Translation:Romance of the Three Kingdoms/Chapter 6

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Translation:Romance of the Three Kingdoms
by Luo Guanzhong, translated from Chinese by Wikisource
Chapter 6
Burning down the imperial palace, Dong Zhuo commits murder; hiding the imperial jade seal, Sun Jian violates his oath.
193664Translation:Romance of the Three Kingdoms — Chapter 6
Burning down the imperial palace, Dong Zhuo commits murder; hiding the imperial jade seal, Sun Jian violates his oath.
WikisourceLuo Guanzhong
Chapter 6

Burning down the imperial palace, Dong Zhuo commits murder; hiding the imperial jade seal, Sun Jian violates his oath.

1

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  卻說張飛拍馬趕到矢石如雨不得諸侯玄德賀功使人袁紹報捷移檄孫堅進兵黃蓋程普袁術相見畫地:「董卓讎隙奮不顧身親冒矢石決死國家討賊將軍家門將軍讒言糧草敗績將軍?」

Let us now turn to Zhang Fei, who had raced his horse to the base of the pass, where he was met with a hail of rocks and arrows, and could not advance. As a result, he was forced to retreat. The eight nobles all invited Xuande, Guan and Zhang to a banquet in celebration of their accomplishment; they also sent someone to Yuan Shao's camp to report the news of victory. Shao then issued orders for Sun Jian to advance his army against the enemy. Jian took Huang Gai and Cheng Pu with him to see Yuan Shu at his camp. While scratching out something in the dirt with a stick, Jian said, "There has never been any enmity between Dong Zhuo and me. Yet, I fought without regard to my own safety, personally braving the rocks and the arrows, in a life-and-death struggle. In a general sense, I did this in order to deal with a bandit rebel for the sake of our nation; in a more specific sense, I did this as a private favor to your family. Yet, you chose to believe slanderous talk about me, and did not issue any rations to me or my troops. This resulted in my defeat. How could you do that to me?"

2

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  惶恐進讒孫堅:「乘馬將軍。」袁術董卓愛將李傕:「何為?」:「丞相將軍使結親丞相將軍。」:「董卓逆天無道蕩覆王室九族天下逆賊結親早早獻關性命倘若遲誤粉骨碎身!」

Shu was scared beyond words. He ordered the slanderer beheaded in order to appease Jian. All of a sudden, someone reported to Jian, saying, "A general from the top of the pass rode his horse into your camp. He wants to see you." Jian took his leave from Yuan Shu, and returned to his own camp. When he summoned the visitor, it turned out that he was Dong Zhuo's beloved general, Li Jue. Jian said, "Why have you come?" Jue responded, "You are the only general among the enemy that the chancellor respects. He has especially sent me to come with a proposal for you to become his kin through marriage. The chancellor has a daughter, and he would like her to be matched with your son." Jian was outraged, and said sternly, "Dong Zhuo has wantonly betrayed the mandate of heaven by overthrowing the royal household. I want to kill him and everyone in his family, from great-great grandparents to great-great grandchildren, in order to appease the nation; why would I be willing to become the kin of a traitorous scoundrel! I will not kill you! You should return at once! If you relinquish control of the pass, I will spare your life! If you delay, I will make mincemeat out of you!"

3

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  李傕抱頭鼠竄回見董卓孫堅如此無禮李儒:「溫侯新敗戰心不若引兵洛陽長安童謠近日童謠:『西頭一個東頭一個鹿長安。』,『西頭一個』,高祖西都長安;『東頭一個』,光武東都洛陽天運丞相遷回長安無虞。」大喜:「不悟。」呂布星夜洛陽商議遷都文武朝堂:「東都洛陽氣數王氣長安西促裝。」

Li Jue scurried off. He returned to meet with Dong Zhuo, and reported Sun Jian's show of disrespect. Zhuo became angry and asked Li Ru about it, who said, "Marquis of Wen was recently defeated, so the troops lack the will to fight; it would be better to withdraw our troops to Luoyang, and move the emperor to Chang'an; we would then be in conformance with the children's song.[1] In recent days, a children's song has been heard in the streets; it goes, 'A Han in the west, a Han in the east. This danger will only be averted once the royal deer are moved to Chang'an.'[2] In reflecting on the lyrics, I believe that 'a Han in the west' refers to the twelve emperors, starting with Gaozu, who lived in the western capital, Chang'an; 'a Han in the east' refers to the twelve emperors, starting with Guangwu, who have lived in the eastern capital, Luoyang, until now. Our fate has come full circle; the chancellor must move back to Chang'an in order to rest easy." Dong Zhuo was overjoyed, saying, "In truth, I never would have thought of that, had you not mentioned it." He then returned with Lü Bu to Luoyang, traveling throughout the night, in order to discuss moving the capital. After gathering the court officials and military generals at court, Zhuo said, "Luoyang has been the eastern capital of Han for more than two hundred years, and has lost its vibrancy. In my view, Chang'an actually has more of a royal feel. I will be taking the imperial household west. All of you should pack your things at once."

