三国演义英文版-第195部分

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Thereupon　they　rebuilt　the　outer　walls　on　an　altered　plan。　When　plete；　Cao　Cao　was　asked　to　go　and　see　it。　And　he　was　then　delighted。
〃But　who　guessed　what　I　meant？〃　said　he。
〃Yang　Xiu；〃　replied　his　people。
Cao　Cao　thereafter　lauded　Yang　Xiu's　ingenuity；　but　in　his　heart　he　feared。
Another　time　Cao　Cao　received　a　box　of　cream　cheese　from　Mongolia。　Cao　Cao　just　scribbled　three　words　〃One　Cream　Box〃　on　the　top　and　left　it　on　the　table。　The　words　seemed　to　have　no　meaning。　But　Yang　Xiu　happened　to　e　in；　saw　the　box；　and　at　once　handed　a　spoonful　of　the　contents　to　each　guest　in　the　room。　When　Cao　Cao　asked　why　he　did　this；　he　explained　that　that　was　the　interpretation　of　the　words　on　the　box；　which；　resolved　into　primary　symbols；　read；　〃Each　person　a　mouthful。〃
〃Could　I　possibly　disobey　your　orders？〃　said　he。
Cao　Cao　laughed　with　the　others；　but　hatred　was　in　his　heart。
Cao　Cao　lived　in　constant　fear　of　assassination；　and　said　to　his　attendants；　〃Let　none　of　you　e　near　me　when　I　am　sleeping；　for　I　am　likely　to　slay　people　in　my　dreams。〃
One　day　he　was　enjoying　a　siesta；　and　his　quilt　fell　off。　One　of　the　attendants　saw　it　and　hastened　to　cover　him　again。　Cao　Cao　suddenly　leaped　from　the　couch；　cut　down　the　intruder　with　his　sword；　and　lay　down　again　to　sleep。　Some　time　after　he　awoke；　simulated　surprise　and　asked　who　had　killed　his　attendant。　When　they　told　him；　Cao　Cao　wept　aloud　for　the　dead　man　and　had　him　buried　in　a　fine　grave。　Most　people　thought　that　Cao　Cao　had　slain　the　man　while　asleep；　but　Yang　Xiu　knew　better。
At　the　funeral　of　the　victim　Yang　Xiu　remarked；　〃The　Prime　Minister　was　in　no　dream；　but　only　you　were　asleep。〃
This　only　increased　the　hatred。
Cao　Cao's　third　son；　Cao　Zhi；　took　great　delight　in　Yang　Xiu's　cleverness　and　often　invited　him；　when　they　would　talk　the　whole　night。
When　Cao　Cao　was　considering　the　nomination　of　his　heir　and　desired　to　name　Cao　Zhi；　Cao　Pi　got　to　hear　of　the　proposal　to　set　him　aside　in　favor　of　his　younger　brother；　so　he　secretly　requested　the　Master　of　the　Court　Singers；　Wu　Zhi；　to　e　and　discuss　this　matter。　Then　fearing　that　someone　might　see　his　visitor；　Cao　Pi　got　a　large　basket　made；　in　which　his　friend　was　smuggled　into　the　Palace。　Cao　Pi　gave　out　that　the　basket　contained　rolls　of　silk。　Yang　Xiu　heard　the　truth　and　informed　Cao　Cao；　who　sent　guards　to　watch　at　the　gates。
Cao　Pi；　in　alarm；　told　Wu　Zhi；　who　said；　〃Be　not　afraid；　but　to　fill　a　basket　actually　with　rolls　of　silk　on　the　morrow　and　have　it　carried　in　as　before。〃
The　searchers　peeped　into　the　basket　and　found　the　rolls　of　silk。　They　told　Cao　Cao　the　result　of　their　search；　and　Cao　Cao　began　to　think　Yang　Xiu　was　plotting　against　his　son。　This　also　added　to　his　hatred。
Another　time　Cao　Cao；　wishing　to　pare　the　abilities　of　his　two　sons　Cao　Pi　and　Cao　Zhi；　told　them　both　to　go　out　of　the　city；　at　the　same　time　ordering　the　gate　wardens　to　forbid　their　exit。　Cao　Pi　first　came　to　the　gate；　was　stopped　by　the　wardens；　and　returned　to　his　palace。
But　his　brother　Cao　Zhi　consulted　Yang　Xiu；　who　said；　〃You　have　received　orders　from　the　Prince　to　go　out。　Simply　cut　down　any　who　may　try　to　prevent　you。〃
When　Cao　Zhi　went　to　the　gate　and　was　stopped；　he　shouted　out　to　the　wardens；　〃I　have　the　Prince's　order　to　go　out。　Dare　you　stop　me？〃
He　slew　the　man　who　would　have　prevented　him。　Wherefore　Cao　Cao　considered　his　younger　son　the　more　able。　But　when　some　other　person　told　him　that　the　device　came　from　Yang　Xiu；　he　was　angry　and　took　a　dislike　to　his　son　Cao　Zhi。
Yang　Xiu　also　used　to　coach　Cao　Zhi　in　preparing　replies　to　likely　questions；　which　were　learned　by　heart　and　quoted　when　necessary。　Cao　Cao　was　always　asking　this　son　his　opinion　on　military　matters；　and　Cao　Zhi　always　had　a　fluent　reply　ready。　His　father　was　not　without　suspicions；　which　were　turned　into　certainties　when　Cao　Pi　gave　his　father　the　written　replies　which　Cao　Pi　had　bribed　a　servant　to　filch　from　his　brother's　apartments。　Cao　Cao　was　quite　angry。
〃How　dare　he　throw　dust　in　my　eyes　like　this？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
Yang　Xiu　very　nearly　lost　his　life　for　his　share　in　that　business。　Now　sending　him　to　execution　on　the　charge　of　destroying　the　morale　of　the　soldiers　was　only　a　subterfuge。　Yang　Xiu　was　but　thirty…four　when　he　met　his　end。

