Chapter 50

Zhuge Liang Foresees the Huarong Route; Guan Yu Righteously Releases Cao Cao

Now it is told that, during the night, Zhang Liao shot Huang Gai into the water with an arrow and rescued Cao Cao, helping him ashore. By the time they found horses and fled, the army was already in utter confusion. Han Dang, charging through smoke and fire to attack the naval camp, suddenly heard a soldier report, “There is a man by the stern rudder, loudly calling the general by his courtesy name.” Han Dang listened closely and heard the man cry, “Yigong, save me!” Han Dang said, “That is Huang Gongfu!” He hastily ordered him rescued. He saw that Huang Gai had been wounded by an arrow. Huang Gai had bitten off the shaft, but the arrowhead remained buried in his flesh. Han Dang quickly stripped off his wet clothes, cut out the arrowhead with a knife, tore down a banner to bind the wound, and took off his own battle robe for Huang Gai to wear. He then ordered another boat to carry him back to the main camp for treatment. Huang Gai, as it happened, was an expert swimmer; thus, though he had fallen into the river in full armor amid the bitter winter cold, he had escaped with his life.

That day, fire rolled across the whole river, and the shouts of battle shook the earth. On the left, the forces of Han Dang and Jiang Qin attacked from west of Red Cliffs; on the right, those of Zhou Tai and Chen Wu attacked from east of Red Cliffs; while in the center came the great fleet of Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu, Xu Sheng, and Ding Feng. Fire called for soldiers to answer, and soldiers drew power from the flames. This indeed was the battle on the Three Rivers, the desperate struggle at Red Cliffs. Countless men of Cao Cao’s army were pierced by spears, struck by arrows, burned by fire, or drowned in the water. A poet of later times wrote:

Wei and Wu contended to decide the stronger;At Red Cliffs the towered ships were swept away.The first fierce flames lit cloud and sea alike—Here Zhou Yu once broke Lord Cao’s might.

Another quatrain says:

High the hills, small the moon, the waters vast;I sigh to think how olden lords strove to divide the realm.The South had no desire to welcome Cao of Wei;The east wind showed its favor to young Zhou.

We shall say no more of the desperate fighting on the river. Gan Ning had Cai Zhong lead him deep into Cao Cao’s camp; once there, Gan Ning cut Cai Zhong down from his horse with a single stroke and set fire to the dry grass. Seeing flames rise in the central camp from afar, Lü Meng started fires in more than a dozen places to support Gan Ning. Pan Zhang and Dong Xi split up to set fires and raise battle cries. On every side, the thunder of drums swelled tremendously. Cao Cao and Zhang Liao, leading more than a hundred horsemen, fled through a forest of fire and saw flames everywhere before them. As they hurried on, Mao Jie arrived with Wen Ping, whom he had rescued, and more than ten horsemen. Cao Cao ordered his men to find a way out. Zhang Liao pointed and said, “Only Wulin offers open ground fit for escape.” Cao Cao made straight for Wulin.

As they fled, an army came pursuing from behind, shouting, “Cao Cao, traitor! Do not flee!” In the firelight appeared the standards of Lü Meng. Cao Cao urged his horsemen forward, leaving Zhang Liao to cover the retreat and hold off Lü Meng. But then torches flared ahead, and an army poured out of a mountain valley, shouting, “Ling Tong is here!” Cao Cao’s heart and courage failed him. Suddenly, a force came slanting in from the side, crying, “Do not be alarmed, Prime Minister! Xu Huang is here!” The two sides fought a confused battle until Cao Cao’s men forced open a road and fled northward. They soon saw a body of troops encamped before a hillside. Xu Huang rode out to question them and found that they were Ma Yan and Zhang Zi, surrendered generals formerly under Yuan Shao, who had three thousand northern troops camped there. Seeing the whole sky ablaze that night, they had not dared to move; by good fortune, they now met Cao Cao. Cao Cao ordered the two generals to lead a thousand soldiers ahead to open the way and kept the rest around him as a guard. With this fresh force, he felt somewhat reassured. Ma Yan and Zhang Zi galloped ahead. Before they had gone ten li, battle cries arose and a force appeared. Its leading general shouted, “I am Gan Xingba of Eastern Wu!” Ma Yan was about to engage him when Gan Ning cut him from his horse with a single stroke. Zhang Zi leveled his spear and came forward, but Gan Ning gave a great shout; caught unprepared, Zhang Zi fell tumbling from his horse beneath Gan Ning’s flashing blade. The rear ranks hastened to report this to Cao Cao. At this time Cao Cao was counting on troops from Hefei to come to his aid. He did not know that Sun Quan, stationed at the road from Hefei, had seen the firelight on the river and, knowing that his forces had won, had ordered Lu Xun to raise a fire as a signal. When Taishi Ci saw it, he joined forces with Lu Xun and came charging upon Cao Cao. Cao Cao had no choice but to flee toward Yiling. On the way he encountered Zhang He and ordered him to cover the rear.

