The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation (38 page)

Hurriedly he mounted his steed to fight back. But the men of Wei pressed closer and closer on four sides, while dense flights of arrows were shot at Zhao Yun and his men from eight directions. No advance was possible for either men or horses, and the end seemed very near.

“I refused to acknowledge my waning powers,” sighed Zhao Yun, “and now I’m going to die here.”

At this instant, however, he heard loud shouting from the northeast corner, and there the men of Wei suddenly started to flee. To his joy he saw Zhang Bao coming up with reinforcements, his father’s long spear in his hand, and a man’s head hanging from the bridle of his horse.

“The prime minister was worried about you, General, so he sent me here with 5,000 men to aid you,” said Zhang Bao. “When I heard that you were surrounded, I decided to come to your rescue. This man, Xue Ze, tried to stop me and I slew him.”

Zhao Yun was very happy to hear this. As he and the young officer began to make a sortie from the northwest, they were surprised to see the men of Wei abandoning their arms and fleeing. Soon they saw another cohort sweep in from outside, the leader wielding a huge curved sword in one hand and holding a human head in another. It was Guan Xing! To the veteran general he told the same story as his cousin had done, only that the enemy he had encountered and slain was Dong Xi. Then he told him that the prime minister would soon be there, too.

Zhao Yun said, “Since you two have scored such a wonderful victory, why don’t we press on to capture Xiahou Mao and so settle the whole issue this very day?”

Zhang Bao took the advice and went ahead with his troops. Guan Xing soon followed suit, saying, “I must go and win merit for myself.”

“They belong to the generation of my sons and nephews,” said Zhao Yun to those around him, “yet they strive to win merits. I’m a senior general and a founding member of the state. How can I stay behind? I will risk my remaining days to repay the kindness of the late Emperor.”

So he also led his men to try to capture Xiahou Mao. That night the army of Wei was sorely smitten by the three forces of Shu, till the earth was strewn with corpses and steeped with streams of blood. As well as being young and inexperienced in warfare, Xiahou Mao was not a resourceful person by nature. Seeing his army utterly routed, he fled toward Nanan, taking with him about a hundred bold officers. Left without a commander, the remaining soldiers all fled.

Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, who had heard of his escape, pressed on with the pursuit without even resting for the night. As soon as he entered Nanan, Xiahou Mao ordered the gates to be closed and dispatched his men to defend the city. Zhang Bao and his cousin soon came up and besieged the city. Presently they were joined by Zhao Yun, and a little later by Deng Zhi, so that the city was surrounded on all sides.

For ten days they kept attacking the city but their efforts were in vain. Then reports came to say that the prime minister had arrived with the central force of the main army, after leaving the rear, the left, and the right elements at Mianyang, Yangping, and the Rock City respectively. The four officers went to see him and told him about their futile effort to seize the city. Hearing this, Zhuge Liang got into his light chariot and rode around the city wall to reconnoiter, after which he returned and summoned the officers to his tent.

He said, “This city, with its deep moat and steep walls, is difficult to capture. Anyway, it is not my major concern at the moment. You people think only of seizing the city. Has it occurred to you that the enemy might send part of their forces to attack Hanzhong? If so, our army will be in danger.”

“But Xiahou Mao is a son-in-law of the imperial house of Wei,” said Deng Zhi. “His capture would be worth more than slaying a hundred of their officers. Now he is besieged here, and it will be a pity to give up the opportunity.”

“I know what to do,” replied Zhuge Liang. “To the west of this city lies the town of Tianshui and to the north, Anding. Who are the prefects of these two places?”

“Ma Zun is the Prefect of Tianshui, and Cui Liang that of Anding,” replied a scout.

Zhuge Liang seemed very pleased to hear this. He summoned in turn Wei Yan, Zhang Bao, Guan Xing, and two trusted soldiers to whom he gave some secret instructions. They all left to carry out his plan. After they were gone, Zhuge Liang ordered the soldiers to pile up heaps of firewood and straw beneath the city wall, saying that he was going to burn the city. When the men of Wei heard of this they were not intimidated at all but laughed heartily at this foolery.

