Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Now Li Jue and Guo Si wished to slay Emperor Zhang. Zhang Ji and Fan Chou remonstrated, saying, "This cannot be done. If you kill him now, I fear the masses will not submit. Better to continue to uphold him as sovereign, lure the lords into the Pass, first remove his supporters, and then kill him—the empire can then be seized." Li Jue and Guo Si followed their counsel and restrained their weapons. From the tower, the emperor proclaimed, "Wang Yun has been executed. Why do your troops not withdraw?" Li Jue and Guo Si replied, "Your ministers have rendered meritorious service to the royal house but have not yet been granted titles. Therefore we dare not withdraw our forces." The emperor said, "What titles do you seek?" Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, and Fan Chou each wrote out their desired offices and submitted them, demanding these ranks. The emperor had no choice but to comply. He appointed Li Jue as General of Chariots and Cavalry, Marquis of Chiyang, with the oversight of the Metropolitan Area, and granted him the Imperial Battle-Axe; Guo Si was made General of the Rear and also granted the Imperial Battle-Axe, and they jointly administered state affairs; Fan Chou was made General of the Right and Marquis of Wannian; Zhang Ji was made General of Flying Cavalry and Marquis of Pingyang, commanding troops stationed at Hongnong. The remaining commanders, Li Meng and Wang Fang, were each appointed as Commandants. Then they offered thanks for their favors and led their troops out of the city. They also gave orders to recover Dong Zhuo's corpse, but only fragments of skin and bone were found. They carved a likeness from fragrant sandalwood and pieced it together, then held a grand sacrifice, using the coffin and burial garments of a king. They selected an auspicious day and proceeded to rebury him at Mei Fort. On the day of burial, a great thunderstorm struck from the heavens; water several feet deep covered the flat ground, and a thunderbolt split open the coffin, hurling the corpse outside. Li Jue waited for clear weather to rebury him, but that night the same thing happened again. They attempted the burial three times, and each time could not complete it. The scattered skin and shattered bones were all consumed by thunder and fire. Heaven's wrath against Dong Zhuo could indeed be called extreme!

Now that Li Jue and Guo Si had seized great power, they cruelly oppressed the people and secretly placed trusted attendants around the emperor to observe his movements. At this time, Emperor Xian moved as though walking among thorns and brambles. The officials of the court were all promoted or demoted at the pleasure of these two traitors. To court popular favor, they specially summoned Zhu Jun to court, appointing him Grand Equerry and co-administrator of state affairs.

One day, word arrived that Ma Teng, Governor of Xiliang, and Han Sui, Inspector of Bing Province, were leading an army of over one hundred thousand men toward Chang'an, declaring their intent to punish the traitors. It turned out that these two generals had previously sent agents to Chang'an to conspire with the Palace Attendant Ma Yu, the Grand Remonstrant Zhong Shao, and the Gentleman of the Left Palace Liu Fan as their inside supporters, plotting together against the traitors. The three had secretly memorialized the emperor, who appointed Ma Teng as General Who Conquers the West and Han Sui as General Who Guards the West, each receiving secret edicts to join forces in punishing the traitors. When Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji, and Fan Chou learned that the two armies were approaching, they met together to discuss how to resist the enemy. The strategist Jia Xu said, "The two armies have come from far away. We should simply dig deep moats and build high ramparts, holding firm to resist them. In less than a hundred days, their supplies will be exhausted and they will inevitably retreat of their own accord. Then we can lead our forces in pursuit and capture both generals." Li Meng and Wang Fang stepped forward, saying, "This is not a good plan. We request ten thousand elite troops to behead Ma Teng and Han Sui and present their heads at your feet." Jia Xu said, "If you fight now, you will certainly be defeated." Li Meng and Wang Fang said in unison, "If we two are defeated, we will willingly submit to beheading; if you lose, you must give us your head in return." Jia Xu said to Li Jue and Guo Si, "Twenty hundred li west of Chang'an lies Mount Zhouzhi, with rugged and precipitous roads. You can station the two generals Zhang Ji and Fan Chou there, holding their positions firmly behind strong walls, while Li Meng and Wang Fang lead troops forward to meet the enemy." Li Jue and Guo Si followed his counsel and assigned fifteen thousand cavalry and infantry to Li Meng and Wang Fang. The two departed with delight and made camp two hundred eighty li from Chang'an.

