Yuan Shu Marches Out An Army Of Seven Divisions;
Cao Cao And Three Generals Join Forces.
the south of River Huai was very fruitful, and Yuan Shu, as governor of such a large territory, was very influential. He was not a little puffed up. The possession of the Imperial Hereditary Seal, pledged by Sun Ce, added to his pride. And he seriously thought of assuming the full style.
[e] Liu Bang's first office was assistant to a magistrate in Pei. [e] King Wen, aka the Scholar King, founder of the Zhou Dynasty, father of King Wu. King Wen did not actually founded the dynasty, but he laid the foundation for Zhou. At the end of Shang Dynasty, the state Zhou of King Wen had already possessed two-thirds of the empire, but King Wen still faithfully served the last emperor of Shang. The final conquest was completed by King Wu and King Wu's brother, the Duke of Zhou. ……
[e] King Yao, King Shun, and King Yu （BC 2400-2200） were the three ideal rulers in ancient China. They ascended the throne by their virtues and merits, and not by heritage. King Yu was also the founder of Xia Dynasty. ……
As a preliminary he assembled all his officers and addressed them thus： “The Supreme Ancestor, the Founder of Han Dynasty, was only a very minor official*, and yet he became ruler of the empire. The dynasty has endured four centuries, and its measure of fortune has run out. It no longer possesses authority； the cauldron is on the point of boiling over. My family has held the highest offices of state for four generations and is universally respected. Wherefore I wish, in response to the will of Heaven and the desire of the people, to assume the Imperial Dignity. What think ye of the proposal, my officers？”
Secretary Yan Xiang rose in opposition at once, saying, “You may not do this. King Wen, the Ancestor of the Zhou*, was of distinguished virtue and held many offices. Till the last years of Shang Dynasty, he had two thirds of the empire. Still he served and was loyal to the ruling house. Your house is honorable, but it is not so glorious as that of Zhou. The Hans may be reduced, but they are not so abominably cruel as those of the Shang Dynasty that they are to be overthrown. Indeed this should not be done.”
Yuan Shu did not hear this with pleasure.
Said he, “We Yuans came from the Chen family, the same ancestry with King Shun*. By the rule of interpreting the signs of fate, the day has come when earth （Chen） receives fire （Liu）。 Beside there is an oracle saying, 'One who replaces the Hans must wade through deep mire.' My name means 'the high road.' It fits exactly. Further than this, I possess the Imperial Hereditary Seal and must become lord of all, or I turn from Heaven's own way. Finally, I have made up my mind, so if anyone says too much, that person will simply suffer death.”
Yuan Shu arrogated himself the insignia of royalty and assigned Second Glory the reign title. He set up officials with titles only given by an emperor, and rode in a chariot decorated with the dragon and phoenix, and offered sacrifices after the manner of an emperor in the north and south suburbs. Also he appointed the daughter of Feng Fang his Empress and his son Heir Apparent, and he pressed for the early wedding of Lu Bu's daughter with his son so that the Palace entourage might be complete.
But when Yuan Shu heard of the fate of his marriage ambassador, Han Yin, who was sent to the capital and was executed, Yuan Shu was very angry and began at once to plan for revenge. He made Zhang Xun his Grand Commander and gave Zhang Xun the command of more than two hundred thousand soldiers with the instruction to invade Xuzhou. The army consisted of seven divisions under seven commanders： Zhang Xun led the Center Army； Qiao Rui, the First Left Army； Lei Bo, the Second Left Army； Han Xian, the Third Left Army； Chen Ji, First Right Army； Chen Lan, Second Right Army； and Yang Feng, the Third Right Army. Each commander was instructed to make a certain town his objective.
the Imperial Protector of Yangzhou, Jin Shang, was ordered to superintend the commissariat, but he declined the office. And so Yuan Shu put Jin Shang to death. Ji Ling was in command of the reserves to help wherever he was required. Yuan Shu led thirty thousand troops, and he appointed three generals, Li Deng, Liang Gang, and Yue Jiu, to go up and down and coordinate the grand march.
