小说园

第25部分（第1页）

west　end　of　the　temple。　His　brother；　Cao　De；　drawing　his　sword；　went　out　to　see　what　it　was　about；　and　Cao　De　was　at　once　cut　down。　Cao　Song　seized　one　of　the　concubines　by　the　hand；　rushed　with　her　through　the　passage　toward　the　back　of　the　temple　so　that　they　might　escape。　But　the　lady　was　stout　and　could　not　get　through　the　narrow　doors；　so　the　two　hid　in　one　of　the　small　outhouses　at　the　side。　However；　they　were　seen　and　slain。

The　unhappy　Governor　Ying　Shao　fled　for　his　life　to　Yuan　Shao。　The　murderers　fled　into　the　South　of　River　Huai　with　their　plunder　after　having　set　fire　to　the　old　temple。

Cao　Cao；　whom　the　ages　praise；

Slew　his　hosts　on　his　former　flight；

Nemesis　never　turns　aside；

Murdered　too　his　family　died。

Some　of　the　escort　escaped　and　took　the　evil　tidings　to　Cao　Cao。　When　he　heard　it　he　fell　to　the　earth　with　a　great　cry。　They　raised　him。

With　set　teeth　he　muttered；　〃Tao　Qians　people　have　slain　my　father：　No　longer　can　the　same　sky　cover　us。　I　will　sweep　Xuzhou　off　the　face　of　the　earth。　Only　thus　can　I　satisfy　my　vengeance。〃

Cao　Cao　left　one　small　army　of　thirty　thousand　under　Xun　Yu　and　Cheng　Yu　to　guard　the　east　headquarters　and　the　three　counties　of　Juancheng；　Fanxia；　and　Dongjun。　Then　he　set　forth　with　all　the　remainder　to　destroy　Xuzhou　and　avenge　his　father。　Xiahou　Dun；　Yu　Jin；　and　Dian　Wei　were　Van　Leaders　with　Cao　Caos　orders　to　slaughter　all　the　inhabitants　of　each　captured　city。

Now　the　Governor　of　Jiujiang；　Bian　Rang；　was　a　close　friend　of　Tao　Qian。　Hearing　Xuzhou　was　threatened；　Bian　Rang　set　out　with　five　thousand　troops　to　his　friends　aid。　Angered　by　this　move；　Cao　Cao　sent　Xiahou　Dun　to　stop　and　kill　Bian　Rang　while　still　on　the　march。

＇e＇　Chen　Gong　is　the　magistrate　who　spared　Cao　Cao　after　Cao　Cao　failed　to　assassinate　Dong　Zhuo。　Chen　Gong　and　Cao　Cao　then　traveled　as　fugitives　to　Qiao；　but　they　parted　haft　way。　（chapter　4）

At　this　time　Chen　Gong　was　in　office　in　Dongjun；　and　he　was　also　on　friendly　terms　with　Tao　Qian。　Hearing　of　Cao　Caos　design　to　destroy　the　whole　population；　Chen　Gong　came　in　haste　to　see　his　former　panion*。　Cao　Cao；　knowing　Chen　Gongs　errand；　put　him　off　at　first　and　would　not　see　him。　But　then　Cao　Cao　could　not　forget　the　kindness　he　had　formerly　received　from　Chen　Gong；　and　presently　the　visitor　was　called　to　his　tent。

Chen　Gong　said；　〃They　say　you　go　to　avenge　your　fathers　death　on　Xuzhou；　to　destroy　its　people。　I　have　e　to　say　a　word。　Imperial　Protector　Tao　Qian　is　humane　and　a　good　man。　He　is　not　looking　out　for　his　own　advantage；　careless　of　the　means　and　of　others。　Your　worthy　father　met　his　unhappy　death　at　the　hands　of　Zhang　Kai。　Tao　Qian　is　guiltless。　Still　more　innocent　are　the　people；　and　to　slay　them　would　be　an　evil。　I　pray　you　think　over　it。〃

Cao　Cao　retorted　angrily；　〃You　once　abandoned　me　and　now　you　have　the　impudence　to　e　to　see　me！　Tao　Qian　slew　my　whole　family；　and　I　will　tear　his　heart　out　in　revenge。　I　swear　it！　You　may　speak　for　your　friend　and　say　what　you　will。　I　shall　be　as　if　I　heard　not。〃

Intercession　had　failed。　Chen　Gong　sighed　and　took　his　leave。

He　said；　〃Alas！　I　cannot　go　to　Tao　Qian　and　look　upon　his　face。〃

So　Chen　Gong　rode　off　to　the　county　of　Chenliu　to　give　service　to　Governor　Zhang　Miao。

Cao　Caos　army　of　revenge　laid　waste　whatever　place　it　passed　through；　slaying　the　people　and　desecrating　their　cemeteries。

When　Tao　Qian　heard　the　terrible　tidings；　he　looked　up　to　heaven；　saying；　〃I　must　be　guilty　of　some　fault　before　Heaven　to　have　brought　this　evil　upon　my　people！〃

He　called　together　his　officials　to　consult。

One　of　them；　Cao　Bao；　said；　〃Now　the　enemy　is　upon　us：　We　cannot　sit　and　await　death　with　folded　hands。　I　for　one　will　help　you　to　make　a　fight。〃

Tao　Qian　reluctantly　sent　the　army　out。　From　a　distance　he　saw　Cao　Caos　army　spread　abroad　like　frost　and　rushed　far　and　wide　like　snow。　In　their　midst　was　a　large　white　flag　and　on　both　sides　was　written　Vengeance　。

When　he　had　ranged　his　troops；　Cao　Cao　rode　out　dressed　in　mourning　white　and　abused　Tao　Qian。

But　Tao　Qian　advanced；　and　from　beneath　his　ensign　he　bowed　low　and　said；　〃I　wished　to　make　friends　with　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　and　so　I　sent　Zhang　Kai　to　escort　your　family。　I　knew　not　that　his　rebel　heart　was　still　unchanged。　The　fault　does　not　lie　at　my　door　as　you　must　see。〃

〃You　old　wretch！　You　killed　my　father；　and　now　you　dare　mumble　this　nonsense；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　he　asked　who　would　go　out　and　seize　Tao　Qian。

Xiahou　Dun　undertook　this　service　and　rode　out。　Tao　Qian　fled　to　the　inner　portion　of　his　array；　and　as　Xiahou　Dun　came　on；　Cao　Bao　went　to　meet　him。　But　just　as　the　two　horses　met；　a　hurricane　burst　over　the　spot；　and　the　flying　dust　and　pebbles　threw　both　sides　into　the　utmost　confusion。　Both　drew　off。

Tao　Qian　retired　into　the　city　and　called　his　officers　to　council。

〃The　force　against　us　is　too　strong；〃　said　he。　〃I　will　give　myself　up　as　a　prisoner　and　let　him　wreak　his　vengeance　on　me。　I　may　save　the　people。〃

But　a　voice　was　heard　saying；　〃You　have　long　ruled　here；　and　the　people　love　you。　Strong　as　the　enemy　are；　they　are　not　necessarily　able　to　break　down　our　walls；　especially　when　defended　by　you　and　your　people。　I　have　a　scheme　to　suggest　that　I　think　will　make　Cao　Cao　die　in　a　place　where　he　will　not　find　burial。〃

These　bold　words　startled　the　assembly；　and　they　eagerly　asked　what　the　scheme　was。

Making　overtures　for　friendship；　Tao　Qian　encountered　deadly　hate。

But；　where　danger　seemed　most　threatening；　he　discovered　safetys　gate。

The　next　chapter　will　disclose　who　the　speaker　was。