the　invader　Liu　Bei。　Zhang　Lu　refused　help。　But　then　Huang　Quan　came　on　the　same　errand。　He　first　saw　Yang　Song　and　talked　to　him　and　brought　him　to　favor　the　scheme。

Huang　Quan　said；　〃The　East　and　West　River　Lands；　which　stand　next　each　other　as　the　lips　are　close　to　the　teeth；　are　interdependent。　If　Yizhou　is　lost；　Hanzhong　has　little　chance　to　survive。　On　the　other　hand；　once　relieved　by　your　help；　Imperial　Protector　Liu　Zhang　will　reward　twenty　counties　to　Hanzhong　as　pensation。〃

So　Huang　Quan　won　over　Yang　Song；　who　led　him　to　see　his　master。　To　Zhang　Lu　again　Huang　Quan　spoke　forcibly　and　laid　the　matter　before　him　so　cogently　that　Zhang　Lu　promised　his　help。

But　Yan　Pu；　one　of　Zhang　Lu's　officers；　tried　to　dissuade　him；　saying；　〃This　plead　for　help　and　offering　of　twenty　counties　are　only　their　temporary　tactics。　Liu　Zhang　and　you　are　old　enemies。　His　promise　is　not　to　be　trusted。〃

And　another　suddenly　interjected；　saying；　〃Useless　I　may　be；　but　if　you　will　give　me　troops；　I　will　capture　this　Liu　Bei　and　you　will　retain　all　your　land。〃

The　land's　true　lord　goes　west　and　then

Hanzhong　sends　forth　its　bravest　men。

Who　made　this　bold　offer？　The　next　chapter　will　tell。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　65　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　65

Chapter　65

Ma　Chao　Battles　At　Jiameng　Pass；

Liu　Bei　Takes　The　Protectorship　Of　Yiazhou。

It　was　Yan　Pu　who　thus　opposed　sending　help　to　Liu　Zhang。

Then　Ma　Chao　rose　and　said；　〃I　have　been　the　recipient　of　much　kindness　from　my　lord；　which　I　feel　I　can　never　repay　adequately。　Now　let　me　lead　an　army　to　take　Jiameng　Pass　and　capture　Liu　Bei。　Then；　my　lord；　Liu　Zhang　will　surely　lose　his　twenty　counties；　and　they　shall　be　your