第一小说网

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第45部分（第2页）

Cao　Cao　being　thus　worsted；　Jia　Xu　advised　Zhang　Xiu　to　write　off　to　Liu　Biao　to　cut　off　Cao　Caos　retreat　so　that　he　might　be　utterly　destroyed。

Liu　Biao　was　preparing　an　army　for　this　purpose；　when　a　scout　came　to　say　that　Sun　Ce　had　encamped　in　the　river　at　Hukou。

Kuai　Liang　said；　〃This　move　of　Sun　Ce　in　the　river　is　part　of　Cao　Caos　strategy；　and　there　will　be　never…ending　regret　if　Cao　Cao　is　allowed　to　escape。　An　immediate　expedition　is　necessary。〃

Wherefore　Liu　Biao　moved　out　with　his　army　to　Anzhong　to　block　Cao　Cao；　leaving　Huang　Zu　to　hold　Jingzhous　points　of　vantage。　Zhang　Xiu；　having　been　informed　of　the　movement　of　Liu　Biao；　went　with　Jia　Xu　to　smite　Cao　Cao　on　the　rear。

In　the　meantime　Cao　Caos　army；　marching　very　leisurely；　had　arrived　at　Xiangyang。

Walking　one　day　beside　River　Yu；　he　suddenly　uttered　a　great　cry；　and　when　his　officers　asked　the　reason　thereof；　he　replied；　〃I　remembered　that　here；　only　a　year　ago；　I　lost　my　great　general：　Dian　Wei。　Is　that　not　a　reason　to　grieve？〃

Thereupon　Cao　Cao　gave　orders　to　halt；　while　he　should　make　a　great　sacrifice　and　mourn　for　his　lost　leader。　At　the　ceremony　he　himself　burned　incense　and　wailed　and　prostrated　himself。　The　army　was　much　affected　by　his　devotion。　After　the　sacrifices　to　the　lost　hero；　he　sacrificed　to　the　names　of　his　nephew　Cao　Amin　and　his　eldest　son　Cao　Ang；　both　of　whom　had　died　at　the　same　time。　He　also　sacrificed　to　his　lost　soldiers　and　even　to　his　Dawan　steed　which　had　been　killed　by　an　arrow。

Next　day　Xun　Yu　wrote　to　tell　Cao　Cao　that　Liu　Biao　had　gone　to　help　Zhang　Xiu　and　was　camped　at　Anzhong；　thereby　cutting　his　road　of　retreat。

Cao　Cao　replied　to　the　letter；　saying；　〃I　have　been　marching　only　a　short　distance　each　day　and　of　course　knew　of　the　pursuit。　But　my　plans　are　laid　and；　as　I　am　near　Anzhong；　my　enemy　will　be　broken。　You　need　not　have　any　fears。〃

Then　Cao　Cao　hastened　his　march　till　he　came　near　where　Liu　Biao　had　taken　position。　Zhang　Xiu　still　shortened　the　distance。　Cao　Cao　ordered　his　men　during　the　night　to　open　a　secret　way　through　a　pass；　where　he　laid　an　ambush。

With　the　first　light　of　dawn　Liu　Biao　and　Zhang　Xiu　met。　As　Cao　Caos　force　looked　small；　they　thought　he　had　retired　so　they　boldly　advanced　into　the　pass　to　smite　him。　Then　the　ambush　was　opened；　and　both　the　attackers　forces　were　cut　up。　The　fighting　ended；　Cao　Caos　soldiers　went　outside　the　pass　and　encamped。

The　two　leaders　on　the　other　side　restored　order　among　their　beaten　troops　and　then　held　a　conference。

〃How　could　we　have　foreseen　such　a　wicked　ruse？〃　said　Liu　Biao。

〃Let　us　try　again；〃　said　Zhang　Xiu。

Wherefore　they　joined　forces　at　Anzhong。

But　Xun　Yu　discovered　through　his　spies　that　Yuan　Shao　was　preparing　an　attack　on　Capital　Xuchang；　so　he　at　once　wrote　to　Cao　Cao　who；　much　disturbed　by　this　news；　set　out　homeward　right　away。　When　Zhang　Xiu　heard　this　through　his　scouts；　he　wished　to　follow　the　retreating　army。