Lashing and spurring his horse onward, Cao Cao fled until the fifth watch. Looking back, he saw the glow of the fires gradually fading into the distance, and only then did his heart settle. He asked, “What place is this?” Those around him replied, “This is west of Wulin and north of Yidu.” Cao Cao saw that the woods were dense and tangled and the mountains and rivers steep and perilous. Raising his face as he sat on horseback, he burst into prolonged laughter. His generals asked, “Why does the Prime Minister laugh?” Cao Cao replied, “I laugh at no one but Zhou Yu for his lack of strategy and Zhuge Liang for his scant wisdom. Had I been directing this campaign, I would have planted an army here in ambush beforehand. What could we have done then?”

Before he had finished speaking, drums thundered on both sides and flames soared to the sky, startling Cao Cao so badly that he nearly fell from his horse. A force charged out diagonally, shouting, “I, Zhao Zilong, on the military adviser’s command, have been waiting here a long time!” Cao Cao ordered Xu Huang and Zhang He to fight Zhao Yun together while he himself escaped through smoke and fire. Zhao Zilong did not pursue him, but devoted himself to seizing standards and banners, and Cao Cao managed to escape.

Dawn was just breaking. Black clouds covered the earth, and the southeast wind had not yet ceased. Suddenly rain poured down in torrents, soaking garments and armor alike. Cao Cao and his soldiers pressed on through the rain, all the troops showing signs of hunger. Cao Cao ordered his men to plunder grain from the villages and search for kindling. Just as they were about to cook, another army came pursuing from behind. Cao Cao was greatly alarmed, but it proved to be Li Dian and Xu Chu, escorting the assembled advisers.

Cao Cao was overjoyed. He ordered the troops to continue and asked, “What country lies ahead?” A man reported, “One road is the southern road through Yiling; the other is the northern mountain road through Yiling.” Cao Cao asked, “Which is the shorter route to Jiangling in Nan Commandery?” A soldier replied, “It is most convenient to take the southern road through Yiling and pass by Gourd Pass.” Cao Cao ordered them to take the southern road. By the time they reached Gourd Pass, all the soldiers were so hungry and exhausted that they could go no farther. The horses too were worn out, and many collapsed along the road. Cao Cao ordered the vanguard to rest awhile. Some of the horsemen had brought cooking gongs, while others had plundered grain and rice from the villages. They chose dry ground beside the mountain, set up their pots, and cooked a meal. They cut up horses and roasted the flesh to eat. All stripped off their wet garments and spread them in the wind to dry. The horses were unsaddled and turned loose to graze, gnawing at the roots of grass.

Cao Cao sat beneath a sparse grove, raised his face, and laughed loudly. His officers asked, “A short while ago the Prime Minister laughed at Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang, only to bring Zhao Zilong upon us and lose many more men and horses. Why do you laugh again now?” Cao Cao replied, “I laugh at Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu because, after all, their intelligence and strategy are insufficient. Had I been directing troops, I would have hidden a force here as well, fresh and rested, to await an exhausted enemy. Even if we escaped with our lives, we could not have avoided grievous losses. They failed to foresee this, and so I laugh.”

As he spoke, the troops in front and rear simultaneously raised a great shout. Cao Cao was appalled. Casting off his armor, he leaped upon his horse, while many of his soldiers had no time even to catch theirs. Already fire and smoke were closing around the mountain pass from every side, and an army drew up in battle formation. At its head was Zhang Yide of Yan, sitting astride his horse with his spear held crosswise. He shouted, “Where do you think you are going, Cao Cao, traitor?” At the sight of Zhang Fei, every soldier and general lost heart. Xu Chu, mounted on a bareback horse, rode forward to fight Zhang Fei. Zhang Liao and Xu Huang also galloped up to assail him from both sides. The armies became entangled in a confused melee. Cao Cao was first to turn his horse and escape, and his generals each fought their own way free. Zhang Fei pursued from behind. Cao Cao fled on and on; when the pursuers gradually fell back, he looked around and saw that most of his generals had been wounded.

