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ive。〃
〃How highly does our Prince regard this fellow Guan Yu！〃 said Pang De to his officers when he heard this new mand。 〃But I think I shall be able to take the keen edge off his thirty…year reputation。〃
〃The mand of the Prince is to be obeyed；〃 said Yu Jin。
Pang De hastened to Fancheng in all the pomp and panoply of war； his gongs clanging； his drums rolling as he marched。
Guan Yu was sitting in his tent when his spies came to report： 〃Seven armies of the north under Yu Jin are approaching。 They are ten miles away。 The Van Leader is Pang De； who brings with him a coffin。 As he marches； he slanders you； General； and vows to fight a decisive battle with you。〃
Rage took possession of Guan Yu。 His face changed color； his beard shook； and he roared out； 〃There is never a fighting man in all the world who has heard my name without trembling。 Does this fellow dare disdain me？〃
Then he ordered Guan Ping to attack Fancheng while he went out to stay the impudent boaster who dared him。
〃Father；〃 said Guan Ping； 〃Taishan Mountain in its majesty does not quarrel with a pebble。 Let me go and fight this Pang De。〃
〃Well； my son； go and try。 I will support you。〃
So Guan Ping took his sword； mounted his steed； and went out with his troops。 Both sides being drawn up for battle。 On the side of Wei there flew a single black flag on which was inscribed Pang De； Corrector of the West in white。 The leader himself wore a blue robe with a silver helmet and rode a white charger。 He stood out in front backed by his five hundred veterans； and a few foot soldiers were there too； bearing the gruesome coffin。
Guan Ping was very angry； crying out； 〃Turncoat！ Traitor！〃
〃Who is that？〃 asked Pang De of his followers。
A certain one replied； 〃That is Guan Yu's adopted son； Guan Ping。〃
Pang De cried； 〃I have an edict from the Prince of Wei to take your father's head。 You are but a weakling； and I will spare you。 But call your father！〃
Guan Ping dashed forward flourishing his sword。 Pang De went to meet him； and there followed thirty odd bouts with no advantage to either。
Both sides then drew off to rest。 Soon the news of this bat reached Guan Yu； and he was not pleased。 He sent Liao Hua to assault the city while he went to do battle with Pang De。 Guan Ping met his father and related the story of the indecisive fight。
So Guan Yu rode out with his green…dragon saber ready； and he shouted to Pang De； 〃e quickly and be slain！〃
The drums reechoed as Pang De rode out and replied； 〃The edict from the Prince of Wei tells me to take your head。 In case you disbelieve it； here is the coffin ready to receive it。 If you fear death； down from your horse and surrender！〃
〃I hold you for a simple fool；〃 cried Guan Yu。 〃What can you do？ It is a pity to stain my blade with the blood of such a rat。〃
Then he galloped Red Hare out toward Pang De； flourishing the saber。 Pang De whirled his blade and came to meet him； and they two fought a hundred bouts。 And as they fought； the lust of battle seemed to grow and both armies were lost in amazement。
But the army of Wei began to fear for their champion； and the gongs sounded the retirement。 At the same time Guan Ping began to think of his father's fatigue； and his gongs clanged too。 So that both armies drew off at the same time。
〃People rumor Guan Yu is a mighty man of war。 Today I really believe that；〃 said Pang De； when he had got back among his own line。
Then his chief； Yu Jin； came to see him and said； 〃O General； you fought the great bat of a hundred bouts； which ended indecisively。 I think it would be prudent to retire out of his way； and therefore blunting his spirit。〃
But Pang De replied haughtily； 〃What makes you so soft？ Yet the Prince gave you the mand of the seven armies！ But tomorrow I will fight again and that to the death。 I swear I will never give way。〃
Yu Jin could not overe Pang De's decision； so he went back to his own camp。
When Guan Yu had got back to his camp； he extolled Pang De； saying； 〃His swordsmanship is perfect。 He is my worthy enemy。〃
〃The new…born calf fears not the tiger；〃 said Guan Ping。 〃But if you slay this fellow； my father； you have only killed a mon soldier of the Qiang tribes beyond the frontier。 If any accident occurs； then you will have the reproach of not having considered your brother's charge。〃
〃How can my resentment be assuaged save by the death of this man？〃 returned Guan Yu。 〃I have decided to fight； so say no more。〃
