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ion　that　made　Yangjue　Ai　and　Zuo　Botao　die　rather　than　separate。　I　was　in　charge　of　Xiapi；　but　the　place　lacked　provision　and　there　was　no　help。　I　would　have　fought　to　the　death；　but　there　was　on　my　shoulders　the　responsibility　for　my　sisters…in…law。　Wherefore　I　had　to　take　care　of　my　body　lest　I　betrayed　your　trust。　And　so　I　made　a　prisoner　of　myself；　hoping　to　find　a　way　of　release。　I　heard　of　you　lately　in　Runan。　I　must；　however；　bid　farewell　to　Cao　Cao　and　bring　the　ladies　with　me　when　I　e。　May　I　perish；　victim　to　the　superhuman　powers；　if　I　have　harbored　any　traitorous　thought。　Ink　and　paper　are　poor　substitutes　for　what　I　would　say；　but　I　look　to　see　you　soon。〃

Chen　Zhen　left　with　this　missive；　and　Guan　Yu　went　to　tell　the　women。　Then　he　proceeded　to　the　Prime　Ministers　palace　to　say　farewell。　But　Cao　Cao　knew　what　he　was　ing　for；　and　at　the　gate　Guan　Yu　found　the　board　intimating　that　no　one　could　be　received。　So　he　had　to　return。　However；　he　bade　his　own　few　soldiers　prepare　to　start　at　any　moment。　He　also　gave　orders　that　everything　received　from　Cao　Cao　was　to　be　left　in　the　quarters。　Nothing　was　to　be　taken。

Next　day　he　again　proceeded　to　the　palace　to　say　farewell　to　his　patron；　but　again　found　the　board　hanging　there　to　show　there　was　no　admission。　So　it　was　several　times；　he　could　never　enter。　Then　he　went　to　see　Zhang　Liao；　but　Zhang　Liao　was　indisposed。

〃This　means　Cao　Cao　will　not　let　me　go；〃　thought　Guan　Yu。　〃But　I　am　going；　and　I　shall　hesitate　no　longer。〃

So　he　wrote　this　letter：

〃As　a　young　man　I　entered　the　service　of　the　Imperial　Uncle；　and　pledged　myself　to　share　his　fortunes。　Heaven　and　Earth　witnessed　this　oath。　When　I　lost　the　city；　I　made　three　requests　which　you　granted。　Now　I　hear　my　brother　is　with　Yuan　Shao　and　I；　remembering　our　pledge；　cannot　but　go　to　him。　Though　your　bounty　is　great；　I　forget　not　the　bond　of　the　past；　wherefore　I　write　this　letter　of　farewell　trusting　that　when　you　have　read　it；　you　will　be　content　for　me　to　postpone　to　another　season　the　proof　of　my　gratitude。〃

Guan　Yu　sealed　and　sent　it　to　the　palace。　Then　he　deposited　in　the　treasury　of　his　dwelling　all　the　gold　and　silver　he　had　received；　hung　his　seal　of　lordship　of　Hanshou　in　the　middle　of　the　reception　hall　and　left；　taking　his　sisters…in…law　with　him　in　a　carriage。　He　rode　Red　Hare　and　carried　the　green…dragon　saber　in　his　hand。　With　a　small　escort　of　guards；　those　formerly　under　his　mand；　he　left　the　city　by　the　north　gate。

The　wardens　would　have　stopped　him；　but　Guan　Yu　frightened　them　with　a　fierce　shout。　Having　got　out；　he　told　the　escort　to　go　in　front　with　the　carriage　while　he　would　remain　behind　to　guard　against　pursuit。　So　they　pushed　the　carriage　toward　the　high　road。

In　the　city；　Guan　Yus　letter　reached　the　Prime　Minister　while　he　was　consulting　about　what　to　do。　He　read　it　and　exclaimed；　〃So　he　has　left！〃

Then　the　warden　of　the　gate　came　to　report　that　Guan　Yu　had　forced　his　way　out；　and　was　gone　with　a　carriage；　a　horse；　and　a　score　of　guards。　Next　came　the　servants　from　his　house　to　report　that　he　had　left；　taking　nothing　of　the　treasure；　nor　anyone　of　the　waiting　maids。　Everything　was　left　in　the　house。　Even　his　seal　was　there。　His　only　escort　were　the　few　soldiers　of　his　original　force。

