The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation (87 page)

“What hill is that?” asked Zhong Hui, pulling up to question the guide.

“That is the Dingjun Hill,” replied the guide. “Years before, Xiahou Yuan met his end here.”

This only displeased Zhong Hui even more, who turned to ride back. Rounding the curve of a hill, he came full into a violent gust of wind and there suddenly appeared several thousand cavalrymen descending with the wind to attack.

The whole party, panic-stricken, galloped off, with Zhong Hui leading the way. Many officers fell from their steeds. Yet when they returned to the pass not a man or a horse was missing, although there were many with bruises and cuts from the falls, and many who had lost their helmets. Everyone claimed seeing phantom horsemen coming down from the dark clouds, who, nevertheless, did no harm when they approached, but melted away as a blast of air.

Zhong Hui summoned the surrendered officer Jiang Shu. “Is there a holy shrine on the hill?”

“No,” he replied. “There is only the tomb of Prime Minister Zhuge.”

“Then this must have been his spirit demonstrating its power,” said Zhong Hui in alarm. “I myself will go and offer sacrifices to him.”

So the next day he prepared sacrificial offerings, slew an ox, a sheep, and a pig, and presented them at the tomb while he bowed and prayed. As soon as the ceremony was over the wind ceased to roar, and the dismal clouds began to disperse. There followed a cool breeze and a gentle drizzle. Presently the sky cleared. Pleased with the result of their prayer, the men of Wei bowed gratefully at the tomb and returned to camp.

That night Zhong Hui dozed off while resting by a small table in his tent. Suddenly a cool breeze began to blow, and he saw a figure walking into his tent, wearing a silk headdress and a cape of crane feathers, white shoes, and a black girdle, and carrying a feather fan in his hand. The countenance of the figure was fair as jade, the lips a deep red, and the eyes clear and bright. Tall in stature, he moved with the calm serenity of a god.

“Who are you, sir?” asked Zhong Hui, rising to welcome him.

“Thank you for your kindly visit this morning,” said the superior figure. “I have a few words to say to you. Though the fortune of the Hans has declined and the mandate of Heaven cannot be disobeyed, yet the people of the west, exposed to the inevitable miseries of war, are to be pitied. After you enter the country, do not slay unnecessarily by any means.”

As he finished these words, he disappeared with a flick of his sleeves.

Zhong Hui tried to get him to stay, but at that moment he awoke with a start. It was only a dream and he realized with amazement that the spirit of the great leader Zhuge Liang had paid him a visit.

He issued an order that the leading division of his army should bear a white flag on which was written the four words, S
AFEGUARD
S
TATE
, C
OMFORT
P
EOPLE
. He also threatened to execute any soldier who killed an innocent person. This humane decree was greatly appreciated by the residents in Hanzhong, who went out of the city to bow and welcome the northerners. Zhong Hui soothed the people, and his army committed no injury.

Those phantom soldiers around the Dingjun Hill
Moved Zhong Hui at Zhuge Liang’s tomb to pray.
In life he furthered the cause of Liu Bei,
Though dead, he would Liu’s people still protect.

On hearing that the invaders had come in full force, Jiang Wei at once dispatched urgent messages to his three officers Zhang Yi, Liao Hua, and Dong Jue, ordering them to assemble their troops for the war against the enemy, while he himself prepared his own army at Tazhong.

Soon they came, and he went out to encounter them. The leading officer of the Wei army was the Prefect of Tianshui, Wang Qi. Wang Qi rode out and shouted, “Our soldiers number a million and our officers, over a thousand. We are advancing in twenty divisions, and have already reached Chengdu. Yet you do not yield quickly and still try to put up a struggle. Are you ignorant of our divine mandate?”

Filled with fury Jiang Wei galloped straight at Wang Qi, his spear raised to strike. The prefect stood less than three bouts and fled defeated. Jiang Wei pursued him for twenty
li,
when he heard the familiar sounds of drums and gongs and a cohort spread out in front of him. On the banner he read the words Q
IAN
H
ONG
, P
REFECT OF
L
ONGXI
.

Jiang Wei laughed. “Such lowly rats! They are no match for me!”

He led his men straight on and the enemy fell back. He chased them for another ten
li
, and there came Deng Ai. Rallying up his energy, Jiang Wei fought with Deng Ai for more than a dozen bouts but neither could overcome the other. Then sounds of drums and gongs arose in the rear of his force and Jiang Wei hastened to pull out of the battle. But at this moment the rear division reported that his camps at Gansong had been burned down by the prefect of Jincheng.

This news startled Jiang Wei, who at once ordered his lieutenants to keep his own standard flying and hold Deng Ai, while he himself hastened to the rescue of the camps with the rear division. There he ran into the prefect, who, however, dared not fight with Jiang Wei and escaped toward the hills. Jiang Wei followed but as he came near the hill, boulders and logs rained down, blocking his advance.

He turned to go back, but halfway he found that his men had been dispersed by Deng Ai. Then a large force of Wei came up and he was surrounded. However, Jiang Wei and his men broke through and hastened to the main camp to wait for rescue forces.

Suddenly scouts galloped up and reported: “Zhong Hui has seized Yangan Pass and the defending officer Fu Qian has died, but his colleague Jiang Shu has surrendered. Hanzhong is now in the possession of Wei. And on hearing of the loss of Hanzhong the commanding officers at Yuecheng and Hancheng also opened their gates and yielded to the invaders. Hu Ji alone was unable to withstand the enemy, so he has escaped to the capital to seek aid.”

