Chapter 46

Zhuge Liang Borrows Arrows by a Wondrous Ruse; Huang Gai Accepts Punishment for His Secret Plan

Now Lu Su, acting on Zhou Yu’s instructions, went straight to Zhuge Liang’s boat to sound him out. Zhuge Liang welcomed him aboard the small craft, and they sat facing one another. Lu Su said, “These past several days I have been occupied with military affairs and have missed the benefit of your counsel.” Zhuge Liang said, “And I, for my part, have not yet congratulated the Commander-in-Chief.” “Congratulated him on what?” asked Lu Su. Zhuge Liang replied, “Gongjin sent you here to discover whether I knew of the matter or not. That very matter is cause for congratulation.” Lu Su turned pale with alarm and asked, “How could you know?” Zhuge Liang said, “That stratagem was fit only to deceive Jiang Gan. Though Cao Cao was taken in for a time, he must certainly have realized the truth afterward; he merely refused to admit his mistake. Now that Cai Mao and Zhang Yun are dead, Jiangdong has nothing more to fear. How could I not offer congratulations? I hear that Cao Cao has replaced them with Mao Jie and Yu Jin as commanders of his naval forces. In the hands of those two, one way or another, the navy is doomed.”

At this Lu Su was left speechless. After stammering evasively for some time, he took leave of Zhuge Liang and returned. Zhuge Liang charged him, “I trust Zijìng will not tell Gongjin that I knew of this beforehand. I fear Gongjin harbors jealousy in his heart and will seek another pretext to harm me.” Lu Su promised and departed. But when he returned to Zhou Yu, he had no choice but to recount the whole affair truthfully. Zhou Yu was greatly startled. “This man must not be allowed to live!” he said. “I am resolved to behead him!” Lu Su remonstrated, “If you kill Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao will only laugh at us.” Zhou Yu said, “I shall find just grounds to execute him, so that he dies with no cause for complaint.” Lu Su asked, “On what just grounds can you execute him?” Zhou Yu replied, “Ask no more, Zijìng. Tomorrow you shall see.”

The next day Zhou Yu assembled the generals beneath his command tent and ordered Zhuge Liang summoned to discuss military affairs. Zhuge Liang came gladly. Once they were seated, Zhou Yu asked him, “We are about to engage Cao Cao’s army. In warfare upon the water, what weapon should take precedence?” Zhuge Liang replied, “On the Great River, bows and arrows must come first.” Zhou Yu said, “Your words accord perfectly with my own poor judgment. But our army is now short of arrows. May I trouble you, sir, to supervise the making of one hundred thousand arrows for use against the enemy? This is official business, and I trust you will not decline.” Zhuge Liang replied, “Since the Commander-in-Chief entrusts me with the task, I must of course exert myself. May I ask when the hundred thousand arrows will be required?” Zhou Yu said, “Can they be completed within ten days?” Zhuge Liang replied, “Cao Cao’s army may arrive at any moment. If we wait ten days, our great enterprise will surely be imperiled.” Zhou Yu asked, “How many days do you judge sufficient?” Zhuge Liang replied, “Three days alone will suffice for me to deliver one hundred thousand arrows.” Zhou Yu said, “There are no jests in the army.” Zhuge Liang replied, “How would I dare jest with the Commander-in-Chief? I am willing to submit a military pledge: if I fail to complete the task in three days, I shall gladly suffer the severest punishment.”

Zhou Yu was overjoyed. He summoned an officer of military administration and had the pledge drawn up and signed before them, then offered Zhuge Liang wine, saying, “Once the military business is concluded, you shall be duly rewarded.” Zhuge Liang said, “It is already too late to begin today. The work shall commence tomorrow. On the third day, you may send five hundred soldiers to the riverbank to carry away the arrows.” After drinking several cups, he took his leave. Lu Su said, “Can this man be attempting some deception?” Zhou Yu replied, “He has delivered himself to death; I did not force him. Before the entire assembly he has plainly submitted a written pledge. Even if he sprouted wings from both sides, he could not fly away now. I need only instruct the military craftsmen to delay him deliberately and to withhold the materials and implements he requires. In that way he is certain to miss his deadline. When the time comes to condemn him, what defense can he offer? Go now and discover what he truly intends, then return and report to me.”

Lu Su obeyed and went to see Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang said, “I warned you before not to tell Gongjin, for he was certain to seek my death. Yet you would not keep the matter hidden for me, and today he has indeed stirred up fresh trouble. How can one possibly make a hundred thousand arrows in three days? Zijìng, you alone can save me!” Lu Su said, “You brought this calamity upon yourself. How can I save you?” Zhuge Liang replied, “I ask you to lend me twenty boats. Each must carry thirty soldiers, and each must be screened with curtains of blue cloth and have more than a thousand bundles of straw arranged along either side. I have a marvelous use for them. On the third day I guarantee there will be one hundred thousand arrows. But you must not let Gongjin learn of this, or my plan will fail.” Lu Su agreed, though he could not fathom Zhuge Liang’s meaning. He returned and reported to Zhou Yu, saying nothing of the borrowed boats, but only that Zhuge Liang had no use for arrow bamboo, feathers, glue, lacquer, or any such materials and had some method of his own. Zhou Yu was deeply suspicious. “Let us see,” he said, “what answer he gives me after three days!”

