小说园

第182部分（第1页）

rd。

After　that　he　went　to　capture　Pang　De；　who　was　standing　on　a　hillock　with　Dong　Heng；　Dong　Chao；　Cheng　He；　and　his　five　hundred　troops；　all　without　armors。　Pang　De　saw　his　archenemy　approach　without　a　sign　of　fear；　and　even　went　boldly　to　meet　him。　Guan　Yu　surrounded　the　party　with　his　boats；　and　the　archers　began　to　shoot。　When　more　than　half　the　troops　had　been　struck　down；　the　survivors　became　desperate。

Dong　Heng　and　Dong　Chao　pressed　their　chief　to　give　in；　saying；　〃We　have　lost　more　than　half　of　our　men。　Surrender　is　the　only　course！〃

But　Pang　De　only　raged；　saying；　〃I　have　received　great　kindness　from　the　Prince。　Think　you　that　I　will　bow　the　head　to　any　other？〃

Pang　De　cut　down　Dong　Heng　and　Dong　Chao　right　in　the　battlefield　and　then　shouted；　〃Anyone　who　says　surrender　shall　be　as　these　two！〃

So　the　survivors　made　a　desperate　effort　to　beat　off　their　enemies；　and　they　held　their　own　up　to　midday。　Then　Guan　Yus　marines　redoubled　their　efforts；　and　the　arrows　and　stones　rained　down　upon　the　defenders；　who　fought　desperately　hand　to　hand　with　their　assailants。

〃The　valorous　leader　fears　death　less　than　desertion；　the　brave　warrior　does　not　break　faith　to　save　his　life！〃　cried　Pang　De。　〃This　is　the　day　of　my　death；　but　I　will　fight　on　to　the　last。　And　you；　General；　should　fight　to　your　end；　too。〃

So　Cheng　He　pressed　on　till　he　fell　into　the　water　by　an　arrow　of　Guan　Yu；　and　then　the　soldiers　yielded。

Pang　De　fought　on。　Then　one　of　the　boats　happened　to　close　in　to　the　bank。　With　a　tremendous　leap　Pang　De　lighted　on　it　and　slashed　at　the　marines；　killing　ten　of　them。　The　others　jumped　overboard　and　swam　away。　Then　Pang　De　one　hand　still　holding　his　sword；　tried　to　maneuver　the　boat　across　the　river　to　Fancheng。　But　there　came　drifting　down　a　raft；　which　collided　with　and　upset　his　boat　so　that　he　was　struggling　in　the　water。　Next　a　general　on　the　raft　jumped　into　the　water；　gripped　him；　put　him　on　the　boat　again。

The　captor　was　Zhou　Cang；　a　skillful　waterman　who；　having　lived　in　Jingzhou　for　many　years；　was　thoroughly　expert　in　boat　navigation。　Beside；　he　was　very　powerful　and　so　was　able　to　make　Pang　De　a　prisoner。

In　this　flood　perished　the　whole　of　the　seven　armies；　except　the　few　that　saved　themselves　by　swimming。　These　latter；　having　no　way　of　escape；　surrendered　to　the　victors。

In　the　depth　of　night　rolled　the　war　drums；

Summoning　the　warriors　as　to　battle；

But　the　enemy　was　no　man；

For　the　waters　had　risen　and　the　flood　came。

This　was　the　plan　of　Guan　Yu；　the　crafty；

To　drown　his　enemies。　More　than　human

was　he　in　cunning。　The　ages　hand　on　his　fame

As　his　glory　was　told　in　his　own　day。

Guan　Yu　then　returned　to　the　higher　ground；　where　his　tent　was　pitched　and　therein　took　his　seat　to　receive　his　prisoners。　The　lictors　brought　up　Yu　Jin；　who　prostrated　himself　humbly。

〃How　dared　you　think　to　oppose　me？　To　execute　you　would　be　like　killing　a　hog。　It　would　be　soiling　weapons　for　nothing；〃　said　Guan　Yu；　stroking　his　beard。

