三国演义英文版-第60部分

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or　of　Gaoling。　Since　then　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal　belonged　to　Cao　Cao。
When　Liu　Bei　heard　that　Yuan　Shu　was　dead；　he　prepared　a　report　to　the　Throne；　and　sent　it　to　Cao　Cao。　He　sent　the　two　generals　deputed　by　Cao　Cao；　Zhu　Ling　and　Lu　Zhao；　back　to　the　capital；　keeping　the　army　to　defend　Xuzhou。　He　also　personally　went　through　the　countryside　manding　the　people　to　resume　their　ordinary　avocations。
Cao　Cao　was　angry　when　his　two　officers　returned　without　their　man　and　was　going　to　put　them　to　death。　Xun　Yu　reasoned　with　him。
〃The　power　was　in　Liu　Bei's　hands；　and　so　these　two　had　no　alternative；〃　said　Xun　Yu。
So　they　were　pardoned。
〃You　should　instruct　Che　Zhou；　the　Deputy　Imperial　Protector；　to　try　to　destroy　him；〃　said　Xun　Yu。
Accordingly　he　sent　secret　orders　to　Che　Zhou；　who　took　Chen　Deng　into　his　confidence　and　asked　his　advice。
Chen　Deng　said；　〃That　is　easy。　Liu　Bei　is　outside　the　city；　and　an　ambush　in　the　city　gate　to　attack　him　on　his　return　from　the　country　will　be　final。　I　will　attack　the　escort　with　arrows　from　the　city　walls。〃
Che　Zhou　agreed　to　try　this。
Then　Chen　Deng　went　to　his　father　to　tell　him。　Chen　Gui　bade　him　go　and　warn　the　intended　victim。　Chen　Deng　at　once　rode　away　to　do　so。　Before　long　he　met　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei；　to　whom　he　told　his　story。
Now　Liu　Bei　was　following　some　distance　behind。　As　soon　as　Zhang　Fei　heard　of　the　plot；　he　wanted　to　attack　the　ambush；　but　Guan　Yu　proposed　another　plan。
Said　he；　〃Attacking　the　ambush　will　be　a　failure；　since　we　are　without　the　walls。　And　I　think　we　can　pass　the　death　of　Che　Zhou。　In　the　night　we　will　pretend　to　be　some　of　Cao　Cao's　soldiers　and　entice　him　out　to　meet　us。　We　will　slay　him。〃
Zhang　Fei　approved　of　the　plan。　Now　the　soldiers　still　had　some　of　Cao　Cao's　army　banners　and　wore　similar　armor。　About　the　third　watch　they　came　to　the　city　wall　and　hailed　the　gate。　Those　on　guard　asked　who　they　were。　The　men　replied　that　they　were　Zhang　Liao's　troops　sent　from　the　capital。　This　was　told　Che　Zhou　who　sent　hastily　for　Chen　Deng　to　ask　his　advice。
〃If　I　do　not　receive　them；　they　will　suspect　my　loyalty；〃　said　Che　Zhou。　〃Yet　if　I　go　out；　I　may　be　victim　of　a　ruse。〃
So　he　went　up　on　the　wall　and　said；　〃It　is　too　dark　to　distinguish　friends　from　foes。　You　must　wait　till　daylight。〃
〃If　Liu　Bei　know　our　presence；　he　will　attack；〃　shouted　back　the　soldiers。
And　they　begged　him　to　let　them　in。　Still　Che　Zhou　hesitated。　They　shouted　louder　than　ever　to　open　the　gate。
Presently　Che　Zhou　girded　on　his　armor；　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　one　thousand　cavalry　and　went　out。　He　galloped　over　the　bridge；　shouting；　〃Where　is　Zhang　Liao？〃
Then　lights　blazed　around；　and　he　recognized　Guan　Yu　with　his　sword　drawn。
〃Wretch！〃　cried　Guan　Yu。　〃You　would　plot　to　slay　my　brother；　would　you？〃
Che　Zhou　was　too　frightened　to　make　good　defense；　and　he　turned　to　reenter　the　gate。　But　as　he　reached　the　drawbridge；　Chen　Deng　shot　out　flights　of　arrows；　wherefore　Che　Zhou　turned　aside　and　galloped　along　under　the　wall。　But　Guan　Yu　came　quickly　in　pursuit。　His　sword　was　raised　aloft；　and　as　it　came　down；　Che　Zhou　fell　to　the　earth。
Guan　Yu　cut　off　his　head　and　returned；　shouting；　〃I　have　slain　the　traitor。　You　others　need　not　fear　if　you　only　surrender！〃
They　threw　aside　their　spears　and　gave　in。　As　soon　as　the　excitement　had　calmed；　Guan　Yu　took　the　head　to　show　Liu　Bei　and　told　him　the　story　of　the　plot。
〃But　what　will　Cao　Cao　think　of　this？〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃And　he　may　e。〃
〃If　he　does；　we　can　meet　him；〃　said　Guan　Yu。
But　Liu　Bei　was　grieved　beyond　measure。　When　he　entered　the　city；　the　elders　of　the　people　knelt　in　the　road　to　wele　him。　When　he　reached　his　residence；　he　found　that　Zhang　Fei　had　already　exterminated　the　family　of　Che　Zhou。
Liu　Bei　said；　〃We　have　slain　one　of　Cao　Cao's　best　officers；　and　how　will　he　stand　that？〃
〃Never　mind！〃　cried　Chen　Deng。　〃I　have　a　plan。〃

