Romance, Chapter 81

Chapter 81. Eager to Avenge His Brother, Zhang Fei Is Murdered; Resolved to Redress His Brothers’ Wrongs, the First Ruler Raises an Army

Now the First Ruler meant to raise an army and march east. Zhao Yun remonstrated, “The traitor to the state is Cao Cao, not Sun Quan. Now Cao Pi has usurped the Han, and gods and men alike are enraged. Your Majesty should move early against Guanzhong and station troops on the upper reaches of the Wei River to punish the wicked rebels. Then the loyal men east of the passes will surely wrap up provisions, whip up their horses and come to welcome the royal army. But if you leave Wei alone to attack Wu, once the armies have clashed, how could the fighting be quickly ended? I beg Your Majesty to consider this.”

卻說先主欲起兵東征，趙雲諫曰：“國賊乃曹操，非孫權也。今曹丕篡漢，神人共怒。陛下可早圖關中，屯兵渭河上流，以討凶逆，則關東義士，必裹糧策馬以迎王師；若舍魏以伐吳，兵勢一交，豈能驟解。願陛下察之。”

The First Ruler said, “Sun Quan murdered my brother. And besides, Fu Shiren, Mi Fang, Pan Zhang and Ma Zhong are all enemies I hate to the core. Only when I have devoured their flesh and wiped out their clans will my wrong be avenged! Why do you stand in my way?” Zhao Yun said, “The feud with the traitors to Han is a public matter; the feud for a brother is a private one. I beg you to put the empire first.” The First Ruler answered, “If I do not avenge my brother, what worth is there in possessing ten thousand li of rivers and mountains?”

先主曰：“孫權害了朕弟；又兼傅士仁、糜芳、潘璋、馬忠皆有切齒之仇：啖其肉而滅其族，方雪朕恨！卿何阻耶？”雲曰：“漢賊之仇，公也；兄弟之仇，私也。願以天下爲重。”先主答曰：“朕不爲弟報仇，雖有萬里江山，何足爲貴？”

So, not heeding Zhao Yun’s remonstrance, he gave orders to raise an army and attack Wu. He also sent envoys to Wuxi to borrow fifty thousand tribal troops to act in concert with him, and at the same time sent an envoy to Langzhong to promote Zhang Fei to General of Chariots and Cavalry, with the additional post of Colonel Director of Retainers, to enfeoff him as Marquis of Xixiang, and to make him Protector of Langzhong as well. The envoy set off bearing the edict. Meanwhile, in Langzhong, Zhang Fei had learned that Guan Yu had been killed by Eastern Wu, and he wailed and wept morning and night till tears of blood soaked the front of his robe.

遂不聽趙雲之諫，下令起兵伐吳；且發使往五溪，借番兵五萬，共相策應；一面差使往閬中，遷張飛爲車騎將軍，領司隸校尉，封西鄉侯，兼閬中牧。使命齎詔而去。卻說張飛在閬中，聞知關公被東吳所害，旦夕號泣，血溼衣襟。

His officers tried to console him with wine, but once he was drunk his rage only grew. Anyone in his tent or outside it who gave the least offence was flogged at once, and many were flogged to death. Every day he gazed south, gnashing his teeth and glaring in fury and hatred, and wept aloud without end. Suddenly an envoy was announced. He hurried to receive him and opened and read the edict. Having accepted his rank and bowed toward the north, Zhang Fei laid on wine to entertain the envoy. He said, “My brother has been murdered, and my hatred is deep as the sea. Why have the ministers at court not memorialized long ago to raise an army?”

諸將以酒解勸，酒醉，怒氣愈加。帳上帳下，但有犯者即鞭撻之；多有鞭死者。每日望南切齒睜目怒恨，放聲痛哭不已。忽報使至，慌忙接入，開讀詔旨。飛受爵望北拜畢，設酒款待來使。飛曰：“吾兄被害，仇深似海；廟堂之臣，何不早奏興兵？”

The envoy said, “There are many who urge destroying Wei first and attacking Wu afterward.” Zhang Fei said angrily, “What talk is this! Long ago the three of us swore brotherhood in the Peach Garden and vowed to live and die together. Now, alas, my second brother has departed halfway along the road. How could I enjoy wealth and rank alone? I will see the Son of Heaven face to face and ask to lead the vanguard of the front army. In mourning white I will attack Wu, take the rebels alive and offer them in sacrifice to my second brother, and so keep our old oath!” With that he set out with the envoy for Chengdu.

