Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (73 page)

The protest was disregarded, and the army marched.

"In your opinion where should we begin?" asked he of Fu Ch'ien.

Fu replied, "The great storehouse of Wei is at Ch'angch'eng and we ought to burn their grain and forage. Let us go out by Lo Valley and cross the Shen Ridge. After the capture of Ch'angch'eng we can go on to Ch'inch'uan and the conquest of the capital will be near."

"What you say just fits in with my secret plans," replied Chiang.

So the army marched. The Commander in Ch'angch'eng was Ssuma Wang, of the same clan as the Prime Minister. Huge stores of grain were in the city, but its defences were weak. So a camp was made twenty
li
from the walls to keep any attack at a distance. Wang Chen and Li P'eng were Ssuma's two captains.

When the enemy came up, Ssuma and his two captains went forth from the ranks to meet them; Chiang Wei stood in the front of his army and said, "Ssuma Chao, you have forced the King to go with you to war, which plainly indicates that you intend to emulate the deeds of Li Ts'ui and Kuo Ssu. My government has commanded me to punish this fault. Wherefore I say to you yield at once, for if you persist in the way of error you and yours shall all be put to death."

Ssuma Wang shouted back, "You and yours are wholly strangers to any feeling of rectitude. You have repeatedly invaded a superior state's territory, and if you do not at once retire I will see to it that not even a breastplate returns."

With these words the Captain Wang rode out, his spear set ready to thrust. From the host of Shu came Fu Ch'ien to take the challenge, and the two champions engaged. After a few encounters Fu tempted his opponent by feigning weakness. Wang thrust at the opening he gave. Fu evaded the blow, snatched Wang out of the saddle and bore him off.

Seeing this, his colleague Li whirled up his sword and went pounding down toward the captor. Fu went but slowly, thus luring Li into rash pursuit. When Li was near enough, Fu dashed his prisoner with all his strength to the earth, took a firm grip on his four-edged brand, and smote his pursuer full in the face. The blow knocked out an eye, and Li fell dead. Wang had been already killed as he lay on the ground. Both captains being dead, the men of Wei fled into the city and barred the gates.

Orders were given for the men to rest that night and take the city on the morrow.

Next day, at dawn, the assault began. The men, fresh from their rest, vied with each other who should be first on the wall. They shot over the ramparts fire-arrows and fire-bombs and burned all the buildings on the wall. They next brought up brushwood and piled it against the rampart and set it alight, so that the flames rose high.

When the city seemed about to fall, the defenders set up a howling and a lamentation that could be heard all around. But suddenly a great rolling of drums diverted the attention of the assailants from the city, and they turned their faces to see a great host of Wei soldiers marching up in all the glory of waving banners. Chiang Wei faced about to meet this attack and took his place beneath the great standard.

Presently he made out a youthful-looking leader riding in advance with his spear ready to thrust. He looked scarcely more than twenty years of age, his face was smooth as if powdered, and his lips were crimson. But from them came fierce words.

"Do you recognise General Teng?" cried he.

"So this is Teng Ai," thought Chiang.

Thereupon Chiang set his spear and rode out. Both were adepts in arms and neither gave the other an opening, so that at the end of near half a hundred bouts neither could claim advantage. The youth wielded his spear with perfect skill.

"If I cannot gain the advantage by some ruse, how shall I win?" thought Chiang.

So he turned aside his steed and dashed along a certain road that led to the hills. The youth followed. Presently Chiang slung his spear, laid hands upon his carven bow, chose with care a feathered arrow and laid it on the string. But the youth was quick of eye, and as the bowstring sang he bent his head over the saddle and the arrow passed harmlessly by.

The next time Chiang turned he saw his pursuer close upon him, and already the spear was threatening his life. But as the youth thrust, Chiang evaded the blow and caught the shaft under his arm. Thus deprived of his weapon, the young man made for his own array.

"What a pity! What a great pity!" cried Chiang, turning to pursue.

He followed Teng close up to the standard, but just as he came near, a warrior came to the front, saying, "Chiang Wei, you fool, do not pursue my son when I am here."

Chiang Wei was taken aback; so he had only been contending with the son of his real opponent. Although he was astonished at the skill and vigour of the youth, he now knew that a heavier task lay before him and feared lest his steed was then too far spent for the contest.

So he said to Teng Ai, "Seeing things are so, let us both hold off our men till the morrow, when we will fight."

