三国演义英文版-第281章

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But　the　First　Ruler　only　said；　〃The　army　was　quite　cut　off　by　Wu　from　the　south　bank；　and　he　had　no　alternative　but　to　surrender。　Really；　I　betrayed　him；　not　he　me。　Why　should　I　take　vengeance　on　his　family？〃
So　he　continued　the　issue　of　the　renegade's　pay　to　his　family。
When　Huang　Quan　surrendered；　he　was　led　into　the　presence　of　the　Ruler　of　Wei。

＇e＇　Chen　Ping　and　Han　Xin　had　served　under　Xiang　Yu　first；　before　they　defected　to　Liu　Bang's　camp。
Cao　Pi　said；　〃You　have　surrendered　to　me　because　you　desired　to　imitate　the　admirable　conduct　of　Chen　Ping　and　Han　Xin　of　old*。〃
But　Huang　Quan　replied；　weeping；　〃The　Ruler　of　Shu　has　been　very　kind　to　me；　and　he　gave　me　the　leadership　of　the　army　on　the　North　of　the　Great　River。　Lu　Xun　cut　me　off　so　that　I　could　not　return　to　Shu；　and　I　would　not　surrender　to　Wu；　wherefore　I　have　yielded　to　Your　Majesty。　Defeated　as　I　am；　I　should　be　only　too　happy　if　my　life　were　spared；　but　I　have　no　claim　to　the　credit　of　the　virtuous　ones　of　old。〃
The　reply　satisfied　the　Ruler　of　Wei；　and　he　conferred　on　him　the　title　General　Who　Guards　the　South。　But　Huang　Quan；　however；　declined　the　offer。
Then　one　of　the　courtiers　said；　〃A　spy　has　reported　that　all　of　your　family　have　been　put　to　death　by　the　Ruler　of　Shu。〃
But　the　leader　replied　that　he　could　not　believe　it。
〃The　Ruler　of　Shu　and　his　officials　trust　each　other。　He　knows　my　heart；　and　he　would　not　injure　my　family。〃
And　the　Ruler　of　Wei　agreed　with　his　opinion。
A　poem　has　been　written　upbraiding　Huang　Quan：

That　was　a　pity　that　Huang　Quan　grudged　to　die；
Though　he　yielded　to　Wei；　not　Wu；
Yet　he　crooked　the　knee　in　an　alien　court。
Which　the　loyal　cannot　do。