Lu Bu found out from his scouts that his own Xuzhou City was the objective of Zhang Xun； the other towns to be first attacked being Xiaopei, Yidu, Langye, Jieshi, Xiapi, and Junshan. The invading armies were marching twenty miles a day, and plundering the countryside as they advanced.
Lu Bu summoned his advisers to a council to which came Chen Gong, Chen Deng, and Chen Gui.
When all had assembled, Chen Gong said, “This misfortune that has come to us is due to the two Chens, who fawned upon the central government in order to obtain rank and appointments. Now remove the evil by putting these two to death and sending their heads to Yuan Shu. Then he will retire and leave us in peace.”
Lu Bu acquiesced and had the two arrested.
But the son, Chen Deng, only laughed, saying, “What is this anxiety about？ These seven armies are no more to me than so many heaps of rotting straw. They are not worth thinking about.”
“If you can show us how to overcome them, I will spare your life,” said Lu Bu.
“General, if you will listen to poor me, the region will be perfectly safe.”
“Let us hear what you have to say.”
“Yuan Shu's troops are numerous but they are only a flock of crows； they are not an army under a leader. There is no mutual confidence. I can keep them at bay with the ordinary guards of the place and could overcome them by some unsuspected stratagem. If I should fail, I have another plan by which I can not only protect the region but capture our enemy.”
“Let us have it.”
[e] Han Xian used to be a White Wave rebel leader. Yang Feng had been a commander under Li Jue. When the Emperor fled from Changan to Luoyang, he enlisted these two leaders as escorts to fend off Li Jue and Guo Si's pursuit. （chapter 13）
Chen Deng said, “Han Xian and Yang Feng*, two of the leaders of our enemies, are old servants of the Han Dynasty who fled from fear of Cao Cao and, being homeless, sought refuge with Yuan Shu. He despises them, and they are dissatisfied with his service. A little letter from the court will secure their help as our allies, and with Liu Bei to help us on the outside, we can certainly overcome Yuan Shu.”
“You shall take the letters yourself,” said Lu Bu.
Chen Deng aGREed, and a memorial detailing his intentions was sent to the capital, letters to Yuzhou to Liu Bei, and finally Chen Deng was sent, with a small escort, to wait for Han Xian on the road to Xiapi.
When Han Xian's army had halted and pitched camp, Chen Deng went to see Han Xian who said, “What are you here for？ You belong to Lu Bu.”
“I am an official of the court of the GREat Hans. Why do you call me a Lu Bu's man？ If you, General, hitherto a minister of state, now serve a traitor, you will nullify the grand services you rendered in protecting the Emperor in the flight from Changan. Beside, the suspicious Yuan Shu will assuredly do you some harm, and you will regret not having taken this opportunity to work against him.”
Han Xian sighed, saying, “I would return to my allegiance if there should be any opportunity.”
thereupon Chen Deng gave him Lu Bu's letter asking for cooperation.
Han Xian read it and said, “Yes； I know. You may return to your master and say General Yang Feng and I will turn our weapons and smite Yuan Shu. Look out for a signal flare, and let your master come to our aid.”
As soon as Chen Deng had got back and reported his success, Lu Bu divided his troops into five divisions, each of ten thousand, and sent them to five threatened towns to meet his enemies. Gao Shun led one army to Xiaopei against Qiao Rui； Chen Gong to Yidu against Chen Ji； Zhang Liao and Zang Ba to Langye against Lei Bo； Song Xian and Wei Xu to Jieshi against Chen Lan. Lu Bu himself led against the main body under Zhang Xun, leaving a small guard in Xuzhou City.
Lu Bu camped ten miles from the walls. When the enemy came up, Zhang Xun thought Lu Bu too strong to attack with the force he had, so he retired seven miles to await reinforcements.