4

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  司徒:「關中殘破零落無故宗廟皇陵百姓驚動天下丞相。」:「國家大計?」太尉:「司徒往者王莽篡逆更始赤眉焚燒長安瓦礫更兼人民流移百無一二宮室荒地所宜。」:「關東天下播亂長安崤函隴右木石磚瓦剋日宮室營造不須亂言。」司徒荀爽:「丞相遷都百姓騷動不寧。」:「天下小民!」即日荀爽庶民

Minister over the Masses Yang Biao said, "The Guanzhong Plain is in a state of decay; if we were to now abandon the ancestral hall and the imperial tombs, I'm afraid it would alarm the people. Alarming the nation is extremely easy; pacifying the nation is extremely hard. I hope the chancellor reflects some more on this." Zhuo angrily responded, "Are you hindering my grand strategy for the nation?" Grand Commandant Huang Wan said, "Minister over the Masses Yang's words are correct. In the past, when Wang Mang rose up in rebellion, during the time of Gengshi and the Red Eyebrows, Chang'an was burned to the ground. Moreover, the people all moved away, and only a handful remain. It is not fitting that we abandon the imperial palace and move to a wasteland." Zhuo said, "Bandit rebels from the east of the pass have risen up, and have wreaked havoc upon the nation. Chang'an is protected by Hangu Pass and Mount Xiao. It is also close to the area which is to the west of Mount Longshan, which has an abundance of wood, stone, bricks and tiles. If we set a deadline, we can get it done. It shouldn't take more than a month to oversee construction of a palace. All of you should cease talking nonsense." Minister over the Masses Xun Shuang admonished him, saying, "If the chancellor wishes to move the capital, the citizenry will become agitated to no end." Zhuo was outraged, and said, "I am making plans for the entire nation, why should I worry about the little people!" That day, Yang Biao, Huang Wan and Xun Shuang were relieved of their duties, and were made private citizens once again.

5

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  上車只見尚書周毖城門校尉何事?」:「丞相遷都長安。」:「始初保用袁紹一黨!」武士都門斬首下令遷都來日便李儒:「錢糧缺少洛陽富戶籍沒入官但是袁紹門下宗黨家貲必得巨萬。」

Zhuo went out to board his carriage, when two men suddenly approached and saluted; it was chief of staff Zhou Bi and city gate captain Wu Qiong. Zhuo asked, "What's the matter?" Bi said, "We just now heard that you going to move the capital to Chang'an, so we came to advise you against it." Zhuo was outraged, saying, "From the beginning, I had heard about you two taking Yuan Shao under your wing. Now, Shao has betrayed us, and it's your fault!" He commanded his soldiers to escort them outside of the capital gates, and to behead them. He then ordered for the capital to be moved; his orders were to be carried out by the following day. Li Ru said, "Right now, we are short of money and rice. There are a great many wealthy families in Luoyang. We could force them to register with the government so that we can confiscate their assets. Even if we only kill all of the people who are in cahoots with the followers of Yuan Shao, then confiscate the all of their loot, we'd acquire a huge amount for sure."

6

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  鐵騎遍行洛陽富戶大書反臣逆黨」,金貲李傕郭汜洛陽民數百萬長安百姓互相溝壑不可勝數軍士妻女糧食啼哭震動天地背後催督白刃

Zhuo sent 5,000 armored cavalry throughout Luoyang to arrest wealthy citizens; several thousand were rounded up, and banners were placed above their heads. On the banners in large print, it read, "disloyal ministers of a rebellious faction." They were taken outside of the city and beheaded, and all of their assets were confiscated. Li Jue and Guo Si forced almost the entire population of Luoyang out of the city, forcing them to head toward Chang'an. A group of soldiers was placed between each group of citizens, so that the citizens were alternately pulled and pushed toward their destination. A huge amount of people died in the ravines along the sides of the road. The troops were also given license to have their way with the wives and daughters, as well as to take possession of food rations. The sounds of crying and wailing seemed to shake heaven and earth. If anyone moved too slowly, there were 3,000 troops behind them to urge them on. The troops all had their gleaming swords drawn, and would kill people on the spot.

