小说园

第181部分（第1页）

ive。〃

〃How　highly　does　our　Prince　regard　this　fellow　Guan　Yu！〃　said　Pang　De　to　his　officers　when　he　heard　this　new　mand。　〃But　I　think　I　shall　be　able　to　take　the　keen　edge　off　his　thirty…year　reputation。〃

〃The　mand　of　the　Prince　is　to　be　obeyed；〃　said　Yu　Jin。

Pang　De　hastened　to　Fancheng　in　all　the　pomp　and　panoply　of　war；　his　gongs　clanging；　his　drums　rolling　as　he　marched。

Guan　Yu　was　sitting　in　his　tent　when　his　spies　came　to　report：　〃Seven　armies　of　the　north　under　Yu　Jin　are　approaching。　They　are　ten　miles　away。　The　Van　Leader　is　Pang　De；　who　brings　with　him　a　coffin。　As　he　marches；　he　slanders　you；　General；　and　vows　to　fight　a　decisive　battle　with　you。〃

Rage　took　possession　of　Guan　Yu。　His　face　changed　color；　his　beard　shook；　and　he　roared　out；　〃There　is　never　a　fighting　man　in　all　the　world　who　has　heard　my　name　without　trembling。　Does　this　fellow　dare　disdain　me？〃

Then　he　ordered　Guan　Ping　to　attack　Fancheng　while　he　went　out　to　stay　the　impudent　boaster　who　dared　him。

〃Father；〃　said　Guan　Ping；　〃Taishan　Mountain　in　its　majesty　does　not　quarrel　with　a　pebble。　Let　me　go　and　fight　this　Pang　De。〃

〃Well；　my　son；　go　and　try。　I　will　support　you。〃

So　Guan　Ping　took　his　sword；　mounted　his　steed；　and　went　out　with　his　troops。　Both　sides　being　drawn　up　for　battle。　On　the　side　of　Wei　there　flew　a　single　black　flag　on　which　was　inscribed　Pang　De；　Corrector　of　the　West　in　white。　The　leader　himself　wore　a　blue　robe　with　a　silver　helmet　and　rode　a　white　charger。　He　stood　out　in　front　backed　by　his　five　hundred　veterans；　and　a　few　foot　soldiers　were　there　too；　bearing　the　gruesome　coffin。

Guan　Ping　was　very　angry；　crying　out；　〃Turncoat！　Traitor！〃

〃Who　is　that？〃　asked　Pang　De　of　his　followers。

A　certain　one　replied；　〃That　is　Guan　Yus　adopted　son；　Guan　Ping。〃

Pang　De　cried；　〃I　have　an　edict　from　the　Prince　of　Wei　to　take　your　fathers　head。　You　are　but　a　weakling；　and　I　will　spare　you。　But　call　your　father！〃

Guan　Ping　dashed　forward　flourishing　his　sword。　Pang　De　went　to　meet　him；　and　there　followed　thirty　odd　bouts　with　no　advantage　to　either。

Both　sides　then　drew　off　to　rest。　Soon　the　news　of　this　bat　reached　Guan　Yu；　and　he　was　not　pleased。　He　sent　Liao　Hua　to　assault　the　city　while　he　went　to　do　battle　with　Pang　De。　Guan　Ping　met　his　father　and　related　the　story　of　the　indecisive　fight。

So　Guan　Yu　rode　out　with　his　green…dragon　saber　ready；　and　he　shouted　to　Pang　De；　〃e　quickly　and　be　slain！〃

The　drums　reechoed　as　Pang　De　rode　out　and　replied；　〃The　edict　from　the　Prince　of　Wei　tells　me　to　take　your　head。　In　case　you　disbelieve　it；　here　is　the　coffin　ready　to　receive　it。　If　you　fear　death；　down　from　your　horse　and　surrender！〃

〃I　hold　you　for　a　simple　fool；〃　cried　Guan　Yu。　〃What　can　you　do？　It　is　a　pity　to　stain　my　blade　with　the　blood　of　such　a　rat。〃

Then　he　galloped　Red　Hare　out　toward　Pang　De；　flourishing　the　saber。　Pang　De　whirled　his　blade　and　came　to　meet　him；　and　they　two　fought　a　hundred　bouts。　And　as　they　fought；　the　lust　of　battle　seemed　to　grow　and　both　armies　were　lost　in　amazement。

But　the　army　of　Wei　began　to　fear　for　their　champion；　and　the　gongs　sounded　the　retirement。　At　the　same　time　Guan　Ping　began　to　think　of　his　fathers　fatigue；　and　his　gongs　clanged　too。　So　that　both　armies　drew　off　at　the　same　time。

〃People　rumor　Guan　Yu　is　a　mighty　man　of　war。　Today　I　really　believe　that；〃　said　Pang　De；　when　he　had　got　back　among　his　own　line。

Then　his　chief；　Yu　Jin；　came　to　see　him　and　said；　〃O　General；　you　fought　the　great　bat　of　a　hundred　bouts；　which　ended　indecisively。　I　think　it　would　be　prudent　to　retire　out　of　his　way；　and　therefore　blunting　his　spirit。〃

But　Pang　De　replied　haughtily；　〃What　makes　you　so　soft？　Yet　the　Prince　gave　you　the　mand　of　the　seven　armies！　But　tomorrow　I　will　fight　again　and　that　to　the　death。　I　swear　I　will　never　give　way。〃

Yu　Jin　could　not　overe　Pang　Des　decision；　so　he　went　back　to　his　own　camp。

When　Guan　Yu　had　got　back　to　his　camp；　he　extolled　Pang　De；　saying；　〃His　swordsmanship　is　perfect。　He　is　my　worthy　enemy。〃

〃The　new…born　calf　fears　not　the　tiger；〃　said　Guan　Ping。　〃But　if　you　slay　this　fellow；　my　father；　you　have　only　killed　a　mon　soldier　of　the　Qiang　tribes　beyond　the　frontier。　If　any　accident　occurs；　then　you　will　have　the　reproach　of　not　having　considered　your　brothers　charge。〃

〃How　can　my　resentment　be　assuaged　save　by　the　death　of　this　man？〃　returned　Guan　Yu。　〃I　have　decided　to　fight；　so　say　no　more。〃

Next　day　Guan　Yu　took　the　field　first；　and　Pang　De　quickly　came　out。　Both　arrayed　their　troops　and　then　went　to　the　front　at　the　same　moment。　This　time　neither　spoke；　but　the　bat　began　forthwith。　It　went　on　for　fifty　bouts；　and　then　Pang　De　pulled　his　horse；　sheathed　his　sword；　and　fled。　Guan　Yu　went　in　pursuit；　and　Guan　Ping　followed　lest　there　should　be　need　of　him。

Guan　Yu　roared　out　reviling　to　his　flying　foe；　〃Traitor！　You　want　to　use　the　swinging…horse　stab；　but　here　I　am；　never　afraid　of　that。〃

But　the　fact　was　that　Pang　De　had　only　pretended　to　try　for　a　foul　stroke　in　order　to　cover　a　resort　to　his　bow。　He　pulled　in　his　horse；　fitted　an　arrow　to　the　string；　and　was　just　on　the　point　of　shooting　when　Guan　Ping；　who　was　sharp…eyed；　shouted　out　a　warning。

〃The　bandit　is　going　to　shoot！〃