第77部分(第3/7 页)

es　the　wise；　and　is　courteous　to　his　subordinates。　I　wish　him　to　succeed；　but　I　wish　that　you　tell　me　your　opinions。〃

Guo　Tu　said；　〃Yuan　Tan　is　your　first　born；　and　he　is　in　a　position　of　authority　beyond　your　control。　If　you　pass　over　the　eldest　in　favor　of　the　youngest；　you　sow　the　seeds　of　turbulence。　The　prestige　of　the　army　has　been　somewhat　lowered　and　enemies　are　on　our　border。　Should　you　add　to　our　weakness　by　making　strife　between　father　and　son；　elder　and　younger　brothers？　Rather　consider　how　the　enemy　may　be　repulsed　and　turn　to　the　question　of　the　heirship　later。〃

Then　the　natural　hesitation　of　Yuan　Shao　asserted　itself；　and　he　could　not　make　up　his　mind。　Soon　came　news　that　his　sons　Yuan　Tan　was　ing　from　Qingzhou　with　sixty　thousand　troops；　Yuan　Xi　ing　from　Youzhou　with　fifty　thousand　troops；　and　his　nephew　Gao　Gan　ing　from　Bingzhou　with　fifty　thousand　troops　to　help　him；　and　he　turned　his　attention　to　preparations　for　fighting　Cao　Cao。

When　Cao　Cao　drew　up　his　victorious　army　on　the　banks　of　Yellow　River；　the　aged　natives　brought　an　offering　of　food　and　sauce　to　bid　him　wele。　Their　venerable　and　hoary　appearances　led　Cao　Cao　to　treat　them　with　the　highest　respect。

He　invited　them　to　be　seated　and　said　to　them；　〃Venerable　Sirs；　what　may　be　your　age？〃

〃We　are　nearly　a　hundred；〃　replied　the　old　villagers。

〃I　should　be　very　sorry　if　my　army　had　disturbed　your　village；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

One　of　them　said；　〃In　the　days　of　the　Emperor　Huan　a　yellow　star　was　seen　over　by　way　of　the　ancient　states　of　Chu　and　Song　in　the　southwest。　Yin　Kui　of　Liaodong；　who　was　learned　in　astrology；　happened　to　be　passing　the　night　here；　and　he　told　us　that　the　star　foretold　the　arrival　in　these　parts；　fifty　years　hence；　of　a　true　and　hone