三国演义英文版-第159章

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rks　and　ments　flowed　freely　between　the　two；　and　Cao　Cao　formed　an　exalted　opinion　of　his　new　adherent's　abilities　and　treated　him　with　the　greatest　honor。
By　and　bye　the　guest　seemed　to　have　succumbed　to　the　influence　of　many　cups　and　said；　〃Have　you　any　capable　medical　people　in　your　army？〃
〃What　are　they　for；　Master？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃There　is　a　lot　of　illness　among　the　marines；　and　you　ought　to　find　some　remedy。〃
The　fact　was　that　at　this　time　Cao　Cao's　men　were　suffering　from　the　climate。　Many　were　vomiting　and　not　a　few　had　died。　It　was　a　source　of　great　anxiety　to　him；　and　when　the　newer　suddenly　mentioned　it；　of　course　he　had　to　ask　advice。
Pang　Tong　said；　〃Your　marine　force　is　excellent；　but　there　is　just　one　defect。　It　is　not　quite　perfect。〃
Cao　Cao　pressed　him　to　say　where　the　imperfection　lay。
〃I　have　a　plan　to　overe　the　ailment　of　the　soldiers　so　that　no　one　shall　be　sick　and　all　fit　for　service。〃
〃What　is　this　excellent　scheme？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃The　river　is　wide；　and　the　tides　ebb　and　flow。　The　winds　and　waves　are　never　at　rest。　Your　troops　from　the　north　are　unused　to　ships；　and　the　motion　makes　them　ill。　If　your　ships；　large　and　small；　were　classed　and　divided　into　thirties；　or　fifties；　and　joined　up　stem　to　stem　by　iron　chains　and　boards　spread　across　them；　to　say　nothing　of　soldiers　being　able　to　pass　from　one　to　the　next；　even　horses　could　move　about　on　them。　If　this　were　done；　then　there　would　be　no　fear　of　the　wind　and　the　waves　and　the　rising　and　falling　tides。〃
ing　down　from　his　seat；　Cao　Cao　thanked　his　guest；　saying；　〃I　could　never　defeat　the　land　of　the　south　without　this　scheme　of　yours。〃
〃That　is　only　my　idea；〃　said　Pang　Tong。　〃It　is　for　you　to　decide　about　it。〃
Orders　were　then　issued　to　call　up　all　the　blacksmiths　and　set　them　to　work；　night　and　day；　forging　iron　chains　and　great　bolts　to　lock　together　the　ships。　And　the　soldiers　rejoiced　when　they　heard　of　the　plan。

In　the　Red　Cliffs'　fight　they　used　the　flame；
The　weapon　here　will　be　the　same。
By　Pang　Tong's　advice　the　ships　were　chained；
Else　Zhou　Yu　had　not　that　battle　gained。

Pang　Tong　further　told　Cao　Cao；　saying；　〃I　know　many　bold　people　on　the　other　side　who　hate　Zhou　Yu。　If　I　may　use　my　little　tongue　in　your　service；　I　can　induce　them　to　e　over　to　you。　If　Zhou　Yu　be　left　alone；　you　can　certainly　take　him　captive。　And　Liu　Bei　is　of　no　account。〃
〃Certainly　if　you　could　render　me　so　great　a　service；　I　would　memorialize　the　Throne　and　obtain　for　you　one　of　the　highest　offices；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃I　am　not　doing　this　for　the　sake　of　wealth　or　honors；　but　from　a　desire　to　succor　humankind。　If　you　cross　the　river；　I　pray　you　be　merciful。〃
〃I　am　Heaven's　means　of　doing　right　and　could　not　bear　to　slay　the　people。〃
Pang　Tong　thanked　him　and　begged　for　a　document　that　would　protect　his　own　family。
Cao　Cao　asked；　〃Where　do　they　live？〃
〃All　are　near　the　river　bank。〃
And　Cao　Cao　ordered　a　protection　declaration　to　be　prepared。　Having　sealed　it；　he　gave　it　to　Pang　Tong。
Pang　Tong　said；　〃You　should　attack　as　soon　as　I　have　gone；　but　do　not　let　Zhou　Yu　doubt　anything。〃
Cao　Cao　promised　secrecy；　and　the　wily　traitor　took　his　leave。　Just　as　he　was　about　to　embark；　he　met　a　man　in　a　Taoist　robe；　with　a　bamboo　b　in　his　hair；　who　stopped　him。
The　man　said；　〃You　are　very　bold。　Huang　Gai　is　planning　to　use　the　'personal　injury　ruse'；　and　Kan　Ze　has　presented　the　letter　of　pretended　desertion。　You　have　proffered　the　fatal　scheme　of　chaining　the　ships　together　lest　the　flames　may　not　pletely　destroy　them。　This　sort　of　mischievous　work　may　have　been　enough　to　deceive　Cao　Cao；　but　I　saw　it　all。〃
Pang　Tong　bee　helpless　with　fear………his　viscera　flown　away；　his　spirit　scattered。

