Pang De Takes His Coffin To The Field;
Guan Yu Drowns The Seven Armies.

The bold and self-confident leader of Cao Cao's army who promised to make an end of Guan Yu was Pang De. Cao Cao was glad to find such a man.

"That fellow Guan Yu has a great reputation, and in the whole empire he has no rival. He has not met his match yet, but now you are going, he will find all his work cut out."

So spoke Cao Cao. He conferred on Yu Jin the title of General Who Corrects the South and on Pang De that of General Who Corrects the West, and he made Pang De Leader of the Van. The two generals marched out with their seven armies to Fancheng.

These seven armies were composed of sturdy fellows from the north, led by two of their own Marching Commanders named Dong Heng and Dong Chao. Hearing who was to command them, these two, supported by their generals, went to see Yu Jin and represented that the Leader of the Van was unsuitable.

Dong Heng said, "Sir General, the expedition you lead is for the relief of Fancheng, and it can confidently expect victory. But is it wise to place such as Pang De in command of the van?"

"Why?" said Yu Jin, surprised.

"Because Pang De was once under the command of Ma Chao. He had no alternative but to surrender and fight for Wei. But his former chief is now in high honor in Shu, one of the Five Tiger Generals, and his own brother Pang Rou is there, too, as an officer. To send Pang De as Leader of the Van just now seems like trying to extinguish a fire with oil. Would it not be well to inform the Prince of Wei and ask him to exchange this man for another?"

Without further argument or delay, Yu Jin went to see the Prince and laid before him the objections to Pang De's appointment. As soon as Cao Cao understood, he summoned Pang De to the steps and bade him yield his seal as Leader of the Van.

"O Prince, why do you reject my services? I was just about to do my best for you."

"I do not doubt you, but Ma Chao is now in the west, and your brother also---both in the service of Liu Bei. I myself have no doubts, but it is what all the crowd are saying. What can I do?"

Pang De took off his headdress and prostrated himself, bitter tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Since I surrendered to you, O Prince, I have experienced much kindness, so that I would undergo any sufferings to show my gratitude. I hope you will trust me. When my brother and I were at home together, his wife was a wicked woman, and I slew her while I was drunk. My brother has never forgiven me, but is permeated with hate for me. He swears never to see me again, and we are enemies. For my old master, Ma Chao, I have profound contempt. He is bold, but only that, and was in a pitiable and dejected state when he found his way to the west. Now, like me, he serves his own master, but our friendship is at an end. How could I think of another after your kindness to me?"

Cao Cao raised Pang De from the ground and soothed him, saying, "I have always known what a noble man you are, and what I said just now was to satisfy the feelings of other people. Now you can strive to win fame. If you do not turn your back on me, I shall not on you."

Then Pang De took his leave and returned to his house, where he ordered the artificers to make him a coffin. Next he invited all his friends to a banquet, and the coffin was set out in the reception room for all to see.

And they asked one another, "What can that inauspicious thing mean putting out on the eve of a campaign?"

By and by, drinking to them, Pang De said, "The Prince of Wei has been generous to me, and I am pledged to show my gratitude to the death. I am about to go out against this Guan Yu, and I have to kill him or he must kill me. If he does not kill me, I must commit suicide, and so I have prepared what is necessary. I will not return leaving my task unachieved."

The terrible omen saddened the guests, and they fell to sighing. Then Pang De called in his wife, Lady Li, and bade her bring their son Pang Hui, whom he commended to her care.

"I have been appointed Leader of the Van of this new expedition against Guan Yu, and my duty bids me seek death or glory on the battlefield. If I die, our son is in your special care. Alas, the child has been born ill-starred, and when he grows up he will have to avenge a father."

Both mother and son wept as they bade him farewell. When the army marched, the coffin was carried in its train.

Pang De bade his officers, saying, "I will fight to the end with Guan Yu. Place my body therein if I fall in combat. And if I slay him, then will I bring his head in this coffin as an offering to our Prince."

Then out spoke his five hundred veterans and said, "If you are like this, O General, then we also will follow you to the end."

The vanguard then marched away.

A certain man told the story of these happenings to Cao Cao, who was very pleased, saying, "I have no anxiety with such a general to lead my armies."

But Jia Xu said, "I am anxious for Pang De's safety. He is over-bold and imprudent to fight with Guan Yu to the death."

Cao Cao thought such an act would be unwise, and he hastily sent a messenger with an edict warning Pang De against his antagonist.

"This Guan Yu lacks neither cunning nor valor. You are to be most cautious in engaging him. If you can conquer, then conquer; but if there be any doubt, remain on the defensive."

"How highly does our Prince regard this fellow Guan Yu!" said Pang De to his officers when he heard this new command. "But I think I shall be able to take the keen edge off his thirty-year reputation."

"The command of the Prince is to be obeyed," said Yu Jin.

Pang De hastened to Fancheng in all the pomp and panoply of war, his gongs clanging, his drums rolling as he marched.

Guan Yu was sitting in his tent when his spies came to report: "Seven armies of the north under Yu Jin are approaching. They are ten miles away. The Van Leader is Pang De, who brings with him a coffin. As he marches, he slanders you, General, and vows to fight a decisive battle with you."

