utheast　wind　begins；　I　shall　return。〃

Liu　Bei　would　have　questioned　him　further；　but　Zhuge　Liang　pressed　him　to　go。　So　the　boat　started　up　river　again；　while　Zhuge　Liang　returned　to　his　temporary　lodging。

The　boat　had　not　proceeded　far　when　appeared　a　small　fleet　of　fifty　ships　sweeping　down　with　the　current；　and　in　the　prow　of　the　leading　vessel　stood　a　tall　figure　armed　with　a　spear。　Guan　Yu　was　ready　to　fight。　But　when　they　were　near；　they　recognized　that　was　Zhang　Fei；　who　had　e　down　fearing　lest　his　brother　might　be　in　some　difficulty　from　which　the　strong　arm　of　Guan　Yu　might　even　be　insufficient　to　rescue　him。

The　three　brothers　thus　returned　together。

After　Zhou　Yu；　having　escorted　Liu　Bei　to　the　gate　of　his　camp；　had　returned　to　his　quarters；　Lu　Su　soon　came　to　see　him。

〃Then　you　had　cajoled　Liu　Bei　into　ing；　why　did　you　not　carry　out　your　plan？〃　asked　Lu　Su。

〃Because　of　that　Guan　Yu。　He　is　a　very　tiger；　and　he　never　left　his　brother　for　a　moment。　If　anything　had　been　attempted；　he　would　certainly　have　had　my　life。〃

Lu　Su　knew　that　Zhou　Yu　spoke　the　truth。　Then　suddenly　they　announced　a　messenger　with　a　letter　from　Cao　Cao。　Zhou　Yu　ordered　them　to　bring　him　in　and　took　the　letter。　But　when　he　saw　the　superscription　The　First　Minister　of　Han　to　mander…in…Chief　Zhou　Yu　；　he　fell　into　a　frenzy　of　rage；　tore　the　letter　to　fragments；　and　threw　them　on　the　ground。

〃To　death　with　this　fellow！〃　cried　he。

〃When　two　countries　are　at　war；　their　emissaries　are　not　slain；〃　said　Lu　Su。

〃Messengers　are　slain　to　show　one's　dignity　and　independence；〃　replied　Zhou　Yu。

The　unhappy　bearer　of　the　letter　was　decapitated；　and　his　head　sent　back　to　Cao　Cao　by　the　hands　of　his　escort。

Zhou　Yu　then　decid