Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Chen Deng offered a plan to Xuande, saying, "The one Cao Cao fears is Yuan Shao. Shao holds the commanderies of Ji, Qing, You, and Bing like a tiger crouching in strength, with a million armed soldiers and countless civil and military officers. Why not write a letter and send someone there to beg for help?" Xuande replied, "Shao and I have had no dealings in the past, and now I have just defeated his younger brother. How could he be willing to help?" Deng said, "There is a man here whose family has been close friends with the Yuans for three generations. If we could obtain a letter from him to Shao, Shao would certainly come to our aid." Xuande asked who this man was. Deng said, "This is a man whom you, sir, have always treated with the greatest courtesy and respect. How could you have forgotten him?" Xuande suddenly realized and said, "Could it be Master Zheng Kangcheng?" Deng smiled and said, "Indeed."

Now Zheng Kangcheng's name was Zheng Xuan. He loved learning and was richly talented. He had once studied under Ma Rong. Whenever Ma Rong gave lectures, he would hang crimson curtains, gather his students in front, and place singing girls behind, with maidservants standing on both sides. Xuan attended lectures for three years without ever casting a sideways glance, and Ma Rong marveled at him. When Xuan completed his studies and was about to return home, Ma Rong sighed and said, "The one who has grasped the secrets of my learning is only Zheng Xuan!" All the maidservants in Xuan's household were well versed in the *Mao Commentary on the Classic of Poetry*. Once, a maid displeased Xuan, and he ordered her to kneel for a long time at the foot of the stairs. Another maid jokingly said to her, "Why are you stuck in the mud?" The kneeling maid responded at once, "I went to tell him of my grievances, but I met with his anger." Such was the refined atmosphere of his household. During the reign of Emperor Huan, Xuan had risen to the post of Minister. Later, because of the turmoil caused by the Ten Regular Attendants, he abandoned his office and returned to his fields, residing in Xu Prefecture. When Xuande was in Zhuo Commandery, he had already studied under Xuan. After he became Inspector of Xu Prefecture, he frequently visited Xuan's cottage to seek his counsel, showing him the utmost courtesy and respect.

At this moment, Xuande thought of this man and was overjoyed. He went with Chen Deng to Zheng Xuan's home and begged him to write a letter. Xuan readily agreed and wrote a letter, which he handed to Xuande. Xuande then dispatched Sun Qian to carry the letter with all haste to Yuan Shao. After reading it, Shao reflected to himself, "Xuande destroyed my younger brother; I should not help him. But out of regard for Minister Zheng's command, I cannot but go to his aid." He then assembled his civil and military officials to discuss raising an army to attack Cao Cao.

The advisor Tian Feng said, "Wars have continued year after year. The people are exhausted, and the granaries have no reserves. We cannot raise a great army again. We should first send someone to present a victory report to the Son of Heaven. If the way is blocked, then we should submit a memorial stating that Cao Cao obstructs the imperial road. After that, we can advance our troops to station at Liyang, build more boats and ships in Henei, repair and prepare our weapons, and dispatch elite soldiers to garrison the borderlands. Within three years, great matters can be settled." The advisor Shen Pei said, "Not so. With your divine martial prowess, my lord, and the might of the region north of the Yellow River, raising an army to punish the rebel Cao will be as easy as turning over one's hand. Why delay from day to day?" The advisor Ju Shou said, "The strategy for victory does not lie in strength alone. Cao Cao's laws and orders are already in effect, and his soldiers are well trained—this is entirely different from the situation where Gongsun Zan sat passively and suffered defeat. To abandon the excellent strategy of presenting a victory and instead raise an army without just cause, I humbly believe my lord should not do this." The advisor Guo Tu said, "Not so. To direct troops against Cao Cao—how can this be called without cause? My lord should seize the moment and establish his great enterprise early. I beg you to follow Minister Zheng's words and join with Liu Bei to uphold great righteousness, exterminate the rebel Cao, accord with the will of Heaven above and the feelings of the people below—this would truly be a great fortune!"

