Taking Of River Fu Pass, Yang Huai and Gao Pei Are Slain;
Siege Of Luocheng, Huang Zhong and Wei Yan Rival.

Zhang Zhao proceeded to unfold his device: "If you undertake any expedition farther west, Cao Cao will undoubtedly return to the attack. Rather write two letters, one to Liu Zhang saying that Liu Bei has leagued himself with you against the west, which will raise suspicions in the mind of Liu Zhang and cause him to attack his guest, and another letter persuading Zhang Lu to march upon Jingzhou, which will uproot Liu Bei. Between these two conflicting matters, Liu Bei cannot give supports to all fronts, and we can march against Jingzhou."

Sun Quan approved, wrote the two letters, and sent them by two messengers.

In the meantime, Liu Bei had been winning the hearts of the people about Jiameng Pass, where his army lay. When he received the news of his wife's flight and of Cao Cao's attack on Ruxu, he called in Pang Tong and laid the matter before him.

"The victor of Ruxu, whoever it is, will assuredly possess himself of our region of Jingzhou," said Liu Bei at the close.

"You need not trouble about that region," said Pang Tong. "I do not think the South Land or the Middle Land will try to take it so long as Zhuge Liang is there. But, my lord, write to Liu Zhang telling him you wish to return on account of this threatening danger. It will be a plausible excuse. You may say that on account of Cao Cao's attack, Sun Quan has sent to you for help, and that as his country and yours are neighbors and dependent upon each other for safety you cannot refuse. Further, you will assure him that there is no danger of any invasion by Zhang Lu. However, we have too few troops for our purpose and insufficient grain, so you must also urge your relative to send you thirty or forty thousand of veterans and a plentiful supply of food. He will not refuse, and with more soldiers and provisions we can do as we please."

Liu Bei agreed to this and sent a messenger to Chengdu. When his messenger reached the River Fu Pass, Yang Huai and Gao Pei, who commanded the garrison, already knew of the design, and the former of the two generals went with him to the city.

After reading the letter, the Imperial Protector asked Yang Huai, "Why did you come with the messenger?"

"Only because of that letter," Yang Huai replied. "This Liu Bei, from the day he first entered Yizhou, has been trying to win over the hearts of your people by a display of kindness and virtue. He certainly intends no good, and I think you should refuse both the troops and the supplies he asks. To help him is like adding fuel to a fire."

"We are affectionate brothers, and I must help him," said the Imperial Protector.

"Liu Bei is nothing but a vagabond swashbuckler," someone cried, "and if you keep him here in the west, you are loosing a tiger in your household. If you give him the troops and supplies he asks, you are adding wings to your tiger."

Turning whence the voice proceeded, they recognized the speaker as one Liu Ba, a native of Lingling. His words threw the Imperial Protector into a state of doubt and hesitation. Huang Quan also dissuaded him most earnestly, and finally Liu Zhang actually decided to send only four thousand of worn-out soldiers and a paltry supply of grain. At the same time fresh orders enjoining a diligent watchfulness were sent to the guardians of the passes.

When Liu Bei read the letter that accompanied the Imperial Protector's miserable contribution to his strength, he was furious and cried, "I have been spending myself in your defense, and this is my reward! You are mean and greedy enough to stint my supplies. How can you expect generous service?"

Liu Bei tore the letter to fragments and execrated the writer thereof. The bearer of the letter fled back to the capital.

Then said Pang Tong, "You have hitherto laid too much stress on humanity and righteousness. However, that is all over now, and all affection between you two is at an end, now that you have torn up that letter."

"Yes. And since that is so, what next?" asked Liu Bei.

"I have three schemes ready in my mind. You may choose which pleases you."

"What are your three schemes?"

"The first, and best, is to send an army forthwith and seize Chengdu. The second is to capture and put to death the two generals of the River Fu Pass. They are the two most famous fighting men in this land. If you give out that you are returning to Jingzhou, they will assuredly come to say farewell. Seize and put them to death, and the Pass and Fucheng are both yours. Chengdu will follow soon. The third plan is to drop this role you have been playing, go back to Jingzhou and make a regular invasion. But if you ponder these schemes too long, you will get into such straits that nothing can save you."

