Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Now Cao Ren saw Guan Yu fall from his horse. He immediately led his troops in a charge out of the city, but Guan Ping drove them back with a fierce assault, rescued Guan Yu, and brought him back to camp. They extracted the arrow from his arm. It turned out the arrowhead had been laced with poison, which had already seeped into the bone. His right arm was blue and swollen, and he could not move it. Guan Ping, alarmed, consulted with the other generals. He said, "If my father loses this arm, how can he face the enemy? We should return to Jingzhou for treatment for now." He then entered the tent with the other generals to see Guan Yu. Guan Yu asked, "Why have you come?" They replied, "We see that Your Lordship's right arm is injured. We fear that in battle, if anger is provoked, it will be difficult to maneuver. We have discussed it and believe it best to temporarily withdraw the army to Jingzhou for treatment." Guan Yu said angrily, "I will take Fancheng any day now. Once Fancheng is taken, I will press forward straight to Xudu to destroy the Cao traitors and bring peace to the House of Han. How can I allow a minor wound to interfere with a great undertaking? Do you dare to undermine the morale of my army?" Guan Ping and the others withdrew in silence.

Seeing that Guan Yu refused to retreat and his wound would not heal, the generals had no choice but to search everywhere for a renowned physician. One day, a man arrived from Jiangdong in a small boat, coming straight to the camp. The officer on duty brought him to Guan Ping. Guan Ping looked him over: he wore a square-cut scholar's cap and flowing robes, and carried a blue satchel on his arm. He gave his name—he was from Qiao Commandery in the Kingdom of Pei, surnamed Hua, given name Tuo, courtesy name Yuanhua. He said, "I have heard that General Guan is a hero of the world. Now that he has been struck by a poisoned arrow, I have come specifically to treat him." Guan Ping asked, "Could you be the one who treated Zhou Tai of Eastern Wu in the past?" Hua Tuo said, "Indeed." Guan Ping was overjoyed and immediately led Hua Tuo into the tent with the other generals to see Guan Yu. At that time, Guan Yu was suffering from the pain in his arm. Fearing it would dampen the army's morale, he had nothing to distract himself and was playing chess with Ma Liang. When he heard a physician had arrived, he summoned him in. After the formalities were completed, he offered him a seat. After tea, Hua Tuo asked to examine the arm. Guan Yu bared his robe and extended his arm for Hua Tuo to look at. Hua Tuo said, "This was caused by a crossbow bolt. It contained the drug wutou, which has penetrated straight into the bone. If it is not treated soon, this arm will be useless." Guan Yu asked, "What will you use to treat it?" Hua Tuo said, "I have my own method. But I fear Your Lordship may be afraid." Guan Yu laughed and said, "I view death as casually as returning home. What is there to fear?" Hua Tuo said, "We must set up a post in a quiet place, with a large ring nailed to the top. I will ask Your Lordship to put his arm through the ring and tie it fast with rope. Then I will cover your head with a quilt. I will use a sharp knife to cut through the skin and flesh, all the way down to the bone, scrape the poison from the bone, apply medicine, and sew it shut with thread. Then all will be well. But I fear Your Lordship may be afraid." Guan Yu laughed and said, "If it is that simple, why use a post and ring?" He ordered a banquet to be prepared.

After drinking several cups of wine, Guan Yu continued playing chess with Ma Liang while extending his arm for Hua Tuo to cut. Hua Tuo took the sharp knife in hand and ordered a junior officer to hold a large basin beneath the arm to catch the blood. Hua Tuo said, "I am about to begin. Your Lordship must not be alarmed." Guan Yu said, "Do as you will in treating me. Am I like the common people of this world who fear pain?" Hua Tuo then cut through the skin and flesh, all the way to the bone. The bone had already turned blue. Hua Tuo scraped the bone with his knife, making a rasping sound. Those watching, both inside and outside the tent, covered their faces and turned pale. Guan Yu drank wine, ate meat, chatted, and played chess, showing no trace of pain at all. In a short while, blood flowed freely. Hua Tuo scraped away all the poison, applied medicine, and sewed the wound shut. Guan Yu rose with a great laugh and said to his generals, "This arm stretches and moves as before, and there is no pain at all. You are truly a divine physician!" Hua Tuo said, "In all my years as a physician, I have never seen the like. Your Lordship is truly a heavenly warrior!" A later poet wrote:

In healing, one must distinguish internal from external arts;

In all the world, such wondrous skill is rare.

