小说妹妹网

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第49部分（第1页）

Then　Lu　Bu　ordered　Zhang　Liao　and　Gao　Shun；　〃Get　ready　three　thousand　troops　for　the　venture；　and　prepare　a　light　carriage。　I　will　lead　the　first　seventy　miles；　thence　you　can　escort　the　bride…elect　the　remainder　of　the　way　to　her　new　home。〃

Next　evening　toward　the　second　watch；　Lu　Bu　wrapped　up　his　daughter　in　soft　wadded　garments；　bound　her　about　with　a　mailed　coat；　and　took　her　on　his　back。　Then　with　his　mighty　trident　halberd　in　hand；　he　mounted　Red　Hare　and　rode　at　the　head　of　the　cavalcade　out　of　the　city　gate。　Zhang　Liao　and　Gao　Shun　followed。

In　this　order　they　approached　Liu　Beis　camp。　The　drums　at　once　beat　the　alarm；　and　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　barred　the　way。

〃Stop！〃　they　shouted。

Lu　Bu　had　no　desire　to　fight；　all　he　wished　was　to　get　through；　so　he　made　for　a　side　road。　Liu　Bei　came　in　pursuit　and　the　two　parties　engaged。　Brave　as　he　might　be；　Lu　Bu　was　almost　helpless　now　that　he　was　hampered　by　a　girl　on　his　shoulders；　whom　he　was　desperately　anxious　to　preserve　from　hurt。　Beside　other　parties　came　up　all　shouting　and　attacking；　and　he　had　no　alternative　but　to　give　up　his　project　and　return　into　the　city　of　Xiapi。　He　reached　his　palace　very　sad　at　heart。　The　besiegers　returned　to　camp　well　pleased　that　no　one　had　got　beyond　their　lines。

Lu　Bu　found　consolation　in　the　wine　cup。　The　siege　had　gone　on　for　two　months；　and　still　the　city　stood。　Then　they　heard　that　Zhang　Yang；　Governor　of　Henei；　had　been　inclined　to　e　to　the　help　of　Lu　Bu。　But　one　of　his　subordinates；　Yang　Chou；　had　assassinated　him　and　was　bringing　his　head　as　an　offering　to　Cao　Cao；　when　Yang　Chou　had　also　been　slain　by　Kui　Gu；　one　of　the　Governors　adherents。　Kui　Gu　had　then　led　the　force　to　Daicheng。

In　the　camp　of　the　besiegers；　there　now　arose　much　murmuring。　Cao　Cao　sent　Shi　Huan　to　intercept　and　kill　Kui　Gu。

Then　he　called　a　counsel；　saying；　〃Though　Zhang　Yang；　who　meant　to　hurt　us；　is　happily　no　more；　yet　we　are　threatened　on　the　north　by　Yuan　Shao；　and　on　the　west　Liu　Biao　and　Zhang　Xiu　are　a　menace。　Here　we　meet　with　no　success　against　the　city　of　Xiapi。　We　are　for　leaving　Lu　Bu　to　his　fate　and　returning　home。　What　do　you　think？〃

Among　them　Xun　You　fought　against　the　idea；　saying；　〃You　must　not　act　like　this。　Lu　Bu　has　lost　much；　and　his　spirit　is　broken。　The　spirit　of　the　leader　expresses　that　of　his　army；　and　when　the　leader　fails；　his　soldiers　do　not　fight。　Chen　Gong　is　clever；　but　nothing　is　done。　Lu　Bu　broken；　Chen　Gong　without　decision；　it　only　needs　a　sharp　attack；　and　we　shall　succeed。〃

〃I　have　a　plan　to　propose；〃　said　Guo　Jia；　〃a　plan　to　overe　the　city　at　once。　It　is　better　than　two　hundred　thousand　troops。〃

〃I　suppose　you　mean　drowning　the　city　by　River　Si　and　River　Yi；〃　said　Xun　Yu。

〃That　is　it；〃　said　Guo　Jia；　smiling。

Cao　Cao　accepted　the　suggestion　with　joy　and　set　his　troops　to　cut　the　banks　of　River　Yi　and　River　Si；　and　moved　his　army　to　the　high　ground　whence　they　watched　the　drowning　out　of　Xiapi。　Only　the　east　gate　remained　clear　of　water。

The　besieged　soldiers　hastened　to　their　leader。

Lu　Bu　said；　〃Why　should　I　fear？　My　good　horse　can　go　as　well　through　the　water　as　over　the　land。〃

And　he　again　returned　to　the　wine　cup　for　consolation；　drinking　deeply　with　his　wife　and　concubine。

The　continual　drinking　bouts　told　at　last；　and　Lu　Bu　began　to　look　dissipated。　Seeing　himself　in　a　mirror　one　day；　he　was　startled　at　the　change　and　said　to　himself；　〃I　am　injuring　myself　with　wine。　No　more　from　this　day　forward！〃

He　then　issued　an　order　that　no　one　should　drink　wine　under　penalty　of　death。

Now　one　of　his　generals；　Hou　Cheng；　lost　fifteen　horses；　stolen　by　one　of　his　subordinates；　Hou　Cao；　who　intended　to　resell　them　to　Liu　Bei。　Hou　Cheng　found　out　where　the　horses　were；　went　out　after　them；　and　recovered　them　after　killing　Hou　Cao。　And　Hou　Chengs　colleagues　congratulated　him　on　his　success。　To　celebrate　the　occasion；　Hou　Cheng　brewed　a　few　barrels　of　wine　to　be　drunk　at　the　feast。

