The Three Kingdoms Volume 2 (37 page)

The executioners hustled the old warrior out of the city but at the very moment when the sword was raised in the air and on the point of descending, an officer suddenly dashed in, cut down the executioner, and rescued Huang Zhong.

“Huang Zhong is the bulwark of our city,” he shouted. “To destroy him is to destroy the Changsha people. This prefect is cruel and ruthless. He shows no respect for wise scholars and is arrogant toward his officers. It is he who ought to be slain! Those of you who share my view, follow me!”

All eyes turned toward this bold speaker, who was of swarthy complexion and had eyes like bright stars. Some of them knew him as Wei Yan, a native of Yiyang. He had tried to follow Liu Bei in Xiangyang but, unable to come up with him, had gone into the service of this prefect, who disliked his arrogant carriage and lack of polish and would not give him important positions. And so his talents were wasted in this place.

After the rescue of Huang Zhong, he called upon the people to join him in doing away with the prefect. Soon he had a following of several hundred people. Huang Zhong tried to stop them, but in vain. In a very short time Wei Yan had fought his way onto the wall and killed the prefect with one slash of his sword. Taking his victim’s head, Wei Yan rode out of the city with his following to surrender to Guan Yu, who, overjoyed, entered the city to restore order.

When the people were pacified, Guan Yu sent his men to invite Huang Zhong to come and see him, but the old warrior declined, claiming to be indisposed.

Then Guan Yu sent the good news to his brother and to Zhuge Liang, asking them to come.

However, shortly after Guan Yu had left for Changsha, Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang had followed him with reinforcements in case of need. While on the march, a black flag was furled in reverse and a crow flying from north to south croaked thrice as it passed.

“What omens do these portend?” asked Liu Bei.

While seated on his horse, Zhuge Liang performed a rapid calculation on his fingers of the meaning of these signs and replied, “Changsha is taken and a great warrior obtained. We will know soon after noon.”

Sure enough, a soldier presently came galloping along with the welcome tidings of the capture of the city and the procurement of two warriors. “Everything is in order,” said the messenger. “They are only waiting for your arrival, sir.”

Liu Bei was delighted with the news and happily entered the city, where he was welcomed into the magistracy and told everything about Huang Zhong.

Liu Bei went in person to Huang Zhong’s house and invited him to enter his service, upon which the old warrior conceded and yielded to him formally. He then requested to be permitted to bury the remains of the late prefect in the east of the city.

Lofty as Heaven was the spirit of the warrior,

Who, even in his old age, defended the south;

Calmly had he approached death, with no thought of resentment,
But, bowing before the conqueror, he hung his head in shame.
Praise the sword, gleaming snow-white, and the glory of superhuman bravery,
Consider the mail-clad steed sniffing the wind and rejoicing in the battle,
That warrior’s name will stand high and its brightness be undiminished,
While the cold moon sheds her light on the waters of Xiang and Tan.

Liu Bei was very generous toward the veteran warrior who had joined his banner. Then Guan Yu brought in Wei Yan to be introduced but at the sight of him Zhuge Liang suddenly ordered him to be taken away and put to death.

“He has done a good service and has committed no fault,” exclaimed Liu Bei in surprise. “Why do you want to slay him?”

Zhuge Liang replied, “To enjoy the bounty of one’s master yet slay him is most disloyal—to live on his land yet offer his territory to another is ungrateful. I see there is a bone of treachery at the back of his head, which means he will certainly turn again. Therefore it is well to put him to death now to prevent him from doing harm in the future.”

“But to slay this man will frighten away all others who may wish to surrender,” argued Liu Bei. “I pray you pardon him.”

Zhuge Liang pointed his finger at Wei Yan and said, “I will spare your life now. Remember to be always faithful to your lord and never to conceive any thought of treason or I will have you beheaded.”

Wei Yan pledged allegiance and then withdrew.

Having submitted with good grace, Huang Zhong recommended to his new master Liu Biao’s nephew Liu Pan, then living in Youxian nearby. Liu Bei employed him in the administration of Changsha.

