小说园

第42部分（第1页）

one　of　the　courts。　They　told　me　she　was　the　wife　of　Zhang　Ji；　Zhang　Xius　uncle。　She　is　very　lovely。〃

Cao　Cao；　inflamed　by　the　description　given　him　of　the　beauty；　told　his　nephew　to　go　and　bring　her　to　visit　him。　Cao　Amin　did　so；　supported　by　an　armed　escort；　and　very　soon　the　woman　stood　before　Cao　Cao。

She　was　a　beauty　indeed；　and　Cao　Cao　asked　her　name。

She　replied；　〃Thy　handmaid　was　wife　to　Zhang　Ji；　I　was　born　of　the　Zhou　family。〃

〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃

〃I　have　known　the　Prime　Minister　by　reputation　a　long　time。　I　am　happy　to　see　him　and　be　permitted　to　bow　before　him；〃　said　she。

〃It　was　for　your　sake　that　I　allowed　Zhang　Xiu　to　submit；　otherwise　I　would　have　slain　him　and　cut　him　off　root　and　branch；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃Indeed；　then；　I　owe　my　very　life　to　you；　I　am　very　grateful；〃　said　she。

〃To　see　you　is　a　glimpse　of　paradise；　but　there　is　one　thing　I　should　like　better。　Stay　here　and　go　with　me　to　the　capital　where　I　will　see　that　you　are　properly　cared　for。　What　do　you　say　to　that；　my　lady？〃

She　could　but　thank　him。

〃But　Zhang　Xiu　will　greatly　wonder　at　my　prolonged　absence；　and　gossips　will　begin　to　talk；〃　said　she。

〃If　you　like；　you　can　leave　the　city　tomorrow。〃

She　did　so；　but　instead　of　going　at　once　to　the　capital；　she　stayed　with　him　among　the　tents；　where　Dian　Wei　was　appointed　as　a　special　guard　over　her　apartments。　Cao　Cao　was　the　only　person　whom　she　saw；　and　he　passed　the　days　in　idle　dalliance　with　the　lady；　quite　content　to　let　time　flow　by。

But　people　told　Zhang　Xiu　what　had　gone　amiss；　and　he　was　angry　at　the　shame　brought　upon　the　family。

He　confided　his　trouble　to　Jia　Xu　who　said；　〃Keep　this　secret；　wait　till　he　appears　again　to　carry　on　business；　and　then　do　so　and　so。〃

A　plan　was　arranged　quite　secretly。

Next　day　Zhang　Xiu　went　into　Cao　Caos　tent；　saying；　〃Since　the　surrendered　troops　are　deserting　in　great　number；　it　would　be　well　to　camp　them　in　the　center　of　your　camp　to　prevent　this。〃

Cao　Cao　gave　the　permission；　and　Zhang　Xiu　moved　and　placed　his　army　in　four　camps。

But　Dian　Wei；　the　especial　guard　of　Cao　Caos　tent；　was　a　man　to　be　feared；　being　both　brave　and　powerful。　It　was　hard　to　know　how　to　attack　him。　So　counsel　was　taken　with　Hu　Juer；　the　mander　of　one　camp　and　a　man　of　enormous　strength　and　activity。　He　could　carry　a　burden　of　six　hundred　pounds　and　two　hundred　miles　in　a　day。　Hu　Juer　proposed　a　plan。

He　said；　〃The　fearsome　thing　about　Dian　Wei　is　his　double　halberds。　But　get　him　to　e　to　a　party　and　make　him　quite　drunk　before　you　send　him　back。　I　will　mingle　among　his　escort　and　so　get　into　his　tent　and　steal　away　his　weapons。　One　needs　not　fear　him　then。〃

So　the　necessary　arms　were　prepared　and　orders　given　in　the　various　camps。　This　done　Zhang　Xiu　gave　a　banquet；　and　the　intended　victim　was　invited　and　plied　vigorously　with　wine　so　that　he　was　quite　intoxicated　when　he　left。　And；　as　arranged；　Hu　Juer　mingled　with　his　escort　and　made　away　with　his　weapons。

That　night；　when　Cao　Cao　was　at　supper　with　Lady　Zhou；　he　heard　the　voices　of　men　and　neighing　of　horses　and　sent　out　to　ask　what　it　meant。　They　told　him　it　was　the　night　patrol　going　the　rounds；　and　he　was　satisfied。

