The Three Kingdoms Volume 2 (76 page)

Liu Bei said to Huang Zhong, “Everybody said you were old, General, but our Chief Military Counselor knows you better, and you have indeed rendered a most amazing service. Still, there is Mount Dingjun yet to be seized. It is the enemy’s central depot of supplies and protects Nanzheng. If we could get that mountain we would have cleared our way to the whole area around Yangping Pass. Do you think you are equal to this task?”

To this question the veteran nobly answered in the affirmative and made ready to start.

Zhuge Liang intervened hastily, “You’re brave enough, General, but Xiahou Yuan is quite different from Zhang He. He’s a real strategist, well versed in the art of war; so much so that Cao Cao relies upon him as his pillar in the west. He was the one who held Chang’an against Ma Chao and now he is again the person to maintain Hanzhong. Cao Cao entrusts him with these tasks, for he believes Xiahou Yuan has the makings of a great commander. You have overcome Zhang He, but it does not follow that you will conquer this man. I think I must send someone down to Jingzhou to relieve Guan Yu for this task. He will be the right match for Xiahou Yuan.”

Huang Zhong hotly replied, “In the old days General Lian Po,
*
at the age of eighty, still ate one dou of rice and ten catties of meat every day. His strength and valor frightened the neighboring lords, who dared not encroach upon the borders of his country. Now I’m not yet seventy and you call me old! I’ll go with my own 3,000 men, without any help and I’ll lay Xiahou Yuan’s head at your feet.”

Zhuge Liang refused to allow him to go, but Huang Zhong insisted. At last Zhuge Liang conceded, on the condition that an advisor was to accompany him on the expedition.

To excite is more effective than to request;

An aged general may prove better than a younger man.

The name of the advisor will be disclosed in the next chapter.

*
A notable general of the Kingdom of Zhao during the period of Warring States, a colleague of Lin Xiangru (see Chapter
Sixty-Six
).

CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE

Huang Zhong Scores a Victory with the Capture of Dui Hill

Zhao Yun Conquers a Host on the Han Waters

“I
f
you’re really determined to undertake this expedition, I’ll let Fa Zheng go with you,” said Zhuge Liang to the veteran general. “You can discuss everything with him. I’ll also send reinforcements to support you.”

Huang Zhong agreed and soon the troop set out.

Zhuge Liang explained to Liu Bei that he had purposely tried to spur on the old general so that he would really exert himself, or else he would most likely fail. After this, Zhuge Liang began to prepare fully for this great operation. He first sent Zhao Yun on the same mission. He was to offer help to the old general by staging a surprise attack from some byroad. However, if the aged general was victorious, he was to do nothing; but if he was in difficulties then he was to go to his rescue at once. Next, he ordered Liu Feng and Meng Da to march out with 3,000 men. They were to take positions at strategic points on Mount Dingjun and set up a great many banners to create an impression of a huge force, and so frighten and perplex the enemy. Then he sent a messenger to Xiabian to tell Ma Chao what part he was to play in the campaign. Lastly, he ordered Yan Yan to hold Lang-zhong in the absence of Zhang Fei and Wei Yan, who would be joining the great expedition to Hanzhong.

The two fugitives, Zhang He and Xiahou Shang, reached Xiahou Yuan’s camp and told their sad tale of the loss of the Tiandang Mountain, the death of their two comrades, and the threatened attack on Hanzhong by Liu Bei. The alarming news was sent to Cao Hong, who bore it quickly to the capital.

Cao Cao lost no time in calling a council. Liu Ye, who had formerly advised Cao Cao to seize the whole of Shu, said: “The loss of Hanzhong would shake the whole country. Your Highness must not shrink from toil and hardship, but must lead the army yourself.”

“How I regret I did not heed your words before, sir,” said Cao Cao. “It is my fault that things have taken such a turn.”

He hastily issued an order to raise an army of 400,000 men, which he would lead. The army was ready in the seventh month, in early fall, and marched out in three divisions. Cao Cao commanded the central force, while Xiahou Dun and Cao Xiu led the advance and rear guards.

Cao Cao rode a white horse, beautifully caparisoned, and clad in embroidered silk. The guards carried a huge, red umbrella woven of silk and gold threads. Beside him in two lines were the symbols of princely dignity: the golden melons, silver axes, stirrups, clubs, spears, and lances; banners embroidered with the sun and moon, dragon and phoenix, were borne aloft. His escort of 25,000 Dragon and Tiger guards marched in five columns of 5,000 each, under banners of the five colors: blue, yellow, red, white, and black. These made a splendid sight as they marched, each column under its own flag, with men in armor and horses in caparisons all of one color, glittering in the sun.

As they moved out of Tong Pass and into the open space, Cao Cao noticed in the distance a thick wood, overgrown with luxuriant trees, and asked his attendants what the place was called.

“This place is called Lantian,” they replied. “And in that thicket is the estate of the late Cai Yong. Now his daughter, Cai Yan,
*
and her husband, Dong Si, live there.”

Now Cao Cao and Cai Yong had been excellent friends at one time. His daughter had been first married to Wei Zhong-dao. Then she was abducted and taken away to the far north, where she had borne two sons. In her exile she had composed a ballad, called
Eighteen Stanzas for the Mongol Flageolet
, which later became widely known in central China. Cao Cao, after reading the ballad, had been moved by pity for her sorrows and sent an envoy with a thousand taels of gold to ransom her. The ruler of the northern kingdom, overawed by Cao Cao’s strength, had returned her to her homeland. Then Cao Cao married her to Dong Si.

