第一小说网

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第140部分（第1页）

Then　Cao　Cao　ordered　Cao　Hong　to　prepare　boats　and　rafts。　Cao　Ren　was　left　in　mand　of　the　camps。　Cao　Cao　himself　marched　to　the　east　bank　of　Yellow　River　first；　and　from　there　attempted　to　cross　to　the　west　bank。

When　Ma　Chao　heard　of　the　new　military　movements；　he　said；　〃I　understand。　The　Pass　is　left；　rafts　are　being　prepared：　That　means　that　he　is　going　to　cross　to　the　west　side　and　cut　off　my　retreat。　I　must　coast　along　the　river　and　keep　him　off。　If　I　can　do　that；　his　food　will　run　short　within　twenty　days　in　the　east　bank；　and　that　will　cause　a　mutiny。　Then　I　will　travel　south　along　the　river　and　attack。〃

Han　Sui　did　not　approve　this　plan。　He　quoted　the　military　maxim　to　strike　when　troops　were　half　over　the　river。

〃Attack　from　the　south　when　his　army　is　in　the　act　of　crossing；　and　his　army　will　be　drowned　in　the　river；〃　said　he。

〃Uncle；　your　words　are　good；〃　replied　Ma　Chao。　And　the　spies　went　forth　to　find　out　the　time　of　crossing　the　river。

When　Cao　Caos　preparations　were　plete　and　all　was　ready；　he　sent　three　parties　of　soldiers　over　the　river　first。　They　reached　the　ferry　at　the　first　sign　of　dawn；　and　the　veterans　were　sent　over　first　and　lay　out　a　camp。　Cao　Cao　and　his　guard　took　up　station　on　the　east　bank　to　watch　the　crossing。

Very　soon　the　sentinels　reported；　〃A　general　dressed　all　in　white　is　approaching。〃

Everyone　knew　it　must　be　Ma　Chao。　This　terrified　them　and　they　made　a　rush　to　get　into　the　boats。　The　river　bank　became　a　scene　of　shouting　men　struggling　who　could　first　embark。　Cao　Cao　sat　watching　and　never　stirred。　He　only　issued　orders　to　stop　the　confusion。　Meanwhile；　the　yelling　of　the　troops　and　the　neighing　of　the　horses　of　the　approaching　army　came　nearer　and　nearer。

Suddenly　a　general　jumped　out　of　one　of　the　boats　and　shouted　to　Cao　Cao：　〃The　rebels　are　close！　Get　into　a　boat；　O　Prime　Minister！〃

〃The　rebels　are　near。　What　matter？〃　replied　Cao　Cao　simply　to　the　speaker；　who　was　Xu　Chu。　And　he　turned　round　to　look　at　them。

As　a　fact　Ma　Chao　was　very　close；　not　a　hundred　paces　away；　and　Xu　Chu　laid　hold　of　Cao　Cao　and　dragged　him　down　the　bank。　The　boat　had　already　pushed　off　and　was　ten　spans　from　the　bank；　but　Xu　Chu　took　Cao　Cao　on　his　back　and　leaped　on　board。　The　boat　was　small　and　in　danger　of　being　overturned；　wherefore　Xu　Chu　drew　his　sword　and　chopped　away　at　the　hands　clinging　to　the　side　so　that　the　soldiers　fell　back　into　the　water。

The　boat　went　down　stream；　Xu　Chu　standing　in　the　prow　poling　as　hard　as　he　could。　His　master　crouched　out　of　sight　at　his　feet。

When　Ma　Chao　saw　the　boat　in　midstream　drifting　down　with　the　current；　he　took　his　bow　and　arrows　and　began　to　shoot。　He　also　ordered　his　brave　generals　to　go　along　the　river　and　shoot　so　that　a　shower　of　arrows　fell　about　the　boat。　Xu　Chu　fearing　Cao　Cao　would　be　wounded；　protected　him　with　a　saddle　which　he　held　over　him　with　his　left　hand；　for　Ma　Chaos　shooting　was　not　in　vain。　Many　of　the　soldiers　working　the　boat　were　wounded。　Some　had　fallen　overboard；　while　more　lay　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　The　boat　itself　got　out　of　control　and　was　whirled　hither　and　thither　by　the　current。　Xu　Chu　straddled　over　the　tiller　and　tried　thus　to　guide　the　boat；　while　he　poled　with　one　hand　and　with　the　other　held　the　protecting　saddle　over　Cao　Caos　head。

