Romance of the Former Han Dynasty (11)

[CHUNG Yoon-Ngan <chungyn@mozart.joinet.net.au>]

Romance of the Former Han Dynasty (11)

Chen2 Sheng4 and Wu2 Guang3 were conscribed into the armed forces of the
Qin2 Government. In 209BC they were among the nine hundred conscripts on
their way to take up garrison duty at a frontier post.  Before they
arrived at the destination Chen2 Sheng4 and Wu2 Guang3 organized a revolt
in the present day Su county in Anhui province, against the tyranny of the
Qin2 Dynasty. All the conscripts were in favour of staging the revolt and
they joined forces with Liu2 Bang. Ther were about three thousand warriors
under the command of Liu Bang. 

The commander of a garrison in city of Hui4 Ji (in prsent day Jiangsu
province) was Yin Tong who was contemplating to rebel against the
disintegrating Qin2 Empire. Yin Tong, on hearing that Xiang4 Liang2 and
Xiang4 Yu3 were in town, wanted to recruit them as his assistants. Since
Xiang4 Liang2 and Xiang4 Yu3 were the descendants of the late famous
General Xiang4 Yan4 of the former State of Chu3 (in present day Hubei
province), Yin Tong intended to make use of them to enlist the patriotic
remnants of the former State of Chu3. Pretending to joined his course
Xiang4 Liang2 and Xiang4 Yu3 went inside the commanding office of Yin Tong
and had Yin Tong killed. Xiang4 Liang2 and Xiang4 Yu3 convinced the
garrison to rally under his banner to revolt against the Qin2 Empire. 

Ji4 Bu4 and Zhong-Li2 Mei4, who were the duty commanders of the garrison
in Hui4 Ji, told Xiang4 Liang2 that there were a band of brigand in the
mountain called Tu2 Shan not far from the city and the leaders were called
Huan2 Chu3 and Yu2 Ying and the men of this brigan were fighting the Qin2
Authority. Xiang4 Liang2 asked Xiang4 Yu3, Ji4 Bu4 and Zhong-Li2 Mei4 to
go up the mountain to talk to the brigan leaders. Xiang4 Yu3 was a good
talker and he convinced Huan2 Chu3 and Yu2 Ying to join his course. Huan2
Chu3 and Yu2 Ying agreed to abandon their hideout and follow Xiang4 Yu3 to
Hui4 Ji. 

While on their way back to the city they took a rest and had some tea in a
teahouse in a little village. The proprietor of the teahouse was an old
man called Yu2 Yi-gong who had only one very beautiful daughter called Yu2
Ji. Yu2 Yi Gong was surprised to see Xiang4 Yu3 who was so young to be the
leader of these fighting men. Xiang4 Yu3 was twenty four years old at the
time. Yu2 Yi-gong believed that Xiang4 Yu3 must be a man of great talent.
He offered his daughter to marry Xiang4 Yu3 who accepted the proposal
without hesitation, but he told Yu2 Yi-gong that he had to go back to
consult his uncle before the marriage could take place. To show his
appreciation Xiang4 Yu3 gave his sword to Yu2 Yi-gong as a gift of the
betrothal. 

Xiang4 Yu3 led the brigan and returned to Hui4 Ji city and informed his
uncle about his engagement to a beautiful girl. Xiang4 Liang2 was very
pleased and told his followers to prepare for Xiang4 Yu3 wedding. During
the wedding celebration Xiang4 Liang2 announced to the country the aim of
the uprising against the tyrannous Qin2 Government and called upon the
remnants of the aristocrats of all the former States who were subjugated
by the Qin2 to join him. Thousands of them heard his call and joined him.
Xiang4 Liang2 formed an army of eight thousand strong. 

>From the region of Dong Jiang in Jiangsu province they crossed Chang Jiang
(Yangtze River) marched Northwest. On the way they met a group of warriors
who were trying to block their way. The leader of this group was Bu4 Ying
who was convinced by Xiang4 Liang2 to join the revolt. This army under the
command of Xiang4 Liang2 and Xiang4 Yu3 occupied a large territory of the
Qin2 Empire. 
   
CHUNG Yoon-Ngan