小说园

第171部分（第2页）

〃Can　one　reach　Wakou　Pass　by　this　road？　And　how　far　is　it？〃

The　country　people　replied；　〃A　small　road　leads　past　to　the　rear　of　the　Pass　from　Zitong　Mountains。〃

For　this　piece　of　information　Zhang　Fei　rewarded　them　by　taking　them　into　his　camp　and　giving　them　a　good　meal。　Then　he　sent　off　Wei　Yan　to　make　a　frontal　attack　on　the　Pass；　while　he　himself　with　five　hundred　light　horse　attacked　it　from　the　rear　by　way　of　Mount　Zitong。

Zhang　He　was　grieved　and　disappointed　that　Cao　Hong　sent　no　help；　and　the　news　of　Wei　Yans　attack　only　added　to　his　sorrow。　But　he　girded　on　his　armor　and　was　about　to　ride　out　when　they　told　him　that　fires　had　started　at　half　a　dozen　places　behind　the　Pass。　They　most　likely　indicated　soldiers。　However；　he　went　out　to　meet　them；　and；　to　his　horror；　when　the　flags　opened　out；　his　eyes　fell　on　the　figure　of　Zhang　Fei。　Away　he　ran　along　a　by…road。

But　his　steed　was　not　fast；　and　as　Zhang　Fei　pressed　him　close；　Zhang　He　dismounted　and　ran　up　the　mountain　side。　So　Zhang　He　escaped。　He　had；　however；　some　ten　followers；　and　it　was　a　small　and　dejected　party　that　presently　found　its　way　into　Nanzheng。　He　saw　Cao　Hong；　and　Cao　Hong　was　very　angry　at　his　plight。

〃I　told　you　not　to　go；　but　you　were　willful。　And　you　gave　in　your　written　pledge。　You　have　lost　all　your　soldiers；　yet　you　do　not　mit　suicide。　What　will　you　do　next？〃

Cao　Hong　ordered　the　lictors　to　put　Zhang　He　to　death。　But　Marching　General　Guo　Huai；　interceded。

〃An　army　is　easily　raised；　a　leader　is　hard　to　find。　Though　Zhang　He　is　guilty；　he　is　a　great　favorite　with　our　prince。　I　think　you　should　spare　him。　Rather　give　him　mand　of　another　army　and　send　him　to　take　Jiameng　Pass　and　so　hold　up　the　soldiers　at　all　the　stations。　Hanzhong　will　be　tranquil　of　its　own　accord。　If　he　fails　a　second　time；　you　can　punish　him　for　both　faults。〃

Cao　Hong　was　satisfied　to　do　this；　and　instead　of　dealing　with　his　fault；　he　gave　Zhang　He　five　thousand　troops　and　told　him　to　take　Jiameng　Pass。

The　manders　of　the　Pass　were　Meng　Da　and　Huo　Jun。　They　were　at　variance………Meng　Da　desiring　to　go　out　to　meet　Zhang　He；　but　Huo　Jun　being　in　favor　of　defense。　Meng　Da　being　set　on　having　his　way　went　out；　gave　battle；　and　was　defeated。　Huo　Jun　reported　this　to　the　capital；　where　Liu　Bei　at　once　called　in　the　Directing　Instructor　to　ask　advice。　Zhuge　Liang　assembled　all　the　chief　generals　into　the　hall。

〃Jiameng　Pass　is　in　danger。　We　must　get　Zhang　Fei　from　Langzhong　to　drive　off　Zhang　He；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

Fa　Zheng　replied；　〃Zhang　Fei　is　encamped　at　Wakou　Pass；　and　Langzhong　is　no　less　important　than　Jiameng　Pass。　I　do　not　think　he　should　be　recalled。　Choose　one　among　the　generals　to　go　and　defeat　Zhang　He。〃

Zhuge　Liang　laughed；　〃Zhang　He　is　renowned　in　Wei。　No　ordinary　leader　will　avail。　Zhang　Fei　is　the　only　man　to　send；　the　only　one　equal　to　the　task。〃

Then　among　the　generals　one　started　up　crying　angrily；　〃Instructor；　why　do　you　thus　despise　us？　I　will　use　what　little　skill　I　have　in　slaying　our　enemy　and　will　lay　his　head　at　the　foot　of　our　standard。〃

The　speaker　was　Veteran　General　Huang　Zhong；　and　all　eyes　centered　on　him。

〃Friend　Huang　Zhong；　you　are　bold　enough；　but　what　about　your　age？　I　fear　you　are　no　match　for　Zhang　He。〃

Huang　Zhongs　white　beard　bristled；　and　he　said；　〃I　know　I　am　old。　But　these　two　arms　can　still　pull　the　four…hundred…fifty…pound　bow；　and　the　vigor　of　my　body　is　not　yet　departed。　Am　I　not　strong　enough　to　meet　such　a　poor　thing　as　Zhang　He？〃

〃General；　you　are　nearly　seventy。　Can　you　still　hold　you　are　not　aged？〃

Huang　Zhong　tore　down　the　hall。　Seizing　one　of　the　great　swords　off　the　rack；　he　whirled　it　as　if　it　flew。　And　the　stiffest　bow　that　hung　on　the　wall；　he　pulled　till　it　snapped。

〃Well；　if　you　will　go；　who　will　second　you？〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

〃I　would　prefer　Veteran　General　Yan　Yan。　And　if　there　is　the　least　anxiety；　well；　here　is　this　hoary　head。〃

Liu　Bei　was　pleased　to　let　these　two　go　to　fight　Zhang　He。　However；　Zhao　Yun　put　in　a　protest。

〃Zhang　He　has　already　got　through　Jiameng　Pass；　so　that　the　fighting　will　be　no　childs　play；　and　the　loss　of　that　Pass　endangers　the　whole　of　Yizhou。　It　is　no　task　to　set　to　a　couple　of　old　men。〃

Replied　Zhuge　Liang；　〃You　regard　the　two　as　too　old　to　succeed；　but　I　think　the　attainment　of　Hanzhong　depends　upon　these　two。〃

Zhao　Yun　and　many　others　sniggered　as　they　went　from　the　hall。　They　did　not　agree　with　Zhuge　Liang。

In　due　course　the　two　Veteran　Generals　arrived　at　the　Pass。

At　sight　of　them；　Meng　Da　and　Huo　Jun；　the　defenders　of　the　Pass；　laughed　in　their　hearts；　thi