Chapter 25- Guan Yu's Integrity Shining

Guan Yu, he's isolated. Liu Bei's forces have been scattered all over the place. He finds himself in an incredibly precarious position. Yeah, and what's truly ingenious here, I think, is the strategy that Cao Cao's advisor, Cheng Yu, came up with. His plan wasn't just about, you know, defeating Guan Yu, no, it was about capturing him. It was a much more valuable prize that way. It was multi-layered, like a master class in psychological and military deception, designed to basically leave Guan Yu, thinking he had no other option but surrender. Okay, so first, step one involves sending dozens of surrendered soldiers, guys who previously served Liu Bei, into Xiapi, which was Guan Yu's base. These so-called old soldiers were really internal spies, right? Meant to gain Guan Yu's trust, only to, well, betray him later. Second, the plan was to lure Guan Yu out, get him into a fight. Xiaodun, who was one of Cao Cao's pretty formidable generals, was tasked with this. He engages Guan Yu, fights a bit, and then pretends to lose, feigning defeat to draw Guan Yu dangerously far from the city. And then finally, once Guan Yu was out there exposed, the aim was to cut off his way back, use elite troops, make escape totally impossible. Only then, when he's trapped, would they try to persuade him. It was a complete strategic trap, not just militarily, but psychologically too. It sounds less like a straightforward battle, and yeah, more like a carefully baited trap. Setting up this situation where Guan Yu, known for his ferocity, wouldn't just be outsought, but completely outmaneuvered from the get-go. Okay, so the plan is set in motion. Xiaodun challenges Guan Yu. He even goes as far as insulting him, right? Yeah. To provoke him. And it worked. Draws Guan Yu out with 3,000 men. They fight over 10 rounds, apparently, before Xiaodun turns and runs. Guan Yu being, you know, Guan Yu pursues him for about 20, like, that's roughly seven miles. But then, maybe he senses something's wrong. He decides to turn back towards Xiapi. And that's precisely, precisely when the trap springs shut. Bang. Suddenly, a cannon fires. And from the left Xu Huang, from the right Xu Chu, to more of Cao Cao's top generals, they just cut off his path. Guan Yu tries desperately to break through, but the text says hundreds of crossbows are deployed, unleashing arrows like flying locusts. He's forced to fight them off, just trying to hold his ground. Wow. He manages to push past that first wave, though. He does, but then Xiaodun reappears. So he's caught. Caught between a rock and a hard place, basically. His retreat routes are just systematically sealed off. Exactly. By nightfall, Guan Yu has nowhere to retreat. His only option is to lead his remaining forces up onto a nearby earthen hill, two mountain, just for temporary refuge. But the deception, it continues. As Guan Yu looks back towards Xiapi, his base, he sees fire raging. Now, this wasn't random. Remember those surrendered soldiers? They'd opened the city gates for Cao Cao. Cao Cao had entered and deliberately set fires, specifically to confuse and demoralize Guan Yu, make him think all was well and truly lost. So his base is on fire, his retreat's cut off, he's stuck on this mountain with hardly any men left. He tries, what, multiple times that night to charge down? He does, but each attempt is just met with a huge barrage of arrows, forcing him back up the hill. He's completely cornered, physically, and you have to imagine mentally, too. Oh, absolutely. This isn't just about losing a battle anymore, it's about breaking the man's spirit. Right. So as dawn breaks, Guan Yu is preparing for what looks like it has to be a final, desperate charge. But then, a lone figure rides up the mountain. It's Zhang Liao, another one of Cao Cao's generals. Now, you'd expect maybe a fierce duel, right? But their exchange is surprisingly different, almost like a conversation between old acquaintances. And this brings up a really important question. Why Zhang Liao? I mean, yes, he's a general under Cao Cao now, but he also has this past connection with Guan Yu. Guan Yu had helped him out once, so he was kind of indebted to him. Zhang Liao initially says, oh, I'm not here to fight or persuade, claims he's just there out of old friendship. But what he reveals is absolutely crucial. He tells Guan Yu, Liu Bei's fate, unknown. Zhang Fei's fate, also unknown. The chappie has fallen. That's definite. And crucially, Cao Cao has protected Liu Bei's family, his two wives, and made sure no harm came to the civilians. He explicitly says he came just to report this news. Now, this wasn't just being nice. It was a very carefully calculated piece of, well, psychological maneuvering designed to give Guan Yu an honorable way out. Guan Yu's first reaction is just pure anger, though, right? He thinks Zhang Liao is just trying to trick him into surrendering. He declares he'd rather die right there in a glorious battle. He does. But then Zhang Liao actually laughs at him, says that dying now would just be a joke. How does dying for loyalty become a joke, especially in the eyes of a warrior like Zhang Liao? That seems counterintuitive. Well, this is where Zhang Liao delivers this, this absolute masterclass in persuasion. He completely flips Guan Yu's idea of honor on its head. He outlines what he calls Guan Yu's three crimes. If you were to choose death right at this moment, he's not attacking Guan Yu's bravery, not at all. He's attacking his understanding of what true loyalty means