As they continued, a soldier reported, “There are two roads ahead. Which does the Prime Minister wish to take?” Cao Cao asked, “Which is shorter?” The soldier replied, “The main road is somewhat level but more than fifty li longer. The byroad leads through the Huarong Trail and is more than fifty li shorter, but the ground is narrow, the way perilous, and the pits and hollows difficult to cross.” Cao Cao sent a man up the mountain to survey the roads. He returned and reported, “Smoke is rising in several places beside the mountain byroad. There is no sign of movement on the main road.” Cao Cao ordered the vanguard to take the narrow Huarong Trail. His generals said, “Where signal smoke rises, there must be troops. Why take that road instead?” Cao Cao replied, “Have you not heard the military text that says, ‘Where there is emptiness, make it seem substantial; where there is substance, make it seem empty’? Zhuge Liang is full of schemes. He has therefore sent men to light smoky fires in those secluded hills, so that our army will not dare take the mountain road, while he lies in ambush on the main road and waits for us. I have seen through his design and refuse to fall into his trap!” The generals all said, “The Prime Minister’s marvelous calculations are beyond the reach of other men.” They therefore reined their troops toward the Huarong Trail. By now men were collapsing from hunger, and every horse was exhausted. Those with scorched heads and burned faces struggled onward with support; those struck by arrows or wounded by spears forced themselves along. Their clothes and armor were soaked through, and not one man’s equipment was whole. Weapons, standards, and banners were all in disarray. Most had been driven into such panic on the Yiling road that they rode bare-backed horses, having cast away saddles, bridles, clothes, and all else. It was the bitter cold of deep winter; the misery they suffered was beyond description.

Cao Cao saw the horses of the vanguard halt and asked the reason. A man reported, “The road ahead is narrow and runs through remote mountains. Because of this morning’s rain, water has filled the ditches and cannot drain away. The horses’ hooves sink into the mud, and we cannot advance.” Cao Cao flew into a rage and rebuked them: “An army cuts a road when it meets a mountain and builds a bridge when it meets water. How can mud make a road impassable?” He issued an order that the old, weak, and wounded were to follow slowly in the rear, while the strong were to carry earth, bind firewood, gather grass, and haul reeds to fill the road, so that the army might move at once. Anyone who disobeyed would be beheaded. The soldiers had no choice but to dismount, cut bamboo and timber from beside the road, and fill the mountain track. Fearing that the enemy would pursue from behind, Cao Cao ordered Zhang Liao, Xu Chu, and Xu Huang to lead a hundred horsemen with drawn swords; anyone who lagged was to be beheaded.

Cao Cao shouted for men and horses to proceed along the plank road. The dead were beyond counting, and cries and wailing never ceased along the way. Cao Cao angrily said, “Life and death are ordained. What is there to weep about? Anyone who weeps again will be beheaded at once!” Of all his men and horses, one third fell behind, one third filled the ditches and ravines, and one third followed Cao Cao. Once past the treacherous ground, the road became somewhat level. Cao Cao looked back and saw only a little more than three hundred horsemen following, not one with clothing, armor, robe, or mail in proper order. Cao Cao urged them to hurry. His generals said, “All the horses are exhausted. We can only rest a little.” Cao Cao replied, “It will not be too late to rest once we reach Jingzhou.” They had gone less than a few li farther when Cao Cao raised his whip from horseback and laughed loudly. His generals asked, “Why does the Prime Minister laugh yet again?” Cao Cao replied, “Everyone says that Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang are resourceful and full of stratagems. As I see it, they are incompetent men after all. Had they placed even one brigade in ambush here, we would all have been bound and taken without resistance.”

Before he had finished speaking, a cannon boomed. Five hundred sword-bearing soldiers deployed on both sides, and at their head was the great general Guan Yunchang, gripping the Green Dragon saber and mounted on the Red Hare, blocking the road. At the sight of him, Cao Cao’s soldiers nearly died of fright and stared helplessly at one another. Cao Cao said, “Now that we have come to this, we can only fight to the death!” His generals replied, “Even if the men are not afraid, the horses have no strength left. How can we fight again?” Cheng Yu said, “I have always known Yunchang to be haughty toward his superiors but compassionate toward those beneath him. He challenges the strong but does not oppress the weak. He distinguishes clearly between kindness and grievance and has always been renowned for good faith and righteousness. The Prime Minister once showed him kindness. If you appeal to him personally now, we may escape this danger.”

Cao Cao followed his advice. Urging his horse forward, he inclined his body and said to Yunchang, “Have you been well since last we parted, General?” Yunchang also inclined his body and replied, “I, Guan, am here on the military adviser’s command and have long been awaiting the Prime Minister.” Cao Cao said, “My army is defeated, my position desperate, and there is no road left to me. I hope, General, that you will give due weight to our former friendship.” Yunchang replied, “Although I once received great kindness from the Prime Minister, I repaid it by slaying Yan Liang, killing Wen Chou, and raising the siege of Baima. How, in today’s matter, could I dare sacrifice public duty for private feeling?” Cao Cao said, “Can you still remember when you slew the generals at the five passes? A true man holds faith and righteousness above all. You, General, understand the Spring and Autumn Annals profoundly. Do you not know the story of Yu Gongzhisi pursuing Zizhuo Ruzi?”

