Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms podcast. This is episode 62.

Last time, Cao Cao's dreams of conquering the Southland had gone up in flames, along with his fleet and his army,

at the Battle of Redcliffe.

He had come south with an army of 830,000 men, but now he was fleeing with only about 300,

and every time he felt safe enough to start feeling smug about how he was still a notch smarter

than Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang, he was promptly sent running again by an ambush. And now,

just as he was mocking his foes for not laying a trap for him at the narrow path of Huarong Trail,

he was greeted by Guan Yu, who had been waiting

there on Zhuge Liang's orders.

With things as they are, we have no choice but to fight for our lives, Cao Cao told his men.

But to this, his generals were all like, we love to, but...

Even though we are able to fight, our horses are too exhausted, they cannot go into battle again, they told them.

One of Cao Cao's advisors, Cheng Yu, suggested a different tact.

I know that Guan Yu distings the high and mighty, but pities the lowly.

He is short with the strong, but does not bully the weak.

He draws a clear line between obligation and enmity, and is a man of good faith and honor.

Your Excellency once bestowed kindness upon him.

If you remind him of that now, you could escape this calamity.

Well, at this point, Cao Cao really had nothing to lose by trying, so he figured, what the heck?

He rode forward alone and bowed to Guan Yu from atop his horse.

General, how have you been?

Guan Yu bowed and returned and said,

...