CHAPTER XXVII.
“Beautiful Beard” Rides on a Solitary Journey:
And Slays Six Men at Five Passes.
Now of all the captains in Ts‘ao Ts‘ao’s army, the only one friendly toward Kuan Yü, with the exception of Chang Liao, was Hsü Huang. The others treated him with respect, except Ts‘ai Yang who was decidedly inimical. So this Ts‘ai was ready to pursue and capture him as soon as he heard of his departure. But Ts‘ao accepted his 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.”
So he bade the would-be pursuer begone and say no more about pursuit.
“You were exceedingly good to Kuan Yü,” said Ch‘êng Yü, “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 Yüan 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.”
Ts‘ao replied, “But he had my promise and can I break my word? Each has his master. Do not pursue.” But he said to Chang 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 he. 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 come 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 Chang rode out quite alone; Ts‘ao followed him leisurely with an escort of a score or so.
Now the steed that Kuan Yü rode was “Red Hare” and he was very fast. No one could have come 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 Kuan Yü heard a shout behind him, a voice crying, “Go slowly, Yün-ch‘ang.”
He turned and made out the person to be Chang Liao. Ordering the pushers of the carriage to press on along the high road, he reined in his steed, held Black Dragon ready for a stroke and waited for Chang Liao to come up.
