en Cao Cao descended upon my country； and everyone counseled me to yield； he advised me to summon my good Zhou Yu to oppose and smite Cao Cao。 That was the second instance of his keen insight。 He made only one fault： He advised me to let Liu Bei occupy Jingzhou。 Now today my good Lu Meng has succeeded； and in that he far surpasses both his predecessors。〃
Then Sun Quan filled a goblet and in person presented it to the guest of the evening。 Lu Meng took the cup； but as he raised it； a sudden change came over him。
Dashing the cup to the ground； Lu Meng seized Sun Quan； crying； 〃O green…eyed boy！ O purple…bearded rat！ Do you know me？〃
Consternation seized the whole assembly； but many rushed to the rescue of their lord； who had been thrown to the floor by the guest he had so lately plimented。 Rushing forward over Sun Quan's body； Lu Meng sat himself in the host's seat； his eyebrows staring stiff and his eyes glaring。
〃After I quelled the Yellow Scarves； I went hither and thither for thirty years。 Now I have fallen victim to your base plots； and you have overe me。 Living； I have been unable to gorge upon the flesh of my enemy； dead； I will pursue the spirit of this bandit Lu Meng。 I am the Lord of Hanshou； Guan Yu！〃
Terror…stricken； Sun Quan was the first to fall prostrate； and all his officers followed him。
Thereupon Lu Meng fell over dead； with blood gushing from the seven orifices of his body。
In due time the body was coffined and interred。 Lu Meng was created posthumously Governor of Nanjun and Lord of Chanling。 His son； Lu Ba； was given hereditary nobility。
After this visitation Sun Quan lived in constant terror。 Soon Zhang Zhao came in from Jianye to see him and blame him for the murder。
〃My lord； by the slaughter of Guan Yu you have brought misfortune very near to this state。 You know the oath sworn in the Peach Garden。 Now Liu Bei has the force of the two River Lands at his back； Zhuge Liang as adviser； and those heroes Zhang Fei； Zhao Yun； Huang Zhong； and Ma Chao to carry out his behests。 When Liu Bei hears of the death of both father and son； he will set in motion the whole force he has to avenge them； and I fear you cannot stand such an onslaught。〃
Sun Quan started up in a fright。
〃Yes； I have made a little mistake；〃 said he。 〃But seeing it is so； what shall I do？〃
〃You need have no fear；〃 replied Zhang Zhao。 〃I have a plan to fend off the armies of the west from our borders and keep Jingzhou quite safe。〃
〃What is your plan？〃 asked Sun Quan。
〃Cao Cao with his many legions is greedily aiming at the whole empire。 If Liu Bei wants revenge； he will ally himself with Cao Cao； and； should they bine against the South Land； we should be in great danger。 Therefore I advise you to send Guan Yu's head to Cao Cao to make it appear that Cao Cao was the prime cause of his destruction。 This should divert Liu Bei's extreme hatred toward Cao Cao and send the armies of Shu against Wei instead of toward Wu。 After carefully considering the whole matter； I counsel this as the best course of action。〃
Sun Quan thought the move worth making； and so the head of the great warrior was placed in a box and sent off as quickly as possible to Cao Cao。
At this time Cao Cao's army had marched back from Mopo to Luoyang。 When he heard of the ing of the gruesome gift； he was glad at heart。
Said he； 〃So Guan Yu is dead。 Now I can stick to my mat and sleep soundly at night。〃
But Sima Yi saw through the ruse and said from his place by the steps； 〃This is a trick to divert evil from Wu。〃
〃What do you mean？ How？〃 said Cao Cao。
〃The Peach Garden Oath bound the three brothers to live and die together。 Now Wu is fearful of revenge for the execution of one of the three and sends the head to you to cause Liu Bei's wrath to fasten on you； O Prince。 Sun Quan wishes Liu Bei to attack you instead of himself； the real perpetrator of the crime。 Then he will find a way of acplishing his ends while you two are quarreling。〃
〃You are right； friend；〃 said Cao Cao。 〃And now how can we escape？〃
〃I think escape is easy。 You have the head of Guan Yu。 Make a wooden image of the remainder of the body； and bury the whole with the rites suitable to a minister of state。 When Liu Bei hears of this； he will turn his hate toward Sun Quan and raise all his forces to attack him。 If you will think it out； you will see that whichever is victor the other will be smitten； and if we get one of the two； the other will follow before very long。〃
Cao Cao was pleased with the solution。 Then he ordered the messenger to e in with the box； which was opened； and he looked upon the face of the dead。 The features had not changed； the face bore the same appearance as of old。 Cao Cao smiled。