使者曰：“多有勸先滅魏而後伐吳者。”飛怒曰：“是何言也！昔我三人桃園結義，誓同生死；今不幸二兄半途而逝，吾安得獨享富貴耶！吾當面見天子，願爲前部先鋒，掛孝伐吳，生擒逆賊，祭告二兄，以踐前盟！”言訖，就同使命望成都而來。

Meanwhile the First Ruler went down to the drill ground every day to train his troops and horses, having fixed a date to raise his army and lead the campaign in person. So the high ministers all went to the Chancellor’s residence to see Kongming and said, “The Son of Heaven has only just ascended the great throne. To lead the troops himself is no way to give due weight to the altars of the state. You, Chancellor, hold the scales of government. Why do you not admonish him?” Kongming said, “I have remonstrated earnestly several times, but he simply will not listen. Today you gentlemen come with me to the drill ground, and we will remonstrate with him.”

卻說先主每日自下教場操演軍馬，剋日興師，御駕親征。於是公卿都至丞相府中見孔明，曰：“今天子初臨大位，親統軍伍，非所以重社稷也。丞相秉鈞衡之職，何不規諫？”孔明曰：“吾苦諫數次，只是不聽。今日公等隨我入教場諫去。”

Then Kongming led the officials to memorialize the First Ruler: “Your Majesty has only just ascended the precious throne. If you wished to march north and punish the traitors to Han, and so assert the great cause of righteousness before the empire, then it would be proper for you to command the Six Armies in person. But if you only wish to attack Wu, it would suffice to order one senior general to lead an army against it. Why must you trouble your sacred person yourself?” Seeing Kongming remonstrate so earnestly, the First Ruler began a little to change his mind. Then suddenly it was announced that Zhang Fei had arrived, and the First Ruler hastily summoned him in.

當下孔明引百官來奏先主曰：“陛下初登寶位，若欲北討漢賊，以伸大義於天下，方可親統六師；若只欲伐吳，命一上將統軍伐之可也，何必親勞聖駕？”先主見孔明苦諫，心中稍回。忽報張飛到來，先主急召入。

Zhang Fei came into the Hall of Martial Exercises, prostrated himself on the ground, clasped the First Ruler’s feet and wept. The First Ruler wept too. Zhang Fei said, “Now that Your Majesty is sovereign, you have already forgotten the oath of the Peach Garden! Why do you not avenge our second brother?” The First Ruler said, “Many officials have remonstrated to stop me, and I have not dared to act rashly.” Zhang Fei said, “What do other men know of our old oath? If Your Majesty will not go, I will throw away this body of mine to avenge our second brother! And if I cannot avenge him, I would rather die than see Your Majesty again!”

飛至演武廳拜伏於地，抱先主足而哭。先主亦哭。飛曰：“陛下今日爲君，早忘了桃園之誓！二兄之仇，如何不報？”先主曰：“多官諫阻，未敢輕舉。”飛曰：“他人豈知昔日之盟？若陛下不去，臣舍此軀與二兄報仇！若不能報時，臣寧死不見陛下也！”

The First Ruler said, “I will go with you. You shall lead your own troops out from Langzhou; I will lead picked troops to join you at Jiangzhou, and together we will attack Eastern Wu and wipe out this wrong!” As Zhang Fei was about to leave, the First Ruler charged him, “I have long known that when you have been drinking you fall into violent rages and flog your stout soldiers, and then keep them near you again. That is the way to bring disaster on yourself. From now on you must be lenient and not act as before.” Zhang Fei bowed, took his leave and departed.

先主曰：“朕與卿同往：卿提本部兵自閬州而出，朕統精兵會於江州，共伐東吳，以雪此恨！”飛臨行，先主囑曰：“朕素知卿酒後暴怒，鞭撻健兒，而復令在左右：此取禍之道也。今後務宜寬容，不可如前。”飛拜辭而去。

The next day the First Ruler put his army in order to march. The Academician Qin Mi memorialized, “For Your Majesty to cast aside your person, the lord of ten thousand chariots, in pursuit of a lesser duty is something the ancients would not have done. I beg Your Majesty to reconsider.” The First Ruler said, “Yunchang and I were as one body. The great bond of righteousness still stands; how can I forget it?” Qin Mi lay prostrate on the ground and would not rise, saying, “If Your Majesty does not heed my words, I truly fear disaster.” The First Ruler said in a great rage, “I am about to raise an army, and you come out with such ill-omened words!”

