138207250 the Story of Hua Guan Suo

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How Hua Guan Suo got his start in life

Since the time when Pan Gu divided heaven and earth,

After the Three Emperors and Five Rulers and lords of Xia and Shang,

The Zhou Dynasty overthrew King Zhou and made the empire prosper,

Generation succeeding generation for eight hundred years.

At the time of King Lie of Zhou the empire was in chaos;

The various kingdoms during the Spring and Autumn period swallowed each other up.

The Emperor of Qin gained sole hegemony over the cities of the

He burned the Classics, buried the scholars, and destroyed the sacred texts.

In the West he constructed Ebang Palace and in the East he filled up the sea;

In the South he garrisoned the Five Ranges and in the North he built the Great Wall.

He hoped to pass on the mandate to be Son of Heaven from generation to generation,

But when he traveled to Shaqiu his imperial enterprise collapsed.

The Second Emperor Hu Hai was handed on the precious throne;

Zhao Gao killed him and his fate returned to the clouds.

The Third Emperor Ziying was young and weak.

The empire was in disorder and gradually troops arose.

Chu and Han set up King Huai as emperor;

They divided their troops in two places in order to overthrow Qin.

The first to reach Chang'an was to be the Son of Heaven,

The one to reach Xianyang later would be a loyal minister.

Gao Zu arrived first and got everything.

The Hegemon King grew wroth in his heart.

He killed King Huai of Chu and broke faith;

He broke the covenant and tried to snatch away the mandate of Han.

The King of Han appointed [Han Xin] as Commander in Chief,

Number one man among one million troops.

He arrayed his troops in front of Nine-li Mountain.

The Hegemon King's ambitions went down to defeat when he was surrounded in a last-ditch stand.

By the Wu River he killed himself with a dragon spring sword;

His eight thousand troops scattered amid the sounds of the songs of Chu.

In Chang'an the Han Son of Heaven inaugurated the state.

A prominent nose and a dragon's face: truly a sage ruler.

Emperors Hui, Wen, Jing, Wu, Zhao, and Xuan,

Emperor Yuan and Ai and Ping—eleven sovereigns.

In the middle Wang Hang conceived his traitorous plan,

Plotted and usurped the House of Liu for eighteen years.

Who could have known that again there would be Liu Guangwu

Who rose in righteous rebellion in Nanyang and mustered an army?

He apprehended the traitorous usurper Wang Hang

And in the Tower Bathed by Water hacked him to pieces.

The restoration set up Liu Guangwu;

The Later Han established their capital at Luoyang.

The country was pacified, the state settled, and there were no wars;

Rains forthcoming and winds in season, the Great Peace was attained.

The mandate was transmitted to the Emperors Ming, Zhang, He, and Shang,

And to Sovereigns An, Shun, Chong, Zhi, Huan, and Ling.

At the end of Han when the empire split into three, Emperor Xian of the Liu family

Lost mountains and rivers and the ministers of his ancestral altars.

In Guanxi the Yellow Turbans revolted;

Wei, Shu, and Wu carved up the realm of Han.

Cao Cao of the state of Wei established his capital in Ye.

Sun Quan was sovereign in the area of Wu.

Liu Bei took possession and ruled in Xichuan,

A golden branch and precious leaf left behind from Han.

As chief military advisor he had Zhuge Liang;

Valiant Zhang and Guan were good men.

All at Peach Spring Cave in Qingkou—

Guan, Zhang, and Liu Bei pledged themselves as brothers.

The three swore brotherhood and divided the empire;

In Ziya Temple they burned incense.

Prose

The three men Guan, Zhang, and Liu Bei swore an oath of brotherhood in Jiang Ziya Temple. They

swore an oath to Heaven. They killed a white horse and sacrificed to Heaven. They killed a black ox

and sacrificed to Earth."We seek only to die on the same day; we do not desire to have been born on

the same day. When elder brother is in straits the brothers will come to his rescue. When the

brothers have troubles, elder brother will go to their aid. If one of us fails to fulfill this promise, may

Heaven not cover him nor Earth bear him up, may he be banished to the uttermost reaches of the

Netherworld, and may he never be reincarnated in human form." Liu Bei said, "I have only myself.

You two have families to think about. I am afraid you will have second thoughts." Duke Guan said, "I

will do away with my family and go together with elder brother." Zhang Fei said, "How can you lift

your hand to kill the members of your own family? Elder brother, kill the members of my family, and

I will kill yours." Liu Bei said, "You have spoken correctly."

Verse

Then Zhang Fei wasted not a second.

Taking a bronze jeweled sword in his hand

He came to Xieliang County in Puzhou,

Where straight to his elder brother's house he went.

Whenever he met one he killed one;

Whenever he met a pair he killed two.

He killed eighteen people.

Out came Guan Ping, a lad of few years,

Who cried out, "Uncle, look on me with pity.

Let me live to be your stableboy and groom."

Zhang Fei liked him on sight.

"Letting this child live pleases me."

He let his elder brother's wife Hu Jinding escape.

At that time the two of them then returned to the road;

They bestirred themselves and went back to Peach Spring Town.

The three brothers then set out on their journey,

Heading toward Prosper Liu Mountain

To promote the cause of Heaven and be generals.

We will speak no more of the three men swearing an oath of brotherhood together,

But return to sing of a woman.

She went back to the Hu household

And came to see her father and mother, the two of them.

"My husband has gone off into the mountains.

Guan, Zhang, and Liu Bei pledged themselves brothers.

They killed the whole family, high and low;

I was the only one they allowed to escape.

I am three months pregnant.

Who will the child who is to be born depend on?"

Prose

Her father said, "Even though your husband has left you, do not fret. Stay at home and wait a while

and we'll take care of it." When the ten moons were up, she gave birth to a boy.

Verse

With a snap of the fingers she had been pregnant for ten moons;

A young gentleman was born in the house.

We will not speak of drinking tea at the third-day birth celebration,

Nor will we discuss the feast a month after birth.

His mother cherished him as if he were her life's breath;

His grandfather loved him like a pearl in his palm.

"Later when my son has grown up

Then he will go to seek his father and claim his patrimony."

Time flew like an arrow hastening man to old age;

Days and months passed like a shuttle, nighttime succeeding day.

The child grew to be seven years old.

It was the time of the Lantern Festival and they went out to view the lanterns.

His mother took the boy along and went

Inside the city walls of Puzhou to look at the red lanterns.

The serving boy and the maid servant followed them.

All over town they looked at the decorated lanterns.

While the serving boy and the maid servant were occupied with looking around,

The young gentleman disappeared amidst the confusion.

We will not sing of the mother searching in vain;

We will sing only of the child getting separated from his mother.

Mixed with the crowds he went outside the gates and walls of Puzhou

And was led by someone to the countryside

To the Suo family, who [had earlier promised] to give up a cherished son.

In their household he was treated more favorably than he would have been at court.

They sent him to school in order to educate him,

And two years went by as he devoted himself to his studies.

The child grew to be nine years old

When an adept of Qiuqu Mountain

Came to sit in the Suo family manor

To see the wealthy respected gentleman.

Prose

Unexpectedly one day Adept Huayue of Streaked Rock Cave on Qiuqu Mountain, being at leisure,

arrived in front of Squire Suo's manor. He asked, "Is the squire at home?" Before he had finished

speaking, who should he see but Squire Suo coming out. When they had politely greeted each other,

the squire invited him to come inside the house for tea. When they had finished their tea the adept

asked, "Squire, what about the child you promised five years ago to give up to study Daoism?"

Squire Suo said, "I have an adopted child. Respectfully I substitute him for my own child to leave

home to study Daoism." The adept said, "Fine." Then they called for the boy to come out. The adept

liked him at first sight. He changed the name of the child to Young Suo. They bade farewell to the

squire, and the two left.

Verse

At that time all were happy in the household.

The child was dressed up as the real Young Suo.

And forthwith following the adept, he left.

Going forward they came to a mountain forest.

Young Suo studied the Dao in the mountains;

He learned the skills of decocting pills and refining medicine.

Prose

Each day the adept taught him basic knowledge. First he taught him the ways of the Three

Stratagems of Duke Huang. Next he learned the texts of the Six Tactics of Lu Wang. He learned the

eighteen martial arts complete in every respect. Without realizing it time flew like an arrow. Days

and months passed like a shuttle, and he grew to be eighteen years old. He had studied in the

mountains for nine years. Spring had just begun, and the scenery was beautiful. The mountains were

fresh and the water sparkling, and the mountain stream flowed down. The teacher called to the

young Daoist, "I am thirsty. I would like to drink some water. I do not want a mountain stream's

spring water nor well water nor river water. I only want the water springing out from a place in the

middle of a rock in the mountains. Take a dipper and go search out for me a place where the rock

has split and bring a ladle-full back."

Verse

Young Suo thus spoken to said, "Very well."

He got up and set out for the mountain forest.

The time was just the third month of spring.

Every family was at a grave weeping in the hills and forests,

Crying for their fathers and crying for mothers out in the wilds.

When the young Daoist heard them, he was sorely grieved.

"I have been in the mountains all these years.

Where are my father and mother?"

The young Daoist thought it over and felt upset.

A crash from the rocks gave him a start.

Then Young Suo lifted his head and looked:

The rock on the mountain had split and parted in two.

Prose

What should he see but water coming out of the place in the rock where the rock split. Young Suo

said, "My teacher wants this very water to drink." He took up the coconut shell dipper in his hand

and dipped. What should he see but nine lizards playing in the water. They had been dipped up by

the youth in the coconut shell dipper. Even as he watched, he didn't see the lizards any more; he

saw only a dipper of clear water. Young Suo said, "How about that! I will go ahead and drink this

water, and afterwards I will dip another dipper and give it to my teacher to drink."

Verse

The young Daoist picked up the coconut dipper of water in his hand,

Then sought the way back to return to the Buddhist temple.

All alone he set out on the road.

In front of the mountains he came upon Black Pine Forest.

Through the forest the sound of a stroke on the gong echoed,

And out rushed outlaw bandits.

The bandit king wore on his shoulders a striped red cloak;

He displayed a steel blade in his hand.

He advanced and blocked the narrow road.

"You must buy your passage with gold."

When the young Daoist saw him he was afraid.

"Where would one who has entered religious life get jewels or silver?"

Prose

Young Suo said, "I have no weapon in my hand. How can I deal with him?" For the moment he

placed the coconut dipper of water at one side. He saw a dead tree. The Daoist youth used his hand

to shake it. With heroic will he uprooted the dead tree and tore off its branches. He brandished it in

his hand and fought.

Verse

When the young Daoist saw him he got upset and annoyed.

He brandished the dead tree, roots and all, in his hand.

He leaped forward ten feet in a "dragon roiling the water" pose;

He jumped back eight feet in a "tiger turning his body" pose.

With one blow he struck aside three or five;

With three blows he dispatched ten or more men.

The outlaw then grasped his sword and flourished it;

The young Daoist then used his cudgel and brandished it.

The two fought for a long time;

The outlaw bandit was defeated.

The outlaw ranks were defeated and all the troops fled.

The young Daoist returned to the cave.

Prose

The youth returned to the mountain cave and saw his teacher. He gave the water to his teacher to

drink and said to his teacher, "I saw people who had gone up to the western graves crying for their

fathers and mothers. I felt very sad. I beg of you sincerely, teacher, tell me where my father and

mother are!" His teacher said, "Allow me to explain to you. Your family lives in Xieliang County in

Puzhou. The Suo family manor is your home. You must want to go find your father and mother. If

you want to go, go down the mountain, make a trip there, and return." When the young Daoist

heard these words he lowered his head and bowed.

Verse

He said good-bye to his teacher who had left his family to become a Daoist.

Two streams of tears flowed from the teacher's eyes.

"Be careful and take care of yourself leaving the mountain forest.

Go down the mountain and search out your father and mother.

Do not be an ingrate who forgets kindness."

We will not sing of his journey on the road.

Going south he came to the gate of a manor.

He went straight to the Suo family manor.

When he saw an elderly gentleman,

The young Daoist went forward and hastened to bow.

"Where is the Suo family manor?"

The old man heard the young Daoist inquire.

"What is your reason for coming to ask me?

I am Squire Suo;

I do not know who you, sir, are."

When the young Daoist heard these words his tears fell in streams of pearls.

He came forward, raised his head, and cried, "Grandfather!

I speak of the events of nine years ago.

I am the one who left home to become a Daoist.

My teacher in the mountains told me all;

He told me to return home to gaze upon my two parents."

As soon as the old gentleman saw him he said,

"You must be Young Suo.

It has been nine years since you left home.

We are so happy that you have come to our manor today.

If you can stay a while, then come into the main hall

And meet the entire household, high and low."

Prose

Squire Suo said, "Allow me to explain to you: you are not a child of my family. Recently I inquired

and learned that your maternal grandfather is Squire Hu. Your mother is Hu Jinding. Your father is

Guan Yunchang. Eleven years ago in the city while looking at the lanterns I found you and brought

you to my house. When you were nine years old you left home to study Daoism. How would it be if

now I would take you to go find your mother?"

Verse

The young Daoist, thus spoken to, repeatedly said good, good,

Agreeing with the old gentleman.

At that time they prepared and set out on the road.

They left the manor and started on their journey.

When they had marched one li they marched another li;

They went one stage and then another stage,

Until they reached the Hu family manor.

The serving boy went inside to announce them:

"Today there is a Squire Suo of the Western capital.

I do not know what he has come to say."

The squire, so informed, directed that they be invited in.

He invited them into the main hall.

After they had finished, each one ceremoniously greeting the other,

They set out seats and sat on both sides.

When the tea was finished he called for a cup of wine.

After they had had three cups of wine he spoke of the matter.

"When has your foot trod this humble earth before?

What is the reason for your arrival at my manor today?"

When Squire Suo saw that a question had been addressed to him, he said, "Honorable Squire, pray

listen to my explanation.

Eleven years ago your son was lost.

I found and kept him for two years.

At first I did not know that he was your son;

Not until later did I find out he was a member of your family.

Subsequently he went to Qiuqu Mountain to study the Dao,

And he was away exactly nine years.

Having found out that he is a son of the Guan family,

I have brought him back to your manor to seek his maternal grandfather."

The squire thus spoken to raised his head and looked.

"The boy is not a member of my family."

Prose

Squire Hu said, "I do have a grandson. His father is tall. Why is this child so short? For now we'll not

pay attention to that. I'll have my daughter come out. She will certainly recognize whether or not he

is her son."

Verse

When his daughter in her room heard what was said,

She went straight to the hall to see her father.

As soon as the squire saw her he said,

"Daughter, listen now to this explanation:

Eleven years ago your son was lost.

Today they say that he was one who left home to study the Dao.

My child, you will recognize true and false.

If he is your son, you are his mother."

His daughter came forward and looked closely.

Truly he was the second son of the Guan family.

Eyebrows, eyes, face, and mouth:

Father and son made of the same mold.

She pulled her son to her, crying,

"A full twelve years you have been away from your mother.

Today the clouds are dispersed and the moon is seen anew;

An old mirror once again is round and bright."

Son and mother were happy to see each other again.

Grandfather said, "Woman, do not mistakenly identify someone today."

Prose

Squire Hu said, "Daughter, is he really your son?" His daughter said, "I have a secret way of

identifying him. When he was little there was a protuberance behind his ear." As soon as he looked,

Squire Hu saw she was right. Just as she had said, there was a protuberance behind his ear. Clearly,

he was her own true son. [The boy said,] "While my foster father Suo is here, I will take a name. My

teacher is Adept Huayue of Streaked Rock Cave on Qiuqu Mountain. I will take a character from each

to be my name."

Verse

"The first for my being a son of the Guan family;

Secondly I will take Foster Father Suo's family name.

I want the surname of my teacher in the mountains.

Call me Hua Guan Suo."

Bowing, he took leave of his benefactor the squire;

He also bowed to his elderly grandfather

And paid his respects to his mother.

They feted the young second son of the Guan family.

Only when the wine had reached the third cup did they put down their wine cups.

Everyone had drunk till each was flushed and mellow.

The youth Hua Guan Suo was drunk.

Squire Suo, you should be informed.

Deep in the mountains X X X

We will speak no more of the benefactor surnamed Suo.

The sun sank behind the mountains;

The various relatives and neighbors all returned home.

The next morning at the fifth watch when it was very light,

Who should appear but a serving boy reporting some news:

"In front of the manor the sound of a stroke on the gong echoed.

Outlaws from the Taihang Mountains

Have all surrounded the great manor.

They demand gold and silver to reward their troops.

If those in the manor say they are not willing,

Then they will set fire to the front of the manor."

The squire was frightened witless.

"How can we make these bandits retreat?"

Prose

The squire called the serving boy and told him to go inside and get some gold and silver ready and

give it to the general to buy some wine to drink. The serving boy quickly carried a box of gold and

silver to the front of the manor. The serving boy said, "Here is a bit of wine money for you, General."

The outlaw said, "To give each of the 100,000 men in my army one ounce will take 100,000 ounces.

Who do you expect me to distribute this paltry sum to? You bring out more, and then all will be well.

If you don't bring it out, I'll set fire to the front of the manor."

Verse

The youth Guan Suo asked,

"What is the reason for the gong sounding and the drum echoing?"

His mother thus questioned replied,

"There is an outlaw who has led his troops here today,

Demanding gold and silver, wealth and jewels."

A gong sounded and a drum echoed and reverberated in front of the manor.

Guan Suo hearing it felt upset and annoyed.

"Mother, now you can rest easy.

It's not that your son is a braggart.

I will make the outlaw bandits retreat."

Guan Suo then went to the main hall,

Where the whole family was sunk in despair.

Prose

Guan Suo said, "Grandfather, why are you troubled?" Grandfather said, "Today there are brigands in

front of the estate demanding gold and silver with which to reward their troops. I collected a

container of gold and silver and gave it to one, but he sneered upon it as too little and intends to

start a fire and burn down the manor. This is the reason I'm worried." Guan Suo said, "This scoundrel

is not to be borne. Grandfather, do you have any weapons in the house?" Grandfather said, "Your

father originally had all sorts of weapons and armor which are now placed in my storehouse. Feel

free to take whatever you want." Guan Suo, at that time following his grandfather's instructions,

went into the storehouse and brought out a full suit of armor and a decorated cap. Grandfather said,

"I will also give you two precious things to keep by your side." At that time he instructed the serving

boy to go bring the nine-strand red cotton lariat and a speckled bamboo sheath. Grandfather

charged him, saying "Child, inside this speckled bamboo sheath is contained a yellow dragon spear."

Guan Suo armed himself from head to foot. From the rear stable he chose a fine steed. In his hand

he took up the speckled bamboo sheath. How was Guan Suo dressed?

Zan verse

He wore a

four-seamed helmet

that shone fiercer than fire.

He wore a suit

of yellow dragon armor

that shone bright as the sun.

He wore a

crimson gauze robe

dyed red as blood.

He tied on a

shiman belt;

clouds came out of the animal's mouth.

He bent a

yellow decorated bow;

the ends were long and the center short.

He stuck in a quiverful of

wolf-tooth arrows

that twinkled like golden stars.

He held hanging a

bamboo jointed whip

like the switching tail of a dragon steed.

He fastened on a

mighty battle sword;

the blaze jabbed like silver.

He grasped a

yellow dragon spear;

his weapons were like fierce animals.

He rode a

high-spirited horse

and rushed out of the gate of the manor.

Verse

They mustered a troop of a hundred retainers from the manor.

There were also serving boys and servitors.

Some held spears and cudgels,

Some pitchforks, rakes, or broom sticks.

Guan Suo in front of the ranks yelled loudly,

Startling the bandit bravos.

The robbers carefully looked him over.

"Whose family of status in this young man from?"

Long red phoenix eyes and eyebrows black,

Red cheeks, small mouth, lips deep red;

How can a young man be so handsome?

Rubbed with rouge and made of powder.

The outlaw at that time yelled loudly,

"Young general, you should be informed:

Peacefully surrender to me in front of the mountain;

Be my caretaker of gold and jewels.

If you utter the least word of refusal,

I'll pulverize you to dust with my axe.

If in three rounds you overcome me,

I will withdraw my men and horses.

If you lose to me during the course of three rounds,

You will die beneath this axe."

He advanced, but before he had even finished speaking,

Guan Suo was infuriated, there in front of the manor.

In his hand he brandished the speckled bamboo sheath,

Ready to strike the outlaw bandit.

The outlaw brandished a Xuanhua steel axe.

And the two men exchanged blows to determine the outcome.

Back and forth without victory or defeat;

Three rounds, four tilts without losing or winning.

Prose

The two men fought for thirty rounds. When they had been sparring for a long time the outlaw

bandits with ferocious glee fell upon Guan Suo all at once. Neither side gained the advantage in

battle. Suddenly bandits showed up in front of the ranks [with swords?] in their two hands.

Verse

The angry general broke open the speckled bamboo sheath

And drew out the yellow dragon spear.

He brandished the decorated spear and people lost heart.

He drew out the yellow dragon spear

And terrified the two outlaw bravos.

Afterwards he used Lu Wang's Six Tactics;

He demonstrated his mastery of all the Twenty-eight Moves.

First he employed Duke Huang's Three Stratagems.

The outlaws also flourished their swords

As the three of them exchanged blows to determine the outcome.

When men fight, horses also fight—

Real men on horseback fighting one another.

When they had fought about ten-odd rounds,

The young man of the Guan family looked to be losing.

He feinted with his sword and fled,

With the outlaws following behind him.

"Donkey-mouthed braggart, you talk big.

Today you will lose to us."

Guan Suo fled on ahead.

Behind the outlaws were catching up.

He yelled, "Now!"

Like a flying immortal he slipped down on the horse and hid by the stirrup;

He flipped up and leaped back onto his steed.

He wanted all his preparations to be complete;

From his waist he took out the red cotton lariat.

He held the red cotton lariat of nine strands;

He tossed it into the air and it was invisible.

Whirling near the ground it was like a wheel revolving,

Then like a great fish meeting wind and wave,

Like a spider spinning a web to catch a dragonfly.

He yelled, "Ruffians! Where do you think you're going?"

One horse carried a pair of men.

Guan Suo captured the bandit generals.

He took them up to the gate of the manor

And shoved them onto the level ground.

He tossed down his yellow dragon spear

And placed his left foot on the bandits' chests.

In his hand was a jeweled bronze sword.

"Tell your names peaceably in front of the ranks

And we'll let bygones be bygones and discuss it no more.

If you leave out the least little bit,

I'll cut you in half with a stroke and make dead men of you."

At this time the outlaws said in a loud voice,

"If you spare what remains of our lives, we will submit and serve you."

When Guan Suo heard this he was pleased.

Then he freed the two outlaws.

"My father is the commander in chief of Xichuan."

The outlaws then asked to hear the whole story.

When Guan Suo heard this he smiled,

Declaring, "You two brothers,

Who does not recognize my name when I say it?

You shall be informed today of my name and surname.

My elder uncle is the Prince of Han Liu, the First Sovereign;

My younger uncle is Zhang Fei, who turned back the river.

My elder brother is the pillar of state General Guan Ping;

Moreover there is the military advisor Zhuge Liang.

Now I intend to go to Xichuan

To seek my father Commander Guan."

The bandits, so spoken to, lowered their heads and bowed.

"Why did you not inform us earlier?

We will follow elder brother to go to Xichuan

Together to seek Commander Guan."

The youth Hua Guan Suo was delighted

And asked, "You two brothers,

What are your surnames, what are your names, and where do you live?

What are the native places from which you come?"

The outlaws came forward and said,

"Elder and younger brother will inform you today.

You will know our names and surnames:

Mountain-plucker Xu and Cloud-grabber Zhao.

We twelve men swore an oath of brotherhood;

All will come to give their allegiance to you our elder brother."

Guan Suo, thus spoken to, felt pleased.

Great and small, twelve brothers

All at one time gave their allegiance to the one surnamed Guan.

They took off all their battle dress and armor,

And all bowed to Hua Guan Suo.

The youth Guan Suo felt pleased.

He bivouacked and set up camp and stationed his troops;

He rested the heroic army of one hundred thousand troops.

The two brave generals went up to the gate of the manor.

Together they went straight into the main hall

Where they bowed to his mother and bowed to his grandfather.

Grandfather and Mother felt pleased.

Then they directed that wine be served in the main hall.

Great and small, the group of officers came to drink wine;

One by one from the first he asked their names.

Prose

Guan Suo then asked, "What are your names?" Mountain-plucker Xu and Cloud-grabber Zhao then

said, "The other ten's names are Dragon-capturer Zhang, liger-catcher Ma, Fly Across the River, Jump

Across the Sea, Repulse the River, Jui the Terrifier, Lou the King of Hell, Stone Jupiter, Fly on the

Grass, and Walk on Ice.

Verse

At that time they spoke their names and surnames;

One by one from the first so that they could be recognized.

The twelve generals all surrendered and submitted—

One hundred thousand armed troops

To aid their elder brother Hua Guan Suo

Who was going to Xichuan to claim his patrimony.

Grandfather and Mother felt glad.

From the storehouse they took out precious and rare things

And gave them to the hundred thousand soldiers.

They prepared a feast and drank three cups.

The next day at the fifth watch when the sky was very light,

Guan Suo came forward to see his grandfather.

"I plan to go to Xichuan;

I will take along Mother to seek my father."

Grandfather, so spoken to, enjoined him with resounding voice,

"Watch over your mother Dame Hu.

Go to Xichuan to seek your father and claim your patrimony.

Do not cause your mother alarm.

Be a man, both brave and bold.

Do not be one who dreads the blade and avoids the sword,

And do not go by the manor of the Bao family,

The famous robbers and outlaws."

Prose

Grandfather said, "Child, ahead is the Bao family manor. On the mountain is their Booty-dividing

Pavilion. To the right of it is their Boasting Tablet. You should beware of it. People say, 'Better cross

over three rivers than pass by the Bao family manor. Better eat three catties of ginger than tangle

with Bao Sanniang.' Along the road on your journey you must be careful."

Verse

After Grandfather had repeatedly enjoined him,

He bowed and said farewell to his old grandfather.

He said farewell to all the elders in the family and

Mustered his troops, and they set out on their journey.

The sound of a heaven-shaking stroke on the gong echoed,

And he led one hundred thousand troops off toward Xichuan.

In charge of the army was Chief Commander Hua Guan Suo,

And the two fierce generals were his escort.

He unfurled a flag with the words "Filial and Obedient" on it,

Going to Xichuan to claim his patrimony.

They came to Wild Pig Mountain;

In front of the mountain the scenery was startlingly beautiful.

We will not sing of marching in the daylight and stopping at night;

We need not discuss eating when they were hungry and drinking when they were thirsty.

