Chapter 55

Liu Bei Cleverly Rouses Lady Sun; Zhuge Liang Provokes Zhou Yu a Second Time

Now Liu Bei, seeing spears and swords arrayed bristling on both sides of Lady Sun’s chamber and all her maids wearing swords, could not help turning pale. The housekeeper stepped forward and said, “Your Excellency, pray do not be alarmed. Since childhood, my lady has delighted in watching martial exercises and has always had her maids fence with swords for her amusement. That is why you see all this.” Liu Bei said, “Such things are not fit for a lady’s eyes. They chill me to the heart. Have them removed for the time being.” The housekeeper reported to Lady Sun, “The weapons displayed in the chamber make the honored bridegroom uneasy. They should now be removed.” Lady Sun laughed and said, “He has fought for half his life, yet still fears weapons?” She ordered them all taken away and had the maids unbuckle their swords before attending them. That night Liu Bei and Lady Sun consummated their marriage, and their affections were in perfect accord. Liu Bei also distributed gold and silks among the maids to win their loyalty, then sent Sun Qian back to Jingzhou ahead of him to report the happy news. From that time onward there was feasting day after day, and the Dowager held him in the highest affection and esteem.

Meanwhile, Sun Quan sent a messenger to Chaisang Commandery to report to Zhou Yu: “My mother insisted upon it and has now married my younger sister to Liu Bei. What was meant as a sham has unexpectedly become real. What is to be done now?” Zhou Yu was greatly startled by the news. Unable to sit or stand at ease, he devised a plan, wrote a secret letter, and gave it to the messenger to carry back to Sun Quan. Sun Quan opened and read it. In substance, the letter said: “I never imagined that the scheme I devised would suffer such a reversal. Since the sham has now become reality, we must turn the situation to our advantage. Liu Bei has the bearing of a mighty hero; he has such generals as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, and furthermore Zhuge Liang to devise his strategies. He is certainly not one who will long submit to another. In my humble opinion, the best course is to enervate and confine him here in Wu. Build him magnificent palaces and mansions to sap his ambition; lavish beauties, curiosities, and amusements upon him to beguile his ears and eyes; estrange him from Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and separate him far from Zhuge Liang, placing each in a different quarter. Then strike them with our armies, and the great enterprise may be settled. But if we let him go now, I fear the flood dragon will gain the clouds and rain and prove at last no creature for a pond. I beg Your Lordship to ponder this carefully.”

When Sun Quan had finished reading, he showed the letter to Zhang Zhao. Zhang Zhao said, “Gongjin’s plan accords exactly with my own poor judgment. Liu Bei rose from humble beginnings and has wandered throughout the realm, never once enjoying wealth and honor. If we now provide him with splendid halls and lofty mansions, women, gold, and silks for his pleasure, he will naturally grow distant from Kongming, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and the others. Let each of them then conceive resentment against him, and Jingzhou may afterward be taken. My lord should follow Gongjin’s plan and put it into effect without delay.” Sun Quan was delighted. That very day he had the Eastern Residence refurbished, planted it extensively with flowers and trees, and furnished it lavishly, inviting Liu Bei and his sister to live there. He also added several dozen female musicians, together with gold, jade, brocades, embroidered silks, curiosities, and playthings. The Dowager supposed that Sun Quan acted from goodwill and was overjoyed. Liu Bei indeed became so beguiled by music and feminine charms that he gave no thought whatever to returning to Jingzhou.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yun and his five hundred soldiers were quartered before the Eastern Residence. With nothing to do all day, he would go outside the city to practice archery and exercise his horse. As the end of the year drew near, it suddenly came to him: “Kongming entrusted me with three silken sachets. He told me to open the first as soon as I reached Nanxu, the second after remaining here until year’s end, and the third when danger closed in and no road remained. Within them are marvelous, unfathomable stratagems by which I may safeguard my lord’s return home. The year is nearly over, yet my lord, besotted with feminine charms, will not even grant me an audience. Why should I not open the second silken sachet and act according to the plan?” He opened it and read. Truly, it contained a wondrous strategy. That very day he went straight to the main hall and asked to see Liu Bei.

A maid reported, “Zhao Zilong has come with an urgent matter to report to Your Excellency.” Liu Bei summoned him and asked what it was. Feigning consternation, Zhao Yun said, “My lord, secluded here in painted halls, have you forgotten Jingzhou?” Liu Bei said, “What has happened to alarm you so?” Zhao Yun replied, “This morning Kongming sent a man to report that Cao Cao, seeking vengeance for his crushing defeat at Red Cliffs, has raised five hundred thousand picked troops and is advancing upon Jingzhou. The danger is grave, and he begs my lord to return at once.” Liu Bei said, “I must discuss this with my wife.” Zhao Yun said, “If you discuss it with her, she will certainly refuse to let my lord return. Better to say nothing and depart tonight. Any delay will ruin matters.” Liu Bei said, “Withdraw for now. I know what must be done.”

