三国演义英文版-第92部分

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rning　and　spoke　thereof　to　Guo　Jia；　who　had　advised　the　journey。
Guo　Jia　had　speedily　fallen　victim　to　the　effects　of　the　climate；　and　at　this　time　he　lay　in　his　cart　very　ill。
Cao　Cao's　tears　fell　as　he　said；　〃My　friend；　you　are　suffering　for　my　ambition　to　subdue　the　Gobi　Desert。　I　cannot　bear　to　think　you　should　be　ill。〃
〃You　have　always　been　very　good　to　me；〃　said　the　sick　man；　〃and　I　can　never　repay　what　I　owe　you。〃
〃The　country　is　exceedingly　precipitous；　and　I　am　thinking　of　going　back。　What　think　you？〃
Guo　Jia　replied；　〃The　success　of　an　expedition　of　this　kind　depends　upon　celerity。　To　strike　a　sudden　blow　on　a　distant　spot　with　a　heavy　baggage　train　is　difficult。　To　ensure　success　the　need　is　light　troops　and　a　good　road　to　strike　quickly　before　an　enemy　has　time　to　prepare。　Now　you　must　find　guides　who　know　the　road　well。〃
Then　the　sick　adviser　was　left　at　Yezhou　for　treatment；　and　they　sought　among　the　natives　for　some　persons　to　serve　as　guides。　Tian　Chou；　one　of　Yuan　Shao's　old　generals；　knew　those　parts　well；　and　Cao　Cao　called　him　and　questioned　him。
Tian　Chou　said；　〃Between　autumn　and　summer　this　route　is　under　water；　the　shallow　places　too　heavy　for　wheeled　traffic；　the　deep　parts　insufficient　for　boats。　It　is　always　difficult。　Therefore　you　would　do　better　to　return　and　at　Lulong　cross　the　Baitan　Pass　into　the　desert。　Then　advance　to　Liucheng　and　smite　before　there　is　time　to　prepare。　One　sudden　rush　will　settle　King　Mao　Dun。〃
For　this　valuable　information　and　plan；　Tian　Chou　was　made　General　Who　Calms　the　North；　and　went　in　advance　as　leader　and　guide。　Next　after　him　came　Zhang　Liao；　and　Cao　Cao　brought　up　the　rear。　They　advanced　by　double　marches。
Tian　Chou　led　Zhang　Liao　to　White　Wolf　Hills；　where　they　came　upon　Yuan　Xi；　Yuan　Shang；　and　King　Mao　Dun　and　a　force　of　ten　thousand　cavalry。　Zhang　Liao　galloped　to　inform　his　chief；　and　Cao　Cao　rode　up　to　the　top　of　an　eminence　to　survey　the　foe。　He　saw　a　large　mass　of　cavalry　without　any　military　formation　advancing　in　a　disorderly　crowd。
Said　he；　〃They　have　no　formation。　We　can　easily　rout　them。〃
Then　he　handed　over　his　ensign　of　mand　to　Zhang　Liao　who；　with　Xu　Chu；　Yu　Jin；　and　Xu　Huang；　made　a　vigorous　attack　from　four　different　points；　with　the　result　that　the　enemy　was　thrown　into　confusion。　Zhang　Liao　rode　forward　and　slew　King　Mao　Dun；　and　the　other　generals　gave　in。　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　with　a　few　thousand　of　horse　got　away　east　into　Liaodong。
Cao　Cao　then　led　his　army　into　Liucheng。　For　his　services；　Tian　Chou　was　conferred　the　rank　of　Lord　of　Liucheng　and　mander　of　that　county。
But　Tian　Chou　declined　the　rank；　saying　with　tears；　〃I　am　a　renegade　and　a　fugitive。　It　is　my　good　fortune　that　you　spared　my　life；　and　how　can　I　accept　a　rank　for　betraying　Lulong？　I　would　rather　die　than　accept　the　lordship。〃
Cao　Cao　recognized　that　reason　was　on　Tian　Chou's　side　and　conferred　upon　him　the　office　of　Court　Counselor。　Cao　Cao　then　pacified　the　Xiongnu　Chieftains；　collected　a　large　number　of　horses；　and　at　once　set　out　on　the　homeward　march。
The　season　was　winter；　cold　and　dry。　For　seventy　miles　there　was　no　water；　and　grain　also　was　scanty。　The　troops　fed　on　horse　flesh。　They　had　to　dig　very　deep；　three　or　four　hundred　spans　to　find　water。
When　Cao　Cao　reached　Yezhou；　he　rewarded　those　who　had　remonstrated　with　him　against　the　expedition。
