The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 (18 page)

This maiden was brought up at his house and taught to sing and dance. She was then just maturing into womanhood, a pretty and clever girl whom Wang Yun regarded more as a daughter than a dependent.

After listening for some time he suddenly called out, “What mischief are you up to there, Cicada?”

The maiden dropped on her knees in terror. “I dare not do anything wrong,” she said.

“Then what are you sighing about out here in the darkness?” asked her master.

“Please, sir, let me speak from the bottom of my heart,” she pleaded.

“Tell me the whole truth—do not conceal anything.”

And the girl said, “I have received bountiful kindness from you, sir. I have been taught to sing and dance and been treated so kindly that were I torn to pieces for Your Lordship’s sake, I would not be able to repay a thousandth part. I have noticed lately that your brows have been knit in distress and I know it is on account of state troubles. But I dared not ask. This evening you seemed more upset than ever and I felt miserable, too. But I did not know I would be seen. If I could be of any use I would not shrink from a myriad deaths.”

A sudden idea came to Wang Yun and he struck the ground with his staff. “Who would have imagined that the fate of the Hans lies in your hands? Come with me!”

The girl followed him into the house. Then he ordered all the waiting women and girls out, placed Sable Cicada on a chair and knelt before her. She was frightened and threw herself on the ground, asking in terror what it all meant.

Wang Yun said, “Oh, please sympathize with the people of Han!” and tears streamed down his cheeks.

“As I said just now: use me in any way, I will never shrink,” said the girl.

Still kneeling, Wang Yun said, “The people are on the brink of destruction, the Emperor and his officials are in jeopardy, and you, you are the only savior. That wretch Dong Zhuo wants to depose the Emperor and not a man among us can find the means to stop him. Now he has an adopted son, a bold warrior it is true, but both the father and the son have a weakness for beauty and I am going to use what I call the ‘chain scheme.’ I will first propose to marry you to Lu Bu and then, after you are engaged, I will present you to Dong Zhuo. You are to take every opportunity to sow discord between them so as to cause the son to kill his adopted father and thus put an end to the great evil. In so doing you can restore the line of the Hans and the empire may thrive again. All this lies within your power—will you do it?”

“I have promised not to recoil from death itself. You may use my poor self in any way and I will do my best.”

“But if the secret gets abroad then we are all lost!”

“Do not worry,” she said. “If I do not show gratitude, may I perish beneath myriad swords!”

Wang Yun bowed again in gratitude.

Then he took from the family treasury several big pearls and asked a skilled jeweler to make a fine golden headpiece inlaid with these pearls. It was sent as a present to Lu Bu, who was so delighted that he came to thank the donor in person. When he arrived he was met at the gate by the host himself and conducted into the inner hall, where he found a table full of dainties for his delectation. He was then invited to sit in the seat of honor.

“I am only an officer in the house of the prime minister, but you are an exalted official of the state,” he said. “Why do you treat me with such great honor?”

“Because in the whole land there is no warrior your equal. I do not bow to your officer’s rank but to your ability.”

Lu Bu was much flattered. His host continued to ply him with wine while praising his virtues and those of his adopted father. The young man laughed heartily and drank huge goblets.

Presently most of the attendants were sent away and only a few remained to urge the guest to drink. When he found his guest quite mellow Wang Yun said to the servants, “Tell the child to come in.”

Soon appeared two female attendants leading between them the exquisite and fascinating Sable Cicada.

“Who is this?” said Lu Bu, startled into sobriety.

“This is my little girl, Cicada. You won’t be annoyed at my familiarity, will you? But you have been so very friendly to me and I feel as if we were close relations. So I have told her to come and see you.”

Then he bade the girl present a goblet of wine to the guest and her eyes met those of the warrior.

Feigning intoxication the host said, “My child, beg the general to drink some more wine. Our whole family depends upon him.”

Lu Bu asked the girl to sit down. She pretended to wish to retire but Wang Yun said she could remain since the guest was a dear friend. So she took a seat modestly beside her master.

Lu Bu kept his gaze fixed upon the maid while he drank cup after cup of wine.

“I would like to present her to you as a concubine. Would you accept?”

The young man left his seat to thank him. “If this is so, I will be your most humble servant,” he said.

“I will choose a propitious day soon and send her to your house.”

Lu Bu was overjoyed. He could not keep his eyes off the girl and loving glances also flashed from her watery orbs.

However, the time came for the guest to leave and Wang Yun said: “I would like to ask you to spend the night here but the prime minister might suspect something.”

The young man thanked him again and again before he departed. A few days later Wang Yun met Dong Zhuo at court. Seeing that Lu Bu was absent he bowed low to him and said: “I wish that Your Lordship would condescend to come to dine at my humble cottage. Could your noble thoughts bend that way?”

“Should you invite me I would certainly hasten,” was the reply.

Wang Yun thanked him. He went home and prepared every delicacy from land and sea for a feast to entertain Dong Zhuo. In the center of the front hall was placed a special seat for the guest of honor. Beautiful embroideries and brocade carpeted the floor and elegant curtains were hung within and without. At noon the next day Dong Zhuo arrived and his host knelt by the gate in full court costume to welcome him. Dong Zhuo stepped out of his chariot, followed by a host of armed guards, who crowded into the hall. Dong Zhuo took his seat at the top, his retinue fell into two lines right and left, while the host knelt humbly again at the lower end. Dong Zhuo bade his people conduct Wang Yun to a place beside himself.

“Your Lordship’s abundant virtue is as high as the great mountains; none of the ancient ministers could attain that height.”

