Chapter 74- Guan Yu Weaponizes the Terrain and Floods Enemy

Imagine a warrior heading into battle, not just with his armor and sword, but carrying his own coffin. Wow. Yeah, not for someone else, for himself, as this stark public pledge of loyalty, victory or death. That's intense. It's a really dramatic moment. That image alone, the coffin, it just grabs you. It tells you something big is about to happen. Absolutely. Okay, so let's set the scene. We've got Tao Tao, a major warlord, right? He needs to send help, urgent help, to Fan City. A critical location, strategically. Right. So he gathers his generals and asks, pretty directly, who dares to be the vanguard? You know, who's brave enough to lead the charge? And that's when Peng De steps up. That's him. Peng De eagerly volunteers. But here's the immediate catch. He's kind of a new face in Tao Tao's camp. Ah, yeah. His background is key here. He wasn't always with Tao Tao. He used to serve Ma Chou. Who was an enemy of Tao Tao's for a while? A significant one, yeah. And to make things even trickier, Ma Chou is now serving Lu Bei and Xu, one of Tao Tao's main rivals. So Peng De volunteering immediately raises red flags for the other officers. Especially Yu Jin, who's supposed to be the main general for this mission. Right. Yu Jin and his officers, Dong Heng and Dong Chou, they basically say, hold on a minute. Yeah, they go straight to Tao Tao. And they're like, look, his old boss, Ma Chou, and even his brother, Peng Ru, are serving the enemy in Xu. Can we actually trust this guy? It's a fair question from their perspective. Loyalty back then wasn't just about the individual. It was about your whole network, your family ties. Your past allegiances. Exactly. They see his connections not just as history, but as a potential risk, a reason he might not be fully committed. They even suggest replacing him. Which puts Peng De in a really tough spot. He knows everyone's watching him, doubting him. So how does he respond? Does he just say, no, I'm loyal? Oh, he goes way beyond that. His defense is incredibly dramatic, almost shocking. He doesn't just deny being disloyal. He aggressively, publicly cuts ties with his past. He reveals this pretty grim family story, says he killed his own sister-in-law because of her bad behavior. And because of that, his brother despises him. Basically saying, that connection, it's broken irreparably. Wow. That's, yeah, that's extreme. Burning bridges in a very public, very final way. And then he turns on his old boss, Mai Chau. Dismisses him as valiant, but witless. A fallen lord. Basically, he's irrelevant to me now. So he's trying to erase any hint of divided loyalty by trashing his past connections. Completely. And then he pledges total, unwavering devotion to Tao Tao. Says he's eternally grateful for the kindness Tao Tao showed him. It's this huge, passionate declaration. You have to wonder, is it pure heartfelt loyalty, or is it also maybe a very calculated move? A performance designed to win trust when your life depends on it. That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? Because Tao Tao seems impressed. He accepts Peng De's vow, even says his earlier hesitation was just, you know, to manage the concerns of the others. Okay, so Tao Tao buys it, or at least appears to. But Peng De isn't finished. He needs to make sure no one can doubt him. And this is where the coffin comes in. Ah, right. The ultimate proof. He orders a wooden coffin made, puts it right out there in public view, and declares his oath, I will kill Guan Yu, or I will die trying, and this coffin will carry my body. He's literally betting his life publicly, putting everything on the line. Everything. He even tells his wife, Li Shi, if I fall, raise our son, Peng Hui, who he notes has unusual features, hinting at future potential. Raise him to avenge me. Good grief. That's commitment bordering on, well, maybe fanaticism. It's incredibly theatrical. It really is. Walking into battle, carrying your own tombstone. But does that kind of intensity maybe blind you to risks? It seems like some people thought so. Tao Tao's advisor, Jia Shu, apparently voiced concern. He called it reckless courage. Like brave, yes, but maybe dangerously impulsive. Yeah, Qi Weikijiang, relying on hot-blooded courage