Liu Bei replied, "Of your three schemes, O Instructor, I find the first too summary and the last too slow. I choose the second scheme, which is neither."

So a letter was written to Liu Zhang saying that Cao Cao was sending an army against Qingni, and since the generals there were unequal to the defense, Liu Bei had to go to help. As the matter was pressing, there could be no personal leave-taking.

"I knew that the real desire of Liu Bei was to return to Jingzhou," said Zhang Song, when he heard of the letter to Liu Zhang.

Zhang Song then also composed a letter to Liu Bei. While he was looking about for a trusty person to take it, his brother Zhang Su, who was the Governor of Guanghan, came to see him. Zhang Song hid the letter in his sleeve while he talked with his brother. Zhang Su noticed his anxious inquietude, which he could not explain. Wine was brought in and, as the two brothers chatted over it, the letter dropped to the floor unnoticed by Zhang Song. One of Zhang Su's servants saw it, picked it up, and gave it to his master, who opened and read it.

This is about how it ran:

"What I said to you lately was not mere meaningless talk. Why, then, postpone action? The ancients valued the person who took by force and held by conciliation. If you act at once, the whole matter is in your hand. Why abandon all and return to Jingzhou? Surely I do not hear aright! When you get this letter, attack without a moment's delay and remember that I am your ally on the inside. Above all, no delay!"

"This plot of my brother's will end in the destruction of the whole family," said Zhang Su. "I must get in the first word."

So at once he went in and laid the whole matter before the Imperial Protector.

"I have always treated your brother so well!" said Liu Zhang, very angry.

Liu Zhang issued orders to arrest Zhang Song and behead him and all his household in the market place.

 [hip, hip, hip]
Zhang Song, such as he have been but few,
Little thought he that a letter would betray
When he plotted for another. But success he never knew,
For himself there opened out a gory way.
[yip, yip, yip]
 

Having thus learned of a real conspiracy to deprive him of his heritage, Liu Zhang assembled his officers and asked their advice.

Huang Quan spoke out, saying, "Prompt action is needed. Send to every strategic point telling them to increase the garrisons and keep careful guard and, above all, prevent the entrance of any person from Jingzhou."

Such orders were sent to all points of vantage where were garrisons.

In the meantime, carrying out Pang Tong's scheme, Liu Bei had marched down to Fucheng, where he halted and sent in a messenger to invite the two generals to come forth and say farewell. But they did not respond immediately to this invitation.

"What is the real meaning of this retirement?" said one to the other.

"This Liu Bei ought to die," said Gao Pei. "Let us hide daggers under our dress and stab him at the place of farewell. That will end all our lord's troubles."

"A most excellent plan," said Yang Huai.

So they two, taking only a small escort of two hundred, went down out of the Pass to say goodbye. Most of their forces were left in the camp.

On the way down to River Fu, Pang Tong had said to his master, "You have need to be on your guard against those two if they come to bid you farewell. If they do not come, then the Pass must be attacked without delay."

Just as he said this, a violent gust of wind overthrew the leading flag of the army, and Liu Bei asked what this portended.

"That means a surprise. Those two intend to assassinate you, so be on your guard."

Accordingly, Liu Bei put on double armor and girded on his sword in readiness. When the two generals arrived, the army halted while the generals should pay the farewell visit.

Then Pang Tong said to his two generals, Wei Yan and Huang Zhong, "However many soldiers come down from the Pass, see to it that none return."

The two generals of West River Land, Yang Huai and Gao Pei, armed with hidden daggers, came up, their escort bearing gifts of sheep and wine. They marked no precautions being taken against an attack and began to think their task of murder would be an easy one. They were led in to where Liu Bei sat under a tent, his adviser with him.

They said, "We hear, O Imperial Uncle, that you contemplate a long march, and therefore we come to offer a few poor gifts to speed you on your way."

The cups of farewell were duly filled.

Then Liu Bei replied, "You have a heavy responsibility to defend the Pass, Generals. I pray you drink first."

They drank. Then Liu Bei said, "I have a secret matter to talk over with you."

So all the two hundred soldiers of the escort were sent away and led to the midst of the camp.

As soon as they had gone, Liu Bei shouted, "My generals, lay hands upon these two rebels!"

