Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (56 page)

When King Jui heard of the death, he issued an edict urging Ssuma to prosecute the war, to raise a great army and fight with Chuko Liang.

A declaration of war was sent one day in advance, and K'ung-ming replied that he would fight on the morrow. After the envoy had left, K'ung-ming called Chiang Wei by night to receive secret orders. He also summoned Kuan Hsing and told him what to do.

Next morning the whole force marched to the bank of the Wei River and took up a position in a wide plain with the river on one flank and hills on the other. The two armies saluted each other's appearance with heavy flights of arrows. After the drums had rolled thrice the Wei centre opened at the great standard and Ssuma appeared, followed by his officers. Opposite was K'ung-ming, in a four-horse chariot, waving his feather fan.

Ssuma addressed him, "Our master's ascension of the throne was after the manner of Yao, who abdicated in favour of Shun. Two emperors have succeeded and have their seat in the capital district. Because of his liberality and graciousness, my lord has suffered the rule of Shu and Wu lest the people should suffer in a struggle. You, who are but a peasant from Nanyang, ignorant of the ways of Heaven, wish to invade us, and you should be destroyed, but if you will examine your heart and repent of your fault and retire, then each may maintain his own borders, and a settled state will be attained. Thus the people may be spared distress, and you will all save your lives."

K'ung-ming smiled and replied, "Our late Emperor entrusted to me the custody of his orphan son: think you that I shall fail to exert myself to the uttermost to destroy rebels against his authority? Your soldiers of the Ts'ao family will soon be exterminated by Han. Your ancestors were servants of Han and for generations ate of their bounty. Yet, instead of giving grateful service, you assist usurpers. Are you not ashamed?"

The flush of shame spread over Ssuma's face, but he replied, "We will try the test of battle. If you can conquer, I pledge myself to be no longer a leader of armies; but if you are defeated, then you will retire at once to your own village and I will not harm you."

"Do you desire a contest of captains, or of weapons, or of battle array?" asked K'ung-ming.

"Let us try a contest of battle array," replied Ssuma.

"Then draw up your array that I may see," said K'ung-ming.

Ssuma withdrew within the line and signalled to his officers with a yellow flag to draw up their men. When he had finished, he rode again to the front, saying, "Do you recognise my formation?"

"The least of my captains can do as well," said K'ung-ming, smiling. "This is called the
'Hung-yuan-i-ch'
formation."

"Now you try while I look on," said Ssuma.

K'ung-ming entered the lines and waved his fan. Then he came out and said, "Do you recognise that?"

"Of course; this is the
pa-kua."

"Yes; you seem to know it. But dare you attack?

"Why not, since I know it?" replied Ssuma.

"Then you need only try."

Ssuma entered the ranks and called to him three captains, Tai Ling, Chang Hu and Yueh Lin, to whom he said, "That formation consists of eight gates of well-known names. You will go in from the east at the Gate of Life, turn to the southwest and make your way out by the Gate of Destruction. Then enter at the north, at the Open Gate, and the formation will be broken up. But be cautious."

They started with Chang Hu leading, Tai Ling next and Yueh Lin in rear, each with thirty horsemen. They made their way in at the Gate of Life amid the applause of both sides. But when they had got within they found themselves facing a wall of troops and could not find a way out. They hastily led their men round by the base of the line toward the south-west to rush out there. But they were stopped by a flight of arrows. They became confused and saw many gates, but they had lost their bearings. Nor could they aid each other. They dashed hither and thither in disorder, lost as in gathering clouds and rolling mists. Then a shout arose, and each one was seized and bound.

They were taken to the centre, where K'ung-ming sat in his tent, and the three leaders with their ninety men were ranged in front.

"Indeed you are prisoners; are you surprised?" said K'ung-ming, smiling. "But I will set you free to return to your leader, and tell him to read his books again, and study his tactics, before he comes to try conclusions with me. You are pardoned, but leave your weapons and horses."

So they were stripped of their arms and armour and their faces blackened. Thus were they led on foot out of the array Ssuma lost his temper at sight of his men thus put to shame.