The four advisors argued without reaching a conclusion, and Shao hesitated, unable to decide. Suddenly, Xu You and Xun Chen entered from outside. Shao said, "These two men have much insight; let us see what they propose." After the two had performed their salutations, Shao said, "Minister Zheng has sent a letter asking me to raise troops to assist Liu Bei in attacking Cao Cao. Should I raise troops or not?" The two answered in unison, "My lord, using the many to overcome the few, attacking the weak with strength, punishing a traitor of the Han to support the imperial house—raising troops is the right course." Shao said, "Your views are exactly what is in my heart." He then proceeded to plan raising an army. He first ordered Sun Qian to report back to Zheng Xuan and to arrange with Xuande to prepare for coordination. On the other hand, he appointed Shen Pei and Feng Ji as commanders, Tian Feng, Xun Chen, and Xu You as advisors, and Yan Liang and Wen Chou as generals. He raised one hundred and fifty thousand cavalry and one hundred and fifty thousand infantry—a total of three hundred thousand elite troops—and advanced toward Liyang.

After the dispositions were settled, Guo Tu stepped forward and said, "Since my lord is launching a great campaign against Cao, you must enumerate Cao's crimes and send dispatches to all commanderies, condemning his offenses and calling for punishment—then your cause will be righteous and your position proper." Shao followed this advice and ordered the scribe Chen Lin to draft the proclamation. Lin, whose courtesy name was Kongzhang, had long been known for his literary talent. In the time of Emperor Ling, he had served as Chief Clerk. Because his remonstrance to He Jin went unheeded, and then he suffered the turmoil of Dong Zhuo, he fled to Ji Prefecture for refuge, and Shao employed him as a record keeper. He was now ordered to draft the proclamation, and he took up his brush and wrote it at once. The text read:

We have heard that a wise sovereign schemes to control change by anticipating danger, and a loyal minister establishes authority by pondering difficulties. Thus, it takes an extraordinary man to accomplish extraordinary deeds; it takes extraordinary deeds to establish extraordinary merit. The extraordinary is, by its very nature, beyond what ordinary men can fathom.

In times past, the Qin was strong but its ruler weak, and Zhao Gao held the reins of power, monopolizing authority over the court and reserving favor and punishment for himself. The people were coerced, and none dared speak the truth. In the end came the disaster at Wangyi, when the ancestral temples were burned and destroyed—a stain that endures to this day, an eternal lesson for the world. Then, in the final years of Empress Lü, Lü Chan and Lü Lu monopolized governance, controlling the two palace armies within and commanding the regions of Liang and Zhao without. They arrogated all matters of state to themselves and made decisions within the imperial precincts. The lowly trampled the exalted, and all within the realm grew cold in their hearts. Thereupon Marquis Jiang and Marquis Zhuxu roused their power and wrath, punished and exalted the rebellious and violent, and honored and established the Taizong emperor. Thus the Way of the King flourished and shone brightly—this is the illustrious example of a minister establishing authority.

The Minister of Works, Cao Cao: His grandfather, the Regular Attendant Teng, along with Zuo Guan and Xu Huang, wrought wickedness, devouring and acting without restraint, corrupting the people and tyrannizing the populace. His father, Song, was a beggar's adopted son who purchased his position through bribery; he carted gold and jade and transported goods to the gates of the powerful, stealing the highest offices and overturning the sacred vessels of state. Cao Cao is the remnant offspring of a eunuch, lacking any virtue by nature; he is cunning and sharp, a hooligan who delights in chaos and revels in disaster.

The Marshal of the Eastern Pavilion, Dong, roused his eagle-like might and swept away the wicked and rebellious. Then he encountered Dong Zhuo, who encroached upon offices and tyrannized the state. Thereupon Dong drew his sword and brandished his drums, issuing commands to the east. He gathered heroes far and wide, employing men despite their faults. Thus he joined with Cao Cao in counsel and conspiracy, granting him auxiliary troops. He considered Cao Cao a talent fit for a hound or falcon, capable of serving as claw and fang. But Cao proved foolish and shallow in strategy, advancing lightly and retreating easily; his forces were mauled and routed, his armies defeated time and again. The Marshal repeatedly divided his troops and dispatched crack forces, reorganizing and repairing the ranks. He appointed Cao Cao as Acting Governor of Dong Commandery and Inspector of Yanzhou, clothing him in tiger-like authority and rewarding him with power of command, hoping to receive a triumphant report such as the Qin army once achieved. Yet Cao Cao thereupon presumed upon these resources and acted with overbearing arrogance, indulging in the utmost cruelty. He carved up and plundered the common people, destroying the worthy and slaughtering the good.