次日，先主整兵要行。學士秦宓奏曰：“陛下舍萬乘之軀，而徇小義，古人所不取也。願陛下思之。”先主曰：“雲長與朕，猶一體也。大義尚在，豈可忘耶？”宓伏地不起曰：“陛下不從臣言，誠恐有失。”先主大怒曰：“朕欲興兵，爾何出此不利之言！”

He shouted to the guards to drag him out and behead him. Qin Mi’s expression did not change; he looked back at the First Ruler and laughed, saying, “I die without regret. I only lament that the enterprise so newly founded is about to be overthrown again!” All the officials pleaded for Qin Mi’s pardon. The First Ruler said, “Imprison him for the time being. I will deal with him when I return from taking my revenge.” When Kongming heard of this, he at once sent up a memorial to save Qin Mi. It ran in substance: “I, Liang, and others humbly consider that the rebels of Wu, giving free rein to their wicked and treacherous schemes, brought about the calamity that overthrew Jingzhou. A general’s star fell between the Dipper and the Ox; a pillar of heaven was broken in the land of Chu. The grief of this is truly not to be forgotten.

叱武士推出斬之，宓面不改色，回顧先主而笑曰：“臣死無恨，但可惜新創之業，又將顛覆耳！”衆官皆爲秦宓告免。先主曰：“暫且囚下，待朕報仇回時發落。”孔明聞知，即上表救秦宓。其略曰：“臣亮等竊以吳賊逞奸詭之計，致荊州有覆亡之禍；隕將星於鬥牛，折天柱於楚地：此情哀痛，誠不可忘。

Yet consider that the crime of removing the sacred cauldrons of Han lies with Cao Cao, and the fault of transferring the Liu inheritance is not Sun Quan’s. I humbly submit that once the rebels of Wei are removed, Wu will submit of its own accord. I beg Your Majesty to accept Qin Mi’s words, precious as metal and stone, to husband the strength of your soldiers and make other, better plans. Then great fortune for the altars of the state! Great fortune for the empire!” When he had read it, the First Ruler flung the memorial to the ground and said, “My mind is made up. Let no one remonstrate again!” So he ordered the Chancellor Zhuge Liang to guard the Heir Apparent and hold the two Chuan; the General of Swift Cavalry Ma Chao, together with his brother Ma Dai, to help the General Who Guards the North, Wei Yan, hold Hanzhong against the armies of Wei; and the General of Tiger Might Zhao Yun to act as rear support and also oversee the provisions and fodder. Huang Quan and Cheng Ji were made advisers; Ma Liang and Chen Zhen were put in charge of documents; Huang Zhong was made vanguard of the front army, with Feng Xi and Zhang Nan as his lieutenant generals; Fu Tong and Zhang Yi were made Protectors of the Central Army, and Zhao Rong and Liao Chun brought up the rear.

但念遷漢鼎者，罪由曹操；移劉祚者，過非孫權。竊謂魏賊若除，則吳自賓服。願陛下納秦宓金石之言，以養士卒之力，別作良圖，則社稷幸甚！天下幸甚！”先主看畢，擲表於地曰：“朕意已決，無得再諫！”遂命丞相諸葛亮保太子守兩川；驃騎將軍馬超並弟馬岱，助鎮北將軍魏延守漢中，以當魏兵；虎威將軍趙雲爲後應，兼督糧草；黃權、程畿爲參謀；馬良、陳震掌理文書；黃忠爲前部先鋒；馮習、張南爲副將；傅彤、張翼爲中軍護尉；趙融、廖淳爲合後。

With several hundred officers of the Chuan and the tribal leaders of Wuxi, there were in all seven hundred and fifty thousand troops, and the day bingyin in the seventh month of the first year of Zhangwu was chosen for setting out. Meanwhile Zhang Fei, returning to Langzhong, issued orders to his army that white flags and white armour were to be made ready within three days, so that all three armies could go to attack Wu in mourning. The next day two junior officers under his command, Fan Jiang and Zhang Da, came into his tent and reported, “White flags and white armour cannot be got ready all at once. We must have more time.”

