三国演义英文版-第86章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃How　can　you　go　after　killing　the　two　generals；　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou？〃
〃That　will　not　stop　me。　And　after　I　am　there；　I　can　act　according　to　circumstances。〃
Then　Guan　Yu　summoned　Zhou　Cang　and　asked　him；　saying；　〃How　many　followers　are　there　with　Pei　Yuanshao　at　Sleeping　Bull　Mountain？〃
〃I　should　think　four　or　five　hundred。〃
〃Now；〃　said　Guan　Yu；　〃I　am　going　to　take　the　shortest　road　to　find　my　brother。　Can　you　go　to　summon　your　army　and　lead　them　along　the　high　road　to　assist　me？〃
With　instructions　to　bring　up　this　force；　Zhou　Cang　left；　while　Guan　Yu　and　Sun　Qian　and　their　small　escort　went　off　to　the　north。
When　they　drew　near　the　boundary；　Sun　Qian　said；　〃You　must　be　careful　how　you　go　over。　You　ought　to　stop　here　while　I　go　in；　see　Uncle　Liu　Bei；　and　take　the　necessary　steps。〃
Seeing　the　wisdom　of　this；　Guan　Yu　stopped　there　and　sent　his　panion　in　advance。　He　and　his　followers　going　up　to　a　nearby　farm　as　an　abiding　place。
When　they　got　to　the　farm；　out　came　a　venerable　man　leaning　on　a　staff。　After　exchanging　salutes；　Guan　Yu　told　the　old　man　all　about　himself。
〃My　family　name　is　also　Guan；　my　personal　name　being　Ding；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃I　know　your　reputation；　and　I　am　very　happy　to　meet　you。〃
Guan　Ding　sent　for　his　two　sons　to　e　and　make　their　bow。　He　put　up　Guan　Yu　in　his　house　and　provided　for　his　escort　in　the　farm　buildings。
In　the　meantime　Sun　Qian　had　made　his　way　to　Jizhou　City　and　told　Liu　Bei　the　whole　story。
Liu　Bei　said；　〃Jian　Yong　is　also　here。　We　will　send　for　him　secretly　to　talk　over　this　matter。〃
They　did　so；　and　when　the　usual　salutes　had　been　exchanged；　they　three　began　to　consider　the　means　of　getting　away。
〃My　lord；〃　said　Jian　Yong；　〃you　see　Yuan　Shao　personally　and　say　you　wish　to　go　to　Jingzhou　to　see　Liu　Biao　about　a　scheme　for　the　destruction　of　Cao　Cao。　That　will　give　an　excuse。〃
〃That　seems　best；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃but　will　you　go　with　me？〃
〃I　have　another　plan　to　extricate　myself；〃　said　Jian　Yong。
Having　settled　their　plans；　Liu　Bei　soon　went　in　to　see　his　protector　and　suggested；　〃Liu　Biao　is　strong　and　well　posted。　His　help　should　be　sought　against　our　enemy。〃
〃I　have　sent　messengers　repeatedly　to　ask　his　help；〃　said　Yuan　Shao；　〃but　he　is　unwilling。〃
〃As　he　and　I　are　of　the　same　family；　he　will　not　refuse　me　if　I　go　and　ask　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
〃Certainly　he　is　worth　much　more　than　Liu　Pi。　You　shall　go。〃
〃I　have　just　heard；〃　Yuan　Shao　continued；　〃that　Guan　Yu　has　left　Cao　Cao　and　wants　to　e　here。　If　he　does；　I　will　put　him　to　death　out　of　revenge　for　my　two　beloved　generals………Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou。〃
〃Illustrious　Sir；　you　wished　to　employ　him　and　so　I　sent　for　him。　Now　you　threaten　to　put　him　to　death。　The　two　men　he　slew　were　but　deer　pared　with　such　a　tiger　as　he　is。　When　you　exchange　a　couple　of　deer　for　a　tiger；　you　need　not　plain　of　the　bargain。〃
〃Really　I　like　him；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。　〃I　was　only　joking。　You　can　send　another　messenger　for　him　and　tell　him　to　e　soon。〃
〃May　I　send　Sun　Qian　for　him？〃
〃Certainly。〃
After　Liu　Bei　had　gone；　Jian　Yong　came　in　and　said　to　Yuan　Shao；　〃If　Liu　Bei　goes；　he　will　not　e　back。　I　had　better　go　to　speak　to　Liu　Biao。　And　I　can　keep　a　watch　on　Liu　Bei。〃
Yuan　Shao　agreed　and　issued　orders　for　both　to　go。
On　the　subject　of　the　mission；　Guo　Tu　came　in　to　his　chief　to　dissuade　him。
Said　Guo　Tu；　〃Liu　Bei　went　to　speak　to　Liu　Pi；　but　he　acplished　nothing。　Now　you　are　sending　Jian　Yong　with　him；　and　I　am　sure　neither　will　ever　return。〃
〃Do　not　be　too　suspicious；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。　〃Jian　Yong　is　clever　enough。〃
That　was　the　end　of　the　interview。　Forthwith　Liu　Bei　sent　Sun　Qian　back　to　Guan　Yu　and　then；　with　Jian　Yong；　took　leave　of　Yuan　Shao　and　rode　out　of　the　city；　As　soon　as　they　reached　the　border　line；　they　met　Sun　Qian　and　all　three　rode　off　to　Guan　Ding's　farm　to　meet　Guan　Yu。　He　came　out　to　wele　them；　bowed　and　then　seized　his　brother's　hands　while　tears　streamed　down　his　face。
