Authors: Luo Guanzhong
Then a messenger arrived from Wei. He was duly received by Sun Quan, who asked him to state his business. The messenger said, “Recently Shu turned to us for help and due to a misunderstanding of the situation, we dispatched three forces to aid Shu against you. Now our lord deeply regrets this action and he desires to set four armies in motion against Shu to wipe that kingdom out. He earnestly hopes that you will assist us. If successful, Wei and Wu will share the conquered territory.”
Unable to decide what to do Sun Quan turned to his chief counselors, who suggested that Lu Xun should be consulted. So he was called to offer his superior view on this.
Lu Xun said, “Cao Pi is too firmly established in the capital to be toppled now, and if we refuse this request of his we will provoke his enmity. However, neither Wei nor Wu, so far as I see, has any man capable of opposing Zhuge Liang. We can pretend consent and prepare our army, but make no move till we see how the war goes with the other four armies. If Shu seems likely to fall and Zhuge Liang is outmaneuvered, then our army can be dispatched to capture their capital Chengdu. If the four armies fail we will reconsider our policy.”
Sun Quan was pleased with this advice, so he said to the envoy of Wei, “We are not ready at the moment but we will choose a day to start later.”
And with this answer the envoy left. After he was gone Sun Quan sent out scouts to find out how things went with the other four armies against Shu. They returned with the news that the Qiang tribesmen had turned back when they saw Ma Chao in command at Xiping Pass. The Mans of the deep south had been perplexed by the tactics of Wei Yan and had marched back to their own land. The Shangyong army led by Meng Da had set out, but he had suddenly fallen ill halfway and also withdrawn. And Cao Zhen’s army had been brought to a halt by the defensive strategy of Zhao Yun, who had garrisoned every vantage point. This force had eventually withdrawn after waiting in vain at Ye Valley.”
Hearing all this, Sun Quan said to his officials, “How accurate Lu Xun’s prediction was! If I’d took any rash action I would have made myself an enemy of Shu again.”
Just then it was announced an envoy had come from Shu.
Zhang Zhao said, “This is also part of Zhuge Liang’s scheme to divert danger from Shu. He must have come with the intention of talking you round.”
“How should I reply, then?” asked Sun Quan.
“Well, you can set up a large caldron filled with several hundred catties of oil. Light a fire beneath. When the oil boils, choose a goodly company of tall and sturdy soldiers armed with swords to line up along the entrance from the palace gate to this hall. Then summon the envoy, but before he can say a word upbraid him for trying to imitate Li Shi-ji of old, and say he will suffer the same punishment—that is, dying in boiling oil. See what he replies.”
Sun Quan followed this advice and prepared the caldron of boiling oil and placed the armed guards all along the entrance. Then he summoned the envoy.
Deng Zhi tidied his robe and advanced to the palace gate. Seeing the grim array of fighting men armed with gleaming swords, great axes, and long spears, he understood at once what was meant, but he never faltered. He proceeded steadily and bravely to the hall, where he also saw the caldron of boiling oil and the hostile eyes of savage executioners. In the face of this gruesome display of terror Deng Zhi only smiled.
He was led before a curtain, behind which sat the prince. Deng Zhi bowed but did not kneel down to pay his obeisance.
The prince, after ordering his attendants to roll up the curtain, said sternly, “Why did you not kneel down?”
Deng Zhi boldly replied, “The envoy of a superior state does not kneel down before the ruler of a smaller country.”
Provoked to anger, Sun Quan cried, “Are you trying to imitate Li Shi-ji and wag your tongue? You will soon find yourself in that caldron of oil.”
Deng Zhi laughed aloud. “People say there are many wise men in Wu. Who would have believed that they would be frightened of a mere scholar?”
This reply only increased Sun Quan’s anger. “Who says I am afraid of a simpleton like you?”
“If you are not afraid of me, why are you so worried about what I may say to you?”
“I know what you want to say. Zhuge Liang has sent you to try to persuade me to sever relations with Wei and combine with your country. Is that right?”
