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rescue were easily beaten off, and Lêng was carried away. When he reached the Pass, Yüan-tê saw him and greatly blamed him for his base ingratitude.

"I treated you generously and set you free; you repaid me with ingratitude. I cannot forgive again."

So the prisoner was beheaded and his captor was rewarded. A banquet was given in honour of P'êng.

Soon after this came a letter from K'ung-ming, by the hand of Ma Liang, who reported all calm in Chingchin and told Yüan-tê that he need feel no anxiety. Opening the letter, Yüan-tê read: "I have been making some astrological calculations. This is the last year of the cycle, the bowl of the Dipper is in the western quarter and the planet Venus approaches Loch'êng. The configuration is inimical to leaders and the utmost caution is necessary."

Having read this and sent Ma away, Yuan-tê said he would return himself to Chingchou and discuss the matter. But P'ang, who thought in his heart that K'ung-ming's warning was due to a jealous desire to prevent him from winning the glory of conducting a victorious campaign, opposed this, saying, "I also have made calculations, and I read the signs to mean that the time is favourable for you to get possession of this land, and no evil is foreshown. Therefore be not of doubtful heart, my lord, but advance boldly."

Yüan-tê was won over and decided to follow P'ang's advice. He ordered the two captains Huang Chung and Wei Yen to lead.

P'ang asked of Fa Chêng what roads there were to follow, and the latter drew a map, which was found to agree exactly with that left by Chang Sung.

Fa said, "North of the mountains is a high road leading to the west gate. Both these roads are suitable for the advance

of an army."

So P'ang said to Liu Pei, "With Wei to lead the way, I will go along the southern road, while you, my lord, will advance along the high road, with Huang in the van. We will attack at the same time."

Yüan-tê replied, "I was trained as a mounted archer and am accustomed to by-roads, wherefore, O Commander, I think you should take the high road and let me take the other."

"There will be opposition on the high road and you are the best to deal with it. Let me take the by-road."

"No; this does not suit me," replied Yüan-tê. “A spirit bearing a massive iron club appeared to me in a dream and struck my right arm, so that I suffered great pain. I feel sure this expedition will turn out badly."

P'ang replied, "When a soldier goes into battle he may be killed, or he may be wounded; he accepts whichever is his fate. But should one hesitate because of a dream?"

"The real reason of my hesitation is the letter from K'ungming. Wherefore I wish you to remain and guard the Pass. Do you agree to that?"

P'ang smiled, saying, "K'ung-ming has indeed filled your mind with doubts. The real thing is that he is unwilling to let me have the merit of accomplishing a great undertaking alone. That is why he has written this. And your doubts and hesitations have produced the dream. But I see nothing ill-omened, and I am prepared for any sacrifice and mean just what I say. Pray, my lord, say no more, but prepare to set forth."

So the order went forth that the morning meal was to be taken early and the army was to march at dawn. Huang and Wei were to take the lead, one along each road. These two set out first, and in due time Liu Pei and P'ang T'ung mounted and followed. Suddenly P'ang's horse shied and stumbled, throwing him off. Yüan-tê jumped down and seized the horse by the bridle, saying, "Why do you ride this wretched beast?"

"I have ridden him a long time and he has never done this before," was the reply.

"A shying steed risks a man's life," said Yüan-tê. "Ride my horse, which is thoroughly trained and will never fail you. Give me yours."

They exchanged horses. "I am deeply affected by your kindness," said P'ang. "I could never repay you if I suffered death a thousand times."

Soon their ways diverged. After his adviser had left, Yüan-tê felt ill at ease and rode gloomily.

When the news of Lêng Pao's capture and death reached Loch'êng the two commanders there took counsel together. Their colleague, Chang Jên, said, "I know a by-road on the east which is of great importance, and I pray you to let me guard it while you two hold the city."

So as soon as the news of the advancing armies came, Chang led three companies to this road and placed them in ambush. They remained hidden while Wei Yen passed and made no attack. The main body under P'ang T'ung soon followed. The soldiers in ambush saw a rider on a fine white horse and pointed him out to one another, saying, "That surely is Liu Pei on the white horse." Their leader rejoiced too, and he gave certain orders, which need not be recorded here.

P'ang hastened forward. By and by the mountain road narrowed to a defile with dense thickets on either hand, and as the season was when summer changes into autumn, the foliage was thick and impenetrable. His heart misgave him, and presently he reined in his steed and asked if any knew the name of that place. One of the Shu soldiers who had joined his army said, "This is called 'The Slope of the Fallen Phoenix.""

P'ang shuddered.

"An evil omen for me, since 'Phoenix Fledgeling' is my Taoist name. There is no luck for me here."

He decided to retire. But as he gave the order the roar of a bomb rent the air and arrows began to fly toward him thick as swarming locusts. All the hidden men were shooting at the rider of the white horse. And there, wounded by many arrows, poor P'ang T'ung died at the age of thirty-six. A poem says:

Deep in the blue recesses of the hills

Lay hid the modest cot of Shih-yüan.

But now each village urchin knows his story,

And any village rustic tells his exploits.

He knew the empire must be triply rent,

And far he travelled lonely, to and fro.

None knew that Heaven would cast down his star,
Forbidding his return in glory clad.

A song was also written referring to P'ang T'ung:

They were two, the Phoenix and the Dragon,
And they would travel far to Shu;

But on the road thither

The Phoenix died on the mountain slope.

The wind drives off the rain,

The rain sends off the wind.