Near　the　second　watch　of　the　night　again　was　heard　some　noise　in　the　rear　of　his　tent；　and　one　of　the　fodder　carts　was　reported　to　be　burning。

〃One　of　the　soldiers　has　dropped　a　spark；　there　is　nothing　to　be　alarmed　at；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

But　very　soon　the　fire　spread　on　all　sides　and　became　alarming。　Cao　Cao　called　Dian　Wei。　But　he；　usually　so　alert；　was　lying　down　quite　intoxicated。

However；　the　beating　of　gongs　and　rolling　of　drums　mingling　with　his　dreams　awoke　Dian　Wei；　and　he　jumped　up。　His　trusty　halberds　had　disappeared。　The　enemy　was　near。　He　hastily　snatched　up　an　infantrymans　sword　and　rushed　out。　At　the　gate　he　saw　a　crowd　of　spearmen　just　bursting　in。　Dian　Wei　rushed　at　them　slashing　all　around　him；　and　twenty　or　more　fell　beneath　his　blows。　The　others　drew　back。　But　the　spears　stood　around　him　like　reeds　on　the　river　bank。　Being　totally　without　mail；　he　was　soon　wounded　in　several　places。　He　fought　desperately　till　his　sword　snapped　and　was　no　longer　of　any　use。　Throwing　it　aside　he　seized　a　couple　of　soldiers　and　with　their　bodies　as　weapons　felled　ten　of　his　opponents。　The　others　dared　not　approach；　but　they　shot　arrows　at　him。　These　fell　thick　as　rain；　but　he　still　maintained　the　gate　against　the　assailants。

However；　the　mutineers　got　in　by　the　rear　of　the　camp；　and　they　wounded　Dian　Wei　in　the　back　with　spear　thrusts。　Uttering　a　loud　cry　he　fell。　The　blood　gushed　from　the　wound　in　torrents；　and　he　died。　Even　after　he　was　dead　not　a　man　dared　to　e　in　by　the　main　gate。

Cao　Cao；　relying　on　Dian　Wei　to　hold　the　main　gate；　had　fled　in　haste　by　the　rear　gate。　Cao　Amin　acpanied　him　on　foot。　Then　Cao　Cao　was　wounded　by　an　arrow　in　the　arm；　and　three　arrows　struck　his　horse。　However；　fortunately；　the　horse　was　a　fine　Dawan　beast　full　of　spirit　and；　in　spite　of　its　wounds；　it　bore　its　master　swiftly　and　well　as　far　as　the　bank　of　River　Yu。

Here　some　of　the　pursuers　came　up；　and　Cao　Amin　was　hacked　to　pieces。　Cao　Cao　dashed　into　the　river　and　reached　the　further　side；　but　there　an　arrow　struck　his　steed　in　the　eye　and　it　fell。　Cao　Caos　eldest　son；　Cao　Ang；　dismounted　and　yielded　his　horse　to　his　father；　who　galloped　on。　Cao　Ang　was　killed　by　arrows；　but　Cao　Cao　himself　got　away。　Soon　after　he　met　several　of　his　officers　who　had　rallied　a　few　troops。

The　soldiers　of　Qingzhou　under　Xiahou　Dun　seized　the　occasion　to　plunder　the　people。　Yu　Jin　took　his　army；　fell　upon　them；　and　slew　many。　Thus　he　protected　and　appeased　the　people。　The　plunderers；　meeting　Cao　Cao　on　the　road；　knelt　down　howling　and　said　Yu　Jin　had　mutinied　and　attacked　them。　Cao　Cao　was　surprised；　and　he　gave　order　to　Xiahou　Dun；　Xu　Chu；　Li　Dian；　and　Yue　Jing　to　attack　Yu　Jin。

Now　when　Yu　Jin　saw　his　master　and　a　great　pany　approaching；　he　at　once　stopped　the　attack　and　set　his　troops　to　make　a　camp。

An　officer　asked　him；　〃The　Qingzhou　soldiers　say　you　have　turned　traitor。　Why　do　you　not　explain　now　that　the　Prime　Minister　has　arrived？　Why　first　make　a　camp？〃