Cao Cao retorted angrily: “You once abandoned me and now you have the impudence to come to see me! Tao Qian slew my whole family and I vow to tear his heart out in revenge. You may speak for his sake but I will not listen.”
His intercession having failed, Chen Gong took his leave and went out. Sighing deeply, he said to himself, “Alas! I’m ashamed to go back and face Tao Qian.” So he rode off to Chenliu to try his fortune there.
Cao Cao’s vengeful army laid waste to whatever place it passed through, slaying the people and desecrating their cemeteries. When Tao Qian heard the terrible tidings he turned toward Heaven and cried bitterly: “I must have been guilty of some sin before Heaven to have brought this calamity to my people!” He hastily called together his subordinates for counsel. One of them, Cao Bao, said, “Now that the enemy is upon us, we cannot sit and await death with folded hands. I for one will help you to make a fight.”
So Tao Qian had to lead his army out to meet Cao Cao. From a distance he saw the enemy, all in mourning white, spread out in enormous numbers as if the ground was covered with frost or snow. In the center were two big white flags on which were written the word “Vengeance.”
When he had ranged his men, Cao Cao, dressed completely in white, rode out to the front and started hurtling abuses at his foe. Tao Qian also advanced and from beneath his ensign he bowed to Cao Cao and said, “I wished to make friends with you, sir, so I sent Zhang Kai to escort your family. I did not know that his evil heart refused to change. And the tragedy happened. It was really not my fault, as you must recognize.”
“You old rascal! You killed my father and now you dare to talk such nonsense to me!” shouted Cao Cao. Then, turning to his men, he asked, “Who will capture him for me?”
At his call Xiahou Dun rode out. The prefect fled to his own army and as Xiahou Dun came on, Cao Bao went to engage him. But just as the two horses met a strong gale suddenly arose, sweeping up dust and pebbles from the ground and throwing the two opposing sides into the utmost confusion. Both drew off.
The prefect retired into the city and said to his men, “The enemy force is too strong for us to counter. I will give myself up and let him wreak his vengeance on me. Thus I may save the people.”
He had hardly finished speaking when someone stepped forward and said, “You have long ruled here and the people love you. Strong as the enemy are, they are not necessarily able to break down our walls. Now we must fortify ourselves and not go out and give battle. I will use a little scheme to destroy Cao Cao so that he will die without a burial place.”
The bold words startled the assembly and all asked him anxiously what the scheme was.
Making overtures for friendship he encounters deadly hate,
But, amid the gravest danger he discovered safety’s gate.
Who the bold speaker was will be told in the next chapter.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Liu Bei Rescues Kong Rong in Beihai
Lu Bu Defeats Cao Cao at Puyang
It was Mi Zhu who said he knew how to defeat Cao Cao completely. He came from a wealthy family in Donghai. Once, when returning home in a carriage after trading in Luoyang, he met a beautiful lady who asked him to let her ride with him. He stepped down from his carriage to walk and yielded his place to her. She invited him to share the seat with her. He mounted but sat rigidly upright, never even glancing in her direction. They traveled thus for some miles when she thanked him and alighted. Just before she took her leave she said, “I am the Goddess of Fire from the South. I am on my way to execute a decree of the Supreme God to burn down your dwelling, but your extreme courtesy has so deeply touched me that I now warn you. Go back home quickly and remove all your valuables. I will come tonight.”
Then she disappeared. Mi Zhu hastily finished his journey and as soon as he arrived he removed everything from his house. Sure enough, that night a fire started in the kitchen and soon devoured the whole house. After this he devoted most of his wealth to relieving the poor and comforting the afflicted. Later, Tao Qian gave him the office that he now held.
Mi Zhu disclosed his plan. “I will go to Beihai to seek help from Kong Rong. Another one of us should go to Qingzhou on a similar mission, and if the armies of these two places come to assist us, Cao Cao will surely withdraw his forces.”
The prefect accepted the plan and wrote the letters to be sent to the two places. Then he asked for a volunteer to go to Qingzhou and a certain Chen Dun offered himself for the errand. Soon, both of them left and the prefect led all the people to hold the city as long as they could.
