三国演义英文版-第3部分

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t　was　near　falling。　Help　was　needed　quickly。
〃I　will　go；〃　said　Liu　Bei　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　news。
And　he　set　out　at　once　with　his　own　soldiers；　reinforced　by　a　body　of　five　thousand　under　Zhou　Jing。　The　rebels；　seeing　help　ing；　at　once　attacked　most　fiercely。　The　relieving　force　being　paratively　small　could　not　prevail　and　retired　some　ten　miles；　where　they　made　a　camp。
〃They　are　many　and　we　but　few；〃　said　Liu　Bei　to　his　brothers。　〃We　can　only　beat　them　by　superior　strategy。〃
So　they　prepared　an　ambush。　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei；　each　with　a　goodly　party；　went　behind　the　hills；　right　and　left；　and　there　hid。　When　the　gongs　beat　they　were　to　move　out　to　support　the　main　army。
These　preparations　made；　the　drums　rolled　noisily　for　Liu　Bei　to　advance。　The　rebels　also　came　forward。　But　Liu　Bei　suddenly　retired。　Thinking　this　was　their　chance；　the　rebels　pressed　forward　and　were　led　over　the　hills。　Then　suddenly　the　gongs　sounded　for　the　ambush。　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　poured　out　from　right　and　left　as　Liu　Bei　faced　around　to　meet　the　rebels。　Under　three…side　attack；　the　rebels　lost　heavily　and　fled　to　the　walls　of　Qingzhou　City。　But　Imperial　Protector　Gong　Jing　led　out　an　armed　body　to　attack　them；　and　the　rebels　were　entirely　defeated　and　many　slain。　Qingzhou　was　no　longer　in　danger。

Though　fierce　as　tigers　soldiers　be；
Battle　are　won　by　strategy。
A　hero　es；　he　gains　renown；
Already　destined　for　a　crown。

After　the　celebrations　in　honor　of　victory　were　over；　mander　Zhou　Jing　proposed　to　return　to　Youzhou。
But　Liu　Bei　said；　〃We　are　informed　that　Imperial　mander　Lu　Zhi　has　been　struggling　with　a　horde　of　rebels　led　by　Zhang　Jue　at　Guangzong。　Lu　Zhi　was　once　my　teacher；　and　I　want　to　go　help　him。〃
So　Liu　Bei　and　Zhou　Jing　separated；　and　the　three　brothers　with　their　troops　made　their　way　to　Guangzong。　They　found　Lu　Zhi's　camp；　were　admitted　to　his　presence；　and　declared　the　reason　of　their　ing。　The　mander　received　them　with　great　joy；　and　they　remained　with　him　while　he　made　his　plans。
At　that　time　Zhang　Jue's　one　hundred　fifty　thousand　troops　and　Lu　Zhi's　fifty　thousand　troops　were　facing　each　other。　Neither　had　had　any　success。
Lu　Zhi　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃I　am　able　to　surround　these　rebels　here。　But　the　other　two　brothers；　Zhang　Ba　and　Zhang　Lian；　are　strongly　entrenched　opposite　Huangfu　Song　and　Zhu　Jun　at　Yingchuan。　I　will　give　you　a　thousand　more　troops；　and　with　these　you　can　go　to　find　out　what　is　happening；　and　we　can　then　settle　the　moment　for　concerted　attack。〃
So　Liu　Bei　set　off　and　marched　as　quickly　as　possible　to　Yingchuan。　At　that　time　the　imperial　troops　were　attacking　with　success；　and　the　rebels　had　retired　upon　Changshe。　They　had　encamped　among　the　thick　grass。
Seeing　this；　Huangfu　Song　said　to　Zhu　Jun；　〃The　rebels　are　camping　in　the　field。　We　can　attack　them　by　fire。〃
So　the　Imperial　manders　bade　every　man　cut　a　bundle　of　dry　grass　and　laid　an　ambush。　That　night　the　wind　blew　a　gale；　and　at　the　second　watch　they　started　a　blaze。　At　the　same　time　Huangfu　Song　and　Zhu　Jun's　troops　attacked　the　rebels　and　set　their　camp　on　fire。　The　flames　rose　to　the　very　heaven。　The　rebels　were　thrown　into　great　confusion。　There　was　no　time　to　saddle　horses　or　don　armor：　They　fled　in　all　directions。
The　battle　continued　until　dawn。　Zhang　Lian　and　Zhang　Ba；　with　a　group　of　flying　rebels；　found　a　way　of　escape。　But　suddenly　a　troop　of　soldiers　with　crimson　banners　appeared　to　oppose　them。　Their　leader　was　a　man　of　medium　stature　with　small　eyes　and　a　long　beard。　He　was　Cao　Cao；　a　Beijuo　man；　holding　the　rank　of　Cavalry　mander。　His　father　was　Cao　Song；　but　he　was　not　really　a　Cao。　Cao　Song　had　been　born　to　the　Xiahou　family；　but　he　had　been　brought　up　by　Eunuch　Cao　Teng　and　had　taken　this　family　name。
As　a　young　man　Cao　Cao　had　been　fond　of　hunting　and　delighted　in　songs　and　dancing。　He　was　resourceful　and　full　of　guile。　An　uncle；　seeing　the　young　fellow　so　unsteady；　used　to　get　angry　with　him　and　told　his　father　of　his　misdeeds。　His　father　remonstrated　with　him。
But　Cao　Cao　made　equal　to　the　occasion。　One　day；　seeing　his　uncle　ing；　he　fell　to　the　ground　in　a　pretended　fit。　The　uncle　alarmed　ran　to　tell　his　father；　who　came；　and　there　was　the　youth　in　most　perfect　health。
〃But　your　uncle　said　you　were　in　a　fit。　Are　you　better？〃　said　his　father。
〃I　have　never　suffered　from　fits　or　any　such　illness；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃But　I　have　lost　my　uncle's　affection；　and　he　has　deceived　you。〃
Thereafter；　whatever　the　uncle　might　say　of　his　faults；　his　father　paid　no　heed。　So　the　young　man　grew　up　licentious　and　uncontrolled。
A　man　of　the　time　named　Qiao　Xuan　said　to　Cao　Cao；　〃Rebellion　is　at　hand；　and　only　a　man　of　the　greatest　ability　can　succeed　in　restoring　tranquillity。　That　man　is　yourself。〃
And　He　Yong　of　Nanyang　said　of　him；　〃The　dynasty　of　Han　is　about　to　fall。　He　who　can　restore　peace　is　this　man　and　only　he。〃
Cao　Cao　went　to　inquire　his　future　of　a　wise　man　of　Runan　named　Xu　Shao。
〃What　manner　of　man　am　I？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。
The　seer　made　no　reply；　and　again　and　again　Cao　Cao　pressed　the　question。
Then　Xu　Shao　replied；　〃In　peace　you　are　an　able　subject；　in　chaos　you　are　a　crafty　hero！〃
Cao　Cao　greatly　rejoiced　to　hear　this。

