第61部分(第4/7 页)

leled。　Cao　Cao　is　going　to　attack　the　east；　and　Xuchang　will　be　empty。　You　can　enter　it　with　a　few　volunteers　and　so　perform　good　service　to　the　Emperor　and　save　the　people　from　sorrow。　You　have　only　to　make　up　your　mind　to　act。〃

〃I　know　the　chance　is　excellent；　but　I　am　worried　and　distressed　and　fear　failure。〃

〃What　are　you　distressed　about？〃　said　Tian　Feng。

〃Among　my　sons　only　this　special　one　is　remarkable；　and　if　anything　happens；　I　am　done。〃

Thus　it　became　evident　that　no　army　would　be　dispatched。

In　confirmation　of　this；　Yuan　Shao　said　to　Sun　Qian；　〃Go　home　and　tell　Liu　Bei　the　real　reason；　and　say　that　if　anything　untoward　happen；　he　can　e　over　to　me；　and　I　will　find　some　means　of　helping　him。〃

Tian　Feng　struck　the　ground　with　his　staff。

〃It　is　such　a　pity！〃　cried　he。　〃Just　as　a　unique　opportunity　presents　itself；　everything　is　spoiled　by　the　illness　of　a　child。〃

He　went　out。　Sun　Qian　saw　that　no　help　could　be　hoped　for　and　set　out　to　return。　When　he　had　arrived　and　related　what　he　had　seen；　Liu　Bei　was　quite　alarmed　and　asked　what　could　be　done。

〃Do　not　be　troubled；　brother；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃We　can　destroy　Cao　Cao　merely　by　a　sudden　attack　before　his　army　shall　have　time　to　camp。〃

〃That　would　be　according　to　the　rules　of　war；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃You　have　always　been　a　bold　warrior；　and　that　move　against　Liu　Dai　shows　that　you　are　being　a　strategist　too。〃

So　Liu　Bei　gave　Zhang　Fei　mand　of　enough　soldiers　to　carry　out　this　plan。

Now　while　Cao　Cao　was　in　the　midst　of　his　march　toward　Xiaopei；　a　tornado　sprang　up　and　the　howling　gale　tore　down　one　of　the　banners　and　broke　the　staff。　Cao　Cao　called　together　his　advisers　and　leaders　to　ask　them　what　this　portended。

Xun　Yu　said；　〃F