Just when the general turned his head to look,

Suddenly in front of the mountain they heard the sound of a bronze drum.

Hardy men numbering not more than three thousand,

Blood-dipped deep red thin silk kerchiefs.

The bandit king wore golden chain mail armor,

And in his hand he held a steel blade like a door leaf.

In front of the mountain he blocked the narrow road.

He said, "You must buy your passage with gold.

If you utter so much as half a refusal,

This blade will be merciless."

When Guan Suo heard this, he felt upset and annoyed.

"Where would I get any gold to give you?"

Before he had finished talking,

The bandit on his horse became angry.

Brandishing his great blade he held it up in his hand;

With leveled lance he came out at him on his horse.

On both sides they beat decorated frame drums,

And the two in the center fought for all they were worth.

Guan Suo then flourished his lance;

The bandit also brandished his great blade.

Every thrust of the spear aimed straight at the throat;

Every stroke of the knife came right toward the face.

Eight horse hooves dashed in confusion;

Four arms lashed back and forth.

When they had fought about ten-odd rounds,

Out came another bandit.

This affronted Cloud-plucker Xu,

Who took up a Xuanhua sword and emerged from the formation.

The two generals fought the other two;

A pair of men battled a pair.

Guan Suo suddenly thought up a scheme.

Reigning in his horse, he turned and went like a wind-blown cloud.

When the two bandits came together in pursuit,

Guan Suo clamped them fast underarm, one on each side.

Three thousand men and horses all surrendered.

Then he asked the outlaws what their names were.

The outlaws told their names and surnames.

The two Songs, Dump Water and Twist Dragon,

Gave their allegiance to elder brother Hua Guan Suo.

They burned the Booty-dividing and Treasure-collecting Pavilion.

He rewarded the various generals with gold and silver.

They were going together with him to Xichuan to seek his father.

Then in front of the mountain he arrayed a feast.

The group of officers at the feast drank and the cups went round.

Just when the feast came to an end,

A man came to report that something had happened:

"Men and horses from parts unknown are here;

All are troops in silvery bright metal armor."

General Guan Suo transmitted an order:

"Wait in front of the mountain until we find out what the matter is."

A valiant general on horseback,

In his hand he held a three-pointed blade.

Guan Suo in a loud voice then asked;

Shouting he asked, "Who is the general?"

The general on horseback replied,

"I am the mighty Temple God Song."

Prose

Temple God Song said, "I have received an imperial command from Sun Quan of the State of Wu to

take twenty-four peach red brocade silk banners, a suit of Southern Seas red dragon fish scale

armor, and a leopard thunder horse, these three treasures, to offer to Cao Cao of the Great State."

Verse

When Guan Suo heard this, he smiled.

He told the general, "Listen well.

If you leave the three kinds of treasures for me,

I will spare what remains of your life.

If you utter so much as a word of refusal,

Look out for my yellow dragon lance! "

This affronted Temple God,

Who laughed coldly two or three times.

"You haven't even lost your milk teeth yet,

Nor has baby fuzz grown on your head.

You're not even as big as my fist on your horse,

You insufferable insulting ignoramus."

The youth Guan Suo felt depressed.

He flourished his yellow dragon lance.

The two generals contended to see which was the better,

Surging back and forth as they tried to outwit each other.

Each displayed valor and used the martial arts,

And there was neither loser nor winner.

Near the end of thirty rounds,

A cry of "Help!" in the dust and dirt.

The whole army looked closely at the battle.

The loser was the man of great strength, Temple God.

He called out, "General, stop chasing me.

Spare me what remains of my life."

Guan Suo said, "Where would you go

Unless you mount to the heavens or ride the clouds?"

He was just about to catch up with Temple God,

When he made a circle and turned completely around,

Which affronted the fierce outlaw general.

He passed in front of the mountain and sighted true.

His left hand grasped a bow and his right held arrows.

He took careful aim at Hua Guan Suo.

He fitted an arrow and pulled the bowstring back past his earlobe,

And he released one wolf-tooth arrow.

Skillful youth Hua Guan Suo,

Like a flying immortal slid down on the horse and dodged.

He caught hold of the wolf-tooth arrow,

Gnashing his jaws with an ominous sound.

Guan Suo again pursued the outlaw general;

Back the other way he chased Temple God.

From his waist he took out his red cotton lariat,

Like a spider spinning a web to catch a dragonfly.

Temple God was on the verge of escaping,

When his whole body was enveloped in the nine-strand lasso.

Twenty-four golden hooks

Hooked into Temple God, the man of great strength.

"At first you said, 'He's no bigger than my fist.'

How could you know I have the strength of a thousand catties?"

He pulled out his three-foot Dragon Spring sword

And destroyed the mighty Temple God.

Three thousand men and horses all surrendered;

He had seized the three kinds of priceless treasures.

Prose

Guan Suo said, "Bring over the three kinds of treasures for me to see. I will give the twenty-four

peach red brocade silk pennants to my mother to make a tent. The leopard thunder horse should be

properly looked after in the rear stable. The Southern Seas red dragon fish scale armor I will wear

myself. But who can put it on for me?" Dragon-capturer Zhang said, "Elder brother: In the Bao family

manor there is one Sanniang who can put this armor on for you." Guan Suo said, "I will go ask her."

In front of the manor on the mountain stood the Booty-dividing Pavilion. At one side stood the

Boasting Tablet. On the tablet was inscribed, "To the one who out-battles me, I will give myself as a

wife. The one who loses to me I will cut into ten thousand pieces." Guan Suo said, "How old is Bao

Sanniang?" Dragon-capturer Zhang said, "She is exactly eighteen." Guan Suo said, "I don't believe

she's all that formidable."

Verse

When Guan Suo heard this he felt pleased.

He led fifty thousand soldiers.

"In the first place I want her to help me put on my armor,

And in the second place to be my wife.

If I overcome Sanniang,

Together we will go to Xichuan to claim my patrimony."

A heaven-shaking stroke on the bronze gong echoed.

He was off to the Bao manor to take a wife.

When they arrived at the Bao manor,

He spoke to those in his command.

Then he shattered the Boasting Tablet

And set fire to and burned the Booty-dividing Pavilion.

The lesser soldiers who guarded the pavilion he captured

And killed each one of them with one stroke.

He killed nineteen underlings

And left one man to go to the manor to report the news.

Prose

Guan Suo said, "Tell the bandit king that if he marries Sanniang to me we'll forget everything. If he

will not marry her to me then I'll set fire to the manor." Guan Suo feared that the underling would

not transmit the message. He took a brush and wrote on the underling's back. He wrote, "Message

to Bandit King Bao. Do not take offense. It goes without saying that you are strong. I have no paper

just now on which to write a letter. I have borrowed your underling's backbone. My message is as

follows:

Ever since the beginning of the world people have talked of the Taihang Mountains;

When has anyone ever heard of any Bao Sanniang?

I don't believe she is all that formidable.

What's the need for a woman to talk so big?

No matter how terrific she is, she's still only a woman.

I'm not interested in sitting down and dividing the loot.

Bring on the decorated candles and I'll be the groom."

The underling, when he was released, returned to the manor.

In front of the main hall he bowed several times.

Then the underling said to Bandit King Bao,

"A not inconsiderable calamity has occurred.

In front of the mountain there is a column of men and horses,

Horses and men from parts unknown.

They burned our Booty-dividing Pavilion

And also smashed the stone tablet to dust."

When the bandit king heard this, he felt upset and annoyed.

He called over the underling and asked him about the matter.

The underling then took off his clothes,

Telling him, "There are words written on my body."

All was well until he saw the words.

When he saw his back he got angry.

"Do not let my sons learn of this.

I myself will lead horses and men in front of the manor."

Bandit King Bao mounted a black piebald horse.

He took up his head-high hafted blade

And led out his troop of men and horses.

He went in front of the mountain to see what men they were.

The old general Bandit King Bao called in a loud voice,

"I ask who you troops who have come are.

Other people's galls are big but still inside their bodies;

Today your gall is so big your body is inside it.

You did not report and salute me in front of the mountain;

You burned my Booty-dividing and Treasure-collecting Pavilion."

When Guan Suo in camp heard these words,

He put on his complete suit of general's gear.

He rode a high-headed horse,

And his long spear was like flying clouds.

He lifted the door of the tent with his spear and took a look.

In front of his lines he gave a battle cry and yelled to the outlaws,

Calling, "Father-in-law, do not fret.

Your son-in-law today is without ulterior motives.

Father-in-law, post haste return to the manor.

Pass on my words to Sanniang surnamed Bao;

Tell her to lead men and horses herself.

I will fight with her to determine victory and defeat."

Bandit King Bao Kai felt upset and annoyed.

He yelled, "Upstart, who do you think you are?"

When the two men had fought for a long time,

Hua Guan Suo seemed to be. getting the worst of it.

Great General Bandit King Bao hastily went in pursuit.

He was just about to catch up with the man surnamed Guan,

When Guan Suo in flight turned his head and looked.

"He has fallen eight or nine parts of ten for my trick."

And fitted a wolf-tooth arrow to the string.

He pulled the bow ends as far as they would go,

until It was like a new moon hanging in the heavens.

He let go one wolf-tooth arrow.

Bandit King Bao was struck by the arrow and flipped over.

Bandit King Bao yelling in pain

Hastily dismounted and entered the manor,

Startling Bao Feng and Bao Yi.

The two came forward and saw their father.

They asked, "Why are you so upset?

What is the reason for all the yelling in front of the hall?"

Bandit King Bao said, "I am in great pain."

He said to his two sons,

"There is a youth, Hua Guan Suo,

Who has insulted us father and sons.

I went out in front of the manor and exchanged blows with him.

I was struck by a wolf-tooth arrow."

The two brothers hurriedly donned their armor,

Putting on their complete suits of general's gear.

Each holding a spear hurriedly went out,

Out in front of the manor to be avengers.

They rode high-headed horses

And led three hundred underlings.

Loudly they called, "Men and horses in front of the mountain,

Come out of your battle formation right now.

If you quietly surrender in front of the mountain,

We'll let bygones be bygones and discuss it no more.

If you beat us in three rounds,

We will give Sanniang to you to be your wife.

If you lose to us you will die under our blades."

The two men strove their utmost to determine victory and defeat.

When the two had fought for a long time,

Bao Yi also went out brandishing his blade,

And two generals fought one.

This affronted Hua Guan Suo.

Feinting with his spear he reined in and turned his horse.

Elder and younger brother followed at his heels.

If he wanted to mount to Heaven, there was no way in;

If he wanted to enter the earth, earth had no door.

Guan Suo up ahead seemed only bent on flight.

Behind him the generals were catching up.

He gave a yell and cried, "Now!"

Guan Suo slid down on the horse and dodged from sight.

He flipped back up onto the high-headed horse.

Wanting all his preparations to be complete,

He stuck the long spear in his hand into its rest.

On horseback he easily captured the two of them.

Guan Suo took them to the general's headquarters,

And item by item from the beginning inquired into the affair.

Prose

Guan Suo said, "If you give your younger sister to me to be my wife, I will spare you two men's lives.

If you are not willing, I'll cut you in two with one stroke of my blade." The two men wanted to save

their lives and so could but promise him. "Please, general, calm yourself and cease your anger. Put

aside your fearsome air. If we are permitted to return home the matter will be decided neither by

our father nor by our younger sister. We ourselves will marry Sanniang to you." Guan Suo was

pleased at this. Then he ordered that wine be brought, each man three cups of wine and ten large

steamed buns.

Verse

Guan Suo at that time asked in a loud voice,

"Brothers-in-law, hear what I say:

One brother-in-law can be a go-between;

One on behalf of the manor will act as guarantor.

Today I will arrange for sheep and wine.

Send your younger sister out of the gate of the manor soon."

Elder and younger brother quickly mounted their horses.

Troubled and dispirited they made their way back.

They returned to the manor and spoke to their father the bandit king.

Bandit King Bao Kai became even more angry.

"You two brothers were defeated too.

How can you be avengers in front of the manor?"

Bandit King Bao loudly wailed,

Startling a woman into coming out from the room.

The girl came to the main hall.

She bowed deeply and asked what was the matter.

"Why have you cried out so loudly in front of my door?

Tell your daughter what has happened."

Prose

Bandit King Bao said, "Allow me to inform you, daughter: in front of the mountain there is a young

man of eighteen who looks just exactly as though he is rubbed with rouge and made of red powder.

Our Booty-dividing Pavilion was burned by him, and he smashed the Boasting Tablet. I have already

fought with him for over one hundred rounds. I was wounded by an arrow. Your two brothers also

went and together exchanged blows with him and were also defeated. Your brothers had no plan to

deal with him. They promised you to him for a wife. I don't know what your feelings about this are."

Verse

When Sanniang heard this she became angry.

Then she said, "Who do my brothers think he is?

Even if he has three heads and six arms,

He's not worth the dust on the tip of my boot."

Sanniang then said, "There's nothing to worry about.

Father, do not be distressed.

Your daughter herself will go out of the manor to take a look.

I will capture the outlaw bandit."

Her father, thus spoken to, said, "Good.

In fighting him you should be careful."

Then he ordered that battle dress and armor be brought out.

Sanniang put on a general's garb.

She took off her pearl cap and put on an iron hat,

Undid her silk gown and tied on an iron suit;

The breast plate covered her snow-white breast.

Her helmet enclosed the cloudlike hair at the sides of her temple.

She tucked her four-skirted robe into her trouser legs,

Fearing that it would interfere with [her movements].

Her waist was slender and she rode with practiced ease a spirited horse.

Her red brocade battle robe sparkled in the sunlight.

To her left she bore a curved bow of prodigious power;

On her right she carried a hundred wolf-tooth arrows in her quiver.

Without a hand touching the saddle she flew onto the horse,

Holding a pair of sun and moon blades in her hands.

In front of the manor the sound of a stroke on the gong echoed,

Mustering up three thousand horses and troops.

"What injury have we done you

That you come to our manor and insult my family?"

A minor officer went to the commander's tent,

And reported to Hua Guan Suo:

"Out in front is Mistress Bao Sanniang,

In front of the manor seeking battle to determine victory and defeat."

When Guan Suo heard this, he felt pleased.

He put on full general's garb.

On his head he wore a lacquered silk cap embossed with gold,

With a precious pearl inlaid in the center.

A crimson robe covered his golden armor.

Front and back he wore bronze mirror breastplates;

At his waist he tied a jewel decorated shiman belt.

He wore new cloud-heel boots polished to a sheen.

On the crown of his head he wore a single pom-pon,

Which was made to bob and turn by his movements.

To his left he bore a curved bow like an autumn moon;

On his right he carried a hundred wolf-tooth arrows in his quiver.

On his knee he placed his Dragon Spring sword;

At his waist he tied his red cotton nine-strand lariat.

When the general had gotten himself all dressed,

He looked just like the heavenly god Hua Guang.

Mistress Bao Sanniang looked him over.

"Not unworthy this man Hua Guan Suo."

On his red phoenix forehead hair so black,

Red cheeks and small mouth, lips daubed with red—

Truly a man exactly like a general.

His rouged face made up with water

Delighted Mistress Bao Sanniang,

Who saw he was no ordinary man.

Sanniang at that time called in a loud voice,

"What province and county are you from?

You burned our Booty-dividing Pavilion

And spared my two elder brothers.

You also wounded my father, with an arrow,

And yet expect us to let bygones be bygones.

Speak up smartly with your name.

Originally what province are you from?"

Guan Suo, thus spoken to, smiled.

"Mistress Bao Sanniang, listen to this.

When I say my name who does not recognize it?

I really am a famous person.

My father is a Tiger General in Xichuan

With one hundred thousand soldiers under his command.

My elder uncle is the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign.

My younger uncle is Zhang Fei, who turned back the river.

My elder brother is the pillar of state Guan Ping.

Moreover there is the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang.

Whoever may be famous and courageous generals,

All of them are adherents of the Guan family."

This delighted Sanniang, Mistress Bao.

"Not unworthy this man Hua Guan Suo."

General Guan Suo called in a loud voice,

"I have good words you should hear.

Return home and tell your father that

I want you today to become my mate."

This affronted Sanniang, Mistress Bao.

She ground her jaws ominously.

"If you want Sanniang to be your wife,

Our marriage will be consummated only under the sword."

When Guan Suo heard this he felt upset and annoyed.

In front of the troops he yelled and reviled the woman.

Mistress Bao Sanniang flourished her matched swords.

Her whole face became bright red.

Guan Suo also flourished his spear,

With every thrust of the spear seeking to kill the woman.

One going and coming, a battle of dragons.

Two goings and comings, phoenixes turning over.

Three, it was like the subduing of the River-mother at Mount Gui.

Four, it was like Fan Kuai settling matters at Hong Men.

Five, it was like Wu Yuan battling for the altars of the state.

Six, it was like Hui[an] Moksha, the [battling]Buddhist monk.

Seven, it was like [the Thunder God of the] Ninth Heaven going into the clouds.

Eight, it was like Nezha subduing the rebel army.

Nine, it was like a scaly dragon snapping its chains.

Ten, it was like a fierce tiger breaking into a Buddhist temple.

They fought for a long time, while

The battle seesawed back and forth.

General Guan Suo said, "Good!

Not unworthy, this Sanniang surnamed Bao. "

But she had affronted the young Hua Guan Suo.

"You're not worth the tip of my boot or the heel of my foot.

I could kill you with a single thrust of my spear,

But it would be a pity to harm such a flower-like body."

When the two of them had fought for a long time,

Sanniang surnamed Bao was losing.

He was about to catch up to Sanniang when

He made a circle and came all the way around.

See Sanniang, Mistress Bao:

At her waist a weapon that is always by her side.

She took out the flying claws and gripped them in her hand,

Looking closely at Hua Guan Suo.

Guan Suo with iron-womb bow in hand

Fitted a wolf-tooth arrow to the string.

Sanniang let fly her golden claws, and

They headed straight for Hua Guan Suo.

His left hand held the bow grip;

His right hand drew the bowstring and he took aim.

Sanniang vainly struck with her golden claws, for

He shot in two the rope that held them,

And they did not hit the youth General Guan Suo.

The two fought to determine the outcome while

The whole army on horseback watched the fray,

This pair of heroes fighting each other.

When they had been fighting for a long time,

Guan Suo trailed his spear and headed out of the battle formation.

Sanniang followed behind and hurried to catch him.

She was about to catch up to the man surnamed Guan when

General Guan Suo turned his head and looked.

"She has fallen eight or nine parts for my trick."

He feigned a thrust with his spear, reined in and turned his horse.

Guan Suo used his wits to try to capture the general.

Sanniang then said, "I will not chase you.

You will loose the red cotton nine strand lariat."

General Guan Suo reined in his horse.

"Foiled, the baggage saw through my trick!"

Prose

Guan Suo said, "Why don't you come and chase me?" Bao Sanniang said, "I know you will let loose

the red cotton lariat." Guan Suo said, "Neither have you lost nor have I won. I have a gold coin. Let's

hang it up. On the gold coin are four characters. I will shoot four arrows onto the four characters and

one in the eye of the gold coin. If I make all the shots, that means you lose." Sanniang said, "I will

split your five X arrows. X X X X X X. If I do not split your arrows, then I will lose."

Verse

Guan Suo, thus spoken to, quickly said, "Fine."

He hung the gold coin up in mid-air.

His curved bow he took up in his hand,

And picked out five string of pearl arrows.

His left hand held the bow grip;

His right hand drew the bowstring past his ear.

Handsome and hard to capture on canvas was the man grasping the arrows.

Faster than sight the sound of his bowstring;

Five arrows like a string of pearls went by.

When they looked closely at the surface of the gold coin,

There was not one character that had not been squarely hit.

Mistress Bao Sanniang felt pleased.

"I will match you with five arrows like a string of pearls."

Her left hand took up the richly decorated bow;

Her right hand took up five string of pearl arrows.

The bow pulled wide like a sinuous python in the mountains;

The arrow sprang away like a dragon from a deep pool.

Faster than sight the sound of her bowstring;

Five arrows like a string of pearls went by.

When they looked closely at the surface of the gold coin,

She had cleanly split apart the shafts of the arrows.

When Guan Suo saw this, he felt pleased.

"This woman isn't half bad."

The two of them again mounted their high-headed horses, and

For the space of three rounds they fought to prove who was better.

Guan Suo then flourished his spear.

The woman also brandished her jeweled blade.

The two again battled for thirty rounds,

But there was not the least sign whatsoever of defeat.

Guan Suo then in a loud voice called,

"Woman, do not pursue this one surnamed Guan."

Mistress Bao Sanniang already knew that

He would let loose the red cotton nine-stranded lariat again.

The woman called, "I'm not afraid of you."

She hit her horse and applied the whip and followed behind,

Catching up so close that his horse's tail was in her horse's mouth.

He turned over and slipped down on the horse and hid by the stirrup.

From his waist he took out the red cotton lariat.

He flipped up and mounted his dragon-scaled horse again.

He yelled, "Sanniang, stop trying to escape.

The red cotton lariat will show who is better."

Sanniang also took out a red cotton lariat

And hastily flung it up in mid-air.

Both were snared by red cotton lariats,

Pulled partway out of the saddles beneath them.

When Dragon-capturer Zhang saw this, he felt angry.

In the tent he took out his precious carved bow,

And fitted to the bow a metal-tipped arrow.

When it left the bowstring he called, "Fly true!"

The arrow cut apart the red cotton lariats,

Permitting Lady Bao to fall back into her saddle.

Then she was quickly grabbed by Guan Suo

And taken straight to the central army camp.

"Woman, I'm not bragging.

Today you have lost to me."

When Sanniang saw this she sang out loudly,

"General, spare me, a woman.

Do not despise me because of the ugliness of my appearance.

I am willing to be someone who makes your bed and provides your cover."

The young gentleman Guan Suo felt pleased.

Right away he went to the manor to pay his respects to his father-in-law.

Everyone returned to the imposing manor.

Bao Feng and Bao Yi came to meet them at a distance.

He met his two brothers-in-law

And in the manor he prepared to pay his respects to Bandit King Bao.

Prose

Sanniang went to see her father. Bandit King Bao asked, "My daughter, what of the outcome?"

Sanniang reported, "I report to you, Father: I fought but couldn't beat him. He is no one else. His

father is one of the five fighting tiger generals; his elder uncle is Prince Liu the First Sovereign. His

younger uncle is Zhang Fei, who turned back the river. I fought over one hundred rounds with him

and lost to him. I promised to unite with him as man and wife. I do not know what your feelings are,

Father." Bandit King Bao said, "In the past Lian Kang's father and I promised our children in marriage.

Later he begat Lian Kang and I begat you, fair daughter. He wanted to marry you last year. You said

to wait again until this year. If now you want to marry Guan Suo, what would you have me say to

him when he comes?

Verse

Old general Bandit Bao felt perplexed about

How to ward off the man from Camp Yaoling.

Sanniang said, "It needn't be a problem.

I have some good words you should hear, Father.

Since I prefer to be united to the youth Hua Guan Suo,

There is no need for that ugly-faced Lian Kang."

Bandit King Bao, thus spoken to, went along with it.

He prepared a feast in front of the hall.

Sons and daughter and relatives greeted each other.

Then he invited in Hua Guan Suo.

When Guan Suo met him, he lowered his head and bowed.

He bowed to his father-in-law Bandit King Bao.

The entire family great and small met each other.

At the head of the main hall they drank three cups.

In the middle sat Hua Guan Suo;

Below him were the many other leaders.

All came to offer congratulations to Bandit King Bao.

Each of the leaders drank three cups.

Hard on the heels of happiness came sadness.

The gatekeeper came forward and announced the arrival of an army.

He called, "Crown Prince Lian Kang has arrived.

What shall we do? How can we cope with him?"

Bandit King Bao went to the rear of the hall.

Then he called, "Sanniang, listen to the situation.

You have never met General Lian Kang.

Do you know what he and his father look like?

He sprouts a pair of red bumps on his head.

He has two steel blades like door leaves."

Bao Feng and Bao Yi felt perplexed.

"How can we make this general retreat?"

Sanniang thought secretly about General Lian Kang,

An ugly man ten feet tall.

She looked at the youth Hua Guan Suo

Adorned with rouge and made of powder.

Sanniang then said to her father,

"Since I prefer to be united to the youth Hua Guan Suo,

I do not want that ugly-faced Lian Kang."

Sanniang said, "Father, you must not worry. Send someone out in front of the manor to see what the

real situation is. If it is Crown Prince Lian Kang who has arrived, then invite him to come in. If it is not

the Crown Prince I have something to say to be taken back to him." At that time he instructed an

underling to go out the gates of the manor and ask if the Crown Prince was here or not. He had only

told the two men Liu Deng and Song Wenda to come to the front of the manor. Bandit King Bao said,

"Ask them to please come so I can inquire about the situation."

Chapter 2Chapter 2Chapter 2Chapter 2

How Hua Guan Suo claimed his patrimony

Then the underling quickly went out to invite

Liu Deng and Song Wenda to enter.

When the two reached the head of the main hall,

They bent their bodies like bows and bowed two or three times.

They said, "The Crown Prince extends his most cordial greetings.

He wants to marry Sanniang.

He wants her to go back with him and preside over his camp.

Great king, you must not refuse the one who has come."

The old general Bandit King Bao had no words to reply.

"How can I manage to get this young gentleman to retreat?"

Up at his side came Hua Guan Suo,

Who told the two generals,

"Send word to Lian Kang, the Crown Prince,

To turn around his men and horses and go back before he comes any farther.

Sanniang has been married to a general of the Han Dynasty.

Guan Suo today has become her husband."

Prose

Bandit King Bao said, "May I trouble you two to transmit a message to Crown Prince Lian Kang. My

daughter was married today to Guan Suo, a general of the Han Dynasty. Indeed you must not blame

me." Liu Deng and Song Wenda returned to their own camp and saw Crown Prince Lian Kang. "Allow

us to inform you, Crown Prince. At present there is a certain Guan Suo at his house. Bandit King Bao

said, 'Transmit to the Crown Prince that my daughter Sanniang today was married to a general of the

Han Dynasty named Guan Suo. Tell the Crown Prince not to blame me.'"

Verse

When Lian Kang heard this, he was annoyed.

"How can I bear these insulting ignoramuses?

This Bandit King Bao is utterly unreasonable!"

He ground his jaws with an ominous sound,

Then called his brother named Lian Xun.

"You guard the camp entrance in the mountains."

The Crown Prince then mustered men and horses.

Double-quick he took command of his troops and set out to demand an explanation.

Liu Deng and Song Wenda were generals of the vanguard.

The three men set out at the head of the three armies.

A stroke of the bronze gong called the troops to assemble.

Three blows on the decorated drum and they advanced on their way,

Straight to the Bao family manor.