Rage took possession of Guan Yu. His face changed color, his beard shook, and he roared out, "There is never a fighting man in all the world who has heard my name without trembling. Does this fellow dare disdain me?"

Then he ordered Guan Ping to attack Fancheng while he went out to stay the impudent boaster who dared him.

"Father," said Guan Ping, "Taishan Mountain in its majesty does not quarrel with a pebble. Let me go and fight this Pang De."

"Well, my son, go and try. I will support you."

So Guan Ping took his sword, mounted his steed, and went out with his troops. Both sides being drawn up for battle. On the side of Wei there flew a single black flag on which was inscribed Pang De, Corrector of the West in white. The leader himself wore a blue robe with a silver helmet and rode a white charger. He stood out in front backed by his five hundred veterans, and a few foot soldiers were there too, bearing the gruesome coffin.

Guan Ping was very angry, crying out, "Turncoat! Traitor!"

"Who is that?" asked Pang De of his followers.

A certain one replied, "That is Guan Yu's adopted son, Guan Ping."

Pang De cried, "I have an edict from the Prince of Wei to take your father's head. You are but a weakling, and I will spare you. But call your father!"

Guan Ping dashed forward flourishing his sword. Pang De went to meet him, and there followed thirty odd bouts with no advantage to either.

Both sides then drew off to rest. Soon the news of this combat reached Guan Yu, and he was not pleased. He sent Liao Hua to assault the city while he went to do battle with Pang De. Guan Ping met his father and related the story of the indecisive fight.

So Guan Yu rode out with his green-dragon saber ready, and he shouted to Pang De, "Come quickly and be slain!"

The drums reechoed as Pang De rode out and replied, "The edict from the Prince of Wei tells me to take your head. In case you disbelieve it, here is the coffin ready to receive it. If you fear death, down from your horse and surrender!"

"I hold you for a simple fool," cried Guan Yu. "What can you do? It is a pity to stain my blade with the blood of such a rat."

Then he galloped Red Hare out toward Pang De, flourishing the saber. Pang De whirled his blade and came to meet him, and they two fought a hundred bouts. And as they fought, the lust of battle seemed to grow and both armies were lost in amazement.

But the army of Wei began to fear for their champion, and the gongs sounded the retirement. At the same time Guan Ping began to think of his father's fatigue, and his gongs clanged too. So that both armies drew off at the same time.

"People rumor Guan Yu is a mighty man of war. Today I really believe that," said Pang De, when he had got back among his own line.

Then his chief, Yu Jin, came to see him and said, "O General, you fought the great combat of a hundred bouts, which ended indecisively. I think it would be prudent to retire out of his way, and therefore blunting his spirit."

But Pang De replied haughtily, "What makes you so soft? Yet the Prince gave you the command of the seven armies! But tomorrow I will fight again and that to the death. I swear I will never give way."

Yu Jin could not overcome Pang De's decision, so he went back to his own camp.

When Guan Yu had got back to his camp, he extolled Pang De, saying, "His swordsmanship is perfect. He is my worthy enemy."

"The new-born calf fears not the tiger," said Guan Ping. "But if you slay this fellow, my father, you have only killed a common soldier of the Qiang tribes beyond the frontier. If any accident occurs, then you will have the reproach of not having considered your brother's charge."

"How can my resentment be assuaged save by the death of this man?" returned Guan Yu. "I have decided to fight, so say no more."

Next day Guan Yu took the field first, and Pang De quickly came out. Both arrayed their troops and then went to the front at the same moment. This time neither spoke, but the combat began forthwith. It went on for fifty bouts, and then Pang De pulled his horse, sheathed his sword, and fled. Guan Yu went in pursuit, and Guan Ping followed lest there should be need of him.

Guan Yu roared out reviling to his flying foe, "Traitor! You want to use the 'swinging-horse stab', but here I am, never afraid of that."

But the fact was that Pang De had only pretended to try for a foul stroke in order to cover a resort to his bow. He pulled in his horse, fitted an arrow to the string, and was just on the point of shooting when Guan Ping, who was sharp-eyed, shouted out a warning.

"The bandit is going to shoot!"

Guan Yu saw it, but the bowstring twanged, and the arrow came flying. He was not nimble enough to avoid it, and it wounded his left arm. Guan Ping at once went to his father's assistance and led him away to the camp. Pang De wished to follow up this advantage and came back whirling his sword, but, ere he could strike, the gongs of his own side rang out. He thought there was something amiss in the rear and stopped.

The signal for retreat had been sounded by Yu Jin out of jealousy, for he had seen that Guan Yu had been wounded, and he grudged his colleague the glory which would eclipse his own. Pang De obeyed, but when he got back, he wanted to know why retreat had been sounded on the very verge of a great success.

"Why did the gongs clang?" asked Pang De.

"Because of our Prince's warning. Though Guan Yu was wounded, I feared some trick on his part. He is very cunning."

"I should have killed him if you had not done that," said Pang De.

"Haste makes slow going. You can postpone your fight with him," said Yu Jin.

Pang De, though ignorant of the real reason why he was made to miss success at the critical moment, was still very vexed.

Guan Yu went back to camp, and the arrow-head was puled out of the wound. Happily it had n............