三国演义英文版-第16部分

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As　Dong　Zhuo　went　out　to　get　into　his　coach；　he　met　two　other　officers　who　made　obeisance。　They　were　the　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　Zhou　Bi；　and　the　mander　of　the　City　Gates；　Wu　Qiong。　Dong　Zhuo　stopped　and　asked　them　what　they　wanted。
Said　Zhou　Bi；　〃We　venture　to　try　to　dissuade　you　from　moving　the　capital　to　Changan。〃
Dong　Zhuo　replied；　〃You　two　persuaded　me　to　give　Yuan　Shao　office。　Now　he　has　already　turned　traitor；　and　you　are　of　the　same　party！〃
And　without　more　ado　he　bade　his　guards　take　both　outside　the　city　and　put　them　to　death。　The　mand　to　remove　to　the　new　capital　immediately　was　issued。
Speaking　to　Dong　Zhuo；　Li　Ru　pointed　out；　〃We　are　short　of　money　and　food；　and　the　rich　people　of　Luoyang　could　be　easily　plundered。　This　is　a　good　occasion　to　link　them　to　the　rebels　and　to　confiscate　their　properties。〃
Dong　Zhuo　sent　five　thousand　troops　out　to　plunder　and　slay。　They　captured　many　thousand　wealthy　householders　and；　having　stuck　flags　on　their　heads　saying　they　were　Traitors　and　Rebels　；　drove　them　out　of　the　city　and　put　them　to　death。　Their　properties　were　all　seized。
The　task　of　driving　forth　the　inhabitants；　some　millions；　was　given　to　two　of　Dong　Zhuo's　manders；　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si。　The　people　were　sent　off　in　bands；　each　band　between　two　parties　of　soldiers；　who　drove　them　torward　Changan。　Enormous　numbers　fell　by　the　road　side　and　died　in　the　ditches；　and　the　escort　plundered　the　fugitives　and　defiled　the　women。　A　wail　of　sorrow　arose　to　the　very　sky。
Dong　Zhuo's　final　orders　as　he　left　Capital　Luoyang　were　to　burn　the　whole　city：　Houses；　palaces；　temples；　and　everything　were　devoured　by　the　flames。　The　capital　became　but　a　patch　of　scorched　earth。
Dong　Zhuo　sent　Lu　Bu　to　desecrate　the　tombs　of　the　emperors　and　their　consorts　for　the　jewels　therein；　and　the　mon　soldiers　took　the　occasion　to　dig　up　the　graves　of　officials　and　plunder　the　cemeteries　of　the　wealthy。　The　spoil　of　the　city；　gold　and　silver；　pearls　and　silks；　and　beautiful　ornaments；　filled　several　thousand　carts。　With　these　and　the　persons　of　the　Emperor　and　his　household；　Dong　Zhuo　moved　off　to　the　new　capital　in　the　first　year　of　Inauguration　of　Tranquillity　（AD　190）。
Luoyang　being　thus　abandoned；　the　general　of　Dong　Zhuo　at　River　Si　Pass；　Zhao　Cen；　evacuated　that　post　of　vantage；　which　Sun　Jian　at　once　occupied。　Liu　Bei　and　his　brothers　took　Tiger　Trap　Pass　and　the　confederate　lords　advanced。
Sun　Jian　hastened　to　the　late　capital　which　was　still　in　flames。　When　he　arrived；　dense　smoke　hung　all　over　it　and　spread　for　miles　around。　No　living　thing；　not　a　fowl；　or　a　dog；　or　a　human　being；　remained。　Sun　Jian　told　off　his　soldiers　to　extinguish　the　fires　and　set　out　camping　places　for　the　confederate　lords。
Cao　Cao　went　to　see　Yuan　Shao　and　said；　〃Dong　Zhuo　has　gone　west。　We　ought　to　follow　and　attack　his　rear　without　loss　of　time。　Why　do　you　remain　inactive？〃
〃All　our　colleagues　are　worn　out；　and　there　is　nothing　to　be　gained　by　attack；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。
Cao　Cao　said；　〃This　moment　was　most　propitious　in　the　utter　confusion　that　reigned………palaces　burned；　the　Emperor　abducted；　the　whole　world　upset；　and　no　one　knowing　whither　to　turn。　The　villain　will　soon　be　ended；　and　a　single　blow　could　exterminate　Dong　Zhuo。　Why　not　pursue？〃
But　all　the　confederate　lords　seemed　of　one　mind；　and　that　mind　was　to　postpone　action。　So　they　did　nothing。
