小说园

第17部分（第1页）

In　this　fight　Gongsun　Zan　employed　his　new　adherent　Zhao　Yun　for　the　first　time　and；　as　Gongsun　Zan　did　not　feel　assured　of　Zhao　Yuns　good　faith；　put　him　in　mand　of　a　pany　at　the　rear。　The　Van　Leader　was　Yan　Guang；　and　Gongsun　Zan　himself　manded　the　center。　He　took　his　place　on　horseback　on　the　bridge　beside　an　enormous　red　standard　on　which　was　displayed　the　word　manding　General　in　gold　embroidery。

From　sunrise　to　noon　the　drums　rolled　for　the　attack；　but　Yuan　Shaos　army　made　no　move。　Qu　Yi　made　his　bowmen　hide　under　their　shields。　They　heard　the　roar　of　explosions；　the　whistling　of　arrows；　and　the　rattle　of　the　drums；　as　Yan　Guang　approached　from　the　other　side；　but　Qu　Yi　and　his　men　lay　closer　than　ever　and　never　stirred。　They　waited　till　Yan　Guang　had　got　close　on　them　and　then；　as　the　sound　of　a　bomb　rent　the　air；　the　whole　eight　hundred　men　let　fly　their　arrows　in　a　cloud。　Yan　Guang　was　quite　taken　aback　and　would　have　retired；　but　Qu　Yi　rode　furiously　toward　him；　whirled　up　his　sword　and　cut　him　down。

So　Gongsun　Zans　army　lost　that　battle。　The　two　wings　that　should　have　e　to　the　rescue　were　kept　back　by　the　bowmen　under　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou。　Yuan　Shaos　troops　advanced　right　up　to　the　bridge。　Then　Qu　Yi　rode　forward；　slew　the　standard　bearer；　and　hacked　through　the　staff　of　the　embroidered　banner。　Seeing　this；　Gongsun　Zan　turned　his　steed　and　galloped　away。

Qu　Yi　followed。　But　just　as　he　caught　up　the　fugitive；　there　came　prancing　forth　Zhao　Yun；　who　rode　directly　at　him　with　spear　ready　to　strike。　After　a　few　bouts　Qu　Yi　was　laid　in　the　dust。　Then　Zhao　Yun　attacked　the　soldiers　and　turned　the　tide。　Plunging　forward　on　this　side；　dashing　in　on　that；　he　went　through　as　if　there　were　no　antagonists　and；　seeing　this；　Gongsun　Zan　turned　and　came　again　into　the　fight。　The　final　victory　was　on　his　side。

From　the　scouts　sent　to　find　out　how　the　battle　went；　Yuan　Shao　heard　the　good　news　of　Qu　Yis　success　in　slaying　the　standard　bearer；　capturing　the　flag；　and　his　pursuit。　So　Yuan　Shao　took　no　further　care　but　rode　out　with　his　General　Tian　Feng　and　a　few　guards　to　look　on　at　the　enemy　and　enjoy　his　victory。

〃Ha　ha！〃　Yuan　Shao　laughed。　〃Gongsun　Zan　is　an　incapable。〃

But　even　as　Yuan　Shao　spoke；　he　saw　in　front　the　redoubtable　Zhao　Yun。　His　guards　hastened　to　prepare　their　bows；　but　before　they　could　shoot；　Zhao　Yun　was　in　their　midst；　and　men　were　falling　before　him　wherever　he　went。　The　others　fled。　Gongsun　Zans　army　then　gathered　round　and　hemmed　in　Yuan　Shao。

Tian　Feng　then　said　to　his　master；　〃Sir；　take　refuge　in　this　empty　building　here！〃

But　Yuan　Shao　dashed　his　helmet　to　the　ground；　crying；　〃The　brave　one　rather　faces　death　in　the　battle　than　seeks　safety　behind　a　wall！〃

This　bold　speech　gave　new　courage　to　his　soldiers　who　now　fought　fiercely　and　with　such　success　that　Zhao　Yun　could　nowhere　force　his　way　in。　Yuan　Shao　was　soon　reinforced　by　the　arrival　of　his　main　body　and　Yan　Liang；　and　the　two　armies　pressed　forward。　Zhao　Yun　could　only　just　get　Gongsun　Zan　safe　out　of　the　press。　Then　they　fought　their　way　back　to　the　bridge。　But　Yuan　Shaos　troops　still　came　on　and　fought　their　way　across　the　bridge；　forcing　multitudes　of　their　adversaries　into　the　water；　where　many　were　drowned。

