小说园

第27部分（第1页）

ur　noble　father；　it　was　owing　to　the　vicious　nature　of　Zhang　Kai　and　due　to　no　fault　of　Tao　Qian。　Now　while　the　remnant　of　the　Yellow　Scarves　is　disturbing　the　lands；　and　Dong　Zhuos　partisans　have　the　upper　hand　in　the　capital；　I　wish　that　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　would　regard　the　critical　position　of　the　court　rather　than　your　personal　grievances；　and　so　divert　your　forces　from　the　attack　on　Xuzhou　to　the　rescue　of　the　state。　Such　would　be　for　the　happiness　of　that　city　and　the　whole　empire。〃

Cao　Cao　gave　vent　to　a　torrent　of　abuse：　〃Who　is　this　Liu　Bei　that　he　dares　write　and　exhort　me？　Beside；　he　means　to　be　satirical。〃

Cao　Cao　issued　orders　to　put　the　bearer　of　the　letter　to　death　and　to　press　on　the　siege。

But　Guo　Jia　remonstrated；　saying；　〃Liu　Bei　has　e　from　afar　to　help　Tao　Qian；　and　he　is　trying　the　effect　of　politeness　before　resorting　to　arms。　I　pray　you；　my　lord；　reply　with　fair　words　that　his　heart　may　be　lulled　with　a　feeling　of　safety。　Then　attack　with　vigor　and　the　city　will　fall。〃

Cao　Cao　found　this　advice　good；　so　he　spared　the　messenger；　telling　him　to　wait　to　carry　back　his　reply。　While　this　was　going　on；　a　horseman　came　with　news　of　misfortune：　〃Lu　Bu　has　invaded　Yanzhou；　now　holding　Puyang。　The　three　counties　left………Juancheng；　Fanxia；　and　Dongjun………are　under　severe　attacks。〃

＇e＇　Zhang　Yang　was　among　the　eighteen　lords　who　rallied　against　Dong　Zhou　at　the　Tiger　Trap　Pass。

When　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　the　two　partisans　of　Dong　Zhuo；　succeeded　in　their　attack　on　the　capital；　Lu　Bu　had　fled　to　Yuan　Shu。　However；　Yuan　Shu　looked　askance　at　him　for　his　instability　and　refused　to　receive　him。　Then　Lu　Bu　went　to　try　Yuan　Shao；　who　was　a　brother　of　Yuan　Shu。　Yuan　Shao　accepted　the　warrior　and　made　use　of　him　in　an　attack　upon　Zhang　Yan　in　Changshan。　But　his　success　filled　him　with　pride；　and　his　arrogant　demeanor　so　annoyed　the　other　manders　that　Yuan　Shao　was　on　the　point　of　putting　him　to　death。　To　escape　this　Lu　Bu　had　gone　away　to　Zhang　Yang*；　Governor　of　Shangdang；　who　accepted　his　services。

About　this　time　Pang　Shu；　who　had　been　hiding　and　protecting　Lu　Bus　family　in　Changan　since　his　disappearance；　restored　them　to　him。　This　deed　angered　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　so　that　they　put　Pang　Shu　to　death　and　wrote　to　Lu　Bus　protector　to　serve　him　the　same。　To　escape　this　Lu　Bu　once　again　had　to　flee　and　this　time　joined　himself　to　Zhang　Miao；　the　Governor　of　Chenliu。

Lu　Bu　arrived　just　as　Zhang　Miaos　brother；　Zhang　Chao；　was　introducing　Chen　Gong。

Chen　Gong　said　to　Zhang　Miao；　〃The　rupture　of　the　empire　has　begun；　and　warriors　are　seizing　what　they　can。　It　is　strange　that　you；　with　all　the　advantages　of　population　and　provisions　you　enjoy；　do　not　strike　for　independence。　Cao　Cao　has　gone　on　an　expedition　against　the　east；　leaving　his　own　territory　defenseless。　Lu　Bu　is　one　of　the　fighting　people　of　the　day。　If　you　and　he　together　attacked　and　got　Yanzhou；　you　could　then　proceed　to　the　dominion。〃

