第22部分(第5/7 页)

　singly；　then　we　shall　fall　easy　victims　to　any　village　beadle　who　may　seize　us。　Rather　let　us　cajole　the　Shanxi　people　to　throw　in　their　lot　with　us　and　make　a　sudden　onslaught　on　the　capital　and　so　avenge　Dong　Zhuo。　If　we　succeed；　we　control　the　court　and　the　empire。　There　will　be　enough　time　to　run　away　if　we　fail。〃

The　plan　was　adopted；　and　they　spread　abroad　the　story　that　Wang　Yun　intended　to　massacre　the　county。

Having　thus　thrown　the　people　into　a　state　of　terror；　they　went　a　step　farther　and　said；　〃There　is　no　advantage　in　dying　for　nothing。　Revolt　and　join　us！〃

So　they　cajoled　the　people　into　joining　them　and　gathered　a　host　equal　to　one　hundred　thousand。　This　horde　was　divided　into　four　parts；　and　they　all　set　out　to　raid　Capital　Changan。　On　the　way　they　fell　in　with　a　son…in…law　of　their　late　chief；　Imperial　mander　Niu　Fu；　who　marched　five　thousand　troop　from　Xiliang。　Niu　Fu　had　set　out　to　avenge　his　father…in…law；　and　he　became　the　Van　Leader　of　the　horde。

As　they　advanced；　the　news　came　to　Wang　Yun；　and　he　consulted　Lu　Bu。

〃They　are　a　lot　of　rats；〃　said　Lu　Bu。　〃Never　mind　how　many　there　are　of　them。　Be　not　in　the　least　anxious。〃

So　Lu　Bu　and　Li　Su　went　to　oppose　them。　The　latter　was　in　advance　and　met　Niu　Fu。　They　fought；　Niu　Fu　was　outmatched　and　retired　after　suffering　a　slaughter。　But　unexpectedly　Niu　Fu　returned　in　a　night　attack；　found　Li　Su　quite　unprepared　and　drove　Li　Su's　force　some　ten　miles；　slaying　many。

Li　Su　reported　the　defeat；　and　Lu　Bu　raged　at　him；　saying；　〃You　have　sullied　my　reputation　as　a　warrior　and　destroyed　our　fighting　spirit！〃

And　Lu　Bu　put　Li　Su　to　death；　exposing　his　head　at　the　camp　gate。

Next　day　Lu　Bu　advanced　his　own　force　and　engaged　Niu　Fu。　He　overwhelmed　Niu