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“The brigand! If I cannot slay him while I live, I will after I am dead. My hate shall not go unappeased.” He roughly dismissed the messenger, who went out and was at once surrounded by those whose families were in the city and who desired to have news of them. And when he gave them the letters and messages and told them all were well, there was great rejoicing among the men in the camp, and kindly feelings for Lu Meng prevailed. And therewith died down the spirit of fighting.

Guan Yu led the army to attack Jingzhou, but day by day the men deserted and ran away to the very city they were moving to attack. So day by day Guan Yu's bitterness and anger increased, and he advanced in angry haste. One day there was a great shouting and the noise of drums, and he found his way blocked.

“Why do you not surrender, friend Guan Yu?” said the leader of this body, Jiang Qin.

“Could I give in to a rebel; I, a servant of the Hans and a leader of their army?” roared Guan Yu in a passion.

Thereupon he whipped his horse forward and swung up his sword to strike. However, Jiang Qin would not fight. The two exchanged a few blows, and Jiang Qin fled. Guan Yu followed. When he had gone a long way, there suddenly appeared from a gully near him Han Dang, while Zhou Tai came out from the other side. Thereupon Jiang Qin wheeled round and once more came to do battle, so that three forces were opposed to Guan Yu. Unable to withstand these, he retreated.

Before he had gone very far, he saw signs of many people bivouacking among the hills, and presently made out, on a huge white banner that flapped in the breeze, the words “Natives of Jingzhou”, and the people about were calling out, “All the inhabitants of this place have surrendered.”

Guan Yu felt like rushing up and cutting these people to pieces, but just then two other cohorts appeared led by Ding Feng and Xu Sheng, who supported Jiang Qin. The three bodies of troops then set on with shouting and loud beating of drums that seemed to make the very earth tremble. And Guan Yu was like the kernel in a nut, quite surrounded.

This was not all. He saw the number of his followers diminishing every moment. He fought on till dusk, and looking about him he saw all the hills crowded with Jingzhou folks and heard them calling brother for brother and son for father, till his soldiers' hearts had melted within them. One by one they ran to their relatives, heedless of their leader and his voice. Presently he had but three hundred left, but with them he kept up the battle till the third watch. Then there was another shouting in another note, for his leaders, Guan Ping, his son, and Liao Hua, came to his help. And they rescued him.

“The soldiers' hearts are all melted,” said Guan Ping. “We must find some place wherein to camp till help can arrive. There is Maicheng, small, but sufficient; let us camp there.”

Guan Yu consented, and the exhausted army hurried thither as quickly as they could.

The small force was divided among the four gates to guard.

Zhao Lei said, “This place is near Shangyong where Meng Da and Liu Feng station. We should send for their help. If their army marches to our relief until the grand army of Shu comes, the morale of our army will improve.”

But disappointments dogged them. Very soon the army of Wu came up and laid siege to the city.

“Who will try to break through and go away to Shangyong for assistance?” asked Guan Yu. “I will go,” said Liao Hua.

“And I will escort you past the danger zone,” said Guan Ping.

Guan Yu wrote his letter, which Liao Hua concealed next his skin, and having eaten a full meal, he rode out at the gate. The leader of the enemy, Ding Feng, tried to check him, but Guan Ping fought vigorously and drove him away. So Liao Hua escaped the siege and reached Shangyong, while Guan Ping returned. Then they barred the gates and hold their defense.

Now, having captured Shangyong, Liu Feng and Meng Da had remained to guard it. Liu Feng had been created Governor General, and together with Meng Da, to defend that city. When they heard of the defeat of Guan Yu, they took counsel what to do. When Liao Hua came, he was admitted into the city. He told the tale of Guan Yu's straits, and asked for help.

“Guan Yu is closely besieged in Maicheng. Help from the west will be a long time in coming, so I have been sent to beg your assistance. I hope you will march the Shangyong troops thither as quickly as possible, for any delay will be fatal.”

Liu Feng replied, “Sir, go to the rest-house for a time till we can decide.”

So Liao Hua went, and the two leaders talked over the matter.

Liu Feng said, “This is bad news; what is to be done?”

“Wu is very powerful,” replied his colleague. “Now they have control over the whole region of Jingzhou, save this small clod of earth called Maicheng. Cao Cao is at hand with five hundred thousand troops, and we cannot stand against the two mighty forces. I say we must not move.”