小说园

第36部分（第1页）

In　Xuzhou；　after　Liu　Bei　had　started　on　his　expedition；　Zhang　Fei　placed　his　colleague　and　helper；　Chen　Deng；　in　charge　of　the　administration　of　the　region；　keeping　military　affairs　under　his　own　supervision。　After　thinking　over　the　matter　or　some　time；　he　gave　a　banquet　to　all　the　military　officers。

When　they　were　all　seated；　he　made　a　speech：　〃Before　my　brother　left；　he　bade　me　keep　clear　of　the　wine　cup　for　fear　of　accidents。　Now；　gentlemen；　you　may　drink　deep　today。　But　from　tomorrow　wine　is　forbidden；　for　we　must　keep　the　city　safe。　So　take　your　fill。〃

And　with　this　he　and　all　his　guests　rose　to　drink　together。　The　wine　bearer　came　to　Cao　Bao　who　declined　it；　saying；　〃I　never　drink　as　I　am　forbidden　of　heaven。〃

〃What！　A　fighting　man　does　not　drink　wine！〃　said　the　host。　〃I　want　you　to　take　just　one　cup。〃

Cao　Bao　was　afraid　to　offend；　so　he　drank。

Now　Zhang　Fei　drank　huge　goblets　with　all　his　guests　on　every　hand　and　so　swallowed　a　huge　quantity　of　liquor。　He　became　quite　intoxicated。　Yet　he　would　drink　more　and　insisted　on　a　cup　with　every　guest。　It　came　to　the　turn　of　Cao　Bao　who　declined。

〃Really；　I　cannot　drink；〃　said　Cao　Bao。

〃You　drank　just　now：　Why　refuse　this　time？〃

Zhang　Fei　pressed　him；　but　still　Cao　Bao　resisted。

Then　Zhang　Fei　in　his　drunken　madness　lost　control　of　his　temper　and　said；　〃If　you　disobey　the　orders　of　your　general；　you　shall　be　beaten　one　hundred　strokes。〃

And　he　called　in　his　guards。　Here　Chen　Deng　interfered　reminding　him　of　the　strict　injunctions　of　his　brother。

〃You　civilians　attend　to　your　civil　business　and　leave　us　alone；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

The　only　way　of　escape　for　the　guest　was　to　beg　remission；　and　Cao　Bao　did　so；　saying；　〃Sir；　if　you　saw　my　son…in…laws　face；　you　would　pardon　me。〃

〃Who　is　your　son…in…law？〃

〃Lu　Bu。〃

〃I　did　not　mean　to　have　you　really　beaten；　but　if　you　think　to　frighten　me　with　Lu　Bu；　I　will。　I　will　beat　you　as　if　I　was　beating　him；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

The　guests　interposed　to　beg　him　off；　but　their　drunken　host　was　obdurate；　and　the　unhappy　guest　received　fifty　blows。　Then　at　the　earnest　prayers　of　the　others　the　remainder　of　the　punishment　was　remitted。

The　banquet　came　to　an　end；　and　the　beaten　Cao　Bao　went　away　burning　with　resentment。　That　night　he　sent　a　letter　to　Xiaopei　relating　the　insults　he　had　received　from　Zhang　Fei。　The　letter　told　Lu　Bu　of　Liu　Beis　absence　and　proposed　that　a　sudden　raid　should　be　made　that　very　night　before　Zhang　Fei　had　recovered　from　his　drunken　fit。　Lu　Bu　at　once　summoned　Chen　Gong　and　told　him。

〃Xiaopei　is　only　a　place　to　occupy　temporarily；〃　said　Chen　Gong。　〃If　you　can　seize　Xuzhou；　do　so。　It　is　a　good　chance。〃

Lu　Bu　got　ready　at　once　and　soon　on　the　way　with　five　hundred　cavalrymen；　ordering　Chen　Gong　and　Gao　Shun　to　follow　him　with　the　main　body。

Xiaopei　being　only　about　fifteen　miles　away；　Lu　Bu　was　under　the　walls　at　the　fourth　watch。　It　was　clear　moonlight。　No　one　on　the　ramparts　saw　him。

Lu　Bu　came　up　close　to　the　wall　and　called　out；　〃Liu　Beis　secret　messenger　has　arrived！〃

The　guards　on　the　wall　were　Cao　Baos　people；　and　they　called　him。　Cao　Bao　came；　and　when　he　saw　who　was　there　he　ordered　the　gates　to　be　opened。　Lu　Bu　gave　the　secret　signal；　and　the　soldiers　entered　shouting。

Zhang　Fei　was　in　his　apartment　sleeping　off　the　fumes　of　wine。　His　servants　hastened　to　arouse　him　and　told　him　an　enemy　had　got　the　gates　open。

They　said；　〃Lu　Bu　got　in；　and　there　is　fighting　in　the　city。〃

Zhang　Fei　savagely　got　into　his　armor　and　laid　hold　of　his　mighty　serpent　halberd。　But　as　he　was　mounting　his　horse　at　the　gate；　the　attacking　soldiers　came　up。　He　rushed　at　them　but　being　still　half　intoxicated　made　but　a　poor　fight。　Lu　Bu　knowing　Zhang　Feis　prowess　did　not　press　him　hard；　and　Zhang　Fei　made　his　way；　with　eighteen　leading　Guards　of　Yan；　to　the　east　gate；　and　there　went　out；　leaving　Liu　Beis　family　to　their　fate。

Cao　Bao；　seeing　Zhang　Fei　had　but　a　very　small　force　and　was　still　half　drunk　as　well；　came　in　pursuit。　Zhang　Fei　saw　who　it　was　and　was　mad　with　rage。　He　galloped　toward　Cao　Bao　and　drove　him　off　after　a　few　passes。　He　followed　Cao　Bao　to　the　moat　and　wounded　him　in　the　back。　Cao　Baos　frightened　steed　carried　its　master　into　the　moat；　and　he　was　drowned。

Once　well　outside　the　city　Zhang　Fei　collected　his　troops；　and　they　rode　off　toward　the　south　direction。

Lu　Bu　having　surprised　the　city　set　himself　to　restore　order。　He　put　a　guard　over　the　residence　of　Liu　Bei　so　that　no　one　should　disturb　the　family。

Zhang　Fei　with　his　few　followers　went　to　his　brothers　camp　at　Xuyi　and　told　his　story　of　treachery　and　surprise。　All　were　greatly　distressed。

〃Success　is　not　worth　rejoicing　over；　failure　is　not　worth　grieving　over；〃　said　Liu　Bei　with　a　sigh。

〃Where　are　our　sisters？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。

〃They　shared　the　fate　of　the　city。〃

Liu　Bei　nodded　his　head　and　was　silent。

Guan　Yu　with　an　effort　controlled　his　reproaches　and　said；　〃What　did　you　say　when　you　promised　to　guard　the　city；　and　what　orders　did　our　brother　give　you？　Now　the　city　is　lost　and　therewith　our　sisters…in…law。　Have　you　done　well？〃

Zhang　Fei　was　overwhelmed　by　remorse。　He　drew　his　sword　to　kill　himself。

He　raised　the　cup　in　pledge；

None　might　say　nay；

Remorseful；　drew　the　sword；