The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 (48 page)

Presently, Che Zhou put on his armor, placed himself at the head of a thousand men, and went out. He galloped over the drawbridge and shouted, “Where is Zhang Liao?”

Then lights blazed around and he recognized Guan Yu, with his sword drawn.

“Wretch!” cried Guan Yu. “How dare you plot to slay my brother?”

Che Zhou was too frightened to make a good defense, and after a few bouts, he turned to re-enter the gate. But as he reached the drawbridge flights of arrows met him, for Chen Deng had betrayed him. So he turned aside and galloped along under the wall. But Guan Yu came quickly in pursuit. His sword was raised aloft and as it came down the poor man was slain and his head cut off.

Guan Yu shouted up to those on the wall, “I have slain the rebel Che Zhou. You others need not fear if you only surrender.”

The soldiers threw down their spears and gave in. As soon as order was restored Guan Yu took the head to show Liu Bei and told him the story of the plot.

“But what will Cao Cao think of this?” said Liu Bei. “And he may come.”

“If he does come, Zhang Fei and I will meet him,” said Guan Yu.

But Liu Bei was grieved beyond measure. Nevertheless, there was no alternative for him and he entered the city. The elders of the people knelt in the road to welcome him. Then he hurried to his residence and looked for his youngest brother, only to find that Zhang Fei had already exterminated the entire family of Che Zhou.

Liu Bei said, in distress, “We’ve slain one of Cao Cao’s trusted officers. How will he stand that?”

“I have a plan to withstand Cao Cao,” said Chen Deng.

Just from grave danger extricated,
An impending war must be averted.

What plan Chen Deng had in mind will be told in the next chapter.

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Referring to the banquet given by Xiang Yu to his rival Liu Bang (later founder of the Han Dynasty), in which sword play was performed in an attempt to stab the guest. Hongmeng is situated near modern Sian.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Yuan Shao and Cao Cao Both Take the Field

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei Capture Two Enemy Officers

C
hen
Deng said, “Cao Cao’s only fear is Yuan Shao. He is strongly positioned in the four northern districts, with a million fighting men and many able officers and advisors. Why not write to him for help?”

Liu Bei replied, “But we have never had any dealings with each other and he is unlikely to assist the person who has just destroyed his brother.”

“There is someone here whose family has been on intimate terms with the Yuans for a hundred years. Yuan Shao would surely come if he would write.”

“And who is this?”

“A man you know well and respect greatly. Can you have forgotten him?”

“You surely mean Zheng Xuan,” said Liu Bei suddenly.

“That is he,” said Chen Deng, smiling.

Now Zheng Xuan was a scholar of great talent, who had once studied under Ma Rong. This man was rather peculiar as a teacher. Whenever he lectured he would assemble his students in front of a curtain, behind which sang and danced singing girls, while young maids stood in attendance all around. Zheng Xuan attended these lectures for three years and never once let his eyes wander to the curtain or to the girls around.

Naturally the master admired his pupil. After he had finished his studies and gone home his teacher said, “Only one man has penetrated the inner meanings of my instructions, and that one is Zheng Xuan.”

In the Zheng household the waiting maids were familiar with Mao’s edition of the Odes.
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Once one of the maids behaved against Yuan’s wishes, so as punishment she was made to kneel in front of the steps. Another girl made fun of her, quoting from an ode:

What are you doing there in mire?

The kneeling girl answered back, quoting from another ode:

‘Twas but a simple word I said,
Yet brought it wrath upon my head.

Such was his highly refined household. In the reign of Emperor Huan he was a minister, but when the ten eunuchs began to control the government he gave up office and retired into the country to Xuzhou. Liu Bei had known him before, had consulted him on many occasions, and greatly respected him.

Liu Bei was glad that he had remembered this man and with no time to lose, he and Chen Deng went to ask Zheng Xuan to write the letter, which he generously consented to do. Afterwards, Sun Qian was entrusted with delivering the letter. He set out at once.

Yuan Shao read the letter and thought to himself, “Liu Bei destroyed my brother and I ought not to help him, but out of consideration for the writer of this letter I have to go.” Therefore he assembled his officers and advisors to discuss an attack on Cao Cao.

Tian Feng, one of his advisors, said, “Do not raise an army. The people are worn out and the granaries are empty with these constant wars. Let us rather report our recent victory against Gongsun Zan to the throne. If that does not reach the Emperor, then present a petition to accuse Cao Cao of hindering our communication with the Emperor. Then raise an army to occupy Liyang. At the same time, assemble a fleet in Henei and prepare a large quantity of weapons. When all this is done, send out your best officers and men to occupy key points on the borders—within three years you will accomplish your great design.”

Another advisor named Shen Pei objected, “I do not agree. With the military genius of our lord and the powerful strength of the north, to dispose of Cao Cao is as simple as turning one’s hand. It is not necessary to wait.”

Another advisor, Ju Shou, supported Tian Feng and said, “Victory does not always belong to the powerful. Cao Cao is a good commander and his soldiers are brave and well drilled. He will not sit down quietly waiting to be surrounded as Gongsun Zan did. I think it unwise if you abandon the good plan to inform the throne of our recent success, but send out an army against Cao Cao without any valid excuse.”

