Suffering Defeat, Gongsun Yuan Meets His Death;
Pretending Illness, Sima Yi Deceives Cao Shuang.

This Gongsun Yuan was a grandson of Gongsun Du the Warlike, and a son of Gongsun Kang in Liaodong. In the twelfth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity, when Cao Cao was pursuing Yuan Xi* and Yuan Shang*, who had fled eastward, Gongsun Kang had captured them, beheaded them, and sent their heads to Cao Cao*. For this service Gongsun Kang received the title of Lord of Xiangping. After Gongsun Kang's death, as his two sons---Gongsun Huang and Gongsun Yuan---were young, his brother Gongsun Gong took the chiefship; and Cao Pi, beside confirming the lordship, gave him the rank of General of the Flying Cavalry.

In the second year of Calm Peace (AD 228), the second son, Gongsun Yuan, being now grown up, well-educated and trained in military exercises, obstinate and fond of fighting, took away his uncle's power and ruled the heritage of his father. Cao Rui conferred upon him the title of General Who Wields Ferocity, and made him Governor of Liaodong.

Then the Ruler of Wu, Sun Quan, anxious to secure Gongsun Yuan's support, sent two envoys, Zhang Mi and Xu Yan, with gifts of gold and gems and pearls and offered Gongsun Yuan the title of Prince of Yan. Fearing that the Middle Land would resent any dallying with Wu, Gongsun Yuan slew the Wu envoys and sent the heads to the Ruler of Wei. For this proof of fealty, Cao Rui gave him the title of Grand General and the Dukedom of Yuelang.

However, Gongsun Yuan was dissatisfied, and his thoughts turned toward independence. He took council with his officers and proposed to style himself Prince of Yan and to adopt a reign-title of Extending Han, the first year.

One general, Jia Fan, opposed this and said, "My lord, the central authorities have treated you well and honored you. I fear that Sima Yi is too skillful a leader for rebellion to succeed. You see even Zhuge Liang cannot defeat him. How much less can you?"

Gongsun Yuan's reply was to condemn Jia Fan to death. However, Adviser Lun Zhi ventured upon further remonstrance.

"Jia Fan spoke well. The Sacred One says that extraordinary phenomena presage the destruction of a state. Now this time portents are not wanting, and wonders have been seen. A dog, dressed in red and wearing a turban, went up to the roof and walking like a man. Moreover, while a certain person living in a village south of the city was cooking his food, he saw a child in the pan, boiled to death. A great cave opened near the market place and threw out a large, fleshy body completely human save that it lacked limbs. Swords could not cut it; arrows could not penetrate it. No one knew what to call it; and when they consulted the soothsayers, they obtained the reply, 'Incomplete shape, silent mouth: A state is near destruction.' These prodigies are all inauspicious. Flee from evil and strive to walk in fair fortune's way. Make no move without most careful thought."

This second remonstrance enraged Gongsun Yuan still more, and he sent Lun Zhi to death with Jia Fan. Both were executed in the public place.

Gongsun Yuan then prepared to make a bid for empire. He raised an army of one hundred fifty thousand, appointed Bei Yan as Commander, and Yang Zuo as Leader of the Van. This army set out for the Middle Land.

Ruler of Wei was alarmed at the report of this rising, and sent for Sima Yi.

Sima Yi was not greatly perturbed, and said, "My forty thousand troops will be equal to the task."

The Ruler of Wei replied, "The task is heavy, for your troops are few and the road is long."

"The strength of an army is not in numbers, but in strategy. Aided by Your Majesty's good fortune, I shall certainly be able to bring this fellow Gongsun Yuan a captive to your feet."

"What do you think will be the rebel's plan?" asked the Ruler of Wei.

"His high plan would be flight before our army can arrive; his middle plan would be defending his position in Liaodong; his low plan would be to try to hold Xiangping. In the last case I shall certainly capture him."

"How long will the expedition take?"

"We have to cover one thousand five hundred miles which will take a hundred days. Attack will consume another hundred. The return will need a hundred, and with sixty days to rest we shall take a year."

"Suppose during that year we are attacked by Wu or Shu."

"My plans provide for that. Your Majesty need have no anxiety."

The Ruler of Wei being thus reassured, formally ordered Sima Yi to undertake the expedition.

