第一小说网

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第29部分（第1页）

o　Shanyang。　Perforce　therefore　the　fighting　ceased。

In　Xuzhou。　Imperial　Protector　Tao　Qian；　over　sixty　years　of　age；　suddenly　fell　seriously　ill；　and　he　summoned　his　confident；　Mi　Zhu；　to　his　chamber　to　make　arrangements　for　the　future。

As　to　the　situation　the　adviser　said；　〃Cao　Cao　abandoned　his　attack　on　this　place　because　of　his　enemys　seizure　of　Yanzhou；　and　now　they　are　both　keeping　the　peace　solely　because　of　the　famine。　But　Cao　Cao　will　surely　renew　the　attack　in　the　spring。　When　Liu　Bei　refused　to　allow　you　to　vacate　office　in　his　favor；　you　were　in　full　vigor。　Now　you　are　ill　and　weak；　and　you　can　make　this　a　reason　for　retirement。　He　will　not　refuse　again。〃

So　a　message　was　sent　to　the　little　garrison　town　Xiaopei　calling　Liu　Bei　to　a　counsel　on　military　affairs。　This　brought　him　with　his　brothers　and　a　slender　escort。　He　was　at　once　called　in　to　the　sick　mans　chamber。　Quickly　disposing　of　the　inquiries　about　his　health；　Tao　Qian　soon　came　to　the　real　object　of　his　call　for　Liu　Bei。

〃Sir；　I　asked　you　to　e　for　the　sole　reason　that　I　am　dangerously　ill　and　likely　to　die　at　any　time。　I　look　to　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　to　consider　the　Hans　and　their　empire　as　more　important　than　anything　else；　and　so　to　take　over　the　symbols　of　office　of　this　region；　the　mission　and　the　seal；　that　I　may　close　my　eyes　in　peace。〃

〃You　have　two　sons；　why　not　depute　them　to　relieve　you？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃Both　lack　the　requisite　talents。　I　trust　you　will　instruct　them　after　I　have　gone；　but　do　not　let　them　have　the　guidance　of　affairs。〃

〃But　I　am　unequal　to　so　great　a　charge。〃

〃I　will　remend　to　you　one　who　could　assist　you。　He　is　Sun　Qian　from　Beihai　who　could　be　appointed　to　some　post。〃

Turning　to　Mi　Zhu；　Tao　Qian　said；　〃The　noble　Liu　Bei　here　is　the　most　prominent　man　of　the　time；　and　you　should　serve　him　well。〃

Still　would　Liu　Bei　have　put　from　him　such　a　post；　but　just　then　the　Imperial　Protector；　pointing　to　his　heart　to　indicate　his　sincerity；　passed　away。

When　the　ceremonial　wailing　of　the　officials　was　over；　the　insignia　of　office　were　brought　to　Liu　Bei。　But　he　would　have　none　of　them。　The　following　days　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　and　country　around　crowded　into　the　state　residence；　bowing　and　with　tears；　calling　upon　Liu　Bei　to　receive　the　charge。

〃If　you　do　not；　we　cannot　live　in　pence；〃　said　they。

To　these　requests　his　brothers　added　their　persuasion；　till　at　length　he　consented　to　assume　the　administrative　duties。　He　forthwith　appointed　Sun　Qian　and　Mi　Zhu　as　his　Advisers；　and　Chen　Deng　his　Secretary。　He　moved　his　army　from　Xiaopei　to　Xuzhou　City；　and　he　put　forth　proclamations　to　reassure　the　people。

He　also　attended　to　the　burial　ceremonies；　he　and　all　his　army　dressing　in　mourning。　After　the　fullest　sacrifices　and　ceremonies；　a　burial　place　for　the　late　Imperial　Protector　was　found　close　to　the　source　of　the　Yellow　River。　The　dead　mans　testament　was　forwarded　to　court。

The　news　of　the　events　in　Xuzhou　duly　reached　the　ears　of　Cao　Cao；　then　in　Juancheng。

