三国演义英文版-第146部分

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But　his　master　was　despondent。　His　thoughts　were　back　to　the　pleasures　he　had　enjoyed　but　a　few　hours　since　in　the　house　of　his　wife；　and　the　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks。　A　poem　has　been　written　on　this　episode：

By　the　bank　of　the　deep　flowing　Great　River
Once　was　a　wedding；
And　the　ruling　houses　of　two　states　yet　to　be
Were　allied　by　marriage。
See　the　beautiful　maiden　stepping　slowly
To　the　golden　bridal　chamber！
Yet　was　the　marriage　but　a　ruse。
Its　author　vainly　imagined　that　a　hero；
Sinking　in　amorous　toils；
Would　forget　his　high　intent。

Liu　Bei　bade　Zhao　Yun　go　along　the　bank　to　seek　some　boats。　Then　the　soldiers　told　him　there　was　a　huge　cloud　of　dust　on　the　road。　Ascending　one　of　the　hills；　he　looked　back　whence　they　had　e　and　saw　the　whole　earth　as　it　were　covered　with　an　advancing　host。
He　sighed　and　said；　〃We　have　fled　before　them　now　for　days；　worn　out　our　soldiers　and　jaded　our　horses；　and　all　to　die　in　a　strange　place。〃
He　watched　the　enemy　ing　nearer　and　nearer。　Then　as　things　began　to　look　most　desperate；　he　saw　a　line　of　some　twenty　boats　all　in　the　act　of　setting　their　sails。
〃By　good　luck　here　are　some　ships；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。　〃Let　us　get　on　board；　row　to　the　further　bank；　and　see　what　can　be　done。〃
Liu　Bei　and　his　bride　hastened　down　the　bank　and　went　into　a　ship。　The　soldiers　were　embarked。　Then　they　saw　in　the　hold　of　the　ship　someone　in　Taoist　dress。
That　person　came　up　with　a　smile；　saying；　〃My　lord；　again　you　see　Zhuge　Liang。　He　has　waited　a　long　time。〃
All　the　soldiers　on　board　were　from　Jingzhou；　and　Liu　Bei　rejoiced　at　the　sudden　happy　turn　of　affairs。
Before　long　the　four　pursuing　leaders　reached　the　bank。
Zhuge　Liang　pointed　to　them　and　laughed；　saying；　〃I　foresaw　this　a　long　time　ago。　You　may　return　and　tell　Zhou　Yu　not　to　use　the　'Fair　Damsel　Trick'　again。〃
Those　on　the　bank　sent　a　flight　of　arrows　at　the　ships；　but　they　were　already　too　far　away。　The　four　generals　on　the　bank　looked　very　foolish。
As　the　boats　were　sailing　along；　a　great　noise　was　heard　on　the　river　behind　them；　and　there　appeared　a　huge　fleet　of　war　ships；　sailing　under　the　flag　of　Zhou　Yu。　He　also　was　there　in　mand　of　the　fleet；　and　he　was　supported　by　Huang　Gai　and　Han　Dang。　They　seemed　like　a　drove　of　horses　and　came　along　swift　as　a　falling　star。　They　gained　on　the　fugitives　rapidly。
Zhuge　Liang　ordered　the　boats　to　row　over　to　the　north　bank；　and　the　party　landed。　They　had　started　off　away　from　the　shore　before　Zhou　Yu　could　land。　Zhou　Yu's　marines；　except　the　leaders；　were　all　afoot；　but　they　kept　up　the　pursuit；　following　as　quickly　as　they　could。　Zhou　Yu　led　the　pursuit；　closely　followed　by　Huang　Gai；　Han　Dang；　Xu　Sheng；　and　Ding　Feng。
When　Zhou　Yu's　force　reached　the　borders　of　Huangzhou；　Liu　Bei　and　his　party　were　not　far　away；　and　so　they　pressed　the　pursuit。　But　there　were　only　horses　for　a　few　leaders　in　front；　and　suddenly　the　rolling　of　drums　struck　Zhou　Yu's　ears；　and　from　out　a　gully　dashed　a　troop　of　swordsmen　led　by　Guan　Yu。　Zhou　Yu　was　too　surprised　and　unprepared　to　do　anything　but　flee。
Zhou　Yu　fled　for　his　life　and　Guan　Yu　pursued。　At　different　points　Liu　Bei's　generals；　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan；　came　out　and　attacked；　so　that　the　troops　of　the　South　Land　suffered　a　great　defeat；　and　Zhou　Yu　barely　escaped。　As　he　came　to　the　river　and　was　going　down　into　his　ship；　the　soldiers　of　Liu　Bei　on　the　bank　jeered　at　him　on　account　of　the　miscarriage　of　his　scheme；　shouting；　〃General　Zhou　Yu　has　given　Uncle　Liu　Bei　a　wife　and　has　lost　his　soldiers！〃
Zhou　Yu　was　so　annoyed　that　he　would　have　gone　up　the　bank　to　fight　again；　but　his　generals　restrained　him。
He　uttered；　〃My　schemes　are　a　failure　and　a　defeat；　and　how　can　I　face　my　master　again？〃
All　at　once　he　cried　aloud　and　fell　back　in　a　swoon。　His　wound　had　reopened。　The　generals　came　to　his　help；　but　it　was　long　before　he　recovered　consciousness。