"They'd better send Sanniang right out to me.

I'll marry her so she can preside as mistress over my camp."

In front of the manor he came and called, "People of the Bao family,

I'll make you, father and sons, dead men."

When Bandit King Bao heard this, he felt distressed.

"You're just a whit late."

Prose

While Bandit King Bao was in the throes of distress, Guan Suo said, "Father-in-law, you must not

trouble yourself over how to make that freak Lian Kang retreat."

Verse

General Guan Suo quickly got dressed,

Putting on his complete suit of general's gear.

"I will go out and do battle with him."

Hurriedly he mounted his dragon-scaled horse.

With his gold whip he pointed at the enemy lines and cursed.

Then he grasped his yellow dragon spear in hand.

"If you're a match for me, Hua Guan Suo,

I'll give you Sanniang to be your wife."

In a loud voice he called, "Hey you, ugly Lian Kang,

If you're a match for me, Hua Guan Suo,

I'll give you Sanniang to be your wife.

If you lose to Hua Guan Suo,

I'll shatter your body into ten thousand pieces and make you a dead man."

When Lian Kang heard this, he felt distressed.

He put on his complete suit of general's gear.

When Guan Suo saw him, he laughed gleefully.

Putting on his armor he waited for his enemy in front of the gate.

On both sides they began to beat decorated leather drums.

The two men fought in deadly earnest to settle the outcome.

On the sidelines Sanniang was thrown into consternation,

Only fearing that the one surnamed Guan would lose.

When they had fought for ten-odd rounds,

From the kicked-up dust and dirt came a cry of "Help!"

The three armies on the wall took a look,

But they didn't know which side's man had been killed.

Not until a black wind passed by

And blew away the dust and dirt could they see what was what—

Crown Prince Lian Kang was difficult to resist.

Trailing his sword Guan Suo yelled, "Help!"

This affronted Sanniang named Mistress Bao.

She mounted her horse and trailing her sword, emerged from the lines.

The youth Guan Suo felt distressed.

Holding aloft his sword he signalled the rear men to action.

Officers great and small slapped their horses and pursued.

The old general, trailing his sword, also came out of the formation.

This affronted the youth Hua Guan Suo,

Who caught up with ugly Liang Kang.

With one downward thrust to the breast he called, "Got you!"

How could Lian Kang, once hit, survive?

Ugly Lian Kang fell off his horse and died.

Guan Suo went off again to chase and kill horses and men.

Liu Deng and Song Wenda then bowed,

Repeatedly calling "Elder brother" three or five times.

"Spare us two brothers,

And we will repay you for your kindness."

They killed until it was almost dark;

They all gave allegiance to Hua Guan Suo.

Great and small the crowd of officers were all happy;

A blow rang from the gong and they collected the army.

Then they arrayed a feast in the hall,

And very liberally he rewarded the troops.

The wine was exhausted to the last cup before they quit,

And each man went down to camp to rest himself.

When the moon was bright and the stars few, just at midnight,

Guan Suo consummated his marriage.

Carved flowers adorned the gold-flecked bed curtains;

By the blue-green standing screen lay brocaded clothes.

Beneath mermaid silk woven into a hibiscus cover

Two lovers' heads lay side by side on the coral pillow.

We will not speak of the five watches of the night;

At daybreak horses and men bestirred themselves.

Together they came to the head of the main hall.

Guan Suo from the beginning explained the circumstances:

"I cannot stay long at the manor.

I want to go to Xichuan to seek my father."

He bowed to his father-in-law and mother-in-law;

He also bowed to his pair of brothers-in-law.

When he had finished taking leave of the whole family,

He set out at the head of his numerous officers,

Taking along his comely bride Sanniang,

And also his mother also went along as they set out on their journey.

Great and small the group of officers transmitted the general's orders.

From the side there came out a pair of men,

Generals Song Wenda and Liu Deng.

They came to inform Hua Guan Suo:

"Since Crown Prince Lian Kang has been killed,

Lian Xun's great camp should not be allowed to remain.

Elder brother, you lead men and horses

And go to attack the Great Camp at Yaoling."

Prose

Bao Feng and Bao Er said, "What you say is quite right. If when you cut off grass you eliminate the

root, it will not sprout and grow. If when you cut grass you do not eliminate the root, with the

coming of spring it will sprout and grow again."

Verse

Guan Suo raised his head and said, "Let's go!"

He called up the officers of the three armies,

Mustered the men and they all advanced

To go smash the Great Camp at Yaoling.

The sound of a heaven-shaking blow to the gong echoed.

He led one hundred thousand troops and went out the gates of the manor,

Leaving the Bao family manor.

They went leisurely on their way like wind-blown clouds.

Just as the three armies were proceeding along the raod by which they had come,

In the distance they saw the Great Camp at Yaoling.

Liu Deng and Song Wenda said,

"Elder brother, listen to our suggestion.

Send one of the officers who surrendered to go ahead in haste

And say, 'Elder brother succeeded in taking a wife.'

When Lian Xun hears this, he will come forward to meet us.

Then we'll rush the gates of the Great Camp at Yaoling."

When Guan Suo heard this, he said, "Good,"

And ordered a mounted courier to advance to the camp.

Lian Xun taking along sheep and wine

Set out with his officers to meet Madame Bao.

When he arrived in front of the army he looked closely,

Only to discover that it was Guan Suo with horses and men.

Lian Xun galloped his horse, turned his head, and looked.

At his rear the three armies pursued him into the camp.

Guan Suo quickly waved his red flag,

So that the three armies, men and horses, all were informed.

At the sound of a stroke on the gong they all set to

And fought their way into the gates of the Great Camp at Yaoling.

When they met one they killed one,

All told killing several hundred young soldiers.

Great and small the group of officers all surrendered their allegiance

And agreed to follow their elder brother surnamed Guan.

King of Hell Ma and Jupiter Dang,

A pair of raw gold and finest iron men,

A leopard-head fiery-mane piebald-face horse.

Great and small, numerous leaders

All bowed to the youth Hua Guan Suo.

Lian Xun the Crown Prince was nowhere to be seen.

Poor Lian Xun

Rode all alone into the mountain forest.

Guan Suo spoke to the generals and said,

"We must not tarry long in front of the mountain.

Great and small officers get everything ready

To go to Xichuan to seek my father."

A stroke to the brass gong resounded in the sky,

And he led forth one hundred thousand young soldiers.

The men and horses of the army went like clouds,

Marching down the road like wind-blown clouds.

Just as the three armies were proceeding along the road by which they had come,

Ahead a petty officer reported someone coming.

"Marching forward we will come to Lutang Camp.

Now there is an army blocking the road,

And they will not allow our forces to pass by the gates of their camp.

They said to go west on the side road to the east."

Guan Suo, thus informed, felt angry.

"Who is the head of Lutang Camp?"

The minor officer then said to the general,

"There are two female generals in the camp

Named Wang Tao and Wang Yue.

The two are blocking the road."

Prose

Guan Suo said, "How old are the women generals?" The minor officer said, "One is sixteen and one is

eighteen. They are the daughters of Grand Secretary Wang. Alone, they hold sway over Lutang

Camp." Guan Suo said, "Are they married or not?" The minor officer said, "If anyone can get the

better of either of them, she will be given him as a wife. Until now no one has been a match for

them." Guan Suo was secretly pleased [and thought] "In the first place, I want them for secondary

wives. In the second place, I can borrow their men and horses to go to Xichuan to seek my father."

[He spoke aloud:] "Armies, deploy your ranks and block off Lutang Camp. I will pit myself against

them."

Verse

A stroke of the gong and they set up camp

And rested the one hundred thousand soldiers.

It was announced to Wang Tao and Wang Yue:

"Bandits have surrounded the gates of the camp."

Wang Tao and Wang Yue were greatly troubled.

The two put on general's garb

And led their troops out of Lutang Camp,

Young men, horses, and troops.

The woman general in front of the troops called out loudly,

Asking, "Who is the general who has come?"

When Guan Suo in front of the ranks heard this question,

He yelled, "You ignorant baggage,

Who would fight on a narrow road?

Today I'll settle victory and defeat with you.

In three rounds you will lose to me in front of the ranks,

And offer up your Great Camp Lutang."

Guan Suo then flourished his spear;

Wang Tao brandished the sword in her hand.

His spear parried each thrust of her sword;

Her sword fended off each stab of his spear.

The two had battled about ten rounds

When Hua Guan Suo grew annoyed.

He reversed his spear and wheeled his horse.

His antagonist pursued the one surnamed Guan.

She yelled, as she thrust with her sword, "Hit home!"

Guan Suo dodged and it didn't touch him.

Meanwhile he parried both the swords

And by her blue waistband he seized the woman.

Guan Suo leaped off his high-headed horse,

Put his foot on her chest, and demanded the truth.

Then he asked, "Woman, what is your name?

That today you should single-handedly hold sway over the camp."

The female general at once called in a loud voice,

"General, spare me.

Wang Tao and Wang Yue, we two female generals

By ourselves lead fifty thousand soldiers.

If you, sir, spare me,

I am willing to be one who makes your bed and puts on your covers."

When Guan Suo heard this, he felt pleased.

"You can help me seek my father in Xichuan."

Guan Suo in front of the ranks called out in a loud voice,

Calling, "Wang Yue, woman."

Wang Yue at that time replied, saying,

"I also willingly today give my allegiance.

Since elder sister today has surrendered.

How can I manage alone as head of the troops?

I know well that it is folly to struggle;

Far better straight off to give allegiance.

Elder sister today will be your wife,

And I will be one who holds aloft the stars and lifts up the moon."

When Guan Suo heard this, he felt pleased.

He led his men, horses, and troops,

And the two camps combined to make one camp.

They all entered Great Camp Lutang.

At a blow on the gong that echoed in the vicinity,

They bivouacked, set up camp, and stationed their troops.

The generals came to the head of the main hall.

He asked his mother Dame Hu to come out.

The three elder and younger sisters met each other,

And they all bowed to their mother-in-law Dame Hu.

He rewarded the army and when it was done,

Guan Suo in front of the hall spoke of the matter.

"I cannot tarry long at Lutang.

I must go right away to Xichuan to seek my father."

The twelve generals readied men and horses.

There were one hundred fifty thousand armored men.

In charge of the troops was Commander Hua Guan Suo.

The two men Song Wenda [and Liu Deng] acted as vanguard.

They led the armies and left Lutang.

Across the grassy wilderness they marched forward.

We will sing no longer of Guan Suo on the march,

But instead talk of Commander in chief Guan, the Prince of Jingzhou.

Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Liu Bei, the three men

Were lords in Prosper Liu Camp:

Number one, the Military Advisor, Zhuge Liang,

Number two, Prince of Jingzhou, Commander in chief Guan,

Number three, Zhang Fei, who turned back the river with a yell,

Number four, Huang Zhong, the Marquis Who Quells Disorder.

Jiang Wei the Brave, brilliant strategist,

He was a great general without compare.

In all the Three Kingdoms there was no match for Ma Chao.

Moreover there was Guan Ping the wonderful.

[Liu Bei] commanded one hundred thousand men and horses,

Along with three thousand superior officers.

Fifty-four districts had all submitted to him.

They drove out Prince Liu Zhang.

Duke Guan sat in the army command tent.

He called over Guan Xi his groom.

Prose

Duke Guan said, "Ask Military Advisor Zhuge to interpret a dream for me." The groom Guan Xi then

went. The Military Advisor just then was talking with Prince Liu. [Guan Xi] did not dare to go in. He

returned. Duke Guan said, "Just request Pang Tong to come and interpret my dream." The groom

Guan Xi immediately went and got Pang Tong. When they had finished their tea, Duke Guan said, "I

had a dream last night. It was just at the third watch. In my dream I saw the gold pillar in front of the

Emperor's hall break in two. The Empress's dressing mirror broke into two halves. The water in the

pond that the horses drink from in front of the palace steps all dried up. A tree blossomed, and I was

about to pluck a flower when they all shriveled up and completely disappeared. What good or evil

does this dream portend?" Pang Tong said, "When the roof breaks the pillar follows. When a

dressing mirror breaks, two people will separate. When the water in a pond dries up, it is difficult to

drink water. When all the flowers on a tree bloom, the fruit will be late." Pang Tong said, "This

dream portends that right at noon one of you three brothers will have a misfortune." Duke Guan

said, "Who will have a misfortune?" Pang Tong said, "The one whose luck has run out will have a

misfortune."

Verse

When Duke Guan heard this, he felt perplexed.

Who knew who it was who would have misfortune?

When the military advisor named Pang Tong had gone,

Again he asked the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang to come.

The two men sat at the head of the main hall.

Tea over, Zhuge Liang asked why he was called.

Duke Guan in the hall explained from the beginning.

"What is the meaning of the four dreams I had last night?"

From the beginning he told it all to the Military Advisor.

"Military Advisor, interpret the meaning of the dreams."

Prose

Military Advisor Zhuge said, "As for these four dreams: When the roof breaks, the pillar follows.

When a dressing mirror breaks, the two sections are bright. When the water in the pond dries up,

horses can cross it easily. When you see flowers fall, the fruit is ready. This dream means that at

noon today one of you three brothers will gain a brother." Duke Guan asked, "Which of us will gain a

brother?" The Military Advisor said, "The one who is lucky will gain one." When he had finished

speaking, Military Advisor Zhuge Liang said farewell and left. Duke Guan alone by himself was lost in

perplexity. He said, "Which one should I believe?"

Verse

Duke Guan in the hall felt perplexed.

"Which man should I trust today?

The Military Advisor says one of us will gain a brother,

While Pang Tong says one of us will suffer misfortune.

I'll just have to wait until half-past twelve

To find out whether our fortune today is good or ill."

Just as Duke Guan finished speaking,

The doorkeeper ascended the hall and reported some news.

"There is a general who has come here.

He wants to see the Commander named Guan."

When Duke Guan heard this, he instructed that the man be invited in.

He came straight up to the head of the hall.

The two men in front of the hall quickly greeted each other formally.

Then he asked, "What is the general's name?"

This man bowed and then quickly said,

"I am no ordinary man."

Prose

"I am of the former royal house of Lü. My surname is Yao and my given name Bin. Just now, though, I

have been in the service of the Prince of Wu. Because of some trifling mistake, [I have been

dismissed from his service?] I know that you, General, are magnanimous and broad-minded, and

that you like to swear brotherhood with people. Today I have come to lead the dragon and prepare

the horse for you, General." Duke Guan said, "I am not really in the habit of swearing brother-hood

with people. But it is really extraordinary the way you have turned up today in response to my

dream. The Military Advisor's interpretation of the dream was exactly right." Duke Guan said, "Are

your intentions in swearing brotherhood trustworthy or not?" Yao Bin said, "General, burn some

incense and I will swear to Heaven."

Verse

When Duke Guan heard this, he felt pleased.

They mingled their blood and swore an oath of brotherhood.

He killed an ox and slaughtered a horse in the main hall.

Tea and food were prepared, and they drank some rounds.

He invited all the brothers to come.

The group of officers had a rousing time and the wine poured free.

After they had had three cups of wine and five courses,

Zhang Fei then explained the situation.

"This man Yao Bin once rebelled,

And he caused a rebellion of the followers of the Prince of Wu.

Today he has come on purpose to become a brother.

A person acting with conscious intent can dispose of those who are not alert."

Duke Guan replied, "That doesn't matter.

I can see that Yao Bin is a good man."

At that time he did not believe Zhang Fei's words.

"Aside from Zhang Fei is there no one else in the world?"

The great feast he had prepared was all over,

And Commander Guan was drunk.

Since twilight was just drawing to a close,

The Commander kept Yao Bin to stay overnight.

He waited until the third watch when everyone was gone,

And Duke Guan was sleeping in the main hall.

Yao Bin then conceived a treacherous plot.

He got out of bed and looked for a way out,

Hade his getaway and left the army command tent.

From the rear stable he would roust a horse and take to the road.

He was a natural double for Commander Guan;

His dress and his build were just like those of the General.

He wore the Commander's clothes

And had a whip in his hand.

Prose

Yao Bin said, "Prepare my horse for me. Without bothering to tell my brothers, I'm going to go

outside the walls to make a patrol and then come back. Open the gate for me and get out my

sword." Yao Bin took it in his hand but realized that his strength wasn't adequate. "I'll just ride

bareback with nothing but a whip and be back in a jiffy."

Verse

Yao Bin rode the roan horse

And went out of the gate of Great Camp Prosper Liu.

Headed for the southwest off he went.

Yao Bin the horse thief got away.

We will sing no longer about Yao Bin stealing the horse;

Instead we will sing about Commander Guan.

When Duke Guan awoke from his drunkenness the sky was light.

At his side he did not see the man surnamed Yao.

He called for all the officers and leading generals

To come to the hall and summon Yao Bin.

Then he ordered his officers and attendants

To hurry back to the rear stable to search,

But his red horse was not to be seen in the stable.

Commander in chief Guan, Prince of Jingzhou, was beside himself.

Zhang Fei then said, "You didn't believe me.

I told you Yao Bin was not an upright man."

Prose

The groom Guan Xi said, "It was around the second watch. I thought it was the commander who had

gotten up to go out on patrol. All the time it was Yao Bin stealing a horse." Duke Guan still didn't

believe it. He went toward the front hall and when he didn't see his clothes, and he said, "After all,

he really has stolen my horse and gone. Instruct a man to report to Prince Liu how things are."

Verse

The First Sovereign Prince Liu transmitted an order:

"Troops spread out on each road and pursue the man.

Zhang Fei rode his horse and went out the south gate in pursuit.

Huang Zhong then went out the north gate to follow.

The one who took responsibility for the west gate was Commander Guan.

Jiang Wei went quickly out the east gate.

Many low-ranking officers individually went after him.

All went out of Great Camp Prosper Liu.

We will speak no more of the generals taking to the road in pursuit;

Instead we will sing of Hua Guan Suo.

The red sun went down behind the mountain and it was late.

Twilight returned to the camp.

The horse thief Yao Bin crossed by the mountain

Just as some soldiers from the camp were on their way out.

A private reported to Hua Guan Suo,

"There is a general at the gate of the camp.

He sits astride the horse Red Hare,

A fine general and big man."

Guan Suo, on hearing this description, said,

"Must it not be my father, Commander in chief Guan?"

And went in person out of the camp gates to look closely.

Then he asked, "What is your name, general?"

Yao Bin at that time quickly dismounted,

Dismounted and left the saddle and spoke his surname.

"I am Commander Guan, Prince of Jingzhou.

I have come expressly to find out who you are."

Guan Suo invited him to enter the main hall and be seated.

He reported it to his mother Dame Hu.

His mother at that time came to identify him.

"Do not mistakenly recognize someone in the hall."

Prose

Guan Suo said, "Mother, today Father has arrived." His mother said, "Son, do not make a mistake. I

will look and see for myself beside the flag in front of the tent. Watch me and respond accordingly."

[Then she called,] "My son, it really is not your father." Suo said, "I have only heard it said that he

who rides on a roan horse and is ten feet tall and has a full beard is my father. Wait just now for me

to interrogate him." Just when he had said this, what should happen but a low-ranking soldier came

in to report.

Verse

When Guan Suo heard this, he was suspicious.

"It is not my father Commander in chief Guan."

In front of the mountain a group of troops passed by.

The banners of the commander said it was Zhang Fei who backed up the river.

When Guan Suo was informed of this, he felt happy.

He slapped his horse and flew off going like a wind-blown cloud.

He caught up with his uncle General Zhang Fei

And invited him to enter the gates of the camp.

Zhang Fei dismounted his black steed

And recognized the horse thief.

Prose

Guan Suo said, "Uncle, you have come. Please come and sit at the head of the tent." Guan Suo then

bowed and said, "Uncle, I am the second son of the Prince of Jingzhou. My name is Guan Suo.

Recently I have sought and found my mother Dame Hu. We have come together to seek my father

Commander Guan. Today I am able to see you, Uncle." Zhang Fei said, "That is only Yao Bin. He stole

your father's roan horse. Today I have come expressly in pursuit of him. What is he doing here? You

should grab him right away." Yao Bin at this point tried in a panic to escape. Guan Suo said, "Where

do you think you're going?" There and then he was grabbed by Guan Suo. He said, "All along you

were nothing but a horse-thieving crook who disguised himself to look like my father."

Verse

Guan Suo at that time quickly took hold of him,

Grabbing Yao Bin the horse thief.

"You stole my father's roan horse.

You pretended to be Commander Guan, Prince of Jingzhou."

He called out, "Attendants, do your stuff!"

They cut off Yao Bin the horse thief's head.

He set out wine to entertain General Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei immediately explained the situation.

"If you want to seek your father Commander Guan,

I will take you to the mountain to claim your patrimony."

Prose

Guan Suo then asked his mother to come out and see him. Dame Hu saw him and said "Brother-in-

law, eighteen years ago you killed my whole family. You took my oldest son Guan Ping with you and

let me escape. I was pregnant and before long gave birth to this child. Now he has grown to be

eighteen years old, and he has studied completely all the arts of war. Just now he has come here

expressly to seek his father and claim his patrimony. Would you please go ahead and act as a witness

and take him to see his father the Prince of Jingzhou." Zhang Fei said, "Elder brother has gone west

in pursuit of Yao Bin. Right now I will return first and meet elder brother to explain to him. You can

come along later."

Verse

He entertained Zhang Fei who then went on ahead,

Taking the roan horse with him.

We will sing no longer of Zhang Fei and Guan Suo;

We will take up the Prince of Jingzhou at the head of his troops.

A great sword held in hand,

He went in pursuit of Yao Bin but didn't spot him.

In front of the mountain he saw Prime Minister Cao,

Leading three thousand horses and men.

The Prince of Jingzhou mounted his high-headed horse

And waved his state-pacifying sword.

He called loudly, "Prime Minister Cao in front of the mountain:

I have some good words you should hear.

Freely allow me to go past the mountain,

And we'll let bygones be bygones and discuss it no more."

Cao Cao deputed General Zhang Liao

To go down the mountain and grab the man surnaraed Guan.

When they had battled nearly thirty rounds,

Brandishing his blade he made straight for his face.

But the Prince of Jingzhou was not in the least afraid.

On horseback he brandished his great sword.

Cao Cao on the mountain raised a red flag.

Ugly Cao Cheng, one of his subordinates,

Brandished his great battle-axe Achiever.

The three men all rushed for the man surnamed Guan.

Just at this time, when the Prince of Jingzhou was getting worried,

From the west there sounded a stroke to the drum.

A mass of men appeared with lances extended and spears in their hands.

River-router Zhang Fei arrived leading his army.

From the top of Mount Dongmi Cao Cao observed them.

"Who is this general?—

A young horseman astride a spirited horse,

His hand grasping a yellow dragon spear."

The troops under General Zhao Yun also arrived from Changsha.

In addition there was Guan Ping who also brought up his army.

The troops and horses of Cao Cao of the Great State fled,

Losing two out of every three men.

Commander Guan, Prince of Jingzhou, was delighted.

A stroke on the bronze gong and they gathered the army.

Great and small the group of officers were gladdened.

At the head of his men, astride the roan horse,

General Zhang Fei came up from one side.

"Elder brother, this is a happy event of great importance.

I inform you that your son is very brave and courageous.

Guan Suo son of Guan Yu Marquis of Hanshou ting

Even recovered the roan horse.

He grabbed Yao Bin the horse thief."

When Guan Suo heard this, he quickly bowed.

He bowed to his father, Commander in chief Guan.

The Prince of Jingzhou said, "I am not your father."

He cursed and said, "You are an enemy falsely claiming a relationship."

Zhang Fei came forward quickly and said,

"Elder brother, acknowledge the young man.

Acknowledge your own son, General Guan Suo.

He is not one who dreads the blade and avoids the sword."

The Prince of Jingzhou said, "Say no more about it."

He clapped his hands and shook his head and wouldn't acknowledge him.

The great and small officials were unable to persuade him.

He got on the roan horse and was about to start off.

Before he had yet finished speaking,

Guan Suo's heart grew angry.

"Where do you think you're going today?

Why won't you acknowledge your own family?

Acknowledge your own son today as you should,

And I will be one who protects you from spear and sword.

If you say you will not acknowledge me,

Then I will take to Mount Heng and become a bandit.

I will surrender allegiance to Prime Minister Cao of the Great State.

I will lead men in battle and start war.

I will come to attack the Iron Fortress, Camp Prosper Liu.

I will capture the Five Tiger Generals."

Zhang Fei came forward and explained again in detail.

He told him to acknowledge Hua Guan Suo.

He began by telling how he was separated from his mother when he was only seven,

Separated from his mother at seven and given to someone else.

He went into the mountains to study the arts of war,

And investigated thoroughly military books and writings on battle strategy.

Before he knew it he grew to be eighteen,

When he descended the mountain to seek his mother surnamed Hu.

When the Prince of Jingzhou heard these words,

Tears flowed from his eyes and fell in streams

When husband and wife met once again.

Guan Suo then bowed to his loving father.

Husband and wife were reunited and son met father—

This sort of happy event is no ordinary thing.

Then he bowed to his uncle General Zhang Fei

And also bowed to his elder brother Guan Ping.

He met many great generals,

And also gave a bow of greeting to the minor officers.

The Prince of Jingzhou took along Hua Guan Suo.

He led his soldiers, horses and men

Straight to Prosper Liu Mountain.

There on city walls and towers he stationed his troops,

One hundred fifty thousand brave soldiers in all.

He took in Hua Guan Suo,

He took in his wife Madame Hu,

Straight to the gate of Duke Guan's mansion.

After Madame Hu had had a chance to rest,

Guan Suo and Mrs. Hu met the enlightened sovereign.

Duke Guan led them to the audience hall,

Where they bowed and met Prince Liu the sovereign of Han

And met the group of officials, civil and military.

Prince Liu asked about the situation.

Prose

The First Sovereign said, "Sir, who is this man?" Zhang Fei said, "When we swore our oath of

brotherhood at Peach Spring, I killed elder brother's entire family. You took Guan Ping along with

you. My sister-in-law gave birth to this child who is now eighteen years old. He is completely versed

in both civil and military skills. He sought and found his mother in his maternal grandfather's home

and today together with his mother he has come to seek his father and claim his patrimony." When

the First Sovereign met him, he liked him very much, and he said, "This son of yours is exceptional."

He provided a feast for him there in front of the throne and offered congratulations to Duke Guan.

They ate a five-course feast and drank wine until they were half-drunk. Just as they were in the

midst of drinking and feasting, suddenly a courier came before the court to report. "Outside there is

a bandit approaching the city, proclaiming, "I am Lian Xun the Hideous, specially come to avenge my

brother."

