三国演义英文版-第82部分

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〃As　Yuan　Shao　can　no　longer　attack　openly；　he　is　attacking　secretly　and　is　tunneling　a　road　under　ground　into　the　midst　of　our　camp；〃　said　Liu　Ye。
〃But　how　to　meet　it？〃
〃We　can　surround　the　camp　with　a　deep　moat　which　renders　their　tunnel　useless。〃
So　a　deep　moat　was　dug　as　quickly　as　possible；　and　when　the　enemy　sappers　arrived　thereat；　lo！　their　labor　had　been　in　vain　and　the　sap　was　useless。
Cao　Cao　held　Guandu　throughout　the　eighth　and　ninth　months　when；　his　army　being　worn　out　and　provisions　failing；　he　began　to　think　of　giving　up　and　returning　to　the　capital。　As　he　could　not　make　up　his　mind；　he　referred　his　difficulties　by　letter　to　Xun　Yu；　whom　he　had　left　to　guard　Xuchang。　The　reply　he　got　was　to　this　effect：
〃I　have　received　your　mand　to　decide　whether　to　continue　the　campaign　or　retire。　It　appears　to　me　that　Yuan　Shao　assembled　such　large　forces　at　Guandu　with　the　expectation　of　winning　a　decision。　You；　Sir；　are　very　weak　while　he　is　very　strong。　If　you　cannot　get　the　better　of　him；　he　will　be　able　to　work　his　will　on　you；　and　this　will　be　a　crisis　of　the　empire。　Your　opponents　are　indeed　numerous；　but　their　leader　knows　not　how　to　use　them。　With　your　military　genius　and　discernment；　where　are　you　not　sure　to　succeed？　Now　though　your　numbers　are　small；　your　situation　is　still　brighter　than　Liu　Bang's　when　he　faced　against　Xiang　Yu　in　Jungyang　and　Chenggao。　You　are　securely　entrenched　with　your　hands　on　Yuan　Shao's　throat；　and　even　if　you　cannot　advance；　that　state　of　things　cannot　endure　forever　but　must　change。　This　is　the　time　to　play　some　unexpected　move；　and　you　must　not　miss　it。　The　device　I　leave　to　your　illustrious　ingenuity。〃
This　letter　greatly　pleased　Cao　Cao；　and　he　urged　upon　his　troops　to　use　every　effort　to　maintain　the　position。
Yuan　Shao　then　retired　some　ten　miles；　and　Cao　Cao　sent　out　scouts　to　ascertain　his　new　dispositions。　One　of　Xu　Huang's　officers；　Shi　Huan；　captured　an　enemy　spy　and　sent　him　to　his　chief。　Xu　Huang　interrogated　him　and　found　out　that　a　convoy　of　supplies　was　expected　and　that　this　spy　and　others　had　been　sent　to　find　out　what　the　risks　of　the　route　were。　Xu　Huang　went　at　once　to　tell　Cao　Cao。
When　Xun　You　heard　that　the　mander　of　the　convoy　was　Han　Meng；　he　said；　〃That　fellow　is　a　valiant　fool。　A　few　thousand　light　horse　sent　to　intercept　him　can　capture　the　whole　train　and　cause　much　trouble　in　the　enemy's　camp。〃
〃Whom　should　I　send？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。
〃You　might　send　Xu　Huang。　He　is　capable　of　such　a　task。〃
So　Xu　Huang　was　deputed；　and　he　took　with　him　Shi　Huan；　who　had　captured　the　spy；　and　his　pany。　And　this　party　was　supported　by　Zhang　Liao　and　Xu　Chu。
It　was　night　when　the　missariat　train　of　many　thousands　of　wagons　drew　near　Yuan　Shao's　camp。　As　they　passed　through　a　defile；　Xu　Huang　and　Shi　Huan　came　out　and　stopped　the　train。　Han　Meng　galloped　up　to　give　battle　but　was　soon　overe。　The　guard　was　scattered；　and　soon　the　whole　train　was　in　flames。　The　escort　and　their　leader　fled　away。
The　glow　of　the　flames　seen　from　Yuan　Shao's　camp　caused　great　consternation；　which　became　fear　when　the　escaped　soldiers　rode　in　and　told　their　tale。
Yuan　Shao　sent　out　Zhang　He　and　Gao　Lan　to　try　to　intercept　the　raiders；　and　they　came　upon　Xu　Huang　and　his　pany。　Just　as　Zhang　He　and　Gao　Lan　were　attacking；　reinforcements　from　Zhang　Liao　and　Xu　Chu　came　up；　and　the　Yuan　Shao's　troops　were　between　two　fires。　They　were　cut　to　pieces　and　the　successful　generals　of　Cao　Cao　rode　back　to　Guandu；　where　they　were　richly　rewarded。
