Chapter 82

Sun Quan Submits to Wei and Receives the Nine Dignities; the First Emperor Rewards His Six Armies Before Conquering Wu

Now in the eighth month of autumn, the first year of Zhangwu, the First Emperor raised a great army and advanced to Kui Pass, establishing his imperial camp at White Emperor City. The vanguard had already reached the mouth of the river. An attendant reported, “Zhuge Jin, an envoy from Wu, has arrived.” The First Emperor issued an order that he was not to be admitted. Huang Quan remonstrated: “Zhuge Jin’s younger brother serves Your Majesty as chief minister. He must have come on important business. Why should Your Majesty refuse to see him? Summon him and hear what he has to say. If his proposal can be accepted, accept it; if not, use him as your mouthpiece to tell Sun Quan and let him know that Your Majesty has just cause to call him to account.” The First Emperor assented and summoned Zhuge Jin into the city. Jin entered and bowed low upon the ground. The First Emperor asked, “Ziyu, what matter has brought you so far?” Jin replied, “My younger brother has long served Your Majesty, and therefore I have not shrunk from the ax of execution, but have come expressly to address the affair of Jingzhou. Formerly, when Lord Guan was in Jingzhou, the Marquis of Wu repeatedly sought a marriage alliance, but Lord Guan refused. Later, when Lord Guan took Xiangyang, Cao Cao sent letter after letter to the Marquis of Wu, urging him to attack Jingzhou. The Marquis of Wu was unwilling to consent, but because Lü Meng was at odds with Lord Guan, he raised troops on his own authority and mistakenly brought about this grave calamity. The Marquis of Wu now regrets it, but too late. This was Lü Meng’s crime, not the Marquis of Wu’s fault. Lü Meng is now dead, and the cause of the feud has ended. Lady Sun has always longed to return. The Marquis of Wu has now sent me as his envoy, offering to send the lady back, deliver the surrendered generals in bonds, and restore Jingzhou as before, so that our states may form an enduring alliance and together destroy Cao Pi, thereby punishing his crime of treasonous usurpation.”

The First Emperor angrily replied, “You men of Eastern Wu murdered Our brother, and today you dare come with glib words to persuade Us!” Zhuge Jin said, “Permit me to discuss with Your Majesty what is weighty and what is light, what is great and what is small. Your Majesty is an imperial uncle of the Han. Now that the Han emperor has been usurped by Cao Pi, instead of seeking to destroy the usurper, Your Majesty lowers the dignity of the lord of ten thousand chariots for the sake of a kinsman of another surname. This is to forsake the greater righteousness for the lesser. The Central Plain is the heartland of the realm, and both capitals are places where the Great Han established its dominion. Yet Your Majesty does not seek to recover them, but contends only for Jingzhou. This is to abandon what is weighty and seize what is light. All beneath Heaven know that, having ascended the throne, Your Majesty must surely revive the House of Han and restore its rivers and mountains. Yet now Your Majesty disregards Wei and instead proposes to attack Wu. With all respect, I cannot approve Your Majesty’s course.” The First Emperor flew into a great rage. “The hatred born of Our brother’s murder cannot exist beneath the same Heaven! If you would have Us withdraw Our army, only death will make Us cease! Were it not for the sake of Our chief minister, We would behead you at once! For now We release you to return. Tell Sun Quan to wash his neck and await the blade!” Seeing that the First Emperor would not listen, Zhuge Jin had no choice but to return to Jiangnan.

Now Zhang Zhao went to Sun Quan and said, “Zhuge Ziyu knew the armies of Shu were overwhelmingly strong, and so he used a request to serve as envoy as a pretext to forsake Wu and enter Shu. Once gone, he will surely never return.” Sun Quan replied, “Ziyu and I have sworn an unalterable covenant of life and death. I will not betray Ziyu, nor will Ziyu betray me. In former days, when Ziyu was at Chaisang and Kongming came to Wu, I wished Ziyu to persuade him to remain. But Ziyu said, ‘My younger brother already serves Xuande, and righteousness permits him no divided loyalty. Just as he will not remain here, so I will not go to him.’ Those words could pierce through to the gods themselves. How could he now be willing to surrender to Shu? Between Ziyu and me there is a communion of spirits that no outsider’s words can disturb.” While he was still speaking, a sudden report came that Zhuge Jin had returned. Sun Quan said, “What did I tell you?” Zhang Zhao withdrew, his face covered with shame. Zhuge Jin went before Sun Quan and reported that the First Emperor would not agree to peace. Sun Quan was greatly alarmed. “If that is so, Jiangnan is in peril!” A man below the steps came forward and said, “I have a plan that can resolve this danger.” Sun Quan looked and saw that it was Zhao Zi, Palace Counselor. “Dedu, what good plan have you?” asked Sun Quan. Zhao Zi replied, “My lord may compose a memorial, and I am willing to go as envoy to Emperor Cao Pi of Wei. I shall explain the advantages and dangers and persuade him to attack Hanzhong. The army of Shu will then be endangered at home.” Sun Quan said, “This plan is excellent. But when you go, you must not impair the dignity of Eastern Wu.” Zhao Zi replied, “If I fail in the slightest, I shall cast myself into the river and die. How could I have the face to look upon the worthies of Jiangnan again?”

