三国演义英文版-第204部分

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Cao　Cao's　army　marched　back　to　Mopo　and　there　camped。　When　Xu　Huang　returned；　Cao　Cao　went　out　of　the　stockade　to　meet　him；　and　netted　with　joy　when　seeing　the　excellent　order　and　discipline　that　his　army　showed。　Every　soldier　was　in　his　place；　the　ranks　perfectly　kept；　all　without　a　trace　of　disorder。

＇e＇　Zhou　Yafu　was　son　of　Zhou　Bo；　the　prime　minister　of　Emperor　Wen　（BC　179…156）。　After　the　death　of　Emperor　Wen；　Duke　Wu　started　a　rebellion　of　Seven　Kingdoms。　Zhou　Yafu　as　a　general　put　down　this　rebellion。　。。。。。
〃General　Xu　Huang　has　the　spirit　of　the　old　Zhou　Yafu*；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　and　on　the　spot　conferred　on　his　mander　the　title　of　General　Who　Pacifies　the　South。　Xu　Huang　was　sent　soon　after　to　share　in　the　defense　of　Xiangyang　with　Xiahou　Shang　and　to　meet　Guan　Yu's　army。
Jingzhou　being　still　in　turmoil；　Cao　Cao　remained　at　Mopo　waiting　for　news。
Guan　Yu　found　himself　at　a　standstill　on　the　road　to　Jingzhou　with　the　army　of　Wu　in　front　and　the　men　of　Wei　ing　up　behind。
〃What　is　to　be　done；〃　he　discussed　the　position　with　Zhao　Lei；　〃when　we　cannot　advance　nor　retreat　and　the　aid　has　not　e？〃
Zhao　Lei　proposed　a　halt　to　try　to　shame　Lu　Meng　into　aiding　Cao　Cao。
Said　he；　〃When　Lu　Meng　was　at　Lukou；　he　used　to　write　to　you　often；　and　you　agreed　to　join　hands　in　the　destruction　of　Cao　Cao。　Now　he　is　a　traitor　and　fighting　on　the　other　side。　Send　a　letter　and　reproach　him。　Perhaps　we　may　get　a　satisfactory　reply。〃
So　the　letter　was　written　and　sent　to　Jingzhou。
Meanwhile；　by　Lu　Meng's　special　mand；　the　most　plete　protection　was　given　to　the　families　of　all　the　officers　who　were　serving　under　Guan　Yu；　and　they　were　kept　supplied　with　all　they　required。　Even　the　ailing　members　of　their　households　were　treated　by　physicians　free　of　charge。　The　result　was　that　they　were　quite　won　over　to　the　new　order　of　things；　and　there　was　no　attempt　to　disturb　it。　When　Guan　Yu's　letter　came；　the　messenger　was　led　into　the　city　and　well　treated。
When　Lu　Meng　read　the　letter；　he　said　to　the　bearer　thereof；　〃You　must　understand　the　different　circumstances。　When　your　general　and　I　were　leagued　together；　it　was　a　personal　matter　between　us　two。　Now　things　have　changed。　I　am　sent　here　with　certain　orders　and　am　not　my　own　master。　I　would　trouble　you；　O　messenger；　to　return　and　explain　thus　to　your　master　and　in　good　words。〃
The　bearer　of　the　letter　was　entertained　at　a　banquet　and　sent　to　repose　himself　in　the　guest…house；　where　the　families　of　the　absent　officers　sought　him　to　have　news　of　their　husbands　and　fathers。　Moreover；　they　brought　him　letters　and　gave　him　messages　for　the　officers；　and　the　whole　tenor　of　these　letters　and　messages　was　that　they　were　all　in　good　health；　all　their　needs　were　supplied；　and　they　lacked　nothing。　When　he　left　the　city；　Lu　Meng　himself　escorted　him　to　the　outskirts　and　set　him　on　his　way。
On　his　return　to　the　army；　he　gave　to　Guan　Yu　the　message　of　Lu　Meng　and　told　him　that　the　families　were　all　well　and　safe　and　well　cared　for。　This；　however；　did　not　greatly　please　Guan　Yu。
Stamping　his　foot；　Guan　Yu　said；　〃This　is　merely　a　ruse　to　gain　favor　and　popularity。　The　brigand！　If　I　cannot　slay　him　while　I　live；　I　will　after　I　am　dead。　My　hate　shall　not　go　unappeased。〃
