Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/325

 of Chou Ts‘ang. There was every occasion for feasting and gratification.

At this time the forces under the command of the three brothers and their adherents numbered four or five thousand men. Yüan-tê was in favour of leaving Kuch‘êng and occupying Junan and just then Liu P‘ei and Kung Tu, commanders of that city, send to invite him to go there. So they went. There they devoted all their efforts to strengthen their army, both horse and foot, but nothing will be said of the recruiting, purchase of horses and such matters.

However it must be noted that Yüan Shao was much annoyed when Yüan-tê did not return and at first was for sending a force after him. However Kuo T‘u dissuaded him.

“Liu P‘ei need cause you no anxiety; Ts‘ao Ts‘ao is your one enemy and must be destroyed. Even Liu Piao, though strongly posted on the river, is none too terrible. There is Sun Po-fu on the east of the river, strong, feared, with wide territory, a large army and able counsellors and leaders; you should make an alliance there against Ts‘ao Ts‘ao.”

He won his chief to his view and wrote to Sun, sending the letter by Ch‘ên Chên.

Future chapters will reveal the outcome of these dispositions.