第一小说网

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第179部分（第2页）

＇e＇　Xiao　He　（BC　？…193）　a　close　adviser　of　Liu　Bang。　He　and　Liu　Bang　had　been　friends　in　their　native　Pei；　where　Liu　Bang　later　held　a　minor　office。　Remended　Han　Xin　to　Liu　Bang。　Became　Hans　prime　minister。　Enobled　as　the　Lord　of　Cuo。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Cao　Shen　a　general　of　Liu　Bang。　He　and　Liu　Bang　had　been　close　friends　in　their　native　Pei；　where　Liu　Bang　later　held　a　minor　office。　Served　as　Hans　prime　minister。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Han　Xin　was　a　general　of　Liu　Bang。　Before　serving　Han；　Han　Xin　had　been　an　officer　under　Xiang　Yu。　Disappointed　because　his　plans　were　rejected；　Han　Xin　left　Xiang　Yu　and　joined　Liu　Bangs　camp；　where　he　was　made　mander…in…Chief　by　remendations　of　Xiao　He　and　Zhang　Liang。　Enobled　as　King　of　Qi；　then　King　of　Chu。　。。。。。

〃You　do　wrong　to　refuse；〃　said　Fei　Shi。　〃Of　old；　Xiao　He*　and　Cao　Shen*　helped　Liu　Bang；　the　Founder　of　the　Han　Dynasty；　in　his　great　enterprise　and　were　very　dear　friends；　while　Han　Xin*　was　but　a　runaway　leader　from　Chu。　Yet　Liu　Bang　made　Han　Xin　a　prince；　and　so　placed　over　the　heads　of　the　other　two。　I　have　never　heard　that　these　two　resented　it。　The　Prince　of　Hanzhong　has　his　Five　Tiger　Generals；　but　he　is　still　your　brother　and　all　that　that　means。　As　his　brother；　you　are　he　and　he　is　you。　Is　there　any　parison　with　any　other？　The　Prince　has　always　treated　you　with　the　greatest　kindness。　You　two　are　one　in　sorrow　and　joy；　sharers　of　disaster　and　good　fortune。　No　such　question　as　that　of　a　mere　title　ought　to　reckon　at　all。　I　pray　you；　Sir；　reflect。〃

Guan　Yu　understood；　and　thanked　Fei　Shi；　saying；　〃You　have　prevented　me　from　making　a　great　mistake　due　to　my　ignorance。〃

Guan　Yu　then　received　the　seal　with　all　humility。

Next　Fei　Shi　produced　the　edict　ordering　the　capture　of　Fancheng。　Guan　Yu　lost　no　time　in　obeying　its　mand。　He　appointed　Fu　Shiren　and　Mi　Fang　Leaders　of　the　Van　to　take　the　first　army　out　of　the　city　into　camp。

This　done；　a　banquet　was　prepared　for　Fei　Shi；　and　they　sat　late　at　their　wine。　While　still　at　table　there　was　an　alarm　of　fire　in　the　new　camp；　and　Guan　Yu　hastened　out　of　the　city　to　see。　He　found　that　the　two　generals　had　also　been　feasting；　and　the　fire　had　started　behind　their　tent；　a　spark　having　fallen　into　some　explosives；　whence　it　spread　and　destroyed　the　whole　camp　and　all　that　was　in　it。　Guan　Yu　and　his　soldiers　did　what　they　could　to　put　out　the　fire　and　then　reentered　the　city。　There　Guan　Yu　summoned　the　two　generals　before　him；　abused　them　for　their　lack　of　care；　and　sentenced　them　to　death。

However；　Fei　Shi　interceded　for　them；　saying；　〃It　is　not　well　to　put　two　leaders　to　death　at　the　beginning　of　a　campaign；　before　even　the　army　has　marched。　You　might　reprieve　them　at　least。〃

Guan　Yus　anger　had　by　no　means　subsided；　but　he　recalled　the　two　generals　and　said；　〃Were　it　not　that　I　have　the　greatest　regard　for　Chairman　Fei　Shi　here；　I　had　let　the　sentence　take　its　course。　Now　I　will　only　flog　you。〃

