Romance of the Three Kingdoms II (31 page)

But the First Ruler was angry, and said, "I left Ch'engtu a long time ago; why did you not come to confess your fault before? Now you find yourselves in danger and so you come with this specious tale to try to save your lives. If I pardon you, how shall I look my brother in the face when we meet beneath the Nine Springs?"

Then he bade Kuan Hsing set up an altar to his father in the camp, and thereon he offered the head they had brought in sacrifice before the tablet of Kuan Yu. This done, he had the two deserters stripped and made them kneel before the altar, and presently with his own hand he hewed them in pieces as a sacrifice.

Presently Chang Pao came in and wailed before him, saying, "The two enemies of my uncle have been slain, but when will vengeance be taken upon those of my father?"

"Do not grieve, my nephew," said the First Ruler, "I am going to lay waste Chiangnan and slay the whole of the curs that live there. I will assuredly capture the two murderers of your father, and you shall hack them to pieces as a sacrifice."

Chang Pao went away, still weeping.

About this time the fear of the First Ruler was very great among the men of Chiangnan, who stood in dread of him so that they grieved night and day. Han Tang and Chou Tai were rather frightened too, and they sent a report to their master of the assassination of Ma Chung and what had befallen the assassins.

Then Sun Ch'uan was distressed and called together his counsellers. At this meeting Pu Chi proposed submission and self-humiliation for the sake of peace.

Said he, "There were five persons whom Liu Pei had a grudge against, and they are all dead. Now the objects of his hate are the murderers of Chang Fei. Why not send back Chang Fei's head, and these two assassins, and give up Chingchou and restore the Lady Sun and ask for peace and alliance against Wei? This will make the men of Shu retire, and we shall have peace."

This proposal seemed good. So the head of Chang Fei was enclosed in a sandalwood box; Fan Chiang and Chang Ta were bound and put in a cage-cart. All these were sent, with letters, by the band of Ch'eng Ping to the camp at Hsiaot'ing.

The First Ruler was about to march farther east when they told him that a messenger had come from Chiangnan and what he had brought. The Ruler struck his forehead with both hands, saying, "This is the direct gift of Heaven through my youngest brother's spirit."

He bade Chang Pao prepare an altar whereon to sacrifice the heads of his father's assassins. When he opened the box and saw the features of his brother he seemed at first outwardly unmoved, but soon he broke into wailing for the dead. Then the son hewed the two men in pieces and offered them upon the altar.

But this sacrifice did not appease Liu Pei's anger, and he still desired to destroy Wu. Whereupon Ma Liang remonstrated.

"Your enemies are now all dead: you are avenged. Wu has sent a high officer with large concessions and awaits your reply."

But Liu Pei savagely replied, "The one I would grind to pieces is Sun Ch'uan. To act as he proposes and enter into alliance would be treachery to my two brothers and a breach of our oath. Now I will exterminate Wu, and Wei shall follow."

He wished also to put the messenger to death, but relented when his officers interceded; and poor Ch'eng Ping ran off, terrified, glad to escape with life. He went back and told Sun Ch'uan how implacable his enemy seemed.

Sun Ch'uan was frightened and bewildered. Seeing this, K'an Tse stepped forward and said, "Since there is a sky-supporting pillar, why not use it?"

"Whom do you refer to?" asked Sun Ch'uan.

"You once had perfect confidence in Chou Yu, and he was followed by Lu Su, equally able. Lu Meng succeeded and you pinned your faith upon him. Though now he is dead, yet there is Lu Hsun. And he is quite near, in Chingchou. He is reputed to be a scholar, but really he is a bold and capable man, no whit inferior to Chou Yu, in my opinion. The plan that broke Kuan Yu was his. If anyone can destroy Shu, it is he. If he fail, then I will stand the same punishment as may be his."

"If you had not spoken thus my whole scheme might have gone amiss," said Sun Ch'uan.

"Lu Hsun is a student," said Chang Chao. "He is no match for Liu Pei. You may not use him."