Sun Quan was delighted. He immediately wrote a memorial declaring himself a subject and appointed Zhao Zi as his envoy. Traveling day and night, Zhao Zi reached the capital at Xu, where he first called upon Grand Commandant Jia Xu and the other officials, high and low. At court the following morning, Jia Xu stepped from the ranks and memorialized, “Eastern Wu has sent Palace Counselor Zhao Zi to present a memorial.” Cao Pi laughed and said, “This is merely an attempt to make the armies of Shu withdraw.” He then ordered Zhao Zi summoned. Zhao Zi entered and bowed low upon the vermilion steps. When Cao Pi had finished reading the memorial, he asked, “What manner of ruler is the Marquis of Wu?” Zhao Zi replied, “A ruler of intelligence, discernment, benevolence, wisdom, heroic power, and strategic genius.” Cao Pi laughed. “Is that not rather excessive praise?” Zhao Zi said, “I do not praise him beyond his deserts. The Marquis of Wu raised Lu Su from among ordinary men: that is his intelligence. He promoted Lü Meng from the ranks: that is his discernment. He captured Yu Jin but did him no harm: that is his benevolence. He took Jingzhou without blood staining a blade: that is his wisdom. He commands the Three Rivers and gazes tiger-like upon the realm: that is his heroic power. He humbles himself before Your Majesty: that is his strategic genius. Judged by these things, is he not indeed a ruler of intelligence, discernment, benevolence, wisdom, heroic power, and strategic genius?” Cao Pi asked further, “Is the ruler of Wu well versed in learning?” Zhao Zi replied, “The ruler of Wu has ten thousand vessels afloat upon the rivers and a million armored warriors under his command. He entrusts affairs to the worthy, employs the able, and sets his mind upon governing and conquest. In his scant leisure he reads widely in the classics and commentaries, surveys the records of history, and extracts their central meaning. He does not imitate mere scholars who hunt through chapters and pluck out phrases.” Cao Pi said, “We wish to attack Wu. Could We do so?” Zhao Zi replied, “A great state has armies for conquest, and a small state has plans for defense.” Cao Pi asked, “Does Wu fear Wei?” Zhao Zi replied, “With a million armored soldiers and the Yangtze and Han rivers for its moat, what has Wu to fear?” Cao Pi asked, “How many men like you are there in Eastern Wu?” Zhao Zi replied, “There are eighty or ninety men of extraordinary intelligence and distinction. As for men of my sort, they could be measured by the cartload and bushel, too many to count.” Cao Pi sighed and said, “‘Sent on missions to the four quarters, he brings no disgrace upon his sovereign’s command.’ You are worthy of those words.”

Cao Pi thereupon issued an edict commanding Xing Zhen, Minister of Ceremonies, to carry the patent investing Sun Quan as King of Wu and granting him the Nine Honors. Zhao Zi gave thanks for the imperial favor and left the city. Counselor Liu Ye remonstrated: “Sun Quan fears the might of the armies of Shu, and for that reason he has come to offer submission. In my humble judgment, the conflict between Shu and Wu is Heaven’s means of destroying them. If we now dispatch a great commander with several tens of thousands of troops to cross the river and attack Wu, Shu will assail it from without while Wei attacks from within. Wu will perish in fewer than ten days. Once Wu has fallen, Shu will stand alone. Why does Your Majesty not seize this opportunity at once?” Cao Pi replied, “Sun Quan has already submitted to Us with all due ceremony. If We attack him now, We will dishearten all others beneath Heaven who wish to surrender. It is better to accept his submission.” Liu Ye continued, “Though Sun Quan possesses heroic talent, he has hitherto held only the offices of General of Agile Cavalry and Marquis of Nanchang, bestowed by the remnant Han. So long as his office was low, his power remained slight, and he still feared the Central Plain. But if he is elevated to the rank of king, he will stand only one degree below Your Majesty. Now Your Majesty believes his feigned surrender and magnifies his rank and title, thereby fostering his strength. This is to give wings to a tiger.” Cao Pi replied, “Not so. We shall aid neither Wu nor Shu. We shall wait and watch them fight. If one state destroys the other and only one remains, what difficulty will there be in eliminating the survivor? Our mind is made up. Say no more.” He then ordered Xing Zhen, Minister of Ceremonies, to accompany Zhao Zi, bearing the patent and the Nine Honors, directly to Eastern Wu.

Now Sun Quan assembled all his civil and military officers to discuss plans for resisting Shu. Suddenly it was reported that the emperor of Wei had invested their lord as king and that proper ceremony required him to go far beyond the city to receive the envoy. Gu Yong remonstrated: “My lord should assume the rank of Supreme General and Lord of the Nine Provinces. You ought not accept a title from the emperor of Wei.” Sun Quan replied, “In former days, the Lord of Pei accepted investiture from Xiang Yu because the times required it. Why should I refuse?” He accordingly led all his officials out of the city to receive the envoy. Xing Zhen, presuming upon his status as the celestial envoy of a superior state, passed through the gate without descending from his carriage. Zhang Zhao was furious and cried sternly, “In ritual there can be no want of reverence, and in law no want of solemnity. Yet you dare conduct yourself with such arrogance! Do you suppose that Jiangnan possesses not even an inch of sharpened steel?” Xing Zhen hastily descended from his carriage and exchanged greetings with Sun Quan. They then rode side by side into the city. Suddenly a man behind Xing Zhen’s carriage raised his voice and wept: “We have been unable to risk our bodies and sacrifice our lives to help our lord annex Wei and swallow Shu, and instead we have caused him to accept a title bestowed by another. Is this not a humiliation?” The company looked and saw that it was Xu Sheng. Hearing him, Xing Zhen sighed and said, “With generals and ministers such as these in Jiangdong, they will not long remain beneath another’s rule!”