Presently　the　two　sons　of　their　host　came　to　bow　to　the　visitors。　Liu　Bei　asked　their　names。
〃These　are　of　the　same　name　as　myself；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃The　sons　are　Guan　Neng；　who　is　a　student；　and　Guan　Ping；　who　is　to　be　a　soldier。〃
〃I　have　been　thinking　of　sending　the　younger　in　your　train；　General；〃　said　old　Guan　Ding；　〃Would　you　take　him？〃
〃What　is　his　age？〃　said　Liu　Bei。
〃He　is　eighteen。〃
Liu　Bei　said；　〃Since；　O　Senior；　you　are　so　kind；　I　venture　to　suggest　that　your　son　should　be　adopted　by　my　brother；　who　has　no　son　of　his　own。　What　think　you　of　that？〃
Guan　Ding　was　perfectly　willing；　so　he　called　Guan　Ping　and　bade　him　make　a　son's　obeisance　to　Guan　Yu　and　to　style　Liu　Bei　〃Uncle。〃
Then　it　was　time　to　get　on　their　way　lest　they　should　be　pursued；　and　with　Guan　Yu　went　Guan　Ping。　Guan　Ding　and　Guan　Ning　escorted　them　a　long　distance　and　then　returned。
The　party　took　the　road　to　Sleeping　Bull　Mountain。　Before　they　had　gone　very　far；　they　met　Zhou　Cang　with　a　small　party。　He　was　wounded。　He　was　introduced　to　Liu　Bei　who　asked　him　how　it　was。
He　replied；　〃Before　I　reached　the　hill；　a　certain　warrior　all　alone；　had　fought　with　my　friend　Pei　Yuanshao　and　killed　him。　Then　many　of　our　troops　surrendered　to　him；　and　he　occupied　our　old　camp。　When　I　reached　it；　I　tried　to　allure　the　soldiers　back　to　my　side　but　only　succeeded　with　a　few。　The　others　were　too　afraid。　I　got　angry　and　engaged　the　interloper；　who　however　worsted　me　time　after　time　and　wounded　me　thrice。〃
〃Who　is　the　warrior？　What　does　he　look　like？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。
〃All　I　know　he　is　a　doughty　fighter；　I　do　not　know　his　name。〃
Thereafter　they　advanced　toward　the　hill　with　Guan　Yu　in　front　and　Liu　Bei　in　rear。　When　they　drew　near；　Zhou　Cang　began　to　abuse　his　enemy；　who　soon　appeared；　mailed　and　armed；　ing　down　the　hill　like　a　tornado。
Suddenly　Liu　Bei　rode　out　waving　his　whip　and　shouting；　〃O　Zhao　Yun；　I　am　here　to　look　for　you！〃
Indeed　the　rider　was　Zhao　Yun。　He　instantly　slipped　out　of　the　saddle　and　bowed　by　the　roadside。
Liu　Bei　dismounted　to　talk　with　him　and　ask　how　he　came　to　be　there。
〃When　I　left　you；　I　had　no　idea　that　Gongsun　Zan　was　a　man　who　would　listen　to　no　reason。　The　result　was　disaster；　and　he　perished　in　the　flames。　Yuan　Shao　invited　me　to　him　several　times；　but　I　thought　too　little　of　him　to　go。　Then　I　wanted　to　go　to　Xuzhou　to　you；　but　you　had　lost　that　place；　and　Guan　Yu　had　gone　over　to　Cao　Cao；　and　you　had　joined　Yuan　Shao。　Several　times　I　thought　of　ing　to　you；　but　I　feared　Yuan　Shao。　So　I　drifted　from　one　place　to　another　with　nowhere　to　rest　till　I　happened　to　e　this　way；　and　Pei　Yuanshao　tried　to　steal　my　horse。　So　I　slew　him　and　took　possession　of　his　camp。　I　heard　Zhang　Fei　was　in　Gucheng　but　thought　it　might　be　only　a　rumor。　And　so　the　days　have　passed　till　this　happy　meeting。〃
Liu　Bei　told　Zhao　Yun　all　that　had　happened　to　him　since　they　parted；　and　so　did　Guan　Yu。
Said　Liu　Bei；　〃The　first　time　I　saw　you；　I　felt　drawn　to　you　and　did　not　want　to　part　from　you。　I　am　very　happy　to　meet　you　again。〃
〃In　all　my　wanderings；　trying　to　find　a　lord　worth　serving；　I　have　seen　no　one　like　you。　Now　I　have　reached　your　side；　that　is　enough　for　all　my　life。　I　care　not　what　may　happen　to　me。〃
Next　they　burned　the　camp　on　Sleeping　Bull　Mountain；　after　which　they　all　took　the　road　back　to　Gucheng　where　they　were　weled。　They　exchanged　the　stories　of　their　several　adventures；　and　the　two　ladies　related　the　valiant　deeds　of　Guan　Yu　whereat　Liu　Bei　was　too　affected　to　speak。
Then　they　performed　a　great　sacrifice　to　Heaven　and　Earth　with　the　slaughter　of　a　bull　and　a　horse。
The　soldiers　also　were　repensed　for　their　toils。　Liu　Bei　surveyed　the　conditions　around　him　and　found　therein　much　to　rejoice　at。　His　two　brothers　were　restored　to　his　side　and　none　of　his　helpers　were　missing。　Moreover　he　had　gained　Zhao　Yun；　and　Guan　Yu　had　acquired　an　adopted　son　Guan　Ping。　Another　mander　had　joined　his　ranks　in　the　person　of　Zhou　Cang。　There　was　every　occasion　for　feasting　and　gratification。

