小说园

第35部分（第1页）

〃

〃But　you　know　the　prudent　bird　selects　its　tree；　and　the　wise　servant　chooses　his　master。　When　one　meets　a　worthy　master　and　lets　him　go；　one　is　very　reckless。〃

〃I　am　willing　to　do　what　you　say；〃　said　Xu　Huang；　rising。

〃Why　not　put　these　two　to　death　as　an　introductory　gift？〃　said　Man　Chong。

〃It　is　very　wrong　for　a　servant　to　slay　his　master。　I　will　not　do　that。〃

〃True；　you　are　really　a　good　man。〃

Then　Xu　Huang；　taking　only　a　few　horsemen　of　his　own　men　with　him；　left　that　night　and　deserted　to　Cao　Cao。　Soon　someone　took　the　news　to　Yang　Feng；　who　at　the　head　of　a　thousand　strong　horsemen；　set　out　to　capture　the　deserter。

As　they　drew　close；　Yang　Feng　called　out；　〃Betrayer！　Stop　there！〃

But　Yang　Feng　fell　into　an　ambush。　Suddenly　the　whole　mountain　side　was　lit　up　with　torches　and　out　sprang　Cao　Caos　troops；　he　himself　being　in　mand。

〃I　have　been　waiting　here　a　long　time。　Do　not　run　away！〃　cried　Cao　Cao。

Yang　Feng　was　pletely　surprised　and　tried　to　draw　off；　but　was　quickly　surrounded。　Then　Han　Xian　came　to　his　rescue；　and　a　confused　battle　began。　Yang　Feng　succeeded　in　escaping；　while　Cao　Cao　kept　up　the　attack　on　the　two　disordered　armies。　A　great　number　of　the　rebels　gave　in；　and　the　leaders　found　they　had　too　few　men　left　to　maintain　their　independence；　so　they　betook　themselves　to　Yuan　Shu。

When　Cao　Cao　returned　to　camp；　the　newly　surrendered　general　was　presented　and　well　received。　Then　again　the　cavalcade　set　out　for　the　new　capital。　In　due　time　they　reached　Xuchang；　and　they　built　palaces　and　halls；　an　ancestral　temple　and　an　altar；　terraces　and　public　offices。　The　walls　were　repaired；　storehouses　built　and　all　put　in　order。

Then　came　the　rewards　for　Cao　Caos　adherents　and　others。　Dong　Cheng　and　thirteen　others　were　raised　to　rank　of　lordship。　All　good　service　was　rewarded；　certain　others　again；　who　deserved　it；　were　punished；　all　according　to　Cao　Caos　sole　decision。

Cao　Cao　himself　was　made　Prime　Minister；　Regent　Marshal；　and　Lord　of　Wuping。　Xun　Yu　was　made　Imperial　Counselor　and　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　Xun　You；　Minister　of　War；　Guo　Jia；　Minister　of　Rites　and　Religion；　Liu　Ye；　Minister　of　Works；　Mao　Jie；　Minister　of　Agriculture；　and　together　with　Ren　Jun；　they　were　put　over　the　supervision　of　military　farms　and　stores。　Cheng　Yu　was　appointed　Lord　of　Dongping；　Dong　Zhao；　Magistrate　of　Luoyang；　Man　Chong；　Magistrate　of　Xuchang。　Xiahou　Dun；　Xiahou　Yuan；　Cao　Ren；　Cao　Hong；　Lu　Qian；　Li　Dian；　Yue　Jing；　Yu　Jin；　and　Xu　Huang　were　made　manders；　Xu　Chu　and　Dian　Wei；　manders　of　Capital　District。　All　good　service　received　full　recognition。

Cao　Cao　was　then　the　one　man　of　the　court。　All　memorials　went　first　to　him　and　were　then　submitted　to　the　Throne。　When　state　matters　were　in　order；　Cao　Cao　gave　a　great　banquet　in　his　private　quarters　to　all　his　advisers；　and　affairs　outside　the　capital　were　the　subject　of　discussion。

Then　Cao　Cao　said；　〃Liu　Bei　has　his　army　at　Xuzhou；　and　he　carries　on　the　administration　of　the　region。　Lu　Bu　fled　to　Liu　Bei　when　defeated；　and　Liu　Bei　gave　Lu　Bu　Xiaopei　to　live　in。　If　these　two　agreed　to　join　forces　and　attack；　my　position　would　be　most　serious。　What　precautions　can　be　taken？〃

