Kuai Yue replied, “I notice that Zhao Yun never leaves him. I feel sure he expects some attack.”
“I have placed five hundred men in ambush in the city.”
“We will tell Wen Ping and Wang Wei to invite all the military officers to a banquet at one of the pavilions outside the city, and Zhao Yun will be among them. Then will be our opportunity.”
Cai Mao thought this a good device for getting Zhao Yun out of the way.
Now oxen and horses had been slaughtered and a grand banquet prepared. Liu Bei rode to the residence on the horse of ill omen, and when he arrived, the steed was led into the back part of the enclosure and tethered there. Soon the guests arrived, and Liu Bei took his place as master of the feast, with the two sons of the Imperial Protector, one on each side. The guests were all arranged in order of rank. Zhao Yun stood near his lord sword in hand as a faithful henchman should do.
Then Wen Ping and Wang Wei came to invite Zhao Yun to the banquet they had prepared for the military officers. But he declined. However, Liu Bei told him to go, and, after some demur, he went. Then Cai Mao perfected his final arrangements, placing his people surrounding the place like a ring of iron. The three hundred guards that formed the escort of Liu Bei were sent away to the guest-house.
All were ready and awaiting the signal. At the third course, Yi Ji took a goblet of wine in his hands and approached Liu Bei, at the same time giving him a meaningful look. Then in a low voice he said, “Make an excuse to get sway.” Liu Bei understood and presently rose and went to the inner chamber, and then he went to the backyard. There he found Yi Ji, who had gone thither after presenting the cup of wine.
Yi Ji then told him, saying, “Cai Mao plots to kill you, and all the roads have been guarded except that to the west. My lord must to lose no time to depart.”
Liu Bei was quite taken aback. However, he got hold of the Dilu horse, opened the door of the garden, and led it out. Then he took a flying leap into the saddle and galloped off without waiting for the escort. He made for the west gate. At the gate the wardens wanted to question him, but he only whipped up his steed and rode through. The guards at the gate ran off to report to Cai Mao, who quickly went in pursuit with five hundred soldiers.
As has been said Liu Bei burst out at the west gate. Before he had gone far there rolled before him a river barring the way. It was the Tan Torrent, many score spans in width, which pours its waters into the River Xiang. Its current was very swift.
Liu Bei reached the bank and saw the river was unfordable. So he turned his horse and rode back. Then, not far off, he saw a cloud of dust and knew that his pursuers were therein. He thought that it was all over. However, he turned again toward the swift river, and seeing the soldiers now quite near, plunged into the stream. A few paces, and he felt the horse's fore legs floundering in front while the water rose over the skirt of his robe.
Then he plied the whip furiously, crying, “Dilu, Dilu, why betray me?”
Whereupon the good steed suddenly reared up out of the water and, with one tremendous leap, was on the western bank. Liu Bei felt as if he had come out of the clouds.
In after years the famous court official, Su Dongpo, wrote a poem on this leap over the Tan Torrent:
I'm growing old, the leaves are sere,
My sun slopes westward, soon will sink,
And I recall that yesteryear
I wandered by Tan River brink.
Irresolute, anon I paused,
Anon advanced, and gazed around,
I marked the autumn's reddened leaves,
And watched them eddying to the ground.
I thought of all the mighty deeds
Of him who set the House of Han
On high, and all the struggles since,
The battlefields, the blood that ran.
I saw the nobles gathered round
The board, set in the Banquet Hall;
Amid them, one, above whose head
There hung a sword about to fall.
I saw him quit that festive throng
And westward ride, a lonely way;
I saw a squadron follow swift,
Intent the fugitive to slay.
I saw him reach the River Tan,
Whose swirling current rushes by;
Adown the bank he galloped fast,
“Now leap, my steed!” I heard him cry.
His steed's hoofs churn the swollen stream;
What chills he that the waves run high?
He hears the sound of clashing steel,
Of thundering squadrons coming nigh.
And upward from the foaming waves
I saw two peerless beings soar;
One was a destined western king,
And him another dragon bore.
The Tan still rolls from east to west.
Its roaring torrent never dry.
Those dragons twain, ah! Where are they?
Yes, where? But there is no reply.
The setting sun, in dark relief
Against the glowing western sky.
Throws out the everlasting hills
While, saddened, here I stand and sigh.
Humans died to found the kingdoms three,
Which now as misty dreams remain.
Of greatest deeds the traces oft
Are faint that fleeting years retain.
Thus Liu Bei crossed the rolling river. Then he turned and looked back at the other bank which his pursuers had just gained.
“Why did you run sway from the feast?” called out Cai Mao.
“Why did you wish to harm one who has done you no injury?” replied Liu Bei.
“I have never thought of such a thing; do not listen to what people say to you.”
But Liu Bei saw that his enemy was fitting an arrow to his bowstring, so he whipped up his steed and rode away southwest.
“What spirits aided him?” said Cai Mao to his followers.
Then Cai Mao turned to go back to the city, but in the gate he saw Zhao Yun coming out at the head of his company of guards.
By wondrous leap the dragon steed his rider's life could save,
Now follows him, on vengeance bent, his master's henchman brave.
The next chapters will tell what fate befell the traitor.
CHAPTER 35. Liu Bei Meets A Recluse At Nanzhang; Shan Fu Sees A Noble Lord At Xinye
Just as Cai Mao was going into the city, he met Zhao Yun and his three hundred coming out. It had happened that, while at the banquet, Zhao Yun had noticed some movement of soldiers and horses and had at once gone to the banquet-hall to see if all was well with his lord. Missing Liu Bei from his place, Zhao Yun had become anxious and gone to the guest-house. There he heard that Cai Mao had gone off to the west gate with troops. So he quickly took his spear, mounted and went, he and the escort, in hot haste along the same road.