第61部分(第3/7 页)

〃You　are　at　fault；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。　〃Liu　Bei　is　a　bold　warrior。　If　we　wait　till　he　is　fully　fledged　and　winged；　he　will　be　more　difficult　to　deal　with。　Yuan　Shao　may　be　strong；　but　he　is　not　to　be　feared。　He　is　too　undeciding　to　act。〃

As　they　were　discussing　these　things；　Guo　Jia　came　in；　and　Cao　Cao　suddenly　referred　the　matter　to　him。

〃If　I　attack　Liu　Bei；　then　Yuan　Shao　is　to　be　feared。　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

Guo　Jia　said；　〃Yuan　Shao　by　nature　is　dilatory　and　hesitating；　and　his　various　advisers　are　jealous　of　each　other。　He　is　not　to　be　feared。　Liu　Bei　is　getting　together　a　new　army　and　has　not　yet　won　their　hearts。　You　could　settle　the　east　in　one　battle。〃

〃This　advice　is　in　harmony　with　my　thinking；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　he　prepared　an　army　of　two　hundred　thousand　troops；　to　move　in　five　divisions　against　Xuzhou。

Scouts　took　the　news　of　these　preparations　to　Xuzhou。　Sun　Qian　first　went　to　Xiapi　to　tell　Guan　Yu　and　then　went　to　Xiaopei　to　tell　Liu　Bei。　The　two　discussed　the　position　and　decided　that　help　must　be　sought。　So　letters　were　written　to　Yuan　Shao　and　given　to　Sun　Qian；　who　went　north；　sought　Tian　Feng；　and　asked　him　to　arrange　an　interview　with　Yuan　Shao。　Sun　Qian　was　introduced　and　presented　his　letters。

But　Yuan　Shao　was　of　melancholy　countenance；　and　his　dress　was　all　awry。　Tian　Feng　said；　〃Why　this　disarray；　my　lord？〃

〃I　am　about　to　die；〃　replied　Yuan　Shao。

〃But　why　do　you　utter　such　words？〃

〃I　have　three　sons；　but　only　the　youngest　is　clever　enough　to　understand　my　ideas。　Now　he　is　suffering　from　scabies　which　places　his　life　in　jeopardy。　Think　you　that　I　have　any　heart　to　talk　over　any　other　affairs？〃

〃But；〃　said　Tian　Feng；　〃the　present　bination　of　circumstances　is　unparal