This¡¡news¡¡disconcerted¡¡Cao¡¡Cao¡£¡¡He¡¡left¡¡Cao¡¡Hong¡¡in¡¡mand¡¡on¡¡the¡¡river¡¡bank£»¡¡with¡¡orders¡¡to¡¡maintain¡¡the¡¡appearance¡¡of¡¡strength¡¡there£»¡¡while¡¡he¡¡led¡¡the¡¡main¡¡part¡¡of¡¡his¡¡army¡¡to¡¡meet¡¡the¡¡threatened¡¡attack¡¡from¡¡Runan¡£
Meanwhile¡¡Liu¡¡Bei£»¡¡his¡¡brothers£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡leaders£»¡¡having¡¡gone¡¡forth¡¡with¡¡the¡¡intention¡¡of¡¡attacking¡¡the¡¡capital£»¡¡had¡¡reached¡¡a¡¡point¡¡near¡¡the¡¡Rang¡¡Mountains¡¡when¡¡Cao¡¡Cao¡¡came¡¡upon¡¡them¡£¡¡So¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡camped¡¡by¡¡the¡¡hills¡¡and¡¡divided¡¡his¡¡army¡¡into¡¡three£»¡¡sending¡¡Guan¡¡Yu¡¡and¡¡Zhang¡¡Fei¡¡with¡¡ten¡¡thousand¡¡troops¡¡each¡¡to¡¡entrench¡¡themselves¡¡southeast¡¡and¡¡southwest¡¡respectively¡¡of¡¡the¡¡main¡¡body£»¡¡which¡¡he¡¡and¡¡Zhao¡¡Yun¡¡manded¡£
When¡¡Cao¡¡Cao¡¡came¡¡near£»¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡beat¡¡his¡¡drums¡¡and¡¡went¡¡out¡¡to¡¡where¡¡Cao¡¡Cao¡¡had¡¡already¡¡arrayed¡¡his¡¡army¡£
Cao¡¡Cao¡¡called¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡to¡¡a¡¡parley£»¡¡and¡¡when¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡appeared¡¡under¡¡his¡¡great¡¡standard£»¡¡Cao¡¡Cao¡¡pointed¡¡his¡¡whip¡¡at¡¡him¡¡and¡¡railed£»¡¡saying£»¡¡¡¨I¡¡treated¡¡you¡¡as¡¡a¡¡guest¡¡of¡¡the¡¡highest¡¡consideration¡£¡¡Why¡¡then¡¡do¡¡you¡¡turn¡¡your¡¡back¡¡on¡¡righteousness¡¡and¡¡forget¡¡kindness£¿¡¨
Liu¡¡Bei¡¡replied£»¡¡¡¨Under¡¡the¡¡name¡¡of¡¡Prime¡¡Minister¡¡you¡¡are¡¡really¡¡a¡¡rebel¡£¡¡I¡¡am¡¡a¡¡direct¡¡descendant¡¡of¡¡the¡¡family£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡have¡¡a¡¡secret¡¡decree¡¡from¡¡the¡¡Throne¡¡to¡¡take¡¡such¡¡offenders¡¡as¡¡you¡£¡¨
As¡¡he¡¡said¡¡these¡¡words£»¡¡he¡¡produced¡¡and¡¡recited¡¡the¡¡decree¡¡which¡¡is¡¡known¡¡as¡¡the¡¡¡¨Girdle¡¡Mandate¡£¡¨
Cao¡¡Cao¡¡grew¡¡very¡¡angry¡¡and¡¡ordered¡¡Xu¡¡Chu¡¡to¡¡go¡¡out¡¡to¡¡battle¡£¡¡As¡¡Liu¡¡Bei's¡¡champion£»¡¡out¡¡rode¡¡Zhao¡¡Yun¡¡with¡¡spear¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡thrust¡£¡¡The¡¡two¡¡warriors¡¡exchanged¡¡thirty¡¡bouts¡¡without¡¡advantage¡¡to¡¡either¡£¡¡Then¡¡there¡¡arose¡¡an¡¡earth¡rending¡¡shout¡¡and¡¡up¡¡came¡¡the¡¡two¡¡brothers£»¡¡Guan¡¡Yu¡¡from¡¡the¡¡southeast¡¡and¡¡Zhang¡¡Fei¡¡from¡¡the¡¡southwest¡£¡¡The¡¡three¡¡armies¡¡then¡¡began¡¡a¡¡great¡¡attack£»¡¡which¡¡proved¡¡too¡¡much¡¡for¡¡Cao¡¡Cao's¡¡troops£»¡¡fatigued¡¡by¡¡a¡¡long¡¡march£»¡¡and¡¡they¡¡were¡¡worsted¡¡and¡¡fled¡£¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡having¡¡scored¡¡this¡¡victory¡¡returned¡¡to¡¡camp¡£
