The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation Read Online Free PDF

soldiers.”
    So Guan Ping and Liao Hua mustered all the veterans in the camp and went away to the rescue of the first stockade. Seeing the Wei soldiers camped on a low hill, Guan Ping said to his colleague, “Those men are positioned at an unfavorable site—let’s raid their camp tonight.”
    “You take half the force, General, and I’ll hold the camp,” said Liao Hua.
    When night fell, the attacking force went out. But on reaching the enemy camp Guan Ping found it to be empty. Knowing that he had again been tricked, Guan Ping turned to retreat, but it was too late. He was at once ambushed on two sides. Unable to stand, he fled back to the camp. The men of Wei followed, and presently the camp was surrounded. Guan Ping and Liao Hua were compelled to abandon the stockade and to return to their camp at Sizhong. From a distance they could see the camp on fire. As they drew near in a hurry they found enemy ensigns all around and they knew that it had also fallen into the hands of their foe. Retreating again, they hastened along the high road toward Fancheng, but presently their way was barred by a force under Xu Huang himself. By dint of desperate fighting they got away and returned to their main camp to see Guan Yu.
    “Xu Huang has got possession of Yancheng and Cao Cao’s main army is on the way here in three divisions. We also hear people say that Jingzhou has been seized by Lu Meng.”
    Guan Yu cried angrily, “This is a fabrication of the enemy to dishearten our soldiers. We know Lu Meng is ill, and they have appointed that young fellow Lu Xun to succeed him at Lukou. There is nothing to fear.”
    Soon news came that Xu Huang had arrived with an army. At once Guan Yu told his men to saddle his charger.
    “Father, you are not strong enough to go into the battle,” said Guan Ping.
    “Xu Huang and I were once friends, and I know him well. I will give him the chance to retreat, and if he doesn’t then I will slay him as a warning to the others.”
    Mounting his charger, Guan Yu rode out as impetuously as of old, and at the sight of the old warrior the men of Wei trembled with fear. When he came close enough to his enemy, Guan Yu checked his steed and asked, “Where is Xu Gong-ming (Xu Huang)?”
    As a reply, the banners parted and Xu Huang appeared under the standard. With a bow he said, “Several years have passed since I last met you, General, but I had not expected to see you already going gray. I have not forgotten those brave days of old, when we were together and you taught me so much, for which I am very grateful. Now your fame has spread throughout the country, and as an old friend of yours, I do admire you. I consider myself very fortunate to see you again.”
    Guan Yu replied, “We have been quite intimate friends, not casual acquaintances. But why have you pressed my son so hard recently?”
    Xu Huang suddenly turned to the officers around him and cried fiercely, “I will give a thousand taels of gold as a reward for Guan Yu’s head!”
    Guan Yu, greatly shocked, asked, “Why do you speak like that?”
    “This is government business, and I dare not let personal friendship override my public duty.”
    So saying, he whirled his battle-ax and rode at Guan Yu, who, much enraged, threw up his sword to strike. They fought some eighty bouts, but although he lacked nothing of his former prowess and his skill excelled all others, his right arm was still weak from the wound. Guan Ping, afraid that his father might suffer, hastily beat the gong for retreat. Guan Yu rode back to camp.
    Suddenly the noise of a deafening shouting was heard. It was raised by Cao Ren and his men. Having heard of the arrival of troops from his own side, Cao Ren made a sortie and emerged from the besieged city of Fancheng to help Xu Huang attack Guan Yu. Confronted by two forces, the army of Jingzhou was thrown into chaos. Guan Yu, with all his officers, fled toward the upper reaches of the Xiang River, hotly pursued by the army of