Chapter 53: Guan Yunchang Magnanimously Releases Huang Hansheng; Sun Zhongmou Fiercely Battles Zhang Wenyuan
Chapter 53: Guan Yu Magnanimously Releases Huang Zhong; Sun Quan Fiercely Battles Zhang Liao
It is said that Zhuge Liang said to Zhang Fei: "Earlier, when Zhao Yun captured Guiyang Commandery, he first signed a military pledge before going. Now, Yide, you want to take Wuling, you must also sign a military pledge before you can lead troops there." Zhang Fei then signed the pledge, cheerfully took three thousand soldiers, and rushed to the Wuling border that very night.
When Jin Xuan heard that Zhang Fei's army had arrived, he summoned his officers, mustered his elite troops and weapons, and went out of the city to meet the enemy. His aide Gong Zhi admonished him, saying: "Liu Xuande is a royal uncle of the Great Han; his benevolence and righteousness are known throughout the land. Moreover, Zhang Yide is incomparably fierce and brave. You cannot face him in battle; surrendering is the best course." Jin Xuan, enraged, said: "Do you want to collude with the rebels and act as their spy within?" He ordered his guards to drag Gong Zhi out and behead him. All the officials pleaded: "Killing one of our own first is unlucky for the army." Jin Xuan then dismissed Gong Zhi with a shout and personally led the troops out of the city. Twenty li from the city, he encountered Zhang Fei. Zhang Fei, raising his spear and reining in his horse, bellowed at Jin Xuan. Jin Xuan asked his officers: "Who dares to fight?" All were afraid, and no one stepped forward. Jin Xuan himself spurred his horse, brandished his blade, and engaged. Zhang Fei let out a thunderous roar. Jin Xuan, his face turning pale with fear, dared not continue the fight, turned his horse, and fled. Zhang Fei led his troops in hot pursuit. As Jin Xuan reached the city wall, a volley of arrows rained down from the ramparts. Startled, Jin Xuan looked up and saw Gong Zhi standing on the wall, saying: "You did not follow Heaven's will and brought about your own defeat. I and the people have already surrendered to Liu Xuande." Before he finished speaking, an arrow struck Jin Xuan in the face, and he fell from his horse. The soldiers cut off his head and presented it to Zhang Fei. Gong Zhi came out of the city and surrendered. Zhang Fei then ordered Gong Zhi to take the seal and tassel to Guiyang to see Liu Bei. Liu Bei was overjoyed and appointed Gong Zhi to replace Jin Xuan in his post. After personally going to Wuling to comfort the people, Liu Bei sent a swift messenger with a letter to Guan Yu, reporting that Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun had each captured a commandery. Guan Yu replied in a letter, requesting: "I hear that Changsha has not yet been taken. If my elder brother does not consider me unworthy, let me have this merit." Liu Bei was greatly pleased, so he ordered Zhang Fei to go that very night to relieve Guan Yu in guarding Jingzhou, and ordered Guan Yu to come and take Changsha.
After Guan Yu arrived, he went to see Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang said: "Zhao Yun took Guiyang and Zhang Fei took Wuling, each with three thousand troops. Now, the Grand Administrator of Changsha, Han Xuan, is not worth mentioning in himself, but he has a great general, a native of Nanyang, surnamed Huang, named Zhong, styled Hansheng. He was a Colonel of the Household under Liu Biao and jointly defended Changsha with Liu Biao’s nephew, Liu Pan. Later, he served Han Xuan. Although he is nearly sixty years old, he has the valor of ten thousand men and should not be taken lightly. Yunchang, if you go, you must take more troops." Guan Yu said: "Why does the Military Advisor belittle our own prestige and boost the enemy’s spirit? What is there to fear from an old soldier? Guan does not need three thousand troops; with only my own five hundred armored swordsmen, I will surely cut off the heads of Huang Zhong and Han Xuan and present them before the tent." Liu Bei repeatedly tried to stop him. Guan Yu would not listen and set out with only five hundred swordsmen. Zhuge Liang said to Liu Bei: "Guan Yu underestimates Huang Zhong; I fear something may go wrong. My lord should go to support him." Liu Bei agreed and followed with troops toward Changsha.
