小说园

第61部分（第2页）

〃I　am　about　to　die；〃　replied　Yuan　Shao。

〃But　why　do　you　utter　such　words？〃

〃I　have　three　sons；　but　only　the　youngest　is　clever　enough　to　understand　my　ideas。　Now　he　is　suffering　from　scabies　which　places　his　life　in　jeopardy。　Think　you　that　I　have　any　heart　to　talk　over　any　other　affairs？〃

〃But；〃　said　Tian　Feng；　〃the　present　bination　of　circumstances　is　unparalleled。　Cao　Cao　is　going　to　attack　the　east；　and　Xuchang　will　be　empty。　You　can　enter　it　with　a　few　volunteers　and　so　perform　good　service　to　the　Emperor　and　save　the　people　from　sorrow。　You　have　only　to　make　up　your　mind　to　act。〃

〃I　know　the　chance　is　excellent；　but　I　am　worried　and　distressed　and　fear　failure。〃

〃What　are　you　distressed　about？〃　said　Tian　Feng。

〃Among　my　sons　only　this　special　one　is　remarkable；　and　if　anything　happens；　I　am　done。〃

Thus　it　became　evident　that　no　army　would　be　dispatched。

In　confirmation　of　this；　Yuan　Shao　said　to　Sun　Qian；　〃Go　home　and　tell　Liu　Bei　the　real　reason；　and　say　that　if　anything　untoward　happen；　he　can　e　over　to　me；　and　I　will　find　some　means　of　helping　him。〃

Tian　Feng　struck　the　ground　with　his　staff。

〃It　is　such　a　pity！〃　cried　he。　〃Just　as　a　unique　opportunity　presents　itself；　everything　is　spoiled　by　the　illness　of　a　child。〃

He　went　out。　Sun　Qian　saw　that　no　help　could　be　hoped　for　and　set　out　to　return。　When　he　had　arrived　and　related　what　he　had　seen；　Liu　Bei　was　quite　alarmed　and　asked　what　could　be　done。

〃Do　not　be　troubled；　brother；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃We　can　destroy　Cao　Cao　merely　by　a　sudden　attack　before　his　army　shall　have　time　to　camp。〃

〃That　would　be　according　to　the　rules　of　war；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃You　have　always　been　a　bold　warrior；　and　that　move　against　Liu　Dai　shows　that　you　are　being　a　strategist　too。〃

So　Liu　Bei　gave　Zhang　Fei　mand　of　enough　soldiers　to　carry　out　this　plan。

Now　while　Cao　Cao　was　in　the　midst　of　his　march　toward　Xiaopei；　a　tornado　sprang　up　and　the　howling　gale　tore　down　one　of　the　banners　and　broke　the　staff。　Cao　Cao　called　together　his　advisers　and　leaders　to　ask　them　what　this　portended。

Xun　Yu　said；　〃From　what　direction　was　the　wind　at　the　time；　and　what　was　the　color　of　the　flag？〃

〃The　wind　was　from　the　southeast；　and　the　flag　was　blue　and　red。〃

〃There　is　only　one　interpretation：　A　raid　on　the　camp　will　occur　tonight。〃

Cao　Cao　nodded。　At　that　moment　Mao　Jie　entered　and　reported　a　similar　incident。　Cao　Cao　asked　him　the　portent。

〃My　thinking　tells　me　it　means　a　night　raid；〃　replied　he。

Alas　for　the　weakness　of　this　descendant　of　kings！

He　placed　his　faith　on　a　night　raid。

But　the　broken　staff　of　a　banner　warned　his　enemy。

Why　should　the　ancient　of　days　favor　the　wicked？

〃This　is　evidently　providence；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　he　began　to　make　preparations。　He　told　off　nine　bodies　of　troops　to　take　stations；　leaving　only　one　of　them　as　if　camped　while　he　placed　the　others　in　ambush　at　eight　points。

There　was　but　little　moonlight　as　Liu　Bei　and　Zhang　Fei　marched　their　respective　armies　toward　Cao　Caos　camp。　They　had　left　Sun　Qian　to　guard　Xiaopei。　Zhang　Fei；　since　he　was　the　originator　of　the　stratagem；　led　the　way　with　some　light　horse。　As　they　drew　near；　everything　seemed　very　quiet　and　no　one　seemed　moving。　Then　suddenly　lights　flashed　out　all　about　them；　and　Zhang　Fei　saw　he　had　fallen　into　a　trap。　At　once　from　all　the　eight　directions　came　out　the　ambushing　troops。　From　east；　west；　north；　south　were　Zhang　Liao；　Xu　Chu；　Li　Dian；　and　Yu　Jin。　From　northeast；　northwest；　southeast；　southwest　were　Xiahou　Dun；　Xiahou　Yuan；　Xu　Huang；　and　Yue　Jing。

