They killed everyone in the household, no matter whether old or young, and even hung the head of the old official outside the gate as a trophy. Then Dong Zhuo commanded 200,000 soldiers to advance in two armies. The first 50,000 men were under Li Jue and Guo Si, who were to hold Sishui Pass and not to fight. The main body under Dong Zhuo himself went to Tigertrap Pass, which is about fifty
li
from the capital.

As soon as they arrived there, Lu Bu was ordered to take 30,000 men and make a stockade outside of Tigertrap Pass. The major force with Dong Zhuo occupied the fortress.

News of this deployment of Dong Zhuo’s soon reached the confederate lords and a meeting was again convened in Yuan Shao’s camp. Cao Cao said, “The occupation of Tigertrap Pass will cut our force in two. We must use half of our armies to oppose them.” This being generally accepted, eight of the lords, including Gongsun Zan and Bao Xin, marched toward Tigertrap Pass to oppose the enemy. Cao Cao and his men acted as a reserve force to render help where needed.

Of the eight, Wang Kuang, Prefect of Henei, was the first to arrive with his army. Lu Bu rushed forth to give battle with 3,000 mailed horsemen.

When Wang Kuang had arranged his army, horse and foot, in battle array, he took his position under the great banner and looked over at his foe. There he saw Lu Bu, a conspicuous figure in the front. On his head was a triple curved headdress of ruddy gold. He wore a robe of Xichuan silk embroidered with flowers; over that, breast and back mail adorned with a gaping animal’s head, joined by rings at the sides and girt to his waist with a belt fastened by a beautiful lion’s head clasp. His bow and arrows were slung over his shoulders and he carried a halberd. He was seated on his snorting steed, the Red Hare. Indeed he was a man among men, as his steed was a horse among horses.

“Who dares to go and fight with him?” asked the prefect, turning to those behind him.

In response, a skilled warrior spurred to the front, his spear set ready for battle. The two met, but before the fifth bout, he fell under a thrust of the halberd and Lu Bu dashed forward. The prefect’s men could not hold and scattered in all directions. Lu Bu went to and fro, slaying whoever was in his way. He was quite irresistible.

Fortunately, two other prefects with their troops came to the rescue and Lu Bu retreated. All three having lost many men, withdrew thirty
li
and made a stockade. And before long the remaining five lords also arrived and joined them. They held a council.

“This Lu Bu is invincible,” they said.

But even as they sat there anxious and uncertain, news came that Lu Bu had returned to challenge them to a battle. All the eight lords mounted and their forces spread out in eight lines on high hills. They saw in the distance under fluttering banners Lu Bu and his army charging forward to break their battle array.

Mu Shun, an officer from Shangdang, rode out but, to the horror of the others, he fell at first contact with Lu Bu. Then Wu An-guo from Beihai rushed out, swinging his iron mace. Lu Bu, whirling his halberd, rode forth to meet him. After about a dozen bouts a blow from the halberd broke Wu’s wrist, and he fled, giving up his weapon. Then all eight armies came up to his rescue and Lu Bu withdrew.

The lords also retired to camp for another council. Cao Cao said, “Lu Bu’s prowess has no match. Let’s consult all the lords for a good plan. If only he could be captured, then Dong Zhuo would be easily destroyed.”

However, while the council was still in progress, again Lu Bu came forth to challenge them and again they went out to oppose him. This time Gongsun Zan, flinging his mace, went to meet the enemy himself, but had to flee after a few bouts. Lu Bu followed at topmost speed on the Red Hare. As his horse was as swift as the wind and could ride a thousand
li
a day, Lu Bu gained rapidly upon his fleeing opponent, with his weapon poised, ready to pierce Gongsun Zan’s heart from behind. Just at that moment, from the confederate side a warrior with round, glaring eyes and a bristling mustach dashed in, his long, snaky spear raised high to strike.

“Halt, you menial servant with three surnames!” he roared. “I, Zhang Fei, am here, waiting for you!”

Seeing his new opponent, Lu Bu gave up his pursuit of Gongsun Zan and turned around to fight with Zhang Fei. They were equally matched and neither could gain any advantage over the other after an exchange of about three score of bouts. At this point, Guan Yu urged his horse forward and, whirling his weighty moon-shaped sword, he attacked Lu Bu from the other side. The three steeds stood like the letter T and their riders fought to the thirtieth bout, yet Lu Bu still held his ground.

Then Liu Bei went to his brothers’ aid, drawing out his double swords and urging his horse to cut in at an angle. The three of them circled around Lu Bu and attacked him, one after another, like a revolving lantern during New Year. All the spectators from the eight confederate forces gazed aghast at such a battle. But gradually Lu Bu’s defense began to flag and he looked for a chance to retreat. As Liu Bei was the weakest in strength of the three brothers, Lu Bu feigned a fierce thrust in the face of Liu Bei, who dodged to one side to avoid him. Lu Bu immediately dashed through this temporary opening, his trident lowered to force a way out of the encirclement.

The three brothers, however, would not allow him to escape. They whipped their steeds and pressed hard upon him.

The men of the eight armies cheered in a thunderous roar and all rushed forward, chasing after Lu Bu and his troops as he made for Tigertrap Pass. And first among the pursuers were the three heroic brothers, who followed him to the very gate of the pass. Looking up, they saw an immense umbrella of blue gauze, its lace fluttering in the west wind.

“That must be Dong Zhuo!” cried Zhang Fei. “What’s the use of pursuing Lu Bu? Better seize the chief villain and so eradicate the evil by plucking up its roots.”

And Zhang Fei whipped up his steed toward the pass to seize the wicked minister.