Jade Spring Mountain reveals Guan Gong in manifested holiness.
Luoyang City awakens Cao Cao to the touch of divinity.

Sun Quan sought strategy from Lü Meng. Lü Meng said, “I judge that Guan the general has few men and cannot flee along the road. North of Maicheng, there is a steep, narrow path; he must go that way. Send Zhu Ran with five thousand picked soldiers to lie in ambush twenty li north of Maicheng. When the enemy comes, do not engage him directly; strike from behind after he leaves. His troops have no will to fight and will surely run toward Linju. Send Pan Zhang with five hundred picked soldiers to hide on a narrow back path at Linju Mountain. Then Guan can be captured. Now have the commanders attack through every gate except keep only the north gate open.”

Sun Quan heard this, then ordered Lu Fan to divine again. When the hexagram formed, Fan said, “This omen shows the enemy running to the northwest. Tonight at the Hai hour, he will certainly be taken.” Sun Quan rejoiced and ordered Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang to take their elite detachments and go to their ambushes at once.

In Maicheng, Guan Yu counted his horse-and-foot soldiers and found barely more than three hundred left; the grain was gone as well. That night, Wu soldiers outside called out unit names and passed over the wall in great numbers. Rescue troops did not appear. With no plan, he told Wang Fu, “I regret I did not listen to you before. Today in this crisis, what can be done?”

Wang Fu wept and said, “Even if Great Lord Jiang Ziya had come back to life, this cannot be solved today.”

Zhao Lei said, “No reinforcement reached us from Shangyong, because Liu Feng and Meng Da kept their forces still. Why not leave this isolated city, break into West Sichuan, rebuild the army, and then seek recovery?” Guan said, “I want to do that too.” Then he climbed the wall and asked the townspeople, “North of here, what is the land like?”

They answered, “It is all hidden lanes through hills; they lead toward West Sichuan.” Guan said, “We can go by that path tonight.” Wang Fu objected, “There are ambushes on the side path. Better to use the main road.” Guan replied, “Though there is an ambush, what is there for me to fear?”

He issued the order at once: mounted cavalry and foot troops were to stand in strict gear and prepare to leave the city. Wang Fu wept, “My lord, be careful on the road! A hundred or so of us will die on this city wall and never surrender. Though the city falls, we will not yield. We all await your quick rescue.”

Guan Yu likewise parted in tears. So he left Zhou Cang with Wang Fu to defend Maicheng. Guan Yu led Guan Ping and Zhao Lei with two hundred-odd survivors out by the north gate. Guan Yu advanced, slashing with his halberd. After the first watch, having marched over twenty li, they reached a small mountain hollow where drums and gongs sounded in one voice and the shouting resounded like thunder.

A mass of horsemen had already gathered there, led by Zhu Ran, who rode forward and cried, “Yunchang, do not run! Surrender now and avoid one needless death!” Guan Yu grew furious, spurred his horse, and drew his wheel-bladed axe to fight. Zhu Ran turned away and Guan Yu pressed him in pursuit. Then, at one stroke of drum, all the hidden troops rose at once. Guan Yu did not choose battle. He headed for the Linju path. Zhu Ran’s force followed and cut down whichever men they could.

The men with Guan Yu thinned away as he went. After four or five li, they heard shouting ahead and bright flames rose around them. Pan Zhang galloped in with sword raised. Guan Yu was furious, brought his weapon up to meet him; in only three exchanges Pan Zhang was broken and fled. Guan Yu refused another fight and rushed on toward the mountain track. Guan Ping came running behind, reporting that Zhao Lei had already died in the confusion. Guan Yu, unable to conceal his grief and panic, told Guan Ping to cover the rear while he drove forward. He ended with only ten men beside him.

When they reached Jie Rock, mountains rose on both sides, with reeds, dead grass, and thickets of trees along the slopes. It was near the fifth watch. Just as they moved forward, a cry went up. Ambush men emerged from both sides at once. Long-hooked lassoes were lifted together and first cast to trip Guan Yu from his seated horse.

