The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation (3 page)

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the sight of Guan Yu falling from his charger, Cao Ren led his men out of the city to follow up with an attack, but Guan Ping drove him off and escorted his father back to the camp. There the arrow was extracted, but its head had been poisoned and the poison had penetrated to the bone. The right arm, discolored and swollen, could not move.

Guan Ping, anxious for his father’s health, said to the others, “If my father should lose his right arm, how can he ever fight? Let us withdraw to Jing zhou for the moment, where his wound can be treated.” His proposal being accepted, he went with the others to see his father.

“What have you come for?” asked Guan Yu when they entered.

“General, you are wounded in the right arm,” they replied. “We fear the excitement of battle might cause further injuries so we think it is better for the army to return to Jingzhou temporarily.”

Guan Yu said angrily, “I’m on the point of taking the city, and if I succeed I must press forward to the capital and destroy that rebel Cao Cao, so that the rule of the Hans can be restored. Do you think I can endanger the whole campaign because of a slight wound? How dare you dishearten the army?”

Guan Ping and his colleagues fell silent and withdrew.

Seeing that their leader would not abandon the campaign and the wound showed no signs of healing, the officers inquired far and near for a good surgeon to attend their general.

One day, a stranger arrived in a small boat. Upon landing, he went straight to the gate of the camp and was led in to see Guan Ping. The visitor wore a square-cut cap and a loose robe. In his hand he carried a small black bag.

“I am Hua Tuo of Jiaojun,” he introduced himself. “I hear that General Guan is suffering from an arrow wound. As he is a true hero, I have come to cure him.”

“Aren’t you the surgeon who treated Zhou Tai?” asked Guan Ping.

“Yes, I am.”

Greatly pleased, Guan Ping at once took the doctor to see his father, followed by the other officers. He found him engaged in a game of
wei qi
with one of the advisors. In fact the general was feeling great pain in his right arm but, for fear of discouraging his men he tried to keep up an appearance of being well. When Guan Ping told him that a doctor had come, he consented to see him.

So Hua Tuo was introduced and asked to take a seat. After tea was served, the doctor examined the injured arm.

“This was caused by an arrow,” said the doctor. “There is the poison of the blackhead plant in the wound, and it has penetrated to the bone. Unless the wound is treated immediately the arm will become useless.”

“What do you propose to do?” asked Guan Yu.

“I know how to cure the wound, but I fear you might be afraid of the remedy.”

“Even death is but a homeward journey to me. Am I likely to be afraid of your treatment?”

Then Hua Tuo said, “This is what I am going to do. In a quiet room I will erect a post with a big ring attached. I will ask you, sir, to insert your arm in the ring, and I will bind it firmly to the post. Then I will cover your head with a quilt so that you cannot see, and with a scalpel I will cut open the flesh right down to the bone. Then the poison will be scraped away. When that is done, I will dress the wound, sew it up with a suture, and there will be no further trouble. But I am afraid you might quail at the severity of the treatment.”

“Is that all?” Guan Yu said, smiling. “That’s easy. I don’t think the post and the ring are necessary.”

Then he ordered wine and refreshments to be brought in to entertain the doctor. After a few cups of wine the warrior extended his right arm for the operation while, with his other hand, he went on with his game of
wei qi
. Meanwhile, the doctor prepared his knife and called a lad to hold a basin beneath the injured limb to catch the blood that would drip from the wound.

“I am going to open the wound—do not be startled,” warned Hua Tuo.

“Go ahead with your treatment,” replied Guan Yu. “Do you take me for an ordinary person, afraid of pain?”

The surgeon then performed the operation. He found the bone much discolored, and he started to scrape it clean.
Sih
,
sih
, hissed the knife as it went over the surface of the bone. All those present covered their eyes in dread, turning quite pale, but Guan Yu went on with his game, drinking and eating or chatting and smiling, and there was no sign of pain on his face. Soon the basin was filled with blood.