Said he, "After this disgrace, how can I face the other officers in the capital?"

He gave the signal for the army to fall on and attack the enemy, and, grasping his sword, led his brave captains into the fray and commanded the attack. But just as the two sides came to blows, Kuan Hsing came up, his drums rolling and men shouting, and attacked. Ssuma told off a division from the rear to oppose him, and again turned to urge on his main body.

Then the army of Wei was thrown into confusion by another attack from Chiang Wei, who came up silently and joined in the battle. Thus three sides of the Wei army were engaged by three different divisions of the enemy, and Ssuma decided to retire. However, this was difficult. The men of Shu hemmed him in and came closer every moment. At last, by a desperate push, he made an opening toward the south and freed his army. But he had lost six or seven out of every ten of his soldiers.

The Wei army withdrew to the south bank of the Wei River and camped. They strengthened their position and remained entirely on the defensive.

K'ung-ming mustered his victorious army and returned to Ch'ishan.

Now Li Yen sent an officer, a
Tu-yu,
named Kou An, from Jungan with a convoy of grain. This man was a drunkard and loitered on the road so that he arrived ten days late. K'ung-ming, angry at the delay, upbraided him, saying, "This grain is of the utmost importance to the army and you delay it. Three days' delay ought to mean the death penalty; what can you say to this delay of ten?"

Kou was sentenced to death and hustled out. But two officers ventured to intervene. They said, "Kou An is a servant of Li Yen's, and Li has sent large supplies of all sorts from the west. If you put this man to death perhaps others will not undertake escort duty."

K'ung-ming then bade the executioners loose the offender, give him eighty blows and let him go.

This punishment filled Kou An's heart with bitter resentment, and, in the night, he deserted to the enemy, he and his half dozen personal staff. He was taken before Ssuma and told the tale of his wrongs.

"Your tale may be true, but it is hard to trust it," said Ssuma. "K'ung-ming is full of guile. However, you may render me a service, and if you do, I will ask the king that you may be allowed to serve him and obtain a post for you."

"Whatever you ask I will do the best I can," replied the deserter.

"Then go to Ch'engtu and spread a lying report that K'ung-ming is angry with the powers there and means to make himself emperor. This will get him recalled, and that will be a merit to you."

Kou An accepted the treacherous mission. In Ch'engtu he got hold of the eunuchs and told them his lying tale. They became alarmed for their own safety and told the Emperor all these things.

"In such a case what am I to do?" asked the Later Ruler.

"Recall him to the capital," said the eunuchs; "and take away his military powers so that he cannot rebel."

The Later Ruler issued an edict recalling the army.

"The minister has rendered many and great services since he led out the army; wherefore is he recalled? said Chiang Wan.

"I have a private matter to consult him about," said the king. "I must see him personally."

So the edict was issued and sent to K'ung-ming. The messenger was at once received as soon as he reached Ch'ishan.

"My king is young, and there is some jealous person by his side," said K'ung-ming sadly. "I was just going to achieve some solid success; why am I recalled? If I go not, I shall insult my king; if I retire, I shall never get such a chance again."

"If the army retire, Ssuma will attack," said Chiang Wei.

"I will retire in five divisions. Thus today this camp goes. Supposing that there are a thousand men in the camp, then I shall have two thousand cooking places prepared, or if there are three thousand men, then four thousand cooking places shall be got ready; and so oh, increasing the cooking arrangements as the men are sent away."

Yang I said, "In the days of old, when Sun Pin was attacking P'ang Chuan, the cooking arrangements were decreased as the men were increased. Why do you reverse this, O Minister?"

"Because Ssuma is an able leader and would pursue if he knew we were retreating. But he would recognise the probability of an ambush, and if he sees an increase in the cooking arrangements in a camp he will be unable to conclude whether the men have gone or not, and he will not pursue. Thus I shall gradually withdraw without loss."

The order for retreat was given.

Confident of the effect that Kou An's lying report would produce, Ssuma waited for the retreat of the Shu army to begin. He was still waiting when the scouts told him the enemy's camps were empty. Wishing to make sure, he rode out himself with a small reconnoitring party and inspected the empty camps. Then he bade them count the stoves. Soon after he paid a second visit, and again the cooking stoves were counted. The count showed an increase of a tenth.

