小说园

第119部分（第1页）

d　puzzled　at　the　depth　of　his　rivals　insight。

〃I　shall　have　no　peace　day　or　night　while　he　lives；〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

〃At　least　wait　till　Cao　Cao　is　done　with；〃　said　Lu　Su。

And　Zhou　Yu　knew　Lu　Su　spoke　wisely。

Having　summoned　the　leaders　to　receive　orders；　first　Zhou　Yu　gave　orders　to　Gan　Ning：　〃Take　with　you　the　false　deserter　Cai　Zhong　and　his　soldiers；　and　go　along　the　south　bank；　showing　the　flags　of　Cao　Cao；　till　you　reach　the　Black　Forest　just　opposite　the　enemys　main　store　of　grain　and　forage。　Then　you　are　to　penetrate　as　deeply　as　possible　into　the　enemys　lines　and　light　a　torch　as　a　signal。　Cai　He　is　to　be　kept　in　camp　for　another　purpose。〃

The　next　order　was：　〃Taishi　Ci　is　to　lead　two　thousand　troops　as　quickly　as　possible　to　Huangzhou　and　cut　the　enemys　munications　with　Hefei。　When　near　the　enemy；　he　is　to　give　a　signal。　If　he　sees　a　red　flag；　he　will　know　that　our　lord；　Sun　Quan；　is　at　hand　with　reinforcements。〃

Gan　Ning　and　Taishi　Ci　had　the　farthest　to　go　and　started　first。

Then　Lu　Meng　was　sent　into　the　Black　Forest　with　three　thousand　troops　as　a　support　to　Gan　Ning　who　was　ordered　to　set　fire　to　Cao　Caos　depot。　A　fourth　party　of　three　thousand　troops　was　led　by　Ling　Tong　to　the　borders　of　Yiling　and　attack　as　soon　as　the　signal　from　the　forest　was　seen。　A　fifth　party　of　three　thousand　under　Dong　Xi　went　to　Hanyang　to　fall　upon　the　enemy　along　the　River　Han。　Their　signal　was　a　white　flag；　and　a　sixth　division　of　three　thousand　manded　by　Pan　Zhang　would　support　them。

When　these　six　parties　had　gone　off。　Huang　Gai　got　ready　his　fire　ships　and　sent　a　soldier　with　a　note　to　tell　Cao　Cao　that　he　was　ing　over　that　evening。　Four　naval　squadrons　were　told　off　to　support　Huang　Gai。

The　four　squadrons；　each　of　three　hundred　ships；　were　placed　under　four　manders：　Han　Dang；　Zhou　Tai；　Jiang　Qin；　and　Chen　Wu。　Twenty　fire　ships　preceded　each　fleet。　Zhou　Yu　and　Cheng　Pu　went　on　board　one　of　the　large　ships　to　direct　the　battle。　Their　guards　were　Ding　Feng　and　Xu　Sheng。　Lu　Su；　Kan　Ze；　and　the　advisers　were　left　to　guard　the　camp。　Cheng　Pu　was　greatly　impressed　with　Zhou　Yus　ordering　of　the　grand　attack。

Then　came　a　messenger　bearing　a　mandate　from　Sun　Quan　making　Lu　Xun　Leader　of　the　Van。　He　was　ordered　to　go　to　Qichun。　Sun　Quan　himself　would　support　Lu　Xun。　Zhou　Yu　also　sent　two　mand　units；　one　to　the　Western　Hills　to　make　fire　signals；　and　the　other　to　the　Southern　Hills　to　hoist　flags。

So　all　being　prepared　they　waited　for　dusk。

Liu　Bei　was　at　Xiakou　anxiously　awaiting　the　return　of　his　adviser。　Then　appeared　a　fleet；　led　by　Liu　Qi；　who　had　e　to　find　out　how　matters　were　progressing。

Liu　Bei　sent　to　call　him　to　the　battle　tower　and　said；　〃The　southeast　wind　had　begun　to　blow；　and　that　Zhao　Yun　had　gone　to　meet　Zhuge　Liang。〃

Not　long　after　a　single　sail　was　seen　ing　up　before　the　wind；　and　Liu　Bei　knew　it　was　Zhuge　Liang；　the　Directing　Instructor　of　the　Army。

So　Liu　Bei　and　Liu　Qi　went　down　to　meet　the　boat。　Soon　the　vessel　reached　the　shore；　and　Zhuge　Liang　and　Zhao　Yun　disembarked。

