s　an　able　leader；　but　you　can　deceive　him　this　time。　When　he　sees　the　smoke；　he　will　take　it　as　a　subterfuge　and　risk　going　that　way。　But　do　not　let　your　kindness　of　heart　rule　your　conduct。〃

Thus　was　his　duty　assigned　Guan　Yu；　and　he　left；　taking　his　adopted　son　Guan　Ping；　his　general　Zhou　Cang；　and　five　hundred　swordsmen。

Said　Liu　Bei；　〃His　sense　of　rectitude　is　very　profound。　I　fear　if　Cao　Cao　should　e　that　way；　my　brother　will　let　him　pass。〃

〃I　have　consulted　the　stars　lately；　and　the　rebel　Cao　Cao　is　not　fated　to　e　to　his　end　yet。　I　have　purposely　designed　this　manifestation　of　kindly　feeling　for　Guan　Yu　to　acplish　and　so　act　handsomely。〃

〃Indeed　there　are　few　such　far…seeing　humans　as　you　are；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

The　two　then　went　to　Fankou　whence　they　might　watch　Zhou　Yu's　evolutions。　Sun　Qian　and　Jian　Yong　were　left　on　guard　of　Xiakou。

Cao　Cao　was　in　his　great　camp　in　conference　with　his　advisers　and　awaiting　the　arrival　of　Huang　Gai。　The　southeast　wind　was　very　strong　that　day；　and　Cheng　Yu　was　insisting　on　the　necessity　for　precaution。

But　Cao　Cao　laughed；　saying；　〃The　Winter　Solstice　depends　upon　the　sun　and　nothing　else。　There　is　sure　to　be　a　southeast　wind　at　some　one　or　other　of　its　recurrences。　I　see　nothing　to　wonder　at。〃

Just　then　they　announced　the　arrival　of　a　small　boat　from　the　other　shore　with　a　letter　from　Huang　Gai。　The　bearer　of　the　letter　was　brought　in　and　presented　it。　Cao　Cao　read　it：

〃Zhou　Yu　has　kept　such　strict　watch　that　there　has　been　no　chance　of　escape。　But　now　some　grain　is　ing　down　river；　and　I；　Huang　Gai；　have　been　named　as　escort　mander　which　will　give　me　the　opportunity　I　desire。　I　will　slay　one　of　the　known　generals　and　bring　his　head　as　an　offering　when　I　e。　This　evening