That night Wu Ban, Zhang Nan, and Feng Xi made an attack on Sun Huan's camp from three directions, and the soldiers were scattered and fled. Then the three generals set the whole camp on fire. Cui Yu saw the flames as he marched and pressed on. Then just as he was passing some hills, he came upon the ambush, and Guan Xing and Zhang Bao poured out from left and right. Taken by surprise, Cui Yu could only try to flee, but he met Zhang Bao, who made him prisoner.
When Zhu Ran heard the news, he was panic-stricken and dropped down-river twenty miles.
The remnant of Sun Huan's troops ran away, following their leader. As they went, Sun Huan inquired, “Is there any city ahead that has good defense and granary?”
They told him, saying, “To the north is Yiling, where we can camp.”
So they went thither. Just as they reached the wall, their pursuers came up and the city was besieged in all four sides.
Guan Xing and Zhang Bao brought the captive Cui Yu back to Zigui and saw the First Ruler, who rejoiced at their success. The prisoner was put to death, and the soldiers were rewarded. The effect of these victories spread far, so that the leaders in Wu had no inclination to fight.
When the Prince of Wu received Sun Huan's call for help, he was frightened and knew not what to do.
So he called a great council, and he said, “Sun Huan is besieged in Yiling, and Zhu Ran has been defeated on the river; what can be done?”
Then Zhang Zhao said, “Though several of your commanders are dead, yet have you some left. Half a score is enough to relieve your anxiety. Send Han Dang as Commander, with Zhou Tai as his second, Pan Zhang as Van Leader, Ling Tong as Rear Guard; Gan Ning in reserve. You want one hundred thousand troops.”
Sun Quan made the appointments as proposed. Gan Ning was very seriously ill just then, but he accepted the task.
Now the First Ruler had made a line of forty camps from Wukou and Jianping to Yiling, spreading twenty-five miles of distance.
He was exceedingly pleased with his two nephews, who had distinguished themselves again and again, and he said, “The generals that have followed me since the early days have got aged, and thus no longer a big use. But now that I have such two valorous nephews, I have no fear for Sun Quan.”
When he heard of the coming of Sun Quan's army under Han Dang and Zhou Tai, he wished to select a commander to oppose the Wu army.
Then those near him reported: “Huang Zhong and a half dozen other officers have run off to Wu.”
“Huang Zhong is no traitor;” said the First Ruler, smiling, “it is only that he heard what I happened to say about old and useless leaders. He will not confess he is old and wants to prove he is not.”
Then he called Guan Xing and Zhang Bao and said to them, “Huang Zhong may fail in this enterprise of his, so I hope you two will not mind going to his assistance. As soon as there is some success to report, get him to return and do not let him come to grief.”
So the two got their troops together and went off to assist the aged warrior.
When young, success is easy, thine at will,
The aged servant fails, though willing still.
The next chapter will relate the outcome of Huang Zhong's expedition.
CHAPTER 83. Fighting At Xiaoting, The First Ruler Captures An Enemy; Defending The Three Gorges, A Student Takes Supreme Command.
In spring, the first month of the second year of Manifest Might (AD 221), the veteran warrior Huang Zhong was among the officers who followed the First Ruler to war against Wu. When he heard his master talk of old and incapable leaders, he girded on his sword and with a few faithful followers made his way to the camps at Yiling. He was welcomed by Wu Ban, the commander in charge of the siege there.
“For what reason do you come, O Veteran General?” asked he.
“I have followed the Emperor ever since he left Changsha, and I have done diligent service. I am now over seventy, but my appetite is still good for ten pounds of meat, and I can still stretch the strongest bow, and I can still ride five hundred miles without fatigue. I am not weak or worn out. But our master has been talking of old and useless leaders, and I am come to take part in the fight with Wu. If I slay one of their leaders, he will see I may be old but not worn out.”
Just about that time the leading division of the Wu army drew near the camp. Huang Zhong hastily rose, went out of the tent, and mounted to go into the battle.
“Aged General, be careful,” said the generals.
But Huang Zhong paid no attention and set off at full speed. However, Wu Ban and Feng Xi rode out to help him. As soon as he saw the array of the enemy, he pulled up and challenged Commander Pan Zhang of the vanguard. Pan Zhang sent out one of his generals, Shi Ji, to take the challenge. Shi Ji despised his seed antagonist and rode lightly forth with his spear set, but in the third bout Huang Zhong cut him down. This angered Pan Zhang who flourished the green-dragon saber, the great sword of the old warrior Guan Yu which had passed into his possession, and took up the battle. These two fought several bouts, and neither was victor, for Huang Zhong was brimful of energy. His antagonist, seeing that he could not overcome the old man, galloped off. Huang Zhong pursued and smote his army and scored a full victory.
On his way back Huang Zhong fell in with the two youthful generals, Guan Xing and Zhang Bao.
“We come by the sacred command to aid you if necessary. And now that you have scored so complete a victory, we pray you return to the main camp,” said they.
But the veteran would not. Next day Pan Zhang came to challenge again, and Huang Zhong at once accepted. Nor would he allow Guan Xing and Zhang Bao to come with him, or accept assistance from any other.
He led out five thousand troops. Before many bouts had been exchanged, Pan Zhang made a feint and got away. Huang Zhong pursued, shouting to him not to flee.
“Flee not, for now will I avenge the death of Guan Yu!” cried he.
Huang Zhong pursued some ten miles, but presently he fell into an ambush and found himself attacked from all sides — Zhou Tai on the left, Han Dang on the right, Ling Tong from behind, and the erstwhile flying Pan Zhang turned to attack the front—, so that Huang Zhong was surrounded and hemmed in. Huang Zhong forced his way to retreat. But suddenly a great storm came on, the wind blowing violently, and as Huang Zhong was passing some hills, an enemy cohort led by Ma Zhong came down the slopes, and one of the arrows wounded the veteran in the armpit. He nearly fell from his horse with the shock. The soldiers of Wu, seeing Huang Zhong wounded, came on all together, but soon the two youthful generals, Guan Xing and Zhang Bao, drove them off and scattered them. Thus they rescued Huang Zhong.
He was taken back to the main camp. But he was old and his blood was thin, and the wound gaped wide, so that he was near to die.
The First Ruler came to visit him and patted his back and said, “It is my fault, O Veteran General, that you have been hurt in the battle!”
“I am a soldier,” said the old man. “I am glad that I could serve Your Majesty. But now I am seventy-five, and I have lived long enough. Be careful of your own safety for the good of the state.”
These were his last words. He became unconscious and died that night. A poem was written of him:
First among veterans stands Huang Zhong,
Who won great merit in the conquest of Shu.
Old, he still donned his coat of mail.
And laid his hand to the curving bow.
His valor was the talk of all the North,
Fear of his might maintained the West.