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第125部分（第2页）

They　stood　before　Zhao　Fan　and　said；　〃We　will　lead　the　way　against　Liu　Bei。〃

The　Governor　replied；　〃I　know　that　Liu　Bei　is　of　the　imperial　family；　and　Zhuge　Liang　is　exceedingly　resourceful。　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　are　very　bold。　But　the　mander　of　this　force　is　Zhao　Yun　who；　on　one　occasion；　faced　a　hundred　legions　of　Cao　Cao　and　never　blenched。　Our　small　force　here　cannot　stand　against　such　people。　We　shall　have　to　yield。〃

〃Let　me　go　out　to　fight；〃　said　Chen　Ying。　〃If　I　cannot　capture　Zhao　Yun；　then　you　can　yield。〃

The　Governor　could　not　resist　him　and　gave　his　consent。　Then　Chen　Ying；　with　three　thousand　troops；　went　forth。　Soon　the　two　armies　came　within　sight　of　each　other。　When　Chen　Yings　army　was　drawn　up；　he　girded　on　his　flying　fork　and　rode　to　the　front。　Zhao　Yun　gripped　his　spear　and　rode　to　meet　him。

Zhao　Yun　began　to　rail　at　Chen　Ying；　saying；　〃My　master　is　the　brother　of　Liu　Biao　to　whom　belonged　this　land。　Now　he　is　supporting　his　nephew；　the　heir　and　son　of　Liu　Biao。　Having　taken　Jingzhou；　I　am　e　to　soothe　and　fort　the　people　here。　Why　then　do　you　oppose　me？〃

〃We　are　supporters　of　the　Prime　Minister　Cao　Cao　and　are　no　followers　of　your　master；〃　was　the　reply。

Zhao　Yun；　waxing　angry；　firmly　grasped　his　spear　and　rode　forward。　His　opponent　twirled　the　flying　fork　and　advanced。　The　horses　met；　but　after　four　or　five　encounters　Chen　Ying；　realizing　that　there　was　no　hope　of　victory；　turned　and　fled。　Zhao　Yun　followed。　Suddenly　turning；　Chen　Ying　got　close　to　Zhao　Yun　and　flung　the　fork。　Zhao　Yun　deftly　caught　it　and　threw　it　back。　Chen　Ying　dodged　away；　but　Zhao　Yun　soon　caught　him　up；　seized；　dragged　him　out　of　the　saddle；　and　threw　him　to　the　ground。　Then　Zhao　Yun　called　up　his　soldiers；　and　they　bound　the　prisoner。　Chen　Ying　was　taken　to　the　camp；　while　his　troops　scattered　and　fled。

〃I　thought　you　would　not　dare　a　bat　with　me；〃　said　Zhao　Yun　to　the　prisoner　when　they　had　returned　to　camp。　〃However；　I　am　not　going　to　put　you　to　death。　You　are　free。　But　persuade　your　master　to　yield。〃

Chen　Ying　asked　pardon；　put　his　hands　over　his　head；　and　fled　like　a　frightened　rat。　When　he　reached　his　city；　he　told　the　Governor　all　these　things。

〃My　original　desire　was　to　yield；　but　you　insisted　on　fighting；　and　this　is　what　it　has　brought　you　to。〃

So　spoke　the　Governor。　He　bade　Chen　Ying　begone　and　then　prepared　his　letter　of　submission　and　put　up　his　seal。　With　a　small　party；　Zhao　Fan　went　out　of　the　city　and　wended　his　way　to　Zhao　Yuns　camp。　Zhao　Yun　received　him　graciously；　offered　him　wine；　and　then　accepted　the　seal　of　office。

After　the　wine　had　gone　round　several　times；　Zhao　Fan　became　talkative；　saying；　〃General；　your　surname　is　the　same　as　mine；　and　five　centuries　ago　we　were　one　family。　You　are　from　Changshan；　and　so　am　I。　Moreover　we　are　from　the　same　village。　If　you　do　not　mind；　we　might　swear　brotherhood。　I　should　be　very　happy。〃

