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第25部分（第2页）

Main　Next　to　Chapter　11　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　11

Chapter　11

Liu　Bei　Rescues　Kong　Rong　At　Beihai；

Lu　Bu　Defeats　Cao　Cao　Near　Puyang。

It　was　one　Mi　Zhu　who　said　he　knew　how　to　defeat　Cao　Cao　utterly。　Mi　Zhu　came　of　a　wealthy　family　of　merchants　in　Donghai　and　trading　in　Luoyang。　One　day　traveling　homeward　from　that　city　in　a　carriage；　he　met　an　exquisitely　beautiful　lady　trudging　along　the　road；　who　asked　him　to　let　her　ride。　He　stopped　and　yielded　his　place　to　her。　She　invited　him　to　share　the　seat　with　her。　He　mounted；　but　sat　rigidly　upright；　never　even　glancing　in　her　direction。　They　traveled　thus　for　some　miles　when　she　thanked　him　and　alighted。

Just　as　she　left　she　said；　〃I　am　the　Goddess　of　Fire　from　the　Southern　Land。　I　am　on　my　way　to　execute　a　decree　of　the　Supreme　God　to　burn　your　dwelling；　but　your　extreme　courtesy　has　so　deeply　touched　me　that　I　now　warn　you。　Hasten　homeward；　remove　your　valuables；　for　I　must　arrive　tonight。〃

Thereupon　she　disappeared。　Mi　Zhu　hastily　finished　his　journey　and；　as　soon　as　he　arrived；　moved　everything　out　of　his　house。　Sure　enough　that　night　a　fire　started　in　the　kitchen　and　involved　the　whole　house。　After　this　he　devoted　his　wealth　to　relieving　the　poor　and　forting　the　afflicted。　Tao　Qian　gave　him　the　magistracy　office　he　then　held。

The　plan　Mi　Zhu　proposed　was　this：　〃I　will　go　to　Beihai　and　beg　Governor　Kong　Rong　to　help。　Another　should　go　to　Qingzhou　on　a　similar　mission　to　get　the　help　from　Imperial　Protector　Tien　Kai。　If　the　armies　of　these　two　places　march　on　Cao　Cao；　he　will　certainly　retire。〃

Tao　Qian　accepted　the　plan　and　wrote　two　letters。　He　asked　for　a　volunteer　to　go　to　Qingzhou；　and　a　certain　Chen　Deng　offered　himself　and；　after　he　had　left；　Mi　Zhu　was　formally　entrusted　with　the　mission　to　the　north。　Meanwhile　Tao　Qian　and　his　generals　would　hold　the　city　as　they　could。

Kong　Rong　was　a　native　of　Qufu　in　the　old　state　of　Lu。　He　was　one　of　the　twentieth　generation　in　descent　from　the　great　Teacher　Confucius。　Kong　Rong　had　been　noted　as　a　very　intelligent　lad；　somewhat　precocious。　When　ten　years　old　he　had　gone　to　see　Li　Ying；　the　Governor　of　Henan；　but　the　doorkeeper　demurred　to　letting　him　in。

But　when　Kong　Rong　said；　〃I　am　Minister　Li　Yings　intimate　friend；〃　he　was　admitted。

Li　Ying　asked　Kong　Rong　what　relations　had　existed　between　their　families　that　might　justify　the　term　intimate。

The　boy　replied；　〃Of　old　my　ancestor　Confucius　questioned　your　ancestor；　the　Taoist　sage　Laozi；　concerning　ceremonies。　So　our　families　have　known　each　other　for　many　generations。〃

Li　Ying　was　astonished　at　the　boys　ready　wit。

Presently　High　Minister　Chen　Wei　visited；　to　whom　Li　Ying　told　the　story　of　his　youthful　guest。　〃He　is　a　wonder；　this　boy；〃　said　Li　Ying；　pointing　to　Kong　Rong。

