小说园

第120部分（第2页）

And　I　recall　how　southerners

Shrank　from　the　northern　armys　might；

And　how　a　favoring　eastern　gale

Helped　them　to　win　the　fight。

While　fire　was　consuming　the　naval　base　of　Cao　Cao；　Gan　Ning　made　Cai　Zhong　guide　him　into　the　innermost　recesses　of　Cao　Caos　camp。　Then　Gan　Ning　slew　Cai　Zhong　with　one　slash　of　his　sword。　After　this　Gan　Ning　set　fire　to　the　jungle；　and　at　this　signal；　Lu　Meng　put　fire　to　the　grass　in　ten　places　near　to　each　other。　Then　other　fires　were　started；　and　the　noise　of　battle　was　on　all　sides。

Cao　Cao　and　Zhang　Liao；　with　a　small　party　of　horsemen；　fled　through　the　burning　forest。　They　could　see　no　road　in　front；　all　seemed　on　fire。　Presently　Mao　Jie　and　Wen　Ping；　with　a　few　more　horsemen；　joined　them。　Cao　Cao　bade　the　soldiers　seek　a　way　through。

Zhang　Liao　pointed　out；　saying；　〃The　only　suitable　road　is　through　the　Black　Forest。〃

And　they　took　it。

They　had　gone　but　a　short　distance　when　they　were　overtaken　by　a　small　party　of　the　enemy；　and　a　voice　cried；　〃Cao　Cao；　stop！〃

It　was　Lu　Meng；　whose　ensign　soon　appeared　against　the　fiery　background。　Cao　Cao　urged　his　small　party　of　fugitives　forward；　bidding　Zhang　Liao　defend　him　from　Lu　Meng。

Soon　after　Cao　Cao　saw　the　light　of　torches　in　front；　and　from　a　gorge　there　rushed　out　another　force。　And　the　leader　cried；　〃Ling　Tong　is　here！〃

Cao　Cao　was　scared。　His　liver　and　gall　both　seemed　torn　from　within。

But　just　then　on　his　half　right；　he　saw　another　pany　approach　and　heard　a　cry；　〃Fear　not；　O　Prime　Minister；　I　am　here　to　rescue　you！〃

The　speaker　was　Xu　Huang；　and　he　attacked　the　pursuers　and　held　them　off。

A　move　to　the　north　seemed　to　promise　escape；　but　soon　they　saw　a　camp　on　a　hill　top。　Xu　Huang　went　ahead　to　reconnoiter　and　found　the　officers　in　mand　were　Cao　Caos　Generals　Ma　Yan　and　Zhang　Zi；　who　had　once　been　in　the　service　of　Yuan　Shao。　They　had　three　thousand　of　northern　soldiers　in　camp。　They　had　seen　the　sky　redden　with　the　flames；　but　knew　not　what　was　afoot　so　dared　make　no　move。

This　turned　out　lucky　for　Cao　Cao　who　now　found　himself　with　a　fresh　force。　He　sent　Ma　Yan　and　Zhang　Zi；　with　a　thousand　troops；　to　clear　the　road　ahead　while　the　others　remained　as　guard。　And　he　felt　much　more　secure。

The　two　went　forward；　but　before　they　had　gone　very　far；　they　heard　a　shouting　and　a　party　of　soldiers　came　out；　the　leader　of　them　shouting；　〃I　am　Gan　Ning　of　Wu！〃

Nothing　daunted　the　two　leaders；　but　the　redoubtable　Gan　Ning　cut　down　Ma　Yan。　And　when　his　brother　warrior　Zhang　Zi　set　his　spear　and　dashed　forward；　he　too　fell　beneath　a　stroke　from　the　fearsome　sword　of　Gan　Ning。　Both　leaders　dead；　the　soldiers　fled　to　give　Cao　Cao　the　bad　news。

At　this　time　Cao　Cao　expected　aid　from　Hefei；　for　he　knew　not　that　Sun　Quan　was　barring　the　road。　But　when　Sun　Quan　saw　the　fires　and　so　knew　that　his　soldiers　had　won　the　day；　he　ordered　Lu　Xun　to　give　the　answering　signal。　Taishi　Ci　seeing　this　came　down　and　his　force　joined　up　with　that　of　Lu　Xun；　and　they　went　against　Cao　Cao。

As　for　Cao　Cao；　he　could　only　get　away　toward　Yiling。　On　the　road　Cao　Cao　fell　in　with　Zhang　He　and　ordered　him　to　protect　the　retreat。　Cao　Cao　pressed　on　as　quickly　as　possible。

At　the　fifth　watch　he　was　a　long　way　from　the　glare　and　he　felt　safer。　He　asked；　〃What　is　this　place？〃

