Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Pang Tong was startled upon hearing these words. He turned quickly to look at the speaker and discovered it was Xu Shu. Recognizing an old friend, Pang Tong's heart settled. He glanced around and, seeing no one nearby, said, "If you expose my plan, I fear the people of all eighty-one prefectures in the Jiangnan region will have you to thank for their doom!" Xu Shu smiled and replied, "But what of the lives of the eight hundred and thirty thousand men in this army?" Pang Tong said, "Do you truly intend to undermine my strategy?" Xu Shu answered, "I am deeply indebted to the Prince of Liu for his kindness and have never forgotten to repay him. Cao Cao drove my mother to her death, and I have already declared that I would never offer him a single stratagem in my lifetime. How could I now ruin your excellent plan? It is simply that I am also with this army, and when defeat comes, the good and the bad will be destroyed alike—how could I escape disaster? Teach me a way to extricate myself, and I will keep silent and put myself far away." Pang Tong laughed and said, "With such keen foresight and wisdom, surely this presents no difficulty!" Xu Shu said, "I beg you to instruct me." Pang Tong leaned close to Xu Shu's ear and whispered a few words. Xu Shu was overjoyed and bowed in gratitude. Pang Tong took leave of Xu Shu, boarded his boat, and returned to Jiangdong.

That evening, Xu Shu secretly sent his attendants to spread rumors through the various camps. By the following day, soldiers were gathered in small groups, whispering to one another. Scouts quickly reported to Cao Cao: "The army is saying that Han Sui and Ma Teng of Xiliang are in revolt and are marching on Xuchang." Cao Cao was greatly alarmed and hastily assembled his advisors. "When I led my army south," he said, "my greatest concern was Han Sui and Ma Teng. These rumors among the troops—though I cannot yet tell whether they are true or false—must not be left unguarded against."

Before he had finished speaking, Xu Shu stepped forward and said, "I have been received into Your Excellency's service and regret that I have yet to render even the smallest service in return. Grant me three thousand horsemen, and I will ride night and day to secure the pass at Sankuan. If there is any emergency, I will report it at once." Cao Cao was pleased and said, "If you go, my Excellency, I shall have no worries. There are already troops at Sankuan—you will take command of them. I will assign you three thousand foot soldiers at once, with Zang Ba as vanguard. Set out this very night without delay." Xu Shu took leave of Cao Cao and departed at once with Zang Ba. This was Pang Tong's stratagem to save Xu Shu. A later poet wrote:

Cao Cao marched south with daily dread,

As Ma Teng and Ma Chao raised their spears.

One word from Phoenix Chick freed Xu Shu,

Like a fish slipping free from the hook.

After Cao Cao had sent Xu Shu away, his mind was somewhat eased. He mounted his horse and first inspected the land camps along the river, then the water camps. A great boat was fitted with a banner bearing the character "Commander" at its center, flanked on both sides by water camps, the boat itself concealing a thousand crossbows. Cao Cao took his seat upon it. It was the fifteenth day of the eleventh month of the twelfth year of Jian'an—the weather was clear and bright, the wind calm, the waves still. Cao Cao ordered, "Spread a feast and music upon this great boat. Tonight I wish to meet with my generals."

As evening drew on, the moon rose over the eastern mountains, bright and luminous as daylight. The Yangtze stretched across the landscape like a bolt of white silk. Cao Cao sat upon the great boat, attended by several hundred servants on either side, all in brocade and embroidered jackets, bearing halberds and spears. The civil and military officials sat in their appointed places in order. Cao Cao gazed at the painted beauty of Nanshan before him, looked east toward the lands of Chaisang, west to the river of Xiakou, south to Mount Fan, and north to Wulin. Surveying the vast expanse on all sides, his heart filled with joy. He said to his officials, "Since I raised my army, I have labored alongside the state to rid it of evil and harm, vowing to sweep clean the four seas and pacify the realm. The only land I have not yet won is Jiangnan. Now I have a million valiant soldiers, and with the efforts of you all, what success could not be achieved? Once Jiangnan is subdued, the realm will be at peace, and we shall share in riches and honor together, enjoying an age of tranquility." The civil and military officials all rose and replied, "May we hear the songs of victory soon! We all depend upon Your Excellency's blessings throughout our lives." Cao Cao was greatly pleased and ordered wine to be served.

