RTK - Zhuge Liang Part 8: Zhuge Liang tricked and Jiangxia

After taking leave of Zhuge Jun, Liu Bei and his followers left for Xinye, with Zhuge Liang as companion. When they took up their abode there, Zhuge Liang was treated as a mentor, eating at the same table, sleeping on the same couch as Liu Bei. They spent whole days conversing over the affairs of the empire.

Zhuge Liang said, "Cao Cao is training his troops for naval service in Aquamarine Lake, and hence certainly intends to invade the country south of the Great River. We ought to send our spies to ascertain what Cao Cao and Sun Quan are really doing."

So spies were dispatched.

By his spies, Liu Bei had tidings of the doings in the lower portion of the Great River, and knew of the death of Huang Zu. So he consulted Zhuge Liang as to his action. While they were discussing matters, there arrived a messenger from Liu Biao, begging Liu Bei to go to see him.

Zhuge Liang advised him to go and said, "This call is to consult you about avenging Huang Zu. You must take me with you and let me act as the circumstances direct. There are advantages to be got."

Leaving Guan Yu in command at Xinye, Liu Bei set forth, taking Zhang Fei with five hundred soldiers as his escort.

On the way he discussed the course of action with his adviser, who said, "First you must thank Liu Biao for having saved you from the evil that Cai Mao planned against you at Xiangyang. However, you must not undertake any expedition against the South Land but say you must return to Xinye to put your army in good order."

With this admonition Liu Bei came to Jingzhou and was lodged in the guest-house. Zhang Fei and the escort camped without the walls. In due course Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang were received, and after the customary salutations, Liu Bei apologized for his conduct at the banquet.

The host said, "Worthy brother, I know you were the victim of a vile plot; and I should have put the prime mover to death for it, had there not been so universal a prayer for mercy. However, I remitted that penalty. I hope you do not consider that I was wrong."

"Cai Mao had little to do with it. I think it was due to his subordinates," replied Liu Bei.

Liu Biao said, "Jiangxia is lost, as you know, and Huang Zu is dead. So I have asked you to come that we might take measures of vengeance."

"Huang Zu was harsh and cruel and never used his people in the proper way: That was the real cause of his fall. But have you reflected what Cao Cao may do on the north if we attack the south?"

 "I am getting old and weak, and I am unable to manage affairs properly. Will you aid me, brother? After I am gone you will have this region."

"Why do you say this, my brother? Think you that I am equal to such a task?"

Here Zhuge Liang glanced at Liu Bei who continued, "But give me a little time to think it over."

And at this point he took his leave.

When they had reached their lodging, Zhuge Liang said, "Why did you decline his offer of the region."
"He has always been most kind and courteous. I could not take advantage of his weakness."

"A perfectly kind and gracious lord," sighed Zhuge Liang.

Soon after the son of the Imperial Protector, Liu Qi, was announced, and Liu Bei received him and led him in.

The young man began to weep, saying, "My mother cannot bear the sight of me. My very life is in danger. Can you not save me, Uncle?

"My worthy nephew, this is a family affair. You should not come to me."

Zhuge Liang who was present, smiled. Liu Bei turned to him to know what he should do.

"This is a family affair. I cannot touch it!" replied Zhuge Liang.

The young man soon left, and when Liu Bei was saying good-bye, he whispered, "I will get Zhuge Liang to return your call, and you can do so and so. He will advise you."

Liu Qi thanked him and left. Next day when the call was to be returned, Liu Bei pretended to be suffering from colic and made that an excuse to send Zhuge Liang to return the call.

The adviser went, and when he had reached the palace, dismounted, and was led in, Liu Qi conducted him into one of the inner rooms.

When the tea had been brought, Liu Qi said, "I am an object of my stepmother's dislike. Can you advise me what to do?"

"As a mere stranger guest, I can hardly have anything to do with your own 'bone and flesh' matters. If I did, and the story got abroad, much harm might ensue."

With this he rose to take leave.

But Liu Qi was unwilling to say farewell, and he said, "Your glory has turned in my direction. You cannot mean to go away so pointlessly."

Liu Qi led his visitor into a private chamber and had refreshments brought. While they ate and drank, Liu Qi repeated his first request: What was he to do since his stepmother disliked him.

"It is not the sort of thing I can advise in," replied Zhuge Liang, as he rose for the second time to take leave.

"Master, if you will not reply, that is well. But why incontinently leave me?"