Teng Ai, glancing around, saw that the place was ill-suited for him, so he agreed to wait, saying "Let us lead off our men then, and whoever shall take any secret advantage is a base fellow."

Both sides retired into camp, Teng on the bank of the Wei River and Chiang on the hills.

Teng saw that the men of Shu had the advantage of position, so he wrote off at once to Ssuma Wang not to give battle, but to wait for reinforcements. Meanwhile the men of Shu would be consuming their supply of grain, and he reckoned upon striking his blow when they began to be hungry. He also wrote to Ssuma Chao for further help.

A messenger was sent to the Wei camp to deliver a letter of battle, the contest to take place the next day. Teng Ai openly accepted, but when morning came and Chiang Wei had arrayed his men, his enemy had not appeared on the field. Nor was there any sign of giving battle, no display of flags or rolling of drums all day.

At nightfall the army of Shu returned to camp and Chiang sent a letter reproaching his opponent with his failure to keep his word. Teng Ai treated the bearer of the letter with great courtesy and explained that he had been indisposed that day, but would certainly fight on the morrow.

But the next day passed also without any move on the part of Wei; and the same thing went on for five days.

Then said Fu Ch'ien to his chief, "There is some knavery afoot, and we must be on our guard."

"They must be waiting for reinforcements that they may attack on three sides," said Chiang. "But now will I send into Wu and get Sun Chen to strike at the same time as I.

Just then came news of the rout of the army of Wu, of the fall of Shouch'un and the death of Chuko Tan. Moreover, that an army was going to attack Ch'angch'eng.

"So our attack on Wei is but a sham!" said Chiang, bitterly. "It is only a picture of a Cake."

Four times he missed! he hailed
The fifth occasion joyfully,—and failed.

The next chapter will tell the story of the retreat.

CHAPTER CXIII
TING FENG'S PLAN TO SLAYCHAPTER CXIII
TING FENG'S PLAN TO SLAY SUN CH'EN: CHIANG WEI DEFEATS
TENG AISUN CH'EN: CHIANG WEI DEFEATS
TENG AI

F
earing
lest reinforcements would strengthen his enemy beyond his own power of resistance, Chiang decided to retreat while he could. He sent all his stores and baggage away first with the footmen, and kept the cavalry to cover the retirement.

The spies reported his movements to Teng Ai, who said, "He has gone because he knew that the main army would soon be upon him. Let him go, and do not follow. If we pursue he will play us some evil trick."

Scouts were sent to keep in touch with the retreating army, and when they returned they reported that preparations had been made in the Lo Valley to check any pursuit with fire. The officers praised the prescience of their leader. When Teng reported these matters he was commended, and the Prime Minister requested the king to confer a reward.

The Prime Minister of Wu was greatly angered by the desertion of so many of his men and officers to Wei, and revenged himself by putting their families to death. King Liang disapproved of these acts of cruelty, but he was powerless.

The young king was of an ingenious turn of mind, as will be seen from the following story. One day he went to the West Park to eat of the newly ripened plums. He bade one of the eunuchs bring some honey. It was brought, but there were lumps of dirt in it. The young king called the storekeeper and blamed him for carelessness. The storekeeper said he was very careful to keep his stores in good order, and the honey could not possibly have been fouled in the storehouse.

"Has any one asked you for honey lately?" asked the king.

"One of the eunuchs asked for some a few days ago. I refused him."

"You defiled the honey out of spite," said the king to the eunuch named.

The man denied it.

"It is very easy to tell," said the king. "If the dirt has been lying in the honey for some time it will be soft all through."

He broke one of the lumps, and it was quite dry inside. The eunuch then confessed.

This shows the king was quick-witted. But clever as he was, he could not control his Prime Minister, whose relatives were in command of all the garrisons and armies, so that he was unassailable.

One day the young king, musing over his sorrows and feeling very miserable, began to weep. The officer in charge of the eunuchs, who was a "State Uncle," stood by.

"Sun Ch'en holds all real power and does as he wishes, while I am despised," said the king. "Something must be done."

Ch'uan Chi said, "I would think no sacrifice too great if Your Majesty would make use of me."

"If you could muster the guards and help General Liu to keep the gates, I would go and murder that ruffian. But you must not let anyone know, for if you tell your noble mother she will tell her brother, and that would be very serious for me."

Now Ch'uan's mother was the Prime Minister's sister.

"Will Your Majesty give me a command that I may have authority to act when the time comes?" said Chuan. "At the critical moment I could show the edict and hold back Sun's supporters."