Verse

Just as the group of officials were all drinking wine,

A man came to report to the Han ruler,

Announcing, "My king, I tell you of a calamity.

Lian Xun has raised men and horses."

The First Sovereign Emperor Prince Liu was worried sick.

"Who incited this bandit?"

He rides astride a metallic beast,

And in his hand he wields a gold-banded staff.

His head sprouts a pair of red horns,

And the hair on his neck is like an array of needles.

He can stay under water for seven or eight days,

And he can march for half a week without eating.

To the tip of his head his height is ten feet.

He has come to get revenge for Crown Prince Lian Kang.

He came in front of the troops and cursed in a loud voice,

"That insufferable, insulting Guan Suo.

He killed my elder brother General Lian Kang

And stole away my sister-in-law Madame Bao.

Today I am going to avenge this grievance.

I am not to be compared with ordinary men."

When Zhang Fei heard this, he felt upset and annoyed.

He took up his sword and emerged from the lines to do battle with him.

Lian Xun the Hideous quickly came out of battle formation.

He called, "General, you just listen."

Prose

Lian Xun said, "General Zhang Fei, you go back and transmit a message to the Pacification

Commissioner, the Prince of Jingzhou. Tell him to give me back a life for my elder brother Crown

Prince Lian Kang's life. It's nothing to do with you. I am not seeking a quarrel with you. Just have the

Prince of Jingzhou come out to parley with me." Zhang Fei heard what he said and forthwith

returned to camp and saw the Prince of Jingzhou. Zhang Fei said, "I report to elder brother: Lian Xun

said that leading men and horses you killed Crown Prince Lian Kang and destroyed the Great Camp

at Yaoling. He didn't pick a fight with me. He only demanded [satisfaction?] from you for the death

of Crown Prince Lian Kang." The Prince of Jingzhou then went out in front of his lines. He saw Lian

Xun and said, "You ought not to bear unjustified grudges against others. When have I ever come to

the gates of your camp? It's got nothing to do with me." Lian Xun the Hideous said, "You killed

Crown Prince Lian Kang and destroyed the Great Camp at Yaoling. You also burned all my army

provisions. And you wrote on the wall, 'If you want revenge, come to the Iron Fortress Camp on

Prosper Liu Mountain and look for Duke Guan to avenge the injury.' If it isn't you, who is it?"

Verse

When the Prince of Jingzhou heard this, he felt angry.

"When did I ever go to his place leading horses and men?

Even though Lian Xun blames me today,

It hasn't the slightest thing to do with me."

Lian Xun firmly gripped his gold-banded staff,

And rushed forward at the man surnamed Guan.

The Commander saw how fiercely he came.

Seated on his horse he had no choice but to brandish his sword.

They had fought for nearly fifty rounds when he said,

"How can I resist this knave?"

The Prince of Jingzhou reined in his horse, turned, and went,

Fleeing straight toward the gate of the Han camp of Prince Liu.

Holding onto the saddle he dismounted his high-headed horse.

Then he called Guan Ping.

"Who told you to provoke General Lian Xun into coming here?

You patricidal beast! You nobody!"

Guan Ping came forward and quickly bowed,

Repeating again and again, "I didn't do it."

His words were hardly spoken when Guan Suo arrived

To see his father, Commander in chief Guan.

The Prince of Jingzhou said, "General Guan Suo,

Lian Xun has led horses and men here,

Saying, 'You destroyed the Yaoling Camp

And killed Crown Prince Lian Kang.'

He has led three thousand men and horses

And has come straight here to act as an avenger.

I myself fought with him,

But after several rounds I was the loser."

When Guan Suo heard this he felt angry.

He said, "Father, you just rest easy.

It is I who destroyed the Yaoling Camp,

And I am the one who killed Lian Kang.

At the Bao manor I won Sanniang by battle.

The provisions were all set afire by me."

The officers great and small all paled.

The Commander in chief, the Prince of Jingzhou, was startled to death.

When the Prince of Jingzhou heard this, he felt perplexed.

"How can we make this ruffian retreat?"

Guan Suo said, "That's no problem.

Father, you just relax now.

If I can't capture this Lian Xun,

How will I ever make it to the territory of Xichuan?"

In front of his lines he pointed at him and cursed in a loud voice,

Calling, "Lian Xun, come out of your battle formation.

The person who killed Lian Kang is I.

Bao Sanniang is with me.

The provisions were burnt up by me.

It is written very clearly on the wall."

Prose

Guan Suo said, "I am none other than the second son of the Prince of Jingzhou. My name is Guan

Suo. The one who destroyed your Great Yaoling Camp and killed Crown Prince Lian Kang and won

Bao Sanniang by battle is I." When Lian Xun heard this, anger and hatred arose from within him.

Verse

Lian Xun the Hideous heard for himself,

And hearing, his anger turned to fury.

"You are the youth Hua Guan Suo,

So overbearing and insulting.

You killed Lian Kang and destroyed my camp.

You've got some nerve, you scurrilous beast.

On your horse you're not even as big as my fist.

I could swallow ten of you.

If you were a lump of iron from Bingzhou,

You wouldn't even make very many nails.

Even without my metallic beast or my renowned iron staff,

I can take care of you with my bare hands.

My left hand will grab you by the hair;

My right hand will snap you in two at the waist,

And I'll break your backbone and your legs into the bargain.

Your three souls and seven spirits will return to the clouds.

I'll make your body a target;

I'll tear out your living heart and liver and eat them with my wine."

This infuriated the young Hua Guan Suo,

Who cried loudly, "Lian Xun, listen to this.

If you willingly surrender to me today,

We'll let bygones be bygones and discuss it no more.

If you make the slightest sound of refusal,

You'll have to reckon with your parent Guan Suo!"

This infuriated Lian Xun, who shouted,

"You scurrilous, insolent scoundrel!"

He waved his long long staff.

"Give me back a life for my elder brother the Crown Prince.

Today I am going to avenge this wrong.

The space of three rounds will tell the tale."

On both sides they struck decorated frame drums.

Guan Suo then wielded his spear.

The pair of men then sparred in the center.

Lian Xun also brandished his staff.

It was a draw; there was neither loser nor winner.

The two fought so furiously they blended into one.

The two men battled for a long time.

The metallic beast roared and the ground resounded like thunder.

Guan Suo's horse was frightened by the metallic monster.

It tucked its tail and raised its hackles and neighed.

Guan Suo was no match for the metallic beast.

His horse was afraid of the monster and fled like a wind-blown cloud.

Whenever he came close to grabbing Lian Xun,

His horse was unwilling to go forward.

Lian Xun quickly struck with his staff;

Guan Suo brandished his sword in the air.

Badly upset was Lian Xun.

"How can I be an avenger?"

Desperately anxious was the young Hua Guan Suo.

"How can I capture this knave?"

They had fought for quite a long time,

And their whole bodies were dripping with the sweat of battle.

Both sides retired from the field for men and horses to rest.

It was a draw; there was neither loser nor winner.

General Guan Suo felt upset.

Sitting on the silver folding chair he had something to say.

"It is not that I myself lacked skill.

My ancestors' spirits failed to aid me."

Just when the general was feeling discouraged,

Jiang Wei, on patrol, arrived at the gate of the camp.

Prose

Guan Suo rose and met his uncle. Jiang Wei arrived at the camp, entered the tent, and sat down.

Jiang Wei said, "Did you win or lose?" Guan Suo said, "I'll tell you, Uncle: I couldn't handle him. It

wasn't that I didn't have it in me. My horse was afraid of his metallic beast and wouldn't go forward.

There were several times when I could have seized lian Xun, but my horse always turned around and

refused to go forward no matter how hard I whipped him." Jiang Wei said, "Your father's roan horse

is also a king among animals. If you get this horse, you can surely capture him." Guan Suo said,

"That's certainly true, but how can I get him?" Jiang Wei said, "Don't worry. Just don't go fight with

him. In a little while I'll come and let you know."

Verse

When Jiang Wei finished speaking he went his way

And headed over to Prince Liu's Han camp.

Just as he was about to arrive at Prince Liu's camp,

He spied his elder brother, Commander in chief Guan.

But Jiang Wei turned and slipped away

And headed to the rear stable to see the dragon steed,

Putting a drug into its feed.

Then he went back and entered the tent

And sat down inside the command tent.

The Prince of Han was feasting the group of officials.

Just when all the officers were drinking and feasting,

Someone came to report to the man surnamed Guan.

"The roan horse has fallen over in the rear stable.

His body isn't moving a bit."

The group of officials great and small stood up.

Worried sick was the Prince of Jingzhou, Commander in chief Guan.

When Jiang Wei saw this, he smiled.

"He has fallen eight or nine parts of ten for my trick."

They came to the rear stable and took a look—

Sure enough, the horse had fallen down on the ground.

Jiang Wei went forward and took a look.

"Elder brother, keep calm.

I diagnose that the horse hasn't yet acclimated itself to the environment.

I, Jiang Wei, will act as veterinarian."

Prose

Jiang Wei said, "Elder brother, this horse hasn't had any exercise for a long time. He has eaten

something poisonous in his fodder that has made his flesh and bones swell. I have medicine to

counteract the poison. After he takes it, it will go to work. If he is taken out to an open area and put

through his paces three or five times, the poison will be gone."

Verse

When the Prince of Jingzhou heard this, he felt glad.

Jiang Wei acted as a veterinarian.

Not long after he had given him the medicine,

The horse slowly began to lift up his body,

And they called on some enlisted men to help him to his feet.

Jiang Wei was delighted.

Having told Jiang Wei to take the horse out for a ride,

The Prince of Jingzhou, Commander in chief Guan, was overjoyed.

Prose

Jiang Wei said, "Elder brother, there isn't much room in here to ride around in. I will go out the camp

gates toward the wide open spaces. After I've put him through his paces three or five times, he will

be all right."

Verse

The Prince of Jingzhou nodded and said, "Fine."

Jiang Wei mounted the horse and took to the road.

He went out of Prosper Liu, the Han camp.

Astride the roan horse he took off,

And before long he arrived at the camp of the three armies.

Hua Guan Suo was overjoyed.

"Uncle Jiang Wei, stay with us awhile."

Behind him they closed the gates to the camp.

Jiang Wei called saying, "General Guan Suo,

Don't get me into trouble over this Lian Xun business."

"Uncle, do not trouble yourself today.

In an hour I'll have caught him."

General Guan Suo quickly mounted the horse.

He called loudly, "Lian Xun, come out of your camp."

When Lian Xun heard this, he felt angry.

He took up his gold cudgel staff in his hand.

Then Lian Xun mounted his metallic beast

And came to have it out with Guan Suo.

Guan Suo quickly flourished his spear,

Driving straight for his throat.

The struggle grew long,

Which made Hua Guan Suo furious.

Lian Xun realized it would be difficult to outdo him.

"How can I be an avenger?

It would be better to surrender to Prime Minister Cao

And lead a great column of troops in war."

He tried to get away and return to his home,

But Guan Suo blocked him so he had no escape route.

Lian Xun the Hideous was very annoyed.

In front of their lines they fought on for supremacy.

Guan Suo did not attack the whole army,

But merely called out, "Hey, Lian Xun, you monster!"

From his waist he took out the red cotton lariat

And lassoed Lian Xun and pulled him down off his horse.

He had affronted the young Hua Guan Suo,

Who grabbed him by the head and gouged out his eyes.

He poked out both of his two eyes;

He killed him and his fate returned to the clouds.

The twelve fierce generals raised men and horses

To all come to the aid of Hua Guan Suo.

As their swords chopped down, heads fell to the ground everywhere.

Spears, swords, uniforms, and armor lay scattered in profusion.

Blood flowed deep in the low places.

Corpses tripped up the front men in the ranks.

Three thousand underlings were put to the sword,

All of them nothing but a dream of the Southern Branch.

They wiped out Lian Xun's men and horses.

At the sound of a blow on the gong they reassembled their troops.

Jiang Wei was overjoyed.

"Hua Guan Suo has more than lived up to his name!"

Beneath the canopy of the powder-blue gauze tent

Was Jiang Wei, the great man of Han.

The youth Guan Suo lowered his head and bowed.

He bowed and thanked his uncle Jiang Wei.

"We must not tarry long in front of the mountain.

I will lead my men and horses back.

Prose

Jiang Wei said, "Nephew, I will ride the horse and go return it to your father. You take your time and

return after me with your soldiers and horses."

Verse

When Guan Suo heard this, he quickly said, "Fine.

You, Uncle, start first and ride on ahead."

Jiang Wei mounted the roan.

He started on his journey and went like a wind-blown cloud.

In no time at all he arrived at the camp of Prince Liu.

He dismounted and came forward to see the Commander in chief.

The Prince of Jingzhou said, "Let's have more wine.

Jiang Wei has proven worthy of his name."

The words were hardly out of his mouth

When a man came to announce to the Commander in chief,

"The youth Guan Suo has returned."

The Prince of Jingzhou told him to come in the door of his tent.

Guan Suo came forward and bowed.

The General, Prince of Jingzhou, asked about the man surnamed Lian.

"Today when you fought, who won and who lost?"

Guan Suo spoke up and explained the circumstances.

"I killed Lian Xun.

His three thousand troops and horses all bit the dust."

Prince Liu, the First Sovereign, called for wine to be poured.

"Hua Guan Suo has proven worthy of his name.

Now that the House of Han has gained this general,

Why should we fear Cao Cao of the Great State?"

Just as the group of officers gathered to drink wine,

A man came to announce there was a messenger.

When the Prince of Han, the Son of Heaven, heard this,

He ordered a junior officer to go out of the court to welcome him.

Prose

Just as they were drinking in the court what should they see but a man from Duke Cao of the State of

Wei who came to deliver a letter. The First Sovereign said, "Bring the letter for the Military Advisor

to read." He broke open the letter cover. The contents read as follows: "Today Cao Cao of the State

of Wei respectfully informs the Imperial Uncle, the Prince of the State of Han, that he has borrowed

the walled city of Fallen Phoenix Slope and set up a small feast. I dare ask that the First Sovereign,

the Imperial Uncle, condescend on the fifteenth day of the eighth month to meet with the noble

lords of the eight regions for a banquet and a discussion. Pray do not disappoint us by failing to

attend."

Verse

The messenger was treated with three cups of wine

And a snack consisting of two steamed buns.

We will sing no more about the departure of the messenger.

The Prince of Han, the Son of Heaven, in deep perplexity pondered to himself.

Then he asked the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang,

"Can it be that Duke Cao is scheming rebellion?"

"I respectfully reply, oh Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign,

And you officers, great and small, listen to the circumstances:

Early this morning I observed an aura of death,

An aura of death arising in a single cloud."

Prose

Military Advisor Zhuge Liang said, "My king, you must put in an appearance. Even though some

calamity is portended, it will cause no problem, and you will not lose one soldier or horse. Including

you, my king, just three men should go on this mission. Jiang Wei will precede you, Guan Suo will act

as a groom at the rear, and you, my king, will be in the middle. I have a plan." He instructed Zhang

Fei: "You must muster five thousand stalwart soldiers and take along Guan Suo's subordinate

commanders, the twelve stalwart generals of the Talhang Mountains. Ten li from Fallen Phoenix

Slope conceal your five thousand soldiers in ambush. When you see a signal flare go off in the city,

then lead the troops to come to the emperor's rescue."

Verse

When the First Sovereign heard these words, he quickly said, "Fine,"

Agreeing with the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang.

The two subordinate generals would follow at his heels.

At a good time on an auspicious day then they set out on their journey.

Guan Suo hid a dagger on his person,

And Jiang Wei temporarily acted as an outrider.

Zhang Fei's troops and horses were to hide in ambush behind them.

At the sound of the signal gun in Cao Cao's camp he would order his men into action.

They waited until the next day at dawn.

Prince Liu, the First Sovereign, then set out on his journey.

We will not sing anything about their climbing of mountains and crossing of rivers

Until Fallen Phoenix Slope lay in front of them.

They sent a messenger into the city ahead of them.

Cao Cao of the Great State came out some distance to welcome them.

He met and ushered in the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign,

Directly to the main hall in his official residence.

Prose

Prime Minister Cao met Liu the First Sovereign. After they had greeted each other he said, "It has

been a difficult and wearisome journey here for you, First Sovereign." Then he asked the First

Sovereign, "How many men and horses did you bring with you?" The First Sovereign said, "There are

only three men and horses." Prime Minister Cao smiled coldly. Two noble lords rose and came to

meet the First Sovereign. There were the Prince of Shangliao, the Prince of Xialiao, and Emperor Lü

Gao of Jiangnan. There was Prince Liu Zhang together with the emperors of petty states, the noble

lords of the eight regions, and twenty-four fierce generals. All together they met the First Sovereign

and invited him to enter the headquarters and sit down. The various officers performed the

prescribed twenty-four prostrations and paid formal obeisance to him. Then they prepared a feast.

Drums and music dinned the heavens. There was music and singing and dancing. Female

entertainers waited upon them.

Verse

Duke Cao that day prepared a feast,

Spread a great banquet and invited the nobles.

They drank wine until they were half drunk and ate five courses.

Duke Cao thereupon spoke up.

"We want neither variety performers nor female entertainers.

We want only a dance with a qinqfeng sword."

Prose

Duke Cao said: "Great Prince and Lü Gao, now that we possess the entire realm, east, west, south,

and north, stretching in all directions, where is there for the rulers of petty states to go? Today the

noble lords and you, Great Prince, are here. Why not combine all the small states into one country?

If the three of us can agree, provisions can be made for our retainers." The First Sovereign said, "I

will transmit an imperial command."

Verse

They did not wait for Prince Liu to transmit the imperial command.

From the side an official came out.

The Prince of Shangliao said, "Speak no more.

In our present discussion we must be reasonable.

He is the Prince of Han, Liu, the First Sovereign.

How could he be willing to be lord of a petty state?"

Duke Cao nodded and said, "Right."

Then he asked the various officials, military and civil,

"Which of you generals will sword dance?"

Lü Gao danced very neatly.

Gradually, after he had danced for quite a long time,

The point of his blade came to hover over the man surnamed Liu.

From the side emerged General Jiang Wei,

Who came forward and shouted abuse at Lü Gao.

"This Lü Gao is unreasonable."

At the rear the man surnamed Guan was angered.

Prose

Emperor Lü Gao said, "Which officer is mettlesome enough to dare to come and do a sword dance

with me?" The Prince of Han said, "Prime Minister Cao, choose someone so that the two of them can

dance together." Duke Cao said, "Have the First Sovereign's aide-de-camp dance with Lü Gao." Jiang

Wei said, "Tell the young groom to do a dance with Lü Gao."

Verse

The boy today would do a sword dance.

He wanted to kill all the military and civil officials.

Head to foot he was no taller than four and a half feet,

And he was dressed no differently than a cowherd.

Emperor Lü Gao smiled.

He called to Prince Liu, the Sovereign of Han,

"If this boy comes to dance with me,

How can he possibly be a match for me?

With my foot I'll kick him three or five li.

How dare he come and dance with me before the assembled generals?"

The boy replied, "Don't take me lightly.

This cowherd dares to risk his life against you.

Granted, you've shown your skill, but it will avail you nothing.

I'm not afraid of a pipsqueak like you no matter how great you think you are."

Lü Gao said, "This is too much to take.

You motherless, insulting little devil.

Your body isn't as big as my fist.

How dare you come to determine loser and winner with me."

Prose

As soon as Prime Minister Cao saw him, he got very angry. The group of officials spoke, saying, "He's

really quite a kid!" The boy said, "I beg to inform the great prince that he is the emperor of his

country, while I am but a soldier. Our positions are not equal. I fear that in the course of some

maneuver, if I should do harm to his life, it would create a problem. I propose that the two of us

should enter into a written agreement with regard to the terms of this contest. Each of us will

append his own signature and hand it to the Prime Minister to hold. This document will be evidence

of our agreement and the various officials will be witnesses." The group of officials in unison

expressed their approval. In no time at all they had written the agreement, and the two men sword

danced.

Verse

In front of the banquet they struck decorated frame drums.

The two men fenced quite brilliantly.

As they got into the thick of the fight,

Each man strove to do his best.

Even after the two men had danced for a long time,

Neither of them had gained the advantage.

To a man the group of men in the main hall

All offered wine to the boy.

Guan Suo said, "I will not drink wine.

We will sword dance again and hazard victory or defeat."

When the two men had danced for a long time,

The boy grew furious.

He lunged, feinted, and made a single thrust with his sword.

Then, leaping out of the way, he shouted, "Down you go!"

When the group of officials suddenly raised their heads and looked,

Lü Gao's head had fallen and blood stained his body.

When Duke Cao saw this, he was angry;

Civil and military, the two groups were all astonished.

Just as the group of officials were in a state of consternation,

A man with a white flag again announced to the man surnamed Cao,

"Military Advisor Zhang Lin has arrived in person."

The group of officials great and small all rose

And came to meet Zhang Lin.

He left the saddle and dismounted, his feet coming to rest on the ground.

Each person then proceeded to exchange greetings with him,

But he was depressed and did not seem happy to see them.

Great and small the officials stayed their steps.

He sat on a silver folding chair and rested himself.

Prose

Zhang Lin said, "Prime Minister Cao, you did not come to see me. Why didn't you invite me?" Cao

Cao said, "I didn't know your whereabouts, General, so I did not come to invite you. Stop asking."

When Zhang Lin heard this, he laughed loudly. "Considering that this group of officials is all here,

why didn't you invite Emperor Lü Gao?"

Verse

Iron Pate Zhang Lin was distressed,

And his whole face became bright red.

"When you didn't invite me that didn't matter.

But why didn't you invite Lü Gao?"

The great general Zhang Lin opened his mouth and said,

"Where is Emperor Lü Gao?"

Prose

Prime Minister Cao said to him: "Allow me to explain things to you, Military Advisor, but it's a long

story." Zhang Lin said, "Why is it such a long story?" Duke Cao said, "There is a boy in the entourage

of the Prince of Han who did a sword dance with Lü Gao. They made a written agreement on the

terms of the contest, to which each of them appended his signature, and they exchanged copies,

agreeing not to forfeit a life for a life. In this fashion the two men then competed in a sword dance.

In the thick of the fight Emperor Lü Gao was cut in two with one stroke by the boy. What can we do

about this calamity?"

Verse

Cao Cao of the Great State was most troubled.

"What can we possibly do about this?"

Iron Pate Zhang Lin's heart was anxious.

He ground his jaws ominously.

"How could it have been Emperor Lü Gao's fate

To fall a victim to the sword?"

Then he asked, "Where is the Prince of Han?

Today we'll see how things really are."

When he saw the boy he cursed him in his heart.

"How did you ever kill Lü Gao?"

Then he called to his subordinates to look sharp.

"I will undertake to be his avenger!"

From the side, out came General Jiang Wei,

Who reviled the man Zhang Lin.

"For nothing have you grown to your present height and years.

You have eyes but when did you ever recognize [the true worth of) anyone?"

Guan Suo at that point called loudly.

He called, "Zhang Lin: It is I

Who killed Lü Gao the Emperor.

He wasn't worth the tip of my boot or the heel of my foot.

Each of us wrote our signature,

And Duke Cao of the Great State acted as witness.

Duke Cao invited Liu the First Sovereign to come,

And the group of officials at the scene drank a round.

The insufferable Lü Gao the Emperor,

He insulted me in front of the banquet guests

And urged me to do a sword dance with him in front of the entourage.

With one stroke of my sword his fate returned to the clouds.

Today there is this group of officials here as witnesses.

It has nothing at all to do with you."

This Zhang Lin's heart was anxious.

He ground his jaws with an ominous sound.

"You may have gotten away with killing Lü Gao,

But I'll make your fate return to the clouds along with his!"

Guan Suo at that time replied, saying,

"It is not my nature to fear even great generals such as you.

I have never wronged you.

The moth flies into the fire and burns itself up.

I am a general of Prince Liu of Great Shu.

Do you dare to come and sword fight with me?

Have done with this chattering and yamnering.

Leave it to ability to decide who is the hero."

Chapter 3Chapter 3Chapter 3Chapter 3

How Hua Guan Suo subdued Xichuan

Guan Suo's death after Liu Bei's demise

Prose

Zhang Lin said, "You're a minor general of the Guan family. You say you're capable and dare to sword

dance with me. I will allow you to use a pair of swords. I will use only a single sword." Prime Minister

Cao said, "The two of you both use single swords."

Verse

Iron Pate Zhang Lin felt angry.

"Today I will sword dance to determine loser and winner."

In front of the hall the boy felt pleased.

"I with Zhang Lin will settle how things really are."

The two men each held up a qingfeng sword.

Back and forth they moved in front of the feast to settle the outcome.

Worried sick was the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign.

Troubled was Jiang Wei.

The two men then sword danced.

For better or for worse today would tell the tale.

Zhang Lin danced with his sword,

And the boy also brandished his sword.

The two men in the hall contended for mastery.

The outcome would be settled in the course of three rounds.

Zhang Lin aimed his sword at the chest,

While Guan Suo drove his sword straight for the thigh.

Guan Suo just then whirled his sword,

Slashing straight at Zhang Lin's head.

Indeed he struck Zhang Lin solidly with his sword,

But he didn't move a hair.

Admirable youth Hua Guan Suo,

All you could see was his sword flashing.

Zhang Lin spoke saying, "He's good.

The blackguard won't give any quarter."

Cao Cao of the Great State urged them to stop.

"Do not brandish swords any more now.

You two generals challenge each other in battle.

Let each person display his martial skill to determine loser and winner."

Iron Pate Zhang Lin said, "Fine."

Then he had them lead over his dragon-scaled horse.

"I won't use a great sword to cut you in two.

I'll grab your head and stomp it into dust.

If today I get hold of you,

I'll pulverize, dismember, and slice you up, all three.

I'll make your body a target,

I'll tear out your living heart and liver and eat them with my wine."

Guan Suo took Lü Gao's horse

And plucked up his black varnished staff.

Worried sick was the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign.

Troubled also was the man surnamed Jiang.

The two each mounted their high-headed horses.

Behold Zhang Lin, the man with the iron crown.

He called, "Han Dynasty leader and general,

Insulting fuzzy-haired runt,

Sitting on your horse you're only as big as my fist.

Swallowed, you wouldn't choke a person.

If you were a lump of iron from Bingzhou,

You'd only make a few long nails.

With one kick I can send you three or five li,

Yet you dare to challenge me to a fight to determine loser and winner."

When Guan Suo heard this, he smiled.

Then he called, "Zhang Lin, Iron Pate,

As for me, I may be small, but

I am by nature able to capture a great general.

Haven't you heard what was well said by the ancients?

Good steel is not used to cut short nails.

An inflated bladder may be big, but it has no weight;

A steelyard weight may be small, but it can counterbalance one thousand catties.

