I　am　indeed　leading　you　astray。　Therefore　I　say　you　should　abandon　me　and　go　to　some　illustrious　lord　where　you　may　be　able　to　bee　famous。〃

At　these　words　they　all　covered　their　faces　and　wept。

Guan　Yu　said；　〃Brother；　you　are　wrong　to　speak　thus。　When　the　great　Founder　of　Han　contended　with　Xiang　Yu；　he　was　defeated　many　times；　but　he　won　at　the　Nine…Mile　Mountains　and　that　achievement　was　the　foundation　of　a　dynasty　that　endured　for　four　centuries。　Victory　and　defeat　are　but　ordinary　events　in　a　soldier's　career；　and　why　should　you　give　up？〃

〃Success　and　failure　both　have　their　seasons；〃　said　Sun　Qian；　〃and　we　are　not　to　grieve。　Jingzhou；　which　your　illustrious　relative；　Liu　Biao；　mands；　is　a　rich　and　prosperous　country。　Liu　Biao　is　of　your　house；　why　not　go　to　him？〃

〃Only　that　I　fear　he　may　not　receive　me；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃Then　let　me　go　and　prepare　the　way。　I　will　make　Liu　Biao　e　out　to　his　borders　to　wele　you。〃

So　with　his　lord's　approval；　Sun　Qian　set　off　immediately　and　hastened　to　Jingzhou。　When　the　ceremonies　of　greeting　were　over；　Liu　Biao　asked　the　reason　of　the　visit。

Said　Sun　Qian；　〃The　princely　Liu　Bei　is　one　of　the　heroes　of　the　day；　although　just　at　the　moment　he　may　lack　soldiers　and　leaders。　His　mind　is　set　upon　restoring　the　dynasty　to　its　pristine　glory；　and　at　Runan　the　two　manders；　Liu　Pi　and　Gong　Du；　though　bound　to　him　by　no　ties；　were　content　to　die　for　the　sake　of　his　ideals。　You；　Illustrious　Sir；　like　Liu　Bei；　are　a　scion　of　the　imperial　stock。　Now　the　Princely　One　has　recently　suffered　defeat　and　thinks　of　seeking　a　home　in　the　east　with　Sun　Quan。　I　have　ventured　to　dissuade　him；　saying　that　he　should　not　turn　from　a　relative　and　go　to　a　mere　acquaintance；　telling　him　that　you；　Sir；　are　well　kno