第188部分 (第1/7页)

The　messenger　who　had　brought　the　dead　warrior's　head　told　the　story　of　Guan　Yu　cursing　and　reviling　Sun　Quan；　and　of　what　had　befallen　Lu　Meng。

Cao　Cao；　filled　with　dread；　prepared　sacrifices　and　performed　the　rites　for　the　honored　dead。　An　effigy　was　carved　out　of　heavy　fragrant　wood　and　buried　outside　the　south　gate　with　all　the　rites　of　a　princely　noble；　a　huge　concourse　of　officials　of　all　grades　following　in　the　procession。　At　the　funeral　Cao　Cao　himself　bowed　before　the　coffin　and　poured　a　libation。　He　also　conferred　on　the　dead　the　posthumous　title　of　Prince　of　Jingzhou；　and　appointed　guardians　of　the　tomb。　The　messenger　was　sent　back　to　Wu。

Now　the　spirit　of　Guan　Yu　did　not　dissipate　into　space；　but　wandered　through　the　void　till　it　came　to　a　certain　spot　in　Dangyang　on　a　famous　hill　known　as　the　Mount　of　the　Jade　Spring。　There　lived　a　venerable　Buddhist　priest　whose　name　in　the　faith　was　Transverse　Peace。　He　was　originally　of　the　State　Guardian　Temple　in　the　River　Si　Pass　and　abbot　of　that　temple。　In　the　course　of　roaming　about　the　world；　he　had　reached　this　place。　Entranced　with　its　natural　beauty；　he　had　built　himself　a　shelter　of　boughs　and　grass；　where　he　sat　in　meditation　on　the　〃Way〃。　He　had　a　novice　with　him　to　beg　food　and　to　attend　to　his　simple　wants。

This　night；　about　the　third　watch；　the　moon　was　bright　and　the　air　serene。　Transverse　Peace　sat　in　his　usual　attitude　in　the　silence　of　the　mountains。

Suddenly　he　heard　a　great　voice　calling　in　the　upper　air；　〃Give　back　my　head！　Give　back　my　head！〃

Gazing　upward　Transverse　Peace　saw　the　shape　of　a　man　mounted　on　a　red　horse。　In　the　hand　was　a　shining　blade　like　unto　the　green…dragon　saber。　Two　military　figures　were　with　him；　one　on　either　side。　He　on　the　left　had　a