The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation (86 page)

Zhong Hui Divides His Army to Take Hanzhong

Zhuge Liang Makes an Appearance at Dingjun Hill

S
ima
Zhao said to Shao Ti, “The courtiers all maintained that Shu could not be attacked because they are afraid if we force them to fight, we will certainly be defeated. Now Zhong Hui alone puts forward a plan to subdue Shu, which shows that he is not afraid. Since he is fearless, he will surely defeat Shu. As the country falls, the people of Shu will be drained of any courage. As the saying goes, ‘Generals defeated in war have no right to brag about courage, and officials of a fallen country cannot hope to restore it.’ Even if Zhong Hui attempts to revolt, how will the men of Shu be in a position to help him? As for our men, whose only thought will be to return home after the victory, they will not follow him in revolt. Hence it is not a problem to worry about. But keep all this to yourself.”

Convinced, Shao Ti bowed.

In the meantime, Zhong Hui had finished setting up camps. He summoned his eighty officers to his tent to issue them orders.

“I need a general of rank to be the van leader,” said Zhong Hui. “He must cut trails in the hills and build bridges across rivers. Who is bold enough to take up this responsibility?”

“I am,” responded Xu Yi, son of the “Tiger General” Xu Zhu.

“None is more suitable than him,” said all those present.

“All right,” approved Zhong Hui. “You’re lithe and strong, bold as your father, and all your colleagues also recommend you. Take 5,000 cavalry-men and a thousand infantrymen to seize Hanzhong without delay. The army will march in three directions. You’re to lead the center unit and advance through Ye Valley, while the left and the right units are to proceed from the Luo and Meridian Valleys. These are all rugged and precipitous mountain areas. You must order your men to level the ground, repair bridges, cut trails through the hills, and break away rocks to ensure that no obstacles lie in the way of the advancing army. Use all diligence, for failure will entail punishment by military law.”

Xu Yi took the order and departed immediately. Zhong Hui soon followed in all haste with his large army.

At Longxi, Deng Ai had also received the order to attack Shu. He at once sent Sima Wang to enlist the aid of the Qiang tribesmen. Next he summoned the prefects of the neighboring four districts, who came to his place with their own forces to receive his orders.

When all the troops gathered in Longxi, Deng Ai had a dream: he had climbed up a lofty mountain and was looking across at Hanzhong, when suddenly a spring gushed out beneath his feet and the water welled up with great force. He awoke all in a sweat. Unable to sleep again, he sat waiting for dawn. At daybreak he summoned his personal guard, Yuan Shao, who was skilled in divination according to the
Book of Changes
. He told the guard his dream and asked for an interpretation.

Yuan Shao replied, “According to the
Book of Changes
, ‘water on a mountain’ signifies the symbol Jian,
^*
which means ‘propitious to the southwest, but unpropitious to the northeast.’ The sage Confucius said, ‘Jian augurs well to the southwest: go there and win success; but ill to the northeast: no road lies ahead.’ In this expedition, General, you are sure to overcome Shu, but unfortunately you will be held there and cannot return.”

Deng Ai listened to his interpretation with distress. Just then, a dispatch arrived from Zhong Hui, asking him to raise an army and join him in Hanzhong. So Deng Ai sent Zhuge Xu, Governor of Yongzhou, to cut off Jiang Wei’s retreat, and three others to attack Tazhong from the left, right, and rear respectively. Each of them was given 15,000 men. Deng Ai himself took command of 30,000 men to reinforce them.

Here a small incident must be recounted. On the day when Zhong Hui embarked on his expedition to the west all the court officials came out of the capital to see him off. It was a grand sight, the array of banners shading the sunlight, and the helmets and armor of the men glittering like frost. The soldiers were fit and the horses sturdy. All the officials expressed admiration and envy of the commander.

All except Liu Shi, who only smiled, saying nothing. Noticing his cold demeanor, another official, Wang Xiang, held Liu Shi’s hand and asked: “Do you think Zhong Hui and Deng Ai will overcome Shu on this expedition?”

