But the First Ruler replied savagely, “The one I would grind to pieces is Sun Quan. To enter into an alliance with him would be treachery to my two brothers and a breach of our oath. Now I will exterminate Wu first, and Wei will follow.”
He wished also to put the messenger to death, but relented after earnest pleadings from his officials. The messenger ran off terrified, and returned to tell Sun Quan how implacable his enemy was.
Sun Quan was panic-stricken, not knowing what to do. Seeing this, Kan Ze stepped forth and said, “My lord, you possess a mighty pillar, why not use him?”
“Who do you mean?” asked Sun Quan.
“In the past you entrusted Zhou Yu with important matters of the country, and he was followed by Lu Su. After him it was Lu Meng who made decisions on major issues. Though he is dead now there is still Lu Xun in Jingzhou. He is reputed to be a scholar but he is actually a bold and capable strategist, not inferior to Zhou Yu, in my opinion. It was his plan that captured Guan Yu. If anyone can destroy Liu Bei, he is the man. If he fails, I will share his punishment.”
“I nearly made a serious mistake if you hadn’t reminded me,” said Sun Quan gratefully.
“Lu Xun is only a scholar. He is no match for Liu Bei,” objected Zhang Zhao. “I fear he is not suitable for the post.”
Gu Yong also disagreed, saying, “He is too young and too inexperienced. He will not be able to command his officers and that will lead to disasters.”
Bu Ji, too, voiced his opposition. “He is clever enough to control a district, but not fit for the command of the entire force.”
Exasperated, Kan Ze shouted, “He is our only hope! I guarantee that he will succeed on the lives of all my family.”
“I know he is unique,” said Sun Quan. “I have now made up my mind he is the man. No more arguing, gentlemen.”
So Lu Xun was summoned. Now Lu Xun, also called Lu Bo-yan, was a native of Wu, son of Lu Jun, who was an officer in Jiujiang. He was a fine-looking man of medium height, with a clear complexion like fine jade.
After arriving he went to pay his respects to Sun Quan, who said to him, “I want to place you in supreme command of all the forces to withstand Liu Bei.”
“My lord, you have numerous experienced officers and advisors in your service. I am young and untalented. How can I hope to command them?” replied Lu Xun.
“Kan Ze vouches for your ability with the lives of his whole family. And I, too, know you are capable. You are going to be commander-in-chief and I hope you will not refuse.”
“But what if the officers do not obey me?”
“Here is authority!” said Sun Quan, taking his own sword from his side. “Slay the disobedient first and report to me afterwards.”
“I am grateful for your trust and I dare not refuse. But I pray you will assemble all the officials and confer the office upon me in their presence.”
Kan Ze said, “The practice of the ancients was to set up an altar on which to present the commander-elect a white yak’s tail, a golden ax, the seal of office, and the military commission. Then his authority would be firmly established. It would be well to follow the old rule. Choose a good day and appoint Lu Xun before all the world. Thus no one will defy his leadership.”
The building of an altar was begun at once and as soon as it was finished a great assembly was called. Lu Xun was requested to ascend the altar, where he was formally appointed Commander-in-chief and Marquis of Lou and conferred the sword of authority and the seal of office. He was authorized to command all the forces in the six districts and the eighty-one towns as well as the forces in Jingzhou.
In assigning him the vital position Sun Quan said, “Within the capital I rule—outside it, you command.”
Lu Xun then descended from the altar. He chose Xu Sheng and Ding Feng as commanders of his guards, and the army lost no time in taking the field. Land and marine forces were deployed, and a dispatch was sent to the two commanders near Xiaoting.
Han Dang and Zhou Tai were much upset at this appointment of a mere bookish fellow to command them. So when the new commander-in-chief came they all showed their discontent with a lack of enthusiasm. Lu Xun went to his tent and summoned his officers for counsel, and they manifested only sullen respect and reluctant deference.
