三国演义英文版-第26部分

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d　began　their　march。
The　four　leaders　of　the　party　in　power………Li　Jue；　Guo　Si；　Fan　Chou；　and　Zhang　Ji………held　a　consultation　with　their　generals　as　to　how　to　meet　the　attack。
Adviser　Jia　Xu　said；　〃Since　the　attackers　are　ing　from　a　distance；　our　plan　is　to　fortify　and　wait　till　shortage　of　food　shall　work　for　us。　In　a　hundred　days　their　supplies　will　be　consumed；　and　they　must　retire。　We　can　pursue　and　we　shall　capture　them。〃
Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　rose　and　said；　〃This　plan　is　bad。　Give　us　ten　thousand　troops；　and　we　will　put　an　end　to　both　of　them　and　offer　their　heads　before　your　ensign。〃
〃To　fight　forthwith　means　defeat；〃　said　Jia　Xu。
Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　cried　with　one　voice；　〃If　we　fail；　we　are　willing　to　lose　our　heads。　But　if　we　win；　then　your　head　is　forfeit。〃
Jia　Xu　then　suggested　to　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　saying；　〃Seventy　miles　west　of　the　capital　stand　the　Zhouzhi　Hills。　The　passes　are　narrow　and　difficult。　Send　Generals　Zhang　Ji　and　Fan　Chou　to　occupy　this　point　of　vantage　and　fortify　themselves　so　that　they　may　support　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang。〃
Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　accepted　this　advice。　They　told　off　fifteen　thousand　horse　and　foot；　and　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　left　in　high　spirit。　They　made　a　camp　ninety　miles　from　Changan。
The　force　from　the　west　arrived。　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　led　out　their　troops　to　the　attack。　They　found　their　opponents　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang　in　battle　array。
Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　rode　to　the　front　side　by　side。　Pointing　to　the　rebel　leaders；　the　manders　abused　them；　crying；　〃Those　are　traitors！　Who　will　capture　them？〃
Hardly　were　the　words　spoken　when　there　came　out　a　youth　general　with　a　clear；　white　plexion　as　jade；　eyes　like　shooting　stars；　lithe　of　body　and　strong　of　limb。　He　was　armed　with　a　long　spear　and　bestrode　an　excellent　steed。　This　young　leader　was　Ma　Chao；　son　of　Ma　Teng；　then　seventeen　years　of　age。
Though　young　he　was　a　supreme　valiance。　Wang　Fang；　despising　him　on　account　of　his　youth；　galloped　forth　to　fight　him。　Before　they　had　exchanged　many　passes　Wang　Fang　was　disabled　and　fell　to　a　thrust　of　the　young　Ma　Chao's　spear。　The　victor　turned　to　retire　into　the　formation；　but　Li　Meng　rode　after　Ma　Chao　to　avenge　his　fallen　colleague。
Ma　Chao　did　not　see　Li　Meng；　but　his　father　called　out　〃You　are　followed！〃
Hardly　had　Ma　Teng　spoken　when　he　saw　that　the　pursuer　was　a　prisoner　seated　on　his　son's　steed。　Now　Ma　Chao　had　known　he　was　followed；　but　pretended　not　to　see；　waiting　till　his　enemy　should　have　e　close　and　lifted　his　spear　to　strike。　Then　Ma　Chao　suddenly　wheeled　about。　The　spear　thrust　met　only　empty　air；　and　as　the　horses　passed；　Ma　Chao's　powerful　arm　shot　out　and　pulled　Li　Meng　from　the　saddle。　Thus　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang's　soldiers　were　left　leaderless　and　fled　in　all　directions。　The　army　of　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　dashed　in　pursuit；　and　a　plete　victory　was　scored。　They　pressed　into　one　of　the　passes　and　made　a　camp。　Then　they　decapitated　Li　Meng　and　exposed　his　head。
When　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　heard　that　both　the　boastful　generals　had　fallen　under　the　hand　of　one　young　man；　they　knew　that　Jia　Xu　had　given　good　advice　and　was　gifted　with　clear　prescience。　So　they　valued　his　plans　the　more　highly　and　decided　to　act　on　the　defensive。　They　refused　all　challenges　to　bat。
