The Three Kingdoms Volume 1 (57 page)

Turning around, Wen Chou saw two pursuers after him so he set aside his spear, took his bow and adjusted his arrow, which he shot at Zhang Liao.

“Do not shoot, you wretch!” shouted Xu Huang to warn his friend. Zhang Liao ducked and the arrow hit his helmet, slashing off its tassel. He pressed on in pursuit but the next arrow struck his horse in the head and the animal stumbled and fell, throwing its rider to the ground.

Then Wen Chou turned back. Xu Huang, whirling his battle-ax, stood in his way to engage him in a fight. By then Wen Chou’s men had also turned back to assist him. Knowing that they would be too much for him, Xu Huang fled. This time Wen Chou pursued along the river. Suddenly, however, he saw coming toward him, with banners fluttering in the wind, a small party of horsemen led by a warrior with a powerful sword.

It was none other than Guan Yu. “Stop!” he cried as he galloped up, raising high his sword. The two fought but at the third bout Wen Chou, seized by fright, wheeled round and fled, following the windings of the river. But Guan Yu’s steed was faster and soon caught up with him. One blow, and the unfortunate Wen Chou fell.

When Cao Cao saw from the mound that the leader of the enemy had fallen, he gave the signal for a general assault and many of the northern men were driven into the river. The carts with supplies and all the horses were quickly recovered.

Now Guan Yu, at the head of a few horsemen, was thrusting here and striking there when Liu Bei, with the rear force, arrived on the scene of the battle. At once he was told that the red-faced warrior with a long beard had slain Wen Chou. He hastily pressed forward to get a good look at the warrior. He saw across the river a group of horsemen dashing about like wind and a banner bearing the name of his brother.

“Then it is my brother and he’s really with Cao Cao,” thought Liu Bei, secretly thanking Heaven that his brother was safe.

He wanted to call out to Guan Yu, but a great mass of Cao Cao’s soldiers came rushing forward and he was forced to retreat.

Yuan Shao, bringing the reinforcements, reached Guandu and built a stockade. Two advisors went in to see him and said, “It was Guan Yu again that killed Wen Chou. Liu Bei pretends he does not know.”

In wrath, Yuan Shao railed at Lui Bei. “That long-eared wretch! How dare he do such a thing?”

Again Liu Bei was brought before Yuan Shao, who ordered him to be taken out to instant execution.

“What crime have I committed?” asked Liu Bei.

“You sent your brother to slay another of my best officers. Is that no crime?”

“Please let me explain before I die. Cao Cao has always been wary of me. Now he has found out where I am and, fearing that I may help you, has got my brother to destroy your two generals, feeling sure that when you hear of it you will be angry and put me to death. You cannot fail to see this.”

“That does make sense,” said Yuan Shao. Turning to his two advisors he said, “And you two nearly caused me to injure a good man.”

He ordered the others to leave and asked Liu Bei to come and sit by him. Liu Bei thanked him and said, “I am deeply grateful to you, sir, for your great kindness, for which I can never sufficiently repay you. Now I desire to send some confidential messenger with a secret letter to my brother to tell him where I am, and I am sure he will come without a moment’s delay. He will help you to destroy Cao Cao to make up for your loss of the two officers. Do you approve of this?”

“If I gained Guan Yu he would be ten times better than the two men I have lost,” replied Yuan Shao, greatly pleased.

So Liu Bei wrote a letter but there was no one to take it to his brother. Yuan Shao ordered the army to withdraw to Wuyang, where they made a large camp. For some time no further move was undertaken.

Cao Cao sent Xiahou Dun to guard the strategic point at Guandu while he led the bulk of the army back to the capital. There, he gave many banquets in honor of the remarkable services of Guan Yu. At one of these gatherings he said, “The other day I had intentionally put the supplies in the front of the army as a bait to divert the enemy’s attention. Only Xun You understood me.”

Every one present praised him for his ingenuity. However, even while the banquet was proceeding there arrived news of new trouble in Runan, where two former Yellow Turban rebels, Liu Pi and Gong Du, were staging an uprising. They were very strong and Cao Hong, who had been defeated in several battles, begged for help.

