share；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　and　at　Dong　Cheng's　request　he　added　his　name　and　signature　to　the　others　and　handed　it　back。

〃Now　let　us　but　get　three　more；　which　will　make　ten；　and　we　shall　be　ready　to　act。〃

〃But　you　must　move　with　great　caution　and　not　let　this　get　abroad；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

The　two　remained　talking　till　an　early　hour　in　the　morning　when　the　visitor　left。

Now　in　order　to　put　Cao　Cao　quite　off　the　scent　that　any　plot　against　him　was　in　progress；　Liu　Bei　began　to　devote　himself　to　gardening；　planting　vegetables；　and　watering　them　with　his　own　hands。　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　ventured　to　remonstrate　with　him　for　taking　to　such　an　occupation　when　great　matters　needed　attention。

〃The　reason　for　this　you　may　not　know；〃　replied　he。

And　they　said　no　more。

One　day　when　the　two　brothers　were　absent；　and　Liu　Bei　was　busy　in　his　garden；　two　generals　of　Cao　Cao；　Xu　Chu　and　Zhang　Liao；　with　an　escort　came　from　Cao　Cao；　saying；　〃The　mand　of　the　Prime　Minister　is　that　you　e　at　once。〃

〃What　important　affair　is　afoot？〃　asked　Liu　Bei　nervous