7

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  臨行放火焚燒居民房屋放火宗廟宮府火焰相接洛陽宮庭焦土呂布發掘先皇后妃陵寢金寶軍士乘勢官民墳塚殆盡董卓裝載金珠緞疋好物天子后妃長安

When Zhuo was about to leave, he instructed his followers to set fires. The houses of the local citizenry were to be burned. In addition, they were to set fire to all ancestral halls, as well as the estates of the imperial family and the estates all of the government ministers. A continuous river of flames stretched from the northern to the southern palace. Luoyang, along with its palaces, was reduced to scorched earth. Lü Bu was also sent to dig up the mausoleums of the past emperors and empresses, and to seize the treasures therein. The soldiers took advantage of the situation, and dug up nearly all of the graves of the government officials and the local citizens. Dong Zhuo loaded several thousand or more carriages with gold and silver jewelry, along with satin cloth and other finery. Having plundered the riches of the sons of heaven and their empresses, he set out for Chang'an.

8

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  卻說洛陽便汜水關孫堅驅兵玄德虎牢關諸侯引軍

Let us now turn to Zhao Cen, a general under Dong Zhuo. When he saw that Zhuo had already fled Luoyang, he made a present of Sishui Pass to the enemy. After Sun Jian brought in his soldiers, Xuande, Guan and Zhang fought their way into Hulao Pass; each of the nobles brought in their soldiers as well.

9

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  且說孫堅飛奔洛陽遙望火焰沖天黑煙人煙發兵救滅諸侯荒地屯住軍馬曹操袁紹:「西乘勢追趕本初按兵不動?」:「疲困無益。」:「焚燒宮室劫遷天子海內震動不知天亡天下諸侯?」諸侯不可輕動」。:「豎子不足與謀!」引兵夏侯惇夏侯淵曹仁曹洪李典樂進星夜董卓

Let us now turn to Sun Jian, who was speeding toward Luoyang. From a distance, he could see flames climbing into the sky; black smoke blanketed the ground for two or three hundred li.[3] There were no chickens, dogs or any other signs of human life. After first sending in soldiers to put out the fires, he ordered all of the nobles to make each of their camps on the desolate earth. Cao Cao came to see Yuan Shao, saying, "The traitor Dong is now headed west; we can seize the opportunity to catch up with him. Benchu, why have you halted the troops?" Shao said, "All of the soldiers are tired; I'm afraid that there would be no benefit to advancing on the enemy." Cao said, "The traitor Dong has burned down the imperial palace, and kidnapped the Son of Heaven. The whole country has been thrown into turmoil, and nobody knows who they should follow. At this time of divine despair, one battle could pacify the nation. Why do the nobles hesitate to advance on the enemy?" All of the nobles said, "We cannot take any rash actions." Cao was outraged, saying, "You childish buffoons are not qualified to participate in strategic planning!" With that, he took it upon himself to lead an army of more than 10,000 troops. He ordered Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Li Dian and Yue Jin to travel throughout the night in order to overtake Dong Zhuo.

10

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  且說董卓行至滎陽地方太守徐榮李儒:「丞相洛陽追兵徐榮伏軍滎陽山塢這裡然後掩殺後來不敢。」呂布精兵斷後

Let us now turn to Dong Zhuo, who was approaching Xingyang;[4] commandery governor Xu Rong came out to greet him. Li Ru said, "Chancellor, you have just abandoned Luoyang; you must prevent the enemy from following us. We must instruct Xu Rong to hide his troops at the side of the mountain pass, which is outside of the walls of Xingcheng. If any soldiers come in pursuit of us, he will unleash his men on them. I will stay here to fight; later on, I will cut them off and attack them when they are off guard. This will serve as a warning so that others will not dare to pursue us in the future." Zhuo followed this suggestion, and also ordered Lü Bu to lead a detachment of elite troops to bring up the rear, which would further prevent the enemy from giving chase.

