Chapter 77- Guan Yu's Death Shakes Three Kingdoms_2

Okay, so the big question first. How do you trap someone like Guan Yu, a figure that legendary? It starts with Sun Quan needing a plan. Right, and he goes to Lu Meng, his key strategist. And Lu Meng's plan, what makes it stand out? It wasn't just about numbers, was it? No, not at all. What's really brilliant and kind of chilling is how well Lu Meng understood Guan Yu, like his psychology. Okay. He didn't just guess where Guan Yu might go. He predicted where Guan Yu, being Guan Yu proud, desperate would think he could escape. He figured, limited troops, Guan Yu avoids the main roads. Too obvious, too guarded. Exactly. So he'd look for a small, dangerous path north of Mei Chang. It's classic strategy, using your opponent's own nature against them. And it wasn't just a guess then. He built a whole trap around this insight. A layered trap. Two parts. First, Zhu Ran, with 5,000 elite soldiers, positioned about, what, seven miles north of Mei Chang? 20 Li, the text said. Right, 20 Li. And crucially, Zhu Ran's orders were not to fight head on. No, what the? Just pursue. Yeah. Harass, wear down Guan Yu's men. Herd them, essentially. Heard them where? Towards Lin Ju. Yeah. Because waiting there, that was the second prompt. Oh. Pan Zhang. Okay. With only 500 elite troops, but positioned perfectly on a secluded, small path in Lin Ju Mountain. It's a bottleneck. A bottleneck. Clever. And there was a psychological trick, too, right? With the gate? Oh, yeah. Brilliant touch. They left the north gate of Mei Chang wide open. Empty. Like an invitation. Exactly. Make Guan Yu think, uh-huh. Yeah. An escape route. Lured straight into the trap they'd already set. That is cold. Yeah. And then there was divination? Yes. Lu Fan performs divination, confirms Guan Yu will head northwest, and even predicts he'll be captured that night, between 9 and 11 PM. High Xi? And Sun Quan must have been... Delighted. Absolutely thrilled. Orders went out immediately. When you put it all together, Lu Meng's deep strategy versus Guan Yu just trying to survive, the odds were stacked hugely. It wasn't just a physical trap. It was mental. Exploiting his pride, his desperation. It shows that even the greatest warrior can be undone by, well, smarter planning. Absolutely. Understanding the man, not just the soldier. Precisely. Martial skill alone wasn't enough here. So while this net is closing in, what's it actually like inside Mei Cheng for Guan Yu? The sources sound pretty grim. Grim is an understatement. Utter desperation. He's down to maybe 300 soldiers, horse and foot combined. From commanding huge armies. Right. And worse, food and provisions exhausted, people were literally climbing over the walls to defect to Wu. Desertion was rampant. Oof. And this is where we get that moment of regret, isn't it? Yeah, it's powerful. Guan Yu says to Wanfu, his loyal officer, I regret not listening to your words that day. He'd been warned, presumably about this campaign. Or maybe Lu Meng. And Wanfu's reply is just bleak. Utterly bleak. He says something like, even Jiang Ziya, the legendary strategist, would be helpless now. It's them admitting, you know, it's over. They're trapped. A hero realizing the end might be near. So what's the plan? They can't just stay there. No. Zhao Lei suggests they abandon Mei Chang, make a run for Xishuang, try to regroup. He even points out that Lu Feng and Meng Da and Xiang Yang haven't sent help. Yeah, that adds another layer of bitterness, doesn't it? Feeling abandoned by allies. Definitely. Isolation. Broken trust. And Guan Yu, does he take the advice? How does he react? Here's where you see his character again. Is it stubbornness, hubris, or just raw courage? He checks the north gate himself, asks locals about the path to Xishuang. They confirm, yeah, it's a small, secluded path. The very path Lu Meng predicted. The very one. Wang Fu, being cautious, warns him. There'll be ambushes. Take the main road. But Guan Yu? Guan Yu's response is pure Guan Yu. There'll be ambushes. What do I fear? He's basically daring fate. Wow. Fearless to the last, and the farewell scene with Wang Fu. That's tough. It really is. Wang Fu says tearfully he'll die