Sun Quan Submits To Wei, Receiving The Nine Dignities;
The First Ruler Attacks Wu, Rewarding Six Armies.

In the eighth month of the first year of Manifest Might (AD 221) the First Ruler marched at the head of his army and camped at Baidicheng (City of the White Emperor), through the Kui Pass. His advanced guard had gone beyond the River Lands when his attendants told him that Zhuge Jin had come as a messenger from Wu. He told them not to admit Zhuge Jin.

But Huang Quan said, "His brother being your Prime Minister, Zhuge Jin is certainly come on some important mission. Your Majesty ought to see him and hear what he says. If his proposals are admissible, then agree; if not, he can be made use of to take knowledge of your intentions to Sun Quan and let Sun Quan know that you intend to punish his crime."

Then the First Ruler gave way, and the messenger was brought in. He bowed down to the earth.

"Zhuge Jin, you have come a long journey. What is its object?" said the First Ruler.

"My brother has long served Your Majesty; I have come at the risk of my life to discuss Jingzhou affairs. When Guan Yu was at Jingzhou, my master repeatedly sought to ally the two families by marriage, but was refused. When Guan Yu attacked Xiangyang, Cao Cao wrote again and again urging my master to attack Jingzhou. But the Marquis was unwilling, and it was the enmity between your brother and Lu Meng that led to the attack and the unfortunate success.

"My master is now very sorry for it, but it was Lu Meng's doing. However, Lu Meng is now dead, and his enmity has died with him. Moreover, Lady Sun is always thinking over returning to you. My master now proposes to send back the lady, to bind and hand over to you those officers who surrendered, and to restore Jingzhou. If the two houses swear perpetual amity, then we may join forces against Cao Pi and punish his usurpation."

To this harangue the First Ruler only replied, "You of East Wu killed my brother. Yet you dare come with your artful talk!"

Zhuge Jin said, "I only wish to discuss the relative importance of the issues. Your Majesty is an Imperial Uncle, and Cao Pi has seized the throne of your House. Yet you do not think of destroying the usurper, but on the other hand you disregard the most honorable position in the world for the sake of a so-called brother, a connection of another name. Surely this is rejecting the chief for the subordinate, the main issue for a detail.

"The Middle Land is the biggest part of the empire, and the two capitals, Luoyang and Changan, are both famous as places whence the two, one the Founder, the other the Restorer, of the Hans, initiated their mighty task. Your Majesty takes no thought of these, but would dispute over Jingzhou. In other words, the important is abandoned for the worthless.

"All the world knows of your assumption of the dignity of Emperor and that you will assuredly restore the Hans and rescue their territory. Only now you do not try to deal with Wei, you only desire to attack Wu. I venture to think you have made a bad choice."

All this argument only added fuel to the fire.

"The slayer of my brother shall not live in the same world as I. You ask me not to fight. I will cease when I have slain your master. Were it not for the sake of your brother, I would behead you at once. As it is, you may go; and you may tell your master to cleanse his neck ready for the blade of the executioner."

Zhuge Jin saw that the position was hopeless and took his leave to return to the South Land.

But while Zhuge Jin had been absent, Zhang Zhao said to Sun Quan, "Zhuge Jin knows something of the strength of the Shu armies, and he made this mission an excuse to get out of danger. He will not return."

The Marquis replied, "He and I are sworn friends---friends to the death. I shall not wrong him, nor will he betray me. When he was at Chaisang and Zhuge Liang came to our country, I wanted my friend Zhuge Jin to persuade his brother to remain with me. His reply was that his brother would not remain any more than he himself would go: Each would be faithful to his salt. That was quite clear enough. How could he desert me after that? Our friendship has something of the divine in it, and no talk from outside can sow dissension between us."

Even as Sun Quan spoke, the servants told him that Zhuge Jin had returned.

"What do you think now?" said Sun Quan.

Zhang Zhao retired overwhelmed with shame. The luckless messenger unfolded his tale of failure.

"Then the South Land is in great danger," said Sun Quan, as he heard the story.

But a certain man here interposed, saying, "I have a way out of the difficulty."

He was Counselor Zhao Zi.

"What good scheme do you propose, friend Zhao Zi?" said Sun Quan.

"Let my lord draw up a document, which I will take to Cao Pi in Wei, making a full statement of the case, and get him to attack Hanzhong and so draw off the danger from our land."

"Though the suggestion is good, yet shall we not lose something of our dignity by that?" said Sun Quan.

"If there is any such thing, I will simply jump into the river---I could not look the South Land's people in the face again."

Sun Quan was satisfied and composed the memorial, styling himself "Minister". Therein Zhao Zi was duly appointed messenger. He took the document and soon reached Capital Xuchang, where he first sought out the High Minister Jia Xu, and then saw the others.

Next day, Jia Xu stood forth one day at court and said, "East Wu has sent a high officer, Zhao Zi, with a memorial."

"Because he wants the armies of Shu driven off," said Cao Pi, smiling.

But he summoned Zhao Zi, who, having prostrated himself in the outer court, handed in his memorial.

After reading it, Cao Pi said, "What sort of an over-lord is the Marquis?"

