Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Luo Guanzhong

The Heroes of the Peach Garden Swear Brotherhood; The Champions Who Slay the Yellow Turbans Win Their First Merit

A lyric says:

The mighty Yangtze rolls eastward, Its waves washing away all heroes. Right and wrong, success and failure—all vanish in an instant. The green hills remain unchanged, While sunsets redden again and again. White-haired fishermen and woodcutters upon the river islets Have long grown accustomed to autumn moons and spring winds. Joyfully meeting over a jar of cloudy wine, They laugh and talk of all the affairs of ancient and modern times.

It is said that the general course of the world is this: after long division, there must be union; after long union, there must be division. At the end of the Zhou dynasty, the seven states contended with one another until they were united under Qin. After Qin fell, Chu and Han struggled for supremacy, and at last the realm was united under Han. The Han dynasty arose when Gaozu slew the White Serpent and began his rebellion, eventually bringing the whole empire under one rule. Later Emperor Guangwu restored the dynasty, and it continued down to Emperor Xian, when the empire was divided into the Three Kingdoms.

If we trace the causes of the disorder, they seem to have begun in the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling. Emperor Huan persecuted worthy officials and placed excessive trust in eunuchs. After his death, Emperor Ling ascended the throne. Grand General Dou Wu and Grand Tutor Chen Fan jointly assisted the government. At that time eunuchs such as Cao Jie wielded power. Dou Wu and Chen Fan plotted to destroy them, but their plan was insufficiently secret, and they themselves were killed instead. From then on, the palace eunuchs became increasingly arrogant.

On the fifteenth day of the fourth month of the second year of Jianning, the emperor held court in the Hall of Warm Virtue. Just as he mounted the throne, a violent wind suddenly rose at one corner of the hall. A huge green serpent flew down from the rafters and coiled itself upon the imperial seat. The emperor fainted in terror and was hurriedly carried into the inner palace, while all the officials fled in confusion. A moment later the serpent vanished.

Then came tremendous thunder and rain, followed by hail. The storm continued until midnight and destroyed countless houses. In the second month of the fourth year of Jianning, an earthquake struck Luoyang. The sea overflowed as well, and inhabitants of the coastal regions were swept away by enormous waves.

In the first year of Guanghe, hens changed into roosters. On the first day of the sixth month, a mass of black vapor more than ten zhang long flew into the Hall of Warm Virtue. In the seventh month, a rainbow appeared in the Jade Hall, and the banks of Mount Wuyuan collapsed and split apart. Many other ominous signs occurred.

The emperor issued an edict asking his ministers to explain these strange disasters. Counselor Cai Yong submitted a memorial, arguing that the falling rainbows and transformations of hens were caused by interference in government by women and eunuchs. His words were very direct.

The emperor read the memorial, sighed, and rose to change his clothes. Cao Jie, who stood behind him, secretly read it and reported its contents to the others. They then used another matter to implicate Cai Yong in a crime, and he was banished to the countryside.

Later Zhang Rang, Zhao Zhong, Feng Xu, Duan Gui, Cao Jie, Hou Lan, Jian Shuo, Cheng Kuang, Xia Yun, and Guo Sheng formed a faction for mutual advantage. They became known as the Ten Regular Attendants. The emperor especially trusted Zhang Rang and even called him “Father.” Government deteriorated day by day. The people became restless, and bandits sprang up everywhere.

At that time, three brothers lived in Julu Commandery. Their names were Zhang Jue, Zhang Bao, and Zhang Liang.

“That is Zhang Jue!” cried Xuande. “We must attack immediately!”

The three charged down with their troops.

Zhang Jue had just defeated Dong Zhuo and was pursuing him when Xuande and his brothers suddenly attacked.

Zhang Jue’s army fell into confusion and fled more than fifty li.

The three rescued Dong Zhuo and returned with him to camp.

Dong Zhuo asked what official ranks they held.

“We are commoners without office,” replied Xuande.

Dong Zhuo immediately treated them with contempt and showed them no courtesy.

After Xuande left the tent, Zhang Fei burst out angrily:

“We risked our lives in battle and saved that wretch, yet he treats us like this! I cannot contain my anger unless I kill him!”

Drawing his sword, he prepared to enter the tent and slay Dong Zhuo.

And so it was said:

Human hearts have always bowed before rank, In ancient times as now. Who recognizes a hero while he is still unknown? If only there were more men as forthright as Yide, To destroy all the ungrateful men beneath Heaven!

Whether Dong Zhuo escaped with his life will be told in the next chapter.