Chapter 75

Guan Yu Endures the Scraping of Poison from His Bone; Lü Meng Crosses the River in White Robes

Now Cao Ren, seeing Lord Guan fall from his horse, led his troops charging out of the city; but Guan Ping drove them back with a fierce assault, rescued Lord Guan, and brought him to camp, where the arrow was drawn from his arm. The arrowhead, however, had been drugged, and the poison had already entered the bone. His right arm was livid and swollen and could not be moved. In alarm, Guan Ping consulted the other officers, saying, “If my father loses the use of this arm, how can he face the enemy? We had better return to Jingzhou for a time so that he may recover.” Thereupon, he and the officers entered Lord Guan’s tent. Lord Guan asked, “What brings you all here?” They replied, “Seeing that my lord’s right arm has been injured, we fear that anger in the face of the enemy may cause you to overexert yourself and hamper your movements. We have agreed that the army should withdraw temporarily to Jingzhou while you recover.” Lord Guan angrily declared, “The taking of Fan Castle is close at hand! Once I have taken Fan Castle, I shall press forward in one long drive straight to Xudu, destroy the traitor Cao, and bring peace to the House of Han. How can a trifling wound be allowed to ruin a great enterprise? Do you dare weaken the resolve of my army?” Guan Ping and the others withdrew in silence.

When the officers saw that Lord Guan would not withdraw and that his wound would not heal, they had no choice but to seek far and wide for a renowned physician. Then one day a man arrived from Jiangdong in a small boat and came directly before the camp. A junior officer conducted him to Guan Ping. Guan Ping looked the man over: he wore a square kerchief and a loose robe, and carried a green satchel over his arm. He gave his name, saying that he was from Qiao County in the state of Pei, that his surname was Hua, his personal name Tuo, and his style Yuanhua. “I heard that General Guan is a hero of the realm and has now been struck by a poisoned arrow, so I came expressly to treat him.” Guan Ping asked, “Are you not the man who once treated Zhou Tai of Eastern Wu?” Hua Tuo replied, “I am.” Overjoyed, Guan Ping and the officers immediately conducted Hua Tuo into the tent to see Lord Guan. At the time Lord Guan’s arm was aching, but for fear of disheartening the army he showed nothing; having no other diversion, he was playing a game of chess with Ma Liang. When he heard that a physician had arrived, he at once summoned him. After the courtesies had been exchanged, Hua Tuo was given a seat. When tea had been served, Hua Tuo asked to examine the arm. Lord Guan slipped his robe from his shoulder and extended his arm for Hua Tuo to inspect. Hua Tuo said, “This wound was made by a crossbow bolt smeared with aconite. The poison has penetrated directly into the bone. Unless it is treated soon, this arm will be useless.” Lord Guan asked, “What must be used to cure it?” Hua Tuo replied, “I have a method of treatment, but I fear my lord may be afraid.” Lord Guan laughed. “I look upon death as a return home. What have I to fear?” Hua Tuo said, “In a quiet place, a post must be erected with a large iron ring fixed to it. My lord must place his arm through the ring and have it bound fast with a rope; then his head must be covered with a quilt. I shall use a sharp knife to cut through the flesh down to the bone, scrape away the arrow poison from the bone, apply medicine, and stitch up the wound. Only then will all danger be past. But I fear my lord may be afraid.” Lord Guan laughed and said, “If it is so simple, what need is there for a post and ring?” He ordered a banquet prepared for Hua Tuo.

After Lord Guan had drunk several cups of wine, he went on playing chess with Ma Liang and stretched out his arm for Hua Tuo to cut. Hua Tuo took a sharp knife in hand and ordered a junior officer to hold a large basin beneath the arm to catch the blood. Hua Tuo said, “I am about to begin. My lord, do not be alarmed.” Lord Guan replied, “Treat me as you will. Am I one of the common men of this world, to be afraid of pain?” Hua Tuo then cut through the flesh down to the bone, which had already turned green. He scraped the bone with his knife, making a rasping sound. Everyone inside and outside the tent covered his face and turned pale at the sight. But Lord Guan drank wine, ate meat, talked, laughed, and played chess, without the least sign of pain. Before long, blood had filled the basin to the brim. Hua Tuo scraped away all the poison, applied medicine, and stitched the wound with thread. Lord Guan rose with a great laugh and said to the officers, “This arm now bends and stretches as before, and there is no pain at all. The Master is truly a divine physician!” Hua Tuo said, “In all my life as a physician, I have never seen the like. My lord is truly a god from Heaven!” A later poet wrote:

In treating illness, outward and inward arts must be known;Yet wondrous skills are all too rare beneath the sky.For godlike courage none can match General Guan;For healing hands, let Hua Tuo’s name be praised on high.

When Lord Guan’s arrow wound had healed, he gave a banquet to thank Hua Tuo most graciously. Hua Tuo said, “Though my lord’s wound has been treated, you must still take care of it. Above all, do not let anger cause you to strain or jar it. After a hundred days it will be entirely restored to its former state.” Lord Guan offered him a hundred taels of gold in reward. Hua Tuo said, “I had heard of my lord’s lofty righteousness and came expressly to treat you. How could I have hoped for payment?” He firmly refused to accept it, left a packet of medicine to be applied to the wound, and took his leave.