So　the　two　officers　received　forty　blows　each　and　were　degraded　from　leading　the　van。　Their　seals　were　taken　away；　and　Mi　Fang　was　sent　to　Nanjun；　Fu　Shiren　to　Gongan。

〃Now　be　warned；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃If；　when　I　return　from　my　victories；　there　is　the　least　sign　of　disorder　on　your　part；　you　will　suffer　for　both　faults。〃

The　two　men　flushed　crimson　and　went　out。

Then　two　new　officers　were　appointed；　Liao　Hua　and　Guan　Ping。　Next　Guan　Yu　took　mand　of　the　main　army；　and　he　had　two　advisers………Ma　Liang　and　Yi　Ji。　Then　it　was　that　Hu　Huas　son；　Hu　Ban；　came　to　Jingzhou　and　joined　Guan　Yu；　who　loved　him　for　the　sake　of　his　father　and　the　good　service　Hu　Ban　had　rendered　when　he　saved　Guan　Yu。　Guan　Yu　sent　Hu　Ban　to　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong　in　the　train　of　Fei　Shi。

The　day　that　Guan　Yu　sacrificed　to　his　standard　before　starting；　he　was　lying　in　his　tent　resting　when　suddenly　there　dashed　into　his　tent　a　huge　boar；　very　large；　as　big　as　a　bullock　and　quite　black。　It　bit　his　foot。　He　jumped　up　to　kill　the　creature；　when　it　squealed　with　the　sound　of　tearing　cloth………and　he　awoke。　It　was　a　dream；　but　he　had　a　pain　in　his　foot。　The　dream　perplexed　him；　and　he　could　not　explain　it。

He　related　it　to　his　son；　who　interpreted　it　happily；　saying；　〃The　boar　is　a　royal　beast；　like　the　dragon；　and　ing　to　your　feet　means　a　rise　of　your　dignity。〃

When　the　dream　got　noised　abroad；　for　he　told　his　officers；　some　interpreted　it　as　auspicious　and　some　the　reverse。

〃When　a　person　nears　sixty；　he　ought　not　to　be　greatly　disturbed　by　the　thought　of　death；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃After　all；　I　am　a　warrior。〃

Just　about　that　time　came　an　edict　from　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong　making　him　manding　General；　with　honorable　insignia　of　rank　and　control　over　the　nine　territories　of　forty…one　counties　in　Jingzhou。　When　the　officers　congratulated　him　on　his　new　honors；　they　did　not　forget　the　dream。

〃This　shows　what　a　dream　of　boars　means。〃

This　new　distinction　pleased　Guan　Yu　greatly；　and　he　had　no　more　perplexing　doubts。　Soon　he　marched　away　along　the　great　road　to　the　point　of　danger。

Cao　Ren　was　in　Xiangyang　when　he　heard　that　Guan　Yu　was　ing　against　him。　He　was　much　put　about；　and　inclined　to　trust　solely　to　defense。　But　his　next　mand；　Zhai　Yuan；　did　not　support　this　course　and　argued　against　it。

〃The　Prince　of　Wei　has　ordered　you　to　act　in　concert　with　Wu　and　take　Jingzhou。　For　the　other　side　to　e　against　such　a　bination　is　to　walk　in　the　way　of　death。　Certainly　we　have　no　occasion　to　avoid　a　conflict。〃

On　the　other　hand　the　newly　sent　Adviser　Man　Chong　inculcated　caution。

Said　he；　〃Guan　Yu　is　brave　and　cunning　and　one　not　to　be　met　lightly。　I　think　defense　is　best。〃

Then　General　Xiahou　Cun　said　contemptuously；　〃This　is　all　the　talk　of　a　lot　of　book…folks。　When　the　flood　approaches；　bank　up　to　keep　it　out。　Let　the　enemy　e　with　their　tired　soldiers；　and　we　shall　go　out；　defeat　them；　and　receive　our　reward；　for　we　are　sure　of　victory。〃

Cao　Ren　was　won　over　to　the　side　of　those　of　action。　He　placed　Man　Chong　in　mand　of　the　defenses　of　Fancheng；　while　he　went　outside　to　beat　off　Guan　Yu。　When　the　two　for