Said　he；　angrily；　〃I　have　missed　my　revenge。　This　Liu　Bei　has　simply　stepped　into　mand　of　the　region　without　expending　half　an　arrow：　He　sat　still　and　attained　his　desire。　But　I　will　put　him　to　death　and　then　dig　up　Tao　Qians　corpse　in　revenge　for　the　death　of　my　noble　father！〃

Orders　were　issued　for　the　army　to　prepare　for　a　new　campaign　against　Xuzhou。

＇e＇　The　Land　Within　the　Passes；　or　Guanzhong；　was　the　area　around　Changan。

But　Adviser　Xun　Yu　remonstrated　with　Cao　Cao；　saying；　〃The　Supreme　Ancestor　secured　the　Land　Within　the　Passes*　and　his　illustrious　successor　on　the　throne；　Liu　Xiu；　took　Henei。　They　both　first　consolidated　their　position　whereby　they　could　mand　the　whole　empire。　Their　whole　progress　was　from　success　to　success。　Hence　they　acplished　their　great　designs　in　spite　of　difficulties。

〃Illustrious　Sir；　your　Land　Within　the　Passes　and　your　Henei　are　Yanzhou　and　the　Yellow　River；　which　you　had　first；　and　which　is　of　the　utmost　strategic　point　of　the　empire。　If　you　undertake　this　expedition　against　Xuzhou　leaving　many　troops　here　for　defense；　you　will　not　acplish　your　design；　if　you　leave　too　few；　Lu　Bu　will　fall　upon　us。　And　finally　if　you　lose　this　and　fail　to　gain　Xuzhou；　whither　will　you　retire？　That　region　is　not　vacant。　Although　Tao　Qian　has　gone；　Liu　Bei　holds　it；　and　since　the　people　support　him；　they　will　fight　to　the　death　for　him。　To　abandon　this　place　for　that　is　to　exchange　the　great　for　the　small；　to　barter　the　trunk　for　the　branches；　to　leave　safety　and　run　into　danger。　I　would　implore　you　to　reflect　well。〃

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃It　is　not　a　good　plan　to　keep　soldiers　idle　here　during　such　scarcity。〃

〃If　that　is　so；　it　would　be　more　advantageous　to　attack　the　eastern　counties　of　Chencheng；　Yingchuan；　and　Runan；　and　feed　your　army　on　their　supplies。　The　remnants　of　the　Yellow　Scarves；　He　Yi　and　Huang　Shao；　are　there　with　stores　and　treasures　of　all　kinds　that　they　have　amassed　by　plundering　wherever　they　could。　Rebels　of　their　stamp　are　easily　broken。　Break　them；　and　you　can　feed　your　army　with　their　grain。　Moreover；　both　the　court　and　the　mon　people　will　join　in　blessing　you。〃

This　new　design　appealed　strongly　to　Cao　Cao；　and　he　quickly　began　his　preparations　to　carry　it　out。　He　left　Xiahou　Dun　and　Cao　Ren　to　guard　Juancheng；　while　his　main　body；　under　his　own　mand；　marched　to　seize　Chencheng。　This　done　they　went　to　Runan　and　Yingchuan。

Now　when　the　Yellow　Scarves　leaders；　He　Yi　and　Huang　Shao；　knew　that　Cao　Cao　was　approaching。　They　came　out　in　a　great　body　to　oppose　him。　They　met　at　Goat　Hill。　Though　the　rebels　were　numerous；　they　were　a　poor　lot；　a　mere　pack　of　beasts　without　organization　and　lacking　discipline。　Cao　Cao　ordered　his　strong　archers　and　vigorous　crossbowmen　to　keep　them　in　check。

Dian　Wei　was　sent　out　to　challenge。　The　rebel　leaders　chose　a　second…rate　champion　for　their　side；　who　rode　out　and　was　vanquished　in　the　third　bout。　Then　Cao　Caos　army　pushed　forward；　and　they　made　a　camp　at　Goat　Hill。