三国演义英文版-第56章

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〃No；　it　will　not。〃
〃The　nobles'　rule；　then？〃
〃No；　nor　that。〃
〃The　high　officers'？〃
〃Not　even　that。〃
Lu　Bu　laughed；　saying；　〃Then　you　mean　me　to　go　by　the　rule　for　mon　people。〃
〃Nor　that　either。〃
〃Then　what　do　you　mean？〃
Chen　Gong　said；　〃In　the　midst　of　the　present　troubles；　when　there　is　great　rivalry　among　the　nobles；　do　you　not　see　that　the　others　will　be　exceedingly　jealous　of　your　marriage　alliance　with　such　a　high　family　as　the　Yuans？　Suppose　you　postpone　the　choice　of　the　day；　most　likely　when　your　fine　morning　arrives；　the　wedding　party　will　fall　into　an　ambush　on　the　road　and　the　bride　be　carried　off。　Then　what　could　be　done？　My　opinion　is　that　you　would　have　done　better　to　refuse。　But　since　you　have　consented；　then　carry　out　the　plan　at　once　before　the　lords　hear　of　it；　and　so　send　the　girl　over　without　delay　to　Shouchun。　You　can　hire　a　lodging　there　till　you　have　selected　the　wedding　day；　and　the　odds　are　greatly　against　any　failure。〃
〃What　you　say　is　quite　to　the　point；〃　replied　Lu　Bu。
He　went　into　the　private　apartments　to　see　his　wife　and　told　her　the　bride　elect　would　set　out　immediately　and　the　trousseau　was　to　be　prepared　as　far　as　it　could　be。　On　his　side　he　chose　some　good　horses　and　had　a　wedding　carriage　got　ready。　The　escort　consisted　of　Han　Yin　and　two　of　Lu　Bu's　generals；　Song　Xian　and　Wei　Xu。　The　procession　went　out　of　the　city　to　the　sound　of　music。
Now　at　this　time　Chen　Gui；　father　of　Chen　Deng；　was　placidly　waiting　till　the　evening　of　his　life　passed　into　night。　Hearing　this　burst　of　music　he　inquired　the　occasion；　and　the　servants　told　him。
〃They　are　working　on　the　'Relative…above…Stranger'　device；　then；〃　said　Chen　Gui。　〃Liu　Bei　is　in　danger。〃
Thereupon　in　spite　of　his　many　infirmities；　he　went　to　see　Lu　Bu。
〃Noble　Sir；　what　brings　you　here？〃　asked　Lu　Bu。
〃I　heard　you　were　dead；　and　I　came　to　mourn；〃　quavered　the　old　man。
〃Who　said　that？〃　exclaimed　his　host。
〃Once　upon　a　time　you　received　grand　presents　from　Yuan　Shu　that　you　might　slay　Liu　Bei；　but　you　got　out　by　that　clever　shot　at　your　halberd。　Now　they　suddenly　seek　a　marriage　alliance　thinking　to　get　hold　of　your　daughter　as　a　pledge。　The　next　move　will　be　an　attack　on　Xiaopei　and；　that　gone；　where　are　you？　Whatever　they　ask　in　future；　grain　or　troops　or　anything　else；　and　you　yield；　will　bring　your　own　end　nearer；　and　make　you　hated　all　round。　If　you　refuse；　then　you　are　false　to　the　duties　of　a　relative；　and　that　will　be　an　excuse　to　attack　you　openly。　Beside　this　Yuan　Shu　intends　to　call　himself　emperor；　which　would　be　rebellion；　and　you　would　be　of　the　rebel's　family：　Something　abominable；　which　the　multitude　people　would　not　suffer。〃
Lu　Bu　was　much　disturbed　to　hear　this。
〃I　have　been　misled　by　Chen　Gong！〃　cried　he。
So　he　hurriedly　sent　Zhang　Liao　to　bring　the　wedding　party；　which　had　been　ten　miles　away；　back　to　the　city。　When　they　had　e；　Lu　Bu　threw　Han　Yin　into　prison　and　sent　a　reply　to　Yuan　Shu　saying　curtly　that　the　girl's　trousseau　was　not　ready　and　she　could　not　be　married　till　it　was。
Chen　Gui　wanted　Han　Yin　to　be　sent　to　Capital　Xuchang。　But　Lu　Bu　was　hesitating　what　course　to　adopt；　when　he　heard　that　Liu　Bei　was　enlisting　soldiers　and　buying　horses　for　no　apparent　reason。
〃He　is　simply　doing　his　duty。　There　is　nothing　to　be　surprised　at；〃　said　Lu　Bu　at　first。
Then　came　two　officers；　Song　Xian　and　Wei　Xu；　saying；　〃As　you　ordered　us；　we　went　into　the　Huashang　Mountains　to　purchase　horses。　We　had　got　three　hundred　when；　on　our　way　back；　on　the　borders　of　Xiaopei　some　robbers　stole　half　of　them。　We　hear　that　the　real　robbers　were　Zhang　Fei　and　his　soldiers；　who　took　on　the　guise　of　brigands。〃
Lu　Bu　was　very　angry　at　this　and　began　to　prepare　an　expedition　against　Xiaopei。　When　Liu　Bei　heard　that　an　attack　threatened；　he　led　out　his　army　to　oppose　it；　and　the　two　armies　were　arrayed。
Liu　Bei　rode　to　the　front　and　said；　〃Elder　brother；　why　have　you　brought　an　army　against　me？〃
Lu　Bu　began　abusing　him；　saying；　〃That　shot　of　mine　at　the　Archery　Feast　saved　you　from　grave　danger。　Why　then　did　you　steal　my　horses？〃
〃I　wanted　horses　and　I　sent　out　to　buy　them。　Should　I　dare　to　take　yours？〃　said　Liu　Bei。
