第一小说网

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第26部分（第2页）

Taishi　Ci　took　his　leave；　saying；　〃My　mother　bade　me　e　to　your　aid；　and　now　happily　you　are　safe。　Letters　have　e　from　my　fellow　townsman；　Liu　Yao；　Imperial　Protector　of　Yangzhou；　calling　me　thither　and　I　must　go。　I　will　see　you　again。〃

Kong　Rong　pressed　rewards　upon　Taishi　Ci；　but　he　would　accept　nothing　and　departed。　When　his　mother　saw　him；　she　was　pleased　at　his　success　saying　she　rejoiced　that　he　had　been　able　to　prove　his　gratitude；　and　after　this　he　departed　for　Yangzhou。

Liu　Bei　went　away　to　his　friend　Gongsun　Zan　and　laid　before　Gongsun　Zan　his　design　to　help　Xuzhou。

〃Cao　Cao　and　you　are　not　enemies。　Why　do　you　spend　yourself　for　the　sake　of　another？〃　said　Gongsun　Zan。

〃I　have　promised；〃　Liu　Bei　replied；　〃and　dare　not　break　faith。〃

〃I　will　lend　you　two　thousand　horse　and　foot；〃　said　Gongsun　Zan。

〃Also　I　wish　to　have　the　services　of　Zhao　Yun；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Gongsun　Zan　agreed　to　this　also。　They　marched　away；　Liu　Beis　own　troops　being　in　the　front；　and　Zhao　Yun；　with　the　borrowed　troops；　being　in　rear。

In　due　course　Mi　Zhu　returned　saying　that　Kong　Rong　had　also　obtained　the　services　of　Liu　Bei。　The　other　messenger；　Chen　Deng；　came　back　and　reported　that　Tien　Kai　would　also　bring　help。　Then　was　Tao　Qians　heart　set　at　ease。

But　both　the　leaders；　though　they　had　promised　aid；　greatly　dreaded　their　antagonist　and　camped　among　the　hills　at　a　great　distance；　fearful　of　ing　too　close　to　Cao　Caos　quarters。　Cao　Cao　knew　of　their　ing　and　divided　his　army　into　parts　to　meet　them；　so　postponing　the　attack　on　the　city　itself。

Presently　Liu　Bei　came　up　and　went　to　see　Kong　Rong；　who　said；　〃The　enemy　is　very　powerful；　and　Cao　Cao　handles　his　army　skillfully。　We　must　be　cautious。　Let　us　make　most　careful　observations　before　we　strike　a　blow。〃

〃What　I　fear　is　famine　in　the　city；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃They　cannot　hold　out　very　long。　I　will　put　my　troops　with　yours　under　your　mand；　while　I　with　Zhang　Fei　make　a　dash　through　to　see　Tao　Qian　and　consult　with　him。〃

Kong　Rong　approved　of　this；　so　he　and　Tien　Kai　took　up　positions　on　the　ox…horn　formation；　with　Guan　Yu　and　Zhao　Yun　on　either　side　to　support　them。

When　Liu　Bei　and　Zhang　Fei　leading　one　thousand　troops　made　their　dash　to　get　through　Cao　Caos　army；　they　got　as　far　as　the　flank　of　his　camp　when　there　arose　a　great　beating　of　drums；　and　horse　and　foot　rolled　out　like　billows　on　the　ocean。　The　leader　was　Yu　Jin。

Yu　Jin　checked　his　steed　and　called　out；　〃You　mad　men　from　somewhere；　where　are　you　going？〃

Zhang　Fei　heard　Yu　Jin　but　deigned　no　reply。　He　only　rode　straight　to　attack　the　speaker。　After　they　had　fought　a　few　bouts；　Liu　Bei　waved　his　double　swords　as　signal　for　his　troops　to　e　on；　and　they　drove　Yu　Jin　before　them。　Zhang　Fei　led　the　pursuit　and　in　this　way　they　reached　the　city　wall。

From　the　city　wall；　the　besieged　saw　a　huge　banner　embroidered　in　white　Liu　Bei　of　Pingyuan　；　and　the　Imperial　Protector　bade　them　open　the　gate　for　the　rescuers　to　enter。　Liu　Bei　was　made　very　wele；　conducted　to　the　residency；　and　a　banquet　prepared　in　his　honor。　The　soldiers　also　were　feasted。

Tao　Qian　was　delighted　with　Liu　Bei；　admiring　his　high…spirited　appearance　and　clear　speech。　Tao　Qian　bade　Mi　Zhu　offer　Liu　Bei　the　seal　and　insignia　of　the　protectorship　office。　But　Liu　Bei　shrank　back　startled。

〃What　does　this　mean？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Tao　Qian　said；　〃There　is　trouble　on　every　side；　and　the　kingly　rule　is　no　longer　maintained。　You；　Sir；　are　a　member　of　the　family　and　eminently　fitted　to　support　them　and　their　prerogatives。　I　am　verging　on　senility；　and　I　wish　to　retire　in　your　favor。　I　pray　you　not　to　decline；　and　I　will　report　my　action　to　the　court。〃

Liu　Bei　started　up　from　his　seat　and　bowed　before　his　host；　saying；　〃Scion　of　the　family　I　may　be；　but　my　merit　is　small　and　my　virtue　meager。　I　doubt　my　fitness　even　for　my　present　post；　and　only　a　feeling　of　doing　right　sent　me　to　your　assistance。　To　hear　such　speech　makes　me　doubt。　Surely　you　think　I　came　with　greed　in　my　heart。　May　God　help　me　no　more　if　I　cherished　such　a　thought。〃

〃It　is　a　poor　old　mans　real　sentiment；〃　said　Tao　Qian。

Time　after　time　Tao　Qian　renewed　his　offer　to　entrust　the　region　of　Xuzhou　to　Liu　Bei；　but　Liu　Bei　kept　refusing。

In　the　midst　of　this　came　Mi　Zhu；　saying；　〃The　enemies　had　reached　the　wall；　and　something　must　be　done　to　drive　them　off。　The　present　matter　could　await　a　more　tranquil　time。〃

Said　Liu　Bei；　〃I　ought　to　write　to　Cao　Cao　to　press　him　to　raise　the　siege。　If　he　refuses；　we　will　attack　forthwith。〃

Orders　were　sent　to　the　three　camps　outside　to　remain　quiescent　till　the　letter　could　reach　Cao　Cao。

It　happened　that　Cao　Cao　was　holding　a　council　when　a　messenger　with　a　war　letter　was　announced。　The　letter　was　brought　in　and　handed　to　him　and；　when　he　had　opened　and　looked　at　it；　he　found　it　was　from　Liu　Bei。

This　is　the　letter；　very　nearly：

〃Since　meeting　you　outside　the　pass；　fate　has　assigned　us　to　different　quarters　of　the　world；　and　I　have　not　been　able　to　pay　my　respects　to　you。　Touching　the　death　of　your　noble　fathe