Cao　Pi　sought　advice　from　Jia　Xu　concerning　his　design　of　bringing　the　whole　country　under　his　own　rule。
〃I　wish　to　bring　the　whole　empire　under　my　rule。　Which　shall　I　first　reduce；　Shu　or　Wu？〃
〃Liu　Bei　is　an　able　warrior；　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　a　most　capable　administrator。　Sun　Quan　possesses　discrimination；　and　his　general；　Lu　Xun；　occupies　all　the　strategic　positions　of　importance；　the　natural　obstacles；　the　intervening　rivers　and　spreading　lakes；　would　be　hard　to　overe。　I　do　not　think　you　have　any　leader　to　match　either　of　these　two　men。　Even　with　the　prestige　of　Your　Majesty's　own　presence；　no　one　could　guarantee　the　result。　The　better　course　is　to　hold　on　and　await　the　oute　of　the　struggle　between　those　two。〃
〃I　have　already　dispatched　three　armies　against　Wu。　Can　it　be　that　they　will　fail？〃
The　Chair　of　the　Secretariat；　Liu　Ye；　held　the　same　opinion　as　his　colleague。
Said　he；　〃Lu　Xun　has　just　won　a　great　victory　over　the　Shu　force　of　seven　hundred　thousand；　and　all　his　army　is　full　of　confidence。　Further；　there　are　the　lakes　and　the　rivers；　which　are　natural　difficulties　hard　to　cope　with。　And　again；　Lu　Xun　is　resourceful　and　well　prepared。〃
The　Ruler　of　Wei　said；　〃Formerly；　Sir；　you　urged　me　to　attack　Wu。　Why　do　you　now　give　contrary　advice？〃
〃Because　times　have　changed。　When　Wu　was　suffering　defeat　after　defeat；　the　country　was　depressed　and　might　be　smitten。　Now　this　great　victory　has　changed　all　that；　and　their　morale　has　increased　a　hundred　times。　I　say　now　they　may　not　be　attacked。〃
〃Well；　but　I　have　decided　to　attack。　So　say　no　more；〃　said　the　Ruler　of　Wei。
He　then　led　the　Imperial　Guards　out　to　support　his　three　armies。
But　the　scouts　soon　brought　news　justifying　the　opinion　of　his　advisers：　〃A　force　of　Wu　has　been　sent　to　oppose　each　of　our　three　armies。　Lu　Fan　leads　an　army　against　Cao　Xiu　at　Dongkou；　Zhuge　Jin　against　Cao　Zhen　at　Nanjun；　and　Zhu　Huan　against　Cao　Ren　at　Ruxu。〃
Liu　Ye　pointed　this　out　and　again　said；　〃Wu　has　prepared；　and　no　success　can　be　expected。〃
Still　Cao　Pi　was　obstinate；　and　marched。
The　Wu　leader；　Zhu　Huan；　who　had　been　sent　against　Cao　Ren　at　Ruxu；　was　a　young　man　of　twenty…seven。　He　was　bold　and　resourceful；　and　Sun　Quan　held　him　in　great　regard。　Hearing　that　Cao　Ren　was　going　to　attack　Xianxi；　Zhu　Huan　led　the　bulk　of　his　troops　to　defend　it；　leaving　only　five　thousand　troops　in　Ruxu。　Then　he　heard　that　the　van　of　the　enemy；　fifty　thousand　under　General　Chang　Diao；　with　the　aid　of　Zhuge　Qian　and　Wang　Shuang；　had　made　a　dash　for　Ruxu；　so　he　hastened　back　and　found　the　officers　were　in　great　fear。
Drawing　his　sword；　he　made　a　speech；　〃Success　depends　upon　the　leader　rather　than　on　the　number　of　soldiers。　The　Art　of　War　says　that　the　value　of　one　soldier　who　inhabits　the　place　equals　that　of　two　soldiers　who　e　from　afar；　and　those　who　are　hosts；　however　in　small　number；　can　overe　those　who　are　guests。　Now　the　enemy　is　weary　from　a　long　march；　and　I　and　you；　my　men；　can　hold　this　place　together。　We　have　the　Great　River　to　defend　us　on　the　south；　and　we　are　backed　by　the　mountains　on　the　north。　Success　should　be　ours　easily；　and　we　are　as　hosts　at　home　awaiting　the　arrival　of　our　weary　visitors。　This　will　give　us　victory　in　every　fight。　Even　if　Cao　Pi　es；　we　need　feel　no　anxiety。　How　much　less　care　we　for　Cao　Ren　and　his　troops？〃
Zhu　Huan　he　issued　orders　to　furl　all　the　banners　and　to　silence　all　the　drums　as　if　the　city　was　empty　of　defenders。
In　time；　Chang　Diao　and　his　veterans　of　the　van　came　to　the　city。　Not　a　person　was　visible；　and　he　hastened　forward　with　all　speed。　But　as　he　neared　the　city；　suddenly　a　bomb　went　off。　Immediately　up　rose　a　forest　of　flags；　and　out　dashed　Zhu　Huan　with　his　sword　drawn。　And　he　made　for　Chang　Diao。　In　the　third　encounter　Zhu　Huan　cut　down　Chang　Diao；　and　the　troops　of　Wu；　rushing　to　the　attack；　thoroughly　routed　the　invaders；　slaying　innumerable　soldiers。　Beside　scoring　a　plete　victory；　Zhu　Huan　took　much　spoil　of　flags　and　weapons　and　horses。
Cao　Ren　himself；　ing　up　later；　was　attacked　by　the　troops　from　Xianxi　and　was　also　routed。　He　fled　home　to　his　master　with　the　news　of　defeat　and　destruction。
And　before　the　Ruler　of　Wei　could　decide　what　course　to　take　in　regard　to　this　loss；　the　news　came　of　the　defeat　of　his　another　army：　〃Cao　Zhen　and　Xiahou　Shang　were　besieging　Nanjun　when　Zhuge　Jin　from　within　and　Lu　Xun　from　without　attacked　in　concert。　The　two　generals　suffered　a　great　loss。〃
Immediately；　another　report　came：　〃Cao　Xiu　has　been　defeated　by　Lu　Fan　at　Dongkou。〃
So　all　three　armies　had　failed　and　were　lost。
Cao　Pi　sighed　and　said　sadly；　〃This　has　e　from　my　willfulness　and　neglect　of　the　advice　of　Jia　Xu　and　Liu　Ye。〃
The　summer　of　that　year　was　very　unhealthy；　and　a　pestilence　swept　away　the　soldiers　more　than　half　the　number。　So　they　were　marched　home　to　Capital　Luoyang。　The　two　countries　were　at　enmity　though　they　were　not　fighting。
Meanwhile　the　First　Ruler　was　failing。　He　remained　in　his　Palace　of　Eternal　Peace　at　Baidicheng　and　presently　was　confined　to　his　couch。　Gradually　he　became　worse；　and　in　the　fourth　moon　of　the　third　year　of　Manifest　Might　（AD　222）　his　condition　became　serious。　He　himself　felt　the　end　was　near；　and　he　was　depressed　and　wept　for　his　two　lost　brothers　till　the　sight　of　his　eyes　suffered。　He　was　morose　and　ill…tempered：　He　could　not　bear　any　of　his　court　near　him；　drove　away　his　servants　and　lay　upon　his　couch　sad　and　solitary。
One　evening　as　thus　he　lay；　a　sudden　gust　of　wind　came　into　the　chamber；　almost　extinguishing　the　candles。　As　they　burned　bright　again；　he　saw　two　men　standing　in　the　shade　behind　them。
〃I　told　you　I　was　worried；〃　said　the　First　Ruler；　〃and　bade　you　leave　me。　Why　have　you　e　back？　Go！〃
But　they　remained　and　did　not　go。　Wherefore　the　First　Ruler　rose　and　went　over　to　look　at　them。　As　he　drew　near　he　saw　one　was　Guan　Yu　and　the　other　Zhang　Fei。
〃Are　you　still　alive；　then；　brothers？〃　said　he。
〃We　are　not　men；　we　are　shades；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃The　Supreme　One　has　conferred　spirithood　upon　us　in　consideration　of　our　faithfulness　throughout　life；　and　ere　long；　brother；　we　three　shall　be　together　again。〃
The　First　Ruler　clutched　at　the　figures　and　burst　into　tears；　then　he　awoke。　The　two　figures　were　no　longer　there。　He　called　in　his　people　and　asked　the　hour。　They　told　him　the　third　watch。
〃I　am　not　much　longer　for　this　world；〃　said　he　with　a　sigh。
Messengers　were　sent　to　Capital　Chengdu　to　summon　the　Prime　Minister　and　other　high　officers　of　state　to　receive　the　Emperor's　last　instructions。　They　came；　Zhuge　Liang　bringing