Thereupon Liu Feng and Guan Ping rushed out from behind the tent. The two generals of the Pass were taken aback, but began to struggle. However, Liu Feng and Guan Ping each seized one man and held him.

"Your lord and I are of the same house," said Liu Bei. "Why then have you plotted against me and conspired to sow enmity between us?"

Pang Tong bade them search the captives, and the hidden daggers were found. So both were ordered to immediate execution. However, Liu Bei hesitated and was unwilling to confirm the sentence and put them to death. But his adviser insisted that they were worthy of death for the assassination they had penned, and bade the executioners fall on. So the two men were beheaded. Of their following not one had been allowed to slip away.

Liu Bei summoned the soldiers of the escort to his tent, gave them wine to comfort them, and said, "Your leaders conspired to sow dissension between brothers and were found with daggers hidden beneath their clothing. They were assassins in intent and have met the fate they merited. You have committed no crime and need feel no alarm."

The soldiers thanked him for his clemency with low obeisance.

Then said Pang Tong, "If you will now show the way so that our troops may capture the Pass, you shall even be rewarded."

They consented. That same night the army set out, with the soldiers of the renegade escort leading the way.

When they reached the Pass they hailed the gate, saying, "Open the gate quickly! The generals have returned earlier than they expected because of important business."

Hearing the voices of their comrades, the gate guards had no suspicion of treachery and threw open the gates. In rushed the enemy soldiers and so gained possession of River Fu Pass without shedding a drop of blood. The defenders came over to the side of Liu Bei and were liberally rewarded. This done, the army was posted so as to guard the approaches and maintain what they had captured.

The next few days were spent in banquets and feasts in celebration of success.

At one of these feasts, Liu Bei turned to his adviser, saying, "This is what one might call a joyful occasion."

"To employ warlike weapons in making an attack upon the possession of another is not using them in the best way," replied Pang Tong. "Nor is such attack the most proper occasion for rejoicing."

[e] King Wu, aka the Martial King, founded the Zhou Dynasty, with the help of the Duke of Zhou, who was his brother. .....

Liu Bei replied, "The success of King Wu of Zhou* was celebrated with music. I suppose weapons were not well used on that occasion either. Why do you talk so wide of reason? You had better retire."

Pang Tong laughed and withdrew from the table, while the attendants supported Liu Bei to his own chamber, where he had a long sleep. About midnight he awoke from his wine, and then the servants told him that he had driven sway his adviser from the feast. He was at once filled with remorse. Next day, having dressed early in full costume of ceremony, he took his seat in the great hall, summoned his adviser and apologized handsomely for his rude behavior the night before.

"I drank too much last night and spoke rudely. Pray forgive me."

Pang Tong, who had taken the whole episode in very good part from the first, laughed and talked as usual.

But Liu Bei went on, "Really I was the only one to blame yesterday."

"We both slipped up. It was not only you, my lord," said Pang Tong.

Then Liu Bei laughed too, and the two were as good friends again as ever.

When Imperial Protector Liu Zhang heard of the doings of his relative and guest, he said, "I did not think that such things would come to pass."

The officers of Yizhou met to consider how to oppose the further advance of Liu Bei.

Huang Quan said, "Let us send without delay a force to hold Luocheng, which is the very throat of the road he must take. He may have veteran soldiers and fiery generals, but he will not be able to pass."

So the four ablest generals---Deng Xiang, Ling Bao, Liu Gui, and Zhang Ren---were told off for this duty, and they led fifty thousand troops.

As they marched, Liu Gui said, "In the Silky Hills there is a wonderful Taoist who calls himself 'The Super Human of the Dark Void.' He has the gift of second sight, so let us visit him as we pass and inquire what our fortunes are to be."

"What should one seek of a hermit when one is out to repulse an enemy?" said his colleague, Zhang Ren, contemptuously.

"Your view is wrong," said Liu Gui. "The Holy One (Confucius) has said that it is characteristic of the most entire sincerity to be able to foreknow. So let us inquire of this man of high intelligence that we may know what to do and what to avoid."

Whereupon they went up into the hills and sought the hermit's retreat. They were a small party, on horseback. Meeting a wood-cutter, they inquired the whereabouts of the dwelling of the wise man, and he pointed to one of the highest hills, saying that the Sage lived on the very summit. They climbed up to the s............