alone. And even Tao Tao sends a message warning Peng Di, hey, Guan Yu isn't just strong, he's wise and brave. Don't underestimate him. A bit of caution from the boss. But Peng Di... He brushes it off. Completely. Yeah. He basically says, watch me. I'm going to shatter Guan Yu's 30 years of reputation. Just pure, almost arrogant confidence. You can feel the tension building. The established legend versus the incredibly driven challenger who feels he has everything to prove. Right. And speaking of the legend, word gets back to Guan Yu. He hears about Peng Di, the coffin, the disrespectful words. And Guan Yu, whose reputation was famously awe-inspiring across China, he wouldn't take that lightly. Not at all. He is absolutely furious. This isn't just some skirmish, it's a direct insult to his honor, his legacy, coming from a relative newcomer. Pride is a huge motivator here. Guan Yu's reputation is everything. To have it challenged so publicly, especially by someone he likely sees as a junior officer... It's unthinkable. So his adopted son, Guan Ping, actually tries to step in. He's worried. Maybe sees his father getting too worked up. Smart move. What does he suggest? He offers to fight Peng Di himself first. Protect his father's energy, maybe his dignity. He warns Guan Yu, using that saying, a newborn calf does not fear a tiger. Basically, dad, this guy's beneath you. Don't stoop to his level. Sound advice, probably. Trying to de-escalate, manage his father's legendary pride. But Guan Yu's pride is just too immense. The challenge has been made. He has to answer it himself. So Guan Ping's attempt fails. Well, Guan Ping does go out first. He fights Peng Di. The text says they battle for 30 rounds. It's a draw. Neither one gets the upper hand. Which is actually pretty impressive for Guan Ping against someone like Peng Di. True. But Peng Di probably isn't aiming to impress Guan Ping. Not at all. After the draw, Peng Di basically taunts him. Calls out for Guan Yu himself, dismissing Guan Ping as a scabby child. Oof. That's a calculated insult. Aims straight at Guan Yu's pride, designed to force him out. And it works like a charm. Guan Yu comes out. Now it's the main event. The clash everyone was waiting for. And it's epic. They fight for over 100 rounds. A hundred. And still, neither gains a clear advantage. Incredible. The skill level must have been phenomenal. The text says both armies were just dumbfounded watching them go at it. Just stunned by the display. You can picture it. The sheer stamina. The clashing blades. Eventually both sides pull back. And Guan Yu, despite his anger, actually admits Peng Di is good. He says something like, his saber technique is skillful. Truly my match. Wow. High praise coming from Guan Yu. A moment of real grudging respect there. It really is. But it doesn't last long. That pride kicks right back in. Guan Ping keeps urging caution, but Guan Yu insists, we fight again tomorrow. I must avenge this hatred. So the respect is there, but the need to dominate, to win definitively, overrides it. Classic Guan Yu, perhaps. Driven by that intense sense of honor and, well, hatred in this case. Exactly. So the next day, they meet again. Guan Yu, still furious, ready for round two. Okay, part two of the duel. They go at it again, another 50 rounds or so. And then Peng Di tries something sneaky. Ah. What kind of trick? He pretends to retreat. Feigns defeat. It's a known tactic. The trailing saber trick. You look like you're running, but you're setting up an ambush. Ah, the Tuo Dou Ji, a classic move. Right. And Guan Yu, maybe a bit too eager, fueled by that need for revenge, he gives chase. Falls for it. Looks like it. As Guan Yu chases, Peng Di hangs his saber on his saddle, whips out his bow. Oh no, an arrow. Yep. Guan Ping, who's nearby, sees it happening. He shouts a warning. Does it help? Too late. The arrow hits Guan Yu, right in the left arm. Ouch! Okay, so Guan Yu's wounded. Guan Ping immediately rushes in, grabs his father, gets him out of there. A rescue. Okay, so they escape. But Peng Di must see this as his chance, right? Guan Yu is wounded. Exactly. Peng Di is ready to pursue, finish the job, fulfill his coffin oath. He's this close to shattering that 30-year reputation. This is it. His moment. But then, suddenly, loud