So Guan Ping took his sword, mounted his steed, and went out with his troops. Both sides being drawn up for battle. On the side of Wei there flew a single black flag on which was inscribed “Pang De, Corrector of the West” in white. The leader himself wore a blue robe with a silver helmet and rode a white charger. He stood out in front backed by his five hundred veterans, and a few foot soldiers were there too, bearing the gruesome coffin.
Guan Ping was very angry, crying out, “Turncoat! Traitor!”
“Who is that?” asked Pang De of his followers.
A certain one replied, “That is Guan Yu's adopted son, Guan Ping.”
Pang De cried, “I have an edict from the Prince of Wei to take your father's head. You are but a weakling and I will spare you. But call your father.”
Guan Ping dashed forward flourishing his sword. Pang De went to meet him, and there followed thirty odd bouts with no advantage to either.
Both sides then drew off to rest. Soon the news of this combat reached Guan Yu, and he was not pleased. He sent Liao Hua to assault the city while he went to do battle with Pang De. Guan Ping met his father and related the story of the indecisive fight. So Guan Yu rode out with his green-dragon saber ready, and he shouted to Pang De, “Come quickly and be slain!”
The drums reechoed as Pang De rode out and replied, “The edict from the Prince of Wei tells me to take your head. In case you disbelieve it, here is the coffin ready to receive it. If you fear death, down from your horse and surrender.”
“I hold you for a simple fool,” cried Guan Yu. “What can you do? It is a pity to stain my blade with the blood of such a rat.”
Then he galloped out toward Pang De, flourishing the saber. Pang De whirled his blade and came to meet him, and they two fought a hundred bouts. And as they fought, the lust of battle seemed to grow and both armies were lost in amazement. But the army of Wei began to fear for their champion, and the gongs sounded the retirement. At the same time Guan Ping began to think of his father's fatigue, and his gongs clanged too. So that both armies drew off at the same time.
“People rumor Guan Yu is a mighty man of war; today I really believe that,” said Pang De, when he had got back among his own line.
Then his chief, Yu Jin, came to see him and said, “O General, you fought the great combat of a hundred bouts, which ended indecisively. I think it would be prudent to retire out of his way.”
But Pang De replied haughtily, “What makes you so soft? Yet the Prince gave you the command of the seven armies! But tomorrow I will fight again and that to the death. I swear I will never give way.”
Yu Jin could not overcome his decision, so he went back to his own camp.
When Guan Yu had got back to his camp, he extolled Pang De, saying, “His swordsmanship is perfect; he is my worthy enemy.”
“The new-born calf fears not the tiger,” said Guan Ping. “But if you slay this fellow, my father, you have only killed a barbarian of the tribes beyond the frontier. If any accident occurs, then you will have the reproach of not having considered your brother's charge.”
“How can my resentment be assuaged save by the death of this man?” returned Guan Yu. “I have decided to fight, so say no more.”
Next day Guan Yu took the field first, but Pang De quickly came out. Both arrayed their troops and then went to the front at the same moment. This time neither spoke, but the combat began forthwith. It went on for fifty bouts, and then Pang De pulled his horse, sheathed his sword, and fled. Guan Yu went in pursuit, and Guan Ping followed lest there should be need of him. Guan Yu roared out reviling to his flying foe, “Traitor! You want to use the 'swinging-horse stab,' but here I am, never afraid of that.”
But the fact was that Pang De had only pretended to try for a foul stroke in order to cover a resort to his bow. He pulled in his horse, fitted an arrow to the string, and was just on the point of shooting when Guan Ping, who was sharp-eyed, shouted out a warning.
“The bandit is going to shoot!”
Guan Yu saw it, but the bowstring twanged, and the arrow came flying. He was not nimble enough to avoid it and it wounded his left arm. Guan Ping at once went to his father's assistance and led him away to the camp. Pang De wished to follow up this advantage and came back whirling his sword, but, ere he could strike, the gongs of his own side rang out. He thought there was something amiss in the rear and stopped.
The signal for retreat had been sounded by Yu Jin out of jealousy, for he had seen that Guan Yu had been wounded, and he grudged his colleague the glory which would eclipse his own. Pang De obeyed, but when he got back, he wanted to know why retreat had been sounded on the very verge of a great success.
“Why did the gongs clang?” asked Pang De.
“Because of our Prince's warning. Though Guan Yu was wounded, I feared some trick on his part. He is very cunning.” “I should have killed him if you had not done that,” said Pang De.
