Shedding Tears, Zhuge Liang Puts Ma Su To Death;
Cutting Hair, Zhou Fang Beguiles Cao Xiu.

The proposer of the great plan that was to conquer the empire was the Chair of the Secretariat, named Sun Zu.

"Noble Sir, expound your excellent scheme," said the Ruler of Wei.

And Sun Zu said, "When your great progenitor, Emperor Cao, first got Zhang Lu, he was at a critical stage in his career, but thenceforward all went well. He used to say the land of Nanzheng is really a natural hell. In the Xie Valley there are one hundred fifty miles of rocks and caves, so that it is an impossible country for an army. If Wei be denuded of soldiers in order to conquer Shu, then for sure we shall be invaded by Wu on the east. My advice is to divide the army among the various generals and appoint each a place of strategic value to hold, and let them train their forces. In a few years the Middle Land will be prosperous and wealthy, while the other two Shu and Wu, will have been reduced by mutual quarrels and will fall an easy prey. I hope Your Majesty will consider whether this is not a superior plan."

"What does the General think?" said Cao Rui to Sima Yi.

He replied, "Chairman Sun Zu says well."

So Cao Rui bade Sima Yi draw up a scheme of defense and station the soldiers, leaving Guo Huai and Zhang He to guard Changan. And having rewarded the army, the Ruler of Wei returned to Luoyang.

When Zhuge Liang got back to Hanzhong and missed Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi, the only two generals who had not arrived, he was sad at heart and bade Guan Xing and Zhang Bao go back to afford them assistance. However, before the reinforcing parties could leave, the missing men arrived. Furthermore, they came with their army in excellent condition and not a man short, nor a horse nor any of their equipment.

As they drew near, Zhuge Liang went out of the city to welcome them.

Thereupon Zhao Yun hastily dismounted and bowed to the earth, saying, "The Prime Minister should not have come forth to welcome a defeated general."

But Zhuge Liang lifted him up and took his hand and said, "Mine was the fault. Mine were the ignorance and unwisdom that caused all this. But how is it that amid all the defeat and loss you have come through unscathed?"

And Deng Zhi replied, "It was because friend Zhao Yun sent me ahead, while he guarded the rear and warded off every attack. One leader he slew, and this frightened the others. Thus nothing was lost or left by the way."

"A really great general!" said Zhuge Liang.

He sent Zhao Yun a gift of fifty ounces of gold, and to his army ten thousand rolls of silk.

But these were returned as Zhao Yun said, "All armies have accomplished nothing, and that is also our fault. The rules for reward and punishment must be strictly kept. I pray that these things be kept in store till the winter, when they can be distributed among the army."

"When the First Ruler lived, he never tired of extolling Zhao Yun's virtues. The First Ruler was perfectly right," said Zhuge Liang.

And his respect for the veteran was doubled.

Then came the turn of the four unfortunate leaders Ma Su, Wang Ping, Wei Yan, and Gao Xiang to render account. Wang Ping was called to the Commander-in-Chief's tent and rebuked.

"I ordered you and Ma Su to guard Jieting. Why did you not remonstrate with him and prevent this great loss?"

"I did remonstrate many times. I wished to build a rampart down in the road and construct a solid camp, but the Counselor would not agree and showed ill temper. So I led five thousand troops and camped some three miles off. When the army of Wei came in crowds and surrounded my colleague, I led my army to attack them a score of times. But I could not penetrate, and the catastrophe came quickly. Many of our troops surrendered, and mine were too few to stand. Wherefore I went to friend Wei Yan for help. Then we were intercepted and imprisoned in a valley and only got out by fighting most desperately. We got back to my camp to find the enemy in possession, and so we set out for Liliu. On the road I met Gao Xiang, and we three tried to raid the enemy's camp, hoping to recover Jieting. But as there was no one soldier there, I grew suspicious. From a hill I saw Wei Yan and Gao Xiang had been hemmed in by the soldiers of Wei, so I went to rescue them. Thence we hastened to Yangping Pass to try to prevent that from falling. It was not that I failed to remonstrate. And you, O Prime Minister, can get confirmation of my words from any of the officers."

Zhuge Liang bade him retire, and sent for Ma Su. He came, bound himself, and threw himself on the earth at the tent door.

Zhuge Liang got angry, saying, "You have filled yourself with the study of the books on war ever since you were a boy. You know them thoroughly. I enjoined upon you that Jieting was most important, and you pledged yourself and all your family to do your best in the enterprise. Yet you would not listen to Wang Ping, and thus you caused this misfortune. The army is defeated, generals have been slain and cities and territory lost, all through you. If I do not make you an example and vindicate the law, how shall I maintain a proper state of discipline? You have offended, and you must pay the penalty. After your death the little ones of your family shall be my care, and I will see that they get a monthly allowance. Do not let their fate cause you anxiety."

Zhuge Liang told the executioners to take Ma Su away.

[e] Beginning in the sixty-first year of King Yao's reign, the prosperity of the nation was temporarily disturbed by a thirteen-year flood. It was a terrible disaster, and King Yao was greatly grieved by the sufferings of his people. With some hesitation, the great task of reducing the waters was assigned to Gun, who failed, and for this failure and other crimes, was put to death by Shun, King Yao's son-in-law and co-ruler. Strange as it may seem, Yu, son of Gun, was recommended to the throne by Shun. Later on, Yao would yield the throne to Shun, and Shun to Yu.

Ma Su wept bitterly, saying, "Pity me, O Prime Minister! You have looked upon me as a son; I have looked up to you as a father. I know my fault is worthy of death, but I pray you remember how King Shun employed Yu, after executing Yu's father*. Though I die, I will harbor no resentment down in the depths of the Nine Golden Springs."