The command was given, and Ch'uan went home. But he could not keep his secret, and confided the plan to his father, Shang. His father told his wife that Sun would be got rid of in a few days.

"Oh, you are going to kill him then," said she.

Although she seemed to approve with her tongue, she sent a secret messenger with a letter to the proposed victim.

That same night Sun Ch'en called in his four soldier brothers, and the palace was surrounded. The conspirators were seized, with Liu Ch'eng and Ch'uan Shang and all their families. About dawn the young king was disturbed by a commotion at the gates, and a servant told him that the palace was surrounded.

The king knew that he had been betrayed. He turned on the Empress, who was of the Ch'uan house, and reproached her.

"Your father and brother have upset all my plans."

Drawing his sword, he was dashing out when his Consort and her people clung to his clothing and held him back.

After putting to death Liu Ch'eng and Ch'uan Shang, the Prime Minister Sun Ch'en assembled the officers in the court and addressed them thus:—'The king is vicious and weak, depraved and foolish and unfit for his high office. Wherefore he must be deposed. Any of you who oppose will be punished as for conspiracy."

Only one of those present dared to say a word of protest. It was an officer named Heng I, who said, "How dare you utter such words? Our king is very intelligent, and I will not support you. I would rather die."

Death was his portion. Then Sun went into the palace and said to the king, "O unrighteous and unenlightened King, your death would be the only fitting reparation to make to the empire, but out of consideration for your ancestors you are only deposed and degraded to princely rank as Prince Hui-chi. I will select a worthy successor."

Li Tsung, the
Chung-sbu-lang
, was ordered to bring in the royal seal, which was delivered to Teng Ch'eng. The deposed ruler retired weeping.

The sage example of the wise I Yin
Perverted now to traitor's use we see;
And Ho Kuang's faithful services are made
A cloak to cover vilest treachery.
Even able princes are but toys of fate,
And need our pity, fall'n from high estate.

Then two officers of the court, Sun K'ai and Tung Chao, went as envoys to Hulin to request Sun Hsiu, Prince of Langya, to ascend the throne.

The King-elect had had some premonition of the high honour to which he was now called, for in a dream he ascended into the skies seated on a dragon. Only the dragon seemed to have no tail. He woke up in a fright, and the next day brought the messengers.

He set out. At Ch'ua his carriage was stopped by a venerable old man who offered felicitations.

"Changes are inevitable, and I wish you a prosperous journey," said the aged one.

At Pusait'ing awaited an officer with a chariot, but Sun Hsiu's modesty would not allow him to mount it. He remained in his own simple carriage and therein travelled to the capital. Officials lined the road to salute him, and he dismounted to return their salutations. Then the Prime Minister stood forth and bade them take the newly-elected king by the arm and lead him into the Great Hall, where, after thrice refusing the honour, he at last took his seat and received the jade seal passed from one ruler to another.

When all the officers had made obeisance, there were the usual amnesties, promotions, honours and change of reign-style.
Juh-Ah,
"Eternal Tranquillity," was the name of the new reign. Sun Ch'en was confirmed as Prime Minister, with the governorship of Chingchou. Moreover, Sun Hao, the son of his elder brother, was created Marquis of Wuch'eng.

Sun Ch'en, with five marquisates in his family and the whole army under their command, was immensely powerful, able to set up and pull down at will. The new king secretly feared him, and although outwardly he showed him great favour, yet he kept careful watch over his Prime Minister, whose arrogance knew no bounds.

In the autumn Sun Ch'en sent into the palace presents of oxen and wine as birthday gifts. The king declined them. The Minister was very annoyed and took the presents to General Pu's residence, where they two dined together. When warmed with wine, Sun said, "When I deposed the present Prince Hui-chi many people urged me to take tbe throne myself. But I acted magnanimously and set up this present king. Now I suffer the mortification of seeing my presents rejected. You will see what will come of this slight."

Chang sympathised, but the next day he secretly told the king, and the king's fears increased so that he could not rest. Shortly after this, Sun sent a large body of troops under the command of Meng Tsung into camp at Wuch'ang, and he armed them from the state arsenals. Whereupon Wei Miao and Shih Shuo secretly memorialised the Throne that Sun's action pointed to rebellion.

Then the king called in Chang Pu to consult, and he recommended Ting Feng as an able and trustworthy officer. So Ting was called and taken into the king's confidence.

"Have no anxiety," said Ting. "I will find some way of ridding the state of this evil."

"What do you propose?"

