“Some hundreds, perhaps. In the autumn a few fall out, but in the winter it is fullest. Then I use a black silk bag to keep the hairs from being broken,” replied Kuan. Tsʻao had a bag made for him to protect his beard. Soon after when they were at Court the Emperor asked what was the bag he saw on Kuan Yü’s breast. “My beard is rather long, Your Majesty,” said Kuan. “So the Minister gave me a bag to protect it.” The Emperor bade him take off the bag and show his beard in all its fullness and it fell in rippling waves below his breast. “Really a most beautiful beard!” said the Emperor. This is why people call him “The Duke with the Beautiful Beard.” Another time, after a banquet, Tsʻao was seeing his guest start from the gate of his palace when he noticed that his charger was very thin. “Why is he so thin?” said Tsʻao. “My worthless body is rather heavy and really too much for him. He is always out of condition.” Tsʻao at once told his men to bring out a certain steed and before long he appeared. He was red, like glowing charcoal, and a handsome creature in every way. “Do you recognise him?” asked Tsʻao. “Why, it is no other than ‘Red Hare!’” cried Kuan Yü. “Yes; it is he,” said Tsʻao, and he presented the horse, all fully caparisoned, to his guest. Kuan Yü bowed many times and thanked him again and again, till Tsʻao began to feel displeased and said, “I have given you many things, lovely handmaids and gold and silks and never won a bow of gratitude from you before. This horse seems to please you better than all the rest. Why do you think so poorly of the damsels and so much of the steed?” “I know the horse, and his speed, and I am very lucky to get him. Now as soon as I find out where my brother is I can get to him in a single day,” said Kuan. Tsʻao grumbled to himself and began to repent of his gift, but Kuan Yü took his leave and went away. Fortune dealt a stunning blow, still he played his part; Partitioning his dwelling proved his purity of heart. The crafty Minister desired to win him to his side, But felt that failure was foredoomed however much he tried. Said Tsʻao Tsʻao to Chang Liao, “I have treated him pretty liberally, but he still cherishes the desire to leave me. Do you know if it is really so?” “I will try to find out,” was the reply. So he took an early opportunity of seeing Kuan Yü and when the politenesses of the visit were over, Liao said, “I recommended you to the Minister and you have not lost much by that.” “I am deeply affected by his kindness and bounty,” said Kuan Yü, “but, though my body is here, yet I am always thinking of my brother.” “Your words do not express present conditions quite correctly. One who lives in the world without discrimination and consideration of his relations with others is not the most admirable type of man. Even Yüan-tê never treated you better than does the Minister. Why then do you maintain this desire to get away?”