小说园

第84部分（第2页）

Too　soon　he　ran　his　earthly　race；

Too　soon　the　great　beam　fell　from　place。

When　Cao　Cao　returned　to　Jizhou；　he　sent　off　the　coffin　of　his　late　adviser　to　Capital　Xuchang　where　it　was　interred。

Then　Cheng　Yu　and　others　said；　〃As　the　north　has　been　overe；　it　is　time　to　settle　the　south。〃

Cao　Cao　was　pleased　and　said；　〃That　has　long　occupied　my　thoughts。〃

The　last　night　he　spent　in　Jizhou；　Cao　Cao　went　to　the　eastern　corner　tower　and　stood　there　regarding　the　sky。　His　only　panion　was　Xun　You。

Presently　Cao　Cao　said；　〃That　is　a　very　brilliant　glow　there　in　the　south。　It　seems　too　strong　for　me　to　do　anything　there。〃

〃What　is　there　that　can　oppose　your　heaven…high　prestige？〃　said　Xun　You。

Suddenly　a　beam　of　golden　light　shot　up　out　of　the　earth。

〃Surely　a　treasure　is　buried　there；〃　remarked　Xun　You。

They　went　down　from　the　city　wall；　called　some　guards；　and　led　them　to　the　point　whence　the　light　proceeded。　There　the　men　were　ordered　to　dig。

The　southern　skies　with　portents　glow；

The　northern　lands　their　treasures　show。

What　the　diggers　found　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　34　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　34

Chapter　34

Behind　The　Screen；　Lady　Cai　Overhears　A　Secret；

Across　The　Tan　Torrent；　The　Dilu　Horse　Carries　Its　Master。

The　diggers　at　the　spot　whence　the　golden　light　proceeded　presently　unearthed　a　bronze　bird。　Looking　at　it；　Cao　Cao　turned　to　his　panion；　saying；　〃What　is　the　portent？〃

＇e＇　King　Shun　was　an　ideal　king　in　ancient　China。　King　Yao　gave　him　the　throne　due　to　his　virtues　and　merits。　。。。。。

〃You　will　remember　that　the　mother　of　the　praiseworthy　King　Shun*　dreamed　of　a　jade　bird　before　his　birth；　so　certainly　it　is　a　felicitous　omen；〃　said　Xun　You。

Cao　Cao　was　very　pleased；　and　he　ordered　forthwith　the　building　of　a　lofty　tower　to　celebrate　the　find；　and　they　began　to　dig　foundations　and　cut　timber；　to　burn　tiles　and　to　smooth　bricks　for　the　Bronze　Bird　Tower　on　the　banks　of　the　River　Zhang。　Cao　Cao　set　a　year　for　the　building。

His　younger　son；　Cao　Zhi；　said；　〃If　you　build　a　terraced　tower；　you　should　add　two　others；　one　on　each　side。　The　center　tower　as　the　tallest　should　be　called　the　Bronze　Bird　Tower。　The　side　towers　named　Jade　Dragon　Tower　and　Golden　Phoenix　Tower。　Then　connect　these　by　flying　bridges　and　the　effect　will　be　noble。〃

〃My　son；　your　words　are　very　good；　and　by　and　bye　when　the　building　is　plete；　I　can　solace　my　old　age　therein。〃

Cao　Cao　had　five　sons；　but　this　one　Cao　Zhi　was　the　most　clever　and　his　essays　were　particularly　elegant。　His　father　was　very　fond　of　him　and；　seeing　that　the　young　man　took　an　interest　in　the　building；　Cao　Cao　left　him　with　his　elder　brother　Cao　Pi　at　Yejun　to　superintend　the　work；　while　he　led　a　half…a…million　army　that　had　recently　been　captured　from　the　Yuans　back　to　Capital　Xuchang。

When　he　arrived；　he　distributed　rewards　liberally　and　memorialized　the　Throne　obtaining　the　title　of　the　Pure　Lord　for　the　late　Guo　Jia。　And　he　took　Guo　Jias　son；　Guo　Ye；　to　be　brought　up　in　his　own　family。

Next　Cao　Cao　began　to　consider　the　reduction　of　Liu　Biaos　power。

Xun　You　said；　〃The　Grand　Army　has　only　just　returned　from　the　north　and　needs　rest。　Wait　half　a　year　that　the　soldiers　may　recover　from　the　fatigue　of　the　campaign；　and　both　Liu　Biao　and　Sun　Quan　will　fall　at　the　first　roll　of　the　drums。〃

Presently　Cao　Cao　approved　of　this　plan。　To　enrich　his　troops；　he　assigned　certain　lands　to　them　to　till　while　they　rested。

In　Jingzhou；　Liu　Biao　had　been　very　generous　to　Liu　Bei　ever　since　he　had　e　as　a　fugitive　seeking　shelter。　One　day　at　a　banquet　there　came　news　that　two　generals；　Zhang　Wu　and　Chen　Sun；　who　had　tendered　their　submission；　had　suddenly　begun　plundering　the　people　in　Jiangxia。　They　evidently　meant　rebellion。

〃If　they　really　rebel；　it　will　cause　a　lot　of　trouble；〃　said　Liu　Biao；　rather　dismayed。

〃Do　not　let　that　trouble　you。　I　will　go　and　settle　it；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Pleased　with　this　proposal；　Liu　Biao　told　off　thirty　thousand　troops　and　placed　them　under　his　friend；　and　the　army　marched　as　soon　as　the　orders　were　issued。　In　a　short　time　it　reached　the　scene；　and　the　two　malcontents　came　out　to　fight。　Liu　Bei；　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　Zhao　Yun　took　their　stand　beneath　the　great　banner　and　looked　over　at　the　enemy。

Zhang　Wu　was　riding　a　handsome　prancing　horse；　and　Liu　Bei　said；　〃He　certainly　has　a　fine　steed。〃

As　he　spoke；　Zhao　Yun　galloped　out　with　his　spear　set　and　dashed　toward　the　enemy。　Zhang　Wu　came　out　to　meet　him；　but　the　bat　was　very　brief　for　Zhang　Wu　was　soon　killed　by　a　spear　thrust。　Thereupon　Zhao　Yun　laid　a　hand　upon　the　bridle　of　the　fallen　mans　horse　to　lead　it　back　to　his　own　side。　The　slain　rebels　panion　Chen　Sun　at　once　rode　after　Zhao　Yun；　whereupon　Zhang　Fei　uttered　a　loud　shout　and　rode　out　to　meet　him。　With　one　thrust　Zhang　Fei　slew　the　rebel。　Their　followers　now　scattered；　and　Liu　Bei　speedily　restored　order　in　Jiangxia　and　returned　to　Jingzhou　City。

Liu　Biao；　grateful　for　this　service；　rode　out　to　the　boundary　to　wele　the　victor