第66部分(第1/7 頁)

ion　that　made　Yangjue　Ai　and　Zuo　Botao　die　rather　than　separate。　I　was　in　charge　of　Xiapi；　but　the　place　lacked　provision　and　there　was　no　help。　I　would　have　fought　to　the　death；　but　there　was　on　my　shoulders　the　responsibility　for　my　sisters…in…law。　Wherefore　I　had　to　take　care　of　my　body　lest　I　betrayed　your　trust。　And　so　I　made　a　prisoner　of　myself；　hoping　to　find　a　way　of　release。　I　heard　of　you　lately　in　Runan。　I　must；　however；　bid　farewell　to　Cao　Cao　and　bring　the　ladies　with　me　when　I　e。　May　I　perish；　victim　to　the　superhuman　powers；　if　I　have　harbored　any　traitorous　thought。　Ink　and　paper　are　poor　substitutes　for　what　I　would　say；　but　I　look　to　see　you　soon。〃

Chen　Zhen　left　with　this　missive；　and　Guan　Yu　went　to　tell　the　women。　Then　he　proceeded　to　the　Prime　Minister's　palace　to　say　farewell。　But　Cao　Cao　knew　what　he　was　ing　for；　and　at　the　gate　Guan　Yu　found　the　board　intimating　that　no　one　could　be　received。　So　he　had　to　return。　However；　he　bade　his　own　few　soldiers　prepare　to　start　at　any　moment。　He　also　gave　orders　that　everything　received　from　Cao　Cao　was　to　be　left　in　the　quarters。　Nothing　was　to　be　taken。

Next　day　he　again　proceeded　to　the　palace　to　say　farewell　to　his　patron；　but　again　found　the　board　hanging　there　to　show　there　was　no　admission。　So　it　was　several　times；　he　could　never　enter。　Then　he　went　to　see　Zhang　Liao；　but　Zhang　Liao　was　indisposed。

〃This　means　Cao　Cao　will　not　let　me　go；〃　thought　Guan　Yu。　〃But　I　am　going；　and　I　shall　hesitate　no　longer。〃

So　he　wrote　this　letter：

〃As　a　young　man　I　entered　the　service　of　the　Imperial　Uncle；　and　pledged　myself　to　share　his　fortunes。　Heaven　and　Earth　witnessed　this　oath。　When　I　lost　the　city；　I　made　three　requests　which　you　granted。　Now　I　hear　my　brother　is　with　Y