三国演义英文版-第121章

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〃Since　Liu　Bei　came　here；　O　blessed　day！
We've　had　good　luck；　long　may　he　stay！

〃So　you　see；　the　effects　of　your　virtue　extend　to　the　ordinary　people。〃
Thereupon　San　Fu　was　made　manding　Adviser　of　the　army。
The　one　idea　that　held　Cao　Cao　after　his　return　from　Jizhou　was　the　capture　of　Jingzhou。　He　sent　Cao　Ren　and　Li　Dian；　with　the　two　brothers　Lu　Xiang　and　Lu　Kuang　who　had　surrendered；　to　camp　at　Fancheng　with　thirty　thousand　troops　and　so　threaten　Jingzhou　and　Xiangyang。　Thence　he　sent　spies　to　find　out　the　weak　points。
Then　the　two　Lu　Xiang　and　Lu　Kuang　petitioned　Cao　Ren；　saying；　〃Liu　Bei　is　strengthening　his　position　at　Xinye　and　laying　in　large　supplies。　Some　great　scheme　is　afoot；　and　he　should　be　checked。　Since　our　surrender　we　have　performed　no　noteworthy　service　and；　if　you　will　give　us　five　thousand　soldiers；　we　promise　to　bring　you　the　head　of　Liu　Bei。〃
Cao　Ren　was　only　too　glad；　and　the　expedition　set　out。　The　scouts　reported　this　to　Liu　Bei　who　turned　to　San　Fu　for　advice。
San　Fu　said；　〃They　must　not　be　permitted　to　cross　the　boundary。　Send　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　left　and　right；　each　with　one　thousand　troops；　one　to　attack　the　enemy　on　the　march；　the　other　to　cut　off　the　retreat。　You　and　Zhao　Yun　will　make　a　front　attack。〃
Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　started；　and　then　Liu　Bei　went　out　at　the　gate　with　two　thousand　troops　to　oppose　the　enemy。　Before　they　had　gone　far　they　saw　a　great　cloud　of　dust　behind　the　hills。　This　marked　the　approach　of　the　Lu　brothers。　Presently；　both　sides　being　arrayed；　Liu　Bei　rode　out　and　stood　by　his　standard。
He　called　out；　〃Who　are　you　who　thus　would　encroach　on　my　territory？〃
〃I　am　the　great　General　Lu　Kuang；　and　I　have　the　order　of　the　Prime　Minister　to　make　you　prisoner！〃　said　the　leader。
Liu　Bei　ordered　Zhao　Yun　to　go　out；　and　the　two　generals　engaged。　Very　soon　Zhao　Yun　with　a　spear　thrust　had　disposed　of　his　opponent；　and　Liu　Bei　gave　the　signal　to　attack。　Lu　Xiang　could　not　maintain　his　position　and　led　his　troops　off。　Soon　his　force　found　themselves　attacked　by　an　army　rushing　in　from　the　side　led　by　Guan　Yu。　The　loss　was　more　than　a　half；　and　the　remainder　fled　for　safety。
About　three　miles　farther　on　they　found　their　retreat　barred　by　an　army　under　Zhang　Fei；　who　stood　in　the　way　with　a　long　spear　ready　to　thrust；　crying　out；　〃Zhang　Fei　is　waiting！〃
Zhang　Fei　bore　down　upon　Lu　Xiang；　who　was　slain　without　a　chance　of　striking　a　blow。　The　troops　again　fled　in　disorder。　They　were　pursued　by　Liu　Bei；　and　the　greater　part　killed　or　captured。
Then　Liu　Bei　returned　into　Xinye　where　he　rewarded　San　Fu　and　feasted　his　victorious　soldiers。
Some　of　the　defeated　troops　took　the　news　of　the　deaths　of　the　leaders　and　the　capture　of　their　rades　to　Cao　Ren　at　Fancheng。
Cao　Ren；　much　distressed；　consulted　Li　Dian　who　advised；　saying；　〃The　loss　is　due　to　our　underestimation　of　our　enemy。　Now　we　should　stay　where　we　are；　hold　on；　and　request　reinforcements。〃
〃Not　so；〃　said　Cao　Ren。　〃We　cannot　support　calmly　the　death　of　two　leaders　and　the　loss　of　so　many　soldiers。　We　must　avenge　them　quickly。　Xinye　is　but　a　crossbow…slug　of　a　place　and　not　worth　disturbing　the　Prime　Minister　for。〃
〃Liu　Bei　is　a　man　of　metal；〃　said　Li　Dian。　〃Do　not　esteem　him　lightly。〃
〃What　are　you　afraid　of？〃　said　Cao　Ren。
〃The　Rule　of　War　says　'To　know　your　enemy　and　yourself　is　the　secret　of　victory；'〃　replied　Li　Dian。　〃I　am　not　afraid　of　the　battle；　but　I　do　not　think　we　can　conquer。〃
〃You　are　a　traitor！〃　cried　Cao　Ren　angrily。　〃Then　I　will　capture　Liu　Bei　myself。〃
〃Do　so。　I　will　guard　this　city；〃　said　Li　Dian。
〃If　you　do　not　go　with　me；　it　is　a　proof　that　you　are　a　traitor；〃　retorted　Cao　Ren。
At　this　reproach；　Li　Dian　felt　constrained　to　join　the　expedition。　So　they　told　off　twenty　five　thousand　troops　with　which　they　crossed　the　River　Yu　for　Xinye。

The　officers　all　keenly　felt　the　shame　of　many　slain；
The　chief　determines　on　revenge　and　marches　out　again。

