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第67部分（第2页）

Then　Guan　Yu　began　to　be　angry；　saying；　〃I　have　killed　Kong　Xiu　at　Dongling　Pass。　Do　you　also　seek　death？〃

〃Who　will　capture　him　for　me？〃　cried　Han　Qu；　and　Meng　Tan　offered　himself。　He　rode　out；　whirling　his　double　swords；　and　made　straight　for　Guan　Yu。

Guan　Yu　sent　back　the　carriage　out　of　danger　and　then　rode　toward　Meng　Tan。　They　engaged；　but　very　soon　Meng　Tan　turned　his　steed　and　fled。　Guan　Yu　pursued。　Meng　Tan；　intent　only　on　leading　his　enemy　toward　the　ambush；　took　no　account　of　the　speed　of　Red　Hare。　Very　soon　Meng　Tan　was　caught　up；　and　a　stroke　of　the　mighty　sword　cut　him　in　two　pieces。　Then　Guan　Yu　stopped　and　turned　back。　The　archers　in　the　gate　shot　their　hardest；　and　though　it　was　a　long　way　off；　one　of　them　lodged　an　arrow　in　his　left　arm。　He　pulled　it　out　with　his　teeth；　but　the　blood　streamed　down　as　he　rode　toward　Governor　Han　Qu。　The　men　scattered。　Guan　Yu　rode　straight　at　his　next　victim。　He　raised　his　sword　and　made　an　oblique　cut　which　sliced　off　the　head　and　shoulder　of　Han　Qu。

Then　Guan　Yu　drove　off　the　soldiers　and　returned　to　escort　the　carriage。　He　bound　up　his　wound；　and；　fearing　lest　anyone　might　take　advantage　of　his　weakness；　he　made　no　long　halts　on　the　road　but　hurried　toward　River　Si　Pass。

The　warden　of　this　pass　was　Bian　Xi　of　Bingzhou；　a　warrior　whose　weapon　was　a　et…hammer。　He　had　been　a　Yellow　Scarf　and　had　gone　over　to　Cao　Cao；　who　had　given　him　this　post。　As　soon　as　he　heard　of　the　ing　of　the　redoubtable　Guan　Yu；　he　cudgeled　his　brains　for　a　ruse　to　use　against　him。　He　decided　upon　an　ambush。　In　the　State　Guardian　Temple　at　the　pass　he　placed　two　hundred　ax…men　and　swordsmen。　He　reckoned　on　enticing　Guan　Yu　to　the　temple　for　refreshment；　and　when　he　let　fall　a　cup　as　signal；　the　hidden　ruffians　would　rush　out。

All　being　thus　arranged　and　ready；　he　went　out　to　wele　Guan　Yu　in　friendly　guise；　and　Guan　Yu　dismounted　at　his　ing。　Bian　Xi　began　very　amiably。

〃Your　name；　General；　makes　the　very　earth　tremble；　and　everyone　looks　up　to　you。　This　return　to　the　Imperial　Uncle　proves　you　to　be　noble　and　true。〃

Guan　Yu　in　reply　told　him　the　story　of　the　men　he　had　slain　in　the　last　two　passes。

Bian　Xi　replied；　〃You　slew　them；　that　is　well。　When　I　see　the　Prime　Minister；　I　will　explain　to　him　the　inner　reasons　for　these　acts。〃

Guan　Yu　thought　he　had　found　a　friend　and　so　mounted　and　rode　through　the　pass。　When　he　came　to　the　temple；　a　number　of　priests　came　out　to　meet　him　with　clanging　bells。

This　temple；　named　State　Guardian　Temple；　had　a　courtyard　in　which　the　Emperor　Ming　had　burned　incense　in　the　past。　In　the　temple　were　thirty　priests；　and　among　these　there　happened　to　be　one　Pu　Jing　who　came　from　the　same　village　as　Guan　Yu。　His　religious　name　was　Transverse　Peace。　Hearing　who　the　visitor　was；　Transverse　Peace　came　forward　to　speak　with　him。

〃General；〃　said　Transverse　Peace；　〃it　is　many　a　long　year　since　you　left　Pudong。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Guan　Yu；　〃nearly　twenty　years。〃

〃Do　you　recognize　this　poor　priest？〃

〃I　left　the　village　many　years　ago；　I　do　not　recognize　you。〃

〃My　house　and　yours　were　only　separated　by　a　rivulet；〃　said　the　priest。

Now　Bian　Xi；　seeing　Transverse　Peace　holding　forth　about　village　matters；　thought　Transverse　Peace　would　blab　about　the　ambush；　so　Bian　Xi　bade　him　be　silent。

