三国演义英文版-第53部分

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nd　Sun　Qian。　And　Cao　Cao　led　his　army　to　Xiapi。
Lu　Bu　felt　very　secure　in　his　refuge。　He　had　good　store　of　grain；　and　he　had　the　protection　of　River　Si；　so　he　sat　quiet；　satisfied　that　he　could　maintain　his　defense。　So　he　allowed　Cao　Cao's　army　to　approach　without　molestation。
〃You　ought　to　attack　Cao　Cao's　army　as　they　e　up；　before　they　have　time　to　make　camps　and　defenses。　They　will　only　have　a　fatigued　army　to　oppose　to　your　fresh　troops；　and　you　will　certainly　defeat　them。〃
So　said　Chen　Gong；　but　Lu　Bu　replied；　〃I　have　suffered　too　many　defeats　lately　to　take　any　risk。　Wait　till　they　actually　attack；　and　you　will　see　them　floating　away　on　the　waters。〃
So　Lu　Bu　neglected　the　confidant's　advice　and　waited　till　the　enemy　had　settled　into　their　camp。　This　done；　the　attackers　advanced　against　the　city。　From　the　foot　of　the　wall；　Cao　Cao　called　to　Lu　Bu　to　listen　while　he　spoke。　Lu　Bu　ascended　to　the　wall　where　he　stood。
Cao　Cao　addressed　him；　saying；　〃When　I　heard　that　your　family　and　that　of　Yuan　Shu　were　likely　to　be　united　by　marriage；　I　sent　an　army　against　you。　Yuan　Shu　was　guilty　of　treason；　while　you　had　to　your　credit　on　the　destruction　of　Dong　Zhuo。　For　what　reason　have　you　sacrificed　all　your　merits　to　throw　in　your　lot　with　a　rebel？　It　will　be　over　late　to　regret　when　this　city　shall　have　fallen。　But　if　you　surrender　and　help　me　to　support　the　ruling　house；　you　shall　not　lose　your　rank。〃
Lu　Bu　replied；　〃If　the　Prime　Minister　will　retire；　we　may　be　able　to　discuss　the　matter。〃
But　Chen　Gong；　standing　near　his　master；　began　to　rail　at　Cao　Cao　for　a　rebel　and　shot　an　arrow　that　struck　his　plumed　helmet。
〃My　oath；　but　I　will　slay　you　at　least！〃　cried　Cao　Cao；　pointing　his　finger　at　Chen　Gong。
Then　the　attack　on　the　walls　began。
〃They　have　e　from　far　and　cannot　maintain　this　for　long；〃　said　Chen　Gong。　〃General；　go　out　with　your　horse　and　foot　and　take　up　a　position　outside；　leaving　me　to　maintain　the　defense　with　the　remainder　of　our　troops。　If　he　engages　you；　I　will　e　out　and　strike　at　his　rear　ranks；　if　he　attacks　the　city；　you　can　e　to　our　aid。　In　ten　days　their　stores　will　fail；　and　we　can　beat　them　off。　This　will　place　them　between　the　ox…horns。〃
〃The　advice　seems　good；〃　said　Lu　Bu。
Lu　Bu　went　back　to　his　palace　and　prepared　his　weapons。　As　it　was　the　depth　of　winter；　he　made　his　army　take　plenty　of　wadded　clothing　to　keep　them　warm。　Lady　Yan；　his　wife；　heard　of　it　and　came　to　ask　whither　he　was　going。　He　told　her　of　Chen　Gong's　plan。
She　said；　〃My　lord；　you　are　leaving　an　undamaged　city；　abandoning　your　wife　and　little　ones；　and　going　with　a　paltry　force。　Should　any　untoward　event　happen；　will　your　handmaid　and　her　lord　ever　meet　again？〃
Lu　Bu　hesitated　and　for　three　days　made　no　move。
Then　Chen　Gong　came　to　see　him　again　and　said；　〃The　enemy　are　all　round　the　city；　and　unless　you　go　out　soon；　you　will　be　quite　hemmed　in。〃
〃I　am　thinking　it　would　be　better　to　maintain　a　stubborn　defense；〃　said　Lu　Bu。
〃Our　enemies　are　short　of　food　and　have　sent　for　supplies　to　Xuchang。　These　will　soon　arrive；　and　you　should　go　out　with　some　veterans　and　intercept　the　convoy。　That　loss　would　be　a　heavy　blow。〃
Lu　Bu　agreed　and　went　in　to　tell　his　wife　the　new　plan。