When the Xiliang forces arrived, the two went out to meet them. The Xiliang army spread out in battle formation across the road. Ma Teng and Han Sui rode out side by side, pointing at Li Meng and Wang Fang as they cursed, "Traitors to the state! Who will capture them?" Before they had finished speaking, a young general flew forth from the ranks—his face like polished jade, his eyes like shooting stars, his body like a tiger's, his arms like an ape's, his waist lean and sinewy like a wolf's. He grasped a long spear and sat astride a splendid horse. This general was none other than Ma Teng's son, Ma Chao, styled Mengqi. He was only seventeen years of age, yet peerless in valor. Wang Fang, taking advantage of him for his youth, spurred his horse forward to engage him. After only a few exchanges, Ma Chao pierced him with his spear and struck him from his horse. Ma Chao reined in his horse and was about to turn back. Li Meng, seeing Wang Fang slain, rode in pursuit from behind Ma Chao. Ma Chao acted as though he knew nothing of it. Ma Teng, at the gate of the formation, shouted, "Someone is pursuing you from behind!" Before his voice had faded, Ma Chao had already seized Li Meng and placed him on his horse. The truth was that Ma Chao knew full well that Li Meng was pursuing him, but deliberately delayed. When Li Meng's horse drew near and he thrust forward with his spear, Ma Chao shifted his body to one side. Li Meng's thrust missed, and as the two horses drew abreast, Ma Chao effortlessly extended his long arms and captured him alive. The soldiers, having no commander, fled before the wind. Ma Teng and Han Sui pressed their advantage and pursued, winning a great victory. They advanced straight to the mountain pass and made camp there, where they beheaded Li Meng and displayed his head as a warning.

When Li Jue and Guo Si learned that both Li Meng and Wang Fang had been killed by Ma Chao, they finally believed that Jia Xu had foresight. They placed great reliance on his strategies and focused solely on strengthening their defenses, allowing the enemy to challenge them but never going out to meet them. Indeed, before two months had passed, the Xiliang army's provisions were entirely exhausted, and they discussed withdrawing their forces. At that moment, a household slave of Ma Yu in Chang'an came forward to expose his master's conspiracy with Liu Fan and Zhong Shao, who had linked up with Ma Teng and Han Sui outside the city to act as inside supporters. Li Jue and Guo Si were enraged. They arrested all three families—young and old, men and women, noble and base—and executed them in the market. They displayed the three heads at the city gate as a warning. Ma Teng and Han Sui, seeing that their army's provisions were spent and their inside supporters had been exposed, had no choice but to break camp and withdraw. Li Jue and Guo Si ordered Zhang Ji to pursue Ma Teng and Fan Chou to pursue Han Sui. The Xiliang army suffered a great defeat. Ma Chao fought desperately in the rear, driving back Zhang Ji. Fan Chou pursued Han Sui and was about to overtake him, approaching Chencang, when Han Sui reined in his horse and said to Fan Chou, "You and I are from the same hometown. Why are you so ruthless today?" Fan Chou also halted his horse and replied, "The orders of my superiors cannot be disobeyed!" Han Sui said, "I came here for the sake of the state as well. Why do you press me so relentlessly?" Having heard this, Fan Chou turned his horse around, called back his troops, and let Han Sui go.

He did not guard against Li Jue's nephew Li Bie, who saw Fan Chou let Han Sui go and reported this to his uncle. Li Jue was furious and wished to raise troops to attack Fan Chou. Jia Xu said, "At present the people's hearts are not yet settled. To frequently resort to arms would be deeply inadvisable. It would be better to host a banquet, inviting Zhang Ji and Fan Chou to celebrate their merits, and seize and behead Chou right there at the mat—without the least exertion." Li Jue was overjoyed and accordingly hosted a banquet for Zhang Ji and Fan Chou. The two generals went gladly to the feast. When the wine was half done, Li Jue suddenly changed countenance and said, "Fan Chou, why have you been in league with Han Sui, plotting rebellion?" Chou was greatly alarmed; before he could reply, executioner-guards rushed out and forthwith beheaded Fan Chou beneath the mat. Zhang Ji was so terrified he prostrated himself on the ground. Li Jue raised him up and said, "Fan Chou plotted rebellion, and therefore I put you to death. You, sir, are my trusted confidant—why need you be frightened or afraid?" He assigned Fan Chou's troops to Zhang Ji to command. Zhang Ji then returned to Hongnou.

