小说园

第154部分（第2页）

A　graybeard　ruled　in　western　Shu；

Clear　fame　is　his　the　whole　world　through；

As　radiant　sun　his　loyalty。

Unmatched　his　souls　nobility。

When　captive　taken　rather　he

Would　suffer　death　than　crook　his　knee。

Bazhou　he　ruled　for　many　a　year；

The　world　cannot　produce　his　peer。

A　poet　has　also　written　concerning　Zhang　Fei：

Yan　Yan　made　prisoner；　then　the　matchless　one

Exchanged　the　sword　for　reason；　and　so　won

The　place　he　holds　among　the　sacred　ones

Of　the　west；　to　whom　they　sacrifice　today。

Then　Zhang　Fei　asked　Yan　Yan　to　suggest　the　means　of　overing　the　West　River　Land。

Yan　Yan　replied；　〃I　am　but　the　defeated　leader　of　a　defeated　force；　indebted　to　the　victor　for　my　life。　I　have　nothing　but　my　humble　services　to　offer；　but　I　can　tell　you　how　to　get　possession　of　Chengdu　without　drawing　a　bow　or　shooting　an　arrow。〃

Cities　yield　in　quick　succession

Because　of　one　old　mans　secession。

The　proposal　will　be　unfolded　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　64　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　64

Chapter　64

Zhuge　Liang　Plans　For　The　Capture　Of　Zhang　Ren；

Yang　Fu　Borrows　Soldiers　To　Destroy　Ma　Chao。

As　stated　in　the　last　chapter；　Zhang　Fei　asked　Yan　Yan　to　tell　him　how　he　might　conquer　the　whole　of　the　West　River　Land。

This　was　the　reply：　〃All　the　fortified　posts　between　this　and　Luocheng　are　under　my　control；　and　the　manders　of　all　the　garrisons　owe　to　me　their　missions。　The　only　way　for　me　to　prove　my　gratitude　is　to　make　them　all　yield；　as　I　myself　have　done。　Let　me　lead　the　advance；　and　I　will　summon　them　one　by　one　to　surrender。〃

Zhang　Fei　thanked　him　again　and　again；　and　the　march　on　this　plan　began。　Whenever　the　army　arrived　at　a　post；　Yan　Yan　summoned　the　mander；　and　there　it　ended。　Occasionally；　one　would　hesitate；　when　Yan　Yan　would　say；　〃You　see　I　have　submitted。　How　much　more　ought　you　to　do　so？〃

These　bloodless　victories　followed　each　other　day　after　day；　supporters　rallying　to　the　invaders　without　question。　They　simply　came。

In　the　meantime；　Zhuge　Liang　was　preparing。　Having　decided　upon　the　date　of　departure；　he　wrote　to　inform　Liu　Bei　and　made　Luocheng　the　rendezvous　for　the　various　armies。　On　receipt　of　this　letter；　Liu　Bei　assembled　his　officers　and　explained　to　them　its　purport。　He　bade　them　be　ready　to　march　on　the　twenty…second　day　of　the　seventh　month。　Both　river　and　land　forces　were　to　set　out　the　same　day。

But　the　fiery　old　man　Huang　Zhong　was　dissatisfied　that　there　should　be　no　local　victory　in　the　River　Fu　Pass。

He　said；　〃Day　after　day　the　enemy　has　e　to　challenge　us；　and　day　after　day　we　have　refused。　They　must　have　grown　lax；　and　I　propose　a　night　raid　on　their　camp。　We　shall　catch　them　unprepared　and　shall　score　a　victory。〃

Liu　Bei　agreed　to　try。　He　arranged　for　a　night　raid；　Huang　Zhong　on　the　right；　Wei　Yan　on　the　left；　and　the　center　force　under　his　own　mand。　They　set　out　at　the　second　watch　and　soon　arrived。　They　found　Zhang　Rens　troops　unprepared；　rushed　the　camp；　and　set　it　on　fire。　The　flames　were　very　fierce；　and　the　troops　of　Yizhou　fled　in　confusion　and　sought　shelter　in　Luocheng。　They　were　admitted。　After　pursuing　them　for　some　distance；　Liu　Bei　made　a　camp。

Next　day　Liu　Bei　marched　right　up　to　the　city　to　besiege　it。　Zhang　Ren　kept　quiet　within　and　made　no　attempt　to　beat　off　the　besiegers。　On　the　fourth　day　Liu　Bei　led　an　attack　on　the　west　gate；　sending　Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　to　attack　the　east。　The　north　and　south　gates　were　left　to　give　the　besieged　a　chance　to　escape　if　they　would。

Now；　outside　the　south　gate　of　Luo