I never wronged you.

The moth flies into the fire and burns itself up.

If you come to fight a fire wearing a palm raincape,

When the flames flare and you catch on fire, you'll have nowhere to run."

Zhang Lin said, "You're quite a braggart.

Have a look at my state-pacifying sword."

This affronted the young Hua Guan Suo,

Who brandished his black varnished staff.

Both sides slapped their high-headed horses into motion.

The massed troops had eyes only for the two generals.

Eight horse hooves dashed in confusion;

Four arms lashed back and forth.

When they had fought for awhile,

Hua Guan Suo grew furious.

With his black varnished staff he aimed straight for the head.

It struck Zhang Lin, the man with the iron head.

Zhang Lin brought his sword straight down with a chop,

But Guan Suo interposed his staff so it didn't touch him.

"If I don't get him here today,

When will I have another chance?"

Zhang Lin was about to slip away and escape,

When Guan Suo somersaulted over

And wrenched him to a halt.

He pulled out his qinqfenq sword

And split through the helmet on his crown,

Without doing the least damage to his skin.

Zhang Lin instantly called in a loud voice,

"Cao Cao of the State of Wei, save me!"

Guan Suo cast down the sword in his hand

And grabbed Zhang Lin, a man of a petty state.

Guan Suo gave his head a twist,

Breaking off Zhang Lin's head at the throat.

The group of officers great and small were frightened out of their wits.

How pitiful the Military Advisor!

Cao Cao hurriedly waved the red flag.

"Don't let these two or three people escape.

I told you to sword dance in front of the banquet to amuse us,

But you have killed the nobles of the two states.

None of the officers great and small are to scatter.

Do not let Imperial Uncle Liu escape."

Guan Suo at that time called in a loud voice To Prince Liu, the Sovereign of Han,

"Elder Uncle, follow me today.

Younger Uncle, take care of Lord Liu of Han."

The Prince of Han mounted his high-headed horse;

Then he called to Jiang Wei, the man of great courage.

Jiang Wei had seized the roan horse

And availed himself of Zhang Lin's sword.

Look at the youth Hua Guan Suo

With only a cudgel, sparing not a soul.

He charged forward on his horse and no one could withstand him.

The great general Zhang Liao followed at his horse's heels.

He called, "Prince of Han, where do you think you're going?

Do you think we'll call it quits and consider the matter no further?"

Cao Cao's men and horses all arrived.

Ugly Cao Zhang was furious.

The imperial son-in-law Xu Chu angrily struck his thigh.

Sima Zhongda brandished his sword.

Twenty-four brave, fierce generals

And the noble lords of the eight regions came up to try to capture them.

They called, "Prince Liu, where do you think you're going?

How can you two get out of the battle formation?"

Worried sick was the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign;

Troubled was Jiang Wei, the man of great courage.

Guan Suo and Jiang Wei had their hands full.

Their entire bodies were dripping with sweat.

Guan Suo then said,

"You're not worth the tip of my boot or the heel of my foot."

In his great rage no general could withstand him.

The enlisted men were beaten into confused disarray.

Liu the First Sovereign looked on at the fray.

"It's a good thing I have this young lad Guan Suo.

I blame Military Advisor Zhuge Liang

For not leading soldiers to save me."

Jiang Wei lit a fire,

And the hidden troops looked at the city from afar.

Cao Cao quickly waved the red flag.

The kings of Shangliao and Xialiao both exerted themselves.

The noble lords of the eight regions deployed their troops and horses

And surrounded him so tightly that the wind couldn't get through.

Almost before the words were out of his mouth

Suddenly they heard a great sounding of gongs and drums.

Zhang Yi, the flower-bedecked, arrived in a hurry.

Zhang Fei led up his horses and men.

His insignia flag led the way at the front.

He wielded a twelve-foot snakeskin-speckled spear.

He rode a high-headed horse

And led troops to come to rescue Lord Liu of Han.

Zan verse

The superior general

transmitted an order

urging his army to join the fray.

The Office of Military Administration

discriminated among the names [of the officers]

in order to report them to the throne.

Grasshopper swords,

goose-feather swords

chopped in confusion east and west.

Seven-star swords,

sprout-green swords

injured men left and right.

Sprawling dead and wounded,

warhorses galloping in disorder,

every sound sharp with pain.

Corpses with severed heads

dangling from their necks,

splintered flesh and pulverized men.

… … … …

Three-pronged pitchforks

pierced men's throats;

they were hard to dodge.

Four-ridged maces

flailed mercilessly,

causing injury left and right.

Five-directions flags

simultaneously waving

flashed like lightning.

Six-patterned bows

discharged chisel-headed arrows

that accurately found their mark.

Seven-star bludgeons

struck generals and ministers

with shouts of "Hit home!"

Eight-ridged cudgels

smashed horses' legs

amid sounds of screaming and neighing.

Nine-strand lariats

lassoed men's heads

and pulled them down to be slaughtered.

Ten-piece suits of armor

were cut through by swords;

how could the victims survive?

Verse

When he fought an engagement it was like pouring hot water on snow;

He cut down generals like slicing off the root of a plant.

Cao Cao's men and horses could not resist him;

How could they withstand this man?

One minute he was wreaking havoc to the south, the next he turned up in the north,

Cutting a bloody pathway through which they were able to follow in his wake.

He rescued the three of them, Prince Liu [and his two companions].

He delivered his yellow dragon spear to Hua Guan Suo

And delighted Prince Liu, the Sovereign of Han.

The Prince of Wei, Cao Cao, wailed loudly,

"I've ended up being tricked by Prince Liu,

When originally I had planned to capture Liu the Imperial Uncle.

The Military Advisor Zhuge Liang has done it again!"

Prose

The First Sovereign said, "Zhang Fei, why didn't you come earlier to save me? Thanks to the black

lacquered staff of my nephew Guan Suo we were able to force the twenty-four fierce generals to

retreat. The men and horses of the noble lords of the eight regions caught up with us. They

surrounded us so tightly that neither water nor fire could have gotten through. We almost lost our

lives." Zhang Fei said, "Elder brother, relax. Behind me there are more men and horses coming."

Verse

Zhang Fei and Prince Liu both attacked the Duke.

Guan Suo said, "We won't get another chance like this again!"

Like three iron flails they dashed back into the fray,

Creating consternation for Cao Cao, the man of Wei.

Their officers great and small all set to,

Surrounding him in the center without an escape route.

Just as Duke Cao was wracking his brains,

The Prince of Jingzhou arrived leading horses and men.

The noble lords of the eight regions could not withstand him,

And many of their horses and men were killed.

The soldiers and horses coming down from the north arrived.

It looked like Guan Ping, the eldest son.

Flourishing a jeweled blade almost as long as he was tall,

He galloped right into Duke Cao's great battle formation.

The men and horses from Changsha all came;

The old general Huang Zhong also arrived at the fray.

The generals who owed their personal loyalty to Guan Suo

All together fought their way into the battle formation.

The Prince of Jingzhou on horseback yelled loudly;

Zhang Yi, the flower-bedecked, flourished his sword.

The Prince of Jingzhou reined in his horse and looked around;

All he could see were his younger brother's horses and men.

The men and horses of the House of Han had all arrived.

They fought their way into Prince Cao's great battle formation.

They killed until it was dusk and the earth was dark;

The trampling raised so much dust that you couldn't see the men.

Blood dyed the earth red and stained the horses' hooves;

The outskirts of town were completely covered with the bodies of the dead.

Just as Cao Cao was feeling upset,

Again he saw horses and troops ahead.

Twenty-four flags led the way,

And eighteen pairs of golden claws were displayed in the vanguard.

Sitting astride her peach blossom horse,

Bearing a pair of sun and moon blades in her hands,

With a golden helmet and golden gorget completely concealing her hair,

It was the famous Mistress Bao Sanniang.

She could use a pair of swords with skill and ease,

And had contended with many a general in her day.

Guan Suo at that time called loudly,

"Cao Cao of the state of Wei, come and surrender.

If you try to ascend to heaven there's no way to get there.

Inside you have no provisions and outside you have no troops."

Cao Cao on horseback yelled loudly,

"I am not able to surround you today.

I offer to return Jingzhou to you.

Take your men and horses back on the return road.

Take a message to the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign;

Take a message to the Military Advisor Zhuge:

'If you all turn around and go back to Jingzhou,

I will go to Chang'an and stay there.

I will rest the three armies, men and horses,

And will eschew all military activity.'"

When Guan Suo heard this, he felt pleased.

"Cao Cao, you turn around and go back.

I will take command of the men and horses of all the armies."

A stroke on the bronze gong directed the troops to halt.

He occupied Fallen Phoenix Slope.

The various officers and leaders encamped their soldiers.

First they would take the fortified city of Jingzhou as a base;

Then they would subdue the walled cities of the five regions of Xichuan.

We will speak no longer of Cao Cao's men and horses;

We will only talk of Prince Liu's return journey.

He returned to the camp at the base of Cockscomb Mountain.

The military advisor Zhuge came far out to welcome him.

The group of officers great and small returned inside the camp.

They prepared a feast and went to the hall.

Prose

The Military Advisor said, "My lord has returned from afar, and the journey was arduous." The First

Sovereign said, "It was a good thing the lord Guan Suo was there. Lü Gao, who sword danced with

him in front of the banquet, was cut in two with one stroke of the sword by Guan Suo. Again he

sword danced with the Military Advisor of the Seven States Zhang Lin, who also had his head twisted

off at the neck by Guan Suo. Furthermore, we were surrounded by the soldiers and horses of the

noble lords of the eight regions. Our armies engaged them in battle, and they were surrounded by

our men and horses. Cao Cao had no plans of escape. Of his own free will he offered to give me

Jingzhou and allow me to take the territory of Xichuan, on condition that each of us would withdraw

his army and guard his own territory." When the Military Advisor heard this, he felt pleased. By this

time the banquet had already dispersed. The next day in the morning the group of officers gathered

for a meeting to discuss going with utmost speed to Jingzhou. The Military Advisor addressed the

subordinate generals, saying, "Duke Guan is the Commander in chief of our regime. At present he is

in command of one million troops and daily expends his strength in leading men and horses. If he

goes to Jingzhou and subdues the territory of Xichuan, he must take precautions to guard against

[the possibly baleful influences of] the zodiacal animals that preside over the days and months. We

must not delay."

Verse

When Prince Liu, the First Sovereign, had spoken,

Great and small, the various officers were all glad.

The next day during the si period they raised men and horses.

Each and every soldier was happy.

At a stroke on the bronze gong that echoed in the vicinity,

They led men and horses and marched forward.

The mountains were distant and the road far, and the armies went;

They marched one stage and then another stage.

When Jingzhou heard that Prince Liu had arrived,

Mi Zhu and Mi Fang then offered up the city

And ushered him into Jingzhou city.

They rested Liu the Imperial Uncle.

Mi Zhu and Mi Fang came to give their allegiance.

They pretended to want to be stableboys and grooms.

The First Sovereign, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei consulted together.

They wanted to take the cities of the five regions of Xichuan.

Prose

Military Advisor Zhuge said, "Now we have gained Jingzhou for a base. Later we will take Xichuan for

our state. For the time being we will encamp the troops and horses in Jingzhou, where there is

ample good fodder." Zhang Fei said, "Our nephew Guan Suo saved the day at Fallen Phoenix Slope.

Today let's have Guan Suo guard Jingzhou and rest his horses a little. We will first subdue Xichuan.

Then afterwards we can have Guan Suo check out the situation and come out to reinforce us." The

Prince of Jingzhou said, "The two of us, father and son, will guard Jingzhou and afterwards meet

you." The First Sovereign then asked the Military Advisor, "What about this proposal?" The Military

Advisor said, "It will be all right if Duke Guan doesn't go. We will go by ourselves. If we ask Duke

Guan, father and son, to guard Jingzhou, the State of Wei will not dare to invade and occupy it."

Verse

Military Advisor Zhuge transmitted the general's orders.

He spoke to Liu the Imperial Uncle.

"Send a letter to the area east of the mountains,

To Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun.

Tell them to hold securely Prosper Liu Camp

And not to move out horses and men."

They decided on a good time and an auspicious day.

Commander Zhang Fei then raised troops;

Jiang Wei then acted as general of the vanguard,

And many fierce generals followed at his rear.

The sound of a heaven-shaking stroke to the gong echoed,

And they all left the city of Jingzhou.

We will sing no longer of Duke Guan and his two sons;

We will talk instead about Zhang Fei leading troops.

In front with a dragon-phoenix flag was Liu the First Sovereign.

On his saddled horse the Marquis of Wu Xiang

With his great sword and battle-axe advanced forward.

The flags of the Five Tiger Generals stood at the door of his tent.

In front of the tent they raised high a flying yellow canopy;

Sun and moon fans were held up on the two sides.

"Great and small, the group of officials will follow at your rear.

Twenty thousand soldiers all advanced on the journey.

Zan verse

Double-phoenix flags,

sun and moon flags,

waved in front of the imperial chariot.

A writhing-dragon flag

led the procession;

together the armies started out.

Five-colored flags,

deep yellow flags,

were like flowers and brocade;

Rivaling spring,

with its peach and plum trees

and their blooming red blossoms.

Grasshopper swords,

goose-feather swords

were arrayed in front.

Three-tipped swords,

two-bladed swords,

protected the imperial carriage and followed.

Compound bows

all in a row

before the chariot proceeded together.

Iron-womb bows,

wolf-tooth arrows,

were lined up behind like fish scales.

With their forged steel pitchforks

and polished iron battle-axes

the infantry followed,

Holding pear-flower spears

and yellow bamboo spears

better than those of the sea-green dragon [king].

Three-pronged pitchforks

and buffalo horn pitchforks,

each held in hand.

Black lacquer bows,

grasshopper bows,

and leather quivers full of arrows.

Men like dragons,

horses like tigers,

able and fierce.

With their barbed arrows

and long-handled cudgels,

all were heroes.

In the forward columns

and rear columns

flags and spears glistened in the sun.

They beat the brass gongs,

struck up the drums,

and advanced and went forward.

They grasped curved bows

all fitted with arrows

and held arrows in their hands.

Scouting patrols

and mounted couriers

swelled rank upon rank.

Generals led soldiers,

gongs and drums echoed;

the three armies were on the road.

Holding long spears,

wearing short swords,

they followed on horseback.

Mounted couriers

returning from their missions

caught up with the rest.

When they reached the central command post

and hurriedly dismounted,

their shouts of greeting sounded like thunder.

"We report to the General

and the Commander in chief

so that headquarters will be informed.

When you march forward

you will see a place

which is the walled city of Langzhou in the distance."

Prose

A scout came forward and announced, "I beg to report to the Commander in chief and General:

when you march forward, you will see that we are just about to arrive at Langzhou city."

Verse

When the General and Commander in chief heard this news,

He told the Military Advisor Zhuge.

The Military Advisor said, "That's no problem,

Let the men and horses of the armies proceed forward."

We will talk no more about the journey on the road,

Nor will we discuss how they met mountains and crossed ranges.

Prince Liu, with his horses and men, realized it was urgent.

They marched forward and arrived at Langzhou city.

A mounted courier went as swiftly as a comet.

A soldier entered Langzhou city to report.

When the ugly Wang Zhi had been informed,

He addressed his aides and attendants.

Prose

Wang Zhi said, "Liu the Imperial Uncle trusts his Military Advisor Zhuge. If he urges him to do

something, he does it. Now their entire contingent of troops has arrived here." Wang Zhi abandoned

Mian and Han and Langzhou. Pushing carts and loading horses with provisions and fodder, jewelry,

and valuables, one hundred thousand troops and soldiers went out together. "I'll think up another

scheme. There's still plenty of time to fight it out with the First Sovereign."

Verse

To resume our story, Prince Liu with his troops and horses arrived

And swooped together toward Langzhou city.

A courier on the road ahead quickly bowed.

"There are no troops and soldiers in Langzhou city."

When Zhang Fei heard this, he felt pleased.

The armies then entered Langzhou city.

On the drill field they camped troops and horses;

The generals were quartered in the Commander in chief's mansion.

The Military Advisor, Sleeping Dragon Zhuge Liang,

Said to Liu tha Imperial Uncle,

"For the time being let us rest the troops and horses

So that we can go on to take the cities of the five regions of Xichuan."

The group of generals in the mansion were all happy.

They prepared a feast and drank several rounds.

Elder and younger brother in front of the hall were greedily drinking wine

When in front of them a messenger showed up.

Scouts from afar came and scouts from nearby;

Messengers from afar came and messengers from nearby.

Their deep bows to the Commander in chief upended their quivers.

Their profound prostrations to their master brought low the tops of their bows.

"At present there is a hideous creature named Wang Zhi

Who has led one hundred thousand soldiers

And surrounded Langzhou city;

His army is massed as densely as fish scales.

They are waving their flags so hard the poles are breaking in order to challenge us to fight.

They are beating their war drums so furiously they are breaking in order to get us to do battle.

Wang Zhi the Hideous has arrived in person.

He wants to capture Liu the Imperial Uncle."

When the First Sovereign heard this, he felt upset.

Then he asked the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang about it.

"At first I thought there weren't any troops and horses there,

And so I entered and occupied Langzhou city."

Zhang Fei spoke saying, "That's no problem.

In front of the ranks I will fight to the death to settle the outcome."

From the stable they led out the black steed.

He dressed and armed completely as a general.

Prose

They led the warhorse out of the stable. They picked up the carved saddle from the rack. They

fastened the three-stranded girth tightly so that the beaten iron saddle and pommel would not

move. This general had a leopard's head, round eyes, a tiger's beard, and a swallow's chin. The

armor he wore just fit and would withstand metal. His tiger eyes and dragon arms were like

brocaded silk that also resisted injury. Against the jeweled carved saddle, eagle beak boots turned

and rubbed. His spear hand wielded a pure iron eighteen-foot gleaming spear. He straddled a moon

embracing piebald horse.

Verse

The horse with its war saddle was a dragon that had sprouted wings;

The man, having donned his armor, was a tiger that had developed scales.

A heaven-shaking stroke of the gong echoed.

He led forth fifty thousand soldiers.

Zhang Fei was chief in charge of the soldiers;

Jiang Wei the Brave followed behind him;

The flower-bedecked Zhang Yi brought up the rear.

Leading the troops they made a sortie out of Langzhou city.

Zhang Fei at the head of the column called loudly,

"Which general will come out of the formation?"

When Wang Zhi the Hideous heard this,

He put on his full suit of general's gear.

His head sprouted a pair of cinnabar horns

And below his neck were layer after layer of scales.

He rode astride a bronze beast

And his hand held a square-bladed halberd.

He came to the front of the formation and yelled loudly,

Clearly reviling General Zhang Fei.

"I have never offended you in any way

That you should occupy my cities of the five regions of Xichuan."

Both sides beat their decorated drums

And formed a ring around the pair of combatants.

Zhang Fei then wielded his spear,

Proving his heroism just as he had done at Hulao Pass.

Wang Zhi flourished his square-bladed halberd,

Like the Great Sage Equal to Heaven out to conquer the universe.

Wang Zhi rode a bronze beast.

Zhang Fei slapped his horse and went like the clouds.

His horse was defeated because it feared the bronze beast.

Zhang Fei was defeated in battle and turned back.

The hero, though ready to do battle, lacks a good horse.

How can he make the brigands retreat?

Zhang Fei could but round up his troops.

The three armies returned and entered Langzhou city.

He returned and saw the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign.

The Military Advisor Zhuge Liang was worried sick.

Prose

Zhang Fei said, "Elder brother, what he is riding is a bronze beast. My horse is afraid of his bronze

beast so I cannot capture him. What is best to do? Only if I get the curly-haired horse, Red Hare, of

my elder brother, the Prince of Jingzhou, will I be able to be a match for him." The Military Advisor

said, "My lord is isolated and without provisions. It will be difficult to continue the struggle. You

should compose a letter and send it to Duke Guan and tell him to lead troops to come and save us."

The First Sovereign said, "What should I write in the letter?" The Military Advisor said, "A plan which

requires suffering [in order to fool the enemyl." He composed the letter. The Military Advisor then

wrote a poem:

Many years ago we swore oath of brotherhood at Peach Spring;

In front of the mountain we sacrificed a cow and horse to August Heaven.

At present I have been surrounded in Langzhou;

Quickly send men and horses down to Xichuan.

The First Sovereign said, "I will also write a poem:

Today my troops and I are surrounded;

My filial followers are in distress.

A column of good-for-nothing fellows from Xichuan

Has conned us into entering Langzhou.

Every day I ascend the ramparts three times in the hope of seeing the three of you, father and sons,

coming to break the siege and save Langzhou. I only await the arrival of your rescuing forces." He

sent the letter off to Duke Guan to come to the rescue.

Verse

Now that the letter was written,

The two men dispatched it from Langzhou city.

Jiang Wei was ordered to act as envoy;

Jiang Wei dared to act as the person delivering the letter.

Jiang Wei waited until it was late;

At the sound of the midnight bell he went forth from the city.

Jiang Wei dressed up like a man from Guanxi;

He seemed like a merchant or businessman.

They finished talking, the sun set in the west, and it was late.

Jiang Wei all by himself went out the city gates.

When he came to the camp of Wang Zhi the Hideous,

His underlings were all asleep, snoring with a sound like thunder.

Prose

Lü Kai asked Jiang Wei, "Where are you going?" Jiang Wei said, "The Emperor's uncle is trapped at

Langzhou, surrounded by Wang Zhi's troops and horses. Today I am especially going to Jingzhou to

get Duke Guan, father and sons, the three of them, to come rescue him." Lü Kai said, "Jiang Wei, I

really ought to have killed you, but you can go ahead and fetch Duke Guan, father and sons. I have

heard his name but never seen him and want to meet him. I fear you are disloyal and that Duke

Guan will persuade you otherwise. Take off your shirt and let me write on your back so that Duke

Guan can see for himself."

Verse

He wrote words on his back

And instructed Jiang Wei to set out on his journey.

Jiang Wei was rewarded with three cups of wine

And a snack consisting of five steamed buns.

They let Jiang Wei go,

And he strode out the door of the hall.

Through the wilds and grassy places he slipped in haste,

Until looking off he saw Jingzhou city.

Then he made his way through the triple gates,

Straight to the inner court in Duke Guan's palace.

Jiang Wei then bowed deeply three times.

Tears flowed from his eyes in continuous streams.

"General, while you're enjoying yourself here in Jingzhou,

Prince Liu, the First Sovereign of Han, is in distress.

Wang Zhi came and surrounded Langzhou.

Inside they are without provisions and outside they have no troops.

Quickly he brought out the message

And gave it to the Prince of Jingzhou, General Guan.

Duke Guan received the letter and looked at it,

Laughing coldly two or three times.

"In the beginning he didn't use us generals, father and sons;

Now he has been surrounded.

He listened to that braggart Zhang Fei.

What need does he have for me to lift the siege?

Pass along the word to my elder brother not to blame me.

I will protect Jingzhou and not go out of its gates."

Prose

Duke Guan said, "Jiang Wei, when [Liu Bei] set out, he did not use us, father and sons, but now you

have come to get us. I won't go." Jiang Wei said, "How can this do? If I take off my shirt for him to

see, surely he will go." Jiang Wei said, "General, on my way from Bazhou I went through Black Pine

Forest and was getting a drink of water when I was grabbed by a bunch of men. It turned out to be

Pitchfork Twirler Lü Kai. He was about to kill me. When I told him that I was on my way to the Prince

of Jingzhou to get rescue troops, he spared my life. He wrote several lines of characters on my back.

I don't know what they say. He told me to be sure to show them to the Prince of Jingzhou." Duke

Guan said, "Let me have a look." Duke Guan at that time looked and said, "This knave is

unreasonable. What grudge do you and I have against each other?" At that time he summoned Guan

Ping and Guan Suo. "Originally I didn't think I would go, but one reason to go is to capture Pitchfork

Twirler Lü Kai; another is to save my elder brother the Imperial Uncle and not renege on the oath of

brotherhood we swore at Peach Spring. All of us, father and sons, will go."

Verse

Duke Guan at that time issued his orders

And mustered fifty thousand soldiers.

In charge of the army was Commander Guan;

Great General Guan Ping acted as vanguard.

The Road-opening General was Hua Guan Suo,

And the fierce generals of the Taihang Mountains brought up the rear.

The fifty thousand soldiers all set off at once,

Leaving Jingzhou city.

Prince Guan at the head of the column sent down an order:

"The three armies, men and horses, should proceed as fast as they can."

We will not speak of encountering mountains; the mountains were high and distant.

We will not mention whether the streams along their route were shallow or deep.

They advanced until they came to Bazhou city,

Where they bivouacked and set up camp and stationed the troops.

He pointed to Bazhou and reviled loudly;

He called saying, "You brigand, Lü Kai!

If you offer up Bazhou to me in good faith,

We'll let bygones be bygones and discuss it no more."

A mounted courier went like a comet into the city;

He called saying, "Lü Kai, Superior General!

Now Duke Guan's soldiers and horses have arrived;

Beside the city wall they challenge us to battle to determine loser and winner."

When Lü Kai heard this, he felt pleased.

He put on all his general's gear from head to foot.

He rolled into the saddle and mounted his high-headed horse,

Three-pronged pitchfork in hand,

And mustered one hundred thousand soldiers.

At the sound of a stroke on the gong they came out of the battle formation.

They camped on the bank of the moat outside the city;

He encamped his soldiers, horses and troops.

Lu Kai in front of his lines yelled loudly,

"Which general will come out of the formation?"

An enlisted man went into the headquarters tent to report

And spoke to Commander Guan.

"Lü Kai is in front of his lines challenging us to battle."

When Duke Guan heard this, his anger mounted to fury.

The youth Hua Guan Suo came up.

"I will do battle with him to settle the outcome."

Guan Suo rode astride a high-headed horse;

His hand held a yellow dragon spear.

In front of the formation he arrayed men and horses.

"Today I will determine loser and winner with you."

He yelled and reviled the outlaw Lü Kai.

The two men fought without either one winning or losing.

The pitchfork flew straight at his throat;

The spear landed squarely on his earlobe.

Lives hung by a hair.

They wanted to be men who won fame and fortune.

When the two men had fought thirty rounds,

Hua Guan Suo felt affronted.

He feinted with his spear and turned his horse.

Pitchfork Twirler Lu Kai pursued him from behind.

Thrusting with his pitchfork he yelled, "Hit home!"

[But Guan Suo, like a] flying immortal, slipped down on the horse and hid by the stirrup.

Then he flipped back astride his dragon steed

And snatched the pitchfork in his hand,

Flinging it back toward the outlaw Lü Kai.