Yunchang was a man who valued righteousness as heavily as a mountain. When he recalled the many kindnesses Cao Cao had shown him in former days, as well as what had afterward happened when he slew the generals at the five passes, how could his heart remain unmoved? Moreover, when he saw Cao Cao’s soldiers frightened and forlorn, all on the verge of tears, his compassion grew stronger still. He therefore reined his horse around and said to his troops, “Spread out on every side.” This plainly meant that he intended to let Cao Cao pass. Seeing Yunchang turn his horse, Cao Cao and all his generals charged through together. By the time Yunchang turned back, Cao Cao and his generals had already passed. Yunchang gave a mighty shout, and Cao Cao’s soldiers all dismounted, weeping and bowing on the ground. Yunchang’s heart softened still more. While he hesitated, Zhang Liao came galloping up. At the sight of him, Yunchang’s affection for an old friend was stirred anew. With a long sigh, he let them all go. A poet of later times wrote:

Defeated, Cao Cao fled down Huarong’s way,And on that narrow road met Lord Guan.For kindness and honor shown in former days,He loosed the golden chains and freed the dragon.

Having escaped the danger at Huarong, Cao Cao traveled to the mouth of a valley and looked back at the soldiers following him. Only twenty-seven horsemen remained. By nightfall they had drawn near Nan Commandery, when suddenly torches blazed in ranks and a body of troops blocked the road. Cao Cao cried in alarm, “My life is ended!” But then a band of scouting horsemen charged up, and he recognized them as troops under Cao Ren. Only then did he feel at ease. Cao Ren received him and said, “Though I knew the army had been defeated, I did not dare go far away. I could only remain nearby to meet you.” Cao Cao said, “I very nearly never saw you again!”

He then led the others into Nan Commandery to rest. Zhang Liao arrived afterward and spoke of Yunchang’s virtue. Cao Cao reviewed his officers and soldiers; a great many had been wounded, and he ordered them all to recuperate. Cao Ren prepared wine to dispel Cao Cao’s gloom, and all the advisers attended the banquet. Suddenly Cao Cao raised his face to heaven and wailed bitterly. The advisers said, “When the Prime Minister was escaping from the tiger’s den, you showed no fear or timidity. Now that you have reached the city, the men have eaten and the horses have fodder. This is precisely the time to reorganize the army and take revenge. Why, then, do you weep?” Cao Cao replied, “I weep for Guo Fengxiao! Had Fengxiao been alive, he would never have allowed me to suffer so great a defeat!” He beat his breast and cried aloud, “Alas, Fengxiao! Bitter is my grief, Fengxiao! What a loss, Fengxiao!” All the advisers fell silent, ashamed of themselves.

The next day Cao Cao summoned Cao Ren and said, “For the present I shall return to the capital at Xu, reorganize the army, and without fail return to avenge this defeat. You must preserve Nan Commandery. I have devised a plan and shall leave it here under seal. Do not open it unless the danger is urgent; when it is urgent, open it. Act according to the plan, and Eastern Wu will not dare cast a covetous eye upon Nan Commandery.” Cao Ren said, “Who can be entrusted with defending Hefei and Xiangyang?” Cao Cao replied, “I entrust Jingzhou to your command. I have already assigned Xiahou Dun to guard Xiangyang. Hefei is a place of the greatest strategic importance, so I appoint Zhang Liao chief commander, with Yue Jin and Li Dian as his deputies, to defend it. Should any emergency arise, send me a swift report.”

When Cao Cao had completed his dispositions, he mounted his horse and led his followers back toward Xuchang. All the civil and military officials of Jingzhou who had originally surrendered were taken back to Xuchang as before, to be assigned to service there. Cao Ren, for his part, sent Cao Hong to hold Yiling while he guarded Nan Commandery against Zhou Yu.

Now it is told that, after releasing Cao Cao, Guan Yunchang led his army back. By this time, the troops from every other route had captured horses, weapons, money, and provisions and had already returned to Xiakou. Yunchang alone had taken neither a man nor a horse and returned empty-handed to see Xuande. Kongming was exchanging congratulations with Xuande when it was suddenly reported that Yunchang had arrived. Kongming hurriedly left his seat and went to welcome him, cup in hand, saying, “We must rejoice that the general has accomplished a deed unequaled in the age and rid the whole world of a great scourge. We ought to celebrate afar and wide.”

Yunchang remained silent. Kongming said, “Can it be that the general is displeased because we did not go farther out to welcome him?” Turning to those around him, he said, “Why did none of you report his approach earlier?” Yunchang said, “I, Guan, have come expressly to ask for death.” Kongming said, “Can it be that Cao Cao did not take the Huarong Trail?” Yunchang replied, “He did come that way. But I, Guan, proved incapable and let him escape.” Kongming asked, “What officers and soldiers did you capture?” Yunchang replied, “I captured none.” Kongming said, “This is because Yunchang remembered Cao Cao’s former kindness and deliberately released him. But since your signed military pledge is here, I cannot refrain from enforcing military law.” He then rebuked the guards and ordered them to take Yunchang out and behead him. Indeed:

Resolved to die in recompense for one who knew his worth,He won a righteous name revered a thousand autumns.

