“No, no,” said Lu Su, “it is self-destruction to make away with your ablest officer before Cao Cao shall have been destroyed.”
“But Zhuge Liang will certainly help Liu Bei to our disadvantage.”
“Try what his brother Zhuge Jin can do to persuade him. It would be an excellent thing to have these two in our service.”
“Yes, indeed,” replied Zhou Yu.
Next morning at dawn, Zhou Yu went to his camp and took his seat in the council tent. The armed guards took up their stations right and left, and the officers ranged themselves in lines to listen to the orders.
Now Cheng Pu, who was older than Zhou Yu but was made second in command, was very angry at being passed over, so he made a pretense of indisposition and stayed away from this assembly. But he sent his eldest son, Cheng Zi, to represent him.
Zhou Yu addressed the gathering, saying, “The law knows no partiality, and you will all have to attend to your several duties. Cao Cao is now more absolute than ever was Dong Zhuo, and the Emperor is really a prisoner in Xuchang, guarded by the most cruel soldiers. We have a command to destroy Cao Cao, and with your willing help we shall advance. The army must cause no hardship to the people anywhere. Rewards for good service and punishments for faults shall be given impartially.”
Having delivered this charge, Zhou Yu told off Han Dang and Huang Gai as Leaders of the Van, and ordered the ships under his own command to get under way and go to the Three Gorges. They would get orders by and bye. Then he appointed four armies with two leaders over each: the first body was under Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai; the second, Pan Zhang and Ling Tong; the third, Taishi Ci and Lu Meng; the fourth, Lu Xun and Dong Xi. Lu Fan and Zhu Zhi were appointed inspectors, to move from place to place and keep the various units up to their work and acting with due regard to the general plan. Land and marine forces were to move simultaneously. The expedition would soon start.
Having received their orders, each returned to his command and busied himself in preparation. Cheng Zi, the son of Cheng Pu, returned and told his father what arrangements had been made, and Cheng Pu was amazed at Zhou Yu's skill.
Said he, “I have always despised Zhou Yu as a mere student who would never be a general, but this shows that he has a leader's talent. I must support him.”
So Cheng Pu went over to the quarters of the Commander-in-Chief and confessed his fault. He was received kindly and all was over.
Next Zhou Yu sent for Zhuge Jin and said to him, “Evidently your brother is a genius, a man born to be a king's counselor. Why then does he serve Liu Bei? Now that he is here, I wish you to use every effort to persuade him to stay with us. Thus our lord would gain able support and you two brothers would be together, which would be pleasant for you both. I wish you success.”
Zhuge Jin replied, “I am ashamed of the little service I have rendered since I came here, and I can do no other than obey your command to the best of my ability.” Thereupon he went away to his brother, whom he found in the guest-house. The younger brother received him; and when he had reached the inner rooms, Zhuge Liang bowed respectfully and, weeping, told his experiences since they parted and his sorrow at their separation.
Then Zhuge Jin, weeping also, said, “Brother, do you remember the story of Bo Yi and Shu Qi, the brothers who would not be separated?”
“Ah, Zhou Yu has sent him to talk me over,” thought Zhuge Liang. So he replied, “They were two of the noble people of old days; yes, I know.”
“Those two, although they perished of hunger near the Shouyang Hills, yet never separated. You and I, born of the same mother and suckled at the same breast, yet serve different masters and never meet. Are you not ashamed when you think of such examples as Bo Yi and Shu Qi?”
Zhuge Liang replied, “You are talking now of love, but what I stand for is duty. We are both men of Han, and Liu Bei is of the family. If you, Brother, could leave the South Land and join me in serving the rightful branch, then on the one side we should be honored as Ministers of Han, and on the other we should be together as people of the same flesh and blood should be. Thus love and duty would both receive their proper meed. What do you think of it, my brother?”
“I came to persuade him and lo! It is I who is being talked over,” thought Zhuge Jin.
He had no fitting reply to make, so he rose and took his leave. Returning to Zhou Yu, he related the story of the interview.
“What do you think?” asked Zhou Yu.
“General Sun Quan has treated me with great kindness, and I could not turn my back on him,” replied Zhuge Jin.
“Since you decide to remain loyal, there is no need to say much; I think I have a plan to win over your brother.”
