北斗星小说网

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第27部分（第2页）

When　Liu　Bei　and　his　brothers　took　up　their　abode　in　Xiaopei；　they　first　repaired　the　defenses；　and　then　they　put　out　proclamations　in　order　to　calm　the　inhabitants。

In　the　meantime　Cao　Cao　had　marched　toward　his　own　region。

Cao　Ren　met　and　told　him；　〃Lu　Bu　is　very　powerful；　and　he　has　Chen　Gong　as　adviser。　Yanzhou　is　as　good　as　lost；　with　the　exception　of　three　counties　which　have　been　vigorously　and　desperately　defended　by　Xun　Yu　and　Cheng　Yu。〃

Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　own　that　Lu　Bu　is　a　bold　fighter　but　nothing　more；　he　has　no　craft。　So　we　need　not　fear　him　seriously。〃

Then　he　gave　orders　to　make　a　strong　camp　till　they　could　think　out　some　victorious　plan。

Lu　Bu；　knowing　of　Cao　Caos　return；　called　two　of　his　subordinate　generals；　Xue　Lan　and　Li　Fang；　to　him　and　assigned　to　them　the　task　of　holding　the　city　of　Yanzhou；　saying；　〃I　have　long　waited　for　opportunity　to　employ　your　skill。　Now　I　give　you　ten　thousand　soldiers；　and　you　are　to　hold　the　city　while　I　go　forth　to　attack　Cao　Cao。〃

They　accepted。

But　Chen　Gong；　the　strategist；　came　in　hastily；　saying；　〃General；　you　are　going　away；　whither？〃

〃I　am　going　to　camp　my　troops　at　Puyang；　that　vantage　point。〃

〃You　are　making　a　mistake；〃　said　Chen　Gong。　〃The　two　you　have　chosen　to　defend　this　city　are　unequal　to　the　task。　For　this　expedition　remember　that　about　sixty　miles　due　south；　on　the　treacherous　road　to　the　Taishan　Mountains；　is　a　very　advantageous　position　where　you　should　place　your　best　men　in　ambush。　Cao　Cao　will　hasten　homeward　by　double　marches　when　he　hears　what　has　happened。　If　you　strike　when　half　his　troops　have　gone　past　this　point；　you　may　seize　him。〃

Said　Lu　Bu；　〃I　am　going　to　occupy　Puyang　and　see　what　develops。　How　can　you　guess　my　big　plan？〃

So　Lu　Bu　left　Xue　Lan　in　mand　at　Yanzhou　and　went　away。

Now　when　Cao　Cao　approached　the　dangerous　part　of　the　road　near　the　Taishan　Mountains；　Guo　Jia　warned　him　to　take　care　as　there　was　doubtless　an　ambush。

But　Cao　Cao　laughed；　saying；　〃We　know　all　Lu　Bus　dispositions。　Xue　Lan　is　keeping　the　city。　Do　you　think　Lu　Bu　has　laid　an　ambush？　I　shall　tell　Cao　Ren　to　besiege　Yanzhou；　and　I　shall　go　to　Puyang。〃

In　Puyang；　when　Chen　Gong　heard　of　the　enemys　approach；　he　spoke；　saying；　〃The　enemy　will　be　fatigued　with　long　marches；　so　attack　quickly　before　they　have　time　to　recover。〃

Lu　Bu　replied；　〃I；　a　single　horseman；　am　afraid　of　none。　I　e　and　go　as　I　will。　Think　you　I　fear　this　Cao　Cao？　Let　him　settle　his　camp；　I　will　take　him　after　that。〃

Now　Cao　Cao　neared　Puyang；　and　he　made　a　camp。　The　next　day　he　led　out　his　manders；　and　they　arrayed　their　armies　in　open　country。　Cao　Cao　took　up　his　station　on　horseback　between　the　two　standards；　watching　while　his　opponents　arrived　and　formed　up　in　a　circular　area。

Lu　Bu　was　in　front；　followed　by　eight　of　his　generals；　all　strong　men：　Zhang　Liao　of　Mayi；　backed　by　Hao　Meng；　Cao　Xing；　and　Cheng　Lian；　Zang　Ba　of　Huaying；　backed　by　Wei　Xu；　Song　Xian；　and　Hou　Cheng。　They　led　an　army　of　fifty　thousand　in　total。

The　drums　began　their　thunderous　roll；　and　Cao　Cao；　pointing　to　his　opponent；　said；　〃You　and　I　had　no　quarrel；　why　then　did　you　invade　my　land？〃

〃The　empire　of　Han　is　the　possession　of　all。　What　is　your　special　claim？〃　said　Lu　Bu。

So　saying；　Lu　Bu　ordered　Zang　Ba　to　ride　forth　and　challenge。　From　Cao　Caos　side　the　challenge　was　accepted　by　Yue　Jing。　The　two　steeds　approached　each　other；　two　spears　were　lifted　both　together；　and　they　exchanged　near　thirty　blows　with　no　advantage　to　either。　Then　Xiahou　Dun　rode　out　to　help　his　colleague　and；　in　reply；　out　went　Zhang　Liao　from　Lu　Bus　side。　And　they　four　fought。

Then　fierce　anger　seized　upon　Lu　Bu。　Setting　his　trident　halberd；　he　urged　his　Red　Hare　forward　to　where　the　fight　was　waging。　Seeing　him　approach；　Xiahou　Dun　and　Yue　Jing　both　fled；　but　Lu　Bu　pressed　on　after　them；　and　Cao　Caos　army　lost　the　day。　Retiring　ten　miles；　they　made　a　new　camp。　Lu　Bu　called　in　and　mustered　his　troops。

The　day　having　gone　against　him；　Cao　Cao　called　a　council；　and　Yu　Jin　said；　〃From　the　hill　tops　today　I　saw　a　camp　of　our　enemies　on　the　west　of　Puyang。　They　were　but　few　men　therein；　and　tonight　after　todays　victory；　it　will　not　be　defended。　Let　us　attack；　and　if　we　can　take　the　camp；　we　shall　strike　fear　into　the　heart　of　Lu　Bu。　This　is　our　best　plan。〃

Cao　Cao　thought　so　too。　He　and　six　of　his　generals………Cao　Hong；　Li　Dian；　Mao　Jie；　Lu　Qian；　Yu　Jin；　and　Dian　Wei………and　twenty　thousand　horse　and　foot　left　that　night　by　a　secret　road　for　the　camp。

In　his　camp　Lu　Bu　was　rejoicing　for　that　days　victory；　when　Chen　Gong　reminded　him；　saying；　〃The　western　camp　is　importance　point；　and　it　might　be　attacked。〃

But　Lu　Bu　replied；　〃The　enemy　will　not　dare　approach　after　todays　defeat。〃

〃Cao　Cao　is　a　very　able　mander；〃　replied　Chen　Gong。　〃You　must　keep　a　good　lookout　for　him　lest　he　attack　our　weak　spot。〃

So　arrangements　were　made　for　defense。　Generals　Gao　Shun；　Wei　Xu；　and　Hou　Cheng　were　ordered　to　march　there。

At　dusk　Cao　Cao　reached　the　camp　and　began　an　imme