话说曹操举剑欲杀张辽,玄德攀住臂膊,云长跪于面前。
The last chapter said that Cao Cao was checked in his angry attack upon Zhang Liao.
They were Liu Bei who held his arm and Guan Yu who knelt before him.
乃亲释其缚,解衣衣之,延之上坐,辽感其意,遂降。
Cao Cao loosed the prisoner's bonds with his own hands, had a change of dress brought in, and clothed him therewith.
Then he was led to a seat of honor.
This kindly treatment sank deep into Zhang Liao's heart, and he hastened to declare formally that he yielded.
操拜辽为中郎将,赐爵关内侯,使招安臧霸。
And then he was given the rank of Imperial Commander and the title of Lordship.
Zhang Liao was sent on a mission to win over the bandit leader Zang Ba,
臧霸又招安孙观、吴敦、尹礼来降;独昌豨未肯归顺。
and his former colleagues---Sun Guan, Wu Dun, and Yin Li---also yielded, with the exception of Chang Xi, who remained obdurate.
孙观等亦各加官,令守青、徐沿海地面。
All these former enemies who came over were kindly treated and given posts of responsibility wherein they might prove the reality of their conversion.
将吕布妻女载回许都。
Lu Bu's family were sent to the capital.
大犒三军,拔寨班师。
After the soldiers had been rewarded with feasting, the camp was broken up and the army moved away to Xuchang.
路过徐州,百姓焚香遮道,请留刘使君为牧。
Passing through Xuzhou the people lined the roads and burned incense in honor of the victors.
They also petitioned that Liu Bei should be their protector.
百姓叩谢。
The people bowed low to the ground to express their thanks.
操唤车骑将军车胄权领徐州。
Che Zhou, General of the Flying Cavalry, was given command of Xuzhou for the moment.
操军回许昌,封赏出征人员,留玄德在相府左近宅院歇定。
After the army had arrived at the capital, rewards were granted to all the officers who had been in the expedition.
Liu Bei was retained in the capital, lodging in an annex to the Prime Minister's palace.
次日,献帝设朝,操表奏玄德军功,引玄德见帝。
Next day a court was held, and Cao Cao memorialized the services of Liu Bei who was presented to Emperor Xian.
玄德具朝服拜于丹墀。
Dressed in court robes, Liu Bei bowed at the lower end of the audience arena.
帝宣上殿,问曰:“卿祖何人?”
The Emperor called him to the Hall and asked his ancestry.
玄德奏曰:“臣乃中山靖王之后,孝景皇帝阁下玄孙,刘雄之孙,刘弘之子也。”
Liu Bei replied, "Thy servant is the son of Liu Hong, grandson of Liu Xiong, who was a direct descendant of Prince Sheng of Zhongshan, who was the son of His Majesty the Emperor Jing."
帝教取宗族世谱检看,令宗正卿宣读曰:“孝景皇帝生十四子。
The Emperor bade them bring forth the Books of the Genealogies, and therefrom a secretary read: "Liu Jing the Filial Emperor begot fourteen sons
第七子乃中山靖王刘胜。
of whom the seventh was Liu Sheng, Prince of Zhongshan.
帝排世谱,则玄德乃帝之叔也。
The Emperor compared this with the registers of the Imperial House and found by them that Liu Bei was his uncle by descent.
帝大喜,请入偏殿叙叔侄之礼。
The Emperor seemed greatly pleased and requested Liu Bei to go into one of the side chambers where he might perform the ceremonial obeisance prescribed for a nephew to his uncle.
帝暗思:“曹操弄权,国事都不由朕主,今得此英雄之叔,朕有助矣!”
In his heart he rejoiced to have this heroic warrior uncle as a powerful supporter against Cao Cao who really held all the power in his own hands.
The Emperor knew himself to be a mere puppet.
遂拜玄德为左将军、宜城亭侯。
He conferred upon his uncle the rank of General of the Left Army and the title of Lord of Yicheng.
设宴款待毕,玄德谢恩出朝。
When the banquet was concluded, Liu Bei thanked the Emperor and went out of the Palace.
自此人皆称为刘皇叔。
And from this time he was very generally styled the "Imperial Uncle."
曹操回府,荀彧等一班谋士入见曰:“天子认刘备为叔,恐无益于明公。”
When Cao Cao returned to his palace, Xun Yu and his fellow advisers went in to see him.
Xun Yu said, "It is no advantage to you, Illustrious Sir, that the Emperor recognizes Liu Bei as an uncle."