Excerpt from the “Records of the Three Kingdoms” (Sanguozhi), Book of Shu (Shu Han), Biography of Zhuge Liang, Chancellor Zhuge Liang — “The Memorial on Sending the Army into Campaign” (Chu Shi Biao):
“I, your servant, was originally a man of humble status, personally tilling the fields in Nanyang. I sought only to preserve my life amid a time of chaos and disorder, and had no desire for fame or recognition among the feudal lords.
His Late Majesty did not consider my lowly position to be contemptible. He humbled himself and visited my thatched cottage three times to consult me on the affairs of the age. Moved by his sincerity, I therefore agreed to serve him and devote myself to his cause. Later, in a time of great collapse and upheaval, I was entrusted with responsibility amid military defeat and received orders in a moment of mortal peril. From then until now, twenty-one years have passed.
His Late Majesty knew I was cautious and careful by nature, and therefore entrusted me with great responsibilities on his deathbed. Since receiving this charge, I have lamented day and night, fearing that I might fail in my duty and thereby tarnish his wisdom and trust. Thus, in the fifth month I crossed the Lu River and ventured into barren and uncivilized lands. Now the southern regions have been pacified and our arms and armor are fully prepared. It is time to lead the three armies northward to settle the Central Plains. I shall exert my poor talents to the utmost, eliminate treacherous and vile men, restore the Han dynasty, and return to the former capital. This is my duty in repayment of His Late Majesty and in loyalty to Your Majesty. As for matters of policy, gain and loss, and offering candid counsel, these belong to the responsibility of Guo Youzhi, Fei Yi, and Dong Yun.
May Your Majesty entrust me with the task of suppressing the rebels and restoring the state. If I fail, then I request that I be punished so that I may report to the spirit of His Late Majesty. If there are no words of benefit to the state, then I ask that you hold Guo Youzhi, Fei Yi, and Dong Yun accountable for negligence, thereby revealing their faults. Your Majesty should also deliberate carefully, seek counsel widely, and carefully consider and adopt sound advice, deeply honoring the late emperor’s final instructions.
I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the grace I have received. Now I am about to depart on a distant campaign; as I present this memorial, tears fall upon the page, and I do not know what else I can say...”