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第74部分（第1页）

Just　as　Yuan　Shaos　army　was　starting；　Tian　Feng　sent　out　a　remonstrance　from　his　prison　cell；　saying；　〃My　lord；　a　hasty　attack　in　full　scale　will　bring　disaster　to　our　army。　It　is　best　now　to　wait　upon　such　times　as　Heaven　should　appoint。〃

Peng　Ji　said　to　Yuan　Shao；　〃Why　does　this　Tian　Feng　utter　ill…omened　words？　My　lord　is　sending　forth　an　army　in　the　cause　of　humanity　and　justice。〃

Easily　moved　to　anger；　Yuan　Shao　was　going　to　execute　Tian　Feng；　but　this　time　he　forbore　at　the　entreaties　of　many　of　his　officers。

However；　he　was　not　appeased；　for　he　said；　〃I　will　punish　Tian　Feng　when　I　return　from　conquering　Cao　Cao。〃

Meanwhile　Yuan　Shao　hastened　to　start。　The　banners　of　his　host　filled　the　horizon；　their　swords　were　as　trees　in　the　forest。　They　marched　to　Yangwu　and　there　made　a　strong　camp。

Then　Ju　Shou　once　more　opposed　any　hasty　movement；　saying；　〃Though　our　soldiers　are　many；　they　are　not　so　bold　as　the　enemy。　However；　veterans　as　are　the　enemy；　they　have　not　ample　supplies。　Therefore　they　will　wish　to　force　on　a　speedy　battle；　while　our　policy　is　to　hold　them　off　and　delay。　If　we　can　keep　from　a　decisive　battle　long　enough；　the　victory　will　be　ours　without　fighting。〃

This　advice　did　not　appeal　to　Yuan　Shao。

Said　he；　threateningly；　〃Tian　Feng　spoke　discouraging　words　to　my　armies；　and　I　will　assuredly　put　him　to　death　on　my　return。　How　dare　you　follow　in　the　same　way？〃

Yuan　Shao　summoned　the　lictors　and　sent　away　the　adviser　in　chains；　saying；　〃When　I　have　overe　Cao　Cao；　then　will　I　deal　with　you　and　Tian　Feng　together　〃

The　huge　army　was　camped　in　four　divisions；　one　toward　each　point　of　the　pass。　The　camps　were　thirty　miles　in　circuit。　Scouts　and　spies　were　sent　out　to　discover　the　strong　and　the　weak　points　of　the　enemy。

Cao　Caos　army　arrived　and　were　smitten　with　fear　when　they　heard　of　the　strength　of　their　enemy。　The　leader　called　together　his　council。

Then　said　Adviser　Xun　You；　〃The　enemy　are　many　but　not　terrible。　Ours　is　an　army　of　veterans；　every　soldier　of　ours　worth　ten　of　theirs。　But　our　advantage　lies　in　a　speedy　battle；　for　unhappily　our　stores　are　insufficient　for　a　long　campaign。〃

〃You　speak　to　the　point；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃I　think　the　same。〃

Therefore　Cao　Cao　issued　orders　to　press　noisily　forward　and　force　on　a　battle。　Yuan　Shaos　soldiers　took　up　the　challenge；　and　the　two　sides　were　arrayed。　On　Yuan　Shaos　side；　Shen　Pei　placed　ten　thousand　of　crossbowmen　in　ambush　on　the　two　wings；　while　five　thousand　of　archers　held　the　center。　The　signal　for　general　attack　was　a　bomb；　and　the　onset　was　to　continue　through　three　rolls　of　the　drum。

Yuan　Shao　wore　a　silver　helmet　and　breastplate　and　an　embroidered　robe　held　in　by　a　jeweled　belt。　He　took　up　his　post　in　the　center　with　his　manders………Gao　Lan；　Zhang　He；　Han　Meng；　Chunyu　Qiong；　and　others………ranged　right　and　left。　His　banners　and　ensigns　made　a　brave　show。

When　Cao　Caos　armys　center　opened　and　the　banners　moved　aside；　the　chieftain　appeared　on　horseback　with　his　staff　of　doughty　leaders　all　fully　armed………Xu　Chu；　Zhang　Liao；　Xu　Huang；　Li　Dian；　and　others。