defending this city with remaining hundred or so men. Vows never to surrender. He asks Guan Yu to come back quickly. Knowing he probably won't. Yeah. Guan Yu himself is in tears as he leaves Wang Fu and Zhu Kang behind. It's not just strategy now. It's this intense display of loyalty. These men choosing death over surrender for him. What does that say about him? That he inspires that level of devotion? It says everything. It's not just about rank. They're devoted to him. To what he represents. Righteousness, brotherhood, the Han cause. His personal charisma, his moral standing. It inspires the ultimate sacrifice, even when things look hopeless. So despite the emotion, Guan Yu has to move. He leads the last couple hundred soldiers out the North Gate. Guan Ping, his son, and Zhao Lei are with him. And the draft springs almost immediately. They get about seven miles out. Plenty. 20 feet, right? And bang. Zhu Ran's ambush. Golden drums and shouts. Chaos. Guan Yu confronts him. He does. But Zhu Ran follows orders. He pretends to retreat after a clash. Weeding him on. Exactly. Pulling him deeper towards that small path in Linju. Just like Lu Ming planned. It's relentless pressure. And his forces start shrinking even more. They do. Zhu Ran's troops pursue and kill. They're being whittled down. Then Guan Ping has to tell his father. Zhao Lei is dead. Killed in the fighting. Oh man. Another blow. Yeah. The text says Guan Yu felt immeasurable grief. Losing men, losing his trusted advisor, probably realizing the trap is real. But he has to keep going. He does. Pushes on. A few miles later, maybe four or five lime. The second ambush hits. This is Panzhang. Panzhang. Shouts and fire. Another clash. Guan Yu engages in Panzhang. Also pulls back after a few passes. But this time Guan Yu is wary. He is. The text says he dares not engage further. He knows he can't afford to get bogged down. He just needs to get through. He's not fighting for victory anymore. Just survival. Which brings us to the final location. Zhuixi. Severed stone. Sounds ominous. It is. The description is perfect for an ambush. Narrow path, mountains on both sides, overgrown with reeds, grass, trees. A natural trap. And it's almost dawn. The end of the line. Pretty much. Suddenly the final ambush springs. No warning. They use long hooks and ropes. To trip his horse. Red hair? Yes. They trip. Red hair. Guan Yu falls. And Ma Zong, one of Panzhang's officers, captures him. Just like that. And Guan Ping, his son. Tries desperately to save his father. A valiant effort, but hopeless. He's surrounded by Panzhang and Zhu Ran's combined forces and captured too. Wow. It's just so systematic. His legendary strength meant nothing against that kind of planning. Exactly. It wasn't a duel. It was checkmate. He was outmaneuvered step by step. It really highlights how strategy can overcome individual might. So Guan Yu is captured, Sun Quan must be over the moon. Ecstatic. Yeah. He gathers his officers, has Guan Yu brought before him. And he actually tries to recruit him first. Even then? Yeah. He praises Guan Yu's virtue. Talks about wanting an alliance before. Even kind of mocks his claims of invincibility. Asks him, point blank, will you submit? And Guan Yu's response, I imagine it wasn't polite. Huh? No. Legendary. Pure defiance. He basically calls Sun Quan a green-eyed brat. Purple bearded rat. Whoa. Says he swore an oath with Lu Bei to uphold the Han dynasty and wouldn't join a traitor like Sun Quan. Says he fell into a trap. Death is all that's left. Why speak more? Choosing death over dishonor. That solidifies his image right there, doesn't it? Absolutely. That moment is crucial to his legend. Unshakeable loyalty. Unbending principle. Sun Quan apparently considered sparing him though. Showing him courtesy. He did. For a moment. But then his chief clerk, Zhou Xian, steps in with some very practical, very cold advice. What did he say? Why was it so effective? Zhou Xian basically reminded Sun Quan of history. Remember how Cao Cao treated Guan Yu? Gave him titles, beasts, gold, silver, everything. Immense generosity. And what did Guan Yu do? He still left. Cut through passes. Killed generals. Just to get back to Lu Bei. He was such