The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 (67 page)

He gave both men the rank of general and the title of a nobleman, which pleased them very much.

And so Yuan Shao had driven away his wise advisor, Xu You, lost two of his most able officers and was deprived of his food supply at Wuchao. The army was depressed and downhearted.

At Cao Cao’s camp the new advisor Xu You persuaded him to attack as promptly as he could and the two newly surrendered men volunteered to lead the way. So these two were sent to make a first attack on Yuan Shao’s camp, and they left in the night in three divisions. The fighting went on confusedly all night but ceased at dawn. Yuan Shao again lost heavily.

Then the advisor Xun You also came up with a plan. “We can spread a false report of our new deployments. Say that an army will go to take Suanzao and attack Yejun, and another will take Liyang and intercept his route of retreat. Yuan Shao, when he hears of this, will be alarmed and set out his men to meet this new turn of affairs, and while he is making these new moves we can have him at great disadvantage.”

The suggestion was adopted and care was taken that the report was spread far around. It came to the ears of Yuan Shao’s soldiers and they repeated it in camp. Yuan Shao believed it and ordered his eldest son with a big force to rescue Yejun, and another force to seize Liyang. They marched away at once. Hearing that these armies had set forth, Cao Cao dispatched eight divisions to make a simultaneous attack on his enemy’s main camp. Yuan Shao’s men were too dispirited to fight and gave way on all sides.

Yuan Shao, without even the time to don his armor, mounted and escaped with only a thin coat and an ordinary cap upon his head. His younger son Yuan Shang followed him. Four of Cao Cao’s officers with their men pressed in their rear and Yuan Shao hastened across the river, abandoning all his documents and papers, his carriages and his store of gold and silk. Only eight hundred men followed him over the stream. Cao Cao’s men pursued hard but could not catch up with him; however, they captured all his baggage and equipment. Many thousands of innocent soldiers were killed and their blood filled up gutters and ditches. Many more were drowned, their number too numerous to count. It was a complete victory for Cao Cao and he rewarded his army with the money and silk he had got from his enemy.

Among the papers of Yuan Shao was found a bundle of letters showing secret correspondence between him and many of Cao Cao’s men in the capital and in his army. Cao Cao’s personal staff suggested that the names of those concerned should be traced and the persons executed, but he said, “Yuan Shao was so strong at that time that even I could not be sure of safety—how much less would the others feel?”

So he ordered the papers to be burned and nothing more was said.

Now when Yuan Shao’s men ran away Ju Shou, being a prisoner, could not get away and was captured. Taken before Cao Cao, who knew him, he cried aloud, “I will not surrender.”

Cao Cao said, “Yuan Shao was foolish and neglected your advice—why still cling to this delusion? If I’d had you to help me I would have been sure to win the empire.”

The prisoner was well treated in the camp but he stole a horse and tried to get away to Yuan Shao. This angered Cao Cao, who put him to death, which he met with brave composure.

“I have slain a faithful and righteous man,” said Cao Cao sadly. And the victim was honorably buried at Guandu. His tomb bore the inscription: This is the tomb of Ju the loyal and virtuous.

Honest and virtuous Ju was,
The best in Yuan’s train,
From him the stars no secrets held,
In tactics all was plain.
For him no terrors had grim death,
Too lofty was his spirit,
His captor slew him, but his tomb
Bears witness to his merit.

Cao Cao then gave orders to attack Jizhou.

A strong army lost a war for lack of good schemes;
A weak force won the day by better strategies.

Which side would win the next campaign will be told in the next chapter.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Cao Cao Overcomes Yuan Shao at Changting

Liu Bei Seeks Shelter with Liu Biao

C
ao
Cao lost no time in taking advantage of Yuan Shao’s flight and pressed hard on the retreating men. Yuan Shao, without helmet or proper dress and with only eight hundred followers, hastily crossed the Yellow River to the north bank at Liyang. He was met by one of his generals, who welcomed him into his camp and listened to his tale of misfortunes. The general then called in the scattered remnants of the army. When the soldiers heard that their old lord was alive they swarmed back to him like ants, so that he quickly became strong enough to consider the march back to Jizhou. Soon the army set out. That night they camped among some barren hills.

That evening, sitting in his tent, Yuan Shao heard lamentations in the distance. He crept out quietly to listen and found it was his own defeated soldiers telling each other tales of woe. This one lamented over an elder brother lost; that one grieved for his younger brother slain; a third mourned a companion missing; a fourth, a relative killed. Each beat his breast and wept. And all said, “Had he but listened to Tian Feng, we would not have met this disaster.”

And Yuan Shao, very remorseful, said to himself, “I did not listen to Tian Feng and now my men are lost and I am defeated. How can I return and look him in the face?”

The next day the march was resumed and on the way Feng Ji came to meet him. Yuan Shao said to him, “I disregarded Tian Feng’s advice and have brought defeat to myself. Now I will be ashamed to look him in the face.”

Feng Ji, being an enemy of Tian Feng, took this opportunity to slander him. “When he heard the news of your defeat in prison,” said Feng Ji falsely, “he clapped his hands for joy and said, ‘Indeed, just as I have predicted!’”

“How dare he laugh at me, the blockhead? I will surely kill him,” said Yuan Shao angrily.

Then he sent a messenger with a sword to slay the prisoner in advance.

