“Let me take a certain man with me, and I will defend it myself and answer for its safety.”

“Who is he?” asked Liu Bei.

“He was formerly an officer under Liu Biao. His name is Huo Jun, and he is a native of Nanjun in the south.”

This offer was accepted, and the two generals departed.

After the council, when Pang Tong returned to his lodging, the doorkeeper told him that a visitor had arrived. When Pang Tong went out to receive him, he saw a huge tall fellow eight cubits in stature and of noble countenance. His hair had been cut short and hung upon his neck. He was poorly dressed.

“Who may you be, Master?” asked Pang Tong.

The visitor made no reply, but went at once straight up the room and lay upon the couch. Pang Tong felt very suspicious of the man and repeated his question.

Pressed again, the visitor said, “Do let me rest a little; then I will talk with you about everything in the world.”

This answer only added to the mystery and increased the host's suspicion, but he had wine and food brought in, of which the guest partook ravenously. Having eaten, he lay down and fell asleep.

Pang Tong wag greatly puzzled and thought the man must be a spy. He sent for Fa Zheng, met him in the courtyard, and told him about the strange visitor.

“Surely it can be no other than Peng Yang,” said Fa Zheng.

Fa Zheng went inside and looked. Immediately the visitor jumped up, saying, “I hope you have been well since we parted last!”

Because two old friends meet again,

A river's fatal flood is checked.

The next chapter will explain who the stranger was.

CHAPTER 63. Zhuge Liang Mourns For Pang Tong; Zhang Fei Releases Yan Yan.

Fa Zheng and the new comer met with every sign of joy, clapping their hands and laughing with pleasure.

“This is Peng Yang of Guanghan, one of our heroes. His blunt speech, however, offended Imperial Protector Liu Zhang, who put him to shame by shaving his head, loading him with fetters, and forcing him into a monastery. That is why his hair is short.”

The introduction made, Pang Tong treated the stranger with all the courtesy due to a guest and asked why he had come.

“To save a myriad of your soldiers' lives. I will explain fully when I see General Liu Bei.”

A message was sent to Liu Bei, who came over to see the visitor.

“How many troops have you, General?” asked Peng Yang, when Liu Bei arrived.

Liu Bei told him.

“As a leader you cannot be ignorant of the lie of the land. Your camps over there are on River Fu; if the river be diverted and the enemy hold your army in front and rear, not a soul can escape.”

Liu Bei realized that this was true.

Peng Yang continued, “In the heaven, the bowl of the Dipper lies toward the west, and Venus stands over against us. The aspect is ominous of evil, and some misfortune threatens. It must be warded off.”

Liu Bei offered Peng Yang an appointment as an adviser. Then he sent messages to the generals at the camps telling them to keep most vigilant look-out to guard against the cutting of the river bank. When this message came, Huang Zhong and Wei Yan agreed together to take duty day and night about and maintain the strict watch necessary in the presence of an enemy near at hand. They arranged means of communication in case either met with a body of the enemy.

One very stormy night, Ling Bao ventured out with a strong reconnoitering party and went along the river bank to seek a suitable place for the breach. But a sudden shouting in his rear told him that the army of Jingzhou were on the alert, and he at once retired. Wei Yan came in pursuit and, as he pressed nearer, Ling Bao's troops hurried forward, trampling each other down in their haste. Suddenly Ling Bao and Wei Yan ran against each other, and they engaged. The fight was very short, for Wei Yan soon took his opponent prisoner. Wu Lan and Lei Tong who came to Ling Bao's rescue were easily beaten off, and Ling Bao was carried away. When Wei Yan reached the Pass, Liu Bei saw Ling Bao and greatly blamed him for his base ingratitude.

“I treated you generously and set you free; you repaid me with ingratitude. I cannot forgive again.”

So the prisoner was beheaded, and his captor was rewarded. A banquet was given in honor of Peng Yang.

Soon after this came a letter from Zhuge Liang, by the hand of Ma Liang, who reported all calm in Jingzhou and told Liu Bei that he need feel no anxiety. Opening the letter, Liu Bei read:

“I have been making some astrological calculations. This is the last year of the cycle, the bowl of the Dipper is in the