Lu Su, carrying out Zhou Yu's instructions, went straight to the river to visit Zhuge Liang on his boat. Zhuge Liang welcomed him aboard, and they sat facing each other. "I've been so busy with military preparations these past days," said Lu Su, "that I've neglected to seek your instruction."
"And I," replied Zhuge Liang, "have not yet congratulated the Commander-in-Chief."
"On what?" asked Lu Su, puzzled.
"On the very matter that brought you here today," said Zhuge Liang with a knowing smile. "The Commander sent you to find out whether I knew or not. That is precisely the cause for congratulations."
Lu Su's face went pale. "How could you possibly know, Master?" he whispered.
"That plan of his," Zhuge Liang explained calmly, "was only good enough to fool Jiang Gan. Cao Cao may have been momentarily deceived, but he will soon realize the truth—he simply refuses to admit his mistake. Now that Cai Mao and Zhang Yun are dead, Jiangdong has nothing to fear. How could I not congratulate you? I hear that Cao Cao has replaced them with Mao Jie and Yu Jin as commanders of his navy. Those two will surely manage to destroy their own fleet."
Lu Su was speechless. He stammered out a few irrelevant words before taking his leave. As he departed, Zhuge Liang cautioned him: "I beg you, Zijing, do not tell Zhou Yu that I knew of this beforehand. He is a jealous man and will find some excuse to harm me."
Lu Su promised to keep silent, but when he returned to Zhou Yu, he found himself unable to lie and told him everything. Zhou Yu was stunned. "This man cannot be allowed to live!" he exclaimed. "I am determined to kill him!"
"If you kill Zhuge Liang," Lu Su argued, "Cao Cao will laugh at us."
"I will kill him openly and justly," said Zhou Yu, "so that he dies without complaint."
"And how will you do that?" asked Lu Su.
"Ask me no more questions, Zijing. You will see tomorrow."
The next day, Zhou Yu assembled all his officers in his tent and sent for Zhuge Liang to discuss military affairs. Zhuge Liang arrived cheerfully. Once seated, Zhou Yu asked him: "We will soon be engaging Cao Cao's forces on the river. In naval combat, what weapon is most essential?"
"On a great river," replied Zhuge Liang, "bows and arrows are paramount."
"Your words," said Zhou Yu, "match my own thoughts exactly. But we are currently short of arrows. I would trouble you, Master, to oversee the production of one hundred thousand arrows for our defense. This is an official matter—I trust you will not refuse."
"Since the Commander has entrusted me with this task," said Zhuge Liang, "I shall do my utmost. But may I ask: by when do you need these arrows?"
"Can you complete them in ten days?" asked Zhou Yu.
"Cao Cao's army will be here any day now," replied Zhuge Liang. "If we wait ten days, we will miss the opportunity."
"How many days do you think you need?" asked Zhou Yu.
"Three days will be sufficient," said Zhuge Liang calmly. "I will deliver one hundred thousand arrows within that time."
"There is no room for jest in military affairs," warned Zhou Yu.
"Would I dare jest with the Commander?" replied Zhuge Liang. "I am willing to sign a military pledge: if I fail to deliver in three days, I will accept the harshest punishment."
Zhou Yu was delighted. He called for the military secretary to draw up the document on the spot, then offered Zhuge Liang wine. "When this is done," he said, "you will be richly rewarded."
"It is too late to begin today," said Zhuge Liang. "I will start tomorrow. On the third day, send five hundred soldiers to the riverbank to collect the arrows." After a few cups of wine, he took his leave.
Lu Su turned to Zhou Yu. "Surely this is a bluff," he said.
"He is walking to his own death," replied Zhou Yu with a cold smile. "I did not force him. He gave his word before all the officers and signed the document. Even if he grew wings, he could not escape. I have already instructed the craftsmen to delay him deliberately and to withhold all necessary materials. He will surely miss the deadline. Then I can punish him with perfect justification. Go now and see what he is up to, then report back to me."
Lu Su went to see Zhuge Liang. "I warned you not to tell Zhou Yu," Zhuge Liang said to him, "but you did not keep my secret. Now he has found a way to entrap me. How can I possibly make one hundred thousand arrows in three days? You must help me, Zijing!"
"You brought this on yourself," said Lu Su. "How can I save you?"
"Lend me twenty boats," said Zhuge Liang. "Each boat should carry thirty men. Cover the boats with blue cloth awnings and place a thousand straw bundles on each side, evenly distributed. I have a plan. I guarantee that within three days I will have one hundred thousand arrows. But you must not tell Zhou Yu—if he finds out, my plan will fail."