"When the winter Court is held, and all the officers are assembled, spread a great banquet and invite Sun. I shall be ready to act."

Wei Miao and Shih Shuo were taken into the plot and were to do what was possible outside the palace, and Chang Pu saw to arrangements within.

One night a heavy gale came on to blow, which tore up great trees by the roots. However, by daylight it had abated, and that morning a king's messenger arrived bearing an invitation to a banquet in the royal palace. Sun rose from his couch, and, as he did so, fell flat on the ground as though he had been pushed from behind. This accident troubled him, and he felt apprehensive, so he called half a score of his trusty men to act as his escort to the palace.

As he was leaving home his family besought him not to go out, for they feared the omens of the gale in the night and the fall that morning. However, he made light of their fears and said no one would dare come near him since the family was so strong.

"But if there is anything amiss I will signal."

So he took his seat, and the carriage set out. When he reached the palace the king rose from his place to welcome him, and at the table he sat in the seat of honour. The banquet proceeded.

"There is a fire outside; what does that mean?" said a guest presently.

Sun rose to go out, but the king said, "There is no danger, and there are plenty of soldiers outside."

Just at that moment General Chang entered at the head of a couple of score of armed men. He rushed up the banquet chamber shouting, "I hold a command to slay the rebel Sun."

Instantly the Prime Minister was seized. He fell prostrate before the king, knocking his head on the ground and crying, "Spare my life! Exile me to my own place, but let me live."

"Did you exile any of your victims?" said the king, angrily.

The order went forth to carry out the execution, and Sun was hustled out and put to death. No single person raised a hand to help him. Then it was proclaimed that Sun was the only culprit and no other would be questioned.

Then at Chang's request the king went up on the Tower of the Five Phoenixes. The brothers of the Prime Minister were brought before him and also condemned to death. After this their families were slain, so that many hundreds suffered death. Not content with all these things, the tomb of Sun Hsun was broken open and his corpse beheaded.

Magnificent tombs were raised to his victims, Chuko Ch'uo, Teng Yin and others. Thus at last loyalty was rewarded, and the banished were permitted to return home with full pardon. The conpirators were rewarded.

News of this revolution was sent into Shu, and King Liu Ch'an sent an envoy into Wu with felicitations. The envoy, Hsueh Hsu by name, at his audience was questioned about affairs in the west, and he told King Sun Hsiu, saying, "All affairs of state are in the hands of a certain eunuch named Huang Hao, and all the courtiers look up to him as to a father. At Court plain truth is never heard, and the country people look sallow and starved. The whole country appears on the verge of destruction. The birds on the roof do not know that the building is about to be burned."

"Ah! If only Chuko Liang, The Warlike, was still alive; how different all would be!" said King Hsui, with a sigh.

Letters were prepared saying that beyond doubt Ssuma Chao intended usurpation, and when that came about in Wei, both Wu and Shu would be invaded. Wherefore both should be ready.

On the arrival of these letters Chiang Wei hastened to seek permission to attempt another expedition. Consent being given, a large army marched into HanChung, with Liao Hua and Chang I as van-leaders. Wang Han, Chiang Pin, Chiang Shu and Hu Chi were on the wings, while Chiang Wei and Hsiahou Pa led the main column.

Asked what he thought should be the first objective, Hsiahou Pa replied, 'There is no better fighting ground than Ch'ishan, as the tactics of the late minister made evident, and it is the only good exit."

So thither the armies marched, and they camped at the entrance to the valley. At this time Teng Ai had a training camp at Ch'ishan drilling the Shensi troops. The scouts told him of the coming of the western men, and he ascended a hill to see and verify their reports. He seemed pleased when he saw the enemy camp.

"They have just done as I foresaw," said he.

Now Teng Ai had carefully considered the "pulse" of the countryside and so had not interfered with the Shu army when it was on the march or settling into camp. Moreover, he had excavated a subterranean road to the spot where he had thought they would halt, and their "left" camp had been pitched just on it. Wang and Chiang Chi commanded in that camp.

Teng Ai called his son and Shih Tsuan and sent them to attack, one on each flank. He sent men into the underground road, which opened in rear of the threatened camp.

As the newly made camp was not yet well fortified, its two commanders exercised great care and kept their men under arms all night, watching with vigilance. So when the alarm was given they had but to seize their weapons and go out. But as the two leaders were mounting their steeds Teng Ai also attacked, and two faces had to be defended. Soon they found the position untenable and fled.