〃Who is this?〃 asked the Dowager。
〃This is Zhao Yun of Changshan。〃
〃Then he must be the hero of Dangyang; who saved the little Liu Shan。〃
〃Yes; this is he;〃 replied Liu Bei。
〃A fine general!〃 said the Dowager; and she gave him wine。
Presently Zhao Yun said to his master; 〃I have seen a lot of armed ruffians hidden away in the purlieus of the temple。 They can be there for no good; and you should ask the Dowager to get them sent away。〃
Thereupon Liu Bei knelt at the feet of the Dowager and; weeping; said; 〃If you would slay me; let it be here。〃
〃Why do you say this?〃 asked she。
〃Because there are assassins in hiding in the wings of the temple。 What are they there for if not to kill me?〃
The Dowager wrathfully turned on Sun Quan; 〃What are armed men doing there today; when Liu Bei is to bee my son…in…law and the pair are my son and daughter?〃
Sun Quan said he did not know and sent Lu Fan to inquire。 Lu Fan put the blame on Jia Hua。 The Dowager summoned him and upbraided him severely。 He had nothing to say; and she told them to put him to death。
But Liu Bei interceded; saying; 〃The generals death will do me harm and make it hard for me to stay at your side。〃
The State Patriarch Qiao also interceded; and she only ordered the general out of her presence。 His subordinates also scattered and ran like frightened rats。
By and bye; strolling out of the banquet room into the temple grounds; Liu Bei came to a boulder。 Drawing his sword he looked up to heaven and prayed; saying; 〃If I am to return to Jingzhou and achieve my intent to bee a chief ruler; then may I cleave this boulder asunder with my sword。 But if I am to meet my doom in this place; then may the sword fail to cut this stone。〃
Raising his sword he smote the boulder。 Sparks flew in all directions; and the boulder lay split in twain。
It happened that Sun Quan had seen the blow; and he said; 〃Why do you thus hate that stone?〃
Liu Bei replied; 〃I am near my fifth decade and have so far failed to rid the state of evil。 I greatly regret my failure。 Now I have been accepted by the Dowager as her son…in…law; and this is a critical moment in my life。 So I implored of Heaven a portent that I might destroy Cao Cao as I would that boulder and restore the dynasty。 You saw what happened。〃
〃That is only to deceive me;〃 thought Sun Quan。 Drawing his own sword; he said; 〃And I also ask of Heaven an omen; that if I am to destroy Cao Cao; I may also cut this rock。〃
So he spoke。 But in his secret heart he prayed; 〃If I am to recover Jingzhou and extend my borders; may the stone be cut in twain。〃
He smote the stone and it split in twain。 And to this day there are cross cuts in the stone; which is still preserved。
One who saw this relic wrote a poem:
The shining blades fell and the rock was shorn through;
The metal rang clear and the sparks widely flew。
Thus fate then declared for the dynasties two
And the tripartite rule there began。
Both put up their swords and returned hand in hand to the banquet hall。
After some more courses; Sun Qian gave his master a warning look; and Liu Bei said; 〃I pray you excuse me as my drinking powers are very small。〃
Wherefore Sun Quan escorted him to the gate。
As they walked down looking at high land and rolling river spreading in glorious panorama before their eyes; Liu Bei exclaimed; 〃Really this is the finest scene in the whole world!〃
These words are recorded on a tablet in the Temple of the Sweet Dew; and one who read them wrote a poem:
From the riverside hills the rain clears off;
And the black clouds roll away;
And this is the place of joy and mirth
And never can sorrow stay。
And here two heroes of ages past
Decided their parts to play;
And the lofty heights flung back wind and wave
Then; as they do today。
Yes; they stood both entranced by the beautiful scene。 And gradually along the vast river the wind whipped the waves into snowy foam and raised them high toward heaven。 And in the midst of the waves appeared a tiny leaf of a boat riding over the waves as if all was perfect calm。
〃The northern people are riders and the sou