Suddenly　from　the　assembly　of　officers　rose　a　voice；　saying；　〃With　three　thousand　of　mailed　horse；　I　will　bring　him　back　alive。〃

Their　eyes　turned　to　the　speaker；　who　was　General　Cai　Yang。

On　the　dragons　cave　he　turns　his　back；

But　numberless　wolves　infest　his　track。

What　came　of　this　offer　to　pursue　will　be　seen　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　27　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　27

Chapter　27

The　Man　of　Beautiful　Beard　Rides　On　A　Solitary　Journey；

Guan　Yu　Slays　Six　Generals　Through　Five　Passes。

Now　of　all　the　officers　in　Cao　Caos　army；　the　two　friendly　toward　Guan　Yu　were　Zhang　Liao　and　Xu　Huang。　The　others　treated　Guan　Yu　with　respect；　except　Cai　Yang　who　was　decidedly　inimical。　So　this　Cai　Yang　was　ready　to　pursue　and　capture　Guan　Yu　as　soon　as　he　heard　of　his　departure。　But　Cao　Cao　accepted　Guan　Yus　going　as　natural。

〃He　does　not　forget　his　old　leader；　and　he　was　perfectly　open　in　all　his　actions。　He　is　a　gentleman；　and　you　would　do　well　to　follow　his　example；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

So　Cao　Cao　bade　the　would…be　pursuer　be　gone　and　say　no　more　about　pursuit。

〃You　were　exceedingly　good　to　Guan　Yu；〃　said　Cheng　Yu；　〃but　he　went　off　very　rudely。　He　certainly　left　a　screed　behind　with　his　reasons；　but　he　affronted　you；　and　that　is　no　light　matter。　Now　to　let　him　join　Yuan　Shao　is　to　add　wings　to　a　tiger。　You　had　better　catch　him　and　put　him　to　death　so　as　to　guard　against　future　evil。〃

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃But　he　had　my　promise；　and　can　I　break　my　word？　Each　has　his　master。　Do　not　pursue。〃

But　Cao　Cao　said　to　Zhang　Liao；　〃He　has　rejected　all　I　gave　him；　so　bribes　were　powerless　with　him　in　whatever　shape。　I　have　the　greatest　respect　for　such　as　him。　He　has　not　yet　gone　far；　and　I　will　try　to　strengthen　his　attachment　to　me　and　make　one　appeal　to　sentiment。　Ride　after　him　and　beg　him　to　stop　till　I　can　e　up　and　bid　farewell　and　offer　him　a　sum　of　money　for　his　expenses　and　a　fighting　robe；　that　he　may　remember　me　kindly　in　after　days。〃

So　Zhang　Liao　rode　out　quite　alone。　Cao　Cao　followed　him　leisurely　with　an　escort　of　a　score　or　so。

Now　the　steed　that　Guan　Yu　rode　was　Red　Hare；　and　it　was　very　fast。　No　one　could　have　e　up　with　him　but　that　there　was　the　ladies　carriage　to　escort；　and　so　Red　Hare　had　to　be　held　in　and　go　slow。　Suddenly　Guan　Yu　heard　a　shout　behind　him；　a　voice　crying；　〃Go　slowly；　Guan　Yu！〃

He　turned　and　made　out　the　person　to　be　Zhang　Liao。　Ordering　the　pushers　of　the　carriage　to　press　on　along　the　high　road；　he　reined　in　his　steed；　held　the　green…dragon　saber　ready　for　a　stroke；　and　waited　for　Zhang　Liao　to　e　up。

〃Of　course　you　have　e　to　take　me　back；　Zhang　Liao？〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃No；　the　Prime　Minister；　seeing　that　you　are　going　a　long　journey；　wishes　to　see　you　on　your　way　and　told　me　to　hasten　forward　and　beg　you　to　wait　till　he　can　e　up。　That　is　the　only　thing。〃

〃Seeing　that　he　is　ing　along　with　mailed　men；　I　shall　fight　to　the　very　last；〃　said　Guan　Yu。