〃Those　unworthy　people　cannot　discuss　worthy　thing！〃　cried　Cao　Cao。
Then；　he　and　his　six　generals………Xiahou　Dun；　Xiahou　Yuan；　Cao　Ren；　Cao　Hong；　Li　Dian；　and　Yue　Jing………and　ten　thousand　troops　started　in　pursuit。
The　road　to　the　new　capital　led　through　Yingyang。　When　Dong　Zhuo　reached　it；　Governor　Xu　Rong　went　to　wele　the　cavalcade。
Li　Ru　said；　〃As　there　is　some　danger　of　pursuit；　it　would　be　well　to　order　the　Governor　of　this　place　to　lay　an　ambush　outside　the　city。　He　is　to　let　the　pursuers　pass　and　be　ready　to　cut　off　their　retreat；　when　our　army　beats　them　off。　That　will　teach　any　others　not　to　follow。〃
Then　Dong　Zhuo　ordered　Lu　Bu　to　mand　the　rear　guard。　Very　soon　they　saw　Cao　Cao　ing　up；　and　Lu　Bu　laughed　at　his　colleague's　foresight。　He　set　out　his　troops　in　fighting　order。
Cao　Cao　rode　forward；　crying；　〃Rebels；　abductors；　drovers　of　the　people；　where　are　you　going？〃
Lu　Bu　replied；　〃Treacherous　simpleton；　what　mad　words　are　these？〃
Then　from　Cao　Cao　army　rode　forth　Xiahou　Dun　with　his　spear　set；　and　Lu　Bu　and　Xiahou　Dun　engaged。　The　bat　had　hardly　begun　when　Li　Ru　with　a　cohort　came　in　from　the　left。　Cao　Cao　bade　Xiahou　Yuan　meet　this　onslaught。　However；　on　the　other　side　appeared　Guo　Si　and　his　pany。　Cao　Cao　sent　Cao　Ren　against　Guo　Si。　The　onrush　on　three　sides　was　too　much　to　withstand；　and　Lu　Bu's　army　was　overwhelming；　so　Xiahou　Dun　had　to　retire　to　the　main　line。　Thereupon　Lu　Bu's　armored　troops　attacked　and　pleted　the　defeat。　The　beaten　army　of　Cao　Cao　turned　toward　Yingyang。
They　got　as　far　as　the　foot　of　a　hill　in　the　evening　about　the　second　watch；　and　the　moon　made　it　as　light　as　day。　Here　they　halted　to　reform。　Just　as　they　were　burying　the　boilers　to　prepare　a　meal；　there　arose　a　great　noise　of　shouting　on　all　sides　and　out　came　the　troops　of　Governor　Xu　Rong　from　the　ambush　fresh　to　attack。
Cao　Cao；　thrown　into　a　flurry；　mounted　and　fled。　He　ran　right　in　the　way　of　the　waiting　Xu　Rong。　Then　he　dashed　off　in　another　direction；　but　Xu　Rong　shot　an　arrow　after　him　which　struck　him　in　the　shoulder。　The　arrow　still　in　the　wound；　Cao　Cao　fled　for　his　life。　As　he　went　over　the　hill；　two　soldiers　lying　in　wait　among　the　grass　suddenly　dashed　out　and　wounded　his　horse；　which　fell　and　rolled　over。　And　as　he　slipped　from　the　saddle；　he　was　seized　and　made　prisoner。
Just　then　a　horseman　came；　riding　at　full　speed　and　whirling　his　sword　up；　cut　down　both　the　captors；　and　rescued　Cao　Cao。　It　was　Cao　Hong。
Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　am　doomed；　good　brother。　Go　and　save　yourself！〃
〃My　lord；　mount　my　horse　quickly！　I　will　go　afoot；〃　said　Cao　Hong。
〃If　those　wretches　e　up；　what　then？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃The　world　can　do　without　Cao　Hong；　but　not　without　you；　my　lord！〃
〃If　I　live；　I　shall　owe　you　my　life；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
So　he　mounted。　Cao　Hong　tore　off　his　own　breastplate；　gripped　his　sword；　and　went　on　foot　after　the　horse。　Thus　they　proceeded　till　the　fourth　watch　when　they　saw　before　them　a　broad　stream；　and　behind　they　still　heard　the　shouts　of　pursuers　drawing　nearer　and　nearer。
〃This　is　my　fate；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃I　am　really　doomed！〃
Cao　Hong　helped　Cao　Cao　down　from　his　horse。　Then　taking　off　his　fighting　robe　and　helmet；　Cao　Hong　took　the　wounded　man　on　his　back　and　waded　into　the　stream。　When　they　reached　the　further　side；　the　pursuers　had　already　gained　the　bank　whence　they　shot　arrows。