He rolled off the horse. Ma Zhong, Pan Zhang’s officer, seized him. When Guan Ping learned his father had been taken, he rushed to rescue him. Pan Zhang and Zhu Ran arrived together with troops and surrounded Guan Ping on every side. Guan Ping fought on alone, and when his strength failed he too was captured.

By dawn, Sun Quan heard that Guan Yu and his son had both been caught and was very glad, gathering the officers in his tent.

After a while, Ma Zhong brought Guan Yu before him. Sun Quan said, “I have long admired the General’s excellence and wished to make peace between us like Qin and Jin. How did you leave it thus, that my hand now has you in chains?”

Guan Yu thundered back, “Blue-eyed boy, purple-bearded rat! I entered an oath at the Peach Garden with Liu the Imperial Uncle, and swore to uphold the Han house. How can I stand with one who has betrayed Han and plots with him? I have fallen by a treacherous scheme; I only have to die. What more is there to say?”

Sun Quan looked over the assembled officers and said, “Yunchang is the foremost hero of his age. I deeply esteem him. I want to treat him with respect and invite him to submit. What do you think?”

Zuo Xian, the prime registrar, said, “No, sire. When Cao Cao once took this man, he gave him rank and fiefs, held a small banquet every three days and a great one every fifth day. Each time Guan mounted his horse one coin of gold was raised, each time he dismounted one coin of silver: such grace would not keep him. In the end he left and slashed through our guards and generals, so close that we nearly moved the capital to avoid his spearhead. Now that the Lord has captured him, if he is not cut down at once, later trouble will surely follow.”

Sun Quan grew silent for a moment, then said, “Your words are right.” He ordered Guan and his son put to death.

So Guan Yu and his son met their end. It was winter, twelfth month of Jian’an twenty-four. Guan Yu was fifty-eight.

Later people sighed in verse:

No talent under late Han could equal this one, and Yunchang stood alone above the rest. His divine vigor can rouse valor; he also knew elegance in learning. His heart, bright as daylight, held a mirror that did not cloud; His justice, wider than spring and autumn, spread beyond envy. His fame shows through ten thousand ages, And he no longer stood merely first among three.

Another poem says:

Only once in a man’s age came such a worthy man, as Yunchang of Han; people and officials alike knelt in worship. Brothers and mates from one day in the Peach Garden, rulers and kings for ten thousand years in bronze vessels. His spirit bore storm and thunder with no equal, his purpose lit the sun and moon. Until today, his temple visage fills all under heaven, and old trees and black crows face evening light.

After Guan Yu had died, his red warhorse was taken by Ma Zhong and presented to Sun Quan. Sun Quan then allowed Ma Zhong to ride it. The horse would not eat grass or feed for several days and died.

Back in Maicheng, Wang Fu trembled with pain, then asked Zhou Cang, “Last night I dreamed my lord stood there all blood-soaked, facing me. I called out and suddenly woke in fright. I know nothing of its meaning.” Just then came word that Wu soldiers were below the city offering the heads of Guan Yu and his son for pacification. Wang Fu and Zhou Cang ran to the top of the wall and saw it indeed: the severed heads.

Wang Fu cried out once and fell to the ground to die. Zhou Cang drew his sword and killed himself. In this way Maicheng fell to Eastern Wu.

But Guan Yu’s spirit did not disperse. It roamed restlessly, and one day came to a mountain called Jade Spring in Dangyang County, Jingmen commandery. At the top lived an old monk named Pu Jing, dharma-name Pure Purity, formerly a senior monk from Zhi Guo Temple at Sishui Pass. Wandering through the world in former days, he had come here, seeing mountain and waters fair, and had built a hut of thatch where he meditated and practiced the Way each day, with only a young novice to sustain himself with alms.

