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a　hundred　bouts。　Then　Gao　Shun　began　to　weaken　and　had　to　turn　back。　He　rode　round　to　the　rear　of　his　array。　Xiahou　Dun　was　not　the　man　to　quail；　so　he　followed　right　into　the　enemys　country。　Then　Cao　Xing；　one　of　Lu　Bus　generals；　secretly　strung　his　bow；　fitted　an　arrow　and；　when　Xiahou　Dun　had　e　quite　near；　shot　at　him。　The　arrow　hit　Xiahou　Dun　full　in　the　left　eye。　He　shrieked；　and　putting　up　his　head；　pulled　out　the　arrow　and　with　it　the　eye。

〃Essence　of　my　father；　blood　of　my　mother；　I　cannot　throw　this　away！〃　cried　Xiahou　Dun；　and　he　put　the　eye　into　his　mouth　and　swallowed　it。

Then　resuming　his　firm　grip　of　his　spear；　Xiahou　Dun　went　after　this　new　enemy。　There　was　no　escape　for　Cao　Xing。　He　was　overtaken　and　fell　with　a　fatal　spear　wound　full　in　the　face。　Both　sides　were　stricken　dumb　with　amazement。

Having　thus　slain　the　man　who　had　wounded　him；　Xiahou　Dun　rode　back　toward　his　own　side。　Gao　Shun　went　in　pursuit　and；　waving　on　his　army；　attacked　so　vigorously　that　he　won　the　day。　Xiahou　Yuan　defended　for　his　elder　brother　as　they　fled。　Lu　Qian　and　Li　Dian　led　various　divisions　back　to　Jibei　and　made　a　camp。

Gao　Shun；　having　scored　this　victory；　returned　to　attack　Liu　Bei；　and　as　Lu　Bu　opportunely　arrived　with　Zhang　Liao；　these　three　arranged　their　forces　so　that　each　attacked　one　of　the　brothers。

Dauntless　was　Xiahou　Dun；　that　warrior　bold；

His　courage　had　been　proved　of　old；

But　smitten　sore　one　hapless　day；

He　might　not　in　the　battle　stay。

The　fate　of　Liu　Bei　will　be　told　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　19　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　19

Chapter　19

Cao　Cao　Fights　In　Xiapi；

Lu　Bu　Perishes　At　The　White　Gate　Tower。

As　was　stated　before；　Gao　Shun　and　Zhang　Liao　together　went　to　smite　Guan　Yu；　while　Lu　Bu　attacked　Zhang　Fei。　Both　brothers　went　out　to　give　battle；　while　Liu　Bei　force　was　held　in　reserve。　But　then　Lu　Bu　suddenly　attacked　both　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　from　the　rear；　and　the　brothers　were　forced　to　flee。　Liu　Bei　with　a　few　score　of　horsemen　rushed　back　to　Xiaopei。　As　he　approached　the　gate　with　Lu　Bu　pressing　him　close；　he　shouted　to　the　soldiers　on　the　wall　to　lower　the　drawbridge。　Lu　Bu　was　so　close　behind　that　the　archers　on　the　wall　feared　to　shoot　lest　they　should　wound　their　lord；　and　so　Lu　Bu　got　into　the　gate。　The　gate　guards　could　not　force　him　back　so　they　scattered　in　all　directions。　Lu　Bu　led　his　force　into　the　city。

Liu　Bei　saw　the　position　was　too　desperate　for　him　to　reach　his　residence；　and　he　must　abandon　all　his　family。　So　he　hastened　through　the　city　and　left　by　the　west　gate　out　at　which　he　and　his　scanty　following　fled　for　very　life。

When　Lu　Bu　reached　the　residence；　he　was　met　by　Mi　Zhu　who　said；　〃The　hero　does　not　destroy　a　persons　family。　Your　rival　for　the　empire　is　Cao　Cao；　and　my　master；　always　mindful　of　the　good　turn　you　did　him　at　the　Archery　Feast；　would　not　be　ungrateful。　But　he　could　not　help　going　to　Cao　Cao；　and　I　think　you　will　pity　him。〃

Lu　Bu　replied；　〃We　two　are　old　friends。　How　could　I　bear　to　harm　his　wives　and　children？〃

Whereupon　he　sent　the　family　to　Xuzhou　with　Mi　Zhu　to　take　care　of　them。　Next　Lu　Bu　led　his　army　into　Huashang　Mountains　to　Yanzhou；　leaving　Gao　Shun　and　Zhang　Liao　to　guard　Xiaopei。

