“I have three schemes ready in my mind. You may choose which pleases you.”
“What are your three schemes?”
“The first, and best, is to send an army forthwith and seize Chengdu. The second is to capture and put to death the two generals of the River Fu Pass. They are the two most famous fighting men in this land. If you give out that you are returning to Jingzhou, they will assuredly come to say farewell. Seize and put them to death, and the Pass and Fucheng are both yours. Chengdu will follow soon. The third plan is to drop this role you have been playing, go back to Jingzhou and make a regular invasion. But if you ponder these schemes too long, you will get into such straits that nothing can save you.”
Liu Bei replied, “Of your three schemes, O Instructor, I find the first too summary and the last too slow. I choose the second scheme, which is neither.”
So a letter was written to Liu Zhang saying that Cao Cao was sending an army against Qingni; the generals there were unequal to the defense, and Liu Bei had to go to help. As the matter was pressing, there could be no personal leave-taking.
“I knew that the real desire of Liu Bei was to return to Jingzhou,” said Zhang Song, when he heard of the letter to Liu Zhang.
Zhang Song then also composed a letter to Liu Bei. While he was looking about for a trusty person to take it, his brother Zhang Su, who was the Governor of Guanghan, came to see him. Zhang Song hid the letter in his sleeve while he talked with his brother. Zhang Su noticed his anxious inquietude, which he could not explain. Wine was brought in and, as the two brothers chatted over it, the letter dropped to the floor unnoticed by Zhang Song. One of Zhang Su's servants saw it, picked it up, and gave it to his master, who opened and read it.
This is about how it ran:
“This plot of my brother's will end in the destruction of the whole family,” said Zhang Su. “I must get in the first word.”
So at once he went in and laid the whole matter before the Imperial Protector.
“I have always treated your brother so well!” said Liu Zhang, very angry.
Liu Zhang issued orders to arrest Zhang Song and behead him and all his household in the market place.
Having thus learned of a real conspiracy to deprive him of his heritage, Liu Zhang assembled his officers and asked their advice.
Huang Quan spoke out, saying, “Prompt action is needed. Send to every strategic point telling them to increase the garrisons and keep careful guard and, above all, prevent the entrance of any person from Jingzhou.”
Such orders were sent to all points of vantage where were garrisons.
In the meantime, carrying out Pang Tong's scheme, Liu Bei had marched down to Fucheng, where he halted and sent in a messenger to invite the two generals to come forth and say farewell. But they did not respond at once to this invitation.
“What is the real meaning of this retirement?” said one to the other.
“This Liu Bei ought to die,” said Gao Pei. “Let us hide daggers under our dress and stab him at the place of farewell. That will end all our lord's troubles.”
“A most excellent plan,” said Yang Huai.
So they two, taking only a small escort of two hundred, went down out of the Pass to say goodbye. Most of their forces were left in the camp.
On the way down to River Fu, Pang Tong had said to his master, “You have need to be on your guard against those two if they come to bid you farewell. If they do not come, then the Pass must be attacked without delay.”
Just as he said this, a violent gust of wind overthrew the leading flag of the army, and Liu Bei asked what this portended.
“That means a surprise; those two intend to assassinate you, so be on your guard.”