Lu Su privately set aside twenty swift, light boats, each with more than thirty men aboard, and supplied them fully with cloth screens, bundles of straw, and all the other required articles, ready for Zhuge Liang’s use. On the first day there was no sign of activity from Zhuge Liang; on the second, he likewise made no move. Then, during the fourth watch on the third night, Zhuge Liang secretly invited Lu Su aboard one of the boats. Lu Su asked, “Why have you summoned me?” Zhuge Liang replied, “I have invited you, Zijìng, to accompany me in fetching the arrows.” “Where are we going to fetch them?” asked Lu Su. Zhuge Liang said, “Do not ask, Zijìng. Once we arrive, you will see.” He then ordered the twenty boats linked together with long ropes, and they set out directly toward the northern bank. That night a dense fog covered the heavens, and upon the Great River the vapor was thicker still; nothing could be seen even face-to-face. Zhuge Liang urged the boats onward. Truly, it was a mighty fog! A man of old composed a “Rhapsody on the Great Fog Hanging over the River,” which says:

Mighty is the Great River:Westward it joins Min and E,Southward it commands the Three Wu,Northward it girdles the Nine Rivers.Gathering a hundred streams, it enters the sea;Through ten thousand ages, it has raised its waves.There dwell the Dragon Earl, the Lord of the Sea,The River Goddess and Mother of Waters,Whales a thousand fathoms long,Nine-headed heavenly centipedes,And monsters and prodigies of every kind.For this is the refuge of ghosts and gods,And the ground where heroes contend and keep their watch.At times yin and yang fall into disorder,And dawn can no longer be distinguished from night.One marvels that the vast sky has become a single hue,As dense fog suddenly masses on every side.Though a wagonload of firewood lies before the eyes, it cannot be seen;Only gongs and drums can still be heard.At first dim and misty,It scarcely conceals the leopard of the southern hills;Then gradually it fills all space,As though to bewilder the leviathan of the Northern Sea.Thereafter it rises to meet the high heavensAnd sinks to shroud the deep earth.Vast and indistinct,Boundless and immense.Whales and sea monsters break the surface and churn the waves;Flood dragons lurk in the deeps and breathe forth vapor.It is also like the sultry damp after the plum rains,Or spring gloom brewing cold:Dark and mist-laden,Broad and overflowing.Eastward, the shore of Chaisang is lost;Southward, the hills of Xiakou vanish.A thousand warships seem engulfed among ravines and crags;A single fishing boat startles the eye,Appearing and disappearing amid the waves.At its worst, the vault of heaven has no light,And the morning sun loses its color;Broad day turns to murky yellow,And crimson hills become watery blue.Even with Yu the Great’s wisdom,None could measure its depth or shallowness;Even with Li Lou’s keen sight,How could one discern an object a few feet away?Then Fengyi, Lord of the River, stills the waves,And Pingyi, Master of Clouds, withdraws his power;Fish and turtles hide their traces,Birds and beasts conceal their forms.It severs the isles of PenglaiAnd darkly encircles the palace gates of heaven.Dimly surging and seething,Like a sudden rain about to fall;Confusedly swirling and thronging,Like cold clouds gathering into one.Within it lurk venomous serpents,Breeding pestilential vapors;Within it hide demons and specters,Relying on it to work calamity.It sends sickness and affliction among mankind,And raises storms of dust beyond the frontiers.Common men who meet it suffer hurt and loss;Great men who behold it are moved to solemn reflection.It seems about to return primal breath to primeval chaosAnd mingle heaven and earth into one vast mass.

During the fifth watch that night, the boats drew near Cao Cao’s naval stockade. Zhuge Liang ordered them arranged in a single line, with bows pointing west and sterns east, and had the men beat drums and raise a great clamor. Lu Su cried in alarm, “What shall we do if Cao Cao’s troops come out against us in force?” Zhuge Liang laughed. “I know Cao Cao will never dare come out in such heavy fog. Let us simply drink wine and make merry. When the fog lifts, we shall return.”

In Cao Cao’s camp, the beating of drums and the clamor of shouts were heard. Mao Jie and Yu Jin hurriedly flew to report to Cao Cao. Cao Cao issued an order: “The river is lost in dense fog, and the enemy has come upon us suddenly. There must be an ambush. On no account are we to move rashly. Muster the naval archers and crossbowmen and have them shoot into the fog.” He also sent men to the landward camp to summon Zhang Liao and Xu Huang, each with three thousand archers and crossbowmen, to hurry to the riverbank and reinforce the shooting. Before these orders arrived, Mao Jie and Yu Jin, fearing that the southern army might break into the naval stockade, had already ordered their archers and crossbowmen to loose arrows from before the camp.

Before long, the archers and crossbowmen from the landward camp also arrived. More than ten thousand men in all shot out over the river, and arrows fell like rain. Zhuge Liang ordered the boats turned about, their bows now pointing east and their sterns west, and brought them close to the naval stockade to receive the arrows, while the men continued beating drums and shouting. When the sun rose high and the fog dispersed, Zhuge Liang ordered the boats withdrawn and sped swiftly homeward. The bundles of straw along both sides of the twenty boats were thickly studded with arrows. Zhuge Liang ordered the soldiers aboard every vessel to cry out in unison, “Many thanks for the arrows, Prime Minister!” By the time the news reached Cao Cao inside his stockade, the boats, light and swift upon the current, were already more than twenty li away. Pursuit was impossible, and Cao Cao’s regret knew no bounds.

On the returning boats, Zhuge Liang said to Lu Su, “Each vessel has received some five or six thousand arrows. Without expending the least effort on Jiangdong’s part, we have obtained more than one hundred thousand arrows. Tomorrow we shall use them to shoot Cao Cao’s soldiers. Is that not exceedingly convenient?” Lu Su said, “You are truly a divine man, sir! How did you know there would be such a dense fog today?” Zhuge Liang replied, “A general who does not understand the signs of heaven, know the advantages of the terrain, comprehend the Mysterious Gates, grasp yin and yang, study battle formations, and discern the disposition of forces is but a mediocrity. Three days ago I had already calculated that there would be a dense fog today; therefore I dared accept the three-day deadline. Gongjin gave me ten days to complete the work, yet intended that neither craftsmen nor materials should be made available to me. He plainly meant to kill me on this contrived charge. My fate rests with Heaven. How could Gongjin harm me?” Lu Su bowed in submission.

When the boats reached the bank, the five hundred soldiers Zhou Yu had sent were already waiting by the river to carry away the arrows. Zhuge Liang ordered them removed from the boats, and the total came to more than one hundred thousand. All were carried into the central command tent and delivered. Lu Su went in to see Zhou Yu and gave him a full account of how Zhuge Liang had obtained the arrows. Zhou Yu was greatly astonished and sighed with heartfelt admiration: “Zhuge Liang’s divine cunning and marvelous calculations are beyond me!” A later poet wrote in praise:

All day dense fog lay upon the Great River;Near and far were lost in the boundless waters.Like sudden rain and flying locusts, shafts assailed the warships;Today Zhuge Liang has outwitted Zhou Lang.

Shortly afterward, Zhuge Liang entered the camp to see Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu came down from his command tent to welcome him and said admiringly, “Your divine foresight, sir, commands reverence.” Zhuge Liang replied, “It was only a trifling stratagem of deception, hardly worthy of wonder.” Zhou Yu invited Zhuge Liang into the tent to drink with him. He said, “Yesterday my lord sent an envoy urging me to advance. I have yet to devise a marvelous plan, and I would be grateful for your instruction.” Zhuge Liang replied, “I am but a commonplace mediocrity. How could I possess any marvelous plan?” Zhou Yu said, “Yesterday I observed Cao Cao’s naval stockade. It is extremely orderly and well regulated, and cannot be taken by any ordinary attack. I have conceived a plan, but do not know whether it will serve. I trust you will decide the matter for me.” Zhuge Liang replied, “Commander-in-Chief, say no more for the moment. Let each of us write in his palm, and then we shall see whether our thoughts agree.”

Zhou Yu was overjoyed. He ordered brush and inkstone brought, secretly wrote a character in his palm, and then passed the brush to Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang likewise wrote secretly. The two drew their seats close together, opened their hands, and looked at what the other had written. Both burst into laughter. The character in Zhou Yu’s palm was “fire,” and in Zhuge Liang’s palm there was likewise the character “fire.” Zhou Yu said, “Since our views are the same, there can be no further doubt. I trust you will not let the matter leak out.” Zhuge Liang replied, “This is the common business of our two houses. How could there be any question of disclosure? I judge that though Cao Cao has already twice fallen victim to my stratagems, he will still make no provision against this one. Commander-in-Chief, you may carry it out without hesitation.” When they had finished drinking, they parted. None of the other generals knew what had passed.

Cao Cao, meanwhile, had lost a full hundred and fifty or sixty thousand arrows for nothing and was deeply vexed. Xun You offered a plan: “Jiangdong has Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang to devise stratagems, so it will be difficult to defeat them quickly. We should send someone to Eastern Wu under the pretense of surrender, to act as a spy and an agent within their ranks and keep us informed. Only then can we form plans against them.” Cao Cao said, “Your words accord precisely with my own intention. Who in the army do you think could carry out this scheme?” Xun You replied, “Though Cai Mao has been executed, the members of the Cai clan are all still in the army. Cai Mao’s younger clansmen Cai Zhong and Cai He presently serve as deputy generals. Prime Minister, you may bind them to you with favors and send them to feign surrender. Eastern Wu will certainly suspect nothing.” Cao Cao followed his advice. That very night he secretly summoned the two men to his tent and charged them: “Take a small body of soldiers and go to Eastern Wu under the pretense of surrender. Whenever there are developments, send someone to report them secretly. Once the affair succeeds, you shall receive generous ranks and rewards. Harbor no divided loyalties!” The two replied, “Our wives and children are all in Jingzhou. How would we dare harbor divided loyalties? Have no doubts, Prime Minister. We two shall take the heads of Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang and present them beneath your standard.” Cao Cao rewarded them richly. The next day, with five hundred soldiers aboard several boats, they took advantage of the wind and sailed toward the southern bank.

Now Zhou Yu was attending to preparations for the advance when it was suddenly reported that boats from north of the river had reached the river mouth. Those aboard claimed to be Cai He and Cai Zhong, kinsmen of Cai Mao, who had come expressly to surrender. Zhou Yu had them brought in. Weeping, the two bowed and said, “Our elder kinsman was innocent, yet the villain Cao put him to death. We wish to avenge him and have therefore come expressly to surrender. We beg you to accept us and allow us to serve in the vanguard.” Zhou Yu was delighted. He rewarded them handsomely and immediately assigned them to lead the vanguard together with Gan Ning. The two bowed their thanks, believing Zhou Yu had fallen into their trap. But Zhou Yu secretly summoned Gan Ning and instructed him: “These two have come without their families. Their surrender is not genuine; Cao Cao has sent them as spies. I intend to turn their scheme against them and let them send reports back. Treat them with cordial attention, but guard against them inwardly. On the day our forces move out, they must be the first two slain as sacrifices to the banners. Be exceedingly careful and make no mistake.”

Gan Ning received the order and departed. Lu Su came in to see Zhou Yu and said, “Cai Zhong and Cai He have most likely come in false surrender. They must not be accepted into our service.” Zhou Yu rebuked him: “Cao Cao killed their elder kinsman, and they have surrendered because they wish to avenge him. What deception is there? If you are so suspicious, how can you ever give a place to the worthy men of the realm?” Lu Su withdrew in silence and went to tell Zhuge Liang, who only smiled and said nothing. Lu Su asked, “Why do you smile, Zhuge Liang?” Zhuge Liang replied, “I am laughing because you do not understand Gongjin’s stratagem. The Great River lies between the two armies, and it is extremely difficult for spies to pass back and forth. Cao Cao has sent Cai Zhong and Cai He to feign surrender and secretly discover the affairs of our army. Gongjin is turning the scheme against him and deliberately allowing them to send reports. In war, deception is never to be scorned. Gongjin’s plan is sound.” Only then did Lu Su understand.

One night, as Zhou Yu sat in his tent, Huang Gai suddenly entered the camp in secret and came to see him. Zhou Yu asked, “Gongfu, since you have come by night, you must surely have some excellent plan to teach me.” Huang Gai said, “The enemy is numerous and we are few. We should not prolong this contest. Why not attack them with fire?” Zhou Yu asked, “Who instructed you to propose this plan?” Huang Gai replied, “It came from my own mind. No one else taught it to me.” Zhou Yu said, “That is precisely what I intend. For this reason I have kept Cai Zhong and Cai He, who came in false surrender, so they may carry reports. My only regret is that I have no one to carry out a false surrender on my behalf.” Huang Gai said, “I am willing to carry out the plan.” Zhou Yu replied, “Unless you suffer some hardship, how will Cao Cao believe you?” Huang Gai said, “I have received great favor from the house of Sun. Though my liver and brains be smeared upon the ground, I shall feel neither resentment nor regret.” Zhou Yu bowed and thanked him, saying, “If you are willing to endure this stratagem of bodily suffering, it will be Jiangdong’s greatest good fortune.” Huang Gai replied, “Even if I die, I shall have no regret.” He then took his leave and departed.