in this situation. OK, so the first crime, it connects directly back to the Peach Garden Oath, that foundational vow Guan Yu, Lu Bei, and Zhang Fei made to live and die together, and importantly, to restore the Han dynasty. Zhang Liao argues that if Lu Bei does manage to resurface somewhere, and he needs Guan Yu's help, which he probably will, then Guan Yu's death now would mean breaking that sacred vow. He'd be leaving his sworn brother totally unsupported. Huh. So rather than upholding the oath by dying, dying now would actually betray his brother by removing any possibility of future help. That's a really powerful twist. Precisely. Then, the second crime focuses on Lu Bei's family. Lu Bei entrusted his two wives specifically to Guan Yu's personal care. That was a heavy responsibility. If Guan Yu dies now, Zhang Liao argues, they'd be left without any protection, totally vulnerable in the chaos of war. He'd be failing that heavy trust placed upon him by his sworn brother. It's about failing a really personal, almost familial duty. OK, that makes sense. And the third crime, does that target Guan Yu's very identity as this great warrior and scholar? Yeah, this one is maybe the most cutting, actually. Zhang Liao points out Guan Yu's extraordinary talents, his unmatched skill in combat, his deep knowledge of history and the classics. He's not just unbrute. He argues that to die now, just in an act of what he calls the bravery of a common man, like any foot soldier might do, would be to completely waste his immense potential. Instead of using those gifts to help Lu Bei restore the Han dynasty, which was the ultimate goal of the oath. Remember, he'd achieve absolutely nothing meaningful. He'd be failing in what Zhang Liao calls true righteousness. Wow. OK, so Zhang Liao is effectively arguing that dying here isn't the ultimate act of loyalty at all. It's actually kind of a reckless waste of his unique abilities, a betrayal of his deepest commitments to both his brother and the bigger cause, and ultimately just a meaningless end. That definitely changes the perspective. It puts Guan Yu in an almost impossible intellectual bind, doesn't it? Not just a physical one. So after hearing these really compelling arguments from Zhang Liao, Guan Yu reconsiders. OK, he tells Zhang Liao, all right, I have three agreements, conditions that Cao Cao absolutely must accept for him to surrender. If even one of these isn't met, he says he'll still choose death. So what exactly were these pretty bold demands coming from a general who, let's be honest, was completely surrounded and for all intents and purposes, defeated? Yeah, it's amazing, isn't it? This is where we really see Guan Yu's unwavering core principles just shine through. Even in the absolute worst circumstances, his first condition was that he would surrender only to the Han Emperor, not to Cao Cao personally. This maintained his ultimate allegiance firmly with the legitimate dynasty. He wasn't shifting his loyalty to a warlord. It preserved his political integrity. That's a surprisingly sophisticated move for someone basically staring defeat in the face. It's about maintaining his political identity, his honor, not just saving his skin. Absolutely. Then his second condition concerned Liu Bei's two wives. He demanded that they be provided with Liu Bei's official salary for their upkeep. That ensures their material well-being. And crucially, that no one from Cao Cao's camp, from the highest general down to the lowest soldier, be allowed to even approach their residence. This guaranteed their safety, their dignity, their privacy. He was upholding his sacred duty as their protector above everything else. Okay, protect the family, maintain allegiance to the emperor. And the final agreement, the one that seems maybe the most audacious, the one that would really define his future actions. Right. His third condition was basically an escape clause. He stipulated that as soon as he learned of Liu Bei's whereabouts, no matter how far away, the text says a thousand li or 10,000 li, essentially. Regardless of distance, he would immediately leave to rejoin them. This cemented the fact that his surrender was purely temporary. It was a means to an end. His ultimate unwavering loyalty remained with his sworn brother. It was a conditional surrender in the truest sense of the word. And Zeng Miao, knowing Cao Cao, knowing his pragmatism, his strategic thinking, maybe even his admiration for Guan Yu, agrees to relay these conditions. He understands the huge value in bringing someone like Guan Yu over, even if it's only conditionally, even temporarily. What's just fascinating here is that Guan Yu, at his absolute most vulnerable point, is still the one dictating terms. It kind of proves that true honor isn't always about rigid adherence to just one path like dying uselessly, but maybe about strategic action to fulfill deeper, more complex principles. Guan Yu lays out these three incredibly specific, like non-negotiable demands. Three demands, while surrounded. That's audacious. It really is. It tells you a lot about him right off the bat. His third condition was basically an escape clause. Okay, that one must have given Cao Cao pause. Oh, it did. Initially, Cao Cao balked. He basically asked Zeng Miao, well, why should I even keep him then if he's just going to leave? Makes sense, right? Yeah, I mean, what's the point? But Zeng Miao, he was clever. He brought up the story of Yu Rang, this famous loyal retainer from an earlier period. And Zeng Miao argued, look, if