第一小说网

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第84部分（第1页）

rch。

The　season　was　winter；　cold　and　dry。　For　seventy　miles　there　was　no　water；　and　grain　also　was　scanty。　The　troops　fed　on　horse　flesh。　They　had　to　dig　very　deep；　three　or　four　hundred　spans　to　find　water。

When　Cao　Cao　reached　Yezhou；　he　rewarded　those　who　had　remonstrated　with　him　against　the　expedition。

He　said；　〃I　took　some　risk　in　going　so　far；　but　by　good　fortune　I　have　succeeded。　With　the　aid　of　Heaven　I　have　secured　victory。　I　could　not　be　guided　by　your　advice；　but　still　they　were　counsels　of　safety；　and　therefore　I　reward　you　to　prove　my　appreciation　of　advice　and　that　hereafter　you　may　not　fear　to　speak　your　minds。〃

Adviser　Guo　Jia　did　not　live　to　see　the　return　of　his　lord。　His　coffin　was　placed　on　the　bier　in　a　hall　of　the　government　offices；　and　Cao　Cao　went　thither　to　sacrifice　to　his　manes。

Cao　Cao　mourned　for　him；　crying；　〃Alas！　Heaven　has　smitten　me：　Guo　Jia　is　dead！〃

Then　turning　to　his　officers　he　said；　〃You；　gentlemen；　are　of　the　same　age　as　myself；　but　he　was　very　young　to　die。　I　needed　him　for　the　future　generation；　and　unhappily　he　has　been　torn　from　me　in　the　flower　of　his　age。　My　heart　and　my　bowels　are　torn　with　grief。〃

The　servants　of　the　late　adviser　presented　his　last　testament；　which　they　said　his　dying　hand　had　written；　and　he　had　told　them　to　say；　〃If　the　Prime　Minister　shall　follow　the　advice　given　herein；　then　Liaodong　will　be　secure。〃

Cao　Cao　opened　the　cover　and　read；　nodding　his　head　in　agreement　and　uttering　deep　sighs。　But　no　other　person　knew　what　was　written　therein。

Shortly　after；　Xiahou　Dun　at　the　head　of　a　delegation　presented　a　petition；　saying；　〃For　a　long　time　the　Governor　of　Liaodong；　Gongsun　Kang；　has　been　contumacious；　and　it　bodes　ill　for　peace　that　the　Yuan　brothers　have　fled　to　him。　Would　it　not　be　well　to　attack　before　they　move　against　you？〃

〃I　need　not　trouble　your　tiger　courage；　Sirs；〃　said　Cao　Cao　smiling。　〃Wait　a　few　days　and　you　will　see　the　heads　of　our　two　enemies　sent　to　me。〃

They　could　not　believe　it。

As　has　been　related　the　two　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　escaped　to　the　east　with　a　few　hundreds　of　horse。　The　Governor　of　Liaodong　was　a　son　of　Gongsun　Du　the　Warlike；　the　General　of　Han。　Gongsun　Kang　was　a　native　of　Xiangping。　When　he　heard　that　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　were　on　their　way　to　his　territory；　he　called　a　council　to　decide　upon　his　plan。

At　the　council　Gongsun　Gong　rose；　saying；　〃When　Yuan　Shao　was　alive；　he　nourished　the　plan　of　adding　this　territory　to　his　own。　Now　his　sons；　homeless；　with　a　broken　army　and　no　officers；　are　ing　here。　It　seems　to　me　like　the　dove　stealing　the　magpies　nest。　If　we　offer　them　shelter；　they　will　assuredly　intrigue　against　us。　I　advise　that　they　be　inveigled　into　the　city；　put　to　death；　and　their　heads　sent　to　Cao　Cao；　who　will　be　most　grateful　to　us。〃

Said　the　Governor　Gongsun　Kang；　〃I　have　one　fear：　Cao　Cao　will　e　against　us。　If　so；　it　would　be　better　to　have　the　help　of　the　Yuans　against　him。〃

〃Then　you　can　send　spies　to　ascertain　whether　Cao　Caos　army　is　preparing　to　attack　us。　If　it　is；　then　save　the　Yuans　alive；　if　not；　then　follow　my　advice。〃