The next day Zhou Yu sounded the drums and convened a great assembly of the generals beneath his command tent. Zhuge Liang was also present. Zhou Yu said, “Cao Cao has brought a host of a million men, whose camps extend for more than three hundred li. He cannot be defeated in a single day. I therefore order each general to draw three months’ provisions in preparation for resisting the enemy.” Before he had finished, Huang Gai stepped forward and said, “Never mind three months. Even if we drew thirty months’ provisions, it would do no good! If Cao Cao can be defeated this month, then let us defeat him; if he cannot be defeated this month, we can only follow Zhang Zibu’s advice, cast aside our armor, reverse our weapons, face north, and surrender!” Zhou Yu’s expression abruptly changed, and he flew into a rage. “I have received my lord’s command to direct the army and defeat Cao Cao. Whoever dares speak of surrender again shall be beheaded. Now, with the two armies confronting one another, you dare utter such words and undermine the spirit of my troops! Unless I take your head, I cannot command the obedience of the rest!” He shouted to the guards to take Huang Gai away, execute him, and return with their report. Huang Gai, too, grew angry. “From the days of the General Who Crushed the Caitiffs, I have followed the house of Sun in its campaigns throughout the southeast. I have served through three generations. Where were you then?”

Zhou Yu was furious and shouted for the execution to be carried out at once. Gan Ning stepped forward and pleaded, “Gongfu is a veteran minister of Eastern Wu. I beg you to pardon him.” Zhou Yu shouted, “How dare you say more and disrupt my military discipline!” He first ordered the guards to beat Gan Ning out with a flurry of cudgels. All the officers then knelt and pleaded: “Huang Gai’s offense indeed merits death, but his execution would be harmful to the army. We beg the Commander-in-Chief to pardon him for the time being and record his offense. It will not be too late to execute him after Cao Cao has been defeated.” Zhou Yu’s anger did not abate, and the officers continued to plead bitterly. At last Zhou Yu said, “If not for the sake of all you officers, he would certainly be beheaded! For the present, I spare his life!” He ordered the guards to throw Huang Gai down and give him one hundred strokes across the back in punishment for his crime. The officers again begged that he be spared. Zhou Yu overturned the table before him, angrily dismissed them all, and shouted for the beating to proceed. Huang Gai’s clothes were stripped off, and he was dragged down and laid upon the ground. After fifty strokes had been administered across his back, the officers once more pleaded desperately for mercy. Zhou Yu sprang to his feet, pointed at Huang Gai, and cried, “Do you dare hold me in contempt? I shall leave the remaining fifty strokes on account for now. If you show the least further insolence, you shall be punished for both offenses together!” Still muttering wrathfully, he went into his tent.

The officers helped Huang Gai to his feet. His flesh had been split open under the beating, and fresh blood streamed from his wounds. They supported him back to his own quarters, where he lost consciousness several times. None who came to inquire after him could refrain from tears. Lu Su also went to visit him. Afterward, he came to Zhuge Liang’s boat and said, “Today Gongjin punished Gongfu with terrible severity. We are all his subordinates and dared not brave his anger with persistent remonstrance. But you, sir, are a guest. Why did you stand by with folded arms and not say a word?” Zhuge Liang laughed. “Zijìng, you are trying to deceive me.” Lu Su said, “Since I brought you across the river, I have never deceived you in a single matter. Why do you say this now?” Zhuge Liang replied, “Can it be that you do not know Gongjin’s savage beating of Huang Gongfu today was itself a stratagem? Why should I have tried to dissuade him?” Only then did Lu Su understand. Zhuge Liang continued, “Without a stratagem of bodily suffering, how could they deceive Cao Cao? Huang Gongfu will now certainly be sent to feign surrender, while Cai Zhong and Cai He will be allowed to report the affair. When you see Gongjin, do not tell him that I knew of the matter beforehand. Merely say that I, too, resent the Commander-in-Chief’s conduct.”

Lu Su took his leave and went to see Zhou Yu, who invited him into the inner part of the tent. Lu Su asked, “Why did you punish Huang Gongfu so harshly today?” Zhou Yu asked, “Are the generals resentful?” Lu Su replied, “Many of them are deeply troubled.” Zhou Yu asked, “And what does Zhuge Liang think?” Lu Su replied, “He, too, resents the Commander-in-Chief for being far too heartless.” Zhou Yu laughed. “This time I have managed to deceive him.” Lu Su asked, “What do you mean?” Zhou Yu replied, “Today’s savage beating of Huang Gai was a stratagem. I intend to have him feign surrender, but first we had to employ a stratagem of bodily suffering to deceive Cao Cao. Then we shall attack with fire and gain the victory.” Lu Su privately marveled at Zhuge Liang’s superior insight but dared not speak of it openly.

Huang Gai lay in his tent, and all the generals came to inquire after him. He spoke no words but merely heaved long sighs. Suddenly it was reported that the adviser Kan Ze had come to visit him. Huang Gai ordered him admitted to his bedside and dismissed all attendants. Kan Ze said, “Can it be that you bear some grudge against the Commander-in-Chief?” Huang Gai replied, “No.” Kan Ze said, “Then can the punishment you suffered have been a stratagem of bodily suffering?” Huang Gai asked, “How did you know?” Kan Ze replied, “From observing Gongjin’s conduct, I had already guessed eight or nine parts of the truth.” Huang Gai said, “I have received great favor from three generations of the lords of Wu and have had no means to repay it. Therefore I offered this plan to defeat Cao Cao. Though I have suffered, I bear no resentment. I have looked throughout the army and found not one man whom I could trust with my innermost purpose. You alone have always possessed a loyal and righteous heart, so I have dared confide the truth to you.” Kan Ze said, “Your reason for telling me can only be that you wish me to present a letter of false surrender.” Huang Gai replied, “That is indeed my intention. I do not know whether you are willing.” Kan Ze gladly accepted. Truly:

The valiant general scorns his life in hopes of repaying his lord;The cunning counselor shares his heart in service to the state.