you're Cao Cao, treat Guan Yu with even greater kindness and respect than Liu Bei did, maybe you can win his heart over. Bind him to you through generosity. Ah, the can loyalty be bought question. Or maybe just earned differently. Exactly that question. And Cao Cao, being the pragmatist he was, thought about it and ultimately agreed to all three conditions. And he agreed pretty cleverly too, right? Especially to that first one. Oh, yeah. To the surrender to Han, not Cao Cao bit, Cao Cao just kind of laughed and said something like, well, I am the prime minister of Han, so Han is me. Fine, we can follow that. Nice sidestep. Very political. Very. And for the second condition, protecting the ladies, he readily agreed, even offered to double their stipend. Double it. Wow. Yeah. And he framed respecting their privacy as just, you know, standard house rules, a show of magnanimity. Seems like Cao Cao understood he wasn't just defeating Guan Yu, he was trying to recruit him in a way. Win him over. Absolutely. Calculated generosity. And then to really show he trusted Guan Yu's word, despite the risks. What did he do? He immediately ordered his entire army to pull back 30, that's like what, 10 miles? 16 kilometers? Whoa. Just like that. Even though his advisors were probably screaming trap. Yep. His advisor Sun Yu actually warned him, said it could be a trick, but Cao Cao took the gamble, banking on Guan Yu's famous integrity. And it paid off. Guan Yu didn't try anything. Nope. Guan Yu then rode into this city, Xiapi, and saw the people were unharmed. That must have been a huge relief for him. Must have been. And then he met the ladies. He did. He went straight to their residence, apologized for, you know, the fright they must have experienced, and explained the whole situation. The three conditions, Cao Cao's agreement. How did they react? I mean, they must have been terrified. They were. They basically said they thought they were going to die and were surprised they hadn't been harmed. They told Guan Yu he didn't need their permission for the terms, but they were worried Cao Cao might not actually let him leave Liyue. They saw Cao Cao's cunning nature, maybe clearer than Guan Yu did at that moment. Interesting. But Guan Yu wasn't worried. He told them not to worry. He said, basically, I have my own plan. It just reinforces his commitment. You know, even in surrender, he's thinking ahead, focused on reuniting with Liu Bei. Okay, so the surrender is agreed upon. The stage moves to Zuchang, Cao Cao's capital. This is where the real test of honor begins, right? Exactly. So Guan Yu formally meets Cao Cao. He thanks him, you know, for the mercy shown to a defeated general. Cao Cao lays it on thick, talking about his longstanding admiration for Guan Yu's loyalty. Playing the gracious host. Totally. But Guan Yu, he's direct. He repeats his loyalties to Liu Bei, says he'd go through fire and water to find him, and he even apologizes in advance if he has to leave without saying goodbye properly. Wow. Talk about setting expectations. Right. And Cao Cao, still trying to win him over, says, oh, I'll help search for Liu Bei, and if we find him, sure, you can go. But then he adds this little barb, suggesting Liu Bei might actually be dead already. Undermining his hope. Classic Cao Cao. Trying to nudge Guan Yu towards accepting his new reality. But Guan Yu wasn't biting. So the journey to Xusheng itself. Anything notable there? Yes. His conduct. Guan Yu personally escorted the carriage, carrying Lady Gan and Lady Mi the whole way. Very protective. And then they arrive in Xusheng. Cao Cao tries another little test, doesn't he? Something with the lodging. He does. It's quite famous. He assigns Guan Yu and the two ladies to share a single house, maybe even implying a single room or connected rooms within the guest house. Trying to blur the lines, maybe create impropriety, or at least test Guan Yu's resolve. And how did Guan Yu handle that? Brilliantly. He stood guard outside their door. All night long. Holding a candle. Perfectly upright. Showing no sign of tiredness until dawn broke. All night. Holding a candle. That's incredible dedication. It floored Cao Cao. It was such a clear, unambiguous statement of Guan Yu's moral compass. His commitment to proper conduct. His respect for the ladies. He wasn't doing it because someone was watching. He was doing it because it was his code. Wow. Okay, so they get settled in Xusheng proper. Cao Cao gives him a mansion. Yep. Grants him a nice residence. And what does Guan Yu do immediately? Knowing him by now, probably something principled. You got it. He immediately divides the mansion into two distinct courtyards. The inner courtyard for the ladies, guarded by 10 trusted older soldiers. He lived in the outer courtyard. Clear boundaries. Yes. Respecting that separation. Absolutely. Maintaining propriety was paramount. And Cao Cao keeps trying to, well, integrate him, right? Didn't he arrange a meeting with the emperor? He did. Cao Cao arranged for Guan Yu to have an audience with Emperor Xin. And the emperor bestowed on him the title General of the Sidelines. A significant honor, officially. Very much so. It elevated his status within the Han court system, which Cao Cao controlled. And Cao Cao didn't stop there. Lavish banquets, treating Guan Yu like the guest of honor. Gifts, I assume. Lots of gifts. Oh, yeah. Silk, gold, silver. The works. Trying to impress him. Maybe indebt him. And Guan Yu's reaction to all this luxury? He finally cracked. Not a chance. What's amazing is he