小说园

第71部分（第1页）

camp。　When　I　reached　it；　I　tried　to　allure　the　soldiers　back　to　my　side　but　only　succeeded　with　a　few。　The　others　were　too　afraid。　I　got　angry　and　engaged　the　interloper；　who　however　worsted　me　time　after　time　and　wounded　me　thrice。〃

〃Who　is　the　warrior？　What　does　he　look　like？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

〃All　I　know　he　is　a　doughty　fighter；　I　do　not　know　his　name。〃

Thereafter　they　advanced　toward　the　hill　with　Guan　Yu　in　front　and　Liu　Bei　in　rear。　When　they　drew　near；　Zhou　Cang　began　to　abuse　his　enemy；　who　soon　appeared；　mailed　and　armed；　ing　down　the　hill　like　a　tornado。

Suddenly　Liu　Bei　rode　out　waving　his　whip　and　shouting；　〃O　Zhao　Yun；　I　am　here　to　look　for　you！〃

Indeed　the　rider　was　Zhao　Yun。　He　instantly　slipped　out　of　the　saddle　and　bowed　by　the　roadside。

Liu　Bei　dismounted　to　talk　with　him　and　ask　how　he　came　to　be　there。

〃When　I　left　you；　I　had　no　idea　that　Gongsun　Zan　was　a　man　who　would　listen　to　no　reason。　The　result　was　disaster；　and　he　perished　in　the　flames。　Yuan　Shao　invited　me　to　him　several　times；　but　I　thought　too　little　of　him　to　go。　Then　I　wanted　to　go　to　Xuzhou　to　you；　but　you　had　lost　that　place；　and　Guan　Yu　had　gone　over　to　Cao　Cao；　and　you　had　joined　Yuan　Shao。　Several　times　I　thought　of　ing　to　you；　but　I　feared　Yuan　Shao。　So　I　drifted　from　one　place　to　another　with　nowhere　to　rest　till　I　happened　to　e　this　way；　and　Pei　Yuanshao　tried　to　steal　my　horse。　So　I　slew　him　and　took　possession　of　his　camp。　I　heard　Zhang　Fei　was　in　Gucheng　but　thought　it　might　be　only　a　rumor。　And　so　the　days　have　passed　till　this　happy　meeting。〃

Liu　Bei　told　Zhao　Yun　all　that　had　happened　to　him　since　they　parted；　and　so　did　Guan　Yu。

Said　Liu　Bei；　〃The　first　time　I　saw　you；　I　felt　drawn　to　you　and　did　not　want　to　part　from　you。　I　am　very　happy　to　meet　you　again。〃

〃In　all　my　wanderings；　trying　to　find　a　lord　worth　serving；　I　have　seen　no　one　like　you。　Now　I　have　reached　your　side；　that　is　enough　for　all　my　life。　I　care　not　what　may　happen　to　me。〃

Next　they　burned　the　camp　on　Sleeping　Bull　Mountain；　after　which　they　all　took　the　road　back　to　Gucheng　where　they　were　weled。　They　exchanged　the　stories　of　their　several　adventures；　and　the　two　ladies　related　the　valiant　deeds　of　Guan　Yu　whereat　Liu　Bei　was　too　affected　to　speak。

Then　they　performed　a　great　sacrifice　to　Heaven　and　Earth　with　the　slaughter　of　a　bull　and　a　horse。

The　soldiers　also　were　repensed　for　their　toils。　Liu　Bei　surveyed　the　conditions　around　him　and　found　therein　much　to　rejoice　at。　His　two　brothers　were　restored　to　his　side　and　none　of　his　helpers　were　missing。　Moreover　he　had　gained　Zhao　Yun；　and　Guan　Yu　had　acquired　an　adopted　son　Guan　Ping。　Another　mander　had　joined　his　ranks　in　the　person　of　Zhou　Cang。　There　was　every　occasion　for　feasting　and　gratification。

Scattered　wide　were　the　brothers；　none　knew　anothers　retreat；

Joyfully　now　they　foregather；　dragon　and　tigers　meet。

At　this　time　the　forces　under　the　mand　of　Liu　Bei；　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　Zhao　Yun；　Sun　Qian；　Jian　Yong；　Mi　Zhu；　Mi　Fang；　Guan　Ping；　and　Zhou　Cang　numbered　four　or　five　thousand　soldiers。　Liu　Bei　was　in　favor　of　leaving　Gucheng　and　occupying　Runan；　and　just　then　Liu　Pi　and　Gong　Du；　the　manders　of　that　city；　sent　to　invite　him　to　go　there。　So　they　went。　There　they　devoted　all　their　efforts　to　strengthen　their　army；　both　horse　and　foot。

Yuan　Shao　was　much　annoyed　when　Liu　Bei　did　not　return　and　at　first　was　for　sending　a　force　after　him。　However　Guo　Tu　dissuaded　him。

〃Liu　Bei　needs　cause　you　no　anxiety。　Cao　Cao　is　your　one　enemy　and　must　be　destroyed。　Even　Liu　Biao；　though　strongly　posted　on　River　Han；　is　none　too　terrible。　There　is　Sun　Ce　on　the　southeast　of　the　Great　River；　strong；　feared；　with　wide　domain　of　six　territories；　a　large　army；　and　able　counselors　and　leaders；　you　should　make　an　alliance　there　against　Cao　Cao。〃

Guo　Tu　won　his　chief　to　his　view　and　wrote　to　Sun　Ce；　sending　the　letter　by　Chen　Zhen。

Just　as　one　warrior　leaves　the　north；

Another　from　the　east　es　forth。

Future　chapters　will　reveal　the　oute　of　these　dispositions。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　29　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　29

Chapter　29

The　Little　Chief　Of　The　South　Slays　Yu　Ji；

The　Green　Eyed　Boy　Lays　Hold　On　The　South　Land。

＇e＇　The　Yangtze　or　Yangzi　river；　which　flows　from　west　to　east　to　the　Pacific　at　Shanghai。

Sun　Ce　gradually　became　supreme　on　the　southeast　of　the　Great　River*。　In　the　fourth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　199）；　he　took　Lujiang　by　the　defeat　of　the　Governor　Liu　Xu。　He　dispatched　Yu　Fan　with　a　dispatch　to　Governor　Hua　Xin　of　Yuzhang；　and　Hua　Xin　surrendered。　Thence　Sun　Ces　renown　increased；　and　he　boldly　sent　a　memorial　on　his　military　successes　to　the　Emperor　by　the　hand　of　Zhang　Hong。

Cao　Cao　saw　in　Sun　Ce　a　powerful　rival　and　said；　〃He　is　a　lion　difficult　to　contend　with。〃

So　Cao　Cao　betrothed　his　niece；　daughter　of　Cao　Ren；　to　Sun　Kuang；　the　youngest　brother　of　Sun　Ce；　thus　connecting　the　two　families　by　marriage。　Cao　Cao　also　retained　Zhang　Hong　near　him　in　the　capital。

Then　Sun　Ce　sought　the　title　of　Grand　mander；　one　of　the　highest　offices　of　state；　but　Cao　Cao　prevented　the　attainment　of　this　ambition；　and　Sun　Ce　keenly　resented　it。　Henceforward　his　thoughts　turned　toward　an　attack　on　Cao　Cao。

About　this　time　the　Governor　of　Wujun；　Xu　Gong；　sent　a　secret　letter　to　the　capital　to　Cao　Cao；　saying：

＇e＇　Xiang　Yu　（BC　232…202）　was　the　leader　of　Chu　and　a　rival　of　Liu　Bang　in　contending　the　empire　after　the　fall　of　Qin。　。。。。。