The former Grand Administrator of Jiujiang, Bian Rang, was a man of outstanding talent and heroic bearing, renowned throughout the land. He spoke with upright candor and in his discourse never flattered or fawned. For this he suffered the punishment of decapitation and public exposure; his wife and children met the doom of annihilation. From that time the scholar-officials burned with grief and indignation, and the people's resentment grew ever heavier. One man raised his arm, and the entire province cried out as one. Thus Cao Cao's person was broken in Xu Province, his territory seized by Lü Bu. He wandered in the eastern reaches, with nowhere to plant his foot. The Marshal, mindful of the principle of strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches, and unwilling to countenance a rebel's faction, once again raised banners and donned armor, sweeping forth to campaign in a single mighty wave. The sound of gongs and drums shook the field, and Lü Bu's forces scattered in rout. The Marshal rescued Cao Cao from the peril of death and restored him to his position as a regional lord. Thus the Marshal owed no debt to the people of Yanzhou, but conferred upon Cao Cao a great and lasting favor.

Later, when the imperial carriage returned from its journey, bandits threw governance into chaos. At that time, Ji Province faced alarms on its northern frontier, and there was no leisure to leave his post. The Marshal therefore sent Attendant Gentleman of the Interior Xu Xun to dispatch Cao Cao, charging him to repair the suburban temples and guard the young sovereign. But Cao Cao thereupon gave free rein to his ambitions: he forcibly moved the court, took control of the palace precincts, demeaned the royal house, and subverted the laws and statutes. He held the three highest offices and monopolized governance of the court. Bestowal of titles and rewards proceeded from the dictates of his heart; infliction of punishments and executions issued from the words of his mouth. Those he favored were exalted through five degrees of kinship; those he hated were exterminated to the third clan. Those who spoke openly of him met with open execution; those who criticized him in their hearts suffered secret slaughter. All officials kept their mouths shut; men on the roads exchanged only glances. The Imperial Secretariat recorded court assemblies, but the high ministers served merely as ceremonial figureheads.

The former Grand Commandant Yang Biao had served in two of the highest offices and attained the pinnacle of national rank. Cao Cao, on account of a petty grudge, charged him with fabricated crimes. He was subjected to beating and caning together, visited by every form of torture. Cao Cao gave free rein to his arbitrary cruelty, paying no heed to law or statute. Further, the Gentleman Consultant Zhao Yan offered loyal and forthright remonstrance, his arguments worthy of acceptance. The sacred court listened with tolerance and altered its countenance to bestow reward. But Cao Cao, seeking to becloud the clarity of the age and sever all avenues of speech, arbitrarily arrested and put Zhao Yan to death without awaiting the imperial reply. Moreover, the Prince of Liang Xiaowang was the uterine brother of the late Emperor—his tomb and burial mound were objects of the highest honor. Even the mulberry trees and cypresses around them ought to be regarded with solemn reverence. Yet Cao Cao led his officers and soldiers to personally oversee the excavation, breaking open the coffin and stripping the corpse bare, plundering gold and treasures. To this very day the sacred court weeps, and the officers and people are wounded in heart!

Cao Cao further established the office of General of the Tomb-Raising Middle Captain and Colonel of Gold-Seeking, whose passage left nothing undisturbed and exposed every corpse. He occupied the position of one of the Three Dukes yet conducted himself as a bandit and a brigand, defiling the state and harming the people, spreading poison among both the living and the dead! On top of this, his minor governance was savage and harsh, his laws and prohibitions intertwined on every side. Snares filled the paths, pitfalls blocked the roads. Lift a hand and one was caught in the net; move a foot and one stumbled into the trap. Thus the people of Yan and Yu Provinces were without recourse, and the imperial capital echoed with sighs of grief. Surveying the records of all ages, among ministers without principle, none has been so rapacious, cruel, and vicious as Cao Cao!

