Chapter 112

Chapter 112

When Sima Zao learned that Zhuge Dan had joined forces with the Wu army to come offer battle, he summoned the Cavalier Attendant-in-ordinary Pei Xiu and the Gentleman of the Yellow Gate Zhong Hui to discuss strategy for defeating the enemy. Zhong Hui said, "The Wu troops are assisting Zhuge Dan purely for profit. If we entice them with profit, victory is assured." Sima Zao followed his counsel and ordered Shi Bao and Zhou Tai to lead two armies in ambush at Shitou Cheng, while Wang Ji and Chen Qian commanded crack troops in the rear. He ordered the lieutenant general Cheng Cui to lead several tens of thousands of troops ahead to lure the enemy, and directed Chen Jun to bring carts, cattle, donkeys, mules, and other livestock loaded with rewards for the troops, gathering them on all sides in the midst of the formation—if the enemy approached, these were to be abandoned.

On that day, Zhuge Dan ordered the Wu generals Zhu Yi to the left and Wen Qin to the right. Seeing that the Wei formation's men and horses were in disarray, Dan drove his forces straight forward in a great advance. Cheng Cui retreated, and Dan pressed his troops in pursuit. They found cattle, horses, donkeys, and mules spread across the countryside, and the southern soldiers scrambled to seize them, losing all desire to fight. Suddenly a cannon shot rang out, and two columns of soldiers charged forth—Shi Bao on the left, Zhou Tai on the right. Dan was greatly alarmed and tried to withdraw, but then the crack troops of Wang Ji and Chen Qian struck. Dan's forces were utterly routed. Sima Zao then led reinforcements forward. Dan fled with his defeated troops into Shouchun and barricaded the city gates to hold fast. Sima Zao ordered his troops to surround the city on all sides and press the assault with full force.

At this time the Wu forces withdrew and encamped at Anfeng, while the Wei sovereign's carriage was stationed at Xiangcheng. Zhong Hui said, "Though Zhuge Dan has been defeated, the city of Shouchun still has abundant grain and fodder, and moreover the Wu army is encamped at Anfeng to form a pincer position. If we besiege them on all sides, they will hold firm when given time and fight to the death when pressed hard. The Wu troops may seize the opportunity to attack from two sides, and our army would gain no advantage. It would be better to attack on three sides, leaving the southern road open and allowing the rebels to flee. We can strike them as they flee and win a complete victory. The Wu army has come from far away and their grain supply cannot last. If I lead light cavalry to cut behind them, they can be defeated without a battle." Sima Zao patted Hui on the back and said, "You are truly my Zhang Liang!" He then ordered Wang Ji to withdraw the troops from the southern gate.

The Wu forces were encamped at Anfeng. Sun Lin summoned Zhu Yi and reproached him: "If you cannot even save a single city like Shouchun, how can you hope to swallow up the Central Plains? If you do not win next time, I shall have you beheaded!" Zhu Yi returned to his own camp to deliberate. Yu Quan said, "Now that the southern gate of Shouchun is not besieged, I am willing to lead a column through the southern gate to enter the city and assist Zhuge Dan in its defense. You, General, can challenge the Wei troops, while I sally forth from within the city, and with our two forces attacking from both sides, the Wei army can be defeated." Yi agreed with his plan. Thereby Quan Yi, Quan Duan, and Wen Qin all expressed their willingness to enter the city. Together with Yu Quan, they led ten thousand troops and entered Shouchun through the southern gate. The Wei soldiers, having received no orders, did not dare to engage lightly and allowed the Wu troops to enter the city, then reported this to Sima Zao. Sima Zao said, "This is an attempt to coordinate with Zhu Yi for an inside-outside attack to break our forces." He summoned Wang Ji and Chen Qian and instructed them: "You are to lead five thousand troops to cut off Zhu Yi's route of advance and strike him from behind." The two received their orders and departed. Zhu Yi was just leading his troops forward when suddenly a great clamor arose from behind—Wang Ji on the left and Chen Qian on the right, two columns of soldiers charging forth. The Wu forces were utterly defeated. Zhu Yi returned to see Sun Lin. Sun Lin flew into a rage: "A general who suffers repeated defeats—what use is he!" He ordered the soldiers to drag him out and behead him. He also berated Quan Duan's son Quan Yi: "If you cannot drive back the Wei army, you and your father need not come before me again!" Thereupon Sun Lin returned to Jianye on his own.