“I am but a scholar of Shu and I have come to explain matters of vital interest to your country. But to intimidate me you have prepared armed men and a caldron of boiling oil. How narrow-minded you are that you will not even tolerate an envoy?”
Sun Quan was embarrassed at his own behavior. He sent away the soldiers and called the envoy to ascend the hall. There he invited him to sit and said, “Please instruct me about the crucial issues between Wu and Wei.”
Deng Zhi replied, “Sir, do you desire to seek peace with Wei or with Shu?”
“I really desire to seek peace with the lord of Shu. But he is young and inexperienced and I am afraid he will be unable to carry such an alliance through.”
“Sir, you are a valiant ruler, just as Zhuge Liang is a great minister. Now Shu has the advantage of its precipitous mountains and streams, just as Wu has the protection of its three rivers. If our two countries are at peace we are mutually protective. If things go well, we may swallow between us the rest of the empire; if not, we are still able to maintain the present situation of a three-way standoff. If you yield to Wei and acknowledge yourself one of its ministers, you will be expected to attend at his court from time to time, and your heir-apparent will be reduced to an attendant in that court; and if you disobey, an army will be sent to punish you. If that happens, Shu also will seize the opportunity to come down the river and invade your country. Then this land will no longer be yours. If you find my words unworthy to consider, I will die here in your presence and so terminate the post I have as an envoy.”
As he spoke these last words he gathered up his robe and strode down the hall as though he was going to jump into the caldron.
“Stop him!” cried Sun Quan, and the attendants did so. Then he requested Deng Zhi to go into an inner hall, where he treated the envoy as a guest of the highest honor.
Sun Quan said, “You have spoken my thoughts, and I desire to make a league of peace with your state. Are you willing to be the intermediary?”
“Just now it was you, sir, who wished to boil my poor self—now it is also you who wish to employ me to mediate peace. You are still hesitating. How can I have faith in you?”
“My mind is made up,” replied Sun Quan. “Have no more doubts, sir.”
So he kept Deng Zhi as his guest. In the meantime, he gathered together his officials and addressed the assembly: “Under my hand are all the four score and one districts of the south and I have the land of Jing zhou to boot; yet I am not so well off as that remote country of Shu, for Shu has Deng Zhi as an envoy to glorify his lord’s mission. I have no one to send to declare my intentions to Shu.”
At his words a man stepped forth and volunteered to go. He was Zhang Wen.
“Sir, I fear that when you see Zhuge Liang in Shu you will not explain my real sentiments,” said Sun Quan dubiously.
Zhang Wen replied, “He is also human. Why should I be afraid of him?”
Pleased with his reply, Sun Quan rewarded Zhang Wen handsomely and sent him with Deng Zhi to Shu to negotiate the peace agreement.
While Deng Zhi was absent, Zhuge Liang said to his lord, “This mission to Wu will succeed, and of the many wise men in Wu, one will come as a returned envoy. Your Majesty should treat him with courtesy so that he will go back to Wu to complete the league of peace. If we have an alliance with Wu, Wei will not dare to send an army upon us. And if we are safe from both Wu and Wei, I will lead an expedition to subdue the Mans in the deep south. After that we can deal with Wei. If Wei is reduced, Wu will not last long, and the whole empire will again be under one ruler.”
It was presently reported that Deng Zhi had returned, together with Zhang Wen. The Second Ruler and his court assembled to receive them. The envoy of Wu carried himself as one who had attained his desires and advanced proudly. Having made his salute, he was asked to sit on a brocaded stool on the left side of the Second Ruler. A banquet followed, at which Zhang Wen was treated with appropriate honor. At the end of the banquet the whole court escorted the envoy to the guesthouse where he was to lodge.
On the second day he was entertained by Zhuge Liang, who broached the real business at the feast: “Our late ruler was not on friendly terms with Wu but he is no more. Our present Emperor admires your prince and is prepared to forget the former enmity and swear eternal friendship with your country to the complete destruction of Wei. I look to you, sir, to speak in favor of this league.”