He　roughly　dismissed　the　messenger；　who　went　out　and　was　at　once　surrounded　by　those　whose　families　were　in　the　city　and　who　desired　to　have　news　of　them。　And　when　he　gave　them　the　letters　and　messages　and　told　them　all　were　well；　there　was　great　rejoicing　among　the　men　in　the　camp；　and　kindly　feelings　for　Lu　Meng　prevailed。　And　therewith　died　down　the　spirit　of　fighting。
Guan　Yu　led　the　army　to　attack　Jingzhou；　but　day　by　day　the　men　deserted　and　ran　away　to　the　very　city　they　were　moving　to　attack。　So　day　by　day　Guan　Yu's　bitterness　and　anger　increased；　and　he　advanced　in　angry　haste。　One　day　there　was　a　great　shouting　and　the　noise　of　drums；　and　he　found　his　way　blocked。
〃Why　do　you　not　surrender；　friend　Guan　Yu？〃　said　the　leader　of　this　body；　Jiang　Qin。
〃Could　I　give　in　to　a　rebel………I；　a　servant　of　the　Hans　and　a　leader　of　their　army？〃　roared　Guan　Yu　in　a　passion。
Thereupon　he　whipped　his　horse　forward　and　swung　up　his　sword　to　strike。　However；　Jiang　Qin　would　not　fight。　The　two　exchanged　a　few　blows；　and　Jiang　Qin　fled。　Guan　Yu　followed。　When　he　had　gone　a　long　way；　there　suddenly　appeared　from　a　gully　near　him　Han　Dang；　while　Zhou　Tai　came　out　from　the　other　side。　Thereupon　Jiang　Qin　wheeled　round　and　once　more　came　to　do　battle；　so　that　three　forces　were　opposed　to　Guan　Yu。　Unable　to　withstand　these；　he　retreated。
Before　he　had　gone　very　far；　he　saw　signs　of　many　people　bivouacking　among　the　hills；　and　presently　made　out；　on　a　huge　white　banner　that　flapped　in　the　breeze；　the　words　Natives　of　Jingzhou　；　and　the　people　about　were　calling　out；　〃All　the　inhabitants　of　this　place　have　surrendered。〃
Guan　Yu　felt　like　rushing　up　and　cutting　these　people　to　pieces；　but　just　then　two　other　cohorts　appeared　led　by　Ding　Feng　and　Xu　Sheng；　who　supported　Jiang　Qin。　The　three　bodies　of　troops　then　set　on　with　shouting　and　loud　beating　of　drums　that　seemed　to　make　the　very　earth　tremble。　And　Guan　Yu　was　like　the　kernel　in　a　nut；　quite　surrounded。
This　was　not　all。　He　saw　the　number　of　his　followers　diminishing　every　moment。　He　fought　on　till　dusk；　and　looking　about　him　he　saw　all　the　hills　crowded　with　Jingzhou　folks　and　heard　them　calling　siblings　for　brother　and　children　for　father；　till　his　soldiers'　hearts　had　melted　within　them。　One　by　one　they　ran　to　their　relatives；　heedless　of　their　leader　and　his　voice。　Presently　he　had　but　three　hundred　left；　but　with　them　he　kept　up　the　battle　till　the　third　watch。　Then　there　was　another　shouting　in　another　note；　for　his　leaders；　Guan　Ping；　his　son；　and　Liao　Hua；　came　to　his　help。　And　they　rescued　him。
〃The　soldiers'　hearts　are　all　melted；〃　said　Guan　Ping。　〃We　must　find　some　place　wherein　to　camp　till　help　can　arrive。　There　is　Maicheng；　small；　but　sufficient。　Let　us　camp　there。〃
Guan　Yu　consented；　and　the　exhausted　army　hurried　thither　as　quickly　as　they　could。　The　small　force　was　divided　among　the　four　gates　to　guard。
Zhao　Lei　said；　〃This　place　is　near　Shangyong　where　Meng　Da　and　Liu　Feng　station。　We　should　send　for　their　help。　If　their　army　marches　to　our　relief　until　the　grand　army　of　Shu　es；　the　morale　of　our　army　will　improve。〃
But　disappointments　dogged　them。　Very　soon　the　army　of　Wu　came　up　and　laid　siege　to　the　city。
〃Who　will　try　to　break　through　and　go　away　to　Shangyong　for　assistance？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。
〃I　will　go；〃　said　Liao　Hua。
〃And　I　will　escort　you　past　the　danger　zone；〃　said　Guan　Ping。
Guan　Yu　wrote　his　letter；　which　Liao　Hua　concealed　next　to　his　skin；　and　having　eaten　a　full　meal；　he　rode　out　at　the　gate。　The　leader　of　the　enemy；　Ding　Feng；　tried　to　check　him；　but　Guan　Ping　fought　vigorously　and　drove　him　away。　So　Liao　Hua　escaped　the　siege　and　reached　Shangyong；　while　Guan　Ping　returned。　Then　they　barred　the　gates　and　hold　their　defense。