Next¡¡day¡¡he¡¡sent¡¡out¡¡Zhao¡¡Yun¡¡again¡¡to¡¡challenge¡¡the¡¡enemy£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡was¡¡not¡¡accepted¡¡and¡¡Cao¡¡Cao's¡¡army¡¡remained¡¡ten¡¡days¡¡without¡¡movement¡£¡¡Then¡¡Zhang¡¡Fei¡¡offered¡¡a¡¡challenge¡¡which¡¡also¡¡was¡¡not¡¡accepted¡£¡¡And¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡began¡¡to¡¡feel¡¡anxious¡£
Then¡¡unexpectedly¡¡came¡¡news¡¡that¡¡the¡¡enemy¡¡had¡¡stopped¡¡a¡¡train¡¡of¡¡supplies¡¡brought¡¡by¡¡Gong¡¡Du£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡once¡¡Zhang¡¡Fei¡¡went¡¡to¡¡the¡¡rescue¡£¡¡Worse¡¡still¡¡was¡¡the¡¡news¡¡that¡¡followed£»¡¡that¡¡an¡¡army¡¡led¡¡by¡¡Xiahou¡¡Dun¡¡had¡¡got¡¡in¡¡behind¡¡to¡¡attack¡¡Runan¡£
Quite¡¡dismayed£»¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨If¡¡this¡¡be¡¡true£»¡¡I¡¡have¡¡enemies¡¡in¡¡front¡¡and¡¡rear¡¡and¡¡have¡¡no¡¡place¡¡to¡¡go¡£¡¨
He¡¡then¡¡sent¡¡Guan¡¡Yu¡¡to¡¡try¡¡to¡¡recover¡¡the¡¡city¡¡and¡¡thus¡¡both¡¡his¡¡brothers¡¡were¡¡absent¡¡from¡¡his¡¡side¡£¡¡One¡¡day¡¡later¡¡a¡¡horseman¡¡rode¡¡up¡¡to¡¡say¡¡that¡¡Runan¡¡had¡¡fallen£»¡¡its¡¡defender¡¡Liu¡¡Pi¡¡had¡¡fled£»¡¡and¡¡Guan¡¡Yu¡¡was¡¡surrounded¡£¡¡To¡¡make¡¡the¡¡matters¡¡worse£»¡¡the¡¡news¡¡came¡¡that¡¡Zhang¡¡Fei£»¡¡who¡¡had¡¡gone¡¡to¡¡rescue¡¡Gong¡¡Du£»¡¡was¡¡in¡¡like¡¡case¡£
Liu¡¡Bei¡¡tried¡¡to¡¡withdraw¡¡his¡¡troops£»¡¡fearing¡¡all¡¡the¡¡time¡¡an¡¡attack¡¡from¡¡Cao¡¡Cao¡£¡¡Suddenly¡¡the¡¡sentinels¡¡came¡¡in£»¡¡saying£º¡¡¡¨Xu¡¡Chu¡¡is¡¡at¡¡the¡¡camp¡¡gate¡¡offering¡¡a¡¡challenge¡£¡¨
Liu¡¡Bei¡¡did¡¡not¡¡allow¡¡his¡¡army¡¡to¡¡go¡¡out¡£¡¡They¡¡waited¡¡till¡¡dawn£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡bade¡¡the¡¡soldiers¡¡get¡¡a¡¡good¡¡meal¡¡and¡¡be¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡start¡£¡¡When¡¡ready¡¡the¡¡foot¡¡went¡¡out¡¡first£»¡¡the¡¡horsemen¡¡next£»¡¡leaving¡¡a¡¡few¡¡troops¡¡in¡¡the¡¡camp¡¡to¡¡beat¡¡the¡¡watches¡¡and¡¡maintain¡¡an¡¡appearance¡¡of¡¡occupation¡£
After¡¡traveling¡¡some¡¡miles£»¡¡they¡¡passed¡¡some¡¡mounds¡£¡¡Suddenly¡¡torches¡¡blazed¡¡out£»¡¡and¡¡on¡¡the¡¡summit¡¡stood¡¡one¡¡who¡¡shouted£»¡¡¡¨Do¡¡not¡¡let¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡run¡¡away£¡¡¡I£»¡¡the¡¡Prime¡¡Minister£»¡¡am¡¡here¡¡awaiting¡¡you£¡¡¨
