Lü Bu Saves Liu Bei With a Feat of Marksmanship
Second Year of Jian’an (AD 197)
Novel Chapter: 15–16
Author Notes in Blue
Authored by James Peirce
Story translation by C.H. Brewitt-Taylor
In the Fourth Year of Jian’an (AD 197), after Yuan Shu came into possession of the Imperial Seal, which he received from Sun Ce as collateral in exchange for troops the former used to forge out on his own, creating what would become the foundation of the Wu kingdom, Yuan Shu wished to exact vengeance on Sun Ce through the force of his army.
Yan Dajiang cautioned him though, pointing out that Sun Ce could not presently be defeated due to the placement of his forces and the protection of the Great River. Rather than risking so much in the attack, he advised the removal of Liu Bei, a step which, after completion, would give him the freedom he needed to deal with Sun Ce’s forces.
“What is your plan of attack on Liu Bei?” asked Yuan Shu.
Yang Dajiang replied, “Though Liu Bei, now camped at Xiaopei, could easily be taken, yet Lü Bu is strongly posted at the chief city near. And I think Lü Bu would help Liu Bei if it was only for the grudge he bears against you for not having given him the gold and studs, grain and horses you promised. First of all you should send Lü Bu a present whereby to engage his affections and keep him quiet while you deal with Liu Bei. You can see to Lü Bu after this is done, and Xuzhou is yours.”
Thereupon two hundred thousand carts of millet was sent (1), with letters, by the hand of Han Yin. The gift pleased Lü Bu greatly, and he treated the messenger with great cordiality. Feeling sure of no trouble from that quarter, Yuan Shu told off one hundred thousand troops against Xiaopei. The army was led by Ji Ling as commanding general, and Lei Bo and Chen Lan as generals.
1: Read as ‘200,000 carts of grain’. Also note that this is a translation error. The original text identifies the delivery as 200,000 hu of grain. 1 hu = 10 sheng; 10 sheng = 10 liters, or 2.64201 US gallons. Obviously, a single cart can transport more than one hu of grain.
When Liu Bei heard these things he called his officers to take counsel. Zhang Fei was for open war forthwith.
But Sun Qian said, “Our resources were too small; therefore, we must lay the position before Lü Bu and ask help.”
“Do you think that fellow will do anything?” said Zhang Fei cynically.
Liu Bei decided in favor of Sun Qian’s proposal and wrote as follows:
“Humbly I venture to remind you that I am here by your orders and enjoy repose as the result of your kindness, extensive as the heavens. Now Yuan Shu, moved by a desire for revenge, is sending a force against this place, and its destruction is imminent unless you intervene to save it. I trust you will send an army quickly to protect the town, and our happiness will be inexpressible.”
Receiving this Lü Bu called in Chen Gong to whom he said, “I have just received gifts from Yuan Shu and a letter, with the intent of restraining me from helping Liu Bei. Now comes a letter from Liu Bei asking help. It seems to me that Liu Bei where he is can do me no harm; but if Yuan Shu overcomes Liu Bei and comes to an understanding with the leaders around the Huashan Mountains, then the power of the north is so much nearer, and I should be unable to resist the attacks of so many leaders and should never sleep secure. I will aid Liu Bei: That is the better course for me.” (2)
2: In the TS, Lü Bu is torn between two appeals. Chen Gong urges, “Although Liu Bei is under your control now, he will eventually rise to power, and become a threat to you. General, destroy him now while you have the chance.” Lü Bu rejects this advice.
Now Yuan Shu’s force sent against Xiaopei went thither as quickly as possible, and soon the country to the southeast fluttered with pennons by day and blazed with watch fires by night, while the rolling of the drums reverberated from heaven to earth.
The five thousand troops at Liu Bei’s disposal were led out of the city and arranged to make a brave show, but it was good news to him to hear that Lü Bu had arrived and was quite near. Lü Bu camped only half a mile away to the southwest. When Yuan Shu’s general, Ji Ling, heard of his arrival, he wrote letters reproaching Lü Bu for his treachery. Lü Bu smiled as he read them.
“I know how to make both of them love me,” said Lü Bu.
So he sent invitations to both Liu Bei and Ji Ling to come to a banquet.
Liu Bei was for accepting the invitation and going, but his brothers dissuaded him, saying, “There is some treachery in his heart.”
“I have treated him too well for him to do me any harm,” said Liu Bei.
So he mounted and rode away, the two brothers following. They came to the camp.
The host said, “Now by a special effort I have got you out of danger. I hope you will not forget that when you come into your own.”
Liu Bei thanked him heartily and was invited to take a seat. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei took up their usual place as guards.
But when Ji Ling was announced, Liu Bei felt a spasm of fear and got up to go away.
“You two are invited for the particular purpose of a discussion,” said the host. “Do not take it amiss.”
Liu Bei, being quite ignorant of his intentions, was very uneasy. Presently his fellow guest entered. Seeing Liu Bei in the tent, and in the seat of honor, Ji Ling was puzzled, hesitated and tried to withdraw. But the attendants prevented this and Lü Bu, advancing, laid hold of him and drew him into the tent as if he had been a child.
“Do you wish to slay me?” asked Ji Ling.
“Not at all,” replied Lü Bu.
“Then you are going to slay Long-Ears?” (3)
3: Liu Bei is originally described, in chapter one, as having long earlobes. In Buddhist iconography large lobes signify royalty.
“No, not that.”
“Then what does it mean?”
“Liu Bei and I are brothers. Now, General, you are besieging him, and so I have come to the rescue.”
“Then slay me,” said Ji Ling.