Now, Han Xuan, the Grand Administrator of Changsha, was by nature quick-tempered and quick to kill, and everyone detested him. When he heard that Guan Yu's army had arrived, he summoned the old general Huang Zhong to discuss the matter. Huang Zhong said: "You need not worry, my lord. With this blade and this bow of mine, if a thousand come, a thousand will die!" It turned out that Huang Zhong could draw a bow of two hundred forty pounds and never missed his mark. Before he finished speaking, a man stepped forward from below the steps and said: "The old general need not go into battle. With this blade in my hand, I can surely capture Guan Yu alive." Han Xuan looked and saw it was the Army Inspector Yang Ling. Overjoyed, Han Xuan ordered Yang Ling to take a thousand troops and gallop out of the city. After about fifty li, he saw a cloud of dust in the distance, and Guan Yu’s forces had arrived. Yang Ling raised his spear, rode out, and stood before the battle lines, shouting insults. Guan Yu, enraged, said not a word, spurred his horse, and charged with his blade, straight at Yang Ling. Yang Ling raised his spear to meet him. In less than three exchanges, Guan Yu raised his hand, brought down his blade, and cut Yang Ling from his horse. He pursued the routed soldiers all the way to the city walls.
When Han Xuan heard this, he was greatly alarmed and ordered Huang Zhong to take the field. Han Xuan himself went up to the city wall to watch. Huang Zhong, holding his blade and urging his horse, led five hundred cavalry across the drawbridge. When Guan Yu saw an old general coming out, he knew it was Huang Zhong. He arrayed his five hundred swordsmen in a single line, reined in his horse, and, holding his blade, asked: "The coming general—are you not Huang Zhong?" Huang Zhong said: "Since you know my name, how dare you invade my territory!" Guan Yu said: "I have come specially to take your head!" With that, the two horses met, and they fought over a hundred rounds, with neither gaining the upper hand. Fearing Huang Zhong might suffer a mishap, Han Xuan had the gongs sounded to withdraw. Huang Zhong led his troops back into the city. Guan Yu also withdrew and camped ten li from the city, thinking to himself: "The old general Huang Zhong lives up to his reputation. After a hundred rounds, there was not a single opening. Tomorrow, I will surely use the dragging-blade technique and cut him down from behind to win."
At dawn the next day, he again came to challenge at the city walls. Han Xuan sat on the wall and ordered Huang Zhong to ride out. Huang Zhong led several hundred cavalry across the drawbridge and once more engaged Guan Yu. They fought another fifty or sixty rounds, with no clear victor. Both armies cheered in unison. At the height of the drumming, Guan Yu turned his horse and fled. Huang Zhong gave chase. Just as Guan Yu was about to strike with his blade, he suddenly heard a sound behind his head. Turning quickly to look, he saw that Huang Zhong’s horse had stumbled and thrown him to the ground. Guan Yu immediately wheeled his horse around, raised his blade with both hands, and shouted: "I will spare your life for now! Go and change your horse, and we will fight again!" Huang Zhong hastily gathered the reins, vaulted onto his horse, and galloped into the city. Han Xuan, astonished, asked him what had happened. Huang Zhong said: "This horse had not been in battle for a long time, so this accident occurred." Han Xuan said: "Your arrows never miss. Why did you not shoot him?" Huang Zhong said: "In tomorrow’s battle, I will feign defeat and lure him to the drawbridge, then shoot him." Han Xuan gave Huang Zhong his own blue horse. Huang Zhong thanked him and withdrew, thinking to himself: "Rare is such righteousness as Guan Yu’s! He could not bear to kill me, so how can I bear to shoot him? But if I do not shoot, I fear I will disobey the military command." That night, he could not make up his mind.