Now Lord Guan’s capture of Yu Jin and execution of Pang De caused his fame and might to resound throughout the realm, and all the heartland stood amazed. Scouts carried the news to Xudu. Cao Cao was greatly alarmed and summoned his civil and military officers to deliberate. He said, “I have long known that Yunchang’s wisdom and valor surpass those of his age. Now that he holds Jingzhou and Xiangyang, he is like a tiger that has grown wings. Yu Jin has been captured, Pang De has been slain, and the edge of the Wei armies has been blunted. If Guan Yu should lead his forces straight to Xudu, what are we to do? I wish to move the capital to escape him.” Sima Yi remonstrated, “That must not be done. Yu Jin and the others were overwhelmed by floodwater, not defeated in battle; the larger affairs of the state have suffered no essential harm. Sun Quan and Liu Bei are now estranged. Yunchang’s triumph cannot please Sun Quan. Your Majesty should send an envoy to Eastern Wu to explain the advantages and dangers, and induce Sun Quan secretly to raise troops and fall upon Yunchang’s rear. Promise that, when the affair is settled, territory south of the Yangtze will be ceded to enfeoff Sun Quan. Then the danger to Fan Castle will resolve itself.” Jiang Ji, Master of Records, said, “Zhongda’s counsel is sound. An envoy should be sent to Eastern Wu at once; there is no need to move the capital and disturb the people.” Cao Cao accepted their advice and abandoned the plan to move the capital. Then, sighing, he said to his generals, “Yu Jin has followed me for thirty years. Who would have expected that in the face of danger he would prove inferior to Pang De? On one hand, I shall send an envoy with a letter to Eastern Wu; on the other, I must find a great general able to withstand Yunchang’s fierce advance.” Before he had finished, a general stepped out below the dais and cried, “I am willing to go!” Cao Cao looked and saw that it was Xu Huang. Greatly pleased, he assigned him fifty thousand picked troops, appointed Lü Jian as his deputy, and ordered him to march on a fixed day and encamp first at Yangling Slope. There he was to await a response from the southeast before advancing.

Now Sun Quan received Cao Cao’s letter and, after reading it, gladly consented. He wrote a reply and sent the envoy back ahead of him, then assembled his civil and military officers for consultation. Zhang Zhao said, “We have lately heard that Yunchang captured Yu Jin and beheaded Pang De, and that his might has shaken the realm. Cao Cao wishes to move his capital to escape the point of his attack. Now that Fan Castle is in desperate straits, he has sent an envoy seeking our aid; but once the affair is settled, I fear he may go back on his word.” Before Sun Quan could answer, a report suddenly came that Lü Meng had arrived from Lukou in a small boat and wished to present a matter in person. Sun Quan summoned him and asked what it was. Lü Meng said, “Yunchang has now led his army away to besiege Fan Castle. We may take advantage of his distant expedition and strike to seize Jingzhou.” Sun Quan said, “I wish to take Xuzhou in the north. What do you think?” Lü Meng replied, “Cao Cao is now far away in Hebei and has no leisure to turn his attention eastward. Xuzhou has few defenders, and if we attack, it can certainly be taken. But its terrain favors land warfare, not naval warfare; even if we gain it, it will be difficult to hold. Better first to take Jingzhou, secure complete command of the Yangtze, and then devise greater plans.” Sun Quan said, “My true intention was to take Jingzhou. What I said before was only to test you. Devise a plan for me without delay. I shall soon raise the army and follow.” Lü Meng took leave of Sun Quan and returned to Lukou. Scouts were already reporting, “All along the Yangtze, at intervals of twenty or thirty li, beacon towers have been erected on every height.” He also heard that the troops of Jingzhou were orderly and vigilant, with precautions prepared in advance. Greatly alarmed, Lü Meng said, “If matters stand thus, it will be difficult to accomplish anything quickly. Before the Marquis of Wu I urged the taking of Jingzhou; how am I to proceed now?” Unable to devise a plan, he feigned illness and remained indoors, sending a man to report to Sun Quan. When Sun Quan heard that Lü Meng was ill, he was deeply displeased. Lu Xun stepped forward and said, “Lü Ziming’s illness is feigned, not real.” Sun Quan said, “Since Boyan knows it is a pretense, you may go and visit him.”

Lu Xun accepted the command and that night reached the camp at Lukou. When he came to see Lü Meng, there was indeed no sign of illness in his face. Lu Xun said, “By command of the Marquis of Wu, I have respectfully come to inquire after Ziming’s honored illness.” Lü Meng said, “This unworthy body happens to be ill. Why trouble yourself to inquire?” Lu Xun said, “The Marquis of Wu has entrusted you with a weighty charge, yet instead of seizing the moment to act, you brood in idleness. Why is that?” Lü Meng fixed his eyes on Lu Xun and remained silent for a long while. Lu Xun continued, “I have a small prescription that may cure the general’s illness, though I do not know whether it can be used.” Lü Meng dismissed his attendants and asked, “Boyan, pray instruct me at once in this excellent remedy.” Lu Xun smiled. “Ziming’s illness arises from nothing more than the strict order of the Jingzhou troops and the beacon towers prepared along the river. I have a plan that will leave the officers guarding the river unable to raise the signal fires, while the troops of Jingzhou surrender with their hands bound. Would that serve?” Startled, Lü Meng thanked him and said, “Boyan’s words show that you see into my very heart. I beg to hear your excellent plan.” Lu Xun said, “Yunchang relies upon his own heroic prowess and considers himself invincible. The only man he fears is you, General. Take advantage of this opportunity: feign illness and resign your command, yielding the post at Lukou to someone else. Have that man address Lord Guan in humble language and lavish praise upon him, thereby feeding his pride. He will surely withdraw all the troops from Jingzhou and send them toward Fan Castle. Once Jingzhou is undefended, a single force, employing an unexpected stratagem, can strike and seize it. Then Jingzhou will lie in the palm of our hand.” Lü Meng was overjoyed. “A truly excellent plan!”