Yu　Jin　was　hound　and　sent　to　the　prison　in　Jingzhou。

〃I　will　decide　your　fate　when　I　return；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

The　general　having　thus　dealt　with　the　chief；　Pang　De　was　sent　for。　He　came；　pride　and　anger　flashing　from　his　eyes。　He　did　not　kneel　but　stood　boldly　erect。

〃You　have　a　brother　in　Hanzhong；　and　your　old　chief　was　Ma　Chao；　also　in　high　honor　in　Shu。　Would　you　not　better　join　them？〃

〃Rather　than　surrender　to　you；　I　would　perish　beneath　the　sword；〃　cried　Pang　De。

He　reviled　his　captors　without　ceasing　till；　losing　patience　at　last；　Guan　Yu　sent　him　to　his　death。　Pang　De　was　beheaded。　He　stretched　out　his　neck　for　the　headsmans　sword。　Out　of　pity　he　was　honorably　buried。

The　floods　were　still　out；　and　taking　advantage　of　them；　the　troops　of　Jingzhou　boarded　the　boats　to　move　toward　Fancheng；　which　now　stood　out　as　a　mere　island　with　waves　breaking　against　the　walls。

The　force　of　the　waters　being　great；　the　city　wall　was　beginning　to　give　way；　and　the　whole　population；　male　and　female；　aged　and　young；　were　carrying　mud　and　bricks　to　strengthen　it。　Their　efforts　seemed　vain；　and　the　leaders　of　Cao　Caos　army　were　very　desperate。

Some　of　the　generals　went　to　see　Cao　Ren；　who　said；　〃No　ordinary　persons　strength　can　fend　off　todays　danger。　If　we　can　hold　out　till　nightfall；　we　may　escape　by　boat。　We　shall　lose　the　city；　but　we　shall　save　our　skins。〃

But　Man　Chong　interposed　before　the　boats　could　be　got　ready。

He　said；　〃No！　No！　Though　the　force　of　these　mountainous　waters　is　great；　we　only　have　to　wait　ten　days　or　so；　and　the　flood　will　have　passed。　Though　Guan　Yu　has　not　assaulted　this　city；　yet　he　has　sent　another　army　to　Jiaxia；　which　indicates　he　dares　not　advance　lest　we　should　fall　upon　his　rear。　Remember；　too；　that　to　retire　from　this　city　means　the　abandonment　of　everything　south　of　the　Yellow　River。　Therefore　I　decide　that　you　defend　this　place。〃

Cao　Ren　saluted　Man　Chong　as　he　concluded　his　harangue；　saying；　〃What　a　tremendous　error　I　should　have　mitted　had　it　not　been　for　you；　Sir！〃

Then　riding　his　white　charger　he　went　up　on　the　city　walls；　gathered　his　officers　around　him；　and　pledged　himself　not　to　surrender。

〃The　Princes　mand　being　to　defend　this　city；　I　shall　defend　it　to　the　last。　And　I　shall　put　to　death　anyone　who　even　mentions　abandonment；〃　said　he。

〃And　we　desire　to　defend　it　to　out　last　gasp；〃　chimed　in　his　officers。

Then　they　saw　to　it　that　the　means　of　offense　were　good。　Many　hundreds　of　archers　and　crossbowmen　were　stationed　on　the　wall　and　kept　watch　night　and　day。　The　old　and　the　young　of　ordinary　people　were　made　to　carry　earth　and　stones　to　strengthen　the　wall。

After　some　ten　days　the　flood　was　at　an　end。　Then　the　news　of　Guan　Yus　success　against　the　Wei　campaign　got　abroad；　and　the　terror　of　his　name　spread　wider　and　wider。　About　the　same　time；　too；　his　second　son；　Guan　Xing；　came　to　visit　his　father　in　camp。　Guan　Yu　thought　this　a　good　opportunity　to　send　his　report　of　success　to　Capital　Chengdu　and　entrusted　to　Guan　Xing　a　dispatch　mentioning　each　officers　services　and　requesting　promotion　for　them。　Guan　Xing　accordingly　took　leave　of　his　father　and　left。