小说园

第83部分（第1页）

Cao　Hong；　who　displayed　very　great　valor；　burst　into　the　press　of　battle　and　met　Yuan　Tan　face　to　face。　The　two　slashed　and　hammered　at　each　other；　and　Yuan　Tan　was　killed。

Guo　Tu　saw　that　his　side　was　wholly　disorganized　and　tried　to　withdraw　into　the　shelter　of　Nanpi。　Yue　Jing　saw　this　and　opened　a　tremendous　discharge　of　arrows　so　that　Guo　Tu　fell　and　the　moat　was　soon　filled　with　dead。

The　city　of　Nanpi　fell　to　Cao　Cao。　He　entered　and　set　about　restoring　peace　and　order。　Then　suddenly　appeared　a　new　army　under　two　of　Yuan　Xis　generals；　Jiao　Chu　and　Zhang　Neng。　Cao　Cao　led　out　his　troops　to　meet　them；　but　the　two　manders　laid　down　their　arms　and　yielded。　They　were　rewarded　with　the　rank　of　lordship。

Then　Zhang　Yan；　the　leader　of　the　Black　Hills　Brigands；　came　with　one　hundred　thousand　troops　and　gave　in　his　submission。　He　was　made　General　Who　Pacifies　the　North。

By　an　order　of　Cao　Cao；　the　head　of　Yuan　Tan　was　exposed；　and　death　was　threatened　to　anyone　who　should　lament　for　him。　Nevertheless　a　man　dressed　in　mourning　attire　was　arrested　for　weeping　below　the　exposed　head　at　the　north　gate。　Taken　into　Cao　Caos　presence；　he　said　he　was　Wang　Xiu　and　had　been　an　officer　in　Qingzhou。　He　had　been　expelled　because　he　had　remonstrated　with　Yuan　Tan。　But　when　the　news　of　Yuan　Tans　death　came；　he　had　e　to　weep　for　his　late　master。

〃Did　you　know　of　my　mand？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃I　knew　it。〃

〃Yet　you　were　not　afraid？〃

〃When　one　has　received　favors　from　a　man　in　life；　it　would　be　wrong　not　to　mourn　at　his　death。　How　can　one　stand　in　the　world　if　one　forgets　duty　through　fear？　If　I　could　bury　his　body；　I　would　not　mind　death。〃

Cao　Cao　said；　〃And　there　were　many　such　as　this　in　the　north。　What　a　pity　that　the　Yuan　family　could　not　make　the　best　of　them！　But　if　they　had　done　so；　I　should　never　have　dared　to　turn　my　eyes　toward　this　place。〃

The　intrepid　mourner　was　not　put　to　death。　The　remains　of　Yuan　Tan　were　properly　interred；　and　Wang　Xiu　was　well　treated　and　even　given　an　appointment。

In　his　new　position　Wang　Xiu　was　asked　for　advice　about　the　best　way　to　proceed　against　Yuan　Shang；　who　had　fled　to　his　second　brother；　but　Wang　Xiu　remained　silent；　thereby　winning　from　Cao　Cao　renewed　admiration　for　his　constancy。

〃He　is　indeed　loyal！〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Then　he　questioned　Guo　Jia；　who　advised　him；　saying；　〃Give　Yuan　Xis　former　generals　the　mand　and　ask　them　to　attack　Youzhou。〃

Whereupon　Jiao　Chu　and　Zhang　Neng　were　given　the　mand　and　reinforced　by　the　armies　under　Lu　Xiang；　Lu　Kuang；　Ma　Yan；　and　Zhang　Zi　to　bring　about　the　surrender　of　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang。　Then　six　generals；　to　attack　Youzhou　along　three　routes。　Other　armies　led　by　Li　Dian；　Yue　Jing；　and　Zhang　Yan　were　sent　against　Gao　Gan　at　Bingzhou。

The　two　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　heard　of　Cao　Caos　advance　with　dismay　for　they　had　no　hope　of　successful　resistance。　Therefore　they　abandoned　Youzhou　and　hastily　marched　into　Liaoxi　to　seek　refuge　with　the　Wuhuan　tribespeople　in　the　frontier　Wuhuan　State。

Then　Wuhuan　Chu；　new　Imperial　Protector　of　Youzhou；　was　not　disposed　to　incur　the　enmity　of　the　powerful　Cao　Cao；　so　he　called　his　subordinates　together　to　swear　them　to　support　him。

Wuhuan　Chu　said；　〃I　understand　that　Cao　Cao　is　the　most　powerful　man　of　the　day；　and　I　am　going　to　support　him；　and　those　who　do　not　go　with　me　I　shall　put　to　death。〃

Each　in　turn　smeared　his　lips　with　the　blood　of　sacrifice　and　took　the　oath；　till　it　came　to　the　turn　of　Han　Heng。

Instead　he　dashed　his　sword　to　the　ground；　crying；　〃I　have　received　great　promotions　and　benefits　from　the　Yuans。　Now　my　lord　has　been　vanquished。　My　knowledge　was　powerless　to　save　him；　and　my　bravery　insufficient　to　cause　me　to　die　for　him：　I　have　failed　in　my　duty。　But　I　refuse　to　mit　the　crowning　act　of　treachery　and　ally　myself　with　Cao　Cao。〃

This　speech　made　the　others　turn　pale。

The　chief　said；　〃For　a　great　undertaking；　there　must　be　lofty　principles。　However；　success　does　not　necessarily　depend　upon　universal　support；　and　since　Han　Heng　is　actuated　by　such　sentiments；　then　let　him　follow　his　conscience。〃

So　Wuhuan　Chu　turned　Han　Heng　out　of　the　assembly。　Wuhuan　Chu　then　went　out　of　the　city　to　meet　and　wele　Cao　Caos　army　and　rendered　his　submission。　He　was　well　received　and　the　title　given　him　of　General　Who　Guards　the　North。

Then　the　scouts　came　to　report：　〃Generals　Li　Dian；　Yue　Jing；　and　Zhang　Yan　had　marched　to　Bingzhou；　but　that　Gao　Gan　had　occupied　Huguan　Pass　and　could　not　be　dislodged。〃

So　Cao　Cao　marched　thither　himself。　The　defender　still　maintaining　his　position；　Cao　Cao　asked　for　plans。　Xun　You　proposed　that　a　band　should　go　over　pretending　to　be　deserters。　Cao　Cao　assented　and　then　called　the　two　Lu　Xiang　and　Lu　Kuang；　to　whom　he　gave　whispered　orders。　They　left　with　their　panies。

Soon　they　came　near　the　pass　and　called　out；　saying；　〃We　are　old　officers　in　Yuan　Shaos　armies　forced　into　surrender　to　Cao　Cao。　We　find　him　so　false　and　he　treats　us　so　meanly　that　we　want　to　return　to　help　our　old　master。　Wherefore　quickly　open　your　gates　to　us。〃

Gao　Gan　was　suspicious；　but　he　let　the　two　officers　e　up　to　the　pass；　and　when　they　had　stripped　off　their　armor　and　left　their　horses；　they　were　permitted　to　enter。