Accordingly, Lü Meng feigned an illness that kept him from rising and submitted a memorial resigning his command. Lu Xun returned to Sun Quan and related the entire plan. Sun Quan then summoned Lü Meng back to Jianye to recover from his illness. Upon arriving, Lü Meng entered to see Sun Quan. Sun Quan said, “For the command at Lukou, Zhou Gongjin once recommended Lu Zijing to succeed him; later Zijing recommended you as his own successor. Now you, too, must recommend a man of both talent and eminent reputation to take your place.” Lü Meng replied, “If you appoint a man of great reputation, Yunchang will certainly be on his guard. Lu Xun is deep in judgment and far-seeing, yet has no widespread fame, so Yunchang will not regard him as a threat. If he is appointed at once to replace me, he will surely bring the enterprise to success.” Sun Quan was delighted. That very day he appointed Lu Xun General of the Household and Right Area Commander, replacing Lü Meng as defender of Lukou. Lu Xun declined, saying, “I am young and unlearned. I fear I am unequal to this great responsibility.” Sun Quan said, “Ziming has vouched for you; there can be no mistake. You must not refuse.” Lu Xun then bowed and accepted the seals of office. Traveling through the night, he reached Lukou. When the transfer of the cavalry, infantry, and naval forces had been completed, he wrote a letter, prepared gifts of fine horses, rare brocades, wine, and other tokens of respect, and sent an envoy to carry them to Fan Castle and present them to Lord Guan.

At this time Lord Guan was resting his arrow wound and keeping his troops inactive. Suddenly it was reported: “Lü Meng, the Eastern Wu commander at Lukou, is gravely ill. Sun Quan has recalled him to recuperate and recently appointed Lu Xun as general in his place to guard Lukou. Lu Xun has now sent a man bearing a letter and gifts, who has come expressly to pay his respects.” Lord Guan summoned the envoy and, pointing at him, said, “Zhongmou is shallow in judgment, to make this callow youth a general!” Prostrating himself, the envoy said, “General Lu has presented a letter and prepared these gifts, first to offer his congratulations to my lord, and second to seek amity between our two houses. I beg that you graciously deign to accept them.” Lord Guan opened the letter and read it; its language was humble and deferential in the extreme. When he had finished, he threw back his head and laughed, ordered his attendants to accept the gifts, and dismissed the envoy to return. The envoy went back to Lu Xun and said, “Lord Guan was delighted and no longer shows the least concern about Jiangdong.”

Lu Xun was overjoyed. He secretly sent men to investigate and learned that Lord Guan had indeed withdrawn more than half the troops from Jingzhou and sent them to Fan Castle to await his commands. As soon as his arrow wound had fully healed, he intended to advance. Once Lu Xun had learned all the particulars, he sent a man riding through the night to report them to Sun Quan. Sun Quan summoned Lü Meng and consulted him, saying, “Now Yunchang has indeed withdrawn the troops from Jingzhou to attack Fan Castle. We may devise a plan to strike and seize Jingzhou. What if you and my younger kinsman Sun Jiao lead the great army there together?” Sun Jiao, whose style was Shuming, was the second son of Sun Quan’s uncle Sun Jing. Lü Meng replied, “If my lord believes Meng fit to employ, then employ Meng alone; if he believes Shuming fit to employ, then employ Shuming alone. Have you not heard how Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu were once appointed Left and Right Area Commanders? Though decisions rested with Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu, considering himself a veteran minister yet placed beneath Zhou Yu, was often at odds with him. Only after he had witnessed Zhou Yu’s ability did he begin to respect and obey him. My talents do not equal Zhou Yu’s, while Shuming’s kinship with my lord is closer than Cheng Pu’s was. I fear we may not be able to work together successfully.”

Sun Quan at once understood and appointed Lü Meng Chief Commander, giving him supreme control over all the forces of Jiangdong, while ordering Sun Jiao to follow in support with provisions and supplies. Lü Meng bowed his thanks and mustered thirty thousand troops and more than eighty swift boats. He selected men skilled on the water and disguised them as merchants, all dressed in white garments and working the oars aboard the boats, while picked soldiers lay concealed inside the great warships. He next ordered seven great generals—Han Dang, Jiang Qin, Zhu Ran, Pan Zhang, Zhou Tai, Xu Sheng, and Ding Feng—to advance one after another. All the remaining forces were to accompany the Marquis of Wu as a reserve and provide support. On one hand, he sent an envoy with a letter to Cao Cao, urging him to advance and strike Yunchang from the rear; on the other, he first informed Lu Xun of the plan, and then dispatched the white-clad men in swift boats toward the Xunyang reaches of the Yangtze. Pressing onward day and night, they came directly to the northern bank. When the guards at the riverside beacon towers challenged them, the men of Wu replied, “We are all traveling merchants. The wind has held us back on the river, so we have come here to take shelter.” They then presented goods to the soldiers guarding the towers. The soldiers believed them and allowed them to moor beside the river.