When the wound had been cleansed, dressed, and sewn up, Guan Yu, laughing heartily, rose to his feet and said, “This arm is now as good as it ever was—there is no pain. Indeed, doctor, you are a marvel.”

“I have been a doctor all my life,” said Hua Tuo, “but I have never met such a patient as you, sir. You really are more like a god than human.”

There are physicians and surgeons,
But good doctors are rarely found.
As for superhuman rivals, Guan had none,
So for holy touch in healing Hua Tuo stood alone.

As his wound was healed Guan Yu gave a luxurious banquet in honor of Hua Tuo. At the dinner the doctor cautioned: “General, although your wound is cured, you must still be careful. Within the next hundred days, do not let anger get the better of you, and then you will be as well as ever.”

Guan Yu offered him a fee of a hundred
liang
of gold but the doctor refused to accept it, saying, “I have come to treat you because I admire you for your virtue. Do you think I expected a reward of money?” Leaving some prepared dressings for the wound, he departed.

Having captured Yu Jin and slain Pang De, Guan Yu became even more famous and more feared throughout the country. When he heard of the fate of his seven forces, Cao Cao hurriedly called together his advisors and consulted them upon what he should do.

Cao Cao said, “I have always known Yun-chang to be matchless in strategy and valor. Now that he possesses the vast area of Jing zhou, he is like a winged tiger. Pang De is no more; Yu Jin is his prisoner; and our men have lost their morale. If he should lead his army here, we would be in danger. I am thinking of moving the capital to another place to avoid him. What do you say?”

“No, this will not do,” objected Sima Yi, rising to reply. “Yu Jin and the others were victims of the flood, not defeated in battle. Their losses do not really affect your great plans for our state. Now Sun Quan, who is no longer an ally of Liu Bei’s, will certainly be displeased with Guan Yu’s victory. You can send an envoy into Wu to foment discord between them and ask Sun Quan to send his army to attack Guan Yu from the rear. Promise him that, when Guan Yu is subdued, you will obtain for him the land of the south as his fief. In this way you will relieve the siege of Fancheng.”

This view was seconded by another official who said, “He is right. The envoy should be sent without loss of time. There is no need to move the capital or send an army.”

Cao Cao took their advice and abandoned his own idea. But he was sad at the betrayal of Yu Jin and said to his officers, “Yu Jin followed me for thirty years, and I never thought he would betray me in the face of danger. Pang De was much more loyal to me than he was. Now apart from sending the letter to Wu I need another officer to face Guan Yu.”

Hardly had he finished his words when an officer stepped forward and offered himself. It was Xu Huang. Cao Cao, very pleased, gave him 50,000 veterans. Lu Jian was appointed second-in-command, and the army was to march to Yangling Slope, where they would wait till support came from Wu.

Sun Quan fell in with Cao Cao’s scheme as soon as he had read the latter’s letter. He at once prepared a reply for the envoy to take back, and then gathered all his subordinates, both civil and military, for consultation. Zhang Zhao was the first to speak.

“We know Guan Yu has scored a tremendous victory recently, which has added greatly to his fame. Even Cao Cao wanted to move the capital rather than risk an attack. Now he has turned to us for help because Fancheng is in imminent danger. But I doubt whether he will keep his promise when he has achieved his purpose.”

Before Sun Quan could reply it was announced that Lu Meng had arrived in a boat from Lukou with a special message. He was at once called in and asked what that message was.

Lu Meng said, “Guan Yu is now away at Fancheng. This is our opportunity to attack Jingzhou.”

“But I would like to seize Xuzhou,” said Sun Quan. “What do you think?”

“Well, Cao Cao is far away in the north and too occupied to think of the east. Xuzhou is only guarded by a weak force and could be taken easily, but the lie of the land favors the use of an army rather than a navy. And even if you capture it, it will not be easy to hold. I think it is better to seize Jingzhou and so get control of the whole of the Yangtze. Then you can develop other schemes.”

