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第16部分（第2页）

Then　one　of　Yuan　Shaos　advisers；　Peng　Ji；　said　to　him；　〃You　are　really　the　strongest　power　here　about。　Why　then　depend　upon　another　for　food？　Jizhou　Region　is　rich　and　wide。　Why　not　seize　it？〃

〃I　have　no　good　plan；〃　replied　Yuan　Shao。

〃You　could　secretly　send　a　letter　to　Gongsun　Zan；　asking　him　to　attack；　promising　him　your　support。　Imperial　Protector　Han　Fu　of　Jizhou；　being　incapable；　must　ask　you　to　take　over　his　region；　and　you　will　get　it　without　lifting　a　finger。〃

So　the　letter　was　sent。　When　Gongsun　Zan　saw　therein　the　proposal　to　make　a　joint　attack　and　divide　the　territory；　he　agreed　to　give　his　help。　In　the　meantime　Yuan　Shao　had　sent　to　warn　Han　Fu　of　Gongsun　Zans　threat。　Han　Fu　sought　advice　from　Advisers　Xun　Chang　and　Xin　Ping。

Xun　Chang　said；　〃Governor　Gongsun　Zan　of　Beiping　is　manding　a　huge　and　strong　army。　If　he　came　to　attack　us；　we　could　not　stand　against　him；　especially　if　he　had　the　help　of　Liu　Bei　and　his　brothers。　At　present；　Yuan　Shao　is　bolder　than　most；　and　he　has　many　able　and　famous　leaders　under　him。　You　cannot　do　better　than　ask　him　to　assist　in　administering　this　region。　Yuan　Shao　will　certainly　treat　you　with　generosity；　and　you　need　have　no　fear　from　Gongsun　Zan。〃

Han　Fu　agreed　and　sent　a　message　to　Yuan　Shao　by　the　hand　of　Guan　Chun。

But　mander　Geng　Wu　remonstrated　with　his　master；　saying；　〃Yuan　Shao　is　a　needy　man　with　a　hungry　army　and　as　dependent　on　us　for　existence　as　an　infant　in　arms　on　its　mother。　Stop　the　flow　of　milk　and　the　infant　dies。　Why　should　you　hand　the　region　over　to　him？　It　is　nothing　less　than　letting　a　tiger　into　the　sheepfold。〃

Han　Fu　replied；　〃I　am　one　of　the　clients　of　the　Yuan　family；　and　I　know　the　abilities　of　Yuan　Shao；　which　is　far　better　than　mine。　Why　are　you　all　so　jealous？　The　ancients　counseled　yielding　to　the　sage。〃

Geng　Wu　sighed；　〃Jizhou　is　lost！〃

When　the　news　got　abroad；　more　than　thirty　officers　of　Jizhou　left　their　employment　and　the　city。　However；　Geng　Wu　and　Guan　Chun　hid　in　the　suburbs　to　await　the　arrival　of　Yuan　Shao。

＇e＇　Each　region　had　a　capital；　which　was　often　of　the　same　name　with　the　region。

They　had　not　long　to　wait。　Some　days　later；　Yuan　Shao　with　his　soldiers　came；　and　Geng　Wu　and　Guan　Chun　tried　to　assassinate　him　with　knives。　This　attempt　failed。　Yuan　Shaos　generals；　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou；　beheaded　Geng　Wu　and　Guan　Chun　instantly。　Thus　both　of　them　died；　and　the　object　of　their　hatred　entered　Jizhou　City*。

Yuan　Shaos　first　act　was　to　confer　on　Han　Fu　a　high　sounding　title………General　Who　Demonstrates　Grand　and　Vigor　Courage　in　Arms………；　but　the　administration　was　entrusted　to　four　of　Yuan　Shaos　confidants………Tian　Feng；　Ju　Shou；　Xu　You；　and　Peng　Ji………who　speedily　deprived　the　Imperial　Protector　of　all　power。　Full　of　chagrin；　Han　Fu　soon　abandoned　all；　even　his　family；　and　rode　alone　to　take　refuge　with　the　Governor　of　Chenliu；　Zhang　Miao。

Hearing　of　Yuan　Shaos　invasion；　Gongsun　Zan　sent　his　brother；　Gongsun　Yue；　to　see　the　usurper　and　demand　his　share　of　the　region。

〃I　want　to　see　your　elder　brother　himself。　He　and　I　have　things　to　discuss；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。

Thus　Gongsun　Yue　was　sent　back。　But　after　traveling　some　fifteen　miles　on　the　homeward　road；　Gongsun　Yue　saw　a　group　of　soldiers　appear。

〃We　are　guards　of　Prime　Minister　Dong　Zhuo！〃　cried　the　soldiers。

Instantly；　Gongsun　Yue　was　killed　by　a　flight　of　arrows。　Those　of　Gongsun　Yues　followers　who　escaped　carried　the　news　to　their　late　masters　brother。

Gongsun　Zan　was　very　angry　and　said；　〃Yuan　Shao　prevailed　on　me　to　attack；　and　now　he　has　taken　possession。　Also　he　pretends　the　murderers　of　my　brother　were　not　his　people。　Shall　I　not　avenge　my　brothers　injury？〃