One horse carried a pair of men,

As Guan Suo made straight for headquarters

And presented his captive to his father Guan Shouting.

Prose

Guan Suo said, "Father, the three of us will surely have to go on to Chengdu.If he is willing to follow

us and take the surname Guan, then we will spare you." Duke Guan said, "You ask him." Guan Suo

then asked, saying, "Kai, are you willing to follow us and be surnamed Guan? I will make you third

brother." Lü Kai said, "If you spare my life, I would like to follow elder brother and be surnamed

Guan." At that time Guan Suo said, "Then you will be called Guan San Kai."

Verse

Lü Kai at that time quickly surrendered his allegiance

And became a brother in the family.

The two camps were moved to make one camp;

The eight armies' insignia were made a part of the three armies.

They came to Bazhou city

And encamped horses and men on the drill field.

They rewarded the three armies, horses and men,

And entertained the Guan family, father and sons.

For seven nights they feasted before it was over.

At the front of the hall they discussed the situation.

"We cannot stay long in Bazhou.

We should go soon to save Prince Liu of Han in Langzhou."

They summoned all the one hundred thousand soldiers,

And departing from Bazhou city

Went straight to Langzhou city.

They caught sight of the Xichuan brigands.

Their red flags flickered like heaven burning;'

Their green flags massed like black clouds,

And their red flags were swallowed up by white flags.

Their bows were stretched to their fullest, lined up in precise formation.

When Duke Guan saw them, he felt uneasy.

He called, "All you boys, pay attention.

Deploy your men and horses with care,

The sooner to capture Wang Zhi the outlaw."

Hua Guan Suo came by the headquarters.

He straddled a horse and a single spear was in his hand.

He came in front of the troops and called loudly,

"Wang Zhi the Hideous, let's decide loser and winner."

Wang Zhi held in his hand a square-bladed halberd

And he straddled the bronze beast.

"I surrounded the Han Prince, First Sovereign Liu.

Who told him to occupy Langzhou city?

Stop this chattering and yammering.

Let the two of us determine loser and winner in combat."

Guan Suo wielded a spear in his hand,

While Wang Zhi brandished his halberd.

Guan Suo's horse saw the metallic beast.

He neighed and screamed, turned around, and fled like wind-blown clouds.

Guan Suo dashed straight to the central command tent,

Where he saw the Prince of Jingzhou General Guan.

"My horse is afraid of his bronze beast.

He neighed and screamed, turned around, and fled like wind-blown clouds."

Prose

Duke Guan said, "Your horse cannot fight successfully against him. Take my horse and go." Guan Suo

said, "Indeed that would be good. When I get this horse, I will certainly capture Wang Zhi." Guan Suo

said, "Father, sit tight in camp. Your son will lead one hundred thousand brave soldiers, and with

Jiang Wei and also together with the twelve fierce generals of the Taihang Mountains, we'll make a

good job of capturing Wang Zhi."

Verse

Guan Suo in front of the formation quickly put on his gear.

In his hand he held a yellow dragon spear,

And rode the curly-haired horse Red Hare.

He arrayed the one hundred thousand soldiers,

Calling, "Wang Zhi the Hideous,

Come out of the battle formation and determine loser and winner."

Wang Zhi held in his hand a square-bladed halberd,

Ready to fight Hua Guan Suo.

Forward and back they fought thirty rounds.

Hua Guan Suo was infuriated.

He was close to killing him,

But Wang Zhi the Hideous was a good general.

Guan Suo yelled and called, "Hit home!"

His spear directly hit the center of his crown,

Cutting off one of Wang Zhi's horns.

Fresh blood flowed red all over his face.

Wang Zhi at that time fled in retreat,

But General Guan Suo caught up to him.

Again he stabbed with the spear and said, "Halt!"

A red horn fell to the ground.

Wang Zhi flipped over and jumped off his horse.

The mass of troops captured this outlaw

And imprisoned him in a caged prison cart.

They imprisoned Wang Zhi.

Killing on both sides they headed for Langzhou city.

They held him in the command tent.

They slaughtered the enemy, both horses and men.

In front of the formation they held the bronze beast.

The armies of both sides engaged each other in battle.

Outside General Guan Suo wreaked havoc;

From inside Zhang Fei fought his way out of the city.

The men and horses from both inside and outside

Joined forces in killing the outlaw bandits.

They made them retreat west of the river, and troops and horses were defeated.

Guan Suo at the echo of the gong collected his army.

Guan Suo saw Liu the First Sovereign.

Leading the troops they all entered Langzhou city

And rested the one hundred fifty thousand brave soldiers.

There were also men wounded by swords and shot by arrows.

Military Advisor Zhuge Liang quickly then said,

"We owe it all to the Guan family, father and son."

Wang Zhi the Hideous was brought in

To be interrogated in the government office.

"I can't endure the unreasonableness of this hideous fellow.

He insulted our Prince Liu, First Sovereign of Han."

Wang Zhi in the cart called out loudly,

Saying, "Hua Guan Suo,

If you spare what remains of my life,

I am willing to serve you even as a stableboy and groom."

When Guan Suo heard this, he felt pleased.

Seeing that he was a fine general,

He spoke to this father Commander Guan.

In front of the troops he then changed Wang's surname and name.

His surname was changed to Hideous and his name to Guan Zhi.

He was made the fourth brother in the Guan family.

Father and sons, five state-pacifying generals,

Aided in establishing the empire and the Lord of Han.

In Langzhou they rested men and horses.

They congratulated and entertained Hua Guan Suo.

The Lord of Han, Prince Liu, set out a feast

And rewarded the Guan family, father and sons.

Great and small, the group of officers all feasted.

We will say no more about how they were drunk with wine and full of food

And, after the banquet was over, dispersed.

Instead we will take up Military Advisor Zhuge Liang,

Who said to the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign,

"Tell Guan and Zhang the two men,

'We must not stop long in Langzhou;

Get ready to move out very early tomorrow morning.'"

Prince Liu the First Sovereign said, "Fine."

He announced to the various officers that they were about to march;

They waited until the next morning at dawn.

The various officers ate their fill and early set out on the journey.

Military Advisor Zhuge sent down an order.

The three armies, men and horses, then set out.

The sound of a stroke to the gong echoed in the vicinity;

A blow on the decorated drum rang around the mountain.

We will sing no more of how they started the journey on the road,

Nor will we relate the story of the mountains they climbed and the ridges they crossed.

We will turn our attention to the three armies marching hastily.

In front of them appeared a messenger.

A soldier arrived to report news of the road ahead.

"I come to report respectfully to the ruler and commander of the troops:

Ahead Zhou Ba's men and horses have arrived."

Road-layer Han General Pang Tong went out.

Prose

Zhou Ba of a petty state came forward and demanded in a loud voice, "What place's men and horses

are you? Do you dare to come and lay waste to the mountainside?" When what should occur but

Pang Tong spoke up and said, "We are troops and horses of Great Han, going forward to Chengdu to

be stationed there." Zhou Ba said, "Transmit this message to Prince Liu the First Sovereign: We must

not pick a fight with each other. I do not fight with you to snatch territory and harm the empire. At

this mountain I ask only for a few gold and silver coins to provide for my troops and horses. Leave

forty or fifty good horses, leave forty or fifty catties of gold and silver, and then I will allow your

troops and horses to go on immediately to Chengdu. If you do not hand these over, you will not be

able to pass, even in three years."

Verse

"If you do not leave gold and valuables,

For three years how can you cross this mountain pass?"

This affronted Big Sword General Pang Tong,

Whose whole face became bright red.

"The nerve of that small-time Zhou Ba

Who dares to insult us in front of the mountain."

He announced to the troops and horses on both sides,

"Round up the outlaws in front of the mountain."

He waved the big sword held in his hand,

Wanting to battle it out with Zhou Ba.

"If you let us pass today without further ado,

We'll let bygones be bygones and discuss it no more."

When Zhou Ba heard this, he felt upset and annoyed

And ground his jaws ominiously.

The two sides slapped their high-headed horses.

In front of the mountain they went to look at the two generals.

Eight horse hooves went in confusion;

Four arms flailed back and forth.

Back and forth without victory or defeat;

Coming and going without winner or loser.

The more Zhou Ba fought the more strength he had;

The more Pang Tong battled the more spirited he grew.

Zhou Ba had a flaming sword in his hand.

When he struck the tip of his sword, the fire burned his opponent.

Big Sword Pang Tong fled, trailing his sword.

He slapped his horse in front of the mountain and called, "Help!"

The three armies turned their flags around and came to look.

Great General Pang Tong had been defeated.

Trailing his sword, when he turned his head to take a look,

His eyebrows and his eyes were burned.

He came to see the Han prince, Liu the First Sovereign.

"I lost to the man from a petty country in front of the mountain.

It's not that I myself lacked ability;

I was burned by the fire on his sword."

Prince Liu the First Sovereign then asked quickly,

"Which person dares to go capture this outlaw?"

From the side, out came General Zhang Fei.

"Elder brother First Sovereign, permit me to inform you.

I, Zhang Fei, myself will lead men and horses.

Before the mountain I will go and capture the man surnamed Zhou."

He yelled and cursed, saying, "Zhou Ba of a petty state,

Do you dare to bully people in front of the mountain?"

Prose

Zhou Ba asked, "Who are you?" Zhang Fei said, "I am surnamed Zhang and my name is Fei; my style

name is Yide." Zhou Ba said, "I have heard your name but never before seen you. Only today have I

met you. I'm not looking for a fight with you. Again today I say to you: I want you to leave thirty to

fifty good horses and forty or fifty catties of gold and silver, and then I will let you pass by. If you do

not give them, I will not allow you to pass, even in three years."

Verse

"If you should say that you refuse,

For three years how will you cross this pass?"

When Zhang Fei heard this, he felt upset and annoyed.

His whole face became bright red.

"I don't believe Zhou Ba is so hot.

He isn't worth the dust on the tip of my boot."

Zhang Fei then flourished his spear;

He picked up a long spear and aimed it straight at his face.

Zhou Ba also took up his sword and chopped;

When the sword came up, the spear protected his body.

The two sides slapped their high-headed horses to action;

With spear and sword they fought to decide loser and winner.

When Zhou Ba saw this, he felt upset and annoyed;

With the flaming sword he displayed his heroism.

Under his breath he started reciting the fire-sword spell;

From the end of the flaming sword the flames flickered.

On level ground the fire flames were thirty feet high,

Brightening all of the sky and earth.

He brandished his flaming sword.

It burned Zhang Fei and he had no way to escape.

If he went fast, it would burn him to death;

If he went slow, it would destroy him.

Zhang Fei's clothing was all aflame.

The red tassels on his spear were burnt by the fire.

Zhang Fei at that time retreated with his men and horses,

All of them completely smoke-blackened and burned.

Han and horse's eyes were all burned.

How could they capture this outlaw?

He lost to Zhou Ba of the firebeard sword

And lost one-third of his men.

Zhang Fei was defeated in battle and put to flight.

He came to see Prince Liu, the First Sovereign of Han.

"It's not that I don't have the ability.

I was burned by the fire on his sword."

The sun descended in the west and it was late.

The gongs sounded on both sides and they collected their troops.

In front of the mountains they encamped men and horses.

The group of officers discussed the affair until the sky was light.

Prose

That night Prince Liu the First Sovereign, the group of officers great and small, and the leaders all

met together for a discussion and said, "One after the other we have lost twice to Zhou Ba. How can

we manage to capture him?" At this time what should they see but a woman outside who gave a

loud "Ha ha" and clapped her hands and then went on her way. Guan Suo quickly took his bow and

arrow in his hand and hastened forward. He fitted an arrow to the bow and yelled, "Hit!" An arrow

hit the woman squarely in the back. He pursued her to in front of the mountain slope. The woman

was not to be seen, but only a stone statue of a person. On its back two lines of characters were

written, saying, "Remove three feet of earth [and you will find something] which can stand up to the

flaming sword." Guan Suo said, "Can it be there is a miraculous object in this place?" He told a

soldier to dig three feet in the earth and what should they see but a stone coffer. They brought it up

and when they opened it and looked, sure enough, there was a battle-axe. On its haft there were

characters written, saying, "There is a pearl inside this haft. Begin to recite the spell, and a big wind

will precede you, chilling anyone in its path and driving the fire and smoke back against them." Guan

Suo said, "Great! Let me try it out." Right away he took the battle-axe in his hand and brandished it

and began to recite the incantation. Guan Suo was delighted.

Verse

When Guan Suo saw it he felt glad.

Then he went back to camp and saw the Lord of Han.

The group of officers great and small were all happy.

In detail from the beginning he explained about the situation.

"Indeed this thing is really strange and unusual,

A heaven-bestowed Xuanhua battle-axe."

Youthful Guan Suo quickly put on his gear.

Hurriedly he put on general's garb.

Great and small, the group of officers wasted no time.

They reported to the three armies, horses and men.

Guan Suo rode his dragon steed,

And his hand held the Xuanhua battle-axe.

He put on his general's gear and was very impressive,

Fierce as the Five Saints descending from the gate of heaven.

The soldiers in his command were quickly deployed,

And taking along their brass gongs they marched out.

He came in front of the mountain and set up camp;

At that time he bivouacked horses and men.

Guan Suo on his horse called loudly,

"Zhou Ba, you ruffian, listen to what I have to say."

Prose

Guan Suo said, "I am no other than the second son of the Prince of Jingzhou, Commander Guan, the

famous Guan Suo. All by myself I have led men and horses to come to Xichuan to seek my father and

break the siege. When I encounter the good I do not insult them. When I meet the bad I do not fear

them. When you run into me, you'll find out what manner of man I am." Zhou Ba said, "I will not

fight with you over who is stronger. I am a bandit and I work hard at it to make a living. All I want is

for you to leave forty or fifty good horses and to leave thirty or fifty catties of gold and silver, and

then I will let your men and horses pass."

Verse

When Guan Suo heard this kind of talk, he said,

"Zhou Ba, you ruffian, who do you think you're up against?

If you don't allow us to pass today,

The Guan family will kill you and make you a goner."

When Zhou Ba heard this, he smiled.

"I'll make you a goner in front of the ranks."

A sound of gongs on both sides resounded to heaven;

On both sides, the decorated drums rolled like thunder.

Horses head to head, the two battled.

The outlaw Zhou Ba used a scheme:

He struck the flaming sword

And began to recite the Tianhua formula.

Flames spurted out from the end of the sword;

The bright glare of the fire burned anyone near.

The youth Guan Suo felt angry,

And his whole face became bright red.

His hand lifted up the Xuanhua battle-axe and he began to recite the spell.

A fierce wind blew air forward.

Fierce wind and cold air blew on Zhou Ba's face,

Driving back the flames so that they burned his own body.

Zhou Ba's flames burned only himself,

Scorching his eyebrows and his eyes.

Zhou Ba's clothes caught fire.

His underlings were burned to death and their fates returned to the clouds.

Zhou Ba discarded his sword and hurriedly fled.

He slapped his horse and raced forward yelling, "Help!"

The three armies turned their flags around and came to look.

Zhou Ba the outlaw had been defeated.

The youth Guan Suo was furious.

"Zhou Ba, where do you think you're going?

If you go up to Heaven, I'll pursue you up there.

If you enter the earth, I'll follow behind you.

You've used up your tricks to no avail."

Guan Suo had a clever plan in mind.

From his waist he took out the red cotton lariat

With its twenty-four golden hooks.

He flung it into the air and called, "Got you!"

He lassoed Zhou Ba, horse and man.

It was just like a great fish meeting a fishing net,

Or like a fighting quail when it has been hit by the hunter's arrow.

He snatched the outlaw named Zhou Ba.

All together they turned and went back to the camp entrance.

The victorious three armies were all happy.

They went forward and returned to the camp entrance.

They formally greeted the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign.

Great and small officers asked about the circumstances.

The youth Guan Suo spoke up,

"I killed the outlaw Zhou Ba.

I snatched his flaming sword,

And now I have it right here by my side."

The Prince of Han, the First Sovereign, felt glad.

Military Advisor Zhuge was greatly pleased.

The Commander, Prince of Jingzhou, and General Zhang Fei

And all the crowd of officers in the camp

All said, "This man is untiring and fierce.

From his birth his will and nerve have far surpassed others.

He is accomplished in all the military skills and he has no match.

With his help the Prince of Han will have the good fortune to sit on the dragon throne."

Then they passed around fragrant wine

To reward Hua Guan Suo,

Who captured Zhou Ba of the flaming sword

And got rid of the outlaw from the mountain.

Prose

Military Advisor Zhuge said, "Rejoice, oh King, for you have taken Jingzhou and Mian, Han, and

Langzhou. Now there is only one place remaining, the capital Chengdu in Xichuan. Now if we first

take the capital Chengdu, the fifty-four districts of Xichuan will all fall under the control of our House

of Han. All our troops and soldiers must go to the capital Chengdu and encamp there, and then we

can go to subdue the fifty-four districts of Xichuan. When that occurs the dream of my lifetime will

be fulfilled."

Verse

The Military Advisor Zhuge transmitted his general's orders.

He addressed Prince Liu, the First Sovereign, saying, "Hear my advice.

Do not stay buried deep in these mountains;

Immediately subdue Chengdu."

Prince Liu and his generals were all glad.

Then they transmitted the imperial orders and mustered the three armies.

We will sing no more of how they started the journey on the road,

Nor will we relate the story of the mountains they climbed and the ridges they crossed.

It was about sundown

When they set up camp and settled the troops.

The soldiers on guard duty called the five watches of the night;

The troops donned their armor in anticipation of the dawn.

When it got to be the fifth watch, the sky grew bright;

The three armies ate and made an early start on their journey.

We will sing no more about the mountains being distant and the road far,

Nor will we relate how they ate when they were hungry and drank when they were thirsty.

They went straight to the city in Xichuan;

Thirty li distant from the city they encamped their troops.

They encamped three hundred thousand heroic soldiers;

The various officers and leaders each set up camp.

In the center they put up the yellow gauze tent,

Where Prince Liu, First Sovereign of Han, took his seat.

At one side they put up the headquarters tent,

Where the various officers and leaders sat down.

Military Advisor Zhuge transmitted his general's orders.

He spoke to the various officials, military and civil.

"Today we have come to the capital Chengdu.

Which general will go out of the battle formation?"

The Military Advisor had just finished speaking

When General Jiang Wei the Brave appeared.

Then to the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang he said,

"I dare today to lead the armies

To attack the capital Chengdu in Xichuan,

So that the entire area's mountains and rivers will belong to us."

Military Advisor Zhuge was pleased.

Jiang Wei put on all his general's gear.

He sat on a yellow charger;

His hand held a long spear and he went like the clouds.

He lined up his men, soldiers and horses.

He yelled and called, "People in the capital Chengdu!"

A junior officer up on the wall quickly reported what he had seen.

He reported to the Commander Zhou Cang,

"Now there is a column of troops and horses that has arrived,

Shouting that today they will attack the city gate."

When Zhou Cang heard this, his wrath was stirred.

From the stall they led out his dragon-scaled horse.

Behind the pommel, the saddle was carved with a sun and moon design.

They tied the girth tightly and cinched it around the horse's belly.

The good fellow Zhou Cang quickly put on his armor.

He put on all his general's gear from head to foot.

Prose

This general shows himself a hero. Zhou Cang's battle cries are loud. His fury is like clouds covering

the sun. His arrows are fletched with phoenix feathers. He is attired in big-plate, head-to-toe armor,

and wears a brocade battle robe of princely cut. He rides a river-churning, sea-roiling horse and

wields a peak-rending, mountain-splitting sword.

Verse

Commander Zhou Cang quickly mounted his horse.

A gong echoed in the drill field summoning the army.

From the east and west stalls they led out war horses;

In the north and south camps they mustered stalwart troops.

The horses they mustered were Chuanxi stream-leaping horses;

The men they mustered were men from the five circuits of Guanxi.

They called up fifty thousand soldiers.

At a stroke on the brass gong they went out of the city

To the wild suburbs where they arrayed troops and horses.

Zhou Cang pointed to the man in front of the ranks:

"What injury have I done you

That you should come here and threaten me?"

When Jiang Wei the Brave heard this,

He called out, "Zhou Cang, you outlaw,

If you offer up the capital Chengdu in good faith,

We will drop the matter here and now and not discuss it any more.

If you utter so much as half a refusal,

Under this spear you shall find no mercy."

When Zhou Cang heard this, he felt very angry.

The two men engaged each other in combat to determine the outcome.

Zhou Cang then flourished his sword;

Jiang Wei brandished a spear in his hand.

Their lives hung by a hair.

They wanted to be men who won fame and fortune.

Before they had fought ten-odd rounds,

(After all, it is difficult to outlast a man seasoned to war)

What should they see but in front of the formation there was a loud cry—

Jiang Wei the Brave had been defeated.

He slapped his horse and fled back to the central command tent.

He spoke to the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang,

"I entered the lists to do battle,

But I lost to Zhou Cang."

Military Advisor Zhuge felt perplexed.

"What man can capture this general?"

Just when the Military.Advisor had barely finished talking,

From the side appeared a general,

The young adventurer Hua Guan Suo.

He spoke to the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang,

"Guan Suo will enter the lists and quickly do battle.

I will capture Zhou Cang."

When the group of officials heard this, they felt glad.

General Guan Suo quickly went out to fight.

He sat on a dappled horse;

His hand held up a yellow dragon spear.

In front of the ranks he arrayed troops and horses.

He yelled and reviled Zhou Cang the bandit. "For every one of us you defeat, another will come

forward.

A new man will replace every one that loses."

When Zhou Cang heard this, he felt very angry.

He pointed at Guan Suo and cursed the little soldier.

"You're not even as big as my fist on your horse.

Brandishing your spear and flourishing your staff, you're like a monkey.

I could spit into my palm and give you a bath.

You'd be submerged to your eyebrows and cry too deep."

His cursing made Guan Suo furious.

He cursed Zhou Cang in return.

"An inflated bladder may be big, but it has no weight.

A steelyard weight may be small, but it can counterbalance a thousand catties.

Have done with this chattering and yammering.

Since when did insulting each other settle anything?"

Both sides began to beat their decorated drums.

The two men fought to decide loser and winner.

Both sides' gongs and drums resounded between heaven and earth.

All eyes were on the pair of men in the middle,

Where dirt leapt three feet from the earth.

From the void two immortal gods had descended.

They fought until clouds and fog rose on all four sides,

So only dust, not men, could be seen.

Tenfold anger drove the dragon out of the water;

Nine-striped, the tiger emerged from the herd;

Eight caverns-full of divine immortals seized the swordsman;

Seven star-conmanders displayed their magic arts;

Six dragons in combat made Waves that surged to the heavens;

Five tigers in front of the cliff fought over their prey;

Four nations could not provide a worthy opponent, [nor could]

Three islands [of immortals] or the Mighty Spirit God of Mount Hua;

Two fierce generals fought for the empire;

One pair of generals decided the issue between them.

From beginning to end they fought a full twenty rounds,

But there was neither victory nor defeat in the arena.

If one general tipped the scales at eight ounces,

The two together weighed a full catty.

An able general was up against a skilled general.

The founder of one family met the founder of another.

The youth Guan Suo felt perplexed,

Then employed a clever plan to gain control.

He feinted with his spear and then turned and fled.

Zhou Cang then followed at his rear.

If he wanted to mount to heaven, there was no way in;

If today he wanted to enter the earth, there was no door.

Nor if he ascended to the Heavens was there a hand to brush away the clouds.

Today he would dig in the earth and flee, but the earth had no door.

On all sides red smoke rose like a torch.

Ceaselessly raising a whirlwind, they whipped their horses forward.

Their horses' tails were even and he caught up,

Caught up with Hua Guan Suo.

With a stroke of his sword he yelled, "Got you!"

But like a flying immortal, Guan Suo slid down on the side of his horse and hid;

Then he flipped back up and remounted his high-headed horse,

He took out his red cotton [lariat] of nine strands

And flung it upward so it was like a halo around the moon.

He twirled it on the ground like a cart wheel,

Just like a big fish meeting a revolving net,

Like a spider spinning a web to catch a dragonfly.

He called, "Horse, draw alongside."

One horse carried a pair of men.

He captured Zhou Cang the outlaw general.

In confusion they killed soldiers, horses and men.

Pulling aside shields, they hacked with their swords;

Upending quivers, they slew generals.

Swords chopped at helmets and smoke rose rapidly;

Spears thrust at armor and sparks shot everywhere.

When swords struck, hands and feet turned cold;

As flails lashed, trunks and bones grew chill.

Starry eyes rolled upward in lifeless foreheads;

Mettlesome souls sought exit through the holes in skulls.

Having completely exterminated Zhou Cang's men and horses,

The Guan family's men and horses entered the city.

They all entered the capital Chengdu in Xichuan,

And encamped the horses and men.

Chapter 4Chapter 4Chapter 4Chapter 4

How Hua Guan Suo was sent away to Yunnan

Guan Suo killing generals as sacrifice to his father

Then they brought over Zhou Cang under guard

And asked him in front of the hall the whole story.

Military Advisor Zhuge raised his head and looked;

He recognized Zhou Cang.

"You'd better come forward and communicate your name and surname,

And today surrender and submit to the family of Han.

If you utter so much as half a refusal,

I will shatter your body into ten thousand pieces and make you a dead man."

Zhou Cang lifted his face and looked;

He saw the group of generals in great number.

"If you spare what remains of my life and let me live,

I am willing to serve you, even as a stableboy and groom."

Then they let Zhou Cang loose.

He gave his allegiance and bowed to Prince Liu and Lord Guan.

He bowed to Guan and Zhang, the two men.

Then he bowed to the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang,

And he also bowed to the youth Hua Guan Suo.

He placed himself in the service of Yunchang, Guan Shouting.

With his whole heart he followed Commander Guan,

To be a man devoted to his leader and content.

All the gold and other valuables in the city

Were used to reward the troops under Prince Liu's command.

They killed cattle and slaughtered horses in the main hall,

Prepared a feast and poured the wine.

The Han Dynasty gained the capital city Chengdu;

Only then was there peace in the realm.

Guan, Zhang, and Liu Bei, the three men

Took over the five circuits of Xichuan.

Prose

Guan, Zhang, and Liu Bei, the three men, rested. Their officers, great and small, each set up camp.