Twice　had　he　played　his　trick
And　twice　had　he　lost　the　game；
His　heart　was　full　of　resentment；
He　was　overwhelmed　with　shame。

The　fate　of　Zhou　Yu　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　56　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　56
　Chapter　56
Cao　Cao　Feasts　In　The　Bronze　Bird　Tower；
Zhuge　Liang　Provokes　Zhou　Yu　A　Third　Time。
The　ambuscade　into　which　Zhou　Yu　had　fallen　had　been　prepared　by　the　orders　of　Zhuge　Liang　and　was　triple。　However；　Huang　Gai　and　Han　Dang　contrived　to　get　clear　and　found　refuge　in　the　ships；　though　with　the　loss　of　many　troops。　When　Zhou　Yu　was　in　safety　and　looked　about　him；　he　saw　Liu　Bei　and　Lady　Sun　safely　resting　on　a　hilltop。　How　could　such　a　sight　fail　to　put　him　in　a　rage？　And　with　the　access　of　rage；　his　wound；　not　yet　healed；　burst　open　once　again。　He　swooned　and　fell。　They　raised　him　and　his　ship　set　sail。　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　no　pursuit；　the　southern　fleet　departed　undisturbed；　and　Liu　Bei　proceeded　to　Jingzhou　City；　where　were　great　rejoicings　in　honor　of　his　recent　marriage。
Meanwhile　Zhou　Yu　had　gone　to　Chaisang　while　Jiang　Qin　and　those　with　him　bore　to　Nanxu　the　sad　tidings　to　Sun　Quan。　He　was　angry　beyond　words；　and　his　first　thought　was　to　send　an　army　under　Cheng　Pu　to　take　Jingzhou。　Zhou　Yu　also　wrote　from　his　sick　bed　urging　his　lord　to　take　vengeance。　But　Zhang　Zhao　knew　better　and　said　it　could　not　be　done。
Said　he；　〃Cao　Cao　has　never　forgotten　his　defeat　at　the　Red　Cliffs；　but　he　dares　not　attempt　to　avenge　himself　while　the　Sun　family　are　friendly　with　Liu　Bei。　If　in　any　moment　of　anger　you　two　fall　upon　each　other；　Cao　Cao　will　certainly　seize　the　opportunity　and　your　position　will　be　dangerous。〃
Gu　Yong　supported　Zhang　Zhao；　saying；　〃Beyond　all　doubt　Cao　Cao　has　his　spies　here。　As　soon　as　he　hears　of　any　rift　in　the　friendship　between　the　Sun　and　Liu　families；　he　will　desire　to　e　to　an　understanding　with　the　latter；　and　Liu　Bei；　who　fears　your　power；　will　accept　his　offer　and　take　his　side。　Such　an　alliance　will　be　a　continual　menace　to　the　land　south　of　the　river。　No；　the　plan　for　the　occasion　is　to　secure　the　friendship　of　Liu　Bei　by　memorializing　that　he　be　made　Imperial　Protector　of　Jingzhou。　This　will　make　Cao　Cao　afraid　to　send　any　army　against　the　South　Land。　At　the　same　time　it　will　raise　kindly　feelings　in　the　heart　of　Liu　Bei　and　win　his　support。　You　will　be　able　to　find　someone　who　will　provoke　a　quarrel　between　Cao　Cao　and　Liu　Bei　and　set　them　at　each　other；　and　that　will　be　your　opportunity。　In　this　way　you　will　succeed。〃
〃These　are　good　words；〃　said　Sun　Quan；　〃but　have　I　a　messenger　who　can　acplish　such　a　mission？〃
〃There　is　such　a　man；　one　whom　Cao　Cao　respects　and　loves。〃
〃Who　is　he？〃
〃What　prevents　you　from　employing　Hua　Xin？　He　is　ready　to　hand。〃
Wherefore　Hua　Xin　was　given　letters　and　bidden　go　to　the　capital；　Xuchang；　whither　he　proceeded　at　once　and　sought　to　see　Cao　Cao。　They　told　him　that　Cao　Cao　and　all　his　friends　were　at　Yejun；　celebrating　the　pletion　of　the　Bronze　Bird　Tower。　So　thither　he　went。