What became of Yunchang’s life will be revealed in the chapter that follows.

Zhuge Liang Foresees the Huarong Route; Guan Yu Righteously Releases Cao Cao

Now, that night Zhang Liao shot Huang Gai into the water with an arrow. Cao Cao was rescued and brought ashore, but by the time he found a horse and fled, his army was already in complete chaos. Han Dang charged through smoke and flame to attack the naval camp when he suddenly heard a soldier report, “There is a man by the stern rudder calling out the general’s courtesy name.” Han Dang listened closely and heard someone cry, “Yigong, save me!” Han Dang said, “That is Huang Gongfu!” He immediately ordered his men to pull him from the water. Huang Gai had been wounded by an arrow. He had bitten off the shaft, but the arrowhead remained embedded in his flesh. Han Dang quickly removed his wet clothes, cut out the arrowhead with a knife, tore up a banner to bind the wound, and took off his own battle robe for Huang Gai to wear. He then had another boat carry Huang Gai back to the main camp for treatment. Huang Gai was, in fact, an expert swimmer, and so even though he had fallen into the river in armor during the bitter cold, he escaped with his life.

Meanwhile, flames rolled across the entire river, and the shouts of battle shook the earth. On the left, the forces of Han Dang and Jiang Qin attacked from west of Red Cliffs; on the right, the forces of Zhou Tai and Chen Wu attacked from east of Red Cliffs; and in the center came the great fleets of Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu, Xu Sheng, and Ding Feng. The troops answered the call of the flames, and the flames lent power to the troops. This was truly the naval battle of the Three Rivers, the desperate struggle at Red Cliffs. Countless men in Cao Cao’s army were pierced by spears, struck by arrows, burned by fire, or drowned in the water. A later poet wrote:

Wei and Wu contended to decide which would prevail;At Red Cliffs, towered warships were swept away at once.The raging fire, newly spread, lit clouds and sea;Here young Zhou once defeated Lord Cao.

Another quatrain says:

The mountains loom, the moon is small, the waters stretch away;We sigh to think how rival powers struggled in that former age.The southern men had no desire to welcome mighty Cao,And the east wind seemed intent on aiding young Zhou Yu.

No more of the fierce battle on the river. Gan Ning had Cai Zhong lead him deep into Cao Cao’s camp, where he cut Cai Zhong down from his horse with a single stroke, then set fire to the grass. Lü Meng saw the flames rise from the central camp in the distance and likewise started fires in more than ten places to support Gan Ning. Pan Zhang and Dong Xi split up to set fires and raise battle cries. The thunder of drums erupted on every side. Cao Cao and Zhang Liao, leading a little over a hundred horsemen, rode through a forest of flames and saw that everything ahead of them was burning. As they fled, Mao Jie arrived with Wen Ping, whom he had rescued, and more than ten riders. Cao Cao ordered his men to find a way out. Zhang Liao pointed and said, “Only Wulin has open ground we can cross.” Cao Cao headed straight for Wulin.

As they rode, an army came in pursuit behind them, shouting, “Cao Cao, you traitor, do not flee!” Lü Meng’s banners appeared in the firelight. Cao Cao urged his troops forward and left Zhang Liao to cover the rear and hold off Lü Meng. Then more torches flared ahead, and an army poured out of a mountain valley, shouting, “Ling Tong is here!” Cao Cao was terrified out of his wits. Suddenly another body of troops came charging diagonally across their path, crying, “Do not panic, Chancellor! Xu Huang is here!” The two sides fought a confused battle, and Cao Cao’s men forced their way through and fled north.

They suddenly saw a body of troops stationed before a hillside. Xu Huang rode forward to question them and discovered that they were Ma Yan and Zhang Zi, former officers under Yuan Shao who had surrendered, with three thousand northern troops encamped there. They had seen flames covering the sky that night but had not dared to move, and now they happened to meet Cao Cao. Cao Cao ordered the two officers to lead one thousand men ahead to clear the way, while the rest remained to protect him. With these fresh troops, Cao Cao felt somewhat reassured. Ma Yan and Zhang Zi galloped ahead. Before they had gone ten li, battle cries rose and another body of troops appeared. The leading general shouted, “I am Gan Xingba of Eastern Wu!” Ma Yan was about to engage him when Gan Ning cut him down from his horse with one stroke. Zhang Zi leveled his spear and came to meet him, but Gan Ning gave a mighty shout. Caught unprepared, Zhang Zi was struck by Gan Ning’s blade and tumbled from his horse.

The rear guard hastened to report this to Cao Cao. Cao Cao was hoping for troops from Hefei to come to his aid, but Sun Quan was stationed at the approach to Hefei. When he saw the firelight on the river, he knew his army had won and ordered Lu Xun to light a signal fire. When Taishi Ci saw it, he joined forces with Lu Xun and charged into the attack. Cao Cao had no choice but to flee toward Yiling. On the way he met Zhang He and ordered him to cover the rear.