What　measure　of　success　the　expedition　met　with　will　be　related　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　36　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　36
　Chapter　36
Shan　Fu's　Strategy：　Fankou　Is　Captured；
Xu　Shu's　Affection：　Zhuge　Liang　Is　Remended。
In　hot　anger；　Cao　Ren　lost　no　time　in　marching　out　to　avenge　the　loss　of　so　many　of　his　army。　He　hastily　crossed　the　River　Yu　to　attack　Xinye　and　trample　it　in　the　dust。
When　San　Fu　got　back　into　the　city；　he　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃When　Cao　Ren；　now　at　Fancheng；　hears　of　his　losses；　he　will　try　to　retrieve　them　and　will　e　to　attack　us。〃
〃What　is　the　counter　move？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。
〃As　he　will　e　with　all　his　force；　his　own　city　will　be　left　undefended。　We　will　surprise　it。〃
〃By　what　ruse？〃
The　adviser　leaned　over　and　whispered　to　his　chief。　Whatever　the　plan　was；　it　pleased　Liu　Bei；　who　made　arrangements。　Soon　the　scouts　reported　Cao　Ren　crossing　the　river　with　a　mighty　host。
〃Just　as　I　guessed；〃　said　San　Fu；　hearing　of　it。
Then　he　suggested　that　Liu　Bei　should　lead　out　one　army　against　the　invaders。　Liu　Bei　did　so；　and；　when　the　formation　was　plete；　Zhao　Yun　rode　to　the　front　as　champion　and　challenged　the　other　side。
Li　Dian　rode　out　and　engaged。　At　about　the　tenth　bout　Li　Dian　found　he　was　losing　and　retired　toward　his　own　side。　Zhao　Yun　pressed　after　him；　but　was　checked　by　a　heavy　discharge　of　arrows　from　the　wings。　Then　both　sides　stopped　the　battle　and　retired　to　their　camps。
Li　Dian　reported　to　his　chief：　〃Our　enemy　are　brave；　very　full　of　spirit；　and　we　will　be　hard　to　overe。　We　had　better　retreat　to　Fancheng　and　wait　for　reinforcements。〃
Cao　Ren　angrily　replied；　〃You　damped　the　army's　spirit　before　we　started；　and　now　you　betray　us。　You　have　been　bought；　and　you　deserve　death。〃
Cao　Ren　called　in　the　executioners；　and　they　led　away　their　victim。　But　the　other　officers　came　to　intercede；　and　Li　Dian　was　spared。　However；　he　was　transferred　to　the　mand　of　the　rear；　while　Cao　Ren　himself　led　the　attack。
Next　day　the　drums　beat　an　advance　and　Cao　Ren；　having　drawn　up　his　soldiers；　sent　a　messenger　over　to　ask　if　Liu　Bei　recognized　his　plan　of　battle　array。
So　San　Fu　went　on　a　hill　and　looked　over　it。
Then　he　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃The　arrangement　is　called　'The　Eight　Docked　Gates；'　and　the　names　of　the　gates　are　Birth；　Exit；　Expanse；　Wound；　Fear；　Annihilation；　Obstacle；　and　Death。　If　you　enter　by　one　of　the　three　Birth；　Exit；　or　Expanse　you　succeed。　If　by　one　of　the　gates　Wound；　Fear；　or　Annihilation；　you　sustain　injuries。　The　other　two　gates　Obstacles　and　Death　will　bring　the　end。　Now；　though　the　eight　gates　are　all　there　quite　correct；　the　central　key…post　is　lacking；　and　the　whole　formation　can　be　thrown　into　confusion　by　entry　from　the　southeast　and　exit　due　west。〃
Wherefore　certain　orders　were　issued　and　Zhao　Yun；　leading　five　hundred　troops；　rode　out　on　his　prancing　steed　to　break　the　array。　He　burst　in；　as　directed；　at　the　southeast　and；　with　great　clamor　and　fighting；　reached　the　center。　Cao　Ren　made　for　the　north；　but　Zhao　Yun；　instead　of　following　him；　made　a　dash　westward　and　got　through。　Thence　he　turned　round　to　the　southeast　again　and　smote　till　Cao　Ren's　army　was　in　disarray。　Liu　Bei　gave　a　general　advance　signal；　and　the　victory　was　plete。　The　beaten　enemy　retired。
San　Fu　forbade　pursuit；　and　they　returned。　The　loss　of　the　battle　convinced　Cao　Ren　of　the　wisdom　of　his　colleague　Li　Dian；　and　he　sent　for　Li　Dian　to　consult。
〃They　certainly　have　some　very　able　person　in　Liu　Bei's　army　since　my　formation　was　so　quickly　broken；〃　said　Cao　Ren。
〃My　chief　anxiety　is　about　Fancheng；〃　said　Li　Dian。
〃I　will　raid　their　camp　this　night；〃　said　Cao　Ren。　〃If　I　succeed；　we　will　decide　upon　what　should　be　done　next。　If　I　fail；　we　will　return　to　Fancheng。〃
〃Their　camp　will　be　well　prepared　against　such　a　thing；　and　you　will　fail；〃　said　Li　Dian。
〃How　can　you　expect　to　fight　successfully　when　you　are　so　full　of　doubts？〃　said　Cao　Ren；　angrily。
He　held　no　more　converse　with　his　cautious　colleague；　but　himself　took　mand　of　the　van　and　set　out。　Li　Dian　was　relegated　to　the　rear。　The　attack　on　the　enemy's　camp　was　fixed　for　the　second　watch。
Now　as　San　Fu　was　discussing　plans　with　his　chief　a　whirlwind　from　the　northeast　went　by；　which　San　Fu　said；　〃There　will　be　a　raid