Ku Yung also said, "He is too young and too inexperienced. I fear he will not be obeyed, and that will be mischievous."

Pu Chi also said, "He is well enough to control a district, but he is not fit for a big matter."

K'an Tse got desperate. "It is the only hope," shouted he. "I will guarantee him with the lives of all my house."

"I know he is able," said Sun Ch'uan, "and I have now made up my mind he is the man. Gentlemen, that is enough."

Lu Hsun was called home. Lu Hsun was originally named Lu I: his
tzu
was Po-yen. He was a native of Wu, son of Lu Chun, who was
Tu-yu
of Kiukiang and grandson of Lu Yu. He was of medium height, with a clear complexion "like the finest jade."

Having arrived at court and made his bow, Sun Ch'uan said to him, "I wish to send you in supreme command of all the forces against Shu."

"Sir, you have numerous old and tried officers under your command, I am very young and not at all clever," replied Lu.

"K'an Tse goes bail for you and pledges his whole house. Moreover, I know your abilities. You must be Commander-in-chief and may not refuse the appointment."

"But what will happen if the officers do not support me?"

"Here is authority!" said Sun Ch'uan, taking his own sword from his side. "Slay the disobedient and report afterwards."

"I am grateful for this proof of confidence, but I dare not accept forthwith. I pray you to assemble all the officers and confer the office upon me in their presence."

Said K'an Tse, "The ancient fashion was to set up a platform and thereon present to the leader-elect a white yak's tail and a golden axe with the seal of office and the fu (commission). Thereafter his dignity and the reverence due from others were beyond all question. It would be well, O Prince, to follow the old rule. Choose a good day and appoint Lu Hsun before all the world, and no one will refuse support."

An altar was begun at once. They worked at it day and night, and as soon as it was finished a great assembly was called. Then Lu Hsun was requested to ascend and make his bow on receiving his appointment as "Commander-in-chief, Leader of the Senior Guardian Army of the West and Marquis of Fenglou." The sword of authority and the seal of office were presented. His powers extended over the six districts and the eighty-one departments (of Chiangnan), over the forces in Chingchou and Chin.

And in charging him Sun Ch'uan said, "Domestic affairs beiong to me; outer affairs are under your direction."

Lu Hsun then descended. He chose Hsu Sheng and Ting Feng as commanders of his guards, and the army lost no time in taking the field. The various dispositions of horse and foot were made, and despatches were sent to the outlying commanders.

When the despatch reached
Han
Tang and Chou Tai they were much upset at this appointment of a mere bookish student to command them. So when the new Commander-in-chief came they showed their discontent by a lack of hearty support. Lu Hsun went to his tent to receive the reports, and there the majority of the officers manifested only sullen respect and unwilling deference.

Then Lu addressed them, saying, "By order of my superior I am Commander-in-chief, and my commission is to destroy Shu. You, gentlemen, all know the ordinary military rules, and you would do
well
to obey them. The
law
is no respecter of persons, as those who disobey will find out. Do not have to regret when it is too late."

They nodded in sullen acquiescence. Then Chou Tai said, "There is Sun Huan, nephew of our prince; he is surrounded at Iling and is short of food. I venture to request you to send relief to him and get him out so that the prince's heart may be comforted."

"I know all about him. His men are faithful, and he can easily maintain his position. There is no need to go to his aid. When Shu is broken he will be free to come out."

They all sniggered as they left the tent, and Han Tang did not fail to express his contempt for the newly appointed "scholar."

"This will be the end of Wu," said he to his colleague. "Did you note what he said?"

"I tried him just to see what he would do," said Chou T'ai. "You see he had no plan ready; he destroy Shu indeed!"

Next day general orders were issued for defence and prohibitions against giving battle, which provoked more laughter at the incapable pedant, as they thought him, in command, and secret resolves to disobey. Moreover, the officers showed their contempt by a general disregard of orders. So once more Lu Hsun assembled them and said, "You know I am in command; yet the recent orders for defence have been disregarded. Why?"