accepted the gifts politely, but then immediately sent all of it, every piece of silk, every bit of gold straight to the inner courtyard for the two ladies to manage and store. You didn't keep anything for himself? Nothing. It was a clear message. These material things don't sway me. My loyalty isn't for sale. Cao Cao must have been getting frustrated, even if impressed. Did he try anything else? Oh, he wasn't done. He then sent 10 beautiful serving women maidens specifically to attend to Guan Yu. Okay, that's a direct temptation. How did Guan Yu respond? Without even blinking. He immediately sent all 10 women to the inner courtyard to serve Lady Gan and Lady Mi. Ah, again. Just deflected it completely? Reinforcing his dedication was purely to serving Liu Bei's family, not seeking personal comfort or pleasure. And this wasn't just a one-off display, was it? There was a routine. There was. Every three days, like clockwork, Guan Yu would go to the inner gate, bow formally, and inquire about the lady's well-being. And what would they say? They'd typically ask if there was any news of Liu Bei, their husband, and his brother. Then they'd politely dismiss him. And Cao Cao heard about all this? You bet he did. Reports say his admiration for Guan Yu just grew and grew. Even though he probably wanted Guan Yu's loyalty, he couldn't help but respect the man's unwavering principles. It's like Guan Yu's actions were a constant, quiet refusal of Cao Cao's attempts to win him over. His principles weren't just words. They were embedded in everything he did. Exactly. That whole question Zhang Liao posed, can loyalty be bought? Guan Yu's time in Zucheng seems like a definitive no. At least not his loyalty. Yeah, it demonstrates that for someone like him, loyalty isn't a commodity. It's not about gifts or titles. No, it's deeper. It's about shared bonds, deeply held values, something gold just can't touch. That's a really powerful insight, isn't it? True integrity is that internal compass. Absolutely. Which brings us to another really telling example, right? The story of the robes. Ah, yes, the robes. A classic. So one day, Cao Cao notices Guan Yu's battle robe, his signature green one, is looking pretty old and worn out. Understandable, after all the fighting. Right. So Cao Cao, in another gesture of generosity, has this beautiful, brand new, exquisite robe, custom made for Guan Yu, and gifts it to him. Most people would be thrilled, right? Ditch the old rags for something new and fancy? You'd certainly think so. But Guan Yu's response is just perfect Guan Yu. He accepts the new robe, thanks Cao Cao, but then proceeds to wear it underneath his old, worn out green one. Underneath? Seriously? Why? Well, Cao Cao was understandably confused, maybe a little put out, and asked him why. Guan Yu explained, very simply, that the old robe was a gift from his elder brother, Liu Bei. And wearing it, he said, was like seeing his brother's face. He couldn't possibly forget his brother's kindness, just because he got a new gift, no matter how nice it was. Wow. That hits hard. What does that tell you about, like, the difference between material stuff, and those personal bonds? It just lays it bare, doesn't it? For Guan Yu, the history, the emotion, the connection, represented by that old robe. It completely outweighed the luxury of the new one. It was a symbol, worn close to his heart, a constant, visible reminder of where his true allegiance lay. Even while living under Cao Cao's roof, accepting his provisions. Exactly. And the story says, Cao Cao praised him outwardly for his loyalty, but inwardly. He was kind of displeased. He was seeing just how unshakable this man really was. You can see why. Okay, and there's one more famous story from this time, right? Yeah. The origin of his famous nickname. Yes. Beauty Beard, or Mai Ran Gong. It's a great lie anecdote. How did that come about? Well, one day, Guan Yu hears the ladies, Lady Gan and Lady Mai, weeping in the inner courtyard. Yeah. Why? They'd had a dream. They dreamt Liu Bei was trapped down in a pit, and they feared it meant he was dead somewhere. Understandable fear, given the circumstances. Totally. Guan Yu goes to comfort them, tries to reassure them, you know, dreams aren't always reliable. It's probably just their longing for him making them anxious. Right. But while this is happening, Cao Cao summons him to a banquet. Guan Yu goes, but Cao Cao notices he looks upset. Maybe his eyes are a bit red. He asks why. He does. Guan Yu explains about the ladies' dream and their sorrow. Cao Cao, trying to be a good host again, tries to cheer him up with wine. Does it work? Well, Guan Yu drinks, perhaps a bit too much, gets a little tipsy. And while talking, he starts stroking his magnificent beard. The beard. The beard. And he kind of laments out loud, you know, I haven't been able to repay the state, and I can't find my brother. Just feeling low. And Cao Cao notices the beard stroking. Yep. Cao Cao, ever observant, asks him about the beard itself. How long is it? That sort of thing. And Guan Yu tells him. He does. Reveals it's like hundreds of hairs long. Mentions he loses a few in the autumn, and that in winter, he usually wraps it in a gauze bag to protect it, keep it from breaking. A beard bag. I never knew that. Right. So Cao Cao, seizing the moment, immediately has a beautiful silk gauze bag made specifically for Guan Yu's beard and gifts it to him. Another gift. But this one's pretty personal. Very personal. Very thoughtful in a way. So the next day, Guan Yu is