第80部分(第4/7 页)

f　to　full　measure。〃

Cao　Cao　realized　the　truth　of　this　and　treated　Xin　Pi　well。

At　a　banquet　Cao　Cao　said；　〃But　is　this　surrender　of　Yuan　Tan　real　or　false？　Do　you　really　think　that　Yuan　Shang's　army　is　sure　to　overe　him？〃

Xin　Pi　replied；　〃Illustrious　Sir；　do　not　inquire　into　the　degree　of　sincerity；　rather　regard　the　situation。　The　Yuans　have　been　suffering　military　losses　for　years　and　are　powerless　without；　while　their　strategists　are　put　to　death　within。　The　brothers　seize　every　chance　to　speak　evil　of　each　other；　and　their　country　is　divided。　Add　to　this　famine；　supplemented　by　calamities　and　general　exhaustion；　and　everybody；　wise　as　well　as　simple；　can　see　that　the　catastrophe　is　near　and　the　time　ordained　of　Heaven　for　the　destruction　of　the　Yuans　is　at　hand。　Now　you　have　a　force　attacking　the　capital　of　Jizhou………Yejun………and　if　Yuan　Shang　will　not　return　to　give　aid；　the　place　of　refuge　is　lost。　If　he　helps；　then　Yuan　Tan　will　follow　up　and　smite　him；　making　use　of　your　power　to　destroy　the　remnant　of　his　brother's　army；　just　as　the　autumn　gale　sweeps　away　the　fallen　leaves。　Now　Liu　Biao's　Jingzhou　is　rich；　the　government　peaceful；　the　people　submissive；　and　it　cannot　be　shaken。　Moreover；　there　is　no　greater　threat　to　it　than　the　North　of　Yellow　River。　If　that　be　reduced；　then　the　task　is　plete。　I　pray　you；　Sir；　think　of　it。〃

〃I　am　sorry　that　I　did　not　meet　you　earlier；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　much　gratified　with　this　speech。

Forthwith　orders　were　given　to　return　and　attack　Jizhou。　Liu　Bei；　fearing　this　retirement　was　only　a　ruse；　allowed　it　to　proceed　without　interference　and　himself　returned　to　Jingzhou。

When　Yuan　Shang　heard　that　Cao　Cao　had　crossed　the　Yellow　River；　he　hastily　led　his　army　back　to　Yejun；　ordering　Lu　Xiang　and