三国演义英文版-第128部分

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At　this　point　Xu　Shu　said；　〃You　have　been　kind　enough　to　give　me　an　office；　Sir；　and　I　have　really　done　nothing　in　return。　If　I　may　have　three　thousand　troops；　I　will　march　at　once　to　San　Pass　and　guard　this　entrance。　If　there　be　any　pressing　matter；　I　will　report　at　once。〃
〃If　you　would　do　this；　I　should　be　quite　at　my　ease。　There　are　already　troops　beyond　the　Pass；　who　will　be　under　your　mand；　and　now　I　will　give　you　three　thousand　of　horse　and　foot；　and　Zang　Ba　shall　lead　the　van　and　march　quickly。〃
Xu　Shu　took　leave　of　the　Prime　Minister　and　left　in　pany　with　Zang　Ba。　This　was　Pang　Tong's　scheme　to　secure　the　safety　of　Xu　Shu。
A　poem　says：

Cao　Cao　marched　south；　but　at　his　back
There　rode　the　fear　of　rear　attack。
Pang　Tong's　good　counsel　Xu　Shu　took；
And　thus　the　fish　escaped　the　hook。

Cao　Cao's　anxiety　diminished　after　he　had　thus　sent　away　Xu　Shu。　Then　he　rode　round　all　the　camps；　first　the　land　forces　and　then　the　naval。　He　boarded　one　of　the　large　ships　and　thereon　set　up　his　standard。　The　naval　camps　were　arranged　along　two　lines；　and　every　ship　carried　a　thousand　bows　and　crossbows。
While　Cao　Cao　remained　with　the　fleet；　it　occurred　the　full　moon　of　the　eleventh　month　of　the　thirteenth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　208）。　The　sky　was　clear；　there　was　no　wind；　and　the　river　lay　unruffled。　He　prepared　a　great　banquet；　with　music；　and　thereto　invited　all　his　leaders。　As　evening　drew　on；　the　moon　rose　over　the　eastern　hills　in　its　immaculate　beauty；　and　beneath　it　lay　the　broad　belt　of　the　river　like　a　band　of　pure　silk。　It　was　a　great　assembly；　and　all　the　guests　were　clad　in　gorgeous　silks　and　embroidered　robes；　and　the　arms　of　the　fighting　soldiers　glittered　in　the　moonlight。　The　officers；　civil　and　military；　were　seated　in　their　proper　order　of　precedence。
The　setting；　too；　was　exquisite。　The　Southern　Hills　were　outlined　as　in　a　picture；　the　boundaries　of　Chaisang　lay　in　the　east；　the　river　showed　west　as　far　as　Xiakou；　on　the　south　lay　the　Fan　Mountains；　on　the　north　was　the　Black　Forest。　The　view　stretched　wide　on　every　side。
Cao　Cao's　heart　was　jubilant；　and　he　harangued　the　assembly；　saying；　〃My　one　aim　since　I　enlisted　my　first　small　band　of　volunteers　has　been　the　removal　of　evil　from　the　state；　and　I　have　sworn　to　cleanse　the　country　and　restore　tranquillity。　Now　there　is　only　left　this　land　of　the　south　to　withstand　me。　I　am　at　the　head　of　a　hundred　legions。　I　depend　upon　you；　gentlemen；　and　have　no　doubt　of　my　final　success。　After　I　have　subdued　the　South　Land；　there　will　be　no　trouble　in　all　the　country。　Then　we　shall　enjoy　wealth　and　honor　and　revel　in　peace。〃
They　rose　in　a　body　and　expressed　their　appreciation；　saying；　〃We　trust　that　you　may　soon　report　plete　victory；　and　we　shall　all　repose　in　the　shade　of　your　good　fortune。〃
In　his　elation；　Cao　Cao　bade　the　servants　bring　more　wine　and　they　drank　till　late　at　night。
Warmed　and　mellowed；　the　host　pointed　to　the　south　bank；　saying；　〃Zhou　Yu　and　Lu　Su　know　not　the　appointed　time。　Heaven　is　aiding　me　bringing　upon　them　the　misfortune　of　the　desertion　of　their　most　trusted　friends。〃
〃O　Prime　Minister；　say　nothing　of　these　things　lest　they　bee　known　to　the　enemy；〃　said　Xun　You。
But　the　Prime　Minister　only　laughed。
〃You　are　all　my　trusty　friends；〃　said　he；　〃both　officers　and　humble　attendants。　Why　should　I　refrain？〃
Pointing　to　Xiakou；　he　continued；　〃You　do　not　reckon　for　much　with　your　puny　force；　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang。　How　foolish　of　you　to　attempt　to　shake　the　Taishan　Mountains！〃
Then　turning　to　his　officers；　he　said；　〃I　am　now　fifty…four；　and　if　I　get　the　South　Land；　I　shall　have　the　wherewithal　to　rejoice。　In　the　days　of　long　ago；　the　Patriarch　Duke　Qiao　in　the　south　and　I　were　great　friends；　and　we　came　to　an　agreement　on　certain　matters；　for　I　knew　his　two　daughters………Elder　Qiao　and　Younger　Qiao………were　lovely　beyond　words。　Then　by　some　means；　they　became　wives　to　Sun　Ce　and　Zhou　Yu。　But　now　my　palace　of　rest　is　built　on　the　River　Zhang；　and　victory　over　the　South　Land　will　mean　that　I　marry　these　two　fair　women。　I　will　put　them　in　the　Bronze　Bird　Tower；　and　they　shall　rejoice　my　declining　years。　My　desires　will　then　be　pletely　attained。〃
He　smiled　at　the　anticipation。
Du　Mu；　a　famous　poet　of　the　Tang　Dynasty；　in　one　poem　says：

