The
last chapter closed with the discovery of the "girdle" decree and the
assembly of Cao Cao's advisers to consider the deposition of Emperor Xian.
Cheng
Yu spoke strongly against this, saying, "Illustrious Sir, the means by
which you impress the world and direct the government is the command of the
House of Han. In these times of turmoil and rivalry among the nobles, such a
step as the deposition of the ruler will certainly bring about civil war and is
much to be deprecated."
After reflection Cao Cao abandoned the project. But Dong Cheng's plot
was not to go unpunished. All five of the conspirators with every member of
their households, seven hundred at least, were taken and put to death at one or
another of the gates of the city. The people wept at such merciless and
wholesale slaughter.
A secret decree in a girdle sewn,
In red blood written, the Emperor's own,
To the staunch and faithful Dong Cheng addressed,
Who had saved him once when enemies pressed.
And who, sore grieved at his Sovereign's fate,
Expressed in dreams his ceaseless hate,
Carried misfortune and death in its train,
But glory to him who died in vain.
Another
poet wrote of the sad fate of Wang Zifu and his friends:
Greatheartedly these signed the silken roll,
And pledged themselves to save their king from shame.
Alas! Black death of them took heavy toll,
To write their names upon the roll of fame.
But the slaughter of the conspirators and their whole households did not
appease the wrath of the Prime Minister. The Emperor's consort was a sister of
Dong Cheng; and, sword in hand, Cao Cao went into the Forbidden City determined
to slay her also.
The Emperor cherished her
tenderly, the more so as she was then in the fifth month of pregnancy. That
day, as they often did, the Emperor, Consort Dong, and Empress Fu were sitting
in their private apartment secretly talking of the decree entrusted to Dong
Cheng and asking each other why nothing seemed to have been done. The sudden
appearance of the angry Prime Minister, armed as he was, frightened them
greatly.
"Does
Your Majesty know that Dong Cheng conspired against me?" said he.
"Dong
Zhuo died long ago," replied the Emperor.
"Not
Dong Zhuo---Dong Cheng!" roared Cao Cao.
The
Emperor's heart trembled, but he gasped out, "Really I did not know!"
"So
the cut finger and the blood written decree are all forgotten, eh?"
The
Emperor was silent.
Cao Cao bade his lictors
seize Consort Dong.
The Emperor interposed
asking pity for her condition.
But
Cao Cao said, "If Heaven had not interposed and defeated the plot, I
should be a dead man. How could I leave this woman to work evil to me by and
by?"
Said
the Emperor, "Immure her in one of the palaces till her confinement. Do
not harm her now!"
"Do you wish me to spare her offspring to avenge the mother?"
said Cao Cao.
"I
pray that my body may be spared mutilation and not put to shame," said
Consort Dong.
Cao Cao bade his men show her the white silk cord. The Emperor wept
bitterly.
"Do
not hate me in the below realms of the Nine Golden Springs," said the
Emperor to her.
His
tears fell like rain.
Empress
Fu also joined in the lament, but Cao Cao said, "You are behaving like a
lot of children."
And he told the lictors to take Consort Dong away and strangle her in the
courtyard.
In vain had the fair girl found favor in the sight of her
lord.
She died, and the fruit of her womb perished.
Stern and calm her lord sat, powerless to save.
Hiding his face while tears gushed forth.
When
leaving the Palace, Cao Cao gave strict orders to the keepers, saying
"Anyone of the imperial relatives by marriage who enter the Palace will be
put to death, and the guards will share the same punishment for lack of
zeal."
To make more sure he
appointed three thousand Imperial Guards from his own troops and appointed Cao
Hong to the command.
Then
said Cao Cao to his counselor Cheng Yu, "The conspirators in the capital
have been removed, it is true, but there are yet two others, Ma Teng and Liu
Bei. These must not be left."
Cheng Yu replied, "Ma Teng is strong in the west and would not be
easily captured. He might be enticed to the capital by suave words and kindly
praises, when he would be at your mercy. Liu Bei is at Xuzhou, strongly posted
in an ox-horn formation, and not to be lightly attacked. More than this, Yuan
Shao is at Guandu, and his one desire is to attack you. Any attempt on the east
will send Liu Bei to Yuan Shao for help, and Yuan Shao will come here at once.
Then what will you do?"