〃I　want　to　invite　the　General　to　a　feast。　You　priest　fellows　seem　to　have　a　lot　to　say；〃　said　Bian　Xi。

〃Not　too　much；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃Naturally　when　fellow　villagers　meet；　they　talk　of　old　times。〃

Bian　Xi　invited　the　visitor　into　the　guest　room　to　take　tea；　but　Guan　Yu　said；　〃The　two　ladies　are　out　there　in　the　carriage。　They　ought　to　have　some　first。〃

So　the　priest　bade　them　take　some　tea　to　the　ladies；　and　then　he　led　Guan　Yu　within；　at　the　same　time　lifting　the　priest　knife　which　he　wore　at　his　side　and　looking　meaningfully　at　Guan　Yu。　The　latter　understood　and　told　his　people　to　bring　along　his　weapon　and　keep　close　at　his　side。

When　Bian　Xi　invited　Guan　Yu　to　go　into　the　Hall　of　the　Laws　for　some　refreshment；　Guan　Yu　turned　to　him；　saying；　〃Is　this　invitation　with　good　intention　or　evil？〃

Bian　Xi　was　so　taken　aback　that　he　could　make　no　reply；　and　then　Guan　Yu　saw　that　many　armed　men　were　concealed　behind　the　arras。

Then　Guan　Yu　shouted　loudly　at　Bian　Xi；　saying；　〃What　means　this？　I　thought　you　an　honorable　man。　How　dare　you？〃

The　traitor　saw　that　his　plot　had　failed　and　called　to　the　assassins　to　e　out　and　fall　to；　but　Guan　Yu　had　a　short　sword　in　his　hand　and　slashed　at　anyone　who　came　near。　So　they　scattered。　Their　mander　ran　down　the　hall　and　tried　to　escape　among　the　side　buildings；　but　Guan　Yu　threw　aside　the　short　sword；　took　up　the　green…dragon　saber　and　went　after　Bian　Xi。　The　latter　was　trying　to　get　into　position　to　throw　his　et…hammer；　but　Guan　Yu　cut　the　cord　and　the　weapon　was　useless。　Guan　Yu　followed　Bian　Xi　in　and　out　and　soon　caught　up　with　him。　Then　with　one　blow　Guan　Yu　cut　him　in　halves。

The　fight　over；　Guan　Yu　sought　the　two　ladies；　who　were　surrounded　by　soldiers。　These　fled　at　sight　of　the　terrible　warrior。　Seeking　out　the　priest；　his　fellow　countryman；　he　thanked　him　for　the　timely　warning　which　had　saved　him　from　death。

〃I　cannot　remain　here　after　this；〃　said　Transverse　Peace。　〃I　shall　pack　up　my　few　garments　and　my　alms　bowl　and　take　to　the　road；　vague　in　my　wanderings　as　the　clouds　in　the　sky。　But　we　shall　meet　again　and　till　then　take　care　of　yourself。〃

Then　Guan　Yu　took　leave　and　retook　the　road　to　Yingyang。　The　Governor　of　this　city　was　named　Wang　Zhi；　and　he　was　related　to　Han　Qu　by　their　childrens　marriage。　Hearing　of　the　death　of　his　relative；　Wang　Zhi　set　about　a　scheme　to　kill　Guan　Yu　secretly。　He　sent　soldiers　to　guard　the　city　gates　and；　when　he　heard　that　Guan　Yu　approached；　he　went　himself　and　received　Guan　Yu　with　a　smiling　countenance　and　bade　Guan　Yu　wele。　Guan　Yu　told　him　the　object　of　his　journey。

〃You；　General；　have　been　able　to　get　some　exercise　on　the　road；　but　the　ladies　in　their　carriage　must　be　cramped　and　fatigued。　I　pray　you　e　into　the　city；　and　all　of　you　remain　the　night　in　the　official　travelers　quarters。　Tomorrow　you　can　set　forth　again。〃

The　offer　was　tempting；　and　his　host　seemed　in　earnest；　so　the　two　ladies　went　into　the　city；　where　they　found　everything　very　fortably　prepared　for　them。　And；　though　Guan　Yu　declined　the　Governors　invitations　to　a　banquet；　refreshments　for　the　travelers　were　sent　to　their　lodgings。　Guan　Yu　was　fa