and　is　always　righteous　and　true。　You；　O　Prime　Minister；　have　shown　him　kindness　in　the　past。　If　you　will　remind　him　of　that；　we　shall　escape　this　evil。〃

Cao　Cao　agreed　to　try。　He　rode　out　to　the　front；　bowed　low　and　said；　〃General；　I　trust　you　have　enjoyed　good　health。〃

〃I　had　orders　to　await　you；　O　Prime　Minister；〃　replied　Guan　Yu；　bowing　in　return；　〃and　I　have　been　expecting　you　these　many　days。〃

〃You　see　before　you　one　Cao　Cao………defeated　and　weak。　I　have　reached　a　sad　pass；　and　I　trust　you；　O　General；　will　not　forget　the　kindness　of　former　days。〃

〃Though　indeed　you　were　kind　to　me　in　those　days；　yet　I　slew　your　enemies　for　you　and　relieved　the　siege　of　Baima。　As　to　the　business　of　today；　I　cannot　allow　private　feelings　to　outweigh　public　duty。〃

〃Do　you　remember　my　six　generals；　slain　at　the　five　passes？　The　noble　person　values　righteousness。　You　are　well　versed　in　the　histories　and　must　recall　the　action　of　Yu　Gong；　the　archer；　when　he　released　his　master　Zi　Zhuo；　for　he　determined　not　to　use　Zi　Zhuo's　teaching　to　kill　Zi　Zhuo。〃

Guan　Yu　was　indeed　a　very　mountain　of　goodness　and　could　not　forget　the　great　kindness　he　had　received　at　Cao　Cao's　hands；　and　the　magnanimity　Cao　Cao　had　shown　over　the　deeds　at　the　five　passes。　He　saw　the　desperate　straits　to　which　his　benefactor　was　reduced；　and　tears　were　very　near　to　the　eyes　of　both。　He　could　not　press　Cao　Cao　hard。

He　pulled　at　the　bridle　of　his　steed　and　turned　away　saying　to　his　followers；　〃Break　up　the　formation！〃

From　this　it　was　evident　that　his　design　was　to　release　Cao　Cao；　who　then　went　on　with　his　officers。　When　Guan　Yu　turned　to　look　back；　they　had　all　passed。　He　uttered　a　great　shout；　and　Cao　Cao's　soldiers　jumped　off　their　horses　and　knelt　on　the　grou