小说园

第82部分（第1页）

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　33

Chapter　33

A　Gallant　Warrior；　Cao　Pi　Marries　Lady　Zhen；

An　Expiring　Star；　Guo　Jia　Settles　Liaodong。

As　was　said；　Cao　Pi；　having　made　his　way　into　the　Yuans　palace；　saw　two　women　there　whom　he　was　about　to　kill。　Suddenly　a　red　light　shone　in　his　eyes；　and　he　paused。

Lowering　his　sword　he　said；　〃Who　are　you？〃

〃Thy　handmaid　is　the　widow　of　the　late　Yuan　Shao；　Lady　Liu；〃　said　the　elder　of　the　two；　〃and　this　is　the　wife　of　Yuan　Xi；　his　second　son。　She　was　of　the　Zhen　family。　When　Yuan　Xi　was　sent　to　mand　in　Youzhou；　her　family　objected　to　her　going　so　far　from　home　and　she　stayed　behind。〃

＇e＇　Lady　Zhen；　a　famous　lady　in　the　North　of　Yellow　River　（Hebei）；　wife　to　Yuan　Xi；　son　of　Yuan　Shao。　When　Yuan　Shao　was　defeated　by　Cao　Cao；　both　Cao　Caos　sons　Cao　Pi　and　Cao　Zhi　claimed　her；　not　to　mention　Cao　Cao　himself。　Cao　Pi　eventually　won　her　hand；　wedded　her；　and　made　her　an　empress。　She　later　became　the　Goddess　of　River　Luo；　according　to　folktales。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Xu　You　devised　the　plans　to　destroy　the　Wuchao　granary　of　Yuan　Shao。

Cao　Pi　drew　Lady　Zhen　toward　him　and　looked　at　her　closely。　Her　hair　hung　disordered；　her　face　was　dusty　and　tear…stained；　but　when；　with　the　sleeve　of　his　inner　garment；　he　had　wiped　sway　these　disfigurements；　he　saw　a　woman　of　exquisite　loveliness；　with　a　plexion　clear　as　jade　touched　with　the　tender　bloom　of　a　flower　petal；　a　woman　indeed　beautiful　enough　to　ruin　a　kingdom*。

〃I　am　the　son　of　the　Prime　Minister；〃　said　he　turning　to　the　elder　woman。　〃I　will　guarantee　your　safety；　so　you　need　fear　nothing。〃

He　then　put　by　his　sword　and　sat　down　at　the　upper　end　of　the　room。

As　Cao　Cao　was　entering　the　gate　of　the　conquered　city　of　Yejun；　Xu　You　rode　up　very　quickly；　passed　him；　and　pointed　with　his　whip　at　the　gate；　saying；　〃Sir　Prime　Minister；　you　would　not　have　been　here　but　for　my　plans！*〃

Cao　Cao　laughed；　but　his　generals　were　very　annoyed。

When　Cao　Cao　reached　the　residence；　he　stopped　at　the　gate　and　asked；　〃Has　anyone　had　gone　in？〃

The　guard　at　the　gate　said；　〃Your　son　is　within。〃

Cao　Cao　called　him　out　and　chided　him；　but　the　wife　of　the　late　Imperial　Protector　interposed；　saying；　〃But　not　for　your　son　we　had　not　been　saved。　I　desire　to　present　to　you　a　lady；　of　the　Zhen　family；　as　a　handmaid　to　your　son。〃

Cao　Cao　bade　them　bring　out　the　girl　and　she　bowed　before　him。　After　looking　at　her　intently；　he　said；　〃Just　the　wife　for　him！〃

And　he　told　Cao　Pi　to　take　Lady　Zhen　to　wife。

After　the　conquest　of　Jizhou　had　been　made　quite　sure；　Cao　Cao　made　a　ceremonial　visit　to　the　Yuan　family　cemetery；　where　he　sacrificed　at　the　tomb　of　his　late　rival；　bowed　his　head；　and　lamented　bitterly。

＇e＇　Yan　and　Dai　were　two　ancient　states　in　the　north　during　the　Warring　States　period。　。。。。。

Turning　to　his　generals；　he　said；　〃Not　long　ago　when　Yuan　Shao　and　I　worked　together　in　military　matters；　he　asked　me；　saying；　If　this　disturbance　does　not　cease；　what　fronts　should　be　held？　And　I　replied　asking　him　what　he　thought。　He　said；　In　the　North　of　Yellow　River；　to　the　south　I　would　hold　the　Yellow　River；　on　the　north；　guard　against　Yan　and　Dai*　and　absorb　the　hordes　from　the　Gobi　Desert。　Thence　southward　I　would　try　for　the　empire；　and　do　you　not　think　I　might　succeed？　I　replied　saying；　I　depend　upon　the　wisdom　and　force　of　the　world　directed　by　scholars；　then　every　thing　would　be　possible。　These　words　seem　as　if　spoken　only　yesterday；　and　now　he　is　gone。　Thinking　over　it　I　cannot　refrain　from　tears。〃

His　officers　were　deeply　affected。　Cao　Cao　treated　the　widow　generously；　giving　her　gold　and　silks　and　food　to　her　content。

He　also　issued　a　further　order　that　the　taxes　in　the　North　of　Yellow　River　would　be　remitted　in　consideration　of　the　sufferings　of　the　people　during　the　warlike　operations。　He　sent　up　a　memorial　to　the　Throne　and　formally　became　Imperial　Protector　of　Jizhou。

One　day　Xu　Chu；　riding　in　at　the　east　gate；　met　Xu　You；　who　called　out　to　him；　〃Would　you　fellows　be　riding　through　here　if　it　had　not　been　for　me？〃

Xu　Chu　replied；　〃We　fellows；　those　who　survive　and　those　who　perished；　risked　our　lives　in　bloody　battle　to　get　this　city；　so　do　not　brag　of　your　deeds！〃

〃You　are　a　lot　of　blockheads；　not　worth　talking　about；〃　said　Xu　You。

Xu　Chu　in　his　anger　drew　his　sword　and　ran　Xu　You　through。　Then　he　took　Xu　Yous　head　and　went　to　tell　Cao　Cao　the　reason。

Said　Cao　Cao；　〃He　and　I　were　old　friends；　and　we　could　joke　together。　Why　did　you　kill　him？〃

Cao　Cao　blamed　Xu　Chu　very　severely　and　gave　orders　that　Xu　You　should　be　buried　honorably。