During　these　troubles　Sun　Qian　had　also　fled　out　of　the　city。　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei；　each　with　a　handful　of　soldiers；　had　got　away　to　the　hills。　As　Liu　Bei　with　his　few　horsemen　was　making　the　best　of　their　way　from　the　scene　of　his　defeat；　he　heard　someone　ing　up　behind　him。　When　he　got　closer　the　person　proved　to　be　Sun　Qian。

〃Alas！　I　know　not　the　fate　of　my　brothers；　whether　they　be　alive　or　dead；　and　my　wife　and　children　are　lost　to　me！　What　can　I　do？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Sun　Qian　replied；　〃I　see　nothing　better　than　getting　away　to　Cao　Cao；　whence　we　may　be　able　to　plan　our　future　moves。〃

Liu　Bei　had　no　better　plan　to　propose；　and　the　two　men　directed　their　way　to　Xuchang；　choosing　by…roads　rather　than　highways。　When　their　small　supplies　ran　out；　they　entered　a　village　to　beg。　But　when　the　people　of　any　place　heard　that　Liu　Bei　of　Yuzhou　was　the　man　who　needed　help；　they　vied　with　each　other　in　offering　all　that　was　required。

One　day　they　sought　shelter　at　a　house　whence　a　youth　came　out　and　made　a　low　obeisance。　They　asked　his　name　and　he　gave　it　as　Liu　An；　of　a　well　known　family　of　hunters。　Hearing　who　the　visitor　was；　the　hunter　wished　to　lay　before　him　a　dish　of　game；　but　though　he　sought　for　a　long　time；　nothing　could　be　found　for　the　table。　So　Liu　An　came　home；　killed　his　wife　and　prepared　a　portion　for　his　guest。

While　eating　Liu　Bei　asked；　〃What　flesh　is　it？〃

Liu　An　told　him：　〃Wolf。〃

Liu　Bei　knew　no　better　and　ate　his　fill。　Next　day　at　daylight；　just　as　Liu　Bei　was　leaving；　he　went　to　the　stables　in　the　rear　to　get　his　horse　and　passing　through　the　kitchen；　he　saw　the　dead　body　of　a　woman　lying　on　the　table。　The　flesh　of　one　arm　had　been　cut　away。　Quite　startled　he　asked　what　this　meant；　and　then　he　knew　what　he　had　eaten　the　night　before。　He　was　deeply　sorry　at　this　proof　of　his　hosts　regard　and　the　tears　rained　down　as　he　mounted　his　steed　at　the　gate。

〃I　wish　I　could　go　with　you；〃　said　Liu　An；　〃but　as　my　mother　still　lives；　I　cannot　go　so　far　from　home。〃

Liu　Bei　thanked　him　and　went　his　way。　The　party　took　the　road　by　Liangcheng；　and　as　they　were　going　out；　they　saw　not　far　off　a　thick　cloud　of　dust。　When　the　troop　came　nearer；　they　found　the　troops　were　of　Cao　Caos　army；　and　with　them　they　traveled　to　the　main　camp　where　they　found　Cao　Cao　himself。　Cao　Cao　shed　tears　at　the　sad　story　of　Liu　Beis　distress；　the　loss　of　the　city；　his　brothers　and　wives　and　children。　When　Liu　Bei　told　him　of　the　hunter　who　had　sacrificed　his　wife　to　feed　them；　Cao　Cao　sent　the　hunter　a　present　of　a　hundred　ounces　of　silver　as　a　reward。

The　march　then　was　continued　to　Jibei；　where　Xiahou　Yuan　weled　them。　They　heard　that　his　brother　Xiahou　Dun　was　still　ill　from　the　wound　he　had　received　in　the　eye。　Cao　Cao　went　to　the　sick　mans　bedside　to　see　him　and　had　him　removed　to　Xuchang　for　skilled　treatment。

Presently　scouts；　sent　out　particularly　for　tidings　of　Lu　Bu；　returned；　saying；　〃Lu　Bu　has　allied　himself　with　the　bandits　in　the　east；　and　they　are　attacking　Yanzhou。〃

At　this　Cao　Cao　dispatched　Cao　Ren　with　three　thousand　soldiers　to　take　Xiaopei；　while　he；　in　conjunction　with　Liu　Bei；　moved　against　Lu　Bu。

They　went　east。　As　they　reached　the　Mangdang　Hills　near　Xiao　Pass；　they　met　the　a　band　of　thirty　thousand　Taishan　Mountains　brigands　barring　their　road。　The　chieftains　of　the　bandits　were　Sun　Guan；　Wu　Dun；　Yin　Li；　and　Chang　Xi　who　rode　out　with　their　spears　set。　However；　Xu　Chu　plunged　into　the　battle　and　easily　beat　them　back　and　chased　them　right　up　to　the　pass。