When they had drunk deep into the night, flushed with wine, Cao Cao pointed toward the southern shore and said, "Zhou Yu and Lu Su do not understand the will of Heaven. Fortunately for me, there are those among them who have surrendered and will become a cancer in their own bosom—this is Heaven aiding me!" Xun You said, "Say no more, Your Excellency, lest word leak out." Cao Cao laughed loudly and said, "All the gentlemen present, and my personal attendants, are my own trusted confidants. What harm is there in speaking?" He pointed again toward Xiakou and said, "Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang—you do not realize that the strength of ants cannot shake Mount Tai. How foolish!" Turning to his generals, he said, "I am fifty-four years old this year. If I should gain Jiangnan, I confess I would take some pleasure in it. In former days, Duke Qiao and I were the closest of friends. I knew that his two daughters both possessed beauty fit for an empire. Later, to my regret, they were married to Sun Ce and Zhou Yu. I have now built the Bronze Sparrow Terrace upon the Zhang River. If I gain Jiangnan, I will take the two Qiaos and install them upon the terrace to amuse my declining years. Then my wishes will be fulfilled." He laughed as he finished. The Tang poet Du Mu wrote:

Broken halberds lie buried in the sand, their iron not yet rusted;

I take them out, polish them, and recognize the dynasties of old.

Had the eastern wind not favored Zhou Yu,

In the depths of spring, the two Qiaos would have been locked in the Bronze Sparrow Terrace.

Even as Cao Cao laughed and spoke, the cawing of crows was heard as they flew southward. Cao Cao asked, "Why are these crows calling at night?" Those around him answered, "The crows see the bright moon and mistake it for dawn, so they have left their trees and are calling." Cao Cao laughed again. By now he was drunk. He took a halberd and stood upon the boat, poured a libation of wine upon the river, drained three cups in succession, and holding the halberd across his body, said to his generals, "With this halberd I broke the Yellow Turban rebels, captured Lü Bu, destroyed Yuan Shuo, received the surrender of Yuan Shao, penetrated deep into the northern wastes, and reached as far as Liaodong. I have roamed at will across the realm, and I have not failed the ambitions of a great man. Facing this scene, my heart swells with emotion. I shall make a song—you must join me." He sang:

Let us sing as we drink wine—

How long is life?

Like the morning dew,

The days that have passed are bitter and many.

Solemn and resolute,

Longing thoughts cannot be forgotten.

What dispels sorrow?

Only the wine of Du Kang.

Young scholars in blue collars,

You are ever in my heart.

For your sake alone,

I have pondered until now.

The deer call to one another,

Eating the apples of the wild.

When I have honored guests,

I play the zither and sound the reed pipe.

Bright as the moon—

When can it be grasped?

Sorrow rises from within,

It cannot be cut off.

Across the paths they come,

Wasting their efforts to visit me.

In fellowship and feasting,

My heart remembers old kindnesses.

The moon is bright, the stars are few,

The magpies fly south.

He circled the tree three times, but found no branch to rest upon.

The mountain dislikes not its height, the water dislikes not its depth.

The Duke of Zhou spat out his food, and the hearts of all under heaven turned to him.

The song ended, and all joined in harmony, laughing together. Suddenly, one man at the gathering stepped forward and said, "At this hour when two great armies face each other and officers and men are giving their utmost, why does the Chancellor speak such inauspicious words?" Cao looked at him—it was the Governor of Yangzhou, a man from Xiang in the Principality of Pei, surnamed Liu, given name Fu, courtesy name Yuanying. Fu had risen from Hefei, established the provincial administration, gathered scattered refugees, founded schools, expanded military colonies, and promoted education and governance. He had long served Cao Cao and had rendered many meritorious services. Cao now leveled his spear and asked, "What was inauspicious in my words?" Liu Fu replied, "'The moon is bright and the stars are few; the magpies fly southward. They circle the tree three times, but find no branch to rest upon.' These are inauspicious words." Cao flew into a rage and said, "How dare you ruin my mood!" He raised his spear and stabbed Liu Fu to death. All were thunderstruck, and the banquet was broken up.

