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第183部分（第1页）

covered　their　eyes　and　turned　pale。　But　Guan　Yu　went　on　with　his　game；　only　drinking　a　cup　of　wine　now　and　again；　and　his　face　betrayed　no　sign　of　pain。

When　the　wound　had　been　cleansed；　sewn　up　and　dressed；　the　patient　stood　up　smiling　and　said；　〃This　arm　is　now　as　good　as　it　ever　was。　There　is　no　pain。　Indeed；　Master；　you　are　a　marvel。〃

〃I　have　spent　my　life　in　the　art；〃　said　Hua　Tuo；　〃but　I　have　never　seen　such　a　patient　as　you；　Sir。　You　are　as　if　not　from　the　earth　but　heaven。〃

Here　as　surgeons；　there　physicians；　all　boast　their　skill；

Bitter　few　are　those　that　cure　one　when　ones　really　ill。

As　for　superhuman　valor　rivals　Guan　Yu　had　none；

So　for　holy　touch　in　healing　Hua　Tuo　stood　alone。

When　the　cure　was　well　advanced；　Guan　Yu　gave　a　fine　banquet　in　honor　of　Hua　Tuo　and　offered　him　a　fee　of　a　hundred　ounces　of　gold。

But　Hua　Tuo　declined　it；　saying；　〃I　had　e　to　treat　you；　O　General；　from　admiration　of　your　great　virtue　and　not　for　money。　Although　your　wound　is　cured；　you　must　be　careful　of　your　health；　and　especially　avoid　all　excitement　for　a　hundred　days；　when　you　will　be　as　well　as　ever　you　were。〃

Then　Hua　Tuo；　having　prepared　dressings　for　the　wound；　took　his　leave；　refusing　fees　to　the　very　last。

Having　captured　Yu　Jin　and　acplished　the　death　of　Pang　De；　Guan　Yu　became　more　famous　and　more　fear…inspiring　through　the　empire　than　even　before。　Cao　Cao　called　together　his　advisers　to　help　him　decide　upon　what　he　should　do。

Said　Cao　Cao；　〃I　must　acknowledge　this　Guan　Yu　as　the　one　man　who；　in　skill　and　valor；　overtops　the　whole　world。　Lately　he　has　obtained　possession　of　Jingzhou　and　the　territory　near　it；　and　has　so　bee　very　terrible。　He　is　a　tiger　with　wings　added。　Pang　De　is　no　more；　Yu　Jin　is　his　prisoner；　the　armies　of　Wei　have　lost　their　morale；　and　if　he　led　his　armies　to　Xuchang；　we　should　be　helpless。　I　can　only　think　of　avoiding　the　peril　by　removal　of　the　capital。　What　think　you？〃

〃No；　do　not　take　that　step；〃　said　Sima　Yi；　rising　to　reply。　〃Yu　Jin　and　all　the　others　you　lost　were　victims　of　the　flood　and　slain　in　battle。　These　losses　do　no　harm　at　all　to　your　great　plan。　The　Suns　and　Lius　are　no　longer　friends　since　Guan　Yu　has　acplished　his　desire。　You　may　send　a　messenger　into　Wu　to　foment　the　quarrel　and　cause　Sun　Quan　to　send　his　armies　to　attack　the　army　of　Guan　Yu　from　the　rear；　promising　that；　when　things　are　tranquil；　you　will　reward　the　south　to　Sun　Quan。　In　this　way　you　will　relieve　Fancheng。〃

Here　Minister　Jiang　Ji　said；　〃Sima　Yi　speaks　well；　and　the　messenger　should　lose　no　time。　Do　not　move　the　capital　and　disturb　the　people。〃

Cao　Cao　therefore　did　not　carry　out　his　first　proposal。

But　he　was　sad　at　the　loss　of　Yu　Jin；　and　spoke　of　him　affectionately；　〃Yu　Jin　had　followed　me　faithfully　for　thirty　years；　yet　in　that　moment　of　truth　he　was　less　than　Pang　De。〃

