三国演义英文版-第75章

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and　asked　what　could　be　done。
〃Do　not　be　troubled；　brother；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃We　can　destroy　Cao　Cao　merely　by　a　sudden　attack　before　his　army　shall　have　time　to　camp。〃
〃That　would　be　according　to　the　rules　of　war；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃You　have　always　been　a　bold　warrior；　and　that　move　against　Liu　Dai　shows　that　you　are　being　a　strategist　too。〃
So　Liu　Bei　gave　Zhang　Fei　mand　of　enough　soldiers　to　carry　out　this　plan。
Now　while　Cao　Cao　was　in　the　midst　of　his　march　toward　Xiaopei；　a　tornado　sprang　up　and　the　howling　gale　tore　down　one　of　the　banners　and　broke　the　staff。　Cao　Cao　called　together　his　advisers　and　leaders　to　ask　them　what　this　portended。
Xun　Yu　said；　〃From　what　direction　was　the　wind　at　the　time；　and　what　was　the　color　of　the　flag？〃
〃The　wind　was　from　the　southeast；　and　the　flag　was　blue　and　red。〃
〃There　is　only　one　interpretation：　A　raid　on　the　camp　will　occur　tonight。〃
Cao　Cao　nodded。　At　that　moment　Mao　Jie　entered　and　reported　a　similar　incident。　Cao　Cao　asked　him　the　portent。
〃My　thinking　tells　me　it　means　a　night　raid；〃　replied　he。

Alas　for　the　weakness　of　this　descendant　of　kings！
He　placed　his　faith　on　a　night　raid。
But　the　broken　staff　of　a　banner　warned　his　enemy。
Why　should　the　ancient　of　days　favor　the　wicked？