By　guileful　means　one　may　succeed；
The　victims　too　find　friends　in　need。

The　next　chapter　will　tell　who　the　stranger　was。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　48　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　48
　Chapter　48
Banquet　On　The　Great　River；　Cao　Cao　Sings　A　Song；
Battle　On　Water；　The　Northern　Soldiers　Fight　With　Chained　Ships。
In　the　last　chapter　Pang　Tong　was　brought　up　with　a　sudden　shock　when　someone　seized　him　and　said　of　his　scheme。　Upon　turning　to　look　at　the　man；　Pang　Tong　saw　it　was　Xu　Shu；　an　old　friend；　and　his　heart　revived。
Looking　around　and　seeing　no　one　near；　Pang　Tong　said；　〃It　would　be　a　pity　if　you　upset　my　plan。　The　fate　of　the　people　of　all　the　eighty…one　southern　counties　is　in　your　hands。〃
Xu　Shu　smiled；　saying；　〃And　what　of　the　fate　of　these　eight　hundred　thirty　thousand　soldiers　and　horse　of　the　north？〃
〃Do　you　intend　to　wreck　my　scheme；　Xu　Shu？〃
〃I　have　never　forgotten　the　kindness　of　Uncle　Liu　Bei；　nor　my　oath　to　avenge　the　death　of　my　mother　at　Cao　Cao's　hands。　I　have　said　I　would　never　think　out　a　plan　for　him。　So　am　I　likely　to　wreck　yours　now；　brother？　But　I　have　followed　Cao　Cao's　army　thus　far；　and　after　they　shall　have　been　defeated；　good　and　bad　will　suffer　alike　and　how　can　I　escape？　Tell　me　how　I　can　secure　safety；　and　I　sew　up　my　lips　and　go　away。〃
Pang　Tong　smiled；　〃If　you　are　as　high…minded　as　that；　there　is　no　great　difficulty。〃
〃Still　I　wish　you　would　instruct　me。〃
So　Pang　Tong　whispered　something　in　his　ear；　which　seemed　to　please　Xu　Shu　greatly；　for　he　thanked　him　most　cordially　and　took　his　leave。　Then　Pang　Tong　betook　himself　to　his　boat　and　left　for　the　southern　shore。
His　friend　gone；　Xu　Shu　mischievously　spread　certain　rumors　in　the　camp；　and　next　day　were　to　be　seen　everywhere　soldiers　in　small　groups；　some　talking；　others　listening；　heads　together　and　ears　stretched　out；　till　the　camps　seemed　to　buzz。
Some　of　the　officers　went　to　Cao　Cao　and　told　him；　saying；　〃A　rumor　is　running　around　the　camps　that　Han　Sui　and　Ma　Teng　are　marching　from　Xiliang　to　attack　the　capital。〃
This　troubled　Cao　Cao；　who　called　together　his　advisers　to　council。
Said　he；　〃The　only　anxiety　I　have　felt　in　this　expedition　was　about　the　possible　doings　of　Han　Sui　and　Ma　Teng。　Now　there　is　a　rumor　running　among　the　soldiers；　and　though　I　know　not　whether　it　be　true　or　false；　it　is　necessary　to　be　on　one's　guard。〃
At　this　point　Xu　Shu　said；　〃You　have　been　kind　enough　to　give　me　an　office；　Sir；　and　I　have　really　done　nothing　in　return。　If　I　may　have　three　thousand　troops；　I　will　march　at　once　to　San　Pass　and　guard　this　entrance。　If　there　be　any　pressing　matter；　I　will　report　at　once。〃
〃If　you　would　do　this；　I　should　be　quite　at　my　ease。　There　are　already　troops　beyond　the　Pass；　who　will　be　under　your　mand；　and　now　I　will　give　you　three　thousand　of　horse　and　foot；　and　Zang　Ba　shall　lead　the　van　and　march　quickly。〃
Xu　Shu　took　leave　of　the　Prime　Minister　and　left　in　pany　with　Zang　Ba。　This　was　Pang　Tong's　scheme　to　secure　the　safety　of　Xu　Shu。
A　poem　says：

Cao　Cao　marched　south；　but　at　his　back
There　rode　the　fear　of　rear　attack。
Pang　Tong's　good　counsel　Xu　Shu　took；
And　thus　the　fish　escaped　the　hook。

Cao　Cao's　anxiety　diminished　after　he　had　thus　sent　away　Xu　Shu。　Then　he　rode　round　all　the　camps；　first　the　land　forces　and　then　the　naval。　He　boarded　one　of　the　large　ships　and　thereon　set　up　his　standard。　The　naval　camps　were　arranged　along　two　lines；　and　every　ship　carried　a　thousand　bows　and　crossbows。
While　Cao　Cao　remained　with　the　fleet；　it　occurred　the　full　moon　of　the　eleventh　month　of　the　thirteenth　year　of　Rebuilt　Tranquillity　（AD　208）。　The　sky　was　clear；　there　was　no　wind；　and　the　river　lay　unruffled。　He　prepared　a　great　banquet；　with　music；　and　thereto　invited　all　his　leaders。　As　evening　drew　on；　the　moon　rose　over　the　eastern　hills　in　its　immaculate　beauty；　and　beneath　it　lay　the　broad　belt　of　the　river　like　a　band　of　pure　silk。　It　was　a　great　assembly；　and　all　the　guests　were　clad　in　gorgeous　silks　and　embroidered　robes；　and　the　arms　of　the　fighting　soldiers　glittered　in　the　moonlight。　The　officers；　civil　and　military；　were　seated　in　their　proper　order　of　precedence。
The　setting；　too；　was　exquisite。　The　Southern　Hills　were　outlined　as　in　a　picture；　the　boundaries　of　Chaisang　lay　in　the　east；　the　river　showed　west　as　far　as　Xiakou；　on　the　south　lay　the　Fan　Mountains；　on　the　north　was　the　Black　Forest。　The　view　stretched　wide　on　every　side。
Cao　Cao's　heart　was　jubilant；　and　he　harangued　the　assembly；　s