Yüan Shao was very angry and, pointing to Liu Pei, he said, “Your brother has slain my beloved leader. You are in the plot too. Why should I save you alive?” He bade the lictors take him away and behead him. Morning saw him guest on high, Evening, prisoner, doomed to die. His actual fate will be told in the next chapter. CHAPTER XXVI. YÜAN SHAO IS DEFEATED AND LOSES A LEADER: KUAN YÜ ABANDONS RANK AND WEALTH. As the last chapter closed Yüan-tê had been condemned to die. He spoke up, however, and said, “Pray hear one word, Illustrious Sir, before you decide. I have lost sight of my brother since my misfortune at Hsüchou and know not whether Yün-chʻang be dead or alive. There are many men in the world who resemble him. Is every red-faced man with a beard named Kuan? Should you not rather seek some evidence?” Now Yüan Shao was impulsive and facile by nature and when Yüan-tê spoke thus, he suddenly turned upon Chu Shou, saying, “By wrongly regarding what you said I nearly killed an innocent man.” Then he requested Yüan-tê once more to resume his seat in the tent and advise him how to avenge Yen Liang. Soon from the lower end a voice was heard, saying, “Yen Liang and I were as brothers and can I allow any other to avenge his death?” The speaker was a man of middle height with a face like a unicorn, a famous leader from Hopei, named Wên Chʻou. Yüan Shao was pleased and said, “You are the only man who can do it. I will give you ten legions and you can cross the Yellow River, and quickly smite that rebel Tsʻao.” “You cannot do it; he will fail,” said Chu Shou. “The proper course is to hold Yenching and detach a force to Kuantu. If you rashly cross the river and anything goes wrong not a soul will return.” Yüan Shao said, “That is always the way with you fellows, always delaying and taking the dash out of the soldiers. You put off to-day and postpone to-morrow till success has become impossible. Do you forget that promptitude is what the soldier honours?” The adviser withdrew sadly, saying, “Superiors do not curb their ambitions: inferiors must strive to render service. Eternal is the Yellow River, shall I cross it?” Thereafter he feigned illness and went no more to the Council. Yüan-tê said, “I have received much kindness at your hands and have been unable to show my gratitude. I would accompany General Wên that I may repay your bounty and also that I may hear news of my brother.” Yüan Shao gladly consented and ordered Wên Chʻou to share his command with Yüan-tê. But the former objected saying that Yüan-tê had been so often defeated that it would augur ill for success this time. He proposed to give Yüan-tê command of the rear guard, and this being approved, three legions were told off under Liu Pei’s special command to follow the main body.