Lu Su agreed, though he did not understand the purpose. When he reported back to Zhou Yu, he said nothing about the boats, only that Zhuge Liang had not requested any bamboo, feathers, glue, or other arrow-making materials. "He seems to have his own method," Lu Su said vaguely.
Zhou Yu was deeply suspicious. "Let us see how he answers me in three days," he muttered.
Lu Su secretly prepared twenty swift boats, each with thirty men, along with the awnings and straw bundles as Zhuge Liang had requested. Everything was ready, awaiting Zhuge Liang's orders. On the first day, Zhuge Liang did nothing. On the second day, he remained idle. On the third day, in the fourth watch of the night, Zhuge Liang secretly summoned Lu Su to his boat.
"Why have you called me here?" asked Lu Su.
"I invite you to come with me to collect the arrows," said Zhuge Liang.
"Where are we going to get them?" asked Lu Su.
"Ask no questions," said Zhuge Liang. "You will see when we arrive." He ordered the twenty boats to be linked together with long ropes and sailed straight toward the northern shore.
That night, a thick fog blanketed the heavens. On the Yangtze River, the fog was especially dense—so thick that one could not see the person standing across from them. Zhuge Liang urged the boats forward.
Truly, it was an extraordinary fog. A poet of the time described it in these words:
Great is the Yangtze River! It flows from the Min and Bo Mountains in the west, controls the three Wu regions in the south, and draws from the nine rivers in the north. It gathers a hundred streams before emptying into the sea, rolling its waves through ten thousand years of history. Within its depths dwell dragons and sea spirits, river goddesses and water demons—thousand-fathom whales, nine-headed serpents, and all manner of strange and monstrous creatures. This river is the haunt of ghosts and gods, the arena where heroes fight and defend. Now, the forces of yin and yang were thrown into chaos, and the boundary between dawn and darkness became indistinguishable. The sky was a single gray expanse as the great fog gathered on all sides. Even a cartload of firewood could not be seen; only the sound of drums and gongs could be heard. At first, the mist was like a thin veil, hiding the leopards of the southern mountains. Gradually, it swelled and thickened, threatening to swallow the great fish of the northern sea. Then it rose to meet the heavens above and sank to cover the earth below—vast and boundless, stretching to infinity. Whales and leviathans leaped from the water, churning the waves; dragons and serpents hid in the depths, breathing out mist. The fog was like the damp of plum rains, the chill of spring clouds—a vast, silent, endless sea of white. To the east, the shores of Chaisang were lost; to the south, the hills of Xiakou vanished. A thousand war ships lay sunk in the mist like rocks in a canyon; a lone fishing boat appeared and disappeared in the rolling waves. Even the sun itself lost its light, turning day into a dim twilight, changing the crimson hills to green jade. Not even the wisdom of the Great Yu could fathom its depths; not even the sharp eyes of the legendary Li Lou could see a foot ahead. The river god Feng Yi stilled his waves; the wind god Ping Yi ceased his work. Fish and turtles hid; birds and beasts vanished. The mist cut off the Isles of the Blessed and surrounded the gates of heaven itself. It swirled and surged like a coming storm; it gathered and thickened like the clouds of winter. Within it lurked poisonous snakes, bringing plague and disease; it hid evil spirits, bringing calamity and ruin. It brought sickness to the people and stirred up dust storms beyond the borders. Common folk caught in it died young; great men who saw it sighed in sorrow. For truly, it seemed that the world had returned to the primal chaos, and heaven and earth had become one single, formless mass.
By the fifth watch of the night, the boats had drawn near Cao Cao's naval camp. Zhuge Liang ordered the boats to be positioned with their prows facing west and their sterns east, forming a line. Then he ordered the crews to beat their drums and raise a great shout.
Lu Su was terrified. "What if Cao Cao's army comes out to attack us?" he cried.
Zhuge Liang laughed. "I am certain that Cao Cao, in this thick fog, will not dare to venture out. Let us simply drink wine and enjoy ourselves. When the fog clears, we will return."
On Cao Cao's side, Mao Jie and Yu Jin heard the drumming and shouting and rushed to report to Cao Cao. Cao Cao gave his orders: "A heavy fog covers the river, and the enemy has arrived suddenly. There must be an ambush. Do not act rashly. Order the archers on the naval camp to shoot at them with random volleys." He also sent messengers to the land camp to summon Zhang Liao and Xu Huang, each with three thousand archers, to rush to the riverbank and assist. By the time these orders arrived, Mao Jie and Yu Jin, fearing that the southern army might break into their naval camp, had already ordered their archers to shoot from the front of the camp. Soon, the archers from the land camp arrived as well—over ten thousand men in total—and all began shooting at the river. The arrows fell like rain.
