第3部分(第3/7 页)

e　would　punish　any　breach　of　the　law　whatever　the　rank　of　the　offender。　Now　an　uncle　of　Eunuch　Jian　Shuo*　was　found　one　night　in　the　streets　with　a　sword　and　was　arrested。　In　due　course　he　was　beaten。　Thereafter　no　one　dared　to　offend　again；　and　Cao　Cao's　name　became　heard。　Soon　he　became　a　magistrate　of　Dunqiu。

At　the　outbreak　of　the　Yellow　Scarves；　Cao　Cao　held　the　rank　of　General　and　was　given　mand　of　five　thousand　horse　and　foot　to　help　fight　at　Yingchuan。　He　just　happened　to　fall　in　with　the　newly　defeated　rebels　whom　he　cut　to　pieces。　Thousands　were　slain　and　endless　banners　and　drums　and　horses　were　captured；　together　with　huge　sums　of　money。　However；　Zhang　Ba　and　Zhang　Lian　got　away；　and　after　an　interview　with　Huangfu　Song；　Cao　Cao　went　in　pursuit　of　them。

Meanwhile　Liu　Bei　and　his　brothers　were　hastening　toward　Yingchuan；　when　they　heard　the　din　of　battle　and　saw　flames　rising　high　toward　the　sky。　But　they　arrived　too　late　for　the　fighting。　They　saw　Huangfu　Song　and　Zhu　Jun　to　whom　they　told　the　intentions　of　Lu　Zhi。

〃The　rebel　power　is　quite　broken　here；〃　said　the　manders；　〃but　they　will　surely　make　for　Guangzong　to　join　Zhang　Jue。　You　can　do　nothing　better　than　hasten　back。〃

The　three　brothers　thus　retraced　their　steps。　Half　way　along　the　road　they　met　a　party　of　soldiers　escorting　a　prisoner　in　a　cage…cart。　When　they　drew　near；　they　saw　the　prisoner　was　no　other　than　Lu　Zhi；　the　man　they　were　going　to　help。　Hastily　dismounting；　Liu　Bei　asked　what　had　happened。

Lu　Zhi　explained；　〃I　had　surrounded　the　rebels　and　was　on　the　point　of　smashing　them；　when　Zhang　Jue　employed　some　of　his　supernatural　powers　and　prevented　my　victory。　The　court　sent　down　Eunuch　Zhuo　Feng　to　inquire　into　my　failure；　and　that　official　demanded　a　bribe