小说园

第41部分（第2页）

Liu　Bei　sent　a　messenger　out　to　speak　softly　and　offer　to　restore　the　stolen　horses　if　hostilities　were　to　cease。　Lu　Bu　was　disposed　to　agree　but　Chen　Gong　opposed。

〃You　will　suffer　by　and　by　if　you　do　not　remove　this　Liu　Bei。〃

Under　Chen　Gongs　influence　the　request　for　peace　was　rejected；　and　the　attackers　on　the　city　pressed　harder。

Liu　Bei　called　Mi　Zhu　and　Sun　Qian　to　him　to　ask　advice。

Said　Sun　Qian；　〃The　one　person　that　Cao　Cao　detests　is　Lu　Bu。　Let　us　then　abandon　the　city　and　take　refuge　with　Cao　Cao；　from　whom　we　may　borrow　troops　to　destroy　him。〃

〃If　we　try　to　get　away；　who　will　lead　the　van？〃

〃I　will　do　my　best；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

So　Zhang　Fei　led　the　way；　Guan　Yu　was　rearguard；　and　in　the　center　was　Liu　Bei　with　the　non…fighting　portion。　The　cavalcade　started　and　went　out　at　the　north　gate　under　the　bright　moon。　They　met　opposition　from　Song　Xian　and　Wei　Xus　men；　but　the　soldiers　were　driven　off　by　Zhang　Fei；　and　the　besieging　force　was　passed　without　difficulty。　Zhang　Liao　pursued；　but　was　held　off　by　Guan　Yus　rearguard。　It　seemed　Lu　Bu　was　not　dissatisfied　at　the　flight；　for　he　took　no　personal　trouble　to　prevent　it。　He　made　formal　entry　into　the　city；　settled　local　affairs；　and　appointed　Gao　Shun　as　Governor。

Liu　Bei　approached　Xuchang　and　encamped　outside　the　city；　whence　he　sent　Sun　Qian　to　see　Cao　Cao　and　relate　the　events　that　brought　him　there。

Cao　Cao　was　very　friendly　and　said；　〃Liu　Bei　is　as　my　brother。〃

Then　Cao　Cao　invited　Liu　Bei　to　enter　the　city。

Leaving　his　brothers　at　the　camp；　Liu　Bei；　with　Sun　Qian　and　Mi　Zhu；　went　to　Cao　Cao；　who　received　him　with　the　greatest　respect。　The　story　of　Lu　Bus　perfidy　was　again　related。

〃He　has　no　sense　of　right；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃You　and　I；　my　brother；　will　attack　him　together。〃

Liu　Bei　was　very　grateful。　A　banquet　was　then　prepared；　and　it　was　late　evening　before　the　visitor　left　for　his　own　camp。

Xun　Yu　then　had　an　interview　with　his　master　and　said；　〃If　you　are　not　on　your　guard；　Liu　Bei　will　be　your　undoing。　You　ought　to　destroy　him。　He　is　too　much　of　a　hero。〃

Cao　Cao　made　no　reply　and　his　adviser　retired。

Presently　Guo　Jia　came；　and　Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　have　been　advised　to　kill　Liu　Bei：　What　of　such　a　scheme？〃

〃A　bad　scheme；〃　said　Guo　Jia。　〃You　are　the　popular　champion；　pledged　to　relieve　the　people　from　oppression；　and　only　by　truth　and　rectitude　can　you　secure　the　support　of　the　noble…minded。　Your　only　fear　is　lest　they　stay　away。　Now　Liu　Bei　is　a　clear　hero。　He　has　e　to　you　for　help　and　protection；　and　to　put　him　to　death　would　be　to　alienate　all　good　people　and　put　fear　into　the　hearts　of　all　the　able　advisers。　Hampered　by　these　difficulties；　where　will　you　find　those　whose　help　you　need？　To　remove　the　dangers　represented　by　one　man　and　thereby　injure　yourself　in　the　eyes　of　all　humankind　is　a　sure　means　of　destruction。　These　conditions　need　careful　consideration。〃

〃What　you　say　exactly　fits　in　with　what　I　think；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　greatly　pleased　with　these　remarks。

His　next　step　was　to　memorialize　the　Emperor　to　give　Liu　Bei　the　imperial　protectorship　of　Yuzhou。

