t　his　fair　fame　has　spread　over　the　whole　earth；　you　may　well　be　congratulated　on　getting　such　a　noble　son…in…law。〃

Liu　Bei　bowed；　in　acknowledgment　of　his　reception。　Soon　after　they　were　all　seated　at　the　banquet　in　the　temple；　Zhao　Yun　entered　and　took　his　place　beside　Liu　Bei。

〃Who　is　this？〃　asked　the　Dowager。

〃This　is　Zhao　Yun　of　Changshan。〃

〃Then　he　must　be　the　hero　of　Dangyang；　who　saved　the　little　Liu　Shan。〃

〃Yes；　this　is　he；〃　replied　Liu　Bei。

〃A　fine　general！〃　said　the　Dowager；　and　she　gave　him　wine。

Presently　Zhao　Yun　said　to　his　master；　〃I　have　seen　a　lot　of　armed　ruffians　hidden　away　in　the　purlieus　of　the　temple。　They　can　be　there　for　no　good；　and　you　should　ask　the　Dowager　to　get　them　sent　away。〃

Thereupon　Liu　Bei　knelt　at　the　feet　of　the　Dowager　and；　weeping；　said；　〃If　you　would　slay　me；　let　it　be　here。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　this？〃　asked　she。

〃Because　there　are　assassins　in　hiding　in　the　wings　of　the　temple。　What　are　they　there　for　if　not　to　kill　me？〃

The　Dowager　wrathfully　turned　on　Sun　Quan；　〃What　are　armed　men　doing　there　today；　when　Liu　Bei　is　to　bee　my　son…in…law　and　the　pair　are　my　son　and　daughter？〃

Sun　Quan　said　he　did　not　know　and　sent　Lu　Fan　to　inquire。　Lu　Fan　put　the　blame　on　Jia　Hua。　The　Dowager　summoned　him　and　upbraided　him　severely。　He　had　nothing　to　say；　and　she　told　them　to　put　him　to　death。

But　Liu　Bei　interceded；　saying；　〃The　general's　death　will　do　me　harm　and　make　it　hard　for　me　to　stay　at　your　side。〃

The　State　Patriarch　Qiao　also　interceded；　and　she　only　ordered　the　general　out　of　her　presence。　His　subordinates　also　scattered　and　ran　like　frightened　rats。

By　and　bye；　strolling　out　of　the　banquet　room　into　the　temple　grounds；　Liu　Bei　cam