A　broken　halberd　buried　in　the　sand；
With　deep　rust　eaten；
Loud　tells　of　ancient　battles　on　the　strand；
When　Cao　Cao　was　beaten。
Had　eastern　winds　Zhou　Yu's　plan　refused　to　aid
And　fan　the　blaze；
The　two　fair　Qiaos；　in　the　Bronze　Bird's　shade；
Would　have　been　locked　at　spring　age。

But　suddenly　amid　the　merriment　was　heard　the　hoarse　cry　of　a　raven　flying　toward　the　south。
〃Why　does　the　raven　thus　cry　in　the　night？〃　said　Cao　Cao　to　those　about　him。

＇e＇　The　moon　of　the　south　is　very　beautiful。　Those　who　visit　the　south　seem　to　say　the　moon　there　is　brighter　than　anywhere　else。
〃The　moon　is　so　bright　that　it　thinks　it　is　day*；〃　said　they；　〃and　so　it　leaves　its　tree。〃
Cao　Cao　laughed。　By　this　time　he　was　quite　intoxicated。　He　set　up　his　spear　in　the　prow　of　the　ship　and　poured　a　libation　into　the　river　and　then　drank　three　brimming　goblets。
As　he　lowered　the　spear；　he　said；　〃This　is　the　spear　that　broke　up　the　Yellow　Scarves；　captured　Lu　Bu；　destroyed　Yuan　Shao；　and　subdued　Yuan　Shu；　whose　armies　are　now　mine。　In　the　north　it　reached　to　Liaodong；　and　it　stretched　out　over　the　whole　south。　It　has　never　failed　in　its　task。　The　present　scene　moves　me　to　the　depths；　and　I　will　sing　a　song　in　which　you　shall　acpany　me。〃
And　so　he　sang：

〃When　goblets　are　brimming　then　sang　is　near　birth；
But　life　is　full　short　and　has　few　days　of　mirth；
Life　goes　as　the　dew　drops　fly　swiftly　away；
Beneath　the　glance　of　the　glowing　hot　ruler　of　day。
Human's　life　may　be　spent　in　the　noblest　enterprise；
But　sorrowful　thoughts　in　his　heart　oft　arise。
Let　us　wash　clean　away　the　sad　thoughts　that　intrude；
With　bumpers　of　wine　such　as　Du　Kang　once　brewed。
Gone　is　my　day　of　youthful　fire
And　still　ungained　is　my　desire。
The　deer　feed　on　the　level　plain
And　joyful　call；　then　feed　again。
My　noble　guests　are　gathered　round。
The　air　is　trilled　with　joyful　sound。
Bright　my　future　lies　before　me。
As　the　moonlight　on　this　plain；
But　I　strive　in　vain　to　reach　it。
When　shall　I　my　wish　attain？
None　can　answer；　and　so　sadness
Grips　my　inmost　heart　again。
Far　north　and　south；
Wide　east　and　west；
We　safety　seek；
Vain　is　the　quest。
Human's　heart　oft　yearns
For　converse　sweet。
And　my　heart　burns
When　old　friends　greet。
The　stars　are　paled　by　the　full　moon's　light；
The　raven　wings　his　southward　flight。
And　thrice　he　circles　round　a　tree；
No　place　thereon　to　rest　finds　he。
They　weary　not　the　mountains　of　great　height；
The　waters　deep　of　depth　do　not　plain；
Duke　Zhou　no　leisure　found　by　day　or　night
Stern　toil　is　his　who　would　the　empire　gain。〃