That night, in the second watch, Han Xian and Yang Feng arrived, and soon the flare was lighted as arranged. Lu Bu's troops were admitted to the camp and caused GREat confusion. Then Lu Bu gave a full attack, and Zhang Xun was routed and fled. Lu Bu pursued till daylight, when he fell in with one of the other bodies led by Ji Ling. Both sides faced each other； but at the very beginning of the engagement Yang Feng and Han Xian also attacked, and Ji Ling was forced to fly.
Lu Bu went in pursuit but soon another force came out from the rear of some hills. These looked very imposing. As the ranks opened Lu Bu saw a leader's guard with flags bearing dragons and phoenixes and representations of the sun and moon, the stars in the four groups of the GREat Bear Constellation, the five directions of the Earth, golden gourds, silver axes, yellow halberds, white yaks' tails, all imperial emblems. And beneath a yellow silken parasol sat Yuan Shu on horseback, clad in silver mail with a sword handle showing at each wrist.
Standing out in front of the array, Yuan Shu railed at his opponent calling him traitor and bastard. Lu Bu said nothing but rode forward ready for battle, and Li Deng, one of Yuan Shu's leaders, advanced to take the challenge. They met, but at the third bout, Li Deng was wounded in the hand, whereupon his spear fell to the ground, and he fled. Lu Bu waved on the advance, and his men prevailed. The other side fled, leaving much spoil, clothing, mail, and horses.
Yuan Shu's defeated troops had not gone far when a strong army, led by Guan Yu, appeared barring his way.
“Traitor！ Why have they not slain you？” cried Guan Yu.
Whereat Yuan Shu fled in GREat trepidation, and his army melted into fugitives in all directions. the new army fell upon them with great slaughter. Yuan Shu and the remnant of his army retreated into the below regions of River Huai.
Victory being now secure, Lu Bu, in company with Guan Yu, Yang Feng, and Han Xian returned to Xuzhou, where there were banquets and feasting and rewards for the soldiers and generals of five divisions. These over, Guan Yu took his leave and returned to Yuzhou, while Han Xian was appointed Governor of Yidu, and Yang Feng Governor of Langye.
there had been a question of keeping these two in Xuzhou City, but Chen Gui opposed it, saying, “Let them hold those places in Huashang Mountains, which will be all yours within a year.”
So Han Xian and Yang Feng were sent to these two cities in the meantime to await orders.
“Why not retain them here？” asked Chen Deng secretly of his father. “They would be a basis for our conspiracy against Lu Bu.”
“But if they helped him, on the other hand, we should lengthen the tiger's claws and teeth,” said Chen Gui.
So Chen Deng could only approve of his father's precautions.
Yuan Shu returned home burning to avenge his defeat, so he sent to the South Land to ask a loan of troops from Sun Ce.
But Sun Ce said, “On the strength of holding the State Seal, he secretly calls himself emperor and rebels against the Hans. I would rather punish such a renegade than help him.”
So Sun Ce rejected. the letter refusing help added to Yuan Shu's anger.
“What next from this callow youth？” cried Yuan Shu. “I will smite him before I deal with the others.”
But his adviser, Yang Dajiang, dissuaded him from this course.
Having refused help to his powerful rival, Sun Ce thought it wise to take measures for his own safety. So he stationed an army at Jiangkou. Soon after came a messenger from Cao Cao bearing Sun Ce's appointment as Governor of Kuaiji with orders to raise an army and reduce Yuan Shu.
Sun Ce was inclined to carry out these orders, but he called a council at which Zhang Zhao opposed this course.
Said he, “Although recently defeated, Yuan Shu has large army and ample supplies. He is not to be attacked lightly. You had better write to Cao Cao persuading him to attack the South of River Huai and we will be auxiliaries. Between the two armies, Yuan Shu must certainly be defeated. If by the remotest chance we lose, we have Cao Cao to come to our rescue.”
This plan was adopted, and a messenger............