Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/127

 his packed haversack firmly to his saddle bow and rode out at the city gate. He went quite alone.

Along the moat a large party of the besiegers were gathered and they came to intercept the solitary rider. But he dashed in among them and cut down several and so finally fought his way through.

The rebel leader, hearing that a rider had left the city, guessed what his errand would be and followed T‘aishih with a party of horsemen. He spread them out so that the messenger rider was entirely surrounded. Then T‘aishih laid aside his spear, took his bow, adjusted his arrows one by one and shot all round him. And as a rider fell from his steed with every twang of his bowstring, the pursuers dared not close in.

Thus he got clear away and rode in hot haste to Liu Yüan-tê. He reached P‘ingyüan and after greeting his host in proper form he told how K‘ung Pohai was surrounded and had sent him for help. Then he presented the letter which Liu Pei read.

“Who are you?” asked he.

“I am T‘aishih Tz‘ŭ, a stupid fellow from Tunghai. I am not related by ties of kin to K‘ung Jung, nor even by ties of neighbourhood, but I am by the bonds of sentiment and I share his sorrows and misfortunes. The rebel Kuan has invested his city and he is distressed with none to turn to and destruction is very near. You are known as humane and righteous and you are able to rescue him. Therefore at his command I have braved all dangers and fought my way through his enemies to pray you to save him.”

Liu Yüan-tě smiled, saying, “And does he know of my existence?”

So the three brothers told off three companies and set out to help raise the siege. When the rebel leader saw these new forces arriving he led out his army to fight them, thinking he could easily dispose of so small a force.

The brothers and T‘aishih Tz‘ŭ with them sat on their horses in the forefront of their array. Kuan Hai, the rebel leader, hastened forward. T‘aishih held back to allow Kuan Yü to open the combat. He rode forth and the two steeds met. The soldiers set up a great shout, for how could there be any doubt of the result? After a few bouts Black Dragon rose and fell, and with the stroke fell the rebel leader.

This was the signal for the two other warriors to take a share and they advanced side by side. With their spears ready they dashed in and Yüan-tê urged forward his men. The besieged Prefect saw his doughty rescuers laying low the rebels as tigers among a flock of sheep. None could withstand them and he then sent out his own men to join in the battle so that the rebels were between two armies. The rebels’ force was completely broken and many men surrendered, while the remainder scattered in all directions.