第一小说网

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第186部分（第1页）

uan　Yu　was　like　the　kernel　in　a　nut；　quite　surrounded。

This　was　not　all。　He　saw　the　number　of　his　followers　diminishing　every　moment。　He　fought　on　till　dusk；　and　looking　about　him　he　saw　all　the　hills　crowded　with　Jingzhou　folks　and　heard　them　calling　siblings　for　brother　and　children　for　father；　till　his　soldiers　hearts　had　melted　within　them。　One　by　one　they　ran　to　their　relatives；　heedless　of　their　leader　and　his　voice。　Presently　he　had　but　three　hundred　left；　but　with　them　he　kept　up　the　battle　till　the　third　watch。　Then　there　was　another　shouting　in　another　note；　for　his　leaders；　Guan　Ping；　his　son；　and　Liao　Hua；　came　to　his　help。　And　they　rescued　him。

〃The　soldiers　hearts　are　all　melted；〃　said　Guan　Ping。　〃We　must　find　some　place　wherein　to　camp　till　help　can　arrive。　There　is　Maicheng；　small；　but　sufficient。　Let　us　camp　there。〃

Guan　Yu　consented；　and　the　exhausted　army　hurried　thither　as　quickly　as　they　could。　The　small　force　was　divided　among　the　four　gates　to　guard。

Zhao　Lei　said；　〃This　place　is　near　Shangyong　where　Meng　Da　and　Liu　Feng　station。　We　should　send　for　their　help。　If　their　army　marches　to　our　relief　until　the　grand　army　of　Shu　es；　the　morale　of　our　army　will　improve。〃

But　disappointments　dogged　them。　Very　soon　the　army　of　Wu　came　up　and　laid　siege　to　the　city。

〃Who　will　try　to　break　through　and　go　away　to　Shangyong　for　assistance？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。

〃I　will　go；〃　said　Liao　Hua。

〃And　I　will　escort　you　past　the　danger　zone；〃　said　Guan　Ping。

Guan　Yu　wrote　his　letter；　which　Liao　Hua　concealed　next　to　his　skin；　and　having　eaten　a　full　meal；　he　rode　out　at　the　gate。　The　leader　of　the　enemy；　Ding　Feng；　tried　to　check　him；　but　Guan　Ping　fought　vigorously　and　drove　him　away。　So　Liao　Hua　escaped　the　siege　and　reached　Shangyong；　while　Guan　Ping　returned。　Then　they　barred　the　gates　and　hold　their　defense。

Now；　having　captured　Shangyong；　Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da　had　remained　to　guard　it。　Liu　Feng　had　been　created　Governor　General；　and　together　with　Meng　Da；　to　defend　that　city。　When　they　heard　of　the　defeat　of　Guan　Yu；　they　took　counsel　what　to　do。　When　Liao　Hua　came；　he　was　admitted　into　the　city。　He　told　the　tale　of　Guan　Yus　straits；　and　asked　for　help。

Said　Liao　Hua；　〃Guan　Yu　is　closely　besieged　in　Maicheng。　Help　from　the　west　will　be　a　long　time　in　ing；　so　I　have　been　sent　to　beg　your　assistance。　I　hope　you　will　march　the　Shangyong　troops　thither　as　quickly　as　possible；　for　any　delay　will　be　fatal。〃

Liu　Feng　replied；　〃Sir；　go　to　the　rest…house　for　a　time　till　we　can　decide。〃

So　Liao　Hua　went；　and　the　two　leaders　talked　over　the　matter。

Liu　Feng　said；　〃This　is　bad　news。　What　is　to　be　done？〃

〃Wu　is　very　powerful；〃　replied　his　colleague。　〃Now　they　have　control　over　the　whole　region　of　Jingzhou；　save　this　small　clod　of　earth　called　Maicheng。　Cao　Cao　is　at　hand　with　five　hundred　thousand　troops；　and　we　cannot　stand　against　the　two　mighty　forces。　I　say　we　must　not　move。〃

〃I　know　all　this。　But　Guan　Yu　is　my　uncle；　and　I　cannot　bear　to　sit　still　and　not　try　to　save　him。〃

〃So　you　hold　him　as　an　uncle！〃　said　Meng　Da　with　a　smile。　〃Yet　I　do　not　think　he　holds　you　much　as　a　nephew。　When　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong　adopted　you；　Guan　Yu　was　greatly　annoyed。　And　after　the　Prince　had　accepted　his　new　dignity　and　was　nominating　his　heir；　I　heard　he　consulted　Zhuge　Liang；　who　said　the　affair　was　one　to　be　decided　within　the　family　and　declined　to　advise。　Then　the　Prince　sent　to　ask　Guan　Yus　advice。　Did　Guan　Yu　name　you？　Not　at　all。　You　were　only　a　son　by　adoption　and　could　have　no　place　in　the　succession。　Further；　Guan　Yu　advised　that　you　be　sent　to　a　distance　lest　you　might　cause　trouble。　This　is　mon　knowledge；　and　I　am　surprised　that　you　are　ignorant　of　it。　Yet　today　you　make　capital　out　of　the　relationship　and　are　willing　to　run　a　great　risk　to　support　it。〃