〃This　is　evidently　providence；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
And　he　began　to　make　preparations。　He　told　off　nine　bodies　of　troops　to　take　stations；　leaving　only　one　of　them　as　if　camped　while　he　placed　the　others　in　ambush　at　eight　points。
There　was　but　little　moonlight　as　Liu　Bei　and　Zhang　Fei　marched　their　respective　armies　toward　Cao　Cao's　camp。　They　had　left　Sun　Qian　to　guard　Xiaopei。　Zhang　Fei；　since　he　was　the　originator　of　the　stratagem；　led　the　way　with　some　light　horse。　As　they　drew　near；　everything　seemed　very　quiet　and　no　one　seemed　moving。　Then　suddenly　lights　flashed　out　all　about　them；　and　Zhang　Fei　saw　he　had　fallen　into　a　trap。　At　once　from　all　the　eight　directions　came　out　the　ambushing　troops。　From　east；　west；　north；　south　were　Zhang　Liao；　Xu　Chu；　Li　Dian；　and　Yu　Jin。　From　northeast；　northwest；　southeast；　southwest　were　Xiahou　Dun；　Xiahou　Yuan；　Xu　Huang；　and　Yue　Jing。
Zhang　Fei；　dashing　this　way　and　rushing　that；　guarding　his　van　and　protecting　his　rear；　vainly　tried　to　clear　himself。　The　soldiers　he　had；　being　originally　Cao　Cao's　troops；　soon　gave　in　and　returned　to　their　old　leader。　The　position　became　very　desperate。
Zhang　Fei　met　Xu　Huang　and　engaged　him；　but　his　rear　was　also　attacked　by　Yue　Jing。　At　length　he　cut　an　alley　out　and　with　a　half　score　of　his　troops　started　to　return　to　Xiaopei。　The　retreat　was　cut　off。　He　thought　to　make　for　Xuzhou　but　felt　certain　that　way　was　also　barred。　No　other　way　seemed　open；　and　so　he　made　for　the　Mangdang　Hills。
As　Liu　Bei　drew　near　the　camp；　he　intended　to　attack　when　he　heard　the　din　of　battle。　Then　he　was　attacked　in　the　rear　and　very　soon　had　lost　half　his　force。　Next　Xiahou　Dun　came　to　attack。　Thereupon　Liu　Bei　bolted。　He　was　pursued　by　Xiahou　Yuan。　Presently　Liu　Bei　looked　about　him　and　found　he　had　less　than　half　a　hundred　soldiers　following　him。　He　set　his　face　in　the　direction　of　Xiaopei。
But　before　long　Liu　Bei　saw　that　place　was　in　flames。　So　he　changed　his　plan　and　went　toward　Xiapi。　However　he　found　the　whole　countryside　full　of　the　enemy；　and　he　could　not　get　through。　So　he　bethought　himself　of　the　promise　of　Yuan　Shao；　that　he　would　find　refuge　if　things　went　unfavorable；　and　determined　to　go　to　Yuan　Shao　till　he　could　form　some　other　plan。　Wherefore　he　took　the　Qingzhou　road。　But　it　also　was　blocked；　and　he　went　into　the　open　country　and　made　his　way　north；　not　without　being　pursued　and　losing　the　remainder　of　his　few　followers。
He　hastened　toward　Qingzhou　City；　traveling　one　hundred　miles　a　day。　When　he　reached　the　city　and　summoned　the　gate；　the　guards　asked　who　he　was　and　they　told　the　Governor；　who　was　Yuan　Shao's　eldest　son；　Yuan　Tan。　Yuan　Tan　was　greatly　surprised；　but　he　opened　the　gates　and　went　to　meet　Liu　Bei；　whom　he　treated　with　due　consideration。
Liu　Bei　told　the　story　of　his　defeat　and　said　he　wished　for　harbor。　He　was　given　suitable　quarters　and　hospitably　entertained；　while　the　young　man　wrote　to　inform　his　father。　Then　Yuan　Tan　provided　an　escort　and　sent　Liu　Bei　on　his　journey　as　far　as　the　boundary　of　Pingyuan。
At　the　city　of　Yejun；　Liu　Bei　was　met　by　Yuan　Shao　in　person　ten　miles　outside　the　city；　with　a　great　escort。　Liu　Bei　made　a　humble　obeisance　which　Yuan　Shao　hastened　to　return　and　said；　〃I　have　been　very　distressed　that；　on　account　of　my　son's　illness；　I　did　not　e　to　your　aid。　It　is　a　great　joy　to　see　you；　the　one　desire　of　my　life　is　satisfied。〃
Liu　Bei　replied；　〃The　poor　Liu　Bei　you　see　here　has　long　desired　to　take　refuge　with　you；　but　fate　has　hitherto　denied　him　that　privilege。　Now　attacked　by　Cao　Cao；　my　family　lost；　I　remembered　that　you；　General；　would　receive　good　people　from　all　sides。　Wherefore　I　put　my　pride　in　my　pocket。　I　trust　that　I　may　be　found　worthy　and　one　day　I　will　prove　my　gratitude。〃
Yuan　Shao　received　him　with　much　pleasure　and　treated　him　exceedingly　well。　And　they　both　lived　in　Yuan　Shao's　home　region　Jizhou。
After　the　capture　of　Xiaopei；　Cao　Cao　pressed　on　toward　Xuzhou　City；　which；　after　a　short　defense　and　the　flight　of　Mi　Zhu　and　Jian　Yong；　was　surrendered　by　Chen　Deng。　Cao　Cao　led　his　army　into　the　city；　restored　order；　and　pacified　the　people。　Next　he　wanted　to　press　on　to　Xiapi；　where　Guan　Yu　was　holding　out　and　keeping　guard　of　Liu　Bei's　family。
Xun　Yu　said；　〃Guan　Yu　is　there；　in　charge　of　his　brother's　family；　and　he　will　defend　the　city　to　the　last。　If　you　do　not　take　it　quickly；　Yuan　Shao　will　get　it。〃
Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　have　always　loved　Guan　Yu；　both　for　his　warlike　abilities　and　his　principles。　I　would　engage　him　to　enter　my　service。　I　would　rather　send　someone　to　talk　him　into　surrender。〃
〃He　will　not　do　that；〃　said　Guo　Jia。　〃His　sense　of　right　is　too　solid。　I　fear　anyone　who　went　to　speak　with　him　would　suffer。〃
Then　suddenly　a　man　stepped　out；　saying；　〃I　know　him　slightly；　and　I　will　go。〃
The　speaker　was　Zhang　Liao。
Cheng　Yu　looked　at　him　and　said；　〃Though　you　are　an　old　acquaintance；　I　do　not　think　you　are　equal　to　talking　over　Guan　Yu。　But　I　have　a　scheme　that　will　so　entangle　him　that　he　will　have　no　alternative。　He　will　have　to　enter　the　service　of　the　Prime　Minister。〃