The next day, when Cao woke from his wine, he was filled with remorse. Liu Fu's son, Liu Xi, asked for his father's body to be returned for burial. Cao wept and said, "Yesterday, in my drunkenness, I mistakenly slew your father. My regret is beyond remedy. I shall bury him with the honors due to a Duke of State." He also dispatched soldiers to escort the coffin, and it was returned for burial that same day. The following day, the Naval Commanders Mao Jin and Yu Jin came to the tent and said, "All large and small vessels have been matched and chained together in place. Banners and weapons of war are all in order. We await the Chancellor's orders to set a day to advance."

Cao went to the great warship at the center of the naval camp and took his seat. He summoned the generals and gave his orders. Both the naval and land forces were divided by five-colored banners. The naval center flew the yellow banner under Mao Jin and Yu Jin; the vanguard flew the red banner under Zhang He; the rear guard flew the black banner under Lü Qian; the left wing flew the green banner under Wen Ping; the right wing flew the white banner under Lü Tong. The cavalry and infantry vanguard flew the red banner under Xu Huang; the rear guard flew the black banner under Li Dian; the left wing flew the green banner under Yue Jin; the right wing flew the white banner under Xiahou Yuan. The overall coordinator for both land and water routes was Xiahou Dun and Cao Hong; the protectors who oversaw the battle as it shifted were Xu Chu and Zhang Liao. The remaining valiant generals each took their assigned positions.

When the orders were given, three rolls of the drum sounded from the naval camp, and the squadrons of warships emerged through their respective gates. That day, a northwest wind suddenly rose. Each ship spread its sails, cutting through the waves as steadily as if on flat ground. The northern troops on board leaped with valor, thrusting spears and wielding swords. The vanguard, rear guard, left and right wings—all kept their banners distinct and unconfused. There were also some fifty small boats patrolling back and forth to supervise and urge the troops on. Cao stood upon the command platform, watching the drill, his heart greatly rejoicing, for he believed this was the method that would bring certain victory. He ordered the sails furled and the ships to return to camp in proper order. Cao ascended the council tent and said to his assembled strategists, "Had Heaven not aided me, how could I have obtained the ingenious plan of the Chained Phoenix? Lashing the boats together with iron chains—truly, crossing the great river is as easy as walking on level ground." Cheng Yu said, "With all the boats chained together, they are indeed stable. But if the enemy uses fire, it will be hard to avoid. We must take precautions." Cao laughed loudly. "Though Cheng Zhongde has far-reaching concerns, there is something he has not foreseen." Xun You said, "What Zhongde says has merit. Why does the Chancellor laugh?"

Cao replied, "All use of fire as a weapon depends on the wind. Now, in the depths of winter, there are only west winds and north winds—how could there be east winds or south winds? I am positioned to the northwest, and all their troops are on the southern bank. If they use fire, they would be burning their own soldiers. What have I to fear? Had it been the 'Little Spring' of the tenth month, I would have made preparations long ago." The assembled officers all bowed and said, "The Chancellor's insight surpasses that of ordinary men." Cao turned to the generals and said, "The troops from Qing, Xu, Yan, and Dai are not accustomed to riding boats. Without this plan, how could they have braved the dangers of the great river?" At that moment, two generals stepped forward from the ranks and said, "Though we are men from You and Yan, we too can ride boats. We now beg to borrow twenty patrol boats and sail straight to the northern river mouth of the enemy camp, seize their banners and drums, and return—to show that northern troops can also handle boats!"