Then　the　Magistrate　of　Weinan；　Ding　Fei；　who　from　a　hill　top　saw　that　Cao　Cao　was　very　closely　pressed；　even　in　danger　of　his　life；　drove　out　from　his　camp　all　the　cattle　and　horses　there；　so　that　they　scattered　over　the　hillside。　This　was　too　much　for　the　born　Qiang　herdsmen　of　the　plains。　At　sight　of　the　beasts；　they　left　the　river　and　ran　off　to　secure　the　cattle。　Nor　had　they　any　inclination　to　pursue　their　enemy。

And　so　Cao　Cao　escaped。　As　soon　as　they　reached　the　west　bank　of　Yellow　River　（which　was　also　the　north　bank　of　River　Wei）；　the　boat　was　scuttled。　The　rumor　had　spread　that　Cao　Cao　was　on　the　river　and　in　danger；　so　all　his　officers　came　to　his　aid。　But　he　was　now　safe　on　shore。　Xu　Chus　double　armor　was　stuck　full　of　arrows。　The　officers　escorted　Cao　Cao　to　the　camp　where　they　made　their　obeisance　and　expressed　the　hope　that　he　had　not　suffered　seriously。

〃The　rebels　very　nearly　caught　me　today；〃　said　he　smiling。

〃They　would　have　got　across　the　river　had　they　not　been　enticed　away　by　the　freeing　of　the　cattle　and　horses；〃　said　Xu　Chu。

〃Who　was　it　that　drew　them　off？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Someone　who　knew　told　him。　Before　long　Magistrate　Ding　Fei　came　in　to　pay　his　respects；　and　Cao　Cao　thanked　him。

〃I　should　have　been　a　prisoner　but　for　your　happy　thought；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　the　Magistrate　received　a　rank　of　mander　in　the　army。

〃Though　they　have　gone；　yet　they　will　assuredly　return　tomorrow；〃　said　Ding　Fei。　〃You　must　prepare　to　repel　them。〃

〃My　preparations　are　all　made；〃　was　the　reply。

Cao　Cao　ordered　his　generals　to　spread　themselves　along　the　river　bank　and　throw　up　mounds　as　shelters　for　camps。　If　they　saw　the　enemy　approaching；　the　soldiers　were　to　be　withdrawn　from　behind　the　mounds；　leaving　the　ensigns　all　flying；　so　as　to　give　the　impression　that　each　camp　contained　a　garrison。　Along　the　river　they　were　to　dig　ditches　and　put　up　sheds；　thus　to　entice　the　enemy　there　and　their　army　would　stumble　into　the　pits　and　fall　easy　victims。

Ma　Chao　returned　to　Han　Sui　and　told　him；　saying；　〃I　would　have　captured　Cao　Cao；　but　a　certain　bold　general　had　taken　him　on　his　back　and　leaped　with　him　into　a　boat。〃

Han　Sui　replied；　〃I　have　heard　that　Cao　Cao　had　a　body　guard　of　the　bravest　and　strongest　soldiers　under　the　mand　of　Dian　Wei　and　Xu　Chu。　They　are　called　the　Tiger　Guard。　Now　as　Dian　Wei　is　dead；　the　man　you　saw　must　have　been　Xu　Chu。　He　is　both　brave　and　powerful　and　goes　by　the　name　of　Tiger　Lust。　You　will　do　well　to　avoid　him。〃

〃I　know　his　name；　too；〃　said　Ma　Chao。

〃Cao　Cao　now　means　to　attack　our　rear；〃　continued　Han　Sui。　〃Let　us　attack　first；　before　he　can　establish　camps　and　stockades。　If　once　he　can　do　that；　it　will　be　difficult　to　dislodge　him。〃

〃My　idea　is　that　we　should　hold　the　north　bank　of　River　Wei；　and　prevent　him　from　crossing　south。〃