At daybreak the next day, someone reported that Guan Yu was challenging them. Huang Zhong led his troops out of the city. After two days of failing to overcome Huang Zhong, Guan Yu was greatly agitated. He roused his spirit and fought Huang Zhong. In less than thirty exchanges, Huang Zhong feigned defeat and fled, with Guan Yu in pursuit. Huang Zhong, remembering Guan Yu’s mercy the previous day and unable to bear shooting him, sheathed his blade, drew his bow to the full but without an arrow, and let the string snap. Guan Yu quickly dodged, but saw no arrow. He pursued again, and Huang Zhong again drew the bow with an empty snap. Guan Yu dodged again, and again there was no arrow. Thinking Huang Zhong could not shoot, Guan Yu gave chase without worry. Near the drawbridge, Huang Zhong nocked an arrow on the bridge, drew the bow, and released it. The arrow struck the base of Guan Yu’s helmet plume. The soldiers in front shouted in alarm. Startled, Guan Yu returned to camp with the arrow, realizing that Huang Zhong’s skill could pierce a willow leaf at a hundred paces. Today, he had only shot the helmet plume, repaying the mercy from the previous day.
Guan Yu led his troops in retreat. Huang Zhong returned to the city to see Han Xuan, who immediately ordered his guards to seize Huang Zhong. Huang Zhong cried out, “I am innocent!” Han Xuan said angrily, “I have watched you for three days, and you dare to deceive me! The day before yesterday you did not fight with all your strength—you must have had ulterior motives. Yesterday your horse stumbled, and he did not kill you—there must have been collusion. Today you twice drew your bow with no arrow, and the third shot struck his helmet plume—how could this not be a plot to work from within? If I do not execute you, it will surely bring future calamity!” He ordered the executioners to take him outside the city gate and behead him. The other officers wanted to plead for him, but Han Xuan said, “Anyone who begs to spare Huang Zhong’s life will share the same crime!” Just as they were brought outside and the executioner raised his blade, a general suddenly charged in with his sword, killed the executioner, and rescued Huang Zhong, shouting, “Huang Hansheng is the safeguard of Changsha! Killing Hansheng today is killing the people of Changsha! Han Xuan is cruel and inhuman, despises the worthy, and neglects the talented—we should rid ourselves of him together! Let those who wish to follow me come forward!” The crowd looked at this man, whose face was like a heavy date and whose eyes shone like stars. He was Wei Yan of Yiyang; having once pursued Liu Bei from Xiangyang but failed to catch up, he had come to join Han Xuan. Han Xuan, resenting his arrogance and lack of courtesy, refused to employ him in an important role, so he had remained in obscurity here. That day, after rescuing Huang Zhong, he urged the people to kill Han Xuan together. Raising his arm, he called out, and several hundred followed him. Huang Zhong could not stop them. Wei Yan charged straight up to the city wall, cut Han Xuan in two with one stroke of his blade, took the head, mounted his horse, and led the people out of the city to surrender to Guan Yu. Guan Yu was greatly pleased, entered the city to restore order, and then asked to see Huang Zhong. Huang Zhong excused himself, claiming illness, and did not appear. Guan Yu then sent someone to invite Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang.
Now, since Guan Yu had set out to attack Changsha, Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang had followed behind, urging the troops on as reinforcements. While marching, a green banner rolled back, and a black crow flew from north to south, cawing three times before flying away. Liu Bei said, “Does this portend good or ill fortune?” Zhuge Liang performed a quick divination in his saddle and said, “Changsha commandery has been taken, and it also foretells the acquisition of a great general. After noon, the matter will be clear.” After a while, a young officer came galloping with a report: “General Guan has taken Changsha commandery. The surrendered generals include Huang Zhong and Wei Yan. They await Your Lordship’s arrival.” Liu Bei was overjoyed and entered Changsha. Guan Yu welcomed him into the hall and recounted the affair of Huang Zhong in detail. Liu Bei then went personally to Huang Zhong’s home to invite him, and only then did Huang Zhong come out to surrender, requesting that Han Xuan’s corpse be buried east of Changsha. Later generations composed a poem in praise of Huang Zhong:
The general’s spirit rivals heaven’s height;
White-haired, he was still trapped south of the Han.
