第44部分(第2/7 页)

e　conferred　rank　upon　his　son　Dian　Man　and　took　him　into　his　own　palace　to　be　cared　for。

Presently　arrived　Sun　Ce's　messenger　with　letters；　and　next　came　a　report　that　Yuan　Shu；　being　short　of　food；　had　made　a　raid　on　Chenliu。　Cao　Cao　thought　the　moment　opportune；　so　he　issued　orders　for　the　south　expedition；　leaving　Cao　Ren　to　hold　the　capital。　The　army　marched；　horse　and　foot；　one　hundred　seventy　thousand；　with　missariat　wagons　of　food　to　the　number　of　over　a　thousand。　Messages　were　sent　to　summon　Sun　Ce；　Liu　Bei；　and　Lu　Bu。

Liu　Bei　was　the　first　to　wele　the　grand　army　at　his　Yuzhou　borders；　and　he　was　called　in　to　the　Prime　Minister's　tent。　After　the　usual　salutations；　two　human　heads　were　produced　by　Liu　Bei。

〃Whose　are　these？〃　asked　Cao　Cao　in　surprise。

〃The　heads　of　Han　Xian　and　Yang　Feng。〃

〃Why　did　this　happen？〃

〃They　were　sent　to　control　Yidu　and　Langye；　but　they　allowed　their　soldiers　to　plunder　the　people。　Bitter　plaints　arose；　so　I　invited　them　to　a　banquet　and　my　brothers　dispatched　them　when　I　gave　the　signal　by　dropping　a　cup。　Their　armies　gave　in　at　once。　Now　I　have　to　apologize　for　my　fault。〃

〃You　have　removed　an　evil；　which　is　a　grand　service：　Why　talk　of　a　fault？〃

And　Cao　Cao　praised　Liu　Bei's　action。

When　the　joint　army　reached　Lu　Bu's　Xuzhou　borders；　he　came　to　meet　it。　Cao　Cao　spoke　graciously　to　him　and　conferred　upon　him　the　title　of　General　of　the　Left　Army；　promising　him　an　official　seal　as　soon　as　he　returned　to　the　capital。　Lu　Bu　was　very　pleased。

Then　the　three　armies　were　made　into　one　force；　Cao　Cao　being　in　the　center；　Lu　Bu　to　the　left　wing；　and　Liu　Bei　to　the　right　wing。　Xiahou　Dun　and　Yu　Jin　were　Leaders　of　the　Van。

On　Yuan　Shu's　side；　General　Qiao　Rui　with　fif