第一小说网

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第69部分（第2页）

〃O　you　mad　ignoramus！　If　you　had　ever　been　with　Zhang　Jue　as　a　bandit；　you　would　have　learned　to　know　Liu　Bei；　Guan　Yu；　and　Zhang　Fei；　the　three　brothers。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　the　ruddy　long　beard　called　Guan　Yu；　but　I　have　never　seen　him。　Who　may　you　be？〃

Guan　Yu　then　laid　aside　his　sword；　stopped　his　horse；　and　drew　off　the　bag　that　covered　his　beard　thus　showing　its　magnificence。

The　turban　wearer　immediately　slipped　out　of　the　saddle；　laid　an　angry　hand　on　his　panion；　and　they　both　bowed　low　in　front　of　Guan　Yus　steed。

〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。

〃I　am　Pei　Yuanshao。　After　the　death　of　Zhang　Jue；　I　was　left　forlorn；　and　I　got　together　a　few　others　like　myself；　and　we　took　refuge　in　the　forests。　This　morning　early　this　fellow　came　to　tell　us　that　a　guest　at　his　fathers　farm　had　a　valuable　horse　and　proposed　to　me　to　steal　it。　I　did　not　think　I　should　meet　you；　General。〃

The　wretched　Guo　Changs　son　implored　that　his　life　might　be　spared；　and　Guan　Yu　pardoned　him　for　his　fathers　sake。　Then　Guan　Yu　covered　his　face　and　crept　away。

〃You　did　not　recognize　me。　How　then　did　you　know　my　name？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。

Pei　Yuanshao　replied；　〃Not　far　from　here　is　a　mountain　called　the　Sleeping　Bull；　where　lives　a　certain　Zhou　Cang；　a　very　powerful　man　who　came　from　the　west。　He　has　a　stiff　curly　beard　and　looks　very　handsome。　He　also　was　a　mander　in　the　rebel　army；　who　took　to　the　forest　when　his　leader　perished。　He　has　told　me　a　lot　about　you；　but　I　have　never　had　the　happiness　of　seeing　you。〃

Said　Guan　Yu；　〃Under　the　green　wood　trees　is　no　place　for　a　heros　foot。　You　had　better　abandon　this　depraved　life　and　return　to　the　path　of　virtue。　Do　not　work　out　your　own　destruction。〃

As　they　were　talking；　a　troop　of　horsemen　appeared　in　the　distance。　They　belonged　to　Zhou　Cang；　as　Pei　Yuanshao　said；　and　Guan　Yu　waited　for　them　to　approach。　The　leader　was　very　dark　plexioned；　tall；　and　armed　with　a　spear。　As　soon　as　he　drew　near　enough　to　see；　he　exclaimed　joyfully；　〃This　is　General　Guan　Yu！〃

In　a　moment　he　had　slipped　out　of　the　saddle　and　was　on　his　knees　by　the　roadside。

〃Zhou　Cang　renders　obeisance；〃　said　he。

Said　Guan　Yu；　〃O　Warrior；　where　have　you　known　me？〃

〃I　was　one　of　the　Yellow　Scarves；　and　I　saw　you　then。　My　one　regret　was　that　I　could　not　join　you。　Now　that　my　good　fortune　has　brought　me　here；　I　hope　you　will　not　reject　me。　Let　me　be　one　of　your　foot　soldiers　to　be　always　near　you　to　carry　your　whip　and　run　by　your　stirrup。　I　will　cheerfully　die　for　you。〃

As　he　seemed　thoroughly　in　earnest；　Guan　Yu　said；　〃But　if　you　follow　me；　what　of　your　panions？〃

〃They　may　do　as　they　please：　Follow　me　or　go　their　ways。〃

Thereupon　they　all　shouted；　〃We　will　follow！〃

Guan　Yu　dismounted　and　went　to　ask　the　ladies　what　they　thought　of　this。

Lady　Gan　replied；　〃Brother…in…law；　you　have　traveled　thus　far　alone　and　without　fighters；　you　have　safely　passed　many　dangers　and　never　wanted　their　assistance。　You　refused　the　service　of　Liao　Hua；　why　then　suffer　this　crowd？　But　this　is　only　a　my　view　and　you　must　decide。〃

