第62部分(第2/7 页)

　At　Baima；　Cao　Cao　Is　Released。

The　plan　to　seduce　Guan　Yu　from　allegiance　to　his　brothers　was　now　announced　by　Cheng　Yu；　〃Since　Guan　Yu　is　far　braver　than　ordinary　warriors；　he　can　only　be　overreached　by　superior　cunning。　Now　send　some　of　the　captured　soldiers　who　have　lately　been　of　Liu　Bei's　army　into　Xiapi；　where　they　shall　say　they　have　e　back。　They　shall　thus　be　our　allies　on　the　inside。　Then　an　attack　and　a　feigned　defeat　will　entice　Guan　Yu　to　a　distance　from　the　city。　And　his　return　road　shall　be　cut。〃

Cao　Cao　accepted　the　scheme；　and　a　few　score　of　the　troops　who　had　lately　been　in　Xuzhou　were　sent　to　the　city。　Guan　Yu　believed　the　story　they　told　and　trusted　them。　So　they　were　suffered　to　remain。

After　this　part　of　the　game　had　been　played；　Xiahou　Dun　led　forward　five　thousand　troops　against　the　city。　At　first；　Guan　Yu　would　not　accept　the　challenge。　But　provoked　by　men　sent　to　hurl　insults　at　him　from　the　foot　of　the　wall；　his　wrath　got　the　better　of　him；　and　he　moved　out　with　three　thousand　troops。　After　the　leaders　had　exchanged　some　ten　bouts；　Xiahou　Dun　made　to　run　away。　Guan　Yu　pursued。　Xiahou　Dun　stopped　and　made　a　stand；　then　he　fled　again。　Thus　alternately　fighting　and　retiring；　he　enticed　Guan　Yu　seven　miles　from　Xiapi。　Then　Guan　Yu　suddenly　remembering　the　risk　to　the　city　drew　off　his　army　to　return　homeward。

Soon；　at　the　sound　of　a　signal　bomb；　from　the　left　and　right　out　moved　two　bodies　of　troops　led　by　Xu　Huang　and　Xu　Chu　who　barred　his　way。　Guan　Yu　hastened　along　a　road　that　seemed　to　offer　retreat；　but　from　both　sides　his　ambushing　enemies　shot　their　crossbows；　and　the　arrows　flew　like　locusts　on　the　wing。　No　way　past　was　found；　and　he　turned　back。　Then　both　bodies　joined　in　attacking　him。　He　drove　them　off　and　go