Peerless divine might belongs to General Guan alone;

The healing hand that matched it was Hua Tuo's.

After Guan Yu's arrow wound had healed, he held a banquet to thank Hua Tuo. Hua Tuo said, "Although Your Lordship's arrow wound has been treated, you must take care of it. On no account let anger cause it to flare up. After a hundred days, it will be as good as new." Guan Yu offered him a hundred taels of gold. Hua Tuo said, "I came to treat Your Lordship because I have heard of your noble righteousness. How could I expect payment?" He firmly refused to accept it, leaving only a packet of medicine to apply to the wound, and took his leave.

Now, Guan Yu had captured Yu Jin and slain Pang De. His prestige shook the entire realm. Scouts brought the news to Xudu. Cao Cao was greatly alarmed and gathered his civil and military officials to discuss the matter. He said, "I have always known that Yunlong possesses wisdom and courage surpassing all others. Now that he holds Jing and Xiang, he is like a tiger that has grown wings. Yu Jin has been captured and Pang De slain—our Wei forces have suffered a blow. If he leads his army straight to Xudu, what shall I do? I am considering moving the capital to avoid him." Sima Yi remonstrated, saying, "That must not be done. Yu Jin and the others were overwhelmed by the flood—it was not a defeat in battle. As far as the great interests of the state are concerned, no real damage has been done. Now that Sun and Quan and Liu Bei have fallen out, and Yunlong has gained the upper hand, Sun Quan will certainly be displeased. Your Majesty can send an envoy to Eastern Wu to lay out the advantages and disadvantages, and have Sun Quan secretly raise troops to strike at Yunlong from behind. Promise that when the matter is settled, the lands south of the river will be granted to Sun Quan. Then the crisis at Fancheng will resolve itself." The Chief Clerk Jiang Ji said, "What Zhongda says is correct. We can send an envoy to Eastern Wu at once. There is no need to move the capital or mobilize the masses." Cao Cao agreed and did not move the capital. He sighed and said to his generals, "Yu Jin has served me for thirty years. Who would have expected that in this moment of crisis, he would prove inferior to Pang De! Now, on one hand we will send a letter to Eastern Wu, and on the other we must have a great general to match Yunlong's ferocity." Before he had finished speaking, a general stepped forward from below the steps and said, "I am willing to go." Cao Cao looked—it was Xu Huang. Cao Cao was overjoyed. He dispatched fifty thousand elite troops, with Xu Huang as commander and Lü Jian as his deputy, to set out on a fixed day and advance to Yangling Slope to encamp. They would wait for a response from the southeast before advancing further.

Now when Sun Quan received Cao Cao's letter, he read it through, gladly agreed, and at once wrote a reply, sending the messenger back ahead. Then he assembled his civil and military officials to discuss the matter.

Zhang Zhao said, "Recently we heard that Guan Yu captured Yu Jin and slew Pang De, and his fame has spread across the land. Cao Cao wants to move his capital to avoid his sharp attack. Now Fancheng is in danger and has sent for help. After the crisis is resolved, I fear there may be reversals."

Before Sun Quan could reply, a messenger suddenly reported that Lü Meng had come by small boat from Lukou and had a matter to report in person. Sun Quan summoned him and asked what it was.

Lü Meng said, "Now Guan Yu has led his army to besiege Fancheng. We can take advantage of his absence to seize Jingzhou."

Sun Quan said, "I had intended to take Xuzhou to the north. What do you think?"

