第一小说网

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第83部分（第2页）

And　they　said　to　Gao　Gan；　〃Cao　Caos　troops　are　new　to　the　country　and　not　settled。　You　ought　to　fall　upon　their　camp　this　very　evening。　If　you　approve；　we　will　lead　the　attack。〃

Gao　Gan　decided　to　trust　them　and　prepared　to　attack；　giving　the　two　brothers　the　leadership　of　ten　thousand　soldiers。　But　as　they　drew　near　Cao　Caos　camp；　a　great　noise　arose　behind　them　and　they　found　themselves　in　an　ambush　attacked　on　all　sides。　Realizing　too　late　that　he　had　been　the　victim　of　a　ruse；　Gao　Gan　retreated　to　the　pass；　but　found　it　occupied　by　Li　Dian　and　Yue　Jing。　Gao　Gan　then　made　the　best　of　his　way　to　the　Chieftain　of　the　Xiongnu　People。　Cao　Cao　gave　orders　to　hold　the　passes　and　sent　panies　in　pursuit。

When　Gao　Gan　reached　the　boundary　of　the　Xiongnu　State；　he　met　Ce　Xian；　the　Khan　of　the　northern　tribespeople。

Gao　Gan　dismounted　and　made　a　low　obeisance；　saying；　〃Cao　Cao　is　conquering　and　absorbing　all　the　borders　and　your　turn；　O　King；　will　e　quickly。　I　pray　you　help　me　and　let　us　smite　together　for　the　safety　of　the　northern　regions。〃

Ce　Xian　the　Khan　replied；　〃I　have　no　quarrel　with　Cao　Cao。　Why　then　should　he　invade　my　land？　Do　you　desire　to　embroil　me　with　him？〃

He　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　Gao　Gan　and　sent　him　sway。　At　his　wits　end；　Gao　Gan　decided　to　try　to　join　Liu　Biao　and　go　southward　so　far　on　his　journey　as　Shanglu　when　he　was　taken　prisoner　and　put　to　death　by　Governor　Wang　Yan。　His　head　was　sent　to　Cao　Cao；　and　Wang　Yan　received　lordship　for　this　service。

Thus　Bingzhou　was　conquered。　Then　Cao　Cao　began　to　discuss　the　overthrow　of　the　Wuhuan　State。

Cao　Hong；　speaking　in　the　name　of　other　officials；　said；　〃The　two　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　are　nearly　done　for　and　too　weak　to　be　feared。　They　have　fled　far　into　the　Sea　of　Sand。　If　we　pursue　them　thither；　it　may　bring　down　Liu　Biao　and　Liu　Bei　upon　the　capital。　Should　we　be　unable　to　rescue　it；　the　misfortune　would　be　immense。　Wherefore　we　beg　you　to　return　to　Xuchang。〃

But　Guo　Jia　was　of　different　advice。

〃You　are　wrong；〃　said　he。　〃Though　the　prestige　of　our　lord　fills　the　empire；　yet　the　peoples　of　the　desert；　relying　upon　their　inaccessibility；　will　not　be　prepared　against　us。　Wherefore　I　say　attack；　and　we　shall　conquer　them。　Beside　Yuan　Shao　was　kind　to　the　nomads；　and　the　two　brothers　have　been　more　so。　They　must　be　destroyed。　As　for　Liu　Biao　he　is　a　mere　gossip；　who　needs　not　cause　the　least　anxiety。　And　Liu　Bei　is　unfit　for　any　heavy　responsibility　and　will　take　no　trouble　over　a　light　one。　You　may　leave　the　base　with　perfect　safety　and　make　as　long　an　expedition　as　you　choose。　Nothing　will　happen。〃

〃You　speak　well；　O　Guo　Jia；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

He　led　his　legions；　heavy　and　light；　to　the　edge　of　the　desert；　with　many　wagons。　The　expedition　marched　into　the　Gobi　Desert。　The　rolling　ocean　of　yellow　sand　spread　its　waves　before　them；　and　they　saw　far　and　near　the　eddying　sand　pillars；　and　felt　the　fierce　winds　that　drove　them　forward。　The　road　became　precipitous　and　progress　difficult。　Cao　Cao　began　to　think　of　returning　and　spoke　thereof　to　Guo　Jia；　who　had　advised　the　journey。