The　song　made　they　sang　it　with　him　and　were　all　exceedingly　merry；　save　one　guest　who　suddenly　said；　〃When　the　great　army　is　on　the　point　of　battle　and　lives　are　about　to　be　risked；　why　do　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　speak　such　ill　words？〃
Cao　Cao　turned　quickly　toward　the　speaker；　who　was　Liu　Fu；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yangzhou。　This　Liu　Fu　sprang　from　Hefei。　When　first　appointed　to　his　post；　he　had　gathered　in　the　terrified　and　frightened　people　and　restored　order。　He　had　founded　schools　and　encouraged　the　people　to　till　the　land。　He　had　long　served　under　Cao　Cao　and　rendered　valuable　service。
When　Liu　Fu　spoke；　Cao　Cao　dropped　his　spear　to　the　level　and　said；　〃What　ill…omened　words　did　I　use？〃
〃You　spoke　of　the　moon　paling　the　stars　and　the　raven　flying　southward　without　finding　a　resting　place。　These　are　ill…omened　words。〃
〃How　dare　you　try　to　belittle　my　endeavor？〃　cried　Cao　Cao；　very　wrathful。　And　with　that　he　smote　Liu　Fu　with　his　spear　and　slew　him。
The　assembly　broke　up；　and　the　guests　dispersed　in　fear　and　confusion。　Next　day；　when　Cao　Cao　had　recovered　from　his　drunken　bout；　he　was　very　grieved　at　what　he　had　done。　When　the　murdered　man's　son；　Liu　Xi；　came　to　crave　the　body　of　his　father　for　burial；　Cao　Cao　wept　and　expressed　his　sorrow。
〃I　am　guilty　of　your　father's　death。　I　was　drunk　yesterday。　I　regret　the　deed　exceedingly。　Your　father　shall　be　interred　with　the　honors　of　a　minister　of　the　highest　rank。〃
Cao　Cao　sent　an　escort　of　soldiers　to　take　the　body　to　the　homeland　for　burial。
A　few　days　after；　the　two　leaders　of　the　naval　force；　Mao　Jie　and　Yu　Jin；　came　to　say　the　ships　were　all　connected　together　by　chains　as　had　been　ordered；　and　all　was　now　ready。　They　asked　for　the　mand　to　start。
Thereupon　the　leaders　of　both　land　and　naval　forces　were　assembled　on　board　a　large　ship　in　the　center　of　the　squadron　to　receive　orders。　The　various　armies　and　squadrons　were　distinguished　by　different　flags：　Mao　Jie　and　Yu　Jin　led　the　central　naval　squadron　with　yellow　flag；　Zhang　He；　the　leading　squadron；　red　flag；　Lu　Qian；　the　rear　squadron；　black　flag；　Wen　Ping；　the　left　squadron；　blue　flag；　and　Li　Tong；　the　right　squadron；　white　flag。　On　shore　Xu　Huang　manded　the　horsemen　with　red　flag；　Li　Dian；　the　vanguard；　black　flag；　Yue　Jing；　the　left　wing；　blue　flag；　and　Xiahou　Yuan；　the　right　wing；　white　flag。　Xiahou　Dun　and　Cao　Hong　were　in　reserve；　and　the　general　staff　was　under　the　leadership　of　Xu　Chu　and　Zhang　Liao。　The　other　leaders　were　ordered　to　remain　in　camps；　but　ready　for　action。
All　being　ready；　the　squadron　drums　beat　the　roll　thrice；　and　the　ships　sailed　out　under　a　strong　northwest　wind　on　a　trial　cruise。　When　they　got　among　the　waves；　they　were　found　to　be　as　steady　and　immovable　as　the　dry　land　itself。　The　northern　soldiers　showed　their　delight　at　the　absence　of　motion　by　capering　and　flourishing　their　weapons。　The　ships　moved　on；　the　squadrons　keeping　quite　distinct。　Fifty　light　cruisers　sailed　to　and　fro　keeping　order　and　urging　progress。
Cao　Cao　watched　his　navy　from　the　mand　Terrace　and　was　delighted　with　their　evolutions　and　maneuvers。　Surely　this　meant　plete　victory。　He　ordered　the　recall　and　the　squadrons　returned　in　perfect　order　to　their　base。
Then　Cao　Cao　went　to　his　tent　and　summoned　his　advisers。
He　said；　〃If　Heaven　had　not　been　on　my　side；　should　I　have　got　this　excellent　plan　from　the　Young　Phoenix？　Now　that　the　ships　are　attached