The day after Yan Liang’s (顏良) neck fell upon the hill of Baima (白馬), Wen Chou’s (文醜) fifty thousand cavalry stood before the plain of Yanjin (延津).

Wen Chou was the general called, alongside Yan Liang, one of the two heroes (豪傑) of Yuan Shao (袁紹). On receiving the news of Yan Liang’s death, he led fifty thousand cavalry in great fury, straight into the plain of Yanjin south of the Yellow River.

Cao Cao (曹操) spoke low in his seat. “Wen Chou’s temper runs deeper now. Today calls for a move of lure (誘引).” Xun You (荀攸) answered, just as low. “My Lord. Scatter baggage carts (輜重), horses, and gold (金) before the plain. Wen Chou will catch upon the scattering.”

Cao Cao nodded deeply. Baggage carts, horses, and gold were scattered before the plain of Yanjin. Wen Chou’s fifty thousand cavalry caught upon the scattering, and their formation (陣形) began to loosen.

In that instant, Cao Cao’s ambush (伏兵) sprang from all four directions. Wen Chou’s fifty thousand were surrounded. Wen Chou raised a great shout and rode his horse forward. Guan Yu’s (關羽) Red Hare (赤兎馬) stepped out in front.

Guan Yu lifted the Green-Dragon Crescent Blade from his shoulder. Wen Chou rushed near. The blades of the two generals crossed in the air. After one round, two rounds, three rounds of clashing, the edge of the Crescent touched beneath Wen Chou’s neck.

Wen Chou’s neck fell upon the plain of Yanjin. Within ten days, the two necks of the two heroes of Yuan Shao had been laid together beneath a single Green-Dragon Crescent Blade.

Inside Yuan Shao’s main camp, Yuan Shao received the news of Wen Chou’s death and struck the corner of the table deep with one hand, in fury. His eyes turned toward Liu Bei’s (劉備) face. “Xuande. They say today’s blade was the single blade of Guan Yunchang (關雲長). What say you?”

Liu Bei bowed his head low. “Lord Benchu (本初). It is not yet certain that today’s blade was my younger brother’s. If it was his, his stroke lies only briefly inside Xudu (許都). A day will surely come when it turns back toward Your Lordship.”

Yuan Shao swallowed a long silence. His hand gripped the corner of the table again. His mouth let slip a single low word. “Xuande. I shall trust your word. Only — from today on, watch more carefully.”

Meanwhile, inside Cao Cao’s main camp at Xudu, Cao Cao laid a fresh robe of green silk (綠袍) upon Guan Yu. The hem of the green robe settled upon Guan Yu’s shoulder. Cao Cao spoke low. “Yunchang. Today’s second blade has been laid beneath the sky. And it is said that news of Liu Xuande’s whereabouts lies within Jizhou (冀州).”

Guan Yu’s eyes widened. His mouth let slip a low word. “General Cao. Today, the third line of the three covenants draws near the seat at which it must move. I ask you — release my step upon the road of a thousand li (千里).”

Outside the tent, Zhang Liao (張遼) stood by the side wall and listened. He did not enter. A captain who has served as intermediary between two lords’ covenants rarely enters the room at the hour those covenants come due. He only laid a palm upon the wood of the wall. The wood was warm from the western afternoon sun. That warmth had gathered into the wood over many afternoons, and it would outlast tonight’s conversation by a long time. He turned and walked toward the stables to see that Guan Yu’s Red Hare was well fed and rested. A horse about to ride a thousand li needs care tonight more than any other horse in the camp.

Inside Yuan Shao’s chamber, after Liu Bei had bowed his way out, Tian Feng (田豐) entered alone. He laid a small scroll upon Yuan Shao’s desk. The scroll held a plan for a slower, more patient southern campaign — one that used the winter for preparation and kept the main force intact. Yuan Shao had seen it before; it had sat on his desk for a full month without being opened. Tian Feng did not, this night, urge him to open it. A counselor whose remonstrance has twice been set aside rarely asks his lord to read it on a third attempt in the same hour; he only lays the scroll down a second time, in case the lord wakes in the night and chooses to lift its cover. Yuan Shao did not lift the cover tonight. Tian Feng stood a moment at the desk, then stepped quietly back to the flap of the tent.

The eighty-sixth morning of Book 3 was opening quietly upon the plain of Yanjin. The three characters Yeonjin-in (延津刃, the blade of Yanjin) were planted as a seed: the breath in which scattered baggage carts, horses, and gold, the second blade of the Green-Dragon Crescent, the two necks of the two heroes, and a single green robe all lay together at one seat. Behind the first blade of Day 85’s Baekmain (白馬刃), this morning a second blade had been laid upon the same Crescent.

—

WIA Code 스캐너로 비추면 인터넷 없이 발행 사실과 위·변조 여부를 확인할 수 있습니다.
휴대폰 기본 카메라로 찍으면 스캐너 안내 페이지가 열립니다 — 기사 바로 열기

움직이는 코드는 스트림입니다 — WIA Code 스캐너로 약 43초 비추면 기사 전문(사진 포함)이 폰에 저장되어 인터넷 없이도 읽을 수 있습니다.

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