Zhong Hui said to Sima Zao, "Now that Sun Lin has withdrawn, there are no relief forces outside, and the city can be besieged." Sima Zao followed this counsel and pressed the assault and encirclement. Quan Yi led troops into Shouchun to attack, but seeing the Wei forces were too powerful, he realized he had no way forward or back, and so surrendered to Sima Zao. Zao appointed Yi as a lieutenant general. Grateful for Zao's kindness, Yi wrote a letter home to his father Quan Duan and his uncle Quan Yi, saying that Sun Lin was unprincipled and that they would do better to surrender to Wei, and shot the letter into the city. Quan Yi received his son's letter and thereupon opened the city gates with Duan, leading several thousand men to surrender. Zhuge Dan in the city was troubled and distressed. His advisers Jiao Ban and Jiao Yi came forward and said, "The city has little grain but many soldiers—it cannot hold long. You should lead the forces of Wu and Chu to fight the Wei army to the death in a decisive battle." Dan flew into a rage: "I wish to hold the city, yet you wish to fight—do you harbor treacherous intentions? Speak again and I shall have you beheaded!" The two men looked up to heaven and sighed: "Dan is doomed! We would sooner surrender early to escape death with our lives!" That night, at the second watch, Jiao Ban and Jiao Yi scaled the wall and surrendered to Wei. Sima Zao treated them with high regard. From then on, though there were warriors in the city willing to fight, none dared speak of it.

Dan in the city saw the Wei troops building earthen walls on all sides to guard against the Huai River, hoping that when the waters rose they would collapse the walls, allowing him to drive his troops forth in attack. But from autumn through winter there was no heavy rain, and the Huai River did not rise. Within the city, grain was gradually exhausted. Wen Qin held fast in the small city with his two sons, and seeing his soldiers gradually starving, he could only come to Dan and report: "Our grain and fodder are completely gone, and our soldiers are starving and dying. It would be better to send all the northern troops out of the city to reduce the number of mouths to feed." Dan flew into a rage: "You advise me to send away all the northern troops—do you seek to plot against me?" He ordered him dragged out and beheaded. Wen Yang and Wen Hu, seeing their father killed, each drew a short blade and immediately slew dozens of men, then flew up onto the city wall, leaped down, crossed the moat, and fled to the Wei camp to surrender. Sima Zao still bore a grudge against Wen Yang for the old enmity of his single-horse retreat and wished to behead him. Zhong Hui remonstrated: "The fault lay with Wen Qin. Now that Wen Qin is dead and his two sons have come in desperation to submit, if we kill generals who surrender, we will only harden the hearts of those within the city." Zao followed this counsel and summoned Wen Yang and Wen Hu into his tent, spoke to them with kind words, bestowed upon them fine horses and brocade robes, and appointed them as lieutenant generals with the title of Marquis Within the Pass. The two brothers bowed in thanks, mounted their horses, and rode around the city shouting loudly: "We two have been pardoned of our crimes and granted titles by the Grand General—why do you not surrender soon!" Those inside the city, hearing this, all deliberated among themselves: "Wen Yang was an enemy of the Sima clan, yet he has been treated with such high regard—how much more will they treat us?" And so all desired to surrender. Zhuge Dan, hearing of this, flew into a rage and personally patrolled the city day and night, using killing to maintain his authority.

Zhong Hui, knowing that the hearts of those within the city had changed, went into Sima Zhao's tent and reported: "We can take advantage of this moment to attack the city." Zhao was overjoyed and roused the three armies to converge from all sides, attacking together. The defending general, Zeng Xuan, surrendered the northern gate and let the Wei soldiers enter the city. When Deng Ai saw that Wei troops had already entered, he hastily led several hundred of his men through a small road in the city to break out. Reaching the drawbridge, he ran straight into Hu Zun, who struck with his blade and cut Deng Ai down from his horse. All several hundred men were captured. Wang Ji led his troops to the western gate and encountered the Wu general Yu Quan there. Wang Ji shouted at him: "Why not surrender early!" Yu Quan flew into a rage and said: "I received my orders and came out to rescue others from disaster. Having failed to save them, I cannot then surrender to the enemy—righteousness does not permit it!" He threw his helmet to the ground and cried out loudly: "To be born into this world and to die on the battlefield is fortune enough!" He furiously brandished his sword and fought fiercely for more than thirty bouts, but exhausted and spent, he was killed by the chaotic troops. A later poet praised him with these lines:

When the Simas besieged Shouchun of old,

Countless surrendered soldiers bowed in the dust.

