I have deeply considered these things. If one receive kindness from the Throne and accept the responsibility for a portion of the state and fail, then such a fault would only be made the more serious by holding high rank and thereby increasing the burden of reproach. But my fellows have urged me, and they have convinced me that it would be right; and, should I refuse, the wicked will not be destroyed and the danger to the state will not be removed. The temple of your ancestors is in danger, the imperial prerogatives are failing. A faithful servant, who in the day of tribulation can undertake a suitable policy whereby to preserve the dynasty, should not refuse his help at any cost. Wherefore I have yielded and accepted the position for the glory of the state.

"Humbly I think of such a title and its exalted position and the favour vouchsafed me, and I would endeavour to show true gratitude. My anxiety is deep, for the responsibility is heavy. I am as one on the brink of a great gulf. I must surely exert myself to the utmost and encourage my armies and lead all disciples of rectitude, in accordance with the will of heaven and as occasion serves, to smite rebellion so as to restore the dynasty."

When this memorial reached the capital, Ts'ao Ts'ao was in his palace at Puyeh and it annoyed him greatly.

"How dare this mean weaver of straw shoes behave thus?" said he. "Now I swear that I will destroy him."

So he issued orders for the whole force of the state to go out against Hsich'uan to wage fierce war with the new Prince of Hanchung.

But a remonstrance came from the mouth of Ssuma I. "Let not the great Prince trouble himself to go on a distant expedition because of a temporary annoyance. I can propose

a plan of which the execution will need not the bending of a single bow, and yet it will make Liu Pei bring down disaster upon his own head. When his army shall have become exhausted, it will only be necessary to send one single captain against him and victory will be ours."

"What is your exalted view, my friend?" said Ts'ao Ts'ao. "Sun Ch'üan's sister is wife to Liu Pei, but Sun has found an occasion to steal away the bride. Liu Pei is in possession of Chingchou still, and he and Sun are bitter enemies. Therefore send some able speaker with a letter to Wu to persuade him to send an army to recover Chingchou. That will draw thither all the armies of Hsich'uan, when you can send your army to Han and Ch'uan. Liu Pei will be helpless and his strength will be wasted."

The scheme pleased Ts'ao Ts'ao. He at once drew up a letter and sent it by the hand of Man Ch'ung, who soon arrived in Chiangtung. As soon as Sun Ch'üan knew of the mission, he summoned his advisers to consult.

Chang Chao said, "Wei and Wu are primarily enemies because of the dissension fomented by the words of Chuko. They have been ghting for several years and many lives have been lost. Now this messenger has surely come to discuss terms of friendship, and he should be welcomed.

On the strength of this, Man Ch'ung was well received and conducted into the city and into the presence of Sun Ch'üan. He presented his letters at the conclusion of the ceremonies of reception and declared his mission.

"Wu and Wei have no fundamental quarrel, and their dissension has been brought about by Liu Pei. My master sends me to covenant with you for an attack on Chingchou, while he goes against Han and Ch'uan. This double attack being successful, the conquered country can be divided between you two and you can both swear to respect each other's territory.

Having read the letter, Sun Ch'üan prepared a banquet in honour of Man Ch'ung and then sent him to the guest-house to rest while he discussed the matter with his council of advisers.

Said Ku Yung, "Although the messenger's speech was all special pleading it was correct in form. I propose that the messenger be allowed to return and that a covenant be made with Ts'ao Ts'ao for joint attack. In addition, let spies be sent over the river to find out Kuan Yü's movements, and then we may act."

Chuko Chin said, "I hear that since Kuan Yü has been in Chingchou, Liu Pei has found him a wife, who has borne him a son and a daughter. The daughter is too young to have been betrothed, wherefore let me go to ask her in marriage with your heir. If Kuan Yü agree, then we can arrange with him to attack Ts'ao. iî Kuan Yü refuse, then let us aid Ts‘ao in an attack on Chingchou."

