第一小说网

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第177部分（第1页）

When　the　expedition　reached　the　north　of　Daichun；　Cao　Zhang　led　the　array　and　smote　as　far　as　Sanggan　in　the　Gobi　Desert；　and　peace　was　restored。　He　had　lately　heard　that　his　father　was　at　Yangping　Pass；　and　had　e　to　help　him　to　fight。

His　ing　greatly　pleased　his　father；　who　said；　〃Now　that　my　golden…bearded　son　has　arrived；　we　can　destroy　Liu　Bei　for　certain。〃

Then　the　army　was　marched　back　again　and　pitched　camp　at　the　Xie　Valley。

Someone　told　Liu　Bei　of　the　arrival　of　Cao　Zhang；　and　he　asked　for　a　volunteer　to　go　out　against　the　newer。　Liu　Feng　offered。　Meng　Da　also　desired　to　go；　and　Liu　Bei　decided　to　let　both　go。

〃Vie　with　each　other；〃　said　he。

Each　general　had　five　thousand　troops；　and　Liu　Feng　led　the　way。　Cao　Zhang　rode　out　and　engaged　him；　and　in　the　third　bout　Liu　Feng　was　overe　and　ran　off。　Then　Meng　Da　advanced；　and　a　battle　was　just　beginning　when　he　saw　that　Cao　Caos　troops　were　in　confusion。　The　cause　was　the　sudden　ing　of　Ma　Chao　and　Wu　Lan。　Before　the　enemy　had　recovered　from　the　panic；　Meng　Da　attacked　on　another　side。　Ma　Chaos　force；　who　had　been　nursing　their　courage　for　a　long　time；　fought　brilliantly；　so　that　none　could　withstand　their　onslaught；　and　they　won　the　day。　But　in　his　flight；　Cao　Zhang　met　Wu　Lan；　and　he　thrust　and　slew　Wu　Lan　with　his　spear。

After　a　great　fight；　Cao　Cao　ordered　his　army　to　retire　into　camp　at　the　Xie　Valley。　Here　he　remained　many　days；　prevented　from　advancing　by　Ma　Chao　and　fearing　the　ridicule　of　Shu　if　he　should　retreat。　One　day；　while　he　was　anxiously　trying　to　decide　what　to　do；　his　cook　sent　in　some　chicken　broth。　He　noticed　in　the　broth　some　chicken　tendons；　and　this　simple　fact　led　him　into　a　train　of　reflection。　He　was　still　deep　in　thought　when　Xiahou　Dun　entered　his　tent　to　ask　the　watchword　for　that　night。

Cao　Cao　at　once　involuntarily　replied；　〃Chicken　tendon。〃

The　word　was　passed　on　in　orders。　When　First　Secretary　Yang　Xiu　saw　the　order　that　the　watchword　was　〃chicken　tendon；〃　he　told　all　his　people　to　pack　up　their　belongings　ready　for　the　march。　One　who　saw　this　went　and　told　Xiahou　Dun；　who　sent　for　Yang　Xiu　and　asked　why　he　had　packed　up。

Yang　Xiu　replied；　〃By　tonights　orders　I　see　that　the　Prince　of　Wei　is　soon　going　to　retire。　Chicken　tendons　are　tasteless　things　to　eat；　and　yet　it　is　a　pity　to　waste　them。　Now　if　we　advance；　we　cannot　conquer；　and　if　we　retire；　we　fear　we　shall　look　ridiculous。　There　being　no　advantage　here；　the　best　course　is　to　retire。　You　will　certainly　see　the　Prince　of　Wei　retreat　before　long。　I　have　made　my　preparations　so　as　not　to　be　hurried　and　confused　at　the　last　moment。〃

〃You　seem　to　know　the　Princes　inmost　heart；〃　said　Xiahou　Dun；　and　he　bade　his　servants　pack。　The　other　generals　seeing　this；　also　made　preparations　for　departure。

Cao　Caos　mind　was　too　perturbed　for　sleep。　In　the　night　he　got　up；　took　a　steel　battle…ax　in　his　hand；　and　wandered　privily　through　the　camp。　When　he　got　to　Xiahou　Duns　tents；　he　saw　everything　packed　and　ready　for　a　move。　Much　surprised；　he　made　his　way　back　to　his　own　tent　and　sent　for　that　officer。

〃Why　is　everything　in　your　camp　packed　as　if　ready　for　the　march？〃

〃First　Secretary　Yang　Xiu　seems　to　have　private　knowledge　of　the　Princes　design　to　retire；〃　said　Xiahou　Dun。

Cao　Cao　summoned　Yang　Xiu　and　questioned　him；　and　Yang　Xiu　replied　with　the　chicken　tendon　incident。

〃How　dare　you　invent　such　a　story　and　disturb　the　hearts　of　my　army？〃

Cao　Cao　called　in　his　lictors　and　told　them　to　take　Yang　Xiu　away　and　behead　him　and　hang　his　head　at　the　camp　gate。

