小说园

第122部分（第2页）

The　two　visitors　then　took　their　leave　and　rode　away。

As　soon　as　they　had　left；　Liu　Bei　turned　to　Zhuge　Liang　and　said；　〃O　Master；　you　bade　me　thus　reply　to　Zhou　Yu。　But　though　I　did　so；　I　have　turned　it　over　and　over　in　my　mind　without　finding　any　reason　in　what　I　said。　I　am　alone　and　weak；　without　a　single　foot　of　land　to　call　my　own。　I　desired　to　get　possession　of　Nanjun　that　I　might　have；　at　least；　a　temporary　shelter；　yet　I　have　said　that　Zhou　Yu　may　attack　it　first。　If　it　falls　to　the　South　Land；　how　can　I　get　possession？〃

Zhuge　Liang　laughed　and　replied；　〃First　I　advised　you　to　attack　Jingzhou；　but　you　would　not　listen。　Do　you　remember？〃

〃But　it　belonged　to　Liu　Biao；　and　I　could　not　bear　to　attack　it　then。　Now　it　belongs　to　Cao　Cao；　I　might　do　so。〃

〃Do　not　be　anxious；〃　replied　the　adviser。　〃Let　Zhou　Yu　go　and　attack　it。　Some　day；　my　lord；　I　shall　make　you　sit　in　the　high　place　thereof。〃

〃But　what　design　have　you？〃

〃So　and　so；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　whispering。

Liu　Bei　was　satisfied　with　the　reply；　and　only　strengthened　his　position　at　Youkou。

In　the　meantime　Zhou　Yu　and　Lu　Su　returned　to　their　own　camp；　and　the　latter　said；　〃Why　did　you　tell　Liu　Bei　that　he　might　attack　Nanjun？〃

〃I　can　take　it　with　a　flick　of　my　finger；〃　replied　Zhou　Yu；　〃but　I　just　manifested　a　little　pretended　kindliness。〃

Then　he　inquired　among　his　officers　for　a　volunteer　to　attack　the　city。　Jiang　Qin　offered　himself；　and　was　put　in　mand　of　the　vanguard；　with　Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng　as　helpers。　He　was　given　five　thousand　of　veterans；　and　they　moved　across　the　river。　Zhou　Yu　promised　to　follow　with　supports。

On　the　other　side　Cao　Ren　ordered　Cao　Hong　to　guard　Yiling；　and　so　hold　one　corner　of　an　ox…horn　defense。

When　the　news　came　that　the　South　Lands　force　had　crossed　the　River　Han；　Cao　Ren　said；　〃We　will　defend　and　not　offer　battle。〃

But　General　Niu　Jin　said　impetuously；　〃To　let　the　enemy　approach　the　walls　and　not　offer　battle　is　timidity。　Our　troops；　lately　worsted；　need　heartening　and　must　show　their　mettle。　Let　me　have　five　hundred　of　veterans；　and　I　will　fight　to　a　finish。〃

Cao　Ren　could　not　withstand　this　offer；　and　so　the　five　hundred　went　out　of　the　city。　At　once　Ding　Feng　came　to　challenge　the　leader；　and　they　fought　a　few　bouts。　Then　Ding　Feng　pretended　to　be　defeated；　gave　up　the　fight；　and　retreated　into　his　own　lines。　Niu　Jin　followed　him　hard。　When　he　had　got　within　the　South　Lands　formation；　at　a　signal　from　Ding　Feng；　the　army　closed　round　and　Niu　Jin　was　surrounded。　He　pushed　right　and　left；　but　could　find　no　way　out。　Seeing　Niu　Jin　in　the　toils；　Cao　Ren；　who　had　watched　the　fight　from　the　wall；　donned　his　armor　and　came　out　of　the　city　at　the　head　of　his　own　bold　pany　of　horsemen　and　burst　in　among　the　forces　of　the　South　Land　to　try　to　rescue　his　colleague。　Beating　back　Xu　Sheng；　Cao　Ren　fought　his　way　in　and　presently　rescued　Niu　Jin。

However；　having　got　out；　Cao　Ren　saw　several　score　of　horsemen　still　in　the　middle　unable　to　make　their　way　out；　whereupon　he　turned　again　to　the　battle　and　dashed　in　to　their　rescue。　This　time　he　met　Jiang　Qin　on　whom　Cao　Ren　and　Niu　Jin　made　a　violent　attack。　Then　his　brother　Cao　Chun　came　up　with　supports；　and　the　great　battle　ended　in　a　defeat　for　the　troops　of　the　South　Land。