It was the day of the Han restoration,
When Shu was attained,

But in the attainment

The Dragon was alone.

Not only was the leader of the expedition slain, but more than half the soldiers fell in the narrow road that fatal day. Some of the men in the van escaped and ran off to tell Wei of the mishap to the army, and he halted and turned back to help. However, it was difficult to march back and he could not hack a way through, for the road was held by Chang, and archers and crossbowmen occupied all the heights.

Then one of the renegades proposed that they should try to return along the high road, and they started for Loch'êng this way. But in front of them arose a great cloud of dust, betraying the approach of an enemy. The defenders of the city were moving toward them, and Wei Yen was between the two armies closed in like the kernel of a nut. Wei fought hard to get through. When his case seemed most desperate and hopeless, he observed signs of confusion in the army that lay between him and the city. Soon that army turned and faced the other way. He pressed forward and presently saw men of his own side, led by the veteran Huang Chung.

"I will rescue you, Wên-chang," shouted he, as he came near. Now the defenders of Loch'êr g found themselves between two enemies, and they were smitten heavily. They could not check Wei and Huang, who got through to the very walls of

Loch'êng. Seeing them near, Liu Kuei, who had been left to defend the city, came out against them. Thereupon Huang and Wei, in spite of the nearness of the army of Liu Pei, refused battle and turned away from the city. Yüan-tê's army made a dash for two stockades, but when Chang came along a by-road and the other three defenders of the city came on, the stockades could not be held and Yüan-tê's army had to retire. Now fighting and now marching, the army of Liu Pei strove hard to reach Fou Pass, but Chang pressed close. However, Liu Pei's adopted son and nephew came up, and not only drove back the pursuers but chased them some twenty li. Finally, Liu Pei and his men reached the Pass, weary and dispirited. His son and nephew returned from the pursuit with many horses they had captured from the flying enemy. However, nothing had been gained and the victory lay rather with the army of Shu.

One of the fugitives from the army finally reached Fou Pass and told Yuan-tê of the sad news of the death of his adviser, man and horse wounded to death. He turned his face to the west and mourned bitterly.

Although the body of the slain leader lay far away they instituted sacrifice to call the spirit, and all the captains keened for him.

Then said Huang, "Now that our leader is no more, certainly the enemy will return to attack the Pass. What is to be done? I think we had better send to Chingchou for Chuko Liang and get him to lay plans for getting possession of the country."

And even then came in one to say that the enemy under Chang Jên had come and were now offering a challenge at the rampart. Huang and Wei wished to go forth to fight, but Liu Pei disapproved, saying, "We have suffered a severe check and the men are low-spirited. Let us rather remain on the defensive until the great adviser can arrive."

Huang and Wei made no objection, but set themselves to guard the Pass most vigilantly, while a letter was written to K'ung-ming and sent by the hand of Kuan P'ing. He set forth at once and Yuan-tê gave himself up to holding the Pass.

It was the seventh day of the seventh moon, and in the evening K'ung-ming invited his officers to a banquet. Conversation turned toward the enterprise in Ssuch'uan. Suddenly a large and brilliant meteor appeared in the west, illuminating the whole sky. It so disturbed the host that he dashed his wine cup to the ground, covered his face and burst into tears.

"Alas! Alas!"

The guests eagerly asked him why he wept. He replied, "I knew by my calculations that the bowl of the Dipper would be in the west at this season and that the auspices would be unfavourable to leaders of armies, and lo! the Heavens have

gone against our men. When Venus was about to stand over Loch'êng I wrote to our lord warning him to be very cautious. I never contemplated the falling of the star this evening. Now P'ang T'ung is no more."

Again he fell to weeping. "My lord has lost an arm!" moaned he.

The guests were rather disturbed, but they only half believed that such a misfortune had happened.

"We shall hear the sad news in a very few days," said K'ung-ming.

The banquet ended sadly enough, and the guests went their ways. A few days later, while K'ung-ming was sitting with Kuan Yü and a few others, they reported the arrival of Kuan P'ing with letters from the west. When the letters were opened they knew that P'ang T'ung had fallen the same evening that the meteor had appeared.

K'ung-ming wailed and the others wept with him.

Then K'ung-ming said, "I must go to help our lord; he is hemmed in at the Pass and cannot move.”

"If you go away, who will guard this city?" asked Kuan Yü. "It is of very great importance."

"Our lord has not written plainly, but I know what was in his mind." Then he showed the letter to the others and said, "Provision for the defence of this city is laid upon me and I am to find one equal to the task. I read the letter to mean that he desires Kuan Yü to undertake the defence, and I know that he will do it for the sake of the pledge taken long ago in the Peach Garden. The task is no light one."

Kuan accepted without hesitation or thought of excuse. A special banquet was prepared at which the seal was to be handed over to him.

"All the future rests with you, General," said K'ung-ming as he raised the symbol of office to place it in the hands of the veteran warrior.

"When a man of honour accepts such a task he is only released by death," replied Kuan.

But that ill-omened word "death" displeased K'ung-ming, and even then he would have retracted but that his word had gone forth. He went on. "Now if Ts'ao Ts'ao attack what is to be done?"

"Repel him with all my strength."

"But if Ts'ao Ts'ao and Sun Ch'üan attack you together, what then?"

"Fight both; half my force against each."

K'ung-ming said, "In that case, Chingchou would be in danger. I will give you my advice in a few words, and if you remember them the city is safe."

"What are these few words?" asked Kuan. "North, fight Ts'ao; south, ally with Sun."

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