After Li Jue and Guo Si defeated the Xiliang forces, none of the feudal lords dared challenge them. Jia Xu repeatedly urged them to pacify the common people and befriend worthy men. From that time the court showed a faint sign of life. But then the Yellow Scarves of Qingzhou rose again, gathering several hundred thousand men of unequal rank, plundering the good people. Grand Coachman Zhu Jun recommended a man who could crush the horde. Li Jue and Guo Si asked who it was. Zhu Jun said, "To crush the bandits east of the mountains, no one but Cao Mengde will do." Li Jue said, "Where is Mengde now?" Zhu Jun said, "He is presently Grand Administrator of Dong Commandery, with large forces at his command. If you commission this man to attack the bandits, they can be crushed within days." Li Jue was overjoyed. He drafted an edite by night and sent a messenger to Dong Commandery, ordering Cao Cao and Bao Xin, Chancellor of Jibei, to attack the bandets together.

Cao received the imperial edict, joined forces with Bao Xin, and together they raised troops to strike the bandits at Shouyang. Bao Xin charged into the enemy's midst and was slain by the bandits. Cao pursued the bandit forces all the way to Jibei, where tens of thousands surrendered. Cao at once used the former bandits as his vanguard; wherever his troops went, none failed to submit. In barely a hundred days, he had pacified over three hundred thousand surrendered soldiers and more than a million men and women. Cao selected the most able among them and named them the "Qingzhou Troops"; the rest were all sent back to till the fields. From this time on, Cao Cao's prestige grew daily heavier. When the dispatch of victory reached the court at Chang'an, he was appointed General Who Guards the East.

While in Yanzhou, Cao Cao invited the worthy and received men of talent. An uncle and nephew came to join him: they were from Yingyin in Yingchuan—a man named Xun Yu, courtesy name Wenruo, son of Xun Kun. He had formerly served Yuan Shao but now abandoned Shao to join Cao. Cao spoke with him and was greatly pleased, saying, "This is my Zifang!" He appointed him Army-Grand Marshal. His nephew Xun You, courtesy name Gongda, a celebrated scholar of the realm, had once been a Gentleman of the Palace Gate but later resigned and returned home. Now he came with his uncle to join Cao, who appointed him Army Grand Instructor. Xun Yu said, "I have heard there is a worthy man in Yanzhou—do you know where he is?" Cao asked who it was. Yu said, "He is from Dong'e in Dong Commandery—a man named Cheng Yu, courtesy name Zhongde." Cao said, "I too have long known his name." He therefore sent someone to seek him out in his hometown. They found him reading in the mountains, and Cao went in person to invite him. When Cheng Yu came to see him, Cao Cao was overjoyed. Cheng Yu said to Xun Yu, "I am ignorant and ill-informed, hardly worthy of your recommendation. There is a man from your hometown, Guo Jia, courtesy name Fengxiao, who is a worthy scholar of our time. Why not seek him out and bring him here?" Yu started as if waking from a dream and said, "I had almost forgotten!" He then proposed to Cao that Guo Jia be summoned to Yanzhou to discuss affairs of the empire together. Guo Jia recommended a direct descendant of Emperor Guangwu, a man of Huainan Chengde named Liu Ye, courtesy name Ziyang. Cao summoned him at once. Liu Ye in turn recommended two men: one was from Changyi in ShanYang—Man Chong, courtesy name Boning; the other was from Wucheng—Lü Qian, courtesy name Zike. Cao had long known the reputations of both and appointed them Attendants of the Army. Man Chong and Lü Qian together recommended a man from Pingqiu in Chenliu—Mao Jie, courtesy name Xiaoxian. Cao also appointed him an Attendant. Then a commander arrived with several hundred troops to join Cao: he was from JuPing in TaiShan—Yu Jin, courtesy name Wenze. Cao saw that the man was skilled in archery and horsemanship and outstanding in martial arts, and appointed him Marshal of the Standard.