Zhao　Yun　was　pleased　and　they　pared　ages。　They　were　of　the　same　year。　However；　Zhao　Yun　was　the　elder　by　four　months；　and　so　Zhao　Fan　made　his　bow　as　younger　brother。　The　two　men；　having　so　many　things　in　mon；　were　very　pleased　with　each　other　and　seemed　fitted　to　be　close　friends。

At　eventide　the　feast　broke　up；　and　the　late　Governor　returned　to　his　dwelling。　Next　day　Zhao　Fan　requested　Zhao　Yun　to　enter　the　city；　where；　after　Zhao　Yun　had　assured　the　people　of　their　safety；　he　went　to　a　banquet　at　the　state　residence。　When　they　had　bee　mellow　with　wine；　the　Governor　invited　Zhao　Yun　into　the　inner　quarters；　where　wine　was　again　served。　When　Zhao　Yun　was　a　little　intoxicated；　his　host　bade　a　woman　e　forth　and　offer　a　cup　of　wine　to　the　guest。

The　woman　was　dressed　entirely　in　white　silk；　and　her　beauty　was　such　as　to　overthrow　cities　and　ruin　states。

〃Who　is　she？〃　asked　Zhao　Yun。

〃My　sister…in…law。　She　is　of　the　Fan　family。〃

Zhao　Yun　at　once　changed　his　look　and　treated　her　with　deference。　When　she　had　offered　the　cup；　the　host　told　her　to　be　seated　and　join　the　party；　but　Zhao　Yun　declined　this　addition　to　the　evening；　and　the　lady　withdrew。

〃Why　did　you　trouble　your　sister…in…law　to　present　wine　to　me；　brother？〃　asked　Zhao　Yun。

〃There　is　a　reason；〃　said　the　host　smiling。　〃I　pray　you　let　me　tell　you。　My　brother　died　three　years　ago　and　left　her　a　widow。　But　this　cannot　be　regarded　as　the　end　of　the　story。　I　have　often　advised　her　to　marry　again；　but　she　said　she　would　only　do　so　if　three　conditions　were　satisfied　in　one　mans　person。　The　suitor　must　be　famous　for　literary　grace　and　warlike　exploits；　secondly；　handsome　and　highly　esteemed　and；　thirdly；　of　the　same　name　as　our　own。　Now　where　in　all　the　world　was　such　a　bination　likely　to　be　found？　Yet　here　are　you；　brother；　dignified；　handsome；　and　prepossessing；　a　man　whose　name　is　known　all　over　the　wide　world　and　of　the　desired　name。　You　exactly　fulfill　my　sisters　ambitions。　If　you　do　not　find　her　too　plain；　I　should　like　her　to　marry　you　and　I　will　provide　a　dowry。　What　think　you　of　such　an　alliance；　such　a　bond　of　relationship？〃

But　Zhao　Yun　rose　in　anger；　shouting；　〃As　I　have　just　sworn　brotherhood　with　you；　is　not　your　sister…in…law　my　sister…in…law？　How　could　you　think　of　bringing　such　confusion　into　the　relationship？〃

Shame　suffused　Zhao　Fans　face；　and　he　said；　〃I　only　thought　of　being　kind　to　you。　Why　are　you　so　very　rude　to　me？〃

Zhao　Fan　looked　right　and　left　to　his　attendants　with　murder　in　his　eye。　Zhao　Yun　raised　his　fist　and　knocked　him　down。

Then　he　strode　out　of　the　place；　mounted；　and　rode　out　of　the　city。

Zhao　Fan　at　once　called　in　his　two　generals。

Chen　Ying　said；　〃He　has　gone　away　in　a　rage；　which　means　that　we　shall　have　to　fight　him。〃

〃I　greatly　fear　you　will　lose；〃　said　Zhao　Fan。

〃We　will　pretend　to　be　deserters；〃　said　Bao　Long；　〃and　so　get　among　his　soldiers。　When　you　challenge　him；　we　will　suddenly　catch　him。〃

〃We　shall　have　to　take　some　others　with　us；〃