第一小说网

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第50部分（第2页）

〃O；　so　you　remember　me；　eh？〃

〃Yes；　more　is　the　pity。〃

〃Pity　for　what？〃

〃That　the　fire　that　day　was　not　fierce　enough　to　burn　you　up；　rebel　that　you　are。〃

Cao　Cao　began　to　get　angry。

〃How　dare　you　insult　me？〃　cried　he　and　lifted　his　sword　to　kill　the　bold　speaker。

The　undaunted　Zhang　Liao　never　changed　color；　but　stretched　out　his　neck　for　the　blow。　Then　a　man　behind　Cao　Cao　caught　his　arm；　and　in　front　of　him　another　dropped　on　his　knees；　saying；　〃O　Prime　Minister；　I　pray　thee　stay　thy　hand！〃

Lu　Bu　whining　was　not　spared；

Railing　Zhang　Liao　far　better　fared。

Who　was　it　that　saved　Zhang　Liao？　The　next　chapter　will　show。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　20　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　20

Chapter　20

Cao　Cao　Organizes　A　Hunting　Expedition　In　Xutian；

Dong　Cheng　Receives　A　Secret　mand　In　The　Palace。

The　last　chapter　said　that　Cao　Cao　was　checked　in　his　angry　attack　upon　Zhang　Liao。　They　were　Liu　Bei　who　held　his　arm　and　Guan　Yu　who　knelt　before　him。

〃A　man　as　generous…hearted　as　he　is　should　be　saved；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Guan　Yu　said；　〃I　know　him　well　as　loyal　and　righteous。　I　will　vouch　for　him　with　my　own　life！〃

Cao　Cao　threw　aside　his　sword　and　smiled。

〃I　also　know　Zhang　Liao　to　be　loyal　and　good。　I　was　just　testing　him；〃　said　he。

Cao　Cao　loosed　the　prisoners　bonds　with　his　own　hands；　had　a　change　of　dress　brought　in；　and　clothed　him　therewith。　Then　he　was　led　to　a　seat　of　honor。　This　kindly　treatment　sank　deep　into　Zhang　Liaos　heart；　and　he　hastened　to　declare　formally　that　he　yielded。　And　then　he　was　given　the　rank　of　Imperial　mander　and　the　title　of　Lordship。

Zhang　Liao　was　sent　on　a　mission　to　win　over　the　bandit　leader　Zang　Ba；　who　hearing　what　had　happened；　came　forthwith　and　gave　in　his　submission。　He　was　graciously　received；　and　his　former　colleagues………Sun　Guan；　Wu　Dun；　and　Yin　Li………also　yielded；　with　the　exception　of　Chang　Xi；　who　remained　obdurate。　All　these　former　enemies　who　came　over　were　kindly　treated　and　given　posts　of　responsibility　wherein　they　might　prove　the　reality　of　their　conversion。　Lu　Bus　family　were　sent　to　the　capital。

After　the　soldiers　had　been　rewarded　with　feasting；　the　camp　was　broken　up　and　the　army　moved　away　to　Xuchang。　Passing　through　Xuzhou　the　people　lined　the　roads　and　burned　incense　in　honor　of　the　victors。　They　also　petitioned　that　Liu　Bei　should　be　their　protector。

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃Liu　Bei　has　rendered　great　services。　You　must　wait　till　he　has　been　received　in　audience　and　obtained　his　reward。　After　that　he　shall　be　sent　here。〃

The　people　bowed　low　to　the　ground　to　express　their　thanks。　Che　Zhou；　General　of　the　Flying　Cavalry；　was　given　mand　of　Xuzhou　for　the　moment。

After　the　army　had　arrived　at　the　capital；　rewards　were　granted　to　all　the　officers　who　had　been　in　the　expedition。　Liu　Bei　was　retained　in　the　capital；　lodging　in　an　annex　to　the　Prime　Ministers　palace。

Next　day　a　court　was　held；　and　Cao　Cao　memorialized　the　services　of　Liu　Bei　who　was　presented　to　Emperor　Xian。　Dressed　in　court　robes；　Liu　Bei　bowed　at　the　lower　end　of　the　audience　arena。　The　Emperor　called　him　to　the　Hall　and　asked　his　ancestry。

＇e＇　Reigned　BC　157…141。

Liu　Bei　replied；　〃Thy　servant　is　the　son　of　Liu　Hong；　grandson　of　Liu　Xiong；　who　was　a　direct　descendant　of　Prince　Sheng　of　Zhongshan；　who　was　the　son　of　His　Majesty　the　Emperor　Jing*。〃