One day Xiahou Dun brought a great fellow to see him. Cao asked who he was. Dun said, "This is a man from Chenliu named Dian Wei, of surpassing strength. He formerly served Zhang Miao but fell out with men in the camp and killed dozens with his own hands, then fled into the mountains. I was out hunting and saw Wei chasing a deer across a stream, so I took him into my army. I now commend him to you." Cao said, "From his stately appearance, this man must possess great strength." Dun said, "He once killed a man to avenge a friend, carrying the head straight through the marketplace—hundreds dared not approach him. He now uses two iron halberds weighing eighty catties; he rides with them on horseback and wields them as if they flew." Cao ordered Wei to demonstrate. Wei seized his halberds and galloped back and forth. Suddenly the great standard in the camp, blown by the wind, tottered as if about to fall, and the soldiers could not hold it steady. Wei dismounted, drove the troops back with a shout, and with one hand held the staff firm, standing unmoved in the wind. Cao said, "This is an ancient ELai!" He appointed him Commandant of the Guard before his tent, removed his own brocade robe and offered it, together with a fine horse and carved saddle.

From this time on, Cao Cao's subordinates included wise counselors in civil matters and fierce generals in martial affairs, and his might held sway east of the mountains. He then sent Ying Shao, Grand Administrator of TaiShan, to LangYa Commandery to welcome his father Cao Song. Song had taken refuge from trouble in Chenliu and was living in seclusion in LangYa. That day he received the letter and set out with his younger brother Cao De, his whole household of more than forty persons, over a hundred servants, over a hundred carts, making straight for Yanzhou. Passing through Xuzhou, the Grand Administrator Tao Qian, courtesy name Gongzu, a man of warm and honest character, had long wished to cultivate Cao Cao's friendship but had never had the opportunity. Learning that Cao's father was passing through, he went beyond his borders to welcome him, bowed twice in reverence, and laid on a great banquet, entertaining him for two days. When Cao Song wished to depart, Tao Qian personally escorted him outside the walls and specially assigned Commandant Zhang Kai with five hundred troops to escort him on his way.

Cao Song, with his family and dependents, was traveling between Hua and Fei when, at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, a sudden downpour arrived. They had to seek lodging at an old temple. The monks received them, and Song settled his family while ordering Zhang Kai to encamp the troops in the two corridors. The soldiers' garments were all soaked by the rain, and they grumbled in unison. Zhang Kai summoned his lieutenants to a secluded spot and said, "We were originally remnants of the Yellow Turbans, who submitted to Tao Qian reluctantly, with no benefit gained. Now Cao Song has countless carts of valuables. If you wish to attain wealth and honor, it is not difficult. Tonight, at the third watch, we shall rush in together, kill Cao Song and his entire family, take their possessions, and go to the mountains together to become outlaws. How about this plan?" All agreed. That night, the wind and rain had not ceased. Cao Song was sitting inside when suddenly he heard shouts rising on all four sides. Cao De rushed out with a sword and was immediately stabbed to death. Cao Song hastily led a concubine toward the rear of the abbot's quarters, trying to climb over the wall and escape; but the concubine was too obese to get through. In his panic, Song hid with her in the privy, where they were both slain by the disorderly soldiers. Ying Shao fled for his life and went to Yuan Shao. Zhang Kai killed Cao Song's entire family, took their possessions, set fire to the temple, and fled with five hundred men to Huainain. A later poet wrote:

Cao Cao, the cunning hero, praised through the ages,

Once slew the entire Lü household.

Now his own household meets slaughter at men's hands—

Heaven's retribution cycles without fail.

