三国演义英文版-第18部分

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But　mander　Geng　Wu　remonstrated　with　his　master；　saying；　〃Yuan　Shao　is　a　needy　man　with　a　hungry　army　and　as　dependent　on　us　for　existence　as　an　infant　in　arms　on　its　mother。　Stop　the　flow　of　milk　and　the　infant　dies。　Why　should　you　hand　the　region　over　to　him？　It　is　nothing　less　than　letting　a　tiger　into　the　sheepfold。〃
Han　Fu　replied；　〃I　am　one　of　the　clients　of　the　Yuan　family；　and　I　know　the　abilities　of　Yuan　Shao；　which　is　far　better　than　mine。　Why　are　you　all　so　jealous？　The　ancients　counseled　yielding　to　the　sage。〃
Geng　Wu　sighed；　〃Jizhou　is　lost！〃
When　the　news　got　abroad；　more　than　thirty　officers　of　Jizhou　left　their　employment　and　the　city。　However；　Geng　Wu　and　Guan　Chun　hid　in　the　suburbs　to　await　the　arrival　of　Yuan　Shao。

＇e＇　Each　region　had　a　capital；　which　was　often　of　the　same　name　with　the　region。
They　had　not　long　to　wait。　Some　days　later；　Yuan　Shao　with　his　soldiers　came；　and　Geng　Wu　and　Guan　Chun　tried　to　assassinate　him　with　knives。　This　attempt　failed。　Yuan　Shao's　generals；　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou；　beheaded　Geng　Wu　and　Guan　Chun　instantly。　Thus　both　of　them　died；　and　the　object　of　their　hatred　entered　Jizhou　City*。
Yuan　Shao's　first　act　was　to　confer　on　Han　Fu　a　high　sounding　title………General　Who　Demonstrates　Grand　and　Vigor　Courage　in　Arms………；　but　the　administration　was　entrusted　to　four　of　Yuan　Shao's　confidants………Tian　Feng；　Ju　Shou；　Xu　You；　and　Peng　Ji………who　speedily　deprived　the　Imperial　Protector　of　all　power。　Full　of　chagrin；　Han　Fu　soon　abandoned　all；　even　his　family；　and　rode　alone　to　take　refuge　with　the　Governor　of　Chenliu；　Zhang　Miao。
Hearing　of　Yuan　Shao's　invasion；　Gongsun　Zan　sent　his　brother；　Gongsun　Yue；　to　see　the　usurper　and　demand　his　share　of　the　region。
〃I　want　to　see　your　elder　brother　himself。　He　and　I　have　things　to　discuss；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。
Thus　Gongsun　Yue　was　sent　back。　But　after　traveling　some　fifteen　miles　on　the　homeward　road；　Gongsun　Yue　saw　a　group　of　soldiers　appear。
〃We　are　guards　of　Prime　Minister　Dong　Zhuo！〃　cried　the　soldiers。
Instantly；　Gongsun　Yue　was　killed　by　a　flight　of　arrows。　Those　of　Gongsun　Yue's　followers　who　escaped　carried　the　news　to　their　late　master's　brother。
Gongsun　Zan　was　very　angry　and　said；　〃Yuan　Shao　prevailed　on　me　to　attack；　and　now　he　has　taken　possession。　Also　he　pretends　the　murderers　of　my　brother　were　not　his　people。　Shall　I　not　avenge　my　brother's　injury？〃
Gongsun　Zan　brought　up　all　his　force　to　the　attack。　Learning　the　movement；　Yuan　Shao　sent　out　his　army；　and　they　met　at　River　Pan。　They　halted　on　opposite　sides　of　the　river；　over　which　was　a　bridge。
Gongsun　Zan　took　his　station　on　the　bridge　and　cried　to　his　enemy；　〃Renegade；　how　dared　you　mislead　me？〃
Yuan　Shao　rode　to　the　other　end　of　the　bridge　and；　pointing　at　Gongsun　Zan；　replied；　〃Han　Fu　yielded　place　to　me　because　he　was　unequal　to　the　rule。　What　concern　is　it　of　yours？〃
Gongsun　Zan　replied；　〃Formerly　you　were　regarded　as　loyal　and　public　spirited；　and　we　chose　you　chief　of　the　confederacy。　Now　your　deeds　prove　you　cruel　and　base　and　wolf…hearted　in　behavior。　How　can　you　look　the　world　in　the　face？〃
〃Who　will　capture　him？〃　cried　Yuan　Shao　in　a　rage。
