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“If you allow your pity to overcome your judgment, then misfortune is very near,” said Jian Yong.

Thus spoke Jian Yong to his lord, who then asked what place was near.

His people replied, “Dangyang is quite close, and there is a very famous mountain near it called Prospect Mountain.” Then Liu Bei bade them lead the way thither.

The season was late autumn, just changing to winter, and the icy wind penetrated to the very bones. As evening fell, long-drawn howls of misery were heard on every side. At the middle of the fourth watch, two hours after midnight, they heard a rumbling sound in the northwest. Liu Bei halted and placed himself at the head of his own guard of two thousand soldiers to meet whatever might come. Presently Cao Cao's men appeared and made fierce onslaught. Defense was impossible, though Liu Bei fought desperately. By good fortune just at the crisis Zhang Fei came up, cut an arterial alley through, rescued his brother, and got him away to the east. Presently they were stopped by Wen Ping.

“Turncoat! Can you still look humans in the face?” cried Liu Bei.

Wen Ping was overwhelmed with shame and led his troops away. Zhang Fei, now fighting, protected his brother till dawn.

By that time Liu Bei had got beyond the sound of battle and there was time to rest. Only a few of his followers had been able to keep near him. He knew nothing of the fate of his officers or the people. He lifted up his voice in lamentation, saying, “Myriads of living souls are suffering from love of me, and my officers and my loved ones are lost. One would be a graven image not to weep at such loss.”

Still plunged in sadness, presently he saw hurrying toward him Mi Fang, with an enemy's arrow still sticking in his face. He exclaimed, “Zhao Yun has gone over to Cao Cao!”

Liu Bei angrily bade him be silent, crying, “Do you think I can believe that of my old friend?”

“Perhaps he has gone over,” said Zhang Fei. “He must see that we are nearly lost and there are riches and honors on the other side.”

“He has followed me faithfully through all my misfortunes. His heart is firm as a rock. No riches or honors would move him,” said Liu Bei.

“I saw him go away northwest,” said Mi Fang.

“Wait till I meet him,” said Zhang Fei. “If I run against him, I will kill him!”

“Beware how you doubt him,” said Liu Bei. “Have you forgotten the circumstances under which your brother Guan Yu had to slay Cai Yang to ease your doubts of him? Zhao Yun's absence is due to good reason wherever he has gone, and he would never abandon me.”

But Zhang Fei was not convinced. Then he, with a score of his men, rode to the Long Slope Bridge. Seeing a wood near the bridge, an idea suddenly struck him. He bade his followers cut branches from the trees, tie them to the tails of the horses, and ride to and fro so as to raise a great dust as though an army were concealed in the wood. He himself took up his station on the bridge facing the west with spear set ready for action. So he kept watch.

Now Zhao Yun, after fighting with the enemy from the fourth watch till daylight, could see no sign of his lord and, moreover, had lost his lord's family. He thought bitterly within himself, “My master confided to me his family and the child lord Liu Shan; and I have lost them. How can I look him in the face? I can only go now and fight to the death. Whatever happen, I must go to seek the women and my lord's son.”

Turning about he found he had but some forty followers left. He rode quickly to and fro among the scattered soldiers seeking the lost women. The lamentations of the people about him were enough to make heaven and earth weep. Some had been wounded by arrows, others by spears; they had thrown away their children, abandoned their wives, and were flying they knew not whither in crowds.

Presently Zhao Yun saw a man lying in the grass and recognized him as Jian Yong.

“Have you seen the two mothers?” cried he.

Jian Yong replied, “They left their carriage and ran away taking the child lord Liu Shan in their arms. I followed but on the slope of the hill I was wounded and fell from my horse. The horse was stolen. I could fight no longer and I lay down here.”

Zhao Yun put his colleague on the horse of one of his followers, told off two soldiers to support Jian Yong, and bade Jian Yong ride to their lord and tell him of the loss.

“Say,” said Zhao Yun, “that I will seek the lost ones in heaven or hell, through good or evil; and if I find them not, I will die in the desert.”

Then Zhao Yun rode off toward the Long Slope Bridge. As he went a voice called out, “General Zhao Yun, where are you going?”

“Who are you?” said Zhao Yun, pulling up.

“One of the Princely One's carriage guards. I am wounded.”

“Do you know anything of the two ladies?”

“Not very long ago I saw the Lady Gan go south with a party of other women. Her hair was down and she was barefooted”