Whipping their horses onward, they fled until the fifth watch. Looking back, Cao Cao saw the firelight gradually receding into the distance, and only then did he feel at ease. He asked, “Where are we?”

Those around him replied, “West of Wulin and north of Yidu.”

Cao Cao saw dense, tangled woods and steep mountains and rivers. Raising his face, he burst into prolonged laughter from horseback.

His generals asked, “Why are you laughing, Chancellor?”

Cao Cao said, “I am laughing at no one but Zhou Yu for his lack of strategy and Zhuge Liang for his want of wisdom. If I were commanding an army, I would have placed an ambush here beforehand. What would we do then?”

Before he had finished speaking, drums thundered on both sides and flames shot into the sky, startling Cao Cao so badly that he nearly fell from his horse. A body of troops charged out diagonally, shouting, “I, Zhao Zilong, have been waiting here a long time under the military adviser’s orders!”

Cao Cao ordered Xu Huang and Zhang He to fight Zhao Yun together while he himself escaped through smoke and flame. Zhao Zilong did not pursue him, concentrating instead on seizing banners, and Cao Cao got away.

Day was just beginning to break. Dark clouds covered the earth, and the southeast wind still had not ceased. Suddenly rain poured down in torrents, soaking clothes and armor alike. Cao Cao and his soldiers continued through the rain, and all the troops showed signs of hunger. Cao Cao ordered his soldiers to plunder food from the villages and search for kindling. Just as they were about to cook, an army came up from behind. Cao Cao was badly alarmed, but it proved to be Li Dian and Xu Chu, escorting all his advisers.

Cao Cao was overjoyed. He ordered the troops to continue on and asked, “What country lies ahead?”

Someone reported, “One road is the southern route to Yiling, and the other is the northern mountain route to Yiling.”

Cao Cao asked, “Which is the shorter way to Jiangling in Nan Commandery?”

A soldier replied, “The most convenient route is through southern Yiling and past Gourd Pass.”

Cao Cao ordered them to take the southern Yiling route. By the time they reached Gourd Pass, the troops were so hungry that they could barely walk. The horses were also exhausted, and many collapsed along the road. Cao Cao ordered the vanguard to halt and rest. Some men still had metal cooking pots with them, while others had plundered grain and rice from the villages. They found dry ground beside the mountain, set up their pots, and cooked. They slaughtered horses and roasted the meat to eat. Everyone removed his wet clothing and held it up to dry in the wind. The horses were unsaddled and released to graze, gnawing at the roots of the grass.

Cao Cao sat beneath a sparse grove, raised his face, and burst out laughing.

His officers asked, “A short while ago, Chancellor, you laughed at Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang, and that brought Zhao Zilong upon us and cost us many men and horses. Why are you laughing again now?”

Cao Cao said, “I am laughing because Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu are, after all, deficient in strategy. If I were commanding an army, I would have placed a force in ambush at this very spot to wait at ease for an exhausted enemy. Even if we escaped with our lives, we could not have avoided severe losses. They failed to foresee this, and that is why I laugh.”

As he spoke, both the vanguard and the rear guard suddenly raised a great cry. Cao Cao was terrified. He abandoned his armor and mounted his horse, while many of his soldiers had no time even to retrieve their mounts. Smoke and fire already covered the mountain pass on every side, and an army deployed before them. At its head was Zhang Yide of Yan, holding his spear crosswise as he sat on his horse.

He shouted, “Cao Cao, you traitor! Where do you think you are going?”

At the sight of Zhang Fei, all Cao Cao’s officers and soldiers lost their nerve. Xu Chu mounted a bareback horse and went to fight Zhang Fei. Zhang Liao and Xu Huang also spurred forward and attacked him from both sides. The armies became entangled in a chaotic battle. Cao Cao was the first to wheel his horse around and escape, and his generals each found their own way out. Zhang Fei pursued from behind. Cao Cao fled on and on until the pursuers gradually fell behind. Looking back, he saw that most of his generals had been wounded.

As they continued, a soldier reported, “There are two roads ahead. Which road does the Chancellor wish to take?”

Cao Cao asked, “Which is shorter?”

The soldier said, “The main road is somewhat more level, but it is over fifty li longer. The smaller road goes by the Huarong Trail and is over fifty li shorter. But the ground is narrow, the road treacherous, and the pits and hollows make it hard to travel.”

Cao Cao sent a man up the mountain to look. The man returned and reported, “Smoke is rising at several points beside the mountain on the smaller road. There is no sign of movement on the main road.”

Cao Cao ordered the vanguard to take the smaller road along the Huarong Trail.

His generals said, “There must be troops wherever signal smoke is rising. Why take that road instead?”