Hu Zun was appointed to lead the van. Hu Zun went and camped in Liaodong. The scouts hastened to tell Gongsun Yuan, who sent Bei Yan and Yang Zuo to camp at Liaosui with eighty thousand troops. They surrounded their camp with a wall seven miles in circumference and placed thorny barriers outside the rampart. It seemed very secure.

Hu Zun saw these preparations and sent to tell his chief. Sima Yi smiled.

"So the rebel does not want to fight, but thinks to weary my soldiers," said Sima Yi. "Now I am disposed to think that most of his army is within that wall, so that his stronghold is empty and undefended. I will make a dash at Xiangping. He will have to go to its rescue, and I will smite him on the way. I should score a great success."

So Sima Yi hastened to Xiangping along unfrequented ways.

Meanwhile Bei Yan and Yang Zuo, the two generals within the walled camp, discussed their plans.

Yang Zuo said, "When the Wei army comes near, we will not fight. They will have come a long march and their supplies will be short, so that they cannot hold out long. When they retreat, we shall find our opportunity. These were the tactics Sima Yi used against Zhuge Liang on River Wei, and Zhuge Liang died before the end of the expedition. We will try similar means."

Presently the scouts reported that the Wei army had marched south.

Bei Yan at once saw the danger and said, "They are going to attack Xiangping, which they know has few troops. If that base be lost, this position is useless."

So they broke up their camp and followed the enemy.

When Sima Yi heard it, he rejoiced, saying, "Now they will fall into the snare I have laid for them."

Sima Yi sent Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Wei to take up position on the River Ji. They were to attack if the army of Liaodong came near them. They had not long to wait. As soon as Bei Yan and his army approached, Xiahou Ba and Xiahou Wei exploded a bomb, beat the drums, waved their flags, and came out, one force on each side. Bei Yan and Yang Zuo made a fight but soon fled to Shoushan Mountain, where they fell in with Gongsun Yuan and joined the main army. Then they turned to give battle to the Wei army.

Bei Yan rode to the front and reviled the enemy, shouting, "You rebels! Do not try trickery, but dare you fight in the open?"

Xiahou Ba rode out to accept the challenge, and after a few bouts Bei Yan fell. In the confusion caused by the death of their leader, Xiahou Ba urged on his troops and drove Gongsun Yuan back to Xiangping, and Gongsun Yuan took refuge in the city.

The city was surrounded. It was autumn, and the rain fell day after day without ceasing. At the end of the month, the plain was under three feet of water, so that the grain boats sailed straight from River Ji to the city walls. The besiegers suffered much from the floods.

Pei Jing, Commander of the Left, went to Sima Yi and asked, "The rain keeps pouring down, and tents cannot be pitched on mud. May the army be moved to camp on the higher ground?"

But Sima Yi flouted the suggestion.

"How can the army move away just when success is in sight? The rebels will be conquered now any day. If any other speaks about drawing off, he will be put to death."

Pei Jing agreed and went away.

Soon after, Chou Lian, Commander of the Right, came to see his chief and repeated the suggestion, saying, "The soldiers are suffering from the rains. O Commander, let them camp on the hills."

Sima Yi got angry and said, "I have sent the command, and you are against it!"

And he ordered Chou Lian to be executed. His head was suspended at the camp gate as a warning to others. The soldiers dared to complain any more.

Then Sima Yi ordered the south camp to be abandoned, and the army marched seven miles south, thus allowing the soldiers and people in the city to come out to gather fuel and pasture their cattle.

The attacking army could not understand this move, and General Chen Qun spoke about it.

"When you besieged Shangyong, O Commander, you attacked all round at eight points, and the city fell in eight days. Meng Da was taken, and you won a great success. Now your forty thousand troops have borne their armors many days over long marches and you do not press the attack, but keep them in the mud and mire and let the enemy gather supplies and feed their cattle. I do not know what your intention may be."

"Sir," replied the Commander-in-Chief, "I see you are ignorant of war after all. You do not understand the different conditions. Meng Da then had ample supplies and few troops, while we were under exactly opposite conditions. So we had to attack vigorously and at once. The suddenness of the attack defeated the enemy. But look at present conditions. The Liaodong troops are many and we few; they are on the verge of starvation, and we are full fed. Why should we force the attack? Our line is to let the soldiers desert and capture the city. Therefore I leave a gate open and the road free that they may run away."

Chen Qun then understood and acknowledged the correctness of the strategy. Sima Yi sent to Luoyang to hasten supplies, that there should be no shortage.