“There would be no sense in that. All my life I have disliked fighting and quarrels, but have loved making peace. And now I want to settle the quarrel between you two.”
“May I ask how you think of doing so?”
“I have a means and one approved of Heaven itself.”
Then Lü Bu drew Ji Ling within the tent and led him up to Liu Bei. The two men faced each other, full of mutual suspicion, but their host placed himself between them and they took their seats, Liu Bei on the right hand of the host.
The banquet began. After a number of courses almost in silence, Lü Bu spoke, saying, “I wish you two gentlemen to listen to me and put an end to your strife.”
Liu Bei made no reply, but Ji Ling said, “I have come with an army of one hundred thousand at the express bidding of my master to take Liu Bei. How can I cease the strife? I must fight.”
“What!” exclaimed Zhang Fei drawing his sword. “Few as we are, we regard you no more than a lot of children. What are you compared with a million Yellow Scarves? You dare hurt our brother!”
Guan Yu urged him to be silent, saying, “Let us see what General Lü Bu has to say first. After that there will be time to go to our tents and fight.”
“I beg you both to come to an understanding. I cannot let you fight,” said Lü Bu.
Now on one side Ji Ling was discontented and angry; on the other Zhang Fei was dying for a fight; and neither of the two chiefly concerned would signify assent.
Then suddenly the host turned to his attendants, saying, “Bring my trident halberd!”
They did so, and he sat there gripping that graceful but effective weapon in his right hand. Both guests felt very ill at ease and turned pale.
Lü Bu went on, saying, “I have tried to persuade you to make peace, for that is the command of the Most High. It shall be put to the test.”
He then bade his servants take the halberd outside beyond the gate and set it up.
Then speaking to his two guests, he said, “That gate is one hundred and fifty paces distant. If I can hit that left branch of the halberd-head with an arrow, you will both withdraw your armies. If I miss, you can go away and prepare for immediate battle. I shall stand against either of you who does not abide by what I say.”
Ji Ling thought to himself, “That small mark at that distance! How could anyone hit it?”
So he assented, thinking he would have plenty of fighting after his host had missed the mark. Of course Liu Bei was willing.
They all sat down again and wine was served. When this had been drunk, the host called for his bow and arrows. Liu Bei silently prayed that Lü Bu would hit the mark.
Lü Bu turned back his sleeves, carefully fitted an arrow to the string and pulled the bow to its utmost stretch. A slight exclamation escaped him as the bow curved like the harvest moon sailing through the sky. “Twang!” went the bowstring, and the arrow sped like a falling star. And it struck the slender tongue of the halberd head full and square. A roar of acclamation from all sides greeted the exploit.
The multitude people often hail their praise:
O Lü Bu was a wonderful archer,
And the arrow he shot sped straight;
By hitting the mark he saved his friend
That day at his camp gate.
Hou Yi (4), the archer of ancient days,
Brought down each mocking sun,
And the apes that gibbered to fright Yang Youji (5)
Were slain by him, one by one.
But we sing of Lü Bu that drew the bow,
And his feathered shaft that flew;
For one hundred thousand soldiers could doff their mails
When he hit the mark so true.
4: Hou Yi was a mythical marksman from the Xia period. He ended a drought, caused by ten suns rising into the sky, by shooting nine of them down, cooling the land.
5: Yang Youji is a figure from the Spring and Autumn period. His lord shot apes for sport. When Youji entered the hunting area the apes are said to have started to shriek.
Lü Bu laughed loud at the success of his shot.
Dropping his bow he seized his guests by the hands, saying, “The command of Heaven indeed! And now you cease from fighting!”
He ordered the soldier attendants to pour out great goblets of wine and each drank. Liu Bei in his inmost heart felt rather lucky; his fellow guest sat silent, nodding his head.
Presently Ji Ling said, “I cannot disobey your command, General, but let me depart. What will my master say and will he believe me?”
“I will write a letter and confirm it,” said Lü Bu.
After a few more rounds of the wine, Ji Ling asked that he might have the letter and after that departed.
When the brothers took their leave, Lü Bu again reminded Liu Bei, saying, “Do not forget I have delivered you today!”
Liu Bei thanked him and departed. Next day the leaders broke camps, and the soldiers were gone.
When Ji Ling returned to Yuan Shu’s camp, Yuan Shu received the story in anger. He immediately wished to depart on an attack against Liu Bei, though Ji Ling cautioned him against fighting them both as allies, suggesting that instead Yuan Shu try to marry his son to Lü Bu’s daughter, thus ensuring his support. Yuan Shu dispatched an emissary, Han Yin, with the proposal.
Lü Bu asked his first wife, a lady of the Yan family, what she thought, and with her approval prepared to accept the marriage. Chen Gong saw through the plot though, but conspired to help Han Yin succeed, wishing to be rid of Liu Bei as well. Chen Gui and Chen Deng, however, also realized the plot, and in an effort to protect Liu Bei they convinced Lü Bu that the only objective of the proposal was to make him subservient to Yuan Shu’s wishes. Furious, Lü Bu sent Zhang Liao to overtake the wedding party, throwing Han Yin into prison.
A short while later, Zhang Fei, who did not like Lü Bu, stole horses from him, moving Lü Bu to anger again. Lü Bu arrived at Xiaopei where Liu Bei tried to appease him, but failed. Liu Bei was forced to surrender the city and retreat, eventually finding his way to Cao Cao, his chief enemy, where he sought refuge, later to defeat Lü Bu together.
Link: Read the unabridged Brewitt-Taylor translation online (external).
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Original Content Copyright © 2004 James Peirce
Based on the novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, attributed to Luo Guanzhong
Sources: Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Moss Roberts; C.H. Brewitt-Taylor)