第一小说网

手机浏览器扫描二维码访问

第42部分（第2页）

Yu　Jin　replied；　〃Our　enemies　are　ing　up　in　our　rear　and　are　very　close。　It　is　necessary　to　prepare　for　defense　or　we　shall　not　withstand　them。　Explanation　is　a　small　matter；　but　defense　is　very　important。〃

Soon　after　the　camp　was　finished；　Zhang　Xiu　fell　upon　them。　Yu　Jin　himself　rode　out　to　face　them。　Zhang　Xiu　drew　back。　The　other　generals　of　Yu　Jin；　seeing　he　advance　thus　boldly；　also　attacked；　and　Zhang　Xiu　was　overe。　They　pursued　him　a　great　distance　until　his　force　was　almost　annihilated。　With　the　miserable　remnant　he　finally　fled　to　Liu　Biao。

Cao　Caos　army　reformed；　and　the　manders　mustered。　Then　Yu　Jin　went　to　see　his　master　and　told　him　of　the　conduct　of　the　Qingzhou　soldiers　and　their　looting　and　why　he　had　attacked　them。

〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　before　you　made　the　camp？〃

Yu　Jin　related　what　had　occurred。

Said　Cao　Cao；　〃When　the　first　thought　of　a　leader　in　the　time　of　greatest　stress　is　to　maintain　order　and　to　strengthen　his　defenses；　giving　no　thought　to　slander　but　shouldering　his　burdens　bravely；　and　when　he　thereby　turns　a　defeat　into　a　victory；　who；　even　of　the　ancient　leaders；　can　excel　Yu　Jin？〃

Cao　Cao　rewarded　Yu　Jin　with　a　golden　armor　and　the　lordship　of　Yishou。　But　Cao　Cao　reprimanded　Xiahou　Dun　for　the　lack　of　discipline　among　his　soldiers。

Sacrifices　in　honor　of　the　dead　warrior　Dian　Wei　were　instituted。　Cao　Cao　himself　led　the　wailing　and　paid　due　honors。

Turning　to　his　officers　he　said；　〃I　have　lost　my　first　born　son；　but　I　grieve　not　so　heavily　for　him　as　for　Dian　Wei。　I　weep　for　him！〃

All　were　sad　at　the　loss　of　this　general。　Then　orders　were　issued　to　return　to　the　capital。

When　Imperial　Legate　Wang　Ze；　bearing　the　imperial　decree；　reached　Xuzhou；　he　was　met　by　Lu　Bu；　who　conducted　him　into　the　residence　where　the　decree　was　read。　It　conferred　Lu　Bu　the　title　General　Who　Pacifies　the　East；　and　a　special　seal　acpanied　the　mandate。　The　private　mediating　letter　was　also　handed　over　and　the　messenger　detailed　the　high　appreciation　in　which　Lu　Bu　was　held　by　the　Chief　Minister　of　State。　Lu　Bu　was　greatly　pleased。

Next　came　news　that　a　messenger　from　Yuan　Shu　had　arrived。

When　he　had　been　introduced；　he　said；　〃My　masters　project　of　declaring　himself　emperor　is　advancing。　He　has　already　built　a　Palace　and　will　speedily　choose　Empress　and　concubines　and　would　e　to　the　South　of　River　Huai。　He　is　looking　forward　to　receiving　the　fiancee　of　the　Heir　Apparent。〃

〃Has　the　rebel　gone　so　far？〃　cried　Lu　Bu　in　a　rage。

He　put　the　messenger　to　death　and　Han　Yin　into　the　cage。　He　drafted　a　memorial　of　thanks　and　sent　it　to　the　capital；　at　the　same　time　sending；　too；　Han　Yin；　the　unfortunate　agent　who　had　arranged　the　marriage　alliance。　He　also　replied　to　Cao　Caos　private　meditating　letter　asking　to　be　confirmed　in　his　protectorship　of　Xuzhou。　The　letter　was　sent　by　the　hand　of　Chen　Deng。

Cao　Cao　was　pleased　to　hear　of　the　rupture　of　the　marriage　arrangement　between　the　houses　of　Yuans　and　Lus；　and　forthwith　put　Han　Yin　to　death　in　the　market　place。

However；　Chen　Deng　secretly　told　Cao　Cao；　saying；　〃Lu　Bu　is　cruel；　stupid；　and　facile。　The　longer　he　remains；　the　worse。〃

〃I　know　Lu　Bu　quite　well；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。　〃He　is　a　wolf　with　a　savage　heart；　and　it　will　be　hard　to　feed　him　for　long。　If　it　had　not　been　for　you　and　your　father；　I　should　not　have　known　all　the　circumstances　and　you　must　help　me　to　get　rid　of　him。〃

〃Anything　the　Prime　Minister　wishes　to　do　shall　have　my　assistance；〃　was　the　reply。

As　a　reward　Cao　Cao　obtained　an　annually　grant　of　two　thousand　carts　of　grain　for　Chen　Gui　and　the　governorship　of　Guangling　for　Chen　Deng；　who　then　took　his　leave。

As　he　was　saying　farewell；　Cao　Cao　took　him　by　the　hand；　saying；　〃I　shall　depend　upon　you　in　the　eastern　affairs。〃

Chen　Deng　nodded　acquiescence。　Then　he　returned　to　Lu　Bu；　who　asked　him　how　the　visit　was。

Chen　Deng　told　him；　〃My　father　received　a　generous　annuity；　and　I　was　made　Governor　of　Guangling。〃

Lu　Bu　enraged；　saying；　〃You　did　not　ask　Xuzhou　for　me；　but　you　got　something　for　yourself。　Your　father　advised　me　to　help　Cao　Cao　by　breaking　off　the　marriage；　and　now　I　get　nothing　at　all　of　what　I　asked；　while　you　and　your　father　get　everything。　I　have　been　victimized　by　your　father。〃

He　threatened　Chen　Deng　with　his　sword。

Chen　Deng　only　laughed；　saying；　〃O　General；　how　unwary　you　are！〃

〃I；　unwary？〃

〃When　I　saw　Cao　Cao；　I　said　that　to　keep　you　going　was　like　feeding　a　tiger。　The　tiger　must　be　kept　fully　fed　or　he　would　eat　humans。　But　Cao　Cao　laughed　and　replied；　No；　not　that。　One　must　treat　the　mander　like　a　falcon。　Not　feed　it　till　the　foxes　and　hares　are　done。　Hungry；　the　bird　is　of　use；　full　fed　it　flies　away。　I　asked　who　were　the　quarry。　He　replied；　Yuan　Shu　of　the　South　of　River　Huai；　Sun　Ce　of　the　South　Land；　Yuan　Shao　of　Jizhou；　Liu　Biao　of　Jingzhou；　Liu　Zhang　of　Yizhou；　and　Zhang　Lu　of　Hanzhong；　these　are　the　foxes　and　hares。〃

Lu　Bu　threw　aside　his　sword　and　laughed；　saying；　〃Yes；　he　understands　me。〃

But　just　about　that　time　came　news　of　the　advance　of　Yuan　Shu　on　Xuzhou；　and　that　frightened　Lu　Bu。

When　discord　rose　between　Qin　and　Jin；

They　were　attacked　by　Yue　and　Wu；