第28部分(第3/7 页)

Chen　Gong　proposed　a　new　stratagem。

He　said；　〃In　Puyang　there　is　a　rich；　leading　family；　Tian　by　name；　who　number　thousands；　enough　to　populate　a　whole　county　in　themselves。　Make　one　of　these　people　go　to　Cao　Cao's　camp　with　a　pretended　secret　letter　about　Lu　Bu's　ferocity；　and　the　hatred　of　the　people；　and　their　desire　to　be　rid　of　him。　And　by　saying　that　only　Gao　Shun　is　left　to　guard　the　city；　and　they　would　help　anyone　who　would　e　to　save　them。　Thus　our　enemy　Cao　Cao　will　be　inveigled　into　the　city；　and　we　will　destroy　him　either　by　fire　or　ambush。　His　skill　may　be　equal　to　enpassing　the　universe；　but　he　will　not　escape。〃

Lu　Bu　thought　this　trick　might　be　tried；　and　they　arranged　for　the　Tian　family　letter　to　be　sent。

ing　soon　after　the　defeat；　when　Cao　Cao　felt　uncertain　what　step　to　take　next；　the　secret　letter　was　read　with　joy。　It　promised　interior　help　and　said　the　sign　should　be　a　white　flag　with　the　word　Rectitude　written　thereon。

〃Heaven　is　going　to　give　me　Puyang！〃　said　Cao　Cao　joyfully。

So　he　rewarded　the　messenger　very　liberally　and　began　to　prepare　for　the　expedition。

Then　came　Liu　Ye；　saying；　〃Lu　Bu　is　no　strategist；　but　Chen　Gong　is　full　of　guile。　I　fear　treachery　in　this　letter；　and　you　must　be　careful。　If　you　will　go；　then　enter　with　only　one　third　your　army；　leaving　the　others　outside　the　city　as　a　reserve。〃

Cao　Cao　agreed　to　take　this　precaution。　He　went　to　Puyang；　which　he　found　gay　with　fluttering　flags。　Looking　carefully　he　saw　among　them；　at　the　west　gate；　the　white　flag　with　the　looked…for　inscription。　His　heart　rejoiced。

That　day；　just　about　noon；　the　city　gates　opened；　and　two　bodies　of　soldiers　appeared　as　if　to　fight。　Gao　Shun　was　the　front　mander；　and　Hou　Cheng　the　rear　mander。　Cao　C