小说园

第184部分（第2页）

Xu　Huang　Fights　At　The　River　Mian；

Guan　Yu　Retreats　To　Maicheng。

The　fall　of　Jingzhou　put　Mi　Fang　in　a　quandary。　Before　he　could　decide　upon　any　course；　his　old　colleague　Fu　Shiren　came　to　see　him。　Fu　Shiren　was　admitted；　and　when　asked　why　he　had　e；　he　blurted　out　his　business　without　beating　about　the　bush。

〃I　am　faithful　enough；　but　I　got　into　difficulties　and　danger　and　could　not　hold　on；　so　I　have　surrendered　to　Wu。　And　I　advise　you　to　do　the　same。〃

〃You　and　I　have　both　fed　on　the　bounty　of　the　Prince　of　Hanzhong；　and　I　cannot　understand　how　you　can　turn　against　him。〃

〃Guan　Yu　went　away　hating　both　of　us　intensely。　Even　if　he　es　back　victorious；　I　do　not　think　he　will　forgive　us。　Just　think　it　over。〃

〃My　brother　and　I　have　followed　the　Prince　these　many　years；　and　I　do　not　like　leaving　him　like　this。〃

Mi　Fang　hesitated。

Before　he　could　make　up　his　mind；　there　came　a　messenger；　saying；　〃The　army　in　Fancheng　is　short　of　grain；　and　I　was　sent　to　demand　white　rice　for　the　soldiers。　Nanjun　and　Gongan　are　to　send　ten　thousand　carts　at　once。　Delay　will　be　most　severely　punished。〃

This　sudden　demand　was　a　shock　to　Mi　Fang。

〃Where　am　I　to　get　the　rice？〃　said　he　despairingly　to　his　friend　and　tempter。　〃Jingzhou　is　now　in　the　hands　of　Wu。〃

〃Do　not　dilly…dally；〃　said　Fu　Shiren。　Thereupon　he　drew　his　sword　and　slew　the　messenger　as　he　stood　in　the　hall。

〃What　have　you　done？〃　cried　Mi　Fang。

〃Guan　Yu　wanted　to　slay　us　two　and　has　forced　me　to　this。　Are　we　to　fold　our　hands　and　await　death？　Either　you　give　in　at　once　and　go　over　to　Wu；　or　you　will　be　put　to　death　by　Guan　Yu。〃

Just　then　they　heard　that　Lu　Mengs　troops　had　actually　reached　the　city　wall。　Mi　Fang　saw　that　nothing　could　save　his　life　but　desertion；　so　he　went　out　with　Fu　Shiren　and　gave　in　his　allegiance　to　Lu　Meng；　by　whom　he　was　led　to　Sun　Quan。　Sun　Quan　gave　both　of　them　presents；　after　which　he　proceeded　to　restore　order　and　to　reward　his　army　for　their　services。

At　the　time　that　great　discussion　about　Jingzhou　was　going　on　in　Xuchang；　a　messenger　arrived　with　a　letter　from　Sun　Quan。　It　told　the　plan　of　attacking　Jingzhou　and　begged　Cao　Cao　to　send　an　army　to　attack　Guan　Yu　in　the　rear；　enjoining　the　utmost　secrecy。

Cao　Cao　summoned　his　advisers　to　a　meeting　for　consultation。

First　Secretary　Dong　Zhao　said；　〃Now　that　Fancheng　is　surrounded；　it　would　be　well　to　shoot　letter　into　the　city　to　let　the　besieged　know；　so　that　they　may　not　yield　to　depression。　Then　we　will　inform　Guan　Yu　of　the　danger　from　the　south。　If　Guan　Yu　hears　that　Jingzhou　is　threatened　by　Wu；　he　will　e　back　to　try　to　defend　it。　Then　let　Xu　Huang　take　the　chance　to　attack；　and　our　victory　will　be　plete。〃