at court wearing this new beard bag. Emperor Xian notices it. The emperor himself. The emperor himself asks, what's that lovely bag protecting? Guan Yu explains it was a gift from Prime Minister Cao Cao for his beard. The emperor is intrigued, asks him to unwrap it. The grand reveal. Exactly. Guan Yu unwraps his beard, and it flows all the way down past his belly. Just magnificent. And the emperor Xian apparently exclaims, truly, a beautiful bearded gentleman. And the name stuck. From that day on, he was widely known as Marin Gong. Lord Beautiful Beard. And Cao Cao, who's prime minister, he's really trying to win Guan Yu over. So he throws a banquet. As they're leaving, Cao Cao notices Guan Yu's horse looks, well, a bit thin. Yeah, Guan Yu actually makes a comment. Sort of a self-deprecating joke, like, my body is rather heavy, the horse can't quite carry it. Ah, right. So Cao Cao, probably seeing an opportunity, makes this grand gesture. He offers Guan Yu a replacement. And not just any horse. It's the legendary red hare. The one previously owned by the fearsome Lu Bu. A seriously famous horse. Like, the supercar of its day. Exactly. And remember, Guan Yu's already been given women gold, silk works. He barely reacted, definitely didn't kneel. But for this horse, he bows twice. Deeply. Cao Cao is stunned, right? He actually asks him, why do you value an animal more than people? He does. He's genuinely baffled. Like, what is going on here? You know, what is going on? Why this intense reaction to a horse, of all things? Well, and this is what's so revealing about Guan Yu. He tells him straight up, it's not complicated, really. He says, look, this red hare can travel a thousand li in a single day. A thousand li. That's, what, like 300 miles in a day? That's incredible speed back then. Almost unbelievable. And his reasoning is crystal clear. If he ever finds out where his sworn elder brother Liu Bei is, he could be there in just one day. Ah, okay. So it's not about the horse itself as a status symbol or whatever. Not at all. It's purely practical, in a way. It's a tool to fulfill his ultimate loyalty. It highlights this single-minded devotion he has. Getting back to Liu Bei is literally the only thing that matters. Forget the gold, forget the silk. Speed is what he needs. So Cao Cao hears this, and the text says he was astonished and regretted it. Why the regret? Because he just gave his prized captive the perfect escape vehicle. Pretty much. He immediately realizes, oh, uh-oh. I might have just made it easier for him to leave me. Uh-huh. This is a classic Cao Cao moment. Generous, but maybe strategically short-sighted in this one instance because he misjudged Guan Yu's core motivation. Okay, so Cao Cao's clearly troubled now. He's shown all this kindness, given all these gifts. But Guan Yu's heart is still set on leaving. He needs to know where he stands. So he gets his trusted general, Zhang Liao, who actually has a bit of history with Guan Yu, to kind of sound him out, to probe his real intentions. What does Zhang Liao find out? Right. This is a really fascinating conversation. Zhang Liao goes to Guan Yu, and it raises this fundamental question. You know, how do you balance gratitude for kindness received with a prior, unbreakable vow? And Zhang Liao finds Guan Yu's loyalty to Liu Bei is, well, absolute. There's no wiggle room. Guan Yu tells him flat out. Although my body is here, my heart constantly thinks of Imperial Uncle Liu Bei. He never stops thinking about him. Using that title, Imperial Uncle, really emphasizes the respect, doesn't it? It does. It frames their bond almost as a sacred duty, tied to the Han Dynasty lineage Liu Bei represents. And he brings up their oath again, the famous Oath of the Peach Garden, where he, Liu Bei, and Zhang Fei swore to live and die together. Betrayal is just unthinkable for him. But he doesn't just plan to sneak off, right? There's a condition. Exactly. He's a man of honor. I must perform a meritorious service to repay Prime Minister Cao, then I can leave. He acknowledges the debt he owes Cao Cao, for the kindness shown. So he feels obligated, but the ultimate loyalty is fixed. Absolutely. And Zhang Liao pushes him on this. He asks, okay, hypothetical. What if Liu Bei has already died? What then? Where would you go? And Guan Yu's answer? It's chilling, really. He says, I wish to follow him into the afterlife. Wow, just wow. That's not just loyalty. That's something else entirely. It's devotion beyond life itself. It completely floors Zhang Liao, and when he reports back to Cao Cao. How does Cao Cao take that news? I mean, after hearing, I'll follow him into the afterlife. Well, Cao Cao's reaction is actually quite remarkable. Instead of being angry, he sighs and says, serving one's lord without forgetting one's roots. Truly, he is a righteous warrior of the world. He respects it, even though it means he can't keep Guan Yu. He does. Cao Cao, for all his ruthlessness, recognizes and genuinely admires this kind of profound integrity. It's something maybe he even wishes he saw more often. But he still has a practical problem. Guan Yu wants to leave, but only after performing some great service. Right. And his advisor, the clever Sun Yu, points out this strategic implication. Well, if we don't let him achieve merit, he might not leave. So ironically, Guan Yu's own sense of honor is the only thing keeping him there for now. Cao Cao is kind of trapped by Guan Yu's virtue. Exactly. It's a fascinating dilemma for a leader like Cao Cao. OK, so while Guan Yu