Without their realizing it, time flew like an arrow. Days and months passed like a shuttle. They sighed

that good times pass like a galloping horse under the whip. They thought about the affairs of the

world, as evanescent as fallen blossoms and flowing waters. Liu the First Sovereign said, "Already it

has been a year since we vanquished the capital Chengdu. Summon my two brothers. Today I shall

enfeoff Duke Guan to be Bingjian Prince of Jingzhou, and Zhang Fei Yizi Prince of Langzhou." After he

had done with enfeoffing and presenting gifts to the two men, he prepared a feast in honor of the

two men, and they had a Great Peace Banquet. In the midst of the banquet Duke Guan said, "Elder

brother has occupied the capital Chengdu. At present your troops and horses are many, and you

should divide the army into three parts and gather more provisions." The First Sovereign said, "That

cannot be. My brothers are like my hands and feet. How could we see each other at any time of day

to talk?" The First Sovereign said again, "If you two men want to go, if you can bring down the spirit

wall with a shout, then I will let you go. If you cannot shout down the spirit wall, then I will not let

you go." Duke Guan said, "I will yell and give it a try." At that time he put on his uniform and armor.

Verse

Duke Guan at that time quickly donned his armor

And put on all his general's gear from head to foot.

They led out Red Hare from the stall

And brought over a steel sword, as big as a door leaf.

How was Duke Guan dressed?

He wore chain mail and a red battle robe.

The beard on the lower part of his face was divided into five beak-shaped tufts;

His jeweled sword was enchased with the design of a fabulous beast.

He rode astride an embroidered saddle on a red-haired steed;

Generals like this are rare in this mortal world.

He surely must be a spirit come down from the Palaces of the Ninth Heaven;

His battle-charger puts the fable steed Qiji to shame.

Its body is as red as his vermilion tassels.

Prose

On his horse with single sword he shouted three times in a row. What should happen but the sound

resounded and knocked down the spirit wall.

Verse

Military Advisor Zhuge was shocked.

Liu the Imperial Uncle fell down in consternation,

But he could only tell them to raise men and horses.

The three bothers each went his own way.

The one who went to Jingzhou was Commander Guan;

The man surnamed Zhang went to Langzhou.

We will only tell about Commander in chief Guan.

He mustered his one hundred thousand troops

And took along the youth Hua Guan Suo.

He also took along his eldest son Guan Ping

And Guan Zhi, Zhou Cang, and Guan San Kai.

The subordinate officers followed at the rear.

Great and small, the group of officials all came to see them off

Out of the city in Xichuan.

On the point of departure they sent them off with three cups of wine.

They went out Yang Gate in the west and parted from their old friends.

Duke Guan at the echo of a blow to the gong

Led the army, men and horses, to start on the journey.

When they had marched one li they marched another li;

They went one stage and another stage.

We will sing no more about their journey on the road,

Nor will we relate how they met mountains and crossed ranges,

Until looking off, they saw Jingzhou city.

The group of officers, great and small, came from afar to meet them

And escorted them inside the triple gates.

On the drill field they encamped horses and troops.

Duke Guan sat in the conmander's quarters.

Mi Zhuand Mi Fang poured wine

And entertained the Prince of Jingzhou, Commander Guan.

They set up camp at Jingzhou city.

Father and sons, dad and boys, all gathered together;

Each day they enjoyed themselves and drank several rounds.

With a snap of the fingers they had been at Jingzhou for three months,

When what should they see but, up ahead, a soldier come to announce,

"Right now, from the capital Chengdu in Xichuan,

The adopted son Liu Feng has come to the city."

When Duke Guan heard this, he instructed that he be invited in,

Straight to the front of the main hall.

He bowed to his uncle Commander Guan.

Then from the beginning he explained the situation.

Prose

Liu Feng said, "Father ordered me to deliver a cartload of gold and pearls and treasure to you, Uncle,

to reward your troops." When Duke Guan heard this, he said, "I am grateful for Elder Brother's

concern." He summoned Guan Ping and Guan Suo to have an informal feast with the crowd of

brothers in the rear hall. At that time they went straight to the rear hall. The brothers sang songs

and enjoyed themselves. They drank until they were half drunk and ate five courses. Guan Suo

refilled the goblets. First he refilled Guan Ping's, and afterwards he refilled Liu Feng's. Liu Feng said,

"Guan Suo, why do you insult me? After my father passes on, the empire will be mine. I surely will be

Crown Prince. Why do you insult me?" Guan Suo said, "It won't necessarily come to you to be ruler

of the empire. Before you, there first are my father and uncle." The two of them spoke to each other

as if they were fighting, shouting out loud. When Duke Guan heard of it, he asked Guan Ping, who

then said, "Both of them have violated the rules of decorum." Duke Guan was very angry and said,

"Guan Ping, you take the two of them in custody to where the First Sovereign is to explain

themselves."

Verse

Guan Ping thus instructed said, "Fine,"

Acceding to his father Guan Shouting's request.

He escorted Liu Feng and Guan Suo

And they went out of Jingzhou city.

Mountains were distant and the road far and they set out on their journey.

They came to the gate outside the capital city of Xichuan

And entered through the triple gates.

In Gold Phoenix Hall they saw the enlightened sovereign.

Guan Suo bowed to his uncle, Liu the First Sovereign,

And from the beginning he explained the situation.

When Prince Liu heard it, he felt upset and annoyed.

"I have no patience with these two enemies.

No longer will they be allowed to stay at court.

The two men both harbor ill will."

Guan Suo was then sent away to Yunnan,

To act as keeper of the pass at Yunnan.

Liu Feng was sent away behind Yinshan,

Also to act as keeper of the defile in front of the pass.

As soon as Prince Liu had given his imperial comnand,

The two men each went and set off on his journey.

We will say no more about Liu Feng going behind the mountain;

We will only sing about Hua Guan Suo.

He received the imperial command and set out on the road.

He came to Jingzhou and saw his father.

"Our sovereign has sent me to Yunnan,

To go to Yunnan and be the keeper of the pass.

He gave me fifty thousand soldiers."

Guan Zhi and Guan San Kai, the two men,

And his three handsome wives he all took along;

Also the twelve fierce generals of Taihang

All went out of Jingzhou city.

At the sound of a blow to the gong he led forth his troops—

Fifty thousand soldiers set out on the road,

Going to Yunnan to hold the pass.

We will sing no more about Guan Suo raising troops and leaving;

We will only sing about Commander Guan

In charge of the garrison at the city of Jingzhou.

Alone he guarded the isolated city, horses and troops.

Duke Guan sat in the commander's quarters

When an arriving messenger came in front of him.

"Now there is the military advisor Lü Meng who has arrived.

He does not presume to come forward and see the general."

Duke Guan at that time directed that he be invited in,

So they led the military advisor to the official hall,

Where he saw Commander in chief General Guan.

From the beginning he explained the situation.

Prose

Lü Meng said, "Commander, I have come. Briefly, there is a small matter. At present my ruler, the

Prince of Wu's Crown Prince, is just eighteen years old. We know that you, Commander, have a

daughter. I have come especially to ask for a marriage." Duke Guan said, "I have only one daughter.

It isn't fitting for her to marry into Sun Quan's family. How can he and I be related? I am of a

general's family, not suited to be the son of a melon-planter." Military Advisor Lü Meng had no

words with which to reply. At that time he said goodbye to Duke Guan and turned around and went

out of the building and immediately returned to Jiangdong.

Verse

The military advisor Lü Meng turned around and left;

We will not relate the events of his journey.

He went straight to Sun Quan's throne room,

Where he saw Sun Quan the ruler of Wu.

From the beginning he related what Duke Guan had said;

When the Prince of Wu heard this, he became furious.

"I cannot stand this unreasonable member of the Guan family,

Insulting my family in this way."

The Prince of Wu called up troops and horses

And crossed the Yangtze, intending to be an avenger of injury.

Lu Xun the Brave acted as commander.

The Prince of Wu rode in the imperial carriage and went in person to attack.

Iron-armed Yan Zhao was the vanguard general,

While Military Advisor Lü Meng protected the ruler.

One hundred three thousand troops and horses

Crossed the river and continued their march, but we will sing no more of this.

They went straight to Jingzhou city;

They bivouacked and set up camp and stationed the troops.

They surrounded Jingzhou city;

In loud voices they called to the people inside,

"If you offer up Jingzhou now in good faith,

We'll let bygones be bygones and discuss it no more.

If you utter so much as a word of refusal,

In less than the time it takes to eat a meal, we'll wipe out the city."

A mounted courier went like a comet into the city.

He reported to Commander Guan,

"Now the troops and horses of the Prince of Wu have arrived.

They challenge us to fight today to decide loser and winner."

When Duke Guan heard this, he smiled.

"He has led troops here to be an avenger of injury."

He called over Guan Ping.

Zhou Cang the Brave then mustered his army;

He mustered fifty thousand soldiers.

Duke Guan himself acted as general.

The sound of a heaven-shaking blow to the gong rose,

And he led forth fifty thousand soldiers.

In the wild outskirts he camped men and horses.

Duke Guan put on his general's gear.

He rode astride Red Hare;

ed bow [with the tension of] more than four hundred pounds;

On his right side his quiver held one hundred wolf-tooth arrows.

Without a hand touching the saddle he mounted his horse.

His long spear was like a python.

Beside his horse he raised the flag that marked the mouth of his formation,

Pointed at Duke Guan, and cursed.

"You have insulted my prince Sun, the Son of Heaven.

Now today I've come to avenge him.

Stop this chattering and yammering.

Since when did cursing each other settle anything?"

When Duke Guan saw him, he felt angry.

In his hand he took up his big sword and brandished it,

While Lu Xun flourished his spear.

The two men challenged each other to combat to decide loser and winner.

Lu Xun's mount was like the white-faced tiger of Nanshan,

Duke Guan's horse was like a red-bearded dragon.

One skilled general was up against another skilled general;

One founder of a family cursed the founder of another family.

When the sword chopped, the spear came to intercept;

When the spear came, the sword protected the body.

The sword chopping at the throat missed by a fraction;

The spear stabbing at the chest missed by a tad.

Life and fate hung by a hair.

They wanted to be men who won fame and fortune.

The two men fought for thirty rounds

Before, in front of the battle formation, one general lost.

Duke Guan's heroic air had vanished to the skies;

He was not what he used to be in former days.

Duke Guan in front of the battle formation could not beat him back.

He reined in his horse, turned its head, and then made his return.

When Zhou Cang saw this, he felt upset and annoyed

And called up Guan Ping, the eldest son in the family.

The sound of a heaven-shaking blow to the gong echoed.

The two sides killed horses and troops in confusion.

Pulling aside shields, they hacked with their swords;

Upending quivers, they slew generals.

A chop at a helmet and smoke rose rapidly;

The blade of a spear struck armor and sparks shot everywhere.

Men's heads were chopped like bits of melon;

Horses' hooves were sliced like onion slivers.

Fresh blood flowed deep in the low places;

Corpses tripped up the front men in the ranks.

Duke Guan in front of the formation raised his head and saw that

He had lost two-thirds of his men.

He called and said, "Son, stop killing."

He drew back his soldiers and horses and men

And withdrew into the city of Jingzhou,

Where he rested the remaining troops and defeated generals.

Duke Guan sat in the commander's quarters,

Sunk in thought turning ideas over in his head.

"The prowess of my former days is no longer to be seen.

Today I was grievously defeated."

Duke Guan then wrote a letter to his family.

"Immediately go to Xichuan to get rescue troops."

Two soldiers wasted no time.

"Today we will act as couriers."

Then he quickly sealed the family letter

And immediately they went out of Jingzhou city,

Swiftly across the grassy wild outskirts.

On the road they were like wind-blown clouds.

We will say no more of the events of their journey.

Marching forward they looked and saw a mountain forest.

They passed below Mount Beiyin,

When Liu Bei's adopted son Liu Feng blocked their way.

He searched out the letter the soldiers were carrying and read it.

The contents were about going to Xichuan to get rescue troops.

When Liu Feng saw it, he got upset and annoyed

And grabbed the two soldiers.

Then he tore up the family letter

And killed the two couriers.

"Just let Duke Guan hope in Jingzhou.

They won't send out men and horses from Xichuan."

Prose

Liu Feng said, "Your son Guan Suo insulted me. You also sent me under escort to go to my father and

explain, and he sent me away to the pass at Mount Beiyin. I cannot return home. So I will suppress

your letter to get troops. Just let him hope in vain in Jingzhou." We will not talk about Liu Feng's

scheming. We will only talk about Duke Guan waiting in Jingzhou. When the rescue army did not

arrive, he said, "Why haven't I heard from them? Why does my elder brother not send out a rescue

army?" He wrote another, and again had a soldier take it, and he too disappeared. One after the

other he sent off thirteen letters requesting rescue troops, and all were blocked by Liu Feng, and he

killed the thirteen men. Duke Guan said, "What's the best thing to do?" Guan Ping said, "Father, I

will go myself." Duke Guan said, "Very well." That very day Guan Ping left Jingzhou. The troops, men

and horses, of the Prince of Wu with a great uproar surrounded Jingzhou. Mi Zhu and Mi Fang

deceived Duke Guan, offered up Jingzhou, and surrendered to the Prince of Wu. At the four gates

troops and horses slaughtered their way inside the walls. Duke Guan and Zhou Cang then fled,

leading the remaining troops and defeated generals. They fled straight until they arrived at the base

of Jade Spring Mountain. Again the Prince of Wu's troops set out and blocked Duke Guan's men and

horses for a day and a night. Duke Guan said, "Zhou Cang, the three armies are all falling over with

hunger. I am also hungry." Zhou Cang said, "I will go hunt a mountain beast to assuage your hunger."

He went one time but there were no animals at all. He said to himself, "My lord is hungry." He cut

from his left leg a piece of flesh and grilled it on the fire until it was done. He went to the center of

camp and gave it to Duke Guan to assuage his hunger. After two hours had elapsed he said, "Zhou

Cang, I am hungry again." Zhou Cang again went to hunt, but there were no animals at all, and from

his right leg he again cut off a piece of flesh. Zhou Cang had not eaten and he fell down in a faint.

Duke Guan waited for a long time when what should he see but a soldier who reported, saying,

"Zhou Cang is dead." Duke Guan said, "How did he die?" The soldier said, "Because my lord had

nothing to eat, he cut flesh from his leg and fainted and died." Just as Duke Guan was lamenting,

"What am I to do?" what should he see but the horse Red Hare, bearing his sword, leap into the

river. The sword fell into the water.

Verse

When Duke Guan saw this, he lamented loudly.

"Hy soldiers, men and horses, are dying of hunger.

Zhou Cang cut his flesh and fainted and died.

The roan horse bearing my sword entered the water.

The rescue army from Xichuan is nowhere to be seen.

How can Prince Liu act like this?

How can he forget that we swore an oath of brotherhood together?

I was in difficulties but he didn't come to help.

The army and horses of the Prince of Wu came and surrounded me.

On my own I cannot fight them back."

His three spirits silently returned to the skies;

His seven souls mournfully rushed out of the camp.

The Prince of Wu seized his troops and horses

And took control of the city of Jingzhou.

Duke Guan died and returned to the sky.

He led a million mighty spirit soldiers

And went up to the capital Chengdu in Xichuan

To appear in a dream to Prince Liu the sovereign of Han.

As they passed by beneath Mount Beiyin,

Thirteen valiant souls reported to their lord,

"We were all killed by Liu Feng.

We did not reach Xichuan to get the rescue army."

Duke Guan at that time loudly lamented,

"How could I have known that Liu Feng would scheme to injure me?

My wandering soul will go to Xichuan

And appear in a dream to Prince Liu the sovereign of Han."

But when he reached the capital Chengdu in Xichuan,

He ran into his brother Zhang Fei.

Prose

Zhang Fei said, "Elder brother, where are you going?" Duke Guan said, "I was done in by the Prince

of Wu in Jingzhou. He surrounded me below Jade Spring Mountain. I cut my throat and died. I have

especially come to appear in a dream to our elder brother." Zhang Fei said, "My subordinate Zhang

Da revolted against me in Langzhou. I made the mistake of giving him a beating, and he waited until I

was drunk and stabbed me to death. I have also come to appear in a dream to our elder brother.

How pathetically the two of us have died."

Verse

When Duke Guan heard this, his tears fell in streams of pearls.

"We two brothers were wrongly done to death."

The two men waited until after sunset

To appear in a dream to their elder brother and explain the situation.

We will sing no more about the two men waiting below the gate;

We will sing only about Prince Liu the First Sovereign.

Each day he longed so for his two brothers

That he tired of sitting on the throne in the throne room.

Late that night he returned to his bedroom.

Alone in the palace he thought of his brothers.

"Ever since Guan and Zhang have been gone,

I have been listless here at court."

Just as Prince Liu was pondering in his heart,

Guan and Zhang arrived at the palace gate.

The two men stood in the glow of the lamp.

When they saw their elder brother, tears flowed copiously from their eyes.

"The Prince of Wu surrounded my territory of Jingzhou.

Inside there were no provisions nor were there any troops.

Thirteen letters requesting relief

Were all intercepted by Liu Feng, who killed the couriers.

I perished at Jade Spring.

I have come to the inner court to appear in a dream to my elder brother."

Zhang Fei said, "I died in Langzhou.

My subordinate stabbed me and my fate returned to the clouds.

I hope you will avenge this grievance.

Do not forget that we swore an oath of brotherhood at Peach Spring."

The bereft elder brother Liu Bei saw them in his dreams.

He cried out in his sleep and his dreaming soul was alarmed;

He cried all night until the sky got light.

Then he summoned Zhuge and told him the situation;

From the beginning he told it to Zhuge Liang.

The Military Advisor proceeded to memorialize his sage and enlightened sovereign.

"It is said that 'dreams are what you think in your heart.'

This dream, on this occasion, must surely be true."

Just as the Military Advisor finished speaking,

The usher announced to his enlightened sovereign,

"Now Guan Ping and Zhang Yi have arrived.

They are dressed in deep mourning and are at the door of the audience chamber."

Prince Liu the First Sovereign directed that they be summoned to enter.

The two men in the audience chamber paid their respects to their enlightened sovereign.

"From the beginning we will explain to you the circumstances of the affair."

Prince Liu wept bitterly.

Tears flowed in streams of pearls from the Military Advisor's eyes.

"The heroes of this world are no more."

Prose

Prince Liu said, "It is too much to bear that Liu Feng sent Duke Guan to his doom. Now we must

arrest Liu Feng and kill him." The Military Advisor said, "I fear we may frighten him into fleeing.

Transmit an imperial command and order him to come. Just say you will hand the empire over to

him. When he hears that, he will certainly come." Prince Liu went along with the Military Advisor's

advice, and an envoy carrying the imperial command went forward to Mount Beiyin and announced

to Liu Feng that he would be given the empire. Liu Feng said, "Truly, if I hadn't used this plot to take

care of Duke Guan, how would I ever have gained the empire?"

Verse

Liu Feng received the envoy upon his arrival.

"My father the prince will make me the sovereign,

So now then I will go with the envoy."

They went out of the gate securing the defile at Three Passes.

We will not sing anything about their journey on the road.

They marched forward until, looking afar, they saw Xichuan.

They arrived at the capital Chengdu in Xichuan.

He entered the audience chamber and paid his respects to his father the enlightened sovereign.

When Prince Liu saw him he felt pleased.

He instructed Jiang Wei and Zhuge Liang,

"Hammer nails inside the hoop of a drum

And take revenge on my enemy for this grievance.

Afterwards kill him by dragging him inside a cowhide.

Kill Liu Feng and erase every trace.

Start off by seizing this person;

There will be time enough later on to kill the Prince of Wu and the men from the east.

Who in the hall among the groups of officials, civil and military,

Dares to command horses and troops

To capture the Prince of Wu, General Sun Quan,

And sacrifice him to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei?"

The groups civil and military had no words to reply.

The Military Advisor Zhuge Liang commented on the matter:

"If you still want to get revenge for this wrong,

At once transmit an imperial command to leave the court and go;

Go to Yunnan and get Hua Guan Suo

And appoint him to be the avenger."

When Prince Liu heard this, his heart gladdened.

Then in the court he wrote the text of his imperial command.

He summoned Jiang Wei.

"Go get Hua Guan Suo and his army."

He bowed and said farewell to the Prince of Han, Liu the First Sovereign,

And took leave of the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang.

Leaving the capital Chengdu in Xichuan,

He made for Yinlin city in Yunnan.

When Jiang Wei saw it, he felt glad.

Then he entered the triple gates and went through the inner gate.

He came to the quarters of Commander Guan Suo.

The doorkeeper faced the throne and respectfully reported,

"Now there are people and horses from Xichuan who have arrived.

They have not presumed to come to the front of the hall to see the ruler."

Hideous Guan Zhi looked in front of the door.

"Indeed it is Uncle Jiang Wei."

Bowing he came forward to the head of the main hall.

Everyone bowed to the man surnamed Jiang.

Jiang Wei greeted them and explained from the beginning.

He spoke to Sanniang and Dame Hu.

"General Zhang Fei has died in Langzhou.

Duke Guan was wrongly done to death in Jingzhou.

If you want to get revenge,

I have come to get the son of the Guan family."

The group of generals all heard in front of the hall.

Everyone cried and grieved.

"Yunnan has brought Guan Suo low;

He is close to dying and being no more.

He does not know that you, Uncle, have come in person.

How can this not make people sad?"

Prose

The group of generals said, "Uncle, Guan Suo has taken to his bed with illness in the rear hall. He

caught malaria, and it will not be long before he will die and perish. These deaths which you, Uncle,

report today, whatever you do, don't speak of them to Guan Suo. If he learns of them it will be like

adding frost to snow." Jiang Wei said, "When I see Guan Suo in the rear hall, I win just say that no

news of him had come through, so I was sent to come and see him." Bao Sanniang said, "Uncle, what

you propose is the right thing to do." At that time they went together to the rear hall to see Guan

Suo. Guan Suo said, "I have come down with an illness. I cannot greet you properly. I hope that you

will not take offense, Uncle. Your coming today is a rare event." Jiang Wei said, "When he hadn't

heard anything from you, Prince Liu told me to come see you." Guan Suo said, "I am not yet

acclimated to the water and soil. I have been infected by a noxious malarial air, and my illness has

entered the critical stage. The chances for an unfortunate outcome outweigh the chances for a good

outcome. I do not yet know how it will be." Jiang Wei said, "Guan Suo, you are thin, and the illness is

wasting away your body. Your wives cannot bear the wounds of grief." Guan Suo said, "I have taken

medicine, but it hasn't been effective. Medical treatment is not able to cure it." Jiang Wei said,

"What I ought to do is to transmit your instructions to hang up a placard and summon someone to

treat it medically. Even if there should be a good doctor or a marvelous remedy available, you and I

would have no way of knowing about it."

Verse

When Guan Suo heard this, he repeatedly said, "Fine,"

Agreeing to what his uncle Jiang Wei had suggested.

Then he wrote the text of an announcement

And directed that it be hung at the door of his official residence.

For three days after they hung up the placard no one inquired,

When a Daoist adept turned into the street.

He took down the announcement from the door of the official residence,

And a soldier reported this event to the man surnamed Jiang.

"There is an adept who has taken down the announcement.

He does not presume to come in front of the hall and see the general."

Jiang Wei, so informed, directed that he be invited in.

"Invite the master to come in."

When the two men had finished formally greeting each other,

They had tea and then he explained the situation.

The adept then asked to see Hua Guan Suo,

So Jiang Wei asked him to ascend the hall and meet the Daoist.

Three men supporting him, he went to the front of the hall.

The adept then saw the scion of the noble family.

Guan Suo propped up his head and looked—

It was none other than his teacher who had left his family to become a Daoist.

He had been separated from his teacher for eighteen years.

Who would have thought that they would meet again today?

Tears flowed in streams of pearls from Guan Suo's eyes.

The entire family all bowed to this adept.

Prose

The adept said, "Guan Suo, it has been eighteen years since you left. It is fore-ordained that this day I

save your life." His teacher took out from his gourd a round medication in his hand. He took a blade

of an immortal herb and decocted it in order to wash down the pill. When he took it, his whole body,

joints and pores, gave off a fragrant sweat. Guan Suo said, "My body feels refreshed." One after the

other he swallowed three doses. The disease receded and he was just as he was in the old days.

Verse

The noble Guan Suo's body was well,

Completely restored to its normal state.

At the head of the front hall they set out a feast

And he entertained his teacher, a man who had left his family to become a Daoist.

He said, "Teacher, do not go.

I will obtain an imperial mandate to sculpt the images of the Three Pure Ones before the hall."

The teacher at that time spoke and said,

Saying to Hua Guan Suo,

"Today in Yunnan I have saved your life.

You need not sculpt the Three Pure Ones before the hall.

I will return to Qiuqu Mountain,

There to be one who cultivates truth and studies the Dao."

No matter how hard they tried, he could not be persuaded to stay.

He told them, "Take care of yourselves," and went his way.

His steps were swift as clouds; you could not catch up with him.

Into the empty void went the man who had left his family to become a Daoist.

In our story we will talk only about Hua Guan Suo.

The whole family was glad in the main hall.

They entertained his uncle General Jiang Wei.

Various kinds of food and drink filled the front of the hall

And they drank half a cup and ate five courses.

The great General Jiang Wei then explained the situation.

From inside his bag he took out white hemp mourning clothes

And distributed them among the whole Guan family.

General Guan Suo spoke and asked,

"Uncle, what is the reason for these deep mourning clothes?"

Tears streamed down from Jiang Wei's eyes

As he spoke to Hua Guan Suo.

"General Zhang Fei died in Langzhou.

A subordinate stabbed him to death and his fate returned to the clouds.

To speak of your father Commander Guan:

He was trapped in the city of Jingzhou,

Surrounded by the Prince of Wu from Jiangdong,

With neither provisions nor troops.

Thirteen letters were sent appealing for help,

But all were blocked by Liu Feng,

Who killed the thirteen couriers.

Duke Guan waited in vain and wore his eyes out staring.

He waited in vain for the troops from Xichuan that did not arrive.

The city of Jingzhou fell

And Zhou Cang and Commander Guan fled,

But they were surrounded at Jade Spring Mountain.

Truly it was difficult to hold off the enemy in front of the mountain.

They were done in by them and became mighty spirits.

The two men appeared in a dream to Liu the First Sovereign,

Who rolled Liu Feng in a drum.

There is no one to go take revenge for this wrong.

It fails to you today to act as avenger."

General Guan Suo lamented loudly;

Great and small, the whole family was sorely distressed.

"Our uncle General Zhang Fei was wrongly done to death.

Our father General Guan died a bitter death.

Today we must avenge this wrong

By killing all of the Prince of Wu's horses and troops.

Do not stay long in front of the hall.

Get everything ready today and then we will set out on the journey."

Hideous Guan Zhi and Guan San Kai,

Along with the group of generals from the Taihang Mountains,

Called up all the troops.

Fifty thousand soldiers donned armor.

They left Yunnan, a foggy, miasmic land,

And returned to the metropolis of the five circuits of Xichuan.

A mounted courier went like a comet into the city.

