第31部分(第5/7 页)

matter　in　single　bat；　the　winner　to　take　the　Emperor　and　go。〃

The　two　generals　fought　in　front　of　their　armies；　but　neither　could　prevail　over　the　other。

Then　they　saw　Yang　Biao　e　riding　up　to　them；　crying；　〃Rest　a　while；　O　manders！　For　I　have　invited　a　party　of　officers　to　arrange　a　peace。〃

Wherefore　the　two　leaders　retired　to　their　camps。　Soon　Yang　Biao；　Zhu　Jun；　and　sixty　other　officials　came　up　and　went　to　Guo　Si's　camp。　They　were　all　thrown　into　confinement。

〃We　came　with　good　intentions；〃　they　moaned；　〃and　we　are　treated　like　this。〃

〃Li　Jue　has　run　off　with　the　Emperor；　I　have　to　have　the　officers；〃　said　Guo　Si。

〃What　does　it　mean？　One　has　the　Emperor；　the　other　his　officers。　What　do　you　want？〃　said　Yang　Biao。

Guo　Si　lost　patience　and　drew　his　sword；　but　mander　Yang　Mi　persuaded　him　not　to　slay　the　speaker。　Then　Guo　Si　released　Yang　Biao　and　Zhu　Jun　but　kept　the　others　in　the　camp。

〃Here　are　we　two　officers　of　the　Throne；　and　we　cannot　help　our　lord。　We　have　been　born　in　vain；〃　said　Yang　Biao　to　Zhu　Jun。

Throwing　their　arms　about　each　other；　they　wept　and　fell　swooning　to　the　earth。　Zhu　Jun　went　home；　fell　seriously　ill　and　died。

Thereafter　the　two　adversaries　fought　every　day　for　nearly　three　months；　each　losing　many　soldiers。

Now　Li　Jue　was　irreligious　and　practiced　magic。　He　often　called　witches　to　beat　drums　and　summon　spirits；　even　when　in　camp。　Jia　Xu　used　to　remonstrate　with　him；　but　quite　uselessly。

Yang　Qi　said　to　the　Emperor；　〃That　Jia　Xu；　although　a　friend　of　Li　Jue；　never　seems　to　have　lost　the　sense　of　loyalty　to　Your　Majesty。〃

Soon　after　Jia　Xu　himself　arrived。

The　Emperor　sent　away　his　attendants　and　said　to　Jia　Xu；　weeping　the　while；　〃Can　you　not　pity