三国演义英文版-第122章

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e　a　raid　on　the　camp　tonight。〃
〃How　shall　we　meet　it？〃　said　Liu　Bei。
〃The　plans　are　quite　ready；〃　was　the　reply。
San　Fu　whispered　them　to　the　chief。　So　at　the　second　watch；　when　the　enemy　arrived；　they　saw　fires　on　all　sides；　the　stockades　and　huts　burning。　Cao　Ren　understood　at　once　that　all　hope　of　a　surprise　was　vain；　and　he　turned　to　get　away　as　quickly　as　possible。　This　was　the　signal　for　Zhao　Yun　to　fall　on；　and　that　cut　Cao　Ren's　return　road。　He　hastened　north　toward　the　river；　and　reached　the　bank；　but；　while　waiting　for　boats　to　cross　the　stream；　up　came　Zhang　Fei　and　attacked。
By　dint　of　great　efforts　and　with　the　support　of　Li　Dian；　Cao　Ren　got　into　a　boat；　but　most　of　the　soldiers　were　drowned　in　the　stream。　As　soon　as　he　got　to　the　farther　shore；　he　bolted　for　Fancheng。　He　reached　the　wall　and　hailed　the　gate；　but；　instead　of　a　friendly　wele；　he　heard　the　rolling　of　drums；　which　was　soon　followed　by　the　appearance　of　a　body　of　troops。　Guan　Yu　led　them。
〃I　took　the　city　a　long　time　ago！〃　shouted　Guan　Yu。
This　was　a　severe　shock　to　Cao　Ren；　who　turned　to　flee。　As　soon　as　he　faced　about；　Guan　Yu　attacked　and　killed　many　of　his　force。　The　remnant　hastened　to　Xuchang。　On　the　road　the　beaten　general　wondered　who　had　advised　his　opponents　with　such　success；　and　he　asked　the　natives　for　the　answer。
While　the　defeated　Cao　Ren　had　to　find　his　way　back　to　the　capital；　Liu　Bei　had　scored　a　great　success。　Afterwards　he　marched　to　Fancheng；　where　he　was　weled　by　Magistrate　Liu　Mi；　himself　a　scion　of　the　ruling　family；　who　had　been　born　in　Changsha。　Liu　Mi　received　Liu　Bei　as　a　guest　in　his　own　house　and　gave　banquets　and　treated　him　exceedingly　well。
In　the　train　of　the　Magistrate；　Liu　Bei　saw　a　very　handsome　and　distinguished…looking　young　man；　and　asked　who　he　was。
Liu　Mi　replied；　〃He　is　my　nephew；　Kou　Feng；　son　of　Lord　Kou　of　Luo。　I　have　taken　care　of　him　after　his　parents　died。〃
Liu　Bei　had　taken　a　great　liking　for　the　lad　and　proposed　to　adopt　him。　His　guardian　was　willing；　and　so　the　adoption　was　arranged。　The　young　man's　name　was　changed　to　Liu　Feng。　When　Liu　Bei　left；　he　took　his　adopted　son　with　him。　Liu　Feng　was　then　made　to　bow　before　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　as　uncles。
Guan　Yu　was　doubtful　of　the　wisdom　of　adopting　another　son；　saying；　〃You　have　a　son。　Why　do　you　think　it　necessary　to　adopt　another？　It　may　cause　confusion。〃
〃How？　I　shall　treat　him　as　a　father　should；　and　he　will　serve　me　as　befits　a　son。〃
Guan　Yu　was　displeased。
Then　Liu　Bei　and　San　Fu　began　further　discussions　of　strategy；　and　they　decided　to　leave　Zhao　Yun　with　one　thousand　soldiers　to　guard　Fancheng；　and　they　returned　to　Xinye。
In　the　meantime　Cao　Cao's　defeated　generals　had　gone　back。　When　they　saw　the　Prime　Minister；　Cao　Ren　threw　himself　on　the　ground　weeping　and　acknowledging　his　faults。　He　told　the　tale　of　his　losses。
〃The　fortune　of　war；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃But　I　should　like　to　know　who　laid　Liu　Bei's　plans。〃
〃That　was　San　Fu；〃　said　Cao　Ren。
〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。
Cheng　Yu　said；　〃The　man　is　not　San　Fu。　When　young　this　man　was　fond　of　fencing　and　used　to　take　up　the　quarrels　of　other　people　and　avenge　their　wrongs。　At　the　end　of　Emperor　Ling；　he　killed　a　man　to　avenge　his　friend；　and　then　he　let　down　his　hair；　muddled　his　face；　and　was　trying　to　escape　when　a　lictor　caught　him　and　questioned　him。　He　would　not　reply。　So　they　carted　him　through　the　streets　beating　a　drum　and　asking　if　anyone　recognized　him。　Nobody　dared　own　to　knowing　him；　even　if　they　did　so。　However；　his　rades　managed　to　release　him　secretly；　and　he　ran　away　under　some　other　name。　Then　he　turned　to　study　and　wandered　hither　and　thither　wherever　scholars　were　to　be　found。　He　was　a　regular　disputant　with　Sima　Hui。　His　real　name　is　Xu　Shu　and　he　es　from　Yingchuan。　San　Fu　is　merely　an　assumed　name。〃
〃How　does　he　pare　with　yourself？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。
〃Ten　times　cleverer。〃
〃It　is　a　pity。　If　able　people　gather　to　Liu　Bei；　his　wings　will　soon　grow。　What　is　to　be　done？〃
〃Xu　Shu　is　there　now。　But　if　you　wanted　him；　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　call　him；〃　replied　Cheng　Yu。