is navigating this complex situation with Cao Cao, what about Liu Bei, the man at the center of Guan Yu's unwavering loyalty? Where is he? Ah, Liu Bei. His situation is pretty grim, actually. He's found refuge with Yuan Shao, who's this powerful warlord in the north. But Liu Bei is deeply distressed. Why? What's he worried about? Everything, basically. He tells Yuan Shao, you know, my two brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, I have no news of them. My wife and children are captives of Cao Cao. He feels completely powerless. He says, I cannot serve the country above nor protect my family below. How can I not be worried? It's a really low point for him. That sounds awful. And he's stuck with Yuan Shao, who we know from history isn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to strategy. That's putting it mildly. Yuan Shao, despite having this huge army and resources, shows some critical leadership flaws right here in this chapter. He's thinking about attacking Cao Cao's capital, Shu Du, and he actually consults Liu Bei. Okay, asking for advice is good, right? Yes, but listening is better. One of Yuan Shao's own advisors, Tian Feng, gives him some really solid, cautious advice. Tian Feng says, basically, look, Cao Cao just won a major victory. His troops are strong. Morale is high. Now is not the time for a direct assault. Let's wait. Be patient. Look for an opening. It's sound strategy. Makes sense. Don't rush in when the enemy is strong. Right. But Liu Bei, understandably burning with hatred for Cao Cao, who he calls a deceitful rebel against the emperor, urges Yuan Shao to attack immediately. He frames it as a matter of righteousness, saying not attacking would be losing face, a loss of great righteousness in the world. So Liu Bei's personal feelings are clouding his strategic judgment here. Definitely. And Yuan Shao, well, he listens to Liu Bei. Or at least Liu Bei's view aligns with his own impatience and arrogance. When Tian Feng keeps arguing for caution, Yuan Shao gets furious. He actually wants to execute Tian Feng for daring to disagree. Execute his own advisor for giving sound advice. That's terrible leadership. It's awful. Liu Bei manages to intervene, so Tian Feng is just imprisoned instead. But the damage is done. Silencing dissent, especially wise dissent, is a classic sign of a leader heading for trouble. And doesn't another advisor see this and basically predict disaster? Yes, you show. When he sees Tian Feng thrown in prison, he gets this terrible feeling. He goes home, gives away his family's wealth, basically tells them to scatter. He says, if we win this campaign, our prestige will be immense. But if we lose, my life won't be spared. He knows Yuan Shao's arrogance and poor judgment are likely to lead to catastrophe. He sees the writing on the wall. So Yuan Shao, ignoring the good advice, overruling the cautious voices, decides to push ahead. He mobilizes his massive army. And he puts Yan Liang, described as brave but narrow-minded, in charge of the vanguard. A major confrontation is brewing. Absolutely. The storm is gathering. Yuan Shao sends Yan Liang to attack Baima, a key location. This is the direct challenge to Cao Cao. And how does this looming battle affect Guan Yu, who's still stuck with Cao Cao, waiting for his chance? Well, this is it. This is the opportunity he's been waiting for. As soon as Cao Cao starts mobilizing his own forces to defend Baima against Yan Liang, Guan Yu steps forward immediately. He tells Cao Cao, I wish to be the vanguard. He's ready to fight, ready to earn his merit points so he can leave with honor. Finally, his chance to repay the debt. Does Cao Cao take him up on it? Not immediately. Cao Cao, however the fearful strategist, is still a bit cautious. He replies something like, I dare not trouble the general just yet. When the time is right, I will definitely call on you. Still hesitant, even facing a major attack. Maybe he's still worried Guan Yu might, I don't know, switch sides mid-battle. Or maybe he has another plan. It could be a mix of things. Maybe caution, maybe he wants to see how his own generals fare first. Or maybe he has a specific role in mind for Guan Yu later. But for now, Guan Yu has to wait just a little longer, even as the drums of war start beating. Guan Yu's incredible, almost unbelievable loyalty, this bond that just transcends everything material. It's all about honor and his oath. Yeah, his integrity really shines through, even in this really difficult position. And then there's Cao Cao, the master manipulator, facing this unique challenge. How do you manage, how do you even use a warrior whose heart fundamentally belongs somewhere else? It's a fascinating strategic and psychological puzzle for him. Yeah. He admires the virtue, but is also constrained by it. And meanwhile, you've got Yuan Shao on the other side, basically showcasing a master class in how not to lead, ignoring advice, promoting the wrong people, letting arrogance dictate strategy. Right. Setting himself up, and potentially Liu Bei along with him, for a really rough time. The contrast of leadership styles and personal codes is stark. So as these massive armies move towards collision, and Guan Yu is poised, waiting for that specific moment to act, you have to wonder, right, what kind of meritorious service could possibly be significant enough to repay Cao Cao's kindness, but also allow Guan Yu to maintain his oath to Liu Bei? It feels like an impossible balancing act. Exactly. And for Yuan Shao, what are the real