第41部分(第4/7 页)

　stolen　horses　if　hostilities　were　to　cease。　Lu　Bu　was　disposed　to　agree　but　Chen　Gong　opposed。

〃You　will　suffer　by　and　by　if　you　do　not　remove　this　Liu　Bei。〃

Under　Chen　Gong's　influence　the　request　for　peace　was　rejected；　and　the　attackers　on　the　city　pressed　harder。

Liu　Bei　called　Mi　Zhu　and　Sun　Qian　to　him　to　ask　advice。

Said　Sun　Qian；　〃The　one　person　that　Cao　Cao　detests　is　Lu　Bu。　Let　us　then　abandon　the　city　and　take　refuge　with　Cao　Cao；　from　whom　we　may　borrow　troops　to　destroy　him。〃

〃If　we　try　to　get　away；　who　will　lead　the　van？〃

〃I　will　do　my　best；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

So　Zhang　Fei　led　the　way；　Guan　Yu　was　rearguard；　and　in　the　center　was　Liu　Bei　with　the　non…fighting　portion。　The　cavalcade　started　and　went　out　at　the　north　gate　under　the　bright　moon。　They　met　opposition　from　Song　Xian　and　Wei　Xu's　men；　but　the　soldiers　were　driven　off　by　Zhang　Fei；　and　the　besieging　force　was　passed　without　difficulty。　Zhang　Liao　pursued；　but　was　held　off　by　Guan　Yu's　rearguard。　It　seemed　Lu　Bu　was　not　dissatisfied　at　the　flight；　for　he　took　no　personal　trouble　to　prevent　it。　He　made　formal　entry　into　the　city；　settled　local　affairs；　and　appointed　Gao　Shun　as　Governor。

Liu　Bei　approached　Xuchang　and　encamped　outside　the　city；　whence　he　sent　Sun　Qian　to　see　Cao　Cao　and　relate　the　events　that　brought　him　there。

Cao　Cao　was　very　friendly　and　said；　〃Liu　Bei　is　as　my　brother。〃

Then　Cao　Cao　invited　Liu　Bei　to　enter　the　city。

Leaving　his　brothers　at　the　camp；　Liu　Bei；　with　Sun　Qian　and　Mi　Zhu；　went　to　Cao　Cao；　who　received　him　with　the　greatest　respect。　The　story　of　Lu　Bu's　perfidy　was　again　related。

〃He　has　no　sense　of　right；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃You　and　I；　my　brother；　will　attack　him　together。〃

Liu　Bei