Now Sun Quan accepted the title, and when all his civil and military officers had finished bowing their congratulations, he ordered fine jade, lustrous pearls, and other treasures prepared and sent men to present them in gratitude for the imperial favor. Before long, a scout reported: “The ruler of Shu is leading the great armies of his own state, together with tens of thousands of tribal troops under the barbarian king Shamoke, as well as two forces of Dongxi Han troops commanded by Du Lu and Liu Ning. They are advancing by both land and water, and their might shakes the heavens. The river-borne army has already emerged from the mouth of the Wu Gorge, while the army by land has reached Zigui.” Though Sun Quan had now ascended to the rank of king, the ruler of Wei refused to send assistance. He therefore asked his civil and military officers, “The armies of Shu are overwhelmingly strong. What are we to do?” They all remained silent. Sun Quan sighed. “After Zhou Yu, there was Lu Su; after Lu Su, there was Lü Meng. Now Lü Meng is dead, and there is no one to share my cares!” Before he had finished speaking, a young general strode resolutely from the ranks, prostrated himself, and declared, “Though I am young, I have studied the books of war. I beg several tens of thousands of troops, and I shall defeat the armies of Shu.” Sun Quan looked and saw that it was Sun Huan. Sun Huan’s style was Shuwu. His father was named He and had originally borne the surname Yu, but Sun Ce was fond of him and bestowed upon him the surname Sun; thus he too was counted among the royal clan of Wu. Sun He had four sons, of whom Huan was the eldest. Skilled in archery and horsemanship, he had often accompanied the King of Wu on campaign and repeatedly performed extraordinary feats. He held the office of Commandant of the Martial Guard and was then twenty-five years old. Sun Quan asked, “By what plan will you defeat them?” Sun Huan replied, “I have two great generals, one named Li Yi and the other Xie Jing, both possessed of courage sufficient to withstand ten thousand men. Give me several tens of thousands of troops, and I shall go and capture Liu Bei.” Sun Quan said, “Though you are brave, nephew, you are still young. You must have someone to assist you.” General of Tigerish Might Zhu Ran stepped forward and said, “I am willing to join the young general in capturing Liu Bei.” Sun Quan approved. He mustered fifty thousand troops by land and water, appointed Sun Huan Chief Commander of the Left and Zhu Ran Chief Commander of the Right, and ordered them to set out that very day. Scouts learned that the army of Shu had already encamped at Yidu. Sun Huan led twenty-five thousand troops to the boundary pass of Yidu, where he divided them into three camps, front and rear, to resist the army of Shu.

Now the Shu general Wu Ban, bearing the seal of the vanguard commander, had since leaving the Riverlands seen every place along his route submit at the mere rumor of his coming. Without staining a blade with blood, he advanced as far as Yidu. When he learned that Sun Huan had encamped there, he sent a swift report to the First Emperor. At the time, the First Emperor had already reached Zigui. On hearing the report, he angrily exclaimed, “How dares this mere boy oppose Us?” Guan Xing memorialized, “Since Sun Quan has appointed this youth as his general, Your Majesty need not trouble to send a great commander. I am willing to go and capture him.” The First Emperor said, “We have been wishing to behold your martial spirit.” He immediately ordered Guan Xing to go. Guan Xing bowed farewell and was about to depart when Zhang Bao stepped forward and said, “Since Guan Xing is going to punish the rebels, I wish to accompany him.” The First Emperor replied, “It is excellent that both Our nephews should go, but you must be cautious and not act rashly.”

The two bowed farewell to the First Emperor, joined the vanguard, and advanced together, drawing up their battle formation. When Sun Huan learned that the army of Shu was approaching in great strength, he brought all three camps into the field. The two armies formed their lines facing each other. Sun Huan, with Li Yi and Xie Jing, reined in beneath his standard at the gate and saw two great generals emerge from the Shu camp, both wearing silver helmets and silver armor and riding white horses beneath white banners. In the place of honor was Zhang Bao, leveling an eighteen-foot, steel-pointed spear; below him was Guan Xing, holding a great cleaver crosswise. Zhang Bao shouted abuse: “Sun Huan, you wretched boy! With death upon you, do you still dare resist the armies of Heaven?” Sun Huan reviled him in return: “Your father has already become a headless ghost, and now you too have come seeking death. How witless you are!” Zhang Bao was enraged and charged straight at Sun Huan with leveled spear. From behind Sun Huan, Xie Jing spurred forward to meet him. The two generals fought for more than thirty bouts, until Xie Jing turned and fled. Zhang Bao pursued his advantage. Seeing Xie Jing defeated, Li Yi hurriedly urged on his horse and swung his gold-inlaid battle-ax to engage Zhang Bao. They fought for more than twenty bouts without either gaining the advantage. Tan Xiong, a subordinate general in the Wu army, saw that Zhang Bao was valiant and Li Yi could not defeat him, so he loosed a treacherous arrow that struck Zhang Bao’s horse squarely. Maddened by pain, the horse bolted back toward its own lines, but before it reached the standard at the gate, it collapsed to the ground and threw Zhang Bao from the saddle. Li Yi rushed forward, raised his great ax, and brought it down toward Zhang Bao’s head. Suddenly a flash of red light swept past, and Li Yi’s head was already on the ground. Guan Xing, seeing Zhang Bao’s horse run back, had been about to go to his aid when he saw the horse fall and Li Yi charge forward. With a great shout, Guan Xing struck Li Yi from his horse, rescued Zhang Bao, and pressed the attack. Sun Huan suffered a crushing defeat. Each side then sounded the gongs and recalled its troops.

The following day, Sun Huan again led out his army. Zhang Bao and Guan Xing both rode forth. Guan Xing reined in before the battle line and challenged Sun Huan alone to single combat. Enraged, Sun Huan urged on his horse, brandished his saber, and fought Guan Xing for more than thirty bouts. Unable to sustain his strength, he was badly defeated and fled back into his lines. The two young generals pursued him into his camp, while Wu Ban led Zhang Nan and Feng Xi in driving their troops forward to attack. Zhang Bao, displaying surpassing valor at the head of the charge, cut into the Wu army and came face to face with Xie Jing, whom he stabbed to death with a single thrust of his spear. The Wu troops scattered and fled in every direction. The Shu generals recalled their victorious soldiers, only to discover that Guan Xing was missing. Zhang Bao cried in alarm, “If Anguo has come to harm, I will not live alone!” With that, he snatched up his spear and mounted his horse. He had gone only a few li when he saw Guan Xing approaching, his saber in his left hand and a captive general held alive beneath his right arm. Zhang Bao asked, “Who is this man?” Guan Xing replied with a laugh, “Amid the confusion of battle I encountered an enemy of mine, so I captured him alive.” Zhang Bao looked and saw that it was Tan Xiong, who had loosed the treacherous arrow the day before. Overjoyed, Zhang Bao returned with Guan Xing to camp. They beheaded Tan Xiong and poured out his blood as a sacrifice to the dead horse, then wrote a memorial and sent a messenger to report their victory to the First Emperor.

