第36部分(第2/7 页)

in…law's　face；　you　would　pardon　me。〃

〃Who　is　your　son…in…law？〃

〃Lu　Bu。〃

〃I　did　not　mean　to　have　you　really　beaten；　but　if　you　think　to　frighten　me　with　Lu　Bu；　I　will。　I　will　beat　you　as　if　I　was　beating　him；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

The　guests　interposed　to　beg　him　off；　but　their　drunken　host　was　obdurate；　and　the　unhappy　guest　received　fifty　blows。　Then　at　the　earnest　prayers　of　the　others　the　remainder　of　the　punishment　was　remitted。

The　banquet　came　to　an　end；　and　the　beaten　Cao　Bao　went　away　burning　with　resentment。　That　night　he　sent　a　letter　to　Xiaopei　relating　the　insults　he　had　received　from　Zhang　Fei。　The　letter　told　Lu　Bu　of　Liu　Bei's　absence　and　proposed　that　a　sudden　raid　should　be　made　that　very　night　before　Zhang　Fei　had　recovered　from　his　drunken　fit。　Lu　Bu　at　once　summoned　Chen　Gong　and　told　him。

〃Xiaopei　is　only　a　place　to　occupy　temporarily；〃　said　Chen　Gong。　〃If　you　can　seize　Xuzhou；　do　so。　It　is　a　good　chance。〃

Lu　Bu　got　ready　at　once　and　soon　on　the　way　with　five　hundred　cavalrymen；　ordering　Chen　Gong　and　Gao　Shun　to　follow　him　with　the　main　body。

Xiaopei　being　only　about　fifteen　miles　away；　Lu　Bu　was　under　the　walls　at　the　fourth　watch。　It　was　clear　moonlight。　No　one　on　the　ramparts　saw　him。

Lu　Bu　came　up　close　to　the　wall　and　called　out；　〃Liu　Bei's　secret　messenger　has　arrived！〃

The　guards　on　the　wall　were　Cao　Bao's　people；　and　they　called　him。　Cao　Bao　came；　and　when　he　saw　who　was　there　he　ordered　the　gates　to　be　opened。　Lu　Bu　gave　the　secret　signal；　and　the　soldiers　entered　shouting。

Zhang　Fei　was　in　his　apartment　sleeping　off　the　fumes　of　wine。　His　servants　hastened　to　arouse　him　and　told　him　an　enemy　had　got　the　gates　open。

They　said；　〃Lu　Bu　got　in；　and　there　is　fightin