Now the prefect of Anding, Cui Liang, was much frightened when he heard that Xiahou Mao was besieged in Nanan, and began to see to his own defenses with his 4,000 soldiers. One day there came a stranger from the south, who said he had a secret message for the prefect. Cui Liang called him in and questioned him.

The man said, “My name is Pei Xu. I am a trusted officer of General Xiahou, who has sent me to ask for help from your city and Tianshui. The situation in Nanan is most critical. For days we have raised signal fires on the city wall and waited anxiously for your two places to send relief forces, but so far neither of you has responded to our urgent call. So I was ordered to fight my way through the besiegers to seek emergency help from you. Now set your men in motion tonight. The general will open the gates for you when you get there.”

“Have you a letter from the general?” asked the prefect.

Pei Xu produced a letter hidden close to his skin, which was already soaked with sweat. After showing it very briefly to the prefect, he took it back, changed his horse and went on to Tianshui.

Two days later another mounted messenger came to say that the prefect of Tianshui had already started for Nanan, and he urged Prefect Cui to take action at once.

Cui Liang sought advice from his subordinates, most of whom said, “If Nanan is lost and the imperial son-in-law comes to harm, our two places will be blamed for not sending rescue forces. We have to try to save him.”

Following their advice the prefect assembled his troops and started on the rescue mission, leaving only the civil officials to defend the city. On the high road to Nanan, he saw in the distance flames shooting up to the sky. When the besieged city was still fifty
li
away, there suddenly thundered the drums of an attacking force, and scouts came to report that the road ahead was held by Guan Xing, while Zhang Bao was coming up quickly in the rear.

At this news the soldiers began to flee in all directions. The prefect had about a hundred men left with whom he managed to escape through some bypath to get back to Anding. But when he came near his own city a flight of arrows greeted him from the wall, and there stood Wei Yan who shouted down to him, “I have taken the city—you had better yield.”

How did Wei Yan get inside Anding? This was what had happened. Disguised as Anding soldiers, Wei Yan and his men had, in the darkness of the night, beguiled the wardens of the gate into opening it, letting the men of Shu inside.

Cui Liang hastened to set off for Tianshui. But shortly after a troop spread out before him, and beneath the great flag he saw a light chariot in which sat upright a man in a silk headpiece, a Taoist robe, and a white cloak, holding a feather fan in his hand. He at once recognized Zhuge Liang, but as he turned to flee in a hurry, up came Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, who summoned him to surrender. Finding himself entirely surrounded, he reluctantly submitted. Then he went to the Shu camp with Zhuge Liang, who treated him with courtesy.

Zhuge Liang asked, “Is the Prefect of Nanan a friend of yours?”

“His name is Yang Ling, a cousin of Yang Fu. Living in neighboring districts we are very good friends.”

“I would like to trouble you to go to Nanan and persuade him to capture Xiahou Mao,” said Zhuge Liang. “Will you do it?”

“If you order me to go, please withdraw your army for the time being so as to let me get into the city to speak with him.”

Zhuge Liang consented and ordered his forces to draw off twenty
li
and camp. Cui Liang rode out by himself to the city and hailed open the gate. He went at once to see his friend in his residence. After they had greeted each other, Cui Liang related in detail what had happened.

Yang Ling said, “We have received great kindness from our lord. How can we betray him? But we can turn Zhuge Liang’s ruse against himself.”

He led Cui Liang to Xiahou Mao and told him the whole story.

“What is your plan?” asked Xiahou Mao.

“We can pretend to offer the city to induce the men of Shu within. Once they are inside, we can massacre them.”

Cui Liang agreed to comply with this scheme. He then went back to see Zhuge Liang, to whom he told the necessary lie, saying that Yang Ling would have tried to capture Xiahou Mao himself, but as he had but few valiant officers he would open the gates to let the Shu army in for the purpose.