What Kan Ze had to say remains unknown; read the next chapter for the explanation.

Zhuge Liang Borrows Arrows by a Wondrous Ruse; Huang Gai Accepts Punishment for His Secret Plan

Now Lu Su, acting on Zhou Yu’s instructions, went straight to Zhuge Liang’s boat to sound him out. Zhuge Liang welcomed him aboard the small boat, and they sat facing each other. Lu Su said, “I have been busy handling military affairs these past few days and have missed the chance to hear your counsel.” Zhuge Liang said, “For my part, I have not yet congratulated the Commander-in-Chief.” Lu Su asked, “Congratulated him on what?” Zhuge Liang said, “Gongjin sent you here to find out whether I knew about it. That very fact is something worth celebrating.” Lu Su turned pale with fright and asked, “How did you know, sir?” Zhuge Liang said, “That scheme was only good enough to fool Jiang Gan. Although Cao Cao was deceived for a time, he was bound to realize the truth soon afterward; he merely refuses to admit his mistake. Now that Cai Mao and Zhang Yun are dead, Jiangdong has nothing to fear. How could this not be cause for celebration? I hear that Cao Cao has appointed Mao Jie and Yu Jin as commanders of his naval forces. In their hands, one way or another, the navy is doomed.”

Lu Su was left speechless. After fumbling for words for quite some time, he took his leave of Zhuge Liang and returned. Zhuge Liang cautioned him, “I hope you will not tell Gongjin that I knew about this beforehand. I fear that his jealousy will be aroused and that he will find another excuse to harm me.” Lu Su promised and departed. When he returned to Zhou Yu, however, he had no choice but to give a truthful account of everything that had happened. Zhou Yu was greatly alarmed and said, “This man absolutely cannot be allowed to live! I am determined to execute him!” Lu Su urged him, “If you kill Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao will only laugh at us.” Zhou Yu said, “I will find a just cause to execute him, so that he will die with no grounds for complaint.” Lu Su asked, “What just cause will you use to execute him?” Zhou Yu said, “Do not ask, Zijing. You will see tomorrow.”

The next day, Zhou Yu assembled the generals beneath his command tent and ordered Zhuge Liang to be invited to discuss military affairs. Zhuge Liang came gladly. Once they were seated, Zhou Yu asked him, “We will soon engage Cao Cao’s army. In battle on the water, what weapon should take priority?” Zhuge Liang replied, “On the great river, bows and arrows must come first.” Zhou Yu said, “Your words agree perfectly with my own thoughts. But our army is currently short of arrows, so I must trouble you, sir, to supervise the production of one hundred thousand arrows for use against the enemy. This is official business, and I hope you will not refuse.” Zhuge Liang said, “Since the Commander-in-Chief has entrusted me with this task, I naturally must do my utmost. May I ask when the one hundred thousand arrows will be needed?” Zhou Yu replied, “Can they be completed within ten days?” Zhuge Liang said, “Cao Cao’s army may arrive at any moment. If we wait ten days, we will certainly jeopardize our great undertaking.” Zhou Yu asked, “How many days do you think you will need?” Zhuge Liang replied, “Only three days. I will present you with one hundred thousand arrows.” Zhou Yu said, “There is no joking in the army.” Zhuge Liang replied, “How would I dare make sport of the Commander-in-Chief? I am willing to sign a military pledge: if I fail to complete the task in three days, I will gladly suffer severe punishment.”

Zhou Yu was delighted. He summoned an officer from the military administration office and had the written pledge drawn up in their presence. Then he offered Zhuge Liang wine and said, “Once this military business is finished, you will be duly rewarded.” Zhuge Liang said, “It is already too late to begin today. Production will start tomorrow. On the third day, you may send five hundred soldiers to the riverbank to carry away the arrows.” After drinking several cups, he took his leave. Lu Su asked, “Could this man be trying to deceive us?” Zhou Yu replied, “He is sending himself to his death; I did not force him. Now that he has openly signed a written pledge before everyone, even if he sprouted wings from his sides, he could not fly away. I will simply instruct all the military craftsmen to delay him deliberately and make sure none of the necessary materials are fully supplied. That way, he is certain to miss the deadline. When he is condemned, what grounds will he have to argue? Go now and find out what he is really planning, then come back and report to me.”

Lu Su accepted the order and went to see Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang said, “I told you before not to tell Gongjin, because he was sure to try to harm me. I never expected you would refuse to keep it secret for me. Sure enough, today he has created another difficulty. How can one hundred thousand arrows be made within three days? You must save me, Zijing!” Lu Su said, “You brought this disaster on yourself. How can I save you?” Zhuge Liang said, “I ask you to lend me twenty boats, each with thirty soldiers aboard. Each boat must be screened with blue cloth, with more than a thousand bundles of straw fastened along both sides. I have an ingenious use for them. On the third day, I guarantee there will be one hundred thousand arrows. But you must not let Gongjin learn of this as well. If he finds out, my plan will fail.” Lu Su agreed, though he did not understand Zhuge Liang’s intention. When he returned to report to Zhou Yu, he indeed said nothing about the request to borrow the boats. He only said that Zhuge Liang had no use for arrow shafts, feathers, glue, lacquer, or any other such materials, and that he had his own method. Zhou Yu became deeply suspicious and said, “Let us see how he answers me after three days!”

Lu Su secretly assigned Zhuge Liang twenty swift, light boats, each carrying more than thirty men. He also prepared all the cloth screens, bundles of straw, and other necessary items, and waited for Zhuge Liang to make use of them. On the first day there was no sign of activity from Zhuge Liang, and on the second day he still made no move. During the fourth watch on the third night, Zhuge Liang secretly invited Lu Su aboard one of the boats. Lu Su asked, “Why have you summoned me here?” Zhuge Liang replied, “I have invited you especially to come with me to fetch the arrows.” Lu Su asked, “Where are we going to fetch them?” Zhuge Liang said, “Do not ask, Zijing. You will see when we get there.” He then ordered the twenty boats tied together with long ropes, and they set out directly toward the northern bank. That night a dense fog blanketed the sky, and over the Yangtze the mist was thicker still, so that nothing could be seen even face-to-face. Zhuge Liang urged the boats forward. It truly was an immense fog! A man of former times wrote a “Rhapsody on the Great Fog Hanging Over the River”:

Mighty is the Yangtze River:To the west it joins Min and Emei,To the south it commands the Three Wu,To the north it borders the Nine Rivers.Gathering a hundred streams, it enters the sea;Through all the ages, it has raised its waves.

