子浪小说

第54部分（第3页）

Chen　Deng　said；　〃That　is　easy。　Liu　Bei　is　outside　the　city；　and　an　ambush　in　the　city　gate　to　attack　him　on　his　return　from　the　country　will　be　final。　I　will　attack　the　escort　with　arrows　from　the　city　walls。〃

Che　Zhou　agreed　to　try　this。

Then　Chen　Deng　went　to　his　father　to　tell　him。　Chen　Gui　bade　him　go　and　warn　the　intended　victim。　Chen　Deng　at　once　rode　away　to　do　so。　Before　long　he　met　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei；　to　whom　he　told　his　story。

Now　Liu　Bei　was　following　some　distance　behind。　As　soon　as　Zhang　Fei　heard　of　the　plot；　he　wanted　to　attack　the　ambush；　but　Guan　Yu　proposed　another　plan。

Said　he；　〃Attacking　the　ambush　will　be　a　failure；　since　we　are　without　the　walls。　And　I　think　we　can　pass　the　death　of　Che　Zhou。　In　the　night　we　will　pretend　to　be　some　of　Cao　Caos　soldiers　and　entice　him　out　to　meet　us。　We　will　slay　him。〃

Zhang　Fei　approved　of　the　plan。　Now　the　soldiers　still　had　some　of　Cao　Caos　army　banners　and　wore　similar　armor。　About　the　third　watch　they　came　to　the　city　wall　and　hailed　the　gate。　Those　on　guard　asked　who　they　were。　The　men　replied　that　they　were　Zhang　Liaos　troops　sent　from　the　capital。　This　was　told　Che　Zhou　who　sent　hastily　for　Chen　Deng　to　ask　his　advice。

〃If　I　do　not　receive　them；　they　will　suspect　my　loyalty；〃　said　Che　Zhou。　〃Yet　if　I　go　out；　I　may　be　victim　of　a　ruse。〃

So　he　went　up　on　the　wall　and　said；　〃It　is　too　dark　to　distinguish　friends　from　foes。　You　must　wait　till　daylight。〃

〃If　Liu　Bei　know　our　presence；　he　will　attack；〃　shouted　back　the　soldiers。

And　they　begged　him　to　let　them　in。　Still　Che　Zhou　hesitated。　They　shouted　louder　than　ever　to　open　the　gate。

Presently　Che　Zhou　girded　on　his　armor；　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　one　thousand　cavalry　and　went　out。　He　galloped　over　the　bridge；　shouting；　〃Where　is　Zhang　Liao？〃

Then　lights　blazed　around；　and　he　recognized　Guan　Yu　with　his　sword　drawn。

〃Wretch！〃　cried　Guan　Yu。　〃You　would　plot　to　slay　my　brother；　would　you？〃

Che　Zhou　was　too　frightened　to　make　good　defense；　and　he　turned　to　reenter　the　gate。　But　as　he　reached　the　drawbridge；　Chen　Deng　shot　out　flights　of　arrows；　wherefore　Che　Zhou　turned　aside　and　galloped　along　under　the　wall。　But　Guan　Yu　came　quickly　in　pursuit。　His　sword　was　raised　aloft；　and　as　it　came　down；　Che　Zhou　fell　to　the　earth。

Guan　Yu　cut　off　his　head　and　returned；　shouting；　〃I　have　slain　the　traitor。　You　others　need　not　fear　if　you　only　surrender！〃

They　threw　aside　their　spears　and　gave　in。　As　soon　as　the　excitement　had　calmed；　Guan　Yu　took　the　head　to　show　Liu　Bei　and　told　him　the　story　of　the　plot。

〃But　what　will　Cao　Cao　think　of　this？〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃And　he　may　e。〃

〃If　he　does；　we　can　meet　him；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

But　Liu　Bei　was　grieved　beyond　measure。　When　he　entered　the　city；　the　elders　of　the　people　knelt　in　the　road　to　wele　him。　When　he　reached　his　residence；　he　found　that　Zhang　Fei　had　already　exterminated　the　family　of　Che　Zhou。

Liu　Bei　said；　〃We　have　slain　one　of　Cao　Caos　best　officers；　and　how　will　he　stand　that？〃

〃Never　mind！〃　cried　Chen　Deng。　〃I　have　a　plan。〃

Just　from　grave　danger　extricated；

A　looming　war　must　be　placated。

The　plan　proposed　by　Chen　Deng　will　be　disclosed　next。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　22　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　22

Chapter　22

Yuan　Shao　And　Cao　Cao　Both　Take　T

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