“They will overcome Shu all right, but I’m afraid neither will ever come back,” replied Liu Shi.

“Why do you say that?” asked Wang Xiang.

But Liu Shi smiled without answering. Wang Xiang did not persist.

At Tazhong Jiang Wei was informed of the intended invasion by Wei. He at once dispatched a memorial to the Second Ruler, which said: “Pray issue an edict to order Zhang Yi to go and defend Yangan Pass and Liao Hua to hold Yangping Bridge. These two places are of crucial importance and their loss will endanger Hanzhong. In the meantime, send an envoy to Wu to seek their support. I will raise the army in Tazhong to resist the enemy.”

At this time the reign title of Shu had been changed to the first year of Yan Xing. The Second Ruler spent his days amusing himself in the company of his favorite eunuch, Huang Hao. One day Jiang Wei’s memorial arrived. After reading it the Second Ruler summoned the eunuch and said, “Wei has raised two huge armies under Deng Ai and Zhong Hui to invade us by two different routes. What is to be done?”

“There is nothing of the sort. Jiang Wei is making all this up because he wants to win fame for himself. Have no worry, Your Majesty. I hear there is a wise woman in the city, who worships a god that can predict future events. Your Majesty can summon her for inquiries.”

The Second Ruler consented. The rear hall was then fitted up for the seance, where incense, candles, and sacrificial articles were laid out in order. Then the woman was conducted to the palace in a carriage and asked to sit in the Second Ruler’s dragon couch. The Second Ruler lit the incense and prayed. Suddenly the woman let down her hair, slipped out of her shoes, and began to leap barefoot dozens of times in the hall. After that she coiled herself up on a table.

The eunuch said, “The spirit has now descended. Send everyone away and pray to her.”

So the attendants were dismissed, and the Second Ruler bowed and prayed again.

She cried out, “I am the guardian spirit of Shu. Your Majesty enjoys peace and happiness. Why do you have to inquire about other matters? Within a few years the land of Wei will also belong to you. You have never to worry, Your Majesty.”

She then fell to the ground as in a swoon, and it was some time before she revived. The Second Ruler was well satisfied with her prophesy and gave her rich presents. From then on he believed all she told him and ignored Jiang Wei’s concerns. Each day, he drank and feasted in the palace, giving himself wholly to pleasure. Jiang Wei dispatched one urgent memorial after another, but the eunuch intercepted them all. Thus the country became in grave danger.

Meanwhile, Zhong Hui was hastening toward Hanzhong. The van leader Xu Yi, anxious to perform some startling merit ahead of all others, led his force to Nanzheng Pass.

He said to his officers, “Hanzhong lies just next to this pass. The defense here is weak. Let’s strive our best to seize it.”

His officers followed his order and dashed forward together to capture the fort. But the pass commander, Lu Xun, who had been informed of the coming of the invaders, posted soldiers on both sides of the bridge, armed with Zhuge Liang’s multiple-shot bows and crossbows. As soon as the attacking force appeared, the signal was given by a clapper and a terrific discharge of arrows and bolts opened up. Xu Yi hurriedly turned back, but dozens of his men were already shot and the Wei force was defeated.

Xu Yi reported this to Zhong Hui, who went with over a hundred mailed horsemen to see for himself. Again bows and arrows flew down in clouds, and Zhong Hui at once turned to flee.

But at that moment Lu Xun rushed down from the pass with five hundred soldiers to pursue. Zhong Hui hastened to cross the bridge at a gallop, but as he did so the earth on the bridge suddenly gave way and his horse’s hoof was caught in the falling mud. Zhong Hui was nearly thrown down. The horse could not free himself, so Zhong Hui slipped off its back and fled on foot. As he ran down the bridge Lu Xun came to strike him with a spear, but one of Zhong Hui’s followers, Xun Kai by name, shot an arrow at the Shu officer and ended his life. At this lucky turn of events, Zhong Hui signaled to his men to seize the pass. The defenders were afraid to shoot, as their own men were intermingled with the enemy, and soon Zhong Hui scattered the Shu soldiers and the pass fell into his hands.