It　was　necessary　to　send　someone　with　the　letters　to　Wu　and　also　to　find　another　leader　willing　to　face　Guan　Yu。　Cao　Cao　had　not　long　to　wait　for　the　latter；　as　an　officer　stepped　out　from　the　ranks　of　those　in　waiting　and　offered　himself。　It　was　Xu　Huang。

Xu　Huangs　offer　was　accepted；　and　he　was　given　fifty　thousand　of　veterans。　Lu　Qian　was　sent　as　his　second；　and　the　army　marched　to　Yangling　Slope；　where　they　halted　to　see　if　any　support　was　ing　from　the　southeast。

Sun　Quan　fell　in　with　the　scheme　of　Cao　Cao　as　soon　as　he　had　read　Cao　Caos　letter。　He　at　once　prepared　a　reply　for　the　messenger　to　take　back；　and　then　gathered　his　officers；　civil　and　military；　to　consult。　Zhang　Zhao　was　the　first　speaker。

〃We　know　Guan　Yu　has　captured　one　leader　and　slain　another。　This　has　added　greatly　to　his　fame　and　reputation。　Cao　Cao　was　going　to　move　the　capital　rather　than　risk　an　attack。　We　also　know　that　Fancheng　is　in　imminent　danger。　Cao　Cao　has　asked　for　our　help；　but　when　he　has　gained　his　end；　I　doubt　whether　he　will　hold　to　his　promise。〃

Before　Sun　Quan　had　replied　they　announced　the　arrival　of　Lu　Meng；　who　had　e　in　a　small　ship　from　Lukou　with　a　special　message。　He　was　at　once　called　in　and　asked　what　it　was。

Said　Lu　Meng；　〃The　armies　of　Guan　Yu　being　absent　at　Fancheng；　the　opportunity　should　be　taken　to　attack　Jingzhou。〃

〃But　I　wish　to　attack　Xuzhou　in　the　north。　What　of　this　plan？〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃It　would　be　better　to　attack　Jingzhou；　and　so　get　control　of　the　Great　River。　Cao　Cao　is　far　away　to　the　north　and　too　occupied　to　regard　the　east。　Xuzhou　is　weakly　held　and　could　be　taken　easily；　but　the　lie　of　the　land　favors　the　use　of　an　army　rather　than　a　navy　force。　If　you　capture　it；　it　will　not　be　easy　to　hold。　But　once　you　hold　Jingzhou；　you　can　evolve　other　schemes。〃

〃Really；　my　desire　was　to　attack　Jingzhou；　but　I　wished　to　hear　what　you　would　say　to　the　other　plan。　Now；　Sir；　make　me　a　plan　speedily；　and　I　will　act　upon　it。〃

So　Lu　Meng　took　his　leave　and　went　back　to　Lukou。　But　soon　they　heard　that　Guan　Yu　had　had　beacon　towers　erected　at　short　distances　all　along　the　Great　River；　and　that　the　army　of　Jingzhou　was　being　put　into　most　efficient　condition。

〃If　this　is　so；　it　is　hard　to　make　a　plan　that　will　ensure　success；〃　said　Lu　Meng。　〃I　have　already　advised　my　master　to　attack　Jingzhou；　but　I　am　unable　to　meet　this　plication。〃

Therefore　he　made　illness　an　excuse　to　stay　at　home；　and　sent　to　inform　Sun　Quan；　who　was　very　distressed　at　the　news。

Then　said　Lu　Xun；　〃The　illness　is　feigned。　He　is　quite　well。〃

〃If　you　know　that　so　well；　go　and　see；〃　said　Sun　Quan。

Away　went　Lu　Xun　and　speedily　arrived　at　Lukou；　where　he　saw　Lu　Meng；　who　indeed　appeared　to　be　in　perfect　health。　Nor　did　his　face　bear　any　signs　of　recent　illness。