三国演义英文版-第36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！


Liu　Bei　said；　〃Imperial　Protector　Tao　Qian　is　a　kindly　man　of　high　character；　and　it　is　a　pity　that　he　should　suffer　this　wrong　for　no　fault　of　his　own。〃
〃You　are　a　scion　of　the　imperial　family；〃　said　Governor　Kong　Rong；　〃and　this　Cao　Cao　is　injuring　the　people；　a　strong　man　abusing　his　strength。　Why　not　go　with　me　to　rescue　the　sufferers？〃
〃I　dare　not　refuse；　but　my　force　is　weak　and　I　must　act　cautiously；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
〃Though　my　desire　to　help　arises　from　an　old　friendship；　yet　it　is　a　righteous　act　as　well。　I　do　not　think　your　heart　is　not　inclined　toward　the　right；〃　said　Kong　Rong。
Liu　Bei　said；　〃This　being　so；　you　go　first　and　give　me　time　to　see　Gongsun　Zan　from　whom　I　may　borrow　more　troops　and　horses。　I　will　e　anon。〃
〃You　surely　will　not　break　your　promise？〃　said　the　Governor。
〃What　manner　of　man　think　you　that　I　am？〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃The　wise　one　said；　'Death　is　mon　to　all；　the　person　without　truth　cannot　maintain　the　self。'　Whether　I　get　the　troops　or　not；　certainly　I　shall　myself　e。〃
So　the　plan　was　agreed　to。　Mi　Zhu　set　out　to　return　forthwith　while　Kong　Rong　prepared　for　his　expedition。
Taishi　Ci　took　his　leave；　saying；　〃My　mother　bade　me　e　to　your　aid；　and　now　happily　you　are　safe。　Letters　have　e　from　my　fellow　townsman；　Liu　Yao；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yangzhou；　calling　me　thither　and　I　must　go。　I　will　see　you　again。〃
Kong　Rong　pressed　rewards　upon　Taishi　Ci；　but　he　would　accept　nothing　and　departed。　When　his　mother　saw　him；　she　was　pleased　at　his　success　saying　she　rejoiced　that　he　had　been　able　to　prove　his　gratitude；　and　after　this　he　departed　for　Yangzhou。
Liu　Bei　went　away　to　his　friend　Gongsun　Zan　and　laid　before　Gongsun　Zan　his　design　to　help　Xuzhou。
〃Cao　Cao　and　you　are　not　enemies。　Why　do　you　spend　yourself　for　the　sake　of　another？〃　said　Gongsun　Zan。
〃I　have　promised；〃　Liu　Bei　replied；　〃and　dare　not　break　faith。〃
〃I　will　lend　you　two　thousand　horse　and　foot；〃　said　Gongsun　Zan。
〃Also　I　wish　to　have　the　services　of　Zhao　Yun；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
Gongsun　Zan　agreed　to　this　also。　They　marched　away；　Liu　Bei's　own　troops　being　in　the　front；　and　Zhao　Yun；　with　the　borrowed　troops；　being　in　rear。
In　due　course　Mi　Zhu　returned　saying　that　Kong　Rong　had　also　obtained　the　services　of　Liu　Bei。　The　other　messenger；　Chen　Deng；　came　back　and　reported　that　Tien　Kai　would　also　bring　help。　Then　was　Tao　Qian's　heart　set　at　ease。
But　both　the　leaders；　though　they　had　promised　aid；　greatly　dreaded　their　antagonist　and　camped　among　the　hills　at　a　great　distance；　fearful　of　ing　too　close　to　Cao　Cao's　quarters。　Cao　Cao　knew　of　their　ing　and　divided　his　army　into　parts　to　meet　them；　so　postponing　the　attack　on　the　city　itself。
Presently　Liu　Bei　came　up　and　went　to　see　Kong　Rong；　who　said；　〃The　enemy　is　very　powerful；　and　Cao　Cao　handles　his　army　skillfully。　We　must　be　cautious。　Let　us　make　most　careful　observations　before　we　strike　a　blow。〃
〃What　I　fear　is　famine　in　the　city；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃They　cannot　hold　out　very　long。　I　will　put　my　troops　with　yours　under　your　mand；　while　I　with　Zhang　Fei　make　a　dash　through　to　see　Tao　Qian　and　consult　with　him。〃
Kong　Rong　approved　of　this；　so　he　and　Tien　Kai　took　up　positions　on　the　ox…horn　formation；　with　Guan　Yu　and　Zhao　Yun　on　either　side　to　support　them。
When　Liu　Bei　and　Zhang　Fei　leading　one　thousand　troops　made　their　dash　to　get　through　Cao　Cao's　army；　they　got　as　far　as　the　flank　of　his　camp　when　there　arose　a　great　beating　of　drums；　and　horse　and　foot　rolled　out　like　billows　on　the　ocean。　The　leader　was　Yu　Jin。
Yu　Jin　checked　his　steed　and　called　out；　〃You　mad　men　from　somewhere；　where　are　you　going？〃
Zhang　Fei　heard　Yu　Jin　but　deigned　no　reply。　He　only　rode　straight　to　attack　the　speaker。　After　they　had　fought　a　few　bouts；　Liu　Bei　waved　his　double　swords　as　signal　for　his　troops　to　e　on；　and　they　drove　Yu　Jin　before　them。　Zhang　Fei　led　the　pursuit　and　in　this　way　they　reached　the　city　wall。
