Huang Zhong and Wei Yan made no objection, but set themselves to guard the Pass most vigilantly, while a letter was written to Zhuge Liang and sent by the hand of Guan Ping. He set forth at once, and Liu Bei gave himself up to holding the Pass.
In Jingzhou, it was the seventh day of the seventh moon, and in the evening Zhuge Liang invited his officers to a banquet. Conversation turned toward the enterprise in the Western Land of Rivers. Suddenly a large and brilliant meteor appeared falling in the west, illuminating the whole sky. It so disturbed the host that he dashed his wine cup to the ground, covered his face, and burst into tears.
“Alas! Alas!”
The guests eagerly asked him why he wept.
Zhuge Liang replied, “I knew by my calculations that the bowl of the Dipper would be in the west at this season and that the auspices would be unfavorable to leaders of armies, and lo! the Heavens have gone against our army. When Venus was about to stand over Luocheng, I wrote to our lord warning him to be very cautious. I never contemplated the falling of the star this evening. Now Pang Tong is no more.”
Again he fell to weeping. “My lord has lost an arm!” moaned he.
The guests were rather disturbed, but they only half believed that such a misfortune had happened.
“We shall hear the sad news in a very few days,” said Zhuge Liang.
The banquet ended sadly enough, and the guests went their ways. A few days later, while Zhuge Liang was sitting with Guan Yu and a few others, they reported the arrival of Guan Ping with letters from the west. When the letters were opened, they knew that Pang Tong had fallen the same evening that the meteor had appeared.
Zhuge Liang wailed and the others wept with him.
Then Zhuge Liang said, “I must go to help our lord; he is hemmed in at the Pass and cannot move.”
“If you go away, who will guard this region?” asked Guan Yu. “It is of very great importance.”
“Our lord has not written plainly, but I know what was in his mind.” Then he showed the letter to the others and said, “Provision for the defense of this region is laid upon me, and I am to find one equal to the task. I read the letter to mean that he desires Guan Yu to undertake the defense, and I know that Guan Yu will do it for the sake of the pledge taken long ago in the Peach Garden. The task is no light one.”
Guan Yu accepted without hesitation or thought of excuse. A special banquet was prepared at which the seal was to be handed over to him.
“All the future rests with you, General,” said Zhuge Liang as he raised the symbol of office to place it in the hands of the commander.
“When a person of honor accepts such a task, he is only released by death,” replied Guan Yu.
But that ill-omened word “death” displeased Zhuge Liang, and even then he would have retracted but that Guan Yu's word had gone forth. Zhuge Liang went on.
“Now if Cao Cao attack what is to be done?” said Zhuge Liang.
“Repel him with all my strength.”
“But if Cao Cao and Sun Quan attack you together, what then?”
“Fight both; half my force against each.”
Zhuge Liang said, “In that case, Jingzhou would be in danger. I will give you my advice in a few words, and if you remember them the region is safe.”
“What are these few words?” asked Guan Yu.
“North, fight Cao Cao; south, ally with Sun Quan.”
“These words, O Commander, are engraved on my heart.”
Thereupon the seal was placed in his hands. Zhuge Liang also appointed tried and worthy people to assist the new commander. Guan Yu's civil staff included Ma Liang, Mi Zhu, Yi Ji, and Xiang Lang; and on military side, he was assisted by Mi Fang, Liao Hua, Guan Ping, and Zhou Cang.
This done, Zhuge Liang began to prepare for his departure. Zhang Fei, with ten thousand troops, was sent to fight his way into the country west of Bazhou and Luocheng, and he was to go with all speed. The earlier he got through, the greater merit would be his. Zhao Yun was to lead a force up the Great River and make a junction at Luocheng. Zhuge Liang, with his own body of fifteen thousand troops, would follow.
Among those who followed Zhuge Liang was one Jiang Wan, a noted scholar from Lingling. Jiang Wan went as Secretary.
Zhuge Liang and Zhang Fei set out the same day.
Just before leaving, the Directing Instructor said to Zhang Fei, “Do not think lightly of the soldiers of Yiazhou, for there are many mighty warriors among them. On the march restrain your soldiers from plunder and license lest the ordinary people be against us. Wherever you halt, be compassionate and kindly and do not give way to anger and flog your soldiers. I shall expect you to reach Luocheng very soon.”
Zhang Fei joyously mounted and left. He marched rapidly, and on the way all places that surrendered suffered nothing whatever.