He　said；　〃I　took　some　risk　in　going　so　far；　but　by　good　fortune　I　have　succeeded。　With　the　aid　of　Heaven　I　have　secured　victory。　I　could　not　be　guided　by　your　advice；　but　still　they　were　counsels　of　safety；　and　therefore　I　reward　you　to　prove　my　appreciation　of　advice　and　that　hereafter　you　may　not　fear　to　speak　your　minds。〃
Adviser　Guo　Jia　did　not　live　to　see　the　return　of　his　lord。　His　coffin　was　placed　on　the　bier　in　a　hall　of　the　government　offices；　and　Cao　Cao　went　thither　to　sacrifice　to　his　manes。
Cao　Cao　mourned　for　him；　crying；　〃Alas！　Heaven　has　smitten　me：　Guo　Jia　is　dead！〃
Then　turning　to　his　officers　he　said；　〃You；　gentlemen；　are　of　the　same　age　as　myself；　but　he　was　very　young　to　die。　I　needed　him　for　the　future　generation；　and　unhappily　he　has　been　torn　from　me　in　the　flower　of　his　age。　My　heart　and　my　bowels　are　torn　with　grief。〃
The　servants　of　the　late　adviser　presented　his　last　testament；　which　they　said　his　dying　hand　had　written；　and　he　had　told　them　to　say；　〃If　the　Prime　Minister　shall　follow　the　advice　given　herein；　then　Liaodong　will　be　secure。〃
Cao　Cao　opened　the　cover　and　read；　nodding　his　head　in　agreement　and　uttering　deep　sighs。　But　no　other　person　knew　what　was　written　therein。
Shortly　after；　Xiahou　Dun　at　the　head　of　a　delegation　presented　a　petition；　saying；　〃For　a　long　time　the　Governor　of　Liaodong；　Gongsun　Kang；　has　been　contumacious；　and　it　bodes　ill　for　peace　that　the　Yuan　brothers　have　fled　to　him。　Would　it　not　be　well　to　attack　before　they　move　against　you？〃
〃I　need　not　trouble　your　tiger　courage；　Sirs；〃　said　Cao　Cao　smiling。　〃Wait　a　few　days　and　you　will　see　the　heads　of　our　two　enemies　sent　to　me。〃
They　could　not　believe　it。
As　has　been　related　the　two　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　escaped　to　the　east　with　a　few　hundreds　of　horse。　The　Governor　of　Liaodong　was　a　son　of　Gongsun　Du　the　Warlike；　the　General　of　Han。　Gongsun　Kang　was　a　native　of　Xiangping。　When　he　heard　that　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　were　on　their　way　to　his　territory；　he　called　a　council　to　decide　upon　his　plan。
At　the　council　Gongsun　Gong　rose；　saying；　〃When　Yuan　Shao　was　alive；　he　nourished　the　plan　of　adding　this　territory　to　his　own。　Now　his　sons；　homeless；　with　a　broken　army　and　no　officers；　are　ing　here。　It　seems　to　me　like　the　dove　stealing　the　magpie's　nest。　If　we　offer　them　shelter；　they　will　assuredly　intrigue　against　us。　I　advise　that　they　be　inveigled　into　the　city；　put　to　death；　and　their　heads　sent　to　Cao　Cao；　who　will　be　most　grateful　to　us。〃
Said　the　Governor　Gongsun　Kang；　〃I　have　one　fear：　Cao　Cao　will　e　against　us。　If　so；　it　would　be　better　to　have　the　help　of　the　Yuans　against　him。〃
〃Then　you　can　send　spies　to　ascertain　whether　Cao　Cao's　army　is　preparing　to　attack　us。　If　it　is；　then　save　the　Yuans　alive；　if　not；　then　follow　my　advice。〃
It　was　decided　to　wait　till　the　spies　came　back。
In　the　meantime；　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　had　taken　counsel　together　as　they　approached　Liaodong；　saying；　〃Liaodong　has　a　large　army；　strong　enough　to　oppose　Cao　Cao。　We　will　go　thither　and　submit　till　we　can　slay　the　Governor　and　take　possession。　Then　when　we　are　strong　enough；　we　will　attack　and　recover　our　own　land。〃
With　these　intentions　they　went　into　the　city。　They　were　received　and　lodged　in　the　guests'　quarters。　But　when　they　wished　to　see　Gongsun　Kang；　he　put　them　off　with　the　excuse　of　indisposition。
However；　before　many　days　the　spies　returned　with　the　news　that　Cao　Cao's　army　was　quiescent　and　there　was　no　hint　of　any　attack。