川將數百員，並五溪番將等，共兵七十五萬，擇定章武元年七月丙寅日出師。卻說張飛回到閬中，下令軍中；限三日內製辦白旗白甲，三軍掛孝伐吳。次日，帳下兩員末將范疆、張達，入帳告曰：“白旗白甲，一時無措，須寬限方可。”

Zhang Fei said in a great rage, “I am burning to take my revenge; I only wish I could reach the rebels’ territory tomorrow. How dare you disobey my orders!” He shouted to the guards to tie them to a tree and give each of them fifty lashes across the back. When the flogging was over, he pointed at them and said, “Everything is to be ready tomorrow! If you miss the deadline, I will kill the pair of you as an example to all!” The two men had been beaten till their mouths were full of blood. When they got back to their camp they talked it over. Fan Jiang said, “Today we have been punished. How are we supposed to get it done?

飛大怒曰：“吾急欲報仇，恨不明日便到逆賊之境，汝安敢違我將令！”叱武士縛於樹上，各鞭背五十。鞭畢，以手指之曰：“來日俱要完備！若違了限，即殺汝二人示衆！”打得二人滿口出血。回到營中商議，范疆曰：“今日受了刑責，着我等如何辦得？

The man’s temper is like fire. If things are not finished tomorrow, you and I will both be killed!” Zhang Da said, “Rather than let him kill us, we had better kill him.” Fan Jiang said, “But there’s no way to get near him.” Zhang Da said, “If the two of us are not fated to die, he will be lying drunk on his bed; if we are fated to die, he will not be drunk.” The two of them settled their plans.

其人性暴如火，倘來日不完，你我皆被殺矣！”張達曰：“比如他殺我，不如我殺他。”疆曰：“怎奈不得近前。”達曰：“我兩個若不當死，則他醉於牀上；若是當死，則他不醉。”二人商議停當。

Meanwhile Zhang Fei, in his tent, felt his mind confused and his movements dazed. He asked his officers, “My heart is pounding and my flesh is trembling, and I cannot rest sitting or lying. What does this mean?” His officers answered, “It is because you are thinking of Guan Yu, my lord, that you feel like this.” Zhang Fei had wine brought and drank with his officers, and before he knew it he was very drunk and lay down in his tent. The two villains Fan and Zhang found out how things stood. At the first watch each hid a short dagger on him, and they slipped into the tent, pretending they had an important secret matter to report, and went straight up to the bed.

卻說張飛在帳中，神思昏亂，動止恍惚，乃問部將曰：“吾今心驚肉顫，坐臥不安，此何意也？”部將答曰：“此是君侯思念關公，以致如此。”飛令人將酒來，與部將同飲，不覺大醉，臥於帳中。範、張二賊，探知消息，初更時分，各藏短刀，密入帳中，詐言欲稟機密重事，直至牀前。

Now Zhang Fei always slept with his eyes open. That night, as he slept in his tent, the two villains saw his whiskers bristling and his eyes staring wide, and at first dared not lay a hand on him. Only when they heard him snoring like thunder did they venture close and drive a dagger into his belly. Zhang Fei gave one great cry and died. He was fifty-five years old.

原來張飛每睡不合眼；當夜寢於帳中，二賊見他須豎目張，本不敢動手。因聞鼻息如雷，方敢近前，以短刀刺入飛腹。飛大叫一聲而亡。時年五十五歲。

A later poet wrote this lament:
At Anxi, men heard, he flogged the inspector;
He swept away the Yellow Turbans to aid the fiery Liu.
At Hulao Pass his voice was first to shake the field;
By Changban Bridge the waters flowed backward.
In righteousness he spared Yan Yan and brought peace to the land of Shu;
By cunning he tricked Zhang He and secured the central region.
Before Wu was conquered he himself was dead;
The autumn grass leaves grief forever over the land of Lang.