Chen　Wei　replied；　〃It　does　not　follow　that　a　clever　boy　grows　up　into　a　clever　man。〃

The　lad　took　him　up　at　once　saying；　〃By　what　you　say；　Sir；　you　were　certainly　one　of　the　clever　boys。〃

The　minister　adviser　and　the　governor　all　laughed；　saying；　〃The　boy　is　going　to　be　a　noble　vessel。〃

Thus　from　boyhood　Kong　Rong　was　famous。　As　a　man　he　rose　to　be　an　Imperial　mander　and　was　sent　as　Governor　to　Beihai；　where　he　was　renowned　for　hospitality。　He　used　to　quote　the　lines：

〃Let　the　rooms　be　full　of　friends；

And　the　cups　be　full　of　wine。

That　is　what　I　like。〃

After　six　years　at　Beihai　the　people　were　devoted　to　him。　The　day　that　Mi　Zhu　arrived；　Kong　Rong　was；　as　usual；　seated　among　his　guests；　and　the　messenger　was　ushered　in　without　delay。　In　reply　to　a　question　about　the　reason　of　the　visit；　Mi　Zhu　presented　Tao　Qians　letter　which　said　that　Cao　Cao　was　pressing　on　Xuzhou　City　and　the　Imperial　Protector　prayed　for　help。

Then　said　Kong　Rong；　〃Your　master　and　I　are　good　friends；　and　your　presence　here　constrains　me　to　go　to　his　aid。　However；　I　have　no　quarrel　with　Cao　Cao　either；　so　I　will　first　write　to　him　to　try　to　make　peace。　If　he　refuses　my　offer；　then　I　must　set　the　army　in　motion。〃

〃Cao　Cao　will　not　listen　to　proposals　of　peace：　He　is　too　certain　of　his　strength；〃　said　Mi　Zhu。

Kong　Rong　wrote　his　letter　and　also　gave　orders　to　muster　his　troops。　Just　at　this　moment　happened　another　rising　of　the　Yellow　Scarves；　ten　thousand　of　them；　and　the　ruffians　began　to　rob　and　murder　at　Beihai。　It　was　necessary　to　deal　with　them　first；　and　Kong　Rong　led　his　army　outside　the　city。

The　rebel　leader；　Guan　Hai；　rode　out　to　the　front；　saying；　〃I　know　this　county　is　fruitful　and　can　well　spare　ten　thousand　carts　of　grain。　Give　me　that　and　we　retire；　refuse；　and　we　will　batter　down　the　city　walls　and　destroy　every　soul。〃

Kong　Rong　shouted　back；　〃I　am　a　servant　of　the　great　Hans；　entrusted　with　the　safety　of　their　land。　Think　you　I　will　feed　rebels　？〃

Guan　Hai　whipped　his　steed；　whirled　his　sword　around　his　head　and　rode　forward。　Zong　Bao；　one　of　Kong　Rongs　generals；　set　his　spear　and　rode　out　to　give　battle；　but　after　a　very　few　bouts　Zong　Bao　was　cut　down。　Soon　the　soldiers　fell　into　panic　and　rushed　pell…mell　into　the　city　for　protection。　The　rebels　then　laid　siege　to　the　city　on　all　sides。　Kong　Rong　was　very　down…hearted；　and　Mi　Zhu；　who　now　saw　no　hope　for　the　success　of　his　mission；　was　grieved　beyond　words。

The　sight　from　the　city　wall　was　exceeding　sad；　for　the　rebels　were　there　in　enormous　numbers。　One　day　standing　on　the　wall；　Kong　Rong　saw　afar　a　man　armed　with　a　spear　riding　hard　in　among　the　Yellow　Scarves　and　scattering　them　before　him　like　chaff　before　the　wind。

Before　long　the　man　had　reached　the　foot　of　the　wall　and　called　out；　〃Open　the　gate！〃

But　the　defenders　would　not　open　to　an　unknown　man；　and　in　the　delay　a　crowd　of　rebels　gathered　rou