Then Han Tang spoke up, "Some of us followed General Sun when he first subdued Chiangnan. Others won fame in destroying rebels, or in following the present prince in his campaigns. All of us have donned our armour and gripped our weapons in many a bloody fight. Now, Sir, you have been placed in supreme command to repulse Shu, and there should be some plan of campaign made for us at once, some dispositions of our forces and some definite advance toward that end. Instead of that we are told to strengthen our defences and are forbidden to fight. What are we to wait for? Will Heaven destroy our opponents for us? We are not afraid to die. Why is our keenness left to be eaten away and our energies wasted in idleness?"

All the others applauded this speech and cried that the speaker had expressed their own ideas.

"General Han Tang just says what we think: let us fight a decisive battle," they cried.

The new general waited till the uproar had subsided. Then drawing his sword, he shouted, "That I am a student is true. But I have been entrusted with a great task, a task for which the prince considers me competent and for the performance of which I am prepared to bear all the responsibilities. As for you, you will do well to act on the defensive as I ordered and not allow yourselves to be led astray into any attacks. And I shall put the disobedient to death."

This speech had little effect, and they dispersed mumping and grumbling.

As has been told, the First Ruler had made a long chain of stations reaching back to his base, and these camps looked very imposing with their fluttering hanners by day and their fires at night. Then the spies came in and told him of the new commander of the Wu army and his policy and orders to defend.

"What sort of a man is this Lu Hsun?" said he.

"He is famous as a scholar among the people of Wu, and, though young, he is very talented," replied Ma Liang. "His schemes are very deep. He was the author of the villainous and crafty plan of attack on Chingchou."

"His crafty scheme caused the deaths of my brothers, the blockhead; but now I shall have him," said Liu Pei.

He gave orders to advance. But Ma Liang ventured to remonstrate and dissuade him. "Be very careful," said he
_;
"this Lu Hsun is no whit inferior to Chou Yu."

"I have grown old in the field," said the king. "Don't you think me a match for this callow youth?"

He confirmed the order to go forward, and they attacked pass and ford and redoubt wherever they were. Han Tang notified his chief of the attack, and Lu Hsun, still rather dubious of the strict obedience to his orders, hastened to the point of danger. He found Han Tang on a hill surveying the enemy's force, which advanced like a great wave. Amidst the army they saw a wide yellow umbrella, and Han Tang pointed it out.

"That must be Liu Pei," said he. "I should like to kill him."

"Careful," said Lu Hsun. "So far he has scored victory after victory, and his men are very keen and confident. Maintain a careful defence and do not go out to battle. If you do, you will lose. Impress that upon your officers and men and make them understand the strategy while you follow the enemy's moves. They are hastening into the wide open space of P'ingyuan, and I do not wish to hinder them. Nor will I accept any challenge to battle, but wait till they have moved their camps into the forest and among the trees. Then I shall have a scheme ready."

Han Tang agreed so far as words went, but in his heart he was still mutinous and ill-conditioned. When the Shu army drew near, a small force came to challenge. They shouted all sorts of abuse and hurled reproaches to put their opponents to shame, but Lu Hsun took no notice and bade his men stop their ears. He would not allow them to go out to battle, but he went from fort to redoubt encouraging the soldiers to remain carefully on the defensive.

The First Ruler's heart burned within him at this refusal to come out to battle, and it angered him none the less that Ma Liang dinned into his ears how deep Lu Hsun was and crafty.

"He recognises the disadvantages of Your Majesty's troops in being far from their base, and from spring to autumn he will not come out to fight till some move occurs that he may profit by."

"What ruse can he be contemplating?" said Liu Pei. "The real fact is that he is afraid. Their army has suffered nothing but defeat times and again. They dare not meet us."

One day the leader of the van, Feng Hsi, memorialised the First Ruler, saying, "The weather is scorching and the troops are camped in the full glare of sun. Beside, water is scarce and hard to get."