三国演义英文版-第116章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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；
The　northern　lands　their　treasures　show。

What　the　diggers　found　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　34　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　34
　Chapter　34
Behind　The　Screen；　Lady　Cai　Overhears　A　Secret；
Across　The　Tan　Torrent；　The　Dilu　Horse　Carries　Its　Master。
The　diggers　at　the　spot　whence　the　golden　light　proceeded　presently　unearthed　a　bronze　bird。　Looking　at　it；　Cao　Cao　turned　to　his　panion；　saying；　〃What　is　the　portent？〃

＇e＇　King　Shun　was　an　ideal　king　in　ancient　China。　King　Yao　gave　him　the　throne　due　to　his　virtues　and　merits。　。。。。。
〃You　will　remember　that　the　mother　of　the　praiseworthy　King　Shun*　dreamed　of　a　jade　bird　before　his　birth；　so　certainly　it　is　a　felicitous　omen；〃　said　Xun　You。
Cao　Cao　was　very　pleased；　and　he　ordered　forthwith　the　building　of　a　lofty　tower　to　celebrate　the　find；　and　they　began　to　dig　foundations　and　cut　timber；　to　burn　tiles　and　to　smooth　bricks　for　the　Bronze　Bird　Tower　on　the　banks　of　the　River　Zhang。　Cao　Cao　set　a　year　for　the　building。
His　younger　son；　Cao　Zhi；　said；　〃If　you　build　a　terraced　tower；　you　should　add　two　others；　one　on　each　side。　The　center　tower　as　the　tallest　should　be　called　the　Bronze　Bird　Tower。　The　side　towers　named　Jade　Dragon　Tower　and　Golden　Phoenix　Tower。　Then　connect　these　by　flying　bridges　and　the　effect　will　be　noble。〃
〃My　son；　your　words　are　very　good；　and　by　and　bye　when　the　building　is　plete；　I　can　solace　my　old　age　therein。〃
Cao　Cao　had　five　sons；　but　this　one　Cao　Zhi　was　the　most　clever　and　his　essays　were　particularly　elegant。　His　father　was　very　fond　of　him　and；　seeing　that　the　young　man　took　an　interest　in　the　building；　Cao　Cao　left　him　with　his　elder　brother　Cao　Pi　at　Yejun　to　superintend　the　work；　while　he　led　a　half…a…million　army　that　had　recently　been　captured　from　the　Yuans　back　to　Capital　Xuchang。
When　he　arrived；　he　distributed　rewards　liberally　and　memorialized　the　Throne　obtaining　the　title　of　the　Pure　Lord　for　the　late　Guo　Jia。　And　he　took　Guo　Jia's　son；　Guo　Ye；　to　be　brought　up　in　his　own　family。
Next　Cao　Cao　began　to　consider　the　reduction　of　Liu　Biao's　power。
Xun　You　said；　〃The　Grand　Army　has　only　just　returned　from　the　north　and　needs　rest。　Wait　half　a　year　that　the　soldiers　may　recover　from　the　fatigue　of　the　campaign；　and　both　Liu　Biao　and　Sun　Quan　will　fall　at　the　first　roll　of　the　drums。〃
Presently　Cao　Cao　approved　of　this　plan。　To　enrich　his　troops；　he　assigned　certain　lands　to　them　to　till　while　they　rested。
In　Jingzhou；　Liu　Biao　had　been　very　generous　to　Liu　Bei　ever　since　he　had　e　as　a　fugitive　seeking　shelter。　One　day　at　a　banquet　there　came　news　that　two　generals；　Zhang　Wu　and　Chen　Sun；　who　had　tendered　their　submission；　had　suddenly　begun　plundering　the　people　in　Jiangxia。　They　evidently　meant　rebellion。
〃If　they　really　rebel；　it　will　cause　a　lot　of　trouble；〃　said　Liu　Biao；　rather　dismayed。
〃Do　not　let　that　trouble　you。　I　will　go　and　settle　it；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
Pleased　with　this　proposal；　Liu　Biao　told　off　thirty　thousand　troops　and　placed　them　under　his　friend；　and　the　army　marched　as　soon　as　the　orders　were　issued。　In　a　short　time　it　reached　the　scene；　and　the　two　malcontents　came　out　to　fight。　Liu　Bei；　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　Zhao　Yun　took　their　stand　beneath　the　great　banner　and　looked　over　at　the　enemy。
Zhang　Wu　was　riding　a　handsome　prancing　horse；　and　Liu　Bei　said；　〃He　certainly　has　a　fine　steed。〃
As　he　spoke；　Zhao　Yun　galloped　out　with　his　spear　set　and　dashed　toward　the　enemy。　Zhang　Wu　came　out　to　meet　him；　but　the　bat　was　very　brief　for　Zhang　Wu　was　soon　killed　by　a　spear　thrust。　Thereupon　Zhao　Yun　laid　a　hand　upon　the　bridle　of　the　fallen　man's　horse　to　lead　it　back　to　his　own　side。　The　slain　rebel's　panion　Chen　Sun　at　once　rode　after　Zhao　Yun；　whereupon　Zhang　Fei　uttered　a　loud　shout　and　rode　out　to　meet　him。　With　one　thrust　Zhang　Fei　slew　the　rebel。　Their　followers　now　scattered；　and　Liu　Bei　speedily　restored　order　in　Jiangxia　and　returned　to　Jingzhou　City。
Liu　Biao；　grateful　for　this　service；　rode　out　to　the　boundary　to　wele　the　victors。　They　reentered　the　city　and　grand　banquets　were　instituted；　at　which　they　emptied　great　goblets　in　congratulations　over　the　victory。