Talented　was　Yang　Xiu；
Born　of　an　illustrious　stock；
His　pen　traced　wonderful　characters；
In　his　breast　were　beautiful　words。
When　he　talked；　his　hearers　were　astonished；
His　alert　responses　overpast　everyone。
He　died　because　of　misdirected　genius
And　not　because　he　foretold　retreat。

Cao　Cao　thus　put　to　death　the　prime　mover　and　simulated　anger　against　Xiahou　Dun。　He　threatened　to　execute　Xiahou　Dun；　but　listened　to　those　who　begged　him　to　show　mercy。
〃Get　out　of　this！〃　said　he。
Next　he　issued　an　order　to　advance　on　the　morrow。　The　army　moved　out　of　the　valley　and　came　face　to　face　with　the　troops　of　Shu　led　by　Wei　Yan。　He　summoned　Wei　Yan　to　surrender；　but　received　abuse　and　contumely　in　return。
Pang　De　went　out　to　fight　Wei　Yan。　But　while　the　bat　was　in　progress；　fires　broke　out　in　Cao　Cao's　camp；　and　a　soldier　came　flying　to　say　that　the　rear　and　center　camps　had　been　seized　by　Ma　Chao。
Fearing　lest　this　should　lead　to　a　rout；　he　drew　his　sword　and　stood　before　the　army；　crying　out；　〃Death　for　any　officer　who　flinches！〃
Wherefore　the　men　of　Wei　pressed　forward　valiantly；　and　Wei　Yan；　pretending　defeat；　retreated。　Having　driven　back　this　army；　Cao　Cao　gave　the　signal　to　turn　toward　camp　and　fight　with　Ma　Chao。　He　took　up　his　station　on　the　top　of　a　hill　whence　he　could　survey　the　field。
Suddenly　a　cohort　appeared　just　below　him；　and　the　leader　cried；　〃Wei　Yan　is　here！〃
Wei　Yan　fitted　an　arrow　to　his　bow；　shot；　and　wounded　Cao　Cao　right　in　his　lip。　Cao　Cao　turned　and　fell。　Wei　Yan　threw　aside　his　bow；　seized　his　sword；　and　came　charging　up　the　hill　to　finish　his　enemy。　But　with　a　shouting　Pang　De　flashed　in。
〃Spare　my　lord！〃　cried　Pang　De。
He　rushed　up　and　drove　Wei　Yan　backward。　Then　they　took　Cao　Cao　away。　Ma　Chao　also　retired；　and　the　wounded　prince　slowly　returned　to　his　own　camp。
Cao　Cao　was　wounded　full　in　the　face；　and　the　arrow　knocked　out　two　of　his　front　teeth。　When　in　the　hands　of　the　physicians；　he　lay　thinking　over　Yang　Xiu's　words。　In　a　repentant　mood　he　had　Yang　Xiu's　remains　decently　interred。
Then　he　gave　the　order　to　retreat。　Pang　De　was　the　rear　guard。　Cao　Cao　set　out　homeward　in　a　padded　carriage；　escorted　by　his　Tiger　Guards。
Before　they　had　gone　far；　there　was　an　alarm　of　fire　and　ambush　in　the　Xie　Valley。　The　soldiers　of　Wei　were　all　fear…stricken。

