Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Here is the translation:

It was the sixth month of the second year of Zhangwu. Lu Xun of Eastern Wu had routed the great Shu army at Xiaoting in the Yiling region. The First Emperor retreated to Baidicheng, where Zhao Yun led his troops in its defense. Presently Ma Liang arrived. Seeing that the army had been defeated, he was overcome with regret and reported Zhuge Liang's words to the First Emperor. The First Emperor sighed with a sigh, "Had I heeded the Prime Minister's counsel earlier, I would not have suffered this defeat today! Now with what face can I return to Chengdu and face my ministers?" He then issued an edict to encamp at Baidicheng, converting the official hostel into the Palace of Eternal Peace. A report came that Feng Xi, Zhang Nan, Fu Tong, Cheng Ji, Shamoke, and others had all died in the service of the state. The First Emperor was overcome with grief. Then a courtier reported, "Huang Quan, who commanded the troops north of the river, has surrendered to Wei. Your Majesty may send his family to the authorities for punishment." The First Emperor replied, "Huang Quan was cut off by Wu troops on the northern bank of the river. He had no way to return. Being unable to surrender to Wu, he had no choice but to surrender to Wei. It is I who have wronged Huang Quan, not Huang Quan who has wronged me. Why should his family be punished?" He continued to provide them with grain for their sustenance.

Now Huang Quan, having surrendered to Wei, was presented to Cao Pi by the various generals. Cao Pi said, "You have now come to submit to me—do you wish to emulate Chen and Han of old?" Huang Quan wept and replied, "I received exceptional favor from the Emperor of Shu. He placed me in command of the troops north of the river, but Lu Xun cut off my position. I had no road back to Shu and could not surrender to Wu, so I came to submit to Your Majesty. For a defeated general, to be spared death is fortune enough—how dare I aspire to the stature of the ancients?" Cao Pi was greatly pleased and appointed Huang Quan as General Who Guards the South. Huang Quan firmly declined the appointment. Presently a courtier reported, "A spy has arrived from Shu, saying that the Shu ruler has put Huang Quan's entire family to death." Huang Quan said, "The Shu ruler and I trusted each other with utmost sincerity. Knowing my true heart, he would certainly not kill my wife and children." Cao Pi agreed. A later poet composed these lines reproaching Huang Quan:

You could not yield to Wu, yet yielded to Cao—

How can loyalty and righteousness serve two dynasties?

Pitiable, that Huang Quan prized his single life—

The Purple Yang historian's brush was not lenient.

Cao Pi asked Jia Xu, "I wish to unify the realm under one rule. Should I take Shu first, or Wu first?" Jia Xu replied, "Liu Bei possesses heroic talent, and moreover Zhuge Liang is skilled at governing the state. Sun Quan of Eastern Wu understands the real situation from its appearances, and Lu Xun now occupies strategic positions, with rivers and lakes separating them—neither can be easily overcome. In my view, among all the generals, none is a match for Sun Quan or Liu Bei. Even with Your Majesty's divine awe brought to bear upon them, the outcome would not be entirely certain. We can only hold our position and await changes in those two states." Cao Pi said, "I have already dispatched three armies against Wu—how could we not triumph?" The Imperial Secretary Liu Ye said, "Recently Lu Xun of Eastern Wu destroyed seven hundred thousand Shu troops. Above and below are of one mind, and they are further protected by rivers and lakes, so they cannot be quickly subdued. Lu Xun is full of stratagems and must be prepared." Cao Pi said, "You formerly urged me to attack Wu, and now you dissuade me. Why is this?" Liu Ye replied, "The circumstances are different. Formerly Wu suffered repeated defeats at the hands of Shu, and their momentum was checked—therefore they could be attacked. Now that they have won a complete victory, their fighting spirit is multiplied a hundredfold. They cannot be attacked." Cao Pi said, "My mind is made up. Speak no more of this." He then led the Imperial Guard out to support the three armies. Scouts already reported that Eastern Wu had made preparations: Lü Fan was leading troops to oppose Cao Xiu, Zhuge Jin was leading troops at Nanjun to oppose Cao Zhen, and Zhu Huan was stationed at Ruxu to oppose Cao Ren. Liu Ye said, "Since they are prepared, going there will likely be of no benefit." Cao Pi did not listen and led his army forward.

