三国演义英文版-第248章

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But　his　former　chief　is　now　in　high　honor　in　Shu；　one　of　the　Five　Tiger　Generals；　and　his　own　brother　Pang　Rou　is　there；　too；　as　an　officer。　To　send　Pang　De　as　Leader　of　the　Van　just　now　seems　like　trying　to　extinguish　a　fire　with　oil。　Would　it　not　be　well　to　inform　the　Prince　of　Wei　and　ask　him　to　exchange　this　man　for　another？〃
Without　further　argument　or　delay；　Yu　Jin　went　to　see　the　Prince　and　laid　before　him　the　objections　to　Pang　De's　appointment。　As　soon　as　Cao　Cao　understood；　he　summoned　Pang　De　to　the　steps　and　bade　him　yield　his　seal　as　Leader　of　the　Van。
〃O　Prince；　why　do　you　reject　my　services？　I　was　just　about　to　do　my　best　for　you。〃
〃I　do　not　doubt　you；　but　Ma　Chao　is　now　in　the　west；　and　your　brother　also………both　in　the　service　of　Liu　Bei。　I　myself　have　no　doubts；　but　it　is　what　all　the　crowd　are　saying。　What　can　I　do？〃
Pang　De　took　off　his　headdress　and　prostrated　himself；　bitter　tears　rolling　down　his　cheeks。
〃Since　I　surrendered　to　you；　O　Prince；　I　have　experienced　much　kindness；　so　that　I　would　undergo　any　sufferings　to　show　my　gratitude。　I　hope　you　will　trust　me。　When　my　brother　and　I　were　at　home　together；　his　wife　was　a　wicked　woman；　and　I　slew　her　while　I　was　drunk。　My　brother　has　never　forgiven　me；　but　is　permeated　with　hate　for　me。　He　swears　never　to　see　me　again；　and　we　are　enemies。　For　my　old　master；　Ma　Chao；　I　have　profound　contempt。　He　is　bold；　but　only　that；　and　was　in　a　pitiable　and　dejected　state　when　he　found　his　way　to　the　west。　Now；　like　me；　he　serves　his　own　master；　but　our　friendship　is　at　an　end。　How　could　I　think　of　another　after　your　kindness　to　me？〃
Cao　Cao　raised　Pang　De　from　the　ground　and　soothed　him；　saying；　〃I　have　always　known　what　a　noble　man　you　are；　and　what　I　said　just　now　was　to　satisfy　the　feelings　of　other　people。　Now　you　can　strive　to　win　fame。　If　you　do　not　turn　your　back　on　me；　I　shall　not　on　you。〃
Then　Pang　De　took　his　leave　and　returned　to　his　house；　where　he　ordered　the　artificers　to　make　him　a　coffin。　Next　he　invited　all　his　friends　to　a　banquet；　and　the　coffin　was　set　out　in　the　reception　room　for　all　to　see。
And　they　asked　one　another；　〃What　can　that　inauspicious　thing　mean　putting　out　on　the　eve　of　a　campaign？〃
By　and　by；　drinking　to　them；　Pang　De　said；　〃The　Prince　of　Wei　has　been　generous　to　me；　and　I　am　pledged　to　show　my　gratitude　to　the　death。　I　am　about　to　go　out　against　this　Guan　Yu；　and　I　have　to　kill　him　or　he　must　kill　me。　If　he　does　not　kill　me；　I　must　mit　suicide；　and　so　I　have　prepared　what　is　necessary。　I　will　not　return　leaving　my　task　unachieved。〃
The　terrible　omen　saddened　the　guests；　and　they　fell　to　sighing。　Then　Pang　De　called　in　his　wife；　Lady　Li；　and　bade　her　bring　their　son　Pang　Hui；　whom　he　mended　to　her　care。
〃I　have　been　appointed　Leader　of　the　Van　of　this　new　expedition　against　Guan　Yu；　and　my　duty　bids　me　seek　death　or　glory　on　the　battlefield。　If　I　die；　our　son　is　in　your　special　care。　Alas；　the　child　has　been　born　ill…starred；　and　when　he　grows　up　he　will　have　to　avenge　a　father。〃
Both　mother　and　son　wept　as　they　bade　him　farewell。　When　the　army　marched；　the　coffin　was　carried　in　its　train。
Pang　De　bade　his　officers；　saying；　〃I　will　fight　to　the　end　with　Guan　Yu。　Place　my　body　therein　if　I　fall　in　bat。　And　if　I　slay　him；　then　will　I　bring　his　head　in　this　coffin　as　an　offering　to　our　Prince。〃
Then　out　spoke　his　five　hundred　veterans　and　said；　〃If　you　are　like　this；　O　General；　then　we　also　will　follow　you　to　the　end。〃
The　vanguard　then　marched　away。
A　certain　man　told　the　story　of　these　happenings　to　Cao　Cao；　who　was　very　pleased；　saying；　〃I　have　no　anxiety　with　such　a　general　to　lead　my　armies。〃
But　Jia　Xu　said；　〃I　am　anxious　for　Pang　De's　safety。　He　is　over…bold　and　imprudent　to　fight　with　Guan　Yu　to　the　death。〃
Cao　Cao　thought　such　an　act　would　be　unwise；　and　he　hastily　sent　a　messenger　with　an　edict　warning　Pang　De　against　his　antagonist。
〃This　Guan　Yu　lacks　neither　cunning　nor　valor。　You　are　to　be　most　cautious　in　engaging　him。　If　you　can　conquer；　then　conquer；　but　if　there　be　any　doubt；　remain　on　the　defensive。〃