Lu Xun addressed them: “By order of our lord I am commander-in-chief of all the forces, and my commission is to destroy Shu. You, gentlemen, all know the conventional military rules, and you will do well to obey them. The law is no respecter of persons, as those who disobey will find out. Do not regret when it is too late.”
They fell into a sullen silence. Then Zhou Tai said, “At present Sun Huan, nephew of our prince, is besieged at Yiling, anxious for food and relief forces. I venture to request you to get him out of his plight with a wonderful scheme so as to set the prince’s heart at peace.”
Lu Xun replied, “I know General Sun is well-loved by his men and he can surely maintain his position. There is no need to go to his aid. When Shu is broken the siege will be lifted.”
They all snickered as they left the tent, and Han Dang did not fail to express his contempt for the newly appointed commander.
“This will be the end of Wu,” he said to Zhou Tai. “Did you note what he said?”
“I asked him that question purposely to see how he would respond,” said Zhou Tai. “And he had no plan whatsoever. He will destroy Shu indeed!”
The next day general orders were issued for a strict defense of all posts, which provoked more laughter among the officers, who thought him cowardly and resolved to disregard his command. So once more Lu Xun assembled them and said, “I am authorized by the prince to command. Yesterday I gave orders for defense to be firmly observed. Why have they been disobeyed?”
Han Dang spoke up. “Since I first followed General Sun (Sun Jian) in conquering the region south of the Yangtze I have been in hundreds of battles. The other officers have either fought under his eldest son, Sun Ce, or the present prince. All of us are valiant fighters who have braved every kind of danger, adorned in our armor and armed with our sharp-edged weapons. Now, sir, you have been placed in supreme command to repulse Shu, and you should design some definite plan of campaign at once, making dispositions of our forces and directing us to advance toward that great end. But instead of that you tell us to strengthen our defense and forbid us to fight. What are we to wait for? Will Heaven destroy our opponents for us? We are not afraid to die. Why is our keen fighting spirit left to be eaten away and our energy wasted in idleness?”
All the others applauded this speech. “General Han is right. We are willing to fight a decisive battle against our enemy,” they cried in unison.
The new general waited till the uproar had subsided. Then drawing his sword, he shouted, “Though I am but a student of books, I have been entrusted with a great task, a task for which the prince considers me competent and for the performance of which I am prepared to bear all the responsibilities. As for you, you will do well to act on the defensive as I ordered and not allow yourselves to act rashly. Whoever dares to disobey will be put to death!”
This speech only angered his officers more and they dispersed in resentment.
As has been mentioned, the First Ruler had set up altogether forty camps covering seven hundred li, starting from Xiaoting and reaching back to the borders of Shu. These camps looked very imposing, with their numerous fluttering banners that obscured the sun by day and their fires that illumined the sky at night. Here the Fist Ruler received a report of the arrival of the new commander of the Wu army and his policy of strong defense.
“What sort of a man is this Lu Xun?” he asked.
“He is famous as a scholar among the people of Wu and, though young, he is very talented and full of guile,” replied Ma Liang. “He was the author of the crafty plan that led to the fall of Jingzhou.”
The First Ruler became very angry. “That brat! His cunning scheme caused the death of my two brothers. I must capture him this time.”
/> He gave orders to advance. Ma Liang tried to dissuade him. “Be very careful,” he said. “This Lu Xun is no inferior to Zhou Yu in talent.”
“I have fought so many battles,” retorted the First Ruler. “Do you think I am no match for this callow youth?”
He himself led the army to attack key positions of the Wu army. Han Dang notified his chief of this and Lu Xun, afraid that his officers might disobey his defensive order, hastened to the scene of danger. He found Han Tang on a hill surveying the enemy’s force, which advanced like a great wave. Then the commander and his veteran general rode side by side to look. Amidst the army they saw now and again a wide yellow umbrella, and Han Tang pointed it out to his chief.
“That must be Liu Bei,” he said. “I should like to attack him.”
