小说园

第75部分（第1页）

So　Shen　Pei　left　the　army。　Then　a　force　of　twenty　thousand　troops　was　told　off　to　defend　the　depot　in　Wuchao。　The　leaders　of　this　body　were　Chunyu　Qiong；　Gui　Yuanjin；　Han　Juzi；　Lu　Weihuang；　and　Zhao　Rui。

Of　these　generals；　Chunyu　Qiong　was　a　hard　man　and　a　heavy　drinker；　who　in　his　cups　was　a　terror　to　the　soldiers。　Under　the　idle　life　of　guarding　the　supply　depot；　the　leaders　gave　themselves　up　to　indulgence　and　drank　heavily。

In　Cao　Caos　army　food　was　also　getting　scarce；　and　a　message　was　sent　to　Capital　Xuchang　to　send　grain　quickly。　The　messenger　with　the　letter；　however；　had　not　gone　far　when　he　fell　into　the　hands　of　Yuan　Shaos　guards；　who　took　him　to　the　adviser　Xu　You。

Seeing　from　the　letter　that　Cao　Cao　was　short　of　supplies；　Xu　You　went　to　Yuan　Shao　and　told　him；　saying；　〃Cao　Cao　and　we　have　been　at　grips　here　for　a　long　time；　and　Capital　Xuchang　must　be　undefended。　A　small　army　sent　quickly　could　take　it；　and　at　the　same　moment　an　attack　here　would　deliver　Cao　Cao　into　our　hands。　Now　is　the　moment　to　strike；　for　his　supplies　are　short。〃

Yuan　Shao　replied；　〃Cao　Cao　is　full　of　ruses；　and　this　letter　is　artfully　designed　to　bring　about　a　battle　to　suit　himself。〃

〃If　you　do　not　take　this　chance；　he　will　do　you　some　injury　by　and　by。〃

Just　at　this　juncture　in　came　a　dispatch　from　Yejun　in　which；　after　some　details　regarding　the　forwarding　of　grain；　Shen　Pei　said　he　had　discovered　that　Xu　You　had　been　in　the　habit　of　receiving　bribes　while　in　Jizhou　and　had　winked　at　his　relatives　collecting　excess　taxes。　One　of　his　son　and　nephew　were　then　in　prison。

At　this　Yuan　Shao　turned　on　Xu　You　angrily　and　said；　〃How　can　you　have　the　face　to　stand　before　me　and　propose　plans；　you　extortionate　fellow？　You　and　Cao　Cao　have　old　liking　for　each　other；　and　he　has　bribed　you　to　do　his　dirty　work　for　him　and　help　his　base　schemes。　Now　you　want　to　betray　my　army。　I　ought　to　take　off　your　head；　but　temporarily　I　will　let　your　neck　carry　it　away。　Get　out　and　never　let　me　see　you　again。〃

The　discredited　adviser　sighed　and　went　out；　saying；　〃Faithful　words　offend　his　ear。　He　is　a　pest　and　unworthy　of　advice　from　me。　And　now　that　Shen　Pei　has　injured　my　son　and　nephew；　how　can　I　look　my　fellow　folks　in　the　face　again？〃

And　Xu　You　drew　his　sword　to　end　his　life。　But　his　people　prevented　that。

They　said；　〃If　Yuan　Shao　rejects　your　honest　words；　then　assuredly　he　will　be　taken　by　Cao　Cao。　You　are　an　old　friend　of　Cao　Caos：　Why　not　abandon　the　shade　for　the　sunlight？〃

Just　these　few　words　awakened　Xu　You　to　consciousness　of　his　position；　and　he　decided　to　leave　Yuan　Shao　and　go　over　to　Cao　Cao　for　he　was　an　old　friend。

Vainly　now　for　chances　lost

Yuan　Shao　sighs；　once　he　was　great。

Had　he　taken　Xu　Yous　advice；

Cao　Cao　had　not　set　up　a　state。

Xu　You　stealthily　left　the　camp　and　set　out　for　Cao　Caos　lines。　He　was　captured　on　the　way。　He　told　his　captors：　〃I　am　an　old　friend　of　the　Prime　Minister。　Go　and　tell　the　Prime　Minister　that　Xu　You　of　Nanyang　wishes　to　see　him。〃

They　did　so。　Cao　Cao　was　resting　in　his　tent；　his　clothing　loose　and　fortable　after　the　toils　of　the　day。　When　he　heard　who　wished　to　see　him；　he　arose　quite　joyfully　and　hastily　ran　out；　on　bare　feet；　to　receive　Xu　You。　Cao　Cao　went　forth　to　greet　him。　They　saw　each　other　in　the　distance；　and　Cao　Cao　clapped　his　hands　with　gladness；　bowing　to　the　ground　when　near　enough　to　his　visitor。

Xu　You　hastened　to　help　him　rise；　saying；　〃Sir；　you；　a　great　minister；　should　not　thus　salute　a　simple　civilian　like　me。〃

〃But　you　are　my　old　friend；　and　no　name　or　office　makes　any　difference　to　us；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。

〃Having　been　unable　to　choose　the　lord　I　would　serve；　I　bowed　my　head　before　Yuan　Shao　wishing　to　support　him　sincerely。　But　he　was　deaf　to　my　words　and　disregarded　my　plans。　Wherefore　I　have　left　him　and　e　now　to　see　my　old　friend　from　whom　I　hope　employment。〃

〃If　you　are　willing　to　e；　then　have　I　indeed　a　helper；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃I　desire　you　to　give　me　a　scheme　for　the　destruction　of　Yuan　Shao。〃

〃I　counseled　him　to　send　a　light　force　to　take　Capital　Xuchang　and　at　the　same　time　attack　here　in　full　scale　so　that　head　and　tail　be　both　attacked。〃

Cao　Cao　was　alarmed；　saying；　〃If　he　does　so；　I　am　lost！〃

〃How　much　grain　have　you　in　store？〃　said　the　new　adviser。

〃Enough　for　a　year。〃

〃I　think　not　quite；〃　said　Xu　You；　smiling。

〃Well；　half　a　year。〃

The　visitor　shook　out　his　sleeves；　rose　and　hurried　toward　the　door　of　the　tent；　saying；　〃I　offer　him　good　counsel；　and　he　repays　me　with　deceit。　Could　I　have　expected　it？〃

Cao　Cao　held　him　back。

〃Do　not　be　angry；〃　said　he。　〃I　will　tell　you　the　truth。　Really　I　have　here　only　enough　for　three　months。〃

〃Everybody　says　you　are　a　marvel　of　wickedness；　and　indeed　it　is　true；〃　said　Xu　You。

〃But　who　does　not　know　that　in　war　there　is　no　objection　to　deceit？〃　replied　Cao　Cao。

Then　whispering　in　Xu　Yous　ear；　he　said；　〃Actually　here　I　have　only　supplies　for　this　months　use。〃

〃O　do　not　throw　dust　in　my　eyes　any　more。　Your　grain　is　exhausted　and　I　know　it。〃

Cao　Cao　was　startled；　for　he　thought　no　one　knew　of　the　straits　he　was　in。

〃How　did　you　find　that　out？〃　said　Cao　Cao。