Just　from　grave　danger　extricated；
A　looming　war　must　be　placated。

The　plan　proposed　by　Chen　Deng　will　be　disclosed　next。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　22　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　22
　Chapter　22
Yuan　Shao　And　Cao　Cao　Both　Take　The　Field；
Guan　Yu　And　Zhang　Fei　Captures　Two　Generals。
This　was　the　plan　Chen　Deng　proposed　to　Liu　Bei；　〃Yuan　Shao　is　Cao　Cao's　terror。　He　is　strongly　posted　in　an　extensive　territory　of　four　regions………Jizhou；　Qingzhou；　Youzhou；　and　Bingzhou………with　one　million　fighting　soldiers　and　numerous　able　officers。　Write　letters　and　pray　him　rescue　you。〃
Liu　Bei　replied；　〃But　we　have　never　had　any　dealings　with　each　other；　and　he　is　unlikely　to　do　such　a　thing　for　a　person　who　has　just　destroyed　his　brother。〃
〃There　is　someone　here　whose　family　have　been　on　intimate　terms　with　the　Yuans　for　a　hundred　years。　Yuan　Shao　would　surely　e；　if　he　wrote。〃
〃And　who　is　this？〃
〃A　man　you　know　well　and　respect　greatly。　Can　you　not　guess？〃
〃You　surely　mean　Zheng　Xuan；〃　said　Liu　Bei　suddenly。
〃That　is　he；〃　said　Chen　Deng　smiling。
Now　Zheng　Xuan　was　a　student　and　a　man　of　great　talent；　who　had　long　studied　under　the　famed　teacher　Ma　Rong；　whose　knowledge　of　the　Book　of　Odes　was　universally　recognized。　Whenever　Ma　Rong　lectured；　he　let　fall　a　curtain　behind　which　were　a　circle　of　singing　girls。　The　students　were　assembled　in　front　of　this　curtain。　Zheng　Xuan　attended　these　lectures　for　three　years　and　never　once　let　his　eyes　wander　to　the　curtain。
Naturally　the　master　admired　his　pupil。　After　Zheng　Xuan　had　finished　his　studies　and　gone　home；　Ma　Rong　praised　him　to　the　others；　saying；　〃Only　one　man　has　penetrated　the　inner　meaning　of　my　instructions；　and　that　one　is　Zheng　Xuan。〃
In　Zheng　Xuan's　household；　the　waiting　maids　were　familiar　with　the　Book　of　Odes。　Once　one　of　the　maids　opposed　Zheng　Xuan's　wishes；　so　as　punishment　she　was　made　to　kneel　in　front　of　the　steps。　Another　girl　made　fun　of　her；　quoting　from　an　ode：