"I felt sure that K'ung-ming would have some ruse ready. He has increased the cooking arrangements, and so, if we pursue, he will be ready for us. No; we also will retire and await another opportunity."

So there was no pursuit, and K'ung-ming did not lose a man. By and by, men came in from Ch'uank'ou to say that the retreat was a fact and that only the cooking arrangements had been increased, not the men. Ssuma knew that he had been tricked, and once more acknowledged sadly his rival's superior guile. And he set out for Loyang.

When players of equal skill are matched,
Then victory hovers between,

Perhaps your opponent's a genius,
So put on your lowliest mien.

What happened when K'ung-ming reached Ch'engtu will be told next.

CHAPTER CI
GOING OUT FROM SHENSI, CHUKO DRESSES
AS A GOD: DASHING TOWARD CHIENKO,
CHANG HO FALLS INTO A SNARE

B
y
means of the artifice just described, Chuko withdrew his army safely into HanChung, while Ssuma retreated upon Ch'angan. K'ung-ming distributed the rewards for success and then went to the capital for audience.

"Your Majesty recalled me just as I was about to advance upon Ch'angan; what is the important matter?" said the minister.

For a long time the king made no reply. Presently he said, "I longed to see your face once more, that is the only reason."

K'ung-ming replied, "1 think my recall was not on your own initiative; some slanderous person has hinted that I cherished ulterior object."

The king, who indeed felt guilty and ill at ease, made no reply, and K'ung-ming continued, "Your late father laid me under an obligation which I am pledged to fulfil to the death. But if vile influences are permitted to work at home, how can I destroy the rebels without?"

"The fact is I recalled you because of the talk of the eunuchs. But I understand now and am unutterably sorry."

K'ung-ming interrogated the eunuchs and thus found out the base rumours that had been spread abroad by Kou An. He sent to arrest this man, but he had already fled and gone over to Wei. The eunuchs who had influenced the king were put to death, and all the others were expelled from the palace. The Prime Minister also upbraided Chiang Wan and Fei I for not having looked into the matter and set the king right.

K'ung-ming then took leave of the king and returned to the army. He wrote to Li Yen to see to the necessary supplies and began preparations for a new expedition.

Yang I said, "The soldiers are wearied by the many expeditions, and the supplies are not regular. I think a better plan would be to send half the army to Ch'ishan for three months and at the end of that time exchange them for the other half; and so on alternately. For example, if you have twenty legions, let ten legions go into the field and ten remain. In this way, using ten and ten, their energies will be conserved and you can gradually, work toward the metropolis."

"I agree with you," said K'ung-ming. "Our attack is not a matter to be achieved in haste. The suggestion for an extended campaign is excellent."

Wherefore the army was divided, and each half went out for one hundred days' service at a time, when it was relieved by the other half. Full penalties were provided for any laxity and failure to maintain the periods of active service.

In the spring of the ninth year of
Chien-Hsing
the army once more took the field against Wei. In Wei it was the fifth year of
Tai-Ho.

When the King of Wei heard of this new expedition he called Ssuma and asked his advice.

"Now that my friend Ts'ao Chen is no more, I am willing to do all that one man can to destroy the rebels against Your Majesty's authority."

The king was gratified by this ready offer, and honoured Ssuma with a banquet. Soon after came the news of actual attack and an edict issued for the army to move. The king, riding in his state chariot, escorted Ssuma I out of the city and, after the farewells, the general took the road to Ch'angan, where the force was gathering. There was assembled a council of war.

Chang Ho offered to guard Yung and Mei, but Ssuma said, "Our leading army is not strong enough to face the enemy's whole force. Moreover, to divide an army is not generally a successful scheme. The better plan will be to leave a guard in Shangkuei and send all the others to Ch'ishan. Will you undertake the leadership of the van?"

Chang Ho consented, saying, "I have always been most loyal and will devote my energies entirely to the service of the state. So far I have not had an adequate opportunity to prove my sincerity, but now that you confer upon me a post of such responsibility I can only say that no sacrifice can be too great for me, and I will do my utmost."