Guo　Jia　had　speedily　fallen　victim　to　the　effects　of　the　climate；　and　at　this　time　he　lay　in　his　cart　very　ill。

Cao　Caos　tears　fell　as　he　said；　〃My　friend；　you　are　suffering　for　my　ambition　to　subdue　the　Gobi　Desert。　I　cannot　bear　to　think　you　should　be　ill。〃

〃You　have　always　been　very　good　to　me；〃　said　the　sick　man；　〃and　I　can　never　repay　what　I　owe　you。〃

〃The　country　is　exceedingly　precipitous；　and　I　am　thinking　of　going　back。　What　think　you？〃

Guo　Jia　replied；　〃The　success　of　an　expedition　of　this　kind　depends　upon　celerity。　To　strike　a　sudden　blow　on　a　distant　spot　with　a　heavy　baggage　train　is　difficult。　To　ensure　success　the　need　is　light　troops　and　a　good　road　to　strike　quickly　before　an　enemy　has　time　to　prepare。　Now　you　must　find　guides　who　know　the　road　well。〃

Then　the　sick　adviser　was　left　at　Yezhou　for　treatment；　and　they　sought　among　the　natives　for　some　persons　to　serve　as　guides。　Tian　Chou；　one　of　Yuan　Shaos　old　generals；　knew　those　parts　well；　and　Cao　Cao　called　him　and　questioned　him。

Tian　Chou　said；　〃Between　autumn　and　summer　this　route　is　under　water；　the　shallow　places　too　heavy　for　wheeled　traffic；　the　deep　parts　insufficient　for　boats。　It　is　always　difficult。　Therefore　you　would　do　better　to　return　and　at　Lulong　cross　the　Baitan　Pass　into　the　desert。　Then　advance　to　Liucheng　and　smite　before　there　is　time　to　prepare。　One　sudden　rush　will　settle　King　Mao　Dun。〃

For　this　valuable　information　and　plan；　Tian　Chou　was　made　General　Who　Calms　the　North；　and　went　in　advance　as　leader　and　guide。　Next　after　him　came　Zhang　Liao；　and　Cao　Cao　brought　up　the　rear。　They　advanced　by　double　marches。

Tian　Chou　led　Zhang　Liao　to　White　Wolf　Hills；　where　they　came　upon　Yuan　Xi；　Yuan　Shang；　and　King　Mao　Dun　and　a　force　of　ten　thousand　cavalry。　Zhang　Liao　galloped　to　inform　his　chief；　and　Cao　Cao　rode　up　to　the　top　of　an　eminence　to　survey　the　foe。　He　saw　a　large　mass　of　cavalry　without　any　military　formation　advancing　in　a　disorderly　crowd。

Said　he；　〃They　have　no　formation。　We　can　easily　rout　them。〃

Then　he　handed　over　his　ensign　of　mand　to　Zhang　Liao　who；　with　Xu　Chu；　Yu　Jin；　and　Xu　Huang；　made　a　vigorous　attack　from　four　different　points；　with　the　result　that　the　enemy　was　thrown　into　confusion。　Zhang　Liao　rode　forward　and　slew　King　Mao　Dun；　and　the　other　generals　gave　in。　Yuan　Xi　and　Yuan　Shang　with　a　few　thousand　of　horse　got　away　east　into　Liaodong。

Cao　Cao　then　led　his　army　into　Liucheng。　For　his　services；　Tian　Chou　was　conferred　the　rank　of　Lord　of　Liucheng　and　mander　of　that　county。

But　Tian　Chou　declined　the　rank；　saying　with　tears；　〃I　am　a　renegade　and　a　fugitive。　It　is　my　good　fortune　that　you　spared　my　life；　and　how　can　I　accept　a　rank　for　betraying　Lulong？　I　would　rather　die　than　accept　the　lordship。〃

Cao　Cao　recognized　that　reason　was　on　Tian　Chous　side　and　conferred　upon　him　the　office　of　Court　Counselor。　Cao　Cao　then　pacified　the　Xiongnu　Chieftains；　collected　a　large　number　of　horses；　and　at　once　set　out　on　the　homeward　march。