At about the second watch, the picked soldiers poured out of the warships and bound the government troops atop the beacon towers. At a single secret signal, the troops from all eighty-odd vessels rose together and seized the soldiers stationed at every strategic tower and outpost, taking them all aboard the boats without allowing a single man to escape. They then drove swiftly forward and headed straight for Jingzhou, with no one aware of their coming. As they drew near Jingzhou, Lü Meng spoke kindly to the government soldiers captured from the riverside outposts, soothed their fears, and rewarded each man generously. He then ordered them to trick the guards into opening the city gates and to light a fire as a signal. The soldiers accepted the command, and Lü Meng had them lead the way. By midnight they reached the foot of the walls and called for the gates to be opened. The gatekeepers recognized them as soldiers of Jingzhou and opened the gates. With a single shout, the troops rushed in and kindled the signal fire just inside. The soldiers of Wu entered together and seized Jingzhou in a surprise attack. Lü Meng immediately issued an order throughout the army: “Anyone who wantonly kills a single person or takes so much as one article from the people shall without fail be punished under military law.” All officials formerly in office were retained in their original posts. Lord Guan’s family was lodged separately in another residence, and no idlers were permitted to disturb them. At the same time, Lü Meng sent a man to report the victory to Sun Quan.

One day, during a heavy rain, Lü Meng mounted his horse and, accompanied by several riders, went to inspect the four gates. Suddenly he saw a man take a bamboo-leaf rain hat from a commoner and use it to cover his armor. Lü Meng shouted for his attendants to seize the man and question him. He proved to be one of Lü Meng’s own countrymen. Lü Meng said, “Though you are from my native district, my command has already been issued. You have deliberately violated it and must be dealt with under military law.” The man pleaded through his tears, “I feared the rain would damage government armor, and so I took the hat to cover it, not for my private use. I beg the general to remember the bond between men of the same district.” Lü Meng said, “I know full well that you used it to cover government armor, yet you still should not have taken anything belonging to the people.” He shouted for his attendants to drag the man away and behead him. After the severed head had been displayed as a warning, Lü Meng recovered the body and buried it with tears. From that time onward, the whole army stood in awed discipline.

Within a few days, Sun Quan arrived with his forces. Lü Meng went outside the city to welcome him and conducted him into the government offices. After Sun Quan had commended and rewarded him, he appointed Pan Jun Administrative Aide and placed him in charge of the affairs of Jingzhou. He released Yu Jin from confinement and sent him back to Cao Cao, reassured the people, rewarded the troops, and held a banquet to celebrate. Sun Quan said to Lü Meng, “Jingzhou is now ours, but Fu Shiren holds Gong’an and Mi Fang holds Nan Commandery. How are these two places to be recovered?” Before he had finished, a man stepped forward and said, “There is no need to draw a bow or loose an arrow. With my three-inch, never-rotting tongue, I shall persuade Fu Shiren of Gong’an to come and surrender. Will that serve?” They looked and saw that it was Yu Fan. Sun Quan said, “Zhongxiang, what excellent plan have you for inducing Fu Shiren to submit?” Yu Fan replied, “I have been on intimate terms with Shiren since my youth. If I go now and explain the advantages and perils, he will certainly submit.” Sun Quan was delighted and ordered Yu Fan to take five hundred soldiers and hasten directly to Gong’an.

Now when Fu Shiren heard that Jingzhou had fallen, he hurriedly ordered the city gates shut and prepared a stout defense. Upon arriving and finding the gates tightly closed, Yu Fan wrote a letter, tied it to an arrow, and shot it into the city. A soldier picked it up and presented it to Fu Shiren. Shiren opened the letter and read it; it urged him to surrender. When he had finished, he recalled Lord Guan’s resentment toward him at the time of his departure and thought it better to surrender without delay. He therefore ordered the gates thrown wide and invited Yu Fan into the city. After exchanging courtesies, the two recounted the old friendship between them. Yu Fan spoke of the Marquis of Wu’s generosity and magnanimity, and of his courtesy toward worthy men and humility toward able subordinates. Fu Shiren was overjoyed. He immediately accompanied Yu Fan, carrying his seals and ribbons of office, to surrender at Jingzhou. Sun Quan was greatly pleased and ordered him to return to his post at Gong’an. Lü Meng said privately to Sun Quan, “Yunchang has not yet been captured. If Shiren is left at Gong’an, in time there will surely be trouble. Better to send him to Nan Commandery to induce Mi Fang to surrender.” Sun Quan therefore summoned Fu Shiren and said, “Mi Fang is on close terms with you. You may go and bring him over to surrender, and I shall certainly reward you handsomely.” Fu Shiren readily accepted the command and, leading more than ten riders, hastened directly to Nan Commandery to win over Mi Fang. Truly:

Today Gong’an lacks the will to stand;Long since Wang Fu gave counsel wise and true.

