小说园

第24部分（第1页）

When　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　heard　that　both　the　boastful　generals　had　fallen　under　the　hand　of　one　young　man；　they　knew　that　Jia　Xu　had　given　good　advice　and　was　gifted　with　clear　prescience。　So　they　valued　his　plans　the　more　highly　and　decided　to　act　on　the　defensive。　They　refused　all　challenges　to　bat。

Surely　enough　after　a　couple　of　months　the　supplies　of　the　Xiliang　force　were　all　exhausted　and　the　leaders　began　to　consider　retreat。

Just　at　this　juncture　a　household　servant　of　Ma　Yus　family　betrayed　his　master　and　told　of　the　conspiracy　of　the　three　court　officials　to　assist　the　attackers。　The　two　chiefs　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　in　revenge　seized　the　three　conspirators………Ma　Yu；　Chong　Shao；　and　Liu　Fan………；　with　every　member　of　their　households；　and　beheaded　them　in　the　market　place。　The　heads　of　the　three　were　exposed　at　the　front　gate　of　the　capital。

Being　short　of　food　and　hearing　of　the　destruction　of　their　three　adherents　in　the　city；　the　only　course　for　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　was　to　retreat。　At　once　Zhang　Ji　went　in　pursuit　of　Ma　Teng；　and　Fan　Chou　followed　Han　Sui。　The　retreating　army　under　Ma　Teng　was　beaten；　and　only　by　Ma　Chaos　desperate　efforts　were　the　pursuers　driven　off。

Fan　Chou　pursued　the　other　army。　When　he　had　e　close；　Han　Sui　rode　boldly　up　and　addressed　him；　saying；　〃You　and　I；　Sir；　are　fellow　villagers。　Why　then　behave　so　unfriendly？〃

Fan　Chou　replied；　〃I　must　obey　the　mands　of　my　chief。〃

〃I　am　here　for　the　service　of　the　state。　Why　do　you　press　me　so　hard？〃　said　Han　Sui。

At　this　Fan　Chou　turned　his　horse；　called　in　his　troops；　and　left　Han　Sui　in　peace。　Unwittingly　a　nephew　of　Li　Jue　had　been　a　witness　of　this　scene；　and　when　he　saw　the　enemy　allowed　to　go　free；　he　returned　and　told　his　uncle。　Angry　that　his　enemy　had　escaped；　Li　Jue　would　have　sent　an　army　to　wreak　vengeance　on　his　general。

But　his　adviser　Jia　Xu　again　came　in；　saying；　〃The　people　are　yet　unsettled；　it　was　dangerous　to　provoke　another　war。　Instead；　invite　Fan　Chou　to　a　banquet　and；　while　the　feast　was　in　progress；　executing　him　for　dereliction　of　duty。〃

This　seemed　good　to　Li　Jue；　so　the　banquet　was　prepared。　Zhang　Ji　and　Fan　Chou　accepted　their　invitations　and　went　cheerfully。

Toward　the　latter　part　of　the　entertainment　a　sudden　change　came　over　their　host　Li　Jue；　and　he　suddenly　asked　Fan　Chou；　〃Why　have　you　been　intriguing　with　Han　Sui？　You　are　turning　traitor；　eh？〃

The　unhappy　guest　was　taken　aback。　Before　he　could　frame　his　words　to　reply；　he　saw　the　assassins　rush　out　with　swords　and　axes。　In　a　moment　all　was　over；　and　Fan　Chous　head　lay　beneath　the　table。

Scared　beyond　measure；　his　fellow…guest　Zhang　Ji　groveled　on　the　floor。

〃Fan　Chou　was　a　traitor；〃　said　the　host；　raising　Zhang　Ji　by　the　arm；　〃and　he　has　his　deserts。　You　are　my　friend　and　need　not　fear。〃

Li　Jue　gave　Zhang　Ji　mand　of　Fan　Chous　army　with　which　Zhang　Ji　returned　to　his　headquarters　garrison　in　Hongnong。