Zhang　Miao　was　pleased　and　resolved　to　try。　He　ordered　an　attack；　and　soon　Lu　Bu　was　in　possession　of　Yanzhou　and　its　neighborhood；　all　but　three　small　counties　of　Juancheng；　Fanxia；　and　Dongjun；　which　were　vigorously　and　desperately　defended　by　Xun　Yu　and　Cheng　Yu　in　concert。　Cao　Caos　cousin；　Cao　Ren；　had　fought　many　battles　but　was　repeatedly　defeated；　and　the　messenger　with　the　evil　tidings　had　e　from　him　asking　prompt　help。

Cao　Cao　was　greatly　disturbed　by　this　and　said；　〃If　my　own　region　be　lost；　I　have　no　home　to　return　to。　I　must　do　something　at　once。〃

〃The　best　thing　would　be　to　bee　friends　with　Liu　Bei　at　any　cost　and　return　to　Yanzhou；〃　said　Guo　Jia。

Then　Cao　Cao　wrote　to　Liu　Bei；　gave　the　letter　to　the　waiting　messenger　and　broke　camp。　The　news　that　the　enemy　had　left　was　very　gratifying　to　Tao　Qian；　who　then　invited　his　various　defenders　into　Xuzhou　City　and　prepared　banquets　and　feasts　in　token　of　his　gratitude。

At　one　of　these；　when　the　feasting　was　over；　he　proceeded　with　his　wish　of　retirement　in　favor　of　Liu　Bei。

Placing　Liu　Bei　in　the　seat　of　highest　honor；　Tao　Qian　bowed　before　him　and　then　addressed　the　assembly；　〃I　am　old　and　feeble；　and　my　two　sons　lack　the　ability　to　hold　so　important　an　office　as　this。　The　noble　Liu　Bei　is　a　descendant　of　the　imperial　house。　He　is　of　lofty　virtue　and　great　talent。　Let　him　then　take　over　the　rule　of　this　region；　and　only　too　willingly　I　shall　retire　to　have　leisure　to　nurse　my　health。〃

Liu　Bei　replied；　〃I　came　at　the　request　of　Governor　Kong　Rong；　because　it　was　the　right　thing　to　do。　Xuzhou　is　saved；　but　if　I　take　it；　surely　the　world　will　say　I　am　a　wicked　man。〃

Mi　Zhu　said；　〃You　may　not　refuse。　The　House　of　Han　is　falling；　their　realm　is　crumbling；　and　now　is　the　time　for　doughty　deeds　and　signal　services。　This　is　a　fertile　region；　well　populated　and　rich；　and　you　are　the　man　to　rule　over　it。〃

〃But　I　cannot　accept；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃Imperial　Protector　Tao　Qian　is　a　great　sufferer；〃　said　Chen　Deng；　〃and　cannot　see　to　matters。　You　may　not　decline；　Sir。〃

Said　Liu　Bei；　〃Yuan　Shu　belongs　to　a　family　of　rulers；　who　have　held　the　highest　offices　of　state　four　times　in　three　generations。　The　multitude　people　respects　him。　Why　not　invite　him　to　this　task？〃

〃Because　Yuan　Shu　is　a　drying　skeleton　in　a　dark　tomb：　Not　worth　talking　about。　This　opportunity　is　a　gift　from　Heaven；　and　you　will　never　cease　to　regret　its　loss；〃　said　Kong　Rong。

So　spoke　Kong　Rong；　but　still　Liu　Bei　obstinately　refused。

Tao　Qian　besought　him　with　tears；　saying；　〃I　shall　die　if　you　leave　me；　and　there　will　be　none　to　close　my　eyes。〃

〃Brother；　you　should　accept　the　offer　thus　made；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃Why　so　much　fuss？〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃We　have　not　taken　the　place。　It　is　he　who　wishes　to　give　it　you。〃

〃You　all　persuade　me　to　do　what　is　wrong；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Seeing　he　could　not　persuade　Liu　Bei；　Tao　Qian　then　said；　〃As　you　are　set　in　determination；　perhaps　you　will　consent　to　encamp　at　Xiaopei。　It　is　only　a　little　town；　but　thence　you　can　keep　watch　and　ward　over　the　region。〃

They　all　with　one　voice　prayed　Liu　Bei　to　consent；　so　he　gave　in。　The　feast　of　victory　being　now　ended；　the　time　came　to　say　farewell。　When　Zhao　Yun　took　his　leave；　Liu　Bei　held　his　hands　alternately　while　dashing　away　the　falling　tears。　Kong　Rong　and　Tien　Kai　went　home　to　their　own　places。