d　true。〃

Guan　Yu　in　reply　told　him　the　story　of　the　men　he　had　slain　in　the　last　two　passes。

Bian　Xi　replied；　〃You　slew　them；　that　is　well。　When　I　see　the　Prime　Minister；　I　will　explain　to　him　the　inner　reasons　for　these　acts。〃

Guan　Yu　thought　he　had　found　a　friend　and　so　mounted　and　rode　through　the　pass。　When　he　came　to　the　temple；　a　number　of　priests　came　out　to　meet　him　with　clanging　bells。

This　temple；　named　State　Guardian　Temple；　had　a　courtyard　in　which　the　Emperor　Ming　had　burned　incense　in　the　past。　In　the　temple　were　thirty　priests；　and　among　these　there　happened　to　be　one　Pu　Jing　who　came　from　the　same　village　as　Guan　Yu。　His　religious　name　was　Transverse　Peace。　Hearing　who　the　visitor　was；　Transverse　Peace　came　forward　to　speak　with　him。

〃General；〃　said　Transverse　Peace；　〃it　is　many　a　long　year　since　you　left　Pudong。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Guan　Yu；　〃nearly　twenty　years。〃

〃Do　you　recognize　this　poor　priest？〃

〃I　left　the　village　many　years　ago；　I　do　not　recognize　you。〃

〃My　house　and　yours　were　only　separated　by　a　rivulet；〃　said　the　priest。

Now　Bian　Xi；　seeing　Transverse　Peace　holding　forth　about　village　matters；　thought　Transverse　Peace　would　blab　about　the　ambush；　so　Bian　Xi　bade　him　be　silent。

〃I　want　to　invite　the　General　to　a　feast。　You　priest　fellows　seem　to　have　a　lot　to　say；〃　said　Bian　Xi。

〃Not　too　much；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃Naturally　when　fellow　villagers　meet；　they　talk　of　old　times。〃

Bian　Xi　invited　the　visitor　into　the　guest　room　to　take　tea；　but　Guan　Yu　said；　〃The　two　ladies　are　out　there　in　the　carriage。　They　ought　to　have　some　first。〃

So　the　priest　bade　them　take　some　tea　to　the　ladies；　and　then　he　led　Guan　Yu　within；　at　the　same　time　lifting　the　priest　knife　which