The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation by Luo Guanzhong Page B
Authors: Luo Guanzhong
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figure standing near the light.
“Who are you? Why do you come by night to my chamber?” he asked.
The figure made no reply, and Liu Bei got up to see who it was. Then he discovered it was his brother Guan Yu. But the figure avoided him, retreating as he advanced.
“How are you, brother? This must be something of great importance to bring you here in the dead of the night. But why do you avoid me? You’re like my own flesh and blood.”
Then the figure wept and said, “Brother, I hope you will send your army to avenge me.”
As Guan Yu said that, a chilly blast went through the room, and he disappeared. At that moment Liu Bei awoke and then he realized he had been dreaming. Outside he could hear the watchman beating the gong for midnight. Greatly disturbed, he went out to the front hall and sent for Zhuge Liang. Soon the advisor came, and Liu Bei told him of the vision.
“That is because you have been thinking too deeply of Yun-chang lately, my lord,” said Zhuge Liang. “There is no need to be distressed.”
But Liu Bei was still worried, and Zhuge Liang was long in calming him down and explaining away his anxiety.
As Zhuge Liang was leaving the palace he met Xu Jing, who said, “I just now went to your residence to report a secret piece of news but I was told you had been summoned by our lord. So I followed you here.”
“What is it?”
“There is a report that Lu Meng has seized Jingzhou and Guan Yu is dead.”
“I saw a large star fall over the land above Jingzhou, and I knew some evil had befallen Yun-chang. But I dared not mention it to our lord lest he would be worried.”
As the two were talking there suddenly emerged a man from inside the hall, who seized Zhuge Liang by the sleeve and cried, “Why did you conceal such terrible news from me?”
Zhuge Liang turned to see who the speaker was. It was Liu Bei.
The two of them tried their best to console him. “What we said just now is only a rumor and cannot be regarded as truth,” they said. “Pray do not be distressed.”
“Yun-chang and I pledge to live and die together—how can I go on living if he is no more?”
The two men soothed their lord as best they could, but even as they spoke one of the attendants came to say that Ma Liang and Yi Ji had arrived from Jingzhou. Liu Bei at once called them in and questioned them. They said Jingzhou was indeed lost, and Guan Yu begged for instant help. Then they presented Guan Yu’s letter, but before there was time to read it Liao Hua’s arrival was announced. He was immediately summoned. Liao Hua prostrated himself and, weeping, related in detail how Liu Feng and Meng Da refused to send help to Guan Yu.
“Then my brother is lost!” cried Liu Bei in anguish.
“How very impudent these two were! Even death is not enough to punish them for their crime!” said Zhuge Liang. “But do not worry, my lord. I myself will lead an army to the rescue.”
“If Yun-chang is gone, I cannot live,” moaned Liu Bei. “Tomorrow I will set out with an army to rescue him.”
Without a moment’s delay Liu Bei sent a messenger to inform Zhang Fei of all this and at the same time muster an army for instant departure.
Before dawn, one-by-one several messengers arrived, relating by degrees the heartrending tragedy of Guan Yu’s night journey to Lingju, his capture by men of Wu, his dauntless refusal to submit, and the heroic death of the father and son. When he heard the terrible news, Liu Bei uttered a great cry and fell unconscious to the ground.
His mind went back to the pledge of days gone by;
How could he live still while his brother died?
What happened to Liu Bei will be told in the next chapter.
Footnote
* This happened during the days of the period of Spring and Autumn. Huai Ying, daughter of the ruler of Qin, first married the son of Duke Huai of Jin and later married Duke Wen of Jin, who was the granduncle of her first husband.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
Treating Cao Cao, Hua Tuo Dies in
“Who are you? Why do you come by night to my chamber?” he asked.
The figure made no reply, and Liu Bei got up to see who it was. Then he discovered it was his brother Guan Yu. But the figure avoided him, retreating as he advanced.
“How are you, brother? This must be something of great importance to bring you here in the dead of the night. But why do you avoid me? You’re like my own flesh and blood.”
Then the figure wept and said, “Brother, I hope you will send your army to avenge me.”
As Guan Yu said that, a chilly blast went through the room, and he disappeared. At that moment Liu Bei awoke and then he realized he had been dreaming. Outside he could hear the watchman beating the gong for midnight. Greatly disturbed, he went out to the front hall and sent for Zhuge Liang. Soon the advisor came, and Liu Bei told him of the vision.
“That is because you have been thinking too deeply of Yun-chang lately, my lord,” said Zhuge Liang. “There is no need to be distressed.”
But Liu Bei was still worried, and Zhuge Liang was long in calming him down and explaining away his anxiety.
As Zhuge Liang was leaving the palace he met Xu Jing, who said, “I just now went to your residence to report a secret piece of news but I was told you had been summoned by our lord. So I followed you here.”
“What is it?”
“There is a report that Lu Meng has seized Jingzhou and Guan Yu is dead.”
“I saw a large star fall over the land above Jingzhou, and I knew some evil had befallen Yun-chang. But I dared not mention it to our lord lest he would be worried.”
As the two were talking there suddenly emerged a man from inside the hall, who seized Zhuge Liang by the sleeve and cried, “Why did you conceal such terrible news from me?”
Zhuge Liang turned to see who the speaker was. It was Liu Bei.
The two of them tried their best to console him. “What we said just now is only a rumor and cannot be regarded as truth,” they said. “Pray do not be distressed.”
“Yun-chang and I pledge to live and die together—how can I go on living if he is no more?”
The two men soothed their lord as best they could, but even as they spoke one of the attendants came to say that Ma Liang and Yi Ji had arrived from Jingzhou. Liu Bei at once called them in and questioned them. They said Jingzhou was indeed lost, and Guan Yu begged for instant help. Then they presented Guan Yu’s letter, but before there was time to read it Liao Hua’s arrival was announced. He was immediately summoned. Liao Hua prostrated himself and, weeping, related in detail how Liu Feng and Meng Da refused to send help to Guan Yu.
“Then my brother is lost!” cried Liu Bei in anguish.
“How very impudent these two were! Even death is not enough to punish them for their crime!” said Zhuge Liang. “But do not worry, my lord. I myself will lead an army to the rescue.”
“If Yun-chang is gone, I cannot live,” moaned Liu Bei. “Tomorrow I will set out with an army to rescue him.”
Without a moment’s delay Liu Bei sent a messenger to inform Zhang Fei of all this and at the same time muster an army for instant departure.
Before dawn, one-by-one several messengers arrived, relating by degrees the heartrending tragedy of Guan Yu’s night journey to Lingju, his capture by men of Wu, his dauntless refusal to submit, and the heroic death of the father and son. When he heard the terrible news, Liu Bei uttered a great cry and fell unconscious to the ground.
His mind went back to the pledge of days gone by;
How could he live still while his brother died?
What happened to Liu Bei will be told in the next chapter.
Footnote
* This happened during the days of the period of Spring and Autumn. Huai Ying, daughter of the ruler of Qin, first married the son of Duke Huai of Jin and later married Duke Wen of Jin, who was the granduncle of her first husband.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHT
Treating Cao Cao, Hua Tuo Dies in
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