"You are at
fault," replied Cao Cao. "Liu Bei is a bold warrior. If we wait till
he is fully fledged and winged, he will be more difficult to deal with. Yuan
Shao may be strong, but he is not to be feared. He is too undeciding to
act."
As
they were discussing these things, Guo Jia came in, and Cao Cao suddenly referred
the matter to him.
"If
I attack Liu Bei, then Yuan Shao is to be feared. What do you think of
it?"
Guo Jia said, "Yuan Shao by nature is dilatory and hesitating, and
his various advisers are jealous of each other. He is not to be feared. Liu Bei
is getting together a new army and has not yet won their hearts. You could
settle the east in one battle."
"This advice is in
harmony with my thinking," said Cao Cao.
And he prepared an army of
two hundred thousand troops, to move in five divisions against Xuzhou.
Scouts
took the news of these preparations to Xuzhou. Sun Qian first went to Xiapi to
tell Guan Yu and then went to Xiaopei to tell Liu Bei. The two discussed the
position and decided that help must be sought. So letters were written to Yuan
Shao and given to Sun Qian, who went north, sought Tian Feng, and asked him to
arrange an interview with Yuan Shao.
Sun
Qian was introduced and presented his letters.
But
Yuan Shao was of melancholy countenance, and his dress was all awry.
Tian
Feng said, "Why this disarray, my lord?"
"I
am about to die," replied Yuan Shao.
"But
why do you utter such words?"
"I
have three sons, but only the youngest is clever enough to understand my ideas.
Now he is suffering from scabies which places his life in jeopardy. Think you
that I have any heart to talk over any other affairs?"
"But,"
said Tian Feng, "the present combination of circumstances is unparalleled.
Cao Cao is going to attack the east, and Xuchang will be empty. You can enter
it with a few volunteers and so perform good service to the Emperor and save
the people from sorrow. You have only to make up your mind to act."
"I
know the chance is excellent, but I am worried and distressed and fear
failure."
"What
are you distressed about?" said Tian Feng.
"Among my sons only this special one is remarkable; and if anything
happens, I am done."
Thus
it became evident that no army would be dispatched.
In confirmation of this, Yuan Shao said to Sun Qian, "Go home and
tell Liu Bei the real reason, and say that if anything untoward happen, he can
come over to me, and I will find some means of helping him."
Tian
Feng struck the ground with his staff.
"It
is such a pity!" cried he. "Just as a unique opportunity presents
itself, everything is spoiled by the illness of a child."
He
went out.
Sun Qian saw that no help
could be hoped for and set out to return. When he had arrived and related what
he had seen, Liu Bei was quite alarmed and asked what could be done.
"Do
not be troubled, brother," said Zhang Fei. "We can destroy Cao Cao
merely by a sudden attack before his army shall have time to camp."
"That
would be according to the rules of war," said Liu Bei. "You have
always been a bold warrior, and that move against Liu Dai shows that you are
becoming a strategist too."
So Liu Bei gave Zhang Fei command of enough soldiers to carry out this
plan.
Now
while Cao Cao was in the midst of his march toward Xiaopei, a tornado sprang up
and the howling gale tore down one of the banners and broke the staff. Cao Cao
called together his advisers and leaders to ask them what this portended.
Xun
Yu said, "From what direction was the wind at the time, and what was the
color of the flag?"
"The
wind was from the southeast, and the flag was blue and red."
"There
is only one interpretation: A raid on the camp will occur tonight."
Cao
Cao nodded. At that moment Mao Jie entered and reported a similar incident. Cao
Cao asked him the portent.
"My
thinking tells me it means a night raid," replied he.
Alas for the weakness of this descendant of kings!
He placed his faith on a night raid.
But the broken staff of a banner warned his enemy.
Why should the ancient of days favor the wicked?
"This
is evidently providence," said Cao Cao.
And
he began to make preparations. He told off nine bodies of troops to take
stations, leaving only one of them as if camped while he placed the others in
ambush at eight points.
There
was but little moonlight as Liu Bei and Zhang Fei marched their respective
armies toward Cao Cao's camp. They had left Sun Qian to guard Xiaopei.
Zhang
Fei, since he was the originator of the stratagem, led the way with some light
horse. As they drew near, everything seemed very quiet and no one seemed
moving. Then suddenly lights flashed out all about them, and Zhang Fei saw he
had fallen into a trap. At once from all the eight directions came out the
ambushing troops. From east, west, north, south were Zhang Liao, Xu Chu, Li
Dian, and Yu Jin. From northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest were Xiahou
Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Xu Huang, and Yue Jing.
