小说园

第80部分（第2页）

〃I　am　sorry　that　I　did　not　meet　you　earlier；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　much　gratified　with　this　speech。

Forthwith　orders　were　given　to　return　and　attack　Jizhou。　Liu　Bei；　fearing　this　retirement　was　only　a　ruse；　allowed　it　to　proceed　without　interference　and　himself　returned　to　Jingzhou。

When　Yuan　Shang　heard　that　Cao　Cao　had　crossed　the　Yellow　River；　he　hastily　led　his　army　back　to　Yejun；　ordering　Lu　Xiang　and　Lu　Kuang　to　guard　the　rear。

Yuan　Tan　started　from　Pingyuan　with　a　force　in　pursuit。　He　had　proceeded　only　a　dozen　miles　when　he　heard　a　bomb　and　two　bodies　of　troops　came　out　in　front　of　him　and　checked　his　progress。　Their　leaders　were　Lu　Xiang　and　Lu　Kuang。

Yuan　Tan　reined　in　and　addressed　them；　saying；　〃While　my　father　lived；　I　never　treated　you　badly。　Why　do　you　support　my　brother　and　try　to　injure　me？〃

The　two　generals　had　no　reply　to　make；　but　they　dismounted　and　bowed　before　him　yielding　submission。

Yuan　Tan　said；　〃Do　not　surrender　to　me　but　to　the　Prime　Minister。〃

And　he　led　them　back　to　camp；　where　he　waited　the　arrival　of　Cao　Cao　and　then　presented　the　pair。　Cao　Cao　received　them　well。　He　promised　his　daughter　to　Yuan　Tan　to　wife；　and　he　appointed　the　two　brothers　as　advisers。

When　Yuan　Tan　asked　Cao　Cao　to　attack　Jizhou；　the　reply　was：　〃Supplies　are　short　and　difficult　to　transport。　I　must　turn　the　waters　of　River　Ji　into　the　White　River　whereby　to　convey　my　grain　and　afterwards　I　can　advance。〃

Ordering　Yuan　Tan　to　remain　in　Pingyuan；　Cao　Cao　retired　into　camp　at　Liyang。　The　two　brothers　Lu　Xiang　and　Lu　Kuang；　who　were　renegades　from　Yuan　Shang；　were　now　raised　to　noble　rank　and　followed　the　army　as　supernumeraries。

Guo　Tu　noted　this　advancement　and　said　to　Yuan　Tan；　〃He　has　promised　you　a　daughter　to　wife。　I　fear　that　bodes　no　good。　Now　he　has　given　titles　of　nobility　to　the　two　Lus　and　taken　them　with　him。　This　is　a　bait　for　the　northern　people；　and　at　the　same　time　he　intends　evil　toward　us。　You；　my　lord；　should　have　two　generals　seals　engraved　and　send　them　secretly　to　the　brothers　so　that　you　may　have　friends　at　court　ready　for　the　day　when　Cao　Cao　shall　have　broken　your　brothers　power；　and　we　can　begin　to　work　against　him。〃

The　seals　were　engraved　and　sent。

As　soon　as　the　Lu　brothers　received　them；　they　informed　Cao　Cao；　who　smiled；　saying；　〃He　wants　your　support　so　he　sends　you　seals　as　officers。　I　will　consider　it　as　soon　as　Yuan　Shang　has　been　dealt　with。　In　the　meantime　you　may　accept　the　seals　till　I　shall　decide　what　to　do。〃

Thenceforward　Cao　Cao　planned　Yuan　Tans　doom。

Shen　Pei　and　his　master　also　discussed　the　current　situation。　Yuan　Shang　said；　〃Cao　Cao　is　getting　grain　into　the　White　River；　which　means　an　attack　on　Jizhou。　What　is　to　be　done？〃

Shen　Pei　replied；　〃Send　letters　to　Yin　Kai；　mander　of　Wuan；　bidding　him　camp　at　Maocheng　to　secure　the　road　to　Shangdang；　and　direct　Ju　Gu；　son　of　Ju　Shou；　to　maintain　Handan　as　a　distant　auxiliary。　Then　you　may　advance　on　Pingyuan　and　attack　Cao　Cao。〃

The　plan　seemed　good。　Yuan　Shang　left　Shen　Pei　and　Chen　Lin　in　charge　of　Yejun；　appointed　two　manders　Ma　Yan　and　Zhang　Zi　as　Van　Leaders；　and　set　out　hastily　for　Pingyuan。

When　Yuan　Tan　heard　of　the　approach　of　his　brothers　army；　he　sent　urgent　messages　to　Cao　Cao；　who　said　to　himself；　〃I　am　going　to　get　Jizhou　this　time。〃

Just　at　this　time　it　happened　that　Xun　You　came　down　from　the　capital。　When　he　heard　that　Yuan　Shang　was　attacking　his　brother　Yuan　Tan；　he　sought　Cao　Cao　and　said；　〃You；　Sir；　sit　here　on　guard。　Are　you　waiting　till　Heavens　thunder　shall　strike　the　two　Yuans？〃

〃I　have　thought　it　all　out；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Then　he　ordered　Cao　Hong　to　go　and　fight　against　Yejun；　while　he　led　another　army　against　Yin　Kai　in　Maocheng。　Yin　Kai　could　make　no　adequate　defense　and　was　killed　by　Xu　Chu。　His　soldiers　ran　away　and　presently　joined　Cao　Caos　army。　Next　Cao　Cao　led　the　army　to　Handan；　and　Ju　Gu　came　out　to　fight　him。　Zhang　Liao　advanced　to　fight　with　Ju　Gu；　and　after　the　third　encounter　Ju　Gu　was　defeated　and　fled。　Zhang　Liao　went　after　him；　and　when　their　two　horses　were　not　far　apart；　Zhang　Liao　took　his　bow　and　shot。　The　fleeing　warrior　fell　as　the　bowstring　twanged。　Cao　Cao　pleted　the　rout；　and　Ju　Gus　force　was　broken　up。

Now　Cao　Cao　led　his　armies　to　an　attack　on　Yejun。　Cao　Hong　had　arrived　before；　and　a　regular　siege　began。　The　army　enpassed　the　city　and　began　by　throwing　up　great　mounds。　They　also　tunneled　subterranean　ways。

Within　the　city　Shen　Pei　turned　his　whole　care　to　the　defense　and　issued　the　severest　mands。　The　mander　of　the　East　Gate；　Feng　Li；　got　intoxicated　and　failed　to　keep　his　watch　for　which　he　was　severely　punished。　Feng　Li　resented　this；　sneaked　out　of　the　city；　went　over　to　t