This Kong Rong was a native of Qufu,* in the old kingdom of Lu, a descendant of the twentieth generation of the great teacher Confucius. He had been noted as a very intelligent lad, if somewhat precocious. When he was only ten years old he had gone to see the governor of the district, but the doorkeeper would not let him in. Then he said, “Our two families are intimate friends,” and he was admitted. When he went in, the governor asked him what relations had existed between the two families. The boy replied, “Of old my ancestor (Confucius) had asked yours (Lao Zi*) concerning ceremonial rites. So our families have known each other for many generations.” The governor was surprised at the boy’s ready wit.
Presently there came another visitor of high rank, to whom the governor told the story of his youthful guest. “He’s a wonder, this boy,” he said.
The visitor replied, “It doesn’t follow that a clever boy grows up into a clever man.”
The lad took him up at once, saying, “By what you say, sir, you were certainly clever as a boy.”
The others all laughed. “This boy is going to be a great man one day,” they said.
Thus from boyhood he became famous. When he grew up he became an official and was then Prefect of Beihai. Renowned for his hospitality, he used to say: “Let the rooms be full of guests, and the cups be full of wine. That is what I desire.” After six years at Beihai he was much loved by the people there.
The day Mi Zhu arrived he was, as usual, seated among his guests and the envoy was ushered in without delay. In reply to a question about the reason for his visit Mi Zhu presented the letter from Tao Qian.
“Cao Cao is pressing hard on the city. Please come and rescue us,” he added.
“Your master and I are good friends,” said Kong Rong. “And you have come to ask me for help yourself. Of course I will go to your aid. However, I bear no grudge against Cao Cao either, so I will first write to him to try to make peace. If he refuses, then I will set the army in motion.”
“Cao Cao will not listen to peace proposals—he is too certain of his strength,” said the envoy.
Kong Rong then wrote his letter and also gave orders to muster his men. But just at this moment a messenger came with the urgent news that a remnant troop of the Yellow Turbans had come to invade the prefecture. It was necessary to deal with them first so Kong Rong hastened to lead his army outside the city to oppose the rebels.
The rebel leader rode out to the front and said, “I know this district is rich and can well spare 10,000 shi* of grain. Give me that and we will withdraw. Otherwise, we will batter down the city walls and destroy every single soul.”
Kong Rong shouted back, “I am an official of the great Han, entrusted with the safety of their land. Do you think I will feed rebels?”
The rebel whipped his steed, whirled his sword, and rushed at the prefect. One of the officers rode out to fight with him, but after a very few bouts was slain. The soldiers fell into confusion and ran pell-mell into the city for protection. The rebels then laid siege to the city on all sides. Kong Rong was careworn and Mi Zhu, who now saw no hope for the success of his mission, was grieved beyond words.
The next day, Kong Rong ascended the gate tower to look but the sight of the enormous number of rebels around the city troubled him even greater. Suddenly, he saw a man armed with a spear riding in among the rebels and scattering them like chaff in the wind. Before long he had reached the city gate and called out,
“Open the gate!” But the defenders dared not open it to a stranger and in the delay a crowd of rebels had followed him to the edge of the moat. He wheeled about and cut down half a score of them and the rest fell back. At this the prefect ordered the wardens to open the gate and let him in at once. As soon as he was inside, he dismounted, laid aside his spear, and climbed up the tower to bow humbly to Kong Rong.
He said that his name was Taishi Ci and he came from Donglai. His aged mother had sent him to help the prefect out of gratitude for his kindness to her. “I only returned home yesterday from the north and then I heard that your city was in danger from a rebel attack. My mother said you had been very kind to her and told me to come and help you. So I rode out all alone and here I am.”
The prefect was overjoyed for he already knew the man by reputation as a valiant fighter, although the two had never met. When the son was away in the north the prefect had taken his mother, who dwelt about five li from the city, under his special care, and saw to it that she did not suffer from want. This had won over the old lady’s heart and she had sent her son to show her gratitude.