No　one　of　the　leaders　among　the　leaguers　dared　attempt　an　attack　on　the　party　newly　risen　from　Dong　Zhuos　disaffection；　while　on　the　other　hand　Jia　Xu　never　ceased　to　urge　his　masters　to　exert　themselves　for　the　welfare　of　the　people　and　thus　to　tempt　wise　people　to　join　them。　And　by　these　means　the　government　began　to　prosper；　and　the　court　to　reassert　its　authority。

However；　a　new　trouble　arose　in　the　shape　of　a　resurgence　of　Yellow　Scarves　in　Qingzhou。　They　came；　under　numerous　chieftains；　in　the　number　of　hundreds　of　thousand　and　plundered　any　place　they　reached。

Minister　Zhu　Jun　said　he　knew　of　one　who　could　destroy　this　sedition；　and　when　asked　who　was　the　man　he　proposed；　Zhu　Jun　said；　〃You　want　to　destroy　this　horde　of　rebels；　you　will　fail　unless　you　get　the　service　of　Cao　Cao。〃

〃And　where　is　he？〃　asked　Li　Jue。

〃He　is　Governor　of　Dongjun。　He　has　a　large　army；　and　you　have　only　to　order　him　to　act。　The　rising　will　be　broken。〃

A　messenger　went　post　haste　with　a　mand　for　Cao　Cao　and　Bao　Xin；　Lord　of　Jibei；　to　act　together　in　quelling　the　rebellion。　As　soon　as　Cao　Cao　received　the　court　mand；　he　arranged　with　his　colleague　first　to　attack　the　rebels　at　Shouyang。　Bao　Xin　made　a　dash　right　into　their　midst　and　inflicting　damage　wherever　he　could；　but　he　was　killed　in　a　battle。　Cao　Cao　pursued　the　rebels　as　they　fled。　Ten　thousand　surrendered。　Then　Cao　Cao　put　his　quondam　enemies　in　the　van。　When　his　army　reached　any　place；　many　more　surrendered　and　joined　him。　After　three　months　of　these　tactics；　he　had　won　over　many　thousands；　both　of　soldiers　and　ordinary　folks。

Of　these　new　adherents　the　strongest　and　boldest　were　made　the　Qingzhou　Army；　and　the　others　were　sent　home　to　their　fields。　In　consequence　of　these　successes　Cao　Caos　prestige　and　fame　became　very　great　and　increased　daily。　He　reported　his　success　to　Capital　Changan　and　was　rewarded　with　the　title　of　General　Who　Guards　the　East。

＇e＇　Yanzhou　had　belonged　to　Liu　Dai；　but　he　submitted　to　Cao　Cao；　and　Cao　Cao　used　the　region　as　his　base。

＇e＇　Zhang　Liang；　aka　Zhang　Zifang；　the　master　strategist　for　Liu　Bang。　His　family　had　served　the　state　of　Han　as　chief　ministers　during　the　Warring　States　period。　It　is　said　that　he　received　the　strategy　book　of　Lu　Wang　from　a　mysterious　old　man。　When　he　was　young；　Zhang　Liang　plotted　to　assasinate　the　First　Emperor；　but　failed。　He　later　rebeled　against　Qin。　Joined　Liu　Bang　（BC　206）　to　fight　against　Qin　and　then　Chu。　Remended　Han　Xin　to　Liu　Bang。　Zhang　Liangs　insights　had　earned　him　the　name　〃The　Teacher　of　Emperor〃。　After　Liu　Bang　won　the　empire；　Zhang　Liang　was　enobled　as　Lord　of　Liu；　but　did　not　take　office；　instead　he　resigned　from　political　life　and　traveled。　。。。。。

At　his　headquarters　in　Yanzhou*；　Cao　Cao　weled　wise　counselors　and　bold　warriors；　and　many　gathered　around　him。　Two　clever　persons；　uncle　and　nephew；　came　at　the　same　time；　both　from　Yanzhou；　named　Xun　Yu　and　Xun　You。　The　uncle　had　once　been　in　the　service　of　Yuan　Shao。

Cao　Cao　rejoiced　when　he　had　won　the　elder　Xun　to　his　side；　saying；　〃Xun　Yu　is　my　Zhang　Liang*！〃