三国演义英文版-第68章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Cao　Cao　and　Liu　Bei；　with　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　behind；　seated　themselves　side　by　side　in　the　White　Gate　Tower。　The　captives　were　brought　before　them。　Lu　Bu　looked　a　pitiable　object。　Although　a　very　tall　man；　he　was　tied　up　in　a　veritable　ball。
〃The　bonds　are　very　tight；〃　cried　he；　〃I　beseech　you　to　loosen　them！〃
〃Bindings　a　tiger　must　binding　tight；　of　course；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。
Seeing　Hou　Cheng；　Song　Xian；　and　Wei　Xu　standing　there　looking　pleased　at　their　success；　Lu　Bu　said；　〃I　treated　you　all　well　enough：　How　could　you　turn　against　me？〃
Said　Song　Xian；　〃You　listened　to　the　words　of　your　women；　but　rejected　the　advice　of　your　generals。　Was　not　that　mean？〃
Lu　Bu　was　silent。　Then　Gao　Shun　was　brought　forward。
〃What　have　you　to　say？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。
Gao　Shun　sulkily　held　his　tongue。　He　was　ordered　out　to　execution。
Next　Chen　Gong　was　led　in。
〃I　hope　you　have　been　well　since　we　last　saw　each　other；　Chen　Gong？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃Your　ways　were　crooked；　and　so　I　left　you；〃　said　Chen　Gong。
〃You　say　I　was　crooked；　and　what　of　your　serving　Lu　Bu？〃
〃Though　he　was　a　fool；　he　did　not　resemble　you　in　deceit　and　wickedness。〃
〃You　say　you　are　able　enough　and　clever；　but　what　about　your　position　today？〃
Turning　toward　Lu　Bu；　Chen　Gong　said；　〃This　man　would　not　follow　my　advice。　Had　he　done　so；　he　would　not　now　be　a　captive。〃
〃What　think　you　ought　to　be　done　about　this　day's　work？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃There　is　death　for　me　today；　and　that　is　the　end！〃　said　Chen　Gong　undauntedly。
〃Very　well　for　you；　but　what　of　your　mother　and　wife　and　children？〃
〃It　is　said　that　one　who　rules　with　due　regard　to　filial　piety　does　not　harm　a　person's　family；　one　who　would　show　benevolence　does　not　cut　off　the　sacrifices　at　a　person's　tomb。　My　mother　and　wife　and　children　are　in　your　hands。　But　since　I　am　your　prisoner；　I　pray　you　slay　me　quickly　and　not　to　try　to　harrow　my　feelings。〃
Cao　Cao's　heart　still　leaned　toward　mercy；　but　Chen　Gong　turned　and　walked　away；　repulsing　the　attendants　who　would　stop　him。　Cao　Cao　rose　from　his　place　and　walked　with　Chen　Gong；　the　tears　falling　from　his　eyes。　Chen　Gong　never　looked　at　him。
Turning　to　his　guards　Cao　Cao　said；　〃Let　his　mother　and　family　be　taken　to　Xuchang　and　looked　after　immediately。　Any　postponement　will　be　punished！〃
The　condemned　man　heard　him　but　uttered　no　word。　He　stretched　out　his　neck　for　the　blow。　Tears　sprang　to　the　eyes　of　all　present。　His　remains　were　honorably　coffined　and　buried　in　Xuchang。
A　poem　pitying　Chen　Gong's　fate　says：

Neither　hope　of　life　nor　fear　of　death　moved　him。
How　brave　was　he；　a　hero　indeed！
But　his　lord　heeded　not　his　words；
Wherefore　in　vain　possessed　he　great　talents。
Nevertheless；　in　that　he　stood　by　his　master。
To　parting　with　wife　and　mother；
He　merits　our　pity　and　profound　respect。
Who　would　resemble　Chen　Gong
That　day　he　died　at　the　White　Gate　Tower？

While　Cao　Cao　sadly　escorted　Chen　Gong　on　the　way　to　death；　Lu　Bu　appealed　to　Liu　Bei；　〃Noble　Sir；　you　sit　there　an　honored　guest　while　poor　I　lie　bound　at　your　feet。　Will　you　not　utter　one　word　to　alleviate　my　lot？〃
Liu　Bei　nodded。
As　Cao　Cao　returned　to　his　place；　Lu　Bu　called　out；　〃Your　only　trouble；　Illustrious　Sir；　is　myself；　and　I　am　on　your　side　now。　You　take　the　lead；　I　will　help　you；　and　together　the　world　is　at　our　feet。〃
〃What　do　you　think？〃　said　Cao　Cao　turning　to　Liu　Bei。
〃You　are　willing　to　forget　the　episodes　of　Ding　Yuan　and　Dong　Zhuo？〃
〃Truly　the　lout　is　not　to　be　trusted！〃　said　Lu　Bu；　looking　at　Liu　Bei。
〃Strangle　and　expose！〃　ordered　Cao　Cao。
As　he　was　led　away；　Lu　Bu　turned　once　more　to　Liu　Bei；　〃You　long…eared　lout；　you　forget　now　the　service　I　rendered　you　that　day　at　my　camp　gate；　when　my　arrow　hit　the　mark！〃
Just　then　someone　shouted；　〃Lu　Bu；　O　fool！　Death　is　but　death；　and　why　are　you　scared　at　it？〃
Everyone　turned　to　look：　The　guards　were　hustling　Zhang　Liao　to　the　place　of　judgment。　Cao　Cao　ordered　Lu　Bu's　execution。
A　poet　has　written　upon　the　death　of　Lu　Bu：

