小说园

第151部分（第1页）

uchsafe　a　word　more；　and　the　four　generals　took　leave　and　descended　the　hill。

〃One　must　have　faith　in　such　as　he　says；〃　said　Liu　Gui。

〃What　is　to　be　gained　by　listening　to　the　sayings　of　a　daft　old　man？〃　replied　Zhang　Ren。

So　they　continued　their　road　to　Luocheng。

When　they　arrived；　Liu　Gui　said；　〃Luocheng　is　the　throat　of　the　road　to　Chengdu。　We　must　create　a　pincers　defense　for　the　city。　Two　of　us　are　to　guard　the　ramparts　while　the　other　two　are　to　station　themselves　in　front　of　the　city；　where　is　a　point　of　vantage　sheltered　by　some　hills。〃

Thus　Deng　Xiang　and　Ling　Bao　wanted　to　build　the　ramparts　outside　the　city。　Twenty　thousand　troops　were　told　off。　The　two　generals　went　to　establish　two　camps　in　two　stockades　twenty　miles　away；　hoping　to　be　able　to　keep　the　foe　away　from　the　city。

The　River　Fu　Pass　being　captured；　Liu　Bei　took　counsel　with　his　adviser　as　to　the　next　point　to　be　attempted。　This　was　Luocheng。

The　scouts　reported：　〃Liu　Zhang　has　sent　four　generals　to　the　defense　of　that　city；　and　two　camps　has　been　established　twenty　miles　away　to　form　an　ox　horn。〃

Then　Liu　Bei　assembled　his　officers　and　asked　who　would　go　to　attack　the　camps。　The　veteran　Huang　Zhong　offered　himself。

〃Veteran　General；　take　your　own　troops　and　go；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃A　goodly　reward　shall　be　yours　if　you　capture　the　two　camps。〃

Huang　Zhong　thanked　his　lord　and　was　just　leading　away　his　troops　when　suddenly　up　spoke　a　youthful　leader；　saying；　〃The　General　is　too　old　to　go　on　such　an　expedition。　I　am　of　poor　ability；　but　I　wish　to　take　his　place。〃

The　speaker　was　Wei　Yan。

Huang　Zhong　replied；　〃I　already　have　my　mission。　Why　should　you　wish　to　supplant　me？〃

〃Because　the　task　is　beyond　an　old　mans　strength；〃　said　Wei　Yan。　〃The　two　generals　in　those　camps　we　know　are　the　best　and　boldest　in　the　country。　They　are　strong；　and；　veteran　as　you　are；　I　fear　you　will　be　unable　to　overe　them。　If　you　fail；　our　lords　great　design　will　be　hindered。　Therefore　I　ask　that　I　may　replace　you；　and　my　intent　is　kindly。〃

This　reminder　of　his　age　angered　the　old　man。

〃Old；　am　I？　Dare　you　pete　with　me　in　the　use　of　warlike　weapons？〃　said　Huang　Zhong。

〃Yes；　I　dare。　And　our　lord　shall　be　the　judge。　The　winner　shall　undertake　this　expedition。　Do　you　agree？〃

Huang　Zhong　ran　down　the　steps　and　called　to　his　soldiers　to　bring　his　sword。

But　Liu　Bei　would　stop　this　contest　and　said；　〃I　have　need　of　both　of　you　in　the　task　that　lies　before　me。　When　two　tigers　fight；　one　is　sure　to　lose；　and　the　loss　of　either　of　you　is　more　than　I　could　bear。　Be　reconciled　and　quarrel　no　more。〃

〃You　two　must　not　quarrel；〃　said　Pang　Tong。　〃But　as　there　are　two　camps　to　be　taken　and　two　generals　to　fight；　take　one　each　and　let　each　lead　his　own　troops。　The　first　to　capture　his　camp　shall　be　held　to　have　rendered　the　greater　service　and　to　have　acquired　the　greater　merit。〃

This　decision　pacified　them；　and　it　was　settled　that　Huang　Zhong；　the　veteran；　should　go　against　Ling　Bao；　and　Wei　Yan；　the　younger　leader；　should　attack　Deng　Xiang。