a problem that Cao Cao even thought about moving his capital city. Okay, that's a strong point. Zhou Xian's conclusion was blunt. Guan Yu's loyalty to Lu Bei is absolute. You can't buy him. You can't persuade him. If you do not eliminate him immediately, he warned, he will surely cause future trouble. He's just too dangerous alive if he's not on your side. Pure pragmatism. No sentimentality. None. It's about removing a powerful, unyielding enemy. And Sun Quan. He listens. He ponders for a long time, the text says. But he agrees with Zhou Xian. And orders the execution of both Guan Yu and Guan Ping. And we even get a date. Winter. 12th month. 24th year of Jian. Which puts it in 8219. Guan Yu is 58. It's striking how quickly his legend status seems to crystallize after this. His defiance seals it. Totally. The sources even include poems written later celebrating him. They call him unrivaled. A hero among heroes. Having divine power, but also refined literary knowledge. Reading the spring and autumn annals. Right? His heart like a mirror. His righteousness surpassing the clouds. The poems predict he'll be revered as an emperor and king for ages. With temples everywhere. His death wasn't an end. It was a confirmation of his values. He picked virtue over life. That resonates. Deeply. But the story. It keeps going. Even after his execution, what happens to Red Hair, his horse? Red Hair. Ma Zong, the guy who captured Guan Yu, gets the horse as a reward from Sun Quan. Must have been quite a prize. You'd think. But the horse. It refused to eat. For days. And then it just died. Wow. Loyalty from his horse too. Incredible symbolism, isn't it? The horse mirrors the master's loyalty right to the end. It reinforces this whole idea of steadfast devotion. And back at Mei Cheng, the loyalty continues. Tragically. Tragically is the word. Wang Fu, remember? The one who stayed behind? He has a dream. Sees Guan Yu covered in blood asking about his fate. A premonition. And then the grim reality arrives. Wu soldiers show up at the city walls. They display the heads of Guan Yu and Guan Ping and call for surrender. I can't even imagine seeing that. How does Wang Fu react? He lets out a great cry. Just throws himself from the city wall. Dies instantly. And Xu Kang, the other loyal retainer. Sees Wang Fu die. Understands what's happened. And slits his own throat. Chooses death with his lord. Good heavens. So Mei Cheng falls. But those acts. That level of loyalty is almost beyond comprehension. In that cultural context, dying with your lord, especially after such an end, was the ultimate act of honor. Of Yu righteousness. It proves Guan Yu inspired something incredibly deep. Their deaths just amplify his legend. So earthly lives end. Loyalty proven. But Guan Yu himself isn't done. Not quite. His spirit, the story goes, is undisbursed. Yeah. Restless. Filled with grievance, probably. It drifts to Yuquan Mountain. And there he encounters. An old monk. Wow. Puching. He used to be an elder at a temple. Now lives simply in a hermitage on the mountain. Okay. It's midnight. Puching is meditating. He hears this voice crying from the sky. Give me back my head. Chilling. He looks up. Sees Guan Yu, on red hair, spirit form, with Guan Ping and Zhu Kang beside him. Wow. So a vengeful ghost. That's how it seems at first. But Puching recognizes him. Calls out his courtesy name, Yun Zheng. Are you there? Guan Yu's spirit, sort of, awakens. Asks the monk for guidance. And this is the crucial part. The monk's response. Yes. This is the pivot. Puching doesn't offer comfort. Not really. He asks a question. A profound one. He says, basically, okay, you were wrong then. Maybe you feel right now. But let's put arguments aside. Consequences follow causes. You cry, give me back my head. Because Lu Meng killed you. Makes sense. But, Puching asks, whose heads should Yan Liang, Wen Chao, and all those generals you killed at the Five Passes, whose heads should they be asking for? Oh. Wow. Turning it right back on. Exactly. It's a core Buddhist idea about karma, cause and effect, the cycle of violence. If you demand vengeance, where does it end? What about the vengeance owed to you? It forces Guan Yu to see beyond his own