Having lost Li Yi, Xie Jing, Tan Xiong, and many other officers and men, Sun Huan found his strength exhausted and his position isolated. Unable to resist the enemy, he sent men back to Wu to ask for aid. The Shu generals Zhang Nan and Feng Xi said to Wu Ban, “The Wu army is now defeated. This is the perfect moment to take advantage of its weakness and raid its camp.” Wu Ban replied, “Though Sun Huan has lost many officers and men, Zhu Ran’s naval force is still encamped upon the river and has suffered no losses. If we raid the camp today and the naval troops come ashore to cut off our retreat, what then?” Zhang Nan said, “That is easily managed. Have Generals Guan and Zhang each lead five thousand troops and lie in ambush among the mountain valleys. If Zhu Ran comes to the rescue, the two forces can rush out from left and right and attack him on both sides. Victory will be certain.” Wu Ban said, “Better still, let us first send a few common soldiers pretending to be deserters, who will reveal our plan to raid the camp to Zhu Ran. When Zhu Ran sees the fires rise, he will certainly come to the rescue. Our ambushing troops can then strike him, and the great enterprise will succeed.” Feng Xi and the others were delighted and carried out the plan.

Now when Zhu Ran learned that Sun Huan had lost troops and generals, he was about to go to his aid when patrol soldiers brought several common soldiers aboard his ship who claimed they had come to surrender. Zhu Ran questioned them, and one said, “We are soldiers under Feng Xi. Because rewards and punishments are unjustly administered, we have come expressly to surrender and to report a secret.” Zhu Ran asked, “What have you to report?” The soldier replied, “Tonight Feng Xi intends to take advantage of Sun Huan’s weakness and raid his camp. The signal agreed upon will be the raising of fires.” When Zhu Ran had heard him out, he immediately sent a messenger to inform Sun Huan. Halfway there, the messenger was slain by Guan Xing. Zhu Ran then held counsel, intending to lead his troops to Sun Huan’s aid. His subordinate general Cui Yu said, “The word of these common soldiers must not be trusted too readily. If anything goes wrong, both our land and naval forces will be utterly lost. General, you should remain here and guard the naval camp securely. I am willing to go in your place.” Zhu Ran agreed and ordered Cui Yu to take ten thousand troops. That night, Feng Xi, Zhang Nan, and Wu Ban divided their forces into three columns and charged straight into Sun Huan’s camp. Fires rose on every side, and the Wu troops fell into chaos, fleeing wherever they could find a path.

Meanwhile, Cui Yu was advancing when he suddenly saw the fires rise and hurried his troops onward. Just as they rounded a mountain, the thunder of drums erupted from the valleys. Guan Xing attacked from the left and Zhang Bao from the right, assailing them on both sides. Cui Yu was greatly alarmed and was about to flee when he encountered Zhang Bao. Their horses had crossed only once when Zhang Bao captured him alive and carried him back. When Zhu Ran learned how desperate the situation had become, he took his ships downstream and withdrew fifty or sixty li. Sun Huan led his defeated troops in flight and asked his officers, “What strong city with ample provisions lies ahead?” One officer replied, “Directly north of here is the city of Yiling, where we can garrison our troops.” Sun Huan hurried toward Yiling with his beaten army. He had barely entered the city when Wu Ban and the others arrived in pursuit and surrounded it on all sides. Guan Xing, Zhang Bao, and the others escorted Cui Yu to Zigui. The First Emperor was overjoyed. He had Cui Yu beheaded and bestowed lavish rewards upon the entire army. From that time forth, his awe-inspiring might shook the land, and every general in Jiangnan trembled with fear.

Now Sun Huan sent men to seek aid from the King of Wu. Greatly alarmed, the King of Wu immediately summoned his civil and military officers and said, “Sun Huan is now besieged at Yiling, and Zhu Ran has been badly defeated on the river. The armies of Shu are overwhelmingly strong. What are we to do?” Zhang Zhao memorialized, “Though many of our generals have died, more than ten still remain. Why should we fear Liu Bei? Appoint Han Dang chief commander, Zhou Tai deputy commander, Pan Zhang commander of the vanguard, Ling Tong commander of the rear guard, and Gan Ning commander of the relief force, and raise an army of one hundred thousand to resist him.” Sun Quan adopted his proposal and immediately ordered the generals to make haste. At that time, Gan Ning was suffering from dysentery, but he joined the campaign despite his illness.

Now from Jianping in the Wu Gorge all the way to the borders of Yiling, the First Emperor had established more than forty connected camps extending over seventy-odd li. Seeing Guan Xing and Zhang Bao repeatedly perform great deeds, he sighed and said, “All the generals who followed Us in former days have grown old and are now of no use. Yet with two nephews of such heroic mettle, why should We fear Sun Quan?” While he was still speaking, a sudden report came that Han Dang and Zhou Tai were approaching with an army. The First Emperor was about to dispatch generals to meet them when an attendant reported, “The veteran general Huang Zhong has taken five or six men and gone over to Eastern Wu.” The First Emperor laughed. “Huang Hansheng is not a man to rebel. Because We misspoke and said that old men were useless, he must have refused to yield to age and gone out with all his might to engage the enemy.” He immediately summoned Guan Xing and Zhang Bao and said, “Huang Hansheng is certain to come to grief on this expedition. Worthy nephews, do not shrink from the hardship, but go and assist him. Once he has won even some small merit, you may order him to return. Do not allow him to come to harm.” The two young generals bowed farewell to the First Emperor and led their own troops away to assist Huang Zhong. Truly:

The veteran minister has ever vowed his sovereign to defend;The youthful heroes serve the realm and honor without end.