“Be careful,” said Lu Xun. “So far he has scored victory after victory, and his men are very keen and confident. Our best policy is to maintain a careful defense of the heights and dangerous passes and not to go forth to battle. If you do, you will lose. Impress this upon your officers and men and make them understand the strategy. Follow closely the enemy’s movements and wait for mishaps to occur. They are now smug and complacent, riding freely in the wide open space of the plain. We will observe a determined defense and ignore any challenge to battle. As their desire for war is unsatisfied they will move their camps beside hills and into the forests. Then I will spring a surprise attack to defeat them.”
Han Dang agreed so far as words went, but in his heart he was still unconvinced.
When the Shu army drew near, the First Ruler ordered his vanguard force to challenge. They shouted all sorts of abuse and hurled taunts to put their opponents to shame, but Lu Xun took no notice and told his men to simply turn a deaf ear. He would not allow them to go out to battle, but he went from fort to redoubt, encouraging the soldiers to remain on the defensive.
The First Ruler’s heart burned inside at this refusal to come out to do battle, and it angered him furthermore that Ma Liang drummed into him how clever Lu Xun was.
“Your Majesty’s troops have come from afar and this war has lasted from spring to summer,” said Ma Liang. “His refusing to fight can only mean he is waiting for some mishaps to occur in our army so that he may profit. Please consider this.”
“What ruse can he have?” said Liu Bei contemptuously. “He is only afraid, I say. Their army has suffered nothing but defeat so far. They dare not come out to meet us.”
One day Feng Xi came to see the First Ruler and said, “The weather is scorching and the troops are camped in the full glare of the sun. And it is very inconvenient for them to get water.”
Therefore the First Ruler gave an order to move the camps into the shade of the forest or by the brooks and streams till the summer heat was over. Feng Xi took the order and arranged the moving of the troops to shady spots.
But Ma Liang was dubious about the wisdom of this move. “If the enemy rush out on us while we are moving camp, we will be hard pushed to defend ourselves.”
“I have already thought about that,” said the First Ruler. “I will send Wu Ban with 10,000 of our weaker soldiers to encamp near their lines. But I will choose 8,000 veterans and place them in ambush. When Lu Xun knows that we are moving camp he will surely take the opportunity to come out and attack us. I will tell Wu Ban to flee before his men and lead them into my ambush. Then I will cut off their retreat. This Lu Xun will be captured, I think.”
“A genius in planning and a marvel in prevision,” extolled all those about him as this plan was explained. “None of us can approach Your Majesty’s wisdom.”
However, Ma Liang ventured to suggest something different. “They say the prime minister is on a tour of inspection of various passes in the eastern part of Shu, to guard against any possible attacks from Wei. Why not send him a sketch of your present dispositions of troops and ask his opinion?”
“I am also quite familiar with the art of war,” replied the First Ruler. “I see no reason why we should ask the prime minister.”
Ma Liang responded: “The ancients said, ‘Listen to both sides and you will be clear-minded; listen to only one side and you will be in the dark.’ I hope Your Majesty will consider this.”
“Well, then, you go round to all the camps and make four to eight maps and take them to the prime minister. If he finds any fault, come and tell me at once.”
So Ma Liang went away while the First Ruler busied himself with getting his men into shelter, out of the fierce heat of the sun. The move was quickly discovered by the enemy scouts and reported to Han Dang and Zhou Tai, who rejoiced at the news and soon went to tell Lu Xun that all the enemies’ camps had been moved into the shade.
“Now, sir, you can attack!” they urged.
‘Twas not a bad plan of Shu, an ambush to lay,
Should the men of Wu go out they would soon be slain.
Lu Xun’s reaction to their advice will be told in the next chapter.
