小说园

第180部分（第2页）

Chapter　74

Pang　De　Takes　His　Coffin　To　The　Field；

Guan　Yu　Drowns　The　Seven　Armies。

The　bold　and　self…confident　leader　of　Cao　Caos　army　who　promised　to　make　an　end　of　Guan　Yu　was　Pang　De。　Cao　Cao　was　glad　to　find　such　a　man。

〃That　fellow　Guan　Yu　has　a　great　reputation；　and　in　the　whole　empire　he　has　no　rival。　He　has　not　met　his　match　yet；　but　now　you　are　going；　he　will　find　all　his　work　cut　out。〃

So　spoke　Cao　Cao。　He　conferred　on　Yu　Jin　the　title　of　General　Who　Corrects　the　South　and　on　Pang　De　that　of　General　Who　Corrects　the　West；　and　he　made　Pang　De　Leader　of　the　Van。　The　two　generals　marched　out　with　their　seven　armies　to　Fancheng。

These　seven　armies　were　posed　of　sturdy　fellows　from　the　north；　led　by　two　of　their　own　Marching　manders　named　Dong　Heng　and　Dong　Chao。　Hearing　who　was　to　mand　them；　these　two；　supported　by　their　generals；　went　to　see　Yu　Jin　and　represented　that　the　Leader　of　the　Van　was　unsuitable。

Dong　Heng　said；　〃Sir　General；　the　expedition　you　lead　is　for　the　relief　of　Fancheng；　and　it　can　confidently　expect　victory。　But　is　it　wise　to　place　such　as　Pang　De　in　mand　of　the　van？〃

〃Why？〃　said　Yu　Jin；　surprised。

〃Because　Pang　De　was　once　under　the　mand　of　Ma　Chao。　He　had　no　alternative　but　to　surrender　and　fight　for　Wei。　But　his　former　chief　is　now　in　high　honor　in　Shu；　one　of　the　Five　Tiger　Generals；　and　his　own　brother　Pang　Rou　is　there；　too；　as　an　officer。　To　send　Pang　De　as　Leader　of　the　Van　just　now　seems　like　trying　to　extinguish　a　fire　with　oil。　Would　it　not　be　well　to　inform　the　Prince　of　Wei　and　ask　him　to　exchange　this　man　for　another？〃

Without　further　argument　or　delay；　Yu　Jin　went　to　see　the　Prince　and　laid　before　him　the　objections　to　Pang　Des　appointment。　As　soon　as　Cao　Cao　understood；　he　summoned　Pang　De　to　the　steps　and　bade　him　yield　his　seal　as　Leader　of　the　Van。

〃O　Prince；　why　do　you　reject　my　services？　I　was　just　about　to　do　my　best　for　you。〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　you；　but　Ma　Chao　is　now　in　the　west；　and　your　brother　also………both　in　the　service　of　Liu　Bei。　I　myself　have　no　doubts；　but　it　is　what　all　the　crowd　are　saying。　What　can　I　do？〃

Pang　De　took　off　his　headdress　and　prostrated　himself；　bitter　tears　rolling　down　his　cheeks。

〃Since　I　surrendered　to　you；　O　Prince；　I　have　experienced　much　kindness；　so　that　I　would　undergo　any　sufferings　to　show　my　gratitude。　I　hope　you　will　trust　me。　When　my　brother　and　I　were　at　home　together；　his　wife　was　a　wicked　woman；　and　I　slew　her　while　I　was　drunk。　My　brother　has　never　forgiven　me；　but　is　permeated　with　hate　for　me。　He　swears　never　to　see　me　again；　and　we　are　enemies。　For　my　old　master；　Ma　Chao；　I　have　profound　contempt。　He　is　bold；　but　only　that；　and　was　in　a　pitiable　and　dejected　state　when　he　found　his　way　to　the　west。　Now；　like　me；　he　serves　his　own　master；　but　our　friendship　is　at　an　end。　How　could　I　think　of　another　after　your　kindness　to　me？〃

Cao　Cao　raised　Pang　De　from　the　ground　and　soothed　him；　saying；　〃I　have　always　known　what　a　noble　man　you　are；　and　what　I　said　just　now　was　to　satisfy　the　feelings　of　other　people。　Now　you　can　strive　to　win　fame。　If　you　do　not　turn　your　back　on　me；　I　shall　not　on　you。〃

Then　Pang　De　took　his　leave　and　returned　to　his　house；　where　he　ordered　the　artificers　to　make　him　a　coffin。　Next　he　invited　all　his　friends　to　a　banquet；　and　the　coffin　was　set　out　in　the　reception　room　for　all　to　see。

And　they　asked　one　another；　〃What　can　that　inauspicious　thing　mean　putting　out　on　the　eve　of　a　campaign？〃

By　and　by；　drinking　to　them；　Pang　De　said；　〃The　Prince　of　Wei　has　been　generous　to　me；　and　I　am　pledged　to　show　my　gratitude　to　the　death。　I　am　about　to　go　out　against　this　Guan　Yu；　and　I　have　to　kill　him　or　he　must　kill　me。　If　he　does　not　kill　me；　I　must　mit　suicide；　and　so　I　have　prepared　what　is　necessary。　I　will　not　return　leaving　my　task　unachieved。〃

The　terrible　omen　saddened　the　guests；　and　they　fell　to　sighing。　Then　Pang　De　called　in　his　wife；　Lady　Li；　and　bade　her　bring　their　son　Pang　Hui；　whom　he　mended　to　her　care。

〃I　have　been　appointed　Leader　of　the　Van　of　this　new　expedition　against　Guan　Yu；　and　my　duty　bids　me　seek　death　or　glory　on　the　battlefield。　If　I　die；　our　son　is　in　your　special　care。　Alas；　the　child　has　been　born　ill…starred；　and　when　he　grows　up　he　will　have　to　avenge　a　father。〃

Both　mother　and　son　wept　as　they　bade　him　farewell。　When　the　army　marched；　the　coffin　was　carried　in　its　train。

Pang　De　bade　his　officers；　saying；　〃I　will　fight　to　the　end　with　Guan　Yu。　Place　my　body　therein　if　I　fall　in　bat。　And　if　I　slay　him；　then　will　I　bring　his　head　in　this　coffin　as　an　offering　to　our　Prince。〃

Then　out　spoke　his　five　hundred　veterans　and　said；　〃If　you　are　like　this；　O　General；　then　we　also　will　follow　you　to　the　end。〃

The　vanguard　then　marched　away。

A　certain　man　told　the　story　of　these　happenings　to　Cao　Cao；　who　was　very　pleased；　saying；　〃I　have　no　anxiety　with　such　a　general　to　lead　my　armies。〃

But　Jia　Xu　said；　〃I　am　anxious　for　Pang　Des　safety。　He　is　over…bold　and　imprudent　to　fight　with　Guan　Yu　to　the　death。〃

Cao　Cao　thought　such　an　act　would　be　unwise；　and　he　hastily　sent　a　messenger　with　an　edict　warning　Pang　De　against　his　antagonist。

〃This　Guan　Yu　lacks　neither　cunning　nor　valor。　You　are　to　be　most　cautious　in　engaging　him。　If　you　can　conquer；　then　conquer；　but　if　there　be　any　doubt；　remain　on　the　defensive