On a night of bright moon and clear wind, after the third watch, Pu Jing sat in silent meditation when he heard someone in the air shout, “Give me back my head!” Pu Jing looked up and saw a man in the air, riding a red horse, carrying a Qinglong halberd, with a white-faced general on his left and a black-faced, curly-bearded man on his right. They all came together and settled at the summit of Jade Spring. Pu Jing recognized him as Guan Yu and struck the gate with his fly-whisk: “Where is Master Yunchang?”

The spirit of Guan Yu understood, then dismounted from the wind and came before the hut. Joining his hands, he asked, “Who are you, Master? I seek your Dharma name.” Pu Jing said, “I am the old monk Pu Jing. Once, at Zhen Guo Temple by Sishui Pass, you and the lord met me. Has all that truly been forgotten?”

Guan Yu said, “Your help and kindness are engraved in me. Now I have met disaster and died. I beg for true guidance to clear this lost path.”

Pu Jing replied, “Then and now are different. Do not argue from former causes to present results; what is meant to happen has come. You were slain by Lü Meng and cried, ‘Return my head!’ But then to whose heads, such as Yan Liang, Wen Chou, and the men called Five Passes and Six Generals, must you demand them from now?”

Guan Yu suddenly awakened to understanding. He knelt, bowed, took refuge, and departed. Thereafter he often showed himself as a holy one on Jade Spring Mountain, protecting the people. Villagers moved by his virtue built a shrine at the top and offered sacrifice in the four seasons. Later someone inscribed a couplet:

He who holds a red face and red heart rides the red mare in pursuit of wind, Chasing on, he never forgets the command of the Crimson Lord. Under a blue lamp he watches blue history, With the Green Dragon crescent he guards the hidden without shame beneath the blue sky.

Back in Jianye, after Sun Quan had caused Guan Yu’s death he took all the lands of Jing and Xiang, rewarded and supplied the three armies, held a great feast and banquet for his generals in celebration, and placed Lü Meng in command. He said to them, “I never truly possessed Jingzhou; now it is mine at a touch, all by Ziming’s achievement.”

Lü Meng repeatedly refused. Sun Quan said, “In former times Zhou Lang had talent beyond men, and at Red Cliffs he broke Cao Cao, but was unfortunate to die early. Lu Su took his place. From our first meeting, Lu Su saw the broad design of kings and emperors—that was one wisdom. When Cao Cao moved east, all others urged me to surrender, and only Lu Su urged me to call back Gongjin and strike him—that was second wisdom. But he erred once: he advised me to lend Jingzhou to Liu Bei. Today, through Ziming’s planning and execution, Jingzhou is secured, greater than Lu Su and Zhou Lang by many times.”

Then Sun Quan personally poured out wine for Lü Meng. As Lü Meng raised it to drink, he suddenly flung the cup down, seized Sun Quan’s arm, and cried in rage, “Blue-eyed boy! Purple-bearded rat! Do you recognize me now?”

Great panic spread among all the generals. When attendants tried to help, Lü Meng toppled Sun Quan, strode forward and sat in the ruler’s place, his brows drawn down and eyes wide, then roared, “Since I broke the Yellow Turbans, I have moved with my sword across the world for over thirty years. To be trapped in one day by your stratagem—if I live, I will never taste your flesh; if I die, I will pursue the spirit of that bandit Lü to the end! I am Guan Yunchang, Marquis of Hanshou District.”

Sun Quan was startled. He quickly gathered all senior and junior officers and had all of them kneel. Only when Lü Meng was on the ground with blood from his seven orifices did he die. All the generals feared him in awe. Sun Quan placed his corpse in a coffin with full honors and buried him, posthumously granting him the title Marquis of Chanling and the rank of Administrator of Nan Commandery; he ordered his son Lü Ba to inherit the marquisate. From then on, Sun Quan was perpetually unsettled by Guan Yu’s affair.