Cao Cao said, “Have you not heard the maxim in the military texts: ‘Make what is empty seem full, and what is full seem empty’? Zhuge Liang is resourceful, so he has had men light fires in remote places in the mountains to keep my army from taking that road, while he has actually placed an ambush on the main road to wait for us. I have seen through his plan and refuse to fall into his trap!”

The generals all said, “The Chancellor’s marvelous calculations are beyond anyone else’s reach.”

They therefore led the troops onto the smaller Huarong Trail. By then, men were collapsing from hunger, and all the horses were exhausted. Those with scorched heads and burned faces supported themselves as they walked, while those who had been struck by arrows or wounded by spears struggled onward. Their clothes and armor were soaked through, and not one man’s equipment was complete. Their weapons, banners, and pennants were all in disarray. Most had been driven into such a panic on the Yiling road that they rode bare horses, having abandoned saddles, bridles, clothing, and everything else. It was the bitter cold of midwinter, and the misery they endured was beyond description.

Cao Cao saw that the vanguard had halted and was not moving forward, so he asked the reason.

The reply came: “The road ahead is narrow and runs through remote mountains. Because of this morning’s rain, water has collected in the pits and trenches and cannot drain away. The horses’ hooves sink into the mud, so we cannot advance.”

Cao Cao was furious and rebuked them: “An army cuts a road when it meets a mountain and builds a bridge when it meets water. How can mud make a road impassable?”

He issued an order that the old, the weak, and the wounded were to follow slowly in the rear, while the strong were to carry earth and bundles of firewood and haul grass and reeds to fill in the road, so that the army could move at once. Anyone who disobeyed was to be executed. The soldiers had no choice but to dismount, cut bamboo and timber from beside the road, and use it to fill in the mountain path. Fearing that the enemy might pursue from behind, Cao Cao ordered Zhang Liao, Xu Chu, and Xu Huang to lead one hundred horsemen with drawn swords and execute anyone who lagged.

Cao Cao shouted at the men and horses to proceed along the makeshift causeway. The dead were beyond counting, and the sound of wailing never ceased along the road.

Cao Cao angrily declared, “Life and death are decreed by fate. What is there to cry about? Anyone who cries again will be executed on the spot!”

Of the men and horses, one-third fell behind, one-third were used to fill the ditches and ravines, and one-third followed Cao Cao. After they had passed the most dangerous ground, the road became somewhat more level. Cao Cao looked back and saw that only a little over three hundred horsemen were following him, and not one had his clothing, armor, robes, and mail in proper order.

Cao Cao urged them to hurry.

The generals said, “The horses are completely exhausted. We must rest a little.”

Cao Cao said, “It will not be too late to rest when we reach Jingzhou.”

They had gone less than a few more li when Cao Cao raised his whip from horseback and laughed loudly.

The generals asked, “Why is the Chancellor laughing again?”

Cao Cao said, “Everyone says Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang are resourceful and full of schemes, but from what I have seen, they are ultimately incompetent. If they had stationed even a single force in ambush here, we would all have been bound and captured without resistance.”

Before he had finished speaking, a cannon boomed. Five hundred sword-bearing troops deployed on both sides, led by the great general Guan Yunchang. Holding the Green Dragon Saber and mounted on the Red Hare, he blocked their path. At the sight of him, Cao Cao’s soldiers were scared out of their wits and stared at one another in dismay.

Cao Cao said, “Now that we have come to this, we have no choice but to fight to the death!”

The generals said, “Even if the men are not afraid, the horses are already exhausted. How can we fight again?”

Cheng Yu said, “I have long known that Yunchang is proud toward his superiors but compassionate toward those beneath him. He challenges the strong but does not bully the weak. He clearly distinguishes kindness from enmity, and his good faith and honor have always been renowned. The Chancellor once showed him great kindness. If you personally appeal to him now, we may escape this danger.”

Cao Cao followed his advice and urged his horse forward. Leaning toward Yunchang, he said, “Have you been well since we parted, General?”

Yunchang also leaned forward and replied, “I, Guan, have been waiting here a long time under the military adviser’s orders.”

Cao Cao said, “My army has been defeated and my position is desperate. I have reached this place with no road left to me. I hope, General, that you will give weight to our former friendship.”

Yunchang said, “Although I once received great kindness from the Chancellor, I repaid it by beheading Yan Liang, killing Wen Chou, and lifting the siege of Baima. How could I dare neglect public duty for private feeling in today’s affair?”

Cao Cao said, “Do you still remember when you slew generals at the five passes? A true man values good faith and honor above all. You understand the Spring and Autumn Annals deeply, General. Can you not know the story of Yugong Zhisi pursuing Zizhuo Ruzi?”

Yunchang was a man who valued honor as highly as a mountain. When he recalled all the kindness Cao Cao had shown him in the past, as well as the later affair in which he had slain generals at the five passes, how could he remain unmoved? Then he saw Cao Cao’s terrified soldiers, all on the verge of tears, and his heart softened further. He therefore reined his horse around and told his troops, “Spread out to either side.”

