小说园

第180部分（第1页）

Cao　Ren　was　won　over　to　the　side　of　those　of　action。　He　placed　Man　Chong　in　mand　of　the　defenses　of　Fancheng；　while　he　went　outside　to　beat　off　Guan　Yu。　When　the　two　forces　met；　Guan　Yu　called　to　his　side　Guan　Ping　and　Liao　Hua；　to　whom　he　gave　certain　orders。　These　two　advanced；　settled　their　array；　and　Liao　Hua　then　rode　out　and　offered　a　challenge。　Zhai　Yuan　accepted　it。　But　soon　after　the　bat　began；　Liao　Hua　made　as　if　he　was　defeated　and　turned　to　leave　the　field。　Zhai　Yuan　went　after　him。　The　Jingzhou　troops　retired　seven　miles　or　so。

Soon　the　Jingzhou　soldiers　came　again　and　offered　battle；　when　Xiahou　Cun　and　Zhai　Yuan　both　went　out。　The　maneuver　of　the　preceding　day　was　repeated；　and　the　Jingzhou　army　retreated　another　seven　miles。　But　suddenly　there　was　a　detonation　behind　the　army　of　Cao　Cao；　and　the　rolling　of　drums　as　for　attack。　Cao　Ren　hastily　called　upon　his　troops　to　return。　They　did　so；　but　Guan　Ping　and　Liao　Hua　then　turned　and　followed　on　their　heels　so　that　the　troops　of　Cao　Cao　were　thrown　into　confusion。

Cao　Ren　by　this　time　had　seen　that　a　trap　had　been　laid　and　he　had　fallen　therein；　so　he　hastily　marched　with　one　army　to　Xiangyang。　He　got　to　within　a　short　distance　of　the　city　when　he　saw　before　him　a　handsome　banner　waving　in　the　wind；　and　out　came　Guan　Yu　with　his　green…dragon　saber　ready　to　slay。　Cao　Ren　was　powerless　from　fear；　and；　fighting　being　impossible；　he　turned　off　into　a　bye…road　for　Xiangyang。

Then　Xiahou　Cun　came。　He　fell　into　a　rage　at　the　sight　of　the　old　warrior　and　went　to　fight　him。　But　Xiahou　Cun　was　slain　in　the　first　encounter。　Zhai　Yuan　fled；　but　Guan　Ping　pursued　and　slew　him。　Then　the　pursuit　was　continued；　and　the　loss　of　Cao　Caos　side　was　very　heavy。　More　than　half　were　drowned　in　River　Xiang。　Seeing　the　situation　was　desperate；　Cao　Ren　fled　to　Fancheng。　Guan　Yu　got　possession　of　Xiangyang。

〃You　have　obtained　this　city　very　easily；〃　said　the　Marching　General；　Wang　Fu；　〃but　the　task　is　not　ended。　Cao　Caos　army　have　been　beaten　and　their　courage　broken；　but　there　is　danger　from　the　side　of　Wu。　Lu　Meng　is　at　Lukou；　and　he　has　long　cherished　the　desire　to　lay　hands　on　Jingzhou。　Suppose　he　now　attacks：　What　will　happen？〃

〃I　was　even　thinking　of　that　myself。　You　may　go　and　attend　to　this　matter。　You　will　certainly　be　able　to　find　certain　elevated　spots　on　the　river　bank；　about　seven　miles　apart；　suitable　for　alarm　beacons；　whence　could　be　signaled　any　attempt　of　the　marines　of　Wu　to　cross　the　river。　Fifty　soldiers　could　guard　each　station。　Let　there　be　a　flame　by　night　and　a　smoke　by　day。　If　they　cross　the　river；　I　must　go　and　smite　them。〃

Wang　Fu　replied；　〃Fu　Shiren　and　Mi　Fang　are　defending　important　places；　but　they　may　not　be　able　to　defend　the　Passes　well。　There　ought　to　be　a　mander…in…chief　over　Jingzhou　City。〃

