第一小说网

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第35部分（第2页）

Liu　Bei　said；　〃Because　Cao　Cao　fears　that　Lu　Bu　and　I　may　attack　him；　he　is　trying　to　separate　us　and　get　us　to　swallow　each　other；　while　he　steps　in　and　takes　the　advantage。　Is　there　any　other　reason？〃

Guan　Yu　nodded　assent；　but　Zhang　Fei　said；　〃I　want　to　get　him　out　of　the　way　lest　he　trouble　us　later。〃

〃That　is　not　what　a　noble　man　should　do；〃　said　his　elder　brother。

Soon　the　messenger　was　dismissed　and　returned　to　the　capital　with　a　the　reply　from　Liu　Bei。　The　letter　only　said　the　instruction　would　take　time　to　plan　and　implement。　But　the　messenger；　when　he　saw　Cao　Cao；　told　him　the　story　of　Liu　Beis　pledge　to　Lu　Bu。

Then　said　Cao　Cao；　〃The　plan　has　failed。　What　next？〃

Xun　Yu　replied；　〃I　have　another　trick　called　Tiger　against　Wolf　in　which　the　tiger　is　made　to　gobble　up　the　wolf。〃

〃Let　us　hear　it；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃Send　to　Yuan　Shu　to　say　that　Liu　Bei　has　sent　up　a　secret　memorial　to　the　Throne　that　he　wishes　to　subdue　the　southern　regions　around　the　Huai　River。　Yuan　Shu　will　be　angry　and　attack　him。　Then　you　will　order　Liu　Bei　to　dispose　of　Yuan　Shu　and　so　set　them　destroying　each　other。　Lu　Bu　will　certainly　think　that　is　his　chance　and　turn　traitor。　This　is　the　Tiger　against　Wolf　trick。〃

Cao　Cao　thought　this　good　and　sent　the　messenger　and　also　sent　a　false　edict　to　Liu　Bei。　When　this　came；　the　messenger　was　received　with　all　the　ceremonies；　and　the　edict　ordered　the　capture　of　Yuan　Shu。　After　the　departure　of　the　bearer；　Liu　Bei　called　Mi　Zhu　who　pronounced　it　a　ruse。

〃It　may　be；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃but　the　royal　mand　is　not　to　be　disobeyed。〃

So　the　army　was　prepared　and　the　day　fixed。

Sun　Qian　said；　〃A　trusty　man　must　be　left　on　guard　of　the　city。〃

And　Liu　Bei　asked　which　of　his　brothers　would　undertake　this　task。

〃I　will　guard　the　city；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃I　am　constantly　in　need　of　your　advice；　so　how　can　we　part？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃I　will　guard　the　city；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃You　will　fail；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃After　one　of　your　drinking　bouts；　you　will　get　savage　and　flog　the　soldiers。　Beside　you　are　rash　and　will　not　listen　to　anyones　advice。　I　shall　be　uneasy　all　the　time。〃

〃Henceforth　I　drink　no　more　wine。　I　will　not　beat　the　soldiers　and　I　will　always　listen　to　advice；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃I　fear　the　mouth　does　not　correspond　to　the　heart；〃　said　Mi　Zhu。

〃I　have　followed　my　elder　brother　these　many　years　and　never　broken　faith。　Why　should　you　be　contemptuous？〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

Liu　Bei　said；　〃Though　you　say　this；　I　do　not　feel　quite　satisfied。　I　will　order　Adviser　Chen　Deng　to　help　you　and　keep　you　sober。　Then　you　will　not　make　any　mistake。〃

Chen　Deng　was　willing　to　undertake　this　duty；　and　the　final　orders　were　given。　The　army　of　thirty　thousand；　horse　and　foot；　left　Xuzhou　and　marched　toward　Nanyang。

When　Yuan　Shu　heard　that　a　memorial　had　been　presented　proposing　to　take　possession　of　his　territories；　he　broke　out　into　abuse　of　Liu　Bei。

〃You　weaver　of　mats！　You　plaiter　of　straw　shoes！　You　have　been　smart　enough　to　get　possession　of　a　large　region　and　elbow　your　way　into　the　ranks　of　the　nobles。　I　was　just　going　to　attack　you；　and　now　you　dare　to　scheme　against　me！　How　I　detest　you！〃

So　Yuan　Shu　at　once　gave　orders　to　prepare　an　army　of　one　hundred　thousand；　under　Ji　Ling；　to　attack　Xuzhou。　The　two　armies　met　at　Xuyi；　where　Liu　Bei　was　encamped　in　a　plain　with　hills　behind　and　a　stream　on　his　flank；　for　his　army　was　small。

Ji　Ling　was　a　native　of　the　East　of　Huashang。　He　used　a　very　heavy　three…edged　sword。

After　he　had　made　his　camp；　he　rode　out　and　began　abusing　his　opponents；　shouting；　〃Liu　Bei；　you　rustic　bumpkin；　how　dare　you　invade　this　land？〃

〃I　have　a　decree　ordering　me　to　destroy　the　Governor　who　behaves　improperly。　If　you　oppose；　you　will　be　assuredly　punished；〃　replied　Liu　Bei。

Ji　Ling　angrily　rode　out　brandishing　his　weapon。

But　Guan　Yu　cried；　〃Fool；　do　not　attempt　to　fight！〃

And　Guan　Yu　rode　out　to　meet　him。　Then　they　two　fought　and　after　thirty　bouts　neither　had　an　advantage。　Then　Ji　Ling　cried　out　for　a　rest。　So　Guan　Yu　turned　his　horse　away；　rode　back　to　his　own　array　and　waited　for　Ji　Ling。

When　the　moment　came　to　renew　the　bat；　Ji　Ling　sent　out　one　of　his　officers；　Xun　Zheng；　to　take　his　place。

But　Guan　Yu　said；　〃Tell　Ji　Ling　to　e。　I　must　settle　with　him　who　shall　be　tiger　and　who　shall　be　deer。〃

〃You；　a　reputationless　leader　and　unworthy　to　fight　with　our　general；〃　replied　Xun　Zheng。

This　reply　angered　Guan　Yu；　who　made　just　one　attack　on　Xun　Zheng　and　brought　him　to　the　ground。　At　this　success　Liu　Bei　urged　on　the　army；　and　Ji　Lings　troops　were　defeated。　They　retired　to　the　mouth　of　the　River　Huaiyin　and　declined　all　challenges。

However；　many　of　their　troops　were　sent　into　Liu　Beis　camp　for　harassment；　and　many　of　them　were　slain。　The　two　armies　thus　stood　facing　each　other。

In　Xuzhou；　after　Liu　Bei　had　started　on　his　expedition；　Zhang　Fei　placed　his　colleague　and　helper；　Chen　Deng；　in　charge　of　the　administration　of　the　region；　keeping　military　affairs　under　his　o