The four cities having been conquered, Liu Bei and his army returned to Jingzhou. From then on things went smoothly for him: money and supplies flowed in abundantly; able men from all sides flocked to his standard; and every strategic point was carefully guarded.

It is time to return to Zhou Yu. When he went to Caisang to nurse his wound he left Gan Ning to guard Baling and Ling Tong to defend Hanyang. The fleet was shared between these two places to be ready to move when required. The remainder of the force under the command of Cheng Pu went to Hefei, where Sun Quan had been wrestling with the northern men since the battle of the Red Cliff. He’d had a dozen or more big and small battles with his enemy, but neither side had gained a decisive victory. He dared not camp near the city, but entrenched himself about fifty
li
away.

When he heard of the approach of reinforcements he was very pleased and went in person to meet and welcome his men. Soon, guards came to announce Lu Su’s arrival before the others and Sun Quan dismounted and stood by the roadside to greet him. As soon as he saw this, Lu Su slid out of the saddle in a hurry and made his obeisance. This unusually respectful attitude toward Lu Su was not lost on the other officers, who were greatly amazed. Sun Quan then asked Lu Su to remount and ride by his side. Presently he said secretly to Lu Su, “Just now I dismounted to greet you. Wasn’t that enough recognition of your position?”

“No,” replied Lu Su.

“Then what more can I do?”

“I want to see your authority and virtue spread over the four seas and embrace the nine provinces, fulfilling the great design of establishing your own empire. Then my name will be inscribed in the annals and I will indeed be accorded the fullest recognition.”

Sun Quan clapped his hands and laughed heartily. They went into the camp, where banquets were prepared to reward the newly arrived officers and men for their remarkable services at the great battle of the Red Cliff. In the meantime, the destruction of Hefei was also under discussion.

Just then guards came in to say that Zhang Liao had sent a letter of challenge. Sun Quan tore open the cover and read it. “How impudent that Zhang Liao is!” he cried in wrath. “He hears that Cheng Pu has arrived and deliberately sends this challenge. Tomorrow I will fight him with my original force, without the new arrivals.”

Orders were given that the army was to move out of camp at the fifth watch the next morning and advance toward Hefei. Halfway through their journey they were met by the northern army, and each side drew up in battle array. Sun Quan, with a helmet and breastplate of gold, rode to the front, supported by Song Qian and Jia Hua on each side, both armed with a halberd.

When the third roll of the drum ceased, the center of the northern army opened and out came three fully-armed warriors, with Zhang Liao in the middle, supported on each side by Li Dian and Yue Jin. Zhang Liao rode out and addressed his challenge directly to Sun Quan, who took his spear and was about to engage him when one of his officers, Taishi Ci, galloped forth and raised his spear to thrust. Zhang Liao whirled up his sword to meet the newcomer and the two fought nearly a hundred bouts, but neither could overcome the other.

Then Li Dian said to Yue Jin, “That person with the golden helmet is Sun Quan—if we could but capture him the loss of our huge army would be amply avenged.”

At this Yue Jin dashed out all by himself, one rider and one sword, and swift as a flash of lightning, he cut in sideways and slashed at Sun Quan. The two officers beside Sun Quan hastened to shield their master with their halberds. The sword fell, snapping both halberds, and the two officers used their broken weapons to hammer away on the head of Yue Jin’s steed and forced him back.

One of the two officers, Song Qian, picked up a spear from a soldier and went in pursuit of Yue Jin, but Li Dian, on the opposite side, fitted an arrow to his bow and aimed at his heart. And Song Qian fell as the bowstring twanged.

Hearing the fall of someone behind him, Taishi Ci gave up the fight with Zhang Liao and returned to his own line. At this Zhang Liao pressed on with a swift attack and the army of Wu, thrown into confusion, scattered and fled.

Zhang Liao, having spotted Sun Quan in the distance, urged his steed forward in hot pursuit and had nearly come up with him when Cheng Pu timely rushed in from one side, engaged Zhang Liao in battle, and saved his master. Then Zhang Liao withdrew his forces to Hefei.

