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第24部分（第2页）

He　made　Xun　Yu　a　Marching　General。　The　nephew　Xun　You　was　famed　for　his　ability　and　had　been　in　the　court　service　when　it　was　in　Luoyang；　but　he　had　abandoned　that　career　and　retired　to　his　village。　Cao　Cao　made　him　a　Military　Instructor。

Xun　Yu　said　to　Cao　Cao；　〃There　is　a　certain　wise　person　of　Yanzhou　somewhere；　but　I　do　not　know　in　whose　service　he　is。〃

〃Who　is　he？〃

〃Cheng　Yu。　He　belongs　to　the　eastern　part　of　Yanzhou。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　heard　of　him；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

So　a　messenger　was　sent　to　his　native　place　to　inquire。　Cheng　Yu　was　away　in　the　hills　engaged　in　study；　but　he　came　at　Cao　Caos　invitation。

〃I　shall　prove　unworthy　of　your　remendation；〃　said　Cheng　Yu　to　his　friend　Xun　Yu；　〃for　I　am　rough　and　ignorant。　But　have　you　forgotten　a　fellow　villager　of　yours；　Guo　Jia？　He　is　really　able。　Why　not　spread　the　net　to　catch　him？〃

〃I　had　nearly　forgotten；〃　said　Xun　Yu　suddenly。

So　he　told　Cao　Cao　of　this　man；　who　was　at　once　invited。

Guo　Jia；　discussing　the　world　at　large　with　Cao　Cao；　remended　Liu　Ye　from　Henan；　who　was　a　descendant　of　Liu　Xiu　the　Founder　of　Latter　Han。　When　Liu　Ye　had　arrived；　he　was　the　means　of　inviting　two　more：　Man　Chong　from　Shanyang；　and　Lu　Qian　from　Wucheng；　who　were　already　known　to　Cao　Cao　by　reputation。　These　two　brought　to　their　new　masters　notice　the　name　of　Mao　Jie　from　Chenliu；　who　also　came　and　was　given　office。　Then　a　famous　leader；　with　his　troop　of　some　hundreds；　arrived　to　offer　service。　This　was　Yu　Jin　of　Taishan；　an　expert　horseman　and　archer；　and　skilled　beyond　his　fellows　in　every　form　of　military　exercise。　He　was　made　an　army　inspector。

Then　another　day　Xiahou　Dun　brought　a　fellow　to　present　to　Cao　Cao。

〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃He　is　from　Chenliu　and　is　named　Dian　Wei。　He　is　the　boldest　of　the　bold；　the　strongest　of　the　strong。　He　was　one　of　Zhang　Miaos　people；　but　quarreled　with　his　tent　panions　and　killed　some　dozens　of　them　with　his　fists。　Then　he　fled　to　the　mountains　where　I　found　him。　I　was　out　shooting　and　saw　him　follow　a　tiger　across　a　stream。　I　persuaded　him　to　join　my　troop；　and　I　remend　him。〃

〃I　see　he　is　no　ordinary　man；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃He　is　fine　and　straight　and　looks　very　powerful　and　bold。〃

〃He　is。　He　killed　a　man　once　to　avenge　a　friend　and　carried　his　head　through　the　whole　market　place。　Hundreds　saw　him；　but　dared　not　e　near。　The　weapon　he　uses　now　is　a　couple　of　spears；　each　weighs　a　hundred　and　twenty　pounds；　and　he　vaults　into　the　saddle　with　these　under　his　arm。〃

Cao　Cao　bade　the　man　give　proof　of　his　skill。　So　Dian　Wei　galloped　to　and　fro　carrying　the　spears。　Then　he　saw　away　among　the　tents　a　huge　banner　swaying　dangerously　with　the　force　of　the　wind　and　on　the　point　of　falling。　A　crowd　of　soldiers　were　vainly　struggling　to　keep　it　steady。　Down　he　leaped；　shouted　to　the　men　to　clear　out　and　held　the　staff　quite　steady　with　one　hand；　keeping　it　perfectly　upright　in　spite　of　the　strong　wind。

＇e＇　E　Lai；　whose　physical　strength　was　extraordinary；　was　a　general　of　King　Zhou；　the　last　king　of　Shang　Dynasty。

〃This　is　old　E　Lai*　again！〃　said　Cao　Cao。

He　gave　Dian　Wei　a　post　in　the　headquarters　and　besides　made　Dian　Wei　presents　of　an　embroidered　robe　he　was　wearing　and　a　swift　steed　with　a　handsome　saddle。

Cao　Cao　encouraged　able　people　to　assist　him；　and　he　had　advisers　on　the　civil　side　and　valiant　generals　in　the　army。　He　became　famous　throughout　the　East　of　the　Pass。

Now　Cao　Caos　father；　Cao　Song；　was　living　at　Langye；　whither　he　had　gone　as　a　place　free　from　the　turmoil　of　the　partisan　struggles。　Cao　Cao　wished　to　be　united　with　him。　As　a　dutiful　son；　Cao　Cao　sent　the　Governor　of　Taishan；　Ying　Shao；　to　escort　his　father　to　Yanzhou。　Old　Cao　Song　read　the　letter　with　joy；　and　the　family　prepared　to　move。　They　were　some　forty　in　all；　with　a　train　of　a　hundred　servants　and　many　carts。

Their　road　led　through　Xuzhou　Region　where　the　Imperial　Protector；　Tao　Qian；　was　a　sincere　and　upright　man　who　had　long　wished　to　get　on　good　terms　with　Cao　Cao　but；　hitherto；　had　found　no　means　of　effecting　a　bond　of　union。　Hearing　that　the　family　of　the　great　man　was　passing　through　his　region；　Tao　Qian　went　to　wele　them；　treated　them　with　great　cordiality；　feasting　and　entertaining　them　for　two　days；　and　when　they　left；　he　escorted　them　to　his　boundary。　Further　he　sent　with　them　one　General　Zhang　Kai　with　a　special　escort　of　five　hundred。

The　whole　party　reached　the　county　of　Huafei。　It　was　the　end　of　summer；　just　turning　into　autumn；　and　at　this　place　they　were　stopped　by　a　tremendous　storm　of　rain。　The　only　shelter　was　an　old　temple　and　thither　they　went。　The　family　occupied　the　main　rooms　and　the　escort　the　two　side　wings。　The　men　of　the　escort　were　drenched；　angry；　and　discontented。

Then　Zhang　Kai　called　some　of　his　petty　officers　to　a　secret　spot　and　said；　〃We　are　old　Yellow　Scarves　and　only　submitted　to　Tao　Qian　because　there　was　no　other　choice。　We　have　never　got　much　out　of　it。　Now　here　is　the　Cao　family　with　no　end　of　gear；　and　we　can　be　rich　very　easily。　We　will　make　a　sudden　onslaught　tonight　at　the　third　watch　and　slay　the　whole　lot。　Then　we　shall　have　plenty　of　treasure；　and　we　will　get　away　to　the　mountains。〃

They　all　agreed。　The　storm　continued　into　the　night　and　as　Cao　Song　sat　waiting　anxiously　for　signs　of　clearing；　he　suddenly　heard　a　hubbub　at　the　w