Lü Meng said, "Cao Cao is far away in Hebei and has no time to look eastward. The garrison at Xuzhou is small, and if we march there we can certainly take it. But the terrain favors land battles and is unsuitable for naval warfare. Even if we took it, we could not hold it. It would be better to seize Jingzhou first, command the entire length of the Yangzi, and then make other plans."

Sun Quan said, "I originally wanted to take Jingzhou. My earlier words were merely to test you. You must quickly devise a plan for me. I will raise troops and follow at once."

Lü Meng took his leave of Sun Quan and returned to Lukou. A scout had already reported: "Along the river, every twenty or thirty li, on high ground there are beacon towers." He also heard that the Jingzhou troops were well disciplined and prepared in advance. Lü Meng was greatly alarmed and said, "If this is so, it will be difficult to carry out a sudden attack. I urged the Marquis of Wu to seize Jingzhou, but now how am I to proceed?"

Unable to think of a plan, he feigned illness and kept to his house, sending a man to report to Sun Quan. When Sun Quan heard that Lü Meng was ill, he was greatly displeased.

Lu Xun came forward and said, "Ziming's illness is feigned, not real."

Sun Quan said, "Since Boyan knows it is a pretense, go and see him."

Lu Xun received the command and that night went to the camp at Lukou to see Lü Meng. Indeed, his face showed no sign of illness.

Lu Xun said, "I come by order of the Marquis of Wu to inquire after your honored health."

Lü Meng said, "This unworthy body has fallen ill by chance. Why trouble yourself to inquire?"

Lu Xun said, "The Marquis of Wu has entrusted you with a great responsibility. You do not seize the moment to act, yet you brood in vain. Why is this?"

Lü Meng stared at Lu Xun and was silent for a long time.

Lu Xun continued, "I have a small prescription that can cure your illness. I do not know whether you will use it."

Lü Meng then dismissed those about him and said, "Boyan's good prescription, I beg you to teach me soon."

Lu Xun smiled and said, "Your illness, Ziming, is caused only by the fact that the Jingzhou troops are well disciplined and that there are beacon towers along the river. I have a plan that will make the river garrison unable to light their fires and the Jingzhou soldiers surrender without a fight. Would that do?"

Lü Meng gratefully said, "Boyan's words reach my very heart. I would hear your good plan."

Lu Xun said: "Guan Yu relies on his heroism and considers himself invincible. The only man he worries about is you, General. Take this opportunity: plead illness and resign your post, and yield the command of Lukou to another. Let that other man send humble words of praise to Lord Guan to make him arrogant. He will then withdraw all the troops from Jingzhou and direct them toward Fancheng. If Jingzhou is left unguarded, a single detachment using a surprise strategy can seize it, and Jingzhou will be in our hands."

Lü Meng was overjoyed and said, "A truly excellent plan!"

Thereupon Lü Meng feigned illness and would not rise. He sent up a letter resigning his post. Lu Xun returned to Sun Quan and told him the whole plan. Sun Quan then summoned Lü Meng back to Jianye to recuperate.

When Lü Meng arrived, he had an audience with Sun Quan, who said, "The command of Lukou—in former days Zhou Zijing recommended Lu Zijing to succeed him; later Zijing recommended you to succeed him. Now you too must recommend a man of both talent and reputation to take your place."

Lü Meng said: "If you use a man of great reputation, Guan Yu will certainly be on his guard. Lu Xun has depth of thought but no far-reaching fame, and he is not someone Guan Yu would fear. If you appoint him to replace me, he will certainly succeed."

Sun Quan was greatly pleased and that very day appointed Lu Xun as General of the Household and Right Commander, to replace Lü Meng at Lukou.

Lu Xun declined, saying, "I am young and unlearned. I fear I am unequal to such a great responsibility."

Sun Quan said, "Ziming has recommended you, so there will be no mistake. You must not refuse."

Lu Xun then accepted the seal and ribbons and went by night to Lukou. After transferring command of the cavalry, infantry, and naval forces, he at once wrote a letter and sent a gift of famous horses, rare brocade, and wine by a messenger to Fancheng to present to Lord Guan.

