第一小说网

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第11部分（第2页）

The　further　fortunes　of　Cao　Cao　will　be　told　in　later　chapters。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　5　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　5

Chapter　5

Cao　Cao　Appeals　To　The　Powerful　Lords；

The　Three　Brothers　Fight　Against　Lu　Bu。

At　the　close　of　the　last　chapter；　Chen　Gong　was　about　to　slay　Cao　Cao。　But　Chen　Gong　reflected；　〃I　joined　him　to　do　righteous　things。　Now　if　I　killed　him；　I　would　only　do　unrighteousness；　and　the　people　would　condemn　me。　I　rather　leave　in　silence。〃

Rising　from　his　bed　before　the　sunrise；　Chen　Gong　mounted　his　horse　and　rode　away　eastward　to　his　home　county　of　Dongjun。

Cao　Cao　awoke　with　the　day　and　missed　his　panion。　Thought　he；　〃Chen　Gong　thinks　me　brutal　because　of　a　couple　of　egoistic　phrases　I　used；　and　so　he　has　gone。　I　ought　to　push　on　too　and　not　linger　here。〃

So　Cao　Cao　traveled　as　quickly　as　possible　toward　Qiao。　When　he　saw　his　father；　he　related　what　had　happened　and　said　he　wanted　to　dispose　of　all　the　family　property　and　enlist　soldiers　with　the　money。

〃Our　possessions　are　but　small；〃　said　his　father；　〃and　not　enough　to　do　anything　with。　However；　there　is　a　graduate　here；　one　Wei　Hong；　careless　of　wealth　but　careful　of　virtue；　whose　family　is　very　rich。　With　his　help　we　might　hope　for　success。〃

A　feast　was　prepared；　and　Wei　Hong　was　invited。

Cao　Cao　made　him　a　speech：　〃The　Hans　have　lost　their　lordship；　and　Dong　Zhuo　is　really　a　tyrant。　He　flouts　his　prince　and　is　cruel　to　the　people；　who　gnash　their　teeth　with　rage。　I　would　restore　the　Hans；　but　my　means　are　insufficient。　Sir；　I　appeal　to　your　loyalty　and　public　spirit。〃

Wei　Hong　replied；　〃I　have　long　desired　this　but；　so　far；　have　not　found　a　person　fit　to　undertake　the　task。　Since　you；　Cao　Cao；　have　so　noble　a　desire；　I　willingly　devote　all　my　property　to　the　cause。〃

This　was　joyful　news；　and　the　call　to　arms　was　forthwith　prepared　and　sent　far　and　near。　So　they　established　a　corps　of　volunteers　and　set　up　a　large　white　recruiting　banner　with　the　words　Loyalty　and　Honor　inscribed　thereon。　The　response　was　rapid；　and　volunteers　came　in　like　rain　drops　in　number。

＇e＇　Xiahou　Ying　（？…173）　a　major　general　of　Liu　Bang。　Ennobled　as　the　Marquis　of　Ruyin　and　monly　called　the　Lord　of　Tang。　。。。。。

One　day　came　a　certain　Yue　Jing　from　Yangping　and　another　Li　Dian　from　Julu。　These　two　were　appointed　to　Cao　Caos　personal　staff。　Another　was　one　Xiahou　Dun　from　Qiao。　He　was　descended　from　Xiahou　Ying*　of　old。　Xiahou　Dun　had　been　trained　from　his　early　boyhood　to　use　the　spear　and　the　club。　When　only　fourteen　he　had　been　attached　to　a　certain　master…in…arms。　One　day　one　person　spoke　disrespectfully　of　his　master；　and　Xiahou　Dun　killed　that　person。　For　this　deed；　however；　he　had　to　flee　and　had　been　an　exile　for　some　time。　Now　he　came　to　offer　his　services；　acpanied　by　his　cousin　Xiahou　Yuan。　Each　brought　a　thousand　trained　soldiers。　Really　these　two　were　brothers　of　Cao　Cao　by　birth；　since　Cao　Caos　father　was　originally　of　the　Xiahou　family；　and　had　only　been　adopted　into　the　Cao　family。

A　few　days　later　came　Cao　Caos　two　cousins；　Cao　Ren　and　Cao　Hong；　each　with　one　thousand　followers。　These　two　were　acplished　horsemen　and　trained　in　the　use　of　arms。

Then　drill　began；　and　Wei　Hong　spent　his　treasure　freely　in　buying　clothing；　armor；　flags；　and　banners。　From　all　sides　poured　in　gifts　of　grain。

When　Yuan　Shao　received　Cao　Caos　call　to　arms；　he　collected　all　those　under　his　mand　to　the　number　of　thirty　thousand。　Then　he　marched　from　Bohai　to　Qiao　to　take　the　oath　to　Cao　Cao。　Next　a　manifesto　was　issued：

〃Cao　Cao　and　his　associates；　moved　by　a　sense　of　duty；　now　make　this　proclamation。　Dong　Zhuo　defies　Heaven　and　Earth。　He　is　destroying　the　state　and　injuring　his　prince。　He　pollutes　the　Palace　and　oppresses　the　people。　He　is　vicious　and　cruel。　His　crimes　are　heaped　up。　Now　we　have　received　a　secret　mand　to　call　up　soldiers；　and　we　are　pledged　to　cleanse　the　empire　and　destroy　the　evil…doers。　We　will　raise　a　volunteer　army　and　exert　all　our　efforts　to　maintain　the　dynasty　and　succor　the　people。　Respond　to　this；　O　Nobles；　by　mustering　your　soldiers。〃

Many　from　every　side　answered　the　summons　as　the　following　list　shows：

1。　Governor　of　Nanyang………Yuan　Shu

2。　Imperial　Protector　of　Jizhou　Region………Han　Fu

3。　Imperial　Protector　of　Yuzhou　Region………Kong　Zhou

4。　Imperial　Protector　of　Yanzhou　Region………Liu　Dai

5。　Governor　of　Henei………Wang　Kuang

6。　Governor　of　Chenliu………Zhang　Miao

7。　Governor　of　Dongjun………Qiao　Mao

8。　Governor　of　Shanyang………Yuan　Yi

9。　Lord　of　Jibei………Bao　Xin