Liu　Bei　was　very　glad；　and　after　they　had　inquired　after　each　others　well…being；　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃There　is　no　time　to　tell　of　any　other　things　now。　Are　the　soldiers　and　ships　ready？〃

〃They　have　long　been　ready；〃　replied　Liu　Bei。　〃They　only　await　you　to　direct　how　they　are　to　be　used。〃

The　three　then　went　to　the　tent　and　took　their　seats。

Zhuge　Liang　at　once　began　to　issue　orders：　〃Zhao　Yun；　with　three　thousand　troops　is　to　cross　the　river　and　go　to　the　Black　Forest　by　the　minor　road。　He　will　choose　a　dense　jungle　and　prepare　an　ambush。　Tonight；　after　the　fourth　watch；　Cao　Cao　will　hurry　along　that　way。　When　half　his　troops　have　passed；　the　jungle　is　to　be　fired。　Cao　Cao　will　not　be　wholly　destroyed　but　many　will　perish。〃

〃There　are　two　roads；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。　〃One　leads　to　the　southern　regions　and　the　other　to　Jingzhou。　I　do　not　know　by　which　he　will　e。〃

〃The　south　road　is　too　dangerous。　Cao　Cao　will　certainly　pass　along　the　Jingzhou　road；　so　that　he　may　get　away　to　Xuchang。〃

Then　Zhao　Yun　went　away。

Next　Zhuge　Liang　said　to　Zhang　Fei；　〃You　will　take　three　thousand　troops　over　the　river　to　cut　the　road　to　Yiling。　You　will　ambush　in　the　Hulu　Valley。　Cao　Cao；　not　daring　to　go　to　South　Yiling；　will　go　to　North　Yiling。　Tomorrow；　after　the　rain；　he　will　halt　to　refresh　his　troops。　As　soon　as　the　smoke　is　seen　to　rise　from　their　cooking　fires；　you　will　fire　the　hill　side。　You　will　not　capture　Cao　Cao；　but　you　will　render　excellent　service。〃

So　Zhang　Fei　left。　Next　was　called　Mi　Zhu；　Mi　Fang；　and　Liu　Feng。　They　were　to　take　mand　of　three　squadrons　and　go　along　the　river　to　collect　beaten　soldiers　and　their　weapons。

The　three　left。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　said　to　Liu　Qi；　〃The　country　around　Wuchang　is　very　important；　and　I　wish　you　to　take　mand　of　your　own　troops　and　station　them　at　strategic　points。　Cao　Cao；　being　defeated；　will　flee　thither；　and　you　will　capture　him。　But　you　are　not　to　leave　the　city　without　the　best　of　reasons。〃

And　Liu　Qi　took　leave。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃I　wish　you　to　remain　quietly　and　calmly　in　Fankou；　in　a　high　tower；　to　watch　Zhou　Yu　work　out　his　great　scheme　this　night。〃

All　this　time　Guan　Yu　has　been　silently　waiting　his　turn；　but　Zhuge　Liang　said　no　word　to　him。

When　Guan　Yu　could　bear　this　no　longer；　he　cried；　〃Since　I　first　followed　my　brother　to　battle　many　years　ago；　I　have　never　been　left　behind。　Now　that　great　things　are　afoot；　is　there　no　work　for　me？　What　is　meant　by　it？〃

〃You　should　not　be　surprised。　I　wanted　you　for　service　at　a　most　important　point；　only　that　there　was　a　something　standing　in　the　way　that　prevented　me　from　sending　you；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃What　could　stand　in　the　way？　I　wish　you　would　tell　me。〃

〃You　see　Cao　Cao　was　once　very　kind　to　you；　and　you　cannot　help　feeling　grateful。　Now　when　his　soldiers　have　been　beaten；　he　will　have　to　flee　along　the　Huarong　Road。　If　I　sent　you　to　guard　it；　you　would　have　to　let　him　pass。　So　I　will　not　send　you。〃

〃You　are　most　considerate；　Instructor。　But　though　it　is　true　that　he　treated　me　well；　yet　I　slew　two　of　his　most　redoubtable　opponents；　Yan　Liang　and　Wen　Chou；　by　way　of　repayment；　beside　raising　a　siege。　If　I　happened　upon　him　on　this　occasion；　I　should　hardly　let　him　go。〃