Liu¡¡Bei¡¡dashed¡¡along¡¡the¡¡first¡¡clear¡¡road¡¡he¡¡saw¡£
Zhao¡¡Yun¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨Fear¡¡not£»¡¡my¡¡lord£»¡¡only¡¡follow¡¡me£¡¡¨
And¡¡setting¡¡his¡¡spear£»¡¡Zhao¡¡Yun¡¡galloped¡¡in¡¡front¡¡opening¡¡an¡¡alley¡¡as¡¡he¡¡went¡£¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡gripped¡¡his¡¡double¡¡swords¡¡and¡¡followed¡¡close¡£¡¡As¡¡they¡¡were¡¡winning¡¡through£»¡¡Xu¡¡Chu¡¡came¡¡in¡¡pursuit¡¡and¡¡engaged¡¡Zhao¡¡Yun£»¡¡and¡¡two¡¡other¡¡panies¡¡led¡¡by¡¡Yu¡¡Jin¡¡and¡¡Li¡¡Dian¡¡bore¡¡down¡¡as¡¡well¡£¡¡Seeing¡¡the¡¡situation¡¡so¡¡desperate£»¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡plunged¡¡into¡¡the¡¡wilds¡¡and¡¡fled¡£¡¡Gradually¡¡the¡¡sounds¡¡of¡¡battle¡¡became¡¡fainter¡¡and¡¡died¡¡away¡¡while¡¡he¡¡went¡¡deeper¡¡and¡¡deeper¡¡into¡¡the¡¡hills£»¡¡a¡¡single¡¡horseman¡¡fleeing¡¡for¡¡his¡¡life¡£¡¡He¡¡kept¡¡on¡¡his¡¡way¡¡till¡¡daybreak£»¡¡when¡¡a¡¡pany¡¡suddenly¡¡appeared¡¡beside¡¡the¡¡road¡£¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡saw¡¡these¡¡men¡¡with¡¡terror¡¡at¡¡first£»¡¡but¡¡was¡¡presently¡¡relieved¡¡to¡¡find¡¡they¡¡were¡¡led¡¡by¡¡the¡¡friendly¡¡Liu¡¡Pi¡£¡¡They¡¡were¡¡a¡¡pany¡¡of¡¡his¡¡defeated¡¡army¡¡escorting¡¡the¡¡family¡¡of¡¡their¡¡chief¡£¡¡With¡¡them¡¡also¡¡were¡¡Sun¡¡Qian£»¡¡Jian¡¡Yong£»¡¡and¡¡Mi¡¡Fang¡£
They¡¡told¡¡him£»¡¡¡¨The¡¡attack¡¡on¡¡Runan¡¡was¡¡too¡¡strong¡¡to¡¡be¡¡resisted£»¡¡and¡¡so¡¡we¡¡were¡¡pelled¡¡to¡¡abandon¡¡the¡¡defense£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡enemy¡¡followed£»¡¡and¡¡only¡¡Guan¡¡Yu's¡¡timely¡¡arrival¡¡saved¡¡us¡¡from¡¡destruction¡£¡¨
¡¨I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡know¡¡where¡¡my¡¡brother¡¡is£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡£
¡¨All¡¡will¡¡e¡¡right¡¡if¡¡you¡¡will¡¡push¡¡on£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Liu¡¡Pi¡£
They¡¡pushed¡¡on¡£¡¡Before¡¡they¡¡had¡¡gone¡¡far£»¡¡the¡¡beating¡¡of¡¡drums¡¡was¡¡heard¡¡and¡¡suddenly¡¡appeared¡¡Zhang¡¡He¡¡with¡¡a¡¡thousand¡¡soldiers¡£
Zhang¡¡He¡¡cried£»¡¡¡¨Liu¡¡Bei£»¡¡quickly¡¡dismount¡¡and¡¡surrender£¡¡¨
Liu¡¡Bei¡¡was¡¡about¡¡to¡¡retire¡¡when¡¡he¡¡saw¡¡a¡¡red¡¡flag¡¡waving¡¡from¡¡a¡¡rampart¡¡on¡¡the¡¡hills¡¡and¡¡down¡¡came¡¡rushing¡¡another¡¡body¡¡of¡¡troops¡¡under¡¡Gao¡¡Lan¡£