This was plainly a sign that he meant to let Cao Cao go. When Cao Cao saw Yunchang turn his horse, he and all his generals charged past together. By the time Yunchang turned back, Cao Cao and his generals had already gone through. Yunchang gave a mighty shout, and Cao Cao’s soldiers all dismounted, weeping and bowing on the ground. Yunchang’s heart softened still further. As he hesitated, Zhang Liao galloped up. When Yunchang saw him, his feelings for an old friend were stirred again. With a long sigh, he let them all go. A later poet wrote:

Defeated, Cao Cao fled along Huarong’s way,And on that narrow road met Lord Guan face-to-face.Because the bonds of former kindness weighed so much,He opened the golden lock and let the dragon escape.

After Cao Cao escaped the danger at Huarong, he traveled to the mouth of a valley and looked back at the soldiers following him. Only twenty-seven horsemen remained. By nightfall they had drawn near Nan Commandery, when suddenly a mass of blazing torches appeared and a body of troops blocked the road.

Cao Cao exclaimed in terror, “My life is over!”

Then a group of scouts galloped up, and he recognized them as troops from Cao Ren’s army. Only then did Cao Cao feel at ease.

Cao Ren received him and said, “Though I knew the army had been defeated, I did not dare go far away, so I remained nearby to meet you.”

Cao Cao said, “I nearly never saw you again!”

Cao Cao then led everyone into Nan Commandery to rest. Zhang Liao arrived soon afterward and told them of Yunchang’s mercy. Cao Cao reviewed his officers and found that a great many had been wounded. He ordered them all to recuperate.

Cao Ren prepared wine to relieve Cao Cao’s distress, and all the advisers were seated with them. Suddenly Cao Cao raised his face to the sky and began to wail bitterly.

The advisers said, “While escaping from the tiger’s den, Chancellor, you showed no fear at all. Now that you have reached the city, the men have food and the horses have fodder. This is the time to reorganize the army and take revenge. Why do you weep instead?”

Cao Cao said, “I am weeping for Guo Fengxiao! If Fengxiao were still alive, he would never have let me suffer such a disastrous defeat!”

He beat his chest and cried aloud: “Alas, Fengxiao! How bitter, Fengxiao! What a loss, Fengxiao!”

All the advisers fell silent, ashamed of themselves.

The next day, Cao Cao summoned Cao Ren and said, “For now, I am returning to the capital at Xu to reorganize my army, but I will certainly return to take revenge. You must secure Nan Commandery. I have a plan that I shall secretly leave here. Do not open it unless the situation is urgent; if it becomes urgent, then open it. Follow the plan, and Eastern Wu will not dare look Nan Commandery in the face.”

Cao Ren said, “Who should defend Hefei and Xiangyang?”

Cao Cao said, “I entrust Jingzhou to your command. I have already assigned Xiahou Dun to guard Xiangyang. Hefei is a place of the greatest strategic importance, so I appoint Zhang Liao as commanding general, with Yue Jin and Li Dian as his deputies, to defend it. If any emergency arises, send me an urgent report.”

Once Cao Cao had completed these assignments, he mounted his horse and led his followers back toward Xuchang. All the civil and military officials of Jingzhou who had originally surrendered were taken back to Xuchang as before, to be assigned to service there. Cao Ren then sent Cao Hong to hold Yiling and Nan Commandery against Zhou Yu.

Meanwhile, after Guan Yunchang released Cao Cao, he led his troops back. By this time, all the other armies had captured horses, weapons, money, and provisions and had already returned to Xiakou. Yunchang alone had failed to capture a single man or horse and returned empty-handed to see Xuande.

Kongming was celebrating with Xuande when word suddenly came that Yunchang had arrived. Kongming hurriedly left his seat and went to welcome him with a wine cup in hand.

He said, “Let us rejoice that the general has performed this world-surpassing achievement and rid all the realm of a great evil. This calls for a grand celebration.”

Yunchang remained silent.

Kongming said, “Can it be that the general is displeased because we did not go farther out to welcome you?”

He looked back at the attendants and said, “Why did none of you report his arrival sooner?”

Yunchang said, “I, Guan, have come expressly to ask for death.”

Kongming said, “Can it be that Cao Cao never came along the Huarong Trail?”

Yunchang said, “He did come that way. But I, Guan, was incapable, and so he escaped.”

Kongming said, “What officers or soldiers did you capture?”

Yunchang said, “I captured none.”

Kongming said, “Yunchang remembered Cao Cao’s former kindness and deliberately released him. But since your written pledge to obey military law is here, I cannot refrain from enforcing it.”

He then shouted for the guards to take Yunchang out and behead him. Truly:

He risked his own death to repay one who understood him,And made all later ages revere his name for honor.

What became of Yunchang’s life will be revealed in the next chapter.