第24部分(第1/7 页)

When　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　heard　that　both　the　boastful　generals　had　fallen　under　the　hand　of　one　young　man；　they　knew　that　Jia　Xu　had　given　good　advice　and　was　gifted　with　clear　prescience。　So　they　valued　his　plans　the　more　highly　and　decided　to　act　on　the　defensive。　They　refused　all　challenges　to　bat。

Surely　enough　after　a　couple　of　months　the　supplies　of　the　Xiliang　force　were　all　exhausted　and　the　leaders　began　to　consider　retreat。

Just　at　this　juncture　a　household　servant　of　Ma　Yu's　family　betrayed　his　master　and　told　of　the　conspiracy　of　the　three　court　officials　to　assist　the　attackers。　The　two　chiefs　Li　Jue　and　Guo　Si　in　revenge　seized　the　three　conspirators………Ma　Yu；　Chong　Shao；　and　Liu　Fan………；　with　every　member　of　their　households；　and　beheaded　them　in　the　market　place。　The　heads　of　the　three　were　exposed　at　the　front　gate　of　the　capital。

Being　short　of　food　and　hearing　of　the　destruction　of　their　three　adherents　in　the　city；　the　only　course　for　Ma　Teng　and　Han　Sui　was　to　retreat。　At　once　Zhang　Ji　went　in　pursuit　of　Ma　Teng；　and　Fan　Chou　followed　Han　Sui。　The　retreating　army　under　Ma　Teng　was　beaten；　and　only　by　Ma　Chao's　desperate　efforts　were　the　pursuers　driven　off。

Fan　Chou　pursued　the　other　army。　When　he　had　e　close；　Han　Sui　rode　boldly　up　and　addressed　him；　saying；　〃You　and　I；　Sir；　are　fellow　villagers。　Why　then　behave　so　unfriendly？〃

Fan　Chou　replied；　〃I　must　obey　the　mands　of　my　chief。〃

〃I　am　here　for　the　service　of　the　state。　Why　do　you　press　me　so　hard？〃　said　Han　Sui。

At　this　Fan　Chou　turned　his　horse；　called　in　his　troops；　and　left　Han　Sui　in　peace。　Unwittingly　a　nephew　of　Li　Jue　had　been　a　witness　of　this　scene；　and　when　he　saw　the　enemy　allowed　to　go　free；　he　returned　and　told　his　uncle。　Angry　that　h