Yang　Xiu　was　a　man　of　acute　and　ingenious　mind；　but　inclined　to　show　off。　His　lack　of　restraint　over　his　tongue　had　often　wounded　Cao　Caos　susceptibilities。　Once　Cao　Cao　was　having　a　pleasance　laid　out；　and　when　it　was　pleted；　he　went　to　inspect　the　work。　He　uttered　no　word　of　praise　or　blame；　he　just　wrote　the　word　〃Alive〃　on　the　gate　and　left。　Nobody　could　guess　what　he　meant　till　Yang　Xiu　heard　of　it。

〃Gate　with　Alive　inside　it　makes　the　word　for　wide；〃　said　he。　〃The　Prime　Minister　thinks　the　gates　are　too　wide。〃

Thereupon　they　rebuilt　the　outer　walls　on　an　altered　plan。　When　plete；　Cao　Cao　was　asked　to　go　and　see　it。　And　he　was　then　delighted。

〃But　who　guessed　what　I　meant？〃　said　he。

〃Yang　Xiu；〃　replied　his　people。

Cao　Cao　thereafter　lauded　Yang　Xius　ingenuity；　but　in　his　heart　he　feared。

Another　time　Cao　Cao　received　a　box　of　cream　cheese　from　Mongolia。　Cao　Cao　just　scribbled　three　words　〃One　Cream　Box〃　on　the　top　and　left　it　on　the　table。　The　words　seemed　to　have　no　meaning。　But　Yang　Xiu　happened　to　e　in；　saw　the　box；　and　at　once　handed　a　spoonful　of　the　contents　to　each　guest　in　the　room。　When　Cao　Cao　asked　why　he　did　this；　he　explained　that　that　was　the　interpretation　of　the　words　on　the　box；　which；　resolved　into　primary　symbols；　read；　〃Each　person　a　mouthful。〃

〃Could　I　possibly　disobey　your　orders？〃　said　he。

Cao　Cao　laughed　with　the　others；　but　hatred　was　in　his　heart。

Cao　Cao　lived　in　constant　fear　of　assassination；　and　said　to　his　attendants；　〃Let　none　of　you　e　near　me　when　I　am　sleeping；　for　I　am　likely　to　slay　people　in　my　dreams。〃

One　day　he　was　enjoying　a　siesta；　and　his　quilt　fell　off。　One　of　the　attendants　saw　it　and　hastened　to　cover　him　again。　Cao　Cao　suddenly　leaped　from　the　couch；　cut　down　the　intruder　with　his　sword；　and　lay　down　again　to　sleep。　Some　time　after　he　awoke；　simulated　surprise　and　asked　who　had　killed　his　attendant。　When　they　told　him；　Cao　Cao　wept　aloud　for　the　dead　man　and　had　him　buried　in　a　fine　grave。　Most　people　thought　that　Cao　Cao　had　slain　the　man　while　asleep；　but　Yang　Xiu　knew　better。

At　the　funeral　of　the　victim　Yang　Xiu　remarked；　〃The　Prime　Minister　was　in　no　dream；　but　only　you　were　asleep。〃

This　only　increased　the　hatred。

Cao　Caos　third　son；　Cao　Zhi；　took　great　delight　in　Yang　Xius　cleverness　and　often　invited　him；　when　they　would　talk　the　whole　night。

When　Cao　Cao　was　considering　the　nomination　of　his　heir　and　desired　to　name　Cao　Zhi；　Cao　Pi　got　to　hear　of　the　proposal　to　set　him　aside　in　favor　of　his　younger　brother；　so　he　secretly　requested　the　Master　of　the　Court　Singers；　Wu　Zhi；　to　e　and　discuss　this　matter。　Then　fearing　that　someone　might　see　his　visitor；　Cao　Pi　got　a　large　basket　made；　in　which　his　friend　was　smuggled　into　the　Palace。　Cao　Pi　gave　out　that　the　basket　contained　rolls　of　silk。　Yang　Xiu　heard　the　truth　and　informed　Cao　Cao；　who　sent　guards　to　watch　at　the　gates。

Cao　Pi；　in　alarm；　told　Wu　Zhi；　who　said；　〃Be　not　afraid；　but　to　fill　a　basket　actually　with　rolls　of　silk　on　the　morrow　and　have　it　carried　in　as　before。〃

The　searchers　peeped　into　the　basket　and　found　the　rolls　of　silk。　They　told　Cao　Cao　the　result　of　their　search；　and　Cao　Cao　began　to　think　Yang　Xiu　was　plotting　against　his　son。　This　also　added　to　his　hatred。

Another　time　Cao　Cao；　wishing　to　pare　the　abilities　of　his　two　sons　Cao　Pi　and　Cao　Zhi；　told　them　both　to　go　out　of　the　city；　at　the　same　time　ordering　the　gate　wardens　to　forbid　their　exit。　Cao　Pi　first　came　to　the　gate；　was　stopped　by　the　wardens；　and　returned　to　his　palace。

But　his　brother　Cao　Zhi　consulted　Yang　Xiu；　who　said；　〃You　have　received　orders　from　the　Prince　to　go　out。　Simply　cut　down　any　who　may　try　to　prevent　you。〃