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Ch'ên Chên was startled that the lad knew him, and still more so at the familiar address, and said, "O superhuman boy, how do you know my name so well?"

"Last evening my master told me that a messenger with an imperial command would come to-day and mentioned your name.'

"Truly he is more than wise," said Ch'ên Chên; "and men have not believed him."

So the two proceeded to the old man's abode, and Ch'ên declared his errand. The old man said he was too aged to

travel.

"But the Emperor anxiously desires to see you face to face if haply you would not mind making the effort."

In the end, and after much persuasion, the old fellow consented and went. The First Ruler received him affably, surprised at the contrast between his hoary head and fresh boyish complexion. The venerable one had blue eyes, with square and sparkling pupils. His carriage was erect and he

stood straight as a pine tree.

"This is no common man," thought he, and he treated him with distinguished courtesy.

The seer said, "I am but an old man of the barren hill country, without learning or wisdom; you shame me, O Emperor, by calling me, and I know not why."

"I and my two brothers, both now deceased, swore a mutual oath some thirty years ago. Both have gone, both by violent death. I would lead a great army to avenge them and wish to know how the expedition will end. Hearing that you, Venerable Sir, are learned in the deeper mysteries, I sent for you and beg you to tell me."

"But this is fate; it is not for an old man like me to know." But the First Ruler pressed him to say. However, the aged one got paper and a brush and wrote, "Soldiers, horses, weapons" again and again on many sheets of paper. Having done this. he suddenly tore them into fragments. Further, he drew a picture of a tall man lying supine and another above him digging a grave. And over all he wrote, "white."

After this he bowed and departed, leaving the First Ruler annoyed.

"This is only a demented old man; what he says is not worthy of confidence," said the First Ruler. And he burned the paper.

Chang Fei's son,

Then he ordered an advance at full speed. Pao, came in saying, "Wu Pan and his men have come; I pray that I may be appointed to lead the van."

The First Ruler admired his noble intent and gave him a van-leader's seal. But just as he was attaching the seal to his girdle another youth boldly stepped forth and said, "Leave that seal to me!"

It was Kuan Hsing, son of Kuan Yü.

"I have already received my commission," said Chang Pao. "What abilities have you for such a task?" cried Hsing. "That I have been training as a soldier since my boyhood. I can shoot and never miss."

"I should like to see your prowess," said the First Ruler, "that I may decide who is the better."

Chang Pao ordered some of his men to set up a flag at a hundred paces, and on the flag he drew a heart in red. Then he took his bow and shot three arrows, each of which went through the "heart". Those present commended the performance. Then Kuan Hsing seized his bow, saying, "What is it to hit such a mark?"

Just as he said this a flock of wild geese flew over his head. "I will hit the third of the flying geese," said he.

He shot; and the third fell.

"Fine!" cried all the assembly as one voice.

But Chang Pao was enraged. Leaping on his steed he seized the long spear left him by his father, crying, "Dare you try a real combat?"

Kuan Hsing took up the challenge at once. He sprang into the saddle, took his father's great sword and galloped out. "You can use the spear, think you that I cannot wield a sword?" cried he.

The two impetuous youths were on the point of a battle when the First Ruler bade them hold.

"Do not behave so badly!" cried he.

Both dropped out of the saddle, threw aside their weapons, ran to his feet and begged pardon.

"Young men, from the time I left my native place and swore brotherhood with your fathers they were as my own flesh and blood. You two are also brothers and you should help each other in vengeance rather than quarrel and dispute. You have lost the sense of rectitude while your fathers' deaths are still recent and what will happen in future?"

Both fell at his feet and implored forgiveness.

"Which of you two is the elder?" asked the First Ruler.

"I am the elder by a year," said Chang Pao.

The ruler then bade Kuan Hsing bow to Chang Pao as to an elder brother, and there, in front of all, they broke an arrow as a pledge that each would always succour the other.

Then the First Ruler issued a mandate appointing Wu Pan leader of the van, and the two young men were enrolled as his own escort.

The advance began on land and on water, and they made a brave show as they moved against the land of Wu.

In the meantime the two assassins, with the grim evidence of their crime, duly reached Wu and told their story to the marquis who received them.

Then he said to his assembled officers, "Liu Pei has declared himself Emperor and is leading against us in person a great host. What shall we do, for the danger is imminent?"

They all turned pale and looked one at another. Then Chuko Chin spoke out.