What befell Huang Zhong upon this expedition will be revealed in the chapter that follows.

Sun Quan Submits to Wei and Receives the Nine Dignities; the First Emperor Rewards His Six Armies Before Conquering Wu

In the autumn, in the eighth month of the first year of Zhangwu, the First Lord raised a great army and advanced to Kui Pass, while the imperial entourage encamped at Baidi City. The vanguard had already reached the river outlet from Sichuan. A close attendant reported, “The envoy from Wu, Zhuge Jin, has arrived.” The First Lord issued an order not to admit him. Huang Quan remonstrated, “Zhuge Jin’s younger brother serves as chancellor here in Shu. He must have important business to come on. Why does Your Majesty refuse to see him? You should summon him and hear what he has to say. If his proposal can be accepted, then accept it. If not, you can use him to deliver your words to Sun Quan and let him know that your punitive campaign has just cause.” The First Lord agreed and summoned Zhuge Jin into the city. Zhuge Jin bowed and prostrated himself on the ground. The First Lord asked, “Ziyu, what matter has brought you all this distance?” Zhuge Jin said, “My younger brother has long served Your Majesty, so I have not shrunk from the danger of the executioner’s ax, but have come especially to address the matter of Jingzhou. Previously, when Lord Guan was in Jingzhou, the Marquis of Wu repeatedly sought a marriage alliance, but Lord Guan refused. Later, after Lord Guan captured Xiangyang, Cao Cao repeatedly wrote to the Marquis of Wu, urging him to attack Jingzhou. The Marquis of Wu was originally unwilling to agree, but because Lü Meng was at odds with Lord Guan, he raised troops on his own authority and mistakenly brought about this grave affair. The Marquis of Wu now regrets it, but too late. This was Lü Meng’s crime, not the Marquis of Wu’s fault. Lü Meng is now dead, and the cause of the grievance and feud has ended. Lady Sun has always wished to return. The Marquis of Wu has now sent me as his envoy and is willing to send the lady back, bind and return the surrendered generals, and restore Jingzhou as before, so that we may form an everlasting alliance and together destroy Cao Pi, thereby punishing his crime of usurpation and rebellion.”

The First Lord angrily said, “You people of Eastern Wu murdered Our brother, and today you dare come here trying to persuade Us with glib words!” Zhuge Jin said, “Allow me to discuss with Your Majesty which matters are weighty or light, great or small. Your Majesty is an Imperial Uncle of the Han dynasty. Now the Han emperor has been dispossessed by Cao Pi’s usurpation, yet instead of thinking how to destroy him, Your Majesty lowers the dignity of the sovereign of ten thousand chariots for the sake of a relative of another surname. This is to abandon the greater righteousness for the lesser righteousness. The Central Plains are the heartland of the realm, and both capitals are places from which the Great Han established its empire. Yet Your Majesty does not take them and instead contends only for Jingzhou. This is to discard what is weighty and seize what is light. All under Heaven know that when Your Majesty took the throne, you would surely revive the house of Han and restore its lands. Now Your Majesty ignores Wei and instead intends to attack Wu. In my humble opinion, this is not a course Your Majesty should take.” The First Lord flew into a rage and said, “The man who killed Our brother is an enemy with whom We cannot live beneath the same sky! If you want Us to withdraw Our army, only death will end this campaign! Were it not out of regard for the chancellor, We would have your head struck off at once! For now, We shall let you return. Tell Sun Quan to wash his neck and prepare for execution!” Seeing that the First Lord would not listen, Zhuge Jin had no choice but to return to Jiangnan.

Meanwhile, Zhang Zhao went to see Sun Quan and said, “Zhuge Ziyu knows the forces of Shu are powerful, so he used a request to serve as envoy as a pretext to desert Wu and enter Shu. Now that he has gone, he will certainly never return.” Sun Quan said, “Ziyu and I have sworn a pledge unalterable in life or death. I will not betray Ziyu, and Ziyu will not betray me. Long ago, when Ziyu was at Chaisang and Kongming came to Wu, I wanted Ziyu to persuade him to stay. Ziyu said, ‘My younger brother already serves Xuande, and righteousness does not permit him to harbor two loyalties. Just as my younger brother will not remain here, so I will not go to join him.’ His words were sincere enough to move the spirits. How could he now be willing to surrender to Shu? Ziyu and I may be said to understand each other in spirit. No outsider’s words can come between us.” While he was still speaking, a sudden report came that Zhuge Jin had returned. Sun Quan said, “Was I not right?” Zhang Zhao withdrew, his face filled with shame. Zhuge Jin saw Sun Quan and told him that the First Lord refused to make peace. Sun Quan was greatly alarmed and said, “If that is so, Jiangnan is in danger!” A man below the steps came forward and said, “I have a plan that can resolve this danger.” When Sun Quan looked, he saw it was Zhao Zi, Palace Grandee. Sun Quan asked, “Dedu, what good plan do you have?” Zhao Zi said, “My lord may compose a memorial, and I am willing to serve as envoy and go before the Wei emperor, Cao Pi, to explain the advantages and dangers. If we induce him to attack Hanzhong, the army of Shu will itself be placed in peril.” Sun Quan said, “This plan is excellent. But on this mission, you must not diminish the dignity of Eastern Wu.” Zhao Zi said, “If I fail in the slightest, I will throw myself into the river and die. How could I then have the face to meet the distinguished men of Jiangnan?”