grievance. That's it. Yeah. That's a perspective shift. It's not just about being wronged. It's about the whole system of conflict. Right. It's pointing out the futility of endless retribution. It offers a path away from vengeance towards, well, understanding, peace, maybe. And how does Guan Yu's spirit react? It's described as a sudden enlightenment. He gets it. He bows to the monk and just departs. The anger is gone. And Astrida? He doesn't vanish. Instead, he starts appearing on Yuquan Mountain, but now as a protector, guarding the local people. So he transforms. From vengeful ghost to guardian deity. Precisely. The villagers are grateful, they build a temple, make offerings. His deification isn't just about his earthly life anymore. It's confirmed by the spiritual awakening, this letting go of vengeance. That's an incredible arc. And the temple couplet you mentioned earlier. That sums it up. Perfectly. Red face with the red heart, riding the red hair, chasing the wind, when campaigning, never forgetting the red emperor. That's his loyalty to Lu Bei, the Han, whose color was red, his passion. By the green lamp, reading green history, wielding the green dragon crescent blade in hidden places, never shaming the green sky. That's his famous weapon. His study of classics like the spring and autumn annals, often bound in green, and his unwavering moral integrity, green and red, loyalty and righteousness, it captures his whole essence. So Sun Quan finally gets Jingzu, this key territory everyone's fighting over, and he gets rid of Guan Yu, you'd think, pure celebration, right? Absolutely. And the story starts just like that. Sun Quan's ecstatic, throwing this huge feast, putting Lu Meng, the guy who planned it all in the top spot. He's showering him with praise, isn't he? Saying things like, it's all thanks to Xuming Lu Meng, even putting him above legends like Zhu Yu and Lu Su. Which is huge praise and rue, yeah. He's saying, I wanted Jingzu forever, and now it's mine, all because of him. But that high point, it doesn't last long at all. How quickly does it turn? Oh, instantly. It's chilling, actually. Lu Meng is just about to take a celebratory drink, and suddenly he throws the cup down. Browse it. Yeah, throws it. Grabs Sun Quan and starts cursing him. Calls him green-eyed child and purple-bearded rat. Wow, that's personal and really aggressive. Based on Sun Quan's actual appearance. It's this immediate terrifying switch from celebration to something else entirely. Dread. And then it gets even stranger, right? The generals try to step in. They rush over. Yeah, but Lu Meng just shoves Sun Quan aside, sits himself on Sun Quan's throne, eyes blazing, and basically shouts. What does he shout? He shouts, I am Guan Yun-Chak. Oh. Yes. I've conquered the world for 30 years. You trapped me with your tricks. I couldn't eat your flesh alive, but dead, I'll hunt down that villain Lu Meng's soul. So Guan Yu's spirit possessing Lu Meng. That's exactly how the narrative presents it. It's not just drama. It taps into this deep belief about spiritual consequences. That killing someone like Guan Yu wasn't just a physical act. It came with a terrifying spiritual price tag. And what happens to Lu Meng after that outburst? He collapses. And the description is gruesome bleeding from seven orifices, which in that culture signifies a really violent, tormented death. Good heavens. So Sun Quan's great victory instantly turns into this psychological nightmare. His generals are just frozen in fear. You can imagine the silence in that hall. Absolutely terrifying. So, okay. The party's definitely over. Beyond the sheer horror, what does Sun Quan realize politically? What are the immediate consequences he sees? Well, that initial joy just evaporates. It turns into panic, deep regret. He gets it immediately. Lu Bei, Guan Yu's sworn brother, is out there. They have a powerful army and Zhu Bling. Exactly. And Zhan Fei, Wang Zong, Ma Chao, Zhao Yun. Formidable generals. He knows Lu Bei's revenge won't just be coming. It'll be furious, devastating. He literally cries out, I've miscalculated. What do I do now? Right. He's stuck. And this is where his advisor, Zhang Zhao, steps in. Yeah, Zhang Zhao, his chief