第一小说网

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第99部分（第2页）

Presently　Cao　Ren　and　his　troops　reached　the　Boling　Ferry。　Here；　where　they　thought　there　would　be　safety；　they　found　the　road　barred。

〃You　Cao　Cao　brigands！〃　shouted　Zhang　Fei。　〃e　and　receive　your　fate！〃

Within　the　city　the　red　flame　leaps　out；

On　the　river　bank　burning　anger　is　met。

What　happened　will　appear　in　later　chapters。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　41　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　41

Chapter　41

Liu　Bei　Leads　His　People　Over　The　River；

Zhao　Yun　Rescues　The　Child　Lord　At　Dangyang。

The　last　chapter　closed　with　the　attack　made　by　Zhang　Fei　as　soon　as　his　brother　had　let　loose　the　waters　on　the　doomed　army。　He　met　with　Xu　Chu　and　a　bat　began；　but　a　fight　with　such　a　warrior　was　not　to　Xu　Chus　taste　and　he　ran　away。　Zhang　Fei　followed　till　he　came　upon　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang；　and　the　three　went　upstream　till　they　came　to　the　boats　that　had　been　prepared　by　Liu　Feng　and　Mi　Fang；　when　they　all　crossed　over　and　marched　toward　Fancheng。　As　soon　as　they　disembarked；　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　the　boats　and　rafts　to　be　burned。

Cao　Ren　gathered　in　the　remnants　of　his　army　and　camped　at　Xinye；　while　his　colleague　Cao　Hong　went　to　tell　their　lord　the　evil　tidings　of　defeat。

〃How　dare　he；　this　rustic　Zhuge　Liang！〃　exclaimed　Cao　Cao　angrily。

Cao　Cao　then　hastily　sent　an　overwhelming　army　to　camp　near　the　place　and　gave　orders　for　enormous　works　against　the　city；　leveling　hills　and　turning　rivers　to　launch　a　violent　assault　on　Fancheng　from　every　side　at　once。

Then　Liu　Ye　came　in　to　see　his　lord　and　said；　〃Sir；　you　are　new　to　this　region；　and　you　should　win　over　the　peoples　hearts。　Liu　Bei　has　moved　all　the　people　from　Xinye　to　Fancheng。　If　we　march　through　the　country；　the　people　will　be　ground　to　powder。　It　would　be　well　to　call　upon　Liu　Bei　first　to　surrender；　which　will　prove　to　the　people　that　you　have　a　care　for　them。　If　he　yields；　then　we　get　Jingzhou　without　fighting。〃

Cao　Cao　agreed　and　asked　who　would　be　a　suitable　messenger。　Liu　Ye　suggested　Xu　Shu。

〃He　is　a　close　friend　of　Liu　Bei；　and　he　is　here　with　the　army；〃　said　Liu　Ye。

〃But　he　will　not　e　back；〃　objected　Cao　Cao。

〃If　he　does　not　return；　he　will　be　a　laughing　stock　to　the　whole　world。　He　will　e　back。〃

Xu　Shu　was　sent　for；　and　Cao　Cao　said；　〃My　first　intention　was　to　level　Fancheng　with　the　ground。　But　out　of　pity　for　its　people；　you　may　carry　an　offer　to　Liu　Bei　that　if　he　will　surrender；　he　will　not　only　not　be　punished　but　he　shall　be　given　rank。　But　if　he　holds　on　his　present　misguided　course；　the　whole　of　his　followers　shall　be　destroyed。　Now　you　are　an　honest　man　and　so　I　confide　this　mission　to　you；　and　I　trust　you　will　not　disappoint　me。〃

Xu　Shu　said　nothing　but　accepted　his　orders　and　went　to　the　city；　where　he　was　received　by　both　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang。　They　enjoyed　a　talk　over　old　times　before　Xu　Shu　mentioned　the　object　of　his　mission。

Then　he　said；　〃Cao　Cao　has　sent　me　to　invite　you　to　surrender；　thereby　making　a　bid　for　popularity。　But　you　ought　also　to　know　that　he　intends　to　attack　the　city　from　every　point；　that　he　is　damming　up　the　White　Rivers　waters　to　be　sent　against　you；　and　I　fear　you　will　not　be　able　to　hold　the　city。　You　ought　to　prepare。〃

Liu　Bei　asked　Xu　Shu　to　remain　with　them；　but　Xu　Shu　said；　〃That　is　impossible；　for　all　the　world　would　ridicule　me　if　I　stayed。　My　old　mother　is　dead；　and　I　never　forget　my　resentment。　My　body　may　be　over　there；　but　I　swear　never　to　form　a　plan　for　Cao　Cao。　You　have　the　Sleeping　Dragon　to　help　you　and　need　have　no　anxiety　about　the　ultimate　achievement　of　your　undertaking。　But　I　must　go。〃

And　Xu　Shu　took　his　leave。　Liu　Bei　felt　he　could　not　press　his　friend　to　stay。　Xu　Shu　returned　to　Cao　Caos　camp　and　reported　that　Liu　Bei　had　no　intention　of　surrender。　This　angered　Cao　Cao　who　gave　orders　to　begin　the　advance　and　siege。

When　Liu　Bei　asked　what　Zhuge　Liang　meant　to　do；　Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃We　shall　abandon　Fancheng　and　take　Xiangyang。〃

〃But　what　of　the　people　who　have　followed　us？　They　cannot　be　abandoned。〃

〃You　can　tell　them　to　do　as　they　wish。　They　may　e　if　they　like；　or　remain　here。〃

They　sent　Guan　Yu　to　prepare　boats　and　told　Sun　Qian　to　proclaim　to　the　people　that　Cao　Cao　was　ing；　that　the　city　could　not　be　defended；　and　those　who　wished　to　do　so　might　cross　the　river　with　the　army。

All　the　people　cried；　〃We　will　follow　the　Prince　even　if　it　be　to　death！〃

They　started　at　once；　some　lamenting；　some　weeping；　the　young　helping　the　aged；　parents　leading　their　children；　the　strong　soldiers　carrying　the　women。　As　the　crowds　crossed　the　riv