〃There　is　no　need　for　anxiety。　Army　Inspector　Pan　Jun　is　guarding　the　city。〃

〃The　objection　is　the　character　of　Pan　Jun。　He　is　jealous　and　selfish　and　not　a　fit　person　for　the　task。　I　think　you　would　do　well　to　replace　him　by　Zhao　Lei；　now　of　the　Chief　of　the　missariat。　Zhao　Lei　is　loyal；　trusty；　clean…handed；　and　straight；　a　much　more　desirable　man　for　the　post。〃

〃I　know　Pan　Jun　very　well；　but　I　have　delegated　him　for　that　duty　and　cannot　change　now。　The　work　Zhao　Lei　has　to　do　in　the　supplies　is　also　most　important。　I　do　not　think　you　need　be　anxious。　Just　get　along　with　those　beacons　for　me。〃

Wang　Fu；　disappointed；　took　his　leave。

Then　Guan　Ping　was　bidden　to　prepare　ships　ready　to　cross　the　river　and　attack　Fancheng；　whither　Cao　Ren　had　retired　after　his　defeat。

Now　Cao　Ren　said　to　Man　Chong；　〃Neglecting　your　advice；　I　lost　soldiers；　two　generals；　and　the　city　of　Xiangyang。　What　am　I　to　do　now？〃

〃Guan　Yu　is　very　dangerous；　too　brave　and　skillful　for　us　to　try　to　defeat。　We　had　better　remain　on　the　defensive；〃　replied　Man　Chong。

Just　about　this　time　came　the　tidings　that　Guan　Yu　was　crossing　the　river　on　the　way　to　attack。　Man　Chong　maintained　his　policy　of　defense。　But　one　of　Cao　Rens　generals；　Lu　Chang；　was　for　going　out　to　meet　the　enemy。

〃I　ask　for　a　few　thousand　troops；〃　said　Lu　Chang；　〃and　I　will　meet　the　enemy　on　the　way。〃

〃You　cannot　do　any　good；〃　said　Man　Chong。

〃According　to　the　advice　of　you　and　the　other　bookish　officials；　there　is　only　one　thing　to　do。　But　will　defense　drive　off　the　enemy？　The　proper　way　is　to　attack　your　enemy　while　he　is　crossing　a　river；　and　as　Guan　Yu　is　doing　that　now；　why　not　attack？　It　will　be　quite　another　matter　if　you　let　him　reach　the　walls　and　get　possession　of　the　moat。〃

As　a　result　of　his　arguments　and　protest；　Lu　Chang　got　mand　of　two　thousand　troops；　whom　he　led　to　the　river。　And　there　he　found　Guan　Yu　already　arrayed　for　battle。　Guan　Yu　at　once　rode　out；　and　the　bold　Lu　Chang　was　going　to　attack　him。　But　his　soldiers　were　panic…stricken　at　the　sight　of　Guan　Yus　fierce　countenance　and　ran　away。　Lu　Chang　called　them　to　e　back；　but　they　would　not　stop；　and　as　Guan　Yu　came　on　with　a　rush；　the　army　of　Wei　again　lost　the　day。　Many　were　slain；　and　the　remainder　ran　into　Fancheng。　Cao　Ren　sent　off　a　hasty　messenger　for　help　and　a　letter　to　Xuchang　to　tell　what　Guan　Yu　had　done　and　how　Fancheng　was　in　imminent　danger　of　falling。

The　letter　reached　Cao　Cao；　who　chose　a　certain　general　among　his　leaders　and　assigned　the　task；　〃You　go　and　defend　Fancheng！〃

The　man　at　once　stepped　out　and　accepted　the　assignment。　He　was　Yu　Jin。

〃Let　me　have　another　general　to　lead　the　van；〃　said　Yu　Jin。

〃Who　volunteers？〃　asked　Cao　Cao；　looking　around。

〃I　do！〃　cried　a　man；　〃I　will　give　my　poor　services　for　what　they　are　worth。　And　I　will　capture　this　fellow　Guan　Yu　and　bring　him　as　an　offering　before　your　standard。〃

The　soldiers　of　Wei　began　the　war

Even　before　Wu　had　sent　out　armies。

But　who　was　the　man　bold　enough　to　say　he　would　capture　Guan　Yu？　For　his　name　see　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　74　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　74