Cao　Cao　agreed　that　the　plan　was　good；　and　so　he　sent　a　messenger　to　urge　Xu　Huang　to　attack。　Cao　Cao　himself　led　a　large　force　to　Yangling　Slope；　south　of　Luoyang；　to　rescue　Cao　Ren。

Xu　Huang　was　sitting　in　his　tent　when　they　told　him　that　a　messenger　from　the　Prince　of　Wei　had　arrived。

The　messenger　was　called　in　and　said；　〃The　Prince　has　led　an　army　to　Luoyang；　and　he　wishes　you　to　hasten　to　attack　Guan　Yu　in　order　to　relieve　Fancheng。〃

Just　then　the　scouts　came　to　report：　〃Guan　Ping　has　encamped　at　Yencheng　and　Liao　Hua　at　Sizhong。　The　enemy　have　built　a　line　of　twelve　stockades。〃

Xu　Huang　ordered　two　of　his　generals………Lu　Qian　and　Xu　Shang………to　Yencheng　to　masquerade　as　if　he　himself　was　in　mand；　by　showing　his　ensigns。　Xu　Huang　himself；　at　the　head　of　five　hundred　veterans；　went　along　River　Mian　to　attack　Yencheng　in　the　rear。

When　Guan　Ping　heard　of　the　approach　of　Xu　Huang；　he　prepared　his　own　division　to　meet　him。　When　both　sides　were　arrayed；　Guan　Ping　rode　out　and　engaged　Xu　Shang。　After　three　encounters　Xu　Shang　had　the　worst　of　it　and　fled。　Then　the　other　general；　Lu　Qian；　went　out。　He　fought　half　a　dozen　bouts　and　also　ran　away。　Thereupon　Guan　Ping　went　in　pursuit　and　smote　the　flying　enemy　for　seven　miles。　But　then　there　was　an　alarm　of　fire　within　Yencheng；　and　Guan　Ping　knew　that　he　had　been　inveigled　into　the　pursuit　and　was　a　victim。　So　he　turned　and　set　out　for　the　city　again。　On　his　way　he　met　a　body　of　troops；　and　standing　under　the　great　standard　was　Xu　Huang。

Xu　Huang　shouted　out；　〃Guan　Ping；　my　worthy　nephew；　it　is　strange　that　you　do　not　recognize　death　when　it　stares　you　in　the　face。　Your　Jingzhou　has　fallen　into　the　hands　of　Wu；　and　yet　you　act　so　madly。〃

Guan　Ping；　whirling　his　sword；　just　rode　hard　at　Xu　Huang；　and　they　engaged。　But　after　the　third　bout　there　was　a　tremendous　shouting　among　the　soldiers；　for　the　flames　within　the　city　burst　up　higher　than　before。　Guan　Ping　could　not　follow　up　his　desire　to　continue　the　fight；　but　cut　his　way　out　and　made　a　dash　for　Sizhong；　where　Liao　Hua　received　him　with　the　news　of　the　disaster　to　Jingzhou。

〃People　say　that　Jingzhou　has　fallen　to　Lu　Meng；　and　the　news　has　frightened　the　whole　army。　What　is　to　be　done？〃　said　Liao　Hua。

〃It　is　only　a　malicious　rumor。　Do　not　let　it　spread。　If　anyone　repeats　it；　put　him　to　death。〃

Just　then　a　man　came　running　in　to　say　that　Xu　Huang　was　attacking　the　first　stockade　on　the　north。

〃If　that　goes；〃　said　Guan　Ping；　〃the　remainder　will　follow。　But　as　we　have　River　Mian　at　our　back；　they　will　not　dare　attack　this。　Let　us　go　to　the　rescue。〃

So　Liao　Hua　summoned　his　subordinate　leaders　and　gave　them　orders　to　hold　the　camp　and　make　a　signal　if　the　enemy　came。

〃There　is　no　danger　here；〃　said　they。　〃The　camp　is　defended　by　a　tenfold　line　of