There dwell Lord Longbo, Hairuo, the River Maidens, and the Mother of Waters;Whales a thousand fathoms long and nine-headed celestial centipedes;Ghosts, monsters, and strange creatures—all are gathered there.For this is the dwelling place of spirits and gods,And the battleground defended by heroes.

At times yin and yang fall into disorder,And dawn cannot be distinguished from night.One marvels that the boundless sky has become a single color,As suddenly the great fog masses on every side.Though a wagonload of firewood lies before the eyes, it cannot be seen;Only the sound of gongs and drums can be heard.

At first the haze is dim and indistinct,Barely concealing the leopard of the southern mountain;Then it gradually fills all space,As though to bewilder the great kun fish of the northern sea.Afterward it rises to touch the high heavensAnd hangs down to the solid earth.Vast and obscure,Boundless and immeasurable.

Whales and leviathans rise from the water and toss the waves;Flood dragons lurk in the abyss and breathe out vapor.It is also like the muggy air left after the plum rains,Or spring clouds brewing cold:Dark and misty,Vast and endless.

To the east, the shore of Chaisang is lost;To the south, the mountains of Xiakou vanish.A thousand warships seem drowned among rocky ravines;A lone fishing boat is startled as it appears and disappears among the waves.

At its worst, the vaulted sky gives no light,And the morning sun loses its color.Broad daylight turns dim and yellow;Crimson hills become watery blue.Even with Yu the Great’s wisdom,No one could measure its depth;Even with Li Lou’s keen sight,How could anyone distinguish what lay within a few feet?

Then Fengyi stills the waves,And Pingyi withdraws his power.Fish and turtles hide their traces;Birds and beasts conceal their tracks.The Isles of Penglai are cut off,And the palace gates of heaven are darkly encircled.

It surges vaguely and tumultuously,Like a sudden downpour about to descend;It churns in confusion,Like cold clouds about to merge.Within it venomous serpents hide,Turning it into pestilential miasma;Demons and specters lurk inside,Using it to bring calamity.It sends disease and hardship down upon the human worldAnd raises storms of war beyond the frontier.

When common people encounter it, they suffer injury;When great men behold it, they are moved to solemn reflection.It seems about to return primal energy to the vast wildernessAnd blend heaven and earth into one great mass.

During the fifth watch that night, the boats drew near Cao Cao’s naval camp. Zhuge Liang ordered them arranged in a line with their bows facing west and their sterns east, and then had the men beat drums and raise battle cries aboard the boats. Lu Su exclaimed in alarm, “What will we do if Cao Cao’s troops all come out against us?” Zhuge Liang laughed and said, “I know Cao Cao will not dare come out in such heavy fog. Let us simply drink wine and enjoy ourselves. When the fog lifts, we will return.”

In Cao Cao’s camp, the sound of drums and battle cries was heard. Mao Jie and Yu Jin hurried to report it to Cao Cao. Cao Cao issued an order: “The heavy fog obscures the river. The enemy’s sudden arrival must conceal an ambush. Under no circumstances are we to move rashly. Deploy the naval archers and crossbowmen and have them shoot volleys at random.” He also sent men to the land camp to summon Zhang Liao and Xu Huang, each with three thousand archers and crossbowmen, ordering them to hurry to the riverbank and help shoot. By the time the order arrived, Mao Jie and Yu Jin, fearing that the southern army might force its way into the naval camp, had already sent archers and crossbowmen to shoot from the front of the camp.

Soon the archers and crossbowmen from the land camp arrived as well. More than ten thousand men in all shot toward the river, and arrows flew like rain. Zhuge Liang ordered the boats turned around, with their bows east and their sterns west, and had them draw close to the naval camp to receive the arrows while the men continued beating drums and shouting. When the sun had risen high and the fog began to clear, Zhuge Liang ordered the boats gathered and sent swiftly back. The bundles of straw along both sides of the twenty boats were packed with arrows. Zhuge Liang ordered the soldiers aboard every boat to shout in unison, “Thank you for the arrows, Prime Minister!” By the time Cao Cao was informed inside his camp, the boats were light and the current swift, and they had already traveled more than twenty li back downriver. Pursuit was impossible, and Cao Cao regretted his decision bitterly.

On the return voyage, Zhuge Liang said to Lu Su, “Each boat now carries about five or six thousand arrows. Without costing Jiangdong the slightest effort, we have obtained more than one hundred thousand arrows. Would it not be very convenient to use them against Cao Cao’s army tomorrow?” Lu Su said, “You truly are a divine man! How did you know there would be such a heavy fog today?” Zhuge Liang replied, “A general who does not understand the movements of the heavens, recognize the advantages of terrain, know the mysteries of Qimen, comprehend yin and yang, study battle formations, or understand the disposition of military forces is a mediocrity. Three days ago, I calculated that there would be a heavy fog today. That is why I dared accept the three-day deadline. Gongjin gave me ten days to complete the task, while arranging for neither craftsmen nor materials to be made available to me. He plainly intended to kill me for failing in this elegant little assignment. But my life is bound to Heaven. How could Gongjin possibly harm me?” Lu Su bowed in admiration.

When the boats reached the bank, the five hundred soldiers Zhou Yu had dispatched were already waiting by the river to carry the arrows away. Zhuge Liang had the arrows removed from the boats, and they totaled more than one hundred thousand. They were all carried into the central command tent and delivered. Lu Su went in to see Zhou Yu and gave him a complete account of how Zhuge Liang had obtained the arrows. Zhou Yu was greatly astonished and sighed with deep emotion, “Zhuge Liang’s divine foresight and marvelous calculations are beyond me!” A later poet praised the feat:

All day dense fog filled the Yangtze wide;Near and far were lost on the boundless tide.Like sudden rain and locust swarms, shafts struck each boat;Today Zhuge Liang brought Zhou Yu’s scheme to naught.

