小说园

第172部分（第1页）

In　due　course　the　two　Veteran　Generals　arrived　at　the　Pass。

At　sight　of　them；　Meng　Da　and　Huo　Jun；　the　defenders　of　the　Pass；　laughed　in　their　hearts；　thinking：　〃Zhuge　Liang　has　slipped　up　in　his　calculations　in　sending　such　a　pair　of　dotards　on　such　an　important　mission。〃

Huang　Zhong　said　to　Yan　Yan；　〃You　see　the　behavior　of　these　people？　They　are　laughing　at　us　because　we　are　old。　Now　we　will　do　something　that　will　win　admiration　from　all　the　world。〃

〃I　should　be　glad　to　hear　your　orders；〃　replied　Yan　Yan。

The　two　generals　came　to　a　decision　how　to　act。　Huang　Zhong　led　his　army　down　below　to　meet　Zhang　He　in　the　open　plain。　Both　drew　up　their　array。　When　Zhang　He　rode　out　and　saw　his　venerable　opponent；　he　laughed　in　his　face。

〃You　must　be　very　old；　and　yet　you　are　unashamed　to　go　into　the　battle；　eh？〃　said　Zhang　He。

〃You　menial！〃　replied　the　veteran。　〃Do　you　despise　me　for　my　age？　You　will　find　my　good　sword；　however；　keen　enough。〃

So　he　urged　forward　his　steed　and　rode　at　Zhang　He。　The　two　chargers　met　and　a　score　of　bouts　were　fought。　Then　suddenly　a　great　shouting　came　from　the　rear。　Yan　Yan　had　e　up　and　fallen　upon　the　rear　portion　of　Zhang　Hes　army。　Thus　attacked　on　two　sides；　Zhang　He　was　defeated。　The　pursuit　did　not　cease　with　nightfall；　and　Zhang　He　was　driven　back　near　thirty　miles。　Contented　with　this　success；　Huang　Zhong　and　Yan　Yan　went　into　their　camp；　where　they　rested　their　soldiers　for　a　time。

When　Cao　Hong　heard　of　Zhang　Hes　new　defeat；　he　was　going　to　exact　the　penalty。　But　Guo　Huai　persuaded　him　to　forbear。

〃If　he　is　pressed　too　hard；　he　may　take　refuge　in　Shu；〃　said　Guo　Huai。　〃Rather　send　him　help。　You　will　thus　keep　a　hold　over　him　and　prevent　his　desertion。〃

Wherefore　Xiahou　Shang　and　Han　Hao　were　sent　with　reinforcements。　Xiahou　Shang　was　a　nephew　of　Xiahou　Dun；　and　Han　Hao　was　the　brother　of　Han　Xuan；　the　late　Governor　of　Changsha。　They　had　five　thousand　troops。

The　two　generals　soon　reached　Zhang　He；　and　asked　how　now　the　situation　was　going。

〃That　old　man　Huang　Zhong　is　really　a　hero；〃　said　Zhang　He；　〃and　with　Yan　Yans　help　he　is　very　formidable。〃

〃When　I　was　at　Changsha；　I　heard　the　old　man　was　very　fierce。　He　and　Wei　Yan　yielded　the　city　to　Liu　Bei　and　killed　my　own　brother。　Now　that　I　shall　meet　him；　I　can　have　my　revenge；〃　said　Han　Hao。

So　he　and　Xiahou　Shang　led　out　the　new　army。

Now；　by　means　of　spies　Huang　Zhong　had　got　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　country。

Yan　Yan　said；　〃Hereabout　there　is　a　mountain　named　Tiandang　Mountain　wherein　Cao　Hong　has　stored　his　supplies。　If　we　can　gain　its　possession；　we　shall　reduce　the　enemy　to　want　and　we　shall　get　Hanzhong。〃

Huang　Zhong　replied；　〃I　think　so；　too；　and　so　let　us　do　so　and　so。〃

Yan　Yan　agreed　with　him　and　marched　off　with　a　body　of　troops　to　carry　out　his　part　in　the　stratagem。

At　news　of　the　ing　of　new　armies；　Huang　Zhong　marched　out　to　meet　them。　He　found　Han　Hao　in　front　of　his　array；　and　Han　Hao　began　to　abuse　the　veteran；　shouting　out；　〃Disgraceful　old　ruffian！〃

Then　Han　Hao　whipped　up　his　steed　and　set　his　spear　at　Huang　Zhong。　Xiahou　Shang　also　rode　out　and　took　part　in　the　bat。　The　veteran　held　them　both　at　bay　for　some　half　score　bouts　and　then　fled。　They　pursued　him　for　seven　miles；　when　they　reached　and　seized　his　camp。　Huang　Zhong；　however；　quickly　made　another　defense　of　brushwood。　Next　day　Xiahou　Shang　and　Han　Hao　renewed　the　pursuit；　which　ended　with　the　capture　of　the　temporary　camp　of　the　day　before。　And　they　had　advanced　seven　miles　further。　Then　they　called　upon　Zhang　He　to　protect　the　rear　camp。　When　Zhang　He　came　up；　he　dissuaded　them　from　continuing。

〃Huang　Zhong　has　retreated　before　you　for　two　days。　There　is　some　deep　stratagem　behind　this；〃　said　Zhang　He。

Xiahou　Shang　scoffed　at　him；　saying；　〃You　are　such　a　coward　that　you　have　been　defeated　many　times。　Now　say　no　more；　but　let　us　acplish　something。〃

Zhang　He　retired　much　mortified　and　shamed。　Next　day　the　two　generals　again　went　out　to　battle；　and　again　Huang　Zhong　fled　from　them　for　seven　miles。　The　two　generals　pursued　as　quickly　as　they　could。　The　day　after；　Huang　Zhong　fled　without　any　pretense　of　showing　fight；　except　at　short　intervals。　He　got　to　Jiameng　Pass　and　went　on　the　defensive。　The　pursuers　knocked　at　the　very　gate　of　the　Pass　and　made　a　camp　close　by。

Then　Meng　Da　secretly　wrote　to　Liu　Bei　that　Huang　Zhong　had　been　repeatedly　defeated　and　now　was　in　the　Pass　and　unable　to　go　out。

Liu　Bei　became　alarmed　and　consulted　Zhuge　Liang；　who　said；　〃The　old　general　is　making　the　enemy　over…confident………to　their　ultimate　destruction。〃

But　Zhao　Yun　did　not　share　this　opinion；　nor　did　many　others；　and　Liu　Bei　decided　to　send　Liu　Feng　to　reinforce　his　aged　general。

The　young　man　came　to　the　Pass　and　saw　Huang　Zhong；　who　asked　him；　〃General；　what　makes　you　e　here？〃