Sun Quan was delighted. He immediately wrote a memorial declaring himself a subject and appointed Zhao Zi as envoy. Traveling day and night, Zhao Zi reached the capital at Xu and first met Grand Commandant Jia Xu and the other officials, high and low. At court early the next morning, Jia Xu stepped forward from the ranks and reported, “Eastern Wu has sent Palace Grandee Zhao Zi to present a memorial.” Cao Pi laughed and said, “They only wish to force the army of Shu to withdraw.” He immediately ordered Zhao Zi summoned. Zhao Zi bowed and prostrated himself before the vermilion steps. After Cao Pi had read the memorial, he asked him, “What sort of ruler is the Marquis of Wu?” Zhao Zi replied, “A ruler of intelligence, discernment, benevolence, wisdom, heroic spirit, and strategic vision.” Cao Pi laughed and said, “Is your praise not rather excessive?” Zhao Zi said, “I have not praised him beyond his merits. The Marquis of Wu accepted Lu Su, though he was then an ordinary man: this shows his intelligence. He raised Lü Meng from the ranks: this shows his discernment. He captured Yu Jin but did not harm him: this shows his benevolence. He took Jingzhou without blood staining a blade: this shows his wisdom. He commands the Three Rivers and watches all under Heaven like a tiger: this shows his heroic spirit. He has humbled himself before Your Majesty: this shows his strategic vision. Judged by these things, how can he not be called a ruler of intelligence, discernment, benevolence, wisdom, heroic spirit, and strategic vision?” Cao Pi asked again, “Is the ruler of Wu well educated?” Zhao Zi said, “The ruler of Wu keeps ten thousand vessels afloat upon the rivers and commands a million armored soldiers. He appoints the worthy and employs the capable, with his ambition fixed on the governance of the realm. Whenever he has a little leisure, he reads widely in the classics and commentaries and studies the historical records, extracting their essential meaning. He does not imitate pedantic scholars who merely search passages and pick out isolated phrases.” Cao Pi said, “We wish to attack Wu. Could We do so?” Zhao Zi replied, “A great state has armies for conquest, and a small state has plans for defense.” Cao Pi asked, “Does Wu fear Wei?” Zhao Zi replied, “With a million armored soldiers and the Yangtze and Han rivers as its moat, what is there to fear?” Cao Pi asked, “How many men like you are there in Eastern Wu?” Zhao Zi replied, “There are eighty or ninety men of exceptional intelligence and distinction. As for men of my sort, they could be carried by the cartload and measured by the bushel; they are too numerous to count.” Cao Pi sighed and said, “‘When sent abroad in every direction, he does not disgrace his lord’s command.’ You are worthy of those words.”

Cao Pi immediately issued an edict ordering Xing Zhen, Minister of Ceremonies, to carry the patent investing Sun Quan as King of Wu and granting him the Nine Bestowments. Zhao Zi expressed his thanks for the imperial favor and left the city. Grandee Liu Ye remonstrated, “Sun Quan has now asked to submit because he fears the might of the army of Shu. In my humble opinion, the war between Shu and Wu is Heaven’s way of destroying them. If we now send a great general with several tens of thousands of troops across the river to attack Wu, Shu will assault it from without while Wei attacks from within. Wu will be destroyed in less than ten days. Once Wu is gone, Shu will stand alone. Why does Your Majesty not act against them now?” Cao Pi said, “Since Sun Quan has already submitted to Us with due ceremony, if We attack him, We will discourage all others in the realm who wish to surrender. It is better to accept his submission.” Liu Ye said again, “For all Sun Quan’s heroic ability, he previously held no more than the offices of General of Agile Cavalry of the remnant Han and Marquis of Nanchang. Because his office was low, his power was weak, and he still feared the Central Plains. But if he is granted the rank of king, he will stand only one step below Your Majesty. Now Your Majesty believes his false surrender and elevates his rank and title, thereby nourishing and strengthening him. This is to add wings to a tiger.” Cao Pi said, “That is not so. We will aid neither Wu nor Shu. We shall wait and watch them make war. If one state is destroyed and only one remains, how difficult will it be to eliminate the survivor then? Our mind is made up. Say no more.” He then ordered Xing Zhen, Minister of Ceremonies, to accompany Zhao Zi, carrying the patent and gifts of investiture, directly to Eastern Wu.

Meanwhile, Sun Quan assembled all his officials to discuss how to resist Shu. Suddenly it was reported that the emperor of Wei had made their lord a king and that propriety required him to go out a long way to receive the envoy. Gu Yong remonstrated, “My lord should assume the rank of Supreme General and Lord of the Nine Provinces. You should not accept a title conferred by the emperor of Wei.” Sun Quan said, “In former days, the Duke of Pei accepted enfeoffment from Xiang Yu because the times required it. Why should I refuse?” He then led all his officials out of the city to welcome the envoy. Xing Zhen, relying on his status as the imperial envoy of the superior state, passed through the gate without descending from his carriage. Zhang Zhao was furious and sternly cried, “In ritual there is no place for disrespect, and in law there is no place for laxity. Yet you dare behave so arrogantly! Do you think Jiangnan possesses not even an inch of sharpened steel?” Xing Zhen hastily descended from his carriage and met Sun Quan. They then rode side by side into the city. Suddenly, a man behind Xing Zhen’s carriage burst into loud weeping and said, “We have been unable to exert ourselves and sacrifice our lives to help our lord annex Wei and swallow Shu. Instead, we have allowed our lord to accept a title from another man. Is this not a disgrace?” Everyone looked and saw that it was Xu Sheng. Hearing this, Xing Zhen sighed and said, “With generals and ministers such as these in Jiangdong, they will surely not remain beneath another for long!”