Zhao Yun deliberately pressed him several more times before withdrawing. Liu Bei went in to see Lady Sun, secretly shedding tears. She asked, “Husband, why are you so distressed?” Liu Bei said, “I was thinking how I drift alone in a foreign land, unable in life to attend upon my parents and unable to make sacrifices to my ancestors. This is the grossest rebellion against filial duty. Now that New Year’s Day is at hand, the thought fills me with unending sorrow.” Lady Sun said, “Do not try to deceive me. I have already heard everything. Zhao Zilong just reported that Jingzhou is in grave danger. You wish to return home and so have put forward this pretext.” Liu Bei knelt and said, “Since you already know, how would I dare conceal it? If I do not go and Jingzhou is lost, I shall be mocked by all the world; yet if I go, I cannot bear to leave you. That is why I am distressed.” She said, “I have become your wife. Wherever you go, I shall follow.” Liu Bei said, “Though your heart is so inclined, how could the Dowager and the Marquis of Wu ever consent to let you go? If you have any pity for Liu Bei, let us part for a time.” When he had finished, his tears fell like rain. Lady Sun consoled him, saying, “Husband, do not grieve. I shall plead earnestly with my mother, and she will surely allow me to accompany you.” Liu Bei said, “Even if the Dowager consents, the Marquis of Wu will certainly stop us.” Lady Sun pondered for a long while, then said, “When we pay our New Year’s respects, we shall claim that we mean to sacrifice to your ancestors by the river. Then we shall leave without telling anyone. What do you think?” Liu Bei knelt again and thanked her, saying, “If you do this, I shall never forget it as long as I live. But take the greatest care not to let the matter leak out.”

The two settled their plans. Liu Bei secretly summoned Zhao Yun and instructed him: “On New Year’s Day, lead the soldiers out of the city ahead of me and wait on the main road. I shall use the sacrifice to my ancestors as a pretext and leave together with my wife.” Zhao Yun accepted the command. On New Year’s Day, in the first month of spring in the fifteenth year of Jian’an, the Marquis of Wu held a great assembly of civil and military officials in the main hall. Liu Bei and Lady Sun entered to pay their respects to the Dowager. Lady Sun said, “My husband has been thinking of the graves of his parents and ancestors, all of which lie in Zhuo Commandery, and grieves over them day and night. Today he wishes to go to the riverbank and make sacrifices from afar while facing north, and so we must inform Mother.” The Dowager said, “This is an act of filial duty. How could I refuse? Though you never knew your parents-in-law, you may accompany your husband to offer sacrifices. That will also demonstrate the proper conduct of a wife.” Lady Sun and Liu Bei bowed their thanks and withdrew. Sun Quan alone was kept in ignorance. Lady Sun mounted her carriage, taking only the valuables necessary for the journey. Liu Bei mounted his horse and, with several riders following, left the city and joined Zhao Yun. With the five hundred soldiers guarding them front and rear, they departed Nanxu and hurried onward.

That day Sun Quan became thoroughly drunk. His close attendants helped him into the rear hall, and all the civil and military officials dispersed. By the time the officials discovered that Liu Bei and his wife had fled, it was already late. They wished to report it to Sun Quan, but he was insensible with drink. By the time he awoke, it was already the fifth watch. The next day, when Sun Quan learned that Liu Bei had escaped, he urgently summoned his civil and military officers to deliberate. Zhang Zhao said, “Now that this man has escaped, sooner or later he will surely cause disorder. He must be pursued at once.” Sun Quan ordered Chen Wu and Pan Zhang to select five hundred picked troops and, traveling day and night without pause, overtake and seize him. The two generals accepted the command and departed. Sun Quan, filled with hatred for Liu Bei, snatched up the jade inkstone from his table and dashed it to powder. Cheng Pu said, “My lord’s rage may mount to the heavens, but I believe Chen Wu and Pan Zhang will be unable to capture this man.” Sun Quan said, “Would they dare disobey my command?” Cheng Pu replied, “Since childhood, the Princess has delighted in martial pursuits. She is stern, resolute, and unyielding, and all the generals fear her. Since she has consented to follow Liu Bei, she will surely depart of one mind with him. When the pursuing generals see the Princess, how will they dare lay hands upon her?” Sun Quan flew into a rage. Drawing the sword at his waist, he summoned Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai and commanded them: “Take this sword and bring me the heads of my sister and Liu Bei! Anyone who disobeys shall be beheaded at once!” Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai accepted the order, then led three thousand troops after the others.

Meanwhile, Liu Bei plied his whip and gave his horse the rein, pressing onward with all speed. That night they rested by the road for only two watches before hastily setting out again. As they approached the border of Chaisang, they saw a great cloud of dust rising behind them. A man reported, “The pursuing troops have arrived!” In alarm, Liu Bei asked Zhao Yun, “Now that the pursuers are upon us, what are we to do?” Zhao Yun said, “My lord, go on ahead. I shall cover the rear.” But when they rounded the foot of the hill before them, a troop of soldiers barred the road. At their head were two great generals, who shouted sternly, “Liu Bei, dismount and submit to bonds at once! By order of Commander-in-Chief Zhou, we have been waiting here a long time!” Zhou Yu, fearing Liu Bei might escape, had previously sent Xu Sheng and Ding Feng with three thousand troops to encamp at this strategic point and wait. They frequently sent men to high ground to watch from afar, reckoning that if Liu Bei traveled overland, he would surely pass this way. That day Xu Sheng and Ding Feng’s lookouts saw Liu Bei’s party approaching, whereupon the two generals seized their weapons and blocked the road. Liu Bei, stricken with alarm, reined back his horse and asked Zhao Yun, “There are troops barring the way ahead and troops pursuing us from behind. With neither road forward nor road back, what are we to do?” Zhao Yun said, “My lord, do not panic. The Military Adviser had three marvelous stratagems, all contained in silken sachets. Two have already been opened, and both have proved true. The third is still here. He instructed me to open it only in a moment of extreme peril. Today the danger is urgent; we must open and read it.” He opened the silken sachet and presented its contents to Liu Bei.

