第13部分(第2/7 页)

ess。

But　Zhang　Fei's　voice　was　heard；　shouting；　〃My　brother　has　slain　Hua　Xiong。　What　are　we　waiting　for？　Why　not　break　through　the　Pass　and　seize　Dong　Zhuo？　Could　there　have　been　a　better　time？〃

Again　arose　the　angry　voice　of　Yuan　Shu；　〃We　high　officials　are　too　meek　and　yielding。　Here　is　the　petty　follower　of　a　small　magistrate　daring　to　flaunt　his　prowess　before　us！　Expel　him　from　the　tent；　I　say。〃

But　again　Cao　Cao　interposed；　〃Shall　we　consider　the　station　of　him　who　has　done　a　great　service？〃

〃If　you　hold　a　mere　magistrate　in　such　honor；　then　I　simply　withdraw；〃　said　Yuan　Shu。

〃Is　a　word　enough　to　defeat　a　grand　enterprise？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Then　he　told　Gongsun　Zan　to　lead　the　three　brothers　back　to　their　own　camp；　and　the　other　chiefs　then　dispersed。　That　night　Cao　Cao　secretly　sent　presents　of　meat　and　wine　to　soothe　the　three　after　this　adventure。

When　Hua　Xiong's　troops　straggled　back　and　told　the　story　of　defeat　and　death；　Li　Ru　was　greatly　distressed。　He　wrote　urgent　letters　to　his　master　who　called　in　his　trusted　advisers　to　a　council。

Li　Ru　summed　up　the　situation；　saying；　〃We　have　lost　our　best　leader；　and　the　rebel　power　has　thereby　bee　very　great。　Yuan　Shao　is　at　the　head　of　this　confederacy；　and　his　uncle；　Yuan　Wei；　is　holder　of　the　office　of　Imperial　Guardianship。　If　those　in　the　capital　bine　with　those　in　the　country；　we　may　suffer。　Therefore　we　must　remove　them。　So　I　request　you；　Sir　Prime　Minister；　to　place　yourself　at　the　head　of　your　army　and　break　this　confederation。〃

Dong　Zhuo　agreed　and　at　once　ordered　his　two　generals；　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si；　to　take　five　hundred　troops　and　surround　the　residence　of　Imperial　Guardian　Yuan　Wei；　slay　every　soul　regardless　of　age；　and　hang　the　head　of　Yuan