The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation (30 page)

Shu scouts learned about this assemblage and reported it to Zhuge Liang, who said: “This is what I was waiting for. I wanted them all to come and see for themselves our might.”

So saying he ordered his carriage and went out to inspect.

Oh, let our enemy’s fierce courage glow
That the strategist’s greater might may show.

The result of the battle will be related in the next chapter.

*
   June or early July by the Roman calendar.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE

Zhuge Liang Designs the Fourth Successful Ruse

Meng Huo Is Captured a Fifth Time

Z
huge
Liang went out in his carriage to survey the terrain, escorted by a few hundred horsemen. Presently he came to a river, named the West Er. The current was slow but there were no boats or rafts to get across. Zhuge Liang ordered the escort to cut down some trees and make a raft. They did so but the raft sank. Turning to Lu Kai, he asked him for advice.

Lu Kai said, “I hear close by there is a mountain covered with bamboo trees, some of which are several spans in girth. We can make a bridge of them for the army to cross.”

Therefore a great many soldiers were sent up the hills, where they felled enough bamboo trees and floated them down the river. At the narrowest point they made a bridge a hundred feet or so in width. Then the main army was brought down to the river and camped along the bank. With the river as their moat and the floating bridge as the camp gate, they constructed three large mud stockades on the south bank and waited for the coming of the Mans soldiers.

They had not long to wait. Meng Huo, hot with rage, came quickly with his large army. As soon as he got near the river, he led his fierce warriors to challenge the first stockade. Zhuge Liang went forth to meet him in his usual attire, wearing a silk headdress, a white robe, and holding in his hand a feather fan. He sat in a chariot surrounded on both sides by his officers. Looking across at his opponent, he saw Meng Huo in a mail of rhinoceros hide and a bright red helmet. In his left hand he bore a shield, and in his right he gripped a sword. Riding a red ox he poured forth abuse and insults, while his men darted to and fro brandishing their weapons.

At once Zhuge Liang ordered the army to withdraw into the stockades and bar the gates. The Mans came close up to the stockades and pranced about naked, shouting insults.

Within the stockade the officers grew very angry and they went in a body to their leader to beg to engage. But he refused. “Those people have always been wild and lawless. They have come with all the ferocity imaginable. In that mood we are no match for them. So it’s better to remain inside for a few days till their viciousness has spent itself. Then I have a good plan to overcome them.”

Several days passed and the men of Shu maintained a firm defense. From a high position Zhuge Liang saw that the keen vigor of the Mans had given way to careless idleness. He called together his officers and asked them if they dared to go out and give battle. They all rejoiced at the suggestion. So he first summoned Zhao Yun and Wei Yan, who were given secret orders, and set out without delay. Then Wang Ping and Ma Zhong were also given instructions and departed.

Next he said to Ma Dai, “I’m going to abandon these stockades and retreat to the north of the river. As soon as the army has crossed you’re to take apart the floating bridge and set it up again downstream for Zhao Yun and Wei Yan and their men to cross over.”

Lastly, Zhang Yi was ordered to remain by the camp and light it up at night as if it was still occupied. If Meng Huo pursued, he was to cut off his retreat. After he had arranged everything Zhuge Liang led the rest of the army in retreat, with Guan Suo alone to escort his carriage.

The soldiers left the stockades but the lights were on as usual. The Mans saw this from a distance and dared not attack. At daybreak the next morning, Meng Huo led his men to the stockades and found not a man or horse inside. Only some hundreds of carts of grain and fodder lay abandoned.

“They have abandoned the camp,” said Meng You. “Could this be a ruse?”

“I think Zhuge Liang must have some important business in the capital, which has forced him to leave in a hurry without his baggage. Either Wu has invaded or Wei has attacked. He has kept these lamps on to make us think the camps are still inhabited, while he has run away leaving everything behind. We must not lose this good opportunity, but must pursue at once.”

So the king urged his army onward, himself heading the leading division. When they reached the bank of the West Er River, they saw their enemy had set up orderly camps on the opposite side, their banners flying like a brightly tinted cloud of silk. Along the bank stood a wall of cloth. They dared not attack.

Meng Huo said to his brother, “This means Zhuge Liang is afraid that we may pursue, so he has set up a temporary camp on the north bank. He will retreat in a couple of days.”

Therefore he ordered his army to camp on the riverbank and sent men into the hills to hack bamboo trees to make rafts. The boldest of the soldiers were placed in front of the camp. However, little did Meng Huo suspect that the army of Shu had already infiltrated into his camp.

That day there was a strong wind blowing. Suddenly the Mans saw great lights spring up all around them, and at the same time the rolling of drums heralded an attack by the men of Shu. In the confusion the Mans and their allies fought among themselves. Meng Huo, greatly alarmed, fled with all his clan and dependents. They fought their way through and made a dash for their old camp.

Before they reached it there appeared an enemy force led by Zhao Yun. Meng Huo hastened to return to the riverside and sought refuge in the mountains. But he was stopped by another force under Ma Dai. With only a dozen of his men left he escaped into a valley, where he saw clouds of dust and the glow of torches rise on three sides. He was forced to flee toward the east, the only side remaining clear. However, he had just negotiated a mountain pass when he noticed in front of a woods a carriage accompanied by scores of followers. And in that carriage sat Zhuge Liang.