That　was　something　like　the　danger　once　at　Tong　Pass　met；
Or　like　the　fight　at　the　Red　Cliffs　which　no　one　could　never　forget。

How　Cao　Cao　fared　will　next　be　told。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　73　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　73
　Chapter　73
Liu　Bei　Bees　Prince　Of　Hanzhong；
Guan　Yu　Attacks　Xiangyang。
When　Cao　Cao　retired　to　the　Xie　Valley；　Zhuge　Liang　considered　it　to　mean　the　abandonment　of　his　attempt　to　acquire　possession　of　Hanzhong。　So　Zhuge　Liang　sent　out　Ma　Chao　and　a　dozen　parties　to　harass　and　hasten　Cao　Cao's　retreat。　For　this　reason　the　retreating　army　had　to　keep　on　the　move。　Beside；　Cao　Cao　was　suffering　from　his　wound；　and　he　marched　as　hurriedly　as　possible。　But　it　was　a　dejected　army；　when　the　leading　legions　encountered　fire　on　both　flanks；　which　had　been　raised　by　troops　placed　in　ambush　while　Ma　Chao's　main　force　kept　driving　the　army　before　it。　Everyone　in　the　Cao　Cao　army　was　dispirited；　and　there　was　no　more　courage　in　them。　They　pressed　forward　day　and　night　alike　without　halting　to　rest。　It　was　only　after　reaching　Jingzhao　that　they　had　some　repose。
Having　conquered　Hanzhong；　Liu　Bei　sent　Liu　Feng；　Meng　Da；　and　Wang　Ping　to　take　Shangyong。　The　mander　of　the　city；　Shen　Dan；　and　his　colleagues；　knowing　that　Cao　Cao　had　retreated；　offered　their　submission。　After　confidence　had　been　restored　among　the　people；　Liu　Bei　rewarded　his　army　generously；　and　they　were　all　joyful。
It　was　after　this　that　the　general　body　of　the　officers　decided　to　urge　Liu　Bei　to　assume　the　title　of　〃Emperor〃；　but　they　dared　not　tell　him　so。　However；　they　sent　up　a　petition　to　Zhuge　Liang。
He　replied；　〃I　have　already　decided　on　this　course。〃
So　Zhuge　Liang　and　Fa　Zheng　headed　a　deputation　that　went　in　to　see　their　lord。
They　said；　〃Now　that　Cao　Cao　really　holds　the　reins　of　authority；　the　people　are　without　a　true　sovereign。　Our　lord；　your　kindness　and　sense　of　justice　have　spread　throughout　the　empire。　You　have　restored　peace　over　the　two　River　Lands；　and　your　being　an　emperor　would　be　according　to　God's　will　and　the　desire　of　the　people。　Then　by　right　and　title　you　could　destroy　rebels。　This　matter　should　not　be　delayed；　and　we　pray　you　choose　the　auspicious　day。〃
But　Liu　Bei　evinced　great　surprise；　and　replied；　〃Your　words；　O　Instructor；　are　wrong。　Although　I　am　of　the　imperial　house；　yet　I　am　but　a　minister。　And　to　do　this　thing　would　be　rebellion　against　Han。〃
Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃Not　so。　Today　the　empire　is　riven；　and　many　of　the　bolder　spirits　have　seized　upon　and　claim　the　rule　of　various　portions。　The　talented　of　the　empire　and　the　virtuous　among　officers；　who　have　risked　death　and　lost　their　lives　in　serving　those　above　them；　all　desire　to　have　the　opportunity　of　serving　a　true　emperor　and　doing　service　for　a　true　throne。　Now；　if　you　insist　on　modestly　maintaining　your　righteous　way；　I　fear　that　you　will　lose　popular　support。　My　lord；　I　wish　that　you　should　reflect　upon　this。〃
〃But　you　desire　me　to　usurp　a　place　of　great　honor　in　the　state；　and　I　dare　not。　Let　there　be　more　delay　and　discussion。〃
But　with　one　voice　they　said；　〃Our　lord；　if　you　reject　this；　the　hearts　of　the　people　will　turn　from　you！〃
〃My　lord；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃you　have　made　rectitude　your　motto　all　your　life。　If　you　really　object　to　the　most　honored　title；　then；　since　you　have　Jingzhou；　Yizhou；　and　Hanzhong；　take　temporarily　the　title　of　'Prince　of　Hanzhong'。〃
〃Gentlemen；　though　you　may　desire　to　honor　me　by　the　title　of　Prince；　yet；　without　an　edict　from　the　Emperor；　such　action　would　be　usurpation。〃
Said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃The　time　demands　recognition　of　the　actual　state　of　authority；　and　not　a　rigid　adherence　to