北斗星小说网

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第62部分（第2页）

〃You　would　be　guilty　of　three　faults　if　you　died。〃

〃Tell　me　them；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃First　of　all；　you　and　your　elder　brother　pledged　yourselves　in　the　Peach　Garden　to　die　or　to　live　together。　Now　your　brother　has　been　defeated；　and　you　want　to　fight　to　the　death。　Therefore；　if　your　brother　appears　again　by　and　by　and　wants　your　help；　he　will　seek　it　in　vain。　Is　this　anything　else　than　betraying　the　Peach　Garden　Oath？　Secondly；　you　are　in　charge　of　your　brothers　family　and；　if　you　fought　and　died；　the　two　women　would　be　left　forlorn　and　without　a　protector。　That　would　be　a　betrayal　of　trust。　Thirdly；　your　military　skill　stands　out　conspicuous　and　will　go　down　in　history。　If　you　do　not　aid　your　brother　in　his　noble　attempt　to　maintain　the　dynasty；　then　all　your　labors　and　sufferings　will　have　been　spent　to　win　a　worthless　reputation　as　a　valiant　fool。　Where　is　the　sense　in　that？　I　feel　it　my　duty　to　point　out　these　three　faults　to　you。〃

Guan　Yu　remained　silent　and　thought　for　some　time。

Then　he　said；　〃You　have　spoken　of　my　three　faults。　What　do　you　desire？〃

〃You　are　surrounded　with　the　certainty　of　death　if　you　do　not　yield。　There　is　no　advantage　in　a　useless　death。　Wherefore　your　best　course　is　to　yield　to　Cao　Cao　till　you　hear　news　of　Liu　Bei　and　can　rejoin　him。　Thus　you　will　ensure　the　safety　of　the　two　ladies　and　also　keep　inviolate　the　Peach　Garden　pact。　You　will　preserve　a　useful　life。　Brother；　you　must　reflect　on　these　things。〃

〃Brother；　you　have　spoken　of　three　advantages；　now　I　have　three　conditions。　If　the　Prime　Minister　concede　these；　then　will　I　doff　my　armor。　If　he　refuses；　then　I　prefer　to　be　guilty　of　the　three　faults　and　die。〃

〃Why　should　the　Prime　Minister　not　concede　them？　He　is　most　liberal　and　large　minded。　I　pray　you　let　me　hear　your　conditions。〃

〃The　first　is　that　as　I　and　the　Imperial　Uncle　have　sworn　to　support　the　Hans；　I　now　submit　to　the　Emperor　and　not　to　His　Prime　Minister　Cao　Cao。　The　second　condition　is　that　suitable　provision　be　made　for　the　two　ladies　under　my　care　and　that　no　one　shall　be　allowed　to　approach　them。　The　third　is　that　I　shall　be　allowed　to　set　off　to　rejoin　Uncle　Liu　Bei　so　soon　as　I　shall　hear　where　he　is；　whether　it　be　far　or　near。　I　require　all　these　to　be　satisfied。　Failing　a　single　one；　I　will　not　submit。　Wherefore；　Zhang　Liao；　I　pray　you　hasten　back　and　announce　them。〃

Zhang　Liao　lost　no　time　but　rode　back　to　Cao　Cao。　When　he　spoke　of　Guan　Yus　intention　to　submit　to　the　Hans　but　not　to　Cao　Cao；　the　latter　laughed；　saying；　〃As　I　am　a　minister　of　Han；　so　am　I　Han。　I　grant　that。〃

Zhang　Liao　then　spoke　of　provision　due　to　their　rank　and　security　from　molestation　for　the　ladies；　to　which　Cao　Cao　replied；　〃I　will　give　them　twice　the　regular　amount　for　an　Uncle　of　the　Emperor。　As　for　securing　them　from　molestation；　that　is　simple。　The　ordinary　domestic　law　is　enough。　Why　should　there　be　any　doubt？〃