After Sun Quan had accepted his rank and title and all the civil and military officials had completed their congratulations, he ordered fine jade, bright pearls, and other treasures prepared and sent men to present them in gratitude for the imperial favor. Spies soon reported, “The ruler of Shu is leading the main army of his state, together with tens of thousands of tribal troops under the Man king Shamoke, as well as two forces from Dongxi under the Han generals Du Lu and Liu Ning. They are advancing by land and water, with a clamor that shakes the heavens. The river force has already emerged from the mouth of the Wu Gorge, while the land force has reached Zigui.” Though Sun Quan had now ascended to the rank of king, the ruler of Wei refused to send support. He therefore asked his civil and military officials, “The army of Shu is extremely powerful. What are we to do now?” They were all silent. Sun Quan sighed and said, “After Zhou Yu came Lu Su; after Lu Su came Lü Meng. Now Lü Meng is dead, and there is no one to share my worries!” Before he had finished speaking, a young general suddenly strode out resolutely from the ranks, prostrated himself, and reported, “Though I am young, I have studied the military classics extensively. I ask for several tens of thousands of troops and will defeat the army of Shu.” Sun Quan looked and saw that it was Sun Huan. Sun Huan’s courtesy name was Shuwu. His father was named He and had originally borne the surname Yu. Sun Ce had been fond of him and bestowed on him the surname Sun, so he too was counted among the royal clan of Wu. Sun He had four sons, of whom Sun Huan was the eldest. He was highly skilled with bow and horse, had often followed the King of Wu on campaign, and had repeatedly won extraordinary merit. He held the office of Commandant of the Martial Guard and was then twenty-five years old. Sun Quan asked, “What plan do you have for victory?” Sun Huan replied, “I have two great generals, one named Li Yi and the other Xie Jing. Both possess valor that ten thousand men could not withstand. Give me several tens of thousands of troops, and I will go capture Liu Bei.” Sun Quan said, “Though you are brave, nephew, you are still young. You must have someone to assist you.” General of Tiger Might Zhu Ran stepped forward and said, “I am willing to join the young general in capturing Liu Bei.” Sun Quan approved. He assigned them fifty thousand land and naval troops, appointed Sun Huan Chief Commander of the Left and Zhu Ran Chief Commander of the Right, and ordered them to depart that very day. Scouts learned that the army of Shu had already reached Yidu and established camp. Sun Huan led twenty-five thousand troops to the border pass of Yidu and divided them into three camps, front and rear, to resist the Shu army.

Meanwhile, the Shu general Wu Ban, bearing the seal of commander of the vanguard, had seen every place in his path surrender at the mere rumor of his approach ever since he left Sichuan. Without staining a blade with blood, he advanced all the way to Yidu. When he learned that Sun Huan was encamped there, he sent an urgent report to the First Lord. By then the First Lord had reached Zigui. Hearing the report, he angrily said, “How dare a mere child like this oppose Us!” Guan Xing reported, “Since Sun Quan has appointed this boy as his general, there is no need for Your Majesty to send a great commander. I am willing to go capture him.” The First Lord said, “We have indeed wished to witness your heroic spirit.” He immediately ordered Guan Xing to go. Guan Xing bowed farewell and was about to leave when Zhang Bao stepped forward and said, “Since Guan Xing is going to punish the rebels, I am willing to go with him.” The First Lord said, “It is excellent that both my nephews should go together. But you must be careful and must not act rashly.”

The two bowed farewell to the First Lord, joined the vanguard, and advanced together, drawing up their formation. When Sun Huan heard that the Shu army had arrived in great force, he brought all three camps out together. The two formations faced each other in full array. Sun Huan, accompanied by Li Yi and Xie Jing, reined in his horse beneath the main standard. From the Shu camp emerged two great generals, both wearing silver helmets and silver armor and mounted on white horses beneath white banners. In the leading position was Zhang Bao, holding an eighteen-foot, steel-tipped spear; below him was Guan Xing, gripping a great broadsword crosswise. Zhang Bao shouted abuse: “Sun Huan, you wretched boy! Your death is at hand, yet you still dare resist the army of Heaven!” Sun Huan shouted back, “Your father has already become a headless ghost, and now you have come seeking death as well. How very foolish!” Zhang Bao flew into a rage, leveled his spear, and charged straight at Sun Huan. From behind Sun Huan, Xie Jing spurred forward to meet him. The two generals fought for more than thirty bouts before Xie Jing fled in defeat, with Zhang Bao pursuing his advantage. Seeing Xie Jing defeated, Li Yi hastily urged on his horse, swung his gold-dipped ax, and joined battle. Zhang Bao fought him for more than twenty bouts, with neither gaining the advantage. Tan Xiong, a subordinate general in the Wu army, saw that Zhang Bao was valiant and that Li Yi could not defeat him, so he loosed a treacherous arrow that struck Zhang Bao’s horse. Maddened by pain, the horse galloped back toward its own formation, but before it reached the main standard, it collapsed to the ground and threw Zhang Bao from the saddle. Li Yi hurried forward, raised his great ax, and brought it down toward Zhang Bao’s head. Suddenly a streak of red light flashed, and Li Yi’s head had already fallen to the ground. Guan Xing had seen Zhang Bao’s horse turn back and was about to support him when he suddenly saw the horse fall and Li Yi rush forward. With a great shout, Guan Xing cut Li Yi down from his horse and rescued Zhang Bao, then pressed forward with the momentum of his charge. Sun Huan suffered a great defeat. Both sides sounded the gongs and recalled their troops.

The next day, Sun Huan again led out his army. Zhang Bao and Guan Xing came out together. Guan Xing reined in his horse before the formation and challenged Sun Huan alone to fight. Sun Huan was furious. He spurred his horse, brandished his sword, and fought Guan Xing for more than thirty bouts. When his strength began to fail, he fled back to his formation in a crushing defeat. The two young generals pursued him into his camp, while Wu Ban led Zhang Nan and Feng Xi forward with their troops in a sweeping attack. Zhang Bao charged valiantly at the front and fought his way into the Wu army, where he encountered Xie Jing and killed him with a single spear thrust. The Wu troops scattered and fled in all directions. After winning the battle, the Shu generals recalled their troops, only to discover that Guan Xing was missing. Zhang Bao was greatly alarmed and said, “If Anguo has met with disaster, I will not live alone!” With that, he snatched up his spear and mounted his horse. He had gone only a few miles when he saw Guan Xing approaching, carrying his sword in his left hand and holding a captured general alive beneath his right arm. Zhang Bao asked, “Who is this?” Guan Xing replied with a smile, “Amid the confused fighting, I happened to encounter my enemy, so I captured him alive.” Zhang Bao looked and saw it was Tan Xiong, the man who had loosed the treacherous arrow the previous day. Zhang Bao was overjoyed. They returned together to their camp, beheaded Tan Xiong, and poured out his blood as a sacrifice to the dead horse. They then wrote a memorial and sent a man to report the victory to the First Lord.