＇e＇　Yue；　Wu；　and　Shu　were　three　states　during　the　Spring　and　Autumn　and　the　Warring　States　periods。　Yue　and　Wu's　territory　was　approximately　that　of　the　South　Land。　Shu　was　in　the　mountainous　region　west　of　Jingzhou。　。。。。。
At　one　of　these　banquets　the　Imperial　Protector　said；　〃With　such　heroism　as　my　brother　has　shown；　Jingzhou　has　one　upon　whom　to　rely。　But　a　source　of　sorrow　is　the　borders　with　the　lands　of　Yue；　Wu；　and　Shu*；　from　which　a　raid　may　e　at　any　time。　Zhang　Lu　of　Shu　and　Sun　Quan　of　Yue　and　Wu　are　to　be　feared。〃
〃But　I　have　three　bold　generals；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃quite　equal　to　any　task　you　can　set　them。　Send　Zhang　Fei　to　keep　ward　on　the　southern　border　of　Yue；　Guan　Yu　to　guard　the　city　of　Guzi　against　Zhang　Lu　in　the　west；　and　Zhao　Yun　holding　the　Three　Gorges　will　protect　you　from　Sun　Quan。　Why　need　you　grieve？〃
The　scheme　appealed　strongly　to　the　Imperial　Protector；　but　Cai　Mao　did　not　approve。
So　he　spoke　to　his　sister；　Liu　Biao's　wife；　saying；　〃Liu　Bei　is　putting　his　troops　in　such　manding　positions　all　round　the　region。　That　is　the　danger。〃
Lady　Cai；　thus　influenced　by　her　brother；　undertook　to　remonstrate；　and　that　night　began　by　saying　to　Liu　Biao；　〃Some　in　the　Jingzhou　army　seem　to　have　a　great　liking　for　Liu　Bei。　They　are　always　ing　and　going。　You　ought　to　take　precautions。　I　do　not　think　you　should　let　Liu　Bei　stay　in　the　city。　Why　not　send　him　on　some　mission？〃
〃Liu　Bei　is　a　good　man；〃　replied　the　Imperial　Protector。
〃I　think　others　differ　from　you；〃　said　the　lady。
Liu　Biao　said　nothing　but　muttered　to　himself。　Soon　after　he　went　out　of　the　city　to　see　Liu　Bei　and　noticed　he　was　riding　a　very　handsome　horse。　They　told　him　it　was　a　prize　taken　from　the　recently　conquered　rebels；　and　as　he　praised　it　very　warmly；　Liu　Bei　presented　it　to　him。　Liu　Biao　was　delighted　and　rode　it　back　to　the　city。　Kuai　Yue　saw　it　and　asked　where　it　had　e　from。　The　Imperial　Protector　told　him　it　was　a　gift　from　Liu　Bei。
Kuai　Yue　said；　〃My　passed…away　brother；　Kuai　Liang；　knew　horses　very　well；　and　I　am　not　a　bad　judge。　This　horse　has　tear…tracks　running　down　from　its　eyes　and　a　white　blaze　on　its　forehead。　It　is　called　a　Dilu　horse；　and　it　is　a　danger　to　his　master。　That　is　why　Zhang　Wu　was　killed。　I　advise　you　not　to　ride　it。〃
Liu　Biao　began　to　think。
Soon　after　he　asked　Liu　Bei　to　a　banquet　and　in　the　course　of　it　said；　〃You　kindly　presented　me　with　a　horse　lately；　and　I　am　most　grateful。　But　you　may　need　it　on　some　of　your　expeditions　and；　if　you　do　not　mind；　I　would　like　to　return　it。〃
Liu　Bei　rose　and　thanked　him。
The　Imperial　Protector　continued；　〃You　have　been　here　a　long　time；　and　I　fear　I　am　spoiling　your　career　as　a　warrior。　Now　Xinye　in　Xiangyang　is　no　poverty…stricken　town。　How　would　you　like　to　garrison　it　with　your　own　troops？〃
Liu　Bei　naturally　took　the　offer　as　a　mand　and　set　out　as　soon　as　he　could；　taking　leave　of　the　Imperial　Protector　the　next　day。　And　so　he　took　up　his　quarters　in　Xinye。
When　he　left　Jingzhou　City；　he　noticed　in　the　gate　a　person　making　him　emphatic　salutations；　and　the　man　presently　said；　〃You　should　not　ride　that　horse。〃
Liu　Bei　looked　at　the　man　and　recognized　in　the　speaker　one　of　the　secretaries　of　Liu　Biao　named　Yi　Ji；　a　native　of　Shanyang。　So　Liu　Bei　hastily　dismounted　and　asked　why。
Yi　Ji　replied；　〃Yesterday　I　heard　that　Kuai　Yue　told　the　Imperial　Protector　that　that　horse　was　a　Dilu　horse　and　brought　disaster　to　its　owner。　That　is　why　it　was　returned　to　you。　How　can　you　mount　it　again？〃
〃I　am　deeply　touched　by　your　affection；〃　replied　Liu　Bei；　〃but　a　person's　life　is　governed　by　fate；　and　what　a　horse　can　interfere　with　that？〃
Yi　Ji　admitted　his　superior　view；　and　thereafter　he　kept　in　touch　with　Liu　Bei　wherever　he　went。
The　arrival　of　Liu　Bei　in　Xinye　was　a　matter　of　rejoicing　to　all　the　inhabitants；　and　the　whole　administration　was　r