Chapter 5 Wait

Prince Yamato looked from the roof balcony down the valley bellow. The group outside the city gates waits. He was more than prepared for the attack. Second-in-command Sun Zhao was restless.

Minamoto Yoritomo plans what to do next, to attack or not. He has a different option.

Hearing of this threatened attack, Sun Zhao sought advice from two of his officers, Advisers Pei Xiu and Zhong Hui.

Zhong Hui said, “The Wu army is helping our enemies for the sake of profit, and hence we can seduce them with an offer of greater profit.”

Sun Zhao agreed in this opinion and resolved accordingly. As part of his plan, he sent Shi Bao and Zhou Tai to lay ambushes in different places near Shidou.

As ordered by Sun Zhao, Wang Ji and Chen Qian commanded an army of veterans on the rear, Cheng Zu led thirty thousand troops out to bring on a battle, while Chen Jun got together many wagons, herds of oxen, droves of horses, donkeys and mules, and heaps of military supplies, all of which he crowded together in the midst of the army. This stuff was meant to be abandoned as soon as the fight began, so that the enemy might be tempted to plunder.

That day, Zhuge Dan led the central army, while Zhu Yi and Wen Juin commanded the left and right armies. The armies being drawn up, Zhuge Dan looked across at his opponents and saw that the center of the Wun army was taken up by a disorderly mass of transport. Presently he led on his troops to attack, and Cheng Zu, as bidden to do, gave way and fled, leaving a large amount of spoil. When the soldiers of Wu saw such huge quantities of booty, theirs for the taking, they lost all desire to fight and scattered to gather the spoil.

While thus occupied, suddenly a bomb exploded and, from left and right, down came Shi Bao and Zhou Tai and the army of Wun upon the spoilers. Zhuge Dan attempted to draw off, but other forces under Wang Ji and Chen Qian appeared, and he was heavily smitten. Then came on Sun Zhao with his army, and Zhuge Dan fled to Shouchun, where he entered and shut the gates. The army of Wun set down to the siege of the city, and the army of Wu retired into camp at Anfeng. The Ruler of Wun, Wer Mao, was lodging at this time in Xiangcheng.

Then said Zhong Hui, “Zhuge Dan has been worsted, but the city wherein he has taken refuge is well supplied, and his allies, the troops of Wu, are not distant. His position is strong. Our soldiers are besieging the city all round, which means that those within will hold out for a long time, or they will make a desperate sortie. Their allies also may fall upon us at the same time, and it would go hard with us. Therefore, I advise that the attack be made only on three sides, leaving the south gate open for them if they wish to flee. If they flee, we can fall on the fugitives. The troops of Wu cannot have supplies for very long; and if we sent some light cavalry round by their rear, we might stay their fighting power without a battle.”

“You are my Zhang Liang,” said Sun Zhao, stroking the back of his adviser. “Your advice is excellent.”

So Wang Ji, who was on the south of the city, was ordered to withdraw.

But in the Wu camp at Anfeng was much sadness at the want of success.

Sun Chen said to his general Zhu Yi, “If we cannot succor Shouchun, how can we hope to overrun the Middle Land? Now and here you have to win a victory or die, for another defeat will mean death.”

Zhu Yi went back to his camp and talked with Yu Quan.

Yu Quan said, “The south gate of Shouchun is free, and I will lead therein some of our troops to help

Zhuge Dan. Then you challenge the Wun army on one side, and we will come out from the city and attack on the other side.”

Zhu Yi thought the plan good, and Quan Yi, Quan Duan, and Wen Juin were willing to go into the city and share in the attack. They were allowed to march in without hindrance as the Wun generals had no orders to stop them.

When this was reported to Sun Zhao, he said, “This is a plan to defeat our army by making a front and rear attack.”

So he called Wang Ji and Chen Qian and told them to take five thousand troops to keep the road along which Zhu Yi would come and strike him in rear.

Zhu Yi was advancing toward the city when he heard a shouting in the rear, and soon the attack began from two sides by Wang Ji and Chen Qian. His army was worsted and returned to Anfeng.

When Sun Chen heard of this new defeat, he was very angry.

“What is the use of leaders who always lose?” cried he.

He sentenced Zhu Yi to death, and upbraided Quan I, son of Quan Duan, and said, “If you do not drive off this army of Wun, let me never again see your face, nor that of your father.”

Then Sun Chen returned to Jianye.

When this was known in the Wun camp, Zhong Hui said to his chief, “Now the city of Shouchun may be attacked, for Sun Chen has gone away, and there is no hope of succor for the besieged.”

A vigorous assault began. Quan I tried to cut his way through and get into the city; but when he saw

Shouchun quite surrounded by the enemy and no hope of success, he gave in and went over to Sun Zhao, by whom he was well received and given the rank of General.

Deeply affected by this kindness, Quan I wrote to his father, Quan Duan, and uncle, Quan Yi, advising them to follow his example. He tied the letter to an arrow and shot it over the walls. Quan Yi found the letter, and he and Quan Duan, with their several thousand troops, came out and yielded.

Within the city Zhuge Dan was very sad.

Two advisers, Jiang Ban and Jiao Yi, came to him and said, “The food in the city is short, and the soldiers are many; this can not last long. General, you should let the Wu troops to go out and make a decisive fight with the Wun army.”

Zhuge Dan turned on them angrily.

“Why do you tell me to fight when I am set on holding out to the very last? If you say that again, you shall die as traitors.”

“He is lost,” said they, going away. “We can do no other than surrender or we shall die too.”

That night Jiang Ban and Jiao Yi slipped over the wall and surrendered. Both were given employment.

Of those left in the city some were for fighting, but no one dared say so.

Meanwhile Zhuge Dan saw the Wun troops build earth walls to anticipate the expected floods of River Huai. This flood had been the only hope of Zhuge Dan, who had trusted to be able to smite the besiegers when it came to destroy the earth wall. However, that autumn was dry, and the river did not swell.

Within the besieged city the food diminished rapidly, and soon starvation stared them in the face. Wen Juin and his sons were defending the citadel, and they saw their soldiers sinking one by one for lack of food till the sight became unbearable.

Wen Juin went to Zhuge Dan with a proposal, saying, “The northern troops should be sent away in order to save food.”

His suggestion called forth an outburst of fierce wrath of Zhuge Dan.

“Do you want to kill me that you propose to send the northern soldiers away?”

Wen Juin suffered death. His two sons, Wen Yang and Wen Hu, ran amok with rage. Armed with short swords, they attacked all they met and slew many scores in their desperate anger. The fit over, they dropped down the wall and deserted to the Wun camp.

However, Sun Zhao had not forgotten that Wen Yang had defied and held at bay his whole army once. At first Sun Zhao thought to put Wen Yang to death, but Zhong Hui interposed.

“The real offender was his father, Wen Juin,” said Zhong Hui, “but he is dead, and these two come to you in desperation; and if you slay those who surrender, you will strengthen the obstinacy of those who remain in the city.”

There was reason in this, and so their submission was accepted. They were led to Sun Zhao's tent, and he soothed them with kind words and gave them gifts and lordships, and made them Generals.

Prince Yamato and the rest of his group returned to the Midwinter Town.