After reading it, Liu Bei hurried before Lady Sun’s carriage and tearfully said, “I have something in my heart that I must now tell you in full and without concealment.” She replied, “Husband, whatever you have to say, tell me truthfully.” Liu Bei said, “In former days the Marquis of Wu and Zhou Yu conspired to offer you to Liu Bei as a bride. In truth, they gave no thought to your welfare; they meant only to imprison Liu Bei and seize Jingzhou. Once they had taken Jingzhou, they would surely have killed me. Thus they used you as fragrant bait to hook me. I came here undeterred by ten thousand deaths because I knew you possessed the heart and spirit of a man and would surely take pity upon me. Yesterday I heard that the Marquis of Wu intended to harm me, and so I pretended that Jingzhou was in danger in order to devise a means of returning. Happily, you did not cast me aside but accompanied me this far. Now the Marquis of Wu has sent men in pursuit behind us, while Zhou Yu has sent men to bar our way ahead. No one but you can deliver me from this calamity. If you will not consent to help me, I beg leave to die before your carriage and so repay your kindness.”

Lady Sun said angrily, “Since my brother does not treat me as his own flesh and blood, with what face could I ever meet him again? I shall resolve today’s danger myself.” She rebuked her attendants and ordered them to push the carriage straight forward. Rolling up the curtain, she personally shouted at Xu Sheng and Ding Feng, “Do you two intend to rebel?” The two generals hastily dismounted, threw down their weapons, and saluted before the carriage, saying, “How would we dare rebel? We have received Commander-in-Chief Zhou’s order to station troops here and wait expressly for Liu Bei.” Lady Sun was furious. “Zhou Yu is a traitorous villain! We of Eastern Wu have never treated him unjustly! Liu Bei is an Imperial Uncle of the Great Han, and he is my husband. I have already informed my mother and elder brother that I am returning with him to Jingzhou. Yet here at the foot of this hill you two have brought troops to bar our road. Do you mean to rob my husband and me of our possessions?” Xu Sheng and Ding Feng repeatedly murmured assent and said, “We would not dare. We beg the Princess to calm her anger. This has nothing to do with us; it is Commander-in-Chief Zhou’s military order.” Lady Sun rebuked them: “You fear only Zhou Yu—do you not fear me? Zhou Yu may be able to kill you, but am I not able to kill Zhou Yu?” She roundly cursed Zhou Yu, then ordered the carriage pushed forward. Xu Sheng and Ding Feng thought to themselves, “We are only subordinates. How would we dare oppose the Princess?” Moreover, seeing Zhao Yun bristling with fury, they had no choice but to order their troops aside, clear the main road, and let the party pass.

They had gone no more than five or six li when Chen Wu and Pan Zhang caught up from behind. Xu Sheng and Ding Feng told them all that had happened. The two generals Chen and Pan said, “You were wrong to let him pass. We have come by express command of the Marquis of Wu to pursue and seize him and bring him back.” The four generals therefore joined their troops and hurried onward in pursuit. As Liu Bei continued on his way, he suddenly heard great shouting rise behind him. Again he appealed to Lady Sun: “The pursuing troops have come again. What are we to do?” She replied, “Husband, go on ahead. Zilong and I shall cover the rear.” Liu Bei led three hundred soldiers ahead toward the riverbank. Zilong reined in beside the carriage and drew up the troops to await the approaching generals. When the four generals saw Lady Sun, they had no choice but to dismount and stand before her with hands clasped. She asked, “Chen Wu, Pan Zhang, what business brings you here?” The two replied, “By our lord’s command, we have come to request that the Princess and Liu Bei return.” With a stern expression, she rebuked them: “It is you worthless fellows who sow discord between my brother and me! I am already married to another, and in returning with my husband today I am certainly not eloping with a lover. I obey my mother’s gracious command that my husband and I return to Jingzhou. Even if my brother himself came, he would still have to act according to propriety. Do you two rely upon the might of your troops and intend to murder me?” She berated the four until they looked uneasily at one another, each thinking, “For ten thousand years they will still be brother and sister. Besides, the Dowager arranged the marriage, and the Marquis of Wu is a most filial son. How would he dare defy his mother’s word? If tomorrow his temper changes, it will be we who are found at fault. Better to do them this favor.” They could not see Liu Bei among the troops; they saw only Zhao Yun, eyes blazing and brows bristling, ready to fight. Thus the four generals repeatedly murmured assent and withdrew. Lady Sun ordered the carriage pushed onward. Xu Sheng said, “Let the four of us go together to see Commander-in-Chief Zhou and report this affair.”