Now；　having　captured　Shangyong；　Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da　had　remained　to　guard　it。　Liu　Feng　had　been　created　Governor　General；　and　together　with　Meng　Da；　to　defend　that　city。　When　they　heard　of　the　defeat　of　Guan　Yu；　they　took　counsel　what　to　do。　When　Liao　Hua　came；　he　was　admitted　into　the　city。　He　told　the　tale　of　Guan　Yu's　straits；　and　asked　for　help。
Said　Liao　Hua；　〃Guan　Yu　is　closely　besieged　in　Maicheng。　Help　from　the　west　will　be　a　long　time　in　ing；　so　I　have　been　sent　to　beg　your　assistance。　I　hope　you　will　march　the　Shangyong　troops　thither　as　quickly　as　possible；　for　any　delay　will　be　fatal。〃
Liu　Feng　replied；　〃Sir；　go　to　the　rest…house　for　a　time　till　we　can　decide。〃
So　Liao　Hua　went；　and　the　two　leaders　talked　over　the　matter。
Liu　Feng　said；　〃This　is　bad　news。　What　is　to　be　done？〃
〃Wu　is　very　powerful；〃　replied　his　colleague。　〃Now　they　have　control　over　the　whole　region　of　Jingzhou；　save　this　small　clod　of　earth　called　Maicheng。　Cao　Cao　is　at　hand　with　five　hundred　thousand　troops；　and　we　cannot　stand　against　the　two　mighty　forces。　I　say　we　must　not　move。〃
〃I　know　all　this。　But　Guan　Yu　is　my　uncle；　and　I　cannot　bear　to　sit　still　and　not　try　to　save　him。〃
〃So　you　hold　him　as　an　uncle！〃　said　Meng　Da　with　a　smile。　〃Yet　I　do　not　think　he　holds　you　much　as　a　nephew。　When　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong　adopted　you；　Guan　Yu　was　greatly　annoyed。　And　after　the　Prince　had　accepted　his　new　dignity　and　was　nominating　his　heir；　I　heard　he　consulted　Zhuge　Liang；　who　said　the　affair　was　one　to　be　decided　within　the　family　and　declined　to　advise。　Then　the　Prince　sent　to　ask　Guan　Yu's　advice。　Did　Guan　Yu　name　you？　Not　at　all。　You　were　only　a　son　by　adoption　and　could　have　no　place　in　the　succession。　Further；　Guan　Yu　advised　that　you　be　sent　to　a　distance　lest　you　might　cause　trouble。　This　is　mon　knowledge；　and　I　am　surprised　that　you　are　ignorant　of　it。　Yet　today　you　make　capital　out　of　the　relationship　and　are　willing　to　run　a　great　risk　to　support　it。〃
〃Granted　that　what　you　say　is　true；　still　what　reply　can　we　give？〃
〃Simply　say　that　this　city　is　still　unsettled；　and　you　dare　not　move　lest　it　be　lost。〃
Liu　Feng　took　his　colleague's　view；　sent　for　the　messenger　and　told　him。　Liao　Hua　was　greatly　disappointed。　He　threw　himself　on　the　ground　and　knocked　his　head；　imploring　assistance。
〃If　you　act　thus；　there　is　an　end　of　Guan　Yu！〃　cried　Liao　Hua。
〃Will　a　cup　of　water　extinguish　a　wagon　load　of　blazing　wood？〃　said　Meng　Da。　〃Hasten　back　and　await　patiently　for　the　ing　of　help　from　the　west。〃
Liao　Hua　renewed　his　entreaties。　The　two　manders　simply　rose；　shook　out　their　sleeves；　and　left　him。　Liao　Hua　saw　that　things　had　gone　against　him　and　thought　his　best　course　would　be　to　go　at　once　to　Chengdu。　He　rode　out　of　the　city　cursing　its　defenders　and　went　away　west。
Guan　Yu　from　his　fortress　looked　anxiously；　but　vainly；　for　the　ing　of　the　expected　aid。　He　was　in　a　sorry　plight。　His　army　numbered　but　a　few　hundred；　many　wounded；　there　was　no　food。
Then　someone　came　to　the　foot　of　the　wall　and；　calling　out　to　the　defenders　on　the　wall　not　to　shoot；　said　he　had　a　message　for　the　mander。　He　was　allowed　to　enter。　It　was　Zhuge　Jin。　When　he　had　made　his　salutations　and　taken　tea；　he　began　his　harangue。
〃I　e　at　the　mand　of　my　master；　the　Marquis　of　Wu；　to　persuade　you