小说园

第34部分（第1页）

〃General　Cao　Cao　is　indeed　a　trusty　servant！〃　said　the　Emperor。

Orders　were　given　to　advance；　Cao　Hong　leading　the　escort。　By　and　by　scouts　came　to　say　that　the　rebels　were　ing　up　very　quickly。　The　Emperor　bade　Xiahou　Dun　divide　his　force　into　two　parts　to　oppose　them。　Xiahou　Dun　and　Cao　Hongs　armies　threw　out　two　wings　with　cavalry　in　front　and　foot　behind。　They　attacked　with　vigor　and　beat　off　the　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Sis　rebels　with　severe　loss　of　ten　thousand。　Then　Xiahou　Dun　and　Cao　Hong　begged　the　Emperor　to　return　to　Luoyang；　and　Xiahou　Dun　guarded　the　city。

Next　day　Cao　Cao　came　with　his　great　army；　and　having　got　them　duly　camped　he　went　into　the　city　to　audience。　He　knelt　at　the　foot　of　the　steps；　but　was　called　up　hither　to　stand　beside　the　Emperor　and　be　thanked。

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃Having　been　the　recipient　of　great　bounty；　thy　servant　owes　the　state　much　gratitude。　The　measure　of　evil　of　the　two　rebels　is　full；　I　have　two　hundred　thousand　of　good　soldiers　to　oppose　them；　and　those　soldiers　are　fully　equal　to　securing　the　safety　of　Your　Majesty　and　the　Throne。　The　preservation　of　the　state　sacrifice　is　the　matter　of　real　moment。〃

High　honors　were　conferred　on　Cao　Cao。　He　was　appointed　mander　of　Capital　District；　Minister　of　War；　and　granted　Military　Insignia。

The　two　rebels；　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　wished　to　attack　Cao　Caos　army　while　fatigued　from　its　long　march。　But　their　adviser；　Jia　Xu；　opposed　this；　saying；　〃There　was　no　hope　of　victory。　He　has　both　strong　soldiers　and　brave　leaders。　Submission　may　bring　us　amnesty。〃

Li　Jue　was　angry　at　the　suggestion；　crying；　〃Do　you　wish　to　dishearten　the　army？〃

And　he　drew　his　sword　on　Jia　Xu。　But　the　other　officers　interceded　and　saved　the　adviser。　That　same　night　Jia　Xu　stole　out　of　the　camp　and；　quite　alone；　took　his　way　home　to　his　native　village。

Soon　the　rebels　decided　to　offer　battle。　In　reply；　Cao　Cao　sent　out　Xu　Chu；　Cao　Ren；　and　Dian　Wei　with　three　hundred　horse。　These　three　leaders　dashed　into　the　rebels　army　but　quickly　retired。　This　maneuver　was　repeated；　and　again　repeated　before　the　real　battle　array　was　formed。

Then　Li　Xian　and　Li　Bie；　nephews　of　Li　Jue；　rode　out。　At　once　from　Cao　Caos　side　dashed　out　Xu　Chu　and　cut　down　Li　Xian。　Li　Bie　was　so　startled　that　he　fell　out　of　the　saddle。　He　too　was　slain。　The　victor　Xu　Chu　rode　back　to　his　own　side　with　the　two　heads。

＇e＇　Fan　Kuai　（BC　？…189）　a　brave　general　of　Liu　Bang。　He　and　Liu　Bang　had　been　close　friends　in　their　native　Pei；　where　he　was　a　butcher　and　Liu　Bang　later　held　a　minor　office。　Enobled　as　Lord　of　Zuo。　。。。。。

When　Xu　Chu　offered　them　to　the　chief；　Cao　Cao　patted　him　on　the　back；　crying；　〃You　are　really　my　Fan　Kuai*！〃

Next　a　general　move　forward　was　made；　Xiahou　Dun　and　Cao　Hong　leading　the　two　wings　and　Cao　Cao　in　the　center。　They　advanced　to　the　roll　of　the　drum。　The　rebels　fell　back　before　them　and　presently　fled。　They　pursued；　Cao　Cao　himself　leading；　sword　in　hand。　The　slaughter　went　on　till　night。　Ten　thousands　were　killed　and　many　more　surrendered。　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　went　west；　flying　in　panic　like　dogs　from　a　falling　house。　Having　no　place　of　refuge　they　took　to　the　hills　and　hid　among　the　brushwood。

Cao　Caos　army　returned　and　camped　again　near　the　capital。

Then　Yang　Feng　and　Han　Xian　said　one　to　another；　〃This　Cao　Cao　has　done　a　great　service；　and　he　will　be　the　man　in　power。　There　will　be　no　place　for　us。〃

So　they　represented　to　the　Emperor　that　they　wished　to　pursue　the　rebels；　and　under　this　excuse　withdrew　their　army　and　camped　at　Daliang。

One　day　the　Emperor　sent　to　summon　Cao　Cao　to　audience。　The　messenger　was　called　in。　Cao　Cao　noticed　that　the　messenger　looked　remarkably　well　and　could　not　understand　it　seeing　that　everyone　else　looked　hungry　and　famine　stricken。

So　Cao　Cao　said；　〃You　look　plump　and　well；　Sir；　how　do　you　manage　it？〃

〃Only　this：　I　have　lived　meager　for　thirty　years。〃

Cao　Cao　nodded；　〃What　office　do　you　hold？〃

〃I　am　a　graduate　remended　for　filial　piety　and　honesty。　I　had　offices　under　Yuan　Shao　and　Zhang　Yang；　but　came　here　when　the　Emperor　returned。　Now　I　am　one　of　the　secretaries。　I　am　a　native　of　Dingtao；　and　my　name　is　Dong　Zhao。〃

Cao　Cao　got　up　from　his　place　and　crossed　over；　saying；　〃I　have　heard　of　you。　How　happy　I　am　to　meet　you！〃

Then　wine　was　brought　into　the　tent；　and　Xun　Yu　was　called　in　and　introduced。　While　they　were　talking；　a　man　came　in　to　report　that　a　party　was　moving　eastward。　Cao　Cao　ordered　to　find　out　whose　people　these　were；　but　Dong　Zhao　knew　at　once。

〃They　are　old　leaders　under　the　rebels；　Yang　Feng　and　the　White　Wave　General　Han　Xian。　They　are　running　off　because　you　have　e；　Illustrious　Sir！〃

〃Do　they　mistrust　me？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃They　are　not　worthy　of　your　attention。　They　are　a　poor　lot。〃

〃What　of　this　departure　of　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si？〃

〃Tigers　without　claws；　birds　without　wings………they　will　not　escape　you　very　long。　They　are　not　worth　thinking　about。〃

Cao　Cao　saw　that　he　and　his　guest　had　much　in　mon；　so　he　began　to　talk　of　affairs　of　state。