第30部分(第1/7 页)

on　to　plundering　the　surrounding　country。　They　wanted　him　to　go　against　it　without　loss　of　time。

〃With　our　soldiers　fresh　from　victory；　the　city　will　fall　at　a　tap　of　the　drum；〃　said　they。

So　Cao　Cao　marched　the　army　straight　to　the　city。　An　attack　was　quite　unexpected　but　the　two　leaders；　Xue　Lan　and　Li　Fang；　hurried　out　their　few　soldiers　to　fight。　Xu　Chu；　the　latest　recruit；　said　he　wished　to　capture　these　two　and　he　would　make　of　them　an　introductory　gift。

The　task　was　given　him　and　he　rode　forth。　Li　Fang　with　his　halberd　advanced　to　meet　Xu　Chu。　The　bat　was　brief　as　Li　Fang　fell　in　the　second　bout。　His　colleague　Xue　Lan　retired　with　his　troops。　But　he　found　the　drawbridge　had　been　seized　by　Li　Dian；　so　that　he　could　not　get　shelter　within　the　city。　Xue　Lan　led　his　men　toward　Juye。　But　Lu　Qian　pursued　and　killed　him　with　an　arrow。　His　soldiers　scattered　to　the　four　winds。　And　thus　Yanzhou　was　recaptured。

Next　Cheng　Yu　proposed　an　expedition　to　take　Puyang。　Cao　Cao　marched　his　army　out　in　perfect　order。　The　van　leaders　were　Dian　Wei　and　Xu　Chu；　Xiahou　Dun　and　Xiahou　Yuan　led　the　left　wing；　Li　Dian　and　Yue　Jing　led　the　right　wing；　Yu　Jin　and　Lu　Qian　guarded　the　rear。　Cao　Cao　himself　manded　the　center。

When　they　approached　Puyang；　Lu　Bu　wished　to　go　out　in　person　and　alone　to　attack；　but　his　adviser　Chen　Gong　protested；　saying；　〃General；　you　should　not　go　out　until　the　arrival　of　the　other　officers。〃

〃Whom　do　I　fear？〃　said　Lu　Bu。

So　he　threw　caution　to　the　winds　and　went　out　of　the　city。　He　met　his　foes　and　he　began　to　revile　them。　The　redoubtable　Xu　Chu　went　to　fight　with　him；　but　after　twenty　bouts　neither　batant　was　any　the　worse。

〃He　is　not　the　sort　that　one　man　can　overe；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　he　sent