小说园

第3部分（第2页）

〃What　offices　have　you？〃　asked　Dong　Zhuo；　when　he　had　leisure　to　speak　to　the　brothers。

〃None；〃　replied　they。

And　Dong　Zhuo　treated　them　with　disrespect。　Liu　Bei　retired　calmly；　but　Zhang　Fei　was　furious。

〃We　have　just　rescued　this　menial　in　a　bloody　fight；〃　cried　Zhang　Fei；　〃and　now　he　is　rude　to　us！　Nothing　but　his　death　can　slake　my　anger。〃

Zhang　Fei　stamped　toward　Dong　Zhuos　tent；　holding　firmly　a　sharp　sword。

As　it　was　in　olden　time　so　it　is　today；

The　simple　wight　may　merit　well；

Officialdom　holds　sway；

Zhang　Fei；　the　blunt　and　hasty；

Where　can　you　find　his　peer？

But　slaying　the　ungrateful　would

Mean　many　deaths　a　year。

Dong　Zhuos　fate　will　be　unrolled　in　later　chapters。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　2　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　2

Chapter　2

Zhang　Fei　Whips　The　Government　Officer；

He　Jin　Plots　To　Kill　The　Eunuchs。

Dong　Zhuo　was　born　in　the　far　northwest　at　Lintao　in　the　West　Valley　Land。　As　the　governor　of　Hedong；　Dong　Zhuo　himself　was　arrogant　and　overbearing。　But　the　day　he　had　treated　Liu　Bei　with　contumely　had　been　his　last；　had　not　Liu　Bei　and　Guan　Yu　restrained　their　wrathful　brother　Zhang　Fei。

〃Remember　he　has　the　government　mission；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Who　are　we　to　judge　and　slay？〃

〃It　is　bitter　to　take　orders　from　such　a　wretch。　I　would　rather　slay　him！　You　may　stay　here　if　you　wish　to；　but　I　will　seek　some　other　place；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃We　three　are　one　in　life　and　in　death；　there　is　no　parting　for　us。　We　will　all　go　hence。〃

So　spoke　Liu　Bei；　and　his　brother　was　satisfied。　Wherefore　all　three　set　out　and　lost　no　time　in　traveling　until　they　came　to　Zhu　Jun；　who　received　them　well　and　accepted　their　aid　in　attacking　Zhang　Ba。　At　this　time　Cao　Cao　had　joined　himself　to　Huangfu　Song；　and　they　were　trying　to　destroy　Zhang　Lian；　and　there　was　a　great　battle　at　Quyang。

Zhang　Ba　was　manding　some　eighty　thousand　troops。　The　rebel　had　led　his　army　to　a　strong　position　in　the　rear　of　the　hills。　An　attack　being　decided　upon；　Liu　Bei　was　the　van　leader。　On　the　rebel　side　a　general　of　Zhang　Ba；　Gao　Sheng；　came　out　to　offer　battle。　Liu　Bei　sent　Zhang　Fei　to　smite　Gao　Sheng。　Out　rode　Zhang　Fei　at　full　speed；　his　spear　ready　set。　After　a　few　bouts　Zhang　Fei　wounded　Gao　Sheng；　who　was　unhorsed。　At　this　Liu　Bei　signaled　the　main　army　to　advance。

Then　Zhang　Ba；　while　still　mounted；　loosened　his　hair；　grasped　his　sword；　and　uttered　his　incantations。　Thereupon　began　the　wind　to　howl　and　the　thunder　to　roll；　while　a　dense　black　cloud　from　the　heavens　settled　upon　the　field。　And　therein　seemed　to　be　horsemen　and　footmen　innumerable；　who　swept　to　attack　the　imperial　troops。　Fear　came　upon　them；　and　Liu　Bei　led　off　his　troops；　but　they　were　in　disorder　and　returned　defeated。

Zhu　Jun　and　Liu　Bei　considered　the　matter。

〃Zhang　Ba　uses　magic；〃　said　Zhu　Jun。　〃Tomorrow；　then；　will　I　prepare　counter　magic　in　the　shape　of　the　blood　of　slaughtered　swine　and　goats。　This　blood　shall　be　sprinkled　upon　their　hosts　from　the　precipices　above　by　soldiers　in　ambush。　Thus　shall　we　be　able　to　break　the　power　of　their　shamanic　art。〃

So　it　was　done。　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　took　each　a　thousand　troops　and　hid　them　on　the　high　cliffs　behind　the　hills；　and　they　had　a　plentiful　supply　of　the　blood　of　swine　and　goats　and　all　manners　of　filthy　things。　And　so　next　day；　when　the　rebels　with　fluttering　banners　and　rolling　drums　came　out　to　challenge；　Liu　Bei　rode　forth　to　meet　them。　At　the　same　moment　that　the　armies　met；　again　Zhang　Ba　began　his　magic　and　again　the　elements　began　to　struggle　together。　Sand　flew　in　clouds；　pebbles　were　swept　along　the　ground；　black　masses　of　vapor　filled　the　sky；　and　rolling　masses　of　foot　and　horse　descended　from　on　high。　Liu　Bei　turned；　as　before；　to　flee　and　the　rebels　rushed　on。　But　as　they　pressed　through　the　hills；　the　trumpets　blared；　and　the　hidden　soldiers　exploded　bombs；　threw　down　filth　and　spattered　blood。　The　masses　of　soldiers　and　horses　in　the　air　fluttered　to　the　earth　as　fragments　of　torn　paper；　the　wind　ceased　to　blow；　the　thunder　subsided；　the　sand　sank；　and　the　pebbles　lay　still　upon　the　ground。

Zhang　Ba　quickly　saw　his　magic　had　been　countered　and　turned　to　retire。　Then　he　was　attacked　on　the　flanks　by　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei；　and　in　rear　by　Liu　Bei　and　Zhu　Jun。　The　rebels　were　routed。　Liu　Bei；　seeing　from　afar　the　banner　of　Zhang　Ba　The　Lord　of　Earth　；　galloped　toward　it　but　only　succeeded　in　wounding　Zhang　Ba　with　an　arrow　in　the　left　arm。　Wounded　though　he　was；　Zhang　Ba　got　away　into　the　city　of　Yangcheng；　where　he　fortified　himself　and　was　besieged　by　Zhu　Jun。

＇e＇　General　of　the　Flying　Chariots　was　the　second　highest　military　office；　just　below　Regent　Marshal。

＇e＇　Imperi