Next day Guan Yu took the field first； and Pang De quickly came out。 Both arrayed their troops and then went to the front at the same moment。 This time neither spoke； but the bat began forthwith。 It went on for fifty bouts； and then Pang De pulled his horse； sheathed his sword； and fled。 Guan Yu went in pursuit； and Guan Ping followed lest there should be need of him。
Guan Yu roared out reviling to his flying foe； 〃Traitor！ You want to use the 'swinging…horse stab'； but here I am； never afraid of that。〃
But the fact was that Pang De had only pretended to try for a foul stroke in order to cover a resort to his bow。 He pulled in his horse； fitted an arrow to the string； and was just on the point of shooting when Guan Ping； who was sharp…eyed； shouted out a warning。
〃The bandit is going to shoot！〃
Guan Yu saw it； but the bowstring twanged； and the arrow came flying。 He was not nimble enough to avoid it； and it wounded his left arm。 Guan Ping at once went to his father's assistance and led him away to the camp。 Pang De wished to follow up this advantage and came back whirling his sword； but； ere he could strike； the gongs of his own side rang out。 He thought there was something amiss in the rear and stopped。
The signal for retreat had been sounded by Yu Jin out of jealousy； for he had seen that Guan Yu had been wounded； and he grudged his colleague the glory which would eclipse his own。 Pang De obeyed； but when he got back； he wanted to know why retreat had been sounded on the very verge of a great success。
〃Why did the gongs clang？〃 asked Pang De。
〃Because of our Prince's warning。 Though Guan Yu was wounded； I feared some trick on his part。 He is very cunning。〃
〃I should have killed him if you had not done that；〃 said Pang De。
〃Haste makes slow going。 You can postpone your fight with him；〃 said Yu Jin。
Pang De； though ignorant of the real reason why he was made to miss success at the critical moment； was still very vexed。
Guan Yu went back to camp； and the arrow…head was puled out of the wound。 Happily it had not penetrated very deeply； and the usual remedies against injuries by metal were applied。
Guan Yu was very bitter against his enemy and declared； 〃I swear I will have my revenge for this arrow。〃
〃Never mind anything but recovering now；〃 said his officers。 〃Rest and get well； then you may fight again。
Before long； Pang De renewed his challenge； and Guan Yu was for going out to fight； however； he yielded to the entreaties of his officers。 And when Pang De set his soldiers to reviling the warrior； Guan Ping saw to it that his father never heard it。 After ten days of challenges hurled uselessly at an army that ignored them； Pang De took council with Yu Jin。
〃Evidently Guan Yu is helpless from the effects of that arrow…wound。 We ought to advance all our seven armies against him while he is ill and destroy his camp。 Thereby we shall relieve Fancheng。〃
Thus spoke Pang De； but jealousy of the glory that might accrue to his next in mand again made Yu Jin urge caution and obedience to the mand of the Prince of Wei。 Yu Jin refused to move his army in spite of Pang De's repeated persuasion。 Still more； Yu Jin led the armies to a new camping ground behind the hills some three miles north of Fancheng。 There his own army prevented munication by the main road； while he sent Pang De into a valley in the rear so that Pang De could do nothing。
To Guan Ping's great joy； Guan Yu's wound soon healed。 Soon after they heard of Yu Jin's new camp； and as Guan Ping could assign no reason for the change； and suspected some ruse； he told his father； who went up to a high place to reconnoiter。
Looking round； Guan Yu noted that there seemed much slackness about everything………from flags to soldiers………in Fancheng； that the relief armies were camped in a valley to the north； and that River Xiang seemed to run very swiftly。 After impressing the topography on his mind； he called the guides and asked the name of the gully about three miles north of the city。
〃Zengkou Stream；〃 was the reply。
He chuckled。
〃I shall capture Yu Jin；〃 said he。
Those with him asked how he knew that。
He replied； 〃Why； how can any fish last long in such a trap？〃
Those in his train gave but little weight to what he said； and presently he went back to his own tent。 It was just then the time for the autumn rains； and a heavy downpour came on； lasting several days。 Orders were given to get ready boats and rafts and such things。 Guan Ping could not think what such preparations meant in a dry land campaign。 So he asked his father。
〃Do you not know even？〃 replied his father。 〃Our enemies have camped in difficult ground instead of the open country and are crowded in the dangerous valley there。 After some days of this rain； River Xiang will swell； and I shall send people to dam up all the outlets and so let th