Now the Wu general Zhu Huan was only twenty-seven years of age. He possessed exceptional courage and strategic insight, and Sun Quan was very fond of him. At the time he commanded the troops at Ruxu. Hearing that Cao Ren was leading a great army to seize Xixi, Zhu Huan redirected all his forces to defend Xixi, leaving only five thousand cavalry to guard the city. Suddenly it was reported that Cao Ren had ordered the senior general Chang Diao, together with Zhuge Qian and Wang Shuang, to lead fifty thousand elite troops in a swift advance upon Ruxu. The soldiers all showed signs of fear. Zhu Huan drew his sword and declared, "Victory or defeat depends on the commander, not on the number of troops. The Art of War says: 'When the guest force is double the host force, the host can still prevail over the guest.' Now Cao Ren's troops have marched a thousand li; the men and horses are exhausted. We, together with you, hold a high city, facing the great river to the south and backed by mountain fastness to the north. We rest while they labor; we are the host and they are the guest—this is the posture for victory in a hundred battles. Even if Cao Pi himself were come, there would be little cause for alarm, much less Cao Ren and the rest!" He then issued orders for all troops to lower their banners and silence their drums, making it appear as though the city was undefended.

Now the vanguard Wei general Chang Diao led his elite troops to seize Ruxu. Gazing into the distance, he saw no soldiers on the walls. Chang Diao urged his army forward. When they were not far from the city, a cannon was fired, and banners were raised all at once. Zhu Huan charged forth on horseback, sword drawn, straight at Chang Diao. After no more than three exchanges, Zhu Huan slew Chang Diao with a single stroke of his blade, sending him tumbling from his horse. The Wu troops seized the momentum and charged, striking a great blow against the Wei army. The dead were beyond counting. Zhu Huan won a great victory, capturing countless banners, weapons, and warhorses. Cao Ren arrived with his forces afterward, but was attacked by Wu troops coming from Xixi. Cao Ren was utterly defeated and withdrew. He returned to the Wei ruler and reported in detail the great defeat. Cao Pi was greatly alarmed. Even as they were deliberating, a scout reported, "Cao Zhen and Cao Shang have besieged Nanjun, but were ambushed by Lu Xun's forces within and Zhuge Jin's forces without. Attacked from within and without, they suffered a great defeat." Before he had finished speaking, another scout reported, "Cao Xiu has also been routed by Lü Fan." Cao Pi, hearing that all three armies had been defeated, sighed deeply and said, "I did not heed the words of Jia Xu and Liu Ye, and indeed this defeat has come to pass." It was the height of summer, and a great pestilence was raging. Six or seven out of every ten cavalry and infantry perished. Cao Pi then led his army back to Luoyang. From this time forward, Wu and Wei were at enmity.

Now when the First Ruler lay ill in the Palace of Lasting Peace, his sickness grew steadily worse. By the fourth month of the third year of the Zhangwu era, in summer, he knew the disease had reached his limbs. Weeping for his two sworn brothers, Guan and Zhang, his condition worsened further. His eyes grew dim, and he could no longer bear to see his attendants. He drove them all away and lay alone upon the dragon couch. Suddenly a cold wind sprang up, making the lamp flicker, then go out, then brighten again. In the lamplight he saw two figures standing before him. The First Ruler cried out in anger, "My mind is unsettled. I told you to leave—why have you returned?" He shouted at them, but they did not withdraw. Rising, he looked more closely: above stood Yun Chang, below stood Yi De. The First Ruler was greatly startled. "So my two brothers still live!" Yun Chang replied, "We are not men—we are spirits. Because we never broke faith or failed in righteousness throughout our lives, the Supreme Deity has appointed us as gods. The time of reunion between elder brother and his brothers is not far off." The First Ruler seized his brother's hand and wept bitterly. Then he started awake with a shock—his two brothers had vanished. He summoned those in attendance and asked the hour; it was the third watch. The First Ruler sighed, "My days in this world are numbered." He at once sent envoys to Chengdu, summoning the Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, the Imperial Secretary Li Yan, and others, ordering them with all haste to the Palace of Lasting Peace to receive his final commands. Zhuge Liang came with the First Ruler's second son, Prince Yong of Lu, and Prince Li of Liang, to the Palace of Lasting Peace, while the Crown Prince Liu Shan remained to guard Chengdu.