advisor. Very clever, very pragmatic. He comes up with this strategy. He actually calls it shifting misfortune. Shifting misfortune. Sounds ominous. What's the plan? Simple, but incredibly cynical. Send Guan Yu's head to Tao Tao. Send the head? Why? The calculation is pure, real politic. Cold, hard strategy. If Tao Tao receives the head, the idea is that Lu Bei will think Tao Tao was behind it all, or at least involved. Ah, so Lu Bei directs his anger towards Tao Tao's kingdom, Wei, instead of Sun Quan's Wu. Precisely. Zhang Zhao says it'll leave Jing Zu secure as a rock. Wu can just sit back, watch Xu and Wei potentially go to war, and then pick up the pieces. Wow. That is cold. Using Guan Yu's head like a weapon to deflect blame. What does that say about the politics of the time? It says everything, doesn't it? Ruthless. National interest, or maybe just self-preservation overriding everything else. Morality. Loyalty. Secondary concerns when survival's on the line. So this grisly package gets sent off to Tao Tao. Now you'd think Tao Tao would be thrilled, right? Guan Yu was his biggest rival, a constant thorn in his side. And initially he is. The sources say he gets the head and is overjoyed. He actually says, Yun Cheng is dead, now I can finally sleep soundly. But that relief doesn't last long either, does it? Someone bursts his bubble. Almost immediately. Sima Yi steps up, another incredibly sharp advisor. He sees right through Sun Quan's plan. He figures out the shifting misfortune thing. Instantly. He says, basically, don't be fooled, Sun Quan's terrified of Lu Bei. And crucially, he reminds Tao Tao about the oath. The oath of brotherhood between Lu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. Peach Garden Oath. Exactly. Sima Yi points out that this bond is unbreakable. Lu Bei's rage won't be directed anywhere else just because you have the head. In fact, it'll be worse. What does that tell you, that even someone like Sima Yi recognized the power of that oath? It means some loyalties, some bonds, were seen as genuinely real, even in that cynical world. They transcended the politics. Right. So Sima Yi says, Sun Quan is just trying to make you the target. And then he flips the script with a brilliant counter move. Okay, what's the counter strategy? More cunning plans. Even more cunning. He says, don't just accept the head. Give Guan Yu a massive state funeral. Like full honors. Honor his enemy. What? He advises carving a body out of fragrant wood to go with the head, burying him with the rights of a top minister. It seems respectful on the surface. But there's a hidden motive. Always. The real goal is to make Sun Quan look even worse. If Tao Tao, the enemy, is giving Guan Yu this grand burial, it highlights Sun Quan's treachery in killing him in the first place. Ah, driving an even deeper wedge between Lu and Xu. Precisely. Make them hate each other more. Let them fight it out. Sima Yi's advice is literally, if Xu wins, we attack Wu. If Wu wins, we attack Xu. Wei waits, exploits the conflict, it's textbook divide and conquer. Masterful manipulation. But even Tao Tao, the ultimate strategist, couldn't entirely escape the spooky side of this, could he? No. Even he gets a dose of the supernatural. And this is where the story gets really eerie again. Tao Tao is inspecting the head in its casket. Maybe he's about to make some sort of, you know, respectful comment like, Lord Yun Shang, long time no see. And the head, its eyes supposedly open, the mouth moves, the beard and hair bristle like it's alive. You're kidding. That's what the text says. Tao Tao is so shocked, he just faints on the spot. Wow. So much for sleeping soundly. Exactly. It's this stark reminder, isn't it, that Guan Yu wasn't just a general, he was becoming something more. A figure of immense power. Even in death. Show that even those cynical players felt something, awe, maybe fear. What happens when Tao Tao recovers? He's clearly shaken. He declares Guan Yu truly a god. Right. Then he goes ahead with Sima Yi's plan, the elaborate funeral, gives him the posthumous title King of Jing, assigns people to guard the tomb. It's strategic, yes, but you get the sense there's real fear mixed in there too now. So