小说园

第64部分（第2页）

Leaping　from　the　saddle；　Guan　Yu　cut　off　his　victims　head　and　hung　it　to　his　horses　neck。　Then　he　mounted　and　rode　out；　just　as　if　there　was　no　army　there。

The　northern　troops；　panic　stricken；　made　no　fight。　Cao　Caos　army　attacked　with　full　force　and　slew　great　numbers　of　them。　They　captured　many　horses　and　weapons　and　much　military　gear。　Guan　Yu　rode　quickly　back　up　the　hill　and　laid　the　proof　of　his　prowess　at　the　feet　of　the　Prime　Minister。

〃You　are　more　than　human；　General！〃　cried　Cao　Cao。

〃What　have　I　done　to　talk　about？〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃My　brother；　Zhang　Fei；　did　the　same　thing　in　an　army　of　a　hundred　legions；　and　did　it　as　easily　as　picking　something　from　his　own　pocket。〃

Cao　Cao　marveled　at　the　statement　and　turning　to　those　about　him　said；　〃If　you　meet　this　Zhang　Fei；　be　careful。〃

And　he　bade　them　make　a　note　on　the　overlap　of　their　robes　so　that　they　should　remember。

The　beaten　army　returning　northward　met　Yuan　Shao　on　the　road　and　told　their　story。

〃A　red…faced　warrior　with　a　long　beard；　wielding　a　huge；　long…handled　sword；　broke　into　the　army；　cut　off　the　generals　head　and　bore　it　off；〃　said　they。

〃Who　was　this？〃　asked　Yuan　Shao。

Ju　Shou　said；　〃It　must　have　been　Liu　Beis　brother；　Guan　Yu。　It　could　be　nobody　else。〃

Yuan　Shao　was　very　angry　and；　pointing　to　Liu　Bei；　he　said；　〃Your　brother　has　slain　my　beloved　leader。　You　are　in　the　plot　too。　Why　should　I　save　you　alive？〃

He　bade　the　lictors　take　Liu　Bei　away　and　behead　him。

Morning　saw　him　guest　on　high。

Evening；　prisoner；　doomed　to　die。

Liu　Beis　actual　fate　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　26　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　26

Chapter　26

Yuan　Shao　Loses　Another　Leader；

Guan　Yu　Abandons　Rank　And　Wealth。

As　the　last　chapter　closed；　Liu　Bei　had　been　condemned　to　die。

Liu　Bei　spoke　up；　however；　and　said；　〃Pray　hear　one　word；　Illustrious　Sir；　before　you　decide。　I　have　lost　sight　of　my　brother　since　my　misfortune　at　Xuzhou　and　know　not　whether　Guan　Yu　be　dead　or　alive。　There　are　many　men　in　the　world　who　resemble　him。　Is　every　red…faced　man　with　a　beard　named　Guan　Yu？　Should　you　not　rather　seek　some　evidence？〃

Now　Yuan　Shao　was　impulsive　and　facile　by　nature；　and　when　Liu　Bei　spoke　thus；　he　suddenly　turned　upon　Ju　Shou；　saying；　〃By　wrongly　regarding　what　you　said；　I　nearly　killed　an　innocent　person。〃

Then　Yuan　Shao　requested　Liu　Bei　once　more　to　resume　his　seat　in　the　tent　and　give　advice　on　how　to　avenge　Yan　Liang。

Soon　from　the　lower　end　a　voice　was　heard；　saying；　〃Yan　Liang　and　I　were　as　brothers；　and　can　I　allow　any　other　to　avenge　his　death？〃

The　speaker　was　a　man　of　eight…span　height　with　a　face　like　a　jilin；　a　famous　leader　from　the　North　of　Yellow　River；　named　Wen　Chou。

Yuan　Shao　was　pleased　and　said；　〃You　are　the　only　man　who　can　do　it。　I　will　give　you　one　hundred　thousand　troops；　and　you　can　cross　the　Yellow　River；　and　quickly　smite　that　rebel　Cao　Cao。

〃You　cannot　do　it。　Wen　Chou　will　fail；〃　said　Ju　Shou。　〃The　proper　course　is　to　hold　Yenjin　and　detach　a　force　to　Guandu。　If　you　rashly　cross　the　river　and　anything　goes　wrong；　not　a　soul　will　return。〃