They　told　him；　〃It　is　west　of　the　Black　Forest　and　north　of　Yidu。〃

Seeing　the　thickly　crowded　trees　all　about　him；　and　the　steep　hills　and　narrow　passes；　Cao　Cao　threw　up　his　head　and　laughed。

Those　about　him　asked；　〃Why　are　you；　Sir；　so　merry？〃

And　he　said；　〃I　am　only　laughing　at　the　stupidity　of　Zhou　Yu　and　the　ignorance　of　Zhuge　Liang。　If　they　have　only　set　an　ambush　there；　as　I　would　have　done；　why；　there　is　no　escape。〃

Cao　Cao　had　scarcely　finished　his　explanation　when　from　both　sides　came　a　deafening　roll　of　drums　and　flames　sprang　up　to　heaven。　Cao　Cao　nearly　fell　off　his　horse………he　was　so　startled。

And　from　the　side　dashed　in　a　troop；　with　Zhao　Yun　leading；　who　cried；　〃I　am　Zhao　Yun；　and　long　have　I　been　waiting　here！〃

Cao　Cao　ordered　Xu　Huang　and　Zhang　He　to　engage　this　new　opponent；　and　he　himself　rode　off　into　the　smoke　and　fire。　Zhao　Yun　did　not　pursue；　he　only　captured　the　banners；　and　Cao　Cao　escaped。

The　faint　light　of　dawn　showed　a　great　black　cloud　all　around；　for　the　southeast　wind　had　not　ceased。　Suddenly　began　a　heavy　downpour　of　rain；　wetting　everyone　to　the　skin；　but　still　Cao　Cao　maintained　his　headlong　flight　till　the　starved　faces　of　the　soldiers　made　a　halt　imperative。　He　told　the　men　to　forage　in　the　villages　about　for　grain　and　the　means　of　making　a　fire。　But　when　these　had　been　found　and　they　began　to　cook　a　meal；　another　pursuing　party　came　along；　and　Cao　Cao　again　was　terrified。　However；　these　proved　to　be　Li　Dian　and　Xu　Chu　escorting　some　of　his　advisers　whom　he　saw　with　joy。

When　giving　the　order　to　advance　again；　Cao　Cao　asked；　〃What　places　lay　ahead？〃

They　told　him；　〃There　are　two　roads。　One　was　the　highway　to　South　Yiling；　and　the　other　a　mountain　road　to　North　Yiling。〃

〃Which　is　the　shorter　way　to　Jiangling？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃The　best　way　is　to　take　the　south　road　through　Hulu　Valley；〃　was　the　reply。

So　Cao　Cao　gave　orders　to　march　that　way。　By　the　time　Hulu　Valley　was　reached；　the　soldiers　were　almost　starving　and　could　march　no　more；　horses　too　were　worn　out。　Many　had　fallen　by　the　roadside。　A　halt　was　then　made；　food　was　taken　by　force　from　the　villagers；　and　as　there　were　still　some　boilers　left；　they　found　a　dry　spot　beside　the　hills　where　they　could　rest　and　cook。　And　there　they　began　to　prepare　a　meal；　boiling　grain；　and　roasting　strips　of　horse　flesh。　Then　they　took　off　their　wet　clothes　and　spread　them　to　dry。　The　beasts；　too；　were　unsaddled　and　turned　out　to　graze。

Seated　fortably　in　a　somewhat　open　spot；　Cao　Cao　suddenly　looked　up　and　began　to　laugh　loud　and　long。

His　panions；　remembering　the　sequel　of　his　last　laugh；　said；　〃Not　long　since；　Sir；　you　laughed　at　Zhou　Yu　and　Zhuge　Liang。　That　resulted　in　the　arrival　of　Zhao　Yun　and　great　loss　of　troops　to　us。　Why　do　you　now　laugh？〃

〃I　am　laughing　again　at　the　ignorance　of　the　same　two　men。　If　I　were　in　their　place；　and　conducting　their　campaign；　I　should　have　had　an　ambush　here；　just　to　meet　us　when　we　were　tired　out。　Then；　even　if　we　escaped　with　our　lives；　we　should　suffer　very　severely。　They　did　not　see　this；　and　therefore　I　am　laughing　at　them。〃

Even　at　that　moment　behind　them　rose　a　great　yell。　Thoroughly　startled；　Cao　Cao　threw　aside　his　breastplate　and　leaped　upon　his　horse。　Most　of　the　soldiers　failed　to　catch　theirs；　and　then　fires　sprang　up　on　every　side　and　filled　the　mouth　of　the　valley。　A　force　was　arrayed　before　them　and　at　the　head　was　the　man　of　ancient　Yan；　Zhang　Fei；　sea