At　once　Wen　Chou　rode　out　with　his　spear　set。　Gongsun　Zan　rode　down　the　bridge　to　the　enemy's　side；　where　the　two　engaged。　Ten　bouts　showed　Gongsun　Zan　the　terrible　power　of　Wen　Chou；　and　so　he　drew　off。　The　enemy　came　on。　Gongsun　Zan　took　refuge　within　his　formation；　but　Wen　Chou　cut　his　way　in　and　rode　this　way　and　that；　slaying　right　and　left。　The　four　best　of　Gongsun　Zan's　generals　offered　joint　battle；　but　one　fell　under　the　first　stroke　of　the　doughty　warrior；　and　the　other　three　fled。　Wen　Chou　followed　clearing　through　to　the　rear　of　the　army。　Gongsun　Zan　made　for　the　mountains。
Wen　Chou　forced　his　horse　to　its　utmost　pace；　crying　hoarsely；　〃Down！　Dismount　and　surrender！〃
Gongsun　Zan　fled　for　life。　His　bow　and　quiver　dropped　from　his　shoulders；　his　helmet　fell　off；　and　his　hair　streamed　straight　behind　him　as　he　rode　in　and　out　between　the　sloping　hills。　Then　his　steed　stumbled　and　he　was　thrown；　rolling　over　and　over　to　the　foot　of　the　slope。
Wen　Chou　was　now　very　near　and　poising　his　spear　for　the　thrust。　Then　suddenly　came　out　from　the　shelter　of　a　grassy　mound　on　the　left　a　general　of　youthful　mien；　but　sitting　his　steed　bravely　and　holding　a　sturdy　spear。　He　rode　directly　at　Wen　Chou；　and　Gongsun　Zan　crawled　up　the　slope　to　look　on。
The　new　warrior　was　of　middle　height　with　bushy　eyebrows　and　large　eyes；　a　broad　face　and　a　heavy　jowl；　a　youth　of　manding　presence。　The　two　exchanged　some　fifty　bouts　and　yet　neither　had　the　advantage。　Then　Gongsun　Zan's　rescue　force　came　along；　and　Wen　Chou　turned　and　rode　away。　The　youth　did　not　pursue。
Gongsun　Zan　hurried　down　the　hill　and　asked　the　young　fellow　who　he　was。
He　bowed　low　and　replied；　〃My　name　is　Zhao　Yun　from　Changshan。　I　first　served　Yuan　Shao；　but　when　I　saw　that　he　was　disloyal　to　his　prince　and　careless　of　the　welfare　of　the　people；　I　left　him　and　I　was　on　my　way　to　offer　service　to　you。　This　meeting　in　this　place　is　most　unexpected。〃
Gongsun　Zan　was　very　pleased；　and　the　two　went　together　to　the　camp；　where　they　at　once　busied　themselves　with　preparations　for　a　new　battle。
Next　day　Gongsun　Zan　prepared　for　fight　by　dividing　his　army　into　two　wings。　He　had　five　thousand　cavalry　in　the　center；　all　mounted　on　white　horses。　Gongsun　Zan　had　formerly　seen　service　against　the　northern　frontier　tribes；　the　Qiang　Peoples；　where　he　always　placed　his　white　horses　in　the　van　of　his　army；　and　thus　he　had　won　the　sobriquet　of　General　Who　mands　White　Horses。　The　tribes　held　him　so　much　in　fear　that　they　always　fled　as　soon　as　the　white　horses；　their　sacred　creatures；　appeared。
On　Yuan　Shao's　side　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou　were　Leaders　of　the　Van。　Each　had　one　thousand　of　archers　and　crossbowmen。　They　were　set　out　half　on　either　side；　those　on　the　left　to　shoot　at　Gongsun　Zan's　right　and　those　on　the　right　to　shoot　at　his　left。　In　the　center　was　Qu　Yi　with　eight　hundred　bowmen　and　ten　thousand　of　foot　and　horse。　Yuan　Shao　took　mand　of　the　reserve　force　in　the　rear。
In　this　fight　Gongsun　Zan　employed　his　new　adherent　Zhao　Yun　for　the　first　time　and；　as　Gongsun　Zan　did　not　feel　assured　of　Zhao　Yun's　good　faith；　put　him　in　mand　of　a　pany　at　the　rear。　The　Van　Leader　was　Yan　Guang；　and　Gongsun　Zan　himself　manded　the　center。　He　took　his　place　on　horseback　on　the　bridge　beside　an　enormous　red　standard　on　which　was　displayed　the　word　manding　General　in　gold　embroidery。