Zhuge Liang brushed aside his tears and said, "We have been as brothers, and your children shall be as my own. I know what to do."

They led the doomed man away. Without the main gate, just as they were going to deal the fatal blow, High Counselor Jiang Wan, who had just arrived from Capital Chengdu, was passing in. He bade the executioners wait a while, and he went in and interceded for Ma Su.

[e] Cheng Dechen was a general of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period. Cheng Dechen fought against Duke Wen of Jin and lost (BC 632). .....
[e] Duke Wen of Jin (reigned 636-628 BC) was ruler of the western state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period. He and his successors made Jin a dominant state for nearly 200 years. .....

[e] Sun Zi (aka Sun Wu, Sunzi, Suntzu, Sun-tzu, Sun tzu) the author of the famed treatise The Art of War. A general of Wu in the Spring and Autumn period, Sun Zi made her the mightiest state during his lifetime by defeating Chu and conquering Yue. His treatise the Art of War is still avidly read today by many. .....
 

"Formerly the King of Chu put Minister Cheng Dechen* to death due to a defeat, and his rival Duke Wen of Jin* rejoiced. There is great confusion in the land, and yet you would slay a man of admitted ability. Can you not spare him?"

Zhuge Liang's tears fell, but he said, "Sun Zi* maintains that the one way to obtain success is to make the law supreme. Now confusion and actual war are in every quarter. If the law be not observed, how may rebels be made away with? He must die."

Soon after they bore in the head of Ma Su as proof, and Zhuge Liang wailed bitterly.

"Why do you weep for him now that he has met the just penalty for his fault?" said Jiang Wan.

"I was not weeping then because of Ma Su, but because I remembered the words of the First Ruler. At his last moment in Baidicheng, he said: 'Ma Su's words exceed his deeds. Do not make much use of him.' It has come true, and I greatly regret my want of insight. That is why I weep."

Every officer wept. Ma Su was but thirty-nine, and he met his end in the fifth month of the sixth year of Beginning Prosperity (AS 228).

A poet wrote about him thus:

 [hip, hip, hip]
That was pitiful that he who talked so glib
Of war, should lose a city, fault most grave,
With death as expiation. At the gate
He paid stern law's extremest penalty.
Deep grieved, his chief recalled the late Prince's words.
[yip, yip, yip]
 

The head of Ma Su was paraded round the camps. Then it was sewn again to the body and buried with it. Zhuge Liang conducted the sacrifices for the dead and read the oration. A monthly allowance was made for the family, and they were consoled as much as possible.

Next Zhuge Liang made his memorial to the Throne and bade Jiang Wan bear it to the Latter Ruler. Therein Zhuge Liang proposed his own degradation from his high office.

"Naturally a man of mediocre abilities, I have enjoyed your confidence undeservedly. Having led out an expedition, I have proved my inability to perform the high office of leader. Over solicitude was my undoing. Hence happened disobedience at Jieting and the failure to guard the Gu Valley. The fault is mine in that I erred in the use of officers. In my anxiety I was too secretive. The 'Spring and Autumn' philosophy has pronounced the commander such as I am is blameworthy, and whither may I flee from my fault? I pray that I may be degraded three degrees as punishment. I cannot express my mortification. I humbly await your command."

"Why does the Prime Minister speak thus?" said the Latter Ruler after reading the memorial. "It is but the ordinary fortune of war."

Court Counselor Fei Yi said, "The ruler must enhance the majesty of the law, for without law how can people support him? It is right that the Prime Minister should be degraded in rank."

Thereupon an edict was issued reducing Zhuge Liang to the rank of General of the Right Army, but retaining him in the same position in the direction of state affairs and command of the military forces. Fei Yi was directed to communicate the decision.

Fei Yi bore the edict into Hanzhong and gave it to Zhuge Liang, who bowed to the decree. The envoy thought Zhuge Liang might be mortified, so he ventured to felicitate him in other matters.

"It was a great joy to the people of Shu when you, O Prime Minister, captured the four northwest counties," said he.

"What sort of language is this?" said Zhuge Liang, annoyed. "Success followed by failure is no success. It shames me indeed to hear such a compliment."

"His Majesty will be very pleased to hear of the acquisition of Jiang Wei."

This remark also angered Zhuge Liang, who replied, "It is my fault that a defeated army has returned without any gain of territory. What injury to Wei was the loss of Jiang Wei?"

Fei Yi tried again, saying, "But with an army of one hundred thousand bold veterans, you can attack Wei again."

Said Zhuge Liang, "When we were at Qishan and Gu Valley, we outnumbered the enemy, but we could not conquer them. On the contrary, they beat us. The defect was not in the number of soldiers, but in the leadership. Now we must reduce the army, discover our faults, reflect on our errors, and mend our ways against the future. Unless this is so, what is the use of a numerous army? Hereafter everyone will have to look to the future of his country. But most diligently each of you must fight against my shortcomings and blame my inefficiencies. Then we may succeed, rebellion can be exterminated, and merit can be set up."

Fei Yi and the officers acknowledged the aptness of these remarks. Fei Yi went back to the capital, leaving Zhuge Liang in Hanzhong resting his soldiers and doing what he could for the people, training and heartening his troops and turning special attention to the construction of apparatus for assaults on cities and crossing rivers. He also collected grain and fodder and built battle rafts, all for future use.

The spies of Wei got to know of these doings in the River Lands and reported to Luoyang. The Ruler of Wei called Sima Yi to council and asked how Shu might be annexed.

"Shu cannot be attacked," was the reply. "In this present hot weather they will not come out, but, if we invade, they will only garrison and defend their strategic points, which we should find it hard to overcome."

"What shall we do if they invade us again?"

"I have prepared for that. Just now Zhuge Liang shall imitate Han Xin who secretly crossed the river into Che............