What came of this journey will be revealed in the chapter that follows.

Guan Yu Endures the Scraping of Poison from His Bone; Lü Meng Crosses the River in White Robes

Now Cao Ren, seeing Guan Yu fall from his horse, led his troops charging out of the city. Guan Ping drove them back with a fierce assault, rescued Guan Yu, and returned with him to camp, where the arrow was pulled from his arm. It turned out that the arrowhead had been coated with poison, which had already penetrated to the bone. Guan Yu’s right arm was blue and swollen, and he could not move it. Alarmed, Guan Ping consulted the other officers, saying, “If my father loses the use of this arm, how can he face the enemy? We had better return to Jingzhou for the time being so he can recover.” He and the other officers then entered Guan Yu’s tent. Guan Yu asked, “What have you all come about?” They replied, “We have seen that Your Lordship’s right arm is injured, and we fear that when you face the enemy, anger may cause you to aggravate the wound and hinder you in combat. We have agreed that the army should temporarily withdraw to Jingzhou so you can recover.” Guan Yu said angrily, “The capture of Fan Castle is now within my grasp. Once I have taken Fan Castle, I will drive straight onward to the capital at Xu, wipe out the traitor Cao, and bring peace to the imperial house of Han. How can I let a minor wound interfere with this great undertaking? Do you dare weaken the resolve of my army?” Guan Ping and the others withdrew in silence.

When the officers saw that Guan Yu refused to withdraw and that his wound would not heal, they had no choice but to search everywhere for a famous physician. Suddenly, one day, a man arrived from the Southland by small boat and came straight to the camp. A junior officer brought him before Guan Ping. Guan Ping looked the man over: he wore a square cap and a loose robe, and carried a green medicine bag over his arm. He gave his name, saying that he was from Qiao County in the state of Pei, that his surname was Hua, his given name Tuo, and his courtesy name Yuanhua. “I heard that General Guan is a hero without equal in the world and has now been struck by a poisoned arrow, so I have come especially to treat him.” Guan Ping said, “Are you not the physician who once treated Zhou Tai of Eastern Wu?” Hua Tuo said, “I am.” Guan Ping was overjoyed and, together with the other officers, escorted Hua Tuo into Guan Yu’s tent. At the time, Guan Yu’s arm was hurting, but because he feared weakening the army’s morale and had no other way to distract himself, he was playing a game of Go with Ma Liang. When he heard that a physician had arrived, he summoned him inside. After the formal greetings, Hua Tuo was offered a seat. When they had finished their tea, Hua Tuo asked to examine Guan Yu’s arm. Guan Yu bared his shoulder and extended his arm for Hua Tuo to inspect. Hua Tuo said, “This wound was caused by a crossbow bolt coated with aconite poison. The poison has penetrated all the way to the bone. If it is not treated quickly, this arm will become useless.” Guan Yu asked, “How will you treat it?” Hua Tuo said, “I have a method, but I fear Your Lordship may be afraid.” Guan Yu laughed. “I regard death as a return home. What is there to fear?” Hua Tuo said, “We must set up a post in a quiet place and fasten a large iron ring to it. Your Lordship must put your arm through the ring so it can be tied in place with rope, and then your head must be covered with a quilt. I will use a sharp knife to cut through the flesh all the way to the bone, scrape the arrow poison from the bone, apply medicine, and sew up the wound with thread. Only then will you be safe. But I fear Your Lordship may be afraid.” Guan Yu laughed. “If it is that simple, what need is there for a post and ring?” He ordered a banquet prepared for Hua Tuo.

After Guan Yu had drunk several cups of wine, he continued playing Go with Ma Liang while extending his arm for Hua Tuo to cut. Hua Tuo took a sharp knife in hand and ordered a junior officer to hold a large basin beneath Guan Yu’s arm to catch the blood. Hua Tuo said, “I am about to begin. Your Lordship must not be alarmed.” Guan Yu said, “Treat me as you see fit. Am I like the ordinary men of this world, who are afraid of pain?” Hua Tuo then cut through the flesh all the way to the bone, which had already turned blue. He scraped the bone with his knife, producing a grating sound. Everyone inside and outside the tent covered their faces and turned pale at the sight. But Guan Yu drank wine, ate meat, talked and laughed, and played Go without showing the least sign of pain. Before long, blood filled the basin. Hua Tuo scraped away all the poison, applied medicine, and sewed up the wound with thread. Guan Yu rose with a great laugh and said to his officers, “This arm moves and stretches just as it did before, and there is no pain at all. Sir, you truly are a divine physician!” Hua Tuo said, “In all my life as a physician, I have never seen anything like this. Your Lordship truly is a god!” A later poet wrote:In treating illness, inner and outer arts must be distinguished;Yet wondrous skill is all too rare beneath the skies.For godlike courage, none can match General Guan;For a healer’s sacred hand, men speak of Hua Tuo.

Once Guan Yu’s arrow wound had healed, he held a banquet to thank Hua Tuo warmly. Hua Tuo said, “Although Your Lordship’s arrow wound has been treated, you must still take care of it. You must never let anger cause you to strain or injure it. After one hundred days, it will be completely restored.” Guan Yu offered him one hundred taels of gold as payment. Hua Tuo said, “I heard of Your Lordship’s lofty righteousness and came especially to treat you. How could I have hoped for a reward?” He firmly refused to accept it, left behind a packet of medicine to be applied to the wound, then took his leave and departed.