Greatly upset by this report, Jiang Wei immediately ordered his men to break camp and set out for the frontier. That night he reached the mouth of the Jiang River. A troop barred his way, and at its head was the prefect of Jincheng. In a great rage Jiang Wei rode at him and sent him flying in the first exchange. As the prefect fled, Jiang Wei shot at him thrice, but missed all three times.

Exasperated, Jiang Wei snapped his bow and raised his spear to chase, but his horse tripped and fell, throwing Jiang Wei down to the ground. The prefect turned back to slay him but Jiang Wei, suddenly leaping up, thrust hard with his spear and wounded his opponent’s horse in the head. Wei troops rushed up and rescued the prefect.

Mounting another steed, Jiang Wei intended to continue his pursuit but was told that Deng Ai was approaching from behind. Realizing that he would be caught in between two forces, Jiang Wei collected his men in order to recover Hanzhong. However, he soon learned that his way back to Hanzhong had been blocked by another troop led by Zhang Xu, Governor of Yongzhou, so he halted and encamped in a strategic position in the hills. The Wei troops pitched their camps at the head of Yingping Bridge.

Advance or retreat being equally impossible, Jiang Wei sighed in anguish: “Heaven is destroying me!”

Ning Sui, one of his lieutenants, said, “Since our enemies are holding Yinping Bridge, they must have left a weak force in the city of Yongzhou. If you, General, cut through Konghan Valley to seize Yongzhou, they will be forced to abandon the bridge in order to rescue the city. When the bridge is clear, you can make a dash for the Sword Pass and fortify yourself there. Then Hanzhong can be recovered.”

Jiang Wei accepted this plan, and the army immediately marched toward the valley, feigning an advance on Yongzhou.

When Zhuge Xu, who was guarding the bridge, heard this from his scouts, he was much alarmed. “The defense of Yongzhou is my responsibility. If it is lost, I will be the one to blame.” So he left with most of his troops toward the south to rescue the city, leaving only a small force to hold his position at the bridge.

Jiang Wei marched along the northern trail for about thirty
li
when he retraced his steps, anticipating that Zhuge Xu must have abandoned the bridge by then. Turning his rearguard into a vanguard, he went swiftly back to the bridge, where he found that the main body of the enemy force had withdrawn, just as he had expected. Those left at the bridge were soon either slain or dispersed, and the camps razed to the ground. When Zhuge Xu learned about this he turned back, but by the time he got to the bridge the army of Shu had long passed and he dared not pursue.

Meanwhile Jiang Wei, after crossing the bridge, marched ahead. On the way he fell in with Zhang Yi and Liao Hua. Jiang Wei asked them the reason for their arrival.

Zhang Yi replied, “The eunuch Huang Hao believes in the words of a witch and refuses to send help to defend the frontiers. When I heard of the danger in Hanzhong I went there to rescue the city, but Yangan Pass had already been captured by Zhong Hui. Then I was told of your predicament, General, so I have come here especially to aid you.”

The two armies combined and marched together to White Water Pass.

Liao Hua said, “As we’re attacked all around, the grain route will be blocked. It seems to me it’s better to retreat to Sword Pass.”

But Jiang Wei was doubtful. Then they were informed that Zhong Hui and Deng Ai were approaching in ten divisions. Jiang Wei was inclined to resist, but Liao Hua said that the roads at White Water Pass were too narrow and too numerous to be suitable for fighting a battle, and again urged Jiang Wei to retreat to Sword Pass.

At last Jiang Wei consented, and the army headed for Sword Pass. But as they neared the pass they were greeted by the usual sounds of war and saw flags fluttering all around. A troop held the entrance to the pass.

Hanzhong’s strong defense was lost;
Storms gathered to threaten Sword Pass.

What force was holding the pass will be told in the next chapter.

*
   Meaning “lame” or “unsuccessful.”

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN

Deng Ai Slips Through Yinping Pass

Zhuge Zhan Fights to the Death at Mianzhu

T
he
troops that had at first alarmed Jiang Wei turned out to be a force under General Dong Jue, who had come to defend the Sword Pass with his army of 20,000 men after he learned that more than a dozen Wei forces had entered his country. That day he saw swirls of dust rising in the distance and he hastened out to the entrance of the pass in fear that the enemy had already arrived. Then he rode forth to the front to find out who the newcomers were. He was overjoyed to see Jiang Wei and the others, and conducted them to the pass, where they exchanged formal greetings. Then he tearfully told them everything about the Second Ruler and the eunuch Huang Hao.

“Don’t worry,” said Jiang Wei to comfort him. “As long as I’m alive I will never allow Wei to devour our country. Let’s guard the pass first and gradually work out ways to drive out the enemy.”

“Though this pass is defensible, the capital is quite empty,” cautioned Dong Jue. “If the enemy should attack it, all would collapse!”

“Chengdu is protected by natural defenses,” replied Jiang Wei. “It is hard to climb over the steep mountains and cross the dangerous roads. There is nothing to fear.”

At that moment it was reported that Zhuge Xu had come to challenge below the pass. Wrathfully, Jiang Wei rushed down with 5,000 soldiers and plunged straight into the Wei ranks, charging left and right and slaying a very large number of the enemy. Utterly smitten, Zhuge Xu retreated scores of
li
. The men of Shu captured many horses and weapons. Jiang Wei recalled his men and went back to the pass.