Zhuge Liang then ordered the boats to turn around, with their prows facing east and sterns west, and to draw closer to the naval camp to receive the arrows, all the while continuing to beat drums and shout. When the sun rose high and the fog began to clear, Zhuge Liang ordered the boats to turn back quickly. The straw bundles on both sides of the twenty boats were bristling with arrows. Zhuge Liang ordered the soldiers on all the boats to shout in unison: "Thank you for the arrows, Chancellor Cao!" By the time Cao Cao's camp received the news, the boats—light and swift with the current—had already retreated more than twenty li, far beyond pursuit. Cao Cao was filled with bitter regret.
Zhuge Liang turned to Lu Su on the return journey. "Each boat has about five to six thousand arrows," he said. "Without spending a single ounce of Jiangdong's resources, we have gained over one hundred thousand arrows. Tomorrow, we can shoot them back at Cao Cao's army. How convenient!"
"Master," said Lu Su in awe, "you are truly a divine being! How did you know there would be such a thick fog today?"
"A general who does not understand astronomy," replied Zhuge Liang, "who does not know geography, who is ignorant of the mysteries of the cosmos, who cannot read the signs of yin and yang, who does not study battle formations, who is blind to the conditions of the enemy—such a man is a mediocrity. I calculated three days ago that there would be a great fog today. That is why I dared to set a three-day deadline. Zhou Yu gave me ten days but intended to withhold materials and delay the craftsmen, hoping to find an excuse to kill me. But my fate is tied to Heaven. How can Zhou Yu harm me?"
Lu Su bowed in admiration.
When the boats reached the shore, Zhou Yu had already sent five hundred soldiers to wait by the riverbank to collect the arrows. Zhuge Liang had them unload the arrows from the boats—over one hundred thousand in total—and deliver them to the main camp. Lu Su went to see Zhou Yu and told him the entire story of how Zhuge Liang had obtained the arrows. Zhou Yu was astonished and sighed deeply. "Zhuge Liang's divine calculations and marvelous strategies are beyond my reach!" he said. Of this, a later poet wrote:
A thick fog filled the Yangtze River that day, blurring near and far in the vast, watery expanse. Like a sudden storm of locusts, the arrows came to the war ships, and today, Kongming had outwitted Zhou Yu.
Soon after, Zhuge Liang entered the camp to see Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu came down from his tent to greet him, full of praise. "Your divine calculations, Master, command my deepest respect," he said.
"A mere trick," replied Zhuge Liang modestly. "Nothing to boast of."
Zhou Yu invited Zhuge Liang into his tent for a drink. "Yesterday," said Zhou Yu, "my lord sent a messenger urging me to advance. I have yet to devise a brilliant plan. I hope you can instruct me."
"I am but a mediocre talent," said Zhuge Liang. "How could I have a wonderful plan?"
"I observed Cao Cao's naval camp yesterday," said Zhou Yu. "It is extremely well-organized and disciplined—not something to be taken lightly. I have thought of a plan, but I am unsure if it will work. I would like you to help me decide."
"Do not tell me yet," said Zhuge Liang. "Let us each write our plan on our palm and see if they match."
Zhou Yu was delighted. He called for a brush and ink, wrote his plan on his palm, and then gave the brush to Zhuge Liang, who also wrote on his palm. They moved closer together and showed each other their palms. Both burst into laughter. Zhou Yu's palm held the character for "fire"; Zhuge Liang's palm also held the character for "fire."
"Since we both agree," said Zhou Yu, "there is no doubt. Let us be careful not to let this leak out."
"This is a matter of common concern for both our sides," replied Zhuge Liang. "How could I allow it to leak? I believe that although Cao Cao has already suffered from this tactic twice, he will not be prepared for it this time. You may proceed with the plan." After drinking, they parted, and none of the other officers knew what had been discussed.
Cao Cao, meanwhile, was deeply frustrated by the loss of over one hundred fifty thousand arrows for nothing. His advisor Xun You suggested a plan: "Jiangdong has Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang directing their strategies. They will not be easy to defeat. Send someone to Wu to pretend to surrender, acting as a spy within their ranks to relay information. Then we may find a way to overcome them."
"This is exactly what I was thinking," said Cao Cao. "Who among our officers do you think could carry out this plan?"
"Cai Mao was executed," replied Xun You, "and his entire clan is still in our army. Cai Mao's cousins, Cai Zhong and Cai He, are currently serving as deputy commanders. If you treat them kindly and send them to pretend to surrender to Wu, they will not be suspected."