Jia　Xu　opposed　it　and　said；　〃It　will　lead　to　a　defeat。〃

However；　Liu　Biao　said；　〃It　is　wrong　to　lose　such　a　chance。〃

And　so　finally　pursuit　was　decided　upon。　They　had　not　marched　more　than　four　miles　before　they　came　upon　Cao　Caos　rearguard；　who　fought　with　great　vigor　and　bravery　so　that　the　pursuers　were　beaten　off　and　went　home　disfited。

Zhang　Xiu　said　to　Jia　Xu；　〃This　defeat　es　from　my　not　following　your　advice。〃

〃Now　set　your　army　in　order　and　pursue；〃　said　Jia　Xu。

〃But　we　have　just　suffered　defeat！〃　cried　both　leaders。　〃Do　you　now　counsel　pursuit？〃

〃Yes；　and　the　result　will　be　a　great　victory　if　you　go　now。　I　will　venture　my　head　on　that；〃　said　Jia　Xu。

Zhang　Xiu　had　confidence；　but　Liu　Biao　was　afraid　and　would　not　acpany　him。　So　one　army　only　started　in　pursuit。

However；　this　was　enough。　Cao　Caos　rear…guard　was　thoroughly　routed　and　abandoned　their　wagons　and　their　baggage　in　their　hasty　flight。　Zhang　Xiu　pursued；　but　suddenly　a　troop　came　out　from　the　shelter　of　some　hills　and　checked　him。　Fearful　to　try　further；　he　hastened　back　to　Anzhong。

The　other　general；　Liu　Biao；　asked　the　adviser　to　explain　his　apparent　inconsistency；　saying；　〃When　our　veteran　and　brave　soldiers　were　going　to　pursue　those　who　retreated；　you　said　our　men　would　lose　the　day；　and　when　defeated　men　pursued　the　victors；　you　foretold　victory。　You　were　right　in　both　cases；　but　we　wish　you　would　enlighten　us。〃

〃It　is　easy　to　explain。　You；　Generals；　although　skilled　leaders；　are　not　a　match　for　our　enemy。　Though　Cao　Cao　had　lost　a　battle；　he　had　able　generals　to　keep　the　rear　and　guard　against　pursuit。　Our　soldiers　are　good；　but　not　a　match　for　them。　That　is　how　I　knew。　For　as　much　as　Cao　Caos　hurried　retreat　was　due　to　trouble　in　the　capital；　and　he　had　beaten　off　our　attack；　I　knew　he　would　retire　at　his　utmost　speed　and　not　take　his　usual　precautions。　I　ventured　to　take　advantage　of　his　laxity。〃

Liu　Biao　and　Zhang　Xiu　could　not　but　affirm　his　plete　understanding　of　the　conditions。　On　the　advice　of　Jia　Xu　then　Liu　Biao　returned　to　Jingzhou；　while　Zhang　Xiu　took　up　his　position　at　Xiangyang　so　that　each　strengthened　the　other　as　the　lips　protect　the　teeth　from　cold。

When　Cao　Cao；　during　his　retreat；　heard　that　his　army　was　being　pursued；　he　hastily　turned　back　to　support　the　rearguard。　Then　he　saw　the　pursuing　army　draw　off。

The　soldiers　of　the　beaten　rearguard　said；　〃Had　it　not　been　for　the　troops　that　came　out　of　the　hills；　we　should　all　have　been　lost。〃

〃What　troops？〃　asked　Cao　Cao　in　surprise。

The　leader　of　the　troops　then　advanced；　slung　his　spear　and；　dismounting；　made　a　low　obeisance。　He　was　Li　Tong；　Imperial　mander；　from　Jiangxia。

Cao　Cao　asked　him　why　he　had　e。

Li　Tong　replied；　〃I　was　in　mand　at　Runan　when　I　heard　of　the　struggle　going　on；　so　I　came　to　lend　you　any　help　I　could。〃

To　show　his　gratitude；　Cao　Cao　conferred　upon　Li　Tong　the　title　Lord　Who　Renders　High　Services；　and　confirmed　him　in　his　mand　as