Surely　enough　after　a　couple　of　months　the　supplies　of　the　Xiliang　force　were　all　exhausted　and　the　leaders　began　to　consider　retreat。
Just　at　this　juncture　a　household　servant　of　Ma　Yu's　family　betrayed　his　master　and　told　of　the　conspiracy　of　the　three　court　officials　to　assist　the　attackers。　The　two　chiefs　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　in　revenge　seized　the　three　conspirators………Ma　Yu；　Chong　Shao；　and　Liu　Fan………；　with　every　member　of　their　households；　and　beheaded　them　in　the　market　place。　The　heads　of　the　three　were　exposed　at　the　front　gate　of　the　capital。
Being　short　of　food　and　hearing　of　the　destruction　of　their　three　adherents　in　the　city；　the　only　course　for　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　was　to　retreat。　At　once　Zhang　Ji　went　in　pursuit　of　Ma　Teng；　and　Fan　Chou　followed　Han　Sui。　The　retreating　army　under　Ma　Teng　was　beaten；　and　only　by　Ma　Chao's　desperate　efforts　were　the　pursuers　driven　off。
Fan　Chou　pursued　the　other　army。　When　he　had　e　close；　Han　Sui　rode　boldly　up　and　addressed　him；　saying；　〃You　and　I；　Sir；　are　fellow　villagers。　Why　then　behave　so　unfriendly？〃
Fan　Chou　replied；　〃I　must　obey　the　mands　of　my　chief。〃
〃I　am　here　for　the　service　of　the　state。　Why　do　you　press　me　so　hard？〃　said　Han　Sui。
At　this　Fan　Chou　turned　his　horse；　called　in　his　troops；　and　left　Han　Sui　in　peace。　Unwittingly　a　nephew　of　Li　Jue　had　been　a　witness　of　this　scene；　and　when　he　saw　the　enemy　allowed　to　go　free；　he　returned　and　told　his　uncle。　Angry　that　his　enemy　had　escaped；　Li　Jue　would　have　sent　an　army　to　wreak　vengeance　on　his　general。
But　his　adviser　Jia　Xu　again　came　in；　saying；　〃The　people　are　yet　unsettled；　it　was　dangerous　to　provoke　another　war。　Instead；　invite　Fan　Chou　to　a　banquet　and；　while　the　feast　was　in　progress；　executing　him　for　dereliction　of　duty。〃
This　seemed　good　to　Li　Jue；　so　the　banquet　was　prepared。　Zhang　Ji　and　Fan　Chou　accepted　their　invitations　and　went　cheerfully。
Toward　the　latter　part　of　the　entertainment　a　sudden　change　came　over　their　host　Li　Jue；　and　he　suddenly　asked　Fan　Chou；　〃Why　have　you　been　intriguing　with　Han　Sui？　You　are　turning　traitor；　eh？〃
The　unhappy　guest　was　taken　aback。　Before　he　could　frame　his　words　to　reply；　he　saw　the　assassins　rush　out　with　swords　and　axes。　In　a　moment　all　was　over；　and　Fan　Chou's　head　lay　beneath　the　table。
Scared　beyond　measure；　his　fellow…guest　Zhang　Ji　groveled　on　the　floor。
〃Fan　Chou　was　a　traitor；〃　said　the　host；　raising　Zhang　Ji　by　the　arm；　〃and　he　has　his　deserts。　You　are　my　friend　and　need　not　fear。〃
Li　Jue　gave　Zhang　Ji　mand　of　Fan　Chou's　army　with　which　Zhang　Ji　returned　to　his　headquarters　garrison　in　Hongnong。
No　one　of　the　leaders　among　the　leaguers　dared　attempt　an　attack　on　the　party　newly　risen　from　Dong　Zhuo's　disaffection；　while　on　the　other　hand　Jia　Xu　never　ceased　to　urge　his　masters　to　exert　themselves　for　the　welfare　of　the　people　and　thus　to　tempt　wise　people　to　join　them。　And　by　these　means　the　government　began　to　prosper；　and　the　court　to　reassert　its　authority。
However；　a　new　trouble　arose　in　the　shape　of　a　resurgence　of　Yellow　Scarves　in　Qingzhou。　They　came；　under　numerous　chieftains；　in　the　number　of　hundreds　of　thousand　and　plundered　any　place　they　reached。
Minister　Zhu　Jun　said　he　knew　of　one　who　could　destroy　this　sedition；　and　when　asked　who　was　the　man　he　proposed；　Zhu　Jun　said；　〃You　want　to　destroy　this　horde　of　rebels；　you　will　fail　unless　you　get　the　service　of　Cao　Cao。〃
〃And　where　is　he？〃　asked　Li　Jue。
