第26部分(第5/7 页)

　promised；〃　Liu　Bei　replied；　〃and　dare　not　break　faith。〃

〃I　will　lend　you　two　thousand　horse　and　foot；〃　said　Gongsun　Zan。

〃Also　I　wish　to　have　the　services　of　Zhao　Yun；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Gongsun　Zan　agreed　to　this　also。　They　marched　away；　Liu　Bei's　own　troops　being　in　the　front；　and　Zhao　Yun；　with　the　borrowed　troops；　being　in　rear。

In　due　course　Mi　Zhu　returned　saying　that　Kong　Rong　had　also　obtained　the　services　of　Liu　Bei。　The　other　messenger；　Chen　Deng；　came　back　and　reported　that　Tien　Kai　would　also　bring　help。　Then　was　Tao　Qian's　heart　set　at　ease。

But　both　the　leaders；　though　they　had　promised　aid；　greatly　dreaded　their　antagonist　and　camped　among　the　hills　at　a　great　distance；　fearful　of　ing　too　close　to　Cao　Cao's　quarters。　Cao　Cao　knew　of　their　ing　and　divided　his　army　into　parts　to　meet　them；　so　postponing　the　attack　on　the　city　itself。

Presently　Liu　Bei　came　up　and　went　to　see　Kong　Rong；　who　said；　〃The　enemy　is　very　powerful；　and　Cao　Cao　handles　his　army　skillfully。　We　must　be　cautious。　Let　us　make　most　careful　observations　before　we　strike　a　blow。〃

〃What　I　fear　is　famine　in　the　city；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃They　cannot　hold　out　very　long。　I　will　put　my　troops　with　yours　under　your　mand；　while　I　with　Zhang　Fei　make　a　dash　through　to　see　Tao　Qian　and　consult　with　him。〃

Kong　Rong　approved　of　this；　so　he　and　Tien　Kai　took　up　positions　on　the　ox…horn　formation；　with　Guan　Yu　and　Zhao　Yun　on　either　side　to　support　them。

When　Liu　Bei　and　Zhang　Fei　leading　one　thousand　troops　made　their　dash　to　get　through　Cao　Cao's　army；　they　got　as　far　as　the　flank　of　his　camp　when　there　arose　a　great　beating　of　drums；　and　horse　and　foot　rolled　out　like　billows　on　the　ocean。　The　leader　was　Yu　Jin。

Yu　Jin　checked　his　steed　a