操大喜，于村中调练军马。
-Then drill began,
时袁绍得操矫诏，乃聚麾下文武，引兵三万，离渤海来与曹操会盟。
When Yuan Shao received Cao Cao's call to arms, he collected all those under his command to the number of thirty thousand.
Then he marched from Bohai to Qiao to take the oath to Cao Cao.
檄文曰：“操等谨以大义布告天下：董卓欺天罔地，灭国弑君，秽乱宫禁，残害生灵；狼戾不仁，罪恶充积。
Next a manifesto was issued: "Cao Cao and his associates, moved by a sense of duty, now make this proclamation.
Dong Zhuo defies Heaven and Earth.
He is destroying the state and injuring his prince.
He pollutes the Palace and oppresses the people.
He is vicious and cruel.
His crimes are heaped up.
今奉天子密诏，大集义兵，誓欲扫清华夏，剿戮群凶。
Now we have received a secret command to call up soldiers, and we are pledged to cleanse the empire and destroy the evil-doers.
望兴义师，共泄公愤；扶持王室，拯救黎民。
We will raise a volunteer army -and exert all our efforts to maintain the dynasty and succor the people.
操发檄文去后，各镇诸侯皆起兵相应：第一镇，后将军南阳太守袁术；
Many from every side answered the summons as the following list shows: [hip, hip, hip]1.
Governor of Nanyang---Yuan Shu
诸路军马，多少不等，有三万者，有一二万者，各领文官武将，投洛阳来。
These contingents varied in size, from ten thousand to thirty thousand, but each was complete in itself with its officers, civil and military, and battle-leaders.
They were heading for Capital Luoyang.
且说北平太守公孙瓒，统领精兵一万五千，路经德州平原县。
The Governor of Beiping, Gongsun Zan, while on his way with his force of fifteen thousand, passed through the county of Pingyuan.
正行之间，遥见桑树丛中，一面黄旗，数骑来迎。
-There he saw among the mulberry trees a yellow flag under which marched a small company.
瓒视之，乃刘玄德也。
+When they drew nearer, he saw the leader was Liu Bei.
瓒问曰：“贤弟何故在此？”
"Good brother, what do you here?"asked Gongsun Zan.
玄德曰：“旧日蒙兄保备为平原县令，今闻大军过此，将来奉候，就请兄长入城歇马。”
"You were kind to me once, and on your recommendation I was made the magistrate of this county.
I heard you were passing through and came to salute you.
May I pray you, my elder brother, enter into the city and rest your steed?”
瓒指关、张而问曰：“此何人也？”
"Who are these two?"said Gongsun Zan, pointing to Liu Bei's brothers.
玄德曰：“此关羽、张飞，备结义兄弟也。”
"These are Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, my sworn brothers."
瓒曰：“乃同破黄巾者乎？”
"Were they fighting with you against the Yellow Scarves?"asked Gongsun Zan.
玄德曰：“皆此二人之力。”
"All my success was due to their efforts," said Liu Bei.
瓒曰：“今居何职？”
"And what offices do they fill?”
今董卓作乱，天下诸侯共往诛之。
+Then he continued.-"All the highest in the land are now going to destroy the rebellious Dong Zhuo.
贤弟可弃此卑官，一同讨贼，力扶汉室，若何？”
My brother, you would do better to abandon this petty place and join us in restoring the House of Han.
Why not?”
张飞曰：“当时若容我杀了此贼，免有今日之事。”
"If you had let me kill him that other time, you would not have this trouble today," said Zhang Fei +to Liu Bei and Guan Yu.
玄德、关、张引数骑跟公孙瓒来，曹操接着。
+So without more ado, the three brothers, with a few horsemen, joined Gongsun Zan and marched with him to join the great army. -
众诸侯亦陆续皆至，各自安营下寨，连接二百余里。
One after another the feudal lords came up and encamped.
Their camps extended over seventy miles and more.
操乃宰牛杀马，大会诸侯，商议进兵之策。
+When all had arrived, Cao Cao, as the head, prepared sacrificial bullocks and horses and called all the lords to a great assembly to decide upon their plan of attack.
太守王匡曰：“今奉大义，必立盟主；众听约束，然后进兵。”
Then spoke the Governor of Henei, Wang Kuang, "We have been moved by a noble sense of right to assemble here.
Now must we first choose a chief and bind ourselves to obedience. -"