〃How　highly　does　our　Prince　regard　this　fellow　Guan　Yu！〃　said　Pang　De　to　his　officers　when　he　heard　this　new　mand。　〃But　I　think　I　shall　be　able　to　take　the　keen　edge　off　his　thirty…year　reputation。〃
〃The　mand　of　the　Prince　is　to　be　obeyed；〃　said　Yu　Jin。
Pang　De　hastened　to　Fancheng　in　all　the　pomp　and　panoply　of　war；　his　gongs　clanging；　his　drums　rolling　as　he　marched。
Guan　Yu　was　sitting　in　his　tent　when　his　spies　came　to　report：　〃Seven　armies　of　the　north　under　Yu　Jin　are　approaching。　They　are　ten　miles　away。　The　Van　Leader　is　Pang　De；　who　brings　with　him　a　coffin。　As　he　marches；　he　slanders　you；　General；　and　vows　to　fight　a　decisive　battle　with　you。〃
Rage　took　possession　of　Guan　Yu。　His　face　changed　color；　his　beard　shook；　and　he　roared　out；　〃There　is　never　a　fighting　man　in　all　the　world　who　has　heard　my　name　without　trembling。　Does　this　fellow　dare　disdain　me？〃
Then　he　ordered　Guan　Ping　to　attack　Fancheng　while　he　went　out　to　stay　the　impudent　boaster　who　dared　him。
〃Father；〃　said　Guan　Ping；　〃Taishan　Mountain　in　its　majesty　does　not　quarrel　with　a　pebble。　Let　me　go　and　fight　this　Pang　De。〃
〃Well；　my　son；　go　and　try。　I　will　support　you。〃
So　Guan　Ping　took　his　sword；　mounted　his　steed；　and　went　out　with　his　troops。　Both　sides　being　drawn　up　for　battle。　On　the　side　of　Wei　there　flew　a　single　black　flag　on　which　was　inscribed　Pang　De；　Corrector　of　the　West　in　white。　The　leader　himself　wore　a　blue　robe　with　a　silver　helmet　and　rode　a　white　charger。　He　stood　out　in　front　backed　by　his　five　hundred　veterans；　and　a　few　foot　soldiers　were　there　too；　bearing　the　gruesome　coffin。
Guan　Ping　was　very　angry；　crying　out；　〃Turncoat！　Traitor！〃
〃Who　is　that？〃　asked　Pang　De　of　his　followers。
A　certain　one　replied；　〃That　is　Guan　Yu's　adopted　son；　Guan　Ping。〃
Pang　De　cried；　〃I　have　an　edict　from　the　Prince　of　Wei　to　take　your　father's　head。　You　are　but　a　weakling；　and　I　will　spare　you。　But　call　your　father！〃
Guan　Ping　dashed　forward　flourishing　his　sword。　Pang　De　went　to　meet　him；　and　there　followed　thirty　odd　bouts　with　no　advantage　to　either。
Both　sides　then　drew　off　to　rest。　Soon　the　news　of　this　bat　reached　Guan　Yu；　and　he　was　not　pleased。　He　sent　Liao　Hua　to　assault　the　city　while　he　went　to　do　battle　with　Pang　De。　Guan　Ping　met　his　father　and　related　the　story　of　the　indecisive　fight。
So　Guan　Yu　rode　out　with　his　green…dragon　saber　ready；　and　he　shouted　to　Pang　De；　〃e　quickly　and　be　slain！〃
The　drums　reechoed　as　Pang　De　rode　out　and　replied；　〃The　edict　from　the　Prince　of　Wei　tells　me　to　take　your　head。　In　case　you　disbelieve　it；　here　is　the　coffin　ready　to　receive　it。　If　you　fear　death；　down　from　your　horse　and　surrender！〃
〃I　hold　you　for　a　simple　fool；〃　cried　Guan　Yu。　〃What　can　you　do？　It　is　a　pity　to　stain　my　blade　with　the　blood　of　such　a　rat。〃
Then　he　galloped　Red　Hare　out　toward　Pang　De；　flourishing　the　saber。　Pang　De　whirled　his　blade　and　came　to　meet　him；　and　they　two　fought　a　hundred　bouts。　And　as　they　fought；　the　lust　of　battle　seemed　to　grow　and　both　armies　were　lost　in　amazement。
But　the　army　of　Wei　began　to　fear　for　their　champion；　and　the　gongs　sounded　the　retirement。　At　the　same　time　Guan　Ping　began　to　think　of　his　father's　fatigue；　and　his　gongs　clanged　too。　So　that　both　armies　drew　off　at　the　same　time。
〃People　rumor　Guan　Yu　is　a　mighty　man　of　war。　Today　I　really　believe　that；〃　said　Pang　De；　when　he　had　got　back　among　his　own　line。
Then　his　chief；　Yu　Jin；　came　to　see　him　and　said；　〃O　General；　you　fought　the　great　bat　of　a　hundred　bouts；　which　ended　indecisively。　I　think　it　would　be　prudent　to　retire　out　of　his　way；　and　therefore　blunting　his　spirit。〃
But　Pang　De　replied　haughtily；　〃What　makes　you　so　soft？　Yet　the　Prince　gave　you　the　mand　of　the　seven　armies！　But　tomorrow　I　will　fight　again　and　that　to　the　death。　I　swear　I　will　never　give　way。〃
Yu　Jin　could　not　overe　Pang　De's　decision；　so　he　went　back　to　his　own　camp。
When　Guan　Yu　had　got　back　to　his　camp；　he　extolled　Pang　De；　saying；　〃His　swordsmanship　is　perfect。　He　is　my　worthy　enemy。〃
〃The　new…born　calf　fears　not　the　tiger；〃　said　Guan　Ping。　〃But　if　you　slay　this　fellow；　my　father；　you　have　only　killed　a　mon　soldier　of　the　Qiang