so he told K'ung-ming to compose a letter and send back by Kuan P'ing.
When Kuan P'ing came again to his father the first question was about the contest with Ma Ch'ao. Then the letter was produced, and this is what it said: "I hear you are anxious to decide whether of the twain, Ma Ch'ao and yourself is the better man. Now I can measure Ma Ch'ao. He may be unusually brave and bold, but he is only of the class of Ching Pu and P'eng Yueh. He might be a worthy rival of your younger brother, but he is far from the standard set by you, O Duke of the Beautiful Beard. You have a most important charge. If you come into Ssuch'uan, and Chingchou should be lost, would you not be guilty of a terrible failure? I think you will see this."
Kuan Yu stroked his long beard and smiled as he read the letter. "He knows me thoroughly," said he to himself.
He showed the letter to his clients and friends and thought no more of going westward.
The successes of Liu Pei in the west had been duly noted by Sun Ch'uan, who thought he was surely now going to obtain the much-coveted Chingchou. So he called in Chang Chao and Ku Yung to ask advice.
Chang Chao was ready with a scheme that would need no fighting: Yuan-te would offer the place with both hands.
In Shu there shine new sun and moon,
Wu dreams Chingchou will be his soon.
We shall see in the next chapter the scheme to recover the much-desired district.
CHAPTER LXVI
KUAN YU GOES TO A FEAST ALONE,
BUT ARMED: FU HUANG-HOU DIES
FOR THE STATE
T he scheme which Chang Chao had in mind he laid before his master thus: "The one man upon whom Liu Pei relies most is Chuko Liang. Now his brother is in your service and in your power. All you have to do is to seize his family and send him west to see his brother and make him persuade Liu Pei to return Chingchou. If he refuse, the family will suffer, and Liang will not be able to resist the claims of brotherhood."
"But Chuko Chin is a loyal and true gentleman. I could not lay hands upon his family," said Sun Ch'uan.
"Explain the ruse to him; that will set his mind at rest," said Chang.
Sun Ch'uan consented and issued the command to confine the family of his retainer in the palace but not really imprison them. Then he wrote a letter for Chuko Chin to take with him on his mission. Before many days Chin reached Ch'engtu and sent to inform Yuan-te of his arrival. He at once sought the advice of his able counseller.
"Why think you your brother has come?"
"He has come to force the return of Chingchou."
"How shall I answer him?"
"You must do so and so," said K'ung-ming.
The plan of action being prepared, K'ung-ming went out of the city to welcome his brother, but instead of taking him to his own residence he took him to the guest-house. When the greetings were over, the visitor suddenly lifted up his voice and wept.
"If you have any trouble, my brother, tell; why do you weep thus?" asked K'ung-ming.
"Alas! my family are lost," cried he.
"I suppose it is in the matter of the return of Chingchou? If your family have been seized on my account, how can I bear it calmly? But do not be anxious, my brother. I shall certainly find some way out of the difficulty."
This reply pleased Chuko Chin, and the two brothers went to visit Yuan-te. The letter was presented, but when Yuan-te had read it he said, angrily, "He is related to me by marriage and he has profited by my absence from Chingchou to steal away his sister. That is a sort of kindliness I find it hard to bear. When I am just going to lead my army to take vengeance is it likely he will get Chingchou out of me?"
At this point K'ung-ming prostrated himself weeping at his lord's feet and said, "The Marquis of Wu has seized my brother's family, and he will put them all to death if the land be not given up. Can I remain alive if such a fate befall them? I pray my lord for my sake to give back the district and prevent any breach between my brother and me."
But Yuan-te refused. He seemed obdurate, but
When Kuan P'ing came again to his father the first question was about the contest with Ma Ch'ao. Then the letter was produced, and this is what it said: "I hear you are anxious to decide whether of the twain, Ma Ch'ao and yourself is the better man. Now I can measure Ma Ch'ao. He may be unusually brave and bold, but he is only of the class of Ching Pu and P'eng Yueh. He might be a worthy rival of your younger brother, but he is far from the standard set by you, O Duke of the Beautiful Beard. You have a most important charge. If you come into Ssuch'uan, and Chingchou should be lost, would you not be guilty of a terrible failure? I think you will see this."
Kuan Yu stroked his long beard and smiled as he read the letter. "He knows me thoroughly," said he to himself.
He showed the letter to his clients and friends and thought no more of going westward.
The successes of Liu Pei in the west had been duly noted by Sun Ch'uan, who thought he was surely now going to obtain the much-coveted Chingchou. So he called in Chang Chao and Ku Yung to ask advice.
Chang Chao was ready with a scheme that would need no fighting: Yuan-te would offer the place with both hands.
In Shu there shine new sun and moon,
Wu dreams Chingchou will be his soon.
We shall see in the next chapter the scheme to recover the much-desired district.
CHAPTER LXVI
KUAN YU GOES TO A FEAST ALONE,
BUT ARMED: FU HUANG-HOU DIES
FOR THE STATE
T he scheme which Chang Chao had in mind he laid before his master thus: "The one man upon whom Liu Pei relies most is Chuko Liang. Now his brother is in your service and in your power. All you have to do is to seize his family and send him west to see his brother and make him persuade Liu Pei to return Chingchou. If he refuse, the family will suffer, and Liang will not be able to resist the claims of brotherhood."
"But Chuko Chin is a loyal and true gentleman. I could not lay hands upon his family," said Sun Ch'uan.
"Explain the ruse to him; that will set his mind at rest," said Chang.
Sun Ch'uan consented and issued the command to confine the family of his retainer in the palace but not really imprison them. Then he wrote a letter for Chuko Chin to take with him on his mission. Before many days Chin reached Ch'engtu and sent to inform Yuan-te of his arrival. He at once sought the advice of his able counseller.
"Why think you your brother has come?"
"He has come to force the return of Chingchou."
"How shall I answer him?"
"You must do so and so," said K'ung-ming.
The plan of action being prepared, K'ung-ming went out of the city to welcome his brother, but instead of taking him to his own residence he took him to the guest-house. When the greetings were over, the visitor suddenly lifted up his voice and wept.
"If you have any trouble, my brother, tell; why do you weep thus?" asked K'ung-ming.
"Alas! my family are lost," cried he.
"I suppose it is in the matter of the return of Chingchou? If your family have been seized on my account, how can I bear it calmly? But do not be anxious, my brother. I shall certainly find some way out of the difficulty."
This reply pleased Chuko Chin, and the two brothers went to visit Yuan-te. The letter was presented, but when Yuan-te had read it he said, angrily, "He is related to me by marriage and he has profited by my absence from Chingchou to steal away his sister. That is a sort of kindliness I find it hard to bear. When I am just going to lead my army to take vengeance is it likely he will get Chingchou out of me?"
At this point K'ung-ming prostrated himself weeping at his lord's feet and said, "The Marquis of Wu has seized my brother's family, and he will put them all to death if the land be not given up. Can I remain alive if such a fate befall them? I pray my lord for my sake to give back the district and prevent any breach between my brother and me."
But Yuan-te refused. He seemed obdurate, but
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