gongs start sounding. From Peng Di's own camp. What? Gongs? Signaling a retreat? Now? Right when he's about to win. It makes no sense from a tactile perspective. He's forced to pull back. Why? Who ordered that? That's sabotage, almost. It basically was sabotage. The text tells us it was Yu Jin, the general who doubted Peng Di from the start. Yu Jin. But why would he stop his own side from winning? Petty jealousy. Pure and simple. The text says Yu Jin feared that if Peng Di actually killed or captured Guan Yu, Peng Di's achievement, his gongji, would be so great it would diminish his own prestige. No way. So Yu Jin sabotaged his own vanguard general's victory just to protect his own ego. His own standing. That's exactly what the romance tells us. He saw Peng Di succeeding as a threat to him, personally. He even lied about the reason, claiming he ordered the retreat because of Cao Cao's earlier warning about Guan Yu being tricky. That is, wow. The internal politics are literally costing them the battle. Yu Jin put his own ambition ahead of the entire mission's success. It's infuriating, isn't it? And Peng Di has no idea. He's left absolutely furious, totally baffled, thinking he just missed his one great chance to kill Guan Yu. All that effort, the coffin, the oath, nearly achieved, and then undercut by his own commander. You can feel his frustration. It's such a powerful example of how the biggest threats aren't always the ones you face on the battlefield. Yeah. Sometimes, they're standing right beside you. Absolutely. He was thwarted not by Guan Yu's skill in that moment, but by the internal rivalries, the egos within his own camp. It's a stark reminder about team dynamic. Guan Yu, he's recovering from an arrow wound. Right. And it's not just the wound itself. It's the guy who inflicted it, Peng Di, general for the rival kingdom, Cao Wei. Peng Di keeps provoking him, haunting him. Yeah. The source says Guan Yu is furious, declaring, I swear to avenge this arrow wound. It sounds deeply personal. Oh, absolutely. Peng Di made it personal. He didn't just wound Guan Yu physically, he challenged his honor, which was a massive deal back then. So, it's not just territory anymore. Not at all. It's about face, about reputation, and interestingly, Guan Yu wants to rush out and fight, but his own generals actually hold him back, wisely, probably. Because he's still recovering. Yeah. They knew an impulsive move, even from him, could be bad. It brings up that classic tension, doesn't it? The leader's personal feelings versus cold, hard strategy. Definitely. Okay, so while Guan Yu is being held back, what's happening on the other side? Peng Di is eager for action. Right. He wants to launch a big assault to try and break Guan Yu's siege of Fen Qing. Makes sense militarily. But his boss, Yu Jin, puts the brakes on. He does. Yu Jin cites orders from the Wei King, but, well, the text strongly suggests something else is going on. Like what? Like jealousy. It seems Yu Jin was worried Peng Di might steal the spotlight, get all the glory. Seriously. Internal politics dictating troop movements. It happens. And because of this, Yu Jin makes a truly terrible decision. He moves the entire Seven Armies, that's a lot of troops, about ten li, maybe three or four miles north of Fen Qing. Okay. Where does he put them? Into a valley. A low-lying valley called Zhenku Stream. Just about the worst place you could camp with autumn rains coming. Wow. Okay, so Yu Jin's forces are basically sitting ducks in this valley. What does Guan Yu do? He's recovered now, right? He is. And he doesn't waste time. He goes up to a high spot, gets a good look around. He sees Fen Qing's defenses are shaky, sees the Wei army camps down there. In the valley. And crucially, he notices the Xiangjiang River. It's flowing fast, swollen by rain. So he puts it all together. Instantly. It's brilliant. He sees the river, the rain, the valley, the enemy camp, and understands the potential connection. It's that kind of environmental awareness in the whole system that sets great strategists apart. He then asks his guide, what's the name of this valley? And the guide says, Zhenku Stream. And Guan Yu's reaction? Apparently, he exclaims with delight. Something like, Yu Jin is mine. How can fish escape once they're