But　thinking　his　chief　might　find　him　in　fault；　Hou　Cheng　sent　the　bottles　of　wine　to　Lu　Bus　palace　with　a　petition　explaining；　〃By　your　virtue　of　warlike　renown；　I　have　recovered　my　horses；　and　as　my　rades　e　with　their　congratulations；　I　brew　some　bottles　of　wine；　first　to　offer　Your　Lordship　and　second　to　ask　your　permission　to　have　a　little　wine　at　the　feast。〃

Lu　Bu　took　it　very　angrily；　saying；　〃When　I　have　forbidden　all　wine；　you　brew　some　and　begin　to　give　feasts：　You　are　simply　defying　me！〃

Whereupon　he　ordered　the　officer　to　instant　execution。　However；　Song　Xian；　Wei　Xu；　and　other　officers　came　in　and　interceded；　and　after　a　time　Lu　Bu　softened。

〃You　ought　to　lose　your　head　for　this　disobedience。　But　for　the　sake　of　your　colleagues；　the　punishment　shall　be　reduced　to　a　hundred　strokes。〃

They　tried　to　beg　him　off　this；　but　only　succeeded　in　reducing　the　number　of　blows　to　one　half。

When　the　sentence　had　been　carried　out　and　Hou　Cheng　was　permitted　to　return　home；　his　colleagues　came　sadly　to　console　him。

〃Had　it　not　been　for　you；　I　should　have　been　put　to　death；〃　said　Hou　Cheng。

Song　Xian　replied；　〃All　Lu　Bu　cares　for　is　his　family。　There　is　no　pity　for　anyone　else。　We　are　no　more　than　the　weeds　by　the　roadside。〃

Wei　Xu　said；　〃The　city　is　besieged；　the　water　is　drowning　us　out。　There　will　not　be　much　more　of　this；　for　we　may　die　any　day。〃

〃He　is　a　beast；　with　neither　a　sense　of　humanity　nor　of　right。　Let　us　leave　him；〃　said　Song　Xian。

〃He　is　not　worth　fighting　for。　The　best　we　could　do　would　be　to　seize　him　and　hand　him　over　to　Cao　Cao；〃　said　Wei　Xu。

〃I　was　punished　because　I　got　my　horses　back　again；　yet　all　he　trusts　in　is　his　own　Red　Hare。　If　you　two　will　betray　the　gate　and　seize　Lu　Bu；　I　will　steal　the　horse　and　go　out　to　Cao　Caos　camp。〃

They　settled　how　to　carry　out　the　plot；　and　that　very　night　Hou　Cheng　sneaked　into　the　stables　and　got　Red　Hare　away。　He　hastened　to　the　east　gate　which　was　opened　to　let　him　through。　The　guard　made　a　pretense　of　pursuing　him　but　only　a　pretense。

Hou　Cheng　reached　the　besiegers　camp；　presented　the　horse　and　told　Cao　Cao　what　had　been　arranged。　They　would　show　a　white　flag　and　open　the　gates　to　his　army。　Hearing　this　Cao　Cao　had　a　few　notifications　written　out；　which　were　attached　to　arrows　and　shot　over　the　walls。　This　is　one　of　them：

〃Regent　Marshal　Cao　Cao　has　received　a　mand　from　the　Emperor　to　destroy　Lu　Bu。　Those　who　interfere　with　the　operations　of　his　grand　army；　whatever　their　rank；　shall　be　put　to　death　in　the　gate　on　the　day　that　the　city　shall　be　captured。　Should　anyone　capture　Lu　Bu　or　bring　his　head；　he　shall　be　well　rewarded。　Let　all　take　note　of　this。〃

Next　day　at　daylight　a　tremendous　hubbub　was　heard　without　the　city　and　Lu　Bu；　halberd　in　hand；　hasted　to　the　wall　to　see　what　it　meant。　As　he　went　from　gate　to　gate　inspecting　the　defenses　and　guards；　he　censured　Wei　Xu　for　letting　Hou　Cheng　escape　and　get　away　with　his　horse。　Lu　Bu　threatened　to　punish　Wei　Xu。　But　just　then　the　besiegers　began　a　fierce　attack　as　the　white　flag　had　just　appeared；　and　Lu　Bu　had　to　turn　all　his　energies　to　defense。　The　assault　lasted　till　noon；　when　the　attacking　force　drew　off　for　a　time。

Lu　Bu　was　taking　a　rest　in　the　tower　and　fell　asleep　in　his　chair。　Song　Xian　sent　away　Lu　Bus　attendants。　When　they　had　gone；　he　stole　Lu　Bus　weapon；　the　trident　halberd　in　which　he　trusted。　Then　Song　Xian　and　Wei　Xu　fell　upon　Lu　Bu　together　and　before　he　was　well　awake　had　bound　him　with　cords；　trussing　him　so　that　he　could　not　move。　Lu　Bu　shouted　for　his　guards；　but　they　were　driven　off　by　the　two　traitor　generals　and　could　not　e　near。　Then　a　white　flag　was　shown；　and　the　besiegers　again　approached　the　city。

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