When Zhuge Liang arrived at the Palace of Lasting Peace and saw the First Ruler gravely ill, he hastened to prostrate himself beneath the dragon couch. The First Ruler issued an edict inviting Zhuge Liang to sit beside the couch. Stroking his back, the First Ruler said, "Since I obtained you as my Prime Minister, I have had the good fortune to found an empire. How could I have known that my own wisdom was so shallow and my understanding so poor that I would not heed your counsel and bring defeat upon myself? Regret has brought on this sickness, and I shall die before long. My heir is weak, and I cannot but entrust the great affairs of state to you." With these words, tears streamed down his face. Zhuge Liang also wept and said, "May Your Majesty take good care of the Dragon Person, to satisfy the hopes of the realm." The First Ruler looked about and saw Ma Su, the younger brother of Ma Liang, standing nearby, and ordered him to withdraw. After Ma Su had left, the First Ruler said to Zhuge Liang, "What does the Prime Minister think of Ma Su's abilities?" Zhuge Liang replied, "He is a man of exceptional talent for this age." The First Ruler said, "Not so. I observe that his words exceed what is real, and he must not be given great responsibilities. The Prime Minister should examine this carefully." Having given these instructions, he issued an edict summoning all the officials into the hall, took brush and paper, and wrote a testament, which he handed to Zhuge Liang, saying with a sigh, "I have not been a great reader, and I know only the broad principles. The Sage said, 'When a bird is about to die, its song is mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good.' I had hoped to destroy the rebel Cao with you and together restore the House of Han. Sadly, I must leave before the task is done. I beg you to deliver this testament to my son, the Crown Prince Shan, and tell him not to treat these as mere words. In all matters, look to the Prime Minister!"

Zhuge Liang and the others wept and bowed to the ground, saying, "May Your Majesty rest and recover! We will devote the full strength of our humble service to repay Your Majesty's kindness in recognizing our worth." The First Ruler ordered his attendants to raise Zhuge Liang. Covering his tears with one hand and grasping Zhuge Liang's hand with the other, he said, "I am about to die! I have words closest to my heart to tell you." Zhuge Liang asked, "What is Your Majesty's sacred instruction?" The First Ruler wept and said, "Your talent is ten times greater than Cao Pi's; you are certain to bring peace and stability to the state and accomplish the great task. If the heir is worthy of support, then support him. If he lacks ability, you may yourself become the ruler of Chengdu." When Zhuge Liang heard this, sweat poured over his whole body, and at a loss what to do, he wept and bowed to the ground, saying, "How would I dare not to exhaust the strength of my arms and serve with loyalty and fidelity, following even unto death?" With these words, he knocked his head upon the ground until it bled. The First Ruler then invited Zhuge Liang to sit upon the couch and called Prince Yong of Lu and Prince Li of Liang to approach, instructing them, "You must all remember my words. After I am gone, you three brothers must treat the Prime Minister as you would your father, and show no disrespect." With that, he ordered both princes to bow to Zhuge Liang together. When they had done so, Zhuge Liang said, "Though I cover my brains upon the ground and coat myself in blood, how can I ever repay the kindness of being recognized and trusted?"

The First Ruler addressed all the officials, saying, "I have entrusted the care of my orphan to the Prime Minister and commanded my heir to treat him as a father. You must all show no disrespect, and do not betray my hopes." He further charged Zhao Yun, saying, "From the midst of hardship we have followed each other to this day, and I did not expect to be parted from you here. Remember your old friendship with me, and watch over my son morning and night—do not fail my words." Zhao Yun wept and bowed, saying, "How would I dare not to devote myself to the service of a dog or a horse!" The First Ruler then said to all the officials, "You, my many officials, I cannot instruct each of you individually. I only ask that you all take care of yourselves." With these words, he passed away, at the age of sixty-three. It was the twenty-fourth day of the fourth month of the third year of the Zhangwu era. Later, the poet Du Fu wrote these lines:

The Lord of Shu gazed toward Wu through the Three Gorges,

And the year of his death was also in the Palace of Lasting Peace.

The imperial banners are thought to linger beyond the empty mountains,

But the jade halls are lost among the wilds and humble dwellings.

In the ancient temple, the fir and pine trees shelter water cranes,

And at the summer and winter festivals, village elders come to pay their rites.

The Marquis Wu's shrine stands forever near,

For lord and minister are honored together in the same sacrifice.

