第80部分(第2/7 页)

t　in　the　fight；　risking　the　arrows　and　the　stones。　He　urged　on　his　troops　and　drove　his　brother　off　the　field。　Yuan　Tan　took　refuge　in　Pingyuan。　Yuan　Shang　drew　off　his　army　to　his　own　city。

Yuan　Tan　and　Guo　Tu　decided　upon　a　new　attack；　and　this　time　they　chose　General　Cen　Bi　as　Leader　of　the　Van。　Yuan　Shang　went　to　meet　him。　When　both　sides　had　been　arrayed　and　the　banners　were　flying　and　the　drums　beating；　Cen　Bi　rode　out　to　challenge　and　railed　at　his　opponent。　At　first　Yuan　Shang　was　going　to　answer　the　challenge　himself；　but　Lu　Kuang　had　advanced。　Lu　Kuang　and　Cen　Bi　met　but　had　fought　only　a　few　bouts　when　Cen　Bi　fell。　Yuan　Tan's　soldiers　were　once　more　defeated　and　ran　away　to　Pingyuan。　Shen　Pei　urged　his　master　to　press　for　the　advantage；　and　Yuan　Tan　was　driven　into　the　city；　where　he　fortified　himself　and　would　not　go　out。　So　the　city　was　besieged　on　three　sides。

Yuan　Tan　asked　his　strategist　what　should　be　done　next；　and　Guo　Tu　said；　〃The　city　is　short　of　food；　the　enemy　is　flushed　with　victory；　and　we　cannot　stand　against　them。　My　idea　is　to　send　someone　to　offer　surrender　to　Cao　Cao　and　thus　get　him　to　attack　Jizhou。　Your　brother　will　be　forced　to　return　thither；　which　will　leave　you　free　to　join　in　the　attack。　We　may　capture　Yuan　Shang。　Should　Cao　Cao　begin　to　get　the　better　of　your　brother's　army；　we　will　lend　our　force　to　help　Yuan　Shang　against　Cao　Cao；　and　as　Cao　Cao's　base　of　supply　is　distant；　we　shall　drive　him　off。　And　we　can　seize　on　Jizhou　and　begin　our　great　design。〃

〃Supposing　this　scheme　be　attempted；　who　is　the　man　for　a　messenger？〃

〃I　have　one　Xin　Pi；　Xin　Ping's　younger　brother。　Xin　Pi　is　the　magistrate　here　in　this　very　place。　He　is　a　fluent　speaker　and　good　scholar　and　suited　to　your　purpose。〃

So　Xin　Pi