While the four still hesitated, unable to decide, they suddenly saw an army come sweeping toward them like a whirlwind. Looking closer, they recognized Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai. The two generals asked, “Have you seen Liu Bei?” The four replied, “He passed early this morning. Half a day has gone by since then.” Jiang Qin said, “Why did you not seize him?” Each of the four related what Lady Sun had said. Jiang Qin replied, “The Marquis of Wu feared precisely this. He entrusted us with a sword and ordered us first to kill his sister and then behead Liu Bei. Whoever disobeys is to be executed at once!” The four generals said, “They have already gone far. What can be done?” Jiang Qin replied, “In the end, most of them are foot soldiers and cannot travel swiftly. Generals Xu and Ding, ride quickly to report to the Commander-in-Chief and tell him to pursue by water in fast boats. The four of us will pursue along the bank. Whether by water or land, once we overtake them, we shall kill them without heeding anything they say.” Xu Sheng and Ding Feng therefore rode off swiftly to report to Zhou Yu, while Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai, Chen Wu, and Pan Zhang led their troops in pursuit along the river.

Meanwhile, Liu Bei and his company, having put some distance between themselves and Chaisang, reached Liulangpu, and only then did his heart ease a little. They followed the riverbank in search of a ferry, but as far as the eye could see, the broad waters stretched unbroken, with not a single boat in sight. Liu Bei bowed his head in troubled thought. Zhao Yun said, “My lord has escaped from the tiger’s jaws and has now nearly reached our own borders. I am certain the Military Adviser has made arrangements. Why give way to anxious doubts?” When Liu Bei heard this, he suddenly recalled all the splendor and luxury he had enjoyed in Eastern Wu and could not keep mournful tears from falling. A later poet lamented:Where Wu and Shu were joined in wedlock, clear these waters flow;Pearls curtained every screen, and golden mansions glowed.Who knew one woman could hold all beneath heaven light,And seek to change Liu’s will to make three powers unite?

Liu Bei ordered Zhao Yun to scout ahead for boats, but suddenly a report came that dust was rising to the heavens behind them. Liu Bei climbed to high ground and looked. Seeing soldiers and horses covering the earth as they approached, he sighed and said, “After so many days of flight, the men are exhausted and the horses spent; now the pursuers have come again. There is nowhere left for us to die!” The shouts drew steadily nearer. Just when they were in desperate alarm, they suddenly saw more than twenty boats with awnings drawn up, moored in a line along the riverbank. Zhao Yun said, “By heaven’s good fortune, boats are here! Let us row to the opposite bank and decide what to do afterward!”

Liu Bei and Lady Sun hastened aboard a boat. Zilong led the five hundred soldiers aboard the others. Suddenly a man emerged laughing from one of the cabins, wearing a silk cap and Daoist robe, and said, “My lord, rejoice! Zhuge Liang has been waiting here a long time.” All those aboard who were disguised as travelers were sailors from Jingzhou. Liu Bei was overjoyed. Before long, the four generals arrived in pursuit. Kongming pointed laughingly at the men on the bank and said, “I calculated all this long ago. Go back and tell Zhou Yu never again to try his stratagem of using a beauty as bait.” A disorderly volley of arrows came flying from the bank, but the boats had already drawn far away. Jiang Qin and the other three generals could only stare helplessly after them.

As Liu Bei and Kongming proceeded, the thunder of the river suddenly swelled behind them. Looking back, they saw countless warships. Beneath the commander’s banner, Zhou Yu himself led seasoned naval troops, with Huang Gai on his left and Han Dang on his right. They came on with the speed of galloping horses, swift as shooting stars. When they were almost upon them, Kongming ordered the boats rowed to the northern bank. There they abandoned the vessels, went ashore, and hurried onward, carriage and horses taking to the road. Zhou Yu reached the riverbank and likewise put all his men ashore to pursue. Officers and common sailors alike were forced to go on foot; only the commanders and regular cavalry had horses. Zhou Yu rode at the front, followed closely by Huang Gai, Han Dang, Xu Sheng, and Ding Feng. Zhou Yu asked, “What place is this?” A soldier replied, “The border of Huangzhou lies just ahead.” Seeing Liu Bei’s troops and horses not far away, Zhou Yu ordered his men to exert all their strength in pursuit.

In the midst of the pursuit, a drum suddenly sounded, and from within the valley surged a band of swordsmen. At their head was a great general: Guan Yunchang. Zhou Yu lost all composure, wheeled his horse, and fled. Yunchang gave chase, while Zhou Yu spurred his mount for his life. As he raced away, Huang Zhong charged out on the left and Wei Yan on the right, each leading a force. The soldiers of Wu were utterly defeated. When Zhou Yu had at last scrambled aboard his ship, the soldiers on the bank shouted in one voice:“Zhou Yu’s wondrous scheme brought peace beneath the sky—He lost the lady and his soldiers besides!”Zhou Yu cried furiously, “Let us go ashore again and fight them to the death!” Huang Gai and Han Dang restrained him with all their strength. Zhou Yu thought, “My scheme has failed. With what face can I go back to meet the Marquis of Wu?” With a great cry, his old wound burst open, and he collapsed upon the deck. The generals hurried to save him, but he had already lost consciousness. Thus it was:Twice his cunning turned to folly and brought his plans to grief;This day his heart held wrath, yet shame beyond relief.What became of Zhou Yu’s life remains unknown; read the next chapter to learn how events unfold.

