小说园

第15部分（第1页）

is　colleagues　foresight。　He　set　out　his　troops　in　fighting　order。

Cao　Cao　rode　forward；　crying；　〃Rebels；　abductors；　drovers　of　the　people；　where　are　you　going？〃

Lu　Bu　replied；　〃Treacherous　simpleton；　what　mad　words　are　these？〃

Then　from　Cao　Cao　army　rode　forth　Xiahou　Dun　with　his　spear　set；　and　Lu　Bu　and　Xiahou　Dun　engaged。　The　bat　had　hardly　begun　when　Li　Ru　with　a　cohort　came　in　from　the　left。　Cao　Cao　bade　Xiahou　Yuan　meet　this　onslaught。　However；　on　the　other　side　appeared　Guo　Si　and　his　pany。　Cao　Cao　sent　Cao　Ren　against　Guo　Si。　The　onrush　on　three　sides　was　too　much　to　withstand；　and　Lu　Bus　army　was　overwhelming；　so　Xiahou　Dun　had　to　retire　to　the　main　line。　Thereupon　Lu　Bus　armored　troops　attacked　and　pleted　the　defeat。　The　beaten　army　of　Cao　Cao　turned　toward　Yingyang。

They　got　as　far　as　the　foot　of　a　hill　in　the　evening　about　the　second　watch；　and　the　moon　made　it　as　light　as　day。　Here　they　halted　to　reform。　Just　as　they　were　burying　the　boilers　to　prepare　a　meal；　there　arose　a　great　noise　of　shouting　on　all　sides　and　out　came　the　troops　of　Governor　Xu　Rong　from　the　ambush　fresh　to　attack。

Cao　Cao；　thrown　into　a　flurry；　mounted　and　fled。　He　ran　right　in　the　way　of　the　waiting　Xu　Rong。　Then　he　dashed　off　in　another　direction；　but　Xu　Rong　shot　an　arrow　after　him　which　struck　him　in　the　shoulder。　The　arrow　still　in　the　wound；　Cao　Cao　fled　for　his　life。　As　he　went　over　the　hill；　two　soldiers　lying　in　wait　among　the　grass　suddenly　dashed　out　and　wounded　his　horse；　which　fell　and　rolled　over。　And　as　he　slipped　from　the　saddle；　he　was　seized　and　made　prisoner。

Just　then　a　horseman　came；　riding　at　full　speed　and　whirling　his　sword　up；　cut　down　both　the　captors；　and　rescued　Cao　Cao。　It　was　Cao　Hong。

Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　am　doomed；　good　brother。　Go　and　save　yourself！〃

〃My　lord；　mount　my　horse　quickly！　I　will　go　afoot；〃　said　Cao　Hong。

〃If　those　wretches　e　up；　what　then？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃The　world　can　do　without　Cao　Hong；　but　not　without　you；　my　lord！〃

〃If　I　live；　I　shall　owe　you　my　life；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

So　he　mounted。　Cao　Hong　tore　off　his　own　breastplate；　gripped　his　sword；　and　went　on　foot　after　the　horse。　Thus　they　proceeded　till　the　fourth　watch　when　they　saw　before　them　a　broad　stream；　and　behind　they　still　heard　the　shouts　of　pursuers　drawing　nearer　and　nearer。

〃This　is　my　fate；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃I　am　really　doomed！〃

Cao　Hong　helped　Cao　Cao　down　from　his　horse。　Then　taking　off　his　fighting　robe　and　helmet；　Cao　Hong　took　the　wounded　man　on　his　back　and　waded　into　the　stream。　When　they　reached　the　further　side；　the　pursuers　had　already　gained　the　bank　whence　they　shot　arrows。

Cao　Cao　all　wet　pushed　on。　Dawn　was　near。　They　went　on　another　ten　miles　and　then　sat　down　to　rest　under　a　precipice。　Suddenly　loud　shouting　was　heard　and　a　party　of　horse　appeared。　It　was　Governor　Xu　Rong　who　had　forded　the　river　higher　up。　Just　at　this　moment　Xiahou　Dun　and　Xiahou　Yuan；　with　several　dozens　men；　came　along。

〃Hurt　not　my　lord！〃　cried　Xiahou　Dun　to　Xu　Rong；　who　at　once　rushed　at　him。

But　the　bat　was　short。　Xu　Rong　speedily　fell　under　a　spear　thrust　of　Xiahou　Dun；　and　his　troops　were　driven　off。　Before　long　Cao　Caos　other　generals　arrived。　Sadness　and　joy　mingled　in　the　greetings。　They　gathered　together　the　few　hundreds　of　soldiers　left　and　then　returned　to　Luoyang。

When　the　confederate　lords　entered　Luoyang；　Sun　Jian；　after　extinguishing　the　fires；　camped　within　the　walls；　his　own　tent　being　set　up　near　the　Dynastic　Temple。　His　people　cleared　away　the　debris　and　closed　the　rifted　tombs。　The　gates　were　barred。　On　the　site　of　the　Dynastic　Temple　he　put　up　a　mat　shed　containing　three　apartments；　and　here　he　begged　the　lords　to　meet　and　replace　the　sacred　tablets；　with　solemn　sacrifices　and　prayers。

This　ceremony　over；　the　others　left　and　Sun　Jian　returned　to　his　camp。　That　night　the　stars　and　moon　vied　with　each　other　in　brightness。　As　Sun　Jian　sat　in　the　open　air　looking　up　at　the　heavens；　he　noticed　a　mist　spreading　over　the　stars　of　the　Constellation　Draco。

〃The　Emperors　star　is　dulled；〃　said　Sun　Jian　with　a　sigh。　〃No　wonder　a　rebellious　minister　disturbs　the　state；　the　people　sit　in　dust　and　ashes；　and　the　capital　is　a　waste。〃

And　his　tears　began　to　fall。

Then　a　soldier　pointing　to　the　south　said；　〃There　is　a　beam　of　colored　light　rising　from　a　well！〃

Sun　Jian　bade　his　people　light　torches　and　descend　into　the　well。　Soon　they　brought　up　the　corpse　of　a　woman；　not　in　the　least　decayed　although　it　had　been　there　many　days。　She　was　dressed　in　Palace　clothing　and　from　her　neck　hung　an　embroidered　bag。　Opening　this　a　red　box　was　found；　with　a　golden　lock；　and　when　the　box　was　opened；　they　saw　a　jade　seal；　square　in　shape；　four　inches　each　way。　On　it　were　delicately　engraved　five　dragons　intertwined。　One　corner　had　been　broken　off　and　repaired　with　gold。　There　were　eight　characters　in　the　seal　style　of　engraving　which　interpreted　read：

I　have　received　the　mand　from　Heaven：　May　my　time　be　always　long　and　prosperous。

Sun　Jian　showed　this　to　his　adviser；　General　Cheng　Pu；　who　at　once　recognized　it　as　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal　of　the　Emperor。

＇e＇　Bian　He　of　the　state　of　Chu　（circa　BC　800）　found　a　jadestone　in　Jing　Mountains　and　presented　it　to　two　Chu　kings；　but　he　was　sentenced　to　amputation　of　both　feet　because　the　stone　was　thought　as　fake。　When　a　new　king　took　the　throne；　Bian　He　tried　once　more；　and　this　time　the　stone　was　recognized　as　the　purest　kind　of　jade。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Li　Si　（BC　280…208）　was　the　statesman　who　was　responsible　for　most　of　the　radical　political　and　cutural　innovations　made　in　Qin　after　BC　221。　。。。。。