〃He　is　Governor　of　Dongjun。　He　has　a　large　army；　and　you　have　only　to　order　him　to　act。　The　rising　will　be　broken。〃
A　messenger　went　post　haste　with　a　mand　for　Cao　Cao　and　Bao　Xin；　Lord　of　Jibei；　to　act　together　in　quelling　the　rebellion。　As　soon　as　Cao　Cao　received　the　court　mand；　he　arranged　with　his　colleague　first　to　attack　the　rebels　at　Shouyang。　Bao　Xin　made　a　dash　right　into　their　midst　and　inflicting　damage　wherever　he　could；　but　he　was　killed　in　a　battle。　Cao　Cao　pursued　the　rebels　as　they　fled。　Ten　thousand　surrendered。　Then　Cao　Cao　put　his　quondam　enemies　in　the　van。　When　his　army　reached　any　place；　many　more　surrendered　and　joined　him。　After　three　months　of　these　tactics；　he　had　won　over　many　thousands；　both　of　soldiers　and　ordinary　folks。
Of　these　new　adherents　the　strongest　and　boldest　were　made　the　Qingzhou　Army；　and　the　others　were　sent　home　to　their　fields。　In　consequence　of　these　successes　Cao　Cao's　prestige　and　fame　became　very　great　and　increased　daily。　He　reported　his　success　to　Capital　Changan　and　was　rewarded　with　the　title　of　General　Who　Guards　the　East。

＇e＇　Yanzhou　had　belonged　to　Liu　Dai；　but　he　submitted　to　Cao　Cao；　and　Cao　Cao　used　the　region　as　his　base。
＇e＇　Zhang　Liang；　aka　Zhang　Zifang；　the　master　strategist　for　Liu　Bang。　His　family　had　served　the　state　of　Han　as　chief　ministers　during　the　Warring　States　period。　It　is　said　that　he　received　the　strategy　book　of　Lu　Wang　from　a　mysterious　old　man。　When　he　was　young；　Zhang　Liang　plotted　to　assasinate　the　First　Emperor；　but　failed。　He　later　rebeled　against　Qin。　Joined　Liu　Bang　（BC　206）　to　fight　against　Qin　and　then　Chu。　Remended　Han　Xin　to　Liu　Bang。　Zhang　Liang's　insights　had　earned　him　the　name　〃The　Teacher　of　Emperor〃。　After　Liu　Bang　won　the　empire；　Zhang　Liang　was　enobled　as　Lord　of　Liu；　but　did　not　take　office；　instead　he　resigned　from　political　life　and　traveled。　。。。。。
At　his　headquarters　in　Yanzhou*；　Cao　Cao　weled　wise　counselors　and　bold　warriors；　and　many　gathered　around　him。　Two　clever　persons；　uncle　and　nephew；　came　at　the　same　time；　both　from　Yanzhou；　named　Xun　Yu　and　Xun　You。　The　uncle　had　once　been　in　the　service　of　Yuan　Shao。
Cao　Cao　rejoiced　when　he　had　won　the　elder　Xun　to　his　side；　saying；　〃Xun　Yu　is　my　Zhang　Liang*！〃
He　made　Xun　Yu　a　Marching　General。　The　nephew　Xun　You　was　famed　for　his　ability　and　had　been　in　the　court　service　when　it　was　in　Luoyang；　but　he　had　abandoned　that　career　and　retired　to　his　village。　Cao　Cao　made　him　a　Military　Instructor。
Xun　Yu　said　to　Cao　Cao；　〃There　is　a　certain　wise　person　of　Yanzhou　somewhere；　but　I　do　not　know　in　whose　service　he　is。〃
〃Who　is　he？〃
〃Cheng　Yu。　He　belongs　to　the　eastern　part　of　Yanzhou。〃
〃Yes；　I　have　heard　of　him；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
So　a　messenger　was　sent　to　his　native　place　to　inquire。　Cheng　Yu　was　away　in　the　hills　engaged　in　study；　but　he　came　at　Cao　Cao's　invitation。
〃I　shall　prove　unworthy　of　your　remendation；〃　said　Cheng　Yu　to　his　friend　Xun　Yu；　〃for　I　am　rough　and　ignorant。　But　have　you　forgotten　a　fellow　villager　of　yours；　Guo　Jia？　He　is　really　able。　Why　not　spread　the　net　to　catch　him？〃
〃I　had　nearly　forgotten；〃　said　Xun　Yu　suddenly。
So　he　told　Cao　Cao　of　this　man；　who　was　at　once　invited。
Guo　Jia；　discussing　the　world　at　large　with　Cao　Cao；　remended　Liu　Ye　from　Henan；　who　was　a　descendant　of　Liu　Xiu　the　Founder　of　Latter　Han。　When　Liu　Ye　had　arrived；　he　was　the　means　of　inviting　two　more：　Man　Chong　from　Shanyang；　and　Lu　Qian　from　Wucheng；　who　were　already　known　to　Cao　Cao　by　reputation。　These　two　brought　to　their　new　master's　notice　the　name　of　Mao　Jie　from　Chenliu；　who　al