Then　rose　Xu　Chu；　saying；　〃Give　me　fifty　thousand　of　picked　soldiers；　and　I　will　give　the　Prime　Minister　both　their　heads。〃

Xun　Yu　said；　〃O　Leader；　you　are　brave；　but　we　must　consider　the　present　circumstance。　We　cannot　start　a　sudden　war　just　as　the　capital　has　been　changed。　However；　there　is　a　certain　ruse　known　as　Rival　Tigers　and　One　Prey。　Liu　Bei　has　no　decree　authorizing　him　to　govern　the　region。　You；　Sir　Prime　Minister；　can　procure　one　for　him；　and　when　sending　it；　and　so　conferring　upon　him　right　in　addition　to　his　might；　you　can　enclose　a　private　note　telling　him　to　get　rid　of　Lu　Bu。　If　he　does；　then　he　will　have　lost　a　vigorous　warrior　from　his　side；　and　he　could　be　dealt　with　as　occasions　serve。　Should　he　fail；　then　Lu　Bu　will　slay　him。　This　is　Rival　Tigers　and　One　Prey　ruse；　they　wrangle　and　bite　each　other。〃

Cao　Cao　agreed　that　this　was　a　good　plan；　so　he　memorialized　for　the　formal　appointment；　which　he　sent　to　Liu　Bei。　Liu　Bei　was　created　General　Who　Conquers　the　East；　Lord　of　Yicheng；　and　Imperial　Protector　of　Xuzhou　as　well。　At　the　same　time　a　private　note　was　enclosed。

In　Xuzhou；　when　Liu　Bei　heard　of　the　change　of　capital；　he　began　to　prepare　a　congratulatory　address。　In　the　midst　of　this　an　imperial　messenger　was　announced　and　was　met　which　all　ceremony　outside　the　gate。　When　the　epistle　had　been　reverently　received；　a　banquet　was　prepared　for　the　messenger。

The　messenger　said；　〃This　decree　was　obtained　for　you　by　Prime　Minister　Cao　Cao。〃

Liu　Bei　thanked　him。　Then　the　messenger　drew　forth　his　secret　letter。

After　reading　it；　Liu　Bei　said；　〃This　matter　can　be　easily　arranged。〃

The　banquet　over　and　the　messenger　conducted　to　his　lodging　to　seek　repose。　Liu　Bei；　before　going　to　rest；　called　in　his　councilors　to　consider　the　letter。

〃There　need　be　no　punction　about　putting　him　to　death；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃Lu　Bu　is　a　bad　man。〃

〃But　he　came　to　me　for　protection　in　his　weakness：　How　can　I　put　him　to　death？　That　would　be　immoral；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃If　he　was　a　good　man；　it　would　be　difficult；〃　replied　Zhang　Fei。

Liu　Bei　would　not　consent。

Next　day；　when　Lu　Bu　came　to　offer　congratulations；　he　was　received　as　usual。　He　said；　〃I　have　e　to　felicitate　you　on　the　receipt　of　the　imperial　bounty。〃

Liu　Bei　thanked　him　in　due　form。　But　then　he　saw　Zhang　Fei　draw　his　sword　and　e　up　the　hall　as　if　to　slay　Lu　Bu。　Liu　Bei　hastily　interfered　and　stopped　Zhang　Fei。

Lu　Bu　was　surprised　and　said；　〃Why　do　you　wish　to　slay　me；　Zhang　Fei？〃

〃Cao　Cao　says　you　are　immoral　and　tells　my　brother　to　kill　you；〃　shouted　Zhang　Fei。

Liu　Bei　shouted　again　and　again　to　Zhang　Fei　to　go　away；　and　he　led　Lu　Bu　into　the　private　apartments　out　of　the　way。　Then　he　told　Lu　Bu　the　whole　story　and　showed　him　the　secret　letter。

Lu　Bu　wept　as　he　finished　reading；　〃This　is　that　miscreants　scheme　for　sowing　discord　between　us。〃

〃Be　not　anxious；　elder　brother；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃I　pledge　myself　not　to　be　guilty　of　such　an　infamous　crime。〃

Lu　Bu　again　and　again　expressed　his　gratitude；　and　Liu　Bei　kept　him　for　a　time。　They　remained　talking　and　drinking　wine　till　late。

Said　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　later；　〃Why　not　kill　him？〃