When the First Ruler passed away, all the civil and military officers mourned without exception. Zhuge Liang led the officials in escorting the imperial coffin back to Chengdu. The Crown Prince Liu Shan came out of the city to meet the bier and placed it within the main hall. After the mourning rites were performed, the testament was read aloud. It said:

When I first fell ill, it was nothing more than dysentery. Later it turned into many other ailments, and I fear I shall not recover. I have heard it said, "A man who has lived fifty years cannot be called prematurely dead." Now I am past sixty—what regret should I have in dying? I think only of you, my sons. Strive! Strive! Do not do wrong because it is small; do not leave good undone because it is small. Only virtue and worth can win the hearts of men. Your father's virtue was shallow—do not imitate him. After my death, you are to work with the Prime Minister and serve him as you would a father. Do not slacken! Do not forget! Let my brothers all seek to make their names known. This is my most earnest charge! My most earnest charge!

When the ministers had finished reading the edict, Zhuge Liang said, "A state cannot be without a sovereign for a single day. We must install an heir to carry on the Han line." Accordingly, Prince Chan was placed upon the throne as emperor, the reign title changed to Jianxing. Zhuge Liang was enfeoffed as Marquis of Wuxiang and appointed Governor of Yizhou. The First Ruler was buried at Huiling and posthumously honored as Emperor Zhaolie. Empress Wu was honored as Empress Dowager. Lady Gan was honored as Empress Zhaolie. Lady Mi was also posthumously honored as empress. The ministers were promoted and rewarded, and a general amnesty was proclaimed throughout the realm.

Word of these events was soon brought by Wei scouts and reported to the Central Plains. The report reached the Wei sovereign, and Cao Pi was overjoyed. "Liu Bei is dead," he said, "and I have no further cause for worry. Why not take advantage of their lack of a sovereign and raise an army to attack?" Jia Xu remonited, "Though Liu Bei is dead, he will certainly have entrusted his son to Zhuge Liang. Liang, moved by Liu Bei's appreciation of his talents, will devote himself utterly to supporting the new sovereign. Your Majesty must not attack rashly." Even as he spoke, a man sprang forward from the ranks of officials and cried, "If we do not advance now, when shall we?" All turned to look—it was Sima Yi. Cao Pi was delighted and at once asked him for a plan. Sima Yi said, "If we only raise troops from the heartland, victory will be difficult to achieve quickly. We must employ five armies attacking from all sides, so that Zhuge Liang cannot succor either front or rear. Only then can we hope for success."

Cao Pi asked what the five routes would be. Sima Yi replied, "First, send a letter by envoy to Kebineng, the king of the Xianbei of Liaodong, bribing him with gold and silk to raise a hundred thousand Qiang troops from the west and advance by land to take Xiping Pass—this is the first route. Second, send another envoy with official seals and rewards to Meng Huo, the king of the Southern Barbarians, ordering him to raise a hundred thousand troops and attack the four prefectures of Yizhou, Yongchang, Zangke, and Yuejie, striking at Xichuan from the south—this is the second route. Third, send an envoy to Wu to renew friendship and promise to cede territory, so that Sun Quan will raise a hundred thousand troops to attack the junction of the two Chuans and advance directly to Fucheng—this is the third route. Fourth, send an envoy to the surrendered general Meng Da, raising a hundred thousand troops from Shangyong to attack Hanzhong from the west—this is the fourth route. Fifth, appoint Grand Commander Cao Zhen to lead a hundred thousand troops straight out of Jingzhao through Yangping Pass to take Xichuan—this is the fifth route. In all, five hundred thousand troops advancing along five routes. Even if Zhuge Liang possessed the talents of Lü Wang, how could he withstand this?" Cao Pi was overjoyed and at once secretly dispatched four skilled envoys to carry out these missions. He also appointed Cao Zhen as Grand Commander with a hundred thousand troops to advance directly on Yangping Pass. The veteran generals such as Zhang Liao had all been enfeoffed as marquises and were stationed at Ji, Xu, Qing, and Hefei guarding strategic passes and fords, so they were not called upon again.

Now in Shu, since Emperor Liu Chan had ascended the throne, many of the old ministers had fallen ill and died—too many to recount. All matters of court appointments, law, revenue, and litigation were decided by Prime Minister Zhuge Liang. At this time the emperor had not yet taken an empress. Zhuge Liang and the ministers memorialized, "The daughter of the late General of Chariots and Cavalry Zhang Fei is most virtuous, aged seventeen, and may be taken as the empress of the main palace." The emperor at once took her.

