三国演义英文版-第49章

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But　Guan　Yu　cried；　〃Fool；　do　not　attempt　to　fight！〃
And　Guan　Yu　rode　out　to　meet　him。　Then　they　two　fought　and　after　thirty　bouts　neither　had　an　advantage。　Then　Ji　Ling　cried　out　for　a　rest。　So　Guan　Yu　turned　his　horse　away；　rode　back　to　his　own　array　and　waited　for　Ji　Ling。
When　the　moment　came　to　renew　the　bat；　Ji　Ling　sent　out　one　of　his　officers；　Xun　Zheng；　to　take　his　place。
But　Guan　Yu　said；　〃Tell　Ji　Ling　to　e。　I　must　settle　with　him　who　shall　be　tiger　and　who　shall　be　deer。〃
〃You；　a　reputationless　leader　and　unworthy　to　fight　with　our　general；〃　replied　Xun　Zheng。
This　reply　angered　Guan　Yu；　who　made　just　one　attack　on　Xun　Zheng　and　brought　him　to　the　ground。　At　this　success　Liu　Bei　urged　on　the　army；　and　Ji　Ling's　troops　were　defeated。　They　retired　to　the　mouth　of　the　River　Huaiyin　and　declined　all　challenges。
However；　many　of　their　troops　were　sent　into　Liu　Bei's　camp　for　harassment；　and　many　of　them　were　slain。　The　two　armies　thus　stood　facing　each　other。
In　Xuzhou；　after　Liu　Bei　had　started　on　his　expedition；　Zhang　Fei　placed　his　colleague　and　helper；　Chen　Deng；　in　charge　of　the　administration　of　the　region；　keeping　military　affairs　under　his　own　supervision。　After　thinking　over　the　matter　or　some　time；　he　gave　a　banquet　to　all　the　military　officers。
When　they　were　all　seated；　he　made　a　speech：　〃Before　my　brother　left；　he　bade　me　keep　clear　of　the　wine　cup　for　fear　of　accidents。　Now；　gentlemen；　you　may　drink　deep　today。　But　from　tomorrow　wine　is　forbidden；　for　we　must　keep　the　city　safe。　So　take　your　fill。〃
And　with　this　he　and　all　his　guests　rose　to　drink　together。　The　wine　bearer　came　to　Cao　Bao　who　declined　it；　saying；　〃I　never　drink　as　I　am　forbidden　of　heaven。〃
〃What！　A　fighting　man　does　not　drink　wine！〃　said　the　host。　〃I　want　you　to　take　just　one　cup。〃
Cao　Bao　was　afraid　to　offend；　so　he　drank。
Now　Zhang　Fei　drank　huge　goblets　with　all　his　guests　on　every　hand　and　so　swallowed　a　huge　quantity　of　liquor。　He　became　quite　intoxicated。　Yet　he　would　drink　more　and　insisted　on　a　cup　with　every　guest。　It　came　to　the　turn　of　Cao　Bao　who　declined。
〃Really；　I　cannot　drink；〃　said　Cao　Bao。
〃You　drank　just　now：　Why　refuse　this　time？〃
Zhang　Fei　pressed　him；　but　still　Cao　Bao　resisted。
Then　Zhang　Fei　in　his　drunken　madness　lost　control　of　his　temper　and　said；　〃If　you　disobey　the　orders　of　your　general；　you　shall　be　beaten　one　hundred　strokes。〃
And　he　called　in　his　guards。　Here　Chen　Deng　interfered　reminding　him　of　the　strict　injunctions　of　his　brother。
〃You　civilians　attend　to　your　civil　business　and　leave　us　alone；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。
The　only　way　of　escape　for　the　guest　was　to　beg　remission；　and　Cao　Bao　did　so；　saying；　〃Sir；　if　you　saw　my　son…in…law's　face；　you　would　pardon　me。〃
〃Who　is　your　son…in…law？〃
〃Lu　Bu。〃
〃I　did　not　mean　to　have　you　really　beaten；　but　if　you　think　to　frighten　me　with　Lu　Bu；　I　will。　I　will　beat　you　as　if　I　was　beating　him；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。
The　guests　interposed　to　beg　him　off；　but　their　drunken　host　was　obdurate；　and　the　unhappy　guest　received　fifty　blows。　Then　at　the　earnest　prayers　of　the　others　the　remainder　of　the　punishment　was　remitted。
The　banquet　came　to　an　end；　and　the　beaten　Cao　Bao　went　away　burning　with　resentment。　That　night　he　sent　a　letter　to　Xiaopei　relating　the　insults　he　had　received　from　Zhang　Fei。　The　letter　told　Lu　Bu　of　Liu　Bei's　absence　and　proposed　that　a　sudden　raid　should　be　made　that　very　night　before　Zhang　Fei　had　recovered　from　his　drunken　fit。　Lu　Bu　at　once　summoned　Chen　Gong　and　told　him。
〃Xiaopei　is　only　a　place　to　occupy　temporarily；〃　said　Chen　Gong。　〃If　you　can　seize　Xuzhou；　do　so。　It　is　a　good　chance。〃
Lu　Bu　got　ready　at　once　and　soon　on　the　way　with　five　hundred　cavalrymen；　ordering　Chen　Gong　and　Gao　Shun　to　follow　him　with　the　main　body。
Xiaopei　being　only　about　fifteen　miles　away；　Lu　Bu　was　under　the　walls　at　the　fourth　watch。　It　was　clear　moonlight。　No　one　on　the　ramparts　saw　him。
Lu　Bu　came　up　close　to　the　wall　and　called　out；　〃Liu　Bei's　secret　messenger　has　arrived！〃
The　guards　on　the　wall　were　Cao　Bao's　people；　and　they　called　him。　Cao　Bao　came；　and　when　he　saw　who　was　there　he　ordered　the　gates　to　be　opened。　Lu　Bu　gave　the　secret　signal；　and　the　soldiers　entered　shouting。
Zhang　Fei　was　in　his　apartment　sleeping　off　the　fumes　of　wine。　His　servants　hastened　to　arouse　him　and　told　him　an　enemy　had　got　the　gates　open。
They　said；　〃Lu　Bu　got　in；　and　there　is　fighting　in　the　city。〃
Zhang　Fei　savagely　got　into　his　armor　and　laid　hold　of　his　mighty　serpent　halberd。　But　as　he　was　mounting　his　horse　at　the　gate；　the　attacking　soldiers　came　up。　He　rushed　at　them　but　being　still　half　intoxicated　made　but　a　poor　fight。　Lu　Bu　knowing　Zhang　Fei's　prowess　did　not　press　him　hard；　and　Zhang　Fei　made　his　way；　with　eighteen　leading　Guards　of　Yan；　to　the　east　gate；　and　there　went　out；　leaving　Liu　Bei's　family　to　their　fate。
Cao　Bao；　seeing　Zhang　Fei　had　but　a　very　small　force　and　was　still　half　drunk　as　well；　came　in　pursuit。　Zhang　Fei　saw　who　it　was　and　was　mad　with　rage。　He　galloped　toward　Cao　Bao　and　drove　him　off　after　a　few　passes。　He　followed　Cao　Bao　to　the　moat　and　wounded　him　in　the　back。　Cao　Bao's　frightened　steed　carried　its　master　into　the　moat；　and　he　was　drowned。
Once　well　outside　the　city　Zhang　Fei　collected　his　troops；　and　they　rode　off　toward　the　south　direction。
Lu　Bu　having　surprised　the　city　set　himself　to　restore　order。　He　put　a　guard　over　the　residence　of　Liu　Bei　so　that　no　one　should　disturb　the　family。
Zhang　Fei　with　his　few　followers　went　to　his　brother's　camp　at　Xuyi　and　told　his　story　of　treachery　and　surprise。　All　were　greatly　distressed。
〃Success　is　not　worth　rejoicing　over；　failure　is　not　worth　grieving　over；〃　said　Liu　Bei　with　a　sigh。
〃Where　are　our　sisters？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。
〃They　shared　the　fate　of　the　city。〃
Liu　Bei　nodded　his　head　and　was　silent。
Guan　Yu　with　an　effort　controlled　his　reproaches　and　said；　〃What　did　you　say　when　you　promised　to　guard　the　city；　and　what　orders　did　our　brother　give　you？　Now　the　city　is　lost　and　therewith　our　sisters…in…law。　Have　you　done　well？〃
Zhang　Fei　was　overwhelmed　by　remorse。　He　drew　his　sword　to　kill　himself。

