三国演义英文版-第63章

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ents　on　these　considerations　I　felt　secure。〃
Xun　Yu　bowed　his　head　in　admiration。
When　Guo　Jia　entered；　Cao　Cao　said；　〃Why　so　late；　Sir？〃
The　visitor　drew　a　letter　from　his　sleeve；　saying　to　his　master；　〃Yuan　Shao　sends　this　expressing　he　desires　to　send　an　army　to　attack　Gongsun　Zan　and　wishes　you　to　lend　provisions　and　troops。〃
〃I　heard　Yuan　Shao　was　going　to　attack　Xuchang。　I　suppose　my　return　has　made　him　change　his　intention；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
Then　he　opened　the　letter　and　read　it。　It　was　couched　in　very　arrogant　terms。
〃Yuan　Shao　is　so　exceedingly　rude　that　I　will　attack　him；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃Only　I　think　I　am　not　quite　strong　enough。　What　should　be　done？〃
Guo　Jia　said；　〃My　lord；　you　know　well　who　lost；　and　why；　in　the　conflict　between　Liu　Bang；　the　Supreme　Ancestor；　and　Xiang　Yu；　his　rival。　The　former　won　only　by　superior　wisdom。　Xiang　Yu　was　the　stronger；　but　in　the　end　he　was　overe。　Your　rival　has　ten　weak　points　whereas　you　have　ten　strong　ones；　and；　though　his　army　is　large；　it　is　not　terrible。〃
Then　Guo　Jia　continued；　〃Yuan　Shao　is　overmuch　devoted　to　ceremony　and　deportment；　while　you　are　sympathetic　and　natural；　this　is　an　excellence　in　conduct。　He　is　antagonistic　and　drives；　you　are　conciliatory　and　lead；　so　you　have　the　advantage　of　popular　approval。　For　many　years　the　government　has　been　lax；　and　he　makes　it　more　so；　you　strive　vigorously　after　efficiency；　this　is　the　excellence　of　able　administration。　He　is　outwardly　liberal　but　grudging　at　heart；　and　too　given　to　nepotism；　you　appear　exacting；　but　you　understand　and　use　people　after　their　ability；　this　is　the　advantage　of　correct　appreciation。　He　is　a　visionary　but　lacking　in　decision；　you　are　a　man　of　prompt　decision　and　direct　action；　this　is　an　advantage　in　policy。　He　loves　to　gather　about　him　people　of　renown；　you　treat　people　as　you　find　them　regardless　of　their　reputation；　this　is　where　you　excel　in　moral　virtue。　He　is　passionate　to　those　at　hand；　but　careless　about　those　out　of　sight；　your　care　is　all…embracing；　this　is　where　you　excel　in　humanity。　He　lends　a　ready　ear　to　calumny　and　is　misled；　you　may　be　flooded　with　evil　counsel；　but　you　preserve　independence；　this　is　where　you　excel　in　perspicacity。　His　sense　of　right　and　wrong　is　confused；　your　appreciation　is　accurate　and　clear；　this　is　where　you　excel　in　administrative　capacity。　He　loves　the　make…believe　force；　but　is　ignorant　of　military　essentials；　you　would　overe　with　far　inferior　numbers　as　you　possess　military　genius；　this　is　where　you　excel　in　war。　With　your　ten　superiorities；　you　will　have　no　difficulty　in　overing　Yuan　Shao。〃
〃How　can　I　be　worth　as　much　as　you　say？〃　said　Cao　Cao；　smiling。
〃What　Guo　Jia　has　said　about　the　ten　points　in　your　favor　agrees　exactly　with　what　I　think；〃　said　Xun　Yu。　〃Yuan　Shao's　army　is　not　formidable　in　spite　of　its　size。〃
〃The　real　and　dangerous　enemy　is　Lu　Bu；〃　said　Guo　Jia。　〃When　Yuan　Shao　has　gone　north　to　destroy　Gongsun　Zan；　we　ought　to　sweep　away　Lu　Bu　and　so　clear　away　our　danger　from　that　side；　for　if　this　is　not　done；　our　attack　on　Yuan　Shao　will　be　the　signal　for　an　attempt　on　the　capital。　That　would　be　most　serious。〃
Cao　Cao　saw　things　in　the　same　light　as　his　advisers　and　began　to　discuss　plans　for　an　attack　on　Lu　Bu。　Xun　Yu　was　of　opinion　that　they　should　first　secure　the　fidelity　and　aid　of　Liu　Bei。　So　letters　were　written；　and　they　waited　his　assurance　before　moving　a　soldier。　Then；　in　order　to　reassure　Yuan　Shao；　his　emissary　was　treated　with　great　kindness；　and　a　memorial　presented　to　the　Emperor　asking　extra　honors　for　him。　Yuan　Shao　was　made　Imperial　Protector　of　the　four　northern　regions………Jizhou；　Qingzhou；　Youzhou；　and　Bingzhou。　With　all　this　a　private　letter　was　written　by　Cao　Cao　urging　upon　him　to　attack　Gongsun　Zan　and　promising　assistance。　So　Yuan　Shao's　army　started。
In　the　meantime　the　two　Chen　Deng　and　Chen　Gui　were　playing　their　game。　At　every　feast　and　gathering　in　Xuzhou；　they　uttered　the　most　fulsome　praises　of　Lu　Bu。　Chen　Gong　was　greatly　displeased　and　took　an　opportunity　to　talk　about　them　to　his　master。