They came out to meet the Guan family's horses and troops.

Outside the city wall they encamped the men and horses,

And General Guan Suo entered the city.

Jiang Wei together with him entered the Imperial Hall

And they bowed to Prince Liu the First Sovereign.

The lone elder brother Liu Bei spoke up,

Saying to Hua Guan Suo,

"Your uncle and father have been wrongfully slain.

You must today act as their avenger.

Do not tarry long today.

Call up the army, men and horses, and set out at once on the journey."

Guan Suo then said farewell to Liu the First Sovereign.

The sound of a blow on the gong summoned the troops.

A minion soldiers, men and horses,

Left the metropolis of the five circuits of Xichuan.

The Commander in chief was Hua Guan Suo.

Hideous Wang Zhi acted as vanguard.

Guan San Kai opened the way through the mountains for them.

The ten fierce generals from the Taihang Mountains formed the rear guard.

The two men Zhang Yi and Guan Ping

Aided and supported Hua Guan Suo.

The two female generals Wang Tao and Wang Yue

Aided and supported Madame Bao Sanniang.

A million troops advanced along the road,

Straight to Jingzhou city.

The sound of a heaven-shaking stroke to the gong echoed.

They bivouacked and set up camp and stationed the troops.

A million soldiers were ordered to assemble,

While Guan Suo in front of the troops explained the situation.

The men dismounted and listened to his orders,

Listened to him order them to kill the army of Wu.

The infantry wore metal swords at their waists;

The cavalry held long bows in their hands.

When the army arrived below the city wall, they gave a shout.

At once a mounted courier like a comet entered the city

And reported to the Prince of Wu, the emperor and ruler,

"The Guan family has come to be avengers."

When the Prince of Wu heard this, he felt upset and annoyed.

"Which general will go out of the battle formation?"

Big Sword Lu Xun hurriedly donned armor,

Putting on his complete suit of general's gear.

He sat astride a sand-kicking horse;

His hand grasped a long sword like a door leaf.

A heaven-shaking stroke to the brass gong echoed,

Assembling the troops inside the walls of Jingzhou.

Then they opened up the city gate.

In the wild outskirts he called to attention the horses and troops.

First he grasped a long spear and put the battle formation in order;

Later he took his short sword, Naked Dragon.

Lu Xun in front of his lines called in a loud voice;

He yelled and cursed the Guan family's horses and men.

"Today you have riled the Prince of Wu.

We will kill all of the troops of the five circuits of Xichuan."

Guan Suo himself heard this in front of the lines.

In his hand he held his yellow dragon spear.

Beside his horse he raised the banner that marked the mouth of his formation.

He yelled and cursed the Prince of Wu's horses and men.

"You have caused my father Commander Guan to die of chagrin.

Today I am going to act as an avenger."

Guan Suo then spoke up and cursed;

He yelled and called for the Prince of Wu to come out of the battle formation.

Before the sound of Guan Suo's yelling had ceased,

In front of his eyes a general appeared in response to his challenge.

Holding a large sword in hand, he rode a fast horse

And yelled and cursed at Hua Guan Suo:

"I am Yan Zhao.

I aim to capture the sires and sons of the Guan family."

On both sides all that could be heard was the echo of gong and drum

While the pair of generals contended for supremacy.

The two men fought for over ten rounds,

And Yan Zhao was defeated.

A stroke of Guan Suo's gong reverberated.

"Round up the soldiers, horses and troops.

See that our troops and horses are properly encamped.

We will march directly against the Prince of Wu and his army from the east."

We will speak no more about the Guan family's men and horses;

Instead we will take up the Prince of Wu's horses and men.

Prose

The Prince of Wu said, "We have lost two engagements in a row." He asked the military advisor Lü

Meng, "In this situation, what is the best thing to do?" Lü Meng said, "The best thing would be to

have Iron Flag Zeng Xiao. There is no match for him in our area east of the river. If you can get that

man to come, he certainly will capture Guan Suo." The Prince of Wu said, "That's so." Immediately

he dispatched a man to go get him that very night. Our story will spare you the details. It was

reported that Zeng Xiao had arrived, and he met with the Prince of Wu. The Prince of Wu said,

"Today I have brought you here solely to capture Guan Suo. Once I've seized control of Xichuan, the

empire will all belong to my family to control." Zeng Xiao said, "My lord, do not worry. Tonight it is

too late to array our formation, but tomorrow morning with my bare hands I will capture Guan Suo."

We will say no more of Iron Flag Zeng Xiao arraying his troops. We will talk instead about Guan Suo

instructing his generals. He said, "Rest tonight, and tomorrow our troops will confront the forces of

the Prince of Wu. When they have been defeated, our army must pursue them. When they have

been driven to the bank of the river, kill all the troops of Wu and do not leave a one."

Verse

General Guan Suo issued his orders.

He saw to it that his horses and men were properly arrayed.

They waited until the next day when the sky was bright

And the troops and horses of the Prince of Wu came out of the city gate.

Iron Flag Zeng Xiao acted as commander.

In front of the formation he arrayed his horses and men.

He pointed to Guan Suo and cursed him in a loud voice,

"Today I'll have it out with you."

A junior officer reported this to the headquarters tent.

It angered Guan Suo, the man of mettle.

Then he called for his clothes and armor

And hastily dressed himself as a general.

As soon as he finished donning every item of his outfit,

He took his long spear in hand and approached his dragon steed,

Rolled into the saddle and mounted his piebald horse.

In front of the formation he arrayed his horses and men.

He pointed at the formation of the troops of the Prince of Wu and cursed,

"Which general will come out of the battle formation?"

The great general Zeng Xiao heard this himself.

He had a Seven Star flag rolled up in his hand.

He pointed at the youth Hua Guan Suo, saying,

"You will die beneath the Seven Star flag."

This angered the youth Hua Guan Suo,

Who flourished his decorated spear in anticipation of seizing his enemy.

Of the thirty-six moves in the art of swordsmanship,

He adopted the twenty-fourth: "leaving yourself wide open."

He yelled at him, "Zeng Xiao, quit your boasting!"

With his jeweled spear he struck straight at his face,

But it was blocked by his opponent's Seven Star flag.

Every thrust of his spear became entangled in the starred flag.

Each of them wielded his flag or spear with all his strength.

The echo of the clash was surely frightening.

Guan Suo raised his head and saw that

His yellow dragon spear was broken in two.

Guan Suo gave three loud cries of lamentation.

"I am going to have a hard time fighting this bout to its conclusion."

Guan Suo reined up his horse and turned around,

When in front of the formation another general suddenly came out.

He rode astride a yellow-haired horse

And held in his hand a three-pronged iron pitchfork.

He called and said, "Elder brother, don't fret.

Guan Kai will enter the lists to do battle for supremacy."

Iron Flag Zeng Xiao loudly yelled,

"If you enter the lists you'll lose your three souls."

On both sides they beat their decorated drums,

And the two men fought to determine the winner.

When they had fought about ten-odd rounds,

Zeng Xiao brought his weapon down on the crown of his opponent's head.

When the Seven Star flag came down it was impossible to resist.

The two men broke apart and separated to either side.

Guan San Kai had been defeated on the field of battle.

The army of the Prince of Wu was greatly heartened.

A heaven-startling stroke to the brass gong echoed,

And they fell to slaughtering the Guan family's men and horses.

Guan Suo pulled back his men and horses,

Having lost one-third of his men.

All that remained of his army were thirty or forty thousand men,

And half of them were men who had suffered sword wounds or been struck by arrows

The youth Guan Suo lamented loudly,

"I have not managed to gain vengeance.

We have lost Zhang Yi, the flower-bedecked.

We have lost Guan Ping, the eldest son in the family."

Tears flowed from Guan Suo's eyes.

Anger choked his throat and he could not make a sound.

Wang Tao and Wang Yue quickly supported him.

Mistress Bao Sanniang called, "Help!"

Hua Guan Suo was dying of anger;

His four limbs were ice cold and his soul did not return.

When they all saw this their tears flowed.

They called until their throats were hoarse, but their cries were not heard.

"If Hua Guan Suo dies of anger

Who will be able to act as avenger?"

The three comely wives came to support their husband

And did their best to revive Hua Guan Suo.

They plucked out ten thousand strands of his raven locks;

They brought cold water and splashed it on his face.

They pinched at his eyebrows with their fingernails

Until the skin of his brows was flowing with blood.

From sundown they worked to revive him until it was past the third watch [midnight].

Little by little he revived and his soul returned.

They forced him to swallow a spoonful of restorative,

Until he recognized that the people around him were the members of his family.

"Today I died but my soul has come back.

The King of the Underworld released me to make the journey back.

It is like being sick in bed for a long time and then encountering a marvelous remedy,

Or like a withered tree putting forth flowers and having another spring.

It is truly like the clouds opening and enabling one to see the moon,

Or like an old mirror freshly polished regaining its brightness.

I am so happy to see my brothers once again.

[It is as unexpected as] lotus blossoms emerging from the flames or lanterns on the water."

There in his camp Guan Suo hastily spoke,

Speaking to his comely wives and the group of his brothers.

Prose

Guan Suo said, "Brothers, I seemed to see my father and uncle, and [my father] said to me, 'The

hundred kinds of military weapons are all unable to overcome him. Nothing but my great sword will

enable you to slay these troops of Wu. Only then will you be able to avenge this grievance for your

father.' I asked where the sword was and he said, 'It is in the pool at Jade Spring Mountain. Only

when you get that sword will you be able to make the troops of Wu retreat.'" Guan Suo said, "Which

one of you men will go and get the sword for me?" Guan Zhi the Hideous said, "I will go get it." Guan

Suo said, "How will you go down in the water?" Guan Zhi said, "I can stay under water for three

days." Guan Suo said, "In that case, I will give you five hundred troops. Go and fetch the sword for

me. Go quickly and return quickly."

Verse

Guan Zhi at the echo of a blow to the gong

Led off his five hundred soldiers.

Leaving Guan Suo's camp in front of the mountain,

His entire contingent of men and horses set out on their journey.

When they had gone one li, they went another li;

They marched one stage and then another stage,

Until they came to Jade Spring Mountain.

The water of the pool was clear enough to amaze the beholder.

He encamped his five hundred soldiers.

Guan Zhi instructed the crowd of men to listen.

Prose

Guan Zhi said, "You wait here while I go into the water. If I don't come up again in a day, wait

another day for me. The men and horses are not to disperse." The crowd of troops heard the order.

Guan Zhi took off his clothes and armor and dressed in his diving gear, instructed the crowd of

troops, and then went down into the water. They could not see what happened to him.

Verse

Hideous Guan Zhi, wasting no time,

Went into the water,

And not a ripple could be seen on the thousand-foot surface of the water.

His body then entered the water to search

While the crowd of troops all waited in front of the mountain.

They waited for Guan Zhi, the getter of the sword.

From early morning they waited until mealtime;

From mealtime they waited until the noon period.

The crowd of troops on the bank were all troubled,

Since there was no way they could tell what was going on.

Then, what should they see but, in the water, wind and waves rising,

And Hideous Guan Zhi appeared.

His hand held up a santing sword.

He crossed the mighty waves, walked on the water,

And ascended to the foot of Jade Spring Mountain,

Where the crowd of men met the getter of the sword.

Hideous Guan Zhi called loudly

And spoke to all the troops and officers.

"Elder brother is waiting below the walls of Jingzhou.

All of us, both men and horses, must hasten on our return journey."

The sound of a heaven-shaking stroke on the gong echoed,

And the five hundred soldiers set out on their journey.

When they had marched one li, they marched another li;

They went one stage and then another stage.

They headed straight for the camp of the armies of Guan Suo.

A junior officer came far to meet them;

All together they came to the army headquarters tent.

When Guan Zhi saw Hua Guan Suo,

He handed over the santing sword.

The crowd saw and tears fell in double streams.

"Today the santing sword still exists,

But my father Guan Shouting is not to be seen."

Then he took fine incense and burned it.

He made sacrifice to the steel sword in the center of his camp.

Great and small, the crowd of officers all bowed to it.

He sacrificed to his father Guan Shouting.

In front of his officers and men he displayed his proficiency in the martial arts.

He wanted to demonstrate clearly his mastery of the sword:

All thirty-six moves in the art of swordsmanship,

Each of the twenty-four opening stances.

He showed that he had mastered all of this father's tricks

And extemporized an eight-line poem to express his feeling.

Prose

Guan Suo said, "I have mastered my father's brand of swordsmanship and feel ready for the fray. Be

prepared, men, to exert your strength with one accord. To sacrifice Mi Zhu and Mi Fang to my father

and kill the Prince of Wu will fulfill my lifetime ambition.

Poem

I take this newly acquired steel blade in my hand,

Angry that I have not yet been able to assuage my just indignation.

I will capture Lü Meng alive and put him to the sword,

Take Lu Xun alive and imprison him in the cart.

Below the walls of Jingzhou corpses will bestrew the ground;

In the Yangtze River bloody water will flow.

One day my horse will cross the river and go east;

Until I behead the Prince of Wu, my anger will not end.

Verse

Guan Suo was in charge of the army and was its commander.

He mustered a million soldiers.

The sound of a heaven-shaking stroke to the gong echoed.

Hideous Guan Zhi acted as vanguard;

On the road ahead leading the army was Guan San Kai,

While the generals of the Taihang Mountains marshalled the troops at the rear,

And the three female generals were divided left and right.

Everyone was accoutered like one of the six ding gods.

Their helmets tied tight their hair to the sides of their necks;

Their armor was securely fastened with cords under, their arms.

The infantry was equipped with swords with curved blades;

The cavalry carried arrows and curved bows.

He announced to the combined forces, "All together now, go to it! This very day we will fight to a

decision."

First he held his long spear and called the troops to attention;

Later he took his short sword glittering red.

His troops were deployed as thick as clumps of grass.

Everyone was lined up like a herd of tigers and wolves.

The youthful adventurer Hua Guan Suo

Gripped his steel blade, as big as a door leaf.

He sat astride a piebald horse

And, standing in front of his lines, challenged his opponents.

"If you return Jingzhou to me without delay,

We'll let bygones be bygones and discuss it no more.

If you utter so much as half a refusal,

There will be no mercy under my santing sword."

A junior officer reported to the Prince of Wu, saying,

"The Guan family is challenging battle and wants to fight with you."

Big Spear Lu Xun felt upset and annoyed.

"I'll capture this little devil from the Guan family."

When the Prince of Wu heard this, he felt pleased.

At the sound of a stroke to the gong he mustered his troops.

Lu Xun led the army and was commander.

The fierce general Zeng Xiao acted as vanguard.

The military advisor Lü Meng deployed his army ranks.

One hundred three thousand soldiers in armor

Went out of Jingzhou city

And hurriedly deployed on the grassy ground.

Fierce generals and heroic troops were all prepared.

The great general Lu Xun came out of the entrance to the camp.

He came in front' of the ranks and yelled loudly.

He pointed at Guan Suo and reviled him a bit.

"Stop bragging today in front of the ranks.

Today we will engage in battle to determine loser and winner.

The two sides struck their decorated drums

And formed a ring around the two men in the center.

Eight horse hooves pounded like drums;

Four arms flailed like cart wheels.

Looking down one saw horses: horse fought horse;

Looking up one saw men: man fought man.

When men fight each other, horses also fight;

A true man on horseback battled a true man.

When they had fought about ten-odd rounds,

Hua Guan Suo was affronted.

He wanted to kill his opponent

So he could sacrifice him to his father Guan Shouting.

Taking his steel blade, he dealt him a single blow

And felt sure that now he could capture Lu Xun on horseback.

The troops in Guan Suo's command grabbed him

And imprisoned this general in a prison cart.

A soldier went in and reported to the sovereign of Wu,

"The great commander Lu Xun has been defeated."

Iron Flag Zeng Xiao felt upset and annoyed.

He put on his complete suit of general's gear

And sat astride a sand-kicking horse,

The Seven Star flag in his hand.

He came in front of the ranks and cursed in a loud voice.

He yelled and cursed, "Guan, you little devil,

For every one you defeat, another will come forward.

For every loss there will be a replacement."

He called and said, "Guan, stop yammering.

Under my Seven Star flag there is no mercy."

The two sides beat loudly on their decorated drums;

The two men fought each other to determine the winner.

Prose

Iron Flag Zeng Xiao said, "Guan Suo, you will be defeated. Do not think that you will only have to

fight us today, as though there were no tomorrow. Our troops are not mercenaries and our horses

are not borrowed for the occasion." Face to face they bloodied their lips with their curses. First one

side and then the other struck up drums and gongs. Suddenly the colored embroidered flags waved.

The armies all gave a shout, and the two mounted riders engaged each other.

Verse

Zeng Xiao then furled his flag,

And Guan Suo flourished the big sword in his hand.

When the sword slashed, the flag parried;

When the flag chopped, the sword protected his body.

Every stroke of the sword was aimed at the throat;

Each swipe of the flag came straight for the ear.

One was like a blue dragon coming out of a pool of water;

The other resembled a fierce tiger descending from a mountain grove.

The sword was like a fierce wind blowing fallen leaves,

The flag like dense clouds hiding the light of the sun.

The two men had fought for twenty rounds

When Hua Guan Suo became angry.

He ran through all thirty-six moves in the art of swordsmanship

And tried all the twenty-four opening stances.

First "in the ring" then "outside the ring";

The "inner four gates" led to the "outer four gates."

First he used "scattering flowers" to cover his head;

Then he twirled the Yellow Dragon three times around his body.

When Iron Flag Zeng Xiao raised his head and looked,

All he could see was the blade, not the man.

Zeng Xiao then struck with his banner,

Squarely hitting Hua Guan Suo.

The youth Guan Suo then quickly passed by his side,

And with his great sword he quickly slashed at the man with the iron flag.

He yelled, saying, "Zeng Xiao, don't try to escape."

Holding the sword in both hands he brought it down through the crown of his head.

The avenging hero put forth all his effort at once.

He divided horse and man into four halves,

Killing Zeng Xiao.

With his horsewhip he directed his retainers.

They didn't ask whether the Prince of Wu wanted to fight;

They simply fell to slaughtering the horses and men of the Prince of Wu.

"Ping, ping" bow strings echoed;

"Sa, sa" wolf-tooth arrows sped at them.

Men struck by arrows resembled porcupines in flight;

Horses struck by arrows looked like the bodies of hedgehogs.

The horses that were felled, fell over on the ground;

Men with heads pillowed them on headless men.

They killed their way to the walls of Jingzhou

And chased the Prince of Wu into the city.

Guan Suo's forces surrounded him on four sides

And attacked the Prince of Wu so that he had no way to escape.

Zan verse

When the northern dipper looked on,

its stars were bright,

as bright as midday.

But the Red Bird flew away,

Xuan Wu fled;

there was no one to shine on their camp.

The sun flag was dark,

the moon flag askew;

the heavens were without light.

The heavens grew dim,

the earth grew dark;

the earth was dark and black.

Horses trampled men

and every man fought for his life.

Putting away their flags and spears,

to the sound of gongs and drums

they fled for their lives.

Swords slashed horses,

horses were struck by swords;

swords wounded horses' backs.

Spears stabbed men,

men were struck by spears;

spears pierced men's hearts.

Mountain-cleaving battle-axes

struck the crowns of heads,

giving off fiery sparks.

Iron-ridged weapons

flailed horses' legs;

horses screamed and neighed.

Men drew bows

with arrows on their strings;

the arrows fell like raindrops.

Nine-barreled cannon

shot a myriad missiles;

missiles flew like comets.

Princes with golden helmets,

princes with silver helmets,

were snared by grappling hooks.

Chiliarchs were wounded,

myriarchs were wounded;

they died and became vengeful ghosts.

On the field of battle

men's heads were chopped off;

men's heads rolled helter-skelter.

The Prince of Wu was slain,

his troops and horses were defeated;

they were all reduced to dust.

Verse

They fled to the side of the Yangtze River.

On neither side did the soldiers have an escape route.

Those who went forward died in the river;

The men who brought up the rear died under the sword.

Below the walls of Jingzhou corpses bestrewed the ground;

In the Yangtze River bloody water flowed.

Guan Suo, at the echo of the sound of a stroke to the gong,

Assembled his fifty thousand soldiers.

He captured the military advisor named Lü Meng

And the two men Mi Zhu and Mi Fang.

He occupied Jingzhou city,

Killed the Prince of Wu, and wiped out his men.

The gold and valuables in Jingzhou city

He bestowed upon the soldiers, calling them out in formation.

Guan Suo at that time transmitted a general's order:

"Bring the two men Mi Zhu and Mi Fang over in custody."

At a stroke of the brass gong he summoned his men and horses

And all went out of Jingzhou city,

Straight to Jade Spring Hountain.

He sacrificed to his father Guan Shouting

And himself hauled over Mi Zhu and Mi Fang.

He burned fine incense in his camp.

He first sliced Mi Zhu into one thousand pieces with a knife;

Then he cut up Mi Fang.

He placed their hearts and livers in a bowl of fragrant rice

And sacrificed to the soldiers who had suffered a wrongful death.

On the mountain he burned paper spirit-money.

He sacrificed to the two men Guan and Zhang.

A heaven-shaking blow to the brass gong echoed,

And he took command of his army, horses and troops.

Lu Xun and Lü Meng were imprisoned in a cart

And taken to Xichuan to see the ruler.

They raised high the flag of victory,

The entire army joining in a victory song.

We will sing no more about the events of their journey;

In order to avoid exaggeration our story will record no more of this.

They returned to the capital Chengdu in Xichuan.

A mounted courier swift as a comet entered the city first.

When the Han sovereign, Prince Liu, had been informed of their arrival,

He ordered a formal reception for the crowd of generals.

On the drill field they encamped troops and horses.

The group of officers in the court paid their respects to their enlightened sovereign.

Guan Suo bowed to his uncle, Liu the First Sovereign.

The sobbing of the group of officials filled the court.

Then they brought the two men over in custody.

"Today I will be an avenger."

He sliced the military advisor named Lü Meng into ten thousand pieces;

Then he sliced up the great General Lu Xun.

Much gold coin and men and horses

Were sacrificed to the two men Guan and Zhang.

They took the corpses out to the drill field

And rolled over them with carts and trampled them with horses until they were dust.

In front of the court he wrote a memorial to Heaven

And held a memorial service for the two men Guan and Zhang.

Then they raised a temple

And molded images of the two brothers Guan and Zhang.

The First Sovereign returned to court.

Three times a day in his heart

He pondered on Guan and Zhang's humanity, virtue, and righteousness;

But no matter how many words he addressed to them, they could not hear.

The Prince of Han was lost in memories of his brothers,

And his anxious sad thoughts made him sick.

He didn't think of tea or food, but longed for them day and night.

The First Sovereign became severely ill in the Dragon Palace.

He summoned the Military Advisor Zhuge Liang.

"I have something to tell you.

Today I entrust you with the prime-ministership of the dynasty.

You must continue to be in charge of military and civil affairs."

Having so enjoined him, the dragon took its leave;

Silently his three souls rode the purple clouds.

The phoenix ascended to the vermilion clouds and returned to its palace chambers;

The dragon returned to the blue ocean and disappeared in its waves.

The First Sovereign of the Han Dynasty returned to Heaven.

The military and civil officials at court were distressed.

The Military Advisor Zhuge Liang cried his heart out.

The young crown prince sorely bewailed his bereavement;

In the imperial hall he wept as he assumed the kingship.

In front of the white jade steps all the officials sobbed.

The nine chief ministers put on mourning in their grief for the Son of Heaven;

The Four Ministers wore hempen mourning and cried for their ruler.

The soldiers in the army all wore white clothing

And the concubines of the Six Palaces put on white skirts.

The palace women showed their respects by grieving.

They beat their breasts and wrung their hands as they cried over the general.

Grieved and resentful, their ruler had departed in sorrow.

In silence and darkness he ascended to the starry clouds.

The sad-hearted Crown Prince's face was like jade;

The bodies of the princesses in mourning were like silver.

There was no longer a habitation for his three souls or his seven spirits.

They struck the golden bell and saw off his three souls.

His mortal form departed from the Imperial Hall.

They escorted it to the newly erected Eastern Floriate Shrine.

Riding a phoenix he returned to his distant abode in the Islands of the Blessed;

Astride a luan-bird he rode into the clouds of the Nine Heavens.

That day the Son of Heaven ascended to Heaven.

Flying flowers came down from Heaven and all the ground was silver.

His spirit entered the Temple to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

Military Advisor Zhuge explained the situation.

"Today my wife is already old;

My three brothers are no more.

I have no love for the capital Chengdu in Xichuan.

I will go to Sleeping Dragon Ridge to engage in self-cultivation."

The officers great and small could not dissuade him,

And the Military Advisor departed.

The youth Hua Guan Suo was prostrated by chagrin,

Which before long developed into an illness that endangered his health.

He remembered Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Liu the First Sovereign.

He resented Heaven and hated earth and gave expression to his wishes.

He neither drank any tea nor ate any food,

But enjoined his three wives:

"You three sisters listen to what I have to say.

Do not think about Hua Guan Suo."

When he had said a few words to them, his tears flowed down in two streams.

He was so distraught he could not make a sound.

The group of men supported Hua Guan Suo,

But no matter how often they called to him, he did not respond.

Mistress Bao Sanniang lamented loudly,

"This time it must surely be that he will die."

They tried to save him for a day and a night,

But Hua Guan Suo died.

His three comely wives all cried painfully.

The group of generals and people wept without ceasing.

They buried the youth Hua Guan Suo.

They summoned his wandering spirit and carved an image of him in the temple.

We will say no more about the ceremonies for the dead performed on every seventh day.

Listen to what we shall sing about the three women.

"Not only has Liu the First Sovereign died,

But also our father-in-law, Commander in chief Guan,

And in addition our uncle, General Zhang Fei, are no more.

The Military Advisor Zhuge Liang has gone.

Our husband Hua Guan Suo has died.

It's best that we should each return home."

Hideous Guan Zhi went to Langzhou

And Lü Kai collected his own army in Bazhou.

Wang Tao and Wang Yue went back to Lutang.

We will just mention Sanniang, Dame Bao.

She spoke to the twelve generals of the Taihang Mountains.

"Lead your armies back into the mountains as of old.

Do not bury yourselves in Xichuan."

We will say no more about Prince Liu's retainers.

Mistress Bao Sanniang returned to the mountain;

She returned to the manor to attend dutifully to her parents.

Achievements and fame that once overshadowed the world have completely eroded away;

Armies departed and generals scattered, leaving nothing behind.

We have finished singing this tale, famous for all time,

Recalling the youthful and heroic general.

It is a new chantefable, re-edited in its complete form,

A record of those who are loyal and filial to be handed on to the ages.