Though Wu had heroes of its own,

Who matched Yu Quan, willing to lay down his life?

Sima Zhao entered Shouchun and had the entire family of Zhugel Dan—old and young—beheaded, exterminating his three sets of kin. The soldiers brought the several hundred troops captured from Zhugel Dan's command, bound before him. Zhao said: "Will you surrender?" They all shouted: "We wish to die with the Duke of Zhugel—we will never surrender to you!" Zhao was furious and ordered the soldiers to take them all outside the city. He questioned them one by one: "Those who surrender shall be spared their lives." Not a single man spoke of surrender. They were killed to the last, and in the end not one man surrendered. Zhao sighed deeply and repeatedly, and ordered them all to be buried. A later poet lamented:

Loyal to their lord, resolved not to cling to life,

Were the soldiers beneath Zhugel Gongxiu's command.

The songs of withering dew have not yet ceased—

Their legacy rivals even Tian Heng's.

Now, the majority of the Wu troops had surrendered to Wei. Fei Xiu reported to Sima Zhao: "The families of these Wu soldiers are all in the southeast, in the regions of the Yangtze and Huai. If we keep them here, in time they will surely rebel—it would be better to bury them alive." Zhong Hui said: "Not so. Among the ancients who wielded armies, the highest aim was to preserve the enemy whole—only the chief villains were put to death. If we bury them all alive, that is unmerciful. It would be better to release them to return to Jiangnan, to demonstrate the magnanimity of the Central Kingdom." Zhao said: "This is a splendid argument." He then released all the Wu soldiers to return to their own country. Tang Zi, fearing Sun Chen, did not dare return to his country and also came to surrender to Wei. Zhao employed them all in important posts, ordering them to be stationed in the Three Rivers region. The Huai-nan region had been pacified. He was just about to withdraw his forces when suddenly word arrived that Jiang Wei of Western Shu had led troops to seize Changcheng and intercept the grain supplies. Zhao was greatly alarmed and consulted with his many officials on a strategy for withdrawing the forces.

At this time, the twenty-first year of the Yanxi era of the Han dynasty was changed to the first year of the Jingyao era. Jiang Wei had selected two generals from among the Sichuan officers in Hanzhong to drill the troops daily: one was Jiang Shu, the other Fu Qian. Both men were quite courageous, and Wei valued them greatly. Suddenly he received word that Zhugel Dan in Huai-nan had raised troops to attack Sima Zhao, and that Sun Chen of Eastern Wu was assisting him. Zhao had raised a great army from both Huai regions, taking the Wei empress dowager and the Wei sovereign with him on the campaign. Wei was overjoyed and said: "This time, my great undertaking will succeed!" He then submitted a memorial to the Latter Lord, requesting permission to raise troops to attack Wei. The Palace Counsellor Qu Zhou, upon hearing of this, sighed and said: "In recent times the court has wallowed in wine and women, trusting the eunuch Huang Hao, neglecting affairs of state and seeking only pleasure. Boyue has repeatedly sought to wage campaigns, showing no concern for his soldiers. The state is in peril!" He then wrote an essay titled "On a Hostile State" and sent it to Jiang Wei. Wei broke the seal and read it. The essay said:

Someone asked: "Since ancient times, those who were able to overcome the strong with the weak—what was their method?" Answer: "A great state that has no troubles is habitually negligent; a small state that has worries habitually strives for good governance. Negligence gives birth to chaos; striving for good governance gives birth to order—this is a constant principle. Thus King Wen nurtured his people and with the few took the many; Goujian cared for his multitudes and with the weak destroyed the strong. This was their method."