〃I hope you have been well since our last meeting； Guan Yu；〃 said Cao Cao。
To his horror； the mouth opened； the eyes rolled； and the long beard and hair stiffened。 Cao Cao fell to the ground in a swoon。
They rushed to him； but it was a long time before he recovered consciousness。
〃General Guan Yu is indeed a spirit；〃 he said。
The messenger who had brought the dead warrior's head told the story of Guan Yu cursing and reviling Sun Quan； and of what had befallen Lu Meng。
Cao Cao； filled with dread； prepared sacrifices and performed the rites for the honored dead。 An effigy was carved out of heavy fragrant wood and buried outside the south gate with all the rites of a princely noble； a huge concourse of officials of all grades following in the procession。 At the funeral Cao Cao himself bowed before the coffin and poured a libation。 He also conferred on the dead the posthumous title of Prince of Jingzhou； and appointed guardians of the tomb。 The messenger was sent back to Wu。
Now the spirit of Guan Yu did not dissipate into space； but wandered through the void till it came to a certain spot in Dangyang on a famous hill known as the Mount of the Jade Spring。 There lived a venerable Buddhist priest whose name in the faith was Transverse Peace。 He was originally of the State Guardian Temple in the River Si Pass and abbot of that temple。 In the course of roaming about the world； he had reached this place。 Entranced with its natural beauty； he had built himself a shelter of boughs and grass； where he sat in meditation on the 〃Way〃。 He had a novice with him to beg food and to attend to his simple wants。
This night； about the third watch； the moon was bright and the air serene。 Transverse Peace sat in his usual attitude in the silence of the mountains。
Suddenly he heard a great voice calling in the upper air； 〃Give back my head！ Give back my head！〃
Gazing upward Transverse Peace saw the shape of a man mounted on a red horse。 In the hand was a shining blade like unto the green…dragon saber。 Two military figures were with him； one on either side。 He on the left had a white face； he on the right was swarthy of countenance with a curly beard。 And they followed the figure with the shining blade。 They floated along on a cloud which came to rest on the summit of the mountain。
The recluse recognized the figure as that of Guan Yu； so with his yak's tail flagellum he smote the lintel of his hut and cried； 〃Where is Guan Yu？〃
The spirit understood； and the figure dismounted； glided down； and came to rest at the door of the hut。
Interlacing its fingers； it stood in a reverential attitude and said； 〃Who is my teacher； and what is his name in the faith？〃
〃In the State Guardian Temple in River Si Pass； I once saw you； O Noble Sir； and I was not likely to forget your face；〃 replied the priest。
〃I am deeply grateful for the help you gave me。 Misfortune has befallen me； and I have ceased to live。 I would seek the pure instruction and beg you to indicate the obscure way。〃
〃Let us not discuss former wrongdoings nor present correct actions。 Later events are the inevitable result of former causes。 I know that Lu Meng has injured you。 You call aloud for the return of your head。 But who will also return the heads of your several victims………Yan Liang； Wen Chou； and the manders of the five passes？〃
Thereupon Guan Yu seemed suddenly to prehend； bowed in token of assent； and disappeared。 After this appearance to the recluse； his spirit wandered hither and thither about the mountain； manifesting its sacred character and guarding the people。
Impressed by his virtue； the inhabitants built a temple on the Mount of the Jade Spring； wherein they sacrificed at the four seasons。 In later days； one wrote a couplet for the temple； the first member reading：
〃Ruddy faced； reflecting the honest heart within； out…riding the wind on the Red Hare steed； mindful of the Red Emperor；〃
〃In the light of clear lamp； reading the histories； resting on the Green…Dragon saber curved as the young moon； heart pure as the azure heaven。〃
Meanwhile in Shu； having conquered East River Land； the Prince of Hanzhong returned to his capital Chengdu。
Fa Zheng memorialized； saying； 〃O Prince； thy consorts has passed away； and the Lady Sun has returned to her maiden home； perhaps never to e again。 Human relations should not be set at nought； wherefore another consort should be sought； so that all things may be correctly ordered within the Palace。〃
The Prince having signified his acceptance of the principle； Fa Zheng continued； 〃There is the sister of Wu Yi； ely and