Then　said　Zhang　Liao；　〃Whenever　he　shall　get　news　of　the　whereabouts　of　Liu　Bei；　he　must　go　to　him。〃

At　this　Cao　Cao　shook　his　head；　saying；　〃Then　I　am　merely　to　feed　Guan　Yu。　What　is　the　use　of　this？　I　cannot　consent。〃

Zhang　Liao　replied；　〃You　must　know　of　Yu　Rangs　saying：　The　difference　in　behavior　brought　about　by　difference　of　treatment？　Liu　Bei　treats　Guan　Yu　just　kindly　and　liberally。　You　can　surely　engage　Guan　Yus　heart　and　support　by　being　kinder　and　more　liberal。〃

〃What　you　say　is　much　to　the　point。　I　will　grant　the　three　conditions；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Whereupon　Zhang　Liao　left　to　carry　the　news　to　Guan　Yu；　still　on　the　summit　of　the　Tushan　Mountains。

Said　Guan　Yu；　〃Now　I　expect　the　army　to　withdraw　so　that　I　may　enter　the　city　to　tell　the　two　ladies　what　has　been　arranged。　After　that　I　submit　at　once。〃

Zhang　Liao　rode　back　once　more　with　this　request；　and　the　order　was　given　for　the　army　to　retire　three　miles。

〃Do　not　do　this；〃　said　Xun　Yu。　〃I　fear　treachery。〃

〃He　will　certainly　not　break　faith；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃He　is　too　high　principled。〃

The　army　retired；　and　Guan　Yu　with　his　force　reentered　the　city　of　Xiapi；　where　he　saw　that　the　people　were　following　their　ordinary　avocations　in　tranquillity。　He　came　to　the　palace　and　went　in　to　see　the　two　ladies；　who　hastened　to　meet　him。

He　bowed　to　them　below　the　steps　and　said；　〃I　apologize　for　having　caused　you　to　feel　alarmed。〃

〃Where　is　the　Uncle？〃　asked　they。

〃I　know　not　whither　he　has　gone。〃

〃What　do　you　intend　to　do；　brother…in…law？〃

〃I　went　out　of　the　city　to　try　a　last　battle。　I　was　surrounded　on　a　hill　top；　and　Zhang　Liao　has　urged　me　to　yield。　I　proposed　three　conditions；　all　of　which　were　conceded；　and　the　enemy　drew　off　to　allow　me　to　return　to　the　city。　Unless　I　have　your　decision；　sisters…in…law；　I　scarcely　dare　to　take　any　final　step。〃

They　asked　what　were　the　conditions　and　were　told。

Lady　Gan　said；　〃When　Cao　Caos　army　came　in；　we　took　it　to　mean　certain　death。　But　it　is　scarcely　credible　that　not　a　hair　of　our　heads　has　been　disturbed。　Not　a　soldier　has　dared　enter　our　doors。　You　have　accepted　the　conditions；　brother…in…law；　and　there　is　no　need　to　ask　our　consent。　Our　only　fear　is　that　he　will　not　let　you　go　by　and　by　to　search　for　the　Uncle。〃

〃Sisters…in…law；　you　need　not　be　anxious。　I　will　see　to　that。〃

〃You　must　decide　everything　and　need　not　ask　us。〃

Guan　Yu　withdrew　and　then；　with　a　small　escort；　went　to　his　interview　with　Cao　Cao。　Cao　Cao　came　to　the　outermost　gate　to　wele　him；　and　Guan　Yu　dismounted　and　made　obeisance。　Cao　Cao　returned　his　salute　with　the　greatest　cordiality。

〃The　leader　of　a　defeated　army　is　grateful　for　the　graciousness　that　has　preserved　his　life；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃I　have　so　long　admired　your　loyalty　and　high　principles　that　this　happy　meeting　gratifies　the　desire　of　my　whole　life；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。

〃As　the　Prime　Minister　has　grante