“When Liu Biao stopped you on your way home, it was at the instigation of my brother. Now the same two have
planned to fall upon your territories southeast of the Great River, wherefore you should at once strike at Liu Biao. I will capture my brother for you and both resentments will be appeased. You will get Jingzhou, and I shall have Jizhou.”
“I cannot bear Liu Biao,” said Sun Jian as he finished reading this letter. “He certainly did bar my way home, and I may wait many years for my revenge if I let slip this chance.”
He called a council.
“You may not trust Yuan Shu; he is very deceitful,” said Cheng Pu.
“I want revenge on my own part; what care I for his help?” said Sun Jian.
He dispatched Huang Gai to prepare a river fleet, arm and provision them. Big warships were to take horses on board. The force soon set out.
News of these preparations came to Liu Biao, and he hastily summoned his advisers and warriors.
Kuai Liang told him to be free from anxiety, and said, “Put General Huang Zu at the head of the Jiangxia army to make the first attack and you, Sir, support him with the forces from Xiangyang. Let Sun Jian come riding the rivers and straddling the lakes; what strength will he have left after arriving here?”
So Liu Biao bade Huang Zu prepare to march, and a great army was assembled.
Here it may be said that Sun Jian had four sons, all the issue of his wife who was of the Wu family. Their names in order were Sun Ce, Sun Quan, Sun Yi, and Sun Kuang. Sun Jian had a second wife who was the sister of his first wife. And the second wife bore him a son and a daughter, the former called Sun Lang, the latter Sun Ren. Sun Jian had also adopted a son from the Yu family named Sun Shao. And he had a younger brother named Sun Jing.
As Sun Jian was leaving on this expedition, his brother Sun Jing with all his six sons stood in front of Sun Jian's steed and dissuaded him, saying, “Dong Zhuo is the real ruler of the state, for the Emperor is a weakling. The whole country is in rebellion, every one is scrambling for territory. Our area is comparatively peaceful, and it is wrong to begin a war merely for the sake of a little resentment. I pray you, Brother, think before you start.”
Sun Jian replied, “Brother, say no more. I desire to make my strength felt throughout the empire, and shall I not avenge my injuries?”
“Then father, if you must go, let me accompany you,” said the eldest son Sun Ce.
This request was granted, and father and son embarked to go to ravage the city of Fankou.
Now Huang Zu had placed archers and crossbowmen along the river bank. When the ships approached, a flight of arrows met them. Sun Jian ordered his troops to remain under cover in the ships, which then sailed to and fro, drawing the fire for three days. Several times the ships pretended to land, and this drew showers of arrows from the bank. At last the arrows of the defenders were all shot away and Sun Jian, who collected them, found he had many myriads. Then with a fair wind Sun Jian's troops shot them back to the enemy. Those on the bank were thrown into great disorder and retired. The army then landed. Two divisions led by Cheng Pu and Huang Gai set out for Huang Zu's camp along different roads, and between them marched Han Dang. Under this triple attack Huang Zu was worsted. He left Fankou and hastened to Dengcheng.
Leaving the ships under the command of Huang Gai, Sun Jian led the pursuing force. Huang Zu came out of his city and drew up for battle in the open country. When Sun Jian had disposed his army, he rode out to the standard. Sun Ce, clad in armor, placed himself beside his father.
Huang Zu rode out with two generals — Zhang Hu from Jiangxia and Chen Sheng from Xiangyang. Flourishing his whip, Huang Zu abused his enemy, “You swarm of rebels from Changsha! Why do you invade the land of a scion of the ruling house?”
Zhang Hu challenged to combat, and Han Dang went out to accept. The two champions fought thirty bouts, and then Chen Sheng, seeing his fellow general becoming exhausted, rode to his aid. Sun Jian saw Chen Sheng coming, laid aside his spear, reached for his bow, and shot an arrow wounding Chen Sheng in the face. He fell from his horse. Panic seized upon Zhang Hu at the fall of his comrade, and he could no longer defend himself. Then Han Dang with a slash of his sword clove Zhang Hu's skull in twain.
Both having fallen, Cheng Pu galloped up to make prisoner of Huang Zu, who threw off his helmet, slipped from his steed, and mingled for safety among his troops. Sun Jian led on the attack and drove the enemy to the Han River where he ordered Huang Gai to move the fleet upriver and moor there.
Huang Zu led his defeated troops back and told Liu Biao, saying, “Sun Jian was too strong for my army.”
Kuai Liang was called in to advise and he said, “Our newly defeated soldiers have no heart for fighting now. Therefore we must fortify our position, while we seek help from Yuan Shao. Then we can extricate ourselves.”
“A stupid move,” said Cai Mao. “The enemy is at the city gates; shall we fold our hands and wait to be slain? Give me troops and I will go out and fight to the finish.”
So Cai Mao was placed in command of ten thousand troops and went out to the Xian Hills where he drew up his battle line. Sun Jian led the invaders, now flushed with success. When Cai Mao approached, Sun Jian looked at him and said, “He is brother-in-law to Liu Biao; who will capture him?”
Cheng Pu set his iron-spined lance and rode out. After a few bouts Cai Mao turned and fled. Sun Jian's army rode in and slaughtered till corpses filled the countryside, and Cai Mao took refuge in Xiangyang.
Kuai Liang said, “Cai Mao ought to be put to death by military law. This defeat was due to his obstinacy.”
But Liu Biao was unwilling to punish the brother of his newly wedded wife.
Sun Jian surrounded Xiangyang and assailed the walls daily. One day a fierce gale sprang up and the pole bearing his standard was broken.
“Very inauspicious!” said Han Dang. “We ought to go back.”
Sun Jian said, “I have won every battle and the city is on the point of falling. Shall I return because the wind breaks a flagstaff?”
He flouted the advice and attacked the walls still more vigorously.
Within the city the defenders had seen an omen. Kuai Liang told Liu Biao, “Last night I saw that a great star fall into the sky corresponding to Sun Jian's territory. I calculated that it inferred the fall of Sun Jian.”
Then Kuai Liang advised Liu Biao to seek help from Yuan Shao as quickly as possible.
So Liu Biao wrote. Then he asked who would undertake to fight his way through the blockade with the letter. One Lu Gong, a warrior of great strength, offered himself for this service.
Kuai Liang said, “If you undertake this service, listen to my advice. You will have five hundred soldiers; choose good bowmen. Dash through the enemy's formation and make for Xian Hills. You will be pursued; but send a hundred soldiers up the hill to prepare large stones, and place a hundred archers in ambush in the woods. These are not to flee from the pursuers but to beguile them along devious ways round to the place where the boulders have been prepared. There stones will be rolled down and arrows shot. If you succeed, fire off a series of bombs as a signal, and the armies in the city will come out to help. If you are not pursued, get away as fast as possible. Tonight will be suitable as there is very little moon. Start at dusk.”
Lu Gong having received these directions, prepared his force to carry them out. As soon as day began to close in, he went quietly out at the east gate. Sun Jian was in his tent when he heard shouting and a soldier came to report: “There was a group of horsemen going out from the city.”