11

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  曹操趕上呂布:「李儒!」軍馬擺開曹操出馬逆賊劫遷天子流徙百姓將欲?」呂布:「背主懦夫何得妄言!」夏侯惇躍馬直取呂布李傕左邊夏侯淵迎敵右邊喊聲郭汜領軍曹仁迎敵軍馬勢不可當夏侯惇抵敵呂布不住飛馬鐵騎掩殺回望滎陽荒山二更月明如晝聚集殘兵

Cao Cao's army caught up with Bu along the way. Lü Bu laughed uproariously, saying, "I'll be darned if Li Ru didn't foresee this!" With that, he had his men spread out. Cao Cao rode out on his horse, and shouted, "Traitor! You kidnapped the Son of Heaven, and drove the citizenry away from their homes; where do you think you're going?" Lü Bu cursed back, "You're nothing but a coward who turned his back on his lord; where do you get off talking trash like that!" Xiahou Dun lifted his spear and charged straight at Lü Bu at full gallop. After not more than a few bouts, Li Jue led a detachment in a charge from the left flank. In response, Cao ordered Xiahou Yuan to intercept. Then from the right flank, came more loud war cries, as Guo Si led his army into the fray. In response, Cao ordered Cao Ren to intercept. Armies closed in from three directions; they were an unstoppable force. Xiahou Dun was no match for Lü Bu, and galloped back to his lines. Bu led his armored cavalry in a charge. Cao's army suffered a major defeat, and had to hightail it back to Xingyang. By around the time of the second watch,[5] when the moon was shining as bright as if it were midday, they made their way to a barren spot at the foot of a mountain. It was only then that the remnants of the defeated army were able to regroup.

12

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  埋鍋造飯四圍喊聲徐榮伏兵曹操慌忙策馬奪路奔逃徐榮轉身便肩膊逃命山坡軍士翻身落馬只見飛馬軍士下馬曹操曹洪:「賢弟!」:「步行。」:「賊兵奈何?」:「天下不可。」:「再生。」

Just as they were about to dig holes so that they could cook dinner,[6] they heard yelling from all four sides; Xu Rong's soldiers had all emerged from their hiding spots. Cao Cao hurriedly whipped his horse, in order to make it go faster. He was desperately searching for an escape route, but ran right into Xu Rong, so he turned around and galloped in the opposite direction. Rong took out one of his arrows, and managed to shoot Cao in the shoulder. Cao fled for his life, with the arrow still stuck in him, scurrying over the hillside. Two foot soldiers were hiding in the brush. When they saw Cao's horse approach, they let loose with their spears in unison. Cao's horse was impaled by the spears, and fell; Cao tumbled from his horse. He was seized by the two foot soldiers. All of the sudden, a general appeared, galloping at full speed; he swung his sword into action, and cut the two soldiers down. He then jumped off of his horse to attend to Cao Cao. Cao looked at him, and saw that it was Cao Hong. Cao said, "I am not long for this world; you should get out of here!" Hong said, "You must quickly get onto my horse. I will walk." Cao said, "What will you do if the bandit army catches up with us?" Hong said, "The world can live without Hong, but it cannot be without you." Cao said, "If I survive this day, it will be thanks to your efforts."

13

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  脫去衣甲四更只見前面去路後面喊聲:「不得復活!」下馬脫去袍鎧渡水彼岸追兵放箭比及天明土崗忽然喊聲起處一彪人馬卻是徐榮上流渡河

After Cao mounted the horse, Hong took off his armor and walked alongside the horse, sword in hand. They had been walking until just past the fourth watch,[7] when they saw a large river in front of them which blocked their way. Behind them, the sound of shouting was gradually getting closer. Cao said, "I'm already done for; I'm not going to recover!" Hong quickly helped Cao to dismount and to remove his warrior undergarment as well as his body armor. He supported Cao as he crossed the river. They had just barely reached the opposite bank, when the pursuing army arrived, shooting their arrows from the other side of the river. Cao made his way along the river. By dawn, they had traveled another 30 li or more before they stopped to rest at the foot of an earthen mound.[8] Suddenly, the sound of shouting could be heard, as a detachment of men and horses rapidly approached. It was Xu Rong, who had crossed the river upstream, in hot pursuit.