“My real desire was to attack Jingzhou, but I wished to hear what you would say about the other plan. Now, sir, I want you to seize Xuzhou as soon as possible and I will support you with reinforcements.”

So Lu Meng took his leave and went back to Lukou. But soon he heard that beacon towers had been erected at short distances all along the river, and that the Jingzhou army was in readiness.

“If this is so, it will be hard to seize the city quickly,” said Lu Meng in alarm. “I have already advised my master to attack Jingzhou. What am I to do now?”

As he could find no way out, he pretended illness as an excuse for inaction, and sent someone to inform Sun Quan, who was very distressed at the news.

Then Lu Xun said, “I think this illness is feigned, not real.”

“If so, go and find out for me,” said Sun Quan.

Away went Lu Xun and speedily arrived at Lukou, where he saw Lu Men indeed in perfect health. Nor did his face bear any signs of recent illness.

“Our lord has sent me to inquire after your health,” said Lu Xun.

“My slight indisposition should not cause you the inconvenience of inquiring,” replied Lu Meng.

“Our lord has placed a very heavy responsibility on your shoulders, but you are not making the best use of the opportunity. What is the real cause of your distress?”

Lu Meng sat gazing at his visitor a long time without replying.

“I have a little remedy,” said Lu Xun. “I wonder if it will cure you.”

Lu Meng dismissed the servants, and when the two were alone he said, “Please tell me what your remedy is.”

“Your ailment is simply due to the preparedness of the Jingzhou soldiers and the beacons along the river,” said Lu Xun, smiling. “I know a plan to keep the beacons from flaring and make the Jingzhou soldiers come to you with their hands tied. Will that cure you?”

“My friend, you speak as if you could see my innermost heart. Please tell me your scheme.”

“Guan Yu thinks himself too much of a hero for anyone to dare to face him, and his only anxiety is you. Now you can carry further your pretense of illness to actually resigning from this post so that another may be appointed. Let this man, your successor, humbly praise Guan Yu till he becomes so conceited that he will withdraw all the troops from Jingzhou to seize Fancheng. When Jingzhou is left undefended all we need is a small force and a clever ruse, and the city will fall into our hands.”

“What an excellent plan!” exclaimed Lu Meng.

Therefore Lu Meng pretended to be very ill and he gave Lu Xun his letter of resignation to take to Sun Quan. Lu Xun hastened back and explained the ruse to his master, who soon after called Lu Meng back, ostensibly for him to nurse his health. Lu Meng went to see Sun Quan, who discussed with him the matter of a successor for the post at Lukou.

Sun Quan said, “When Zhou Yu died he recommended Lu Su, who in turn proposed you. Now you must name a talented and well-known officer to succeed you.”

“If you choose a famous officer, Guan Yu will certainly be on his guard against him. Now Lu Xun is deep and farsighted, but he has no reputation. His appointment will not attract particular notice from Guan Yu. I think he is the most suitable person to be my successor.”

Sun Quan, delighted, promoted Lu Xun to the rank of general and commander-in-chief and sent him to defend Lukou in place of Lu Meng.

“I am young and inexperienced,” said Lu Xun. “I fear I am unequal to such a post.”

“Lu Meng has recommended you, and he ought to know best,” said Sun Quan. “Do not decline.”

So the appointment was made, and Lu Xun set out at once. When he had assumed charge of the cavalry, the infantry, and the marines, he immediately sent an envoy to see Guan Yu at Fancheng with his letter and expensive gifts, including fine horses, beautiful silk, and good wine.

At that time Guan Yu was resting from the effects of his wound and not conducting any military operations. Then came the news of the change of commander at Lukou and the arrival of the envoy with the letter and gifts from Lu Xun. The bearer was called in to see the great warrior.

“Your master lacks common sense to appoint that youth commander of the forces,” said Guan Yu, pointing at the messenger.

The messenger prostrated himself before Guan Yu and said, “General Lu sends you this letter and some presents, which he hopes you will accept, to congratulate you on your recent victory, and he wishes that our two houses could be friends.”