Cao looked at them—they were former generals of Yuan Shao, Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan. Cao said, "You were all raised in the north and may find boat travel inconvenient. The soldiers of the south move upon the water with practiced ease. Do not treat your lives as a child's game." Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan shouted, "If we fail, we willingly accept military law." Cao said, "All the war vessels are chained together; only the small boats remain. Each boat can hold twenty men—I fear it would not be convenient for combat." Jiao Chu said, "If we used large ships, where would be the wonder? Give us some twenty small boats. Zhang Nan and I will each lead half, and today we shall sail straight to the enemy's southern naval camp and return having seized their banners and beheaded their generals." Cao said, "I shall give you twenty boats and assign five hundred elite troops, all armed with long spears and powerful crossbows. Tomorrow at dawn, I shall have the main camp ships sail out onto the river as a distant show of force. I shall also send Wen Ping with thirty patrol boats to cover your return." Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan withdrew in high spirits. The next day, they prepared food at the fourth watch and were fully armed by the fifth watch. Soon the drum and gong sounded from the naval camp. The ships all sailed out and spread across the surface of the river. Along the Yangtze, green and red banners mingled. Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan led their twenty patrol boats out of the camp and headed south toward the enemy shore.

On the southern bank, the day before, the thunderous sound of drums had been heard. Gazing across the river, they saw Cao Cao drilling his water troops. Scouts reported this to Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu went to the mountaintop to observe, but by then Cao's forces had already withdrawn. The next day, the sound of drums suddenly shook the heavens again. The soldiers hastily climbed high to watch and saw small boats cutting through the waves approaching rapidly. They flew to report to the central command. Zhou Yu asked who among his officers would venture out first. Han Dang and Zhou Tai both stepped forward together and said, "Let us serve as the vanguard to strike the enemy." Zhou Yu was pleased and issued orders that all camps should maintain strict defense and not advance recklessly. Han Dang and Zhou Tai each led five patrol boats, one to the left and one to the right.

Now Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan, relying on a single burst of reckless courage, came speeding in small boats. Han Dan, his chest covered by a protective plate, stood at the prow holding a long spear. Jiao Chu's boat arrived first, and he ordered his soldiers to loose a wild volley of arrows at Han Dan's vessel. Han Dan used a shield to fend them off. Jiao Chu leveled his long spear and engaged Han Dan in combat. Han Dan thrust once with his spear and struck Jiao Chu dead. Zhang Nan came up right behind, shouting furiously. From an oblique angle, Zhou Tai's boat darted out. Zhang Nan stood at his prow with spear in hand, and arrows flew wildly from both sides. Zhou Tai shielded himself with one arm behind a shield while gripping a saber in the other hand. When the two boats were seven or eight feet apart, Zhou Tai leaped in a single bound, vaulting clear over to Zhang Nan's boat. His saber flashed and he cut Zhang Nan down into the water, then slaughtered the boatmen at random. The remaining boats rowed frantically to retreat. Han Dan and Zhou Tai pressed the chase with their boats. Halfway across the river, they met Wen Pin's boat head-on. Both sides formed their vessels into position and closed in to fight.

Now Zhou Yu stood with his generals atop a mountain, gazing across the river at the warships on the northern bank, arrayed in formation on the water, their banners and signal streamers all in proper order. He turned to observe Wen Pin locked in combat with Han Dan and Zhou Tai. Han Dan and Zhou Tai attacked with all their strength; Wen Pin could not hold against them and turned his boat to flee. Han and Zhou urgently gave chase. Zhou Yu, fearing the two might press too deeply into enemy territory, waved a white flag and ordered the signal for retreat. The two then rowed back.

From the mountaintop, Zhou Yu watched the warships across the river all withdraw into their naval camp. He turned to his generals and said, "The northern bank's warships are as thick as reeds, and Cao Cao is full of schemes. What plan should we use to break them?" Before anyone could answer, they suddenly saw that in Cao Cao's camp the central yellow banner had been snapped by the wind and was drifting down into the river. Zhou Yu laughed loudly and said, "This is an ill omen!"

Even as they watched, a violent wind arose, and waves crashed against the shore. A gust swept past and the corner of a flag whipped across Zhou Yu's face. Zhou Yu was suddenly struck by a thought that had been weighing on his mind. He let out a great cry and toppled backward, blood pouring from his mouth. His generals rushed to lift him up, but he had already lost consciousness. Truly:

One moment a sudden laugh, the next a sudden cry—

How could the southern army break the northern army?

What would become of Zhou Yu's fate? Read on in the next chapter.