“I have always loved Kuan Yü, both for his warlike abilities and his intelligence. I would engage him to enter my service. I would rather send some one to talk him into surrender.” “He will not do that,” said Kuo Chia; “his sense of right is too solid. I fear any one who went to speak with him would suffer.” Then suddenly a man stepped out, saying, “I know him slightly and I will go.” The speaker was Chang Liao. Hsün Yü looked at him and said, “Though you are an old acquaintance I do not think you are equal to talking over Kuan Yü. But I have a scheme that will so entangle him that he will have no alternative; he will have to enter the service of the Minister.” They set the fatal spring beside the lordly tiger’s trail, They hide the hook with fragrant bait to catch the mighty whale. How Kuan Yü was to be entrapped will be told in the next chapter. CHAPTER XXV. FROM TʻUSHAN CAMP KUAN YÜ MAKES THREE CONDITIONS: THE RESCUE AT PAIMA RELEASES TSʻAO TSʻAO. The plan to seduce Kuan Yü from allegiance to his brothers was now announced by its proposer. Since Kuan was far braver than ordinary men he could only be overreached by superior cunning. So it was proposed to send some of his soldiers who had lately been of Liu Pei’s army into Hsiapʻi, where they would say they had come back. They would thus be allies on the inside. Then an attack and a feigned defeat would entice Kuan to a distance from the city. And his return road would be cut. Tsʻao Tsʻao accepted the scheme and a few score of the men who had lately been in Hsüchou were sent to the city. The commander believed the story they told and trusted them. So they were suffered to remain. After this part of the game had been played, Hsiahou Tun led forward five companies against the city. At first Kuan Yü would not accept the challenge, but provoked by men sent to hurl insults at him from the foot of the wall, his wrath got the better of him and he moved out with three companies. After the leaders had exchanged a half score bouts Tun made to run away. Kuan Yü pursued. Tun stopped and made a stand; then he fled again. Thus alternately fighting and retiring, he enticed Kuan Yü twenty li from the city. Then Kuan suddenly remembering the risk to the city drew off his men to return homeward. Soon, at the sound of a signal bomb, out moved two bodies of men who barred his way. Kuan Yü hastened along a road that seemed to offer retreat, but from both sides his ambushed enemies shot their crossbows and the arrows flew like locusts on the wing. No way past was found and he turned back. Then both bodies joined in attacking him. He drove them off and got into the road to his own city, but soon Hsiahou Tun came up again and attacked fiercely as before. Evening came and still Kuan was hemmed in, so he went up on a low hill upon which he encamped for a rest.