To the death, willing and without complaint;
When surrendering in battle, his head bowed with shame.
His precious blade flashed like snow, displaying divine might;
His iron steed faced the wind, recalling fierce fights.
His thousand-year fame shall never fade,
Enduring with the solitary moon over Xiangtan.
Xuande treated Huang Zhong with great generosity. Yunchang brought Wei Yan to pay respects, but Kongming ordered the executioners to push Wei Yan out and behead him. Xuande asked in surprise, “Wei Yan has merit and no crime—why does the military advisor want to kill him?” Kongming said, “He ate his master’s pay yet killed him—that is disloyalty. He dwelled in his land yet surrendered it—that is unrighteousness. I see that Wei Yan has a prominent bone at the back of his skull—he will rebel in the future. Therefore, I kill him now to cut off the root of trouble.” Xuande said, “If we kill this man, I fear all those who surrender will feel endangered. I hope the advisor will spare him.” Kongming pointed at Wei Yan and said, “Today I spare your life. You must be loyal and repay your lord, and not harbor treacherous thoughts. If you do, I will take your head, one way or another.” Wei Yan assented repeatedly and withdrew. Huang Zhong recommended Liu Biao’s nephew, Liu Pan, who was living idly in Youxian. Xuande summoned him and put him in charge of Changsha commandery. The four commanderies were pacified. Xuande led his army back to Jingzhou and renamed Youjiangkou as Gong’an. From then on, grain and funds were abundant, and worthy men came to join him. The troops were dispersed and stationed at various passes.
Now, Zhou Yu returned to Chaisang to recuperate from his illness. He ordered Gan Ning to guard Baling commandery and Ling Tong to guard Hanyang commandery. These two places deployed war vessels, awaiting orders. Cheng Pu led the remaining officers and men toward Hefei County. It turned out that since the Battle of Red Cliffs, Sun Quan had been stationed at Hefei for a long time, engaging Cao’s troops in over ten battles, large and small, without a decisive outcome. He dared not approach the city walls to encamp, so he stationed his troops fifty li away. When he heard that Cheng Pu’s forces had arrived, Sun Quan was overjoyed and went out of camp personally to reward the army. Someone reported that Lu Zijing had arrived first. Sun Quan dismounted and stood waiting for him. Lu Su hastily dismounted and bowed. The other officers, seeing how Sun Quan treated Lu Su, were all astonished. Sun Quan invited Lu Su to mount and ride side by side, then whispered to him, “My dismounting to welcome you—is that enough honor for you?” Lu Su said, “Not yet.” Sun Quan said, “Then what would be sufficient?” Lu Su said, “I hope that Your Illustrious Lordship’s authority and virtue will spread across the four seas, unify the nine provinces, complete the imperial enterprise, and cause my name to be recorded in history—that would be honor indeed.”
Sun Quan clapped his hands and laughed. They entered the tent together, held a great feast to reward the officers and men, and discussed the plan to break Hefei. Suddenly, someone reported that Zhang Liao had sent a messenger with a challenge. Sun Quan tore open the letter, read it, and said angrily, “Zhang Liao insults me too much! Hearing that Cheng Pu’s troops have arrived, he deliberately sends a challenge! Tomorrow, without using my new troops, I will fight a great battle with you!” He ordered that at the fifth watch that night, the three armies would leave camp and advance on Hefei. Around the hour of Chen, the troops were halfway there when Cao’s forces arrived. Both sides arrayed their formations. Sun Quan, wearing a golden helmet and golden armor, rode out under his banner. On his left was Song Qian, on his right Jia Hua, these two officers holding square-bladed halberds to guard him. After three drum rolls, the gate flags of Cao’s army parted, and three officers in full armor stood before the formation: Zhang Liao in the center, Li Dian on the left, and Yue Jin on the right. Zhang Liao spurred his horse forward, specifically challenging Sun Quan to single combat. Sun Quan grasped his spear and was about to ride out himself, when an officer from his own formation charged out ahead—it was Taishi Ci. Zhang Liao raised his blade to meet him. The two fought for seventy or eighty rounds without a clear victor. Li Dian said to Yue Jin in Cao’s formation, “The one in the golden helmet opposite is Sun Quan. If we capture Sun Quan, it will be enough to avenge the 830,000 men.”