後人有詩嘆曰：“安喜曾聞鞭督郵，黃巾掃盡佐炎劉。
虎牢關上聲先震，長坂橋邊水逆流。
義釋嚴顏安蜀境，智欺張郃定中州。
伐吳未克身先死，秋草長遺閬地愁。
”

Meanwhile the two villains cut off Zhang Fei’s head that same night and, taking a few dozen men with them, fled through the night to Eastern Wu. The next day, when the army learned what had happened, troops were sent in pursuit, but they could not catch them. Among Zhang Fei’s officers at that time was Wu Ban, who had earlier come from Jingzhou to see the First Ruler; the First Ruler had made him General of the Standard and sent him to help Zhang Fei hold Langzhong. Wu Ban at once sent off a memorial to inform the Son of Heaven. Then he had Zhang Fei’s eldest son, Zhang Bao, prepare an inner and outer coffin to receive the body, left the younger son, Zhang Shao, to guard Langzhong, and Zhang Bao went himself to report to the First Ruler.

卻說二賊當夜割了張飛首級，便引數十人連夜投東吳去了。次日，軍中聞知，起兵追之不及。時有張飛部將吳班，向自荊州來見先主，先主用爲牙門將，使佐張飛守閬中。當下吳班先發表章，奏知天子；然後令長子張苞具棺槨盛貯，令弟張紹守閬中，苞自來報先主。

By then the First Ruler had already set out on the day he had chosen. The officials, high and low, all went with Kongming to see him off for ten li before turning back. When Kongming returned to Chengdu, he was downcast and unhappy. Turning to the officials, he said, “If Fa Xiaozhi were still alive, he would surely have been able to stop our lord from going east.”

時先主已擇期出師。大小官僚，皆隨孔明送十里方回。孔明回至成都，怏怏不樂，顧謂衆官曰：“法孝直若在，必能制主上東行也。”

Meanwhile, that night the First Ruler’s heart pounded and his flesh trembled, and he could not rest. Going out of his tent to look up at the heavens, he saw a star in the northwest, as big as a peck measure, suddenly fall to the earth. The First Ruler was greatly troubled and sent a man that very night to ask Kongming about it. Kongming replied in a memorial, “A senior general is to be lost. Within three days there will surely be alarming news.” So the First Ruler halted his army and did not advance. Suddenly an attendant reported, “Wu Ban, officer under General of Chariots and Cavalry Zhang at Langzhong, has sent a man with a memorial.”

卻說先主是夜心驚肉顫，寢臥不安。出帳仰觀天文，見西北一星，其大如鬥，忽然墜地。先主大疑，連夜令人求問孔明。孔明回奏曰：“合損一上將。三日之內，必有驚報。”先主因此按兵不動。忽侍臣奏曰：“閬中張車騎部將吳班，差人齎表至。”

The First Ruler stamped his foot and said, “Alas! My third brother is gone!” And when he read the memorial, it was indeed the news of Zhang Fei’s death. The First Ruler wailed aloud and fell to the ground in a swoon. The officials revived him.

先主頓足曰：“噫！三弟休矣！”及至覽表，果報張飛凶信。先主放聲大哭，昏絕於地。衆官救醒。

The next day it was reported that a body of troops was approaching as fast as the wind. The First Ruler went out of the camp to look. After a long while he saw a young officer in a white robe and silver armour tumble from the saddle, throw himself on the ground and weep. It was Zhang Bao. Zhang Bao said, “Fan Jiang and Zhang Da have killed my father and gone over to Wu with his head!” The First Ruler’s grief was so extreme that he could neither eat nor drink. The ministers remonstrated earnestly, “Your Majesty is about to avenge your two brothers. How can you first ruin your own sacred health?”

次日，人報一隊軍馬驟風而至。先主出營觀之。良久，見一員小將，白袍銀鎧，滾鞍下馬，伏地而哭，乃張苞也。苞曰：“范疆、張達殺了臣父，將首級投吳去了！”先主哀痛至甚，飲食不進。羣臣苦諫曰：“陛下方欲爲二弟報仇，何可先自摧殘龍體？”

Only then did the First Ruler take some food. He said to Zhang Bao, “Will you and Wu Ban dare to lead your own troops as the vanguard and avenge your father?” Zhang Bao said, “For my country and my father I would not refuse ten thousand deaths!” Just as the First Ruler was about to send Zhang Bao off with his troops, it was reported that another band of soldiers was sweeping up like the wind. The First Ruler sent an attendant to find out. Shortly the attendant brought in a young general in a white robe and silver armour, who entered the camp, threw himself on the ground and wept.

