Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/142

 “Are you also a Yellow Turban?” said Tien Wei.

“I have some hundreds of them prisoners in an enclosure here.”

“Why not bring them out?” said Tien.

“I will if you win this sword from my hand.”

This annoyed Tien Wei who attacked him. They engaged and the combat lasted for two long hours and then was still undecided. Both rested a while. The swashbuckler was the first to recover and renewed the challenge. They fought till dusk and then, as their horses were quite spent, the combat was once more suspended.

In the meantime some of Tien Wei’s men had run off to tell the story of this wondrous fight to Tsʻao Ts‘ao who hastened in amazement, followed by many officers to watch it and see the result.

Next day the unknown warrior rode out again and Ts‘ao Tsʻao saw him. In his heart he rejoiced to see such a doughty hero and desired to gain his services for his own side. So he bade his champion feign defeat.

Tien Wei rode out in answer to the challenge and some score of bouts were fought. Then Tien Wei turned and fled toward his own side. The bravo followed and came quite close. But a flight of arrows drove him away.

Ts‘ao Ts‘ao hastily drew off his men for some distance and then secretly sent a certain number to dig a pitfall and sent hookmen to lie in ambush.

The following day Tien Wei was sent out with a small company of horse. His adversary nothing loth came to meet him.

“Why does the defeated leader venture forth again?” cried he laughing.

The swashhuckler spurred forward to join battle but Tien Wei, after a faint show of fighting, turned his horse and rode away. His adversary intent upon capture, took no care and he and his followers all blundered into the pitfall. The hookmen took them all captive, bound them and carried them before their chief.

As soon as he saw the prisoners, Ts‘ao advanced from his tent, sent away the soldiers and with his own hands loosened the leader’s bonds. Then he brought out clothing and dressed him, bade him be seated and asked who he was and whence he came.

“I am named Hsü Ch‘u, and by my near friends called Chungk‘ang. I am from Chao. When the rebellion broke out I and my relations built a stronghold within a rampart for protection. One day the robbers came but I had stones ready for them. I told my relatives to keep on bringing them up to me and I threw them, hitting somebody every time I threw. This drove off the robbers.”