Someone said: "In the past, Chu was strong and Han was weak; they divided the Hong Canal as their border. Zhang Liang believed that once the people's will had been settled, it would be difficult to move them, so he led his troops in pursuit of Yu and ultimately destroyed the House of Xiang. Was it really necessary to follow the methods of King Wen and Goujian?" Answer: "In the time of the Shang and Zhou, the lords of the states were honored for generations, and the bond between ruler and minister was firm. In such an age, even if Gaozu of Han had existed, how could he have taken the world with his sword? After the Qin abolished the feudal lords and established appointed officials, the people were worn out by Qin's corvée labor and the empire collapsed, and so the heroes rose together to contend. Now, both we and our rival have passed through generations of inheritance—this is not the time of the Qin's final boiling over, but rather a situation where six states stand side by side. Therefore we may act as King Wen did, but it is difficult to act as Gaozu did. Move only when the timing is right, act only when the numbers align. Thus the armies of Tang and Wu conquered without a second battle—truly, they took the people's labor seriously and weighed the times with care. If one were to exhaust military force and wage reckless campaigns, and misfortune should befall, even a wise man could not devise a plan for it."

When Jiang Wei finished reading, he flew into a rage and said: "This is the argument of a pedantic scholar!" He threw it to the ground. He then led the Sichuan troops to seize the Central Plains. He asked Fu Qian: "In your estimation, from which direction should we strike?" Qian said: "The Wei have stored their grain at Changcheng. Now we may take the direct route through Lu Gu, cross Shenling, and proceed straight to Changcheng. First burn their grain, then strike directly for Qinchuan, and the Central Plains will be ours in no time." Wei said: "Your view coincides perfectly with my plan." He immediately led his troops through Lu Gu, crossed Shenling, and advanced toward Changcheng.

Now, the garrison general of Changcheng was Sima Wang, who was Sima Zhaos elder cousin. The city had abundant grain and forage but few troops. When Sima Wang learned that the Shu forces had arrived, he hastily led the generals Wang Zhen and Li Peng out of the city, setting up camp twenty li away. The next day, the Shu army arrived, and Sima Wang led the two generals out to meet them in battle. Jiang Wei rode forward and, looking at Sima Wang, said, "Now Sima Zhao has moved the ruler with his army, surely harboring the intentions of Li Jue and Guo Si. I come bearing the clear mandate of the court to call you to account. You should surrender at once. If you remain obstinate, your whole family will be put to death!" Sima Wang answered with a loud voice: "You men are without propriety. You have repeatedly invaded the upper kingdom. If you do not retreat at once, I will leave not a single one of you to return alive!" Before he had finished speaking, Wang Zhen, standing behind Sima Wang, leveled his spear and rode out. From the Shu ranks, Fu Qian rode forth to meet him. After fewer than ten exchanges, Fu Qian deliberately revealed a false opening, and Wang Zhen thrust his spear forward to stab. Fu Qian dodged, seized Wang Zhen alive on horseback, and rode back to his own lines. Li Peng, furious, galloped forth swinging his saber to rescue him. Fu Qian slowed his horse deliberately, and when Li Peng drew near, he flung Wang Zhen to the ground with effort and secretly grasped a four-sided iron rod in his hand. As Li Peng overtook him and raised his saber to strike, Fu Qian turned his body and faced him, bringing the rod down once upon Li Pengs face. His eyeballs burst forth, and he fell dead from his horse. Wang Zhen was pierced to death by the Shu soldiers spears. Jiang Wei drove his troops forward in a great advance. Sima Wang abandoned his camp and fled back into the city, closing the gates and refusing to come out. Jiang Wei issued orders: "Let the soldiers rest tonight to preserve their vigor. Tomorrow we must enter the city." At dawn the next day, the Shu troops vied to advance, surging forward en masse to the base of the walls. They shot fire-arrows and fire-bombs into the city. The thatched roofs on the city walls caught fire all at once, and the Wei soldiers fell into disorder of their own accord. Jiang Wei then ordered dry firewood to be heaped up against the city walls, and all of it was set alight at the same time, the blazing flames shooting skyward. The city was on the verge of falling, and within the walls the Wei soldiers wailed and wept bitterly, their cries heard for miles around.