She　wept　saying；　〃If　you　go；　do　you　think　Chen　Gong　and　others　equal　to　the　defense　of　the　city？　Should　anything　go　wrong；　you　would　be　very　sorry。　You　abandoned　me　at　Changan；　and　it　was　only　through　the　fortunate　kindness　of　Pang　Shu　that　I　was　hidden　from　our　enemies　and　rejoined　you。　Who　would　have　thought　you　would　leave　me　again？　But　go；　go　your　way　as　far　as　you　wish；　and　do　not　mind　your　wife。〃
And　she　wept　bitterly。
Lu　Bu　very　sadly　went　to　take　leave　of　Diao　Chan　who　said；　〃You　are　my　lord　and　my　life。　You　must　not　be　careless　and　ride　out　alone。〃
〃You　need　not　fear。　With　my　mighty　trident　halberd　and　Red　Hare；　who　dare　e　near　me？〃
He　went　out。　But　when　he　met　Chen　Gong；　he　said；　〃That　story　about　supplies　for　Cao　Cao　is　all　false；　one　of　his　many　ruses。　I　am　not　going　to　stir。〃
Chen　Gong　sighed。　He　felt　all　was　lost。
〃We　shall　die；　and　no　one　shall　know　our　burial　place；〃　said　he。
Thereupon　Lu　Bu　remained　in　his　own　quarters　with　his　ladies；　drinking　freely　to　dissipate　his　sorrows。
Two　of　his　advisers；　Xu　Si　and　Wang　Kai；　went　in　and　proposed；　〃Yuan　Shu　in　the　South　of　River　Huai　is　very　powerful。　Why　not　write　to　him　to　renew　the　marriage　alliance？　Yuan　Shu　can　hardly　refuse　to　rescue　the　affianced　bride　of　his　son。〃
So　Lu　Bu　wrote　and　bade　these　two　take　the　letter。
Xu　Si　said；　〃You　ought　to　send　a　strong　escort　with　us　to　force　a　way　through。〃
So　Lu　Bu　told　off　one　thousand　troops　and　two　of　his　generals；　Zhang　Liao　and　He　Meng；　to　conduct　his　messenger　beyond　the　pass。　They　started　that　same　night　at　the　second　watch；　Zhang　Liao　leading　and　He　Meng　bringing　up　the　rear。　They　got　out　of　the　city；　crept　past　Liu　Bei's　camp；　and　got　beyond　the　danger　zone。　Then　half　the　escort　went　on；　and　Zhang　Liao　led　the　remainder　back　toward　the　city。　At　the　pass　he　found　Guan　Yu　waiting。　However；　at　that　moment　Gao　Shun　came　to　his　help；　and　they　all　returned　and　reentered　the　gates。
The　two　messengers　presently　reached　Shouchun；　saw　Yuan　Shu；　and　presented　the　letter。
〃How　is　this？〃　said　Yuan　Shu。　〃Formerly　he　slew　my　messenger　and　repudiated　the　marriage。　Now　he　sends　to　ask　for　it。〃
〃It　is　all　due　to　the　vile　plans　of　that　monster　Cao　Cao。　If　pray　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　consider　it　carefully；〃　replied　Xu　Si。
〃But　if　your　master　was　not　hemmed　in　by　his　enemy　and　in　imminent　danger；　he　would　never　have　thought　of　renewing　this　proposal　of　marriage。〃
The　messengers　said；　〃You　may　decide　not　to　help　him；　but　the　teeth　are　cold　when　the　lips　are　gone。　It　will　not　make　for　your　happiness　and　fort。〃
Said　Yuan　Shu；　〃Lu　Bu　is　unreliable。　Tell　him　that　I　will　send　soldiers　after　the　girl　has　arrived　here。〃
This　was　final；　and　the　two　messengers　took　leave　and　headed　back　to　Xiapi。
When　the　party　reached　Liu　Bei's　camp；　Xu　Si　decided；　〃We　must　wait　the　night　falls；　and　Wang　Kai　and　I　will　try　to　get　through　in　the　darkness。　The　escort　of　He　Meng　remaining　behind　to　protect　our　rear。〃
They　tried　that　very　night；　and　the　two　messengers　crept　across　without　discovery。　But　the　escort　found　themselves　faced　by　Zhang　Fei。　He　Meng　tried　to　fight　but　was　captured　in　the　very　first　bout；　and　the　five　hundred　troops　of　his　half　pany　were　either　killed　or　they　fled。
The　prisoner　was　taken　to　Liu　Bei；　who　forwarded　him　to　the　main　camp。　There　he　told　the　story　of　the　marriage　and　the　scheme　to　save　the　city。　Cao　Cao　was　angry　and　ordered　the　execution　of　He　Meng　at　the　main　gate。
Then　Cao　Cao　sent　orders　to　each　camp　to　exercise　the　greatest　diligence　with　threats　of　rigorous　punishment　of　the　officers　of　any　corps　that　permitted　any　munication　between　the　besieged　and　the　outer　world。
