The Chinese Machiavelli by Dennis Bloodworth & Ching Ping Bloodworth & Peter Li

Author:Dennis Bloodworth & Ching Ping Bloodworth & Peter Li
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Routledge

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The key that would open the first lock to the empire was the city of Nanchun. It had been the imperial capital of Ch'u during the Warring States era, and fought over for century after century, for it dominated a strategic pass on the Yangtse River, it was the gateway to Shu in the west and to the main cities of Ching to the north. Once Ts'ao Ts'ao was pushed onto the defensive, the immediate object of Lustrous Jade was to take this prize away from him, and he was much put out to find that Liu Pei had also moved troops into the surrounding country. Smoothly assured, however, that they were only there to help him if the need arose, he swore on the spur of the moment that if he could not seize the town himself, they were welcome to it. It was a cheap promise because, as he told a confidant afterward, "I can take it with a flick of my finger anyway."

He then closed in on the city and quickly routed the defending army of Ts'ao Ts'ao that came out to do battle with him. But instead of drawing back through the gates after this reverse, the discomfited enemy fled in disorder, leaving banners flying on the walls but no man in sight. Lustrous Jade therefore abandoned all pursuit and thrust his way into Nanchun itself, only to run into a large-scale ambush, and as the crossbow bolts rained down he took one in the side.

By way of revenge, he now pretended that he had died of the wound, sent glib "deserters" to carry the sad news to the enemy, and so tempted Ts'ao Ts'ao's commanders to attack his demoralized and mourning army. The defenders of Nanchun accordingly sallied out in strength to launch a night assault on his encampment, only to be ambushed in their turn, thrown into disarray, and scattered.

But when the triumphant Lustrous Jade made for the exposed city, he was startled to see fresh flags on the walls, and to find that while his own troops had been battling fiercely with its powerful garrison outside, one of Liu Pei's junior generals had taken Nanchun with no more than "a flick of the finger." Cheated of his objective, the wrathful general at once stormed the ramparts, only to be met with a convincingly sharp shower of arrows that persuaded him to retire and take counsel.

He was still taking counsel when the news arrived that Chuko Liang, using a military seal of Ts'ao Ts'ao captured in the much-contested city, had forged orders which had induced the subordinate enemy garrisons holding the other vital centers of Hsiangyang and Nanyang in North Ching Chou to move out and hasten hotfoot to the relief of their comrades-in-arms at Nanchun. Liu Pei's commanders, waiting in the wings, had then occupied these defenseless towns without undue trouble.

With one masterstroke the Sleeping Dragon had gained at no cost three cities that gave him control of Ching Chou and access to Shu, having left Lustrous Jade to do all the fighting while he took all the fruits.

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