San kuo; or, Romance of the three kingdoms (volume 1 of 2)Luo, Guanzhong
History
San kuo; or, Romance of the three kingdoms (volume 1 of 2)
Luo, Guanzhong
China -- History -- Three kingdoms, 220-265 -- Fiction
“Had I come to capture you, I should have come with men and horses,”
said Kuan Yü.
“And are there not men and horses?” said Chang Fei pointing to a point
behind Kuan Yü.
Kuan Yü turned and there he saw a cloud of dust rising as though a
squadron of horse was coming. And soon they were near enough and from
their trumpets and banners they showed themselves to be of Tsʻao
Tsʻao’s army.
“Now will you try to cajole me further?” cried Chang Fei in a rage.
He set his long spear and was just coming on when Kuan Yü said,
“Brother, wait a while; see me slay the leader of these that I may
prove myself no traitor.”
“Well, if you are really true, prove it by slaying that leader, whoever
he may be, before I have finished three rolls of the drum.”
Chang Fei’s condition was accepted. Soon the attacking force was near
enough to make out the leader to be Tsʻai Yang. Sword in hand he rode
at full speed, crying, “So I have found you, slayer of my nephew! I
have a command to capture you and will execute it.”
Kuan Yü made no reply. Raising his sword ready to strike he moved out
and the drums began to beat. Before a roll could be completed the fight
was over and Tsʻai Yang’s head had rolled on the ground. His men
scattered and fled. Kuan Yü, however, captured the young ensign-bearer
and questioned him. The youth said that in very truth the Minister had
not given an order. Incensed at the loss of his nephew, Tsʻai wished to
pursue and attack Kuan Yü although the Minister refused permission. To
satisfy him he had sent Tsʻai to attack Junan and the meeting at this
place was entirely an accident.
Kuan Yü bade him repeat this story to his brother. Chang Fei also
questioned him concerning all that had happened in the capital and the
recital of the whole story satisfied him of the fidelity of Kuan Yü.
Just then messengers came from the city to Chang Fei to say that some
scores of horsemen had arrived at the south gate. They seemed in a
great hurry but no one knew them. Chang Fei, with still a lingering
doubt in his mind, went to look at the newcomers and there saw a score
or two of mounted archers with light bows and short arrows. Hastily
dismounting to see them better he found they were Mi Chu and Mi Fang.
Quickly slipping out of the saddle they came up and Mi Chu said, “After
the dispersal at Hsüchou when we lost sight of you we returned to our
village whence we sent all around for news of you. We heard that Kuan
Yü had surrendered to Tsʻao Tsʻao and our lord was in Hopei. The one of
whom we could hear nothing was yourself. But yesterday, while on our
way, we fell in with some travellers who told us a certain General
Chang, of such and such an appearance, had suddenly occupied Kuchʻêng
and we felt it must be you. So we came to enquire and we happily fell
in with you here.”
Fei replied, “Kuan Yü and Sun Chʻien are here and my two sisters are
with them. They had heard where my elder brother was.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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