At this time Lord Guan was resting and nursing his arrow wound and had halted his troops. Suddenly a report came: "The Jiangdong commander at Lukou, Lü Meng, is gravely ill. Sun Quan has recalled him to recuperate. Recently he appointed Lu Xun as general to replace Lü Meng at Lukou. Now Lu Xun has sent a man with a letter and gifts to pay his respects."

Lord Guan summoned the messenger and said, pointing at him, "Zhongmou's judgment is shallow, using such a mere boy as a general!"

The messenger prostrated himself and said, "General Lu has sent a letter and gifts. First, to congratulate Your Lordship; second, to seek peace between our two houses. I humbly beg you to accept them with a smile."

Lord Guan opened the letter and read it. The language was extremely humble and respectful. When he had finished reading, he looked up and laughed aloud. He ordered his attendants to accept the gifts and sent the messenger away.

The messenger returned to Lu Xun and said, "Lord Guan was delighted and no longer has any anxiety about Jiangdong."

Lu Xun was overjoyed. He secretly sent men to find out, and it was confirmed that Guan Yu had indeed withdrawn the greater part of the Jingzhou troops to Fancheng to await orders, and as soon as his arrow wound healed he intended to advance. When Lu Xun had learned all the details, he at once sent a man by night to report to Sun Quan.

Sun Quan summoned Lü Meng to discuss the matter. He said, "Now Guan Yu has indeed withdrawn the Jingzhou troops to attack Fancheng. We can devise a plan to seize Jingzhou. You and my younger brother Sun Jiao will lead the army together. What do you think?"

Sun Jiao, styled Shuming, was the second son of Sun Quan's uncle Sun Jing.

Lü Meng said: "If my lord finds me usable, then use me alone; if you find Shuming usable, then use him alone. Have you not heard how in former times Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu served as Left and Right Commanders? Although decisions were made by Yu, Pu, considering himself an older minister, resented serving under Yu, and they were not on good terms. Only later, when Pu recognized Yu's talent, did he begin to respect him? Now my talent does not equal Zhou Yu's, and Shuming's closeness of kinship exceeds Cheng Pu's. I fear they may not be able to work together."

Sun Quan was greatly enlightened. He thereupon appointed Lü Meng as Commander-in-Chief, with overall command of all the armies of the Eastern Wu region, and ordered Sun Jiao to follow behind with supplies of grain and provisions. Lü Meng accepted the appointment with thanks and mustered thirty thousand troops and more than eighty fast boats. He chose men who were skilled in water and disguised them as merchants, all dressed in white, who manned the oars on deck, while his crack soldiers were hidden in the towboats. Next he ordered seven great generals—Han Dang, Jiang Qin, Zhu Ran, Pan Zhang, Zhou Tai, Xu Sheng, and Ding Feng—to advance in succession. The remainder of the forces were to accompany the Marquis of Wu as a reserve. On one side, he sent a messenger to present a letter to Cao Cao, urging him to advance his troops and strike at Guan Yu's rear. On the other, he first sent word to Lu Xun, then dispatched the men in white, who sailed the fast boats toward the Xunyang River. They pressed on day and night and arrived directly at the north bank. When the soldiers guarding the beacon tower on the riverbank questioned them, the Wu men replied, "We are all merchants. The wind on the river has forced us to stop here for shelter." They then presented gifts to the garrison soldiers. The soldiers believed them and allowed them to moor along the bank.

Around the second watch, the crack soldiers emerged from the towboats all at once, bound the officers and men at the beacon tower, and gave a secret signal. The soldiers on the more than eighty boats rose simultaneously and captured all the troops at the key beacon mounds, taking them aboard the boats without a single one escaping. They then advanced swiftly and made straight for Jingzhou, meeting no resistance and leaving none the wiser. As they neared Jingzhou, Lü Meng spoke reassuring words to the officers and soldiers captured from the beacon mounds along the river, rewarded each of them handsomely, and ordered them to trick open the city gates, using fire as a signal. The troops received their orders, and Lü Meng placed them in the vanguard. By around midnight, they reached the city walls and called for the gate to be opened. The gate wardens recognized them as Jingzhou soldiers and opened the gates. With a great shout, the troops set off the signal fire inside the gates. The Wu soldiers poured in and seized Jingzhou. Lü Meng then issued a command to the army: "Anyone who kills a single person without cause or takes a single item from the common people shall be punished according to military law." The former officials were all allowed to retain their posts as before. Guan Yu's family was housed separately in another residence, and no one was permitted to disturb them. Meanwhile, a messenger was sent to report to Sun Quan.