Yuan　Shao　was　leading　in　person　and　his　troops　still　advanced。　But　not　more　than　two　miles；　for　soon　a　great　shouting　was　heard　behind　some　hills；　whence　suddenly　burst　out　a　body　of　troops　led　by　Liu　Bei；　Guan　Yu；　and　Zhang　Fei。

At　Pingyuan　they　had　heard　of　the　struggle　between　their　protector　and　his　enemy；　Yuan　Shao；　and　had　at　once　set　out　to　help。　Now　the　three　riders；　each　with　his　peculiar　weapon；　flew　straight　at　Yuan　Shao；　who　was　so　frightened　that　his　soul　seemed　to　leave　his　body　and　fly　beyond　the　confines　of　heaven。

His　sword　fell　from　his　hand　and　he　fled　for　his　life。　He　was　chased　across　the　bridge　when　Gongsun　Zan　called　in　his　army；　and　they　returned　to　camp。

After　the　usual　greetings　Gongsun　Zan　said；　〃If　you　had　not　e　to　our　help；　we　should　have　been　in　very　bad　case。〃

Liu　Bei　and　Zhao　Yun　were　made　acquainted　with　each　other；　and　a　warm　affection　sprang　up　from　the　very　first　so　that　they　were　always　together。

Yuan　Shao　had　lost　that　battle；　and　Gongsun　Zan　would　not　risk　another。　They　strengthened　their　defenses；　and　the　armies　lay　inactive　for　over　a　month。　In　the　meantime　news　of　the　fighting　had　reached　Capital　Changan；　and　Dong　Zhuo　was　told。

His　adviser；　Li　Ru；　went　to　see　his　master　and　said；　〃The　two　active　leaders　of　today　are　Yuan　Shao　and　Gongsun　Zan；　who　are　at　grips　at　River　Pan。　Pretend　you　have　an　imperial　mand　to　make　peace　between　them；　and　both　will　support　you　out　of　gratitude　for　your　intervention。〃

〃Good！〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。

So　he　sent　the　Imperial　Guardian；　Ma　Midi；　and　the　Minister　of　the　Inner　Bureau；　Zhao　Qi；　on　the　mission。　When　these　men　were　arriving　at　the　North　of　Yellow　River；　Yuan　Shao　sent　out　to　wele　them　thirty　miles　from　his　headquarters　and　received　the　imperial　mand　with　the　greatest　respect。　Then　the　two　officers　went　to　Gongsun　Zan　and　made　known　their　errand。　Gongsun　Zan　sent　letters　to　his　adversary　proposing　friendship。　The　two　emissaries　returned　to　report　their　task　acplished。　Gongsun　Zan　drew　off　his　army。　He　also　sent　up　a　memorial　eulogizing　Liu　Bei；　who　was　raised　to　the　rank　of　Governor　of　Pingyuan。

The　farewell　between　Liu　Bei　and　Zhao　Yun　was　affecting。　They　held　each　others　hands　a　long　time；　their　eyes　streaming　with　tears；　and　could　not　tear　themselves　apart。

Zhao　Yun　said　with　a　sob；　〃I　used　to　think　Gongsun　Zan　a　true　hero；　but　I　see　now　that　he　is　no　different　from　Yuan　Shao。　They　are　both　alike。〃

〃But　you　are　now　in　his　service。　We　shall　surely　meet　again；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Both　men　wept　freely　as　they　separated。

Now　Yuan　Shu　in　Nanyang；　hearing　that　his　brother　had　e　into　Jizhou；　sent　to　beg　a　thousand　horses。　The　request　was　refused　and　enmity　sprang　up　between　the　brothers。　Yuan　Shu　also　sent　to　Jingzhou　to　borrow　grain；　which　Imperial　Protector　Liu　Biao　would　not　send。　In　his　resentment；　Yuan　Shu　wrote　to　Sun　Jian　trying　to　get　him　to　attack　Liu　Biao。　The　letter　ran　like　this：