小说园

第102部分（第1页）

Heroine　was　she；　bold　and　decisive！

Seeing　that　Lady　Mi　had　resolved　the　question　by　dying；　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　done。　Zhao　Yun　pushed　over　the　wall　to　fill　the　well；　and　thus　making　a　grave　for　the　lady。　Then　he　loosened　his　armor；　let　down　the　heart…protecting　mirror；　and　placed　the　child　in　his　breast。　This　done　he　slung　his　spear　and　remounted。

Zhao　Yun　had　gone　but　a　short　distance；　when　he　saw　a　horde　of　enemy　led　by　Yan　Ming；　one　of　Cao　Hongs　generals。　This　warrior　used　a　double　edged；　three　pointed　weapon　and　he　offered　battle。　However；　Zhao　Yun　disposed　of　him　after　a　very　few　bouts　and　dispersed　his　troops。

As　the　road　cleared　before　him；　Zhao　Yun　saw　another　detachment　barring　his　way。　At　the　head　of　this　was　a　general　exalted　enough　to　display　a　banner　with　his　name　Zhang　He　of　Hejian　。　Zhao　Yun　never　waited　to　parley　but　attacked。　However；　this　was　a　more　formidable　antagonist；　and　half　a　score　bouts　found　neither　any　nearer　defeat。　But　Zhao　Yun；　with　the　child　in　his　bosom；　could　only　fight　with　the　greatest　caution；　and　so　he　decided　to　flee。

Zhang　He　pursued；　and　as　Zhao　Yun　thought　only　of　thrashing　his　steed　to　get　away；　and　little　of　the　road；　suddenly　he　went　crashing　into　a　pit。　On　came　his　pursuer；　spear　at　poise。　Suddenly　a　brilliant　flash　of　light　seemed　to　shoot　out　of　the　pit；　and　the　fallen　horse　leapt　with　it　into　the　air　and　was　again　on　firm　earth。

A　bright　glory　surrounds　the　child　of　the　imperial　line；　now　in　danger；

The　powerful　charger　forces　his　way　through　the　press　of　battle；

Bearing　to　safety　him　who　was　destined　to　the　throne　two　score　years　and　two；

And　the　general　thus　manifested　his　godlike　courage。

This　apparition　frightened　Zhang　He；　who　abandoned　the　pursuit　forthwith；　and　Zhao　Yun　rode　off。

Presently　he　heard　shouts　behind；　〃Zhao　Yun；　Zhao　Yun；　stop！〃　and　at　the　same　time　he　saw　ahead　of　him　two　generals　who　seemed　disposed　to　dispute　his　way。

Ma　Yan　and　Zhang　Zi　following　and　Jiao　Chu　and　Zhang　Neng　in　front；　his　state　seemed　desperate；　but　Zhao　Yun　quailed　not。

As　the　men　of　Cao　Cao　came　pressing　on；　Zhao　Yun　drew　Cao　Caos　own　sword　to　beat　them　off。　Nothing　could　resist　the　blue　blade　sword。　Armor；　clothing；　it　went　through　without　effort　and　blood　gushed　forth　in　fountains　wherever　it　struck。　So　the　four　generals　were　soon　beaten　off；　and　Zhao　Yun　was　once　again　free。

Now　Cao　Cao　from　a　hilltop　of　the　Prospect　Mountain　saw　these　deeds　of　derring…do　and　a　general　showing　such　valor　that　none　could　withstand　him；　so　Cao　Cao　asked　of　his　followers　whether　any　knew　the　man。　No　one　recognized　him。

So　Cao　Hong　galloped　down　into　the　plain　and　shouted　out；　〃We　should　hear　the　name　of　the　warrior！〃

〃I　am　Zhao　Yun　of　Changshan！〃　replied　Zhao　Yun。

Cao　Hong　returned　and　told　his　lord；　who　said；　〃A　very　tiger　of　a　leader！　I　must　get　him　alive。〃

Whereupon　he　sent　horsemen　to　all　detachments　with　orders　that　no　arrows　were　to　be　fired　from　an　ambush　at　any　point　Zhao　Yun　should　pass：　He　was　to　be　taken　alive。

And　so　Zhao　Yun　escaped　most　imminent　danger；　and　Liu　Shans　safety；　bound　up　with　his　saviors；　was　also　secured。　On　this　career　of　slaughter　which　ended　in　safety；　Zhao　Yun；　bearing　in　his　bosom　the　child　lord　Liu　Shan；　cut　down　two　main　banners；　took　three　spears；　and　slew　or　wounded　of　Cao　Caos　generals　half　a　hundred；　all　men　of　renown。

Blood　dyed　the　fighting　robe　and　crimsoned　his　buff　coat；

None　dared　engage　the　terrible　warrior　at　Dangyang；

In　the　days　of　old　lived　the　brave　Zhao　Yun；

Who　fought　in　the　battlefield　for　his　lord　in　danger。

Having　thus　fought　his　way　out　of　the　press；　Zhao　Yun　lost　no　time　in　getting　away　from　the　battle　field。　His　white　battle　robe　was　soaked　in　blood。

On　his　way；　near　the　rise　of　the　hills；　he　met　with　two　other　bodies　of　troops　under　two　brothers；　Zhong　Jin　and　Zhong　Shen。　One　of　these　was　armed　with　a　massive　ax；　the　other　a　halberd。

As　soon　as　they　saw　Zhao　Yun；　they　knew　him　and　shouted；　〃Quickly　dismount　and　be　bound！〃

He　has　only　escaped　from　the　tiger　cave；

To　risk　the　dragon　pools　sounding　wave。

How　Zhao　Yun　escaped　will　be　next　related。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　42　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　42

Chapter　42

Screaming　Zhang　Fei　Triumphs　At　Long　Slope　Bridge；

Defeated　Liu　Bei　Goes　To　Hanjin。

As　related　in　the　last　chapter　two　generals　appeared　in　front　of　Zhao　Yun；　who　rode　at　them　with　his　spear　ready　for　a　thrust。　Zhong　Jin　was　leading；　flourishing　his　battle…ax。　Zhao　Yun　engaged　and　very　soon　unhorsed　him。　Then　Zhao　Yun　galloped　away。　Zhong　Shen　rode　up　behind　ready　with　his　halberd；　and　his　horses　nose　got　so　close　to　the　others　tail　that　Zhao　Yun　could　see　in　his　armor　the　reflection　of　the　play　of　Zhong　Shens　weapon。　Then　suddenly；　and　without　warning；　Zhao　Yun　wheeled　round　his　horse　so　that　he　faced　his　pursuer；　and　their　two　steeds　struck　breast　to　breast。　With　his　spear　in　his　left　hand；　Zhao　Yun　warded　off　the　halberd　strokes；　and　in　his　right　he　swung　the　blue　blade　sword。　One　slash　and　he　had　cut　through　both　helmet　and　head。　Zhong　Shen　fell　to　the　ground；　a　corpse　with　only　half　a　head　on　his　body。　His　followers　fled；　and　Zhao　Yun　retook　the　road　toward　Long　Slope　Bridge。

But　in　his　rear　arose　another　tumultuous　shouting；　seeming　to　rend　the　very　sky；　and　Wen　Ping　came　up　behind。　However；　although　the　man　was　weary　and　his　steed　spent；　Zhao　Yun　got　close　to　the　bridge　where　he　saw　standing；　all　ready　for　any　fray；　Zhang　Fei。

〃Help　me；　Zhang　Fei！〃　he　cried　and　crossed　the　bridge。

〃Hasten！〃　cried　Zhang　Fei；　〃I　will　keep　back　the　pursuers！〃