14

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  慌急只見夏侯惇夏侯淵大喝徐榮!」徐榮便夏侯惇交馬徐榮餘兵隨後曹仁李典樂進引兵曹操憂喜交集聚集殘兵河內

Just as Cao was starting to panic, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan could be seen galloping toward him, along with a dozen or more mounted troops. They yelled out, "Xu Rong, don't harm our lord!" Xu Rong then charged at Xiahou Dun; Dun raised his spear and engaged the enemy. After several bouts, Xiahou Dun stabbed Xu Rong, causing him to fall from his horse. He then started to go after the remaining troops, causing them to scatter. Afterward, Cao Ren, Li Dian and Yue Jin each arrived with a contingent of troops. When they saw Cao Cao, they became filled with a mixture of sadness and joy. They gathered more than 500 of the remaining troops, and headed back to Henei.

15

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  卻說諸侯分屯洛陽孫堅救滅屯兵建章殿軍士掃除宮殿瓦礫董卓陵寢盡皆掩閉太廟草創殿諸侯列聖神位太牢星月交輝按劍仰觀天文紫微垣白氣漫漫:「帝星不明賊臣亂國萬民塗炭京城一空!」不覺
A modern day version of a spirit tablet.

Let us now turn to the nobles, who were setting up their individual camps at Luoyang. Sun Jian had his men put out the remaining fires within the palace, then ordered them to make camp within the city walls; his personal tent was erected on the foundation of one of the palace halls. Jian ordered his soldiers to sweep up all of the tiles that were strewn about in what was left of the palace. All of the imperial tombs that were looted by Dong Zhuo were resealed. Construction of three new palace buildings was begun on the foundation of the emperor's ancestral temple. The nobles were invited to set out the spirit tablets of the previous emperors, and then to make sacrificial offerings of cows, sheep and pigs. Once the ceremony was finished, they all dispersed. Jian returned to his camp. On this particular night, the glittering light from the stars and the moon intermingled in the night sky. He decided to take his sword with him, and sit out under the stars so that he could gaze at the heavens. He observed a white haze which stretched through the middle of the Purple Forbidden enclosure constellation.[9] Jian sighed and said to himself, "The Emperor star is very faint,[10] treacherous court officials have thrown the country into chaos, the citizens are in dire straights, and nothing remains of the capital!" Having finished his sentence, he unconsciously began to cry.

16

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  軍士:「殿五色豪光。」軍士火把打撈婦人屍首雖然日久宮樣裝束項下錦囊硃紅金鎖玉璽方圓黃金篆文:「受命永昌。」
Sun Jian finds the Imperial Seal of China.

A soldier came up beside him and pointed, saying, "A multi-colored glow is emanating from a well on the south side of the imperial hall." Jian instructed the soldier to light a torch, and go down into the well to fish out whatever was down there. The soldier ended up pulling out the corpse of a woman. Although it had been a number of days, the corpse had not yet decomposed. She was dressed in the style of an imperial courtesan, and was wearing an embroidered silk bag around her neck. When they opened the bag to see what was inside, they found a small box which was the color of imperial red. It was fastened with a golden lock. When they opened the box, they saw that it was a jade seal. It had a length of four cun on all sides,[11] and had five intertwined dragons carved onto the top. It was missing one corner, which was filled in with gold. The eight seal script characters read, "Having received the mandate from heaven, may the emperor lead a long and prosperous life."

17

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  程普:「傳國璽昔日荊山鳳凰玉工李斯始皇巡狩洞庭湖風浪大作玉璽始皇巡狩華陰遮道從者:『祖龍。』不見復歸明年始皇後來子嬰玉璽漢高祖王莽篡逆孝元皇太后光武宜陽傳位至今十常侍作亂少帝北邙今天主公九五不可久留江東大事。」:「明日便當託疾辭歸。」商議已定密諭軍士洩漏
Qin Shi Huang (the First Emperor of Qin)

