小说园

第185部分（第1页）

if　the　enemy　came。

〃There　is　no　danger　here；〃　said　they。　〃The　camp　is　defended　by　a　tenfold　line　of　thorny　barriers。　Even　a　bird　could　not　get　in。〃

Guan　Ping　and　Liao　Hua　mustered　all　the　veterans　they　had　and　went　away　to　the　first　stockade。

Seeing　the　Wei　soldiers　camped　on　a　low　hill；　Guan　Ping　said　to　his　colleague；　〃Those　soldiers　are　stationed　in　an　unsafe　place。　Let　us　raid　their　camp　tonight。〃

〃You　take　half　the　force；　General；　and　I　will　remain　to　keep　the　camp；〃　said　Liao　Hua。

When　night　fell；　the　attacking　force　went　out。　But　on　reaching　the　camp　not　a　man　opposed　them。　The　camp　was　empty。　Then　Guan　Ping　knew　he　had　been　deceived；　and　turned　to　retreat。　He　was　at　once　attacked　on　two　sides　by　Xu　Shang　and　Lu　Qian　from　left　and　right。　Unable　to　stand；　his　troops　ran　for　the　camp。　The　soldiers　of　Wei　followed；　and　presently　the　camp　was　surrounded。　They　were　pelled　to　abandon　the　position　and　set　off　for　Sizhong。　As　they　drew　near　they　saw　torches；　and　presently　knew　by　the　ensigns　displayed　that　the　camp　had　also　fallen　to　the　enemy。　Retiring；　they　hastened　along　the　high　road　toward　Fancheng；　but　presently　their　way　was　barred　by　a　force　under　Xu　Huang　himself。　By　dint　of　hard　fighting　they　got　away　and　returned　to　their　main　camp；　and　Guan　Ping　went　to　his　father。

Said　he；　〃Xu　Huang　has　got　possession　of　Yencheng。　Cao　Caos　main　army　is　on　the　way　in　three　divisions。　And　many　say　that　Jingzhou　is　in　the　enemys　hands。〃

Guan　Yu　bade　him　be　silent。

〃This　is　a　fabrication　of　the　enemy；〃　said　Guan　Yu；　〃but　it　may　dishearten　the　soldiers。　We　know　Lu　Meng　is　ill；　and　they　have　appointed　that　impractical　fellow　Lu　Xun　to　succeed　him　at　Lukou。　There　is　nothing　to　fear。〃

Then　news　came　that　Xu　Huang　had　arrived。　At　once　Guan　Yu　bade　them　saddle　his　charger。

〃Father；　you　are　not　strong　enough　to　go　into　the　battle；〃　said　Guan　Ping。

〃Xu　Huang　and　I　were　once　friends；　and　I　know　what　he　can　do　and　not　do。　I　will　give　him　the　chance　to　retire。　If　he　does　not　take　it；　then　I　shall　just　slay　him　as　a　warning　to　the　others。〃

Mounting　his　charger；　Guan　Yu　rode　out　as　impetuously　as　of　yore；　and　the　sight　of　the　old　warrior　made　to　quake　the　hearts　of　the　troops　of　Wei。

When　he　came　close　enough　to　his　enemy；　Guan　Yu　checked　his　steed　and　said；　〃Where　is　my　friend　Xu　Huang？〃

As　a　reply；　the　gate　of　the　battle　opened；　and　Xu　Huang　appeared　under　the　standard。

With　a　low　bow　Xu　Huang　said；　〃Some　years　have　passed　since　I　met　you；　Most　Excellent　Marquis；　but　I　had　not　expected　to　see　you　so　gray。　I　have　not　forgotten　the　old　brave　days；　when　we　were　together　and　you　taught　me　so　much；　and　I　am　very　grateful。　Your　new　fame　has　spread　throughout　the　whole　empire；　and　your　old　friends　cannot　but　praise　you。　I　am　indeed　glad　that　I　have　the　happiness　to　see　you。〃

Guan　Yu　replied；　〃We　have　been　excellent　friends；　Xu　Huang………better　than　most。　But　why　have　you　pressed　my　son　so　hardly　of　late？〃

Xu　Huang　suddenly　turned　to　the　officers　about　him　and　cried　fiercely；　〃I　would　give　a　thousand　ounces　of　gold　for　this　Guan　Yus　head。〃

Guan　Yu；　greatly　shocked；　said；　〃What　did　you　say　that　for？〃

〃Because　today　I　am　on　state　business；　and　I　have　no　inclination　to　let　private　friendship　override　my　public　duty。〃

As　he　said　this；　he　whirled　his　battle…ax　and　rode　at　Guan　Yu；　who；　greatly　enraged；　threw　up　his　great　saber　to　strike。　They　fought　a　half　score　bouts；　but　although　his　skill　lacked　nothing　of　its　pristine　vigor　and　excelled　all　the　world；　the　old　warriors　right　arm　was　still　weak　from　the　wound。　Guan　Ping　saw　that　his　father　failed　somewhat；　and　so　hastily　beat　the　gong　for　retreat。　Guan　Yu　rode　back。

Suddenly　the　noise　of　a　great　shouting　was　heard。　It　came　from　the　troops　in　Fancheng；　for　Cao　Ren；　having　heard　of　the　arrival　of　troops　of　his　own　side；　had　made　a　sortie　and　was　about　to　attack　to　help　Xu　Huang。　His　army　fell　on；　and　the　army　of　Jingzhou　were　routed。　Guan　Yu；　with　as　many　of　his　officers　as　could；　fled　away　along　the　banks　of　River　Xiang；　hotly　pursued　by　the　army　of　Wei。　Crossing　the　river；　he　made　for　Xiangyang。

Suddenly　the　scouts　reported：　〃Jingzhou　has　been　taken　by　Lu　Meng。　Your　family　is　now　in　the　hand　of　enemy。〃

Guan　Yu　was　shocked。　Thence　he　marched　for　Gongan。

But　the　scouts　told　him：　〃Fu　Shiren　has　yielded　Gongan　to　the　hands　of　Wu。〃

Then　some　of　the　men　he　had　dispatched　for　supplies　came　in　and　reported：　〃Fu　Shiren　murdered　the　officer　and　persuade　Mi　Fang　to　surrender　to　Wu。〃

The　story　filled　Guan　Yu　with　boundless　rage。　It　was　too　much。　The　wound　reopened；　and　he　fell　in　a　swoon。

〃Wang　Fu；　you　were　right；〃　said　he　when　he　recovered　consciousness。　〃How　I　regret　that　I　did　not　heed　what　you　said！〃

〃But　why　were　the　beacon　fires　not　lighted？〃　continued　he　presently。

Said　the　scouts；　〃Lu　Mengs　marines　in　the　guise　of　traders　came　over　the　river。　There　were　soldiers　hidden　in　the　ships；　and　they　seized　the　beacon　guards；　so　preventing　them　from　kindling　the　fires。〃