From　the　city　wall；　the　besieged　saw　a　huge　banner　embroidered　in　white　Liu　Bei　of　Pingyuan　；　and　the　Imperial　Protector　bade　them　open　the　gate　for　the　rescuers　to　enter。　Liu　Bei　was　made　very　wele；　conducted　to　the　residency；　and　a　banquet　prepared　in　his　honor。　The　soldiers　also　were　feasted。
Tao　Qian　was　delighted　with　Liu　Bei；　admiring　his　high…spirited　appearance　and　clear　speech。　Tao　Qian　bade　Mi　Zhu　offer　Liu　Bei　the　seal　and　insignia　of　the　protectorship　office。　But　Liu　Bei　shrank　back　startled。
〃What　does　this　mean？〃　said　Liu　Bei。
Tao　Qian　said；　〃There　is　trouble　on　every　side；　and　the　kingly　rule　is　no　longer　maintained。　You；　Sir；　are　a　member　of　the　family　and　eminently　fitted　to　support　them　and　their　prerogatives。　I　am　verging　on　senility；　and　I　wish　to　retire　in　your　favor。　I　pray　you　not　to　decline；　and　I　will　report　my　action　to　the　court。〃
Liu　Bei　started　up　from　his　seat　and　bowed　before　his　host；　saying；　〃Scion　of　the　family　I　may　be；　but　my　merit　is　small　and　my　virtue　meager。　I　doubt　my　fitness　even　for　my　present　post；　and　only　a　feeling　of　doing　right　sent　me　to　your　assistance。　To　hear　such　speech　makes　me　doubt。　Surely　you　think　I　came　with　greed　in　my　heart。　May　God　help　me　no　more　if　I　cherished　such　a　thought。〃
〃It　is　a　poor　old　man's　real　sentiment；〃　said　Tao　Qian。
Time　after　time　Tao　Qian　renewed　his　offer　to　entrust　the　region　of　Xuzhou　to　Liu　Bei；　but　Liu　Bei　kept　refusing。
In　the　midst　of　this　came　Mi　Zhu；　saying；　〃The　enemies　had　reached　the　wall；　and　something　must　be　done　to　drive　them　off。　The　present　matter　could　await　a　more　tranquil　time。〃
Said　Liu　Bei；　〃I　ought　to　write　to　Cao　Cao　to　press　him　to　raise　the　siege。　If　he　refuses；　we　will　attack　forthwith。〃
Orders　were　sent　to　the　three　camps　outside　to　remain　quiescent　till　the　letter　could　reach　Cao　Cao。
It　happened　that　Cao　Cao　was　holding　a　council　when　a　messenger　with　a　war　letter　was　announced。　The　letter　was　brought　in　and　handed　to　him　and；　when　he　had　opened　and　looked　at　it；　he　found　it　was　from　Liu　Bei。
This　is　the　letter；　very　nearly：
〃Since　meeting　you　outside　the　pass；　fate　has　assigned　us　to　different　quarters　of　the　world；　and　I　have　not　been　able　to　pay　my　respects　to　you。　Touching　the　death　of　your　noble　father；　it　was　owing　to　the　vicious　nature　of　Zhang　Kai　and　due　to　no　fault　of　Tao　Qian。　Now　while　the　remnant　of　the　Yellow　Scarves　is　disturbing　the　lands；　and　Dong　Zhuo's　partisans　have　the　upper　hand　in　the　capital；　I　wish　that　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　would　regard　the　critical　position　of　the　court　rather　than　your　personal　grievances；　and　so　divert　your　forces　from　the　attack　on　Xuzhou　to　the　rescue　of　the　state。　Such　would　be　for　the　happiness　of　that　city　and　the　whole　empire。〃
Cao　Cao　gave　vent　to　a　torrent　of　abuse：　〃Who　is　this　Liu　Bei　that　he　dares　write　and　exhort　me？　Beside；　he　means　to　be　satirical。〃
Cao　Cao　issued　orders　to　put　the　bearer　of　the　letter　to　death　and　to　press　on　the　siege。
But　Guo　Jia　remonstrated；　saying；　〃Liu　Bei　has　e　from　afar　to　help　Tao　Qian；　and　he　is　trying　the　effect　of　politeness　before　resorting　to　arms。　I　pray　you；　my　lord；　reply　with　fair　words　that　his　heart　may　be　lulled　with　a　feeling　of　safety。　Then　attack　with　vigor　and　the　city　will　fall。〃
Cao　Cao　found　this　advice　good；　so　he　spared　the　messenger；　telling　him　to　wait　to　carry　back　his　reply。　While　this　was　going　on；　a　horseman　came　with　news　of　misfortune：　〃Lu　Bu　has　invaded　Yanzhou；　now　holding　Puyang。　The　three　counties　left………Juancheng；　Fanxia；　and　Dongjun………are　under　severe　attacks。〃

＇e＇　Zhang　Yang　was　among　the　eighteen　lords　who　rallied　against　Dong　Zhou　at　the　Tiger　Trap　Pass。
When　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　the　two　partisans　of　Dong　Zhuo；　succeeded　in　their　attack　on　the　capital；　Lu　Bu　had　fled　to　Yuan　Shu。　However；　Yuan　Shu　looked　askance　at　him　for　his　instability　and　refused　to　receive　him。　Then　Lu　Bu　went　to　try　Yuan　Shao；　who　was　a　brother　of　Yuan　Shu。　Yuan　Shao　accepted　the　warrior　and　made　use　of　him　in　an　attack　upon　Zhang　Yan　in　Changshan。　But　his　success　filled　him　with　pride；　and　his　arrogant　demeanor　so　annoyed　the　other　manders　that　Yuan　Shao　was　on　the　point　of　putting　him　to　death。　To　escape　this　Lu　Bu　had　gone　away　to　Zhang　Yang*；　Governor　of　Shangdang；　who　accepted　his　services。
About　this　time　Pang　Shu；　who　had　been　hiding　and　protecting　Lu　Bu