Before he finished speaking, Yue Jin, with one horse and one blade, charged diagonally straight at Sun Quan, like a flash of lightning, reaching him in an instant, raising his blade to strike. Song Qian and Jia Hua hastily raised their halberds to parry. Where the blade struck, both halberds snapped, and only the shafts struck the horse’s head. Yue Jin turned his horse back, and Song Qian snatched a soldier’s spear and gave chase. Li Dian nocked an arrow and shot straight at Song Qian’s heart, and Song Qian fell from his horse with the sound. Taishi Ci, seeing someone fall behind him, abandoned Zhang Liao and turned back to his own formation. Zhang Liao seized the momentum and swept forward. Wu’s army fell into great disorder, scattering in all directions. Zhang Liao caught sight of Sun Quan and spurred his horse in pursuit. Just as he was about to overtake him, a force charged in from the side, led by General Cheng Pu. He fought a delaying action and saved Sun Quan. Zhang Liao withdrew his troops and returned to Hefei.
Cheng Pu protected Sun Quan back to the main camp. The defeated troops returned gradually. Sun Quan wept bitterly over the loss of Song Qian. Chief Clerk Zhang Hong said, “My lord, relying on your overwhelming momentum, you have underestimated a great enemy. The three armies and their officers are all chilled with fear. Even beheading generals and seizing banners, shaking the battlefield, that is the duty of a subordinate officer, not what the lord should do. I hope you will restrain your courage of Meng Ben and Xia Yu, and harbor the strategy of a king or hegemon. Moreover, today Song Qian died under sword and arrow—all because of my lord’s contempt for the enemy. From now on, you must take care.” Sun Quan said, “This is my fault. From today, I shall reform.”
After a while, Taishi Ci entered the tent and said, “There is a man under my command, Ge Ding by name, who is a sworn brother of Zhang Liao’s stable groom. The groom was beaten and bears a grudge. Tonight he sent word that he will use a fire as a signal to assassinate Zhang Liao, to avenge Song Qian. I request permission to lead troops as an outside support.” Sun Quan said, “Where is Ge Ding?” Taishi Ci said, “He has already infiltrated Hefei city. I request five thousand troops.” Zhuge Jin said, “Zhang Liao is full of schemes. I fear he may have prepared for this. Do not act rashly.” Taishi Ci insisted on going. Sun Quan, still grieving over Song Qian’s death and eager for revenge, ordered Taishi Ci to take five thousand troops and act as the outside support.
Now, Ge Ding was a fellow townsman of Taishi Ci. On that day he mingled among the troops, entered Hefei City with them, and found the stable keeper in charge of the horses. The two of them discussed their plan. Ge Ding said, "I have already sent someone to report to General Taishi Ci. He will surely come to support us tonight. What will you do?" The stable keeper replied, "This place is far from the military camp. At night, we cannot approach it hastily. I will simply set a fire in the haystack, and you go to the front and shout 'Rebellion!' When the city troops are in chaos, we can take the chance to assassinate Zhang Liao. The rest of the army will naturally scatter and flee." Ge Ding said, "This plan is excellent!"
That night, Zhang Liao returned to the city victorious and rewarded the three armies. He issued an order that no one was to remove their armor to sleep. His attendants said, "Today we have won a great victory, and the Wu troops have fled far away. General, why not take off your armor and rest?" Zhang Liao replied, "No. The way of a general is not to be elated by victory nor saddened by defeat. If the Wu troops suspect that we are unprepared and attack us by exploiting our weakness, how would we handle it? Tonight's precautions must be even more vigilant than on any other night." Before he had finished speaking, a fire broke out in the rear camp, and shouts of "Rebellion!" rose all around. Reports came in thick and fast like tangled hemp. Zhang Liao went out of his tent, mounted his horse, and summoned several dozen trusted officers and men to stand in the middle of the road. His attendants said, "The shouting is very urgent. You might go and have a look." Zhang Liao said, "How could an entire city be in rebellion? These are simply rebels deliberately trying to alarm the troops. Anyone who moves rashly will be beheaded first!"