Cao Cao agreed. That night, he secretly summoned the two brothers to his tent and instructed them: "Take a small number of soldiers and go to Wu to pretend to surrender. Report any developments to me secretly. When the task is accomplished, you will be richly rewarded. Do not harbor any disloyal thoughts!"
"Our wives and children are all in Jing Province," the brothers replied. "How could we dare to be disloyal? Do not worry, Chancellor. We will surely bring you the heads of Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang."
Cao Cao rewarded them generously. The next day, the two brothers took five hundred soldiers and several boats, sailing with the wind toward the southern shore.
Zhou Yu was busy planning his advance when word came that boats from the north had arrived at the river mouth, and that Cai Zhong and Cai He, younger cousins of Cai Mao, had come to surrender. Zhou Yu ordered them brought in. The two brothers wept and kowtowed. "Our elder brother was innocent," they said, "yet he was murdered by that traitor Cao Cao. We wish to avenge him and have come to surrender. We beg you to accept us, and we will gladly serve as your vanguard."
Zhou Yu pretended to be overjoyed. He rewarded them handsomely and ordered them to join Gan Ning's forces as the vanguard. The brothers thanked him, believing their deception had succeeded. Zhou Yu secretly summoned Gan Ning and instructed him: "These two did not bring their families. Their surrender is not genuine—they are spies sent by Cao Cao. I intend to turn their scheme against them and use them to send false information to the enemy. Treat them warmly, but keep a close watch on them. On the day we march, we will kill them first as a sacrifice to the banners. Be careful—do not make any mistakes." Gan Ning acknowledged the order and left.
Lu Su came to see Zhou Yu and said, "The surrender of Cai Zhong and Cai He is almost certainly a trick. We should not accept them."
Zhou Yu scolded him harshly: "They came to avenge their brother, whom Cao Cao killed. What trickery is there? If you are so suspicious, how can you tolerate any of the realm's talented men?" Lu Su fell silent and withdrew. He went to tell Zhuge Liang, who smiled but said nothing.
"Why do you smile?" asked Lu Su.
"I am laughing at you for not understanding Zhou Yu's plan," said Zhuge Liang. "The river is wide and deep, making it very difficult for spies to cross. Cao Cao sent Cai Zhong and Cai He to pretend to surrender and gather intelligence. Zhou Yu is turning their scheme against them, using them to send false information back. There is no deception in war—Zhou Yu's plan is sound." Lu Su finally understood.
That night, as Zhou Yu sat in his tent, he saw Huang Gai slip in secretly. "Why have you come in the dead of night, Gongfu?" asked Zhou Yu. "You must have a good plan to offer me."
"The enemy is many; we are few," said Huang Gai. "We cannot afford a prolonged war. Why not use fire to attack them?"
"Who suggested this plan to you?" asked Zhou Yu.
"It came from my own mind," replied Huang Gai. "No one taught me."
"I was just thinking the same thing," said Zhou Yu. "That is why I kept those two false defectors, Cai Zhong and Cai He, to send messages. But I lack someone to carry out a feigned surrender."
"I am willing to do it," said Huang Gai.
"If you do not suffer some hardship," said Zhou Yu, "how will they believe you?"
"I have received great kindness from the Sun family," replied Huang Gai. "Even if I were ground to dust, I would have no regrets."
Zhou Yu bowed to him in gratitude. "If you are willing to carry out this 'bait-and-beat' plan," he said, "it will be the greatest fortune of Jiangdong."
"I would die without complaint," said Huang Gai, and he took his leave.
The next day, Zhou Yu assembled all his officers in his tent with a roll of drums. Zhuge Liang was also present. Zhou Yu announced: "Cao Cao has brought a million men, stretching over three hundred li. We cannot defeat him in a single day. I order each of you to take three months' worth of supplies and prepare for a long defense."
Before he finished, Huang Gai stepped forward and said, "Three months? Even thirty months' worth of supplies would be useless! If we can win this month, we will win; if not, we might as well follow Zhang Zhao's advice, lay down our arms, and surrender to the north!"
Zhou Yu's face turned crimson with rage. "I have received my lord's command to lead the army in destroying Cao Cao," he thundered. "Anyone who dares to speak of surrender again will be executed! Now, when the two armies are facing each other, you dare to say such things and demoralize my troops! If I do not cut off your head, I cannot maintain discipline!" He ordered his guards to take Huang Gai and behead him immediately.