So Chang was appointed van-leader, and then Kuo Huai was set over Shensi. Other captains were distributed to other posts, and the march began. The spies ascertained that the main force of Shu was directed toward Ch'ishan, and the leaders of the van were Wang P'ing and Chang I. The route chosen for their march was from Ch'ents'ang across Chienko through Sankuan and the Hsieh Valley.

Hearing this, Ssuma said, "K'ung-ming is advancing in great force and certainly intends to reap the wheat in Shensi for his supply. You get sufficient men to hold Ch'ishan, while I and Kuo Huai go over and foil the enemy's plan to gather the wheat."

So Cang Ho took four legions to hold Ch'ishan, and Ssuma set out westwards.

When K'ung-ming reached Ch'ishan and had settled his men in camp, he saw that the bank of the River Wei had been fortified by his enemy.

"That must be the work of Ssuma I," remarked he to his captains. "But we have not enough food in camp. I have written to Li Yen to send grain, but it has not yet arrived. The wheat in Shensi is now just ripe, and we will go and reap it."

Leaving a guard for the camps, K'ung-ming, with several captains, went over to Luch'eng. The Prefect of that city knew he could not offer any real defence, so he opened the gates and yielded. Then K'ung-ming asked him where the ripe wheat was to be found, and Shenshang was named. So a few men were left in the city, and the remainder of the army went to Shenshang.

But soon the leading body returned to say that Ssuma had already occupied that city.

"He guessed what I intended to do," said K'ung-ming, taken aback.

K'ung-ming then retired, bathed and put on another dress. Next he bade them bring out three four-wheeled chariots, all exactly alike, that were among the impedimenta of the army. They had been built in Shu some time before.

Chiang Wei was told off to lead a company as escort for one chariot, and a half company of drummers were appointed to accompany it. The chariot with its escort and drummers was sent away behind the city. In like manner two other chariots were equipped and sent east and west of the city. Each chariot was propelled by a team of twenty men, all dressed in black, barefooted and with loosened hair. Each one of the team also had a sword or a black seven-starred bannerol.

While the chariots were taking up their positions the remaining men were ordered to prepare ropes and sickles to cut and carry away the grain.

Next K'ung-ming selected twenty-four handsome soldiers, whom he dressed and armed like those sent away with the three chariots, save that all carried swords instead of some swords and some bannerols. These were to push his own chariot. Kuan Hsing was told to dress up as a sort of angel and to walk in front of K'ung-ming's chariot holding a black seven-starred bannerol. These preparations complete, K'ung-ming mounted, and the chariot took the road toward the Wei camp.

The appearance of a chariot with such attendants more than startled the enemy's scouts, who did not know whether the apparition was that of a man or a demon. They hastened to their general and told him. Ssuma came out himself and saw the cavalcade, and its central figure dressed as a Taoist mystic, with head-dress, white robe and a feather fan.

"Some of K'ung-ming's odd doings," said he, and he ordered a couple of companies to go out and bring in the chariot, escort and the seated figure.

The soldiers went out to do their bidding, but as soon as they appeared, the chariot retired and took a road leading to the rear of the Shu camp. Although the Wei soldiers were mounted, they could not come up with the cavalcade. What they did meet with was a chilly breeze and a cold mist that rolled about them.

They found it uncanny and halted, saying one to another, "How extraordinary it is that we have been pressing on and yet we got no nearer. What does it mean?"

When K'ung-ming saw that the pursuit had ceased, he had his chariot pushed out again to the front and passed within sight of the halted men. At first they hesitated, but presently took up the pursuit once more. Whereupon the chariot again retired, proceeding slowly, but always keeping out of reach. And thus more than twenty
li
were covered and the chariot was still not captured.

Again the soldiers halted, puzzled and perplexed at this incomprehensible chase. But as soon as they stopped, the chariot came again toward them and they retook pursuit.

Ssuma now came up with a strong force. But he also halted, and said to his men, "This K'ung-ming is a past master in the arts of necromancy and juggling and knows how to call up spirits to his aid. I know this trick of his; it is one of the 'Six
Chia,'
and it is vain to pursue."

