三国演义英文版-第256章

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〃I　e　at　the　mand　of　my　master；　the　Marquis　of　Wu；　to　persuade　you　to　a　wise　course。　From　of　old　it　has　always　been　recognized　that　the　hero　must　bow　to　circumstances。　The　region　with　its　nine　territories　and　forty…two　counties　that　you　ruled　have　e　under　another；　with　the　exception　of　this　single　city。　Within；　there　is　no　food；　without；　no　help；　so　that　it　must　fall　quickly。　Wherefore；　O　General；　why　not　hear　me　and　join　your　fortunes　to　those　of　Wu？　You　shall　be　restored　to　your　governorship；　and　you　will　preserve　your　family。　If　haply；　Sir；　you　would　reflect　thereon。〃
Guan　Yu　replied；　quite　calmly；　〃I　am　a　simple　soldier　from　the　village　of　Jieliang；　yet　my　lord　and　I　have　bee　brothers。　How　can　I　betray　him？　If　the　city　may　fall；　then　I　can　but　die。　Jade　may　be　shattered；　but　its　whiteness　remains；　bamboo　may　be　burned；　but　its　joints　stand　straight。　My　body　may　be　broken；　but　my　name　shall　live　true　in　history。　Say　no　more；　but　leave　the　city；　I　beg。　I　will　fight　Sun　Quan　to　the　end。〃

＇e＇　Jin　was　a　state　that　occupied　the　western　part　of　the　empire；　in　the　mountainous　area　north　of　the　Yellow　River。　During　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period；　under　the　leadership　of　Duke　Wen　and　his　successors；　Jin　grew　into　a　very　large　state；　which　broke　into　three　states　in　the　Warring　States　period。　Qin　was　a　western…most　state　existed　in　both　Spring　and　Autumn　and　Warring　States　periods。　Because　Jin　blocked　its　way　to　the　east；　Qin　was　shielded　from　the　wars　in　the　central　plain。　Wars　between　Qin　and　Jin　were　not　few；　but　intermarriages　between　the　two　houses　were　frequent；　and　this　alliance　strengthened　both　states。　。。。。。
〃My　master　desires　to　enter　into　such　a　league　with　you　as　did　Qin　and　Jin　in　former　days*；　that　you　may　mutually　assist　to　destroy　Cao　Cao　and　restore　the　Hans。　That　is　his　idea；　and　why　do　you　persist　in　this　wrong　course？〃
As　Zhuge　Jin　finished　this　speech；　Guan　Ping；　who　was　by；　drew　his　sword　to　slay　him。　But　his　father　checked　him。
〃Remember　his　brother　is　in　Shu；　helping　your　uncle。　If　you　hurt　him；　you　will　injure　the　principle　of　fraternity。〃
Guan　Yu　then　bade　his　servants　lead　Zhuge　Jin　away。　Zhuge　Jin　went；　his　face　covered　with　shame；　and　left　the　city。　When　he　reached　his　master；　he　told　of　Guan　Yu's　obduracy　and　rejection　of　all　argument。
〃He　is　indeed　a　loyal　servant！〃　said　Sun　Quan。　〃Still；　what　is　to　be　done　next？〃
〃Take　some　casts　in　the　Book　of　Changes；〃　said　Lu　Fan。
So　the　lots　were　taken　and　explained　to　mean　that　the　Marquis'　enemies　should　flee　to　a　distance。
Then　Sun　Quan　asked　Lu　Meng；　saying；　〃If　he　flies　to　a　distance；　how　can　he　be　captured？〃
〃The　divination　exactly　fits　in　with　my　schemes；〃　replied　Lu　Meng。　〃Even　if　Guan　Yu　had　wings　to　soar　to　the　skies；　he　would　not　escape　my　net。〃

The　dragon　in　a　puddle　is　the　sport　of　shrimps；
The　phoenix　in　a　cage　is　mocked　of　small　birds。

The　scheme　of　Lu　Meng　will　be　unfolded　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　77　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　77
　Chapter　77
Cao　Cao　Is　Possessed　At　Luoyang；
Guan　Yu　Manifests　At　The　Jade　Spring　Mount。
Sun　Quan　having　asked　Lu　Meng　for　a　plan；　Lu　Meng　replied；　〃This　Guan　Yu　has　very　few　soldiers　left；　and　he　will　not　venture　along　the　high　road。　North　of　Maicheng　is　a　risky　path；　and　he　will　try　to　escape　along　that。　Therefore　you　must　lay　an　ambush　for　him　seven　miles　away　from　the　city；　but　do　not　stop　him。　Let　him　go　by；　and　then　harass　his　rear。　Thus　he　will　be　forced　into　Linju。　Set　another　small　ambush　near　there；　and　you　will　capture　your　enemy。　For　the　present；　attack　the　city　vigorously　on　all　sides　but　one；　leaving　the　north　gate　for　escape。〃
Before　carrying　out　this　plan；　Sun　Quan　bade　Lu　Fan　consult　the　auspices。
Lu　Fan　did　so；　announcing；　〃The　enemy　will　flee　toward　the　northwest；　but　will　be　caught　that　night　before　midnight。〃
So　Zhu　Ran　was　sent　in　mand　of　the　first　ambush；　and　Pan　Zhang　was　the　second。　The　troops　sent　were　all　veterans。
When　Guan　Yu　mustered　his　fighting　men　in　the　city　of　Maicheng；　he　had　but　three　hundred。　The　food　was　done。　That　night　many　soldiers　of　Wu　came　to　the　city　walls　and　called　to　their　friends　by　name；　and　many　of　these　slipped　over　the　wall　and　deserted；　reducing　the　small　force　still　further。　No　rescue　force　appeared；　and　Guan　Yu　was　at　the　end　of　his　resources。
Again　he　bewailed　to　Wang　Fu；　saying；　〃I　regret　that　I　have　neglected　your　wise　warning。　In　this　danger　what　is　to　be　done？〃