They　set　the　fatal　spring　beside　the　lordly　tiger's　trail；
They　hide　the　hook　with　fragrant　bait　to　catch　the　mighty　whale。

How　Guan　Yu　was　to　be　entrapped　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　25　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　25
　Chapter　25
Besieged　In　Tushan　Mountains；　Guan　Yu　Makes　Three　Conditions；
The　Rescue　At　Baima；　Cao　Cao　Is　Released。
The　plan　to　seduce　Guan　Yu　from　allegiance　to　his　brothers　was　now　announced　by　Cheng　Yu；　〃Since　Guan　Yu　is　far　braver　than　ordinary　warriors；　he　can　only　be　overreached　by　superior　cunning。　Now　send　some　of　the　captured　soldiers　who　have　lately　been　of　Liu　Bei's　army　into　Xiapi；　where　they　shall　say　they　have　e　back。　They　shall　thus　be　our　allies　on　the　inside。　Then　an　attack　and　a　feigned　defeat　will　entice　Guan　Yu　to　a　distance　from　the　city。　And　his　return　road　shall　be　cut。〃
Cao　Cao　accepted　the　scheme；　and　a　few　score　of　the　troops　who　had　lately　been　in　Xuzhou　were　sent　to　the　city。　Guan　Yu　believed　the　story　they　told　and　trusted　them。　So　they　were　suffered　to　remain。
After　this　part　of　the　game　had　been　played；　Xiahou　Dun　led　forward　five　thousand　troops　against　the　city。　At　first；　Guan　Yu　would　not　accept　the　challenge。　But　provoked　by　men　sent　to　hurl　insults　at　him　from　the　foot　of　the　wall；　his　wrath　got　the　better　of　him；　and　he　moved　out　with　three　thousand　troops。　After　the　leaders　had　exchanged　some　ten　bouts；　Xiahou　Dun　made　to　run　away。　Guan　Yu　pursued。　Xiahou　Dun　stopped　and　made　a　stand；　then　he　fled　again。　Thus　alternately　fighting　and　retiring；　he　enticed　Guan　Yu　seven　miles　from　Xiapi。　Then　Guan　Yu　suddenly　remembering　the　risk　to　the　city　drew　off　his　army　to　return　homeward。
Soon；　at　the　sound　of　a　signal　bomb；　from　the　left　and　right　out　moved　two　bodies　of　troops　led　by　Xu　Huang　and　Xu　Chu　who　barred　his　way。　Guan　Yu　hastened　along　a　road　that　seemed　to　offer　retreat；　but　from　both　sides　his　ambushing　enemies　shot　their　crossbows；　and　the　arrows　flew　like　locusts　on　the　wing。　No　way　past　was　found；　and　he　turned　back。　Then　both　bodies　joined　in　attacking　him。　He　drove　them　off　and　got　into　the　road　to　his　own　city；　but　soon　Xiahou　Dun　came　up　again　and　attacked　fiercely　as　before。　Evening　came　and　still　Guan　Yu　was　hemmed　in；　so　he　went　up　on　a　low　hill　of　Tushan　Mountains　upon　which　he　encamped　for　a　rest。
Guan　Yu　was　surrounded　on　all　sides　by　enemies。　By　and　by；　looking　toward　his　city；　he　saw　the　glow　of　fire。　It　meant　that　the　traitors；　who　had　e　in　to　surrender；　had　opened　the　gate；　and　the　enemy　had　gone　in　force。　They　had　made　the　fires　in　order　to　perplex　and　distress　Guan　Yu；　and　indeed　the　sight　saddened　him。
In　the　night　he　made　efforts　to　escape　from　the　hill；　but　every　attempt　was　checked　by　flights　of　arrows。　At　daybreak　he　prepared　for　one　more　effort；　but　before　moving　he　saw　a　horseman　riding　up　at　full　speed　and　presently　disc