Sun took this advice. So he sent Man Ch'ung away and sent Chuko Chin to Chingchou to try to arrange the betrothal. Chuko Chin was received; and when the time came to state the reason for his coming, Kuan Yü asked him bluntly what he had come for.

"I have come seeking to ally the two houses. My master, the Marquis of Wu, has a son who is quite clever. Hearing that you have a daughter, General, I ask her in marriage, whereby the two houses may join in an attack on Ts'ao Ts'ao. This would be an admirable result and I pray you to consider the proposal."

But the warrior flared up. "How can my tiger daughter marry with a dog's whelp? Were it not for your brother I would take your head. Say no more!"

Kuan Yü called his servants to hustle forth the hapless messenger, who ran away with his hands over his head too astonished to look any one in the face. And reaching his

own place he dared not hide the manner of his reception, but told the whole truth.

"What ruffianism!" exclaimed the marquis.

Thereupon he ordered the council again to consider an attack on Chingchou.

Pu Chih rose and said, "It has been long manifest that Ts'ao Ts'ao wishes to usurp the Throne, but he is afraid of Liu Pei. Now we are to attack Shu with an army. The marriage has brought us misfortune indeed."

"But I also want the place." said Sun Ch'üan.

Said Pu Chih, "Ts'ao Jên is already camped at Fanch'êng in Hsiangyang and in no danger from the river. If Ts'ao can take Chingchou by land why does he not take it? However, he wants you, my lord, to send your army, and you can judge his real intention from this. Send to Ts'ao and tell him to make Ts'ao Jên attack by land. Then Kuan Yü must take the army from Chingchou to Fanch'êng. When he has left Chingchou you can send an army to seize it."

Sun Ch'üan thought the scheme good and sent letters with these proposals to Ts'ao Ts'ao. Ts'ao adopted the plan, and having sent the messenger back to Wu, he next sent Man Ch'ung to help Ts'ao Jên at Fanch'êng as assistant adviser in the matter of attack. He also sent despatches to Wu to ask for the assistance of Sun Ch'üan's marine force.

Having laid on Wei Yen the task of holding eastern Ch'uan, the Prince of Hanchung, with his officers, returned to Ch'êngtu and began to set his new house in order. A palace was begun and public guest-houses were built, and between Ch'êngtu and Paishui, at selected places, they built four hundred rest-houses and post stations. The prince also set himself to accumulate great stores of grain and forage and to fill his arsenals with weapons with the design of mastering the capital and the whole country.

Then his spies told him of the treaty between Ts'ao and Wu, with designs upon Chingchou, and he hastily called in K'ungming to ask what should be done.

"I felt that Ts'ao Ts'ao would try to do this," said K'ungming, "and most of the advisers in Wu will persuade Ts'ao to order Ts'ao Jên to begin the campaign."

"But what am I to do?" asked the prince.

"First send a special messenger to Kuan Yü with his new title, telling him to capture Fanch'êng, which will so damp the ardour of the enemy that he will break off himself."

Therefore the prince sent Fei Shih, a high official from his Board of War, to take the patent of his new title to Kuan Yü, who received the delegate with great deference and conducted him into the city. After they had arrived at the official residence, Kuan Yü enquired what new title had been conferred upon him.

"Chief of the Five Tiger Generals," replied the delegate. "And who are the five?"

"Their names are Kuan, Chang, Chao, Ma and Huang." "The second is my brother," said Kuan Yü discontentedly. "Ma comes of a famous family and Chao Yün has been with my elder brother so long that he is as a brother. It is right for him to be put on a level with me. But what sort of a man is this Huang Chung that he is ranked with us? The really great man does not stand shoulder to shoulder with any old soldier that comes along."

And he refused both title and seal.

