小说园

第29部分（第2页）

The　following　day　the　rebel　Huang　Shao　himself　led　forth　his　army　and　made　his　battle　array　along　a　circle。　A　leader　advanced　on　foot　to　offer　bat。　He　wore　a　yellow　turban　on　his　head　and　a　green　robe。　His　weapon　was　an　iron　mace。

He　shouted；　〃I　am　He　Man；　the　devil　who　shoots　across　the　sky。　Who　dare　fight　with　me？〃

Cao　Hong　uttered　a　great　shout　and　jumped　from　the　saddle　to　accept　the　challenge。　Sword　in　hand　he　advanced　on　foot　and　the　two　engaged　in　fierce　bat　in　the　face　of　both　armies。　They　exchanged　some　fifty　blows；　neither　gaining　the　advantage。　Then　Cao　Hong　feigned　defeat　and　ran　away。　He　Man　went　after　him。　Just　as　he　closed；　Cao　Hong　tried　a　feint　and　then　suddenly　wheeling　about；　wounded　his　adversary。　Another　slash；　and　He　Man　lay　dead。

At　once　Li　Dian　dashed　forward　into　the　midst　of　the　Yellow　Scarves　and　laid　hands　on　the　rebel　chief　Huang　Shao　whom　he　carried　off　captive。　Cao　Caos　troops　then　set　on　and　scattered　the　rebels。　The　spoil　of　treasure　and　food　was　immense。

The　other　rebel　leader；　He　Yi；　fled　with　a　few　hundred　horsemen　toward　Kobei　Hills。　But　while　on　their　road　thither　there　suddenly　appeared　a　force　led　by　a　certain　swashbuckler　who　shall　be　nameless　for　the　moment。　This　bravo　was　a　well…built　man；　thickset　and　stout。　With　a　waist　ten　span　in　girth。　He　used　a　long　sword。

He　barred　the　way　of　retreat。　He　Yi　set　his　spear　and　rode　toward　him。　But　at　the　first　encounter　the　bravo　caught　He　Yi　under　his　arm　and　bore　He　Yi　off　a　prisoner。　All　the　rebels　were　terror…stricken；　dropped　from　their　horses　and　allowed　themselves　to　be　bound。　Then　the　victor　drove　them　like　cattle　into　an　enclosure　with　high　banks。

Presently　Dian　Wei；　still　pursuing　the　rebels；　reached　Kobei　Hills。　The　swashbuckler　went　out　to　meet　him。

〃Are　you　also　a　Yellow　Scarves　rebel？〃　said　Dian　Wei。

〃I　have　some　hundreds　of　them　prisoners　in　an　enclosure　here。〃

〃Why　not　bring　them　out？〃　said　Dian　Wei。

〃I　will　if　you　win　this　sword　from　my　hand。〃

This　annoyed　Dian　Wei　who　attacked　him。　They　engaged　and　the　bat　lasted　for　two　long　hours　and　then　was　still　undecided。　Both　rested　a　while。　The　swashbuckler　was　the　first　to　recover　and　renewed　the　challenge。　They　fought　till　dusk　and　then；　as　their　horses　were　quite　spent；　the　bat　was　once　more　suspended。

In　the　meantime　some　of　Dian　Weis　men　had　run　off　to　tell　the　story　of　this　wondrous　fight　to　Cao　Cao　who　hastened　in　amazement；　followed　by　many　officers　to　watch　it　and　see　the　result。

Next　day　the　unknown　warrior　rode　out　again；　and　Cao　Cao　saw　him。　In　Cao　Caos　heart　he　rejoiced　to　see　such　a　doughty　hero　and　desired　to　gain　his　services。　So　Cao　Cao　bade　Dian　Wei　feign　defeat。

Dian　Wei　rode　out　in　answer　to　the　challenge；　and　some　thirty　bouts　were　fought。　Then　Dian　Wei　turned　and　fled　toward　his　own　side。　The　bravo　followed　and　came　quite　close。　But　a　flight　of　arrows　drove　him　away。

Cao　Cao　hastily　drew　off　his　men　for　one　and　a　half　miles　and　then　secretly　sent　a　certain　number　to　dig　a　pitfall　and　sent　troops　armed　with　hooks　to　lie　in　ambush。

The　following　day　Dian　Wei　was　sent　out　with　one　hundred　horse。　His　adversary　nothing　loath　came　to　meet　Dian　Wei。

〃Why　does　the　defeated　leader　venture　forth　again？〃　cried　he　laughing。

The　swashbuckler　spurred　forward　to　join　battle；　but　Dian　Wei；　after　a　faint　show　of　fighting；　turned　his　horse　and　rode　away。　His　adversary　intent　upon　capture；　took　no　care；　and　he　and　his　horse　all　blundered　into　the　pitfall。　The　hookmen　took　him　captive；　bound　him；　and　carried　him　before　Cao　Cao。

As　soon　as　he　saw　the　prisoner；　Cao　Cao　advanced　from　his　tent；　sent　away　the　soldiers；　and　with　his　own　hands　loosened　the　leaders　bonds。　Then　he　brought　out　clothing　and　dressed　him；　bade　him　be　seated　and　asked　who　he　was　and　whence　he　came。

〃I　am　named　Xu　Chu。　I　am　from　Qiao。　When　the　rebellion　broke　out；　I　and　my　relations　of　some　hundreds　built　a　stronghold　within　a　rampart　for　protection。　One　day　the　robbers　came；　but　I　had　stones　ready　for　them。　I　told　my　relatives　to　keep　on　bringing　them　up　to　me　and　I　threw　them；　hitting　somebody　every　time　I　threw。　This　drove　off　the　robbers。　Another　day　they　came　and　we　were　short　of　grain。　So　I　agreed　with　them　to　an　exchange　of　plow　oxen　against　grain。　They　delivered　the　grain　and　were　driving　away　the　oxen　when　the　beasts　took　fright　and　tore　off　to　their　pens。　I　seized　two　of　oxen　by　the　tail；　one　with　each　hand；　and　hauled　them　backwards　a　hundred　or　so　paces。　The　robbers　were　so　amazed　that　they　thought　no　more　about　oxen　but　went　their　way。　So　they　never　troubled　us　again。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　your　mighty　exploits；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃Will　you　join　my　army？〃

〃That　is　my　strongest　desire；〃　said　Xu　Chu。

So　Xu　Chu　called　up　his　clan；　some　hundreds　in　all；　and　they　formally　submitted　to　Cao　Cao。　Xu　Chu　received　the　rank　of　general　and　received　ample　rewards。　The　two　rebel　leaders；　He　Yi　and　Huang　Shao；　were　executed。　Runan　and　Yingchuan　were　now　perfectly　pacified。

Cao　Cao　withdrew　his　army　and　went　back　to　Juancheng。　Xiahou　Dun　and　Cao　Ren　came　out　to　wele　him；　and　they　told　him　that　spies　had　reported　Yanzhou　City　to　be　left　defenseless。　Lu　Bus　generals；　Xue　Lan　and　Li　Fang；　had　given　up　all　its　garrison　to　plundering　the　surrounding　country。　They　wanted　him　to　go　against　it　without　loss　of　time。

〃W