Dong Zhuo smiled. Then wine was served and the music began. Wang Yun plied his guest with assiduous flattery and studied deference. When it grew late and the wine had done its work the guest was invited to the inner chamber. So he sent away his guards and went inside. Here the host raised a goblet and said, “Since my youth I have understood something of astrology. I have been studying the aspect of the heavens these nights. I find that the days of the Hans are numbered and that Your Lordship’s merits are known to all the world. As Shun seceded Yao and Yu
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continued the work of Shun in ancient times, Your Lordship’s accession to the throne conforms to the will of Heaven and the desire of man.”

“How dare I expect this?” said Dong Zhuo.

“From the days of old, those who are just have replaced those who are unjust; those who lack virtue have fallen before those who possess it. Can one escape fate?”

“If that indeed is the decree of Heaven, you will be held the first in merit,” said his guest.

Wang Yun bowed. Then candles were lit and all the attendants were dismissed, save the serving maids to handle the wine. So the evening went on.

Presently the host said, “The music of everyday musicians is too commonplace for your ear, but there happens to be in the house a little maid that might please you.”

“Excellent!” said the guest.

Then a curtain was lowered. The melodious tones of reed instruments lingered in the air and maids led forward Cicada, who then danced behind the curtain.

A poem describes her dancing like this:

For a palace this maiden was born,
So graceful, so slender, and so shy.
Like a tiny bird flitting at morn
She dances to the music with style.
Fair as a flower that sways in the breeze,
She brings spring to the room warm and sweet.

Another poem runs as follows:

The music calls; the dancer comes, a swallow gliding in,
A dainty little damsel, light as air;
Her beauty captivates the guest yet saddens him within,
For he must soon depart and leave her there.
No amount of money could buy her smile,
No need to deck her form with jewels rare,
But when the dance is over and coy glances come and go,
Then who shall be the chosen of the fair?

The dance ended, Dong Zhuo bade the maiden be led before him, and she came, bowing low as she approached him. He was much taken with her beauty.

“Who is she?” he asked.

“A singing girl, called Sable Cicada.”

“Then can she sing?”

The master told her to sing and she did so to the accompaniment of castanets. Here is a poem to describe her sweet singing:

You stand, a dainty maiden,
Your cherry lips so bright,
Your teeth so pearly white,
Your fragrant breath love-laden;
Yet is your tongue a sword;
Cold death is the reward
Of loving you, oh maiden.

Dong Zhuo was delighted and praised her warmly. She was told to present a goblet of wine to the guest, who took it from her hands and then asked her age.

She replied, “Your unworthy maid is just sixteen.”

“A perfect little fairy!” exclaimed Dong Zhuo.

Then Wang Yun rose and said, “If Your Lordship does not despise her, I would like to offer this little maid to you.”

“How could I be grateful enough for such a kindness?”

“She would be most fortunate if she could wait on you,” said Wang Yun.

Dong Zhuo thanked his host again and again.

Then orders were given to prepare a closed carriage and send Sable Cicada to the prime minister’s house.

Soon after that, Dong Zhuo also took his leave and his host accompanied him the whole way.

When he was riding back, Wang Yun saw Lu Bu on horseback, halberd in hand, escorted by two lines of men with red lamps. Seeing Wang Yun he at once reined in, seized him by the sleeve, and said angrily: “You promised Cicada to me and now you have given her to the prime minister—what foolery is this?”

Wang Yun checked him. “This is no place to talk—please come to my house.”

Lu Bu followed him to his place, where he was led into the inner hall. After the usual exchange of polite greetings Wang Yun asked, “Why do you blame me, General?”

“Somebody told me that you had sent Cicada to the prime minister’s house in a covered carriage. What does it mean?”

“So you have not been told yet! Yesterday, when I was at court, the prime minister told me that he would come to my house today as he needed to talk to me. So naturally I prepared for his coming and while we were at dinner he said, ‘I was told that you have a daughter named Sable Cicada and you have promised to give her to my son Feng-xian. I was afraid you might not be serious, so I have come to ask for his sake. Besides, I would like to see her.’ I could not say no, so I told her to come out and bow to her father-in-law. Then he said that it was a lucky day and he would take her away with him and marry her to you. Just think, when the prime minister had come himself, could I stop him?”

“Please forgive me,” said Lu Bu, “I was confused just now. I owe you an apology.”

“The girl has some trousseau, which I will send as soon as she has gone over to your dwelling.”

Lu Bu thanked him and went away. The next day he went into Dong Zhuo’s house to find out the truth, but could hear nothing. Then he made his way into the private quarters and questioned the maids. They told him that the prime minister had brought home a new girl the night before and was not up yet. Lu Bu was very angry. He crept behind his master’s bedroom and peeped.

By this time Cicada had risen and was combing her hair at the window. Looking out she saw a long shadow fall across the pond. She recognized the headdress and, shooting a stealthy glance, saw it was none other than Lu Bu. Then she contracted her eyebrows, simulating the deepest grief, and with her dainty handkerchief she wiped her eyes again and again. Lu Bu stood watching her for a long time. Then he went out.

Soon after, he went inside again. His master was sitting in the central hall. Seeing his henchman Dong Zhuo asked: “Is everything all right outside?”

“Yes,” was the reply and he waited while Dong Zhuo took his breakfast. As he stood beside his master he glanced toward the embroidered curtain and saw a female peeping out from behind it, showing half of her face from time to time and throwing amorous glances at him. He felt it was his beloved and his thoughts flew to her. Dong Zhuo noticed his infatuated expression and began to feel suspicious.

“In that case, you may go,” he said.

Lu Bu sulkily withdrew.

Dong Zhuo now thought of nothing but his new mistress and for more than a month neglected all affairs, devoting himself entirely to pleasure. Once, he was a little indisposed and Cicada was always at his side, gratifying his every whim. He grew more and more fond of her.