小说园

第96部分（第3页）

〃Hasten　to　fort　me　with　news　of　victory；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Xiahou　Dun　hastened　to　depart。

The　advent　of　Zhuge　Liang　and　the　extravagant　deference　shown　him　did　not　please　Liu　Beis　sworn　brothers　who　grumbled；　saying；　〃He　is　very　young；　although　he　is　clever　and　learned。　Our　brother　really　treats　him　too　well。　We　have　not　seen　any　evidence　of　his　wonderful　skill。〃

Liu　Bei　replied；　〃You　do　not　know　his　worth。　I　have　him　as　if　the　fish　has　got　into　the　water　again。　Pray　do　not　discuss　this　matter　further；　my　brothers。〃

They　withdrew；　silent　but　dissatisfied。

One　day　a　man　presented　Liu　Bei　with　a　yaks　tail；　and　he　at　once　put　it　in　his　cap　as　an　ornament。　Zhuge　Liang　came　in　and　noticed　it　at　once。

〃Then　you　have　renounced　all　ambitions；　my　lord。　You　are　just　going　to　attend　to　this　sort　of　thing；〃　Zhuge　Liang　quietly　remarked。

Liu　Bei　snatched　off　his　cap　and　flung　it　away；　saying；　〃I　was　only　amusing　myself　with　the　thing。〃

〃How　do　you　think　you　stand　pared　with　Cao　Cao？〃　asked　Zhuge　Liang。

〃Inferior。〃

〃Yes；　your　army　is　less　than　ten　thousand；　and　the　chances　are　ten　thousand　to　one　that　he　will　attack。　How　can　we　meet　him？〃

〃I　am　greatly　distressed　about　it；　but　I　see　no　way。〃

〃You　might　recruit；　and　I　will　train　them。　Then　we　might　be　able　to　oppose　him。〃

So　recruiting　began　and　three　thousand　were　enlisted。　Zhuge　Liang　set　about　drilling　them　diligently。

Soon　they　heard　that　Xiahou　Dun　was　leading　an　army　of　one　hundred　thousand　troops　against　them。

When　he　heard　it；　Zhang　Fei　said　to　his　brother；　Guan　Yu；　〃We　will　get　this　Zhuge　Liang　to　go　and　fight　them。〃

Just　at　that　moment　they　were　summoned　to　their　brother；　who　asked　their　advice。

〃Why　not　send　the　Water；　brother？〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃For　method　I　rely　on　Zhuge　Liang；　but　for　action　I　put　my　faith　in　you；　my　brothers。　Are　you　going　to　fail　me？〃

They　went　out；　and　Zhuge　Liang　was　called。

〃I　fear　your　brothers　will　not　obey　me；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Wherefore；　if　I　am　to　direct　the　campaign；　you　must　give　me　a　seal　of　office　and　a　sword　of　authority。〃

So　Liu　Bei　gave　him　both。　Armed　with　these　ensigns　of　power；　Zhuge　Liang　assembled　the　officers　to　receive　their　orders。

〃We　will　go　just　to　see　what　he　will　do；〃　said　Zhang　Fei　to　Guan　Yu。

In　the　assembly　Zhuge　Liang　spoke；　saying；　〃On　the　left　of　Bowang　are　Yushan　Hills。　On　the　right　is　Anlin　Forest。　There　we　will　prepare　an　ambush。　Guan　Yu　will　go　to　Yushan　Hills　with　one　thousand　soldiers。　He　is　to　remain　there　quiescent　till　the　enemy　has　passed；　but　when　he　sees　a　flame　in　the　south；　that　will　be　the　signal　to　attack。　He　will　first　burn　their　baggage　train。　Zhang　Fei　will　go　to　a　valley　behind　Anlin　Forest。　When　he　sees　the　signal；　he　is　to　go　to　the　old　stores　depot　at　Bowang　and　burn　that。　Liu　Feng　and　Guan　Ping　will　take　five　hundred　soldiers　each　to　the　south；　prepare　bustibles　and　be　ready　with　them　beyond　Bowang　Slope。　The　enemy　will　arrive　about　dusk；　and　then　the　two　generals　can　start　the　blare。　Zhao　Yun；　now　recalled　from　Fancheng；　is　to　lead　the　attack；　but　he　is　to　lose　and　not　win。　And　our　lord　is　to　mand　the　reserve。　See　that　each　one　obeys　these　orders　and　let　there　be　no　mistakes。〃

Then　said　Guan　Yu；　〃All　of　us　are　to　go　out　to　meet　the　enemy；　but　I　have　not　yet　heard　what　you　are　going　to　do。〃

〃I　am　going　to　guard　the　city。〃

Zhang　Fei　burst　into　a　laugh；　〃We　are　to　go　out　to　bloody　battle；　and　you　are　to　stay　quietly　at　home　quite　fortable。〃

〃Here　is　the　sword　and　here　the　seal！〃　replied　the　strategist；　displaying　the　emblems　of　aut