〃The new…born calf fears not the tiger；〃 said Guan Ping。 〃But if you slay this fellow； my father； you have only killed a mon soldier of the Qiang tribes beyond the frontier。 If any accident occurs； then you will have the reproach of not having considered your brother's charge。〃
〃How can my resentment be assuaged save by the death of this man？〃 returned Guan Yu。 〃I have decided to fight； so say no more。〃
Next day Guan Yu took the field first； and Pang De quickly came out。 Both arrayed their troops and then went to the front at the same moment。 This time neither spoke； but the bat began forthwith。 It went on for fifty bouts； and then Pang De pulled his horse； sheathed his sword； and fled。 Guan Yu went in pursuit； and Guan Ping followed lest there should be need of him。
Guan Yu roared out reviling to his flying foe； 〃Traitor！ You want to use the 'swinging…horse stab'； but here I am； never afraid of that。〃
But the fact was that Pang De had only pretended to try for a foul stroke in order to cover a resort to his bow。 He pulled in his horse； fitted an arrow to the string； and was just on the point of shooting when Guan Ping； who was sharp…eyed； shouted out a warning。
〃The bandit is going to shoot！〃
Guan Yu saw it； but the bowstring twanged； and the arrow came flying。 He was not nimble enough to avoid it； and it wounded his left arm。 Guan Ping at once went to his father's assistance and led him away to the camp。 Pang De wished to follow up this advantage and came back whirling his sword； but； ere he could strike； the gongs of his own side rang out。 He thought there was something amiss in the rear and stopped。
The signal for retreat had been sounded by Yu Jin out of jealousy； for he had seen that Guan Yu had been wounded； and he grudged his colleague the glory which would eclipse his own。 Pang De obeyed； but when he got back； he wanted to know why retreat had been sounded on the very verge of a great success。
〃Why did the gongs clang？〃 asked Pang De。
〃Because of our Prince's warning。 Though Guan Yu was wounded； I feared some trick on his part。 He is very cunning。〃
〃I should have killed him if you had not done that；〃 said Pang De。
〃Haste makes slow going。 You can postpone your fight with him；〃 said Yu Jin。
Pang De； though ignorant of the real reason why he was made to miss success at the critical moment； was still very vexed。
Guan Yu went back to camp； and the arrow…head was puled out of the wound。 Happily it had not penetrated very deeply； and the usual remedies against injuries by metal were applied。
Guan Yu was very bitter against his enemy and declared； 〃I swear I will have my revenge for this arrow。〃
〃Never mind anything but recovering now；〃 said his officers。 〃Rest and get well； then you may fight again。
Before long； Pang De renewed his challenge； and Guan Yu was for going out to fight； however； he yielded to the entreaties of his officers。 And when Pang De set his soldiers to reviling the warrior； Guan Ping saw to it that his father never heard it。 After ten days of challenges hurled uselessly at an army that ignored them； Pang De took council with Yu Jin。
〃Evidently Guan Yu is helpless from the effects of that arrow…wound。 We ought to advance all our seven armies against him while he is ill and destroy his camp。 Thereby we shall relieve Fancheng。〃
Thus spoke Pang De； but jealousy of the glory that might accrue to his next in mand again made Yu Jin urge caution and obedience to the mand of the Prince of Wei。 Yu Jin refused to move his army in spite of Pang De's repeated persuasion。 Still more； Yu Jin led the armies to a new camping ground behind the hills some three miles north of Fancheng。 There his own army prevented munication by the main road； while he sent Pang De into a valley in the rear so that Pang De could do nothing。
To Guan Ping's great joy； Guan Yu's wound soon healed。 Soon after they heard of Yu Jin's new camp； and as Guan Ping could assign no reason for the change； and suspected some ruse； he told his father； who went up to a high place to reconnoiter。
Looking round； Guan Yu noted that there seemed much slackness about everything………from flags to soldiers………in Fancheng； that the relief armies were camped in a valley to the north； and that River Xiang seemed to run very swiftly。 After impressing the topography on his mind； he called the guides and asked the name of the gully about three miles north of the city。
〃Zengkou Stream；〃 was the reply。
He chuckled。
〃I shall capture Yu Jin；〃 said he。
Those with him asked how he knew that。
He replied； 〃Why； how can any fish last long in such a trap？〃
Those in his train gave but little weight to what he said； and presently he went back to his own tent。 It was just then the time for the autumn rains； and a heavy downpour came on； lasting several days。 Orders were given to get ready boats and rafts and such things。 Guan Ping could not think what such preparations meant in a dry land campaign。 So he asked his father。
〃Do you not know even？〃 replied his father。 〃Our enemies have camped in difficult ground instead of the open country and are crowded in the dangerous valley there。 After some days of this rain； River Xiang will swell； and I shall send people to dam up all the outlets and so let the water rise very high。 When at its highest； I shall open the dams and let the water out over Fancheng。 That valley will be flooded too； and all the soldiers will bee aquatic animals。〃
The Wei armies had camped in the gully； and after several days of heavy rain； Army Inspector Cheng He ventured to speak to his mander。
He said； 〃The army is camped near the mouth of a stream in a depression。 There are hills around us； but they are too far off to keep the water away。 Our soldiers are already suffering from these heavy rains； and； moreover； they say the Jingzhou troops have moved to higher ground。 More than that； at River Han they are preparing boats and rafts so that they can take advantage of the floods if there are any。 Our army will be in great danger； and something should be done。〃
But Yu Jin scoffed at his words； saying； 〃You fool！ Do you want to injure the spirit of our soldiers？ Talk no more； or your head will be fallen。〃
Cheng He went away greatly ashamed。
Then Cheng He went to Pang De； who saw the force of his words and said； 〃What you said is excellent。 If Yu Jin will not move camp tomorrow； I myself will do so。〃
So Cheng He left it at that。
That night there came a great storm。 As Pang De sat in his tent； he heard the sound as of ten thousand horses in stampede and a roar as of the drums of war seeming to shake the earth。 He was alarmed； left his tent； and mounted his charger to go and see what it meant。 Then he saw the rolling waters ing in from every side and the seven armies flying from the flood； which speedily rose to the height of ten spans。 Yu Jin； Pang De； and several other officers sought safety by rushing up the hills。
As day dawned； Guan Yu and his marines came along in large boats with flags flying and drums beating。 Yu Jin saw no way of escape； and his following was reduced to about fifty or sixty soldiers。 They all said they surrendered。 Guan Yu made them strip and then took them on board。
After that he went to capture Pang De； who was standing on a hillock with Dong Heng； Dong Chao； Cheng He； and his five hundred troops； all without armors。 Pang De saw his archenemy approach without a sign of fear； and even went boldly to meet him。 Guan Yu surrounded the party with his boats； and the archers began to shoot。 When more than half the troops had been struck down； the survivors became desperate。
Dong Heng and Dong Chao pressed their chief to give in； saying； 〃We have lost more than half of our men。 Surrender is the only course！〃
But Pang De only raged； saying； 〃I have received great kindness from the Prince。 Think you that I will bow the head to any other？〃
Pang De cut down Dong Heng and Dong Chao right in the battlefield and then shouted； 〃Anyone who says surrender shall be as these two！〃
So the survivors made a desperate effort to beat off their enemies； and they held their own up to midday。 Then Guan Yu's marines redoubled their efforts； and the arrows and stones rained down upon the defenders； who fought desperately hand to hand with their