按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
i rewarded Zhuo Ying。
When the leader Zhang Ren was led in by Zhang Fei; Zhuge Liang was seated beside his lord。
〃Why have you held out so long after all the other generals of Yizhou have yielded?〃 said Liu Bei。
〃Can a loyal servant take a second master?〃 cried Zhang Ren fiercely; his eyes glaring with hate。
〃You do not know the times。 Submission means life。〃
〃I might submit today; but it would not endure。 I should repent it。 You had better slay me。〃
Liu Bei was inclined to mercy; but the prisoner was irreconcilable and kept up a stream of furious abuse。 So at last the order was given for his execution; thus giving him a right to fame。
A poem says:
No second lord the heroic servant knows;
The way of death Zhang Ren contented goes。
Clear shines his fame as doth the heavenly moon
That nightly lights the ramparts of Luocheng Town。
Liu Bei grieved for Zhang Ren; although Zhang Ren had been an enemy; for he was a brave man。 Zhang Ren was given honorable burial; sepulture beside the Golden Goose Bridge; where all the passers…by would be reminded of his loyalty。
Next day the army moved on to Luocheng; Yan Yan and the other generals who had submitted leading the way。
At the gate they hailed the defenders; 〃Open the gates and surrender; whereby the city should be saved from utter destruction!〃
From the wall; Liu Gui abused the treacherous Yan Yan and took his bow to shoot。 But just as Liu Gui was fitting the arrow to the string; another man cut him down。 Soon the gates were thrown open and the city had yielded。
As Liu Bei entered the city by one gate; Liu Xun; who had shared the mand of the city; escaped by another gate and set off for Chengdu。
Liu Bei put forth proclamations to allay the fears of the inhabitants of the city。 He inquired who had been on his side in cutting down Liu Gui and was told it was Zhang Yi of Wuyang。 Zhang Yi and all who had helped in the capture were amply rewarded。
〃Our next city is Chengdu;〃 said Zhuge Liang。 〃However; in the meantime there may be some trouble in pacifying the outlying counties; and hence it will be well for you to send Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun with Wu Yi; Zhang Yi; Yan Yan; and Zhuo Ying leading the way; into the country along the river and Changyang; Deyang; and Baxi to reassure the people and to repress any rising that may take place。 There will be no need for any especial precautions in the neighborhood of Chengdu。〃
The warriors went their ways; and then Zhuge Liang began to make careful inquiries concerning the road to Chengdu。
Those who had given in their allegiance to the invaders said; 〃The only place where you can expect any serious defense is Mianzhu。 Once you have passed this; the capital lies at your mercy。〃
Then Fa Zheng was consulted。
Said he; 〃With the fall of Luocheng; the West River Land passed to you。 Let our lord only deal with the people kindly and justly; and there will be no need of weapons。 I can write such a letter to Imperial Protector Liu Zhang as shall make him surrender at call。〃
〃That would be most excellent;〃 said Zhuge Liang。
The letter was written and sent by the hand of a messenger。
Liu Xun; son of the Imperial Protector; presently reached Chengdu and told his father of the loss of Luocheng。 The Imperial Protector at once called his counselors together。
Adviser Zheng Du said; 〃Although Liu Bei has been successful and captured cities and towns; yet his army is but small; his hosts are not near him; and he depends upon chance for his grain and has no proper supplies。 Therefore our best plan is to remove the people of Baxi and Zitong to the farther side of River Fu; burn all the granaries; fortify the city; and let starvation defeat him。 Let us reject all challenges to battle; and in a hundred days his troops will go off of their own accord。 Then we can do with him as we will。〃
〃I like not the plan;〃 said Liu Zhang。 〃Oppose invaders in order that tranquillity may prevail is a well…worn maxim; but till now I have never heard of disturbing the people in order to oppose the march of an enemy。 Your words are not such as safety。〃
