波波小说

第62部分（第1页）

Yuan　Shao　received　him　with　much　pleasure　and　treated　him　exceedingly　well。　And　they　both　lived　in　Yuan　Shaos　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　Beis　family。

Xun　Yu　said；　〃Guan　Yu　is　there；　in　charge　of　his　brothers　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　tigers　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　Beis　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　discerned　Zhang　Liao。

When　within　speaking　distance；　Guan　Yu　said；　〃Are　you　e　to　fight　me；　Zhang　Liao？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Zhang　Liao。　〃I　am　e　to　see　you　because　of　our　old　friendship。〃

Wherefore　Zhang　Liao　threw　aside　his　sword；　dismounted；　and　came　forward　saluting。　And　the　two　sat　down。

〃Then　naturally　you　have　e　to　talk　me　over；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃Not　so！〃　said　Zhang　Liao。　〃Sometime　ago　you　saved　me。　Can　I　help　saving　you？〃

〃Then　you　desire　to　help　me。〃

〃Not　exactly　that；〃　replied　Zhang　Liao。

〃Then　what　are　you　doing　here　if　you　have　not　e　to　help　me？〃

〃Nothing　is　known　of　the　fate　of　your　elder　brother；　nor　whether　your　younger　brother　is　alive　or　dead。　Last　night　your　city　fell　into　the　hands　of　Cao　Cao；　but　neither　soldiers　nor　people　were　harmed；　and　a　special　guard　was　set　over　the　family　of　Liu　Bei　lest　they　should　be　alarmed。　I　came　to　tell　you　how　well　they　had　been　treated。〃

〃This　is　certainly　talking　me　over；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃Though　escape　is　impossible；　yet　I　am　not　perturbed。　I　look　upon　death　as　going　home。　You　had　better　depart　quickly　and　let　me　go　down　and　begin　the　struggle　again。〃

〃Surely　you　must　know　everybody　will　ridicule　you　when　they　hear　of　this；〃　said　Zhang　Liao。

〃I　shall　die　for　loyalty　and　righteousness。　Who　will　laugh？〃　said　Guan　Yu。

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