三国演义英文版-第35部分

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and　he　so　perished。　Lately　you　yourself　have　seen　the　powerful　Dong　Zhuo　betrayed　by　Lu　Bu；　who　had　received　many　benefits　at　his　hands。　In　no　time　Dong　Zhuo's　head　was　hanging　over　the　gate。　So　you　see　mere　force　is　not　enough　to　ensure　safety。　Now　you　are　a　general；　with　the　axes　and　whips　and　all　the　symbols　of　rank　and　high　office；　your　descendants　and　all　your　clan　occupy　distinguished　positions。　You　must　confess　that　the　state　has　rewarded　you　liberally。　True；　Guo　Si　has　seized　the　officers　of　state；　but　you　have　done　the　same　to　the　'Most　Revered。'　Who　is　worse　than　the　other？〃
Li　Jue　angrily　drew　his　sword　and　shouted；　〃Did　the　Son　of　Heaven　send　you　to　mock　and　shame　me？〃
But　his　mander；　Yang　Feng；　checked　him。
〃Guo　Si　is　still　alive；〃　said　Yang　Feng；　〃and　to　slay　the　imperial　messenger　would　be　giving　him　a　popular　excuse　to　raise　an　army　against　you。　And　all　the　nobles　would　join　him。〃
Jia　Xu　also　persuaded　Li　Jue；　and　gradually　his　wrath　cooled　down。　Huangfu　Li　was　urged　to　go　away。
But　Huangfu　Li　would　not　be　satisfied　with　failure。　As　he　went　out　of　the　camp；　he　cried　loudly；　〃Li　Jue　will　not　obey　the　Emperor's　mand。　He　will　kill　his　prince　to　set　up　himself！〃
Counselor　Hu　Miao　tried　to　shut　Huangfu　Li's　mouth；　saying；　〃Do　not　utter　such　words。　You　will　only　bring　hurt　upon　yourself。〃
But　Huangfu　Li　shrieked　at　him　also；　saying；　〃You　also　are　an　officer　of　state；　and　yet　you　even　back　up　the　rebel。　When　the　prince　is　put　to　shame；　the　minister　dies。　That　is　our　code。　If　it　be　my　lot　to　suffer　death　at　the　hands　of　Li　Jue；　so　be　it！〃
And　Huangfu　Li　maintained　a　torrent　of　abuse。　The　Emperor　heard　of　the　incident；　called　in　Huangfu　Li　and　sent　him　away　to　his　own　country　Xiliang。
Now　more　than　half　Li　Jue's　troops　were　from　Xiliang；　and　he　had　also　the　assistance　of　the　Qiangs；　the　northern　tribespeople　beyond　the　border。　When　Huangfu　Li　spread　that　Li　Jue　was　a　rebel　and　so　were　those　who　helped　him；　and　that　there　would　be　a　day　of　heavy　reckoning；　those　stories　disturbed　the　soldiers。
Li　Jue　sent　one　of　his　officers；　General　Wang　Chan　of　the　Tiger　Army；　to　arrest　Huangfu　Li；　but　Wang　Chan　had　a　sense　of　right　and　esteemed　Huangfu　Li　as　an　honorable　man。　Instead　of　carrying　out　the　orders；　Wang　Chan　returned　to　say　Huangfu　Li　could　not　be　found。
Jia　Xu　tried　to　work　on　the　feelings　of　the　barbarian　tribes。　He　said　to　them；　〃The　Son　of　Heaven　knows　you　are　loyal　to　him　and　have　bravely　fought　and　suffered。　He　has　issued　a　secret　mand　for　you　to　go　home；　and　then　he　will　reward　you。〃
The　tribesmen　had　a　grievance　against　Li　Jue　for　not　paying　them；　so　they　listened　readily　to　the　insidious　persuasions　of　Jia　Xu　and　deserted。
Then　Jia　Xu　advised　the　Emperor；　〃Li　Jue　is　covetous　in　nature。　He　is　deserted　and　enfeebled。　A　high　office　should　be　granted　to　him　to　lead　him　astray。〃
So　the　Emperor　officially　appointed　Li　Jue　Regent　Marshal。　This　delighted　him　greatly；　and　he　ascribed　his　promotion　to　the　potency　of　his　wise　witches'　prayers　and　incantations。　He　rewarded　those　people　most　liberally。
But　his　army　was　forgotten。　Wherefore　his　mander；　Yang　Feng；　was　angry。
Yang　Feng　said　to　General　Song　Guo；　〃We　have　taken　all　the　risks　and　exposed　ourselves　to　stones　and　arrows　in　his　service；　yet　instead　of　giving　us　any　reward　he　ascribes　all　the　credit　to　those　witches　of　his。〃
〃Let　us　put　him　out　of　the　way　and　rescue　the　Emperor；〃　said　Song　Guo。
〃You　explode　a　bomb　within　as　signal；　and　I　will　attack　from　outside。〃
