三国演义英文版-第17章

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So　Sun　Jian　exchanged　his　silver　helmet　with　the　turban　for　his　general's　headpiece；　and　the　two　men　parted；　riding　different　ways。　The　pursuers　looking　only　for　the　purple　turban　went　after　its　wearer；　and　Sun　Jian　escaped　along　a　by…road。
Zu　Mao；　hotly　pursued；　then　tore　off　the　headdress　which　he　hung　on　the　post　of　a　half…burned　house　as　he　passed　and　dashed　into　the　thick　woods。　Hua　Xiong's　troops　seeing　the　purple　turban　standing　motionless　dared　not　approach；　but　they　surrounded　it　on　every　side　and　shot　at　it　with　arrows。　Presently　they　discovered　the　trick；　went　up　and　seized　it。
This　was　the　moment　that　Zu　Mao　awaited。　At　once　he　rushed　forth；　his　two　swords　whirling　about；　and　dashed　at　the　leader。　But　Hua　Xiong　was　too　quick。　With　a　loud　yell；　Hua　Xiong　slashed　at　Zu　Mao　and　cut　him　down　the　horse。　Hua　Xiong　and　Li　Ru　continued　the　slaughter　till　the　day　broke；　and　they　led　their　troops　back　to　the　Pass。
Cheng　Pu；　Huang　Gai；　and　Han　Dang　in　time　found　their　chief　and　the　soldiers　gathered。　Sun　Jian　was　much　grieved　at　the　loss　of　Zu　Mao。
When　news　of　the　disaster　reached　Yuan　Shao；　he　was　greatly　chagrined　and　called　all　the　lords　to　a　council。　They　assembled　and　Gongsun　Zan　was　the　last　to　arrive。
When　all　were　seated　in　the　tent　Yuan　Shao　said；　〃The　brother　of　General　Bao　Xin；　disobeying　the　rules　we　made　for　our　guidance；　rashly　went　to　attack　the　enemy：　He　was　slain　and　with　him　many　of　our　soldiers。　Now　Sun　Jian　has　been　defeated。　Thus　our　fighting　spirit　has　suffered　and　what　is　to　be　done？〃
Everyone　was　silent。　Lifting　his　eyes；　Yuan　Shao　looked　round　from　one　to　another　till　he　came　to　Gongsun　Zan；　and　then　he　remarked　three　men　who　stood　behind　Gongsun　Zan's　seat。　They　were　of　striking　appearance　as　they　stood　there；　all　three　smiling　cynically。
〃Who　are　those　men　behind　you？〃　said　Yuan　Shao。
Gongsun　Zan　told　Liu　Bei　to　e　forward；　and　said；　〃This　is　Liu　Bei；　Magistrate　of　Pingyuan　and　a　brother　of　mine　who　shared　my　humble　cottage　when　we　were　students。〃
〃It　must　be　the　Liu　Bei　who　broke　up　the　Yellow　Scarves　rebellion；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃It　is　he；〃　said　Gongsun　Zan；　and　he　ordered　Liu　Bei　to　make　his　obeisance　to　the　assembly；　to　whom　Liu　Bei　then　related　his　services　and　his　origin；　all　in　full　detail。
〃Since　he　is　of　the　Han　line；　he　should　be　seated；〃　said　Yuan　Shao；　and　he　bade　Liu　Bei　sit。
Liu　Bei　modestly　thanked　him；　declining。
Said　Yuan　Shao；　〃This　consideration　is　not　for　your　fame　and　office。　I　respect　you　as　a　scion　of　the　imperial　family。〃
So　Liu　Bei　took　his　seat　in　the　lowest　place　of　the　long　line　of　lords。　And　his　two　brothers　with　folded　arms　took　their　stations　behind　him。
Even　as　they　were　at　this　meeting　came　in　a　scout　to　say　that　Hua　Xiong　with　a　pany　of　mail…clad　horsemen　was　ing　down　from　the　Pass。　They　were　flaunting　Sun　Jian's　captured　purple　turban　on　the　end　of　a　bamboo　pole。　The　enemy　was　soon　hurling　insults　at　those　within　the　stockade　and　challenging　them　to　fight。
〃Who　dares　go　out　to　give　battle？〃　said　Yuan　Shao。
〃I　will　go；〃　said　Yu　She；　a　renown　general　of　Yuan　Shu；　stepping　forward。
So　Yu　She　went；　and　almost　immediately　one　came　back　to　say　that　Yu　She　had　fallen　in　the　third　bout　of　Hua　Xiong。
Fear　began　to　lay　its　cold　hand　on　the　assembly。
Then　Imperial　Protector　Han　Fu　said；　〃I　have　a　brave　warrior　among　my　army。　Pan　Feng　is　his　name；　and　he　could　slay　this　Hua　Xiong。〃
So　Pan　Feng　was　ordered　out　to　meet　the　foe。　With　his　great　battle…ax　in　his　hand；　Pan　Feng　mounted　and　rode　forth。　But　soon　came　the　direful　tidings　that　General　Pan　Feng　too　had　fallen。　The　faces　of　the　gathering　paled　at　this。
〃What　a　pity　my　two　able　generals；　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou；　are　not　here！　Then　should　we　have　someone　who　would　not　fear　this　Hua　Xiong；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。
He　had　not　finished　when　from　the　lower　end　a　voice　tolled；　〃I　will　go；　take　Hua　Xiong's　head；　and　lay　it　before　you　here！〃
All　turned　to　look　at　the　speaker。　He　was　tall　and　had　a　long　beard。　His　eyes　were　those　of　a　phoenix　and　his　eyebrows　thick　and　bushy　like　silkworms。　His　face　was　a　swarthy　red　and　his　voice　deep　as　the　sound　of　a　great　bell。
〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　Yuan　Shao。
Gongsun　Zan　told　them　it　was　Guan　Yu；　brother　of　Liu　Bei。
〃And　what　is　he？〃　asked　Yuan　Shao。
〃He　is　in　the　train　of　Liu　Bei　as　a　mounted　archer。〃
〃What！　An　insult　to　us　all！〃　roared　Yuan　Shu　from　his　place。　〃Have　we　no　leader？　How　dare　an　archer　speak　thus　before　us？　Let　us　beat　him　forth！〃
But　Cao　Cao　intervened。　〃Peace；　O　Yuan　Shu！　Since　this　man　speaks　great　words；　he　is　certainly　valiant。　Let　him　try。　If　he　fails；　then　we　may　reproach　him。〃
〃Hua　Xiong　will　laugh　at　us　if　we　send　a　mere　archer　to　fight　him；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。
〃This　man　looks　no　mon　person。　And　how　can　the　enemy　know　he　is　but　a　bowman？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃If　I　fail；　then　can　you　take　my　head；〃　spoke　Guan　Yu。
Cao　Cao　bade　them　heat　some　wine　and　offered　a　cup　to　Guan　Yu　as　he　went　out。
〃Pour　it　out；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃I　shall　return　in　a　little　space。〃
Guan　Yu　went　with　his　weapon　in　his　hand　and　vaulted　into　the　saddle。　Those　in　the　tent　heard　the　fierce　roll　of　the　drums　and　then　a　mighty　sound　as　if　skies　were　falling　and　earth　rising；　hills　trembling　and　mountains　tearing　asunder。　And　they　were　sore　afraid。　And　while　they　were　listening　with　ears　intent；　lo！　the　gentle　tinkle　of　horse　bells；　and　Guan　Yu　returned；　throwing　at　their　feet　the　head　of　the　slain　leader；　their　enemy　Hua　Xiong。
The　wine　was　still　warm！
This　doughty　deed　has　been　celebrated　in　verse：