“That is simple enough,” replied Zhuge Liang. “Your hundred men who surrendered with you are here. Let some of my officers mix among them, disguised as your men from Anding, and so get into Nanan, where they can hide in Xiahou Mao’s dwelling. Meanwhile, you can arrange with Yang Ling to open the gates at midnight to let our men in to assist.”

Cui Liang thought to himself, “If I object, Zhuge Liang might suspect me. It’s better to take them with me and kill them as soon as they get into the city. Then I’ll raise a fire as signal to beguile Zhuge Liang to enter, and so dispose of him as well.”

So he consented.

Then Zhuge Liang said, “I will let my faithful officers Guan Xing and Zhang Bao go with you. To set Xiahou Mao’s mind at rest, you can tell him that you have brought a rescue force. When you raise a signal fire I will come in person to capture him.”

At dusk the two young officers, having received their secret orders from Zhuge Liang, put on their armor, mounted their steeds, took their weapons, and mingled with the Anding men. Cui Liang led the small force to the gate. Yang Ling, who was on the wall, had the drawbridge hoisted. Leaning against the railing, he scanned the men below.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“We are rescuers from Anding,” replied Cui Liang.

So saying he shot an arrow over the wall, to which was attached a secret note to his friend. It ran as follows: “Zhuge Liang is sending two of his officers into the city to lie in wait and collaborate with his men from outside. But do not alarm them now, lest our plan becomes known. Wait until we get inside. We can deal with them then.”

Yang Ling went to show this note to Xiahou Mao, who said, “Since Zhuge Liang has fallen into our trap, we can place a hundred or so guards in the house and, as soon as these two Shu officers get inside, shut the gates and slay them. Then give the signal fire from the wall to induce Zhuge Liang to enter. Once he is in, set the men in ambush and he will be seized.”

All arrangements being made, Yang Ling went back to the wall and said to the warden, “These are Anding men. Let them in.”

The gate was thrown open. Guan Xing went ahead, closely following Cui Liang, while Zhang Bao stayed behind. Yang Ling came down from the wall and stood by the gate to welcome them. As he got near Guan Xing suddenly lifted his sword and slew Yang Ling. Scared, Cui Liang hurriedly turned his steed to flee to the drawbridge. But Zhang Bao was on him at once.

“You ruffian!” he cried. “Did you think your vile plot could deceive our prime minister?”

With that he raised his spear and pierced Cui Liang to death. By then Guan Xing had climbed up the wall and lit a fire. Soon the men of Shu swarmed into the city. Xiahou Mao, utterly unprepared, tried to fight his way out through the south gate. There he found his way blocked by a troop led by Wang Ping. The two engaged, but in one bout Xiahou Mao was captured alive. Those with him were slain.

Zhuge Liang entered the city to call the Wei soldiers to surrender and pacify the inhabitants. His army observed strict discipline and the local people were not harmed.

The battle being over, the officers all came to report their deeds of valor. Zhuge Liang ordered his men to place Xiahou Mao in a prisoner’s cart.

Then Deng Zhi asked, “How did you know that Cui Liang was playing a trick?”

“I knew the man was unwilling in his heart to yield, so I deliberately sent him into the city, where I expected him to inform Xiahou Mao of our plan and weave a counter plot with him against us. When he returned I could tell from his manner that he was treacherous, and so I proposed sending Guan Xing and Zhang Bao with him into the city to give him a feeling of security. Had he been true to me, he would have opposed this, but he accepted it readily because he was afraid of arousing my suspicion. He thought these two could easily be slain once inside while we, thinking we had placed our own men in the city, would feel safe enough to enter. But I had already given orders to Guan Xing and Zhang Bao to slay the traitors at the gate. Those inside the city would be totally unprepared and immediately afterwards our army would fall upon them, taking the enemy by surprise.”

All the officers bowed in appreciation of the prime minister’s wonderful foresight.

Then Zhuge Liang said, “I sent one of my trusty men to deceive Cui Liang, pretending to be a Wei officer called Pei Xu. I have also sent him to Tianshui to play the same trick but so far the prefect has not sent his men here. I wonder what could be the reason. Now let us set out to seize that place.”