Scattered　wide　were　the　brothers；　none　knew　another's　retreat；
Joyfully　now　they　foregather；　dragon　and　tigers　meet。

At　this　time　the　forces　under　the　mand　of　Liu　Bei；　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　Zhao　Yun；　Sun　Qian；　Jian　Yong；　Mi　Zhu；　Mi　Fang；　Guan　Ping；　and　Zhou　Cang　numbered　four　or　five　thousand　soldiers。　Liu　Bei　was　in　favor　of　leaving　Gucheng　and　occupying　Runan；　and　just　then　Liu　Pi　and　Gong　Du；　the　manders　of　that　city；　sent　to　invite　him　to　go　there。　So　they　went。　There　they　devoted　all　their　efforts　to　strengthen　their　army；　both　horse　and　foot。
Yuan　Shao　was　much　annoyed　when　Liu　Bei　did　not　return　and　at　first　was　for　sending　a　force　after　him。　However　Guo　Tu　dissuaded　him。
〃Liu　Bei　needs　cause　you　no　anxiety。　Cao　Cao　is　your　one　enemy　and　must　be　destroyed。　Even　Liu　Biao；　though　strongly　posted　on　River　Han；　is　none　too　terrible。　There　is　Sun　Ce　on　the　southeast　of　the　Great　River；　strong；　feared；　with　wide　domain　of　six　territories；　a　large　army；　and　able　counselors　and　leaders；　you　should　make　an　alliance　there　against　Cao　Cao。〃
Guo　Tu　won　his　chief　to　his　view　and　wrote　to　Sun　Ce；　sending　the　letter　by　Chen　Zhen。

Just　as　one　warrior　leaves　the　north；
Another　from　the　east　es　forth。

Future　chapters　will　reveal　the　oute　of　these　dispositions。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　29　》》

　　　Romance