小说园

第65部分（第1页）

n　Chou　pursued　along　the　river　bank。　Suddenly　he　saw　ing　toward　him　with　banners　fluttering　in　the　breeze；　a　small　party　of　horse；　and　the　leader　carried　a　great　sword。

〃Stop！〃　cried　Guan　Yu；　for　it　was　he；　and　he　attacked　at　once。

At　the　third　bout　Wen　Chous　heart　failed　him；　and　he　wheeled　and　fled；　following　the　windings　of　the　river。　But　Guan　Yus　steed　was　fast　and　soon　caught　up。　One　blow；　and　the　hapless　Wen　Chou　fell。

When　Cao　Cao　saw　from　the　mound　that　the　leader　of　the　enemy　had　fallen；　he　gave　the　signal　for　a　general　onset；　and　half　of　the　northern　army　were　drowned　in　the　river。　And　the　carts　with　supplies　and　all　the　horses　were　quickly　recovered。

Now　Guan　Yu；　at　the　head　of　a　few　horsemen；　was　thrusting　here　and　striking　there　at　the　moment　when　Liu　Bei；　with　the　thirty　thousand　reserve　troops；　appeared　on　the　battle　field　on　the　other　bank　of　the　river。　At　once　they　told　him　that　the　red…faced；　long…bearded　warrior　was　there　and　had　slain　Wen　Chou。　Liu　Bei　hastily　pressed　forward　to　try　to　get　a　look　at　the　warrior。　He　saw　across　the　river　a　body　of　horse　and　the　banners　bore　the　words　Guan　Yu；　Lord　of　Hanshou　。

〃Then　it　is　my　brother；　and　he　is　really　with　Cao　Cao；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　secretly　thanking　God　that　Guan　Yu　was　safe。

Liu　Bei　made　an　attempt　to　wait　about　till　he　could　call　to　Guan　Yu；　but　a　great　mass　of　Cao　Caos　soldiers　came　rushing　down；　and　he　was　forced　to　retire。

Yuan　Shao；　bringing　reinforcements；　reached　Guandu　and　built　a　stockade。

Two　advisers；　Guo　Tu　and　Shen　Pei；　went　in　to　see　him　and　said；　〃Again　that　fellow　Guan　Yu　has　been　in　the　battle。　He　killed　Wen　Chou。　Liu　Bei　pretends　ignorance　of　him。〃

Their　master　was　angry　and　railed　at　Liu　Bei；　〃The　long…cared　rebel！　How　dare　he　do　such　a　thing？〃

Soon　Liu　Bei　appeared。　Again　Yuan　Shao　ordered　him　out　to　instant　execution。

〃What　crime　have　I　mitted？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

〃You　sent　your　brother　to　slay　one　of　my　generals。　Is　that　no　crime？〃

〃Pray　let　me　explain　before　I　die。　Cao　Cao　hated　me　and　has　always　done　so。　Now　he　has　found　out　where　I　am　and；　fearing　that　I　may　help　you；　has　got　my　brother　to　destroy　your　two　generals；　feeling　sure　that　when　you　heard　of　it；　you　would　be　angry　and　put　me　to　death。　You　cannot　fail　to　see　this。〃

〃What　he　says　is　sense；〃　said　Yuan　Shao；　turning　to　his　advisers；　〃and　you　two　nearly　brought　on　me　the　reproach　of　injuring　the　good。〃

Yuan　Shao　ordered　his　attendants　to　retire　and　asked　Liu　Bei　to　e　and　sit　by　him。

Liu　Bei　came；　saying；　〃I　am　deeply　thankful；　Illustrious　Sir；　for　your　great　kindness；　for　which　I　can　never　be　sufficiently　grateful。　Now　I　desire　to　send　some　confidential　messenger　with　a　secret　letter　to　my　brother　to　tell　him　where　I　am；　and　I　am　sure　he　will　e　without　a　moments　delay。　He　will　help　you　to　destroy　Cao　Cao　to　make　up　for　having　destroyed　your　two　officers。　Do　you　approve　of　this？〃

〃If　I　got　Guan　Yu；　he　would　be　ten　times　better　than　the　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou　that　I　have　lost；〃　replied　Yuan　Shao。

So　Liu　Bei　prepared　a　letter。　But　there　was　no　one　to　take　it。　Yuan　Shao　ordered　the　army　to　withdraw　to　Wuyang；　where　they　made　a　large　camp。　For　some　time　nothing　was　done。