In the eighth month of the autumn of the first year of Jianxing, an urgent frontier report suddenly arrived: "Wei has mobilized five armies to seize Xichuan. The first army: Cao Zhen as Grand Commander, leading a hundred thousand troops to take Yangping Pass. The second: the rebel general Meng Da, raising a hundred thousand troops from Shangyong to invade Hanzhong. The third: Sun Quan of Eastern Wu, raising a hundred thousand elite troops to enter Xichuan through the gorge passes. The fourth: the barbarian king Meng Huo, raising a hundred thousand barbarian troops to attack the four prefectures of Yizhou. The fifth: the foreign king Kebineng, raising a hundred thousand Qiang troops to attack Xiping Pass. These five armies are extremely formidable. The report has already been made to the Prime Minister, but for some reason he has not emerged from his office for several days." When the emperor heard this, he was greatly alarmed and at once dispatched a palace attendant with an edict to summon Zhuge Liang to court. The envoy returned after half a day and reported, "The people at the Prime Minister's residence say he has fallen ill and cannot come out." The emperor grew even more anxious. The next day, he ordered the Gentleman of the Yellow Gate Dong Yun and the Grand Master of Remonstrance Du Qiong to go to the Prime Minister's bedside and report this grave matter. When the two arrived at the residence, they were not permitted to enter. Du Qiong said, "The late Emperor entrusted his son to the Prime Minister. Now His Majesty has newly ascended the throne, and Cao Pi sends five armies to invade our borders. The military situation is most urgent—why does the Prime Minister plead illness and refuse to emerge?" After some time, the gate officer delivered the Prime Minister's order: "My illness has slightly improved; I will attend the council hall tomorrow morning to discuss affairs." Dong Yun and Du Qiong sighed and returned. The next day, many officials gathered again before the Prime Minister's residence, waiting from morning until evening, yet he still did not appear. The officials were deeply troubled and had no choice but to disperse. Du Qiong entered the palace and memorialized the emperor, "May Your Majesty go in person to the Prime Minister's residence to seek his counsel." The emperor then led many officials into the palace to inform the Empress Dowager. The Dowager was greatly alarmed. "Why does the Prime Minister act thus? He has failed the trust the late Emperor placed in her! I shall go myself." Dong Yun memorialized, "Your Majesty should not go lightly. I believe the Prime Minister must have some profound plan. Let His Majesty go first. If he is indeed negligent, then Your Majesty may summon him at the Imperial Ancestral Temple—it will not be too late." The Dowager followed this advice.

The following day, the Empress Dowager's carriage came in person to the Chancellor's residence. The gate officials, seeing the imperial carriage arrive, hastily prostrated themselves on the ground to welcome her. The Empress Dowager asked, "Where is the Chancellor?" The gate officials replied, "We do not know where he is. We have only the Chancellor's instructions to turn away all officials and allow no one to enter." The Empress Dowager then descended from her carriage and walked alone through the third gate, where she found Zhuge Kongming leaning on a bamboo staff, watching fish by a small pond. The Empress Dowager stood behind him for some time before speaking slowly: "Is the Chancellor enjoying himself?" Kongming turned around, saw it was the Empress Dowager, hastily threw down his staff, and prostrated himself, saying, "This minister deserves ten thousand deaths!" The Empress Dowager raised him and asked, "Now Cao Pi has divided his forces into five routes, and the invasion is most urgent. Why does Father Chancellor refuse to come out and attend to affairs?" Kongming laughed heartily, helped the Empress Dowager into the inner chamber, seated her, and reported: "That five armies have arrived, how could this minister not know? This minister was not watching fish—he was pondering matters." The Empress Dowager asked, "What shall we do?" Kongming replied, "The Qiang leader Ke Binan, the barbarian leader Meng Huo, the rebel general Meng Da, and the Wei general Cao Zhen—these four armies, this minister has already caused to withdraw. Only Sun Quan's army remains, and this minister already has a plan to repel them, but requires an eloquent person as an envoy. Because a suitable person has not been found, this minister has been thinking it over. Why should Your Majesty worry?"