Kong Rong showed his appreciation by treating the warrior with the greatest respect and gave him presents of clothing and armor, a horse and saddle.
Taishi Ci said, “Give me a thousand veteran soldiers and I will go out and drive them off.”
“You are a bold warrior, but they are numerous. You should not act too rashly,” warned the prefect.
“My mother sent me because she was grateful to you. How will I be able to look her in the face if I cannot raise the siege? I prefer to conquer or perish.”
“I have been told that Liu Bei is a true hero and if we could get his help there would be no doubt of success. But there is no one to send the message.”
“I will go as soon as you have written the letter,” said the warrior.
So the prefect wrote the letter and gave it to the bold warrior who, after a large meal, put on his armor, attached his bow and quiver to his girdle, and tied his haversack firmly to his back. With his spear in hand he rode out of the city gate to confront the huge number of enemies—all alone.
Along the moat gathered a large party of besiegers, who at once came to intercept the solitary rider. But, dashing in among them, he cut down several of them and finally fought his way through.
The rebel leader, hearing that a rider had left the city, guessed what his errand would be and followed him with several hundred horsemen. He spread his men out so that the warrior was entirely surrounded. Taishi Ci set aside his spear, took his bow and arrows, and shot one after another all around him. And as every twang of his bowstring sent an enemy rider to his death the pursuers dared not close in.
Thus he got away and rode in hot haste to Pingyuan to see Liu Bei. After greeting his host in proper manner he presented the letter from Kong Rong and explained his errand.
“Who are you?” asked Liu Bei.
“My name is Taishi Ci, a simple man from the east. I am not related to Prefect Kong by ties of kinship, nor even by ties of neighborhood, but I am bound to him by bonds of sentiment and I share his sorrows and misfortunes. The rebels have invested his city and destruction is imminent. He is distressed beyond measure, for there is no one to turn to for help. He knows that you are humane and righteous, able to aid people in difficulties. Therefore at his command I have braved all dangers and fought my way through his enemies to appeal to you for help.”
As he listened, Liu Bei’s face grew grave and he said, “So he knows of my existence?”
Then Liu Bei assembled 3,000 soldiers and set out to help raise the siege in Beihai. When the rebel leader saw their arrival he led out his army to fight them, thinking he could easily dispose of so small a force.
The three brothers and Taishi Ci were in the forefront of their troops. The rebel leader hastened forward to challenge. Taishi Ci was about to open the combat when Guan Yu rushed forth and engaged the enemy. As their two steeds met, the soldiers set up a great shout. But how could there be any doubt of the result? After a few bouts Guan Yu’s great sword rose and fell, and with it fell, too, his opponent.
At this Zhang Fei and Taishi Ci rode out side by side. With their spears ready they dashed in among the rebels, while Liu Bei urged his men to advance. Like tigers among a flock of sheep, they slew the rebels wherever they went and none could withstand them. When the prefect saw how his brave rescuers had defeated the enemy he also sent out his men to join in the battle so that the rebels were trapped between two armies. Soon, the enemy force was completely broken and many men surrendered, while the remainder scattered in all directions.
The victors were welcomed into the city and a banquet was prepared in their honor. Mi Zhu was introduced to Liu Bei to whom he told the story of the murder of Cao Song by Zhang Kai and Cao Cao’s vengeful attack on Xuzhou and his coming to beg for assistance.
Liu Bei said, “Prefect Tao is a kindly man of high character, and it is a pity that he should suffer this wrong through no fault of his own.”
“You are a scion of the imperial family,” said Kong Rong. “And this Cao Cao is hurting the people, a strong man abusing his strength. Why not go with me to rescue the sufferers?”
“Well, it is not that I dare to refuse but my force is weak and I must act cautiously,” replied Liu Bei.
“Though my desire to help Prefect Tao arises from an old friendship, yet it is a righteous act as well. Could it be that your heart is not inclined toward the right?” said Kong Rong.
