第81部分(第2/7 页)

d；　I　can　settle　him　in　one　battle。　And　I　think　he　will　show　a　blaze　as　a　signal　to　the　besieged　that　they　may　make　a　sortie。　I　shall　prepare　to　attack　both。〃

So　Cao　Cao　made　his　preparations。　Now　Yuan　Shang　went　out　by　River　Fu　east　toward　Yangping；　and　near　this　he　camped。　Thence　to　Yejun　was　five　miles。　River　Fu　ran　beside　the　camp。　He　ordered　his　soldiers　to　collect　firewood　and　grass　ready　for　the　blaze　he　intended　to　make　at　night　as　his　signal。　He　also　sent　Li　Mu；　a　civil　officer；　disguised　as　an　officer　of　Cao　Cao's　army；　to　inform　Shen　Pei　of　his　intentions。

Li　Mu　reached　the　city　wall　safely　and　called　out　to　the　guards　to　open。　Shen　Pei　recognized　his　voice　and　let　him　in。　Thus　Shen　Pei　knew　of　the　arrangements　for　his　relief；　and　it　was　agreed　that　a　blaze　should　be　raised　within　the　city　so　that　the　sortie　could　be　simultaneous　with　Yuan　Shang's　attack。　Orders　were　given　to　collect　inflammables。

Then　said　Li　Mu；　〃As　your　food　supply　is　short；　it　would　be　well　for　the　old　people；　the　feeble　soldiers　and　the　women　to　surrender。　This　will　e　upon　them　as　a　surprise；　and　we　will　send　the　soldiers　out　behind　them。〃

Shen　Pei　promised　to　do　all　this；　and　next　day　they　hoisted　on　the　wall　a　white　flag　with　the　words　The　populace　of　Jizhou　surrender！　on　it。

〃Ho　ho！　This　means　no　food；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃They　are　sending　away　the　non…batants　to　escape　feeding　them。　And　the　soldiers　will　follow　behind　them。〃

Cao　Cao　bade　Zhang　Liao　and　Xu　Huang　laid　an　ambush　of　three　thousand　troops　on　both　sides　while　he　went　near　the　wall　in　full　state。　Presently　the　gates　were　opened　and　out　came　the　people　supporting　their　aged　folks　and　leading　their　little　ones　by　the　hand。　Each　carried　a　white　flag。　As　soon　as　the　people　had　passed　the　gate