先主方纔進膳，遂謂張苞曰：“卿與吳班，敢引本部軍作先鋒，爲卿父報仇否？”苞曰：“爲國爲父，萬死不辭！”先主正欲遣苞起兵，又報一彪軍風擁而至。先主令侍臣探之。須臾，侍臣引一小將軍，白袍銀鎧，入營伏地而哭。

The First Ruler looked, and it was Guan Xing. At the sight of Guan Xing he thought of Guan Yu and again wailed aloud. The officials tried hard to console him. The First Ruler said, “I think of the days when I was a commoner and swore brotherhood with Guan and Zhang, vowing to live and die together. Now I am Son of Heaven and was about to share wealth and honour with my two brothers, but alas, both have died untimely deaths! How can my heart not break when I see these two nephews?” With that he wept again. The officials said, “You two young generals, withdraw for a while,

先主視之，乃關興也。先主見了關興，想起關公，又放聲大哭。衆官苦勸。先主曰：“朕想布衣時，與關、張結義，誓同生死；今朕爲天子，正欲與兩弟同享富貴，不幸俱死於非命！見此二侄，能不斷腸！”言訖又哭。衆官曰：“二小將軍且退。

so that His Majesty may rest.” An attendant memorialized, “Your Majesty is past sixty and ought not to grieve so excessively.” The First Ruler said, “Both my brothers are dead. How can I bear to live on alone?” With that he beat his head on the ground and wept.

容聖上將息龍體。”侍臣奏曰：“陛下年過六旬，不宜過於哀痛。”先主曰：“二弟俱亡，朕安忍獨生！”言訖，以頭頓地而哭。

The officials conferred together: “The Son of Heaven is so distressed. What can we do to console him?” Ma Liang said, “Our lord is leading a great army against Wu in person, yet weeps all day long. It is bad for the army.” Chen Zhen said, “I have heard that west of Mount Qingcheng near Chengdu there is a hermit, surnamed Li and named Yi. People say this old man is more than three hundred years old and can tell whether a man will live or die and whether good or ill fortune awaits him. He is an immortal of our age.

多官商議曰：“今天子如此煩惱，將何解勸？”馬良曰：“主上親統大兵伐吳，終日號泣，于軍不利。”陳震曰：“吾聞成都青城山之西，有一隱者，姓李，名意。世人傳說此老已三百餘歲，能知人之生死吉凶，乃當世之神仙也。

Why not report to the Son of Heaven and summon this old man to ask him about the outcome? It would do more good than anything we can say.” So they went in and reported to the First Ruler. The First Ruler agreed and at once sent Chen Zhen with an edict to Mount Qingcheng to summon him. Chen Zhen travelled through the night to Qingcheng and had a villager guide him deep into the valley. From afar he saw the immortal’s dwelling, with pure clouds hovering faintly about it and an aura of extraordinary good omen. Suddenly a young boy came out to meet him and said, “Is the visitor not Chen Xiaoqi?”

何不奏知天子，召此老來，問他吉凶，勝如吾等之言。”遂入奏先主。先主從之，即遣陳震齎詔，往青城山宣召。震星夜到了青城，令鄉人引入山谷深處，遙望仙莊，清雲隱隱，瑞氣非凡。忽見一小童來迎曰：“來者莫非陳孝起乎？”

Chen Zhen said in great astonishment, “Immortal boy, how do you know my name?” The boy said, “Yesterday my master said that today an imperial edict would surely arrive, and that the envoy would certainly be Chen Xiaoqi.” Chen Zhen said, “He is truly an immortal! What people say is no lie!” Then he went into the immortal’s dwelling with the boy, bowed before Li Yi and proclaimed the Son of Heaven’s edict. Li Yi pleaded old age and would not go. Chen Zhen said, “The Son of Heaven is eager to see you face to face, venerable immortal. I pray you, do not begrudge your crane-drawn carriage.”