So they ceased following. But then a roll of drums came from the side of the enemy as if a body of men were approaching. Ssuma told off some companies to repel them, but there only came into view a small force, and in their midst was a party of men dressed in black, the exact counterpart of the cavalcade he had first sent to pursue. In the chariot sat another K'ung-ming just like the one that had just disappeared.

"But just now he was sitting in that other chariot, how can he be here? It is most wonderful," said Ssuma.

Shortly after they heard another roll of the drums, and as the sound died away there appeared another body of men, with a chariot in the midst, exactly like the last and also carrying a sitting figure of K'ung-ming.

"They must be magic soldiers," said Ssuma.

The men were now feeling the strain of these weird appearances and began to get out of hand. They dared not stay to fight such beings, and some ran away. But before they had gone far, lo! another roll of drums, another cohort and another chariot with a similar figure seated therein.

The men of Wei were now thoroughly frightened, and even Ssuma himself began to feel doubtful whether these appearances should be ascribed to men or devils. He realised however, that he was in the midst of dangers, and he and his men ran away helter-skelter, never stopping till they reached Shangk'ui. They entered the city and closed the gates.

Having thus driven off the Wei soldiers, K'ung-ming proceeded to reap and gather the wheat, which was carried into Luch'eng and laid out to dry.

Ssuma remained shut up within the walls for three days. Then, as he saw his enemies retiring, he sent out some scouts, who presently returned with a Shu soldier they had captured. The prisoner was questioned.

"I was of the reaping party," said the man. "They caught me when I was looking for some horses that had strayed."

"What wonderful soldiers were they of yours that one saw here lately?" asked the general.

The man replied, "K'ung-ming was with one party of them, the others were led by Chiang Wei, Ma Tai and Wei Yen. There was a company of fighting men with each chariot and half a company of drummers. K'ung-ming was with the first party."

"His comings and goings are not human," said Ssuma sadly.

He sent for Kuo Huai to talk over plans. Said Kuo, "I hear the men of Shu are very few and they are occupied with gathering the grain; why not smite them?"

Ssuma told him his last experience of his opponent's wiles.

"He threw dust in your eyes that time," said Kuo with a smile. "However, now you know. What is the good of more talk? Let me attack the rear, while you lead against the front, and we shall take the city and K'ung-ming too."

An attack was decided upon.

While the men were still busy with the wheat, K'ung-ming called up his captains, and said, "The enemy will attack tonight. There is a suitable place for an ambush in the newly reaped fields, but who will lead for me?"

Four captains offered themselves, and he posted them, each with two companies, outside the four corners of the city. They were to await the signal and then converge. When these had gone, K'ung-ming led out a small party of men and hid in the newly reaped fields.

In the meantime Ssuma was drawing near. It was dusk when he stood beneath the walls of Luch'eng.

Said he to his officers, "If we attacked by daylight we should find the city well prepard, so we will take advantage of the darkness The moat is shallow here, and there will be no difficulty in crossing it."

The men bivouacked till the time should come to attack. About the middle of the first watch Kuo Huai arrived, and his force joined up with the others. This done, the drums began to beat, and the city was quickly surrounded. However, the defenders maintained such a heavy discharge of arrows, bolts and stones from the walls that the besiegers dared not close in.

Suddenly from the midst of the Wei army came the roar of a bomb, soon followed by others from different places. The soldiers were startled, but no one could say whence the sounds had proceeded. Kuo Huai went to search the wheat fields, and then the four armies from the corners of the city converged upon the Wei army. At the same time the defenders burst out of the city gates, and a great battle began. Wei lost many men.

After heavy fighting Ssuma extricated his army from the battle and made his way to a hill, which he set about holding and fortifying, while Kuo Huai got round to the rear of the city and called a halt.

K'ung-ming entered the city and sent his men to camp again at the four corners of the walls.

Kuo Huai went to see his chief, and said, "We have long been at grips with these men and are unable to drive them off. We have now lost another fight, and unless something is done we shall not get away at all."