Jian took possession of the seal, then asked Cheng Pu about it. Pu said, "This is the Imperial Seal of China. This piece of jade was found by Bian He a long time ago at the foot of Mount Jing. A Chinese phoenix had been perched on top of the stone containing the jade. He presented the stone to King Wen of Chu. When it was cracked open, it was discovered that the stone did indeed contain jade. In the 26th year of Qin,[12] a jade specialist was ordered to carve the piece into a seal. Li Si wrote the eight seal script characters that are inscribed on it. In the 28th year,[13] the First Emperor traveled to Lake Dongting while touring his kingdom. There was a large storm, and the boat was about to capsize. Out of desperation, the jade seal was thrown into the lake, whereupon the weather subsided. In the 36th year,[14] the First Emperor traveled to Huayin while touring his kingdom. A man carrying the seal blocked their path, and said to the emperor's attendants, 'Please return this to the Founding Dragon.'[15] With that, the man disappeared. The seal was then returned to Qin. The following year, the First Emperor passed away. Later on, Ziying presented the jade seal to Gaozu of Han as a gift. Still later, Wang Mang rose up in rebellion, at which time Empress Dowager Xiaoyuan threw the seal at Wang Xun and Su Xian, chipping one of the corners.[16] That corner was filled in with gold. Guangwu acquired the seal in Yiyang, and it has been handed down to successive rulers until this day. Recently, when the ten regular attendants wreaked havoc upon the court and kidnapped the young emperor, taking him to Mount Mang, this precious item was nowhere to be found by the time he returned to the palace. Now that it is in the hands of Your Excellency, it must mean that you are fated to become emperor. We cannot stay here for long; we should return to at once to the eastern bank of the Yangtze, so that we can plan something big."[17] Jian said, "That is exactly what I was thinking. Tomorrow, I will pretend that I am sick, so that I can take my leave and return home." Having finished discussing the matter, a secret message was sent to the troops that they were not to tell anyone about the find.

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  內中袁紹鄉人進身之計連夜營寨袁紹賞賜次日孫堅袁紹:「小疾長沙特來。」:「傳國璽。」失色:「?」:「討賊除害玉璽朝廷獲得盟主董卓復歸朝廷意欲?」:「玉璽何由?」:「建章殿何在?」:「?」:「作速。」指天為誓:「私自藏匿異日不得善終刀箭!」諸侯:「文臺如此說誓想必。」軍士:「打撈。」軍士:「軍士。」背後顏良文醜背後程普黃蓋韓當掣刀諸侯一齊隨即拔寨洛陽寫書心腹連夜荊州刺史劉表路上
Liu Biao

Who would have thought that one of the soldiers in their midst was a fellow townsman of Yuan Shao's, and that he wanted to use this as a way to get promoted. The soldier left camp and traveled through the night to report to Yuan Shao. Shao rewarded the soldier, then had him secretly stay there with his soldiers. The following day, Sun Jian came to take his leave of Yuan Shao, saying, "I am afflicted with a minor ailment, and would like to return to Changsha. I came especially to bid farewell to you." Shao smiled and said, "I know that the nature of your ailment is that you wish to bring harm to the Imperial Seal of China." Jian turned pale, saying, "Where is this talk coming from?" Shao said, "Right now, we are mobilizing the citizenry to fight against the bandit rebels, so that we may rid the country of that which brings harm to it. The jade seal is a treasure which belongs to the royal court. Seeing as you managed to acquire it, you should publicly leave it with leader of the alliance. Once we have killed Dong Zhuo, we can restore it to the court. What do you intend to do by sneaking away with it?" Jian said, "What would cause you to think that the jade seal is with me?" Shao said, "Where is the item that you fished out of the palace well?" Jian said, "I don't have it in the first place, so why are you giving me a hard time?" Shao said, "Quickly hand it over, and you will avoid disaster for yourself." Jian raised his hand toward the sky and took an oath, saying, "If I did have this treasure, and were to sneak off with it, may I meet with an unhappy fate at some point in the future, and may I die with swords and arrows raining down upon me!" All of the nobles said, "Since Wentai has taken such an oath, it must mean that he does not have it." Shao ordered the soldier to come out, saying, "When you were fishing it out, this man was with you, isn't that so?" Jian was outraged, and pulled out the straight sword that he was wearing around his waist; his intention was to kill the soldier. Shao also pulled out his own sword, saying, "If you kill this soldier, I will take it as a personal insult aimed at me." Yan Liang and Wen Chou, who were both standing behind Shao, pulled out their swords as well. Then Cheng Pu, Huang Gai and Han Dang, all standing behind Jian, all drew their swords, and held them in their hands. All of the nobles unanimously urged everybody to calm down. Jian then mounted his horse, broke camp, and left for Luoyang. Shao was outraged; as a result, he wrote a letter, and then had a close confidant ride throughout the night to Jingzhou to deliver it to provincial governor Liu Biao. The letter requested Biao to intercept Jian en route, and take him into custody.