Now Guan Yu’s capture of Yu Jin and execution of Pang De greatly increased his fame, and all the heartland of China trembled. Scouts carried the news to the capital at Xu. Cao Cao was deeply alarmed and gathered his civil and military officials for counsel. He said, “I have always known that Yunchang’s wisdom and courage surpass those of his age. Now that he holds Jingzhou and Xiangyang, he is like a tiger that has grown wings. Yu Jin has been captured, Pang De has been executed, and the edge of Wei’s army has been blunted. If he leads his troops straight to the capital at Xu, what are we to do? I wish to move the capital to avoid him.” Sima Yi advised, “You must not. Yu Jin and the others were overwhelmed by floodwater, not defeated in battle, so in terms of the state’s larger strategy, no real harm has been done. Now that Sun Quan and Liu Bei are no longer on good terms, Sun Quan will certainly be displeased by Yunchang’s success. Your Majesty can send an envoy to Eastern Wu to explain the advantages and dangers, and have Sun Quan secretly raise troops to strike at Yunchang from behind. Promise that once the affair is settled, territory south of the Yangtze will be granted to Sun Quan as his fief. Then the danger to Fan Castle will resolve itself.” Chief Clerk Jiang Ji said, “Zhongda is right. We should send an envoy to Eastern Wu at once. There is no need to move the capital and disturb the people.” Cao Cao agreed and abandoned the plan to move the capital. He then sighed and said to his officers, “Yu Jin followed me for thirty years. Who could have expected that in a crisis he would prove inferior to Pang De? Now, while sending an envoy with a letter to Eastern Wu, I must also find a great general able to withstand Yunchang’s onslaught.” Before he had finished speaking, a general stepped forward from below the stairs and answered, “I am willing to go.” Cao Cao looked and saw that it was Xu Huang. He was delighted and assigned him fifty thousand elite troops, with Lü Jian as his deputy. He ordered them to set out on the appointed day, advance to Yangling Slope, and encamp there. Once support appeared in the southeast, they were to advance against the enemy.

Now Sun Quan received Cao Cao’s letter. After reading it, he gladly agreed. He wrote a reply and sent the envoy back ahead of him, then gathered his civil and military officials for counsel. Zhang Zhao said, “We recently heard that Yunchang captured Yu Jin and executed Pang De, shaking all the heartland of China with his might. Cao Cao wanted to move the capital to avoid his attack. Now that Fan Castle is in grave danger, he has sent an envoy to ask for our aid, but once the matter is settled, I fear he may go back on his word.” Before Sun Quan could speak, a report suddenly arrived that Lü Meng had come from Lukou by small boat and had important business to report in person. Sun Quan summoned him and asked what it was. Lü Meng said, “Yunchang has now led his army away to besiege Fan Castle. We can take advantage of his absence to make a surprise attack and seize Jingzhou.” Sun Quan said, “I intend to march north and take Xuzhou. What do you think?” Lü Meng said, “Cao Cao is now far away in Hebei and has no time to look eastward. Xuzhou has few defenders and could certainly be taken. But its terrain favors warfare on land, not on water, so even if we captured it, it would be difficult to hold. It would be better to take Jingzhou first, gain full control of the Yangtze, and then devise further plans.” Sun Quan said, “My original intention was to take Jingzhou. What I said before was only to test you. Quickly devise a plan for me. I will then raise the army and follow behind.” Lü Meng took leave of Sun Quan and returned to Lukou. Scouts were already reporting, “All along the river, at intervals of twenty or thirty li, beacon towers have been built on the high ground.” He also heard that Jingzhou’s troops were disciplined and orderly and had made preparations in advance. Lü Meng was deeply alarmed and said, “If this is so, it will be difficult to carry out the plan quickly. In a moment of enthusiasm, I advised the Marquis of Wu to take Jingzhou. What am I to do now?” Unable to think of a solution, he pretended to be ill and remained indoors, sending someone to report to Sun Quan. When Sun Quan heard that Lü Meng was ill, he was greatly troubled. Lu Xun stepped forward and said, “Lü Ziming’s illness is only a pretense. He is not truly sick.” Sun Quan said, “Since Boyan knows that he is pretending, you may go and visit him.”