Then　Cao　Cao　sent　Xiahou　Dun　to　defend　the　strategic　points　at　Guandu　while　he　led　the　bulk　of　the　army　back　to　the　capital。　There　he　gave　many　banquets　in　honor　of　the　services　of　Guan　Yu；　and　then　he　told　Lu　Qian　that　putting　the　supplies　in　the　front　of　the　army　had　been　meant　as　a　bait　to　draw　the　enemy　to　destruction。

〃Only　Xun　You　understood　that；〃　said　Cao　Cao　in　conclusion。

Everyone　present　praised　his　ingenuity。　Even　while　the　banquet　was　proceeding；　there　arrived　news　of　a　rising　of　Yellow　Scarves　rebels　at　Runan　led　by　Liu　Pi　and　Gong　Du。　They　were　very　strong；　and　Cao　Hong　had　been　defeated　in　several　engagements。　Now　he　begged　for　help。

Guan　Yu　hearing　this　said；　〃I　should　like　to　have　the　opportunity　of　performing　some　service　by　destroying　these　rebels。〃

〃You　have　already　rendered　noble　services　for　which　you　have　not　been　properly　requited。　I　could　hardly　trouble　you　again；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃I　have　been　idle　too　long。　I　shall　get　ill；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

Cao　Cao　then　let　him　to　go　and　gave　him　fifty　thousand　troops　with　Yu　Jin　and　Yue　Jing　as　generals　under　him。　They　were　to　leave　soon。

Then　Xun　Yu　said　privily　to　his　master；　〃He　always　cherishes　the　idea　of　returning　to　Liu　Bei。　He　will　leave　you　if　he　hears　any　news。　Do　not　let　him　go　on　this　expedition。〃

〃If　he　does　well　this　time；　I　will　not　let　him　go　into　battle　again；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

In　due　time　the　force　led　by　Guan　Yu　drew　near　the　rebels　in　Runan　and　made　their　camp。　One　night；　just　outside　his　camp；　two　spies　were　caught　and　taken　in　to　Guan　Yu　who　in　one　of　them　recognized　Sun　Qian。　The　attendants　being　dismissed；　Guan　Yu　questioned　Sun　Qian。

〃After　we　lost　sight　of　each　other；　I　have　heard　not　a　word　of　you。　What　are　you　doing　here？〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃After　I　escaped；　I　drifted　hither　and　thither　till　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　reach　Runan；　and　Liu　Pi　and　Gong　Du；　the　Yellow　Scarves　leaders；　took　me　in。　But　why　are　you　with　Cao　Cao；　General？　And　where　are　your　sisters…in…law？　Are　they　well？〃

Guan　Yu　told　him　all　that　had　happened。

〃I　have　heard　lately　that　Liu　Bei　is　with　Yuan　Shao。　I　would　have　liked　to　go　and　join　him；　but　I　have　not　found　a　convenient　opportunity。　Now　the　two　men　I　am　with　have　taken　the　side　of　Yuan　Shao　against　Cao　Cao。　By　good　luck　you　were　ing　here；　so　I　got　mand　of　a　small　party　of　scouts　to　be　able　to　see　you　and　tell　you。　Presently　our　two　leaders　will　pretend　to　be　defeated　and　you；　and　the　two　ladies；　can　go　over　to　Yuan　Shao。　And　you　will　see　your　brother。〃

〃Since　he　is　there；　I　certainly　must　go　at　once　to　see　him。　But　it　is　a　misfortune　that　I　have　slain　two　of　Yuan　Shaos　generals。　I　fear　things　are　not　in　my　favor；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃Let　me　go　first　and　see　how　the　land　lies。　I　will　e　back　and　tell　you。〃

〃I　would　risk　a　myriad　deaths　to　see　my　brother；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃But　I　must　go　to　say　farewell　to　Cao　Cao。〃

Sun　Qian　was　sent　away　that　night；　and　next　day　Guan　Yu　led　out　his　army　to　offer　battle。　Gong　Du；　in　armor；　went　out　to　the　front　of　the　line　of　battle；　and　Guan　Yu　said；　〃You　people；　why　have　you　risen　against　the　government？〃

〃Why　do　you　blame　us　when　you　have　turned　your　back　on　your　own　lord？〃　replied　Gong　Du。

〃How　have　I　turned　my　back　on　my　lord？〃