小说园

第100部分（第1页）

en；　the　strong　soldiers　carrying　the　women。　As　the　crowds　crossed　the　river；　from　both　banks　arose　the　sound　of　lamentation。

Liu　Bei　was　much　affected　as　he　saw　all　this　from　the　boat。

〃Why　was　I　ever　born；〃　said　he；　〃to　be　the　cause　of　all　this　misery　to　the　people？〃

He　made　to　leap　into　the　river；　but　they　held　him　back。　All　were　deeply　sympathetic。　When　the　boat　reached　the　southern　shore；　he　looked　back　at　the　weeping　crowds　waiting　still　on　the　other　bank　and　was　again　moved　to　tears。　He　bade　Guan　Yu　hasten　the　boats　before　he　mounted　and　rode　on。

When　Xiangyang　came　in　sight；　they　saw　many　flags　flying　on　the　walls　and　that　the　moat　was　protected　by　barbed　barriers。

Liu　Bei　checked　his　horse　and　called　out；　〃Liu　Zong；　good　nephew！　I　only　wish　to　save　the　people　and　nothing　more。　I　pray　you　quickly　open　the　gates。〃

But　Liu　Zong　was　too　frightened　to　appear。　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun　went　up　to　one　of　the　fighting　towers　and　ordered　the　soldiers　to　shoot　arrows　down　on　those　without　the　walls。　The　people　gazed　up　at　the　towers　and　wept　aloud。

Suddenly　there　appeared　a　general；　with　a　small　following；　who　cried　out；　〃Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun　are　two　traitors。　The　princely　Liu　Bei　is　a　most　upright　man　and　has　e　here　to　preserve　his　people。　Why　do　you　repulse　him？〃

All　looked　at　this　man。　He　was　of　eight…span　height；　with　a　face　dark　brown　as　a　ripe　date。　He　was　from　Yiyang　and　named　Wei　Yan。　At　that　moment　he　looked　very　terrible；　whirling　his　sword　as　if　about　to　slice　up　the　gate　guards。　They　lost　no　time　in　throwing　open　the　gate　and　dropping　the　bridge。

〃e　in；　Uncle　Liu　Bei；〃　cried　Wei　Yan；　〃and　bring　your　army　to　slay　these　traitors！〃

Zhang　Fei　plunged　forward　to　take　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun；　but　he　was　checked　by　his　brother；　who　said；　〃Do　not　frighten　the　people！〃

Thus　Wei　Yan　let　in　Liu　Bei。　As　soon　as　he　entered；　he　saw　a　general　galloping　up　with　a　few　men。

The　newer　yelled；　〃Wei　Yan；　you　nobody！　How　dare　you　create　trouble？　Do　you　not　know　me；　General　Wen　Ping？〃

Wei　Yan　turned　angrily；　set　his　spear；　and　galloped　forward　to　attack　the　general。　The　soldiers　joined　in　the　fray　and　the　noise　of　battle　rose　to　the　skies。

〃I　wanted　to　preserve　the　people；　and　I　am　only　causing　them　injury；〃　cried　Liu　Bei　distressed。　〃I　do　not　wish　to　enter　the　city。〃

〃Jiangling　is　an　important　point。　We　will　first　take　that　as　a　place　to　dwell　in；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃That　pleases　me　greatly；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

So　they　led　the　people　thither　and　away　from　Xiangyang。　Many　of　the　inhabitants　of　that　city　took　advantage　of　the　confusion　to　escape；　and　they　also　joined　themselves　to　Liu　Bei。

Meanwhile；　within　the　inhospitable　city；　Wei　Yan　and　Wen　Ping　fought。　The　battle　continued　for　four　or　five　watches；　all　through　the　middle　of　the　day；　and　nearly　all　the　batants　fell。　Then　Wei　Yan　got　away。　As　he　could　not　find　Liu　Bei；　he　rode　off　to　Changsha　and　sought　an　asylum　with　Governor　Han　Xuan。