Even as the assault was underway, suddenly a great shouting rose from behind. Jiang Wei reined in his horse and turned to look, and he saw the Wei troops beating drums, waving their banners, and coming on in a vast tide. Jiang Wei ordered the rear ranks to form the front, and he himself stood beneath the gate-flag to await them. Then he saw a young general emerge from the Wei battle array, fully armored and belted, leveling his spear and galloping forth. He was about twenty years of age, his face like powdered white, his lips as if painted with vermilion. He cried out in a fierce voice: "Do you know General Deng!" Jiang Wei thought to himself: "This must be Deng Ai." He leveled his spear and rode forth. The two men summoned their spirits and fought for thirty or forty exchanges without either gaining the upper hand. Not a single stroke of the young generals spear was wasted. Jiang Wei thought within himself: "Without some stratagem, how can I prevail?" He then wheeled his horse and fled toward a mountain path on the left. The young general spurred his horse in pursuit. Jiang Wei hung his steel spear and secretly took up his carved bow and feathered arrows to shoot. The young general had sharp eyes and had already seen it; the moment the bowstring sounded, he threw his body forward and let the arrow pass. Jiang Wei turned to see that the young general had already drawn close and was thrusting his spear. Jiang Wei dodged, and the spear passed by his side; he caught it under his arm. The young general abandoned his spear and fled toward his own lines. Jiang Wei sighed and said, "What a pity! What a pity!" He wheeled his horse and gave chase again. Pursuing him to the front of the Wei lines, a general came forth with a saber and said, "Jiang Wei, you fellow, do not chase my son! Deng Ai is here!" Jiang Wei was greatly startled. It turned out the young general was Deng Zhong, Deng Ais son. Jiang Wei secretly marveled. He wished to fight Deng Ai, but feared his horse was spent, so he pointed at Deng Ai and said, "Today I have come to know you and your son. Let each side withdraw its troops for now, and we shall fight to the death tomorrow." Deng Ai, seeing that the battlefield was unfavorable, also reined in his horse and replied, "Very well, let each side withdraw its troops. One who attacks by underhanded means is no true man." Thereupon both armies withdrew. Deng Ai set up camp along the Wei River, while Jiang Wei pitched his camp across two mountains. Deng Ais survey of the Shu armys position led him to write a letter to Sima Wang: "We must on no account give battle; we should hold firm and defend. When the troops from Guanzhong arrive, the Shu armys grain and forage will be exhausted, and if we attack from three sides, victory is assured. I am now sending my eldest son Deng Zhong to help defend the city." At the same time, he sent a man to Sima Zhaos position to beg for reinforcements.

Now, Jiang Wei sent a man to Deng Ais camp with a letter of challenge, proposing a great battle the next day. Deng Ai pretended to accept. At the fifth watch the next morning, Jiang Wei ordered the three armies to prepare food, and at dawn he deployed his forces and waited. But in Deng Ais camp, the banners were furled and the drums silenced, as though there were no one there. Jiang Wei did not return until late in the day. The next day he again sent a man with a letter of challenge, rebuking Deng Ai for failing to keep the appointment. Deng Ai treated the messenger with wine and food and replied, "My humble person is slightly indisposed, which caused the delay. We shall meet in battle tomorrow." The next day, Jiang Wei led his forces forward again, and Deng Ai still refused to come out, just as before.

After five or six such exchanges, Fu Qian said to Jiang Wei, "There must be some scheme behind this. We must be on our guard." Jiang Wei said, "He is surely waiting for the troops from Guanzhong to arrive so that he can attack us from three sides. I shall now send a man with a letter to Sun Lin of Eastern Wu, asking him to join forces with us in the attack." Suddenly a scout rode in and reported that Sima Zhao had attacked Shouchun and slain Zhuge Dan, and that all the Wu forces had surrendered. Sima Zhaos army was returning to Luoyang, and he intended to lead troops to relieve Changcheng. Jiang Wei was greatly alarmed and said, "This campaign against Wei has come to nothing again—it is like a painted cake. We had better withdraw for now." And indeed:

Four campaigns already had brought no achievement to lament;

A fifth attempt now too had ended in failure, to bemoan.

How the army withdrew will be told in the next chapter.