〃They　flatter　you　to　your　face；　but　what　is　in　their　hearts？　You　ought　to　be　most　carefully　on　your　guard。〃
〃Hold　your　tongue！〃　was　the　angry　reply。　〃You　are　simply　slandering　them　without　the　slightest　excuse。　You　want　to　harm　good　people。〃
〃No　ears　for　loyal　words；〃　said　Chen　Gong；　as　he　went　away　sad　at　heart；　〃and　we　shall　suffer。〃
He　thought　seriously　of　abandoning　Lu　Bu；　but　that　would　be　too　painful　a　wrench。　Beside　he　feared　people　would　laugh　at　him。
So　the　days　passed　sorrowfully　for　him。　One　day；　with　a　few　horsemen；　he　rode　out　to　the　country　near　Xiaopei　to　hunt。　On　the　high　road　he　saw　a　messenger　galloping　along　in　hot　haste　and　began　to　wonder　what　it　might　mean。　He　left　the　hunt；　rode　across　country；　and　intercepted　the　rider。
〃Where　are　you　from？　Who　sent　you？〃　asked　Chen　Gong。
The　messenger　made　no　reply　for　he　knew　to　what　party　his　captors　belonged。　But　they　searched　him　and　found　a　letter；　the　secret　reply　to　Cao　Cao's　letter　from　Liu　Bei。　The　messenger　and　the　letter　were　both　taken　straight　to　Lu　Bu。
Lu　Bu　questioned　the　man；　who　said；　〃The　Prime　Minister　sent　me　to　bear　a　letter　to　Imperial　Protector　Liu　Bei。　I　was　now　taking　back　the　reply。　I　know　nothing　more；　and　I　am　ignorant　of　the　contents　of　the　letters。〃
So　Lu　Bu　tore　it　open　and　read：
〃I　have　received　your　mands　concerning　the　destruction　of　Lu　Bu；　and　dare　I　for　a　moment　venture　to　disregard　them？　But　my　force　is　weak　and　I　must　act　with　extreme　circumspection。　If　you　move　your　main　body；　then　I　will　hasten　forward；　and　in　the　meantime　my　army　shall　be　got　ready　and　weapons　prepared。　I　await　your　mand。〃
Lu　Bu　was　really　alarmed。
〃The　wretches！〃　cried　he。　〃To　dare　to　act　thus！〃
The　unhappy　messenger　was　put　to　death　and　countermoves　planned。　Chen　Gong　and　Zang　Ba　went　to　enlist　the　help　of　the　Taishan　Mountains　bandits………Sun　Guan；　Wu　Dun；　Yin　Li；　and　Chang　Xi………so　that　they　would　take　Yanzhou　in　the　East　of　Huashang　Mountains。　Gao　Shun　and　Zhang　Liao　went　to　attack　Liu　Bei　in　Xiaopei。　Song　Xian　and　Wei　Xu　went　west　to　attack　Runan　and　Yingchuan。　And　Lu　Bu　took　mand　of　a　large　body　of　troops　ready　to　afford　help　wherever　needed。
The　departure　of　the　army　under　Gao　Shun　against　Xiaopei　was　reported　to　Liu　Bei；　who　assembled　his　officers　at　a　council。
Sun　Qian　advised　sending　a　message　to　the　capital　to　inform　Cao　Cao　of　their　danger。　In　response　to　the　chief's　call；　Jian　Yong；　a　fellow　townsman　of　Liu　Bei；　offered　to　take　the　message。　Up　to　that　moment　Jian　Yong　had　served　as　a　secretary。　So　a　letter　was　written；　and　Jian　Yong　set　out　at　once　on　his　journey。
Then　preparations　were　made　for　defense：　Liu　Bei　manding　at　the　south　gate；　Sun　Qian　at　the　north　gate；　Guan　Yu　at　the　west　gate；　and　Zhang　Fei　at　the　east　gate。　Mi　Zhu　and　his　brother　Mi　Fang　manded　the　family　guard　in　the　center。
The　two　Mis　were　put　in　mand　of　the　house　guard　because　they　were　Liu　Bei's　brothers…in…law；　Liu　Bei　had　taken　a　sister　of　Mi　Zhu　as　a　second　wife。　Hence　they　were　suitable　men　to　guard　the　family。
In　due　course　Gao　Shun　came　to　the　south　gate。　Liu　Bei　ascended　the　tower　and　said；　〃I　have　no　quarrel　with　your　master；　why　do　you　e　here　with　an　army？〃
〃You　have　plotted　with　Cao　Cao　to　injure　my　master　as　we　know　now：　Why　should　I　not　bind　you？〃
So　saying　Gao　Shun　gave　the　signal　to　attack。　But　Liu　Bei　did　not　go　out　to　repulse　Gao　Shun；　he　only　kept　the　gate　fast　closed。
Soon　after；　Zhang　Liao　led　an　attack　on　the　west　gate；　then　kept　by　Guan　Yu；　who　addressed　Zhang　Liao　from　the　wall。
〃You　are　too　good　a　man　to　waste　yourself　on　rebels；〃　said　Guan　Yu。
Zhang　Liao　hung　his　head　and　made　no　reply。　Guan　Yu　knew　that　Zhang　Liao　had　a　sound　heart　and　high　principles　and　said　no　more；　as　he　was　unwilling　to　wound　Zhang　Liao。　Nor　did　he　go　out　to　attack。
Zhang　Liao　then　drew　off　and　proceeded　to　the　east　gate；　and　Zhang　Fei　went　out　to　give　battle。　Soon　it　was　told　Guan　Yu；　who　came　over　quickly。　He　saw　Zhang　Fei　going　out；　but　Zhang　Liao　was　already　withdrawing。　Zhang　Fei　wished　to　pursue；　but　his　brother　held　him　back。
〃He　is　afraid　and　so　has　gone　away。　It　would　be　best　to　pursue；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。
〃No；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃As　a　warrior　he　is　not