〃You　stole　a　hundred　and　fifty　in　the　person　of　your　brother　Zhang　Fei。　You　only　used　another　man's　hand。〃
Thereupon　Zhang　Fei；　with　his　spear　set；　rode　out；　saying；　〃Yes；　I　stole　your　good　horses；　and　what　more　do　you　expect？〃
Lu　Bu　replied；　〃You　goggled…eyed　thief！　You　are　always　treating　me　with　contempt。〃
〃Yes；　I　took　your　horses　and　you　get　angry。　You　did　not　say　any　thing　when　you　stole　my　brother's　Xuzhou。〃
Lu　Bu　rode　forward　to　give　battle；　and　Zhang　Fei　advanced。　A　reckless　fight　began；　and　the　two　warriors　kept　it　up　for　a　hundred　bouts　without　a　decisive　stroke。　Then　Liu　Bei；　fearing　some　accident　to　his　brother；　hastily　beat　the　gongs　as　a　signal　to　retire　and　led　his　army　into　the　city。　Lu　Bu　then　invested　it。
Liu　Bei　called　his　brother　and　chided　him　as　the　cause　of　all　this　misfortune。
〃Where　are　the　horses？〃　said　Liu　Bei。
〃In　some　of　the　temples　and　courts；〃　replied　Zhang　Fei。
Liu　Bei　sent　a　messenger　out　to　speak　softly　and　offer　to　restore　the　stolen　horses　if　hostilities　were　to　cease。　Lu　Bu　was　disposed　to　agree　but　Chen　Gong　opposed。
〃You　will　suffer　by　and　by　if　you　do　not　remove　this　Liu　Bei。〃
Under　Chen　Gong's　influence　the　request　for　peace　was　rejected；　and　the　attackers　on　the　city　pressed　harder。
Liu　Bei　called　Mi　Zhu　and　Sun　Qian　to　him　to　ask　advice。
Said　Sun　Qian；　〃The　one　person　that　Cao　Cao　detests　is　Lu　Bu。　Let　us　then　abandon　the　city　and　take　refuge　with　Cao　Cao；　from　whom　we　may　borrow　troops　to　destroy　him。〃
〃If　we　try　to　get　away；　who　will　lead　the　van？〃
〃I　will　do　my　best；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。
So　Zhang　Fei　led　the　way；　Guan　Yu　was　rearguard；　and　in　the　center　was　Liu　Bei　with　the　non…fighting　portion。　The　cavalcade　started　and　went　out　at　the　north　gate　under　the　bright　moon。　They　met　opposition　from　Song　Xian　and　Wei　Xu's　men；　but　the　soldiers　were　driven　off　by　Zhang　Fei；　and　the　besieging　force　was　passed　without　difficulty。　Zhang　Liao　pursued；　but　was　held　off　by　Guan　Yu's　rearguard。　It　seemed　Lu　Bu　was　not　dissatisfied　at　the　flight；　for　he　took　no　personal　trouble　to　prevent　it。　He　made　formal　entry　into　the　city；　settled　local　affairs；　and　appointed　Gao　Shun　as　Governor。
Liu　Bei　approached　Xuchang　and　encamped　outside　the　city；　whence　he　sent　Sun　Qian　to　see　Cao　Cao　and　relate　the　events　that　brought　him　there。
Cao　Cao　was　very　friendly　and　said；　〃Liu　Bei　is　as　my　brother。〃
Then　Cao　Cao　invited　Liu　Bei　to　enter　the　city。
Leaving　his　brothers　at　the　camp；　Liu　Bei；　with　Sun　Qian　and　Mi　Zhu；　went　to　Cao　Cao；　who　received　him　with　the　greatest　respect。　The　story　of　Lu　Bu's　perfidy　was　again　related。
〃He　has　no　sense　of　right；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃You　and　I；　my　brother；　will　attack　him　together。〃
Liu　Bei　was　very　grateful。　A　banquet　was　then　prepared；　and　it　was　late　evening　before　the　visitor　left　for　his　own　camp。
Xun　Yu　then　had　an　interview　with　his　master　and　said；　〃If　you　are　not　on　your　guard；　Liu　Bei　will　be　your　undoing。　You　ought　to　destroy　him。　He　is　too　much　of　a　hero。〃
Cao　Cao　made　no　reply　and　his　adviser　retired。
Presently　Guo　Jia　came；　and　Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　have　been　advised　to　kill　Liu　Bei：　What　of　such　a　scheme？〃
〃A　bad　scheme；〃　said　Guo　Jia。　〃You　are　the　popular　champion；　pledged　to　relieve　the　people　from　oppression；　and　only　by　truth　and　rectitude　can　you　secure　the　support　of　the　noble…minded。　Your　only　fear　is　lest　they　stay　away。　Now　Liu　Bei　is　a　clear　hero。　He　has　e　to　you　for　help　and　protection；　and　to　put　him　to　death　would　be　to　alienate　all　good　people　and　put　fear　into　the　hearts　of　all　the　able　advisers。　Hampered　by　these　difficulties；　where　will　you　find　those　whose　help　you　need？　To　remove　the　dangers　represented　by　one　man　and　thereby　injure　yourself　in　the　eyes　of　all　humankind　is　a　sure　means　of　destruction。　These　conditions　need　careful　consideration。〃
〃What　you　say　exactly　fits　in　with　what　I　think；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　greatly　pleased　with　these　remarks。
His　next　step　was　to　memorialize　the　Emperor　to　give　Liu　Bei　the　imperial　protectorship　of　Yuzhou。
Again　Cheng　Yu　said；　〃Liu　Bei　is　certain　to　rise　to　the　top。　He　will　never　re