第45部分(第1/7 页)

Cao　Cao　laid　hold　of　the　sword　by　his　side　and　made　to　take　his　own　life。　All　hastened　to　prevent　him。

Guo　Jia　said；　〃In　ancient　days；　the　days　of　the　Spring　and　Autumn　history；　the　laws　were　not　applied　to　those　of　the　most　important。　You　are　the　supreme　leader　of　a　mighty　army　and　must　not　wound　yourself。〃

Cao　Cao　pondered　for　a　long　time。　At　last　he　said；　〃Since　there　exists　the　reason　just　quoted；　I　may　perhaps　escape　the　death　penalty。〃

Then　with　his　sword　he　cut　off　his　hair　and　threw　it　on　the　ground；　saying；　〃I　cut　off　the　hair　as　touching　the　head。〃

Then　he　sent　messengers　to　exhibit　the　hair　throughout　the　whole　army；　saying；　〃The　Prime　Minister；　having　trodden　down　some　corn；　ought　to　have　lost　his　head　by　the　terms　of　the　order；　now　here　is　his　hair　cut　off　as　an　attack　on　the　head。〃

This　deed　was　a　stimulus　to　discipline　all　through　the　army　so　that　not　a　person　dared　be　disobedient。　A　poet　wrote：

A　myriad　soldiers　march　along　and　all　are　brave　and　bold；

And　their　myriad　inclinations　by　one　leader　are　controlled。

That　crafty　leader　shore　his　locks　when　forfeit　was　his　head；

O　full　of　guile　were　thou；　Cao　Cao；　as　everyone　has　said。

On　the　first　news　of　the　approach　of　Cao　Cao　with　an　army；　Zhang　Xiu　wrote　to　Liu　Biao　for　help。　Then　Zhang　Xiu　led　out　his　troops；　with　his　two　generals；　Lei　Xu　and　Zhang　Xian。

When　the　array　was　plete　Zhang　Xiu　took　his　station　in　front　and　pointing　at　Cao　Cao　railed　at　him；　saying；　〃O　false　and　pretended　supporter　of　benevolence　and　justice！　O　shameless　one！　You　are　just　a　beast　of　the　forest；　and　absolutely　devoid　of　humanity。〃

This　annoyed　Cao　Cao　who　sent　out　Xu　Chu　against　the　insulter。　Zhang　Xian　came　to　meet　him　and　fell　in　the　third　b