小说园

第89部分（第1页）

e　a　raid　on　the　camp　tonight。〃

〃How　shall　we　meet　it？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃The　plans　are　quite　ready；〃　was　the　reply。

San　Fu　whispered　them　to　the　chief。　So　at　the　second　watch；　when　the　enemy　arrived；　they　saw　fires　on　all　sides；　the　stockades　and　huts　burning。　Cao　Ren　understood　at　once　that　all　hope　of　a　surprise　was　vain；　and　he　turned　to　get　away　as　quickly　as　possible。　This　was　the　signal　for　Zhao　Yun　to　fall　on；　and　that　cut　Cao　Rens　return　road。　He　hastened　north　toward　the　river；　and　reached　the　bank；　but；　while　waiting　for　boats　to　cross　the　stream；　up　came　Zhang　Fei　and　attacked。

By　dint　of　great　efforts　and　with　the　support　of　Li　Dian；　Cao　Ren　got　into　a　boat；　but　most　of　the　soldiers　were　drowned　in　the　stream。　As　soon　as　he　got　to　the　farther　shore；　he　bolted　for　Fancheng。　He　reached　the　wall　and　hailed　the　gate；　but；　instead　of　a　friendly　wele；　he　heard　the　rolling　of　drums；　which　was　soon　followed　by　the　appearance　of　a　body　of　troops。　Guan　Yu　led　them。

〃I　took　the　city　a　long　time　ago！〃　shouted　Guan　Yu。

This　was　a　severe　shock　to　Cao　Ren；　who　turned　to　flee。　As　soon　as　he　faced　about；　Guan　Yu　attacked　and　killed　many　of　his　force。　The　remnant　hastened　to　Xuchang。　On　the　road　the　beaten　general　wondered　who　had　advised　his　opponents　with　such　success；　and　he　asked　the　natives　for　the　answer。

While　the　defeated　Cao　Ren　had　to　find　his　way　back　to　the　capital；　Liu　Bei　had　scored　a　great　success。　Afterwards　he　marched　to　Fancheng；　where　he　was　weled　by　Magistrate　Liu　Mi；　himself　a　scion　of　the　ruling　family；　who　had　been　born　in　Changsha。　Liu　Mi　received　Liu　Bei　as　a　guest　in　his　own　house　and　gave　banquets　and　treated　him　exceedingly　well。

In　the　train　of　the　Magistrate；　Liu　Bei　saw　a　very　handsome　and　distinguished…looking　young　man；　and　asked　who　he　was。

Liu　Mi　replied；　〃He　is　my　nephew；　Kou　Feng；　son　of　Lord　Kou　of　Luo。　I　have　taken　care　of　him　after　his　parents　died。〃

Liu　Bei　had　taken　a　great　liking　for　the　lad　and　proposed　to　adopt　him。　His　guardian　was　willing；　and　so　the　adoption　was　arranged。　The　young　mans　name　was　changed　to　Liu　Feng。　When　Liu　Bei　left；　he　took　his　adopted　son　with　him。　Liu　Feng　was　then　made　to　bow　before　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　as　uncles。

Guan　Yu　was　doubtful　of　the　wisdom　of　adopting　another　son；　saying；　〃You　have　a　son。　Why　do　you　think　it　necessary　to　adopt　another？　It　may　cause　confusion。〃

〃How？　I　shall　treat　him　as　a　father　should；　and　he　will　serve　me　as　befits　a　son。〃

Guan　Yu　was　displeased。

Then　Liu　Bei　and　San　Fu　began　further　discussions　of　strategy；　and　they　decided　to　leave　Zhao　Yun　with　one　thousand　soldiers　to　guard　Fancheng；　and　they　returned　to　Xinye。

In　the　meantime　Cao　Caos　defeated　generals　had　gone　back。　When　they　saw　the　Prime　Minister；　Cao　Ren　threw　himself　on　the　ground　weeping　and　acknowledging　his　faults。　He　told　the　tale　of　his　losses。

〃The　fortune　of　war；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃But　I　should　like　to　know　who　laid　Liu　Beis　plans。〃

〃That　was　San　Fu；〃　said　Cao　Ren。

〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

Cheng　Yu　said；　〃The　man　is　not　San　Fu。　When　young　this　man　was　fond　of　fencing　and　used　to　take　up　the　quarrels　of　other　people　and　avenge　their　wrongs。　At　the　end　of　Emperor　Ling；　he　killed　a　man　to　avenge　his　friend；　and　then　he　let　down　his　hair；　muddled　his　face；　and　was　trying　to　escape　when　a　lictor　caught　him　and　questioned　him。　He　would　not　reply。　So　they　carted　him　through　the　streets　beating　a　drum　and　asking　if　anyone　recognized　him。　Nobody　dared　own　to　knowing　him；　even　if　they　did　so。　However；　his　rades　managed　to　release　him　secretly；　and　he　ran　away　under　some　other　name。　Then　he　turned　to　study　and　wandered　hither　and　thither　wherever　scholars　were　to　be　found。　He　was　a　regular　disputant　with　Sima　Hui。　His　real　name　is　Xu　Shu　and　he　es　from　Yingchuan。　San　Fu　is　merely　an　assumed　name。〃

〃How　does　he　pare　with　yourself？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃Ten　times　cleverer。〃

〃It　is　a　pity。　If　able　people　gather　to　Liu　Bei；　his　wings　will　soon　grow。　What　is　to　be　done？〃

〃Xu　Shu　is　there　now。　But　if　you　wanted　him；　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　call　him；〃　replied　Cheng　Yu。

〃How　could　I　make　him　e？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃He　is　noted　for　his　affection　for　his　mother。　His　father　died　young；　leaving　his　mother　a　widow　with　one　other　son。　Now　that　son　is　dead；　and　his　mother；　Lady　Xun；　has　no　one　to　care　for　her。　If　you　sent　and　got　his　mother　here　and　told　her　to　write　and　summon　her　son；　he　would　surely　e。〃