三国演义英文版-第138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！


te　father。〃
With　this　promise　for　their　young　master　and　the　honors　for　themselves；　they　retired。
Then　Xun　You　asked　Cao　Cao；　〃Why　these　two　evident　self…seekers　and　flatterers　have　been　treated　so　generously？〃
Cao　Cao　replied；　〃Do　I　not　know　all　about　them？　Only　in　the　north；　where　we　have　been；　we　know　very　little　of　war　by　water；　and　these　two　men　do。　I　want　their　help　for　the　present。　When　my　end　is　achieved；　I　can　do　as　I　like　with　them。〃
Liu　Zong　was　highly　delighted　when　his　two　chief　supporters　returned　with　the　promise　Cao　Cao　had　given　them。　Soon　after　he　gave　up　his　seal　and　military　mission　and　proceeded　to　wele　Cao　Cao；　who　received　him　very　graciously。
Cao　Cao　next　proceeded　to　camp　near　Xiangyang。　The　populace；　led　by　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun；　weled　him　with　burning　incense；　and　he　on　his　part　put　forth　proclamations　couched　in　forting　terms。
Cao　Cao　presently　entered　the　city　and　took　his　seat　in　the　residence　in　state。　Then　he　summoned　Kuai　Yue　and　said　to　him　graciously；　〃I　do　not　rejoice　so　much　at　gaining　Jingzhou　as　at　meeting　you；　friend　Kuai　Yue。〃
Cao　Cao　made　Kuai　Yue　Governor　of　Jiangling　and　Lord　of　Fancheng；　Wang　Can；　Fu　Xuan；　and　Kuai　Yue's　other　adherents　were　all　ennobled。　Liu　Zong　became　Imperial　Protector　of　Qingzhou　in　the　north　and　was　ordered　to　proceed　to　his　region　forthwith。
Liu　Zong　was　greatly　frightened　and　said；　〃I　have　no　wish　to　bee　an　actual　official。　I　wish　to　remain　in　the　place　where　my　father　and　mother　live。〃
Said　Cao　Cao；　〃Your　protectorship　is　quite　near　the　capital；　and　I　have　sent　you　there　as　a　full　official　to　remove　you　from　the　intrigues　of　this　place。〃
In　vain　Liu　Zong　declined　the　honors　thus　thrust　upon　him：　He　was　pelled　to　go　and　he　departed；　taking　his　mother　with　him。　Of　his　friends；　only　Wang　Wei　acpanied　him。　Some　of　his　late　officers　escorted　him　as　far　as　the　river　and　then　took　their　leave。
Then　Cao　Cao　called　his　trusty　officer　Yu　Jin　and　said；　〃Follow　Liu　Zong　and　put　him　and　his　mother　to　death。　Our　worries　are　thus　removed。〃
Yu　Jin　followed　the　small　party。
When　he　drew　near　he　shouted；　〃I　have　an　order　from　the　great　Prime　Minister　to　put　you　both　to　death；　mother　and　son！　You　may　as　well　submit　quietly。〃
Lady　Cai　threw　her　arms　about　her　son；　lifted　up　her　voice　and　wept。　Yu　Jin　bade　his　soldiers　get　on　with　their　bloody　work。　Only　Wang　Wei　made　any　attempt　to　save　his　mistress；　and　he　was　soon　killed。　The　two；　mother　and　son；　were　soon　finished；　and　Yu　Jin　returned　to　report　his　success。　He　was　richly　rewarded。
Next　Cao　Cao　sent　to　discover　and　seize　the　family　of　Zhuge　Liang；　but　they　had　already　disappeared。　Zhuge　Liang　had　moved　them　to　the　Three　Gorges。　It　was　much　to　Cao　Cao's　disgust　that　the　search　was　fruitless。
So　Xiangyang　was　settled。　Then　Xun　You　proposed　a　further　advance。
He　said；　〃Jiangling　is　an　important　place；　and　very　rich。　If　Liu　Bei　gets　it；　it　will　be　difficult　to　dislodge　him。〃
〃How　could　I　have　overlooked　that？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
Then　he　called　upon　the　officers　of　Xiangyang　for　one　who　could　lead　the　way。　They　all　came　except　Wen　Ping。
Cao　Cao　sent　for　him　and　soon　he　came　also。
〃Why　are　you　late？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。
Wen　Ping　said；　〃To　be　a　minister　and　see　one's　master　lose　his　own　boundaries　is　most　shameful。　Such　a　person　has　no　face　to　show　to　anyone　else；　and　I　was　too　ashamed　to　e。〃
His　tears　fell　fast　as　he　finished　this　speech。　Cao　Cao　admired　his　loyal　conduct　and　rewarded　him　with　office　of　Governorship　of　Jiangxia　and　a　title　of　Lordship；　and　also　bade　him　open　the　way。
The　spies　returned　and　said；　〃Liu　Bei　is　hampered　by　the　crowds　of　people　who　have　followed　him。　He　can　proceed　only　three　or　four　miles　daily；　and　he　is　only　one　hundred　miles　away。〃
Cao　Cao　decided　to　take　advantage　of　Liu　Bei's　plight；　so　he　chose　out　five　thousand　of　tried　horsemen　and　sent　them　after　the　cavalcade；　giving　them　a　limit　of　a　day　and　a　night　to　e　up　therewith。　The　main　army　would　follow。
As　has　been　said　Liu　Bei　was　traveling　with　a　huge　multitude　of　followers；　to　guard　whom　he　had　taken　what　precautions　were　possible。　Zhang　Fei　was　in　charge　of　the　rear　guard；　and　Zhao　Yun　was　to　protect　his　lord's　family。　Guan　Yu　had　been　sent　to　Jiangxia。