Footnote
* A gesture expressing joy by the ancient Chinese.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR
Lu Xun Burns His Enemy’s Seven Hundred Li of Camps
Zhuge Liang Cleverly Plans the Eight Arrays
The last chapter closed with Han Dang and Zhou Tai coming to report to their commander that the First Ruler had shifted camp in search of shade from the sun and the news was very welcome to Lu Xun. He went with them to see for himself and to observe the new position. Encamped on the level plain below was a troop of about 10,000 men who appeared to be mostly old and weak soldiers. On the banner of their leader he read the name Wu Ban.
“To me these men are mere weeds,” said Zhou Tai. “Let me and General Han go out and smite them. If we do not win we will pay the penalty.”
The commander-in-chief made no reply, but remained surveying the ground before him. Pointing with his whip at the valley ahead, he said, “Down there is an air of slaughter. They must have set an ambush there. These poor troops in the foreground are nothing but a bait. You gentlemen are not to leave your positions under any circumstances.”
His officers took this only as another proof of his cowardice. The next day Wu Ban’s men approached closer and challenged them to battle, swaggering about and brandishing their weapons and shouting volleys of abuse without end. They manifested contempt by throwing off their armor and clothing, exposing their bodies and naked forms, blatantly unready to fight. Some even sat or lay asleep.
Two other officers went to the commander’s tent to complain of these insults and ask for permission to go out and punish the enemy, but Lu Xun only smiled.
“You rely only on your brute courage, but you are not aware of the wonderful schemes of war laid down by the ancient strategists Sun Tzu and Wu Qi. This display is only meant to entice us out to fight. You will see their trick yourselves in three days.”
“In three days they will have completed their change of camp and will be too strongly positioned for us to win,” the officers replied.
“I want them to move their camp.”
These two left the tent also snickering. But three days later he assembled all the officers at a lookout point from where they saw that Wu Ban’s men had left.
“The air of slaughter is rising,” said Lu Xun. “Liu Bei will soon appear from the valley.”
He was right. Very soon they saw a whole army, all well accoutered, pass across the field escorting the First Ruler. And the sight took away all their courage.
“That is why I would not listen to your wish to fight,” said Lu Xun. “Now that the ambush is withdrawn we can strike them in about ten days.”
“The proper time to attack was at the very beginning. Now after about seven months’ standoff with us they are firmly established in their encampments stretching hundreds of li. How can they be destroyed?”
“You people do not seem to understand the strategies of warfare. This Liu Bei is powerful as well as crafty. When he first started on this expedition his methods were of the best, but a
fter a long period of inaction his men are slack in discipline and his thoughts cease to be clear. That will be our time to attack.”
At last they agreed with their chief.
The general discoursed on war,
According to the book.
Craftily the bait for the whale
Was put upon the hook.
Though famous men were many,
Commander Lu of the South
At least stands high as any.
Only then were his officers convinced of his capability as a commander. After he had decided on his plan to crush the Shu army he wrote to Sun Quan, giving full details of his design and promising that victory was to be expected at any day.
“We have found another remarkably able man,” said Sun Quan, “and I have no further anxiety. They all wrote to say that he was cowardly, but I knew better. This plan shows he is not at all a coward.”
Then he mustered the remainder of his forces to reinforce his commander.
Meanwhile, the First Ruler had ordered all his marine forces to sail down the river and take up positions along the banks deep inside the territory of Wu.
Huang Quan, however, spoke against this: “It is easy enough for the ships to go downstream, but how about returning? Let me make the first advance, and Your Majesty can follow in the rear. Then there will be no danger of anything going wrong.”
“Those Wu dogs are scared,” objected the First Ruler. “What can go wrong if I make a dash at them?”
Although many others also tried very hard to dissuade him from taking such a great risk, the First Ruler would not heed any of them. Then dividing the army into two portions, he placed Huang Quan in command on the northern bank to keep a watch on Wei, while he commanded the force on the southern bank. They made encampments on both sides of the river.
Spies of Wei duly reported these moves to Cao Pi, who laughed aloud when he heard of Liu Bei’s long line of camps among the trees and beside streams.
“Liu Bei is going to be defeated,” he said.