At that time, Ying Shao had soldiers who escaped with their lives and reported to Cao Cao. When Cao heard the news, he collapsed weeping to the ground. The others helped him up, and he said through clenched teeth, "Tao Qian let his soldiers kill my father. This enmity cannot be shared beneath the same sky! I shall now raise my entire army to sweep clean the province of Xu and wash away my hatred!" He left Xun Yu and Cheng Yi with thirty thousand troops to guard the three counties of Juan, Fan, and Dong'e, while the rest marched toward Xu Province. Xiahou Dun, Yu Jin, and Dian Wei served as the vanguard. Cao Cao ordered that whenever a city was taken, all its inhabitants were to be slaughtered to avenge his father.

At that time, Bian Rang, the Governor of Jiujiang, was on close terms with Tao Qian. Hearing that Xu Province was in danger, he led five thousand troops to its aid. When Cao Cao learned of this, he was furious and sent Xiahou Dun to intercept and kill him along the way. At that time, Chen Gong was a clerk in Dong Commandery and was also on close terms with Tao Qian. Hearing that Cao Cao had raised an army for revenge and intended to slaughter all the people, he came through the night to see Cao Cao. Cao knew he had come as an advocate for Tao Qian and wished not to see him, but he could not dismiss their old bond, so he had to invite him into his tent. Chen Gong said, "I hear that Your Excellency is bringing a great army to Xu Province to avenge your father, and wherever you go you wish to slaughter the people. I have come especially to offer advice. Tao Qian is a benevolent gentleman, not one who pursues profit and forgets righteousness. Your father's murder was the evil deed of Zhang Kai—it is not Tao Qian's crime. Moreover, what enmity do the people of these counties have with Your Excellency? To kill them brings ill fortune. I hope you will think thrice before acting." Cao Cao angrily replied, "You abandoned me in the past. What face do you have to appear before me again? Tao Qian killed my entire family. I vow to tear out his liver and gouge out my heart to avenge my hatred! Though you may lobby for Tao Qian, what can you do when I refuse to listen?" Chen Gong left, sighing, "I too have no face to see Tao Qian!" He then rode swiftly to Zhang Miao, the Governor of Chenliu.

Meanwhile, wherever Cao Cao's army went, they slaughtered the people and dug up graves. Tao Qian was in Xu Province when he heard that Cao Cao had raised an army for revenge and was slaughtering the people. He looked up to heaven and wept bitterly, "I have offended Heaven, causing the people of Xu Province to suffer this great calamity!" He hastily assembled his officers for counsel. Cao Bao said, "Since the Cao army has arrived, how can we simply wait to die? I am willing to assist you in defeating them." Tao Qian had no choice but lead his troops out to meet them. From afar, Cao Cao's army looked like spreading frost and surging snow. In the center of the army, two white banners were raised, on which were written in large characters the four words "VENGEANCE AND RETRIBUTION." The troops formed their battle lines. Cao Cao rode out from the ranks, dressed in plain white silk, and brandished his whip in loud rebuke. Tao Qian also rode out beneath the banner gate, bowed, and said, "I originally wished to establish friendship with Your Excellency and therefore entrusted Zhang Kai to escort you. I did not expect his thieving heart to remain unchanged, leading to this. It truly was not Tao Qian's doing. I hope Your Excellency will see this clearly." Cao Cao cursed loudly, "You old wretch! You killed my father and still dare to speak such nonsense! Who can capture this old villain alive?" Xiahou Dun responded and charged forth. Tao Qian hastily retreated into his formation. Xiahou Dun pursued him. Cao Bao leveled his spear and rode out to meet the enemy. As the two horses crossed, a sudden violent wind arose, whipping up sand and stones. Both armies fell into disorder and each withdrew its forces.

Tao Qian entered the city and took counsel with his officers. "The Cao army is too powerful to resist. I should bind myself and go to Cao Cao's camp, letting him cut me apart, to save the lives of Xu Province's people." Before he finished speaking, a man stepped forward and said, "My lord, you have long governed Xu Province, and the people are grateful for your kindness. Although the Cao army is numerous, they have not yet broken our city. My lord and the people should hold fast and not sally forth. Though I am untalented, I can devise a stratagem to bring Cao Cao to a place where he will have no burial ground!" The assembly was greatly startled and asked what plan he had. Indeed:

What began as a gesture of friendship turned to enmity—

Who knew that in this desperate place, life would yet be found?

Just who this man was, let us listen to the next chapter for the explanation.