Guan Yu, hearing this, said, “I would like to offer my humble service by destroying these rebels.”

“You have already rendered noble services for which you have not been properly rewarded. I could not trouble you again,” said Cao Cao.

“If I were left idle for too long, I would get ill. I am willing to go,” said Guan Yu.

Cao Cao consented and gave him 50,000 men and two of his own officers to serve under him. They were to leave the next day.

Xun Yu warned his master in private, “Guan Yu is always thinking of returning to Liu Bei. He will leave you if he hears any news. You should not let him go on expeditions so often.”

“I will not let him go into battle again after this,” said Cao Cao.

In due time the force led by Guan Yu reached Runan and made camp. One night, just outside his camp, two spies were caught and taken in to Guan Yu, who was surprised that one of them was Sun Qian, Liu Bei’s former advisor. He dismissed the attendants and asked, “Since our city was lost I haven’t heard any news about you. How come you are here?”

“After I escaped I drifted hither and thither and finally ended up in this place,” said Sun Qian. “Fortunately I was given shelter by Liu Pi. But why are you with Cao Cao, General? And where are your sisters-in-law? Are they well?”

Guan Yu told him all that had happened.

Then Sun Qian said, “I’ve heard lately that your brother is with Yuan Shao. I’d have liked to go and join him but I haven’t found a convenient opportunity. Now the two Yellow Turban leaders I’m with have submitted to Yuan Shao and will assist him in fighting against Cao Cao. When I heard you were being sent here I thought it really a good piece of luck, so I disguised myself as a scout to see you and tell you everything. Tomorrow the two leaders will feign defeat. You must accompany the two ladies to go to Yuan Shao’s place without delay. You’ll see your brother there.”

“Since my brother is there I’ll certainly go at once to join him. But it’s a misfortune that I’ve slain two of Yuan Shao’s best officers. I fear things may have changed for the worse,” said Guan Yu.

“Let me go first and find out—I’ll come back and tell you.”

“I’ll risk myriad deaths to see my brother,” said Guan Yu. “When I return to the capital I’ll immediately take leave of Cao Cao.”

Sun Qian was secretly sent away that night and the next day Guan Yu led out his men to offer battle. His opponent, Gong Du, put on his armor and came forth.

Guan Yu said, “Why do you people rebel against the court?”

“Why do you blame us when you yourself have turned your back on your own lord?”

“How have I turned my back on my lord?” asked Guan Yu.

“Liu Bei is now with Yuan Shao and you are with Cao Cao. Why is that?”

Guan Yu said no more but whirled round his sword and rode forward. His opponent fled and Guan Yu followed. When they were out of the hearing of others, Gong Du turned and said to Guan Yu, “Do not forget how well your old master has treated you. Now attack quickly and we will yield the city to you.”

Guan Yu understood and they returned to the scene of the battle, pretending to be still engaged in a flight and chase. Guan Yu urged his men on a wide offensive and his opponents feigned defeat, scattering in all directions. So the city was taken. Having pacified the people, Guan Yu at once led his army back toward the capital. Cao Cao came out of the city to welcome him back and the army was again rewarded with feasts.

After the feast, Guan Yu went to the dwelling of his sisters-in-law to pay his respects at their door.

“Have you been able to get any news of your brother in your two expeditions?” asked Lady Gan.

“No,” replied Guan Yu.

After he left the two ladies wept bitterly and said to each other, “He must be dead! Our brother-in-law is hiding the truth from us lest we should be too distressed.”

One of the old soldiers, who had been with Guan Yu on the expeditions, heard the sounds of their perpetual grief, took pity on them, and said outside their door: “Do not weep, ladies. Your lord is with Yuan Shao in Hebei.”

“How do you know that?” they asked.

“I went with General Guan and some soldiers told me.”

The two ladies summoned Guan Yu at once and reproached him. “Your brother has not done you anything wrong and yet you remain here enjoying Cao Cao’s favor and forgetting the old times. You even lied to us about your brother. How can you explain that?”