Liu Bei said, “All right. You go first and give me time to see Gongsun Zan from whom I may borrow more men and horses. I will come later.”
“You surely will not break your promise?” said Kong Rong.
“What kind of man do you think I am?” said Liu Bei. “A saint once said, ‘All men must die but he who is without faith cannot maintain himself.’ Whether I get the men or not, I will certainly come.”
So Kong Rong agreed to this arrangement. He told Mi Zhu to return immediately to report the news and he himself began to prepare for the expedition.
Taishi Ci, his mission completed, was ready to leave, too. He said to Prefect Kong: “My mother bade me come to your aid and luckily you are safe. My townsman Liu Yao, Governor of Yangzhou, has sent me a letter, asking me to go there and I must leave you now. I will see you again.”
Kong Rong wanted to give him money and silk as rewards but he would not accept anything. When his mother saw him return she was very pleased at his success. She said, “I’m very glad you can prove our gratitude to Prefect Kong.” Soon he departed for Yangzhou.
While Kong Rong was marching toward Xuzhou, Liu Bei went away to his friend Gongsun Zan and told him about his plan to help Tao Qian.
“Cao Cao is not your enemy. Why do you exert yourself for the sake of another?” said Gongsun Zan.
“I have promised,” answered Liu Bei, “and dare not go back on my words.”
“I will lend you 2,000 horse and foot soldiers.”
“May I also ask you to let Zhao Yun come with us?”
Gongsun Zan agreed to this as well.
So the two forces marched toward the besieged city of Xuzhou, with Liu Bei and his own men in the front and Zhao Yun with the borrowed soldiers to the rear.
In due course, Mi Zhu returned to Xuzhou with the news that not only would Kong Rong come but he had persuaded Liu Bei to offer help as well. The other envoy, Chen Deng, came back and reported that Tian Kai would also bring help. The good tidings set Tao Qian’s heart at ease.
But both Kong Rong and Tian Kai, greatly in dread of Cao Cao’s strength, camped among the hills far away from the city, afraid to take any immediate action. However, their arrival forced Cao Cao to divide his army into several units, so postponing his attack on the city itself. Soon Liu Bei also reached the place and went to see Kong Rong.
The prefect said, “The enemy is very powerful and Cao Cao handles his army skillfully. We must be cautious. Let us tread carefully before we s
trike a blow.”
“What I fear is famine in the city,” said Liu Bei. “They cannot hold out very long. I will put Guan Yu and Zhao Yun with 4,000 soldiers under your command while Zhang Fei and I try to break through Cao Cao’s camp and get into the city to consult the prefect.”
Kong Rong was very pleased with this plan, so he and Tian Kai took up positions on both sides of the hills, with Guan Yu and Zhao Yun on either side to support them. Elsewhere, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei with a thousand cavalry tried to get through Cao Cao’s camp. However, when they got to the flank of his camp there arose a great beating of drums, and their enemy, both horsemen and foot soldiers, rolled out like billows on the ocean. Their leader was Yue Jin. He checked his horse and called out, “Halt, you maniacs! Where do you come from?”
Without deigning to give a reply, Zhang Fei rode straight to attack the speaker. After they had fought a few bouts Liu Bei waved his double swords as a signal for his men to come on. Yue Jin was routed and fled for his life. Zhang Fei led the pursuit and in this way they reached the city wall.
From the gate tower the prefect saw a red banner embroidered in white with the name of Liu Bei, so he at once ordered his men to open the gate. Liu Bei was then cordially welcomed into the official residence and a banquet was prepared in his honor. His men were also rewarded with feasts.
Tao Qian was delighted with Liu Bei, admiring his noble appearance and clear speech. He told Mi Zhu to present to Liu Bei the seal and insignia of the city.
“What does this mean?” asked Liu Bei, greatly startled.
Tao Qian said, “There is trouble everywhere in the country and the Emperor’s rule is no longer maintained. You, sir, are a member of the imperial family and eminently suited to help restore the line of Han. I am but an old man without any ability and I want you to take over the city so that I can retire. Please do not refuse. I will report my action to the court.”