Zhang Wen agreed. Then wine went merrily around and, as the envoy became mellow, he began to feel very much at home, laughing and swaggering in a conceited manner.
The next day, as his mission ended, Zhang Wen was given rich presents of gold and valuables and a parting banquet was administered in a guest chamber on the southern outskirts of the city, at which all the court assembled to see him off. The prime minister paid him assiduous attention and urged him to drink. While this banquet was in progress, there suddenly came in a man, who seemed to be already quite drunk. This person made a proud sort of salutation to the assembly and at once took a seat. His conduct seemed strange to Zhang Wen, who asked his host about the newcomer.
“He is Qin Mi, a scribe from Yizhou,” replied Zhuge Liang.
“He may be that,” said Zhang Wen with a laugh, “but I wonder if he has any learning at all inside him.”
Qin Mi said seriously, “Even our children are all learned, let alone myself.”
“What is your special learning, sir?” asked Zhang Wen.
“Everything—from astronomy to geography, from the three religious teachings
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to the nine schools of philosophy, as well as all books on history and the saints. There is nothing I have not read.”
“Since you talk so big,” said Zhang Wen, “I should like to ask you a few questions on celestial matters. Now does the sky have a head?”
“Yes, it does.”
“Where is it?”
“In the west. As the Odes say, ‘God turned his head kindly toward the west,’ so from this we can infer that his head is in the west.’’
“Well, does the sky have ears?”
“Oh yes. The sky is above and listens to all things below. The Odes say, ‘The crane calls from the midst of the marsh and his cry is heard by the sky.’ How could the sky hear without ears?”
“Does the sky have feet?”
“Sure it does. To quote the Odes again: ‘Heaven walks strenuously.’ If there were no feet how could it walk?”
“Does it have a name?”
“Why not?”
“Then what is it?”
“Liu.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because the Emperor’s family name is Liu, and he is the Son of Heaven. That is how I know.”
“Does the sun spring from the east?”
“Though it does so, yet it sets in the west.”
All this time Qin Mi’s repartees had flashed back clear and quick. All those present were amazed. Zhang Wen had nothing to say. Then it became Qin Mi’s turn to question his rival.
“You are a famous scholar in your land, sir, and since you have asked so many questions about the sky I take it that you are well versed in all celestial matters. When original chaos resolved into its two elements, yin and yang, the lighter portion, or ether, rose and became the sky, and the grosser sank and solidified into the earth. When Gong Gong’s
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rebellion was crushed, he struck his head against the Buzhou Mountains, breaking one of the supporting props of Heaven and damaging a portion of the earth. Consequently Heaven leaned over toward the northwest and earth sank to the southeast. But, since Heaven was ethereal and had floated to the top, how could it lean over toward the northwest? Another thing I do not know is what lies beyond the ether. I should be glad if you would explain these to me, sir.”
Zhang Wen was entirely at a loss how to reply. He rose from his place and bowed to his rival, saying, “I did not expect to find so many talents in this land. Your discourse has enlightened me tremendously and I can see clearly all of a sudden.”
But Zhuge Liang, fearing lest the guest should feel mortified, soothed him with fair words. “This is all but a play on words, the sort of game one encourages at a merry feast. You, honored sir, know how to bring peace and safety to a state. What will you care for these games of words?”
The envoy bowed. Then Deng Zhi was ordered to accompany the envoy back to Wu for courtesy’s sake. So both took leave of the prime minister and set out on their journey to the east.
In the meantime, Sun Quan was getting uneasy at the delay of his envoy. He was holding a council to discuss this question when a report came that Zhang Wen had returned with Deng Zhi. They were immediately called in and Zhang Wen, having made his obeisance, spoke of the virtue of the new emperor of Shu and Zhuge Liang and their desire for a league of peace.
Turning to Deng Zhi, Sun Quan said, “Would it not be perfect if tranquillity should be restored to the empire by the destruction of Wei through our joint efforts, and Wu and Shu should share its administration?”