The　flood　spreads　wide；　the　city　drowns；
Its　lord　is　captive。　Nought　avails
His　courser's　speed　or　halberd's　thrust。
The　tiger　erstwhile　fierce；　now　whines
For　mercy。　Cao　Cao　had　meted　him
Full　well；　a　falcon　flown　at　will
And　hungry　kept。　Poor　fool！　He　let
Chen　Gong's　advice　be　overborne
By　harem　tattle；　vainly　now
He　rails　against　the　Long…Ears'　faith。

And　another　poem　says：

Round　is　the　hungry　tiger；　eater　of　men；　for　whom　is　no　pity；
Since　the　blood　of　his　victims　is　fresh　and　not　yet　dry。
Liu　Bei　spoke　no　word　in　favor　of　Lu　Bu；
To　whom　even　a　father's　life　was　not　sacred。

It　was　recorded　earlier　that　the　executioners　were　hustling　Zhang　Liao　forward。
Pointing　to　him　from　above；　Cao　Cao　said；　〃He　has　a　familiar　face。〃
〃You　were　not　likely　to　forget　me：　You　saw　me　before　in　Puyang；〃　said　Zhang　Liao。
〃O；　so　you　remember　me；　eh？〃
〃Yes；　more　is　the　pity。〃
〃Pity　for　what？〃
〃That　the　fire　that　day　was　not　fierce　enough　to　burn　you　up；　rebel　that　you　are。〃
Cao　Cao　began　to　get　angry。
〃How　dare　you　insult　me？〃　cried　he　and　lifted　his　sword　to　kill　the　bold　speaker。
The　undaunted　Zhang　Liao　never　changed　color；　but　stretched　out　his　neck　for　the　blow。　Then　a　man　behind　Cao　Cao　caught　his　arm；　and　in　front　of　him　another　dropped　on　his　knees；　saying；　〃O　Prime　Minister；　I　pray　thee　stay　thy　hand！〃

Lu　Bu　whining　was　not　spared；
Railing　Zhang　Liao　far　better　fared。

Who　was　it　that　saved　Zhang　Liao？　The　next　chapter　will　show。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　20　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　20
　Chapter　20
Cao　Cao　Organizes　A　Hunting　Expedition　In　Xutian；
Dong　Cheng　Receives　A　Secret　mand　In　The　Palace。
The　last　chapter　said　that　Cao　Cao　was　checked　in　his　angry　attack　upon　Zhang　Liao。　They　were　Liu　Bei　who　held　his　arm　and　Guan　Yu　who　knelt　before　him。
〃A　man　as　generous…hearted　as　he　is　should　be　saved；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
Guan　Yu　said；　〃I　know　him　well　as　loyal　and　righteous。　I　will　vouch　for　him　with　my　own　life！〃
Cao　Cao　threw　aside　his　sword　and　smiled。
〃I　also　know　Zhang　Liao　to　be　loyal　and　good。　I　was　just　testing　him；〃　said　he。
Cao　Cao　loosed　the　prisoner's　bonds　with　his　own　hands；　had　a　change　of　dress　brought　in；　and　clothed　him　therewith。　Then　he　was　led　to　a　seat　of　honor。　This　kindly　treatment　sank　deep　into　Zhang　Liao's　heart；　and　he　hastened　to　declare　formally　that　he　yielded。　And　then　he　was　given　the　rank　of　Imperial　mander　and　the　title　of　Lordship。
Zhang　Liao　was　sent　on　a　mission　to　win　over　the　bandit　leader　Zang　Ba；　who　hearing　what　had　happened；　came　forthwith　and　gave　in　his　submission。　He　was　graciously　received；　and　his　former　colleagues………Sun　Guan；　Wu　Dun；　and　Yin　Li………also　yielded；　with　the　exception　of　Chang　Xi；　who　remained　obdurate。　All　these　former　enemies　who　came　over　were　kindly　treated　and　given　posts　of　responsibility　wherein　they　might　prove　the　reality　of　their　conversion。　Lu　Bu's　family　were　sent　to　the　capital。
After　the　soldiers　had　been　rewarded　with　feasting；　the　camp　was　broken　up　and　the　army　moved　away　to　Xuchang。　Passing　through　Xuzhou　the　people　lined　the　roads　and　burned　incense　in　honor　of　the　victors。　They　also　petitioned　that　Liu　Bei　should　be　their　protector。
Cao　Cao　replied；　〃Liu　Bei　has　rendered　great　services。　You　must　wait　till　he　has　been　received　in　audience　and　obtained　his　reward。　After　that　he　shall　be　sent　here。〃
The　people　bowed　low　to　the　ground　to　express　their　thanks。　Che　Zhou；　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　was　given　mand　of　Xuzhou　for　the　moment。
After　the　army　had　arrived　at　the　capital；　rewards　were　granted　to　all　the　officers　who　had　been　in　the　expedition。　Liu　Bei　was　retained　in　the　capital；　lodging　in　an　annex　to　the　Prime　Minister's　palace。
Next　day　a　court　was　held；　and　Cao　Cao　memorialized　the　services　of　Liu　Bei　who　was　presented　to　Emperor　Xian。　Dressed　in　court　robes；　Liu　Bei　bowed　at　the　lower　end　of　the　audience　arena。　The　Emperor　called　him　to　the　Hall　and　asked　his　ancestry。

＇e＇　Reigned　BC　157…141。
Liu　Bei　replied；　〃Thy　servant　is　the　son　of　Liu　Hong；　grandson　of　Liu　Xiong；　who　was　a　direct　descendant　of　Prince　Sheng　of　Zhongshan；　who　was　the　son　of　His　Majesty　the　Emperor　Jing*。〃
The　Emperor　bade　them　bring　forth　the　Books　of　the　Genealogies；　and　therefr