小说园

第22部分（第2页）

As　was　just　said　Wang　Yun　was　obdurate。　Cai　Yong　whose　offense　was　an　expression　of　gratitude　was　thrown　into　prison　and　there　strangled。　The　people　of　that　day　wept　for　Cai　Yong；　for　they　refused　to　see　any　offense　in　what　he　had　done；　and　death　was　a　harsh　punishment。

Dong　Zhuo；　the　dictator；

Tyrannized　the　state；

Fell　and　his　sole　mourner

Shared　his　direful　fate。

Zhuge　Liang　in　seclusion

Was　content　to　dream；

Felt　his　worth　and　never

Helped　a　traitors　scheme。

Those　generals………Li　Jue；　Guo　Si；　Fan　Chou；　and　Zhang　Ji………whom　Dong　Zhuo　had　left　to　guard　Meiwo　fled　when　their　master　was　slain　and　went　into　the　county　of　Shanxi　in　Liangzhou　Region。　Thence　they　sent　in　a　memorial　entreating　amnesty。　But　Wang　Yun　would　not　hear　of　it。

〃Four　of　them　were　the　chief　instruments　of　Dong　Zhuos　aggressions。　Now　though　a　general　amnesty　were　proclaimed；　these　men　should　be　excluded　from　its　benefit；〃　said　Wang　Yun。

The　messenger　returned　and　told　the　four　there　was　no　hope　of　pardon　and　they　could　only　flee。

Then　their　adviser；　Jia　Xu；　said；　〃If　we　throw　away　our　arms　and　flee　singly；　then　we　shall　fall　easy　victims　to　any　village　beadle　who　may　seize　us。　Rather　let　us　cajole　the　Shanxi　people　to　throw　in　their　lot　with　us　and　make　a　sudden　onslaught　on　the　capital　and　so　avenge　Dong　Zhuo。　If　we　succeed；　we　control　the　court　and　the　empire。　There　will　be　enough　time　to　run　away　if　we　fail。〃

The　plan　was　adopted；　and　they　spread　abroad　the　story　that　Wang　Yun　intended　to　massacre　the　county。

Having　thus　thrown　the　people　into　a　state　of　terror；　they　went　a　step　farther　and　said；　〃There　is　no　advantage　in　dying　for　nothing。　Revolt　and　join　us！〃

So　they　cajoled　the　people　into　joining　them　and　gathered　a　host　equal　to　one　hundred　thousand。　This　horde　was　divided　into　four　parts；　and　they　all　set　out　to　raid　Capital　Changan。　On　the　way　they　fell　in　with　a　son…in…law　of　their　late　chief；　Imperial　mander　Niu　Fu；　who　marched　five　thousand　troop　from　Xiliang。　Niu　Fu　had　set　out　to　avenge　his　father…in…law；　and　he　became　the　Van　Leader　of　the　horde。

As　they　advanced；　the　news　came　to　Wang　Yun；　and　he　consulted　Lu　Bu。

〃They　are　a　lot　of　rats；〃　said　Lu　Bu。　〃Never　mind　how　many　there　are　of　them。　Be　not　in　the　least　anxious。〃

So　Lu　Bu　and　Li　Su　went　to　oppose　them。　The　latter　was　in　advance　and　met　Niu　Fu。　They　fought；　Niu　Fu　was　outmatched　and　retired　after　suffering　a　slaughter。　But　unexpectedly　Niu　Fu　returned　in　a　night　attack；　found　Li　Su　quite　unprepared　and　drove　Li　Sus　force　some　ten　miles；　slaying　many。

Li　Su　reported　the　defeat；　and　Lu　Bu　raged　at　him；　saying；　〃You　have　sullied　my　reputation　as　a　warrior　and　destroyed　our　fighting　spirit！〃

And　Lu　Bu　put　Li　Su　to　death；　exposing　his　head　at　the　camp　gate。

Next　day　Lu　Bu　advanced　his　own　force　and　engaged　Niu　Fu。　He　overwhelmed　Niu　Fu　and　drove　him　off。　That　night　Niu　Fu　called　in　his　most　trusted　man；　Hu　Chier；　to　advise　him。

Hu　Chier　said；　〃Lu　Bu　is　too　doughty　a　fighter　for　us　to　hope　to　overe　him。　Our　case　is　hopeless。　Our　best　course　is　to　desert　these　four　generals；　secrete　their　valuables；　and　leave　the　army　with　just　a　few　of　our　followers。〃

The　plan　of　Hu　Chier　was　adopted；　and　the　two　traitors　and　some　others　that　very　night　packed　up　and　made　their　way　out　of　camp。　They　were　only　half　a　dozen。　They　came　to　a　river　and；　while　crossing；　Hu　Chier；　tempted　by　the　lust　of　wealth；　slew　his　panion。　Then　he　went　to　offer　the　head　of　Niu　Fu　to　Lu　Bu。　Lu　Bu　inquired　into　the　matter；　and　when　a　follower　told　him　the　truth；　he　put　the　double　traitor　Hu　Chier　to　death。

Then　Lu　Bu　advanced　against　the　rebels　and　fell　in　with　Li　Jues　force。　Without　giving　them　time　to　form　in　battle；　Lu　Bu　attacked。　Horses　curvetting　and　spears　set；　the　army　dashed　in　irresistibly；　and　Li　Jue；　making　no　stand；　fell　back　a　long　way。　Li　Jue　took　up　a　position　under　a　hill　fifteen　miles　away　and　thence　sent　to　call　his　fellows　to　council。

＇e＇　Peng　Yue　（BC　？…196）　a　general　of　Liu　Bang。　He　and　Liu　Bang　had　been　close　friends　in　their　native　Pei；　where　Liu　Bang　later　held　a　minor　office。　Ennobled　as　King　of　Liang。　。。。。。

Li　Jue　said；　〃Lu　Bu　though　brave　in　battle　is　no　strategist　and　so　not　really　formidable。　I　will　lead　my　troops　to　hold　the　mouth　of　the　gorge；　and　every　day　I　will　incite　him　to　attack；　and　when　he　es　toward　me；　General　Guo　Si　can　smite　his　rear；　after　the　manner　of　Peng　Yue*　when　he　fought　against　Chu。　While　thus　I　am　alternating　attack　and　retreat；　Generals　Fan　Chou　and　Zhang　Ji　will　march　off　in　different　directions　toward　Changan。　Such　an　attack　at　two　points　must　end　both　Wang　Yun　and　Lu　Bu。〃

They　set　themselves　to　carry　out　this　scheme。　As　soon　as　Lu　Bu　reached　the　hills；　a　force　of　Li　Jue　came　out　to　attack　him。　Lu　Bu　made　an　angry　dash　toward　the　enemy　who　retired　up　the　hills；　whence　they　shot　arrows　and　hurled　stones　like　rain。　Lu　Bus　troops　halted。　At　this　moment　the　report　came　that　the　rear　was　being　attacked　and　there　appeared　Guo　Si。　At　once　Lu　Bu　wheeled　toward　the　new　enemy；　but　immediately　the　rolling　drums　gave　the　signal　to　retire；　and　Lu　Bu　could　not　e　to　blows　with　them。　As　he　called　in　his　army；　the　gongs　clanged　on　the　other　side　and　his　former　opponent　Li　Jue　came　to　attack　his　front。　But　before　Lu　Bu　could　join　battle；　his　rear　was　again　assaulted　by　Guo　Si；　who　in　his　turn　drew　off　immediately。

Thus　Lu　Bu　was　baited　till　his　bosom　was　near　bursting　with　rage。　The　same　tactics　continued　for　several　days。　He　co