迪文小说

第185部分（第2页）

Guan　Yu　sighed。　Beating　the　ground　with　his　foot；　he　said；　〃Indeed　I　have　fallen　into　their　trap。　How　shall　I　look　my　brother　in　the　face？〃

Then　outspoke　missariat　mander　Zhao　Lei；　saying；　〃We　are　in　straits。　Send　to　Chengdu　for　help；　and　let　us　take　the　land　road　to　Jingzhou　to　try　to　recover　it。〃

So　Guan　Yu　sent　Ma　Liang　and　Yi　Ji　to　Shu　to　ask　for　help。　The　messengers　rode　out　swiftly　by　different　routes；　while　the　army　set　out　to　return　to　Jingzhou；　Guan　Yu　leading　and　Liao　Hua　with　Guan　Ping　keeping　the　rear。

The　siege　of　Fancheng　being　thus　raised；　Cao　Ren　went　to　see　his　master。　With　tears　he　acknowledged　his　fault　and　asked　pardon。

〃It　was　the　will　of　heaven；　and　no　fault　of　yours；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　he　rewarded　the　armies。

When　he　visited　Sizhong　and　had　inspected　the　captured　stockades；　he　remarked　on　the　defenses；　saying；　〃Xu　Huang　was　very　clever　to　overe　these。　With　my　thirty　years　of　war；　I　should　not　have　dared　to　penetrate　such　opposition。　He　is　valiant　and　wise；　and　both　in　a　high　degree。〃

〃Aye；〃　said　they　with　him；　for　they　could　not　but　agree。

Cao　Caos　army　marched　back　to　Mopo　and　there　camped。　When　Xu　Huang　returned；　Cao　Cao　went　out　of　the　stockade　to　meet　him；　and　netted　with　joy　when　seeing　the　excellent　order　and　discipline　that　his　army　showed。　Every　soldier　was　in　his　place；　the　ranks　perfectly　kept；　all　without　a　trace　of　disorder。

＇e＇　Zhou　Yafu　was　son　of　Zhou　Bo；　the　prime　minister　of　Emperor　Wen　（BC　179…156）。　After　the　death　of　Emperor　Wen；　Duke　Wu　started　a　rebellion　of　Seven　Kingdoms。　Zhou　Yafu　as　a　general　put　down　this　rebellion。　。。。。。

〃General　Xu　Huang　has　the　spirit　of　the　old　Zhou　Yafu*；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　and　on　the　spot　conferred　on　his　mander　the　title　of　General　Who　Pacifies　the　South。　Xu　Huang　was　sent　soon　after　to　share　in　the　defense　of　Xiangyang　with　Xiahou　Shang　and　to　meet　Guan　Yus　army。

Jingzhou　being　still　in　turmoil；　Cao　Cao　remained　at　Mopo　waiting　for　news。

Guan　Yu　found　himself　at　a　standstill　on　the　road　to　Jingzhou　with　the　army　of　Wu　in　front　and　the　men　of　Wei　ing　up　behind。

〃What　is　to　be　done；〃　he　discussed　the　position　with　Zhao　Lei；　〃when　we　cannot　advance　nor　retreat　and　the　aid　has　not　e？〃

Zhao　Lei　proposed　a　halt　to　try　to　shame　Lu　Meng　into　aiding　Cao　Cao。

Said　he；　〃When　Lu　Meng　was　at　Lukou；　he　used　to　write　to　you　often；　and　you　agreed　to　join　hands　in　the　destruction　of　Cao　Cao。　Now　he　is　a　traitor　and　fighting　on　the　other　side。　Send　a　letter　and　reproach　him。　Perhaps　we　may　get　a　satisfactory　reply。〃

So　the　letter　was　written　and　sent　to　Jingzhou。

Meanwhile；　by　Lu　Mengs　special　mand；　the　most　plete　protection　was　given　to　the　families　of　all　the　officers　who　were　serving　under　Guan　Yu；　and　they　were　kept　supplied　with　all　they　required。　Even　the　ailing　members　of　their　households　were　treated　by　physicians　free　of　charge。　The　result　was　that　they　were　quite　won　over　to　the　new　order　of　things；　and　there　was　no　attempt　to　disturb　it。　When　Guan　Yus　letter　came；　the　messenger　was　led　into　the　city　and　well　treated。