＇e＇　There　is　a　story　about　how　Shan　Zidao　played　chess　with　Cao　Cao　and　helped　him　get　out　of　the　Red　Cliffs　depression。　Read　Cao　Cao　and　Weiqi　。
Cao　Cao　had　indeed　never　forgotten　his　great　defeat　at　the　Red　Cliffs　and　nourished　schemes　to　avenge　it；　but　he　feared　the　bination　of　his　two　chief　enemies；　and　that　fear　restrained　him。*
In　the　spring　of　the　fifteenth　year　（AD　210）　the　great　Tower　was　pleted；　and　Cao　Cao　invited　a　vast　assembly　to　celebrate　its　inauguration　with　banquets　and　rejoicings。　The　feast　was　on　the　bank　of　River　Zhang。　The　Bronze　Bird　Terrace　stood　in　the　center；　flanked　by　two　others　named　the　Terrace　of　the　Jade　Dragon　and　the　Terrace　of　the　Golden　Phoenix。　Each　tower　was　a　hundred　spans　high；　and　two　bridges　connected　them。　Gold　and　jade　vied　with　each　other　in　the　many　apartments。
At　the　opening　ceremony；　Cao　Cao　wore　a　golden　headdress　inlaid　with　jewels　and　a　robe　of　green　brocaded　silk；　girded　with　a　belt　of　jade。　On　his　feet　were　pearl…encrusted　shoes。　So　clad　he　took　his　seat　as　host；　while　his　officers；　civil　and　military；　were　drawn　up　below　the　terrace。
For　the　military　officers　was　arranged　an　archery　petition；　and　one　of　his　attendants　brought　forth　a　robe　of　red　crimson　Xichuan　silk　as　a　prize。　This　was　suspended　from　one　of　the　drooping　branches　of　a　willow　tree；　beneath　which　was　the　target。　The　distance　was　a　hundred　paces。　The　petitors　were　divided　into　two　bands；　those　of　Cao　Cao's　own　family　being　dressed　in　red　and　the　others　in　green。　They　all　had　carved　bows　and　long　arrows　and　were　mounted。　They　stood　holding　in　their　steeds　till　the　signal　should　be　given　for　the　games　to　begin。　Each　was　to　shoot　one　arrow；　and　the　robe　was　the　guerdon　for　hitting　the　target　in　the　red；　misses　were　to　pay　a　forfeit　of　drinking　a　cup　of　cold　water。
As　soon　as　the　signal　was　given；　a　red…robed　youth　rode　quickly　forth。　He　was　Cao　Xiu。　Swiftly　he　galloped　to　and　fro　thrice。　Then　he　adjusted　the　notch　of　his　arrow　to　the　string；　pulled　the　bow　to　its　full；　and　the　arrow　flew　straight　to　the　bull's　eye。
The　clang　of　the　gongs　and　the　roll　of　the　drums　announced　the　feat；　which　astonished　them　all。　And　Cao　Cao；　as　he　sat　on　the　terrace；　was　delighted。
〃A　very　promising　colt　of　my　own；〃　said　he　to　those　about　him；　and　he　sent　a　messenger　for　the　red　robe　that　the　winner　might　receive　it　from　his　own　hands。
But　suddenly　from　the　green　side　rode　out　one　who　cried；　〃It　were　more　fitting　to　let　outsiders　pete　for　the　Prime　Minister's　silken　robe。　It　is　not　right　that　members　of　the　family　monopolize　the　contest。〃
Cao　Cao　looked　at　the　speaker；　who　was　Wen　Ping。　And　some　of　the　officers　cried；　〃Let　us　see　what　his　shooting　is　like！〃
So　Wen　Ping　fitted　an　arrow　to　the　string　and　fired　also　from　horseback　while　galloping。　To　the　surprise　of　the　onlookers；　he　also　made　a　bull's　eye；　which　was　honored　by　another　salute　from　gongs　and　drums。
〃Quickly　bring　me　the　robe；〃　cried　Wen　Ping。
But　at　once　from　the　ranks　of　the　red…robed　another　petitor　dashed　forward；　shouting　fiercely；　〃How　can　you　win　what　has　been　already　won？　But　let　me　show　you　how　I　can　shoot　an　arrow　that　shall　overe　both　your　shots。〃
He　drew　his　bow　to　the　full；　and　the　arrow　flew　straight　to　the　heart　of　the　red。　The　surprised　onlookers　saw　that　this　new　petitor　was　Cao　Hong；　who　no