However, the war was not supported in the capital, for when the messenger arrived and the Ruler of Wei summoned his courtiers, they said, "In Liaodong the rain has been continuous for a month, and the soldiers are in misery. Sima Yi ought to be recalled, and the war renewed at a more convenient season."

The Ruler of Wei replied, "The leader of our army is most capable and best able to decide upon what should be done. He understands the conditions and is teeming with magnificent plans. He will certainly succeed. Wherefore, Noble Sirs, wait a few days and let us not be anxious about the result."

So Cao Rui heeded not the voice of the dissentients, but took care that provisions were sent.

After a few days the rain ceased, and fine, clear weather followed. That night Sima Yi went out of his tent that he might study the sky. Suddenly he saw a very large and bright star start from a point over Shoushan Mountain and travel over toward Xiangping, where it fell. The soldiers were rather frightened at this apparition, but the leader rejoiced.

"Five days from now Gongsun Yuan will be slain where that star fell," said he. "Therefore attack with vigor."

They opened the attack the next morning at dawn, throwing up banks and sapping the walls, setting up stone-throwing machines and rearing ladders. When night came the attack did not cease. Arrows fell in the city like pelting rain.

Within the city, grain began to run short, and soon there was none. They slaughtered bullocks and horses for food. The soldiers began to be mutinous and no longer fought with any spirit. There was talk of slaying Gongsun Yuan and yielding the city.

Gongsun Yuan was disheartened and frightened, and decided to sue for peace. He sent his Prime Minister Wang Jian and Imperial Censor Liu Fei out of the city to beg Sima Yi to allow him to submit. These two had to be let down from the walls by ropes, as no other means of exit were possible.

Wang Jian and Liu Fei found their way to Sima Yi and said, "We pray you, O Commander, retire seven miles and allow the officers to come forth and surrender."

"Why did not Gongsun Yuan himself come?" said Sima Yi. "He is rude."

He put the two envoys to death and sent their heads back into the city.

Gongsun Yuan was still more alarmed, but he resolved to make one more attempt. This time he sent High Counselor Wei Yin as his envoy. Sima Yi received this messenger sitting in state in his tent with his officers standing right and left. Wei Yin approached on his knees, and when he reached the door of the tent recited his petition.

"I pray you, O Commander, turn your thunderous wrath from us. We will send the son of our leader, Gongsun Xiu, the Heir Apparent, as hostage and all the officers shall appear before you bound with cords."

Sima Yi replied, "There are five possible operations for any army. If you can fight, fight; if you cannot fight, defend; if you cannot defend, flee; if you cannot flee, surrender; if you cannot surrender, die. These five courses are open to you, and a hostage would be useless. Now return and tell your master."

Wei Yin put his hands over his head and fled like a rat. He went into the city and related what had happened to him.

The Gongsuns, father and son, resolved to flee. They chose a thousand of mounted troops, and in the dead of night opened the south gate and got out. They took the road to the east and were rejoiced to find it clear.

All went well for a distance of three miles, when a bomb exploded. This was followed by a roll of drums and the blare of trumpets; and a cohort stood in the way. The leader was Sima Yi, supported by his two sons---Sima Shi and Sima Zhao.

"Stop, O rebel!" cried the sons.

But Gongsun Yuan lashed his steed to a gallop. Then Hu Zun, Xiahou Ba, Xiahou Wei, Zhang Hu, and Yue Chen, with their troops, came up and quickly surrounded them so that they were helpless. Gongsun Yuan saw that escape was impossible, so he came with his son, dismounted, and offered surrender.

Sima Yi hardly looked at the two men, but he turned to his officers and said, "That night the star fell to this land, and today, five days later, the omen becomes true."

They all felicitated him, saying, "The Commander is superhuman!"

Gongsun Yuan and Gongsun Xiu were slain where they stood. Then Sima Yi turned to resume the siege of Xiangping; but before he had reached the walls, Hu Zun's army had entered. Sima Yi went in and was received with great respect, the people burning incense as he passed. He went to the residence, and then the whole of the Gongsun Yuan's clan, and all who had assisted in his rising, were beheaded. They counted heads to the number of seventy.

The city taken and the rebels destroyed, Sima Yi issued a proclamation in order to restore confidence among the people.

Certain persons told him, "Jia Fan and Lun Zhi had been against the revolt and had therefore suffered death."

So Sima Yi honored their............