Liu　Bei　wandered　away　from　the　city　of　Xiangyang　that　had　refused　shelter。　Soldiers　and　people；　his　following　numbered　more　than　a　hundred　thousand。　The　carts　numbered　scores　of　thousands；　and　the　burden　bearers　were　innumerable。　Their　road　led　them　past　the　tomb　of　Liu　Biao；　and　Liu　Bei　turned　aside　to　bow　at　the　grave。

He　lamented；　saying；　〃Shameful　is　thy　brother；　lacking　both　in　virtue　and　in　talents。　I　refused　to　bear　the　burden　you　wished　to　lay　upon　me；　wherein　I　was　wrong。　But　the　people　mitted　no　sin。　I　pray　your　glorious　spirit　descend　and　rescue　these　people。〃

His　prayer　was　fraught　with　sorrow；　and　all　those　about　him　wept。

Just　then　a　scout　rode　up　with　the　news　that　Fancheng　was　already　taken　by　Cao　Cao　and　that　his　army　were　preparing　boats　and　rafts　to　cross　the　river。

The　generals　of　Liu　Bei　said；　〃Jiangling　is　a　defensible　shelter；　but　with　this　crowd　we　can　only　advance　very　slowly；　and　when　can　we　reach　the　city？　If　Cao　Cao　pursue；　we　shall　be　in　a　parlous　state。　Our　counsel　is　to　leave　the　people　to　their　fate　for　a　time　and　press　on　to　Jiangling。〃

But　Liu　Bei　wept；　saying；　〃The　success　of　every　great　enterprise　depends　upon　humanity。　How　can　I　abandon　these　people　who　have　joined　me？〃

Those　who　heard　him　repeat　this　noble　sentiment　were　greatly　affected。

In　time　of　stress　his　heart　was　tender　toward　the　people；

And　he　wept　as　he　went　down　into　the　ship；

Moving　the　hearts　of　soldiers　to　sympathy。

Even　today；　in　the　countryside；

Fathers　and　elders　recall　the　Princely　Ones　kindness。

The　progress　of　Liu　Bei；　with　the　crowd　of　people　in　his　train；　was　very　slow。

〃The　pursuers　will　be　upon　us　quickly；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Let　us　send　Guan　Yu　to　Jiangxia　for　succor。　Liu　Qi　should　be　told　to　bring　soldiers　and　prepare　boats　for　us　at　Jiangling。〃

Liu　Bei　agreed　to　this　and　wrote　a　letter　which　he　sent　by　the　hands　of　Guan　Yu　and　Sun　Qian　and　five　hundred　troops。　Zhang　Fei　was　put　in　mand　of　the　rear　guard。　Zhao　Yun　was　told　to　guard　Liu　Beis　family；　while　the　others　ordered　the　march　of　the　people。

They　only　traveled　three　or　four　miles　daily　and　the　halts　were　frequent。

Meanwhile　Cao　Cao　was　at　Fancheng；　whence　he　sent　troops　over　the　river　toward　Xiangyang。　He　summoned　Liu　Zong；　but　Liu　Zong　was　too　afraid　to　answer　the　call。　No　persuasion　could　get　him　to　go。

Wang　Wei　said　to　him　privately；　〃Now　you　can　overe　Cao　Cao　if　you　are　wise。　Since　you　have　announced　surrender　and　Liu　Bei　has　gone　away；　Cao　Cao　will　relax　his　precautions；　and　you　can　catch　him　unawares。　Send　a　well…prepared　but　unexpected　force　to　waylay　him　in　some　manding　position；　and　the　thing　is　done。　If　you　were　to　take　Cao　Cao　prisoner；　your　fame　would　run　throughout　the　empire；　and　the　land　would　be　yours　for　the　taking。　This　is　a　sort　of　opportunity　that　does　not　recur；　and　you　should　not　miss　it。〃