Cao　Cao　all　wet　pushed　on。　Dawn　was　near。　They　went　on　another　ten　miles　and　then　sat　down　to　rest　under　a　precipice。　Suddenly　loud　shouting　was　heard　and　a　party　of　horse　appeared。　It　was　Governor　Xu　Rong　who　had　forded　the　river　higher　up。　Just　at　this　moment　Xiahou　Dun　and　Xiahou　Yuan；　with　several　dozens　men；　came　along。
〃Hurt　not　my　lord！〃　cried　Xiahou　Dun　to　Xu　Rong；　who　at　once　rushed　at　him。
But　the　bat　was　short。　Xu　Rong　speedily　fell　under　a　spear　thrust　of　Xiahou　Dun；　and　his　troops　were　driven　off。　Before　long　Cao　Cao's　other　generals　arrived。　Sadness　and　joy　mingled　in　the　greetings。　They　gathered　together　the　few　hundreds　of　soldiers　left　and　then　returned　to　Luoyang。
When　the　confederate　lords　entered　Luoyang；　Sun　Jian；　after　extinguishing　the　fires；　camped　within　the　walls；　his　own　tent　being　set　up　near　the　Dynastic　Temple。　His　people　cleared　away　the　debris　and　closed　the　rifted　tombs。　The　gates　were　barred。　On　the　site　of　the　Dynastic　Temple　he　put　up　a　mat　shed　containing　three　apartments；　and　here　he　begged　the　lords　to　meet　and　replace　the　sacred　tablets；　with　solemn　sacrifices　and　prayers。
This　ceremony　over；　the　others　left　and　Sun　Jian　returned　to　his　camp。　That　night　the　stars　and　moon　vied　with　each　other　in　brightness。　As　Sun　Jian　sat　in　the　open　air　looking　up　at　the　heavens；　he　noticed　a　mist　spreading　over　the　stars　of　the　Constellation　Draco。
〃The　Emperor's　star　is　dulled；〃　said　Sun　Jian　with　a　sigh。　〃No　wonder　a　rebellious　minister　disturbs　the　state；　the　people　sit　in　dust　and　ashes；　and　the　capital　is　a　waste。〃
And　his　tears　began　to　fall。
Then　a　soldier　pointing　to　the　south　said；　〃There　is　a　beam　of　colored　light　rising　from　a　well！〃
Sun　Jian　bade　his　people　light　torches　and　descend　into　the　well。　Soon　they　brought　up　the　corpse　of　a　woman；　not　in　the　least　decayed　although　it　had　been　there　many　days。　She　was　dressed　in　Palace　clothing　and　from　her　neck　hung　an　embroidered　bag。　Opening　this　a　red　box　was　found；　with　a　golden　lock；　and　when　the　box　was　opened；　they　saw　a　jade　seal；　square　in　shape；　four　inches　each　way。　On　it　were　delicately　engraved　five　dragons　intertwined。　One　corner　had　been　broken　off　and　repaired　with　gold。　There　were　eight　characters　in　the　seal　style　of　engraving　which　interpreted　read：
I　have　received　the　mand　from　Heaven：　May　my　time　be　always　long　and　prosperous。
Sun　Jian　showed　this　to　his　adviser；　General　Cheng　Pu；　who　at　once　recognized　it　as　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal　of　the　Emperor。

＇e＇　Bian　He　of　the　state　of　Chu　（circa　BC　800）　found　a　jadestone　in　Jing　Mountains　and　presented　it　to　two　Chu　kings；　but　he　was　sentenced　to　amputation　of　both　feet　because　the　stone　was　thought　as　fake。　When　a　new　king　took　the　throne；　Bian　He　tried　once　more；　and　this　time　the　stone　was　recognized　as　the　purest　kind　of　jade。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Li　Si　（BC　280…208）　was　the　statesman　who　was　responsible　for　most　of　the　radical　political　and　cutural　innovations　made　in　Qin　after　BC　221。　。。。。。
Cheng　Pu　said；　〃This　seal　has　a　history。　In　olden　days　Bian　He*　saw　a　phoenix　sitting　on　a　certain　stone　at　the　foot　of　the　Jing　Mountains。　He　offered　the　stone　at　court。　The　King　of　Chu　split　open　the　stone　and　found　a　piece　of　jade。　In　the　twenty…sixth　year　of　Qin　Dynasty　（BC　221）；　a　jade　cutter　made　a　seal　from　it；　and　Li　Si*；　the　First　Emperor's　Prime　Minister；　engraved　the　characters。　Two　years　later；　while　the　First　Emperor　was　sailing　in　Dongting　Lake；　a　terrific　storm　arrived。　The　Emperor　threw　the　seal　to　the　water　as　a　propitiatory　offering；　and　the　storm　immediately　cease