小说园

第11部分（第3页）

10。　Governor　of　Beihai………Kong　Rong

11。　Governor　of　Guangling　………Zhang　Chao

12。　Imperial　Protector　of　Xuzhou　Region………Tao　Qian

13。　Governor　of　Xiliang………Ma　Teng

14。　Governor　of　Beiping………Gongsun　Zan

15。　Governor　of　Shangdang………Zhang　Yang

16。　Governor　of　Changsha………Sun　Jian

17。　Governor　of　Bohai………Yuan　Shao

These　contingents　varied　in　size；　from　ten　thousand　to　thirty　thousand；　but　each　was　plete　in　itself　with　its　officers；　civil　and　military；　and　battle…leaders。　They　were　heading　for　Capital　Luoyang。

The　Governor　of　Beiping；　Gongsun　Zan；　while　on　his　way　with　his　force　of　fifteen　thousand；　passed　through　the　county　of　Pingyuan。　There　he　saw　among　the　mulberry　trees　a　yellow　flag　under　which　marched　a　small　pany。　When　they　drew　nearer；　he　saw　the　leader　was　Liu　Bei。

〃Good　brother；　what　do　you　here？〃　asked　Gongsun　Zan。

〃You　were　kind　to　me　once；　and　on　your　remendation　I　was　made　the　magistrate　of　this　county。　I　heard　you　were　passing　through　and　came　to　salute　you。　May　I　pray　you；　my　elder　brother；　enter　into　the　city　and　rest　your　steed？〃

〃Who　are　these　two？〃　said　Gongsun　Zan；　pointing　to　Liu　Beis　brothers。

〃These　are　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei；　my　sworn　brothers。〃

〃Were　they　fighting　with　you　against　the　Yellow　Scarves？〃　asked　Gongsun　Zan。

〃All　my　success　was　due　to　their　efforts；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃And　what　offices　do　they　fill？〃

〃Guan　Yu　is　a　mounted　archer；　Zhang　Fei　is　a　foot　archer。〃

〃Thus　are　able　people　buried！〃　said　Gongsun　Zan；　sighing。　Then　he　continued。　〃All　the　highest　in　the　land　are　now　going　to　destroy　the　rebellious　Dong　Zhuo。　My　brother；　you　would　do　better　to　abandon　this　petty　place　and　join　us　in　restoring　the　House　of　Han。　Why　not？〃

〃I　should　like　to　go；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃If　you　had　let　me　kill　him　that　other　time；　you　would　not　have　this　trouble　today；〃　said　Zhang　Fei　to　Liu　Bei　and　Guan　Yu。

〃Since　things　are　so；　let　us　pack　and　go；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

So　without　more　ado；　the　three　brothers；　with　a　few　horsemen；　joined　Gongsun　Zan　and　marched　with　him　to　join　the　great　army。

One　after　another　the　feudal　lords　came　up　and　encamped。　Their　camps　extended　over　seventy　miles　and　more。　When　all　had　arrived；　Cao　Cao；　as　the　head；　prepared　sacrificial　bullocks　and　horses　and　called　all　the　lords　to　a　great　assembly　to　decide　upon　their　plan　of　attack。

Then　spoke　the　Governor　of　Henei；　Wang　Kuang；　〃We　have　been　moved　by　a　noble　sense　of　right　to　assemble　here。　Now　must　we　first　choose　a　chief　and　bind　ourselves　to　obedience。〃

Then　said　Cao　Cao；　〃For　four　generations　the　highest　offices　of　state　have　been　filled　by　members　of　the　Yuan　family；　and　their　clients　and　supporters　are　everywhere。　As　a　descendant　of　ancient　ministers　of　Han；　Yuan　Shao　is　a　suitable　man　to　be　our　chief　lord。〃

Yuan　Shao　again　and　again　declined　this　honor。　But　they　all　said；　〃It　must　be　he！　There　is　no　other！〃

And　then　he　agreed。

So　the　next　day　a　three…story　altar　was　built；　and　they　planted　about　it　the　banners　of　all　parties　in　five　directions　of　space。　And　they　set　up　white　yaks　tails　and　golden　axes　and　emblems　of　military　authority　and　the　seals　of　leadership　round　about。

All　being　ready；　the　chief　lord　was　invited　to　ascend　the　altar。　Clad　in　ceremonial　robes　and　girded　with　a　sword；　Yuan　Shao　reverently　ascended。　There　he　burned　incense；　made　obeisance　and