The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 (56 page)

Cao Cao was much alarmed to see his enemy so strongly deployed and, turning back, he said to Song Xian: “I hear you used to be one of Lu Bu’s best officers. You go and fight this Yan Liang.”

Song Xian took the order and mounted to the front with his spear set. Yan Liang was on horseback under the big banner with his sword lying crossways. Seeing an opponent approaching he uttered a loud shout and galloped toward him. The two met, but after only three bouts, Song Xian was slain by a mighty slash from the other’s sword.

“What a powerful warrior!” cried Cao Cao, greatly startled.

“He has killed my friend! I will go and avenge him,” said Wei Xu, another of Lu Bu’s former officers.

Cao Cao agreed. He rode out, spear in hand, and in front of the two armies he railed at Yan Liang.

Without a word Yan Liang came forward to engage him and at the first blow Wei Xu also fell under his sword.

“Now, who again dares to face him?” asked Cao Cao to his officers.

Xu Huang took up the challenge and went out. The combat endured a score of bouts and then he had to flee, defeated. This frightened all the other officers and Cao Cao was forced to draw off his men. Yan Liang also withdrew to return to his camp.

Cao Cao was very upset at the loss of two officers in such quick succession. His advisor Cheng Yu said to him: “I can recommend a person equal to Yan Liang.”

“Who?” asked Cao Cao.

“Guan Yu. Only he can defeat him.”

“I am afraid he will leave if he is given this opportunity to render me a service.”

“If Liu Bei is still alive he must be with Yuan Shao. Now you get Guan Yu to defeat Yuan Shao’s army. He will surely suspect Liu Bei and will put him to death. With Liu Bei gone, where can Guan Yu go?”

This argument appealed to Cao Cao very much and he at once sent for Guan Yu.

Before departure, Guan Yu went to take leave of his two sisters-in-law, who urged him to try to get news of Liu Bei. Guan Yu obeyed and left.

Armed with his famous sword, the Blue Dragon, and riding on the swift steed, the Red Hare, he started toward the battlefield with a few followers. When he got there he went to see Cao Cao, who told him what had happened and said that Yan Liang was too valiant for anyone to face.

“Let me look at him,” said Guan Yu.

Then wine was served in his honor. While they were drinking, it was reported that Yan Liang was once again challenging for battle. So Cao Cao and his guest went up the hill from where the enemy could be seen, followed by his other officers. The two of them sat on the hilltop while the others stood about them. Cao Cao pointed at Yan Liang’s men arrayed on the plain below. The ensigns and banners waving fresh and bright amid the forest of spears and swords made a grand and imposing spectacle.

“See what fine fellows these northerners are!” said Cao Cao.

“I regard them as nothing but clay fowls and mud dogs,” sneered Guan Yu.

Cao Cao then pointed out Yan Liang to him and said, “There he is, under that big banner.”

Clad in an embroidered robe and a gold breastplate Yan Liang was sitting on horseback with his sword in his hand.

“He seems to me like one who has stuck his head on a pole for sale,” said Guan Yu, glancing at his opponent below.

“You must not despise him,” warned Cao Cao.

Guan Yu rose and said, “Unworthy as I am, I will go down and bring you his head amid his 10,000 soldiers.”

“No joking is allowed in the army,” interposed his friend Zhang Liao. “Be careful what you say.”

Guan Yu quickly mounted, held his mighty sword downward, and galloped down the hill, his phoenix eyes rounded and his bushy eyebrows fiercely bristling. He dashed straight into the enemy’s line and the northern soldiers opened before him, like waves receding to the right and left. Guan Yu made directly for the commander.

Now Yan Liang, sitting in state under the banner, saw a horseman rushing toward him and before he could ask who the rider of the red horse was, lo! Guan Yu was right there in front of him. Taken utterly by surprise, Yan Liang could make no defense. Guan Yu’s arm rose and the mighty weapon fell. And with it fell Yan Liang.

Leaping down from the saddle he cut off his victim’s head and hung it to his horse’s neck. Then he mounted again and rode back as if there was no army around him.

The northern men, panic-stricken, made no fight. Cao Cao’s army attacked with vigor and scored a great victory. A great number of their enemy were slain and many horses and weapons captured. Guan Yu rode quickly up the hill and laid the proof of his prowess at the feet of the prime minister.

“You are really a superman, General!” cried Cao Cao in admiration.

“I am nothing compared with my brother Zhang Yi-de,” said Guan Yu. “He can easily cut the head of a general amid an army of a million men as if it were but taking something out of a bag.”

Cao Cao was so alarmed to hear this that he turned to those about him and said, “Be very careful if you meet his brother later.” And he bade them make a note of the name on the cuff of their robes so that they would remember.

The beaten army, while fleeing back homeward, met Yuan Shao on the road and told him why they had suffered defeat. “A red-faced warrior with a long beard, wielding a huge sword, broke into the army and cut off the general’s head and bore it off,” they said.

“Who could this one be?” asked Yuan Shao in astonishment.

Ju Shou said, “This must have been Liu Bei’s brother, Guan Yu.”

