Guan Yu Has A Scraped-Bone Surgery;
Lu Meng Crosses The River In White Robe.

At the sight of Guan Yu falling from his charger, Cao Ren led his army out of the city to follow up with an attack, but Guan Ping drove him off and escorted his father back to camp. There the arrow was extracted, but the arrow head had been poisoned. The wound was deep, and the poison had penetrated to the bone. The right arm was discolored and swollen and useless.

Guan Ping consulted with the other leaders and proposed, saying, "As fighting is impossible for the moment, we should withdraw to Jingzhou, where my father's wound can be treated."

Having decided upon this, they went to see the wounded warrior.

"What have you come for?" asked Guan Yu when they entered.

"Considering that you, Sir, have been wounded in the right arm, we fear the result of the excitement of battle. Moreover, you can hardly take part in a fight just now, and we therefore propose that the army retire till you are recovered."

Guan Yu replied angrily, "I am on the point of taking the city, and if I succeed, I must press forward to Capital Xuchang, and destroy that brigand Cao Cao, so that the Hans may be restored to their own. Think you that I can vitiate the whole campaign because of a slight wound? Would you dishearten the army?"

Guan Ping and his colleagues said no more, but somewhat unwillingly withdrew.

Seeing that their leader would not retire and the wound showed no signs of healing, the various generals inquired far and near for a good surgeon to attend their general.

One day a person arrived in a small ship and, having landed and come up to the gate of the camp, was led in to see Guan Ping. The visitor wore a square-cut cap and a loose robe. In his hand he carried a small black bag.

He said, "My name is Hua Tuo, and I belong to Qiao. I have heard of the wound sustained by the famous general and have come to heal it."

"Surely you must be the physician who treated Zhou Tai in the South Land," said Guan Ping.

"I am."

Taking with him the other generals, Guan Ping went in to see his father. Guan Yu was engaging in a game of chess with Ma Liang, although his arm was very painful. But Guan Yu kept up appearances so as not to discourage the troops. When they told him that a physician had come, he consented to see him.

Hua Tuo was introduced, asked to take a seat and, after the tea of ceremony, was shown the injured arm.

"This was caused by an arrow," said the doctor. "There is poison in the wound, and it has penetrated to the bone. Unless the wound is soon treated, the arm will become useless."

"What do you propose to do?" asked Guan Yu.

"I know how to cure the wound, but I think you will be afraid of the remedy."

"Am I likely to be afraid of that when I am not even afraid of death? Death is only a return home after all."

Then Hua Tuo said, "This is what I shall do. In a private room I shall erect a post with a steel ring attached. I shall ask you, Sir, to insert your arm in the ring, and I shall bind it firmly to the post. Then I shall cover your head with a quilt so that you cannot see, and with a scalpel I shall open up the flesh right down to the bone. Then I shall scrape away the poison. This done, I shall dress the wound with a certain preparation, sew it up with a thread, and there will be no further trouble. But I think you may quail at the severity of the treatment."

Guan Yu smiled.

"It all sounds easy enough," said he. "But why the post and the ring?"

Refreshments were then served, and after a few cups of wine, the warrior extended his arm for the operation. With his other hand he went on with his game of chess. Meanwhile the surgeon prepared his knife and called a lad to hold a basin beneath the limb.

"I am just going to cut. Do not start," said Hua Tuo.

"When I consented to undergo the treatment, did you think I was afraid of pain?"

The surgeon then performed the operation as he had pre-described. He found the bone much discolored, but he scraped it clean. When the knife went over the surface of the bone and made horrible sounds, all those near covered their eyes and turned pale. But Guan Yu went on with his game, only drinking a cup of wine now and again, and his face betrayed no sign of pain.

When the wound had been cleansed, sewn up and dressed, the patient stood up smiling and said, "This arm is now as good as it ever was. There is no pain. Indeed, Master, you are a marvel."

"I have spent my life in the art," said Hua Tuo, "but I have never seen such a patient as you, Sir. You are as if not from the earth but heaven."

 [hip, hip, hip]
Here as surgeons, there physicians, all boast their skill;
Bitter few are those that cure one when one's really ill.
As for superhuman valor rivals Guan Yu had none,
So for holy touch in healing Hua Tuo stood alone.
[yip, yip, yip]
 

When the cure was well advanced, Guan Yu gave a fine banquet in honor of Hua Tuo and offered him a fee of a hundred ounces of gold.

But Hua Tuo declined it, saying, "I had come to treat you, O General, from admiration of your great virtue and not for money. Although your wound is cured, you must be careful of your health, and especially avoid all excitement for a hundred days, when you will be as well as ever you were."

Then Hua Tuo, having prepared dressings for the wound, took his leave, refusing fees to the very last.