Thus¡¡checked¡¡in¡¡front¡¡and¡¡his¡¡retreat¡¡cut¡¡off£»¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡looked¡¡up¡¡to¡¡Heaven¡¡and¡¡cried£»¡¡¡¨O¡¡Heaven£»¡¡why¡¡am¡¡I¡¡brought¡¡to¡¡this¡¡state¡¡of¡¡misery£¿¡¡Nothing¡¡is¡¡left¡¡me¡¡now¡¡but¡¡death£¡¡¨
And¡¡he¡¡drew¡¡his¡¡sword¡¡to¡¡slay¡¡himself¡£
But¡¡Liu¡¡Pi¡¡stayed¡¡his¡¡hand£»¡¡saying£»¡¡¡¨Let¡¡me¡¡try¡¡to¡¡fight¡¡a¡¡way¡¡out¡¡and¡¡save¡¡you¡£¡¡Death¡¡is¡¡nothing¡¡to¡¡me£¡¡¨
As¡¡he¡¡spoke¡¡Gao¡¡Lan's¡¡force¡¡was¡¡on¡¡the¡¡point¡¡of¡¡engaging¡¡his¡£¡¡The¡¡two¡¡leaders¡¡met¡¡and¡¡in¡¡the¡¡third¡¡bout¡¡Liu¡¡Pi¡¡was¡¡cut¡¡down¡£¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡at¡¡once¡¡rushed¡¡up¡¡to¡¡fight£»¡¡but¡¡just¡¡then¡¡there¡¡was¡¡sudden¡¡confusion¡¡in¡¡the¡¡rear¡¡ranks¡¡of¡¡the¡¡opponents£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡warrior¡¡dashed¡¡up¡¡and¡¡thrust¡¡at¡¡Gao¡¡Lan¡¡with¡¡his¡¡spear¡£¡¡Gao¡¡Lan¡¡fell¡¡from¡¡his¡¡steed¡£¡¡The¡¡newer¡¡was¡¡Zhao¡¡Yun¡£
His¡¡arrival¡¡was¡¡most¡¡opportune¡£¡¡He¡¡urged¡¡forward¡¡his¡¡steed¡¡thrusting¡¡right¡¡and¡¡left£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡enemy's¡¡ranks¡¡broke¡¡and¡¡scattered¡£¡¡Then¡¡the¡¡first¡¡force¡¡under¡¡Zhang¡¡He¡¡came¡¡into¡¡the¡¡fight£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡leader¡¡and¡¡Zhao¡¡Yun¡¡fought¡¡thirty¡¡or¡¡more¡¡bouts¡£¡¡However£»¡¡this¡¡proved¡¡enough£»¡¡for¡¡Zhang¡¡He¡¡turned¡¡his¡¡horse¡¡away¡¡recognizing¡¡that¡¡he¡¡was¡¡worsted¡£¡¡Zhao¡¡Yun¡¡vigorously¡¡attacked£»¡¡but¡¡was¡¡forced¡¡into¡¡a¡¡narrow¡¡space¡¡in¡¡the¡¡hills¡¡where¡¡he¡¡was¡¡hemmed¡¡in¡£¡¡While¡¡seeking¡¡for¡¡some¡¡outlet£»¡¡they¡¡saw¡¡Guan¡¡Yu£»¡¡Guan¡¡Ping£»¡¡and¡¡Zhou¡¡Cang£»¡¡with¡¡three¡¡hundred¡¡men£»¡¡ing¡¡along¡£¡¡Soon¡¡Zhang¡¡He¡¡was¡¡driven¡¡off£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡Liu¡¡Bei's¡¡troops¡¡came¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡narrow¡¡defile¡¡and¡¡occupied¡¡a¡¡strong¡¡position¡¡among¡¡the¡¡hills¡¡where¡¡they¡¡made¡¡a¡¡camp¡£
Liu¡¡Bei¡¡sent¡¡Guan¡¡Yu¡¡for¡¡news¡¡of¡¡the¡¡missing¡¡brother¡£¡¡Zhang¡¡Fei¡¡had¡¡been¡¡attacked¡¡by¡¡Xiahou¡¡Yuan¡¡who¡¡had¡¡killed¡¡Gong¡¡Du£»¡¡but¡¡Zhange¡¡Fei¡¡had¡¡vigorously¡¡resisted£»¡¡beaten¡¡him¡¡off£»¡¡and¡¡followed¡¡him¡¡up¡£¡¡Then¡¡Yue¡¡Jing¡¡had¡¡e¡¡along¡¡and¡¡surrounded¡¡Zhang¡¡Fei¡£
