三国演义英文版-第189章

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But　his　father　said；　〃You　must　take　mand　of　the　Qiang　troops　for　the　defense　of　our　territory　here。　I　will　take　with　me　your　two　brothers　and　your　cousin。　When　Cao　Cao　knows　that　you　have　the　Qiangs　at　your　call　and　that　Han　Sui　is　prepared　to　assist；　he　will　hardly　dare　to　work　any　harm　to　me。〃
〃Father；　if　you　must　go；　be　careful　not　to　enter　the　city　till　you　know　exactly　what　plots　and　machinations　are　afoot。〃
〃I　will　certainly　take　great　care；　so　do　not　be　too　anxious；〃　said　the　father。
The　order　of　march　was　prepared。　The　governor　took　five　thousand　troops；　with　his　two　sons………Ma　Xiu　and　Ma　Tie………as　Leaders　of　the　Van　and　his　nephew　Ma　Dai　bringing　up　the　rear。　These　set　out　along　the　tortuous　road　to　the　capital。　At　seven　miles　distance　from　Xuchang　they　camped。
When　Cao　Cao　heard　of　Ma　Teng's　arrival；　he　called　to　him　Minister　Huang　Kui　and　said　to　him；　〃Ma　Teng　is　to　be　sent　against　the　south；　and　I　shall　send　you　as　Adviser。　You　are　first　to　go　to　his　camp　and　express　my　congratulations　on　his　arrival　and　say　that　as　Xiliang　is　so　distant　and　transport　very　difficult；　he　is　not　to　take　too　large　an　army　of　his　own。　I　will　send　a　large　force。　Also　tell　him　to　e　in　soon　for　audience　of　the　Emperor。　I　will　send　him　supplies。〃
With　these　instructions　Huang　Kui　went　to　Ma　Teng；　who　brought　out　wine　and　entertained　him　well。
In　his　cups　the　messenger　grew　confidential　and　said；　〃My　father　perished　at　the　hands　of　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　and　I　have　always　nourished　resentment。　Now　there　is　another　rebel　in　power　wronging　our　Prince。〃
〃Who　is　that？〃　asked　Ma　Teng。
〃The　wrong　doer　is　that　rebel　Cao　Cao；　of　course。　Do　you　mean　to　say　you　do　not　know？〃
However；　Ma　Teng　was　careful。　He　thought　it　very　likely　that　these　words　were　but　a　trap　for　him；　so　he　pretended　to　be　greatly　shocked　and　begged　his　guest　to　be　careful　lest　he　be　overheard。
But　Huang　Kui　cared　not；　shouting；　〃Then　you　have　quite　forgotten　the　Girdle　Edict；　eh？〃
Ma　Teng　began　to　see　Huang　Kui　was　sincere　and　presently　became　confidential　in　turn　and　told　his　guest　all　his　schemes。
〃Cao　Cao　wants　you　to　go　in　to　audience。　There　is　no　good　intention　there。　Do　not　go；〃　said　Huang　Kui。　〃You　lead　your　army　up　close　to　the　city　and　get　Cao　Cao　to　e　and　review　them。　When　he　es；　assassinate　him。〃
They　two　settled　how　this　plan　could　be　worked　out　and　the　messenger；　still　hot　with　anger　and　excitement；　returned　to　his　home。
Seeing　Huang　Kui　so　disturbed　in　mind；　his　wife；　Lady　Zhi；　asked　him　what　was　wrong。　But　he　would　tell　her　nothing。　However；　he　had　a　concubine；　Li　Chunxiang。　And　it　happened　that　she　had　an　intrigue　with　the　wife's　younger　brother；　Miao　Ze；　who　much　desired　to　marry　her。　The　concubine　who　also　saw　her　lord's　displeasure；　spoke　of　it　to　her　paramour；　and　he　told　her　she　could　probably　draw　from　him　what　was　wrong　by　a　leading　question。
〃Ask　him　what　is　the　truth　about　two　men；　Liu　Bei　and　Cao　Cao？　Who　is　the　wicked　one；〃　suggested　Miao　Ze。
That　evening　Huang　Kui　went　to　the　apartments　of　his　concubine；　and　she　presently　put　the　question　proposed　by　her　lover。
Her　lord；　still　rather　intoxicated；　said；　〃You　are　not　an　official；　still　you　know　right　from　wrong　as　well　as　I。　My　enemy；　and　the　man　I　would　slay　if　I　could；　is　Cao　Cao。〃
〃But　why？　And　if　you　wish　to　slay　him；　why　do　you　not　do　something？〃　said　she。
〃I　have　done　something。　I　have　settled　with　General　Ma　Teng　to　assassinate　Cao　Cao　at　the　review。〃
Li　Chunxiang　of　course　told　her　paramour；　who　told　Cao　Cao；　and　Cao　Cao　made　his　arrangements　to　defeat　the　scheme。　He　called　up　his　trusty　generals　and　gave　them　orders　for　the　morrow　and；　this　done；　he　arrested　Huang　Kui　and　all　his　household。
Next　day；　as　arranged；　Ma　Teng　and　his　western　troops　came　close　up　to　the　wall；　and　among　the　flags　and　banners　he　discerned　that　of　the　Prime　Minister　himself；　whereby　he　knew　that　Cao　Cao　would　hold　the　review　in　person。
So　Ma　Teng　rode　forward。　Suddenly　a　bomb　exploded；　and　at　this　signal　there　appeared　bodies　of　armed　troops　in　four　directions：　Right　and　left；　front　and　rear；　led　by　Xu　Chu；　Xiahou　Yuan；　Cao　Hong；　and　Xu　Huang。　The　western　forces　were　quite　hemmed　in。　Ma　Teng　then　saw　the　mistake　he　had　made；　and　he　and　his　two　sons　fought　valiantly　to　free　themselves　from　the　trap。　The　youngest　son………Ma　Tie………soon　fell　in　the　volleys　of　arrows。　Father　and　son　rode　this　way　and　that；　seeking　a　way　out；　but　failed　on　every　side。　Both　were　sorely　wounded；　and　when　their　steeds　fell　from　their　many　arrow　wounds；　both　were　captured。
Ma　Teng；　Ma　Xiu；　and　the　miserable　Huang　Kui　who　could　not　keep　his　counsel；　were　brought　before　Cao　Cao。　Huang　Kui　loudly　protested　his　innocence。　Cao　Cao　then　called　in　the　witness　Miao　Ze。
〃That　worthless　scoundrel　has　spoiled　all　my　plans！〃　cried　Ma　Teng　against　Huang　Kui。　〃Now　I　cannot　slay　the　rebel　and　purge　my　country。　But　it　is　the　will　of　God！〃
Father　and　son　were　dragged　forth；　the　father　uttering　volleys　of　abuse　all　the　time。　And　so　three　men　were　executed　in　this　adventure。

