Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/172

 Finding this advice good he sent letters to Yüan-tê asking him to return.

The story of Liu Pei’s attack on Kuangling, the attack on his camp and his losses, has been told. On his way back he met the messenger from Lü Pu, who presented the letter. Yüan-tê was quite content with the offer but his brothers were not inclined to trust Lü.

“Since he treats me kindly, I cannot but trust him,” replied Yüan-tê.

So he went back to Hsüchou. Lü Pu, fearing that Liu Pei might doubt his sincerity, restored his family and when the ladies, Kan and Mi, saw their lord they told him that they had been kindly treated and guarded by soldiers against any intrusion, and provisions had never been wanting.

“I knew he would not harm my family,” said Yüan-tê to Kuan and Chang.

However, they were not pleased and would not accompany their brother into the city when he went to express his thanks. They went to escort the two ladies to Hsiaopʻei.

At the interview Lü Pu said, “I did not wish to take the city, but your brother behaved very badly, drinking and flogging the soldiers, and I came to guard it lest some evil should befall.”

“But I had long wished to yield it to you,” said Yüan-tê.

Thereupon Lü Pu pretended to wish to retire in favour of Yüan-tê who, however, would not hear of it. He returned and took up his quarters in Hsiaop‘ei, but his two brothers would not take the situation kindly and were very discontented.

Said Yüan-tê, “One must bow to one’s lot. It is the will of Heaven and one cannot struggle against fate.”

Lü Pu sent presents of food and stuffs and peace reigned between the two houses.

But there is no need to write of this. As the story runs, Yüan Shu prepared a great banquet for his soldiers on the occasion of a victory gained by Sun Ts‘ê over Lu K‘ang, the Prefect of Luchiang. Yüan Shu summoned the victor, who made obeisance at the foot of the hall of audience. Shu, sitting in State, asked for details of the campaign and then invited Sun Ts‘ê to the banquet.

After the unhappy death of his father Sun Ts‘ê had returned to Chiangnan, where he had devoted himself to peaceful ends, inviting to his side good men and able scholars. Afterwards when a quarrel broke out between his mother’s uncle, the Prefect of Tanyang, and T‘ao Ch‘ien, he removed his mother with all the family to Ch‘üa, he himself taking service under Yüan Shu, who admired and loved him greatly.

“If I had a son like him,” said Shu, “I should die without regret.”

He employed Sun Ts‘ê as a soldier and sent him on various expeditions, all of which were successful. After this banquet