As　an　additional　safeguard；　Cao　Cao　made　a　supporting　outpost　in　front　of　the　main　camp　to　be　the　apex　of　a　triangle　of　defense。
When　Han　Meng　returned　with　his　woeful　tidings；　Yuan　Shao　was　angry　and　threatened　to　put　him　to　death。　His　colleagues　begged　him　off。
Then　said　Shen　Pei；　〃Food　is　very　important　for　an　army　in　the　field　and　must　be　defended　with　the　greatest　diligence。　Wuchao　is　our　main　depot　and　must　be　carefully　guarded。〃
〃My　plans　being　plete；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。　〃You　may　as　well　return　to　Capital　Yejun　of　Jizhou　and　undertake　the　control　of　the　supplies。　Let　there　be　no　shortage。〃
So　Shen　Pei　left　the　army。　Then　a　force　of　twenty　thousand　troops　was　told　off　to　defend　the　depot　in　Wuchao。　The　leaders　of　this　body　were　Chunyu　Qiong；　Gui　Yuanjin；　Han　Juzi；　Lu　Weihuang；　and　Zhao　Rui。
Of　these　generals；　Chunyu　Qiong　was　a　hard　man　and　a　heavy　drinker；　who　in　his　cups　was　a　terror　to　the　soldiers。　Under　the　idle　life　of　guarding　the　supply　depot；　the　leaders　gave　themselves　up　to　indulgence　and　drank　heavily。
In　Cao　Cao's　army　food　was　also　getting　scarce；　and　a　message　was　sent　to　Capital　Xuchang　to　send　grain　quickly。　The　messenger　with　the　letter；　however；　had　not　gone　far　when　he　fell　into　the　hands　of　Yuan　Shao's　guards；　who　took　him　to　the　adviser　Xu　You。
Seeing　from　the　letter　that　Cao　Cao　was　short　of　supplies；　Xu　You　went　to　Yuan　Shao　and　told　him；　saying；　〃Cao　Cao　and　we　have　been　at　grips　here　for　a　long　time；　and　Capital　Xuchang　must　be　undefended。　A　small　army　sent　quickly　could　take　it；　and　at　the　same　moment　an　attack　here　would　deliver　Cao　Cao　into　our　hands。　Now　is　the　moment　to　strike；　for　his　supplies　are　short。〃
Yuan　Shao　replied；　〃Cao　Cao　is　full　of　ruses；　and　this　letter　is　artfully　designed　to　bring　about　a　battle　to　suit　himself。〃
〃If　you　do　not　take　this　chance；　he　will　do　you　some　injury　by　and　by。〃
Just　at　this　juncture　in　came　a　dispatch　from　Yejun　in　which；　after　some　details　regarding　the　forwarding　of　grain；　Shen　Pei　said　he　had　discovered　that　Xu　You　had　been　in　the　habit　of　receiving　bribes　while　in　Jizhou　and　had　winked　at　his　relatives　collecting　excess　taxes。　One　of　his　son　and　nephew　were　then　in　prison。
At　this　Yuan　Shao　turned　on　Xu　You　angrily　and　said；　〃How　can　you　have　the　face　to　stand　before　me　and　propose　plans；　you　extortionate　fellow？　You　and　Cao　Cao　have　old　liking　for　each　other；　and　he　has　bribed　you　to　do　his　dirty　work　for　him　and　help　his　base　schemes。　Now　you　want　to　betray　my　army。　I　ought　to　take　off　your　head；　but　temporarily　I　will　let　your　neck　carry　it　away。　Get　out　and　never　let　me　see　you　again。〃
The　discredited　adviser　sighed　and　went　out；　saying；　〃Faithful　words　offend　his　ear。　He　is　a　pest　and　unworthy　of　advice　from　me。　And　now　that　Shen　Pei　has　injured　my　son　and　nephew；　how　can　I　look　my　fellow　folks　in　the　face　again？〃
And　Xu　You　drew　his　sword　to　end　his　life。　But　his　people　prevented　that。
They　said；　〃If　Yuan　Shao　rejects　your　honest　words；　then　assuredly　he　will　be　taken　by　Cao　Cao。　You　are　an　old　friend　of　Cao　Cao's：　Why　not　abandon　the　shade　for　the　sunlight？〃
Just　these　few　words　awakened　Xu　You　to　consciousness　of　his　position；　and　he　decided　to　leave　Yuan　Shao　and　go　over　to　Cao　Cao　for　he　was　an　old　friend。

Vainly　now　for　chances　lost
Yuan　Shao　sighs；　once　he　was　great。
Had　he　taken　Xu　You's　advice；
Cao　Cao　had　not　set　up　a　state。