on-the-ground consequences going to be for ignoring Tian Feng and Yu Shao? How will his flawed leadership play out when swords actually start clashing? It leaves you thinking about how much of destiny is shaped not just by grand strategies or massive armies, but by these deeply personal things. By virtue, by loyalty, by flawed judgment, and by the incredible weight of promises made. Vamma, things are looking pretty grim for Cao Cao. Yeah, grim is putting it mildly. You've got Cao Cao leading, what, 150,000 troops? A huge army. But he's facing Yuan Shao's forces, and leading the charge for Yuan Shao is this really formidable general, Yan Liang, with 100,000 elite soldiers. Elite soldiers, right. And Cao Cao's army is near Two Mountain, sort of watching this unfold. And the sources make it clear, Yan Liang's setup isn't just big, it's impressive. Described as formidable, fierce, and well-ordered, it had this really strong presence. So imposing that even Cao Cao, who's seen his share of battles, was apparently shocked. Exactly. Shocked, that tells you right away, this isn't just any skirmish. Yan Liang means business. And, wow, it becomes clear very fast just how dominant Yan Liang is. Cao Cao, seeing this seemingly unbreakable formation, sends out Song Jian. Song Jian, yeah. He used to be one of Lu Bu's guys, described as a fierce general. He's got credentials. You'd think he could at least hold his own for a bit. You'd think, but nope. Yan Liang deals with him in less than three encounters. Kills him, just like that. Oof, that's a brutal start. Sends a message, doesn't it? A terrifying message. And then Wei Xu, another ex-Lu Bu guy, wants revenge for Song Jian, his buddy. So he charges in. Charges in. And Yan Liang, he apparently just cleaves him in two. One encounter, over. One encounter, good grief. That's not just winning, that's annihilation. It's pure dominance, and it clearly terrifies Cao Cao's troops. So even a top general like Xu Huang steps up next. And he lasts longer, right? He does. Xu Huang manages about 20 encounters, which is actually pretty respectable against someone like Yan Liang in these duels. That's still not enough. Still not enough. Even Xu Huang is defeated and retreats. So now you have three generals try, including a really prominent one, and all fail. Okay, so at this point, Cao Cao's generals must be absolutely spooked. Totally. The text says they were terrified. And Cao Cao himself, he's distressed. He has to admit Yan Liang is a truly brave general. So is it just Yan Liang's skill, or is there a psychological thing happening now? Like, are Cao Cao's men just demoralized? Oh, it's absolutely both. Yan Liang is clearly a powerhouse. But seeing your champions fall one by one so quickly, so decisively, that, yeah, crushes morale. When your own officers are scared, you're in deep, deep trouble. Right. So military options seem to be failing. Cao Cao's distressed. And this is where Cheng Yu, one of his advisors, comes in with a, well, a very strategic plan. Strategic is one word for it. Cunning, maybe manipulative. Cheng Yu sees the situation and says, basically, only Guan Yu can defeat Yan Liang. Okay, Guan Yu, the legend. But Cao Cao hesitates, doesn't he? What's his concern? His concern is pure politics. He knows Guan Yu is fiercely loyal to Li Bei. He worries that if Guan Yu wins this big victory, earns this merit, he'll just use it as a reason to leave Cao Cao and go find Li Bei. Ah, right. Guan Yu is technically serving Cao Cao, but his heart is with his sworn brother. Exactly. But Cheng Yu, he's got an angle for that, too. A pretty dark one, actually. Go on. He tells Cao Cao, look, if Guan Yu does defeat Yan Liang and essentially crushes Yuan Shao's vanguard, well, Yuan Shao is going to be furious. And who is Yuan Shao currently hosting? Li Bei. So Yuan Shao will suspect Li Bei of what? Colluding with Guan Yu? Precisely. Cheng Yu predicts Yuan Shao will suspect Li Bei and kill him. And if Li Bei is dead. Then Guan Yu has nowhere else to go. He'd have to stay with Cao Cao. Bingo. It's using Guan Yu's victory not just to win the battle, but to eliminate Cao Cao's rival for Guan Yu's loyalty. Pretty ruthless calculation. Wow. That is layered and cold. Using someone's loyalty against them. How does Cao Cao react? The text says Cao Cao is overjoyed. He sees the strategic brilliance, however morally gray it might be. Okay, so Cao Cao sends for Guan Yu. And what's Guan Yu doing? Is he aware of this scheming? Not at all, it seems. He's focused on his duties and his loyalty. When he gets the summons, the first thing he does is go ask permission to leave from Liu Bei's two wives who are under his protection. Ever the protector. Absolutely. And they ask him while he's out there to try and find out where Liu Bei actually is. His loyalty is always front and center. So he agrees and heads off to Baima. How does he arrive? Big entourage. Nope. Just him, his famous green dragon crescent blade, his legendary horse red hair, and maybe a few followers. It's a very stark image compared to the armies. Okay, so Guan Yu gets there. Cao Cao explains the situation, presumably highlighting how unbeatable Yan Liang seems. Yeah, Cao Cao lays it out. This guy Yan Liang is incredible. None of my best guys can touch him. And he asks Guan Yu for his assessment, his counsel. And Guan Yu, ever cool, just says. Just says he wants to observe. Take a look first. So they go up two mountain, Cao Cao and Guan Yu, and look down at Yan Liang's army. Cao Cao points them out, right? Still sounding impressed. He