三国演义英文版-第27章

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r　the　local　lords；　and　so　he　invited　Cai　Yong　back；　threatening　if　Cai　Yong　had　refused　he　would　have　put　to　death　Cai　Yong's　whole　family。　（chatper　4）　Cai　Yong's　daughter　Cai　Yan　was　a　well…known　poetess。　。。。。。
So　Wang　Yun　gave　orders　to　arrest　the　mourner　and　bring　him　in。　Soon　he　was　brought　in；　and　when　they　saw　him　all　were　startled。　For　he　was　no　other　than　Imperial　Historian　Cai　Yong*。
Wang　Yun　spoke　to　Cai　Yong　angrily；　〃Dong　Zhuo　has　been　put　to　death　as　a　rebel；　and　all　the　land　rejoices。　You；　a　Han　minister；　instead　of　rejoicing；　weep　for　him。　Why？〃
Cai　Yong　confessed　his　fault；　saying；　〃I　am　without　talent；　yet　know　what　is　right。　I　am　not　the　man　who　turns　my　back　on　the　dynasty　and　toward　Dong　Zhuo。　Yet　once　I　experienced　his　kindness；　and　I　could　not　help　mourning　for　him。　I　know　my　fault　is　grave；　but　I　pray　you　regard　the　reasons。　If　you　will　leave　my　head　and　only　cut　off　my　feet；　you　may　use　me　to　continue　the　History　of　Han；　whereby　I　may　have　the　good　fortune　to　be　allowed　to　expiate　my　fault。〃
All　were　sorry　for　Cai　Yong；　for　he　was　a　man　of　great　talents；　and　they　begged　that　he　might　be　spared。
The　Imperial　Guardian；　Ma　Midi；　secretly　interceded　for　him；　saying；　〃Cai　Yong　is　famous　as　a　scholar；　and　he　can　write　glorious　history；　and　it　is　inadvisable　to　put　to　death　a　man　renowned　for　rectitude　without　consideration。〃
But　in　vain；　for　the　High　Minister　was　now　strong　and　obdurate。

＇e＇　Emperor　Wu；　aka　Liu　Che；　（reigned　BC　141…87）　whose　reign　was　longest　among　the　Han　emperors。　Emperor　Wu　was　perhaps　the　most　influential　Han　emperor　who　concerned　not　only　about　expanding　territory　but　also　about　developing　trade　with　other　countries　（the　Silk　Road；　for　example）。　Emperor　paid　special　attention　to　longevity；　and　his　court　often　had　elaborate　rituals。　。。。。。
＇e＇　Sima　Qian　（BC　145…85）　astronomer；　calendar　expert；　and　the　first　great　Chinese　historian；　noted　for　his　authorship　of　the　〃Historical　Records〃　or　Shi　Ji；　which　is　considered　to　be　the　most　important　history　of　China　down　to　the　end　of　the　2nd　century。　。。。。。
Wang　Yun　said；　〃Centuries　ago；　Emperor　Wu*　spared　Sima　Qian*　and　employed　him　on　the　annals；　with　the　result　that　many　slanderous　stories　have　been　handed　down　to　us。　This　is　a　trying　period　of　great　perplexity；　and　we　dare　not　let　a　specious　fellow　like　this　wield　his　pen　in　criticism　of　those　about　the　court　of　a　youthful　prince　and　abuse　us　as　he　will。〃
Remonstrance　and　appeal　being　vain；　Ma　Midi　retired。　But　he　said　to　his　colleagues；　〃Is　Wang　Yun　then　careless　of　the　future？　Worthy　people　are　the　mainstay　of　the　state；　laws　are　the　canons　of　action。　To　destroy　the　mainstay　and　nullify　the　laws　is　to　hasten　destruction。〃
As　was　just　said　Wang　Yun　was　obdurate。　Cai　Yong　whose　offense　was　an　expression　of　gratitude　was　thrown　into　prison　and　there　strangled。　The　people　of　that　day　wept　for　Cai　Yong；　for　they　refused　to　see　any　offense　in　what　he　had　done；　and　death　was　a　harsh　punishment。

Dong　Zhuo；　the　dictator；
Tyrannized　the　state；
Fell　and　his　sole　mourner
Shared　his　direful　fate。
Zhuge　Liang　in　seclusion
Was　content　to　dream；
Felt　his　worth　and　never
Helped　a　traitor's　scheme。