＇e＇　Lu　Wang　was　a　master　strategist；　founding　minister　of　Zhou　Dynasty；　counselor　to　King　Wen。　Before　joining　King　Wen；　Lu　Wang　had　been　a　fisher；　who　mediated　on　the　river　bank　on　political　events。　。。。。。
〃I　think　even　if　Lu　Wang*　could　e　to　life　again；　he　would　be　helpless　in　this　case；〃　replied　Wang　Fu；　weeping。
Said　Zhao　Lei；　〃Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da　have　surely　decided　not　to　send　help　from　Shangyong。　Let　us　abandon　this　miserable　place；　try　to　get　to　Yizhou；　and　recover　the　army。　We　may　then　tempt　our　fortune　once　more。〃
〃I　agree　with　you　that　that　is　the　best　plan；〃　said　Guan　Yu。
Then　he　ascended　the　walls　and　surveyed　the　country。　Noting　that　the　weakest　side　was　the　north；　he　called　in　some　of　the　inhabitants　and　inquired　the　nature　of　the　country　on　that　side。
They　replied；　〃There　are　only　paths　there；　but　by　them　one　may　get　into　the　West　River　Land。〃
〃We　will　go　that　way　tonight；〃　said　Guan　Yu。
Wang　Fu　opposed　it；　saying；　〃General；　you　will　surely　fall　into　an　ambush。　The　main　road　will　be　safer。〃
〃There　may　be　an　ambush；　but　do　I　fear　that？〃　said　the　old　warrior。
Orders　were　given　to　be　ready　to　march。
〃At　least　be　very　cautious；〃　said　Wang　Fu。　〃I　will　defend　this　city　to　the　very　last。　I　only　need　a　hundred　troops。　Never　will　we　surrender。　Only　I　hope；　Most　Noble　General；　that　you　will　send　me　speedy　help。〃
The　two　parted　in　tears。　Wang　Fu　and　Zhou　Cang　remaining　to　guard　Maicheng。　Guan　Yu；　Guan　Ping；　and　Zhao　Lei　marched　with　their　weak　force　out　of　the　north　gate。　Guan　Yu；　his　green…dragon　saber　ready　to　hand；　went　first。　About　the　third　watch；　seven　miles　lay　between　them　and　the　city。　There　they　saw　a　deep　cleft　in　the　hills　wherefrom　rolled　the　sound　of　beaten　drums。　And　men　were　shouting。　Soon　appeared　a　large　force　with　Zhu　Ran　at　their　head。
He　came　dashing　forward；　and　summoned　the　small　party；　saying；　〃Guan　Yu；　do　not　run！　Surrender　and　live！〃
But　Guan　Yu　whipped　his　steed　to　a　gallop　and　bore　down　on　the　leader　with　anger　in　his　eyes。　Then　Zhu　Ran　ran　away。　Guan　Yu　followed　him　till　there　came　the　loud　boom　of　a　large　drum；　and　out　sprang　troops　from　all　sides。　Guan　Yu　dared　not　engage　such　a　number；　and　fled　in　the　direction　of　Linju。　Zhu　Ran　came　up　behind　and　attacked　the　flying　soldiers；　so　that　Guan　Yu's　following　gradually　became　smaller　and　smaller。
Still　he　struggled　on。　A　few　miles　farther　the　drums　rolled　again；　and　torches　lit　up　all　round。　This　was　Pan　Zhang's　ambush；　and　he　appeared　flourishing　his　sword。　Guan　Yu　whirled　his　blade　and　went　to　meet　him；　but　Pan　Zhang　ran　away　after　a　couple　of　bouts。　However；　Guan　Yu　saw　they　were　too　many　for　him；　and　sought　refuge　among　the　mountains。
His　son　followed；　and　when　he　got　within　speaking　distance；　Guan　Ping　gave　him　the　mournful　tidings：　〃Zhao　Lei　has　fallen　in　the　melee！〃
Guan　Yu　was　very　sad；　and　bade　his　son　try　to　protect　the　rear　while　he　should　force　his　way　forward。
With　about　ten　men　he　reached　Zhuxi；　a　place　with　mountains　on　both　sides。　At　their　foot　was　a　thick　mass　of　reeds　and　dried　grass。　The　trees　grew　very　close。　It　was　then　the　fifth　watch。　Presently　the　small　party　stumbled　into　another　ambush；　and　the　ambushing　soldiers　thrust　forth　hooks　and　threw　ropes。　Entangled　in　these；　Guan　Yu's　horse　fell；　and　Guan　Yu　reeled　out　of　the　saddle。　In　a　moment　Ma　Zhong；　the　Marching　General　of　Pan　Zhang；　made　him　a　prisoner。　Guan　Ping　dashed　to　his　rescue；　but　before　he　could　do　anything；　he　also　was　surrounded　and　held。　Father　and　son　were　both　captives。
With　great　joy　Sun　Quan　heard　of　the　success　of　his　plans。　In　the　morning；　he　assembled　all　his　officers　in　his　tent　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　prisoners。　Before　long；　Ma　Zhong　came　hustling　his　prisoner　before　his　lord。
〃I　have　long　had　a　friendly　feeling　for　you；〃　said　Sun