From　sunrise　to　noon　the　drums　rolled　for　the　attack；　but　Yuan　Shao's　army　made　no　move。　Qu　Yi　made　his　bowmen　hide　under　their　shields。　They　heard　the　roar　of　explosions；　the　whistling　of　arrows；　and　the　rattle　of　the　drums；　as　Yan　Guang　approached　from　the　other　side；　but　Qu　Yi　and　his　men　lay　closer　than　ever　and　never　stirred。　They　waited　till　Yan　Guang　had　got　close　on　them　and　then；　as　the　sound　of　a　bomb　rent　the　air；　the　whole　eight　hundred　men　let　fly　their　arrows　in　a　cloud。　Yan　Guang　was　quite　taken　aback　and　would　have　retired；　but　Qu　Yi　rode　furiously　toward　him；　whirled　up　his　sword　and　cut　him　down。
So　Gongsun　Zan's　army　lost　that　battle。　The　two　wings　that　should　have　e　to　the　rescue　were　kept　back　by　the　bowmen　under　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou。　Yuan　Shao's　troops　advanced　right　up　to　the　bridge。　Then　Qu　Yi　rode　forward；　slew　the　standard　bearer；　and　hacked　through　the　staff　of　the　embroidered　banner。　Seeing　this；　Gongsun　Zan　turned　his　steed　and　galloped　away。
Qu　Yi　followed。　But　just　as　he　caught　up　the　fugitive；　there　came　prancing　forth　Zhao　Yun；　who　rode　directly　at　him　with　spear　ready　to　strike。　After　a　few　bouts　Qu　Yi　was　laid　in　the　dust。　Then　Zhao　Yun　attacked　the　soldiers　and　turned　the　tide。　Plunging　forward　on　this　side；　dashing　in　on　that；　he　went　through　as　if　there　were　no　antagonists　and；　seeing　this；　Gongsun　Zan　turned　and　came　again　into　the　fight。　The　final　victory　was　on　his　side。
From　the　scouts　sent　to　find　out　how　the　battle　went；　Yuan　Shao　heard　the　good　news　of　Qu　Yi's　success　in　slaying　the　standard　bearer；　capturing　the　flag；　and　his　pursuit。　So　Yuan　Shao　took　no　further　care　but　rode　out　with　his　General　Tian　Feng　and　a　few　guards　to　look　on　at　the　enemy　and　enjoy　his　victory。
〃Ha　ha！〃　Yuan　Shao　laughed。　〃Gongsun　Zan　is　an　incapable。〃
But　even　as　Yuan　Shao　spoke；　he　saw　in　front　the　redoubtable　Zhao　Yun。　His　guards　hastened　to　prepare　their　bows；　but　before　they　could　shoot；　Zhao　Yun　was　in　their　midst；　and　men　were　falling　before　him　wherever　he　went。　The　others　fled。　Gongsun　Zan's　army　then　gathered　round　and　hemmed　in　Yuan　Shao。
Tian　Feng　then　said　to　his　master；　〃Sir；　take　refuge　in　this　empty　building　here！〃
But　Yuan　Shao　dashed　his　helmet　to　the　ground；　crying；　〃The　brave　one　rather　faces　death　in　the　battle　than　seeks　safety　behind　a　wall！〃
This　bold　speech　gave　new　courage　to　his　soldiers　who　now　fought　fiercely　and　with　such　success　that　Zhao　Yun　could　nowhere　force　his　way　in。　Yuan　Shao　was　soon　reinforced　by　the　arrival　of　his　main　body　and　Yan　Liang；　and　the　two　armies　pressed　forward。　Zhao　Yun　could　only　just　get　Gongsun　Zan　safe　out　of　the　press。　Then　they　fought　their　way　back　to　the　bridge。　But　Yuan　Shao's　troops　still　came　on　and　fought　their　way　across　the　bridge；　forcing　multitudes　of　their　adversaries　into　the　water；　where　many　were　drowned。
Yuan　Shao　was　leading　in　person　and　his　troops　still　advanced。　But　not　more　than　two　miles；　for　soon　a　great　shouting　was　heard　behind　some　hills；　whence　suddenly　burst　out　a　body　of　troops　led　by　Liu　Bei；　Guan　Yu；　and　Zhang　Fei。
At　Pingyuan　they　had　heard　of　the　struggle　between　their　protector　and　his　enemy；　Yuan　Shao；　and　had　at　once　set　out　to　help。　Now　the　three　riders；　each　with　his　peculiar　weapon；　flew　straight　at　Yuan　Shao；　who　was　so　frightened　that　his　soul　seemed　to　leave　his　body　and　fly　beyond　the　confines　of　heaven。
His　sword　fell　from　his　hand　and　he　fled　for　his　life。　He　was　chased　across　the　bridge　when　Gongsun　Zan　called　in　his　army；　and　they　returned　to　camp。
After　the　usual　greetings　Gongsun　Zan　said；　〃If　you　had　not　e　to　our　help；　we　should　have　been　in　very　bad　case。〃
Liu　Bei　and　Zhao　Yun　were　made　acquainted　with　each　other；　and　a　warm　affection　sprang　up　from　the　very　first　so　that　th