Laughing heartily, Zhuge Liang said, “Meng Huo, you are doomed to defeat! I have been waiting for you here for a long time.”

In wrath Meng Huo turned to his followers and cried, “Thrice have I been the victim of this man’s base tricks and put to shame. Now Heaven has sent him across my path. You must rush forward and attack him with all your energy. Let us cut him to pieces, carriage and all.”

Several of his men followed Meng Huo as he, shouting loudly, charged toward his foes. But as they got near, crash! all stumbled and disappeared into hidden pits. Instantly out came Wei Yan and his men from the woods. One by one, the Mans were pulled out of the pits and bound tight with cords.

Zhuge Liang returned to his camp, where he busied himself in soothing the captured Mans soldiers and the chiefs, most of whom had by then returned to their own villages with their followers. All those that remained yielded to him. They were well fed and assured of safety. Then they were all sent home, and they went off grateful at this kindness.

By and by Zhang Yi brought up the king’s brother. Zhuge Liang reproached him for not trying to stop his brother from rebelling. “Your brother is stupid and stubborn,” he said to Meng You. “You ought to remonstrate with him. Now he has been a captive for the fourth time. How can he have the effrontery to look anyone in the face?”

A deep flush of shame rose over his face as he threw himself to the ground, begging for life.

Zhuge Liang said, “If I want to put you to death, I do not have to wait until today. I will pardon you this time but you must talk to your brother.”

So Meng You was loosened from his bonds and allowed to go free. He bowed and went away weeping.

Soon Wei Yan brought up the king, to whom Zhuge Liang simulated great rage, saying, “You are in my hands again. What can you say now?”

“I blundered into your trick again,” said the king. “I will die with my eyes open.”
^*

Zhuge Liang shouted to the guards to take him away and behead him. Meng Huo betrayed no sign of fear at this, but as he was being hustled out he turned to his captor and said, “If you could free me only once more, I would wipe out the shame of my earlier four defeats.”

At this bold reply Zhuge Liang laughed and ordered the guards to untie his bonds. Then he gave him wine and invited him to sit in the tent.

Zhuge Liang said, “Four times you have been treated generously and yet you are still defiant. Why?”

“Though I am what you call a barbarian, I would scorn to employ your vile ruses. How can I submit?”

“I have released you four times. Do you think you can still give battle?”

“If you catch me again I will yield from the bottom of my heart and I will give all I have to reward your men. I pledge never to rebel again.”

Zhuge Liang smiled and let him go. The king thanked him and left. Then mustering several thousand men, he went southward. Before long he fell in with his brother, Meng You, who had got together the remnant of his army and was on his way to avenge his brother. As soon as they saw each other the brothers fell into each other’s arms and, weeping bitterly, they related to each other what they had suffered.

Meng You said, “We can’t stand against the enemy. We’ve been defeated several times. I think we’d better go into the mountains and hide in some deep caves where they can’t find us. The summer heat will prove too much for them to bear and they’ll leave, sooner or later.”

“Where can we hide?” asked his brother.

“I know a place in the southwest called Bald Dragon Cave, and the chieftain, Duo Si, is a friend of mine. Let’s seek refuge with him.”

Meng Huo agreed and sent his brother first to go and arrange it.

So Meng You went. When he learned about this, the chieftain, Duo Si, at once came out with his soldiers to welcome Meng Huo into his cave. After the exchange of greetings, Meng Huo related what had happened to his host.

Duo Si said, “Have no worries. If those men from Shu come here I will guarantee that none of them will return home alive. And Zhuge Liang will meet his death here, too.”

Delighted, Meng Huo inquired of his host how this could be done.

Duo Si said, “There are only two roads leading to this cave—the one you used lies to the northeast, where the ground is level and solid, and the waters are sweet. Men and horses may both travel along it. But if we seal the mouth of the route with a barricade of logs and rocks, no force, however strong, can get in. The other road to the northwest is precipitous and narrow, and hence very dangerous. Though there are some paths, these are beset with venomous serpents and scorpions, and as evening comes on the whole area is enveloped in a smog that does not disperse until noontime the next day. One can only pass that road between three and seven in the afternoon, but the water there is undrinkable, making that road virtually impossible to cross for both horses and men. In addition there are four poisonous springs there. One is called the Dumb Spring. Its water is pleasant to taste, but if one drinks it one becomes dumb and dies in about ten days. The second one, called the Spring of Destruction, is as hot as soup. If one bathes in it, one’s flesh rots till the bones are exposed and the victim dies. The third one is the Black Spring, which has greenish water. If the water is sprinkled on a man’s body, his hands and feet turn black and he dies. The last one, named the Soft Spring, has icy cold water. If one drinks this water, the drinker’s breath is chilled and his whole being goes all weak and he soon dies. Neither birds nor insects are found in this region, and no one but the Han general Ma Yuan, who was styled ‘General of Subduing the Waves’, has ever set foot on that road. Now the northeast road will be blocked and you may hide here perfectly safe from those men of Shu, for, finding that way blocked, they will try the other road, which is waterless save for the four deadly springs. No matter how many men they have, they will perish. There will be no need of weapons.”