Again　Cheng　Yu　said；　〃Liu　Bei　is　certain　to　rise　to　the　top。　He　will　never　remain　in　a　subordinate　position。　You　had　better　remove　him。〃

Cao　Cao　answered；　〃Now　is　just　the　time　to　make　use　of　good　people。　I　will　not　forfeit　the　regard　of　the　world　for　the　sake　of　removing　one　individual。　Guo　Jia　and　I　both　see　this　in　the　same　light。〃

Wherefore　Cao　Cao　rejected　all　persuasion　to　work　against　Liu　Bei　but　sent　him　three　thousand　soldiers　and　ten　thousand　carts　of　grain；　and　set　him　on　his　way　to　Yuzhou。　Liu　Bei　was　to　march　to　Xiaopei；　occupy　it；　call　together　his　former　soldiers；　and　attack　Lu　Bu。

When　Liu　Bei　reached　Yuzhou；　he　sent　to　inform　Cao　Cao；　who　prepared　to　march　an　army　to　subjugate　Lu　Bu。　But　just　then　hasty　news　came　that　Zhang　Ji；　who　had　gone　to　the　attack　of　Nanyang；　had　been　wounded　by　a　stray　arrow　and　had　died。　His　nephew；　Zhang　Xiu；　had　succeeded　to　the　mand　of　his　army；　and　with　Jia　Xu　as　strategist；　Zhang　Xiu　had　joined　Liu　Biao　and　camped　at　Wancheng。　They　intended　to　attack　the　capital　and　get　possession　of　the　Emperors　person。

Cao　Cao　was　placed　in　a　quandary。　He　would　go　to　attack　this　bination；　but　he　feared　lest　Lu　Bu　would　attack　the　capital　if　he　left　it。　So　he　sought　the　advice　of　Xun　Yu。

Said　the　Adviser；　〃Lu　Bu　has　no　notion　of　a　policy。　He　is　led　astray　by　any　little　advantage　that　presents　itself　to　his　eyes。　All　you　need　do　is　to　obtain　promotion　for　him；　giving　him　some　additional　title；　and　tell　him　to　make　peace　with　Liu　Bei；　and　he　will　do　it。　The　south　is　no　threat　then。〃

〃Good；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　he　acted　upon　the　hint　and　sent　an　Imperial　Legate；　Wang　Ze；　to　Xuzhou　with　the　official　announcement　and　a　letter　urging　peace；　while　he　went　on　with　preparations　to　meet　the　other　danger　from　Zhang　Xiu。

When　ready　Cao　Cao　marched　out　with　one　hundred　fifty　thousand　troops　in　three　divisions。　Xiahou　Dun　was　the　Van　Leader；　and　they　went　to　River　Yu　and　camped　there。

Jia　Xu　succeeded　in　persuading　Zhang　Xiu　of　the　hopelessness　of　resistance。

〃You　would　do　well　to　surrender；　since　Cao　Caos　army　is　too　large　for　you　to　oppose；〃　said　Jia　Xu。

Seeing　the　truth　of　this；　Zhang　Xiu　sent　his　adviser　to　propose　sub　mission。　Cao　Cao　was　greatly　pleased　with　the　messenger；　admiring　his　ready　and　fluent　repartee；　and　tried　to　win　him　to　his　service。

〃I　was　formerly　with　Li　Jue　and　was　guilty　with　him。　Now　I　am　with　Zhang　Xiu　who　esteems　my　advice；　and　I　should　not　like　to　abandon　him；〃　said　Jia　Xu。

Jia　Xu　left　and　next　day　conducted　his　master　into　Cao　Caos　presence。　Cao　Cao　was　very　generous。　Then　he　entered　Wancheng　with　a　small　force；　the　greater　part　of　the　army　being　put　in　camp　outside　where　the　lines　extended　some　three　miles。　Great　banquets　were　given　every　day　by　Zhang　Xiu；　and　Cao　Cao　was　always　being　entertained。

One　day；　when　Cao　Cao　returned　to　his　quarters　in　a　more　than　usual　merry　mood；　he　asked　the　attendants　if　there　were　any　singing　girls　in　the　city。

His　nephew；　Cao　Amin；　heard　the　question　and　said；　〃Peeping　through　one　of　the　partitions　last　evening；　I　saw　a　perfectly　beautiful　woman　in　one　of　the　courts。　They　told　me　she　was　the　wi