Gongsun　Zan　brought　up　all　his　force　to　the　attack。　Learning　the　movement；　Yuan　Shao　sent　out　his　army；　and　they　met　at　River　Pan。　They　halted　on　opposite　sides　of　the　river；　over　which　was　a　bridge。

Gongsun　Zan　took　his　station　on　the　bridge　and　cried　to　his　enemy；　〃Renegade；　how　dared　you　mislead　me？〃

Yuan　Shao　rode　to　the　other　end　of　the　bridge　and；　pointing　at　Gongsun　Zan；　replied；　〃Han　Fu　yielded　place　to　me　because　he　was　unequal　to　the　rule。　What　concern　is　it　of　yours？〃

Gongsun　Zan　replied；　〃Formerly　you　were　regarded　as　loyal　and　public　spirited；　and　we　chose　you　chief　of　the　confederacy。　Now　your　deeds　prove　you　cruel　and　base　and　wolf…hearted　in　behavior。　How　can　you　look　the　world　in　the　face？〃

〃Who　will　capture　him？〃　cried　Yuan　Shao　in　a　rage。

At　once　Wen　Chou　rode　out　with　his　spear　set。　Gongsun　Zan　rode　down　the　bridge　to　the　enemys　side；　where　the　two　engaged。　Ten　bouts　showed　Gongsun　Zan　the　terrible　power　of　Wen　Chou；　and　so　he　drew　off。　The　enemy　came　on。　Gongsun　Zan　took　refuge　within　his　formation；　but　Wen　Chou　cut　his　way　in　and　rode　this　way　and　that；　slaying　right　and　left。　The　four　best　of　Gongsun　Zans　generals　offered　joint　battle；　but　one　fell　under　the　first　stroke　of　the　doughty　warrior；　and　the　other　three　fled。　Wen　Chou　followed　clearing　through　to　the　rear　of　the　army。　Gongsun　Zan　made　for　the　mountains。

Wen　Chou　forced　his　horse　to　its　utmost　pace；　crying　hoarsely；　〃Down！　Dismount　and　surrender！〃

Gongsun　Zan　fled　for　life。　His　bow　and　quiver　dropped　from　his　shoulders；　his　helmet　fell　off；　and　his　hair　streamed　straight　behind　him　as　he　rode　in　and　out　between　the　sloping　hills。　Then　his　steed　stumbled　and　he　was　thrown；　rolling　over　and　over　to　the　foot　of　the　slope。

Wen　Chou　was　now　very　near　and　poising　his　spear　for　the　thrust。　Then　suddenly　came　out　from　the　shelter　of　a　grassy　mound　on　the　left　a　general　of　youthful　mien；　but　sitting　his　steed　bravely　and　holding　a　sturdy　spear。　He　rode　directly　at　Wen　Chou；　and　Gongsun　Zan　crawled　up　the　slope　to　look　on。

The　new　warrior　was　of　middle　height　with　bushy　eyebrows　and　large　eyes；　a　broad　face　and　a　heavy　jowl；　a　youth　of　manding　presence。　The　two　exchanged　some　fifty　bouts　and　yet　neither　had　the　advantage。　Then　Gongsun　Zans　rescue　force　came　along；　and　Wen　Chou　turned　and　rode　away。　The　youth　did　not　pursue。

Gongsun　Zan　hurried　down　the　hill　and　asked　the　young　fellow　who　he　was。

He　bowed　low　and　replied；　〃My　name　is　Zhao　Yun　from　Changshan。　I　first　served　Yuan　Shao；　but　when　I　saw　that　he　was　disloyal　to　his　prince　and　careless　of　the　welfare　of　the　people；　I　left　him　and　I　was　on　my　way　to　offer　service　to　you。　This　meeting　in　this　place　is　most　unexpected。〃

Gongsun　Zan　was　very　pleased；　and　the　two　went　together　to　the　camp；　where　they　at　once　busied　themselves　with　preparations　for　a　new　battle。

Next　day　Gongsun　Zan　prepared　for　fight　by　dividing　his　army　into　two　wings。　He　had　five　thousand　cavalry　in　the　center；　all　mounted　on　white　horses。　Gongsun　Zan　had　formerly　seen　service　against　the　northern　frontier　tribes；　the　Qiang　Peoples；　where　he　always　placed　his　white　horses　in　the　van　of　his　army；　and　thus　he　had　won　the　sobriquet　of　General　Who　mands　White　Horses。　The　tribes　held　him　so　much　in　fear　that　they　always　fled　as　soon　as　the　white　horses；　their　sacred　creatures；　appeared。

On　Yuan　Shaos　side　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou　were　Leaders　of　the　Van。　Each　had　one　thousand　of　archers　and　crossbowmen。　They　were　set　out　half　on　either　side；　those　on　the　left　to　shoot　at　Gongsun　Zans　right　and　those　on　the　right　to　shoot　at　his　left。　In　the　center　was　Qu　Yi　with　eight　hundred　bowmen　and　ten　thousand　of　foot　and　horse。　Yuan　Shao　took　mand　of　the　reserve　force　in　the　rear。

In　this　fight　Gongsun　Zan　employed　his　new　adherent　Zhao　Yun　for　the　first　time　and；　as　Gongsun　Zan　did　not　feel　assured　of　Zhao　Yuns　good　faith；　put　him　in　mand　of　a　pany　at　the　rear。　The　Va