One　day　Zhuge　Liang　came　in　and　said；　〃There　is　as　yet　no　news　from　Jiangxia。　There　must　be　some　difficulties。〃
〃I　wish　that　you　yourself　would　go　there；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Liu　Qi　would　remember　your　former　kindness　to　him　and　consent　to　anything　you　proposed。〃
Zhuge　Liang　said　he　would　go　and　set　out　with　Liu　Feng；　the　adopted　son　of　Liu　Bei；　taking　an　escort　of　five　hundred　troops。
A　few　days　after；　while　on　the　march　in　pany　with　three　of　his　manders………Jian　Yong；　Mi　Zhu；　and　Mi　Fang………a　sudden　whirlwind　rose　just　in　front　of　Liu　Bei；　and　a　huge　column　of　dust　shot　up　into　the　air　hiding　the　face　of　the　sun。
Liu　Bei　was　frightened　and　asked；　〃What　might　that　portend？〃
Jian　Yong；　who　knew　something　of　the　mysteries　of　nature；　took　the　auspices　by　counting　secretly　on　his　fingers。
Pale　and　trembling；　he　announced；　〃A　calamity　is　threatening　this　very　night。　My　lord　must　leave　the　people　to　their　fate　and　flee　quickly。〃
〃I　cannot　do　that；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
〃If　you　allow　your　pity　to　overe　your　judgment；　then　misfortune　is　very　near；〃　said　Jian　Yong。
Thus　spoke　Jian　Yong　to　his　lord；　who　then　asked　what　place　was　near。
His　people　replied；　〃Dangyang　is　quite　close；　and　there　is　a　very　famous　mountain　near　it　called　Prospect　Mountain。〃
Then　Liu　Bei　bade　them　lead　the　way　thither。
The　season　was　late　autumn；　just　changing　to　winter；　and　the　icy　wind　penetrated　to　the　very　bones。　As　evening　fell；　long…drawn　howls　of　misery　were　heard　on　every　side。　At　the　middle　of　the　fourth　watch；　two　hours　after　midnight；　they　heard　a　rumbling　sound　in　the　northwest。　Liu　Bei　halted　and　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　his　own　guard　of　two　thousand　soldiers　to　meet　whatever　might　e。
Presently　Cao　Cao's　men　appeared　and　made　fierce　onslaught。　Defense　was　impossible；　though　Liu　Bei　fought　desperately。　By　good　fortune　just　at　the　crisis　Zhang　Fei　came　up；　cut　an　alley　through；　rescued　his　brother；　and　got　him　away　to　the　east。　Presently　they　were　stopped　by　Wen　Ping。
〃Turncoat！　Can　you　still　look　humans　in　the　face？〃　cried　Liu　Bei。
Wen　Ping　was　overwhelmed　with　shame　and　led　his　troops　away。　Zhang　Fei；　now　fighting；　protected　his　brother　till　dawn。
By　that　time　Liu　Bei　had　got　beyond　the　sound　of　battle；　and　there　was　time　to　rest。　Only　a　few　of　his　followers　had　been　able　to　keep　near　him。　He　knew　nothing　of　the　fate　of　his　officers　or　the　people。
He　lifted　up　his　voice　in　lamentation；　saying；　〃Myriads　of　living　souls　are　suffering　from　love　of　me；　and　my　officers　and　my　loved　ones　are　lost。　One　would　be　a　graven　image　not　to　weep　at　such　loss！〃
Still　plunged　in　sadness；　presently　he　saw　hurrying　toward　him　Mi　Fang；　with　an　enemy's　arrow　still　sticking　in　his　face。
Mi　Fang　exclaimed；　〃Zhao　Yun　has　gone　over　to　Cao　Cao！〃
Liu　Bei　angrily　bade　him　be　silent；　crying；　〃Do　you　think　I　can　believe　that　of　my　old　friend？〃
〃Perhaps　he　has　gone　over；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃He　must　see　that　we　are　nearly　lost　and　there　are　riches　and　honors　on　the　other　side。〃
〃He　has　followed　me　faithfully　through　all　my　misfortunes。　His　heart　is　firm　as　a　rock。　No　riches　or　honors　would　move　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
〃I　saw　him　go　away　northwest；〃　said　Mi　Fang。
〃Wait　till　I　meet　him；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃If　I　run　against　him；　I　will　kill　him！〃
〃Beware　how　you　doubt　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Have　you　forgotten　the　circumstances　under　which　your　brother　Guan　Yu　had　to　slay　Cai　Yang　to　ease　your　doubts　of　him？　Zhao　Yun's　absence　is　due　to　good　reason　wherever　he　has　gone；　and　he　would　never　abandon　me。〃
But　Zhang　Fei　was　not　convinced。　Then　he；　with　a　score　of　his　men；　rode　to　the　Long　Slope　Bridge。　Seeing　a　wood　near　the　bridge；　an　idea　suddenly　struck　him。　He　bade　his　followers　cut　branches　from　the　trees；　tie　them　to　the　tails　of　the　horses；　and　ride　to　and　fro　so　as　to　raise　a　great　dust　as　though　an　army　were　concealed　in　the　wood。　He　himself　took　up　his　station　on　the　bridge　facing　the　west　with　spear　set　ready　for　action。　So　he　kept　watch。
Now　Zhao　Yun；　after　fighting　with　the　enemy　from　the　fourth　watch　till　daylight；　could　see　no