Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/353

 Here they lost heart and bolted for an old camp of their own that was near, and bade their men prepare a meal. But just as the food was ready to eat down came Chang Liao and Chang Ho and burst into the camp.

Yüan Shao mounted and fled as far as Ts‘angt‘ing, when he was tired and his steed spent. But there was no rest, for Tsʻao came in close pursuit. It seemed now a race for life. But presently Shao found his onward course again blocked and he groaned aloud.

“If we do not make most desperate efforts we are all captives,” said he, and they plunged forward. His second son and his nephew were wounded by arrows and most of his men were dead or had disappeared. He gathered his sons into his arms and wept bitterly. Then he fell into a swoon. He was picked up, but his mouth was full of blood which ran forth in a bright scarlet stream. He sighed saying, “Many battles have I fought and little did I think to be driven to this. Heaven is afflicting me. You had better return each to his own and swear to fight this Tsʻao to the end.”

Then he bade Hsin P‘ing and Kuo T‘u as quickly as possible follow Yüan T‘an to his district and prepare to give battle to the enemy lest he should invade. Yüan Hsi was told to go to Yuchou and Kao Kan to Pingchou.

So each started to prepare men and horses for repulsing Tsʻao Ts‘ao. Yuan Shao with his youngest son and the remnant of his officers went away to Ch‘ichou and military operations were suspended for a time.

Meanwhile Ts‘ao Ts‘ao was distributing rewards to his army for the late victory and his men were scouting all about Ch‘ichou. He soon learned that Yüan Shao was ill and that his youngest son and Shên P‘ei were in command of the city, while his brothers and cousin had returned each to his own. Ts‘ao’s advisers were in favour of a speedy attack. But he objected, saying “Ch‘ichou is large and well supplied; Shên P‘ei is an able strategist and it behovesbehooves [sic] me to be careful. I would rather wait till the autumn when the crops have been gathered in so that the people will not suffer.”

While the attack was being talked over there came letters from Hsün Yu saying that Liu Pei was strengthening himself at Junan and, when he had heard that Ts‘ao was going to attack Ch‘ichou, he had said he would take the opportunity to march on the capital. Wherefore the Minister would do well to hasten homeward to defend it. This news disconcerted Ts‘ao Ts‘ao. He left Ts‘ao Hung in command on the river bank, with orders to maintain the appearance of strength there, while he led the main part of his army to meet the threatened attack from Junan.

It has to be said now that Liu Pei, his brothers and supporters, having gone forth with the intention of attacking the