A short while later, Zhuge Liang entered the camp to see Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu came down from his command tent to welcome him and said admiringly, “Your divine calculations command the utmost respect.” Zhuge Liang replied, “It was only a small trick. There is nothing remarkable about it.” Zhou Yu invited Zhuge Liang into the tent to drink with him. Zhou Yu said, “Yesterday my lord sent an envoy urging me to advance. I have not yet devised an ingenious plan, and I ask you to instruct me.” Zhuge Liang replied, “I am merely a commonplace mediocrity. What brilliant plan could I possess?” Zhou Yu said, “Yesterday I observed Cao Cao’s naval camp. It is extremely well ordered and disciplined, and cannot be attacked by ordinary means. I have thought of a plan, but I do not know whether it will work. I hope you will decide the matter for me.” Zhuge Liang said, “Do not tell me yet, Commander-in-Chief. Let each of us write the answer in his palm, and then we will see whether they agree.”

Zhou Yu was delighted. He ordered brush and inkstone brought, secretly wrote a character in his palm, and then passed them to Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang also wrote secretly in his palm. The two men moved closer together on their seats, opened their hands, and looked at what the other had written. Both burst out laughing. The character in Zhou Yu’s palm was “fire,” and the character in Zhuge Liang’s palm was also “fire.” Zhou Yu said, “Since the two of us have reached the same conclusion, there can be no further doubt. Please do not let this secret leak out.” Zhuge Liang replied, “This is official business between our two sides. How could there be any question of leaking it? I believe that although Cao Cao has already twice fallen victim to my schemes, he still will not take precautions against this. You may carry out the plan fully, Commander-in-Chief.” When they had finished drinking, they parted. None of the generals knew what had been decided.

Cao Cao, meanwhile, was in a bitter mood after losing one hundred fifty or sixty thousand arrows for nothing. Xun You proposed a plan: “Jiangdong has Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang devising strategies, so it will be difficult to defeat them quickly. We should send someone to Eastern Wu to pretend to surrender, act as a spy and inside agent, and convey information back to us. Only then can we plot our next move.” Cao Cao said, “Your words accord perfectly with my own thoughts. Who in our army do you think could carry out this plan?” Xun You replied, “Cai Mao has been executed, and members of the Cai clan are all serving in our army. Cai Mao’s younger clansmen Cai Zhong and Cai He are currently deputy generals. Prime Minister, you can win them over with favors and send them to feign surrender. Eastern Wu will certainly have no suspicions.” Cao Cao followed his advice. That night he secretly summoned the two men to his tent and instructed them, “Take a small number of soldiers and go to Eastern Wu under the pretense of surrendering. Whenever anything happens, send someone to report it secretly. Once the deed is accomplished, you will be given generous titles and rewards. Do not harbor divided loyalties!” The two men replied, “Our wives and children are all in Jingzhou. How would we dare harbor divided loyalties? Do not doubt us, Prime Minister. We will take the heads of Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang and present them beneath your command banner.” Cao Cao rewarded them generously. The next day, the two men took five hundred soldiers aboard several boats and, with the wind behind them, headed toward the southern bank.

Zhou Yu was attending to plans for the advance when a sudden report arrived that boats from north of the river had reached the river mouth. Those aboard claimed to be Cai Mao’s younger clansmen Cai He and Cai Zhong, who had come especially to surrender. Zhou Yu ordered them brought in. The two men wept and bowed, saying, “Our elder kinsman was innocent, yet the traitor Cao killed him. We wish to avenge him and have therefore come especially to surrender. We hope you will accept us and allow us to serve in the vanguard.” Zhou Yu was delighted and rewarded them generously. He immediately ordered them to lead the vanguard together with Gan Ning. The two men bowed their thanks, believing their scheme had succeeded. Zhou Yu secretly summoned Gan Ning and instructed him, “These two men have come without their families, so they are not truly surrendering. Cao Cao sent them here as spies. I intend to turn their scheme against them and have them send information back to him. Treat them attentively, but guard against them in secret. On the day we send out our forces, they must first be killed as sacrifices to the battle standard. You must be extremely careful and make no mistake.”

Gan Ning accepted the order and departed. Lu Su came in to see Zhou Yu and said, “Cai Zhong and Cai He’s surrender is most likely false. They must not be accepted into our service.” Zhou Yu rebuked him: “They have come to surrender because Cao Cao killed their kinsman and they wish to avenge him. What deception is there? If you are so suspicious, how can you ever welcome worthy men from across the realm?” Lu Su withdrew in silence and went to tell Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang laughed without speaking. Lu Su asked, “Why are you laughing, Zhuge Liang?” Zhuge Liang replied, “I am laughing because you do not understand Gongjin’s scheme. With the great river separating the two sides, it is extremely difficult for spies to come and go. Cao Cao sent Cai Zhong and Cai He to feign surrender and secretly investigate our army. Gongjin is turning their scheme against them and deliberately allowing them to send information back. In war, deception is never rejected. Gongjin’s plan is sound.” Only then did Lu Su understand.

That night Zhou Yu was sitting in his tent when Huang Gai suddenly slipped into the camp to see him. Zhou Yu asked, “Gongfu, your visit at night must mean you have an excellent plan to teach me.” Huang Gai said, “The enemy is numerous and we are few. We should not remain at a stalemate for long. Why not attack them with fire?” Zhou Yu asked, “Who told you to propose this plan?” Huang Gai replied, “It came from my own mind. No one else taught it to me.” Zhou Yu said, “That is exactly what I intend to do. For that reason, I have kept Cai Zhong and Cai He, the false defectors, so they can convey information. My only regret is that I have no one to carry out a false surrender on my behalf.” Huang Gai said, “I am willing to carry out the plan.” Zhou Yu replied, “Unless you suffer some hardship, how will Cao Cao be willing to believe it?” Huang Gai said, “I have received great favor from the Sun family. Even if my liver and brains were smeared across the ground, I would feel neither resentment nor regret.” Zhou Yu bowed and thanked him, saying, “If you are willing to carry out this ruse of self-inflicted suffering, it will be the greatest blessing for Jiangdong.” Huang Gai said, “Even if I die, I will have no regrets.” He then took his leave and departed.