After losing Li Yi, Xie Jing, Tan Xiong, and many other officers and soldiers, Sun Huan found his strength exhausted and his position isolated. Unable to resist the enemy, he sent a man back to Wu to request reinforcements. The Shu generals Zhang Nan and Feng Xi said to Wu Ban, “The Wu army has now been defeated. This is the perfect time to take advantage of its weakness and raid its camp.” Wu Ban said, “Though Sun Huan has lost many officers and soldiers, Zhu Ran’s naval force is still encamped on the river and has suffered no losses. If we raid the camp today and the naval troops come ashore and cut off our route of retreat, what will we do?” Zhang Nan said, “That is easily dealt with. We can order Generals Guan and Zhang each to take five thousand troops and lie in ambush in the mountain valleys. If Zhu Ran comes to the rescue, the two forces can attack together from left and right. Victory will be certain.” Wu Ban said, “It would be better first to send some common soldiers to pretend to surrender and have them reveal the plan to raid the camp to Zhu Ran. When Zhu Ran sees the fires rise, he will certainly come to the rescue. Then we can order the troops in ambush to strike him, and the great affair will succeed.” Feng Xi and the others were delighted and carried out the plan.

Meanwhile, when Zhu Ran heard that Sun Huan had lost troops and generals, he was just preparing to go to his rescue when his road patrols brought several common soldiers aboard his ship to surrender. Zhu Ran questioned them, and one of the soldiers said, “We are soldiers under Feng Xi. Because rewards and punishments are not administered fairly, we have come especially to surrender and to report a secret.” Zhu Ran asked, “What do you have to report?” The soldier said, “Tonight Feng Xi intends to take advantage of the weakness in Sun Huan’s defenses and raid his camp. They have agreed to light fires as their signal.” After hearing this, Zhu Ran immediately sent a man to inform Sun Huan. Halfway there, the messenger was killed by Guan Xing. Zhu Ran then discussed leading troops to Sun Huan’s aid. His subordinate general Cui Yu said, “The words of common soldiers cannot be fully trusted. If anything goes wrong, both the land army and the naval force will be lost. General, you should hold the naval camp securely. I am willing to go in your place.” Zhu Ran agreed and ordered Cui Yu to take ten thousand troops. That night, Feng Xi, Zhang Nan, and Wu Ban divided their forces into three columns and charged directly into Sun Huan’s camp. Fires rose on every side. The Wu troops fell into chaos and fled wherever they could find a path.

As Cui Yu was advancing, he suddenly saw the fires rise and urgently pressed his troops forward. Just as they rounded the mountain, drums thundered from the valley. Guan Xing attacked from the left and Zhang Bao from the right, catching them between two forces. Cui Yu was greatly alarmed and had just turned to flee when he encountered Zhang Bao. After only one exchange on horseback, Zhang Bao captured him alive and carried him away. When Zhu Ran heard how critical the situation was, he sent his ships downstream and retreated fifty or sixty li. Sun Huan led his defeated troops away and asked his officers, “Where ahead is there a city with strong walls and abundant provisions?” An officer replied, “Directly north of here is the city of Yiling, where we can station the troops.” Sun Huan hurried toward Yiling with his defeated army. He had only just entered the city when Wu Ban and the others arrived in pursuit and surrounded it on all four sides. Guan Xing, Zhang Bao, and the others escorted Cui Yu to Zigui. The First Lord was delighted. He had Cui Yu beheaded and richly rewarded the entire army. From that time on, his might and prestige shook the land, and every general in Jiangnan trembled with fear.

Meanwhile, Sun Huan sent a man to request aid from the King of Wu. The king was greatly alarmed and immediately summoned his civil and military officials to deliberate, saying, “Sun Huan is now besieged at Yiling, and Zhu Ran has suffered a great defeat on the river. The army of Shu is extremely powerful. What are we to do?” Zhang Zhao reported, “Though many of our generals have died, more than ten still remain. Why should we fear Liu Bei? Appoint Han Dang chief commander, Zhou Tai deputy commander, Pan Zhang commander of the vanguard, Ling Tong commander of the rear guard, and Gan Ning commander of the relief force, and raise one hundred thousand troops to resist him.” Sun Quan followed his proposal and immediately ordered the generals to depart with all speed. At this time Gan Ning was suffering from dysentery, but he went on the campaign despite his illness.

Meanwhile, from Jianping at the Wu Gorge to the borders of Yiling, the First Lord established more than forty connected camps over a distance of more than seventy li. Seeing Guan Xing and Zhang Bao repeatedly win great merit, he sighed and said, “The generals who once followed Us are all old and useless now. But with two nephews as heroic as these, why should We fear Sun Quan?” While he was still speaking, it was suddenly reported that Han Dang and Zhou Tai were leading an army toward them. The First Lord was just about to send generals to meet the enemy when a close attendant reported, “The veteran general Huang Zhong has taken five or six men and gone toward Eastern Wu.” The First Lord smiled and said, “Huang Hansheng is not a man who would rebel. Because We misspoke and said that old men were useless, he must be unwilling to admit his age and has gone to fight with all his strength.” He immediately summoned Guan Xing and Zhang Bao and said, “Huang Hansheng is certain to meet with danger on this expedition. My worthy nephews, do not shrink from the hardship, but go assist him. As soon as he has won even a little merit, have him return. Do not let any harm come to him.” The two young generals bowed farewell to the First Lord and led their own troops to assist Huang Zhong. Indeed:

The aged minister long has vowed his loyal heart to serve his lord;The young can win great deeds of valor in repayment of their land.

What happened to Huang Zhong on this expedition remains unknown; read the next chapter for the outcome.