第177部分(第2/7 页)

d　his　tent　to　ask　the　watchword　for　that　night。

Cao　Cao　at　once　involuntarily　replied；　〃Chicken　tendon。〃

The　word　was　passed　on　in　orders。　When　First　Secretary　Yang　Xiu　saw　the　order　that　the　watchword　was　〃chicken　tendon；〃　he　told　all　his　people　to　pack　up　their　belongings　ready　for　the　march。　One　who　saw　this　went　and　told　Xiahou　Dun；　who　sent　for　Yang　Xiu　and　asked　why　he　had　packed　up。

Yang　Xiu　replied；　〃By　tonight's　orders　I　see　that　the　Prince　of　Wei　is　soon　going　to　retire。　'Chicken　tendons'　are　tasteless　things　to　eat；　and　yet　it　is　a　pity　to　waste　them。　Now　if　we　advance；　we　cannot　conquer；　and　if　we　retire；　we　fear　we　shall　look　ridiculous。　There　being　no　advantage　here；　the　best　course　is　to　retire。　You　will　certainly　see　the　Prince　of　Wei　retreat　before　long。　I　have　made　my　preparations　so　as　not　to　be　hurried　and　confused　at　the　last　moment。〃

〃You　seem　to　know　the　Prince's　inmost　heart；〃　said　Xiahou　Dun；　and　he　bade　his　servants　pack。　The　other　generals　seeing　this；　also　made　preparations　for　departure。

Cao　Cao's　mind　was　too　perturbed　for　sleep。　In　the　night　he　got　up；　took　a　steel　battle…ax　in　his　hand；　and　wandered　privily　through　the　camp。　When　he　got　to　Xiahou　Dun's　tents；　he　saw　everything　packed　and　ready　for　a　move。　Much　surprised；　he　made　his　way　back　to　his　own　tent　and　sent　for　that　officer。

〃Why　is　everything　in　your　camp　packed　as　if　ready　for　the　march？〃

〃First　Secretary　Yang　Xiu　seems　to　have　private　knowledge　of　the　Prince's　design　to　retire；〃　said　Xiahou　Dun。

Cao　Cao　summoned　Yang　Xiu　and　questioned　him；　and　Yang　Xiu　replied　with　the　chicken　tendon　incident。

〃How　dare　you　invent　such　a　story　and　disturb　the　hearts　of　my　army？〃

Cao　Cao　called　in　his　lictors　and　told　them　t