＇e＇　One　of　the　Ten　Regular　Attendants
Cao　Cao　graduated　at　twenty　and　earned　a　reputation　of　piety　and　integrity。　He　began　his　career　as　manding　Officer　in　a　county　within　the　Capital　District。　In　the　four　gates　of　the　city　he　guarded；　he　hung　up　clubs　of　various　sorts；　and　he　would　punish　any　breach　of　the　law　whatever　the　rank　of　the　offender。　Now　an　uncle　of　Eunuch　Jian　Shuo*　was　found　one　night　in　the　streets　with　a　sword　and　was　arrested。　In　due　course　he　was　beaten。　Thereafter　no　one　dared　to　offend　again；　and　Cao　Cao's　name　became　heard。　Soon　he　became　a　magistrate　of　Dunqiu。
At　the　outbreak　of　the　Yellow　Scarves；　Cao　Cao　held　the　rank　of　General　and　was　given　mand　of　five　thousand　horse　and　foot　to　help　fight　at　Yingchuan。　He　just　happened　to　fall　in　with　the　newly　defeated　rebels　whom　he　cut　to　pieces。　Thousands　were　slain　and　endless　banners　and　drums　and　horses　were　captured；　together　with　huge　sums　of　money。　However；　Zhang　Ba　and　Zhang　Lian　got　away；　and　after　an　interview　with　Huangfu　Song；　Cao　Cao　went　in　pursuit　of　them。
Meanwhile　Liu　Bei　and　his　brothers　were　hastening　toward　Yingchuan；　when　they　heard　the　din　of　battle　and　saw　flames　rising　high　toward　the　sky。　But　they　arrived　too　late　for　the　fighting。　They　saw　Huangfu　Song　and　Zhu　Jun　to　whom　they　told　the　intentions　of　Lu　Zhi。
〃The　rebel　power　is　quite　broken　here；〃　said　the　manders；　〃but　they　will　surely　make　for　Guangzong　to　join　Zhang　Jue。　You　can　do　nothing　better　than　hasten　back。〃
The　three　brothers　thus　retraced　their　steps。　Half　way　along　the　road　they　met　a　party　of　soldiers　escorting　a　prisoner　in　a　cage…cart。　When　they　drew　near；　they　saw　the　prisoner　was　no　other　than　Lu　Zhi；　the　man　they　were　going　to　help。　Hastily　dismounting；　Liu　Bei　asked　what　had　happened。
Lu　Zhi　explained；　〃I　had　surrounded　the　rebels　and　was　on　the　point　of　smashing　them；　when　Zhang　Jue　employed　some　of　his　supernatural　powers　and　prevented　my　victory。　The　court　sent　down　Eunuch　Zhuo　Feng　to　inquire　into　my　failure；　and　that　official　demanded　a　bribe。　I　told　him　how　hard　pressed　we　were　and　asked　him　where；　in　the　circumstances；　I　could　find　a　gift　for　him。　He　went　away　in　wrath　and　reported　that　I　was　hiding　behind　my　ramparts　and　would　not　give　battle　and　that　I　disheartened　my　army。　So　I　was　superseded　by　Dong　Zhuo；　and　I　have　to　go　to　the　capital　to　answer　the　charge。〃
This　story　put　Zhang　Fei　into　a　rage。　He　was　for　slaying　the　escort　and　setting　free　Lu　Zhi。　But　Liu　Bei　checked　him。
〃The　government　will　take　the　due　course；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃You　must　not　act　hastily！〃
And　the　escort　and　the　three　brothers　went　two　ways。
It　was　useless　to　continue　on　that　road　to　Guangzong；　so　Guan　Yu　proposed　to　go　back　to　Zhuo；　and　they　retook　the　road。　Two　days　later　they　heard　the　thunder　of　battle　behind　some　hills。　Hastening　to　the　top；　they　beheld　the　government　soldiers　suffering　great　loss；　and　they　saw　the　countryside　was　full　of　Yellow　Scarves。　On　the　rebels'　banners　were　the　words　Zhang　Jue　the　Lord　of　Heaven　written　large。
〃We　will　attack　this　Zhang　Jue！〃　said　Liu　Bei　to　his　brothers；　and　they　galloped　out　to　join　in　the　battle。
Zhang　Jue　had　worsted　Dong　Zhuo　and　was　following　up　his　advantage。　He　was　in　hot　pursuit　when　the　three　brothers　dashed　into　his　army；　threw　his　ranks　into　confusion；　and　drove　him　back　fifteen　miles。　Then　the　brothers　returned　with　the　rescued　general　to　his　camp。
〃What　offices　have　you？〃　asked　Dong　Zhuo；　when　he　had　leisure　to　speak　to　the　brothers。
〃None；〃　replied　they。
And　Dong　Zhuo　treated　them　with　disrespect。　Liu　Bei　retired　calmly；　but　Zhang　Fei　was　furious。
〃We　have　just　rescued　this　menial　in　a　bloody　fight；〃　cried　Zhang　Fei；　〃and　now　he　is　rude　to　us！　Nothing　but　his　death　can　slake　my　anger。〃
Zhang　Fei　stamped　toward　Dong　Zhuo's　tent；　holding　firmly　a　sharp　sword。