while all this drama, strategy, and ghostly stuff is happening with Sun Quan and Tao Tao, what's going on back in Shu with Liu Bei? Is he aware yet? Not initially. Life is sort of carrying on. The narrative mentions Liu Bei returning to Chengdu, his capital, and he actually remarries. Who does he marry? Lady Wu, the sister of one of his generals, Wuyi. His advisor, Fai Zheng, suggested it. Liu Bei's previous wife, Lady Gan, had died, and Sun Quan's sister, Sun Shengxiang, had gone back to Wu. Was there any issue with the marriage? A slight hesitation. Lady Wu had apparently been promised to a distant relative of Liu Bei's who had also died, so there was a bit of a kinship question. But Fai Zheng basically argues it's fine, comparing it to a historical precedent. It seems like a move to consolidate power within Shu. Interesting timing, consolidating internally, just as his major external alliance is about to shatter. And there were warnings, weren't there? Yeah. Zhu Guoliang, his top strategist, had been worried before. About what? About Guan Yu rejecting Sun Quan's marriage proposal for his son and Guan Yu's daughter. Zhu Guoliang saw that as a huge diplomatic blunder, something that would definitely destabilize Jin Zhu. He knew Guan Yu could be, well, proud and difficult. It was like a storm cloud gathering. An unheeded warning. So Liu Bei is unaware, things seem normal, but then he starts to feel something is wrong. Deeply wrong. The sources describe him feeling physically unwell, like trembling, can't sit still, can't sleep. It's a real physical manifestation of unease. And then the dream. Yes, the dream. It's incredibly powerful. He's reading late at night, a cold wind blows, the lamp flickers, and a figure is standing there. Guan Yu. It seems to be. Liu Bei asks who it is. The figure avoids his gaze. Liu Bei says, brother, are you okay? Why visit so late? Something important must have happened. And the figure replies. Guan Yu, or the dream figure, just weeps and begs, brother, raise an army, avenge me. Then poof, another gust of wind, and he's gone. Chilling. That bond between them. It's like he felt it across the miles, even before knowing. It really underscores that oath, doesn't it? It portrayed as this connection that literally transcends life and death in the story. Meanwhile, Zhu Ziliang, he already suspected. How? Astronomy. He'd been watching the stars and saw the general star fall over Jingzhu, Jingzhu being the region, including Jingzhu. He knew Guan Yu was likely dead or doomed, but hadn't told Liu Bei yet. Probably despairing. But the official news has to arrive eventually. How does it unfold? It's brutal. A cascade of bad news. First, a high official named Xu Jing comes with a secret report. Before Liu Bei can react, Mao Liang and Yu Ji, two other key officials, arrive with documents confirming Jingzhu is lost and Guan Yu is in serious trouble, needing rescue. Just one blow after another. And it gets worse. Li Aohua, one of Guan Yu's officers who escaped, arrives. He's weeping. And he delivers the most painful news, perhaps. What's that? Betrayal. He details how Lu Feng, Liu Bei's adopted son, and Meng Da, another general station nearby, refused Guan Yu's desperate pleas for reinforcements. His own commanders refused to help. Why? The reasons given are complex. Maybe fear, maybe political calculation on their part, but the result is the same. They left Guan Yu hanging. Hearing this must have been devastating for Liu Bei. It wasn't just the enemy. It was failure. Betrayal. From within his own ranks. Unbelievable. That must have just deepened the despair. Immeasurably. Yeah. And then finally, before dawn breaks, multiple messengers arrive. The final confirmation. Guan Yu and his son, Guan Ping, captured at Linzhu, they refuse to surrender. And now, they return to the gods. They're dead. How does Liu Bei take this final blow? He just lets out this terrible cry and collapses, faints dead away. It's the ultimate crushing devastation. The loss is total. And when he comes to- Grief. Pure, raw grief. And then, an immediate iron-clad vow, full-scale revenge against Sun Quan. No hesitation. Wow. So, looking back at all this, one death really did ignite everything.