In¡¡this¡¡pass¡¡he¡¡was¡¡found¡¡by¡¡Guan¡¡Yu£»¡¡who¡¡had¡¡heard¡¡of¡¡his¡¡plight¡¡from¡¡some¡¡of¡¡his¡¡scattered¡¡soldiers¡¡met¡¡on¡¡the¡¡way¡£¡¡Now¡¡they¡¡drove¡¡off¡¡the¡¡enemy¡£¡¡The¡¡two¡¡brothers¡¡returned¡£¡¡Soon¡¡they¡¡heard¡¡of¡¡the¡¡approach¡¡of¡¡a¡¡large¡¡body¡¡of¡¡Cao¡¡Cao's¡¡army¡£¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡then¡¡bade¡¡Sun¡¡Qian¡¡guard¡¡his¡¡family¡¡and¡¡sent¡¡him¡¡on¡¡ahead£»¡¡while¡¡he¡¡and¡¡the¡¡others¡¡kept¡¡off¡¡the¡¡enemy£»¡¡sometimes¡¡giving¡¡battle¡¡and¡¡anon¡¡marching¡£¡¡Seeing¡¡that¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡had¡¡retired¡¡too¡¡far£»¡¡Cao¡¡Cao¡¡let¡¡him¡¡go¡¡and¡¡left¡¡the¡¡pursuit¡£
When¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡collected¡¡his¡¡army£»¡¡he¡¡found¡¡they¡¡numbered¡¡only¡¡a¡¡thousand£»¡¡and¡¡this¡¡halting¡¡and¡¡broken¡¡force¡¡marched¡¡as¡¡fast¡¡as¡¡possible¡¡to¡¡the¡¡west¡£¡¡ing¡¡to¡¡a¡¡river¡¡they¡¡asked¡¡the¡¡natives¡¡its¡¡name¡¡and¡¡were¡¡told¡¡it¡¡was¡¡the¡¡Han¡¡River£»¡¡and¡¡near¡¡it¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡made¡¡a¡¡temporary¡¡camp¡£¡¡When¡¡the¡¡local¡¡people¡¡found¡¡out¡¡who¡¡was¡¡in¡¡the¡¡camp£»¡¡they¡¡presented¡¡flesh¡¡and¡¡wine¡£
A¡¡feast¡¡was¡¡given¡¡upon¡¡a¡¡sandy¡¡bank¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Han¡¡River¡£
After¡¡they¡¡had¡¡drunk¡¡awhile£»¡¡Liu¡¡Bei¡¡addressed¡¡his¡¡faithful¡¡followers£»¡¡saying£»¡¡¡¨All¡¡you£»¡¡Fair¡¡Sirs£»¡¡have¡¡talents¡¡fitting¡¡you¡¡to¡¡be¡¡advisers¡¡to¡¡a¡¡monarch£»¡¡but¡¡your¡¡destiny¡¡has¡¡led¡¡you¡¡to¡¡follow¡¡poor¡¡me¡£¡¡My¡¡fate¡¡is¡¡distressful¡¡and¡¡full¡¡of¡¡misery¡£¡¡Today¡¡I¡¡have¡¡not¡¡a¡¡spot¡¡to¡¡call¡¡my¡¡own£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡am¡¡indeed¡¡leading¡¡you¡¡astray¡£¡¡Therefore¡¡I¡¡say¡¡you¡¡should¡¡abandon¡¡me¡¡and¡¡go¡¡to¡¡some¡¡illustrious¡¡lord¡¡where¡¡you¡¡may¡¡be¡¡able¡¡to¡¡bee¡¡famous¡£¡¨
At¡¡these¡¡words¡¡they¡¡all¡¡covered¡¡their¡¡faces¡¡and¡¡wept¡£
Guan¡¡Yu¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨Brother£»¡¡you¡¡are¡¡wrong¡¡to¡¡speak¡¡thus¡£¡¡When¡¡the¡¡great¡¡Founder¡¡of¡¡Han¡¡contended¡¡with¡¡Xiang¡¡Yu£»¡¡he¡¡was¡¡defeated¡¡many¡¡times£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡won¡¡at¡¡the¡¡Nine¡Mile¡¡Mountains¡¡and¡¡that¡¡achievement¡¡was¡¡the¡¡foundation¡¡of¡¡a¡¡dynasty¡¡that¡¡endured¡¡for¡¡four¡¡centuries¡£¡¡Victory¡¡and¡¡defeat¡¡a