Huang Gai was equally furious. "I have followed the great general Sun Jian since the beginning," he shouted, "and have fought across the southeast through three generations of the Sun family. Who are you to order my death?"
Zhou Yu was livid. He ordered the execution to be carried out at once. Gan Ning stepped forward to plead, "Gongfu is a veteran officer of Wu. I beg you to show mercy."
"How dare you speak out of turn and disrupt my discipline!" Zhou Yu roared, and ordered his guards to beat Gan Ning out of the tent with clubs. All the other officers knelt and begged for Huang Gai's life.
"Huang Gai's crime certainly deserves death," they said, "but executing him now would be bad for the army. We beg you to be lenient and record his crime. After we defeat Cao Cao, you may execute him then."
Zhou Yu's anger did not subside. "If not for your pleas," he said, "I would certainly have him killed! I will spare his life for now!" He ordered his guards: "Strip him and give him one hundred strokes on the back to punish his crime!"
The officers begged again for a lighter sentence. Zhou Yu overturned his table, shouted at them to leave, and ordered the punishment to proceed. Huang Gai was stripped of his clothes, thrown to the ground, and given fifty strokes on the back. The officers again pleaded desperately for mercy. Zhou Yu leaped up and pointed at Huang Gai. "How dare you look down on me!" he cried. "I will spare you the remaining fifty strokes for now! If you are negligent again, both punishments will be applied!" Still muttering curses, he withdrew into his tent.
The officers helped Huang Gai up. His back was torn open, blood streaming from the wounds. They carried him back to his own tent, where he fainted several times. Everyone who saw him wept. Lu Su also went to visit him, then came to Zhuge Liang's boat and said, "Today, Zhou Yu was furious and beat Huang Gai. We are all his subordinates and dared not speak too forcefully. But you are a guest here. Why did you just sit by and watch without saying a single word?"
Zhuge Liang smiled. "Zijing, you are mocking me," he said.
"Since I crossed the river with you," said Lu Su, "I have never deceived you in any way. Why do you say that now?"
"Are you not aware," said Zhuge Liang, "that Zhou Yu's brutal beating of Huang Gai today was all part of his plan? Why would you expect me to plead for him?"
Lu Su suddenly understood. "Without this 'bait-and-beat' plan," Zhuge Liang continued, "how could we deceive Cao Cao? Now Huang Gai will be sent to pretend to surrender, and Cai Zhong and Cai He will be used to report the news. When you see Zhou Yu, do not tell him that I knew of this. Just say that I also criticized him for being too harsh."
Lu Su took his leave and went to see Zhou Yu, who invited him into the back of the tent. "Why did you beat Huang Gai so severely today?" asked Lu Su.
"Are the officers resentful?" asked Zhou Yu.
"Many of them are unhappy," replied Lu Su.
"And what does Zhuge Liang think?" asked Zhou Yu.
"He also criticized you for being too harsh," said Lu Su.
Zhou Yu laughed. "This time, I have fooled even him," he said.
"What do you mean?" asked Lu Su.
"The beating of Huang Gai today was a ruse," said Zhou Yu. "I want him to pretend to surrender. First, I must use this 'bait-and-beat' plan to deceive Cao Cao. Then I will use fire to attack and win the victory."
Lu Su thought to himself how much more perceptive Zhuge Liang was, but he dared not say it aloud.
Meanwhile, Huang Gai lay in his tent, visited by many officers who came to inquire about his condition. He said nothing, only sighed deeply. Suddenly, it was reported that the advisor Kan Ze had come to see him. Huang Gai ordered him to be brought into his private quarters and dismissed his attendants. "General," asked Kan Ze, "do you have a personal grudge against the Commander?"
"No," replied Huang Gai.
"Then," said Kan Ze, "is this beating you received part of a 'bait-and-beat' plan?"
"How do you know?" asked Huang Gai in surprise.
"I have observed Zhou Yu's actions," said Kan Ze, "and I have guessed about eighty to ninety percent of it."
"I have received great kindness from the Sun family for three generations," said Huang Gai, "and I have no way to repay it. That is why I proposed this plan to defeat Cao Cao. Though I suffer, I have no regrets. I have looked through the entire army and found no one I could trust with my heart. You alone have always been loyal and righteous, so I dare to confide in you."
"You have told me this," said Kan Ze, "because you want me to deliver the false surrender letter."
"That is exactly what I intend," said Huang Gai. "Would you be willing?"
Kan Ze gladly agreed. Truly, it was as the saying goes:
A brave general risks his life to repay his lord; a wise counselor serves his country with a single heart.
What Kan Ze said and did will be revealed in the next chapter.