小说园

第28部分（第2页）

Cao　Cao　agreed　to　take　this　precaution。　He　went　to　Puyang；　which　he　found　gay　with　fluttering　flags。　Looking　carefully　he　saw　among　them；　at　the　west　gate；　the　white　flag　with　the　looked…for　inscription。　His　heart　rejoiced。

That　day；　just　about　noon；　the　city　gates　opened；　and　two　bodies　of　soldiers　appeared　as　if　to　fight。　Gao　Shun　was　the　front　mander；　and　Hou　Cheng　the　rear　mander。　Cao　Cao　told　off　his　general；　Dian　Wei；　to　oppose　them。　Neither　body；　however；　came　on　to　full　engagement　but　fell　back　into　the　city。　By　this　move　Dian　Wei　and　his　troops　had　been　drawn　close　up　to　the　drawbridge。　From　within　the　city　several　soldiers　were　seen　taking　any　chance　of　confusion　to　escape　and　e　outside。

To　Cao　Cao　they　said；　〃We　are　clients　of　the　Tian　family；〃　and　they　gave　him　secret　letters　stating：

〃The　signal　will　be　given　about　the　first　watch　setting　by　beating　a　gong。　That　will　be　the　time　to　attack。　The　gates　will　be　opened。〃

So　Cao　Cao　ordered　Xiahou　Dun　to　march　to　the　left　and　Cao　Hong　to　the　right。　Cao　Cao　led　the　main　army………together　with　Xiahou　Yuan；　Li　Dian；　and　Yue　Jing………into　the　city。

Li　Dian　pressed　upon　his　master　the　precaution；　saying；　〃My　lord　should　stay　outside　the　city。　Let　us　go　in　first。〃

But　Cao　Cao　bade　him　be　silent；　saying；　〃If　I　do　not　go；　who　will　advance？〃

And　so　at　the　first　watch　Cao　Cao　led　the　way。　The　moon　had　not　yet　arisen。　As　he　drew　near　the　west　gate；　they　heard　a　crackling　sound；　then　a　loud　shouting；　and　then　torches　moved　hither　and　thither。　Next　the　gates　were　thrown　wide　open；　and　Cao　Cao；　whipping　up　his　steed；　galloped　in。

But　when　he　reached　the　state　residence；　he　noticed　the　streets　were　quite　deserted；　and　then　he　knew　he　had　been　tricked。　Wheeling　round　his　horse；　he　shouted　to　his　followers　to　retire。　This　was　the　signal　for　another　move。　An　explosion　of　a　signal　bomb　was　heard　close　at　hand；　and　it　was　echoed　from　every　side　in　a　deafening　roar。　Gongs　and　drums　beat　all　around　with　a　roar　like　rivers　rushing　backward　to　their　source；　and　the　ocean　boiling　up　from　its　depths。　From　two　sides　east　and　west　came　bodies　of　soldiers　eager　to　attack；　led　by　Lu　Bus　generals　Zhang　Liao　and　Zang　Ba。

Cao　Cao　dashed　off　toward　the　north　only　to　find　his　way　barred　by　Hao　Meng　and　Cao　Xing。　Cao　Cao　tried　for　the　south　gate；　but　met　enemies　led　by　Gao　Shun　and　Hou　Cheng。　Cao　Caos　trusty　mander　Dian　Wei；　with　fierce　eyes　and　gritting　teeth；　at　last　burst　through　and　got　out；　with　the　enemy　close　after　him。

But　when　Dian　Wei　reached　the　drawbridge；　he　glanced　behind　him　and　missed　his　master。　Immediately　Dian　Wei　turned　back　and　cut　an　alley　inside。　Just　within　he　met　Li　Dian。

〃Where　is　our　lord？〃　cried　Dian　Wei。

〃I　am　looking　for　him；〃　said　Li　Dian。

〃Quick！　Get　help　from　outside；〃　shouted　Dian　Wei。　〃I　will　seek　him。〃

So　Li　Dian　hastened　for　aid；　and　Dian　Wei　slashed　his　way　in；　looking　on　every　side　for　Cao　Cao。　He　was　not　to　be　found。　Dashing　out　of　the　city；　Dian　Wei　ran　up　against　Yue　Jing；　who　asked　where　their　lord　was。

〃I　have　entered　the　city　twice　in　search　of　him；　but　cannot　find　him；〃　said　Dian　Wei。