When the Empress Dowager heard this, she was both startled and delighted. She said, "Father Chancellor truly possesses strategies beyond the divination of gods and spirits! I wish to hear the plans for repelling the armies." Kongming said: "The late emperor entrusted Your Majesty to this minister. How could this minister dare to be negligent for a single morning or evening? The officials of Chengdu all do not understand the subtleties of military strategy, which depend on keeping others in uncertainty—how could they be revealed to anyone? This old minister first learned that the Western Fan king Ke Binan was leading troops to attack Xiping Pass. This minister reckoned that Ma Chao, whose ancestors for generations were men of West Sichuan, had long won the hearts of the Qiang people, who regarded Ma Chao as the Great General of Divine Might. This minister has already dispatched a rider by night with orders for Ma Chao to guard Xiping Pass closely, setting four ambushing forces that rotate daily to resist the enemy with troops: this route need not cause worry. Again, the Southern Barbarian Meng Huo is attacking the four districts. This minister has also sent orders by swift relay for Wei Yan to lead one army, exiting left and entering right, exiting right and entering left, as a deceptive stratagem. The barbarian troops rely on bravery and strength alone, and their minds are full of suspicion; if they see deceptive forces, they will certainly not advance: this route likewise need not cause worry. This minister also knows that Meng Da is leading troops out of Hanzhong. Meng Da and Li Yan once swore an oath of life and death. When this minister returned to Chengdu, he left Li Yan to guard Yong'an Palace. This minister has already composed a letter, written as though in Li Yan's own hand, and sent it to Meng Da. Meng Da will certainly plead illness and refuse to advance, thereby slackening his army's morale: this route likewise need not cause worry. This minister also knows that Cao Zhen is attacking Yangping Pass. This terrain is rugged and can be easily defended. This minister has already ordered Zhao Yun to lead one army to guard the pass without engaging in battle. If Cao Zhen sees that our troops do not come out, he will withdraw before long. These four armies are all nothing to worry about. This minister still feared he could not guarantee complete safety, so he also secretly ordered the two generals Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, each leading thirty thousand troops, to encamp at critical points as reinforcements for each route. None of these deployments were made through the officials in Chengdu, so no one is aware of them. Only Sun Quan's army may not necessarily move: if he sees the four armies victorious and the region in Sichuan in crisis, he will certainly attack; but if the four armies fail, how would he consent to move? This minister reckons that Sun Quan, bearing a grudge over Cao Pi's three-pronged invasion of Wu, will certainly not follow his words. Nevertheless, an eloquent and persuasive scholar must be sent straight to Eastern Wu to explain the advantages and disadvantages to them, and then Eastern Wu will withdraw first; what worry would the remaining four armies cause? But because a suitable person to persuade Wu has not been found, this minister has been hesitating. Why did Your Majesty trouble to come in person?"

The Empress Dowager said, "The Empress Dowager also wished to come and see Father Chancellor. Now that I have heard Father Chancellor's words, it is as if waking from a dream. What more is there to worry about?"

Kongming and the Empress Dowager drank several cups together, and Kongming escorted the Empress Dowager out of the residence. All the officials stood surrounding the gate, and they saw that the Empress Dowager's face bore a look of joy. The Empress Dowager took leave of Kongming and ascended her carriage to return to court. All were filled with doubt and uncertainty. Kongming saw among the officials one man laughing upward at the sky, his face also bearing a look of joy. Kongming looked at him—it was a man of Xinye in Yiyang: surnamed Deng, given name Zhi, styled Bo-miao; currently serving as Minister of Revenue; a descendant of Deng Yu, the Grand Marshal of Han. Kongming secretly ordered someone to detain Deng Zhi. The other officials dispersed. Kongming invited Zhi to the study and asked him: "Now Shu, Wei, and Wu stand as three kingdoms. If we wish to subdue the other two and reunify the realm in a great restoration, which kingdom should we attack first?" Zhi said, "In my humble opinion, although Wei is the traitor to Han, its power is very great and it is difficult to shake—it should be dealt with slowly and gradually. Now the sovereign has newly ascended the throne and the people's hearts are not yet settled. We should unite with Eastern Wu as lips and teeth, washing away the old resentments of the late emperor. This is a long-term plan. I wonder what the Chancellor's esteemed opinion is?" Kongming laughed heartily and said, "I have thought of this for a long time, but a suitable person had not been found—only today have I found one!" Zhi asked, "What does the Chancellor intend to do with this person?" Kongming said: "I wish to send someone to forge ties with Eastern Wu. Since you understand this intention, you will certainly not disgrace your sovereign's commission. The mission to Wu—none but you can undertake it." Zhi said: "My wisdom and ability are shallow; I fear I am not equal to such a heavy responsibility." Kongming said: "This minister will petition the Son of Heaven tomorrow and request that Bo-miao make the journey. Do not decline." Zi assented and withdrew. The next day, Kongming received the Empress Dowager's approval and dispatched Deng Zhi to persuade Eastern Wu. Zhi took his leave and set out toward Eastern Wu. Truly it was:

The people of Wu had just seen the cessation of warfare,

When the Shu envoy would now open ties of jade and silk.

What befell Deng Zhi on this journey will be told in the next chapter.