"Then it is my brother, and he is really with Cao Cao," said Liu Bei, secretly thanking God that Guan Yu was safe. Liu Bei made an attempt to wait about till he could call to Guan Yu, but a
great mass of Cao Cao's soldiers came rushing down, and he was forced to retire. Yuan Shao, bringing reinforcements, reached Guandu and built a stockade. Two advisers, Guo Tu and Shen Pei, went in to see him and said, "Again that fellow Guan Yu has been in the battle. He killed Wen Chou. Liu Bei pretends ignorance of him." Their master was angry and railed at Liu Bei, "The long-eared rebel! How dare he do such a thing?" Soon Liu Bei appeared. Again Yuan Shao ordered him out to instant execution. "What crime have I committed?" asked Liu Bei.
"You sent your brother to slay one of my generals. Is that no crime?" "Pray let me explain before I die. Cao Cao hated me and has always done so. Now he has found out where I am
and, fearing that I may help you, has got my brother to destroy your two
generals, feeling sure that when you heard of it, you would be angry and
put me to death. You cannot fail to see this." "What he says is sense," said Yuan Shao, turning to his advisers, "and you two nearly brought on me the reproach of injuring the good." Yuan Shao ordered his attendants to retire and asked Liu Bei to come and sit
by him.
Liu Bei came, saying, "I am deeply thankful, Illustrious Sir, for
your great kindness, for which I can never be sufficiently grateful. Now I desire to send some confidential messenger with a secret letter to
my brother to tell him where I am, and I am sure he will come without a
moment's delay.He will help you to destroy Cao Cao to make up for having
destroyed your two officers. Do you approve of this?" "If I got Guan Yu, he would be ten times better than the Yan Liang and Wen Chou that I have lost," replied Yuan Shao.
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