So　the　two　agreed　to　act　together　that　very　night　in　the　second　watch。　But　they　had　been　overheard；　and　the　eavesdropper　told　Li　Jue。　Song　Guo　was　seized　and　put　to　death。　That　night　Yang　Feng　waited　outside　for　the　signal　and　while　waiting；　out　came　Li　Jue　himself。　Then　a　melee　began；　which　lasted　till　the　fourth　watch。　But　Yang　Feng　got　away　and　fled　to　Xian。
But　from　this　time　Li　Jue's　army　began　to　fall　away；　and　he　felt　more　than　ever　the　losses　caused　by　Guo　Si's　frequent　attacks。　Then　came　news　that　Zhang　Ji；　at　the　head　of　a　large　army；　was　ing　down　from　Shanxi　to　make　peace　between　the　two　factions。　Zhang　Ji　vowed　he　would　attack　the　one　who　was　recalcitrant。　Li　Jue　tried　to　gain　favor　by　hastening　to　send　to　tell　Zhang　Ji　he　was　ready　to　make　peace。　So　did　Guo　Si。
So　the　strife　of　the　rival　factions　ended　at　last；　and　Zhang　Ji　memorialized　asking　the　Emperor　to　go　to　Hongnong　near　Luoyang。
The　Emperor　was　delighted；　saying；　〃I　have　longed　to　go　back　to　the　east。〃
Zhang　Ji　was　rewarded　with　the　title　of　mander　of　the　Flying　Cavalry　and　was　highly　honored。　Zhang　Ji　saw　to　it　that　the　Emperor　and　the　court　had　good　supplies　of　necessaries。　Guo　Si　set　free　all　his　captive　officers；　and　Li　Jue　prepared　transport　for　the　court　to　move　to　the　east。　Li　Jue　told　off　panies　of　his　Royal　Guard　to　escort　the　cavalcade。
The　progress　had　been　without　incident　as　far　as　Xinfeng。　Near　Baling　Bridge　the　west　wind　of　autumn　came　on　to　blow　with　great　violence；　but　soon　above　the　howling　of　the　gale　was　heard　the　trampling　of　a　large　body　of　force。　They　stopped　at　a　bridge　and　barred　the　way。
〃Who　es？〃　cried　a　voice。
〃The　Imperial　Chariot　is　passing；　and　who　dares　stop　it？〃　said　Yang　Qi；　riding　forward。
Two　leaders　of　the　barring　party　advanced　to　Yang　Qi；　saying；　〃General　Guo　Si　has　ordered　us　to　guard　the　bridge　and　stop　all　spies。　You　say　the　Emperor　is　here：　We　must　see　him；　and　then　we　will　let　you　pass。〃
So　the　pearl　curtain　was　raised　and　the　Emperor　said；　〃I；　the　Emperor；　am　here。　Why　do　you　not　retire　to　let　me　pass；　gentlemen？〃
They　all　shouted；　〃Wan　shui！　Long　Life！　Long　Life！〃　and　fell　away　to　allow　the　cortege　through。
But　when　they　reported　what　they　had　done；　Guo　Si　was　very　angry；　saying；　〃I　meant　to　outwit　Zhang　Ji；　seize　the　Emperor；　and　hold　him　in　Meiwo。　Why　have　you　let　him　get　away？〃
He　put　the　two　officers　to　death；　set　out　to　pursue　the　cavalcade；　and　overtook　it　just　at　the　county　of　Huaying。　The　noise　of　a　great　shouting　arose　behind　the　travelers；　and　a　loud　voice　manded；　〃Stop　the　train！〃
The　Emperor　burst　into　tears。
〃Out　of　the　wolf's　den　into　the　tiger's　mouth！〃　said　he。
No　one　knew　what　to　do；　they　were　all　too　frightened。　But　when　the　rebel　army　was　just　upon　them；　they　heard　the　beating　of　drums　and　from　behind　some　hills　came　into　the　open　a　cohort　of　one　thousand　soldiers　preceded　by　a　great　flag　bearing　the　name　Han　General　Yang　Feng　。
Having　defeated　by　Li　Jue；　Yang　Feng　fled　to　the　foothills　of　the　Xian；　and　he　came　up　to　offer　his　services　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　Emperor's　journey。　Seeing　it　was　necessary　to　fight　now；　he　drew　up　his　line　of　battle。
Guo　Si's　general；　Cui　Yong；　rode　out　and　began　a　volley　of　abuse。
Yang　Feng　turned　and　said；　〃Where　is　Xu　Huang？〃
In　response　out　came　a　valiant　warrior　gripping　a　heavy　battle…ax。　He　galloped　up　on　his　fleet　bay；　making　directly　for　Cui　Yong；　whom　he　felled　at　the　first　blow。　At　this　the　whole　force　dashed　forward　and　routed　Guo　Si。　The　defeated　army　went　back　some　seven　miles。
