第63部分(第5/7 页)

brother。〃

〃Your　words　do　not　express　present　conditions　quite　correctly。　One　who　lives　in　the　world　without　discrimination　and　consideration　of　his　relations　with　others　is　not　the　most　admirable　type　of　person。　Even　Liu　Bei　never　treated　you　better　than　does　the　Prime　Minister。　Why　then　do　you　maintain　this　desire　to　get　away？〃

〃I　know　only　too　well　that　he　has　been　most　kind；　but　I　have　also　received　great　kindness　from　Uncle　Liu　Bei。　Beside　we　have　sworn　to　die　together；　and　I　cannot　remain　here。　But　before　I　go；　I　must　try　to　render　the　Prime　Minister　some　signal　service　to　prove　my　gratitude。〃

〃Supposing　Liu　Bei　should　have　left　the　world；　whither　will　you　go？〃　said　Zhang　Liao。

〃I　will　follow　him　to　the　below　realms　of　Nine　Golden　Springs。〃

There　could　no　longer　be　the　least　doubt　as　to　Guan　Yu's　intentions；　and　Zhang　Liao　told　Cao　Cao　just　how　matters　stood。　Cao　Cao　sighed。

〃To　serve　one's　chief　with　unswerving　fidelity　is　a　proof　of　the　highest　principle　of　all；〃　said　he。

Said　Xun　Yu；　〃He　spoke　of　performing　some　act　of　service　before　leaving。　If　he　gets　no　chance　of　such　a　thing；　he　will　not　be　able　to　go。〃

Cao　Cao　agreed　that　this　was　so。

Liu　Bei　went　to　Yuan　Shao　for　refuge。　Here　Liu　Bei　was　always　sorrowful　and；　when　asked　the　reason；　said　he　did　not　know　where　his　brothers　were　nor　what　had　happened　to　his　family　since　they　fell　into　the　hands　of　Cao　Cao。

〃Why　should　I　not　be　sad　when　I　have　failed　towards　my　country　and　my　family？〃　said　he。

〃I　have　long　wished　to　attack　Xuchang；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。　〃Now　it　is　autumn　and　just　the　time　for　an　expedition；　so　let　us　discuss　plans　for　the　destruction　of　Cao　Cao。〃

Tian　Feng　at　once　opposed　this。

〃When　Cao　Cao　attacked　Xuzhou　a