19

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  次日曹操董卓滎陽大敗會眾置酒解悶飲宴:「大義諸公仗義初意本初河內孟津酸棗諸君固守成皋敖倉轘轅大谷險要公路南陽武關三輔深溝高壘疑兵天下形勢誅逆立定遲疑天下!」

The next day, someone came to report that Cao Cao had launched his own expedition against Dong Zhuo's forces, but was now returning after having been defeated at the Battle of Xingyang. Shao ordered his men to greet the returning army and guide them back to camp. He then gathered everyone together so that they could have a few drinks and cheer up Cao. During the banquet, Cao sighed, saying, "In the beginning, I was inspired, out of a sense of justice, to rid the nation of these bandit rebels. Each of you came forward in order to uphold justice as well. My initial idea was to prevail upon Benchu to lead his Henei forces into Mengjin and Suanzao. The rest of you were to handle the various strategic flashpoints such as vigorously defending Chenggao, taking possession of the granaries,[18] and blocking Huanyuan Pass as well as Dagu Pass. Meanwhile, Gonglu was to command the Nanyang army. He was to station troops in Danshui and Xi Counties, as well as to enter into Wu Pass; this would shake things up in and around Chang'an. Everyone was to fortify their positions. Nobody was to engage the enemy in battle; rather, they were to act as decoys: a show of force for all to see, which would make it easier to go after the rebels and stop them in their tracks. Unfortunately, some of you hesitated and did not advance, to the great disappointment of the nation. Just between us, I secretly feel ashamed!" Shao and the rest of them could not think of anything to say in response.

20

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  既而異心成事引軍揚州公孫瓚玄德:「袁紹能為。」拔寨平原玄德平原養軍兗州太守劉岱東郡太守喬瑁推辭引軍殺死喬瑁袁紹眾人各自分散領兵拔寨洛陽關東

After that, they all dispersed. Cao saw that Shao and the rest of them were having second thoughts. Determining that the alliance had no chance of success, he led his army off to Yangzhou. Gongsun Zan told Xuande, Guan and Zhang, "Yuan Shao lacks ability; sooner or later, everyone will turn against him. We should go home." They then broke camp and headed north. Once they reached Pingyuan, Xuande was made governor of Pingyuan; his orders were to take charge of defending the area and to raise an army. Yanzhou Commandery governor Liu Dai asked Dong Commandery governor Qiao Mao if he could borrow some rations. Mao refused, so Dai led his army in a raid on Mao's camp, killing Qiao Mao and forcing his men to surrender. Yuan Shao saw that everyone was dispersing, so he commanded his men to break camp and leave Luoyang. He then set out toward the east of Hangu Pass.

21

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  卻說荊州刺史劉表山陽高平漢室宗親結納名士江夏八俊」。汝南魯國渤海山陽南陽劉表中廬蒯良蒯越襄陽蔡瑁當時袁紹蒯越蔡瑁引兵孫堅

Let us now turn to Liu Biao, governor of Jingzhou; his style name was Jingsheng,[19] and he was from Gaoping County in Shanyang Commandery. He was a member of the house of Han. He had a talent for bonding with people, and was friends with seven notable figures. At the time, they were called "the eight talented men of Jiangxia." The seven men were:

  1. Chen Xiang, style name: Zhonglin,[20] from Runan County.
  2. Fan Pang, style name: Mengbo,[21] from the same commandery as Liu Biao.
  3. Kong Yu, style name: Shiyuan,[22] from the state of Lu.
  4. Fan Kang, style name: Zhongzhen,[23] from Bohai Commandery.
  5. Tan Fu, style name: Wenyou,[24] from Shanyang Commandery.
  6. Zhang Jian, style name: Yuanjie,[25] from the same commandery as Liu Biao.
  7. Cen Zhi, style name: Gongxiao,[26] from Nanyang Commandery.

Liu Biao was friends with these seven men. He also had several advisors: Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue, both from Zhonglu, as well as Cai Mao from Xiangyang. After reading through Yuan Shao's letter, he ordered Kuai Yue and Cai Mao to lead a force of 10,000 soldiers to intercept Sun Jian.