Zhang　Fei；　dashing　this　way　and　rushing　that；　guarding　his　van　and　protecting　his　rear；　vainly　tried　to　clear　himself。　The　soldiers　he　had；　being　originally　Cao　Caos　troops；　soon　gave　in　and　returned　to　their　old　leader。　The　position　became　very　desperate。

Zhang　Fei　met　Xu　Huang　and　engaged　him；　but　his　rear　was　also　attacked　by　Yue　Jing。　At　length　he　cut　an　alley　out　and　with　a　half　score　of　his　troops　started　to　return　to　Xiaopei。　The　retreat　was　cut　off。　He　thought　to　make　for　Xuzhou　but　felt　certain　that　way　was　also　barred。　No　other　way　seemed　open；　and　so　he　made　for　the　Mangdang　Hills。

As　Liu　Bei　drew　near　the　camp；　he　intended　to　attack　when　he　heard　the　din　of　battle。　Then　he　was　attacked　in　the　rear　and　very　soon　had　lost　half　his　force。　Next　Xiahou　Dun　came　to　attack。　Thereupon　Liu　Bei　bolted。　He　was　pursued　by　Xiahou　Yuan。　Presently　Liu　Bei　looked　about　him　and　found　he　had　less　than　half　a　hundred　soldiers　following　him。　He　set　his　face　in　the　direction　of　Xiaopei。

But　before　long　Liu　Bei　saw　that　place　was　in　flames。　So　he　changed　his　plan　and　went　toward　Xiapi。　However　he　found　the　whole　countryside　full　of　the　enemy；　and　he　could　not　get　through。　So　he　bethought　himself　of　the　promise　of　Yuan　Shao；　that　he　would　find　refuge　if　things　went　unfavorable；　and　determined　to　go　to　Yuan　Shao　till　he　could　form　some　other　plan。　Wherefore　he　took　the　Qingzhou　road。　But　it　also　was　blocked；　and　he　went　into　the　open　country　and　made　his　way　north；　not　without　being　pursued　and　losing　the　remainder　of　his　few　followers。

He　hastened　toward　Qingzhou　City；　traveling　one　hundred　miles　a　day。　When　he　reached　the　city　and　summoned　the　gate；　the　guards　asked　who　he　was　and　they　told　the　Governor；　who　was　Yuan　Shaos　eldest　son；　Yuan　Tan。　Yuan　Tan　was　greatly　surprised；　but　he　opened　the　gates　and　went　to　meet　Liu　Bei；　whom　he　treated　with　due　consideration。

Liu　Bei　told　the　story　of　his　defeat　and　said　he　wished　for　harbor。　He　was　given　suitable　quarters　and　hospitably　entertained；　while　the　young　man　wrote　to　inform　his　father。　Then　Yuan　Tan　provided　an　escort　and　sent　Liu　Bei　on　his　journey　as　far　as　the　boundary　of　Pingyuan。

At　the　city　of　Yejun；　Liu　Bei　was　met　by　Yuan　Shao　in　person　ten　miles　outside　the　city；　with　a　great　escort。　Liu　Bei　made　a　humble　obeisance　which　Yuan　Shao　hastened　to　return　and　said；　〃I　have　been　very　distressed　that；　on　account　of　my　sons　illness；　I　did　not　e　to　your　aid。　It　is　a　great　joy　to　see　you；　the　one　desire　of　my　life　is　satisfied。〃

Liu　Bei　replied；　〃The　poor　Liu　Bei　you　see　here　has　long　desired　to　take　refuge　with　you；　but　fate　has　hitherto　denied　him　that　privilege。　Now　attacked　by　Cao　Cao；　my　family　lost；　I　remembered　that　you；　General；　would　receive　good　people　from　all　sides。　Wherefore　I　put　my　pride　in　my　pocket。　I　trust　that　I　may　be　found　worthy　and　one　day　I　will　prove　my　gratitude。〃

Yuan　Shao　received　him　with　much　pleasure　and　treated　him　exceedingly　well。　And　they　both　lived　in　Yuan　S