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第57部分（第3页）

〃Wait　till　they　do；　then　you　may　kill　them；〃　replied　Guan　Yu。

The　two　leaders　with　one　voice　cried；　〃Even　if　the　Prime　Minister　slay　our　whole　clans；　we　will　never　e　again。　We　pray　you　pardon　us。〃

Said　Zhang　Fei；　〃If　Cao　Cao　himself　had　e；　I　would　have　slain　him。　Not　a　breastplate　should　have　gone　back。　But　for　this　time　I　leave　you　your　heads。〃

Clapping　their　hands　to　their　heads　the　two　men　scuttled　off　while　the　two　brothers　returned　to　the　city。

〃Cao　Cao　will　certainly　e；〃　said　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei。

Sun　Qian　said；　〃This　is　not　a　city　that　can　hold　out　for　long。　We　should　send　part　of　our　forces　to　Xiaopei　and　guard　Xiapi　as　a　corner　stone　of　our　position。〃

Liu　Bei　agreed　and　told　off　Guan　Yu　to　guard　Xiapi　whither　he　also　sent　his　two　wives；　Lady　Gan　and　Lady　Mi。　The　former　was　a　native　of　Xiapi；　the　latter　was　Mi　Zhus　younger　sister。

Sun　Qian；　Jian　Yong；　Mi　Zhu；　and　Mi　Fang　were　left　to　defend　Xuzhou；　and　Liu　Bei　with　Zhang　Fei　went　to　Xiaopei。

The　two　released　leaders；　Liu　Dai　and　Wang　Zhong；　hastened　home　to　Cao　Cao　and　explained　to　him　that　Liu　Bei　was　not　disaffected。

But　their　master　was　exceeding　angry　with　them；　crying；　〃You　shameful　traitors；　what　use　are　you？〃

He　roared　to　the　guards　to　take　them　away　to　instant　execution。

How　can　a　hare　or　a　deer　expect

To　conquer　in　tiger　strife？

Minnows　and　shrimps　that　with　dragons　contend

Already　have　done　with　life。

The　fate　of　the　two　leaders　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　23　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　23

Chapter　23

Mi　Heng　Slips　His　Garment　And　Rails　At　Traitors；

Ji　Ping　Pledges　To　Kill　The　Prime　Minister。

At　the　close　of　the　last　chapter　the　two　unsuccessful　leaders；　Liu　Dai　and　Wang　Zhong；　were　in　danger　of　death。

However；　Kong　Rong　remonstrated　with　Cao　Cao；　saying；　〃You　knew　these　two　were　no　match　for　Liu　Bei；　and　if　you　put　them　to　death　because　they　failed；　you　will　lose　the　hearts　of　your　people。〃

Wherefore　the　death　sentence　was　not　executed；　but　they　were　deprived　of　rank　and　status。

Cao　Cao　next　proposed　to　lead　an　army　himself　to　attack　Liu　Bei；　but　Kong　Rong　advised；　〃The　weather　is　too　inclement。　We　must　wait　the　return　of　spring。　In　the　interval；　we　better　use　the　time　to　arrange　peace　with　Zhang　Xiu　and　Liu　Biao；　before　launching　an　expedition　against　Xuzhou。〃

Wherefore　Liu　Ye　was　sent　to　Zhang　Xiu　and　in　due　time　reached　Xiangyang。　He　first　had　an　interview　with　Jia　Xu；　Zhang　Xius　adviser；　whereat　he　dwelt　upon　Cao　Caos　virtues　so　that　Jia　Xu　was　impressed。　Jia　Xu　kept　Liu　Ye　as　a　guest　and　undertook　to　smooth　his　way。

Soon　after　Liu　Ye　saw　Zhang　Xiu　and　spoke　of　the　advantages　of　ing　to　terms　with　Cao　Cao。　While　the　discussion　was　in　progress；　a　messenger　from　Yuan　Shao　was　announced；　and　he　was　called　in。　He　presented　letters　and；　when　they　also　proposed　terms　of　peace；　Jia　Xu　asked　what　their　success　had　been　lately　against　Cao　Cao。

〃The　war　had　ceased　for