震大驚曰：“仙童如何知我姓字！”童子曰：“吾師昨者有言：今日必有皇帝詔命至；使者必是陳孝起。”震曰：“真神仙也！人言信不誣矣！”遂與小童同入仙莊，拜見李意，宣天子詔命。李意推老不行。震曰：“天子急欲見仙翁一面，幸勿吝鶴駕。”

Only after he had been earnestly entreated again and again did Li Yi set out. He came straight to the imperial camp and went in to see the First Ruler. The First Ruler saw that Li Yi had crane-white hair and a child’s complexion, green eyes with square pupils that shone brightly, and a body like an ancient cypress. Knowing him to be an extraordinary man, he treated him with great courtesy. Li Yi said, “I am an old villager from the wild hills, without learning or knowledge. Your Majesty has done me the honour of summoning me; what instruction may you have for me?” The First Ruler said, “My two brothers Guan and Zhang and I were sworn friends in life and death for more than thirty years.

再三敦請，李意方行。即至御營，入見先主。先主見李意鶴髮童顏，碧眼方瞳，灼灼有光，身如古柏之狀，知是異人，優禮相待。李意曰：“老夫乃荒山村叟，無學無識。辱陛下宣召，不知有何見諭？”先主曰：“朕與關、張二弟生死之交，三十餘年矣。

Now my two brothers have been murdered, and I am leading a great army in person to avenge them, but I do not know whether fortune or misfortune awaits me. I have long heard that you, venerable immortal, understand the mysteries of Heaven. I beg you to instruct me.” Li Yi said, “This is the decree of Heaven; it is not for an old man like me to know.” When the First Ruler asked again and again, Li Yi called for paper and brush and drew more than forty sheets of soldiers, horses and weapons, and as soon as he had finished he tore them up one by one. Then he drew a large man lying on his back on the ground, with a man beside him digging earth to bury him, and above it he wrote one large character: “White” (bai). Then he bowed his head to the ground and departed.

今二弟被害，親統大軍報仇，未知休咎如何。久聞仙翁通曉玄機，望乞賜教。”李意曰：“此乃天數，非老夫所知也。”先主再三求問，意乃索紙筆畫兵馬器械四十餘張，畫畢便一一扯碎。又畫一大人仰臥於地上，傍邊一人掘土埋之，上寫一大“白”字，遂稽首而去。

The First Ruler was displeased and said to his ministers, “He is a mad old man! He is not to be trusted.” He burned the drawings at once and urged his army forward.

先主不悅，謂羣臣曰：“此狂叟也！不足爲信。”即以火焚之，便催軍前進。

Zhang Bao came in and memorialized, “Wu Ban’s troops have arrived. I beg to be the vanguard.” The First Ruler admired his spirit and at once took the vanguard’s seal and gave it to Zhang Bao. Zhang Bao was just about to hang the seal at his waist when another young officer stepped out boldly and said, “Leave that seal for me!” They looked, and it was Guan Xing. Zhang Bao said, “I have already received the command.” Guan Xing said, “What ability have you, that you dare take on this charge?” Zhang Bao said, “I have practised the martial arts since childhood, and my arrows never miss.”

張苞入奏曰：“吳班軍馬已至。小臣乞爲先鋒。”先主壯其志，即取先鋒印賜張苞。苞方欲掛印，又一少年將奮然出曰：“留下印與我！”視之，乃關興也。苞曰：“我已奉詔矣。”興曰：“汝有何能，敢當此任？”苞曰：“我自幼習學武藝，箭無虛發。”

The First Ruler said, “I should like to see my worthy nephews’ martial skills and judge which is the better.” Zhang Bao had his soldiers set up a flag a hundred paces off, with a red bull’s-eye painted on it. Zhang Bao took up his bow, drew an arrow and shot three arrows in succession, all into the red centre. Everyone applauded. Guan Xing took his bow in hand and said, “What is so remarkable about hitting a red bull’s-eye?” Just as he spoke, a line of wild geese happened to pass overhead. Guan Xing pointed and said, “I will shoot the third of those flying geese.”