Just at the moment the letter from Fa Zheng arrived。 It was opened and the Imperial Protector read:
〃I was sent to Jingzhou to negotiate an alliance; but the opposition of those about you to their lord has resulted in the present situation。 However; the ruler of Jingzhou still remembers old friendship and is mindful of the ties of relationship。 If you; my master; could reverse your policy and lend your support to your relative; I think you would be generously treated。 I hope you will consider this carefully。〃
Liu Zhang flew into a passion。 He tore the letter to fragments and began to abuse its writer; crying; 〃That traitor; ingrate; and renegade! How dares he talk thus to me?〃
And Liu Zhang drove the bearer of the letter from his presence。 He then sent an army under the leadership of Fei Guan; his wife's brother; to reinforce Mianzhu。
Fei Guan at once remended as his assistant one Li Yan of Nanyang; and the two mustered their troops; thirty thousand; and set out for the city。
At this juncture Dong He; the Governor of Yizhou City; wrote advising to borrow aid from Hanzhong。
But Liu Zhang rejected this plan; saying; 〃It will be useless to try to obtain help from a region under the influence of our relentless enemy Zhang Lu。〃
Dong He replied; 〃He may be an enemy; but Liu Bei is in possession of Luocheng; and the situation is extremely dangerous。 When the lips are gone; the teeth are cold。 If you clearly indicate the dangers to him; he must e to our help。〃
So a letter was written and sent to Hanzhong。
Two years had elapsed since Ma Chao had been defeated and gone over to the Qiang tribes in the northwest。 He had made friends with them and with their aid had conquered portions of the West Valley Land。 His expeditions had been very successful; the people opening their gates at the first summons。 Only Jicheng had stood out; but ever this was on the point of yielding。 The Governor of Jicheng; Wei Kang; had sent many urgent appeals for help to Xiahou Yuan in Changan; who; however; would do nothing without his master's order。 Wei Kang was in despair; and at a council his officers advised him to yield。
However; one of them; Yang Fu; earnestly opposed yielding; saying; 〃We cannot surrender to a lot of rebels such as Ma Chao and his colleagues。〃
〃What is there to hope for?〃 asked Wei Kang despairingly。
Although Yang Fu besought Wei Kang with bitterness to hold out; it was useless。 Wei Kang rejected his advice; opened the city gates; and bowed his head in submission。
〃You only yield now as the last resource;〃 cried Ma Chao; angry at the delay he had suffered。 〃This is no real submission。〃
Whereupon he put to death Wei Kang and all his family to the number of two score。
But when they told Ma Chao that Yang Fu had been really responsible for the long delay; in that Yang Fu had urged his master to hold out; Ma Chao did not put him to death but praised him and said; 〃Yang Fu had but done his duty。〃
Ma Chao further showed his approval by employing Yang Fu and two of his friends in his own army。 These two friends were named Liang Kuan and Zhao Qu。
One day Yang Fu went to his new chief and said; 〃My wife has died in Lintao。 I wish to take leave for two months to bury her。〃
Wherefore Yang Fu was granted leave and went away from the army。 On the way; he went to his maternal cousin; General Jiang Xu; mander of Licheng。 The general's mother; then an old lady of eighty…two was Yang Fu's aunt。
When Yang Fu saw her; he wept before her; saying; 〃Behold an unfortunate man! The city I had to defend is lost; my master is dead; and I have survived him。 I am ashamed to look you in the face。 Now this Ma Chao ravages the countryside; and everyone hates him。 Yet my cousin sits still and does nothing against Ma Chao。 Is this fitting conduct for a state servant?〃
Yang Fu wept bitterly。
The old lady was moved by his grief; called in her son and said to him reproachfully; 〃You are the cause of the evil that has e upon the noble Wei Kang。〃
Then turning once more toward Yang Fu; she said; 〃But what can now be done? You have surrendered and; more than that; you have accepted service under your late enemy。〃
〃It is true;〃 replied Yang Fu。 〃I