Yuan Shao was very angry and, pointing to Liu Bei, he said, “Your brother has slain my most cherished general. You must be in the plot, too. Why should I keep you here?”

He ordered the guards to take him away and execute him.

Morning saw him guest on high,
Evening, prisoner, doomed to die.

Would he really be killed? This will be told in the next chapter.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Yuan Shao Is Defeated and Loses His Best Officers

Guan Yu Hangs up the Seal and Abandons Cao Cao’s Gifts

A
s
the last chapter closed Liu Bei had been condemned to die. However, he spoke up quite calmly to defend himself. “Sir, how can you listen to only one side of the story and forget our past friendship?

Since my defeat in Xuzhou I have lost all news about my brother. I did not even know if he was alive or dead. Many people resemble each other. Can you say that a red-faced man with a long beard must be my brother, Guan Yu? Do you not think you should consider more carefully?”

Now Yuan Shao was a man who lacked opinions of his own. When he heard Liu Bei’s words, he turned to blame his advisor Ju Shou. “I nearly killed an innocent man by listening to your false accusation.”

Then he asked Liu Bei to resume his seat in the tent and consulted him on how to avenge Yan Liang.

Soon from the lower end stepped out a man who said: “Yan Liang was like a brother of mine. He has been killed by Cao Cao’s man. How can I not avenge his death?”

The speaker was a tall man with a face like a unicorn. He was a famous warrior from the north, named Wen Chou.

Yuan Shao was very pleased and said, “You are the only man who can do it. I will give you 100,000 men and you can cross the Yellow River at once to smite Cao Cao.”

Again the advisor objected. “No, you should not cross the Yellow River so rashly now,” said Ju Shou. “If anything goes wrong none will be able to return. The proper course is to hold Yanjin and post a force at Guandu.”

Yuan Shao turned a deaf ear to his wise advice. Instead he became angry and said, “You fellows always try to delay action and take the momentum from my soldiers. You want to put offtoday and postpone for tomorrow to upset my great plan. Have you forgotten that soldiers respect decisiveness?”

The advisor withdrew sadly and said to himself, “Superiors do not curb their ambitions—inferiors must strive to render service. Eternal is the Yellow River, how shall I cross it?”

From then on he feigned illness and would not attend his master’s councils.

Liu Bei said, “I have received much kindness from you but have been unable to show my gratitude. I will accompany General Wen so as to repay you with my service and also to try to get news of my brother.”

Yuan Shao gladly consented and ordered Wen Chou to share his command of the army with Liu Bei. However, Wen Chou objected that Liu Bei, who had often been defeated, would bring ill fortune to his army. He proposed giving Liu Bei command of the rear division, and this being approved, Liu Bei took charge of 30,000 men to follow the main body.

Meanwhile, Cao Cao’s respect for Guan Yu redoubled after he displayed his prowess with his bold attack on Yan Liang. He presented a petition to the Emperor, who conferred the title of Lord of Hanshou to Guan Yu, and a seal bearing that title was cast for him.

Just then came the news that Yuan Shao’s army was moving toward the Yellow River and had already occupied Yanjin. Cao Cao at once arranged to transfer the inhabitants to the west of the river and then led out his army to oppose Yuan Shao. He gave orders for the front and rear divisions to change places, thus putting the supply wagons in front and the army behind.

“What is this reversal for?” asked one of his officers.

Cao Cao replied, “When the supply carts are in the rear they are liable to be plundered. So I have put them in the front.”

“What if they are taken by the enemy?”

“Wait till the enemy appears. I will know what to do.”

The officer was much perplexed at this new move by his master. In the meantime the supply wagons were being driven along the river toward Yanjin. Presently Cao Cao, who was in the rear, heard the foremost troops raise a great shout, and he immediately sent someone to find out what it meant. The messenger came back to report that Wen Chou’s army had arrived and the soldiers, who had abandoned the wagons, were scattering in all directions. The rear army was still some distance away and could not go to their rescue. But Cao Cao did not seem to be worried in the least. He pointed to the two mounds in the south and said, “We will take refuge here for the present.”

All moved swiftly to the mounds. There, Cao Cao ordered them to loosen their robes, lay aside their mail, and rest a while. The horses, too, were turned loose.

Wen Chou’s army soon approached. As they drew near, the officers all said to Cao Cao, “The enemy is here. We must get the horses and go back to the city.”

But the advisor Xun You checked them and said, “This is a bait for the enemy—why withdraw?”

Cao Cao winked at the advisor and smiled. Xun You understood and said no more.

Now having got possession of the supply carts, the enemy came to seize the horses. By this time their ranks were quite broken and they became a disorderly lot, each going his own way. Suddenly Cao Cao gave the order to go down the mounds and smite them.

The surprise attack was very successful. Wen Chou’s army was in confusion, surrounded by Cao Cao’s men. Wen Chou endeavored to fight it out but his soldiers trampled each other down and he could not stop them. So he had to turn back and run.

Standing on the top of the mound Cao Cao pointed to the fleeing man and called out, “Wen Chou is one of the most famous warriors of the north. Who can capture him?”

At this call Zhang Liao and Xu Huang both rode out and dashed after the fugitive. “Wen Chou, do not attempt to run away!”