Chen Ying asked pardon, put his hands over his head, and fled like a frightened rat. When he reached his city, he told the Governor all these things.
“My original desire was to yield, but you insisted on fighting, and this is what it has brought you to.”
So spoke the Governor. He bade Chen Ying begone and then prepared his letter of submission and put up his seal. With a small party, Zhao Fan went out of the city and wended his way to Zhao Yun's camp. Zhao Yun received him graciously, offered him wine, and then accepted the seal of office.
After the wine had gone round several times, Zhao Fan became talkative, saying, “General, your surname is the same as mine, and five centuries ago we were one family. You are from Changshan, and so am I. Moreover we are from the same village. If you do not mind, we might swear brotherhood. I should be very happy.”
Zhao Yun was pleased and they compared ages. They were of the same year. However, Zhao Yun was the elder by four months, and so Zhao Fan made his bow as younger brother. The two men, having so many things in common, were very pleased with each other and seemed fitted to be close friends.
At eventide the feast broke up, and the late Governor returned to his dwelling. Next day Zhao Fan requested Zhao Yun to enter the city, where, after Zhao Yun had assured the people of their safety, he went to a banquet at the state residence. When they had become mellow with wine, the Governor invited Zhao Yun into the inner quarters, where wine was again served. When Zhao Yun was a little intoxicated, his host bade a woman come forth and offer a cup of wine to the guest.
The woman was dressed entirely in white silk, and her beauty was such as to overthrow cities and ruin states.
“Who is she?” asked Zhao Yun.
“My sister-in-law; she is of the Fan family.”
Zhao Yun at once changed his look and treated her with deference. When she had offered the cup, the host told her to be seated and join the party, but Zhao Yun declined this addition to the evening and the lady withdrew.
“Why did you trouble your sister-in-law to present wine to me, Brother?” asked Zhao Yun.
“There is a reason,” said the host smiling. “I pray you let me tell you. My brother died three years ago and left her a widow. But this cannot be regarded as the end of the story. I have often advised her to marry again, but she said she would only do so if three conditions were satisfied in one man's person. The suitor must be famous for literary grace and warlike exploits, secondly, handsome and highly esteemed and, thirdly, of the same name as our own. Now where in all the world was such a combination likely to be found? Yet here are you, Brother, dignified, handsome, and prepossessing, a man whose name is known all over the wide world and of the desired name. You exactly fulfill my sister's ambitions. If you do not find her too plain, I should like her to marry you and I will provide a dowry. What think you of such an alliance, such a bond of relationship?”
But Zhao Yun rose in anger, shouting, “As I have just sworn brotherhood with you, is not your sister-in-law my sister-in-law? How could you think of bringing such confusion into the relationship?”
Shame suffused Zhao Fan's face, and he said, “I only thought of being kind to you; why are you so very rude to me?”
Zhao Fan looked right and left to his attendants with murder in his eye. Zhao Yun raised his fist and knocked him down.
Then he strode out of the place, mounted, and rode out of the city.
Zhao Fan at once called in his two generals.
Chen Ying said, “He has gone away in a rage, which means that we shall have to fight him.”
“I greatly fear you will lose,” said Zhao Fan.
“We will pretend to be deserters,” said Bao Long, “and so get among his soldiers. When you challenge him, we will suddenly catch him.”
“We shall have to take some others with us,” said Chen Ying.
“Five hundred troops will be ample,” said Bao Long. So in the night the two men and their followers ran over to Zhao Yun's camp to desert.
Zhao Yun understood the trick they would play, but he called them in, and they said, “When Zhao Fan tempted you with that fair lady, he wanted to make you drunk and get you into the private apartments so that he might murder you and send your head to Cao Cao. Yes; he was as wicked as that even. We saw you go away in anger, and we thought that would mean grave trouble for us, and so we have deserted.”
Zhao Yun listened with simulated joy, and he had wine served to the two men, and pressed them to drink so that they were quite overcome. When this was done, he had both bound with cords, called up their followers, and asked them whether this was real or pretended desertion, and they told him the truth.
Then he gave the soldiers wine and said, “Those who wanted to harm me are your leaders and not you. If you do as I tell you, you shall be well rewarded.”