Ordering his escort to march on, Cao Cao went up to the house with about a hundred attendants, where they dismounted and inquired after the lady of the house. At this time Dong Si was away at his official post and only the lady was at home. As soon as she heard who her visitor was she hastened to welcome him into the reception room. When he was seated and she had paid her proper respects, she stood deferentially at his side. Glancing round the room, Cao Cao saw a rubbing of a tablet hanging on the wall. So he got up to look and asked his hostess about it.

“It is a tablet of Cao E. In the time of Emperor He (circ.
A.D.
100), in Shangyu, there was a certain magician named Cao Xu, who could dance and sing like the very spirit of music. On the fifth of the fifth month
*
of a certain year he was dancing in a boat, and being quite intoxicated, fell overboard and drowned. His daughter, Cao E, then fourteen years old, was greatly distressed and wept by the river bank for seven days and nights. Then she threw herself into the waves, and five days later she floated to the surface with her father’s body in her arms. The villagers buried them on the bank, and the magistrate reported the whole thing to the Emperor as a worthy instance of daughterly affection and remarkable piety. Afterwards, the magistrate asked Handan Chun to record the event in writing and had the essay inscribed. At that time Handan Chun was only thirteen, but the composition was so perfect that no rewriting was necessary. The stele was set up beside the grave, and both the inscription and the story were admired by the people of the time. When my father heard about it he went to see it. As it was evening, he could not see the words but in the gloom he felt out the inscription with his fingers. Then he asked for a writing brush and wrote eight large characters on the reverse of the stone tablet and, later, when people recut the stone, they engraved these eight words as well.

Cao Cao then read the eight words, which literally read: “Yellow silk, young lady, a daughter’s child, pestle and mortar.”

“Can you explain?” asked Cao Cao of his hostess.

“No, I cannot. Although it is a writing of my father’s, I do not really understand it,” she replied.

Turning to the strategists in his staff, Cao Cao asked, “Can any of you explain it?”

At first none of them could come up with an interpretation. Then a man stood out and said he had fathomed its meaning. He was Yang Xiu.

“Do not tell me yet,” said Cao Cao. “Let me think it out.”

Soon after, they took leave of the lady and resumed their journey. About three
li
from the farm the meaning of the eight words suddenly dawned upon Cao Cao, and he, smiling, turned to Yang Xiu, saying, “Now, you may tell me.”

“These eight words form a riddle,” said Yang Xiu. “In ‘Yellow silk’, yellow stands for ‘color,’ and the two characters for ‘silk’ and ‘color’ together form a word meaning ‘decidedly.’ In ‘young lady,’ the word ‘young’ with the word ‘lady’ beside it forms another word, meaning ‘fine.’ Similarly, the combination of ‘daughter’ and ‘child’ makes the word ‘well.’ And lastly, ‘pestle and mortar’ suggest pounding together the five bitter herbs in a receptacle: the characters for ‘receptacle’ and ‘bitter’ form a word meaning ‘to tell.’ So the solution of the riddle is, ‘Decidedly fine and well told.’”

Cao Cao was astonished at his cleverness, and said, “That’s just what I make of it.”

All those present greatly admired Yang Xiu’s knowledge and quick wit.

Soon they reached Nanzheng, where Cao Hong welcomed them. He told Cao Cao about Zhang He’s defeats by the enemy.

“That is not his fault,” said Cao Cao, “Defeats and victories are but common in war.”

“Liu Bei has sent Huang Zhong to attack Mount Dingjun,” said Cao Hong. “Xiahou Yuan, hearing of your coming, has been defending the position and not going out to give battle.”

“But to be on the defensive is to show cowardice,” objected Cao Cao.

Therefore he sent a messenger with a
jie
*
to the mountain commander ordering him to attack the enemy.

“Xiahou Yuan is sometimes too unyielding, and he should be warned against possible enemy ruses,” said Liu Ye.

Cao Cao then sent a letter to accompany the
jie
. And when the messenger arrived at Xiahou Yuan’s camp the letter was opened. It read:

Every leader must exercise a combination of firmness and yielding, but not rely on boldness alone. A bold fighter is good only in dealing with one enemy. Now I am camped at Nanzheng ready to watch your “ingenious talents,” and all I require of you is, “Do not fail my expectations.”

The letter pleased the commander very much. Having sent away the messenger he called in Zhang He for consultation.

“The prince has a great army at Nanzheng ready to destroy Liu Bei. We’ve been on the defense here long enough, and it’s time we rendered some substantial service. Tomorrow I’m going out to battle, and I must capture Huang Zhong alive.”

“Huang Zhong is both resourceful and brave,” said Zhang He. “Besides, he has Fa Zheng to advise him and you really must be cautious. The hills here are difficult and dangerous, suitable for firm defense.”

“How will we be able to look our prince in the face when other people have rendered good services? You may hold the hill, and I’ll go out to battle.”

Then he turned to his men and asked, “Who’ll go out to reconnoiter and incite a battle?” His nephew Xiahou Shang volunteered.