Suddenly Zhang Zhao came from Jianye, and Sun Quan called him in. Zhang Zhao said, “Now Your Majesty has harmed father and son Guan. The disaster of Jiangdong is not far. This man took the oath of life and death with Liu Bei in the Peach Garden. Now Liu Bei has troops in both Sichuan and another strong will; with Zhuge Liang’s plotting and the courage of Zhang, Huang, Ma, and Zhao, if he learns Guan and his son are dead, he will raise a state-level force and avenge it with all might. East Wu may not withstand it.”

Sun Quan said in alarm, “I miscalculated! What am I to do?”

Zhang Zhao said, “Do not fear. I have one scheme, and with it Wu and Jingzhou will be as secure as a table rock.”

Sun Quan asked, “What scheme?”

Zhang Zhao said, “Cao Cao now commands a hundred-thousand host, and eyes Hua Xia. Liu Bei, desperate for vengeance, must reconcile with him. If Wu and Shu strike together, East Wu is in danger. Better send a messenger with Guan’s severed head to Cao Cao by night. Have him told that this was done by Wei’s ruler, so Liu Bei will hate him and not turn on Wu, only on Wei. As for my reading, this is how victory can be seized in the middle.”

Sun Quan followed that advice and sent a messenger with a wooden casket carrying Guan Yu’s head to Cao Cao by night. Cao Cao was returning to Luoyang from Mobei with his main army withdrawn when he heard that East Wu had delivered Guan Yu’s head. He said in joy, “Yunchang is dead. Tonight I can sleep close to my mat.”

One man came from below and said, “This is the move to shift disaster from East Wu.”

Cao Cao asked why. It was his registrar Sima Yi, courtesy name Zhongda. Cao Cao asked his counsel. Sima Yi said, “When Liu, Guan, and Zhang made oath in the Peach Garden, they vowed life and death together. So because East Wu slew Guan, fearing his return, they now offer his head to the Great King, hoping Liu Bei will be enraged at Wu and turn against Cao Cao. Meanwhile he can exploit Shu’s zeal and intervene.”

Cao Cao said, “Your words are true. What is the solution?”

Sima Yi replied, “This is easy. Have the Great King carve a sandalwood figure to match Guan’s head, and bury it with high-official rites. When Liu Bei learns of it, he will deeply resent Sun Quan and advance south with all strength. I will watch the outcome: if Shu wins it hits Wu; if Wu wins it hits Shu. If either side gains one, the other cannot endure long.”

Cao Cao rejoiced and followed that plan. He then called the envoy of Wu in, who presented the casket.

When Cao Cao opened it, Guan Yu’s face appeared as in former days. Cao Cao laughed, “Yunchang-Gong still looks unharmed.” Before he finished speaking, Guan Yu’s mouth opened, his eyes moved, and his beard and hair bristled. Cao Cao dropped in fear. Officials rushed in to aid him, and after long time he rose and said to them, “General Guan truly is a heaven-sent spirit.”

The envoy then reported to Cao Cao how Guan had manifested and cursed Sun Quan for chasing him through Lü Meng. Cao Cao feared even more. He prepared altars and sweet wine, offered sacrifice, carved a sandalwood body, and buried it outside Luoyang’s south gate with the rites of a king. He ordered all officers to escort the coffin, offered rites himself, granted him the title King of Jing, assigned men to guard the tomb, and sent the Wu envoy back to Jiangdong.

The King of Han returned from Dongchuan to Chengdu. Fa Zheng, courtesy name Xiaozhi, said, “Your Majesty’s first empress is gone; your consort Sun has gone south and may not return. Family and human order cannot be neglected. You must take a queen and stabilize domestic affairs.” The King did so.

Fa Zheng spoke again, “There is a sister in the house of Wu Yi, beautiful and virtuous. A diviner once said: should she marry, she will be greatly exalted. She was once promised to Liu Yan’s son, Liu Mao, but he died young. She remains a widow. Your Majesty may take her as queen.”

The King replied, “Liu Mao and I are of one clan; this is not fitting.” Fa Zheng said, “In closeness of kin, is it different from Jin Wen and Huaiying?”

