第28部分(第4/7 页)

ao　told　off　his　general；　Dian　Wei；　to　oppose　them。　Neither　body；　however；　came　on　to　full　engagement　but　fell　back　into　the　city。　By　this　move　Dian　Wei　and　his　troops　had　been　drawn　close　up　to　the　drawbridge。　From　within　the　city　several　soldiers　were　seen　taking　any　chance　of　confusion　to　escape　and　e　outside。

To　Cao　Cao　they　said；　〃We　are　clients　of　the　Tian　family；〃　and　they　gave　him　secret　letters　stating：

〃The　signal　will　be　given　about　the　first　watch　setting　by　beating　a　gong。　That　will　be　the　time　to　attack。　The　gates　will　be　opened。〃

So　Cao　Cao　ordered　Xiahou　Dun　to　march　to　the　left　and　Cao　Hong　to　the　right。　Cao　Cao　led　the　main　army………together　with　Xiahou　Yuan；　Li　Dian；　and　Yue　Jing………into　the　city。

Li　Dian　pressed　upon　his　master　the　precaution；　saying；　〃My　lord　should　stay　outside　the　city。　Let　us　go　in　first。〃

But　Cao　Cao　bade　him　be　silent；　saying；　〃If　I　do　not　go；　who　will　advance？〃

And　so　at　the　first　watch　Cao　Cao　led　the　way。　The　moon　had　not　yet　arisen。　As　he　drew　near　the　west　gate；　they　heard　a　crackling　sound；　then　a　loud　shouting；　and　then　torches　moved　hither　and　thither。　Next　the　gates　were　thrown　wide　open；　and　Cao　Cao；　whipping　up　his　steed；　galloped　in。

But　when　he　reached　the　state　residence；　he　noticed　the　streets　were　quite　deserted；　and　then　he　knew　he　had　been　tricked。　Wheeling　round　his　horse；　he　shouted　to　his　followers　to　retire。　This　was　the　signal　for　another　move。　An　explosion　of　a　signal　bomb　was　heard　close　at　hand；　and　it　was　echoed　from　every　side　in　a　deafening　roar。　Gongs　and　drums　beat　all　around　with　a　roar　like　rivers　rushing　backward　to　their　source；　and　the　ocean　boiling　up　from　its　depths。　From　two　sides　east　and　west　came　bodies　of　soldiers　eager　to　attack；　led　by　Lu