Pointing　with　his　whip　at　Yuan　Shao；　Cao　Cao　cried；　〃In　the　presence　of　the　Emperor；　I　pressed　your　claims　to　consideration　and　obtained　for　you　the　title　of　Regent　Marshal。　Why　do　you　now　plan　rebellion？〃

Yuan　Shao　replied；　〃You　take　the　title　of　a　minister　of　Han；　but　you　are　really　a　rebel　against　the　House。　Your　crimes　and　evil　deeds　reach　to　the　heavens；　and　you　are　worse　than　the　usurper　Wang　Mang　and　the　rebel　Dong　Zhuo。　What　are　these　slanderous　words　about　rebellion　that　dare　you　address　to　me？〃

〃I　have　a　mand　to　make　you　prisoner！〃

〃I　have　the　Girdle　Decree　to　arrest　rebels！〃　replied　Yuan　Shao。

Then　Cao　Cao　became　wrathful　and　bade　Zhang　Liao　ride　forth　as　his　champion。　From　the　other　side　rode　Zhang　He　on　a　curvetting　steed。　The　two　champions　fought　forty　or　fifty　bouts　with　no　advantage　to　either。　In　his　heart　Cao　Cao　thought　the　contest　amazing。　Then　Xu　Chu　whirled　up　his　sword　and　went　to　help。　From　the　other　side；　to　match　him　rode　out　Gao　Lan　with　his　spear　set；　and　the　contestants　were　now　four；　battling　two　and　two。　Then　Cao　Cao　ordered　three　thousand　troops　under　Xiahou　Dun　and　Cao　Hong　to　attack　the　opponents　array。　Thereupon　on　Yuan　Shaos　side；　Shen　Pei　gave　the　signal　for　attack；　and　the　legion　of　crossbowmen　on　the　wings　shot　and　the　center　archers　let　fly　all　together。　The　arrows　flew　all　over　the　field　in　front；　and　Cao　Caos　troops　could　not　advance。　They　hastened　away　toward　the　south。　Yuan　Shao　threw　his　soldiers　on　their　rear；　and　they　were　broken。　They　fled　away　toward　Guandu；　and　Yuan　Shao　advanced　another　stage。　He　camped　near　them。

Then　Shen　Pei　said；　〃Now　send　one　hundred　thousand　soldiers　to　guard　Guandu；　and　get　near　Cao　Caos　camp。　Then　build　up　observation　mounds　to　get　a　clear　view　of　the　enemy；　and　choose　vantage　points　whence　to　shoot　arrows　into　the　midst　of　their　host。　If　we　can　force　him　to　evacuate　this　place；　we　shall　have　gained　a　strategic　point　whence　Capital　Xuchang　can　be　attacked。〃

Yuan　Shao　adopted　this　suggestion。　From　each　of　the　camps；　they　sought　out　the　strongest　veterans　who　dug　with　iron　spades　and　carried　earth　to　raise　mounds　near　Cao　Caos　camp。

Cao　Caos　soldiers　saw　what　their　enemies　were　doing　and　were　anxious　to　make　a　sortie　and　drive　them　off。　But　the　archers　and　crossbowmen　came　out　manding　the　narrow　throat　through　which　it　was　necessary　to　attack　and　stayed　them。　At　the　end　of　ten　days；　they　had　build　up　more　than　half　a　hundred　mounds；　and　on　the　summit　of　each　was　a　lofty　tower；　whence　the　archers　could　mand　their　opponents　camp。　Cao　Caos　soldiers　were　greatly　frightened　and　held　up　their　bucklers　to　keep　off　the　various　missiles。　From　the　mounds　the　arrows　flew　down　like　a　fierce　rain　after　each　roll　of　drums。　The　soldiers　of　Yuan　Shaos　army　laughed　and　jeered　when　they　saw　their　enemies　crouching　under　their　shields　and　crawling　on　the　ground　to　avoid　their　missiles。

Cao　Cao　saw　that　his　troops　were　getting　out　of　hand　under　this　attack；　so　he　called　a　council。