under　Guan　Xing；　son　of　Guan　Yu。　The　youth　also　threw　himself　to　the　ground　and　wept。

At　sight　of　Guan　Xing；　thoughts　stirred　in　the　First　Ruler's　breast；　and　he　burst　into　tears。　Neither　reason　nor　persuasion　could　stop　them。

〃I　think　of　the　plain　and　simple　days　of　long　ago　when　we　pledged　ourselves　one　to　the　other。　Now　I　am　Emperor。　How　I　should　rejoice　to　share　my　good　fortune　with　them！　But　they　have　met　violent　deaths；　and　the　sight　of　these　two　youths　wrings　my　heart　to　the　very　core。〃

〃Young　gentlemen；　please　retire；〃　said　the　officers　to　the　two　youthful　generals；　〃and　let　our　Sacred　One　repose　his　dragon　body。〃

They　went。

Said　the　attendants；　〃Your　Majesty　is　no　longer　young。　You　are　over　sixty；　remember；　and　it　is　not　fitting　that　you　give　way　to　such　extreme　sorrow。〃

〃But　my　brothers………dead；〃　wailed　the　First　Ruler。　〃How　can　I　live　without　them？〃

He　broke　into　a　fresh　paroxysm　and　beat　his　head　on　the　ground。

〃What　can　be　done？〃　asked　the　officers　one　to　another。　〃He　is　in　such　trouble！　How　can　we　fort　him？〃

Ma　Liang　said；　〃Sire；　it　is　bad　for　the　army　to　spend　whole　days　in　wailing　and　tears　when　leading　against　the　enemy。〃

And　then　Chen　Zhen　said；　〃There　is　a　certain　hermit　living　among　the　Blue　Mountains；　near　Chengdu；　who　is　said　to　be　three　hundred　years　old。　He　is　called　Li　Yin；　and　people　say　he　is　a　seer。　Let　us　tell　His　Majesty　and　let　him　send　for　this　old　man　that　he　may　know　what　the　future　may　have　in　store。　It　will　have　more　weight　than　anything　we　can　say。〃

They　went　to　the　First　Ruler　and　told　him。　He　agreed　to　summon　the　seer　and　sent　Chen　Zhen　with　the　mand。　Soon　the　messenger　reached　the　town　near　the　hills　and　asked　the　people　where　the　prophet　dwelt。　They　led