"Intelligent, clear-sighted, wise, brave, and perspicacious," was the reply.

Cao Pi laughed, "Your praise is none too enthusiastic."

"I do not wish to overstate," replied Zhao Zi, "but my master has shown various qualities at different times. He made use of Lu Su among the officials of high ranks, which shows his intelligence. He chose Lu Meng as leader of all armies, which showed his clear-sightedness. He captured Yu Jin but did not hurt him, which shows his kindliness. He took Jingzhou without slaughter, which shows his wisdom. He maintains the Three Rivers so as to command the respect of the empire, which shows his boldness. Lastly, he bows before Your Majesty, which shows his perspicacity. You see now that my epithets are justifiable."

"Is he at all learned?"

"Sire, remember he commands a large fleet of ten thousand battleships and a huge army of million armored soldiers. He endeavors to find wise and capable people to help him, and his mind is full of plans and projects. When he has a little leisure, he reads the histories and the annals, for the sake of the general lessons to be learned therefrom. He is no dryasdust pedant seeking remarkable passages and culling model sentences."

"Do you think I could overcome Wu?"

"If a large state has military force to attack, a small one has also preparations for defense."

"Does Wu fear Wei?" asked Cao Pi.

"How can you think so, considering our army of million armored soldiers and the defensive moats we have in the River Han and the Great River?"

"How many such persons as high minister does Wu possess?"

"Nearly a hundred intelligent and specially qualified ministers like your servants; of my sort of ordinary knowledge there are too many to reckon up."

Cao Pi sighed, saying, "The book says 'Going on mission without losing the dignity of the master.' That is the sort of man you are!"

Thereupon he issued the mandate ordering Xing Zhen, Minister of Ceremonies and Sacrifices, to be his ambassador to Wu, bearing for Sun Quan the title of "Prince of Wu" and allowing him to use the "Nine Signs of Honors".

But when the messenger had gone out of the city, Liu Ye went to remonstrate, saying, "Sun Quan has done this for fear of the armies of Shu. In my opinion, if Shu and Wu fight, heaven will make an end of one country. If you will send an army across the Great River to attack, and Shu attack at the same time from the west, Wu as a state will disappear. If Wu goes, then Shu will be left alone and can be dealt with when you will."

"But I cannot attack Sun Quan now that he has come over to my side. It would prevent anyone else from doing so. No; I will really accept his submission. It is the best course."

Liu Ye said, "After all, though talented, he is but a General of the Flying Cavalry and Lord of Nanzhang of the decadent days of Han. His rank is low and his influence small, yet he still wants to contest the Middle Land. If you promote him to kingly rank, he is only one step below yourself. While doubting the reality of his submission, you give him an exalted rank and increase his influence. Surely this is only giving wings to a tiger."

"Not at all; I am helping neither Wu nor Shu. I am waiting till they are at grips, and if one goes under, there will be only one left to destroy. That will be easy. However, say no more, for I have decided."

Whereupon Xing Zhen was bidden to take the mandate and the Nine Dignities and accompany Zhao Zi to Wu.

Sun Quan assembled his officers to discuss how the armies of Shu could be driven off. Then came the news of princely rank conferred by Wei. By the rules of courtesy, the messenger bearing the edict should be met at a great distance from the capital, but Gu Yong was opposed to accepting the rank.

"My lord, you should style yourself 'Supreme Ruler' and 'Lord' of the nine territories. You should not receive any rank from Wei."

"But on one occasion Liu Bang received the princedom of Han (Hanzhong) from Xiang Yu. I have to depend upon circumstances. Why refuse?"

Sun Quan discussed the matter no more, but went out at the head of a great gathering of officers to welcome the messenger.

Xing Zhen, the bearer of the mandate from Wei, on first arrival comported himself haughtily as the representative of a superior country and an imperial ambassador. And when he entered the city, he did not descend from his carriage. Wherefore Zhang Zhao ventured to rebuke him.

"Everyone must obey the rules of courtesy as everyone must respect the laws. You, Sir, are behaving proudly as if there was no such thing as a sword in this country."

Immediately the messenger descended from his chariot and was presented to Sun Quan. Afterwards they went in side by side.

As the cavalcade proceeded, a loud voice was heard in the rear of the two carriages, crying, "Here we are prevented from risking our lives in smashing Wei and swallowing Shu; and our lord receives a title from another man. Are not such things shameful?"

The man was Xu Sheng.

And Xing Zhen sighed, saying, "If all the leaders and ministers of the South Land are like this, the Prince of Wu will not long be content to obey another."

However, the title was accepted. And when he had received the felicitations of his officers, Sun Quan gave orders to collect beautiful works in jade and brilliant pearls, which were sent to Wei as return gifts.

Not long after came tidings of the forces of Shu: "The First Ruler, together with King Shamo Ke of the Mang nations, leads his own army and a large number of tribesmen from the east and south. Furthermore, he is aided by the two Shu generals of Dongxi, Liu Ning and Du Lu, with their cohorts. They advance both by land and by water, a mighty host, of which the shouting shakes the heavens. The naval force has already............