The next day, Zhou Yu had the drums sounded and convened a great assembly of the generals beneath his command tent. Zhuge Liang was also present. Zhou Yu said, “Cao Cao has brought a million men, and his formations extend for more than three hundred li. He cannot be defeated in a single day. I now order every general to receive three months’ provisions and prepare to resist the enemy.” Before he had finished, Huang Gai stepped forward and said, “Never mind three months—even if you issue thirty months’ provisions, it will do no good! If we can defeat him this month, then let us defeat him. If we cannot defeat him this month, then we can only follow Zhang Zibu’s advice: cast aside our armor, reverse our weapons, face north, and surrender!” Zhou Yu’s face abruptly changed, and he flew into a rage. “I have received my lord’s command to direct the army and defeat Cao Cao. Anyone who speaks of surrender again must be executed. Now, with the two armies confronting each other, you dare speak such words and undermine the morale of my troops! Unless I cut off your head, I cannot command the obedience of the others!” He shouted for his attendants to take Huang Gai away, execute him, and report back. Huang Gai also became angry and said, “I have served the Sun family since the time of General Who Defeats the Caitiffs and campaigned throughout the southeast for three generations. Where were you then?”

Zhou Yu became even more furious and shouted for Huang Gai to be executed at once. Gan Ning stepped forward and pleaded, “Gongfu is a veteran minister of Eastern Wu. I ask you to show him mercy.” Zhou Yu shouted, “How dare you say another word and disrupt my military discipline!” He first ordered his attendants to beat Gan Ning out of the tent with clubs. All the officers knelt and pleaded, “Huang Gai’s offense does indeed deserve death, but his execution would be harmful to the army. We ask the Commander-in-Chief to show mercy and record the offense for the time being. It will not be too late to execute him after Cao Cao has been defeated.” Zhou Yu’s anger had not subsided, and the officers continued begging him insistently. Zhou Yu said, “If not out of regard for all of you, he would certainly be beheaded! For now, I will spare his life!” He ordered his attendants to throw Huang Gai down and give him one hundred strokes across the back as punishment for his offense. The officers again begged that he be spared. Zhou Yu overturned the table before him, angrily dismissed the officers, and shouted for the beating to proceed. Huang Gai’s clothes were stripped off, and he was dragged down and thrown to the ground. He was given fifty strokes across the back. The officers again pleaded insistently for mercy. Zhou Yu leaped to his feet, pointed at Huang Gai, and said, “You dare look down on me! I will leave the remaining fifty strokes on account for now. If you show insolence again, you will be punished for both offenses!” Still muttering angrily, he went back into his tent.

The officers helped Huang Gai to his feet. His skin had been split open, his flesh was torn, and fresh blood poured out. They carried him back to his own camp, where he lost consciousness several times. Everyone who came to ask after him shed tears. Lu Su also went to visit him, then came to Zhuge Liang’s boat and said, “Today Gongjin punished Gongfu harshly. We are all his subordinates and did not dare offend him by pressing our objections. But you are a guest, sir. Why did you stand by with folded arms and not say a single word?” Zhuge Liang laughed and said, “You are trying to deceive me, Zijing.” Lu Su replied, “Since I crossed the river with you, I have never deceived you in a single matter. Why do you say this now?” Zhuge Liang said, “Surely you know that Gongjin’s savage beating of Huang Gongfu today was part of their plan. Why would you expect me to dissuade him?” Only then did Lu Su understand. Zhuge Liang continued, “Without a ruse of self-inflicted suffering, how could they deceive Cao Cao? Huang Gongfu will now certainly be sent to feign surrender, while Cai Zhong and Cai He are allowed to report the matter to Cao Cao. When you see Gongjin, be sure not to tell him that I knew of the plan beforehand. Just say that I too resent the Commander-in-Chief’s conduct.”

Lu Su took his leave and entered the command tent to see Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu invited him into the rear of the tent. Lu Su asked, “Why did you punish Huang Gongfu so severely today?” Zhou Yu asked, “Do the generals resent me?” Lu Su replied, “Many of them are uneasy about it.” Zhou Yu asked, “What does Zhuge Liang think?” Lu Su said, “He too resents the Commander-in-Chief for being far too heartless.” Zhou Yu laughed and said, “This time I have managed to deceive him.” Lu Su asked, “What do you mean?” Zhou Yu replied, “Today’s severe beating of Huang Gai was a scheme. I want him to feign surrender, so we first had to use a ruse of self-inflicted suffering to deceive Cao Cao. Then we can attack with fire and win the victory.” Lu Su privately marveled at Zhuge Liang’s superior insight but did not dare say so openly.

Huang Gai lay in his tent while all the generals came to ask after him. He said nothing and merely heaved long sighs. Suddenly it was reported that the staff adviser Kan Ze had come to visit. Huang Gai ordered him admitted to his bedside, then dismissed everyone else. Kan Ze asked, “General, do you perhaps have a feud with the Commander-in-Chief?” Huang Gai replied, “No.” Kan Ze said, “Then was the punishment you suffered perhaps a ruse of self-inflicted suffering?” Huang Gai asked, “How did you know?” Kan Ze replied, “From observing Gongjin’s actions, I have already guessed eight or nine parts out of ten.” Huang Gai said, “I have received great favor from three generations of the lords of Wu, yet have had no way to repay it. I therefore proposed this plan to defeat Cao Cao. Though I have suffered, I feel no resentment. I have looked throughout the army and found no one I could trust with my innermost thoughts. Only you have always possessed a loyal and righteous heart, so I have dared confide in you.” Kan Ze said, “By telling me this, you can only mean that you want me to deliver your letter of false surrender.” Huang Gai replied, “That is indeed my intention. I do not know whether you are willing.” Kan Ze gladly agreed. Truly:

The valiant general risks himself to repay his lord;The wise adviser serves the state with a kindred heart.

What Kan Ze would say remains unknown. Read the next chapter for the explanation.