Yang　Feng　rode　forward　to　see　the　Emperor　who　graciously　said；　〃It　is　a　great　service　you　have　rendered：　You　have　saved　my　life。〃
Yang　Feng　bowed　and　thanked　him；　and　the　Emperor　asked　to　see　the　actual　slayer　of　the　rebel　leader。　So　Xu　Huang　was　led　to　the　chariot　where　he　bowed　and　was　presented　as　Xu　Huang　of　Hedong。
The　Emperor　recognized　the　achievement　of　the　warrior。
Then　the　cavalcade　went　forward；　Yang　Feng　acting　as　escort　as　far　as　the　city　of　Huaying；　the　halting　place　for　the　night。　The　mander　of　the　place；　Duan　Wei；　supplied　them　with　clothing　and　food。　And　the　Emperor　passed　the　night　in　Yang　Feng's　camp。
Next　day　Guo　Si；　having　mustered　his　troops；　appeared　in　front　of　the　camp；　and　Xu　Huang　rode　out　to　engage。　But　Guo　Si　threw　his　army　out　so　that　they　entirely　surrounded　the　camp；　and　the　Emperor　was　in　the　middle。　The　position　was　very　critical；　when　help　appeared　in　the　person　of　a　galloping　general　from　the　southeast；　and　the　rebels　fell　away　at　his　assault。　Then　Xu　Huang　smote　them　and　so　scored　a　victory。
When　they　had　time　to　see　their　helper；　they　found　him　to　be　Dong　Cheng；　the　uncle　of　the　Emperor　or　the　〃State　Uncle〃。　The　Emperor　wept　as　he　related　his　sorrows　and　dangers。
Said　Dong　Cheng；　〃Be　of　good　courage；　Sire。　General　Yang　Feng　and　I　have　pledged　ourselves　to　kill　both　the　rebels　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　and　so　purify　the　world。〃
The　Emperor　bade　them　travel　east　as　soon　as　possible；　and　so　they　went　on　night　and　day　till　they　reached　their　destination　Hongnong。
Guo　Si　led　his　defeated　army　back。　Meeting　Li　Jue；　he　told　Li　Jue　of　the　rescue　of　the　Emperor　and　whither　they　was　going。
〃If　they　reach　the　Huashang　Mountains　and　get　settled　in　the　east；　they　will　send　out　proclamations　to　the　whole　country；　calling　up　the　nobles　to　attack　us；　and　we　and　our　families　will　be　in　danger；〃　said　Guo　Si。
〃Zhang　Ji　is　holding　Changan；　and　we　must　be　careful。　There　is　nothing　to　prevent　a　joint　attack　on　Hongnong；　when　we　can　kill　the　Emperor　and　divide　the　empire　between　us；〃　said　Li　Jue。
Guo　Si　found　this　a　suitable　scheme；　so　their　armies　came　together　again　in　one　place　and　united　in　plundering　the　countryside。　As　they　proceeded　to　Hongnong；　they　left　destruction　behind　them。
Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　heard　of　the　rebels'　approach　when　they　were　yet　a　long　way　off；　so　Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　turned　back　and　decided　to　meet　them　at　Dongjian。
Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　had　previously　made　their　plan。　Since　the　loyal　troops　were　few　as　pared　with　their　own　horde；　they　would　overwhelm　the　loyal　troops　like　a　flood。　So　when　the　day　of　battle　came；　they　poured　out　covering　the　hills　and　filling　the　plains。　Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　devoted　themselves　solely　to　the　protection　of　the　Emperor　and　Empress。　The　officials；　the　attendants；　the　archives　and　records；　and　all　the　paraphernalia　of　the　court　were　left　to　care　for　themselves。　The　rebels　ravaged　Hongnong；　but　the　two　protectors　got　the　Emperor　safely　away　into　Shanbei。
When　the　rebel　generals　showed　signs　of　pursuit；　Yang　Feng　and　Dong　Cheng　had　to　play　a　double…edged　sword。　They　sent　to　offer　to　discuss　terms　of　peace　with　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　at　the　same　time　they　sent　a　secret　edict　to　enlist　the　help　from　the　leaders　of　the　White　Wave　rebels………Han　Xian；　Li　Yue；　and