Those　generals………Li　Jue；　Guo　Si；　Fan　Chou；　and　Zhang　Ji………whom　Dong　Zhuo　had　left　to　guard　Meiwo　fled　when　their　master　was　slain　and　went　into　the　county　of　Shanxi　in　Liangzhou　Region。　Thence　they　sent　in　a　memorial　entreating　amnesty。　But　Wang　Yun　would　not　hear　of　it。
〃Four　of　them　were　the　chief　instruments　of　Dong　Zhuo's　aggressions。　Now　though　a　general　amnesty　were　proclaimed；　these　men　should　be　excluded　from　its　benefit；〃　said　Wang　Yun。
The　messenger　returned　and　told　the　four　there　was　no　hope　of　pardon　and　they　could　only　flee。
Then　their　adviser；　Jia　Xu；　said；　〃If　we　throw　away　our　arms　and　flee　singly；　then　we　shall　fall　easy　victims　to　any　village　beadle　who　may　seize　us。　Rather　let　us　cajole　the　Shanxi　people　to　throw　in　their　lot　with　us　and　make　a　sudden　onslaught　on　the　capital　and　so　avenge　Dong　Zhuo。　If　we　succeed；　we　control　the　court　and　the　empire。　There　will　be　enough　time　to　run　away　if　we　fail。〃
The　plan　was　adopted；　and　they　spread　abroad　the　story　that　Wang　Yun　intended　to　massacre　the　county。
Having　thus　thrown　the　people　into　a　state　of　terror；　they　went　a　step　farther　and　said；　〃There　is　no　advantage　in　dying　for　nothing。　Revolt　and　join　us！〃
So　they　cajoled　the　people　into　joining　them　and　gathered　a　host　equal　to　one　hundred　thousand。　This　horde　was　divided　into　four　parts；　and　they　all　set　out　to　raid　Capital　Changan。　On　the　way　they　fell　in　with　a　son…in…law　of　their　late　chief；　Imperial　mander　Niu　Fu；　who　marched　five　thousand　troop　from　Xiliang。　Niu　Fu　had　set　out　to　avenge　his　father…in…law；　and　he　became　the　Van　Leader　of　the　horde。
As　they　advanced；　the　news　came　to　Wang　Yun；　and　he　consulted　Lu　Bu。
〃They　are　a　lot　of　rats；〃　said　Lu　Bu。　〃Never　mind　how　many　there　are　of　them。　Be　not　in　the　least　anxious。〃
So　Lu　Bu　and　Li　Su　went　to　oppose　them。　The　latter　was　in　advance　and　met　Niu　Fu。　They　fought；　Niu　Fu　was　outmatched　and　retired　after　suffering　a　slaughter。　But　unexpectedly　Niu　Fu　returned　in　a　night　attack；　found　Li　Su　quite　unprepared　and　drove　Li　Su's　force　some　ten　miles；　slaying　many。
Li　Su　reported　the　defeat；　and　Lu　Bu　raged　at　him；　saying；　〃You　have　sullied　my　reputation　as　a　warrior　and　destroyed　our　fighting　spirit！〃
And　Lu　Bu　put　Li　Su　to　death；　exposing　his　head　at　the　camp　gate。
Next　day　Lu　Bu　advanced　his　own　force　and　engaged　Niu　Fu。　He　overwhelmed　Niu　Fu　and　drove　him　off。　That　night　Niu　Fu　called　in　his　most　trusted　man；　Hu　Chier；　to　advise　him。
Hu　Chier　said；　〃Lu　Bu　is　too　doughty　a　fighter　for　us　to　hope　to　overe　him。　Our　case　is　hopeless。　Our　best　course　is　to　desert　these　four　generals；　secrete　their　valuables；　and　leave　the　army　with　just　a　few　of　our　followers。〃
The　plan　of　Hu　Chier　was　adopted；　and　the　two　traitors　and　some　others　that　very　night　packed　up　and　made　their　way　out　of　camp。　They　were　only　half　a　dozen。　They　came　to　a　river　and；　while　crossing；　Hu　Chier；　tempted　by　the　lust　of　wealth；　slew　his　panion。　Then　he　went　to　offer　the　head　of　Niu　Fu　to　Lu　Bu。　Lu　Bu　inquired　into　the　matter；　and　when　a　follower　told　him　the　truth；　he　put　the　double　traitor　Hu　Chier　to　death。
Then　Lu　Bu　advanced　against　the　rebels　and　fell　in　with　Li　Jue's　force。　Without　giving　them　time　to　form　in　battle；　Lu　Bu　attacked。　Horses　curvetting　and　spears　set；　the　army　dashed　in　irresistibly；　and　Li　Jue；　making　no　stand；　fell　back　a　long　way。　Li　Jue　took　up　a　position　under　a　hill　fifteen　miles　away　and　thence　sent　to　call　his　fellows　to　council。