It　was　decided　to　wait　till　the　spies　came　back。

In　the　meantime；　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　had　taken　counsel　together　as　they　approached　Liaodong；　saying；　〃Liaodong　has　a　large　army；　strong　enough　to　oppose　Cao　Cao。　We　will　go　thither　and　submit　till　we　can　slay　the　Governor　and　take　possession。　Then　when　we　are　strong　enough；　we　will　attack　and　recover　our　own　land。〃

With　these　intentions　they　went　into　the　city。　They　were　received　and　lodged　in　the　guests　quarters。　But　when　they　wished　to　see　Gongsun　Kang；　he　put　them　off　with　the　excuse　of　indisposition。

However；　before　many　days　the　spies　returned　with　the　news　that　Cao　Caos　army　was　quiescent　and　there　was　no　hint　of　any　attack。

Then　Gongsun　Kang　called　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　into　his　presence。　But　before　they　came　he　hid　swordsmen　and　ax…men　behind　the　arras　in　the　hall。　When　the　visitors　came　and　had　made　their　salutations；　Gongsun　Kang　bade　them　be　seated。

Now　it　was　bitterly　cold　and　on　the　couches　where　they　were　sitting　were　no　coverings。　So　Yuan　Shang　said；　〃May　we　have　cushions？〃

The　host　said；　〃When　your　heads　take　that　long；　long　journey；　will　there　be　any　cushions？〃

Before　Yuan　Shang　could　recover　from　his　fright；　Gongsun　Kang　shouted；　〃Why　do　you　not　begin？〃

At　this　out　rushed　the　assassins　and　the　heads　of　the　two　brothers　were　cut　off　as　they　sat。　Packed　in　a　small　wooden　box　they　were　sent　to　Cao　Cao　at　Yezhou。

All　this　time　Cao　Cao　had　been　calmly　waiting。　His　impatient　officers　had　petitioned　in　a　body；　saying；　〃Lets　march　to　the　capital　to　ward　off　Liu　Biaos　threat　if　we　are　not　going　to　attack　the　east。〃

Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　am　waiting　for　the　heads　of　the　enemy。　We　will　go　as　soon　as　the　heads　arrive。〃

In　their　secret　hearts　they　laughed。　But　then；　surely　enough；　messenger　soon　came　from　Liaodong　bringing　the　heads。　Then　they　were　greatly　surprised。

And　when　the　messenger　presented　Gongsun　Kangs　letters；　Cao　Cao　cried；　〃Just　as　Guo　Jia　said！〃

He　amply　rewarded　the　messenger；　and　the　Governor　of　Liaodong　was　made　Lord　of　Xiangping　and　General　of　the　Left　Army。　When　the　officers　asked　what　had　happened；　Cao　Cao　told　them　what　the　late　adviser　had　predicted。　He　read　to　them　the　dead　officers　testament；　which　ran　something　like　this：

〃Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　are　going　to　Liaodong。　Illustrious　Sir；　you　are　on　no　account　to　attack；　for　Gongsun　Kang　has　long　lived　in　fear　lest　the　Yuans　should　absorb　his　country。　When　they　arrive；　Gongsun　Kang　will　hesitate。　If　you　attack；　he　will　save　the　Yuans　to　help　him；　if　you　wait；　they　will　work　against　each　other。　This　is　evident。〃

The　officers　simply　jumped　with　surprise　to　see　how　perfectly　events　had　been　foreseen。　Then　Cao　Cao　at　the　head　of　all　his　officers　performed　a　grand　sacrifice　before　the　coffin　of　the　wise　Guo　Jia。　He　had　died　at　the　age　of　thirty…eight；　after　eleven　years　of　meritorious　and　wonderful　service　in　wars。

When　Heaven　permitted　Guo　Jias　birth；

It　made　him　ablest　man　on　earth。

He　knew　by　rote　all　histories；

From　him　war　kept　no　mysteries。

Like　Fan　Lis；　his　plans　were　quite　decisive；

As　Chen　Pings；　his　strokes　were　most　incisive。