Lu Xun accepted the order and arrived at the camp in Lukou that night. When he came to see Lü Meng, there was indeed no sign of illness on his face. Lu Xun said, “By order of the Marquis of Wu, I have respectfully come to inquire after Ziming’s illness.” Lü Meng said, “I happen to be slightly ill. There was no need to trouble yourself to inquire.” Lu Xun said, “The Marquis of Wu has entrusted you with a great responsibility, yet instead of seizing the opportunity to act, you remain here weighed down by anxiety. Why?” Lü Meng stared at Lu Xun and said nothing for a long while. Lu Xun continued, “I have a small remedy that can cure the general’s illness, though I do not know whether it can be used.” Lü Meng then dismissed everyone around them and asked, “Boyan, please teach me your excellent remedy without delay.” Lu Xun smiled and said, “Ziming’s illness is caused by nothing more than the disciplined forces in Jingzhou and the beacon towers prepared along the river. I have a plan that will leave the guards along the river unable to light their signals and make the troops of Jingzhou surrender without resistance. Would that serve?” Startled, Lü Meng thanked him and said, “Boyan’s words show that you can see into my heart. I wish to hear your excellent plan.” Lu Xun said, “Yunchang relies on his own heroic ability and believes that he has no equal. The only man he fears is you, General. Take this opportunity to plead illness and resign your command, yielding the post at Lukou to someone else. Have that man use humble language to praise Guan Yu and make him arrogant. He will certainly withdraw all the troops from Jingzhou and send them against Fan Castle. If Jingzhou is left undefended, a single force using an unexpected stratagem can make a surprise attack, and Jingzhou will be in the palm of our hand.” Lü Meng was overjoyed. “That truly is an excellent plan!”

Lü Meng accordingly pretended to be too ill to rise and submitted a memorial resigning his command. Lu Xun returned to see Sun Quan and gave him a full account of the plan. Sun Quan then recalled Lü Meng to Jianye to recover from his illness. When Lü Meng arrived, he went in to see Sun Quan. Sun Quan asked, “When Zhou Gongjin once held the command at Lukou, he recommended Lu Zijing to succeed him. Later, Zijing recommended you to succeed him. Now you too must recommend a man of both great talent and high reputation to take your place.” Lü Meng said, “If we appoint a man of great reputation, Yunchang will certainly be on his guard. Lu Xun has deep and far-reaching insight but has not yet won widespread fame, so Yunchang does not fear him. If he is appointed to replace me, he will certainly accomplish our purpose.” Sun Quan was overjoyed and that very day appointed Lu Xun General of the Household and Right Area Commander, replacing Lü Meng as commander at Lukou. Lu Xun thanked him and said, “I am young and unlearned. I fear I am unequal to such a great responsibility.” Sun Quan said, “Ziming has vouched for you, so there can be no mistake. You must not refuse.” Lu Xun then bowed and accepted the seal and ribbon of office, and traveled through the night to Lukou. After taking command of the cavalry, infantry, and naval forces, he wrote a letter and prepared gifts that included famous horses, rare brocades, wine, and other ceremonial offerings. He sent an envoy to carry them to Fan Castle and present them to Guan Yu.

At the time, Guan Yu was resting his arrow wound and keeping his troops in place. Suddenly a report came: “Lü Meng, the commander at Lukou in the Southland, is gravely ill. Sun Quan has recalled him to recover and recently appointed Lu Xun as general to replace him at Lukou. Lu Xun has now sent a man with a letter and gifts to pay his respects.” Guan Yu summoned the envoy and, pointing at him, said, “Zhongmou’s judgment is shallow indeed, to make this young pup a general!” The envoy prostrated himself and said, “General Lu has presented this letter and prepared these gifts, first to congratulate Your Lordship, and second to seek friendly relations between our two houses. I hope you will graciously accept them.” Guan Yu opened the letter and read it. Its wording was extremely humble and respectful. After reading it, Guan Yu threw back his head and laughed. He ordered his attendants to accept the gifts and sent the envoy home. When the envoy returned to Lu Xun, he said, “Guan Yu was delighted and no longer has any thought of guarding against the Southland.”

Lu Xun was overjoyed. He secretly sent men to investigate and learned that Guan Yu had indeed withdrawn more than half the troops from Jingzhou and sent them to Fan Castle to await orders. He was only waiting for his arrow wound to heal before advancing. Once Lu Xun had learned all the details, he immediately sent a messenger riding through the night to report to Sun Quan. Sun Quan summoned Lü Meng and said, “Now that Yunchang has indeed withdrawn Jingzhou’s troops to attack Fan Castle, we can devise a plan to make a surprise attack and seize Jingzhou. What if you and my younger kinsman Sun Jiao lead the main army there together?” Sun Jiao, whose courtesy name was Shuming, was the second son of Sun Quan’s uncle Sun Jing. Lü Meng said, “If my lord considers me fit for use, then use me alone. If you consider Shuming fit for use, then use Shuming alone. Have you not heard how Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu once served as Left and Right Area Commanders? Although decisions rested with Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu considered himself a veteran minister and resented serving beneath him, so the two were far from harmonious. Only after he witnessed Zhou Yu’s talent did he begin to respect and submit to him. My ability does not equal Zhou Yu’s, while Shuming is more closely related to my lord than Cheng Pu was. I fear we may not be able to work together.”

Sun Quan suddenly understood and appointed Lü Meng Commander-in-Chief, giving him overall command of all the armies of the Southland. He ordered Sun Jiao to follow behind and provide grain and supplies. Lü Meng bowed in thanks and selected thirty thousand troops and more than eighty fast boats. He chose skilled sailors and disguised them as merchants, dressing them all in white and having them work the oars aboard the boats, while elite soldiers lay concealed inside covered warships. He next assigned seven great generals—Han Dang, Jiang Qin, Zhu Ran, Pan Zhang, Zhou Tai, Xu Sheng, and Ding Feng—to advance one after another. All the remaining forces were to accompany the Marquis of Wu as reserves and reinforcements. On one hand, he sent an envoy with a letter to Cao Cao, asking him to advance and attack Yunchang from behind. On the other, he first sent word to Lu Xun, then dispatched the white-clad men in fast boats toward the Xunyang River. They hurried onward day and night until they reached the northern bank. When the soldiers on the riverside beacon towers challenged them, the men of Wu replied, “We are all traveling merchants. Headwinds have delayed us on the river, so we have come here to take shelter.” They then gave goods to the soldiers guarding the towers. The soldiers believed them and allowed them to moor beside the river.