Liu Bei Cleverly Rouses Lady Sun; Zhuge Liang Provokes Zhou Yu a Second Time

Now when Xuande saw spears and swords bristling on both sides of Lady Sun’s chamber, and all her maids wearing swords, he could not help turning pale. The chief housekeeper stepped forward and said, “My lord, do not be alarmed. The lady has enjoyed watching martial exercises since childhood, and ordinarily has her maids fence with swords for her amusement. That is why things are arranged this way.” Xuande said, “These are not things a lady should watch. They chill me to the heart. Have them removed for the time being.” The chief housekeeper reported to Lady Sun, “The weapons displayed in the chamber make the honored bridegroom uneasy. They should now be removed.” Lady Sun laughed and said, “He has spent half his life fighting and killing, yet he is still afraid of weapons?” She ordered them all removed and had the maids take off their swords before attending them. That night, Xuande and Lady Sun consummated their marriage, and their affections were entirely harmonious. Xuande also distributed gold and silk among the maids to win their loyalty, then sent Sun Qian back to Jingzhou ahead of him to report the happy news. From then on, there were banquets and drinking for days on end. The Dowager treated him with the greatest affection and respect.

Meanwhile, Sun Quan sent a messenger to Chaisang Commandery to report to Zhou Yu: “My mother insisted on having her way and has already married my younger sister to Liu Bei. I never expected our pretense to become reality. What are we to do now?” Zhou Yu was greatly startled when he heard this. Unable to sit or stand at ease, he devised another plan and wrote a secret letter, which he gave to the messenger to take back to Sun Quan. Sun Quan opened and read it. The letter said in substance: “I never expected the plan I devised to be overturned in this way. Since the pretense has already become reality, we must now turn the situation to our advantage. Liu Bei has the bearing of a ruthless hero, commanders such as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, and, in addition, Zhuge Liang to make his plans. He is certainly not a man who will long submit to another. In my humble opinion, nothing would be better than to keep him comfortably confined in Wu. Build magnificent palaces for him, so that his ambition and resolve may be sapped; send him many beautiful women, amusements, and treasures to delight his eyes and ears; cause the bonds between him and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to weaken, and separate him far from Zhuge Liang’s close counsel. Station each of them in a different place, then attack them with troops, and the great undertaking can be settled. But if we let him go now, I fear it will be like a flood dragon gaining clouds and rain. In the end, he is no creature of the pond. I beg you, my lord, to consider this carefully.”

After Sun Quan had finished reading, he showed the letter to Zhang Zhao. Zhang Zhao said, “Gongjin’s plan agrees exactly with my own humble opinion. Liu Bei rose from the lowest beginnings and has wandered throughout the realm. He has never enjoyed wealth and honor. If we now give him splendid halls and great mansions, women, gold, and silk for his pleasure, he will naturally grow distant from Kongming, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and the others. Once each of them begins to harbor resentment, Jingzhou can then be taken. My lord, you should follow Gongjin’s plan and put it into effect at once.” Sun Quan was delighted. That very day he had the Eastern Residence renovated, planted it lavishly with flowers and trees, furnished it magnificently, and invited Xuande and his sister to live there. He also added several dozen female musicians, along with gold, jade, brocades, fine silks, curios, and other treasures. The Dowager believed Sun Quan was acting entirely from goodwill and was overjoyed. Xuande was indeed captivated by music and sensual pleasures and gave no thought at all to returning to Jingzhou.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yun and his five hundred soldiers were quartered in front of the Eastern Residence. With nothing to do all day, he merely went outside the city to practice archery and ride horses. As the end of the year approached, Zhao Yun suddenly remembered: “Kongming gave me three silk pouches and instructed me to open the first as soon as I reached Nanxu, the second after staying until the end of the year, and the third when we came to a crisis with no way out. Inside them are plans of uncanny ingenuity that can ensure my lord’s safe return home. The year is now nearly over, and my lord is so infatuated with feminine charms that he will not even see me. Why should I not open the second silk pouch and act according to its plan?” He opened it and read what was inside. It was indeed an inspired stratagem. That very day he went straight to the main hall of the residence and asked to see Xuande.

A maid reported, “Zhao Zilong has come with an urgent matter to report to my lord.” Xuande summoned him and asked what it was. Zhao Yun pretended to be terribly alarmed and said, “My lord, you remain secluded in these painted halls, but have you forgotten Jingzhou?” Xuande said, “What has happened to alarm you so?” Zhao Yun said, “Early this morning, Kongming sent a man with word that Cao Cao, seeking revenge for his bitter defeat at Red Cliffs, has raised five hundred thousand crack troops and is advancing on Jingzhou. The danger is extreme, and he asks my lord to return at once.” Xuande said, “I must discuss this with my wife.” Zhao Yun said, “If you discuss it with the lady, she will certainly refuse to let you return. It would be better to say nothing and set out tonight. Any delay will ruin everything.” Xuande said, “Withdraw for the moment. I know what to do.”