22

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  蒯越擺開當先出馬孫堅:「蒯異度何故引兵去路?」:「漢臣如何傳國留下歸去!」黃蓋出戰蔡瑁舞刀黃蓋護心鏡撥馬孫堅乘勢界口山背金鼓齊鳴劉表親自引軍來到孫堅馬上施禮:「景升何故袁紹?」:「傳國璽將欲?」:「刀箭!」:「聽信行李。」:「小覷!」交兵劉表便退縱馬伏兵背後蒯越蔡瑁趕來孫堅垓心正是玉璽得來用處動刀兵畢竟孫堅怎地脫身下文分解

Jian's army had just arrived, when Kuai Yue opened up the battle line and rode out ahead on his horse. Sun Jian asked him, "Kuai Yidu, what reason do you have for leading soldiers to intercept my path?" Yue responded, "Seeing as you are a Han official, how could you sneak off with a valuable national heirloom? You are to immediately hand it over; if you do so, I will allow you to return home!" Jian was outraged, and ordered Huang Gai to battle. Brandishing his sword, Cai Mao met the challenge. After several bouts, Huang Gai managed to strike Mao in the center of his chest plate with his whip. Mao wheeled his horse around and retreated. Sun Jian seized the opportunity to break through their lines. Then, from behind the mountain, the sound of war gongs and war drums rang out in unison. Personally leading a force of men, Liu Biao had arrived.Sun Jian immediately saluted him, saying, "Jingsheng, why would you believe Yuan Shao's letter, and do battle with your neighboring commandery?" Biao said, "Now that you have snuck off with the Imperial Seal of China, are you planning to rise up in rebellion?" Jian said, "If I am in possession of this thing, may I die underneath a hail of swords and arrows!" Biao said, "If you want me to believe you, allow me to search through the baggage accompanying your army." Jian angrily replied, "What power could you possibly possess that would allow you to think so little of me!" The two sides were about to cross swords, when Liu Biao withdrew. Jian galloped after him. Then, from behind the two mountains, the hidden soldiers came out in unison, with Kuai Yue and Cai Mao following behind. Sun Jian was trapped in the middle. It was a case of:

Despite there being no practical value in acquiring the jade seal, it was precisely for this reason that they were about to cross swords.

How in the world did Sun Jian extricate himself? Keep reading, and all will be explained.


Notes

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  1. The lyrics to children's songs and nursery rhymes were considered to have prophetic qualities with respect to the state of the nation.
  2. Commoners were not allowed to hunt deer. Therefore, deer became associated with the imperial family.
  3. One li was approximately 415.8 meters, 200 li would have been 83.16 km (~51.64 miles); 300 li would have been 124.74 km (~77.51 miles).
  4. This is an apparent inconsistency. Dong Zhuo had supposedly set out for Chang'an, which is to the west of Luoyang. However, Xingyang is to the east of Luoyang, not far from Hulao Pass.
  5. between 9:00pm and 11:00pm
  6. Food for the army would have been cooked in a large iron cauldron, which would have been placed into a well ventilated hole.
  7. between 1:00am and 3:00am
  8. One li was approximately 415.8 meters, 30 li would have been 12.474 km (~7.746354 miles).
  9. According to ancient belief, white haze was viewed as an omen which signified an impending war or battle.
  10. The Emperor star is located in the middle of the constellation known as Purple Forbidden enclosure. The Purple Forbidden enclosure resembles an imperial palace. Consequently, many of the stars are named for the person or building that would have been located in a given part of the palace.
  11. One cun was 2.31 cm, four cun would have been 9.24 cm (3.637788 inches).
  12. 221 BCE
  13. 219 BCE
  14. 211 BCE
  15. The founding dragon (祖龍) was another name for the First Emperor of Qin
  16. Apparently, Wang Mang sent the two to confiscate the seal. In anger, Empress Dowager Xiaoyuan threw the seal at them, whereupon a corner was chipped when the seal hit the ground. Wang Xun was Wang Mang's Minister over the Masses (司徒). Nothing is known about Su Xian.
  17. Between Wuhu and Nanjing, the Yangtze River flows north to south. The east side of the river is on the southern bank.
  18. The term aocang (敖倉) is slightly ambiguous. It originally referred to the Aocang granary which is located on top of Mount Mang (北邙山). The term later came to refer generically to any granary. It is unclear whether the author was specifically thinking of the granary on Mount Mang, or if he was using the term in a more generic sense.
  19. Literal meaning: rising sun
  20. Literal meaning: middle (sibling who has the qualities of a) large male deer
  21. Literal meaning: abundance of greatness
  22. Literal meaning: the beginning of an era
  23. Literal meaning: middle (sibling) of truth
  24. Literal meaning: friend who is refined
  25. Literal meaning: first in moral integrity
  26. Literal meaning: impartial piety