三国演义英文版-第103章

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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　more。〃
Cao　Cao　greatly　approved。　He　treated　Xu　You　very　liberally　and　kept　him　in　his　camp。　Forthwith　he　chose　five　thousand　of　horse　and　foot　ready　for　the　expedition。
Zhang　Liao　protested；　saying；　〃The　enterprise　will　be　futile　as　the　grain　depot　will　certainly　be　well　guarded。　Without　caution；　we　may　be　victims　of　the　treachery　on　the　part　of　the　newly　arrived　Xu　You。〃
〃Xu　You　is　no　traitor；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃He　has　e　sent　by　Heaven　to　defeat　Yuan　Shao。　If　we　do　not　get　grain；　it　will　be　hard　to　hold　out。　I　have　to　either　follow　his　advice　or　sit　still　and　be　hemmed　in。　If　he　were　a　traitor；　he　would　hardly　remain　in　my　camp。　Moreover　this　raid　has　been　my　desire　for　a　long　time。　Have　no　doubts：　The　raid　will　certainly　succeed。〃
〃Well；　then；　you　must　look　out　for　an　attack　here　while　the　camp　is　undefended。〃
〃That　is　already　well　provided　for；〃　said　Cao　Cao　gleefully。
The　arrangements　for　the　raid　on　the　grain　depot　were　made　with　extreme　care　to　ensure　success。　Cao　Cao　assigned　Xun　You；　Jia　Xu；　and　Cao　Hong　to　guard　the　main　camp；　together　with　Xu　You；　Xiahou　Dun　and　Xiahou　Yuan　to　guard　the　left　camp；　Cao　Ren　and　Li　Dian　to　guard　the　right　camp。　When　all　was　ready　they　set　out；　Cao　Cao　himself　in　the　center；　with　Zhang　Liao　and　Xu　Chu　as　van　leaders　and　Xu　Huang　and　Yu　Jin　as　rear　guard。　The　army　showed　the　ensigns　of　their　opponents。　The　troops　carried　bundles　of　grass　and　faggots　to　make　a　blaze。　The　soldiers　were　gagged　and　the　horses　tied　round　the　muzzles　so　as　to　prevent　any　noise。　They　set　out　at　dusk。
The　night　was　fine　and　the　stars　shone　brightly。
Ju　Shou；　still　a　prisoner　in　Yuan　Shao's　camp；　saw　the　stars　were　very　brilliant　and　told　his　gaolers　to　conduct　him　out　to　the　central　pavilion　whence　he　could　study　them。　While　watching　he　saw　the　planet　Venus　invade　the　quarter　of　the　Bear　and　Lyra；　which　startled　him　very　greatly。
〃Some　misfortune　is　near！〃　said　Ju　Shou。
So　although　it　was　still　night；　he　went　to　see　his　master。　But　Yuan　Shao　was　sleeping　after　indulgence　in　too　much　wine　and　was　in　bad　humor。　However；　when　they　had　roused　him　saying　that　the　prisoner　had　a　secret　message　to　deliver；　he　got　up。
〃While　I　happened　to　be　studying　the　aspect　of　the　heavens；〃　said　the　night　visitor；　〃I　saw　Venus；　then　between　Hydra　and　Cancer；　suddenly　shoot　into　the　neighborhood　of　the　Bear　and　Lyra。　There　is　danger　of　a　robber　raid；　and　special　precautions　must　be　taken　at　the　grain　depot。　Lose　no　time　in　sending　good　soldiers　and　vigorous　leaders　thither；　and　keep　a　lookout　on　the　byways　among　the　hills　that　you　may　escape　the　wiles　of　Cao　Cao。〃
〃You　are　a　criminal！〃　said　Yuan　Shao。　〃How　dare　you　e　with　such　wild　nonsense　to　upset　my　armies。〃
And　turning　to　the　gaolers　Yuan　Shao　continued；　〃I　bade　you　confine　him。　Why　did　you　let　him　e？〃
Then　he　issued　orders　to　put　the　gaolers　to　death　and　appointed　others　to　keep　the　prisoner　in　close　custody。
Ju　Shou　went　away；　wiping　his　falling　tears　and　sighing　deeply；　〃Our　soldiers'　destruction　is　at　hand；　and　I　know　not　where　our　poor　corpses　may　find　a　resting　place。〃

Blunt　truth　offended　Yuan　Shao；
Too　stupid　any　plan　to　make；
His　stores　destroyed　this　is　evident
That　Jizhou　also　is　at　stake。

Cao　Cao's　raiding　party　went　along　through　the　night。　Passing　one　of　Yuan　Shao's　outpost　camps；　they　were　challenged。
Cao　Cao　sent　forward　a　man　to　say；　〃Jiang　Qi　has　orders　to　go　to　Wuchao　to　guard　the　grain　stores。〃
Seeing　that　the　raiders　marched　under　the　ensigns　of　Yuan　Shao；　the　guard　had　no　suspicions　and　let　them　pass。　At　every　post　this　ruse　was　effective；　and　they　got　safely　through。　They　reached　their　objective　at　the　end　of　the　fourth　watch；　the　straw　and　wood　were　placed　in　position　without　loss　of　time；　and　the　blaze　started。　Then　Cao　Cao's　manders　beat　to　attack。
At　this　time　Chunyu　Qiong　and　his　panions　were　all　asleep　after　a　heavy　drinking　bout。　However；　when　the　alarm　was　given；　they　sprang　up　and　asked　what　was　the　matter。　The　hubbub　was　indescribable。　Very　soon　the　fuddled　officers　were　caught　with　hooks　and　hauled　out　of　their　camp。
Yuan　Shao's　general