The King accepted and took Lady Wu. In time they had two sons: the elder Liu Yong, courtesy name Gongshi; and the second Liu Li, courtesy name Fengxiao.

As for the two Sichuan regions, the people were at peace and the state prosperous, with grain and millet flourishing. Then someone came from Jingzhou saying Eastern Wu sought marriage from Guan Yu and Guan rejected it with force. Zhuge Liang, courtesy name Kongming, said, “Jingzhou is in peril! Send someone immediately to report this to Guan.” While they discussed this, reports from Jingzhou came one after another.

Not long after, Guan Xing arrived and described the disaster at Shuan-embankment Seven Camps.

Then word came again from horse courier saying that Guan Yu had built many mounds and high banks by the river, so defenses were dense and secure with no breach. Xuande was reassured.

One day, Xuande suddenly felt a trembling through his body, unable to sit or stand. He could not sleep at night. He sat up in his inner room, holding a lamp and reading when his thoughts dimmed and he grew dazed, then lay back. In the room a cold wind suddenly rose; the lamp went out and lit again. He looked up and saw a figure at the lamp beneath.

He asked, “Who are you to come to my chamber at this late hour?” The man did not reply. Xuande stared and saw it was Guan Yu, slipping in and out of the lamplight.

Xuande said, “Brother, you have not been well for some time. To come so late, there must be grave reason. We were as one in blood. Why do you avoid me?”

Guan Yu answered in tears, “Let my brother raise troops and repay this brother’s grievance!” When he had spoken, a cold wind rose, and Guan Yu vanished.

Xuande suddenly found himself fully awake and recognized it as a dream. It was just before the third watch. Still uneasy, he quickly went to the front hall and ordered someone to summon Zhuge Liang.

Kongming entered and saw him. Xuande spoke in detail of the dream warning. Zhuge Liang said, “It is only your own mind, for your thought has stayed on Guan Yu. Why wonder at it so much?” Xuande remained doubtful; Zhuge Liang, with well-chosen words, explained it away.

When Zhuge Liang had withdrawn, he went to the middle gate where Xu Jing met him. Xu Jing said, “I just came from the military-adviser residence with confidential news, and heard you had entered the hall, so I came directly.”

Zhuge Liang asked, “What confidential matter?”

Xu Jing said, “I heard among outsiders that Lü Meng of East Wu has seized Jingzhou and killed Guan Yu. I came in secret to report this.”

Kongming said, “I watched the heavens last night and saw a war-star fall over Jing and Chu. I already knew Yunchang would be in danger, but I feared Your Majesty would be troubled, so I spoke nothing.”

Before they could continue, a close attendant announced from inside, “Ma Liang and Yiji are here.”

Xuande called them in. In deep grief, they reported the loss of Jingzhou and that Guan Yu had asked for aid after defeat in battle, presenting a memorial.

Before the document could be opened, an attendant again announced Liao Hua’s arrival from there. Xuande summoned him quickly. Liao Hua knelt and cried, then described in detail how Liu Feng and Meng Da had refused to send troops.

Xuande cried out in great alarm, “If this is true, my brother is doomed!”

Kongming said, “Liu Feng and Meng Da behaved with such offense their crime is above pardon. Your Majesty should keep your heart steady. I will personally lead one army at once for the urgent relief of Jingzhou.”

Xuande wept, “If Yunchang has fallen, I will not live alone. I will mount an army myself tomorrow and go to rescue Guan Yunchang.” He sent one party at once to Langzhong to report to Yide, and another to muster men.

Before dawn, report after report came in: Guan Yu had fled by night toward Linju and was taken by Wu officers, and he and his son kept their loyalty and honor and ascended as spirits.

Xuande listened and cried once, then collapsed unconscious.

For the grief he uttered:

“Remembering our old oath to die together, how has it come that today I alone live on, casting off my life? How this turned out will be told in the next chapter.