Xun Kai was well rewarded for the shot that had saved his general’s life. He was promoted to be Zhong Hui’s personal guard and given as presents a complete outfit of horse saddle and armor. Then he called Xu Yi into his tent and blamed him for neglecting his duty.

“As leader of the van you ought to cut trails in hills and build bridges across rivers. You should see to it that bridges and roads are mended and in good condition so that the army can march easily, yet on the bridge just now my horse’s hoof was caught, and I nearly fell from the bridge. Were it not for Xun Kai I would have been slain. You have been disobedient and must bear the penalty.”

Then he ordered Xu Yi to be put to death. The other officers tried to plead for him, saying that his father Xu Zhu had rendered great services to the court.

Zhong Hui said angrily, “How can discipline be maintained if the laws are not enforced?”

Xu Yi was executed and his head exposed. This severe punishment put fear into the hearts of the officers.

On the Shu side, Wang Han was guarding Yuecheng and Jiang Bin was holding Hancheng. As the enemy came in great force, they dared not go out to meet them, but stood on the defensive with the gates of the cities closed shut.

Seeing this, Zhong Hui issued an order: “Speed is the soul of war. There should be no halts.”

So he commanded Li Fu to lay siege to Yuecheng, and Xun Kai to surround Hancheng. He himself led the main army to capture Yangan Pass.

The commander of the pass, Fu Qian, discussed a plan with his comrade Jiang Shu to withstand the enemy.

“The enemy is too strong to resist,” said Jiang Shu. “We’d better maintain a strict defense.”

“I don’t agree,” objected Fu Qian. “They must be fatigued, coming from so far away. We mustn’t be daunted by their huge number. Unless we go out and give battle, the two cities of Yuecheng and Hancheng will fall.”

Jiang Shu fell silent and made no reply. Suddenly it was reported that the main body of the enemy had arrived at the front of the pass, and both officers went up the wall to look.

Whirling his whip, Zhong Hui shouted to them, “I have here a mighty army of 100,000. Surrender quickly and you will be given employment according to your ranks now, but if you are obstinate enough to resist, then when we take the pass, you will all perish, jade or stone sharing the same fate.”

This threat threw Fu Qian into fury. Telling his colleague to guard the pass, he rushed down to give battle, taking 3,000 men with him. Zhong Hui at once turned back and the Wei army retreated. At this success Fu Qian pursued, but soon the army of Wei closed around. Fu Qian turned to retreat back into the pass, but to his great shock he saw flags of Wei flying up on the wall.

“I have yielded to Wei,” cried Jiang Shu from the wall.

In wrath Fu Qian cried, “Ungrateful, shameless traitor! How can you ever look people in the face?” He turned once more to the battle. The men of Wei converged on all sides and had him entirely surrounded. He fought desperately, thrusting left and right, but could not break through. His men were mostly wounded or dead.

Fu Qian raised his eyes to Heaven and sighed deeply. “Alive I am an officer of Shu—dead I will be a ghost of my country.”

Once more he plunged into the thickest part of the fight. He was severely wounded by several spear thrusts and blood soaked through his robe and armor. Then his steed fell, so he took his life with his own sword.

The loyalty Fu showed in stressful days
Won him a thousand years’ noble praise;
The base Jiang Shu lived on, a life disgraced,
I would prefer the death that Fu Qian faced.

With the fall of the pass, great booty of grain and weapons fell into the hands of Zhong Hui. Delighted, he feasted the army. That night the men of Wei rested in the city of Yangan. Suddenly, sounds of men shouting were heard from the southwest. Zhong Hui got up in haste and went out to investigate, but the sounds had ceased. He returned to his tent but all through the night none of them dared to sleep. On the following night, at midnight, shouting rose again in the southwest. Zhong Hui was alarmed and puzzled. As day dawned he sent scouts out to search the area, but they came back to say they had gone over ten
li
without seeing a single enemy. Still filled with apprehension, Zhong Hui took several hundred fully-armed cavalrymen to explore the same area. On the way they came upon a hill of sinister aspect overhung by a dismal cloud, and wreathed in mist at the summit.