第49部分(第2/7 页)

e　much　murmuring。　Cao　Cao　sent　Shi　Huan　to　intercept　and　kill　Kui　Gu。

Then　he　called　a　counsel；　saying；　〃Though　Zhang　Yang；　who　meant　to　hurt　us；　is　happily　no　more；　yet　we　are　threatened　on　the　north　by　Yuan　Shao；　and　on　the　west　Liu　Biao　and　Zhang　Xiu　are　a　menace。　Here　we　meet　with　no　success　against　the　city　of　Xiapi。　We　are　for　leaving　Lu　Bu　to　his　fate　and　returning　home。　What　do　you　think？〃

Among　them　Xun　You　fought　against　the　idea；　saying；　〃You　must　not　act　like　this。　Lu　Bu　has　lost　much；　and　his　spirit　is　broken。　The　spirit　of　the　leader　expresses　that　of　his　army；　and　when　the　leader　fails；　his　soldiers　do　not　fight。　Chen　Gong　is　clever；　but　nothing　is　done。　Lu　Bu　broken；　Chen　Gong　without　decision；　it　only　needs　a　sharp　attack；　and　we　shall　succeed。〃

〃I　have　a　plan　to　propose；〃　said　Guo　Jia；　〃a　plan　to　overe　the　city　at　once。　It　is　better　than　two　hundred　thousand　troops。〃

〃I　suppose　you　mean　drowning　the　city　by　River　Si　and　River　Yi；〃　said　Xun　Yu。

〃That　is　it；〃　said　Guo　Jia；　smiling。

Cao　Cao　accepted　the　suggestion　with　joy　and　set　his　troops　to　cut　the　banks　of　River　Yi　and　River　Si；　and　moved　his　army　to　the　high　ground　whence　they　watched　the　drowning　out　of　Xiapi。　Only　the　east　gate　remained　clear　of　water。

The　besieged　soldiers　hastened　to　their　leader。

Lu　Bu　said；　〃Why　should　I　fear？　My　good　horse　can　go　as　well　through　the　water　as　over　the　land。〃

And　he　again　returned　to　the　wine　cup　for　consolation；　drinking　deeply　with　his　wife　and　concubine。

The　continual　drinking　bouts　told　at　last；　and　Lu　Bu　began　to　look　dissipated。　Seeing　himself　in　a　mirror　one　day；　he　was　startled　at　the　change　and　said　to　himself；　〃I　am　injuring　myself　with　wine。　No　more　from　this　day　forward！〃

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