So the adviser once more seated himself, and Liu Qi said, "There is an ancient writing I should like to show you."

And he led his visitor to a small upper room.

"Where is the writing?" said Zhuge Liang.


Instead of answering Liu Qi wept, saying, "My stepmother cannot bear me. My life is in danger. O Master, will you not say a word to save me?"

Zhuge Liang flushed and rose to go away. But he found the ladder by which they had mounted had been removed.

Again Liu Qi besought some advice, saying, "Master, you fear lest it may get abroad! Is that why you are silent? Here we are between earth and sky, and what you say will come out of your mouth directly into my ear. No other soul can hear. Now can you tell me what to do?"

"Sow not dissension among relatives," said Zhuge Liang. "Is it possible for me to make any plan for you?"

"Then is my life indeed in danger," said the young man. "I will die at your feet."

So saying, Liu Qi pulled out a dagger and threatened to make an end of himself.

Zhuge Liang checked him, saying, "There is a way."

"I pray you tell me."

"You have heard of the old tale of the brothers Shen Sheng and Chong Er, have you not? Shen Sheng stayed at home and died; his brother Chong Er went away and lived in peace. Now that Huang Zu is gone and Jiangxia is weakly defended, why do you not ask to be sent there to guard it? Then you would be out of the way of harm."

Liu Qi thanked him. Then he called to his people to restore the ladder, and he escorted Zhuge Liang down to the level ground.

Zhuge Liang returned to Liu Bei and related the whole interview. The young man soon acted on the advice given him, but his father would not at first consent to let him go.

To settle his doubts Liu Biao sent for Liu Bei, who said, "Jiangxia is important, and your son is the most suitable man to defend it. You must let him go. The southeast will be defended by your son. The northwest I will look after."

"I hear that Cao Cao has been training a naval force, and I am afraid he has intentions against us. We must be on our guard."

"I know all about it. You need feel no anxiety," said Liu Bei.

He took leave of his relative and went home while Liu Qi received command of three thousand soldiers and went to guard Jiangxia.

Source: http://threekingdoms.com/

Chapter 39

RTK - Zhuge Liang Part 7: The Third Visit

Nothing discouraged by two unsuccessful visits to the retreat of the sage whose advice he sought to secure, Liu Bei made preparations for a third visit.

His brothers disapproved, and Guan Yu said, "Brother, you have sought him twice. Surely this is showing even too much deference. I do not believe in this fame of his for learning. He is avoiding you and dare not submit to the test. Why so obstinately hold this idea?"

"You are wrong, my brother. In the Spring and Autumn Period Prince Huan of Qi paid five visits to the Eastern Suburb before he got to see Guan Zhong. And my desire to see Zhuge Liang is even greater than his."

"I think you are mistaken," said Zhang Fei. "How can this villager be such a marvel of wisdom? You should not go again and, if he will not come, I will bring him with a hempen rope."

"Have you forgotten the great King Wen's visit to Lu Wang, the old man of the River Wei? If King Wen could show such deference to a wise man, where am I too deferential? If you will not go, your brother and I will go without you," said Liu Bei.

"If you two go, how can I hang back?" said Zhang Fei.

"If you go, then you must be polite."

Zhang Fei said he would not forget himself, and the three set out. When they were a quarter of mile from the little cottage, Liu Bei dismounted, deciding to show his respect by approaching the house on foot. Very soon he met Zhuge Jun, whom he saluted with great deference, inquiring whether his brother was at home.

"He returned last evening. You can see him today, General."

As Zhuge Jun said this, he went off with some swagger.

"Fortune favors me this time," said Liu Bei. "I am going to see the Master."

"That was a rude fellow," said Zhang Fei. "It would not have hurt him to have conducted us to the house. Why did he go off like that?"

"Each one has his own affairs," said Liu Bei. "What power have we over him?"

Soon the three stood at the door, and they knocked. The serving lad came out and asked their business.

Liu Bei said very deferentially, "I would trouble the servant of the genius, gentle page, to inform the Master that Liu Bei wishes to pay his respects to him."

"My master is at home, but he is asleep."

"In that case do not announce me."

Liu Bei bade his two brothers wait at the door quietly, and he himself entered with careful steps. There was the man he sought, lying asleep on the couch, stretched on a simple mat. Liu Bei saluted him with joined hands at a respectful distance.