〃Granted　that　what　you　say　is　true；　still　what　reply　can　we　give？〃

〃Simply　say　that　this　city　is　still　unsettled；　and　you　dare　not　move　lest　it　be　lost。〃

Liu　Feng　took　his　colleagues　view；　sent　for　the　messenger　and　told　him。　Liao　Hua　was　greatly　disappointed。　He　threw　himself　on　the　ground　and　knocked　his　head；　imploring　assistance。

〃If　you　act　thus；　there　is　an　end　of　Guan　Yu！〃　cried　Liao　Hua。

〃Will　a　cup　of　water　extinguish　a　wagon　load　of　blazing　wood？〃　said　Meng　Da。　〃Hasten　back　and　await　patiently　for　the　ing　of　help　from　the　west。〃

Liao　Hua　renewed　his　entreaties。　The　two　manders　simply　rose；　shook　out　their　sleeves；　and　left　him。　Liao　Hua　saw　that　things　had　gone　against　him　and　thought　his　best　course　would　be　to　go　at　once　to　Chengdu。　He　rode　out　of　the　city　cursing　its　defenders　and　went　away　west。

Guan　Yu　from　his　fortress　looked　anxiously；　but　vainly；　for　the　ing　of　the　expected　aid。　He　was　in　a　sorry　plight。　His　army　numbered　but　a　few　hundred；　many　wounded；　there　was　no　food。

Then　someone　came　to　the　foot　of　the　wall　and；　calling　out　to　the　defenders　on　the　wall　not　to　shoot；　said　he　had　a　message　for　the　mander。　He　was　allowed　to　enter。　It　was　Zhuge　Jin。　When　he　had　made　his　salutations　and　taken　tea；　he　began　his　harangue。

〃I　e　at　the　mand　of　my　master；　the　Marquis　of　Wu；　to　persuade　you　to　a　wise　course。　From　of　old　it　has　always　been　recognized　that　the　hero　must　bow　to　circumstances。　The　region　with　its　nine　territories　and　forty…two　counties　that　you　ruled　have　e　under　another；　with　the　exception　of　this　single　city。　Within；　there　is　no　food；　without；　no　help；　so　that　it　must　fall　quickly。　Wherefore；　O　General；　why　not　hear　me　and　join　your　fortunes　to　those　of　Wu？　You　shall　be　restored　to　your　governorship；　and　you　will　preserve　your　family。　If　haply；　Sir；　you　would　reflect　thereon。〃

Guan　Yu　replied；　quite　calmly；　〃I　am　a　simple　soldier　from　the　village　of　Jieliang；　yet　my　lord　and　I　have　bee　brothers。　How　can　I　betray　him？　If　the　city　may　fall；　then　I　can　but　die。　Jade　may　be　shattered；　but　its　whiteness　remains；　bamboo　may　be　burned；　but　its　joints　stand　straight。　My　body　may　be　broken；　but　my　name　shall　live　true　in　history。　Say　no　more；　but　leave　the　city；　I　beg。　I　will　fight　Sun　Quan　to　the　end。〃

＇e＇　Jin　was　a　state　that　occupied　the　western　part　of　the　empire；　in　the　mountainous　area　north　of　the　Yellow　River。　During　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period；　under　the　leadership　of　Duke　Wen　and　his　successors；　Jin　grew　into　a　very　large　state；　which　broke　into　three　states　in　the　Warring　States　period。　Qin　was　a　western…most　state　existed　in　both　Spring　and　Autumn　and　Warring　States　periods。　Because　Jin　blocked　its　way　to　the　east；　Qin　was　shielded　from　the　wars　in　the　central　plain。　Wars　between　Qin　and　Jin　were　not　few；　but　intermarriages　between　the　two　houses　were　frequent；　and　this　alliance　strengthened　both　states。　。。。。。

〃My　master　desires　to　enter　into　such　a　league　with　you　as　did　Qin　and　Jin　in　former　days*；　that　you　may　mutually　assist　to　destroy　Cao　Cao　and　restore　the　Hans。　That　is　his　idea；　and　why　do　you　persist　in　this　wrong　course？〃

As　Zhuge　Jin　finished　this　speech；　Guan　Ping；　who　was　by；　drew　his　sword　to　slay　him。　But　his　father　checked　him。

〃Remember　his　brother　is　in　Shu；　helping　your　uncle。　If　you　hurt　him；　you　will　injure　the　principle　of　fraternity。〃