Guan Yu bowed his head and said, “My brother is really in Hebei but I dared not tell you lest it should leak out. This must be done very carefully and it needs time.”

“Please make haste, brother,” said Lady Gan.

Guan Yu withdrew. Back in his own quarters, he racked his brains for a scheme to leave Cao Cao. The thought caused him much uneasiness.

Meanwhile Yu Jin, having learned that Liu Bei was in the north, told Cao Cao about it, who at once sent Zhang Liao to find out Guan Yu’s intention. So one day, when Guan Yu was brooding over his worries at home, Zhang Liao entered jauntily and said, “They tell me that you gained news of your brother on the battlefield. I’ve come to congratulate you.”

“My lord is there, indeed, but I haven’t even seen him. I see nothing to be glad about.”

“How will you compare your friendship with Liu Bei and that between you and me?” asked Zhang Liao.

Guan Yu replied, “You and I are friends while Xuan-de and I are friends as well as brothers—and on top of this, we’re also master and officer. They can’t be viewed in equal terms.”

“Well, now that you know where your brother is, are you going to him?”

“Certainly I won’t go back on my own words! Please explain this to the prime minister.”

Zhang Liao went back to tell his master what Guan Yu had said but Cao Cao did not seem to be worried. “I have a plan to keep him here,” he said.

After Zhang Liao left Guan Yu sat pondering over how he could get away. Soon he was told that an old friend of his had come to see him. The visitor was admitted into his room but Guan Yu did not recognize him.

“Who are you?” asked Guan Yu.

“I am Chen Zhen of Nanyang in the service of Yuan Shao,” said the stranger.

Greatly startled, Guan Yu sent away the attendants in a hurry and then asked, “There must be some special reason for your visit.”

In reply the visitor drew out a letter and handed it to his host, who recognized that it was from his brother Liu Bei. Briefly it read like this:

You and I, sir, pledged in the Peach Orchard to die together.
Why, then, do you go back on your words in the middle of your life
and break an old friendship? If you are determined to seek
position and wealth, I am willing to offer my head to help you
achieve your ambition. This letter cannot contain all that I want
to say but I await your command in great anxiety.

After reading the letter Guan Yu was overcome with emotion. Weeping bitterly he said, “I always wanted to find my brother but I did not know where he was. I will never break my oath for comfort!”

“Your brother eagerly seeks you. If you are still bound by the old pledge you should go and see him without delay,” said the messenger.

Guan Yu said seriously, “For one born into this world integrity is what marks him as a true man. Whatever he does, he must carry it to the end. I came here openly and I will not leave in any other way. I am going to write a letter for you to take to my brother and I will bring the two ladies to join him as soon as I have taken leave of Cao Cao.”

“What if Cao Cao refuses to let you go?” asked the messenger.

“I would rather die than remain here for long.”

“Then please write your letter quickly and relieve your brother from anxiety.”

So Guan Yu wrote the following:

I know that a man of principles does not betray trust and a man of loyalty does not fear death. I have taken up studies since my youth and know something of the proprieties. The legendary story about the friendship between Yang Jue-ai and Zuo Bo-tao
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has moved me to sighs and tears.

I was in charge of Xiapi but the place lacked neither provision nor outside assistance. I would have fought to death if not for the responsibility of the safety of my two sisters-in-law. Therefore I dared not die for fear of betraying your trust. And so I linger on in life hoping for a reunion later. It was only when I went to Runan that I got news of your whereabouts. I will go and see Cao Cao at once to bid him farewell, and bring the two ladies with me when I come.

If I have ever harbored any treacherous thought, may I perish at the hands of both gods and men. Paper and brush are poor substitutes for what I want to say but I look forward to seeing you soon.

After the visitor left with the letter Guan Yu went in to inform the two ladies of his plan. Then he proceeded to Cao Cao’s house to say farewell. But knowing why he was coming, Cao Cao had his men hang up a “No Visitor” sign in front of the gate. Guan Yu had to return. However, he told his few followers to be ready for the journey at any moment. He also issued orders that everything given by Cao Cao was to be left in the house—nothing was to be taken.