The Marshal was at that moment engaged in repelling external enemies and had not yet had time to set his own house in order. He extended forbearance and tolerance, hoping that matters might yet be mended. But Cao Cao, with the heart of a jackal and a wolf, harbored dark schemes of calamity. He sought to break the great pillars and isolate and weaken the House of Han, to destroy the loyal and upright and make himself a lone hegemon. In the past, when the armies beat the drums of northern campaign against Gongsun Zan, that powerful rebel and defiant foe held the siege for a full year. Cao Cao, taking advantage of the fact that the city had not yet fallen, secretly sent letters and commands, outwardly assisting the imperial forces while plotting a surprise attack from within. When his envoy was exposed and Gongsun Zan was also put to death, Cao Cao's sharp advance was blunted and his scheme came to nothing.

Now he has encamped at Ao Granary, blocking the river to serve as his defense, seeking to use the arms of a praying mantis to halt the passage of a great carriage. The Marshal upholds the majesty and spiritual might of Han, triumphing in every quarter of the universe. He commands a million long halberds and a thousand squadrons of valiant cavalry. He rouses warriors of the caliber of Zhong Huang, Yu, and Huo, and deploys the might of strong bows and fierce crossbows. Bing Province crosses the Taihang Mountains; Qing Province fords the Ji and Tuo rivers. The great army will sweep across the Yellow River to engage him from the front; Jing Province will descend upon Wan and Ye to strike him from the rear. With the thunder of the tiger's stride, they will press upon the enemy's court from all sides. It will be as though raising a blazing fire to singe flying thistles, or pouring the waters of the great sea upon burning coals—what could possibly survive? Moreover, the officers and soldiers of Cao Cao's army who are fit to fight all come from You and Ji Provinces, or are former troops of his old garisons, every one of them longing to return home with hearts full of resentment, their tears flowing as they gaze north. The remaining people of Yan and Yu Provinces are the leftover forces of Lü Bu and Zhang Yang, coerced by the threat of destruction and submitting only as a temporary expedient. Each bears wounds and scars; each regards the other as a foe. If the banners were turned and the army marched back, ascending high ridges to beat the drums and sound the horns, raising white flags to open the path of surrender, Cao Cao's forces would surely crumble and collapse without the need for blades to be stained.

At this very time, the House of Han totters; its bonds and restraints are slackened and severed. The sacred court lacks even a single assistant; its pillars and defenders possess no power to withstand assault. Within the capital region, the carefully trained officials all droop their heads and droop their wings, with none to rely upon or trust. Even if there are loyal and righteous supporters, they are coerced by violent and cruel ministers—how can they unfold their integrity? Furthermore, Cao Cao holds seven hundred elite personal troops surrounding and guarding the palace, outwardly posing as the imperial guard but in truth holding the sovereign in restraint, fearing that the first sprouts of his usurpation might thereby take root. This is the season when loyal officers would dash their brains upon the ground, the moment when men of purpose might establish their merit—how can it not be seized with urgency?

Cao Cao further forged imperial orders in the sovereign's name and dispatched envoys to raise troops. He fears that distant provinces and commanderies, hearing of this, might wrongly supply him, and that the masses would rally to his rebellion, bringing disgrace upon his name and making him the laughingstock of the world. A man of wisdom would not choose such a course. On this very day, the four provinces of You, Bing, Qing, and Ji shall advance together. When this proclamation reaches Jing Province, let the troops be immediately marshaled to coordinate with the Jianzhong Army in a show of combined force. Let every province and commandery assemble righteous soldiers, spread them across their borders, raise arms and display might, and together uphold the altars of the state—then an extraordinary achievement shall hereby be made.

He who takes the head of Cao Cao shall be enfeoffed as a marquis of five thousand households and rewarded with fifty million in coin. Officers, generals, colonels, and all subordinate officials who surrender shall be held blameless. Widely proclaim this grace and good faith, distribute and display the tokens of reward, and announce it throughout the land, that all may know the sacred court is beset by coercion and peril. By order of the law!

Yuan Shao read the proclamation with great delight and immediately ordered messengers to distribute it throughout all the provinces and prefectures, and to post it at every pass and ford. When the proclamation reached Xu Capital, Cao Cao was suffering from a headache and lay in bed. His attendants brought the proclamation in. When Cao Cao saw it, his flesh crept and he broke out in a cold sweat; before he knew it, his headache had suddenly vanished, and he leapt up from his bed. Turning to Cao Hong, he asked, "Who wrote this proclamation?" Hong replied, "I have heard it is the work of Chen Lin." Cao Cao laughed and said, "Those who excel in civil affairs must be supported by military strategy. Though Chen Lin's literary talent is excellent, what of it when Yuan Shao's military strategy is lacking!" He then assembled his advisors to discuss meeting the enemy.