The time passed and still the sleeper did not wake. The two brothers left without, beginning to feel impatient, also came in, and Zhang Fei was annoyed at seeing his revered elder brother respectfully standing by while another slept.

"What an arrogant fellow is this Master?" said he. "There is our brother waiting, while he sleeps on perfectly carelessly. I will go to the back of the place and let off a bomb and see if that will rouse him."

"No, no! You must do nothing of the kind," whispered Guan Yu, and then Liu Bei told them to go out again.

Just then Liu Bei noticed that the Master moved. He turned over as though about to rise, but, instead, he faced the wall and again fell asleep. The serving lad made as if he would rouse his master, but Liu Bei forbade him to be disturbed, and Liu Bei waited yet another weary hour. Then Zhuge Liang woke up repeating to himself the lines:

"Can any know what fate is his?
Yet have I felt throughout my life,
The day would come at last to quit
The calm retreat for toil and strife."

As he finished, he turned to the lad, saying, "Have any of the usual people come?"

"Liu Bei, the Uncle of the Emperor is here," said the boy. "He has been waiting a long time."

"Why did you not tell me?" said he, rising from the couch. "I must dress."

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RTK - Zhuge Liang Part 6: The Second Visit

Again Zhang Fei showed his irritation by remarking, "Why must you go hunting after this villager? Send and tell him to come."

"Silence!" said Liu Bei, "The Teacher Mencius said, 'To try to see the sage without going his way is like barring a door you wish to enter.' Zhuge Liang is the greatest sage of the day. How can I summon him?"

So Liu Bei rode away to make his visit, his two brothers with him as before. It was winter and exceedingly cold. Floating clouds covered the whole sky. Before they had gone far, a bitter wind began to blow in their faces, and the snow began to fly. Soon the mountains were of jade and the trees of silver.

"It is very cold and the earth is frozen hard, no fighting is possible now," said Zhang Fei. "Yet we are going all this way to get advice which will be useless to us. Where is the sense of it? Let us rather get back to Xinye out of the cold."

Liu Bei replied, "I am set upon proving my zeal to Zhuge Liang. But if you, my brother, do not like the cold, you can return."

"I do not fear death: Do you think I care for the cold? But I do care about wasting my brother's energies," said Zhang Fei.

"Say no more," said Liu Bei, and they traveled on.

When they drew near the little wood, they heard singing in a roadside inn and stopped to listen. This was the song:

Although possessed of talent rare,
This man has made no name;
Alas! The day is breaking late
That is to show his fame.
O friends you know the Lu Wang's tale:
The aged man constrained to leave
His cottage by the sea,
To follow in a prince's train
His counselor to be.
Eight hundred feudal chieftains met
Who came with one accord;
The happy omen, that white fish,
That leapt the boat aboard;
The gory field in distant wilds.
Whence flowed a crimson tide,
And him acknowledged chief in war
Whose virtues none denied;
That Zhang Liang, a Gaoyang rustic,
Fond of wine, who left, his native place
And went to serve so faithfully
The man of handsome face;
And one who spoke of ruling chiefs
In tones so bold and free,
But sitting at the festive board
Was full of courtesy;
And one, that was he who laid in dust
Walled cities near four score
But humans of doughty deeds like these
On earth are seen no more.
Now had these humans not found their lord
Would they be known to fame?
Yet having found, they served him well
And so achieved a name.

The song ended, the singer's companion tapping the table sang:

We had a famous founder,
Who drew his shining sword,
Cleansed all the land within the seas
And made himself its lord.
In time his son succeeded him,
And so from son to son
The lordship passed, held firm until
Four hundred years had run.
Then dawned a day of weaklier sons,
The fiery virtue failed,
Then ministers betrayed their trust,
Court intrigues vile prevailed.
The omens came; a serpent
Coiled on the dragon throne,
While in the hall of audience
Unholy haloes shone.
Now bandits swarm in all the land
And noble strives with chief,
The common people, sore perplexed,
Can nowhere find relief.
Let's drown our sorrows in the cup,
Be happy while we may,
Let those who wish run after fame
That is to last for aye.

The two men laughed loud and clapped their hands as the second singer ceased. Liu Bei thought full surely the longed for sage was there, so he dismounted and entered the inn. He saw the two merry-makers sitting opposite each other at a table. One was pale with a long beard; the other had a strikingly refined face.

Liu Bei saluted them and said, "Which of you is Master Sleeping Dragon?"

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