先主曰：“朕正要觀賢侄武藝，以定優劣。”苞令軍士於百步之外，立一面旗，旗上畫一紅心。苞拈弓取箭，連射三箭，皆中紅心。衆皆稱善。關興挽弓在手曰：“射中紅心何足爲奇？”正言間，忽值頭上一行雁過。興指曰：“吾射這飛雁第三隻。”

He let fly an arrow, and that very goose fell at the twang of the string. The officials, civil and military, cheered as one. Zhang Bao flew into a rage, leapt onto his horse, and brandishing the eighteen-foot steel-tipped spear his father had wielded, shouted, “Do you dare match your skill against mine?” Guan Xing also mounted, seized the great broadsword handed down in his family, and rode out saying, “So you think only you can use a spear? Do you suppose I cannot use a sword?”

一箭射去，那隻雁應弦而落。文武官僚，齊聲喝采。苞大怒，飛身上馬，手挺父所使丈八點鋼矛，大叫曰：“你敢與我比試武藝否？”興亦上馬，綽家傳大砍刀縱馬而出曰：“偏你能使矛！吾豈不能使刀！”

The two officers were about to clash when the First Ruler shouted, “Enough of this insolence, you two!” Guan Xing and Zhang Bao hurriedly dismounted, threw down their weapons and prostrated themselves to ask pardon. The First Ruler said, “Ever since Zhuo Commandery I have been bound to your fathers in a brotherhood of different surnames, as close as flesh and blood. Now you two also stand to each other as brothers. You ought to be of one heart and join forces to avenge your fathers together. How can you quarrel with each other and lose sight of the great cause?

二將方欲交鋒，先主喝曰：“二子休得無禮！”興、苞二人慌忙下馬，各棄兵器，拜伏請罪。先主曰：“朕自涿郡與卿等之父結異姓之交，親如骨肉；今汝二人亦是昆仲之分，正當同心協力，共報父仇；奈何自相爭競，失其大義！

If you behave like this when your fathers’ deaths are so recent, what will it be like in days to come?” The two bowed again and acknowledged their fault. The First Ruler asked, “Which of you two is the elder?” Zhang Bao said, “I am a year older than Guan Xing.” The First Ruler at once commanded Guan Xing to bow to Zhang Bao as his elder brother. Before the tent the two broke an arrow and swore to protect and rescue each other forever. The First Ruler then issued an edict making Wu Ban vanguard and ordering Zhang Bao and Guan Xing to guard the imperial person. By water and by land they advanced together, ships and horsemen moving side by side, a vast and mighty host sweeping down on the land of Wu.

父喪未遠而猶如此，況日後乎？”二人再拜伏罪。先主問曰：“卿二人誰年長？”苞曰：“臣長關興一歲。”先主即命興拜苞爲兄。二人就帳前折箭爲誓，永相救護。先主下詔使吳班爲先鋒，令張苞、關興護駕。水陸並進，船騎雙行，浩浩蕩蕩，殺奔吳國來。

Meanwhile Fan Jiang and Zhang Da presented Zhang Fei’s head to the Marquis of Wu and told him in detail all that had happened. When Sun Quan had heard them, he took the two men in and said to his officials, “Now Liu Xuande has taken the imperial throne and is leading more than seven hundred thousand picked troops on campaign in person. His strength is very great. What are we to do?” The officials all turned pale and stared at one another. Zhuge Jin came forward and said, “I have long eaten your bread, my lord, and have had no way to repay you. I am willing to risk what life remains to me and go to see the Ruler of Shu, to persuade him by setting out where his gain and harm lie, so that the two states may make peace and together punish Cao Pi for his crimes.”

卻說范疆、張達將張飛首級，投獻吳侯，細告前事。孫權聽罷，收了二人，乃謂百官曰：“今劉玄德即了帝位，統精兵七十餘萬，御駕親征，其勢甚大，如之奈何？”百官盡皆失色，面面相覷。諸葛瑾出曰：“某食君侯之祿久矣，無可報效，願舍殘生，去見蜀主，以利害說之，使兩國相和，共討曹丕之罪。”

Sun Quan was delighted and at once sent Zhuge Jin as his envoy to persuade the First Ruler to call off his campaign.

權大喜，即遣諸葛瑾爲使，來說先主罷兵。

Indeed:
When two states are at war, envoys pass between them;
To end the strife with a word depends on the emissary.
What came of Zhuge Jin’s mission will be told in the next chapter.

正是：兩國相爭通使命，一言解難賴行人。
未知諸葛瑾此去如何，且看下文分解。