So　Cao　Ren　went　back　victor；　while　the　unhappy　Jiang　Qin　returned　to　report　his　failure。　Zhou　Yu　was　very　angry　and　would　have　put　to　death　his　hapless　subordinate　but　for　the　intervention　of　the　other　officers。　Then　Zhou　Yu　prepared　for　another　attack　where　he　himself　would　lead。

But　Gan　Ning　said；　〃General；　do　not　be　in　too　great　hurry。　Let　me　go　first　and　attack　Yiling；　the　supporting　angle　of　the　ox…horn　formation。　After　that　the　conquest　of　Nanjun　will　be　easy。〃

Zhou　Yu　accepted　the　plan　and　Gan　Ning；　with　three　thousand　troops；　went　to　attack　Yiling。

When　news　of　the　approaching　army　reached　him；　Cao　Ren　called　to　his　side　Chen　Jiao；　who　said；　〃If　Yiling　be　lost；　then　Nanjun　is　lost　too。　So　help　must　be　sent　quickly。〃

Thereupon　Cao　Chun　and　Niu　Jin　were　sent　by　secret　ways　to　the　aid　of　Cao　Hong。　Cao　Chun　sent　a　messenger　to　the　city　to　ask　that　they　should　cause　a　diversion　by　a　sortie　at　the　time　the　reinforcements　should　arrive。

So　when　Gan　Ning　drew　near；　Cao　Hong　went　out　to　meet　and　engage　him。　They　fought　a　score　of　rounds；　but　Cao　Hong　was　overe　at　last；　and　Gan　Ning　took　the　city。　However；　as　evening　fell　the　reinforcements　under　Cao　Chun　and　Niu　Jin　came　up；　and　the　captor　was　surrounded　in　the　city　he　had　taken。　The　scouts　went　off　immediately　to　tell　Zhou　Yu　of　this　sudden　change　of　affairs　which　greatly　alarmed　him。

〃Let　us　hasten　to　his　rescue；〃　said　Cheng　Pu。

〃Our　place　is　of　the　greatest　importance；〃　said　Zhou　Yu；　〃and　I　am　afraid　to　leave　it　undefended　lest　Cao　Ren　should　attack。〃

〃But　Gan　Ning　is　one　of　our　first　leaders　and　must　be　rescued；〃　said　Lu　Meng。

〃I　should　like　to　go　myself　to　his　aid；　but　whom　can　I　leave　here　in　my　place？〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

〃Leave　Ling　Tong　here；〃　said　Lu　Meng。　〃I　will　push　on　ahead；　and　you　can　protect　my　advance。　In　less　than　ten　days　we　shall　be　singing　the　paean　of　victory。〃

〃Are　you　willing？〃　said　Zhou　Yu　to　the　man　who　was　to　act　for　him。

Ling　Tong　said；　〃If　the　ten…day　period　is　not　exceeded；　I　may　be　able　to　carry　on　for　that　time。　I　am　unequal　to　more　than　that。〃

Ling　Tongs　consent　pleased　Zhou　Yu　who　started　at　once；　leaving　ten　thousand　troops　for　the　defense　of　the　camp。

Lu　Meng　said　to　his　chief；　〃South　of　Yiling　is　a　little…used　road　that　may　prove　very　useful　in　an　attack　on　Nanjun。　Let　us　send　a　party　to　fell　trees　and　barricade　this　road　so　that　horses　cannot　pass。　In　case　of　defeat；　the　defeated　will　take　this　road　and　will　be　pelled　to　abandon　their　horses；　which　we　shall　capture。〃

Zhou　Yu　approved；　and　the　men　set　out。　When　the　main　army　drew　near　Yiling；　Zhou　Yu　asked　who　would　try　to　break　through　the　besiegers；　and　Zhou　Tai　offered　himself。　He　girded　on　his　sword；　mounted　his　steed；　and　burst　straight　into　the　Cao　Hongs　army。　He　got　through　to　the　city　wall。

From　the　city　wall　Gan　Ning　saw　the　approach　of　his　friend　Zhou　Tai　and　went　out　to　wele　him。　Zhou　Tai　told　him　the　mander…in…Chief　was　on　the　way　to　his　relief；　and　Gan　Ning　at　once　bade　the　defenders　prepare　from　within　to　support　the　attack　of　the　rescuers。

When　the　news　of　the　approach　of　Zhou　Yu　had　reached　Yiling；　Cao　Hong；　Cao　Chun；　and　Niu　Jin　had　sent　to　tell　Cao　Ren；　who　was　at　Nanjun；　and　at　the　same　time　they　prepared　to　repel　the　assailants。

As　the　army　of　the　South　Land　came　near；　they　at　once　attacked。　Simultaneously　Gan　Ning　and　Zhou　Tai　went　out　to　attack　on　two　sides；　and　the　troops　of　Cao　Hong　were　thrown　into　confusion。　The　soldiers　of　the