Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/217



s was stated before, Kao Shun and Chang Liao together went to smite Kuan Yü, while Lü Pu attacked the younger brother’s camp. Both brothers went out to give battle, while Liu Pei’s force was held in reserve. Lü Pu attacked from the rear and the brothers were forced to flee. Liu Pei with a few score horsemen rushed back to P‘eich‘êng. As he approached the gate with Lü Pu pressing him close, he shouted to the soldiers on the wall to lower the drawbridge. Lü Pu was so close behind that the archers on the wall feared to shoot lest they should wound their lord and so Lü Pu got into the gate. The gate guards could not force him back so they scattered in all directions. Lü Pu led his force into the city.

Liu Yüan-tê saw the position was too desperate for him to reach his residence and he must abandon all his family. So he hastened through the city and left by the west gate out at which he and his scanty following fled for very life.

When Lü Pu reached the residence he was met by Mi Chu who said, “The hero does not destroy a man’s wife. Your rival for the Empire is Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, and my master, always mindful of the good turn you did him at your gate, would not be ungrateful. But he could not help going to Ts‘ao Ts‘ao and I think you will pity him.”

Lü Pu replied, “We two are old friends; how could I bear to harm his wife and children?”

Whereupon he sent the family to Hsüchou with Mi Chu to take care of them. Next Lü led his army into Shantung to Yenchou, leaving Kao Shun and Chang Liao to guard Hsiaop‘ei.

During these troubles Sun Ch‘ien had also fled out of the city and the two brothers, each with a handful of men, had got away to the hills. As Liu Pei with his few horsemen was making the best of their way from the scene of his defeat he heard some one coming up behind him. When he got closer the person proved to be Sun Ch‘ien.

“Alas! I know not the fate of my brothers, whether they be alive or dead, and my wife and children are lost to me! What can I do?” said Liu Pei.

Sun replied, “I see nothing better than getting away to Ts‘ao Ts‘ao, whence we may be able to plan our future moves.”