第一小说网

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第43部分（第1页）

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；

And　when　a　promised　bride　never　came；

An　army　marched　to　enforce　the　claim。

How　all　this　fell　out　will　be　shown　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　17　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　17

Chapter　17

Yuan　Shu　Marches　Out　An　Army　Of　Seven　Divisions；

Cao　Cao　And　Three　Generals　Join　Forces。

The　south　of　River　Huai　was　very　fruitful；　and　Yuan　Shu；　as　governor　of　such　a　large　territory；　was　very　influential。　He　was　not　a　little　puffed　up。　The　possession　of　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal；　pledged　by　Sun　Ce；　added　to　his　pride。　And　he　seriously　thought　of　assuming　the　full　style。

＇e＇　Liu　Bangs　first　office　was　assistant　to　a　magistrate　in　Pei。

＇e＇　King　Wen；　aka　the　Scholar　King；　founder　of　the　Zhou　Dynasty；　father　of　King　Wu。　King　Wen　did　not　actually　founded　the　dynasty；　but　he　laid　the　foundation　for　Zhou。　At　the　end　of　Shang　Dynasty；　the　state　Zhou　of　King　Wen　had　already　possessed　two…thirds　of　the　empire；　but　King　Wen　still　faithfully　served　the　last　emperor　of　Shang。　The　final　conquest　was　pleted　by　King　Wu　and　King　Wus　brother；　the　Duke　of　Zhou。　。。。。。

＇e＇　King　Yao；　King　Shun；　and　King　Yu　（BC　2400…2200）　were　the　three　ideal　rulers　in　ancient　China。　They　ascended　the　throne　by　their　virtues　and　merits；　and　not　by　heritage。　King　Yu　was　also　the　founder　of　Xia　Dynasty。　。。。。。

As　a　preliminary　he　assembled　all　his　officers　and　addressed　them　thus：　〃The　Supreme　Ancestor；　the　Founder　of　Han　Dynasty；　was　only　a　very　minor　official*；　and　yet　he　became　ruler　of　the　empire。　The　dynasty　has　endured　four　centuries；　and　its　measure　of　fortune　has　run　out。　It　no　longer　possesses　authority；　the　cauldron　is　on　the　point　of　boiling　over。　My　family　has　held　the　highest　offices　of　state　for　four　generations　and　is　universally　respected。　Wherefore　I　wish；　in　response　to　the　will　of　Heaven　and　the　desire　of　the　people；　to　assume　the　Imperial　Dignity。　What　think　ye　of　the　proposal；　my　officers？〃

Secretary　Yan　Xiang　rose　in　opposition　at　once；　saying；　〃You　may　not　do　this。　King　Wen；　the　Ancestor　of　the　Zhou*；　was　of　distinguished　virtue　and　held　many　offices。　Till　the　last　years　of　Shang　Dynasty；　he　had　two　thirds　of　the　empire。　Still　he　served　and　was　loyal　to　the　ruling　house。　Your　house　is　honorable；　but　it　is　not　so　glorious　as　that　of　Zhou。　The　Hans　may　be　reduced；　but　they　are　not　so　abominably　cruel　as　those　of　the　Shang　Dynasty　that　they　are　to　be　overthrown。　Indeed　this　should　not　be　done。〃

Yuan　Shu　did　not　hear　this　with　pleasure。

Said　he；　〃We　Yuans　came　from　the　Chen　family；　the　same　ancestry　with　King　Shun*。　By　the　rule　of　interpreting　the　signs　of　fate；　the　day　has　e　when　earth　（Chen）　receives　fire　（Liu）。　Beside　there　is　an　oracle　saying；　One　who　replaces　the　Hans　must　wade　through　deep　mire。　My　name　means　the　high　road。　It　fits　exactly。　Further　than　this；　I　possess　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal　and　must　bee　lord　of　all；　or　I　turn　from　Heavens　own　way。　Finally；　I　have　made　up　my　mind；　so　if　anyone　says　too　much；　that　person　will　simply　suffer　death。〃

Yuan　Shu　arrogated　himself　the　insignia　of　royalty　and　assigned　Second　Glory　the　reign　title。　He　set　up　officials　with　titles　only　given　by　an　emperor；　and　rode　in　a　chariot　decorated　with　the　dragon　and　phoenix；　and　offered　sacrifices　after　the　manner　of　an　emperor　in　the　north　and　south　suburbs。　Also　he　appointed　the　daughter　of　Feng　Fang　his　Empress　and　his　son　Heir　Apparent；　and　he　pressed　for　the　early　wedding　of　Lu　Bus　daughter　with　his　son　so　that　the　Palace　entourage　might　be　plete。

But　when　Yuan　Shu　heard　of　the　fate　of　his　marriage　ambassador；　Han　Yin；　who　was　sent　to　the　capital　and　was　executed；　Yuan　Shu　was　very　angry　and　began　at　once　to　plan　for　revenge。　He　made　Zhang　Xun　his　Grand　mander　and　gave　Zhang　Xun　the　mand　of　more　than　two　hundred　thousand　soldiers　with　the　instruction　to　invade　Xuzhou。　The　army　consisted　of　seven　divisions　under　seven　manders：　Zhang　Xun　led　the　Center　Army；　Qiao　Rui；　the　First　Left　Army；　Lei　Bo；　the　Second　Left　Army；　Han　Xian；　the　Third　Left　Army；　Chen　Ji；　First　Right　Army；　Chen　Lan；　Second　Right　Army；　and　Yang　Feng；　the　Third　Right　Army。　Each　mander　was　instructed　to　make　a　certain　town　his　objective。

The　Imperial　Protector　of　Yangzhou；　Jin　Shang；　was　ordered　to　superintend　the　missariat；　but　he　declined　the　office。　And　so　Yuan　Shu　put　Jin　Shang　to　death。　Ji　Ling　was　in　mand　of　the　reserves　to　help　wherever　he　was　required。　Yuan　Shu　led　thirty　thousand　troops；　and　he　appointed　three　generals；　Li　Deng；　Liang　Gang；　and　Yue　Jiu；　to　go　up　and　down　and　coordinate　the　grand　march。

Lu　Bu　found　out　from　his　scouts　that　his　own　Xuzhou　City　was　the　objective　of　Zhang　Xun；　the　other　towns　to　be　first　attacked　being　Xiaopei；　Yidu；　Langye；　Jieshi；　Xiapi；　and　Junshan。　The　invading　armies　were　marching　twenty　miles　a　day；　and　plundering　the　countryside　as　they　advanced。

Lu　Bu　summoned　his　advisers　to　a　council　to　which　came　Chen　Gong；　Chen　Deng；　and　Chen　Gui。

When　all　had　assembled；　Chen　Gong　said；　〃This　misfortune　that　has　e　to　us　is　due　to　the　two　Chens；　who　fawned　upon　the　central　government　in　order　to　obtain　rank　and　appointments。　Now　remove　the　evil　by　putting　these　two　to　death　and　sending　their　heads　to　Yuan　Shu。　Then　he　will　retire　and　leave　us　in　peace。〃

Lu　Bu　acquiesced　and　had　the　two　arrested。

But　the　son；　Chen　Deng；　only　laughed；　saying；　〃What　is　this　anxiety　about？　These　seven　armies　are　no　more　to　me　than　so　many　heaps　of　rotting　straw。　They　are　not　worth　thinking　about。〃