Xu　You　stealthily　left　the　camp　and　set　out　for　Cao　Cao's　lines。　He　was　captured　on　the　way。　He　told　his　captors：　〃I　am　an　old　friend　of　the　Prime　Minister。　Go　and　tell　the　Prime　Minister　that　Xu　You　of　Nanyang　wishes　to　see　him。〃
They　did　so。　Cao　Cao　was　resting　in　his　tent；　his　clothing　loose　and　fortable　after　the　toils　of　the　day。　When　he　heard　who　wished　to　see　him；　he　arose　quite　joyfully　and　hastily　ran　out；　on　bare　feet；　to　receive　Xu　You。　Cao　Cao　went　forth　to　greet　him。　They　saw　each　other　in　the　distance；　and　Cao　Cao　clapped　his　hands　with　gladness；　bowing　to　the　ground　when　near　enough　to　his　visitor。
Xu　You　hastened　to　help　him　rise；　saying；　〃Sir；　you；　a　great　minister；　should　not　thus　salute　a　simple　civilian　like　me。〃
〃But　you　are　my　old　friend；　and　no　name　or　office　makes　any　difference　to　us；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。
〃Having　been　unable　to　choose　the　lord　I　would　serve；　I　bowed　my　head　before　Yuan　Shao　wishing　to　support　him　sincerely。　But　he　was　deaf　to　my　words　and　disregarded　my　plans。　Wherefore　I　have　left　him　and　e　now　to　see　my　old　friend　from　whom　I　hope　employment。〃
〃If　you　are　willing　to　e；　then　have　I　indeed　a　helper；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃I　desire　you　to　give　me　a　scheme　for　the　destruction　of　Yuan　Shao。〃
〃I　counseled　him　to　send　a　light　force　to　take　Capital　Xuchang　and　at　the　same　time　attack　here　in　full　scale　so　that　head　and　tail　be　both　attacked。〃
Cao　Cao　was　alarmed；　saying；　〃If　he　does　so；　I　am　lost！〃
〃How　much　grain　have　you　in　store？〃　said　the　new　adviser。
〃Enough　for　a　year。〃
〃I　think　not　quite；〃　said　Xu　You；　smiling。
〃Well；　half　a　year。〃
The　visitor　shook　out　his　sleeves；　rose　and　hurried　toward　the　door　of　the　tent；　saying；　〃I　offer　him　good　counsel；　and　he　repays　me　with　deceit。　Could　I　have　expected　it？〃
Cao　Cao　held　him　back。
〃Do　not　be　angry；〃　said　he。　〃I　will　tell　you　the　truth。　Really　I　have　here　only　enough　for　three　months。〃
〃Everybody　says　you　are　a　marvel　of　wickedness；　and　indeed　it　is　true；〃　said　Xu　You。
〃But　who　does　not　know　that　in　war　there　is　no　objection　to　deceit？〃　replied　Cao　Cao。
Then　whispering　in　Xu　You's　ear；　he　said；　〃Actually　here　I　have　only　supplies　for　this　month's　use。〃
〃O　do　not　throw　dust　in　my　eyes　any　more。　Your　grain　is　exhausted　and　I　know　it。〃
Cao　Cao　was　startled；　for　he　thought　no　one　knew　of　the　straits　he　was　in。
〃How　did　you　find　that　out？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
Xu　You　produced　the　captured　letter；　saying；　〃Who　wrote　that？〃
〃Where　did　you　get　it？〃
Whereupon　Xu　You　told　Cao　Cao　the　story　of　the　captured　messenger。
Cao　Cao　seized　him　by　the　hand；　saying；　〃Since　our　old　friendship　has　brought　you　to　me；　I　hope　you　have　some　plan　to　suggest　to　me。〃
Xu　You　said；　〃To　oppose　a　great　army　with　a　small　one　is　to　walk　in　the　way　of　destruction；　unless　you　inflict　quick　defeat。　I　can　propose　a　plan　which　will　defeat　the　innumerable　hordes　of　Yuan　Shao　without　fighting　a　battle。　But　will　you　follow　my　advice？〃
〃I　very　much　desire　to　know　your　plan；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃Your　enemy's　stores　of　all　kinds　are　at　Wuchao；　where　the　mander　of　the　guard　is　that　drunkard　Chunyu　Qiong。　You　can　send　some　of　your　trusty　veterans　to　pretend　they　belong　to　one　of　Yuan　Shao's　generals；　Jiang　Qi；　sent　to　help　guard　the　depot。　These　soldiers　can　find　an　opportunity　to　fire　the　grain　and　stores　of　all　kinds；　which　will　upset　all　Yuan　Shao's　calculations。　In　three　days　Yuan　Shao　is　no　mo