As　it　was　in　olden　time　so　it　is　today；
The　simple　wight　may　merit　well；
Officialdom　holds　sway；
Zhang　Fei；　the　blunt　and　hasty；
Where　can　you　find　his　peer？
But　slaying　the　ungrateful　would
Mean　many　deaths　a　year。

Dong　Zhuo's　fate　will　be　unrolled　in　later　chapters。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　2　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　2
　Chapter　2
Zhang　Fei　Whips　The　Government　Officer；
He　Jin　Plots　To　Kill　The　Eunuchs。
Dong　Zhuo　was　born　in　the　far　northwest　at　Lintao　in　the　West　Valley　Land。　As　the　governor　of　Hedong；　Dong　Zhuo　himself　was　arrogant　and　overbearing。　But　the　day　he　had　treated　Liu　Bei　with　contumely　had　been　his　last；　had　not　Liu　Bei　and　Guan　Yu　restrained　their　wrathful　brother　Zhang　Fei。
〃Remember　he　has　the　government　mission；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Who　are　we　to　judge　and　slay？〃
〃It　is　bitter　to　take　orders　from　such　a　wretch。　I　would　rather　slay　him！　You　may　stay　here　if　you　wish　to；　but　I　will　seek　some　other　place；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。
〃We　three　are　one　in　life　and　in　death；　there　is　no　parting　for　us。　We　will　all　go　hence。〃
So　spoke　Liu　Bei；　and　his　brother　was　satisfied。　Wherefore　all　three　set　out　and　lost　no　time　in　traveling　until　they　came　to　Zhu　Jun；　who　received　them　well　and　accep