“I notice,” said Yang Yong, “that you check the books personally. I think that is needless labor for a Prime Minister to undertake. In every administration the higher and subordinate ranks have their especial fields of activity, and each should confine his labors to his own field. In a household, for example, the male servants plow and the female servants cook, and thus operations are carried on without waste of energy, and all needs are supplied. The master of the house has ample leisure and tranquillity. If one individual strives to attend personally to every matter, he only wearies himself and fails to accomplish his end. How can he possibly hope to perform all the various tasks so well as the maids or the servants? He fails in his own part, that of playing the master. And, indeed, the ancients held this same opinion, for they said that the high officers should attend to the discussion of ways and means, and the lower should carry out details. Of old, Bing Ji was moved to deep thought by the panting of an ox, but inquired not about the corpses of certain brawlers which lay about the road, for this matter concerned the magistrate. Chen Ping was ignorant of the figures relating to taxes, for he said these were the concern of the controllers of taxes. O Minister, you weary yourself with minor details and sweat yourself every day. You are wearing yourself out, and Sima Yi has good reason for what he said.”
“I know; I cannot but know,” replied Zhuge Liang. “But this heavy responsibility was laid upon me, and I fear no other will be so devoted as I am.”
Those who heard him wept. Thereafter Zhuge Liang appeared more and more harassed, and military operations did not speed.
On the other side the officers of Wei resented bitterly the insult that had been put upon them when their leader had been presented with the deer hide dress.
They wished to avenge the taunt, and went to their general, saying, “We are reputable generals of the army of a great state; how can we put up with such insults from these soldiers of Shu? We pray you let us fight them.”
“It is not that I fear to go out,” said Sima Yi, “nor that I relish the insults, but I have the Emperor's command to hold on and may not disobey.”
The officers were not in the least appeased. Wherefore Sima Yi said, “I will send your request to the Throne in a memorial; what think you of that?”
They consented to await the Emperor's reply, and a messenger bore to the Ruler of Wei, in Hefei, this memoriaclass="underline"
“I have small ability and high office. Your Majesty laid on me the command to defend and not fight till the army of
Shu had suffered by the flux of time. But Zhuge Liang has now sent me a gift of a deer hide dress, and my shame is very deep. Wherefore I advise Your Majesty that one day I shall have to fight in order to justify your kindness to me and to remove the shameful stigma that now rests upon my army. I cannot express the degree to which I am urged to this course.”
Cao Rui read it and turned questioningly to his courtiers seeking an explanation. Xin Pi supplied it.
“Sima Yi has no desire to give battle; this memorial is because of the shame put upon the officers by Zhuge Liang's gift. They are all in a rage. He wishes for an edict to pacify them.”
Cao Rui understood and gave to Xin Pi an authority flag and sent him to the River Wei camp to make known that it was the Emperor's command not to fight.
Sima Yi received the messenger with all respect, and it was given out that any future reference to offering battle would be taken as disobedience to the Emperor's especial command in the edict.
The officers could but obey.
Sima Yi said to Xin Pi, “Noble Sir, you interpreted my own desire correctly.”
It was thenceforward understood that Sima Yi was forbidden to give battle.
When it was told to Zhuge Liang, he said, “This is only Sima Yi's method of pacifying his army. He has never had any intention of fighting and requested the edict to justify his strategy. It is well known that a general in the field takes no command from any person, not even his own king. Is it likely that he would send a thousand miles to ask permission to fight if that was all he needed? The officers were bitter, and so Sima Yi got the Emperor to assist him in maintaining discipline. All this is meant to slacken our soldiers.”
Just at this time Fei Yi came. He was called in to see the Prime Minister, and Zhuge Liang asked the reason for his coming.
He replied, “The Ruler of Wei, Cao Rui, hearing that Wu has invaded his country at three points, has led a great army to Hefei and sent three other armies under Man Chong, Tian Du, and Liu Shao, to oppose the invaders. The stores and fight-material of Wu have been burned, and the army of Wu have fallen victims to sickness. A letter from Lu Xun containing a scheme of attack fell into the hands of the enemy, and the Ruler of Wu has marched back into his own country.”
Zhuge Liang listened to the end; then, without a word, he fell in a swoon. He recovered after a time, but he was broken.
He said, “My mind is all in confusion. This is a return of my old illness, and I am doomed.”
Ill as he was, Zhuge Liang that night went forth from his tent to scan the heavens and study the stars. They filled him with fear.
He returned and said to Jiang Wei, “My life may end at any moment.”
“Why do you say such a thing?”
“Just now in the Triumvirate constellation the Guest Star was twice as bright as usual, while the Host Star was darkened; the supporting stars were also obscure. With such an aspect I know my fate.”
“If the aspect be as malignant as you say, why not pray in order to avert it?” replied Jiang Wei.
“I am in the habit of praying,” replied Zhuge Liang, “but I know not the will of God. However, prepare me forty-nine guards and let each have a black flag. Dress them in black and place them outside my tent. Then will I from within my tent invoke the Seven Stars of the North. If my master-lamp remain alight for seven days, then is my life to be prolonged for twelve years. If the lamp goes out, then I am to die. Keep all idlers away from the tent and let a couple of guards bring me what is necessary.”
Jiang Wei prepared as directed. It was then the eighth month, mid-autumn, and the Milky Way was brilliant with scattered jade. The air was perfectly calm, and no sound was heard.
The forty-nine men were brought up and spaced out to guard the tent, while within Zhuge Liang prepared incense and offerings. On the floor of the tent he arranged seven lamps, and, outside these, forty-nine smaller lamps. In the midst he placed the lamp of his own fate.
This done, he prayed:
“Zhuge Liang, born into an age of trouble, would willingly have grown old in retirement. But His Majesty, Liu Bei the Glorious Emperor, sought him thrice and confided to him the heavy responsibility of guarding his son. He dared not do less than spend himself to the utmost in such a task, and he pledged himself to destroy the rebels. Suddenly the star of his leadership has declined, and his life now nears its close. He has humbly indited a declaration on this silk piece to the Great Unknowable and now hopes that He will graciously listen and extend the number of his days that he may prove his gratitude to his prince and be the savior of the people, restore the old state of the empire and establish eternally the Han sacrifices. He dares not make a vain prayer; this is from his heart.”
This prayer ended, in the solitude of his tent he awaited the dawn.
Next day, ill as he was, he did not neglect his duties, although he spat blood continually. All day he labored at his plans, and at night he paced the magic steps, the steps of seven stars of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.
Sima Yi remained still on the defensive.
One night as he sat gazing up at the sky and studying its aspect, he suddenly turned to Xiahou Ba, saying, “A leadership star has just lost position; surely Zhuge Liang is ill and will soon die. Take a reconnoitering party to the Wuzhang Hills and find out. If you see signs of confusion do not attack; it means that Zhuge Liang is ill. I shall take the occasion to smite hard.”