in the net? He saw the trap immediately. That's incredible foresight. Not just reacting, but seeing how to use the situation. Precisely. It's like he's designing the battle using the landscape itself. He knows the rains are coming, he knows the river swells, and he knows the enemy is stuck down low. So how does he actually make it happen? Well, his own generals are a bit confused at first. He starts ordering preparations for boats and rafts, getting water gear ready. They're thinking, ah, it's a land battle, right? They didn't see it coming either. Not yet. But Guan Yu secretly has his men start damming up streams and tributaries further upriver, holding back the water, building the pressure. Okay, so he's setting the stage, damming the water, preparing boats. Exactly. His plan is clear. Wait for the heavy autumn rains to keep swelling the Shenzhen, use the dams to hold it back until the perfect moment, then unleash it all onto Zhengyu Stream from the high ground. While attacking with his boats. A coordinated land and water assault, using a flood he engineers. It's astonishing, really. Meanwhile, back in the doomed Wei camp, is anyone else noticing the danger? Yes. Their supervising general, Cheng He, he's really worried. He goes to Yujin. What does he say? He points out the obvious. Hey, we're camped really low here, the rains haven't stopped, and we're hearing reports the enemy is building rafts upstream. He basically begs Yujin to move the army to higher ground. That sounds like solid advice. How does Yujin take it? Badly. Very badly. He dismisses Cheng. He completely accuses him of confusing the army, even threatens to execute him. What? Why? Just pride? Or still the jealousy thing? Probably a mix. Blind arrogance. Maybe fear of admitting he made a mistake. Maybe still not wanting anyone else, even Cheng He, to look smart. It's a catastrophic leadership failure. Ignoring direct intelligence and sound counsel. So Cheng, he gets shut down by Yujin. Does he give up? No. He takes his concerns to Peng De. And Peng? Peng De gets it immediately. He agrees with Cheng. This is a dangerous thought. He actually plans to move his own troops the next day. Ah, but it's too late, isn't it? Way too late. That very night, a massive storm hits. The heavens open up. And the flood. It comes suddenly, violently. The sound is deafening like stampeding horses and drums, the text says. But it's the waters. Just roaring down into the valley. Roaring down, sweeping soldiers away like debris. The source uses the image following the waves like fish. The water rises incredibly fast, over ten feet deep on the flat ground. What happens to the generals? They scramble onto whatever small hills or high ground they can find, along with a few surviving soldiers, just watching their armies drown. Utter chaos. And then dawn comes. Dawn breaks. And there are Guan Yu's forces, arriving in large warships, flags flying, drums beating. A terrifying sight for the survivors. What does Yujin do? He's trapped on a small hill, right? Yeah, with only maybe 50 or 60 guys left. He sees Guan Yu's ships closing in. And he just gives up. Surrenders immediately. Pleads for his life. Just like that. The commander of the Seven Armies. Just like that. It's a really stark contrast to what happens next. With Peng De. Yeah. He's also trapped, maybe on a dike or something, with about 500 foot soldiers left. He's stripped off his heavy armor to avoid drowning. But surrender. Not a chance. He refuses. Absolutely refuses. He stands there, totally fearless. And get this, two of his own officers suggest surrendering. He executes them on the spot. For disloyalty. Wow. That's intense loyalty to his Wei King. Or maybe just defiance? Both, probably. An unwavering sense of duty, even facing certain death. He fights on fiercely, the text says, with double the bravery. From dawn until noon. Against Guan Yu's forces on the boats. Yeah, we're just raining down arrows on them. Most of Peng De's remaining men are killed. What about Cheng He, the guy who tried to warn Yujin? Tragically, Cheng He is hit by one of Guan Yu's arrows during this fight. And falls into the water. Dead. The one guy who saw it coming. That's rough. So Peng De's fight is hopeless. What's his last move? His men are almost all gone. He jumps onto