does. He points to the Hebei forces, saying how magnificent and powerful they look, trying to emphasize the scale of the challenge maybe. And Guan Yu's reaction. This is the famous line, isn't it? It is. Guan Yu just looks at this massive disciplined army that terrified Cao Cao and says, in my opinion, they are like mere clay chickens and pottery dogs. Wow. Okay. That's some serious confidence. Clay chickens and pottery dogs. After what just happened to Song Xian and Wei Xu. Exactly. It's almost dismissive. Yeah. So Cao Cao then points out Yan Liang himself, you know, under the commander's canopy, an embroidered robe and golden armor. Like, see? That's the guy causing all the problems. Trying to ground Guan Yu in reality, maybe? And Guan Yu's response to seeing Yan Liang. Even more audacious, if that's possible. He looks at Yan Liang and declares, I see Yan Liang as if he has a target pinned to his head for sale. Like he's just an item to be collected. Pretty much. Cao Cao, maybe a bit stunned by this, warns him, don't underestimate him. Yeah. Probably good advice given the circumstances. But Guan Yu seems utterly convinced. He is. He immediately offers, I'll go take his head from among 10,000 soldiers. Just like that. Zhang Liao tries to caution him, doesn't he? Like, hey, Yun Shang, maybe be careful. No joking around in the army. Right. Zhang Liao brings up the seriousness. No jokes in the army. But Guan Yu is having none of it. He's made his assessment. He's ready to go. So what happens next? This is the moment, right? This is the moment. Guan Yu mounts red hair, holds his green dragon blade inverted, which is a detail often noted, maybe signifying immense power held back until the last second, and just charges straight down the mountain. The description is pretty vivid, isn't it? Phoenix eyes wide, silkworm eyebrows bristling. Totally. Pure intensity. And as he charges into the Hebe formation. They just break. The text says they part like waves breaking. Whether it's shock, fear, the sheer speed of red hair or Guan Yu's aura, they just can't stop him. And he reaches Yan Liang. So fast. Because red hair is legendary for its speed. Yan Liang is caught off guard before he can likely even react properly. Guan Yu strikes. One strike, stabbed off his horse. It's incredibly swift and decisive. And then he doesn't just leave. No. He dismounts, cuts off Yan Liang's head, ties it to his horse's neck. A trophy. Grim, but effective. Very. Then he gets back on red hair and rides out just as easily as he rode in, as if entering no man's land. The remaining Hebe soldiers are just stunned. They rout. Without even fighting back. Completely. Greatly shocked. They rout themselves without fighting. Their leader, their seemingly invincible champion, is gone in an instant. Morale just evaporates. And Cao Cao's army takes advantage. Absolutely. They charge in, win a massive victory, kill countless soldiers, capture loads of horses and equipment. A total turnaround, all because of Guan Yu. So Guan Yu returns, presents the head to Cao Cao. What's Cao Cao's reaction now? Cao Cao's amazed. He hails Guan Yu as a truly divine general. Basically acknowledging this was beyond normal skill, almost supernatural. But Guan Yu, he stays humble, right? Correct. And deflects the praise. He does. Which is another key part of his character. He says something like, oh, I'm nothing. You should see my brother Zhang Fei. He could take a general's head from a million soldiers like picking something from his pocket. Huh. Downplaying his own incredible feat by hyping up Zhang Fei even more. Exactly. And get this. Cao Cao hears this and is greatly shocked again. Shocked by the praise for Zhang Fei. Yeah. He immediately tells his generals, if you ever run into this Zhang Fei, be extremely careful. He even supposedly had it written on the lapel of his robe as a reminder. Wow. So Guan Yu's feat was so astounding, his word alone was enough to make Cao Cao terrified of his other sworn brother, sight unseen. It really elevates the reputation of all three brothers to this almost mythical level. One incredible act makes the whole brotherhood seem invincible. OK, so battle one, heroics performed. But this is where Cheng Yu's plan starts to kick in, maybe. The unintended consequences. This is exactly where it gets complicated. The defeated Hebei soldiers make it back to Yuan Shao's main camp. And they report what happened. They report that Yan Liang was killed by a red-faced, long-bearded general using a large blade who charged in alone on horseback. A very specific description. And someone recognizes it. Yuan Shao's advisor, Zhu Shou, hears this and immediately says, Ah, that must be Liu Guande's brother, Guan Yun Shang. He connects the dots. Guan Yu, Liu Guande's brother. Correct. And this identification, while accurate, is absolutely disastrous for Liu Bei. Because Yuan Shao is already suspicious. Or just angry about losing Yan Liang. He's furious about Yan Liang's death. And hearing it was Liu Bei's sworn brother who did it, he immediately jumps to the conclusion Cheng Yu predicted. Collusion. He thinks Liu Bei set him up. Exactly. He accuses Liu Bei of working with Guan Yu to betray him from within. The source says Yuan Shao is furious and instantly orders Liu Bei to be executed. Just like that. Based on suspicion. Just like that. The chapter ends with Liu Bei suddenly finding himself almost a prisoner, his life hanging by a thread, all because his loyal brother performed an incredible act of bravery while serving Liu Bei's enemy.