Having captured Yu Jin and accomplished the death of Pang De, Guan Yu became more famous and more fear-inspiring through the empire than even before. Cao Cao called together his advisers to help him decide upon what he should do.

Said Cao Cao, "I must acknowledge this Guan Yu as the one man who, in skill and valor, overtops the whole world. Lately he has obtained possession of Jingzhou and the territory near it, and has so become very terrible. He is a tiger with wings added. Pang De is no more; Yu Jin is his prisoner; the armies of Wei have lost their morale; and if he led his armies to Xuchang, we should be helpless. I can only think of avoiding the peril by removal of the capital. What think you?"

"No; do not take that step," said Sima Yi, rising to reply. "Yu Jin and all the others you lost were victims of the flood and slain in battle. These losses do no harm at all to your great plan. The Suns and Lius are no longer friends since Guan Yu has accomplished his desire. You may send a messenger into Wu to foment the quarrel and cause Sun Quan to send his armies to attack the army of Guan Yu from the rear, promising that, when things are tranquil, you will reward the south to Sun Quan. In this way you will relieve Fancheng."

Here Minister Jiang Ji said, "Sima Yi speaks well, and the messenger should lose no time. Do not move the capital and disturb the people."

Cao Cao therefore did not carry out his first proposal.

But he was sad at the loss of Yu Jin, and spoke of him affectionately, "Yu Jin had followed me faithfully for thirty years, yet in that moment of truth he was less than Pang De."

It was necessary to send someone with the letters to Wu and also to find another leader willing to face Guan Yu. Cao Cao had not long to wait for the latter, as an officer stepped out from the ranks of those in waiting and offered himself. It was Xu Huang.

Xu Huang's offer was accepted, and he was given fifty thousand of veterans. Lu Qian was sent as his second, and the army marched to Yangling Slope, where they halted to see if any support was coming from the southeast.

Sun Quan fell in with the scheme of Cao Cao as soon as he had read Cao Cao's letter. He at once prepared a reply for the messenger to take back, and then gathered his officers, civil and military, to consult. Zhang Zhao was the first speaker.

"We know Guan Yu has captured one leader and slain another. This has added greatly to his fame and reputation. Cao Cao was going to move the capital rather than risk an attack. We also know that Fancheng is in imminent danger. Cao Cao has asked for our help; but when he has gained his end, I doubt whether he will hold to his promise."

Before Sun Quan had replied they announced the arrival of Lu Meng, who had come in a small ship from Lukou with a special message. He was at once called in and asked what it was.

Said Lu Meng, "The armies of Guan Yu being absent at Fancheng, the opportunity should be taken to attack Jingzhou."

"But I wish to attack Xuzhou in the north. What of this plan?" said Sun Quan.

"It would be better to attack Jingzhou, and so get control of the Great River. Cao Cao is far away to the north and too occupied to regard the east. Xuzhou is weakly held and could be taken easily, but the lie of the land favors the use of an army rather than a navy force. If you capture it, it will not be easy to hold. But once you hold Jingzhou, you can evolve other schemes."

"Really, my desire was to attack Jingzhou, but I wished to hear what you would say to the other plan. Now, Sir, make me a plan speedily, and I will act upon it."

So Lu Meng took his leave and went back to Lukou. But soon they heard that Guan Yu had had beacon towers erected at short distances all along the Great River, and that the army of Jingzhou was being put into most efficient condition.

"If this is so, it is hard to make a plan that will ensure success," said Lu Meng. "I have already advised my master to attack Jingzhou, but I am unable to meet this complication."

Therefore he made illness an excuse to stay at home, and sent to inform Sun Quan, who was very distressed at the news.

Then said Lu Xun, "The illness is feigned. He is quite well."

"If you know that so well, go and see," said Sun Quan.

Away went Lu Xun and speedily arrived at Lukou, where he saw Lu Meng, who indeed appeared to be in perfect health. Nor did his face bear any signs of recent illness.

"The Marquis of Wu has sent me to inquire after your honorable complaint," said Lu Xun.

"How distressed I am that the state of my wretched carcass has caused the Marquis the inconvenience of inquiring" replied Lu Meng.

"The Marquis placed a very heavy responsibility on your shoulders, but you are not making the best use of the opportunity. However, what is the real origin of your distress?"

Lu Meng sat gazing at his visitor a long time without replying.

"I have a little remedy," said Lu Xun. "Do you think you might use it?"

Lu Meng dismissed the servants, and when the two were alone, he said, "This remedy, my friend, please tell me what it is."

"Your ailment is due simply to the efficiency of the Jingzhou soldiers. I know how to keep the beacons from flaring, and I can m............