“When the First Ruler lived, he never tired of extolling Zhao Yun's virtues; the First Ruler was perfectly right,” said Zhuge Liang.
And his respect for the veteran was doubled.
Then came the turn of the four unfortunate leaders Ma Su, Wang Ping, Wei Yan, and Gao Xiang to render account. Wang Ping was called to the Commander-in-Chief's tent and rebuked.
“I ordered you and Ma Su to guard Jieting; why did you not remonstrate with him and prevent this great loss?”
“I did remonstrate many times. I wished to build a rampart down in the road and construct a solid camp, but the Commander would not agree and showed ill temper. So I led five thousand troops and camped some three miles off; and when the army of Wei came in crowds and surrounded my colleague, I led my army to attack them a score of times. But I could not penetrate, and the catastrophe came quickly. Many of our troops surrendered, and mine were too few to stand. Wherefore I went to friend Wei Yan for help, but I was intercepted and imprisoned in a valley and only got out by fighting most desperately. I got back to my camp to find the enemy in possession, and so I set out for Liliu. On the road I met Gao Xiang, and we three tried to raid the enemy's camp, hoping to recover Jieting; but as there was no one soldier there, I grew suspicious. From a hill I saw my colleagues had been hemmed in by the soldiers of Wei, so I went to rescue them. Thence we hastened to Yangping Pass to try to prevent that from falling. It was not that I failed to remonstrate. And you, O Minister, can get confirmation of my words from any of the officers.”
Zhuge Liang bade him retire, and sent for Ma Su. He came, bound himself, and threw himself on the earth at the tent door.
Zhuge Liang got angry, saying, “You have filled yourself with the study of the books on war ever since you were a boy; you know them thoroughly. I enjoined upon you that Jieting was most important, and you pledged yourself and all your family to do your best in the enterprise; yet you would not listen to Wang Ping, and thus you caused this misfortune. The army is defeated, generals have been slain and cities and territory lost, all through you. If I do not make you an example and vindicate the law, how shall I maintain a proper state of discipline? You have offended and you must pay the penalty. After your death the little ones of your family shall be my care, and I will see that they get a monthly allowance. Do not let their fate cause you anxiety.”
Zhuge Liang told the executioners to take Ma Su away.
Ma Su wept bitterly, saying, “Pity me, O Minister, you have looked upon me as a son; I have looked up to you as a father. I know my fault is worthy of death, but I pray you remember how King Shun employed Yu, after executing his father. Though I die, I will harbor no resentment down in the depths of the Nine Golden Springs.”
Zhuge Liang brushed aside his tears and said, “We have been as brothers, and your children shall be as my own. It is useless to say more.”
They led the doomed man away. Without the main gate, just as they were going to deal the fatal blow, High Counselor Jiang Wan, who had just arrived from Capital Chengdu, was passing in. He bade the executioners wait a while, and he went in and interceded for Ma Su.
“Formerly the King of Chu put Minister Chen Dechen to death, and his rival Duke Wen of Jin rejoiced. There is great confusion in the land, and yet you would slay a man of admitted ability. Can you not spare him?”
Zhuge Liang's tears fell, but he said, “Sun Zi maintains that the one way to obtain success is to make the law supreme. Now confusion and actual war are in every quarter; and if the law be not observed, how may rebels be made away with? He must die.”
Soon after they bore in the head of Ma Su as proof, and Zhuge Liang wailed bitterly.
“Why do you weep for him now that he has met the just penalty for his fault?” said Jiang Wan.
“I was not weeping then because of Ma Su, but because I remembered the words of the First Ruler. When in great stress at Baidicheng, he said: 'Ma Su's words exceed the truth, and he is incapable of great deeds.' It has come true, and I greatly regret my want of insight. That is why I weep.”
Every officer wept. Ma Su was but thirty-nine, and he met his end in the fifth month of the sixth year of Beginning Prosperity (AS 228).
A poet wrote about him thus:
That was pitiful that he who talked so glib
Of war, should lose a city, fault most grave,
With death as expiation. At the gate
He paid stern law's extremest penalty.
Deep grieved, his chief recalled the late Prince's words.
The head of Ma Su was paraded round the camps. Then it was sewn again to the body and buried with it. Zhuge Liang conducted the sacrifices for the dead and read the oration. A monthly allowance was made for the family, and they were consoled as much as possible.
Next Zhuge Liang made his memorial to the Throne and bade Jiang Wan bear it to the Latter Ruler. Therein Zhuge Liang proposed his own degradation from his high office.
“Naturally a man of mediocre abilities, I have enjoyed your confidence undeservedly. Having led out an expedition, I
have proved my inability to perform the high office of leader. Over solicitude was my undoing. Hence happened disobedience at Jieting and the failure to guard Chi Valley. The fault is mine in that I erred in the use of people. In my anxiety I was too secretive. The 'Spring and Autumn' has pronounced the commander such as I am is blameworthy, and whither may I flee from my fault? I pray that I may be degraded three degrees as punishment. I cannot express my mortification. I humbly await your command.”
“Why does the Prime Minister speak thus?” said the Latter Ruler. “It is but the ordinary fortune of war.”
Minister Fei Yi said, “The ruler must enhance the majesty of the law, for without law how can people support him? It is right that the Prime Minister should be degraded in rank.”
Thereupon an edict was issued reducing Zhuge Liang to the rank of General of the Right Army, but retaining him in the same position in the direction of state affairs and command of the military forces. Fei Yi was directed to communicate the decision.
Fei Yi bore the edict into Hanzhong and gave it to Zhuge Liang, who bowed to the decree. The envoy thought Zhuge Liang might be mortified, so he ventured to felicitate him in other matters.
“It was a great joy to the people of Shu when you, O Minister, captured the four northwest counties,” said he.
“What sort of language is this?” said Zhuge Liang, annoyed. “Success followed by failure is no success. It shames me indeed to hear such a compliment.”
“His Majesty will be very pleased to hear of the acquisition of Jiang Wei.”
This remark also angered Zhuge Liang, who replied, “It is my fault that a defeated army has returned without any gain of territory. What injury to Wei was the loss of Jiang Wei?”
Fei Yi tried again. “But with an army of one hundred thousand bold veterans, you can attack Wei again.”
“When we were at Qishan and Chi Valley, we outnumbered the enemy, but we could not conquer them. On the contrary, they beat us. The defect was not in the number of soldiers, but in the leadership. Now we must reduce the army, discover our faults, reflect on our errors, and mend our ways against the future. Unless this is so, what is the use of a numerous army? Hereafter every one will have to look to the future of his country. But most diligently each of you must fight against my shortcomings and blame my inefficiencies; then we may succeed. Rebellion can be exterminated and merit can be set up.”