He　raised　the　cup　in　pledge；
None　might　say　nay；
Remorseful；　drew　the　sword；
Himself　to　slay。

Zhang　Fei's　fate　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　15　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　15
　Chapter　15
Taishi　Ci　Fights　With　The　Little　Prince；
Sun　Ce　Cuts　Short　The　White　Tiger　King。
In　the　last　chapter　it　was　recorded　that　Zhang　Fei　was　about　to　end　his　life　with　his　own　weapon　in　Xuyi。
But　Liu　Bei　rushed　forward　and　caught　Zhang　Fei　in　his　arms；　snatched　away　the　sword；　and　threw　it　on　the　earth；　saying；　〃Brothers　are　as　hands　and　feet；　wives　and　children　are　as　clothing。　You　may　mend　your　torn　dress；　but　who　can　reattach　a　lost　limb？　We　three；　by　the　Oath　of　the　Peach　Garden；　swore　to　seek　the　same　death　day。　The　city　is　lost；　it　is　true；　and　my　wives　and　little　ones；　but　I　could　not　bear　that　we　should　die　ere　our　course　be　run。　Beside；　Xuzhou　was　not　really　ours；　and　Lu　Bu　will　not　harm　my　family　but　will　rather　seek　to　preserve　them。　You　made　a　mistake；　worthy　brother；　but　is　it　one　deserving　of　death？〃
And　Liu　Bei　wept。　His　brothers　were　much　affected　and　their　tears　fell　in　sympathy。
As　soon　as　the　news　of　Lu　Bu's　successful　seizure　of　his　protector's　region　reached　Yuan　Shu；　Yuan　Shu　sent　promises　of　valuable　presents　to　Lu　Bu　to　induce　him　to　join　in　a　further　attack　on　Liu　Bei。　The　presents　are　said　to　have　been　fifty　thousand　carts　of　grain；　five　hundred　horses；　ten　thousand　ounces　of　gold　and　silver；　and　a　thousand　rolls　of　colored　silk。
Lu　Bu　swallowed　the　bait　and　ordered　Gao　Shun　to　lead　forth　fifty　thousand　troops。　But　Liu　Bei　heard　of　the　threatened　attack；　so　he　made　inclement　weather　an　excuse　to　moved　his　few　soldiers　out　of　Xuyi　for　Guangling；　before　the　attacking　force　came　up。
However；　Gao　Shun　demanded　the　promised　reward　through　Ji　Ling；　who　put　Gao　Shun　off；　saying；　〃My　lord　has　gone　away。　I　will　settle　this　as　soon　as　I　can　see　him　and　get　his　decision。〃
With　this　answer　Gao　Shun　returned　to　Lu　Bu；　who　could　not　decide　what　to　do。
Then　came　a　letter　from　Yuan　Shu：
〃Although　Gao　Shun