〃What　you　say；　sister…in…law；　is　to　the　point。〃

Therefore　returning　to　Zhou　Cang；　he　said；　〃It　is　not　that　I　am　lacking　in　gratitude；　but　my　sisters…in…law　do　not　care　for　a　large　following。　Wherefore　return　to　the　mountains　till　I　shall　have　found　my　brother；　when　I　will　surely　call　you。〃

Zhou　Cang　replied；　〃I　am　only　a　rough　uncouth　fellow；　wasting　his　life　as　a　brigand。　Meeting　you；　General；　is　like　seeing　the　full　sun　in　the　skies；　and　I　feel　that　I　can　never　bear　to　miss　you　again。　As　it　might　be　inconvenient　for　all　my　people　to　follow　you；　I　will　bid　my　panion　lead　them　away；　but　I　will　e　and　follow　you　on　foot　wherever　you　go。〃

Guan　Yu　again　asked　his　sisters…in…law　what　they　thought　of　this。　Lady　Gan　said　one　or　two　made　no　difference；　and　so　Guan　Yu　consented。　But　Pei　Yuanshao　was　not　satisfied　with　this　arrangement　and　said　he　wished　also　to　follow。

Zhou　Cang　said；　〃If　you　do　not　stay　with　the　band；　they　will　disperse　and　be　lost。　You　must　take　mand　for　the　moment　and　let　me　acpany　General　Guan　Yu。　As　soon　as　he　has　a　fixed　abode；　I　will　e　to　fetch　you。〃

Somewhat　discontentedly　Pei　Yuanshao　accepted　the　situation　and　marched　off；　while　his　one…time　colleague　joined　the　train　of　Guan　Yu；　and　they　went　toward　Runan。　They　traveled　quickly　for　some　days；　and　then　they　saw　a　city　on　a　hill。

The　natives　told　them；　〃This　city　is　called　Gucheng。　A　few　months　before　a　warrior　suddenly　appeared；　drove　out　the　magistrate；　and　took　possession。　Then　he　has　begun　to　recruit　soldiers；　bought　up　horses；　and　laid　in　stores。　The　warriors　name　is　Zhang　Fei。　Now　he　has　a　large　force；　and　no　one　in　the　neighborhood　dare　face　him。〃

〃To　think　that　I　should　find　my　brother　like　this！〃　said　Guan　Yu；　delighted。　〃I　have　had　never　a　word　of　him；　nor　knew　I　where　he　was　since　Xuzhou　fell。〃

So　Guan　Yu　dispatched　Sun　Qian　into　the　city　to　tell　its　new　mander　to　e　out　to　meet　him　and　provide　for　their　sisters…in…law。

Now；　after　being　separated　from　his　brothers；　Zhang　Fei　had　gone　to　the　Mangdang　Hills；　where　he　had　remained　a　month　or　so　while　he　sent　far　and　near　for　tidings　of　Liu　Bei。　Then　as　he　happened　to　pass　Gucheng；　he　had　sent　in　to　borrow　some　grain；　but　had　been　refused。　In　revenge；　he　had　driven　away　the　magistrate　and　taken　possession　of　the　city。　He　found　the　place　well　suited　to　his　needs　at　the　moment。

As　directed　by　Guan　Yu；　Sun　Qian　entered　the　city　and；　after　the　usual　ceremonies；　told　Zhang　Fei　the　news；　〃Liu　Bei　has　left　Yuan　Shao　and　gone　to　Runan；　and　Guan　Yu；　with　your　sisters…in…law；　is　at　the　gates。　He　wishes　you　to　go　out　and　receive　them。〃

Zhang　Fei　listened　without　a　word　till　he　came　to　the　request　to　go　out　to　meet　his　brother。　At　that　point　he　called　for　his　armor　and；　when　he　had　put　it　on；　laid　hold　of　his　long　serpent　halberd；　mounted；　and　rode　out　with　a　large　pany　at　his　back。　Sun　Qian　was　too　astonished　to　ask　what　this　meant　and　simply　followed。

Guan　Yu　was　very　glad　when　he　saw　his　brother　ing；　put　up　his　weapons　and；　with　Zhou　Cang　at　his　back；　rode　toward　him　at　full　speed。　But　as　Guan　Yu　approached；　he　saw　all　the　signs　of　fierce　anger　on　Zhang　Feis　face；　and　Zhang　Fei　roared　as　he　shook　his　spear；　threatening　Guan　Yu。

Guan　Yu　was　entirely　taken　aback　and　called　out　anxiously；　〃Brother；　what　does　this　mean？　Is　the　Peach　Garden　Pledge　quit