Ch‘ên Têng nodded acquiescence. Then he returned to Lü Pu, who asked him how he had fared. Ch‘ên told him of the gifts to his father, which annoyed Pu.
“You did not ask Hsüchou for me, but you got something for yourself. Your father advised me to help Ts‘ao Ts‘ao by breaking off the marriage, and now I get nothing at all of what I asked while you and your father get everything. I have been victimised by your father.”
He threatened Ch‘ên with his sword.
Ch‘ên Têng only laughed saying, “O how stupid you are, General!”
“I! How stupid?”
“When I saw Ts‘ao, I said that to keep you going was like feeding a tiger. The tiger must be kept fully fed or he would eat men. But Ts‘ao laughed and replied, ‘No; not that. One must treat the marquis like a falcon. Not feed it till the foxes and hares are done. Hungry, the bird is of use; full fed it flies away.’ I asked who were the quarry. He replied ‘Yüan Shu, Sun Ts‘ê, Yüan Shao, Liu Piao, Liu Chang and Chang Lu; these are the foxes and hares.’ ”
Lü Pu threw aside his sword and laughed, saying, “Yes; he understands me.”
But just about that time came news of the advance of Yüan Shu on Hsüchou and that frightened Lü Pu.
When discord rose ’twixt Ts‘in and Chin,
They were attacked by Yüeh and Wu,
And when a promised bride ne’er came,
An army marched to enforce the claim.
How all this fell out will be shown in the next chapter.