In a short while, Li Dian captured Ge Ding and the stable keeper and brought them before Zhang Liao. Zhang Liao interrogated them and learned the truth. He immediately had them beheaded in front of his horse. Then they heard the sound of gongs and drums outside the city gate, and shouts shook the heavens. Zhang Liao said, "These are the Wu troops outside, coming to support them. We can use their own plan to defeat them." He then ordered a fire to be set inside the city gate. Everyone shouted "Rebellion!" The great gate was thrown open, and the drawbridge was lowered.
Taishi Ci, seeing the city gate wide open, assumed there was an internal uprising. He raised his spear, spurred his horse, and charged in first. A cannon boomed from the city wall, and a hail of arrows rained down. Taishi Ci hastily retreated but was hit by several arrows. Behind him, Li Dian and Yue Jin charged out. More than half of the Wu troops were lost. The Cao troops pressed their advantage and pursued them all the way to their camp. Lu Xun and Dong Xi rushed out and rescued Taishi Ci. The Cao troops then returned on their own. Sun Quan, seeing Taishi Ci severely wounded, was even more grieved. Zhang Zhao urged Sun Quan to cease hostilities. Sun Quan heeded his advice, so he withdrew his troops, boarded the ships, and returned to Nanxu and Runzhou. After the troops were stationed, Taishi Ci’s condition worsened. Sun Quan sent Zhang Zhao and others to inquire after his health. Taishi Ci cried out in a loud voice, "A true man, born in chaotic times, should wield his three-foot blade and achieve unparalleled merit! But now, before my ambition is fulfilled, how can I be about to die!" Having said this, he died at the age of forty-one. Later generations composed a poem in praise of him:
With steadfast heart, loyal and filial, he was Taishi Ci of Donglai.
His name shone far beyond the frontier; his bow and horse shook mighty hosts.
The day he repaid his debt at Beihai, and the fierce battle at Shenting—
At death’s hour he spoke his grand ambition, sighed over for a thousand ages.
When Sun Quan heard that Taishi Ci had died, he grieved ceaselessly and ordered a lavish burial at the foot of Beigu Mountain in Nanxu. He took Taishi Ci’s son, Taishi Xiang, into his household to be raised.
Now, Xuande was reorganizing his troops in Jingzhou when he heard that Sun Quan had been defeated at Hefei and had already returned to Nanxu. He discussed the matter with Kongming. Kongming said, "Last night I observed the constellations. I saw a star fall to the ground in the northwest quarter. It must correspond to the loss of an imperial clansman."
As they were speaking, a messenger suddenly arrived to report that Young Master Liu Qi had died of illness. When Liu Bei heard this news, he wept bitterly. Zhuge Liang advised him, saying, "Life and death are both decreed by fate. Lord, do not grieve too much, lest you harm your health. It is more important to attend to the urgent matters first. You should quickly send someone to guard that city and handle the funeral arrangements." Liu Bei said, "Who can go?" Zhuge Liang replied, "It must be none other than Guan Yunchang." He then immediately sent Guan Yu to Xiangyang to take up the defense. Liu Bei said, "Now that Liu Qi is dead, Eastern Wu will surely come to demand Jingzhou. How shall we answer them?" Zhuge Liang said, "If someone comes, I will have a reply ready." Half a month later, a messenger reported that Lu Su and others from Eastern Wu had arrived to offer condolences. Indeed:
First lay out the plans and strategies, then await the envoy from Eastern Wu.
First lay out the plans and strategies, then await the envoy from Eastern Wu.
We do not know how Zhuge Liang handled the situation. Let the next chapter explain.