Zhao Yun deliberately urged him several more times before leaving. Xuande went in to see Lady Sun and silently shed tears. Lady Sun said, “Husband, why are you so troubled?” Xuande said, “I was thinking how I have drifted alone in a foreign land. While my parents lived, I could not serve them, and now I cannot offer sacrifices to my ancestors. This is the height of disobedience and lack of filial devotion. New Year’s Day is close at hand, and the thought fills me with endless sorrow.” Lady Sun said, “Do not hide the truth from me. I have already heard about it. Zhao Zilong just reported that Jingzhou is in danger. You want to return home, and that is why you have made this excuse.” Xuande knelt and said, “Since you already know, how would I dare conceal it from you? If I do not go and Jingzhou is lost, I will be mocked by everyone in the realm. Yet if I go, I cannot bear to leave you. That is why I am troubled.” Lady Sun said, “Now that I have married you, wherever you go, I will follow.” Xuande said, “Though that is your wish, how could the Dowager and the Marquis of Wu possibly allow you to leave? If you take pity on Liu Bei, then let us part for a time.” When he finished speaking, his tears fell like rain. Lady Sun consoled him, saying, “Husband, do not be troubled. I will plead earnestly with my mother, and she will surely allow me to go with you.” Xuande said, “Even if the Dowager agrees, the Marquis of Wu will certainly stop us.” Lady Sun pondered for a long while, then said, “When we pay our New Year’s respects, I will say that we are going to the riverbank to offer sacrifices to your ancestors. Then we can leave without informing him. What do you think?” Xuande knelt again and thanked her, saying, “If you do this, I will never forget it as long as I live. But you must not let the secret escape.”

The two settled their plan. Xuande secretly summoned Zhao Yun and instructed him, “On New Year’s Day, lead the soldiers out of the city ahead of us and wait on the main road. I will use the pretext of sacrificing to my ancestors and leave with my wife.” Zhao Yun accepted the order. On New Year’s Day, in the first month of spring in the fifteenth year of Jian’an, the Marquis of Wu gathered all his civil and military officials in the great hall. Xuande and Lady Sun went in to pay their respects to the Dowager. Lady Sun said, “My husband has been thinking of the graves of his parents and ancestors, all of which are in Zhuo Commandery, and grieves over them day and night. Today he wishes to go to the riverbank, face north, and offer sacrifices from afar, so we have come to inform Mother.” The Dowager said, “That is an act of filial devotion. How could I refuse? Though you never knew your husband’s parents, you may go with him to offer sacrifices. That will also show the proper conduct of a wife.” Lady Sun and Xuande bowed their thanks and left. Sun Quan alone was kept in the dark. Lady Sun rode in a carriage, taking only the portable valuables she needed. Xuande mounted his horse and led several riders out of the city behind her, where they met Zhao Yun. With five hundred soldiers guarding them before and behind, they left Nanxu and hurried onward.

That day Sun Quan became very drunk, and his attendants helped him into the rear hall. The civil and military officials all dispersed. By the time the officials discovered that Xuande and his wife had fled, it was already dark. They wanted to report to Sun Quan, but he was too drunk to wake. By the time he woke from his sleep, it was already the fifth watch. The next day, when Sun Quan learned that Xuande had escaped, he hurriedly summoned his civil and military officials for consultation. Zhang Zhao said, “Now that this man has escaped, sooner or later he is bound to cause trouble. He must be pursued at once.” Sun Quan ordered Chen Wu and Pan Zhang to select five hundred crack troops and pursue day and night without pause, making certain to overtake and seize him. The two commanders accepted the order and departed. Sun Quan bitterly hated Xuande and smashed the jade inkstone on his table to pieces. Cheng Pu said, “My lord, your rage may reach the heavens, but I believe Chen Wu and Pan Zhang will be unable to capture this man.” Sun Quan said, “How would they dare disobey my order?” Cheng Pu said, “The princess has enjoyed watching martial exercises since childhood. She is stern, resolute, strong-willed, and upright, and all the commanders fear her. Since she has willingly followed Liu Bei, she will surely leave with him of one mind. When the pursuing commanders see the princess, how will they dare lay hands on them?” Sun Quan flew into a rage, drew the sword he wore, and summoned Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai to receive his order. He said, “Take this sword and bring me the heads of both my sister and Liu Bei! Anyone who disobeys is to be beheaded at once!” Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai accepted the order and followed in pursuit with three thousand troops.

Meanwhile, Xuande spurred his horse and gave it free rein, hurrying onward. That night they rested on the road for only two watches before anxiously setting out again. As they approached the border of Chaisang, they saw a great cloud of dust rising behind them. A man reported, “The pursuing troops have arrived!” Xuande anxiously asked Zhao Yun, “Now that the pursuers have come, what are we to do?” Zhao Yun said, “My lord, go on ahead. I will remain behind to face them.” But when they rounded the foot of the hill ahead, a body of troops blocked their way. Two great commanders at their head shouted fiercely, “Liu Bei, dismount at once and submit to capture! By order of Commander-in-Chief Zhou, we have been waiting here for a long time!” Zhou Yu, fearing Xuande might escape, had previously sent Xu Sheng and Ding Feng with three thousand troops to camp and wait at this strategic point. They regularly sent men to high ground to watch the distance, knowing that if Xuande took the overland route, he would have to pass this way. That day, Xu Sheng and Ding Feng’s lookouts spotted Xuande’s party approaching. The two commanders seized their weapons and blocked the road. Xuande was alarmed. Reining back his horse, he asked Zhao Yun, “There are troops blocking us ahead and troops pursuing us from behind. With no road open in either direction, what are we to do?” Zhao Yun said, “My lord, do not panic. The military adviser had three marvelous plans, all placed in silk pouches. We have already opened two, and both have proven effective. The third is still here. He instructed me to open it only when we faced extreme danger. Today the crisis is upon us, so we should open it at once and see what it says.” He opened the silk pouch and presented its contents to Xuande.