〃Let　us　go　in　together；〃　said　Yue　Jing。

They　rode　up　to　the　gate。　But　the　noise　of　bombs　from　the　gate　tower　frightened　Yue　Jings　horse　so　that　it　refused　to　pass。　Wherefore　Dian　Wei　alone　went　in；　butting　through　the　smoke　and　dashing　through　the　flames。　But　he　got　in　and　searched　on　every　side。

When　Cao　Cao　saw　his　sturdy　protector　Dian　Wei　cut　his　way　out　and　disappear　leaving　him　surrounded；　he　again　made　an　attempt　to　reach　the　north　gate。　On　the　way；　sharply　outlined　against　the　glow；　he　saw　the　figure　of　Lu　Bu　ing　toward　him　with　his　trident　halberd　ready　to　kill。　Cao　Cao　covered　his　face　with　his　hand；　whipped　up　his　steed　and　galloped　past。

But　Lu　Bu　came　galloping　up　behind　him　and　tapping　him　on　the　helmet　with　the　halberd　cried；　〃Where　is　Cao　Cao？〃

Cao　Cao　turned　and；　pointing　to　a　dun　horse　well　ahead；　cried；　〃There；　on　that　dun！　Thats　he。〃

Hearing　this　Lu　Bu　left　pursuing　Cao　Cao　to　gallop　after　the　rider　of　the　dun。

Thus　relieved　Cao　Cao　set　off　for　the　east　gate。　Then　he　fell　in　with　Dian　Wei；　who　took　him　under　his　protection　and　fought　through　the　press；　leaving　a　trail　of　death　behind　till　they　reached　the　gate。　Here　the　fire　was　raging　fiercely；　and　burning　beams　were　falling　on　all　sides。　The　earth　element　seemed　to　have　interchanged　with　the　fire　element。　Dian　Wei　warded　off　the　burning　pieces　of　wood　with　his　lance　and　rode　into　the　smoke　making　a　way　for　his　lord。　Just　as　they　were　passing　through　the　gate　a　flaming　beam　fell　from　the　gate　tower。　Cao　Cao　just　warded　it　off　with　his　arm；　but　it　struck　his　steed　on　the　quarters　and　knocked　the　steed　down。　Cao　Caos　hand　and　arm　were　badly　burned　and　his　hair　and　beard　singed。　Dian　Wei　turned　back　to　his　rescue。　Luckily　Xiahou　Yuan　came　along　just　then；　and　the　two　raised　Cao　Cao　and　set　him　on　Xiahou　Yuans　horse。　And　thus　they　got　him　out　of　the　burning　city。　But　they　had　to　go　through　heavy　fighting　till　daybreak。

Cao　Cao　returned　to　his　camp。　His　officers　crowded　about　his　tent；　anxious　for　news　of　his　health。　He　soon　recovered　and　laughed　when　he　thought　of　his　escape。

〃I　blundered　into　that　fools　trap；　but　I　will　have　my　revenge；〃　said　he。

〃Let　us　have　a　new　plan　soon；〃　said　Guo　Jia。

〃I　will　turn　his　trick　to　my　own　use。　I　will　spread　the　false　report　that　I　was　burned　in　the　fire；　and　that　I　died　at　the　fifth　watch。　He　will　e　to　attack　as　soon　as　the　news　gets　abroad；　and　I　will　have　an　ambush　ready　for　him　in　Maling　Hills。　I　will　get　him　this　time。〃

〃Really　a　fine　stratagem！〃　said　Guo　Jia。

So　the　soldiers　were　put　into　mourning；　and　the　report　went　everywhere　that　Cao　Cao　was　dead。　And　soon　Lu　Bu　heard　it；　and　he　assembled　his　army　at　once　to　make　a　surprise　attack；　taking　the　road　by　the　Maling　Hills　to　his　enemys　camp。

As　he　was　passing　the　hills；　he　heard　the　drums　beating　for　an　advance；　and　the　ambushing　soldiers　leapt　out　all　round　him。　Only　by　desperate　fighting　did　he　get　out　of　the　melee　and　with　a　sadly　diminished　force　returned　to　his　camp　at　Puyang。　There　he　strengthened　the　fortifications　and　could　not　be　tempted　forth　to　battle。

This　year　locusts　suddenly　appeared；　and　they　consumed　every　green　blade。　There　was　a　famine；　and　in　the　northeast　grain　rose　to　fifty　〃strings〃　of　cash　a　cart。　People　even　took　to　cannibalism。　Cao　Caos　army　suffered　from　want；　and　he　marched　them　to　Juancheng。　Lu　Bu　took　his　troops　to　Shanyang。　Perforce　therefore　the　fight