Read The Three Kingdoms, Volume 3: Welcome the Tiger: The Epic Chinese Tale of Loyalty and War in a Dynamic New Translation for Free Online Page A

defense. Here Guan Yu discussed the situation with his men. Zhao Lei proposed seeking assistance from the nearby city of Shangyong, which was guarded by Liu Feng, Liu Bei’s adopted son, and Meng Da. There, they could recover from their present difficulty and wait until the army came from their homeland.
    But even as they were discussing this the army of Wu came up and laid siege to the small city.
    “Who will break through to get help from Shangyong?” asked Guan Yu.
    “I will,” volunteered Liao Hua.
    “And I will escort you past the danger zone,” said Guan Ping.
    Guan Yu wrote a letter, which Liao Hua concealed next to his skin, and after a full meal, he rode out of the gate. Ding Feng at once tried to stop him, but Guan Ping fought vigorously and drove him away. So Liao Hua was able to break through the siege, and Guan Ping returned to the city. Then they barred the gates and did not venture out again.
    Now let us turn to Liu Feng and Meng Da in Shangyong. After capturing the city the two had remained to guard it, and the former prefect, Sun Dan by name, had surrendered. Liu Feng had been created an assistant general, with Meng Da to aid him. When they heard of Guan Yu’s defeat, they sought counsel with each other. Then Liao Hua came and he was admitted into the city.
    Liao Hua said, “General Guan is besieged in Maicheng. As help from the west will be a long time in coming, I have been sent to beg you for assistance. I earnestly hope you will set out with your troops to Maicheng as quickly as possible, for any delay will be fatal to the general.”
    Liu Feng replied: “Sir, go and rest awhile till we can decide.”
    So Liao Hua went to the guesthouse, where he waited anxiously for them to lend help while the two leaders talked over the matter.
    Liu Feng said, “My uncle is in a quandry—what is to be done?”
    “Wu is very powerful,” replied his colleague. “Now they have control over the whole region, save this small crumb of a place, Maicheng. What is worse, Cao Cao is close by with about half a million men. We have no hope to stand against the two mighty armies with our meager force of mountain people. We must be careful.”
    “I know all this. But Guan Yu is my uncle, and I can’t bear to sit still and not try to save him.”
    “So you hold him as an uncle!” said Meng Da with a sneer. “Yet I don’t think he holds you much as a nephew. I hear he was annoyed when the Prince of Hanzhong first adopted you. And after your father acquired his new status and was going to nominate his heir, I was told he consulted Zhuge Liang, who said the affair was one to be decided within the family and declined to advise. Then the prince sent someone to ask Guan Yu for advice. Did he name you? Not at all. He was opposed to you on the grounds that you were a son by adoption and could have no place in the succession. Furthermore, he urged the prince to send you here to this distant mountain city lest you might cause trouble. This is common knowledge, and I’m surprised that you are ignorant of it. Yet today you make such a big deal out of his being your uncle and are even willing to run a great risk to support him.”
    “Granted that what you say is true, still what reply can we give?”
    “Simply say that this city is only recently taken and quite unsettled, so you dare not move lest it be lost.”
    Liu Feng took his colleague’s view, sent for the messenger and told him so. Liao Hua was greatly shocked to hear this. He threw himself on the ground and bowed his head, imploring them to help.
    “If so, the general will die,” he cried.
    “Even if we go, how can a cup of water extinguish a wagon load of blazing firewood?” said Meng Da. “Hasten back and await patiently for help from the west.”
    Liao Hua renewed his entreaty with a flood of tears but the two were unmoved. They simply rose, shook out their sleeves, and went inside. Knowing that his efforts were futile, Liao Hua thought the only way out was