Zhang
Fei, dashing this way and rushing that, guarding his van and protecting his
rear, vainly tried to clear himself.
The
soldiers he had, being originally Cao Cao's troops, soon gave in and returned
to their old leader. The position became very desperate.
Zhang Fei met Xu Huang and engaged him, but his rear was also attacked
by Yue Jing. At length he cut an alley out and with a half score of his troops
started to return to Xiaopei. The retreat was cut off. He thought to make for
Xuzhou but felt certain that way was also barred. No other way seemed open, and
so he made for the Mangdang Hills.
As
Liu Bei drew near the camp, he intended to attack when he heard the din of
battle. Then he was attacked in the rear and very soon had lost half his force.
Next
Xiahou Dun came to attack. Thereupon Liu Bei bolted. He was pursued by Xiahou
Yuan. Presently Liu Bei looked about him and found he had less than half a
hundred soldiers following him. He set his face in the direction of Xiaopei.
But before long Liu Bei saw that place was in flames. So he changed his
plan and went toward Xiapi. However he found the whole countryside full of the
enemy, and he could not get through. So he bethought himself of the promise of
Yuan Shao, that he would find refuge if things went unfavorable, and determined
to go to Yuan Shao till he could form some other plan. Wherefore he took the
Qingzhou road.
But it also was blocked,
and he went into the open country and made his way north, not without being
pursued and losing the remainder of his few followers.
He hastened toward Qingzhou
City, traveling one hundred miles a day.
When
he reached the city and summoned the gate, the guards asked who he was and they
told the Governor, who was Yuan Shao's eldest son, Yuan Tan. Yuan Tan was
greatly surprised, but he opened the gates and went to meet Liu Bei, whom he treated
with due consideration.
Liu
Bei told the story of his defeat and said he wished for harbor. He was given
suitable quarters and hospitably entertained, while the young man wrote to
inform his father. Then Yuan Tan provided an escort and sent Liu Bei on his
journey as far as the boundary of Pingyuan.
At
the city of Yejun, Liu Bei was met by Yuan Shao in person ten miles outside the
city, with a great escort. Liu Bei made a humble obeisance which Yuan Shao
hastened to return and said, "I have been very distressed that, on account
of my son's illness, I did not come to your aid. It is a great joy to see you;
the one desire of my life is satisfied."
Liu
Bei replied, "The poor Liu Bei you see here has long desired to take
refuge with you, but fate has hitherto denied him that privilege. Now attacked
by Cao Cao, my family lost, I remembered that you, General, would receive good
people from all sides. Wherefore I put my pride in my pocket. I trust that I
may be found worthy and one day I will prove my gratitude."
Yuan
Shao received him with much pleasure and treated him exceedingly well. And they
both lived in Yuan Shao's home region Jizhou.
After the capture of Xiaopei, Cao Cao pressed on toward Xuzhou City,
which, after a short defense and the flight of Mi Zhu and Jian Yong, was
surrendered by Chen Deng.
Cao
Cao led his army into the city, restored order, and pacified the people. Next
he wanted to press on to Xiapi, where Guan Yu was holding out and keeping guard
of Liu Bei's family.
Xun
Yu said, "Guan Yu is there, in charge of his brother's family, and he will
defend the city to the last. If you do not take it quickly, Yuan Shao will get
it."
Cao
Cao said, "I have always loved Guan Yu, both for his warlike abilities and
his principles. I would engage him to enter my service. I would rather send
someone to talk him into surrender."
"He
will not do that," said Guo Jia. "His sense of right is too solid. I
fear anyone who went to speak with him would suffer."
Then
suddenly a man stepped out, saying, "I know him slightly, and I will
go."
The speaker was Zhang Liao.
Cheng
Yu looked at him and said, "Though you are an old acquaintance, I do not
think you are equal to talking over Guan Yu. But I have a scheme that will so
entangle him that he will have no alternative. He will have to enter the service
of the Prime Minister."
They set the fatal spring beside the lordly tiger's trail,
They hide the hook with fragrant bait to catch the mighty
whale.
How Guan Yu was to be entrapped will be told in the next chapter.
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Zhang Fei
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Liu Bei
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