〃What　are　you　doing　there　in　the　mire？〃

The　kneeling　girl　capped　the　verse　from　another　ode；　quoted　she：

〃That　was　but　a　simple　word　I　said；
Yet　brought　it　wrath　upon　my　head。〃

Such　was　the　family　in　which　Zheng　Xuan　had　been　born。　In　the　reign　of　the　Emperor　Huan；　he　rose　to　the　rank　of　Chair　of　the　Secretariat。　But　when　the　Ten　Eunuchs　began　to　control　the　government；　he　gave　up　office　and　retired　into　the　country　to　Xuzhou。　Liu　Bei　had　known　him　before；　had　consulted　him　on　many　occasions；　and　greatly　respected　him。
Liu　Bei　was　glad　that　he　had　remembered　this　man；　and　without　loss　of　time；　in　pany　with　Chen　Deng；　he　went　to　Zheng　Xuan's　house　to　ask　him　to　draft　this　letter；　which　Zheng　Xuan　generously　consented　to　do。
Sun　Qian　was　entrusted　with　the　task　of　delivery　and　set　out　at　once。　Yuan　Shao　read　it　and　considered　the　matter　long　before　speaking。
〃Liu　Bei　destroyed　my　brother；　and　I　ought　not　to　help　him；　but　out　of　consideration　for　the　writer　of　this　letter　I　must。〃
Thereupon　Yuan　Shao　assembled　his　officers　to　consider　an　attack　upon　Cao　Cao。
Adviser　Tian　Feng　said；　〃Do　not　raise　an　army。　The　people　are　worn　out；　and　the　granaries　are　empty　with　these　constant　wars。　Let　us　rather　report　the　recent　victory　of　Gongsun　Zan　to　the　Throne。　If　that　does　not　reach　the　Emperor；　then　memorialize　that　Cao　Cao　is　hindering　the　government。　Then　raise　an　army；　occupy　Liyang；　assemble　a　Yellow　River　fleet　in　Henan；　prepare　weapons；　send　out　your　various　divisions；　and　within　three　years　you　will　win　all　round。〃
Adviser　Shen　Pei　replied；　〃I　do　not　agree。　The　military　genius　of　our　illustrious　lord　having　overe　the　hordes　of　the　north；　to　dispose　of　Cao　Cao　is　as　simple　as　turning　one's　hand。　It　is　not　a　matter　of　months。〃
Adviser　Ju　Shou　said；　〃Victory　is　not　always　to　the　many。　Cao　Cao's　discipline　is　excellent；　his　soldiers　are　brave　and　well　drilled。　He　will　not　sit　down　quietly　waiting　to　be　surrounded　as　Gongsun　Zan　did。　Now　you　abandon　the　intention　to　inform　the　Throne　of　our　success；　which　I　find　a　good　plan；　but　you　intend　to　send　out　an　army　without　any　valid　excuse。　Our　lord　should　not　do　that。〃
Then　followed　adviser　Guo　Tu；　saying；　〃You　are　wrong。　No　expedition　against　Cao　Cao　can　lack　excuse。　But　if　our　master　would　take　the　chance　now　offering　itself　of　ing　into　his　own；　he　will　accede　to　the　request　in　the　letter　of　Zheng　Xuan　and　ally　himself　with　Liu　Bei　for　the　destruction　of　Cao　Cao。　This　would　win　the　approval　of　Heaven　and　the　affections　of　the　people；　a　double　blessing。〃
Thus　the　four　advisers　differed　and　wrangled；　and　Yuan　Shao　could　not　decide　which　to　follow。
Then　there　came　two　others；　Xu　You　and　Xun　Shen；　and；　seeing　them；　Yuan　Shao　said；　〃You　two　have　wide　experience；　how　would　you　decide？〃
The　two　made　their　obeisance；　and　Yuan　Shao　said；　〃A　letter　from　Zheng　Xuan　the　Chair　has　arrived；　counseling　me　to　support　Liu　Bei　in　an　attack　on　Cao　Cao。　Now　am　I　to　send　an　army　or　not　send　an　army？〃
They　both　cried　with　one　voice；　〃Send！　Your　armies　are　numerous　enough　and　strong　enough。　You　will　destroy　a　traitor　and　help　the　dynasty。〃
〃Your　words　just　express　my　desire；〃　said　Yuan　Shao　and　thenceforward　the　discussion　turned　on　the　expedition。
First；　Liu　Bei's　legate；　Sun　Qian；　was　sent　back　with　Yuan　Shao's　consent　and　instructions　for　Liu　Bei　to　make　ready　to　cooperate。　Second；　Yuan　Shao　assigned　Shen　Pei　and　Peng　Ji　as　manding　Generals；　Tian　Feng；　Xun　Shen；　and　Xu　You　as　Military　Advisers；　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou　as　Generals。　The　army　was　to　be　posed　of　three　hundred　thousand；　horse　and　foot　in　equal　numbers。　They　were　to　march　on　Liyang。
When　the　arrangements　were　plete；　Guo　Tu　went　to　his　chief；　saying；　〃In　order　to　manifest　the　righteousness　of　your　attack　on　Cao　Cao；　it　would　be　well　to　issue　a　manifesto　with　a　summary　of　his　various　crimes。〃
Yuan　Shao　approved　of　this；　and　Chen　Lin；　well　known　as　a　scholar；　was　entrusted　to　pose　such　a　document。　Chen　Lin　had　been　the　Court　Secretary　in　the　reign　of　the　late　Emperor　Ling。　When　Dong　Zhuo　unseated　Regent　Marshal　He　Jin；　Chen　Lin　sought　safety　in　Jizhou。　This　is　the　manifesto：
〃A　perspicacious　ruler　wisely　provides　against　political　vicissitudes；　a　loyal　minister　carefully　foresees　the　difficulties　in　the　assertion　of　authority。　Wherefore　a　person　of　unusual　parts　precedes　an　extraordinary　situation；　and　of　such　a　person　the　achievements