So they pressed on. But they had gone only one or two miles when Cao Cao flourished his whip and broke once again into loud laughter.
“What is there to laugh at?” asked the officers.
“People say those two, Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang, are able and crafty; I do not see it. They are a couple of incapables. If an ambush had been placed here, we should all be prisoners.”
Cao Cao had not finished this speech when the explosion of a bomb broke the silence, and a company of five hundred troops with swords in their hands appeared and barred the way. The leader was Guan Yu, holding his green-dragon saber, bestriding the Red-Hare. At this sight, the spirits of Cao Cao's soldiers left them, and they gazed into each others' faces in panic.
“Now we have but one course;” said Cao Cao, “we must fight to the death.”
“How can we?” said the officers. “Though the leaders are not scared, the horses are spent.”
Cheng Yu said, “I have always heard that Guan Yu is haughty to the proud but kindly to the humble; he despises the strong, but is gentle with the weak. He discriminates between love and hate and is always righteous and true. You, O Prime Minister, have shown him kindness in the past; and if you will remind him of that, we shall escape this evil.”
Cao Cao agreed to try. He rode out to the front, bowed low and said, “General, I trust you have enjoyed good health.”
“I had orders to await you, O Prime Minister,” replied Guan Yu, bowing in return, “and I have been expecting you these many days.”
“You see before you Cao Cao, defeated and weak. I have reached a sad pass, and I trust you, O General, will not forget the kindness of former days.” “Though indeed you were kind to me in those days, yet I slew your enemies for you and relieved the siege of Baima. As to the business of today, I cannot allow private feelings to outweigh public duty.”
“Do you remember my six generals, slain at the five passes? The noble person values righteousness. You are well versed in the histories and must recall the action of Yu Gong, the archer, when he released his master Zi Zhuo, for he determined not to use Zi's teaching to kill Zi.”
Guan Yu was indeed a very mountain of goodness and could not forget the great kindness he had received at Cao Cao's hands, and the magnanimity Cao Cao had shown over the deeds at the five passes. He saw the desperate straits to which his benefactor was reduced, and tears were very near to the eyes of both. He could not press Cao Cao hard. He pulled at the bridle of his steed and turned away saying to his followers, “Break up the formation!”
From this it was evident that his design was to release Cao Cao, who then went on with his officers; and when Guan Yu turned to look back, they had all passed. He uttered a great shout and Cao Cao's soldiers jumped off their horses and knelt on the ground crying for mercy. But he also had pity for them. Then Zhang Liao, whom he knew well, came along and was allowed to go free also.
Having escaped this danger, Cao Cao hastened to get out of the valley. As the throat opened out, he glanced behind him and saw only forty-seven horsemen. As evening fell, they reached Jiangling, and they came upon an army that they took to be more enemies.
Cao Cao thought the end had surely come, but to his delight they were his own soldiers and he regained all his confidence.
Cao Ren, who was the leader, said, “I heard of your misfortunes, my lord, but I was afraid to venture far from my charge, else I would have met you before.”
“I thought I would never see you again,” said Cao Cao.
The fugitives found repose in the city, where Zhang Liao soon joined them. He also praised the magnanimity of Guan Yu.
When Cao Cao mustered the miserable remnant of his officers, he found nearly all were wounded and he bade them rest. Cao Ren poured the wine of consolation whereby his master might forget his sorrows. And as Cao Cao drank among his familiars, he became exceedingly sad.
Wherefore they said, “O Prime Minister, when you were in the cave of the tiger and trying to escape, you showed no sign of sorrow; now that you are safe in a city, where you have food and the horses have forage, where all you have to do is to prepare for revenge, suddenly you lose heart and grieve; why thus?”
Replied Cao Cao, “I am thinking of my friend Guo Jia; had he been alive, he would not have let me suffer this loss.”
He beat his breast and wept, saying “Alas for Guo Jia! I grieve for Guo Jia! I sorrow for Guo Jia!”