〃How　could　I　make　him　e？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃He　is　noted　for　his　affection　for　his　mother。　His　father　died　young；　leaving　his　mother　a　widow　with　one　other　son。　Now　that　son　is　dead；　and　his　mother；　Lady　Xun；　has　no　one　to　care　for　her。　If　you　sent　and　got　his　mother　here　and　told　her　to　write　and　summon　her　son；　he　would　surely　e。〃
Cao　Cao　sent　without　loss　of　time　and　had　the　old　lady　brought　to　the　capital；　where　he　treated　her　exceedingly　well。
Presently　he　said；　〃I　hear　you　have　a　very　talented　son；　who　is　now　at　Xinye　helping　on　that　rebel　Liu　Bei　against　the　government。　There　he　is　like　a　jewel　in　a　muck　heap：　It　is　a　pity。　Supposing　you　were　to　call　him；　I　could　speak　of　him　before　the　Emperor；　and　he　might　get　an　important　office。〃
Cao　Cao　bade　his　secretaries　bring　along　paper　and　ink；　with　which　Lady　Xun　could　write　to　her　son。
〃What　sort　of　a　man　is　Liu　Bei？〃　asked　she。
Cao　Cao　replied；　〃A　mon　sort　of　person　from　Zhuo；　irresponsible　enough　to　style　himself　Imperial　Uncle；　and　so　claiming　some　sort　of　connection　with　the　Hans。　He　is　neither　trustworthy　nor　virtuous。　People　say　he　is　a　superior　man　as　far　as　externals　go；　but　a　mean　man　by　nature。〃
Lady　Xun　answered　in　a　hard　voice；　〃Why　do　you　malign　him　so　bitterly？　Everyone　knows　he　is　a　descendant　of　one　of　the　Han　princes　and　so　related　to　the　House。　He　has　condescended　to　take　a　lowly　office　and　is　respectful　to　all　people。　He　has　a　reputation　for　benevolence。　Everyone；　young　and　old；　cowherds　and　firewood　cutters；　all　know　him　by　name　and　know　that　he　is　the　finest　and　noblest　man　in　the　world。　If　my　son　is　in　his　service；　then　has　he　found　a　fitting　master。　You；　under　the　name　of　a　Han　minister；　are　really　nothing　but　a　Han　rebel。　Contrary　to　all　truths；　you　tell　me　Liu　Bei　is　a　rebel；　whereby　you　try　to　induce　me　to　make　my　son　leave　the　light　for　darkness。　Are　you　devoid　of　all　sense　of　shame？〃
As　Lady　Xun　finished　speaking；　she　picked　up　the　inkstone　to　strike　Cao　Cao。　This　so　enraged　him　that　he　forgot　himself　and　the　need　for　caution　and　bade　the　executioners　lead　off　the　old　woman　and　put　her　to　death。
Adviser　Cheng　Yu；　however；　stopped　this　act；　saying；　〃This　old　lady　wished　to　die。　But　if　you　kill　her；　your　reputation　will　be　damaged　and　hers　enhanced。　Beside　that　will　add　a　keen　desire　for　revenge　to　the　motives　which　led　Xu　Shu　to　labor　in　the　interest　of　Liu　Bei。　You　had　better　keep　her　here　so　that　Xu　Shu's　body　and　his　thoughts　may　be　in　different　places。　He　can　not　devote　all　his　energies　to　helping　our　enemy　while　his　mother　is　here。　If　you　keep　her；　I　think　I　can　persuade　the　son　to　e　and　help　you。〃
So　the　outspoken　old　lady　was　saved。　She　was　given　quarters　and　cared　for。　Daily　Cheng　Yu　went　to　ask　after　her　health；　falsely　claiming　to　being　a　sworn　brother　of　her　son's；　and　so　entitled　to　serve　her　and　treat　her　as　a　filial　son　would　have　done。　He　often　sent　her　gifts　and　wrote　letters　to　her　so　that　she　had　to　write　in　reply。　And　thereby　he　learned　her　handwriting　so　that　he　could　forge　a　〃home〃　letter。　When　he　could　do　this　without　fear　of　detection；　he　wrote　one　and　sent　it　by　the　hand　of　a　trusty　person　to　Xinye。
One　day　a　man　arrived　inquiring　for　one　San　Fu。　He　claimed　to　have　a　letter　from　home　for　him。　The　soldiers　led　the　man　to　San　Fu。　The　man　said　he　was　an　official　carrier　of　letters　and　had　been　told　to　bring　this　one。　San　Fu　quickly　tore　it　open　and　read：
〃On　your　brother's　death　recently　I　was　left　alone：　No　relative　was　near；　and　I　was　lonely　and　sad。　To　my　regret；　the　Prime　Minister　Cao　Cao　inveigled　me　into　ing　to　the　capital；　and　now　he　says　you　are　a　rebel；　and　he　has　throw　me　into　bonds。　However；　thanks　to　Cheng　Yu；　my　life　has　been　spared　so　far；　and；　if　you　would　only　e　and　submit　too；　I　should　be　quite　safe。　When　this　reaches　you；　remember　how　I　have　toiled　for　you　and　e　at　once；　that　you　may　prove　yourself　a　filial　son。　We　may　together　find　some　way　of　escape　to　our　own　place　and　avoid　the　dangers　that　threaten　me。　My　life　hangs　by　a　thread；　and　I　look　to　you　to　save　me。　You　will　not　require　a　second　summon。〃
Tears　gushed　from　Xu　Shu's　eyes　as　he　read；　and　with　the　letter　in　his　hand　he