One day, during a heavy rain, Lü Meng mounted his horse and rode with several horsemen to inspect the four gates. Suddenly he saw a man taking a local's bamboo-leaf hat to cover his armor. Lü Meng ordered his attendants to seize the man and bring him for questioning—and found he was a fellow townsman of Lü Meng. Lü Meng said, "Though you are my countryman, I have already issued my command, and you have deliberately violated it. You must be punished according to military law." The man wept and pleaded, "I feared the rain would damage the official armor and took it only to cover it, not for personal use. I beg you, General, to consider our bond as fellow townsmen." Lü Meng said, "I know you meant to cover the official armor, but in the end you should not have taken a thing belonging to the common people." He ordered his attendants to take him away and behead him. After the head was displayed as a warning, the body was recovered and buried with tears. From that moment, the entire army was awed and disciplined.

Before many days had passed, Sun Quan arrived with his forces. Lü Meng came out of the city to welcome him and led him into the yamen. After Sun Quan had finished offering his thanks and commendations, he appointed Pan Jun as the Office of Governance to manage the affairs of Jingzhou; released Yu Jin from custody and sent him back to Cao Cao; pacified the people and rewarded the troops; and held a banquet in celebration. Sun Quan said to Lü Meng, "Jingzhou is now ours, but what of Gongan, held by Fu Shiren, and Nanjun, held by Mi Fang? How are these two places to be recovered?" Before he had finished speaking, a man stepped forward and said, "There is no need to bend the bow or loose an arrow. If I may use my three-inch tongue that never decays, I could persuade Fu Shiren of Gongan to surrender—would that do?" All eyes turned to the speaker—it was Yu Fan. Sun Quan said, "What good plan do you have, Zhongxiang, to bring Fu Shiren to our side?" Yu Fan replied, "I have been close friends with Shiren since childhood. If I explain the advantages and disadvantages to him, he will surely come over." Sun Quan was greatly pleased and ordered Yu Fan to take five hundred troops and ride straight to Gongan.

Now, Fu Shiren, upon hearing that Jingzhou had fallen, had ordered the city gates shut and the defenses strengthened. When Yu Fan arrived and found the gates tightly closed, he wrote a letter, tied it to an arrow, and shot it over the wall. A soldier picked it up and presented it to Fu Shiren. Shiren opened the letter and read it—it was an invitation to surrender. Having read it, he recalled the resentment Guan Yu had borne him on the day of his departure and thought it best to surrender at once. He ordered the city gates thrown open and invited Yu Fan into the city. After the two men had exchanged greetings and spoken of old times, Yu Fan described how the Marquis of Wu was magnanimous, broad-minded, and respectful of worthy men. Fu Shiren was greatly pleased and went together with Yu Fan to Jingzhou to surrender, bearing his seals and ribbons. Sun Quan was overjoyed and ordered him to return to guard Gongan. Lü Meng said secretly to Sun Quan, "Guan Yu has not yet been captured, and if we leave Shiren at Gongan for long, trouble will surely arise in time. It would be better to send him to Nanjun to persuade Mi Fang to surrender." Sun Quan then summoned Fu Shiren and said, "Mi Fang is a close friend of yours. You may go and persuade him to surrender, and I shall richly reward you." Fu Shiren readily accepted the commission and set out with more than ten horsemen to ride straight to Nanjun and win over Mi Fang. Truly it was said:

Today Gongan has no will to defend—

In former days Wang Fu gave wise counsel.

What came of this mission will be told in the chapter that follows.