After reading it, Xuande hurried to the front of the column and tearfully told Lady Sun, “I have something in my heart that I must now tell you in full and without concealment.” Lady Sun said, “Husband, whatever you have to say, tell me the truth.” Xuande said, “When the Marquis of Wu and Zhou Yu plotted to lure Liu Bei here to marry you, they were not truly considering your welfare. Their purpose was to imprison Liu Bei and seize Jingzhou. Once they had taken Jingzhou, they intended to kill me. They used you as fragrant bait to hook me. I came here without fear of ten thousand deaths because I knew you had the courage and spirit of a man and would surely take pity on me. Yesterday I heard that the Marquis of Wu meant to harm me, so I used the supposed danger in Jingzhou as a pretext to plan my return. Fortunately, you did not abandon me and came this far at my side. Now the Marquis of Wu has sent men in pursuit behind us, while Zhou Yu has sent men to block us ahead. No one but you can free us from this disaster. If you refuse, I ask only to die before your carriage, in repayment for your kindness.”

Lady Sun angrily said, “Since my brother does not treat me as his own flesh and blood, how could I ever face him again? I will resolve today’s danger myself.” She ordered her attendants to push the carriage straight forward, rolled up its curtain, and personally shouted at Xu Sheng and Ding Feng, “Are you two trying to rebel?” The two commanders hurriedly dismounted, threw down their weapons, and stood before the carriage, answering respectfully, “How would we dare rebel? We are acting under Commander-in-Chief Zhou’s orders. He stationed us here specifically to wait for Liu Bei.” Lady Sun flew into a rage and said, “Zhou Yu is a treacherous villain! We of Eastern Wu have never wronged him! Xuande is an Imperial Uncle of the Great Han, and he is my husband. I already informed my mother and brother that we were returning to Jingzhou. Yet now you two have brought troops to the foot of this hill and blocked the road. Do you mean to rob my husband and me of our belongings?” Xu Sheng and Ding Feng repeatedly murmured their submission, saying, “We would not dare. Please calm your anger, my lady. This has nothing to do with us. It is Commander-in-Chief Zhou’s order.” Lady Sun rebuked them: “Are you afraid only of Zhou Yu and not of me? Zhou Yu may be able to kill you, but can I not kill Zhou Yu?” She cursed Zhou Yu at length, then ordered the carriage pushed forward. Xu Sheng and Ding Feng thought to themselves, “We are merely subordinates. How would we dare oppose the princess?” Seeing Zhao Yun’s furious expression as well, they could only order their troops to stand aside and open the main road for them to pass.

They had gone no more than five or six li when Chen Wu and Pan Zhang arrived from behind. Xu Sheng and Ding Feng told them everything that had happened. Chen Wu and Pan Zhang said, “You made a mistake in letting him pass. We have come by order of the Marquis of Wu specifically to pursue and capture him and take him back.” The four commanders joined their forces and hurried in pursuit. As Xuande traveled on, he suddenly heard a tremendous clamor rising behind them. Once more he said to Lady Sun, “The pursuing troops have arrived again. What are we to do?” Lady Sun said, “Husband, go on ahead. Zilong and I will remain behind.” Xuande led three hundred troops ahead toward the riverbank. Zilong reined in his horse beside the carriage, deployed his soldiers, and waited for the approaching commanders. When the four commanders saw Lady Sun, they had no choice but to dismount and stand with hands clasped in salute. Lady Sun said, “Chen Wu and Pan Zhang, what have you come here for?” The two commanders replied, “By our lord’s command, we have come to ask you and Xuande to return.” Lady Sun sternly rebuked them: “It is worthless fellows like you who sow discord between my brother and me! I am already married to another man. In returning with him today, I am certainly not eloping with a lover. I am acting under my mother’s gracious command, which permits my husband and me to return to Jingzhou. Even if my brother himself came, he would still have to act according to proper courtesy. Are you two relying on the force of your troops to murder me?” Her scolding left all four commanders staring at one another. Each thought, “For ten thousand years to come, they will still be brother and sister. What is more, the Dowager arranged the marriage, and the Marquis of Wu is a deeply filial son. How would he dare defy his mother’s words? If tomorrow he changes his mind, we alone will be blamed. Better to do them this favor.” They could not see Xuande among the troops, only Zhao Yun glaring fiercely, ready for battle. The four commanders therefore repeatedly murmured their submission and withdrew. Lady Sun ordered the carriage pushed onward. Xu Sheng said, “The four of us should go together to Commander-in-Chief Zhou and report this matter.”

