第58部分(第1/7 页)

of　peace；　Jia　Xu　asked　what　their　success　had　been　lately　against　Cao　Cao。

〃The　war　had　ceased　for　the　moment　on　account　of　the　winter；〃　replied　the　messenger。　〃As　you；　General；　and　Liu　Biao　are　both　well　reputed　officers　of　the　state；　I　have　been　sent　to　request　your　help。〃

Jia　Xu　laughed；　〃You　can　return　to　your　master　and　say　that　as　he　could　not　brook　rivalry　of　his　brother；　he　certainly　would　be　sorely　put　to　it　with　that　of　all　the　officers　of　the　state。〃

The　letter　was　torn　into　fragments　before　the　messenger's　face；　and　he　was　angrily　bidden　be　gone。

〃But　his　master；　Yuan　Shao；　is　stronger　than　Cao　Cao；〃　protested　Zhang　Xiu。　〃You　have　torn　up　his　letter　and　are　dismissing　his　man。　What　shall　we　say　about　such　an　insult　should　Yuan　Shao　e？〃

〃Better　join　hands　with　Cao　Cao；〃　said　Jia　Xu。

〃But　there　is　still　between　us　an　unavenged　enmity。　We　could　not　suffer　each　other。〃

Jia　Xu　said；　〃There　are　three　advantages　in　joining　hands　with　Cao　Cao。　First；　he　has　a　mand　from　the　Emperor　to　restore　peace。　Second；　as　Yuan　Shao　is　so　strong；　our　little　help　to　him　will　be　despised；　while　we　shall　loom　large　and　be　well　treated　by　Cao　Cao。　Third；　Cao　Cao　is　going　to　be　Chief　of　the　Feudal　Lords；　and　he　will　ignore　all　private　feuds　in　order　to　show　his　magnanimity　to　all　the　world。　I　hope；　General；　you　will　see　these　things　clearly　and　hesitate　no　longer。〃

Zhang　Xiu；　now　convinced；　became　more　reasonable　and　recalled　Liu　Ye；　who；　at　the　interview；　extolled　the　many　virtues　of　his　master。

〃If　the　Prime　Minister　had　any　thought　of　the　old　quarrel；　he　would　hardly　have　sent　me　to　make　friendly　engagements；　would　he？〃　said　Liu　Ye　at　the　last。

＇e＇　Cao　Cao　slept　with　Zhang　Xiu's　aunt。

So　Zhang　Xiu　and