When Kong Rong heard of this, he went to see Cao Cao and said, "Yuan Shao's power is great; we cannot fight him, we can only seek peace." Xun Yu said, "Yuan Shao is a man of no ability—why discuss peace with him?" Rong replied, "Yuan Shao commands vast lands and a strong populace. Among his subordinates, such as Xu You, Guo Tu, Shen Pi, and Feng Ji, are all men of wisdom and counsel; Tian Feng and Ju Shou are loyal ministers; Yan Liang and Wen Chou surpass all others in valor; and the rest, such as Gao Lan, Zhang He, and Chunyu Qiong, are all generals renowned in their time. Why do you call Yuan Shao a man of no ability?" Yu smiled and said, "Yuan Shao's troops are numerous but undisciplined. Tian Feng is headstrong and offends his lord; Xu You is greedy and lacks wisdom; Shen Pi is obstinate and without strategy; Feng Ji is rash and useless. These several men are mutually incompatible and will surely turn against one another. Yan Liang and Wen Chou possess the courage of common fellows—they can be captured in a single battle. As for the rest, mediocrities all, even if they numbered a million, what of them!"

Kong Rong fell silent. Cao Cao laughed loudly and said, "All this was within Xun Wenruo's reckoning." He then summoned Liu Dai, commander of the vanguard, and Wang Zhong, commander of the rear guard, and ordered them to lead fifty thousand troops, flying the banner of the Chancellor, to attack Liu Bei in Xuzhou. Now, Liu Dai had once been Inspector of Yan Province, and when Cao Cao seized Yan Province, Liu Dai surrendered to him and was appointed a subordinate general. Therefore Cao Cao now sent him to lead troops together with Wang Zhong. Cao Cao himself led a force of two hundred thousand, advanced to Linyang, and took up position against Yuan Shao. Cheng Yu said, "I fear Liu Dai and Wang Zhong are not equal to their assignment." Cao Cao replied, "I also know they are no match for Liu Bei; for the time being, this is merely a show of force." He instructed them: "Do not advance rashly. Wait until I have defeated Yuan Shao, then I will lead my army to crush Liu Bei." Liu Dai and Wang Zhong led their troops away. Cao Cao advanced his own army to Linyang. The two armies, separated by eighty li, each dug deep trenches and built high ramparts, holding their positions without engaging in battle. From August they defended their positions until October. The truth was that Xu You was displeased that Shen Pi commanded troops, and Ju Shou resented that Yuan Shao did not employ his counsel. They were at odds with each other and made no plans for an offensive. Yuan Shao harbored doubts and did not consider advancing. Cao Cao then ordered Zang Ba, a former general of Lü Bu who had surrendered, to hold Qing and Xu Provinces; Yu Jin and Li Dian to encamp their forces along the Yellow River; and Cao Ren to oversee the main army, stationed at Guandu. Cao Cao himself led a force and returned to Xu Capital.

Meanwhile, Liu Dai and Wang Zhong led their army of fifty thousand to camp one hundred li from Xuzhou. At their center they falsely displayed Chancellor Cao's banner, but did not dare advance; they only sought news of events in the region north of the Yellow River. Here, Xuande, uncertain of Cao Cao's actual strength, also dared not act rashly and likewise sent out spies to learn of conditions north of the river. Suddenly Cao Cao sent a messenger urging Liu Dai and Wang Zhong to advance and attack. The two men discussed the matter in camp. Dai said, "The Chancellor is pressing us to attack the city. You should go first." Wang Zhong said, "The Chancellor sent you first." Dai said, "I am the chief general—how can I go first?" Zhong said, "Then let us both lead the troops together." Dai said, "Let us draw lots; whoever draws the lot shall go first." Wang Zhong drew the lot marked "first," and so was obliged to take half the army to attack Xu Province.