But　after　they　had　marched　away；　Pang　Tong　remended；　〃You；　my　lord；　should　follow　them　lest　they　should　quarrel　on　the　way。〃

So　leaving　the　city　of　Fucheng　in　care　of　his　adviser；　Liu　Bei　also　marched；　taking　with　him　Liu　Feng；　his　adopted　son；　and　Guan　Ping；　his　nephew　by　adoption。　They　took　five　thousand　troops。

After　having　received　the　mand　to　take　one　of　the　camps；　Huang　Zhong　went　to　his　own　camp　and　issued　orders　for　the　morning　meal　to　be　ready　very　early；　and　for　everyone　to　be　in　marching　order　by　daybreak。　When　the　time　arrived；　his　army　set　out；　taking　the　road　through　a　gully　to　the　left　of　the　hills。

But　early　as　Huang　Zhong　started；　his　rival　had　stolen　a　march　on　him。　Wei　Yan　had　sent　over　the　night　before　to　find　out　the　hour　fixed　for　Huang　Zhongs　start　and　had　arranged　his　own　departure　a　watch　earlier；　by　which　he　would　be　able　to　reach　his　objective　at　dawn。　After　Wei　Yans　troops　had　taken　their　early　meal；　they　removed　the　bells　from　the　horses　end　put　gags　in　their　own　mouths　to　prevent　talking；　and　all…silently　the　army　stole　out　of　the　camp　just　as　the　other　party　were　eating　their　breakfast。　The　ensigns　were　furled　and　weapons　covered　lest　the　glint　of　steel　should　betray　their　movement。

Thus　far　successful　in　getting　the　start　of　his　rival；　Wei　Yan　thought　as　he　rode　along　what　a　fine　score　he　would　make　if　he　anticipated　Huang　Zhong　also　in　his　attack　and　captured　the　camp　of　Ling　Bao　before　Huang　Zhong　could　get　there。　Wei　Yan　at　once　deviated　from　his　own　line　and　marched　toward　the　camp　defended　by　Ling　Bao；　of　which　the　capture　had　been　assigned　to　Huang　Zhong。

Just　before　arrival；　Wei　Yan　halted　his　troops　and　bade　them　prepare　the　drums　and　ensigns　and　their　weapons。

Early　as　it　was；　yet　the　camp　mander　was　on　the　alert；　for　the　advancing　force　had　been　observed　by　his　scouts。　At　the　first　sign　of　attack；　the　defenders　poured　out　in　full　force。　Wei　Yan　galloped　up　and　made　straight　for　Ling　Bao。　These　two　fought　twenty　or　so　of　bouts；　and　then　the　troops　of　West　River　Land　came　up　and　joined　in　the　battle。　The　troops　of　Jingzhou　under　Wei　Yan　having　marched　a　long　distance；　were　fatigued　and　could　not　withstand　this　onslaught；　so　they　fell　back。　Wei　Yan　heard　the　confused　sound　of　hoofs　behind　him　and；　giving　up　all　thought　of　finishing　his　encounter　with　Ling　Bao；　turned　his　horse　and　fled。　The　troops　of　West　River　Land　kept　up　the　pursuit；　and　the　attackers　were　defeated　and　retired。

They　had　gone　about　two　miles　when　another　army　of　Yizhou　appeared　from　behind　some　hills。　They　advanced　with　heating　drums。　Their　leader；　Deng　Xiang；　shouted　to　Wei　Yan　to　surrender；　but　Wei　Yan　heeded　him　not；　whipping　up　his　steed　he　fled　the　faster。　However；　the　tired　horse　tripped　and　fell　on　its　knees；　throwing　its　rider　to　the　ground。　Deng　Xiangs　forces　came　galloping　up；　and　he　himself　set　his　spear　to　thrust　and　slay　Wei　Yan。　Before　the　spear　could　get　where　it　was　supposed　to　be；　twang！　went　a　bowstring；　and　Deng　Xiang　lay　prone　upon　the　earth。

Ling　Bao；　Deng　Xiangs　colleague；　rode　up　quickly　to　his　rescue；　but　just　then　a　body　of　horse　came　dashing　down　the　hill；　and　their　leader　shouted；　〃General　Huang　Zhong　is　here！〃