第一小说网

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第65部分（第2页）

〃Liu　Bei　is　with　Yuan　Shao；　and　you　are　with　Cao　Cao。　What　is　that？〃

Guan　Yu　could　not　reply；　but　he　whirled　round　his　sword　and　rode　forward。　Gong　Du　fled；　and　Guan　Yu　followed。　Gong　Du　turned　and　said　to　Guan　Yu；　〃Do　not　forget　your　old　chiefs　kindness。　Now　attack　as　soon　as　you　can；　and　I　will　give　up　the　defense。〃

Guan　Yu　understood　and　urged　on　his　troops。　The　leaders　of　the　rebels　pretended　they　were　worsted；　and　they　all　scattered。　So　Runan　was　retaken。　Having　pacified　the　people；　Guan　Yu　quickly　led　his　army　back　to　the　capital；　where　he　was　met　by　Cao　Cao　and　congratulated　on　his　success　and　feasted。

When　this　was　all　over；　Guan　Yu　went　to　the　dwelling　of　his　sisters…in…law　to　pay　his　respects　at　their　gate。

〃Have　you　been　able　to　get　any　news　of　Uncle　Liu　Bei　in　your　two　expeditions？〃　asked　Lady　Gan。

〃None；〃　replied　Guan　Yu。

As　he　retired　from　the　door；　he　heard　sounds　of　bitter　weeping　within。

〃Alas！　He　is　dead；〃　said　they。　〃Our　brother…in…law　thinks　we　shall　be　greatly　distressed；　and　thus；　he　hides　the　truth　from　us。〃

One　of　the　old　soldiers；　who　acted　as　guard；　hearing　the　sounds　of　perpetual　grief；　took　pity　on　them　and　said；　〃Do　not　weep；　ladies。　Your　lord　is　with　Yuan　Shao　in　the　North　of　Yellow　River。〃

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　said　they。

〃I　went　out　with　General　Guan　Yu；　and　one　of　the　soldiers　told　me。〃

The　two　ladies　summoned　Guan　Yu　and　reproached　him；　saying；　〃Uncle　Liu　Bei　never　betrayed　you；　and　yet　you　remain　here　enjoying　the　bounty　of　Cao　Cao　and　forgetting　the　old　times。　And　you　tell　us　falsehoods。〃

Guan　Yu　bowed　his　head；　saying；　〃My　brother　really　is　in　the　North　of　Yellow　River；　but　I　dared　not　tell　you；　lest　it　should　bee　known。　Something　must　be　done；　but　done　carefully；　and　it　needs　time。〃

〃Brother…in…law；　you　should　hasten；〃　said　Lady　Gan。

Guan　Yu　withdrew　feeling　that　he　must　evolve　some　scheme　of　departure　without　further　loss　of　time。　It　caused　him　much　uneasiness。

Yu　Jin；　having　found　out　that　Liu　Bei　was　in　the　north；　told　Cao　Cao；　who　at　once　sent　Zhang　Liao　to　find　out　Guan　Yus　intentions。

Zhang　Liao　entered　jauntily　and　congratulated　Guan　Yu；　saying；　〃They　tell　me　you　obtained　news　of　your　brother　in　the　battlefield。　I　felicitate　you。〃

〃My　lord　was　there　indeed；　but　I　met　him　not。　I　see　nothing　to　be　glad　about。〃

〃Is　there　any　difference　between　the　relationship　of　you　two　and　that　of　any　other　two　brothers？〃

Guan　Yu　replied；　〃You　and　I　stand　in　the　relationship　of　friends。　Liu　Bei　and　I　are　friends　and　brothers　beside；　and　prince　and　minister　in　addition　to　both。　Our　relationship　cannot　be　discussed　in　usual　terms。〃

〃Well；　now　that　you　know　where　your　brother　is；　are　you　going　to　him？〃

〃How　can　I　go　back　on　what　I　said　before？　I　am　sure　you　will　explain　fully　to　the　Prime　Minister。〃

Zhang　Liao　went　back　and　told　his　master；　who　said；　〃I　must　find　a　way　to　keep　him　here。〃

While　Guan　Yu　was　pondering　over　his　difficulties；　they　told　him　that　a　friend　had　e　to　inquire　for　him。　The　visitor　was　introduced　but　Guan　Yu　did　not　recognize　him。

〃Who　are　you？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。

〃I　am　Chen　Zhen　of　Nanyang；　in　the　service　of　Yuan　Shao。〃

In　great　perturbation；　Guan　Yu　sent　away　the　attendants　and；　they　being　gone；　said；　〃There　is　some　special　reason　for　your　visit？〃

For　reply　Chen　Zhen　drew　out　a　letter　and　handed　it　to　his　host；　who　recognized　that　it　was　from　his　brother　Liu　Bei。　The　letter　read：

〃I；　the　writer；　and　you；　Sir；　pledged　ourselves　in　the　Peach　Garden　to　die　together。　Why　then　are　we　apart　and　yet　alive；　our　kindly　feelings　destroyed；　our　sense　of　right　outraged？　If　you　desire　to　obtain　fame　and　acquire　riches　and　honor；　I　will　offer　my　head　without　hesitation　so　that　your　achievement　is　fulfilled。　More　might　be　said；　but　I　await　your　mands　with　great　anxiety。〃

Guan　Yu　finished　the　letter　with　a　bitter　cry。

〃I　always　wanted　to　find　my　brother；　but　I　did　not　know　where　he　was。　How　can　he　think　such　evil　of　me？〃　said　he。

〃Liu　Bei　looks　for　you　very　eagerly。　If　you　are　still　bound　by　the　old　pledge；　you　should　go　quickly；〃　said　Chen　Zhen。

〃Anyone　born　into　the　world　without　the　essential　virtue　of　sincerity　is　no　true　human。　I　came　here　openly　and　can　go　in　no　other　way。　Now　will　I　write　a　letter　which　I　will　ask　you　to　bear　to　my　brother；　that　as　soon　as　I　can　take　leave　of　Cao　Cao；　I　will　bring　the　ladies　and　e　to　him。〃

〃But　what　if　Cao　Cao　refuse　to　let　you　go？〃　said　Chen　Zhen。

〃Then　would　I　rather　die。　I　will　not　remain　here。〃

〃Then；　Sir；　quickly　write　your　letter　and　relieve　your　brother　from　his　anxiety。〃

So　Guan　Yu　wrote　like　this：

〃I；　the　humble　one；　know　full　well　that　a　human　of　principle　does　not　betray　and　a　human　of　loyalty　despises　death。　I　have　been　a　student　in　my　youth　and　know　somewhat　of　the　proprieties。　I　sigh　and　weep　at　the　memory　of　the　fraternal　affection　that　made　Yangjue　Ai　and　Zuo　Botao　die　rather　than　separate。　I　was　in　charge　of　Xiapi；　but　the　p