第48部分(第6/7 页)

rriage。〃

The　messengers　said；　〃You　may　decide　not　to　help　him；　but　the　teeth　are　cold　when　the　lips　are　gone。　It　will　not　make　for　your　happiness　and　fort。〃

Said　Yuan　Shu；　〃Lu　Bu　is　unreliable。　Tell　him　that　I　will　send　soldiers　after　the　girl　has　arrived　here。〃

This　was　final；　and　the　two　messengers　took　leave　and　headed　back　to　Xiapi。

When　the　party　reached　Liu　Bei's　camp；　Xu　Si　decided；　〃We　must　wait　the　night　falls；　and　Wang　Kai　and　I　will　try　to　get　through　in　the　darkness。　The　escort　of　He　Meng　remaining　behind　to　protect　our　rear。〃

They　tried　that　very　night；　and　the　two　messengers　crept　across　without　discovery。　But　the　escort　found　themselves　faced　by　Zhang　Fei。　He　Meng　tried　to　fight　but　was　captured　in　the　very　first　bout；　and　the　five　hundred　troops　of　his　half　pany　were　either　killed　or　they　fled。

The　prisoner　was　taken　to　Liu　Bei；　who　forwarded　him　to　the　main　camp。　There　he　told　the　story　of　the　marriage　and　the　scheme　to　save　the　city。　Cao　Cao　was　angry　and　ordered　the　execution　of　He　Meng　at　the　main　gate。

Then　Cao　Cao　sent　orders　to　each　camp　to　exercise　the　greatest　diligence　with　threats　of　rigorous　punishment　of　the　officers　of　any　corps　that　permitted　any　munication　between　the　besieged　and　the　outer　world。

Every　soldier　felt　mightily　afraid。

Liu　Bei　returned　to　camp　and　cautioned　his　brothers；　saying；　〃We　are　in　the　most　important　place　with　regard　to　the　South　of　River　Huai；　and　you　must　be　very　careful　not　to　allow　any　breach　of　this　mand。〃

Zhang　Fei　was　inclined　to　grumble；　saying；　〃We　have　just　captured　one　of　the　enemy's　leaders；　and　there　is　no　word　of　praise　or　reward　for　us：　Nothing　but　new　orders　and　threats。　What　do　you　make　of　that？〃

〃You　are　wrong　to　plain；〃　s