At about the second watch, the elite troops all emerged from the covered warships and bound the government soldiers on the beacon towers. At a single secret signal, the elite troops aboard all eighty-odd boats rose at once. They captured the soldiers at every strategically important tower and outpost and took them aboard the boats, without allowing a single man to escape. They then drove swiftly forward and headed straight for Jingzhou, with no one aware of their coming. As they approached Jingzhou, Lü Meng spoke soothingly to the government soldiers captured at the riverside outposts, rewarded each of them generously, and ordered them to trick the gatekeepers into opening the city gates, then light a fire as a signal. The soldiers accepted the order, and Lü Meng had them lead the way. Around midnight, they reached the city and called at the gate. The gatekeepers recognized them as soldiers from Jingzhou and opened the gate. The troops raised a single shout and lit the signal fire inside the gateway. The troops of Wu poured in together and seized Jingzhou by surprise. Lü Meng immediately issued an order throughout the army: “Anyone who kills a person without cause or takes even one object from the people will be punished according to military law.” All the former officials were retained in their original posts. Guan Yu’s family was moved to a separate residence and well provided for, and no outsiders were permitted to disturb them. At the same time, Lü Meng sent a man to report to Sun Quan.

One day, during a heavy rain, Lü Meng mounted his horse and led several riders on an inspection of the four gates. He suddenly saw a man take a bamboo rain hat from a civilian and use it to cover his armor. Lü Meng shouted for his attendants to seize and question him. The man turned out to be from Lü Meng’s own hometown. Lü Meng said, “Although you are my fellow townsman, I have already issued my orders. You knowingly violated them and must be dealt with according to military law.” The man wept and pleaded, “I was afraid the rain would soak government armor, so I took the hat to cover it, not for my private use. I beg the general to remember that we come from the same hometown.” Lü Meng said, “I know perfectly well that you used it to cover government armor, but you still should not have taken anything belonging to the people.” He ordered his attendants to drag the man away and behead him. After the severed head had been displayed as a warning, Lü Meng recovered the body, wept over it, and had it buried. From then on, the entire army was awed into strict obedience.

Within a few days, Sun Quan arrived with his forces. Lü Meng went outside the city to welcome him and escorted him into the government offices. After Sun Quan had commended and rewarded him, he appointed Pan Jun as Administrative Aide and placed him in charge of Jingzhou’s affairs. He had Yu Jin released from prison and sent back to Cao Cao, reassured the people, rewarded the troops, and held a banquet in celebration. Sun Quan said to Lü Meng, “We have now taken Jingzhou, but Fu Shiren holds Gong’an and Mi Fang holds Nan Commandery. How are we to recover these two places?” Before he had finished speaking, a man suddenly stepped forward and said, “There is no need to draw a bow or loose an arrow. With nothing but my three-inch, never-rotting tongue, I can persuade Fu Shiren of Gong’an to come and surrender. Will that do?” Everyone looked and saw that it was Yu Fan. Sun Quan said, “Zhongxiang, what excellent plan do you have that can induce Fu Shiren to surrender?” Yu Fan said, “Shiren and I have been close friends since childhood. If I explain the advantages and dangers to him, he will certainly submit.” Sun Quan was overjoyed and ordered Yu Fan to lead five hundred soldiers straight to Gong’an.

Now when Fu Shiren heard that Jingzhou had been lost, he quickly ordered the city gates closed and prepared a firm defense. When Yu Fan arrived and found the gates tightly shut, he wrote a letter, tied it to an arrow, and shot it into the city. A soldier picked it up and presented it to Fu Shiren. Fu Shiren opened the letter and saw that it urged him to surrender. After reading it, he remembered Guan Yu’s resentment toward him when Guan Yu departed and thought it would be better to surrender quickly. He immediately ordered the gates opened wide and invited Yu Fan into the city. After exchanging formal greetings, the two spoke of their old friendship. Yu Fan described the Marquis of Wu’s broad-minded generosity and his courtesy toward worthy men and humble scholars. Fu Shiren was delighted and went with Yu Fan to Jingzhou, carrying his official seal and ribbon, to surrender. Sun Quan was greatly pleased and ordered him to return to his former command at Gong’an. Lü Meng privately said to Sun Quan, “Yunchang has not yet been captured. If Shiren is left at Gong’an, trouble will eventually arise. It would be better to send him to Nan Commandery to persuade Mi Fang to surrender.” Sun Quan therefore summoned Fu Shiren and said, “Mi Fang is a close friend of yours. Go and persuade him to surrender, and I will reward you generously.” Fu Shiren readily accepted the order. He led more than ten riders straight to Nan Commandery to secure Mi Fang’s submission. Just so:Today Gong’an has no will to stand;Wang Fu’s earlier counsel proved sound indeed.What came of this journey remains unknown; read on to learn what happened next.