第48部分(第2/7 页)

hen　Gui　and　Chen　Deng　came　to　present　their　salutations。　A　grand　banquet　was　prepared　for　the　officers　at　which　Cao　Cao　presided　as　host；　and　Chen　Gui　and　Liu　Bei　occupied　the　seats　of　honor　to　his　right　and　left。　At　the　close　of　the　banquet；　Cao　Cao　paid　the　two　Chens　the　highest　pliments　on　their　success　and　rewarded　them　with　the　revenues　of　ten　counties　beside　giving　the　son　the　title　of　General　Who　Quells　the　Waves。

Cao　Cao　was　very　pleased　with　his　success　and　at　once　began　to　scheme　for　the　taking　of　Xiapi；　the　sole　place　now　left　to　Lu　Bu；　where　he　had　taken　refuge。

Cheng　Yu　said　the　course　was　inadvisable。

〃If　Lu　Bu　be　pressed　too　hard；　he　may　get　clear　by　a　desperate　effort　and　throw　himself　into　the　arms　of　our　especial　enemy；　Yuan　Shu。　These　two　as　allies　would　be　difficult　to　overe。　Rather　send　a　capable　man　to　guard　the　South　of　River　Huai；　one　able　to　secure　you　against　Lu　Bu　on　one　hand　and　to　hold　Yuan　Shu　on　the　other。　Moreover　the　bandits　are　in　Huashang　Mountains　and　still　our　enemies。　They　must　be　watched。〃

Cao　Cao　replied；　〃I　can　keep　the　whole　of　Huashang　Mountains；　and　I　will　request　Liu　Bei　to　take　the　south。〃

〃Could　I　dare　withstand　your　mand？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

So　forthwith　Liu　Bei；　leaving　Mi　Zhu　and　Jian　Yong　at　Xuzhou；　went　south；　taking　in　his　train　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　Sun　Qian。　And　Cao　Cao　led　his　army　to　Xiapi。

Lu　Bu　felt　very　secure　in　his　refuge。　He　had　good　store　of　grain；　and　he　had　the　protection　of　River　Si；　so　he　sat　quiet；　satisfied　that　he　could　maintain　his　defense。　So　he　allowed　Cao　Cao's　army　to　approach　without　molestation。

〃You　ought　to　attack　Cao　Cao's　army　as　they　e　up；　before　they　have　time　to　make　camps　and　defenses。　They　will　only　have　a　fatigued　army　to　oppose　to