While the four were still hesitating, they suddenly saw an army approaching like a whirlwind. Looking closer, they saw that it was led by Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai. The two commanders asked, “Have you seen Liu Bei?” The four replied, “He passed this morning. Half a day has already gone by.” Jiang Qin said, “Why did you not seize him?” Each of the four told how Lady Sun had confronted them. Jiang Qin said, “The Marquis of Wu was afraid this very thing would happen. He gave us a sword and ordered us to kill his sister first, then behead Liu Bei. Anyone who disobeys is to be beheaded at once!” The four commanders said, “They have already gone far. What can we do?” Jiang Qin said, “They are still accompanied by foot soldiers and cannot travel quickly. Generals Xu and Ding, ride at once to report to the commander-in-chief and have him pursue by water in fast boats. The four of us will pursue along the bank. Whether by water or land, once we overtake them, we will kill them without listening to anything they say.” Xu Sheng and Ding Feng therefore rode swiftly to report to Zhou Yu, while Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai, Chen Wu, and Pan Zhang led their troops in pursuit along the river.

Meanwhile, Xuande’s party had traveled far from Chaisang and reached Liulangpu, where at last he felt slightly relieved. They followed the riverbank looking for a crossing, but as far as the eye could see, the broad river stretched away with not a single boat in sight. Xuande lowered his head and pondered. Zhao Yun said, “My lord, you have escaped from the tiger’s jaws and are now close to our own territory. I am certain the military adviser has made arrangements. Why trouble yourself with doubts?” After hearing this, Xuande suddenly remembered all the luxury and splendor he had enjoyed in Eastern Wu, and tears of sorrow fell from his eyes. A later poet sighed:

Wu and Shu made a marriage beside these clear waters;Pearls adorned the screens, and gold filled the house.Who knew one woman would make light of all beneath Heaven,Hoping to change Liu’s resolve to stand as one leg of the tripod?

Xuande ordered Zhao Yun to scout ahead for boats. Suddenly a report came that dust was rising to the sky behind them. Xuande climbed to high ground and looked. Seeing troops and horses covering the land as they approached, he sighed and said, “After traveling for days, the men are exhausted and the horses spent. Now the pursuing troops have arrived again. There is nowhere for us to die!” The shouts drew steadily nearer. Just as they were in desperate panic, they suddenly saw more than twenty boats with awnings moored in a row along the riverbank. Zhao Yun said, “By Heaven’s good fortune, there are boats here! Let us row to the opposite bank, then decide what to do!”

Xuande and Lady Sun hurried aboard. Zilong led all five hundred soldiers onto the boats as well. Suddenly a man emerged from one of the cabins wearing a silk headscarf and a Daoist robe. Laughing loudly, he said, “My lord, rejoice! Zhuge Liang has been waiting here for a long time.” Those disguised as travelers aboard the boats were all sailors from Jingzhou. Xuande was overjoyed. Before long, the four commanders reached the shore. Kongming pointed at the men on the bank and said with a laugh, “I calculated all of this long ago. Go back and tell Zhou Yu not to use any more beauty-trap schemes.” A shower of arrows came from the bank, but the boats had already pulled far away. Jiang Qin and the other three commanders could only stare helplessly.

As Xuande and Kongming traveled onward, the roar of the river suddenly swelled behind them. They looked back and saw countless warships. Beneath the commander’s banner, Zhou Yu personally led his veteran naval forces, with Huang Gai on his left and Han Dang on his right, moving with the force of galloping horses and the speed of shooting stars. As they were about to catch up, Kongming ordered the boats rowed toward the northern bank. They abandoned the boats, went ashore, and continued their journey with carriage and horses. When Zhou Yu reached the riverbank, his forces also disembarked and pursued. All the naval troops, high and low, had to travel on foot; only the leading officers and soldiers had horses. Zhou Yu rode at the front, with Huang Gai, Han Dang, Xu Sheng, and Ding Feng following close behind. Zhou Yu asked, “What place is this?” A soldier answered, “The border of Huangzhou lies ahead.” Seeing Xuande’s troops and horses not far away, Zhou Yu ordered his men to exert all their strength in pursuit.

While they were pursuing, a drum suddenly sounded, and a troop of swordsmen surged out from the mountain valley. The great commander at their head was Guan Yunchang. Zhou Yu lost all composure and hurriedly wheeled his horse around to flee. Yunchang charged after him, and Zhou Yu spurred his horse in a desperate escape. As he fled, Huang Zhong attacked from the left and Wei Yan from the right, each leading a body of troops. The soldiers of Wu suffered a crushing defeat. Just as Zhou Yu hurried aboard his boat, all the soldiers on the bank shouted in unison, “Zhou Yu’s brilliant scheme brings peace beneath Heaven—he lost the lady and his troops as well!” Zhou Yu angrily cried, “Let us go ashore again and fight them to the death!” Huang Gai and Han Dang forcibly restrained him. Zhou Yu thought to himself, “My plan has failed. How can I face the Marquis of Wu?” With a great cry, his old wound burst open, and he collapsed on the boat. The commanders hurried to save him, but he had already lost consciousness. Truly:

Twice his clever schemes turned back upon him;Today his anger brought him only shame.

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