第48部分(第5/7 页)

But　when　he　met　Chen　Gong；　he　said；　〃That　story　about　supplies　for　Cao　Cao　is　all　false；　one　of　his　many　ruses。　I　am　not　going　to　stir。〃

Chen　Gong　sighed。　He　felt　all　was　lost。

〃We　shall　die；　and　no　one　shall　know　our　burial　place；〃　said　he。

Thereupon　Lu　Bu　remained　in　his　own　quarters　with　his　ladies；　drinking　freely　to　dissipate　his　sorrows。

Two　of　his　advisers；　Xu　Si　and　Wang　Kai；　went　in　and　proposed；　〃Yuan　Shu　in　the　South　of　River　Huai　is　very　powerful。　Why　not　write　to　him　to　renew　the　marriage　alliance？　Yuan　Shu　can　hardly　refuse　to　rescue　the　affianced　bride　of　his　son。〃

So　Lu　Bu　wrote　and　bade　these　two　take　the　letter。

Xu　Si　said；　〃You　ought　to　send　a　strong　escort　with　us　to　force　a　way　through。〃

So　Lu　Bu　told　off　one　thousand　troops　and　two　of　his　generals；　Zhang　Liao　and　He　Meng；　to　conduct　his　messenger　beyond　the　pass。　They　started　that　same　night　at　the　second　watch；　Zhang　Liao　leading　and　He　Meng　bringing　up　the　rear。　They　got　out　of　the　city；　crept　past　Liu　Bei's　camp；　and　got　beyond　the　danger　zone。　Then　half　the　escort　went　on；　and　Zhang　Liao　led　the　remainder　back　toward　the　city。　At　the　pass　he　found　Guan　Yu　waiting。　However；　at　that　moment　Gao　Shun　came　to　his　help；　and　they　all　returned　and　reentered　the　gates。

The　two　messengers　presently　reached　Shouchun；　saw　Yuan　Shu；　and　presented　the　letter。

〃How　is　this？〃　said　Yuan　Shu。　〃Formerly　he　slew　my　messenger　and　repudiated　the　marriage。　Now　he　sends　to　ask　for　it。〃

〃It　is　all　due　to　the　vile　plans　of　that　monster　Cao　Cao。　If　pray　you；　Illustrious　Sir；　consider　it　carefully；〃　replied　Xu　Si。

〃But　if　your　master　was　not　hemmed　in　by　his　enemy　and　in　imminent　danger；　he　would　never　have　thought　of　renewing　this　proposal　of　ma