However, his view was refuted by the advisor Guo Tu who said: “This is wrong. No expedition against Cao Cao can lack an excuse. I think you, sir, should take this chance to achieve your own great design. I suggest you accede to Minister Zheng’s request and ally yourself with Liu Bei for the destruction of Cao Cao. This would win the approval of Heaven and the support of the people. A double blessing indeed!”

Thus the four advisors differed and wrangled and Yuan Shao could not decide which to follow. Then there came two other advisors, Xu You and Xun Shen, and, seeing them, their master said: “These two are very experienced. Let us see what they think of this.”

The two made their obeisances and Yuan Shao said, “Minister Zheng has written to me, asking me to support Liu Bei in an attack on Cao Cao. Now am I to send an army or not to send an army?”

They cried with one voice, “You should send an army for you will be stronger in number and in strength against Cao Cao. Besides, you will be acting under the just cause of destroying a traitor and helping the House of Han.”

“Exactly what I think,” said Yuan Shao. So the discussion focused on the expedition.

Sun Qian was sent back with Yuan Shao’s consent and instructions for Liu Bei to get ready to cooperate.

General provisions were immediately made for the expedition. The army was to be composed of 300,000 men, half infantry and half cavalry. The two most valiant officers, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, were named generals and Tian Feng and several others were to be advisors. They were to march toward Liyang.

When these were complete Guo Tu said, “In order to justify the righteousness of your attack on Cao Cao, it would be well to issue a manifesto with a summary of his various crimes.”

Yuan Shao approved of this and Chen Lin, well known as a scholar, who had served in court in the late Emperor’s reign, was entrusted with the composition of such a document. And in no time the manifesto was completed. It reads as follows:

“A perspicacious ruler prepares against political upheavals; a loyal minister asserts authority in times of trouble. Therefore, a man of extraordinary talents precedes an extraordinary situation, and of such a man the achievements will be extraordinary. For indeed, the ordinary man is quite unequal to an extraordinary situation.

“In former days, after gaining ascendancy over a weakling emperor of the powerful Qin Dynasty, Zhao Gao
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wielded the whole authority of the throne, overruling the government. All punishment and reward came through him and his contemporaries were pressed into silence. Slowly but surely evolved the tragedy of Wangyi Palace, when the emperor was forced to commit suicide and the imperial tablets perished in the flames. This disgrace has since been held as a bitter lesson for later generations.

“In the latter days of Empress Lu
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of the Hans the world saw Lu Chan and Lu Lu, brothers of the Empress and fellows in wickedness, monopolizing the rule of the government. Within the capital they commanded two armies and without, they ruled the feudal states of Liang and Chao. They arbitrarily controlled all state affairs and decided every matter in the imperial palaces. This dominance of the base over the noble saddened the hearts of the people throughout the land. Therefore two lords, Zhou Bo and Liu Zhang, raised an army to vent their wrath. They destroyed the rebellious ministers and restored the crown prince to his royal state. Thus they enabled the imperial rule to flourish and the glory of the Emperor to be manifested. This is an instance of how ministers asserted authority.

“This Cao Cao, now a high-ranking minister, is in truth the grandson of a certain eunuch named Cao Teng who, together with two other eunuchs, stirred up trouble in the country. They were wicked and greedy beyond measure. They were immoral and preyed upon the populace. Cao Cao’s father, Cao Song, who begged to be adopted by the eunuch, presented gold and jewels at the gates of the influential and contrived, through bribery, to sneak his way into office, where he could subvert authority. Thus Cao Cao is the depraved descendent of a monstrous excrescence, devoid of all virtue in himself, ferocious and cunning, delighting in disorder and reveling in public calamity.

“Now I, Yuan Shao, a man of war, first displayed my might in the destruction of the evil eunuchs. Later, when the ruffian Dong Zhuo invaded the official circle and abused the government, I grasped my sword and issued the call to restore order in the country. I assembled warriors, selected the best, and took them into my service. In this mission I came into contact with this Cao Cao and conferred with him to further my scheme. Knowing that he was but of mediocre talent I gave him command of a subordinate force and looked to him to render such petty service as he was able. Much have I suffered from his stupidities and his shortcomings, yet I tried to overlook his rash attacks and hasty retreats, his losses and shameful defeats, his repeated destruction of whole armies. Again and again I sent him more troops and filled the gaps in his depleted ranks. I even recommended him to be appointed Governor of Yanzhou. I added to his honors and increased his authority, hoping that eventually he would justify his position with a real victory.

“But Cao Cao availed himself of the opportunity to overstep all bounds, to give free rein to violence and evil. He robbed the common people, persecuted the good, and injured the virtuous. Bian Rang, Prefect of Jiujiang, was a man of remarkable talents and enjoyed nationwide reputation. Honest in speech and correct in demeanor, he never curried Cao Cao’s favor with flattery. So he was put to death and his head exposed, his family utterly destroyed. From that day to this, scholars have deeply mourned over his loss and popular resentment has steadily grown. One man raised his arm in anger and the whole country followed him so that Cao Cao was smitten at Xuzhou and his district was snatched by Lu Bu. He fled eastward without shelter or refuge.