Sun Quan was escorted back to his main camp, where his beaten soldiers gradually rejoined him. The death of Song Qian greatly pained him and he wept aloud.

But one of his faithful officials, named Zhang Hong, reproached him. “My lord, you rely too much upon your martial prowess and will go rashly into battle against a formidable enemy, which scares all of us here in the army. Now it is the duty of an officer, but not for you, to display valor on the battlefield, slaying opponents and seizing banners. I earnestly urge you to curb and repress such physical feats as befitting a strong warrior and contemplate ways of exercising princely virtues for forging your own empire. It is because you had rushed into battle that Song Qian perished at the hands of your enemy. Hereafter, you should regard as most important your personal safety.”

“You are right—it is indeed my fault,” said Sun Quan. “I will reform.”

Soon after, Taishi Ci entered and said, “I have a man called Ge Ding who is the sworn brother of a groom in the army of Zhang Liao. This groom is deeply resentful because of some punishment he had suffered and is anxious for revenge. He has sent someone over to say that he will show a torch as a signal tonight when he has assassinated Zhang Liao in revenge for the death of Song Qian. I want you to give me some men to support them from the outside.”

“Where is this Ge Ding?” asked Sun Quan.

“He has already mingled with the enemy and gone into the city. Let me have 5,000 men.”

Zhuge Jin was opposed to this. “Zhang Liao is very shrewd and he might be prepared,” he said. “You shouldn’t go.”

But Taishi Ci insisted. Sun Quan, much grieved over the death of Song Qian, was also anxious for revenge and so the permission was given and the force gathered.

Now this Ge Ding, a fellow villager of Taishi Ci’s, had made his way into the city without being detected, found the groom, and discussed with him as to how they could slay Zhang Liao. Ge Ding also told him that Taishi Ci would come over that night to help them and asked him what they should do.

His sworn brother, the groom, said, “The stable here is far away from the central tent and it won’t be possible to approach there at night. I think it’s better for me to start a fire on the hay while you go to the front to raise a hue and cry. That’ll throw all into confusion and we’ll have a chance to kill Zhang Liao.”

“What an excellent plan!” applauded Ge Ding.

Now after the victory Zhang Liao returned to the city and rewarded his men but he issued orders that everyone was to sleep lightly with his armor on. His attendants said, “You have gained a great victory today and the enemy are far away. Why not take off your armor, general, and get some good rest?”

Zhang Liao replied, “That’s not the way of a commander. A victory is no reason for rejoicing, nor should a defeat cause grief. If the men of Wu suspect that we are unprepared and attack, how are we going to repel them? We must be doubly careful tonight.”

Scarcely had he said this than a fire started in the rear camp and cries of “rebellion” arose on all sides. Instantly, reports of the incident swarmed in. Zhang Liao went out and called together a dozen or so officers and guards to take up positions in the main passageway.

“The shouts are insistent,” said the others. “Let’s go and see what it means.”

“A whole city can’t be all traitors,” he said. “It must be the work of a few rebels who are intentionally trying to frighten the soldiers. If I see anyone panicking I’ll slay him first.”

Soon after Li Dian dragged up Ge Ding and the groom. After forcing the truth out of them Zhang Liao had them beheaded. Then there arose a great noise of shouting and the rolling of drums outside the gate.

“That means the men of Wu have come to help those two,” said Zhang Liao. “But we’ll destroy them at their own game.”

He told his men to light a fire and yell “Treachery! Rebellion!” At the same time the city gates were opened and the drawbridge let down.

When Taishi Ci saw the gates swing open he thought his scheme was working, so in full confidence he rode in ahead of the others. But at the entrance an explosion was suddenly heard and the enemy arrows came down on him like pelting rain. Then he knew he had fallen into a trap and turned to leave, but he was already wounded in several places. And in the pursuit that followed more than half of his men were slain. As he drew near his own camp a rescue force came out to his aid and the northern soldiers withdrew.