Every　soldier　felt　mightily　afraid。
Liu　Bei　returned　to　camp　and　cautioned　his　brothers；　saying；　〃We　are　in　the　most　important　place　with　regard　to　the　South　of　River　Huai；　and　you　must　be　very　careful　not　to　allow　any　breach　of　this　mand。〃
Zhang　Fei　was　inclined　to　grumble；　saying；　〃We　have　just　captured　one　of　the　enemy's　leaders；　and　there　is　no　word　of　praise　or　reward　for　us：　Nothing　but　new　orders　and　threats。　What　do　you　make　of　that？〃
〃You　are　wrong　to　plain；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃These　are　orders　of　the　mander…in…Chief；　and　what　would　happen　were　there　no　orders？　Do　not　disobey　them；　brother。〃
They　promised　obedience　and　withdrew。　In　the　meantime　Xu　Si　and　Wang　Kai　had　got　back　to　Lu　Bu　and　told　him　what　Yuan　Shu　had　said；　that　if　the　girl　came　the　soldiers　should　go。
〃But　how　can　she　be　sent？〃　said　Lu　Bu。
Xu　Si　said；　〃That　is　the　difficulty。　He　Meng's　capture　means　that　Cao　Cao　knows　the　whole　plan　of　getting　help　from　the　South　of　River　Huai。　I　do　not　see　how　anyone　but　you　yourself　could　hope　to　get　through　the　close　siege。〃
〃Suppose　we　tried；　today？〃　said　Lu　Bu。
〃This　is　an　ill…omened　day。　You　must　not　try　today。　Tomorrow　is　a　very　lucky　day；　especially　in　the　evening；　for　any　military　action。〃
Then　Lu　Bu　ordered　Zhang　Liao　and　Gao　Shun；　〃Get　ready　three　thousand　troops　for　the　venture；　and　prepare　a　light　carriage。　I　will　lead　the　first　seventy　miles；　thence　you　can　escort　the　bride…elect　the　remainder　of　the　way　to　her　new　home。〃
Next　evening　toward　the　second　watch；　Lu　Bu　wrapped　up　his　daughter　in　soft　wadded　garments；　bound　her　about　with　a　mailed　coat；　and　took　her　on　his　back。　Then　with　his　mighty　trident　halberd　in　hand；　he　mounted　Red　Hare　and　rode　at　the　head　of　the　cavalcade　out　of　the　city　gate。　Zhang　Liao　and　Gao　Shun　followed。
In　this　order　they　approached　Liu　Bei's　camp。　The　drums　at　once　beat　the　alarm；　and　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　barred　the　way。
〃Stop！〃　they　shouted。
Lu　Bu　had　no　desire　to　fight；　all　he　wished　was　to　get　through；　so　he　made　for　a　side　road。　Liu　Bei　came　in　pursuit　and　the　two　parties　engaged。　Brave　as　he　might　be；　Lu　Bu　was　almost　helpless　now　that　he　was　hampered　by　a　girl　on　his　shoulders；　whom　he　was　desperately　anxious　to　preserve　from　hurt。　Beside　other　parties　came　up　all　shouting　and　attacking；　and　he　had　no　alternative　but　to　give　up　his　project　and　return　into　the　city　of　Xiapi。　He　reached　his　palace　very　sad　at　heart。　The　besiegers　returned　to　camp　well　pleased　that　no　one　had　got　beyond　their　lines。
Lu　Bu　found　consolation　in　the　wine　cup。　The　siege　had　gone　on　for　two　months；　and　still　the　city　stood。　Then　they　heard　that　Zhang　Yang；　Governor　of　Henei；　had　been　inclined　to　e　to　the　help　of　Lu　Bu。　But　one　of　his　subordinates；　Yang　Chou；　had　assassinated　him　and　was　bringing　his　head　as　an　offering　to　Cao　Cao；　when　Yang　Chou　had　also　been　slain　by　Kui　Gu；　one　of　the　Governor's　adherents。　Kui　Gu　had　then　led　the　force　to　Daicheng。
In　the　camp　of　the　besiegers；　there　now　arose　much　murmuring。　Cao　Cao　sent　Shi　Huan　to　intercept　and　kill　Kui　Gu。
Then　he　called　a　counsel；　saying；　〃Though　Zhang　Yang；　who　meant　to　hurt　us；　is　happily　no　more；　yet　we　are　threatened　on　the　north　by　Yuan　Shao；　and　on　the　west　Liu　Biao　and　Zhang　Xiu　are　a　menace。　Here　we　meet　with　no　success　against　the　city　of　Xiapi。　We　are　for　leaving　Lu　Bu　to　his　fate　and　returning　home。　What　do　you　think？〃
Among　them　Xun　You　fought　against　the　idea；　saying；　〃Y