＇e＇　Peng　Yue　（BC　？…196）　a　general　of　Liu　Bang。　He　and　Liu　Bang　had　been　close　friends　in　their　native　Pei；　where　Liu　Bang　later　held　a　minor　office。　Ennobled　as　King　of　Liang。　。。。。。
Li　Jue　said；　〃Lu　Bu　though　brave　in　battle　is　no　strategist　and　so　not　really　formidable。　I　will　lead　my　troops　to　hold　the　mouth　of　the　gorge；　and　every　day　I　will　incite　him　to　attack；　and　when　he　es　toward　me；　General　Guo　Si　can　smite　his　rear；　after　the　manner　of　Peng　Yue*　when　he　fought　against　Chu。　While　thus　I　am　alternating　attack　and　retreat；　Generals　Fan　Chou　and　Zhang　Ji　will　march　off　in　different　directions　toward　Changan。　Such　an　attack　at　two　points　must　end　both　Wang　Yun　and　Lu　Bu。〃
They　set　themselves　to　carry　out　this　scheme。　As　soon　as　Lu　Bu　reached　the　hills；　a　force　of　Li　Jue　came　out　to　attack　him。　Lu　Bu　made　an　angry　dash　toward　the　enemy　who　retired　up　the　hills；　whence　they　shot　arrows　and　hurled　stones　like　rain。　Lu　Bu's　troops　halted。　At　this　moment　the　report　came　that　the　rear　was　being　attacked　and　there　appeared　Guo　Si。　At　once　Lu　Bu　wheeled　toward　the　new　enemy；　but　immediately　the　rolling　drums　gave　the　signal　to　retire；　and　Lu　Bu　could　not　e　to　blows　with　them。　As　he　called　in　his　army；　the　gongs　clanged　on　the　other　side　and　his　former　opponent　Li　Jue　came　to　attack　his　front。　But　before　Lu　Bu　could　join　battle；　his　rear　was　again　assaulted　by　Guo　Si；　who　in　his　turn　drew　off　immediately。
Thus　Lu　Bu　was　baited　till　his　bosom　was　near　bursting　with　rage。　The　same　tactics　continued　for　several　days。　He　could　neither　strike　his　enemies　nor　escape　them。　His　troops　had　no　rest。
In　the　midst　of　these　distracting　maneuver；　a　messenger　rode　up　in　hot　haste　to　report：　〃The　capital　is　in　imminent　danger　from　a　double　attack　of　Fan　Chou　and　Zhang　Ji。〃
Lu　Bu　at　once　ordered　a　march　to　save　the　capital；　which　became　a　rout　when　both　his　opponents　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　came　in　pursuit。　His　loss　was　heavy。
He　soon　reached　Changan　and　found　the　rebels　there　in　enormous　numbers　and　the　city　quite　surrounded。　Lu　Bu's　attack　had　but　little　effect；　and　as　his　temper　became　more　savage　under　defeat；　many　of　his　soldiers　went　over　to　the　rebels。
He　fell　into　deep　melancholy。　Then　a　remnant　of　Dong　Zhuo's　adherents　still　in　the　city；　led　by　Li　Meng　and　Wang　Fang；　began　to　lend　aid　to　the　attackers；　and　by　and　by　they　secretly　opened　the　city　gate　and　the　besiegers　poured　in。　Lu　Bu　exerted　himself　to　the　utmost　but　could　not　stem　the　tide。　At　the　head　of　some　hundred　horse；　he　dashed　over　to　the　Black　Lock　Gate　and　called　out　to　Wang　Yun；　who　was　on　the　other　side。
〃The　case　is　desperate　now。　Ride　with　m