小说园

第97部分（第1页）

〃Here　is　the　sword　and　here　the　seal！〃　replied　the　strategist；　displaying　the　emblems　of　authority。　〃Disobedience　of　orders　will　be　death。〃

Liu　Bei　said；　〃Do　you　not　understand　that　the　plans　elaborated　in　a　little　chamber　decide　success　over　thousands　of　miles？　Do　not　disobey　the　mand；　my　brothers。〃

Zhang　Fei　went　out　smiling　cynically。

Guan　Yu　remarked；　〃Let　us　await　the　result。　If　he　fails；　then　we　can　look　to　it。〃

The　brothers　left。　None　of　the　officers　understood　anything　of　the　general　line　of　strategy　and；　though　they　obeyed　orders；　they　were　not　without　doubts　and　misgivings。

Zhuge　Liang　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃You　may　now　lead　your　soldiers　to　the　hills　and　camp　till　the　enemy　shall　arrive　tomorrow　evening。　Then　you　are　to　abandon　the　camp　and　move　away　retreating　till　the　signal　is　seen。　Then　you　will　advance　and　attack　with　all　force。　Mi　Zhu；　Mi　Fang；　and　I　will　guard　the　city。〃

In　the　city　Zhuge　Liang　prepared　banquets　to　celebrate　the　victory　and　also　prepared　the　books　to　record　exceptional　services。

Liu　Bei　noted　all　these　things；　but　his　heart　was　also　troubled　not　a　little。

Cao　Caos　army　of　one　hundred　thousand　troops　in　due　course　reached　Bowang。　Then　half　of　them；　the　veterans；　were　told　off　for　the　first　attack；　and　the　remainder　were　to　guard　the　baggage　train　and　supplies。　Thus　they　marched　in　two　divisions。　The　season　was　autumn　and　a　chilly　wind　began　to　blow。

They　pressed　forward。　Presently　they　saw　a　cloud　of　dust　ahead　of　them；　and　Xiahou　Dun　ordered　the　ranks　to　be　reformed。　He　questioned　the　guides　as　to　the　name　of　the　place。

〃The　place　in　front　is　Bowang　Slope；　and　behind　us　is　the　River　Luo；〃　was　the　reply。

Then　Xiahou　Dun　rode　to　the　front　to　reconnoiter；　leaving　Yu　Jin　and　Li　Dian　to　finish　setting　out　the　battle　array。

Presently　Xiahou　Dun　began　to　laugh　and；　when　they　asked　the　cause　of　this　merriment；　he　replied；　〃Xu　Shu　praised　Zhuge　Liang　to　the　very　skies　as　something　more　than　human。　But　now　that　I　see　how　he　has　placed　his　soldiers　and　the　stuff　he　has　put　into　his　vanguard；　it　seems　to　me　that　he　is　sending　dogs　or　sheep　against　tigers　and　leopards。　I　bragged　a　little　when　I　said　I　would　take　him　prisoner；　but　I　am　going　to　make　good　my　boast。〃

Then　he　rode　forward　at　full　speed。

Zhao　Yun　rode　to　meet　him；　and　Xiahou　Dun　opened　a　volley　of　abuse；　〃You　lot；　followers　of　Liu　Bei；　are　only　like　wraiths　following　devils！〃

This　angered　Zhao　Yun　and　a　bat　began。　In　a　little　time　Zhao　Yun　turned　and　retreated　as　if　he　was　worsted。　Xiahou　Dun　pressed　after　him　and　kept　up　the　chase　for　some　three　miles。　Then　Zhao　Yun　suddenly　turned　again　and　offered　fight；　but　only　to　retreat　after　a　few　passes。

Seeing　these　tactics　Han　Hao；　one　of　Xiahou　Duns　generals；　rode　up　to　his　chief　and　urged　him　to　use　caution；　saying；　〃I　fear　he　is　trying　to　lead　us　into　an　ambush。〃

〃With　such　antagonists　as　these；　I　should　not　fear　even　Ten　Ambushes；〃　replied　Xiahou　Dun；　pressing　forward　eagerly。

Just　as　he　reached　the　slope；　he　heard　the　roar　of　a　bomb　and　out　came　Liu　Bei　to　attack。

〃Here　is　your　ambush！〃　said　Xiahou　Dun；　laughing。　〃I　will　get　to　Xinye　this　evening　before　I　have　done。〃

Xiahou　Dun　urged　his　soldiers　forward；　and　his　opponents　retired　in　measure　as　he　advanced。　As　evening　came　on；　thick　clouds　overcast　the　whole　sky。　The　wind　increased　but　the　leader　still　urged　his　troops　after　the　retreating　foe。

The　two　generals　in　the　rear　came　to　a　narrow　part　of　the　road　with　reeds　and　rushes　thick　all　round　them。

〃Those　who　despise　the　enemy　are　beaten；〃　said　Li　Dian　to　Yu　Jin。　〃Away　south　there　the　roads　are　narrow；　and　streams　and　mountains　make　the　country　difficult。　The　forests　are　dense；　and　if　the　enemy　used　fire　we　should　be　lost。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　replied　Yu　Jin。　〃I　will　get　on　and　warn　the　manding　General。　Perhaps　he　will　stop。　You　can　halt　those　who　e　up。〃

Yu　Jin　rode　forward　shouting　at　the　top　of　his　voice；　〃Halt　the　train！〃

Xiahou　Dun　saw　him　ing　up　and　asked　what　was　the　matter。

Yu　Jin　said；　〃The　roads　here　are　narrow　and　difficult。　Around　us　are　thick　forests。　What　if　they　use　fire？〃

Xiahou　Duns　ferocity　had　then　somewhat　abated　and　he　turned　his　steed　toward　his　main　body。

Then　there　arose　a　shout　behind　him。　A　rushing　noise　came　from　in　the　reeds　and　great　tongues　of　flame　shot　up　here　and　there。　These　spread　and　soon　the　fire　was　in　〃the　four　quarters　and　the　eight　sides；〃　and　fanned　by　a　strong　wind。

Xiahou　Duns　troops　were　thrown　into　confusion　and　trampled　each　other　down。　Many　perished。　Zhao　Yun　turned　on　them　again　to　make　a　slaughter。　Xiahou　Dun　dashed　through　the　fire　and　smoke　to　escape。

Now　Li　Dian　saw　that　things　were　going　very　badly；　so　he　turned　to　get　back　to　Bowang　but　fell　upon　a　body　of　troops　in　the　way；　led　by　Guan　Yu。　He　desperately　dashed　into　their　midst　and　managed　to　get　clear。　Yu　Jin　saw　the　supplies　were　being　destroyed　and　there　was　nothing　left　to　guard；　so　he　escaped　along　a　bye…path。　Two　other　generals；　who　came　to　try　to　save　the　baggage　train；　met　Zhang　Fei；　and　Xiahou　Lan　was　slain　forthwith；　but　Han　Hao　managed　to　flee。　Next　morning　the　countryside　was　strewn　with　corpses　and　drenched　with　blood。