Then　Gongsun　Kang　called　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　into　his　presence。　But　before　they　came　he　hid　swordsmen　and　ax…men　behind　the　arras　in　the　hall。　When　the　visitors　came　and　had　made　their　salutations；　Gongsun　Kang　bade　them　be　seated。
Now　it　was　bitterly　cold　and　on　the　couches　where　they　were　sitting　were　no　coverings。　So　Yuan　Shang　said；　〃May　we　have　cushions？〃
The　host　said；　〃When　your　heads　take　that　long；　long　journey；　will　there　be　any　cushions？〃
Before　Yuan　Shang　could　recover　from　his　fright；　Gongsun　Kang　shouted；　〃Why　do　you　not　begin？〃
At　this　out　rushed　the　assassins　and　the　heads　of　the　two　brothers　were　cut　off　as　they　sat。　Packed　in　a　small　wooden　box　they　were　sent　to　Cao　Cao　at　Yezhou。
All　this　time　Cao　Cao　had　been　calmly　waiting。　His　impatient　officers　had　petitioned　in　a　body；　saying；　〃Let's　march　to　the　capital　to　ward　off　Liu　Biao's　threat　if　we　are　not　going　to　attack　the　east。〃
Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　am　waiting　for　the　heads　of　the　enemy。　We　will　go　as　soon　as　the　heads　arrive。〃
In　their　secret　hearts　they　laughed。　But　then；　surely　enough；　messenger　soon　came　from　Liaodong　bringing　the　heads。　Then　they　were　greatly　surprised。
And　when　the　messenger　presented　Gongsun　Kang's　letters；　Cao　Cao　cried；　〃Just　as　Guo　Jia　said！〃
He　amply　rewarded　the　messenger；　and　the　Governor　of　Liaodong　was　made　Lord　of　Xiangping　and　General　of　the　Left　Army。　When　the　officers　asked　what　had　happened；　Cao　Cao　told　them　what　the　late　adviser　had　predicted。　He　read　to　them　the　dead　officer's　testament；　which　ran　something　like　this：
〃Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　are　going　to　Liaodong。　Illustrious　Sir；　you　are　on　no　account　to　attack；　for　Gongsun　Kang　has　long　lived　in　fear　lest　the　Yuans　should　absorb　his　country。　When　they　arrive；　Gongsun　Kang　will　hesitate。　If　you　attack；　he　will　save　the　Yuans　to　help　him；　if　you　wait；　they　will　work　against　each　other。　This　is　evident。〃
The　officers　simply　jumped　with　surprise　to　see　how　perfectly　events　had　been　foreseen。　Then　Cao　Cao　at　the　head　of　all　his　officers　performed　a　grand　sacrifice　before　the　coffin　of　the　wise　Guo　Jia。　He　had　died　at　the　age　of　thirty…eight；　after　eleven　years　of　meritorious　and　wonderful　service　in　wars。

When　Heaven　permitted　Guo　Jia's　birth；
It　made　him　ablest　man　on　earth。
He　knew　by　rote　all　histories；
From　him　war　kept　no　mysteries。
Like　Fan　Li's；　his　plans　were　quite　decisive；
As　Chen　Ping's；　his　strokes　were　most　incisive。
Too　soon　he　ran　his　earthly　race；
Too　soon　the　great　beam　fell　from　place。

When　Cao　Cao　returned　to　Jizhou；　he　sent　off　the　coffin　of　his　late　adviser　to　Capital　Xuchang　where　it　was　interred。
Then　Cheng　Yu　and　others　said；　〃As　the　north　has　been　overe；　it　is　time　to　settle　the　south。〃
Cao　Cao　was　pleased　and　said；　〃That　has　long　occupied　my　thoughts。〃
The　last　night　he　spent　in　Jizhou；　Cao　Cao　went　to　the　eastern　corner　tower　and　stood　there　regarding　the　sky。　His　only　panion　was　Xun　You。
Presently　Cao　Cao　said；　〃That　is　a　very　brilliant　glow　there　in　the　south。　It　seems　too　strong　for　me　to　do　anything　there。〃
〃What　is　there　that　can　oppose　your　heaven…high　prestige？〃　said　Xun　You。
Suddenly　a　beam　of　golden　light　shot　up　out　of　the　earth。
〃Surely　a　treasure　is　buried　there；〃　remarked　Xun　You。
They　went　down　from　the　city　wall；　called　some　guards；　and　led　them　to　the　point　whence　the　light　proceeded。　There　the　men　were　ordered　to　dig。

The　southern　skies　with　portents　glow；