a small boat. Maybe one that drifted by killed several of Guan Yu's soldiers who tried to board it. And makes a desperate attempt to row towards Fan Cheng. Just pure willpower. Does he make it? No. This is another dramatic moment. From upstream. One of Guan Yu's generals, Zhu Tang, who's known for being incredibly strong and good in the water, comes down on a big raft. And intercepts him. Rams his little boat, capsizes it, Peng De ends up in the water, and Zhu Tang, being the powerhouse he is, jumps in and captures him alive. Incredible. So Guan Yu now has both Yujin and Peng De captured. Yes. Back at Guan Yu's main camp now. And the way he treats them is completely different. How so? Yujin is brought in, kneeling, bowing, begging for mercy. He blames his orders, basically tries to pass the buck. And Guan Yu's reaction? Scorn. Total contempt. He said something like, killing you would be like killing a dog or a pig. It would just dirty my blade. He doesn't even deem him worthy of execution on the spot. So what happens to Yujin? He has him bound and shipped off to a prison back in Jingzhou. Dismissed. Okay. And Peng De? Peng De is brought in. But he refuses to kneel. He stands there, defiant, eyes blazing. He even reminds Guan Yu that his own brother serves Gubei's kingdom, Shu. And so does his former lord, Ma Chao. Basically calling Guan Yu out. Still defiant to the end? Absolutely. He curses Guan Yu, refuses any submission. His loyalty is absolute. So Guan Yu has him executed. He does. Peng De's defiance leaves him no choice within the context of the time. But there's a twist, right? Yeah. A really interesting one. After ordering the execution, Guan Yu apparently feels pity, or maybe respect, for Peng De's unwavering loyalty. He actually arranges for him to be properly buried. Honoring loyalty even in a defeated enemy. That says a lot about Guan Yu, too. It does. It speaks to those complex codes of honor. Loyalty was a supreme virtue. Okay, so the Seven Armies are destroyed. What about Fan Cheng, the city they were trying to save? Right. The siege is still on. And the floodwaters are still high around the city walls. Yes. The water is actually damaging the walls, causing them to crumble. The people inside are desperately trying to patch things up with earth, bricks, whatever they can find. Morale must be rock bottom. So the generals under Tao Ren, the commander in Fan Cheng, they must be panicking. They are. They advise Tao Ren to just abandon the city, escape by boat during the night. It looks hopeless. But someone steps up. Yes. An advisor named Man Chong. He gives some crucial advice. What does he argue? He says, look, these floodwaters won't last forever. They will recede probably in a matter of days. If we abandon Fan Cheng now, we lose everything south of the Yellow River. It's strategically vital. So hold the line. Hold the line. He basically tells Tao Ren, you need to be the guarantee for this region. He urges him to stand firm. That's strong counsel. How does Tao Ren react? He's moved by it. Inspired, even. He completely changes his tune. He vows to execute anyone who even talks about surrendering now. He rallies the troops, and they all commit to defending the city to the last man, working day and night. A real turning point for the defenders, thanks to Man Chong. A huge turning point. It prevents a total collapse. So the waters start to go down. Gradually, yes. And Guan Yu, probably feeling pretty confident after his massive victory... Riding high. He decides to press the attack on Fan Cheng directly. He rides up close to the north gate, apparently shouting taunts at the defenders. Maybe a bit too confident. Seems so. Because Tao Ren is up on the city wall watching, ever vigilant. And he spots an opportunity. He spots Guan Yu. And Guan Yu, in this moment, maybe feeling invincible, is only wearing a breastplate. His famous green robe is open, and his right arm is exposed. Uh oh. Oh, he's right. Tao Ren doesn't hesitate. He orders 500 archers and crossbowmen on the wall to concentrate their fire right on Guan Yu. A bolt hits him. A crossbow bolt strikes Guan Yu squarely in that exposed right arm. No! After everything. He falls from his horse, severely wounded. And that's where this part of the chapter ends. On a massive cliffhanger.