"You do wrong to refuse," said Fei Shih. "Of old, Hsiao Ho and Ts'ao Ts'an helped the Founder of the Han Dynasty in his great enterprise and were very dear friends, while Han Hsin was but a runaway leader from Ch'u. Yet Han Hsin became a prince, and so was placed over the heads of the other two. I have never heard that these two resented it. The prince has his Five Tiger Generals, but he is still your brother and all that that means. As his brother you are he and he is you. Is there any comparison with any other? The prince has always treated you with the greatest kindness. You are one in sorrow and joy, sharers of disaster and good fortune. No such question as that of a mere title ought to reckon at all. I pray you, Sir, to reflect."

Kuan Yü understood, and thanked the messenger for having prevented him from making a great mistake. He then received the seal with all humility.

Next Fei Shih produced the edict ordering the capture of Fanch'êng. Kuan Yü lost no time in obeying its command. He appointed Fushih Jên and Mi Fang leaders of the van to take the first army out of the city into camp. This done, a banquet was prepared for the messenger, and they sat late at their wine. While still at table there was an alarm of fire in the new camp, and Kuan Yü hastened out of the city to see. He found that the two captains had also been feasting and the fire had started behind their tent, a spark having fallen into some explosives, whence it spread and destroyed the whole camp and all that was in it. Kuan Yü and his men did what they could to put out the fire and then re-entered the city. There he summoned the two captains before him, abused them for their lack of care and sentenced them to death.

However, Fei Shih interceded for them, saying, "It is not well to put two leaders to death at the beginning of a campaign, before even the army has marched. You might reprieve them at least."

Kuan Yü's anger had by no means subsided, but he recalled the two peccant captains and said, “Were it not that I have the greatest regard for the President Fei here I had let the sentence take its course. Now I will only flog you."

So the two officers received forty blows each and were degraded from leading the van. Their seals were taken away

and one was sent to Nanchün, the other to Kungan.

"Now be warned," said Kuan Yü. "If, when I return from my victories, there is the least sign of disorder on your part, you will suffer for both faults."

The two men flushed crimson and went out.

Then two new officers were appointed, Liao Hua and Kuan P'ing. Next Kuan Yü took command of the main army, and he had two advisers. Then it was that Hu Hua's son, Hu Pan, came to Chingchou and joined Kuan, who loved him for the sake of his father and the good service he had rendered. Kuan Yü sent him to the Prince of Hanchung in the train of Fei Shih.

The day that Kuan Yü sacrificed to his standard before starting, he was lying in his tent resting when suddenly there dashed into his tent a huge boar, very large, as big as a bullock and quite black. It bit his foot. He jumped up to kill the creature, when it squealed with the sound of tearing clothand he awoke. But he had a pain in his foot.

The dream perplexed him, and he could not explain it. He related it to his son, who interpreted it happily, saying that the boar was something of a royal beast, like the dragon, and coming to his feet meant a rise for his adopted father. When the dream got noised abroad, for he told his officers, some interpreted it as auspicious and some the reverse.

"When a man nears sixty he ought not to be greatly disturbed by the thought of death," said Kuan Yü. "After all, I am a man."

Just about that time came an edict from the Prince of Hanchung making him Chief General, with honourable insignia of rank and control over the nine districts in Chingchou and Hsiangyang. When the officers congratulated him on his new honours they did not forget the dream.

"This shows what a dream of boars means."

This new distinction pleased Kuan Yü greatly and he had no more perplexing doubts. Soon he marched away along the great road to the point of danger.

Ts'ao Jên was in the city when he heard that the great warrior was coming against him. He was much put about, and inclined to trust solely to defence. But his next command, Chai Yüan, did not support this course and argued against it.

"Our prince has ordered you to act in concert with Wu and take Chingchou. For the other side to come against such a combination is to walk in the way of death; certainly we have no occasion to avoid a conflict."

On the other hand the newly sent adviser inculcated caution. Said he, "Kuan is brave and cunning and one not to be met lightly. I think defence is best."