When Xuande learned that troops had arrived, he asked Chen Deng for counsel, saying, "Although Yuan Benchu has encamped at Linyang, his advisors are at odds and he has not yet advanced. I do not know where Cao Cao is. I have heard that at Linyang there is no banner of Cao Cao, yet here there is—how can this be?" Deng said, "Cao Cao is full of cunning schemes. He must regard the region north of the river as the critical point and is personally overseeing it, yet he deliberately refrains from raising his banner, while here he merely makes a show of force. In my judgment, Cao Cao is certainly not here." Xuande said, "Which of my two brothers can go and find out the truth?" Zhang Fei said, "This younger brother will go." Xuande said, "You are impetuous by nature—you cannot go." Fei said, "Even if Cao Cao himself is there, I will capture him and bring him back!" Lord Guan said, "Let me go and observe their movements." Xuande said, "If Lord Guan goes, I shall be at ease."

Thereupon Lord Guan led three thousand men out of Xuzhou. It was early winter; dark clouds gathered and snowflakes flew wildly. The troops formed their ranks amid the snow. Lord Guan spurred his horse forward, raised his blade, and called loudly for Wang Zhong to parley. Zhong came forth and said, "The Chancellor has arrived—why do you not surrender?" Lord Guan said, "Ask the Chancellor to come out; I have something to say." Zhong said, "The Chancellor would never deign to show himself to you!" Lord Guan, greatly enraged, spurred his horse forward. Wang Zhong raised his spear to meet him. The two horses crossed, and Lord Guan turned his horse and rode away. Wang Zhong gave chase; when they had passed over a hill, Lord Guan turned his horse, shouted aloud, and bore down with his blade. Wang Zhong could not withstand the onslaught and fled in haste on horseback. Lord Guan inverted his precious blade in his left hand, seized Wang Zhong with his right by the strap of his armor, pulled him from his saddle, laid him across his horse, and returned to his own lines. Wang Zhong's soldiers scattered and fled in all directions.

Lord Guan brought Wang Zhong in bonds back to Xuande in Xuzhou. Xuande asked, "Who are you? What is your office? How dare you falsely claim to be Chancellor Cao?" Zhong said, "How dare I falsify? I was ordered to make a show of force as a diversion. The Chancellor is truly not here." Xuande had food and clothing given to him and had him temporarily imprisoned, saying they would deal with the matter after Liu Dai was captured. Lord Guan said, "I knew my brother had thoughts of making peace, so I took him alive." Xuande said, "I feared that Yide, being impetuous, would kill Wang Zhong, so I did not let him go. Killing men like this serves no purpose; keeping them alive may provide ground for making peace."

Zhang Fei said, "Second Brother has captured Wang Zhong—let me go and take Liu Dai alive!" Xuande replied, "Liu Dai was once Inspector of Yan Province. During the campaign against Dong Zhuo at Hulao Pass, he too was one of the coalition lords. Now he commands the vanguard—you must not underestimate him." Zhang Fei said, "How could such a wretch amount to anything! I'll capture him alive just as Second Brother did!" Xuande said, "I only fear you might kill him and ruin our great enterprise." Zhang Fei said, "If I kill him, I'll give my life in return!" Xuande then gave him three thousand troops. Zhang Fei led his men forward.

Now Liu Dai, learning that Wang Zhong had been captured, held fast behind his defenses and would not come out. Zhang Fei went to the front of the camp each day and hurled insults, but Liu Dai, recognizing Zhang Fei's voice, dared not sally forth. After several days of this, seeing that Liu Dai would not emerge, Zhang Fei devised a plan. He gave orders that a raid would be launched on the enemy camp at the second watch that night. During the day, however, he sat in his tent drinking and feigned drunkenness. He found fault with some of the soldiers, had them beaten, and bound them in the camp, declaring, "When I march out tonight, I shall sacrifice them before the banner!" But he secretly instructed his attendants to release them. The soldiers, having escaped, slipped out of the camp and went straight to Liu Dai's camp to report the planned raid. Liu Dai, seeing that the deserters bore the marks of severe beating, believed their story. He set up an empty camp and stationed his troops in ambush outside.

