he　siege　and　reached　Shangyong；　while　Guan　Ping　returned。　Then　they　barred　the　gates　and　hold　their　defense。

Now；　having　captured　Shangyong；　Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da　had　remained　to　guard　it。　Liu　Feng　had　been　created　Governor　General；　and　together　with　Meng　Da；　to　defend　that　city。　When　they　heard　of　the　defeat　of　Guan　Yu；　they　took　counsel　what　to　do。　When　Liao　Hua　came；　he　was　admitted　into　the　city。　He　told　the　tale　of　Guan　Yu's　straits；　and　asked　for　help。

Said　Liao　Hua；　〃Guan　Yu　is　closely　besieged　in　Maicheng。　Help　from　the　west　will　be　a　long　time　in　ing；　so　I　have　been　sent　to　beg　your　assistance。　I　hope　you　will　march　the　Shangyong　troops　thither　as　quickly　as　possible；　for　any　delay　will　be　fatal。〃

Liu　Feng　replied；　〃Sir；　go　to　the　rest…house　for　a　time　till　we　can　decide。〃

So　Liao　Hua　went；　and　the　two　leaders　talked　over　the　matter。

Liu　Feng　said；　〃This　is　bad　news。　What　is　to　be　done？〃

〃Wu　is　very　powerful；〃　replied　his　colleague。　〃Now　they　have　control　over　the　whole　region　of　Jingzhou；　save　this　small　clod　of　earth　called　Maicheng。　Cao　Cao　is　at　hand　with　five　hundred　thousand　troops；　and　we　cannot　stand　against　the　two　mighty　forces。　I　say　we　must　not　move。〃

〃I　know　all　this。　But　Guan　Yu　is　my　uncle；　and　I　cannot　bear　to　sit　still　and　not　try　to　save　him。〃

〃So　you　hold　him　as　an　uncle！〃　said　Meng　Da　with　a　smile。　〃Yet　I　do　not　think　he　holds　you　much　as　a　nephew。　When　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong　adopted　you；　Guan　Yu　was　greatly　annoyed。　And　after　the　Prince　had　accepted　his　new　dignity　and　was　nominating　his　heir；　I　heard　he　consulted　Zhuge　Liang；　who　said　the　affair　was　one　to　be　decided　within　the　family　and　declined　to　advise。　Then　the　Prince　sent　to　ask　Guan　Yu's　advice。　Did　Guan　Yu　name　you？　Not　at　all