Having slain Ma Teng, Cao Cao decided to set out on his expedition to the south. But then came the disquieting news of the military preparations of Liu Bei, whose objective was said to be the west. This caused him alarm, for, as he said, “The bird's wings will be fully grown if he obtains possession of the Western Land of Rivers.”
Cao Cao recognized the difficulty, but from among his counselors there arose one who said, “I know how to prevent Liu Bei and Sun Quan from helping each other, and both the south and the west will be yours.”
The next chapter will unfold the scheme.
“What is this good plan of yours, friend Chen Qun?” asked Cao Cao of the speaker, who was a civilian in his service.
Chen Qun replied, “Your two principal enemies — Liu Bei and Sun Quan — are now firm allies, close as lips and teeth. But Liu Bei wants the Western Land of Rivers and if you, O Prime Minister, send a mighty host against Sun Quan, Sun Quan must ask help from his friend Liu Bei, who, having his heart set on the west, will refuse it. Sun Quan without this aid cannot stand and will become so weak that the South Land will be yours for the taking, and Jingzhou will follow in a tap of the drum. The west will follow and the whole empire is yours.”
“Those are my thoughts put into words,” replied Cao Cao.
The expeditionary force of three hundred thousand troops set out for the south. Zhang Liao of Hefei was in command of the supply department.
Sun Quan speedily heard of the move and called in his advisers.
At the council Zhang Zhao said, “Let us send to Lu Su to tell him to write at once to Liu Bei that he may help us. They are good friends, and Liu Bei will certainly respond favorably. Beside, since Liu Bei and our lord are now connected by marriage, there is no risk of refusal. With the support of Liu Bei, there is no danger to our country.”
Sun Quan listened to this advice and sent to Lu Su bidding him to ask help from Liu Bei. Accordingly, on receipt of this command, a letter was written to Liu Bei, who after reading it, retained the messenger at the guest-house till Zhuge Liang could arrive from Nanjun. As soon as he arrived, Liu Bei showed him the letter.
The adviser said, “It is not necessary for the South Land's troops to move, nor need we send ours. I can prevent Cao Cao from even daring to look in the southeast direction.”
So Zhuge Liang wrote a reply telling Lu Su:
The letter was given to the messenger, and then Liu Bei asked his adviser, “How could the Instructor hope to roll back the huge army of three hundred thousand troops that Cao Cao is preparing to bring south?”
Zhuge Liang replied, “Cao Cao's chief fear is Xiliang. Now just lately he has slain Ma Teng and his sons as well, and the people of Xiliang are grinding their teeth with rage. Now you must write and ask Ma Chao to march through the pass, and Cao Cao will have no leisure to think of any expedition to the south.”
The letter was written, sent by a trusty hand, and duly delivered. Now Ma Chao was in Xiliang. One night he had a vision. In his dream he saw himself lying out on a snowy plain and many tigers were coming up and biting him. He awoke in a fright and began to wonder what the dream portended. Failing to explain it, he told the dream to his officers. One of them ventured to say the portent was evil. This was General Pang De.
“What is your interpretation?” asked Ma Chao.
“Meeting with tigers on a snowy plain is a very inauspicious subject to dream about. Assuredly our old General is in trouble at the capital.”
And at that moment one entered in hot haste and cast himself on the earth, weeping and crying, “The Uncle and his sons are dead!”
It was Ma Dai, the nephew of Ma Teng. And he told the story of the evil: “Uncle Ma Teng and Huang Kui had planned to assassinate Cao Cao, but the plot had miscarried and become known. Ma Tie fell in the battlefield, Uncle Ma Teng and Ma Xiu were put to death in the market place, and I escaped in disguise.”
Ma Chao fell to the ground and wept bitterly, grinding his teeth with rage at his enemy Cao Cao. They lifted him to his feet and led him away to repose.
Soon after arrived a messenger with a letter from Liu Bei, which read like this:
