“You sent your brother to slay one of my generals. Is that no crime?”
“Pray let me explain before I die. Cao Cao hated me and has always done so. 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 heard of it, you would be angry and put me to death. You cannot fail to see this.” “What he says is sense,” said Yuan Shao, turning to his advisers, “and you two nearly brought on me the reproach of injuring the good.”
Yuan Shao ordered his attendants to retire and asked Liu Bei to come and sit by him.
Liu Bei came, saying, “I am deeply thankful, Illustrious Sir, for your great kindness, for which I can never be sufficiently grateful. 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 having destroyed your two officers. Do you approve of this?”
“If I got Guan Yu, he would be ten times better than the Yan Liang and Wen Chou that I have lost,” replied Yuan Shao.
So Liu Bei prepared a letter. But there was no one to take it. Yuan Shao ordered the army to withdraw to Wuyang, where they made a large camp. For some time nothing was done.
Then Cao Cao sent Xiahou Dun to defend the strategic points at Guandu while he led the bulk of the army back to the capital. There he gave many banquets in honor of the services of Guan Yu, and then he told Lu Qian that putting the supplies in the front of the army had been meant as a bait to draw the enemy to destruction.
“Only Xun You understood that,” said Cao Cao in conclusion.
Every one present praised his ingenuity. Even while the banquet was proceeding, there arrived news of a rising of Yellow Scarves rebels at Runan led by Liu Pi and Gong Du. They were very strong, and Cao Hong had been defeated in several engagements. Now he begged for help.
Guan Yu hearing this said, “I should like to have the opportunity of performing some service by destroying these rebels.”
“You have already rendered noble services for which you have not been properly requited. I could hardly trouble you again,” said Cao Cao.
“I have been idle too long; I shall get ill,” said Guan Yu.
Cao Cao then let him to go and gave him fifty thousand troops with Yu Jin and Yue Jin as generals under him. They were to leave soon.
Then Xun Yu said privily to his master, “He always cherishes the idea of returning to Liu Bei. He will leave you if he hears any news. Do not let him go on this expedition.”
“If he does well this time, I will not let him go into battle again,” said Cao Cao.
In due time the force led by Guan Yu drew near the rebels in Runan and made their camp. One night, just outside his camp, two spies were caught and taken in to Guan Yu who in one of them recognized Sun Qian. The attendants being dismissed, Guan Yu questioned Sun Qian.
“After we lost sight of each other, I have heard not a word of you; what are you doing here?” said Guan Yu.
“After I escaped, I drifted hither and thither till I had the good fortune to reach Runan, and Liu Pi and Gong Du, the Yellow Scarves leaders, took me in. 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.
“I have heard lately that Liu Bei is with Yuan Shao. I would have liked to go and join him, but I have not found a convenient opportunity. Now the two men I am with have taken the side of Yuan Shao against Cao Cao. By good luck you were coming here so I got command of a small party of scouts to be able to see you and tell you. Presently our two leaders will pretend to be defeated and you, and the two ladies, can go over to Yuan Shao. And you will see your brother.”
“Since he is there, I certainly must go at once to see him. But it is a misfortune that I have slain two of Yuan Shao's generals. I fear things are not in my favor,” said Guan Yu.
“Let me go first and see how the land lies; I will come back and tell you.”
“I would risk a myriad deaths to see my brother,” said Guan Yu. “But I must go to say farewell to Cao Cao.”
Sun Qian was sent away that night, and next day Guan Yu led out his army to offer battle. Gong Du, in armor, went out to the front of the line of battle, and Guan Yu said, “You people, why have you risen against the government?”
“Why do you blame us when you have turned your back on your own lord?” replied Gong Du.
“How have I turned my back on my lord?”
“Liu Bei is with Yuan Shao, and you are with Cao Cao; what is that?”
Guan Yu could not reply, but he whirled round his sword and rode forward. Gong Du fled, and Guan Yu followed. Gong Du turned and said to Guan Yu, “Do not forget your old chief's kindness. Now attack as soon as you can, and I will give up the defense.”