"I have been in your service these many years and have never justified the favour you have shown me. I will risk my life and go to this Liu Pei of Shu that I may talk to him plainly and prove to him the advantages of friendship and alliance against Ts'ao P'ei."

This offer pleased Sun Ch'üan, who then appointed Chuko Chin as his messenger to try to induce the First Ruler to keep the peace.

Messengers pass when states are at wrangle;
May this one succeed and unravel this tangle!

What fortune attended this messenger will be related in the next chapter.

CHAPTER LXXXII.

SUN CH'UAN SUBMITS TO WEI AND IS REWARDED;

THE FIRST RULER ATTACKS WU AND REWARDS HIS ARMY.

In the eighth month of the year Chang-wu (221 A.D.) the First Ruler marched at the head of his army and camped at Paitich'êng (City of the White Emperor), through the K'uei Pass. His advanced guard had reached Ch'uank'ou when his attendants told him that Chuko Chin had come as a messenger from Wu. He told them not to admit him. But Huang Ch'üan said, "His brother being your Prime Minister he is certainly come on some important mission. Your Majesty ought to see him and hear what he says. If his proposals are admissible, then agree; if not, he can be made use of to take knowledge of your intentions to Sun Ch'üan and let him know that you intend to punish his crime."

Then the First Ruler gave way, and the messenger was brought in. He bowed down to the earth.

"Sir, you have come a long journey; what is its object?" said the First Ruler.

"My brother has long served Your Majesty; I have come at the risk of my life to discuss Chingchou affairs. When Kuan the Noble was at Chingchou my master repeatedly sought to ally the two families by marriage, but was refused. When he attacked Hsiangyang, Ts'ao Ts'ao wrote again and again urging my master to attack Chingchou. But he was unwilling, and it was the enmity between your brother and Lü Mêng that led to the attack and the unfortunate success. My master is now very sorry for it, but it was Lü Mêng's doing. However, Lü Mêng is now dead and his enmity has died with him Moreover, the Lady Sun is always thinking over returning to you. My master now proposes to send back the lady, to hand over to you those officers who surrendered and to restore Chingchou. If the two houses swear perpetual amity then they may join forces against Ts'ao P'ei and punish his usurpation."

To this harangue the First Ruler only replied, "You of East Wu killed my brother; yet you dare to come with your artful talk!"

Chuko Chin said, "I only wish to discuss the relative importance of the issue. Your ajesty is an Imperial Uncle, and Ts'ao P'ei has seized the throne of your House. Yet you

do not think of destroying the usurper, but on the other hand you disregard the most honourable position in the world for the sake of a so-called brother, a connection of another name. Surely this is rejecting the chief for the subordinate, the main issue for a detail. The country concerned is a part of the empire, and the two capitals, Loyang and Ch'angan, are both famous as places whence the two, one the founder, the other the restorer, of the Hans, initiated their mighty task. Your Majesty takes no thought of these, but would dispute over Chingchou; in other words, the important is adandoned for the worthless. All the world knows of your assumption of the dignity of Emperor and that you will assuredly restore the Hans and rescue their territory; only now you do not try to deal with Ts'ao, you only desire to attack Wu. I venture to think you have made a bad choice."

All this argument only added fuel to the fire.

"The slayer of my brother shall not live in the same world as I. You ask me not to fight. I will cease when I have slain your master. Were it not for the sake of your brother I would behead you at once. As it is, you may go; and you may tell your master to cleanse his neck ready for the blade of the executioner."

Chuko Chin saw that the position was hopeless and took his leave.

But while he had been absent. calumny had not been idle. Chang Chao, one day when he was with Sun Ch'üan, insinuated doubts of Chuko's honesty.

"He knows something of the strength of the armies of Shu, and he made this mission of his an excuse to get out of danger. He will not return."

The marquis replied, "I and he are sworn friends; friends to the death. I shall not wrong him nor will he betray me. When he was at Ch'aisang and his famous brother paid him a visit, I wanted my friend Chuko to persuade his brother to remain with me. His reply was that his brother would not remain any more than he himself would go: each would be faithful to his salt. That was quite clear enough. How could he desert me after that? Our friendship has something of the divine in it, and no talk from outside can sow dissension between us."

Even as he spoke the servants told him that Chuko Chin had returned.

"What do you think now?" said Sun Ch'üan.

Chang Chao retired overwhelmed with shame. The luckless messenger unfolded his tale of failure.

"Then the south is in great danger," said Sun Ch'üan, as he heard the story.

But a certain man here interposed saying he could find a way out of the difficulty. He was Chao Tsu.

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