The　sons　and　father　share　one　niche　of　fame；
For　purest　loyalty　their　praise　the　same。
To　their　own　hurt　the　rebels　they　withstood；
Content　to　die　to　make　their　pledges　good。
In　blood　the　solemn　oath　they　did　indite
To　slay　the　wicked　and　preserve　the　right。
A　worthy　father's　worthy　sons　by　western　bride；
Old　Waves　Queller's　name　his　grandson　glorified。

〃I　desire　no　other　reward　than　Li　Chunxiang　as　wife；〃　said　the　betrayer；　Miao　Ze。
Cao　Cao　smiled　and　said；　〃For　her　sake　then　you　have　brought　a　whole　household　to　death。　What　advantage　would　there　be　in　preserving　such　a　miscreant？〃
So　Cao　Cao　bade　the　executioners　put　both　the　traitor　and　the　woman　to　death；　with　Huang　Kui's　household。　Those　who　saw　the　fearful　vengeance　sighed　at　its　cruelty。

Through　passion　base　a　loyal　man　was　slain；
And　she　who　shared　his　passion　shared　his　fate；
The　man　they　served　was　pitiless　in　hate；
And　thus　a　mean　man's　treachery　was　vain。

Cao　Cao　did　not　desire　to　rouse　the　rancor　of　the　army　of　Xiliang；　wherefore　he　proclaimed　to　them；　〃The　intended　treachery　of　your　leaders　was　theirs　alone。〃
However；　he　sent　to　secure　the　passes　so　that　Ma　Dai　should　not　escape。
As　has　been　said；　Ma　Dai　led　the　rearguard。　Before　long　the　fugitives　from　the　main　army　came　and　told　him　what　had　occurred　at　the　capital。　This　frightened　him　so　much　that　he　abandoned　his　army　and　escaped　disguised　as　a　trader。
Having　slain　Ma　Teng；　Cao　Cao　decided　to　set　out　on　his　expedition　to　the　south。　But　then　came　the　disquieting　news　of　the　military　preparations　of　Liu　Bei；　whose　objective　was　said　to　be　the　west。
This　caused　Cao　Cao　alarm；　for　he　said；　〃The　bird's　wings　will　be　fully　grown　if　he　obtains　possession　of　the　West　River　Land。〃
As　Cao　Cao　recognized　the　difficulty；　from　among　his　counselors　there　arose　one　who　said；　〃I　know　how　to　prevent　Liu　Bei　and　Sun　Quan　from　helping　each　other；　and　both　the　south　and　the　west　will　be　yours。〃

Chill　death　struck　down　the　heroes　of　the　west；
Calamity　approached　the　bold　leaders　of　the　south。

The　next　chapter　will　unfold　the　scheme。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　58　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　58
　Chapter　58
Ma　Chao　Launches　An　Expedition　For　Revenge；
Cao　Cao　Flees　The　Field　In　Disguise。
〃What　is　this　good　plan　of　yours；　friend　Chen　Qun？〃　asked　Cao　Cao　of　the　speaker；　who　was　a　civilian　in　his　service。
Chen　Qun　replied；　〃Your　two　principal　enemies………Liu　Bei　and　Sun　Quan………are　now　firm　allies；　close　as　lips　and　teeth。　But　Liu　Bei　wants　the　West　River　Land　and　if　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　send　a　mighty　host　against　Sun　Quan；　Sun　Quan　must　ask　help　from　his　friend　Liu　Bei；　who；　having　his　heart　set　on　the　west；　will　refuse　it。　Sun　Quan　without　this　aid　cannot　stand　and　will　bee　so　weak　that　the　South　Land　will　be　yours　for　the　taking；　and　Jingzhou　will　follow　in　a　tap　of　the　drum。　The　west　will　follow　and　the　whole　empire　is　yours。〃
〃Those　are　my　thoughts　put　into　words；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。
The　expeditionary　force　of　three　hundred　thousand　troops　set　out　for　the　south。　Zhang　Liao　of　Hefei　was　in　mand　of　the　supply　department。
Sun　Quan　speedily　heard　of　the　move　and　called　in　his　advisers。
At　the　council　Zhang　Zhao　said；　〃Let