When　Lu　Meng　read　the　letter；　he　said　to　the　bearer　thereof；　〃You　must　understand　the　different　circumstances。　When　your　general　and　I　were　leagued　together；　it　was　a　personal　matter　between　us　two。　Now　things　have　changed。　I　am　sent　here　with　certain　orders　and　am　not　my　own　master。　I　would　trouble　you；　O　messenger；　to　return　and　explain　thus　to　your　master　and　in　good　words。〃

The　bearer　of　the　letter　was　entertained　at　a　banquet　and　sent　to　repose　himself　in　the　guest…house；　where　the　families　of　the　absent　officers　sought　him　to　have　news　of　their　husbands　and　fathers。　Moreover；　they　brought　him　letters　and　gave　him　messages　for　the　officers；　and　the　whole　tenor　of　these　letters　and　messages　was　that　they　were　all　in　good　health；　all　their　needs　were　supplied；　and　they　lacked　nothing。　When　he　left　the　city；　Lu　Meng　himself　escorted　him　to　the　outskirts　and　set　him　on　his　way。

On　his　return　to　the　army；　he　gave　to　Guan　Yu　the　message　of　Lu　Meng　and　told　him　that　the　families　were　all　well　and　safe　and　well　cared　for。　This；　however；　did　not　greatly　please　Guan　Yu。

Stamping　his　foot；　Guan　Yu　said；　〃This　is　merely　a　ruse　to　gain　favor　and　popularity。　The　brigand！　If　I　cannot　slay　him　while　I　live；　I　will　after　I　am　dead。　My　hate　shall　not　go　unappeased。〃

He　roughly　dismissed　the　messenger；　who　went　out　and　was　at　once　surrounded　by　those　whose　families　were　in　the　city　and　who　desired　to　have　news　of　them。　And　when　he　gave　them　the　letters　and　messages　and　told　them　all　were　well；　there　was　great　rejoicing　among　the　men　in　the　camp；　and　kindly　feelings　for　Lu　Meng　prevailed。　And　therewith　died　down　the　spirit　of　fighting。

Guan　Yu　led　the　army　to　attack　Jingzhou；　but　day　by　day　the　men　deserted　and　ran　away　to　the　very　city　they　were　moving　to　attack。　So　day　by　day　Guan　Yus　bitterness　and　anger　increased；　and　he　advanced　in　angry　haste。　One　day　there　was　a　great　shouting　and　the　noise　of　drums；　and　he　found　his　way　blocked。

〃Why　do　you　not　surrender；　friend　Guan　Yu？〃　said　the　leader　of　this　body；　Jiang　Qin。

〃Could　I　give　in　to　a　rebel………I；　a　servant　of　the　Hans　and　a　leader　of　their　army？〃　roared　Guan　Yu　in　a　passion。

Thereupon　he　whipped　his　horse　forward　and　swung　up　his　sword　to　strike。　However；　Jiang　Qin　would　not　fight。　The　two　exchanged　a　few　blows；　and　Jiang　Qin　fled。　Guan　Yu　followed。　When　he　had　gone　a　long　way；　there　suddenly　appeared　from　a　gully　near　him　Han　Dang；　while　Zhou　Tai　came　out　from　the　other　side。　Thereupon　Jiang　Qin　wheeled　round　and　once　more　came　to　do　battle；　so　that　three　forces　were　opposed　to　Guan　Yu。　Unable　to　withstand　these；　he　retreated。

Before　he　had　gone　very　far；　he　saw　signs　of　many　people　bivouacking　among　the　hills；　and　presently　made　out；　on　a　huge　white　banner　that　flapped　in　the　breeze；　the　words　Natives　of　Jingzhou　；　and　the　people　about　were　calling　out；　〃All　the　inhabitants　of　this　place　have　surrendered。〃

Guan　Yu　felt　like　rushing　up　and　cutting　these　people　to　pieces；　but　just　then　two　other　cohorts　appeared　led　by　Ding　Feng　and　Xu　Sheng；　who　supported　Jiang　Qin。　The　three　bodies　of　troops　then　set　on　with　shouting　and　loud　beating　of　drums　that　seemed　to　make　the　very　earth　tremble。　And　Guan　Yu　was　like　the　kernel　in　a　nut；　quite　surrounded。

This　was　not　all。　He　saw　the　number　of　his　f