That night, Zhang Fei divided his forces into three columns. The center column, consisting of some thirty men, was to raid the camp and set it ablaze. The two flanking columns were instructed to circle around behind the enemy camp and, upon seeing the fires, attack from both sides. At the second watch, Zhang Fei personally led his elite troops to cut off Liu Dai's line of retreat. The thirty-odd men of the center column rushed into the camp and set it alight. Liu Dai's ambush troops were just about to charge in when Zhang Fei's two flanking columns burst forth simultaneously. Liu Dai's army fell into confusion, unable to tell how many of Zhang Fei's soldiers there were, and scattered in every direction. Liu Dai led a remnant force to flee by another road, only to run straight into Zhang Fei. The road was narrow—there was there was no way to avoid him. They engaged, and in a single exchange of blows, Liu Dai was seized alive by Zhang Fei. The rest all surrendered.

Zhang Fei sent a messenger ahead to Xuzhou with the news. When Xuande heard it, he said to Yun Chang, "Yide has always been rough and rash, but now he too employs strategy. I have no more worries." He then went out beyond the city walls to welcome him personally. Zhang Fei said, "You, Brother, always said I was hot-tempered and reckless. What do you think now?" Xuande said, "Had I not provoked you with words, how would you have been moved to use your wits?" Zhang Fei laughed heartily. When Xuande saw Liu Dai being led forward in bonds, he hastily dismounted and loosened his bonds, saying, "My younger brother Zhang Fei has been discourteous and overstepped his bounds. I beg your forgiveness." He then welcomed Liu Dai into Xuzhou, released Wang Zhong as well, and entertained them both as honored guests. Xuande said, "Previously, Che Zhou sought to do me harm, and I had no choice but to kill him. The Prime Minister mistakenly suspected me of rebellion and sent the two generals to punish me. I have received great favor from the Prime Minister and was just thinking how to repay it—how dare I rebel? When the two generals reach Xuchang, I hope you will speak well on my behalf and plead my case. That would be my great fortune." Liu Dai and Wang Zhong said, "We are deeply grateful to you, my lord, for sparing our lives. We shall use our influence with the Prime Minister and pledge the lives of our two families to guarantee your loyalty."

Xuande thanked them. The next day, he returned all their troops in full and escorted them outside the city walls. Liu Dai and Wang Zhong had traveled no more than ten *li* when the sound of a drum rang out, and Zhang Fei blocked the road, roaring, "My brother has no sense at all! Why release enemy generals after capturing them?" Liu Dai and Wang Zhong trembled in their saddles. Zhang Fei glared and leveled his spear, riding toward them, when a voice from behind called out at full gallop, "Do not be discourteous!" They turned and saw it was Yun Chang. Only then did Liu Dai and Wang Zhong feel relieved. Yun Chang said, "Since our elder brother released them, how can you, my younger brother, disregard his command?" Zhang Fei said, "If we let them go now, they'll come back again." Yun Chang said, "When they come again, it will not be too late to kill them." Liu Dai and Wang Zhong pleaded in one voice, "Even if the Prime Minister were to execute our three clans, we shall not return. We beg the general's mercy." Zhang Fei said, "Even if Cao Cao himself came, I would destroy every last man of his! For now, I'll let you keep your two heads!" Liu Dai and Wang Zhong fled for their lives. Yun Chang and Yide returned to report to Xuande, saying, "Cao Cao will certainly come again." Sun Qian said to Xuande, "Xuzhou is a place exposed to attack and cannot be held for long. It would be better to divide our forces—station them at Xiaopei and defend the city of Qiang, forming a pincer position to guard against Cao Cao." Xuande followed his advice and ordered Yun Chang to defend Xiapi. The two ladies, Lady Gan and Lady Mi, were also housed in Xiapi—Lady Gan was a native of Xiaopei, and Lady Mi was the younger sister of Mi Zhu. Sun Qian, Jian Yong, Mi Zhu, and Mi Fang were to defend Xuzhou. Xuande and Zhang Fei stationed themselves at Xiaopei.

Liu Dai and Wang Zhong returned to Cao Cao and reported in detail that Liu Bei had no intention of rebelling. Cao Cao flew into a rage and cursed them, "You disgraces to the state—what use is there in keeping you alive?" He ordered his attendants to drag them out and behead them. Truly:

How can dogs and swine contend with tigers?

How can fish and shrimp strive with dragons?

What became of the two men's lives will be told in the next chapter.