The　power　of　the　man　stands　first　in　all　the　world；
At　the　gate　of　the　camp　was　heard　the　rolling　of　the　battle　drums；
Then　Guan　Yu　set　aside　the　wine　cup　till　he　should　have　displayed　his　valor；
And　the　wine　was　still　warm　when　Hua　Xiong　had　been　slain。

Cao　Cao　was　greatly　excited　at　this　success。
But　Zhang　Fei's　voice　was　heard；　shouting；　〃My　brother　has　slain　Hua　Xiong。　What　are　we　waiting　for？　Why　not　break　through　the　Pass　and　seize　Dong　Zhuo？　Could　there　have　been　a　better　time？〃
Again　arose　the　angry　voice　of　Yuan　Shu；　〃We　high　officials　are　too　meek　and　yielding。　Here　is　the　petty　follower　of　a　small　magistrate　daring　to　flaunt　his　prowess　before　us！　Expel　him　from　the　tent；　I　say。〃
But　again　Cao　Cao　interposed；　〃Shall　we　consider　the　station　of　him　who　has　done　a　great　service？〃
〃If　you　hold　a　mere　magistrate　in　such　honor；　then　I　simply　withdraw；〃　said　Yuan　Shu。
〃Is　a　word　enough　to　defeat　a　grand　enterprise？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
Then　he　told　Gongsun　Zan　to　lead　the　three　brothers　back　to　their　own　camp；　and　the　other　chiefs　then　dispersed。　That　night　Cao　Cao　secretly　sent　presents　of　meat　and　wine　to　soothe　the　three　after　this　adventure。
When　Hua　Xiong's　troops　straggled　back　and　told　the　story　of　defeat　and　death；　Li　Ru　was　greatly　distressed。　He　wrote　urgent　letters　to　his　master　who　called　in　his　trusted　advisers　to　a　council。
Li　Ru　summed　up　the　situation；　saying；　〃We　have　lost　our　best　leader；　and　the　rebel　power　has　thereby　bee　very　great。　Yuan　Shao　is　at　the　head　of　this　confederacy；　and　his　uncle；　Yuan　Wei；　is　holder　of　the　office　of　Imperial　Guardianship。　If　those　in　the　capital　bine　with　those　in　the　country；　we　may　suffer。　Therefore　we　must　remove　them。　So　I　request　you；　Sir　Prime　Minister；　to　place　yourself　at　the　head　of　your　army　and　break　this　confederation。〃
Dong　Zhuo　agreed　and　at　once　ordered　his　two　generals；　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　to　take　five　hundred　troops　and　surround　the　residence　of　Imperial　Guardian　Yuan　Wei；　slay　every　soul　regardless　of　age；　and　hang　the　head　of　Yuan　Wei　outside　the　gate　as　trophy。　And　Dong　Zhuo　manded　two　hundred　thousand　troops　to　advance　in　two　armies。　The　first　fifty　thousand　were　under　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　and　they　were　to　hold　River　Si　Pass。　They　should　not　necessarily　fight。　The　other　one　hundred　fifty　thousand　under　Dong　Zhuo　himself　went　to　Tiger　Trap　Pass。　His　counselors　and　manders………Li　Ru；　Lu　Bu；　Fan　Chou；　Zhang　Ji；　and　others………marched　with　the　main　army。
Tiger　Trap　Pass　is　fifteen　miles　from　Capital　Luoyang。　As　soon　as　they　arrived；　Dong　Zhuo　bade　Lu　Bu　take　thirty　thousand　soldiers　and　make　a　strong　stockade　on　the　outside　of　the　Pass。　The　main　body　with　Dong　Zhuo　would　occupy　the　Pass。
News　of　this　movement　reaching　the　confe