Meanwhile, Tian Feng’s jailer had come to him one day and said: “Congratulations, sir.”

“What is the joyful occasion?” asked Tian Feng.

The jailer replied, “General Yuan has been defeated and is on his way back—he will treat you with redoubled respect.”

“Now my end has come,” said Tian Feng with a smile.

“Why do you say that, sir, when all men feel glad for you?”

“General Yuan appears to be liberal but he is jealous and forgetful of honest advice. Had he been victorious he might have pardoned me; now that he has been defeated and put to shame I have no hope of living.”

But the jailer did not believe him. Before long, the messenger came with the sword and the fatal order. The jailer was dismayed, but the victim said, “I knew all too well that I should have to die.”

The jailers all wept. Tian Feng said, “He is ignorant who was born into this world but does not recognize a true lord to serve. Today I die, but I do not deserve pity.”

Ju Shou but yesterday was killed,
Tian ends his life, his fate fulfilled;
Hebei’s main beams break one by one,
Mourn ye that house! its day is done.

Thus Tian Feng died and all who heard of his fate sighed with grief.

When Yuan Shao came home he was troubled in mind and could not attend to the business of administration. His wife, Lady Liu, beseeched him to nominate an heir.

Now three sons had been born to him: Tan, the eldest, was commander at Qingzhou; Xian, the second son, ruled over Yuzhou; and Shang, borne to him by his second wife, Lady Liu, still lived at his father’s side. This youngest son, a very handsome and noble-looking young man, was his father’s favorite, so he was kept at home. After the defeat at Guandu the lad’s mother was constantly urging that her son should be named as successor and Yuan Shao called together four of his counselors to consider this matter. These four happened to be divided in their sympathies, Shen Pei and Feng Ji being in favor of the youngest son, while Xin Ping and Guo Tu supporters of the eldest.

When they came Yuan Shao said, “As there is nothing but war and trouble outside our border it is necessary to settle internal affairs as soon as possible. So I wish to appoint my successor. My eldest son is stubborn and cruel while my second, mild and unfit. The youngest has the outward form of a hero, appreciates the wise, and is courteous to his subordinates. I want him to be my heir but I would like to hear your opinions.”

Guo Tu said, “Tan is your first born and he is posted away from Jizhou, beyond your control. If you disregard the eldest in favor of the youngest you sow the seeds of turbulence. The prestige of the army has been somewhat lowered recently and enemies are on our border. Should you add to our weakness by stirring up strife between father and son, elder and younger brothers? It is better to consider how the enemy can be repulsed first and turn to the question of the heir later.”

Then the natural hesitation of Yuan Shao asserted itself and he could not make up his mind. Soon came news that his sons, Tan and Xi, and his nephew, Gao Gan, were coming with large armies to help him and he turned his attention to preparations for fighting with Cao Cao.

When Cao Cao drew up his victorious army on the banks of the Yellow River, some aged locals brought offerings of food and wine to bid him welcome. Their venerable and hoary appearances inspired respect from Cao Cao, who invited them to be seated in his tent.

“Venerable sirs, may I know your age?” he asked them.

“We are all nearly a hundred,” replied one of the ancients.

“I’m very sorry that my men have disturbed your village,” said Cao Cao.

“In the days of Emperor Huan a yellow star was seen in the southwest. A certain astrologist from the north, named Yin Kui, happened to be spending the night here and he told us that the star, shining directly over this area, foretold the arrival of the true Lord in these parts fifty years hence. That was exactly fifty years ago. Now Yuan Shao is very hard on the people and we hate him. You, sir, have raised this army in the cause of humanity and righteousness to save the people and punish the criminal lords. Your victory at Guandu that destroyed the hordes of Yuan Shao fulfills the prophecy of Yin Kui, and millions may look now for tranquillity.”

“How dare I presume that I am he?” said Cao Cao with a smile.

Wine and refreshments were brought in and the old gentlemen were sent away with presents of these as well as silk and cloth. An order was issued to the army that if anyone killed so much as a fowl or a dog belonging to the villagers, he would be punished as if for murder. The soldiers obeyed it out of fear but the people admired him for his kindness. In his heart Cao Cao secretly rejoiced for the fine image he had cut among the people.

Soon, scouts came with the report that the total army from the four prefectures under the Yuan family amounted to 200–300,000 soldiers and they were camped at Changting. Cao Cao then advanced and made a strong camp near them.

The two armies set up their own battle orders against each other. On one side Cao Cao rode to the front surrounded by his officers, and on the other appeared Yuan Shao supported by his three sons, his nephew, and his officers.

Cao Cao spoke first: “Yuan Shao, you are at the end of your schemes and strength, why still refuse to consider surrender? Are you waiting till the sword is upon your neck? Then it will be too late.”

Yuan Shao was beside himself with rage. He turned to those about him and said, “Who dares go out?”

His son, Yuan Shang, was anxious to exhibit his prowess in the presence of his father, so he flourished a pair of swords and rode to and fro in front of the two armies. Cao Cao pointed at him and asked who he was and they told him. Before they had finished speaking, from their own side rode out Shi Huan, armed with a spear. The two fought a few bouts and suddenly Yuan Shang turned to flee. His opponent followed. Yuan Shang took his bow, fitted an arrow, turned round and shot at Shi Huan, wounding him in the left eye. He fell from the saddle and died on the spot.