三国演义英文版-第179部分

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Soon　after；　Xiahou　Dun　came　and　was　called　to　the　council。
Xiahou　Dun　gave　his　opinion；　saying；　〃The　two　rivals　should　be　left　until　Zhang　Lu　of　Hanzhong　has　been　subdued。　The　great　army　that　can　overe　Zhang　Lu　will　be　in　condition　to　attack　the　West　River　Land；　and　it　will　be　conquered　without　difficulty。〃
The　advice　coincided　with　Cao　Cao's　own　idea；　and　so　he　prepared　an　expedition　for　the　west。

By　a　crime　he　showed　his　power　over　a　feeble　king；
This　done；　at　once　he　hastened　to　destroy　his　neighbor。

What　happened　will　be　told　in　later　chapters。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　67　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　67
　Chapter　67
Cao　Cao　Conquers　Hanzhong；
Zhang　Liao　Terrorizes　Xiaoyao。
The　expedition　against　the　East　River　Land　went　out　in　three　divisions。　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He　were　Leaders　of　the　Van；　Cao　Cao　with　his　manders　marched　in　the　center；　and　Cao　Ren　brought　up　the　rear。　Xiahou　Dun　was　in　charge　of　the　missariat。
The　spies　soon　carried　the　news　into　Hanzhong；　and　Zhang　Lu　called　in　his　brother　Zhang　Wei　to　consult　how　to　meet　the　attack。
Said　Zhang　Wei；　〃The　strategic　point　to　hold　is　Yangping　Pass；　and　there　should　be　ten　stockades　there　with　the　forest　and　hills　to　support　them。　You；　my　brother；　should　make　your　depot　of　supplies　at　Hanning。〃
Thereupon　two　generals；　Yang　Ang　and　Yan　Ren；　were　sent　with　Zhang　Wei　to　the　Pass；　and　they　built　ten　stockades。
Soon　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He　arrived　and　learned　the　Pass　had　prepared　a　defense。　They　camped　at　a　point　five　miles　away。　The　soldiers　were　fatigued　after　the　long　march；　and　all　lay　down　to　rest　without　placing　proper　guards。
Suddenly　the　camp　was　attacked　in　the　rear　by　Yang　Ang　and　Yan　Ren　from　different　points。　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He　mounted　quickly　and　tried　to　beat　off　the　attackers；　but　the　enemy　poured　in　all　round；　and　their　army　suffered　great　loss。　They　returned　to　the　main　body　to　tell　of　their　defeat；　and　their　chief　abused　them　for　their　want　of　care。
〃Old　soldiers　like　you　should　have　known　better　and　taken　precautions　against　a　raid　of　the　camp　when　the　enemy　knew　your　troops　were　exhausted　by　a　long　march。〃
Cao　Cao　even　desired　to　put　them　to　death　as　a　warning；　but　their　fellow　officers　interceded；　and　he　spared　them。　Soon　Cao　Cao　himself　marched　in　the　van。　Then　he　saw　the　dangerous　and　evil　nature　of　the　place；　with　its　thick　growth　of　trees。　As　he　knew　nothing　of　the　roads　and　was　fearful　of　an　ambush；　he　returned　to　his　camp。
Calling　up　his　two　leaders；　Xu　Chu　and　Xu　Huang；　he　said；　〃Had　I　known　the　dangerous　nature　of　the　place；　I　would　never　have　e。〃
Xu　Chu　replied；　〃The　soldiers　are　here　now；　my　lord；　and　you　cannot　recoil　before　the　hardships。〃
Next　day　Cao　Cao　with　only　Xu　Chu　and　Xu　Huang　rode　out　to　reconnoiter　the　enemy's　camp。
As　they　rode　over　the　hills；　Cao　Cao　pointed　out　the　position　with　his　whip　and　said；　〃It　will　be　very　difficult　to　reduce　a　place　as　strong　as　this。〃
Just　then　there　arose　a　shout　in　their　rear；　and　a　shower　of　arrows　fell　about　them。　Yang　Ang　and　Yan　Ren　were　attacking；　and　the　danger　became　great。
〃Friend　Xu　Huang；　you　look　after　our　lord！〃　cried　Xu　Chu。　〃I　can　hold　the　enemy。〃
Xu　Chu　galloped　out；　and　the　two　leaders　could　not　stand　Xu　Chu　and　took　to　flight；　while　their　troops　scattered。　In　the　meantime　Xu　Huang　led　his　master　over　the　hills。　Soon　he　met　an　army　of　soldiers　led　by　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He；　who　had　heard　the　sound　of　fighting　and　had　e　to　the　rescue；　and　Cao　Cao　got　back　safely　to　camp。　The　four　generals　were　rewarded。
For　fifty　days　the　two　armies　held　each　other　at　bay　without　ing　to　a　fight。　At　the　end　of　this　time；　orders　were　given　to　retire　in　the　camp　of　Cao　Cao。
〃We　have　not　tried　the　strength　of　the　enemy；〃　said　Jia　Xu。　〃You　should　not　retire；　my　lord。〃
〃I　see　that　they　are　always　on　the　alert；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃I　am　only　retiring　to　put　them　off　their　guard。　By　and　by　I　will　send　some　light　horse　to　attack　their　rear。　I　shall　defeat　them　then。〃
〃Ah！　Your　skill　is　unfathomable！〃　cried　Jia　Xu。
Three　thousand　horsemen　led　by　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He　got　round　behind　the　Yangping　Pass　by　unfrequented　roads；　while　Cao　Cao　broke　up　his　camp　and　led　his　main　body　backward。
When　Yang　Ang　heard　of　the　retreat；　he　thought　it　would　be　a　good　chance　to　attack。
But　Yan　Ren　opposed　it；　saying；　〃Cao　Cao　is　full　of　ruses。　The　occasion　is　unclear。　We　should　not　lead　an　attack。〃
Yang　Ang　was　willful　and　said；　〃I　shall　go。　You　may　e　or　not；　as　you　wish。〃
In　spite　of　the　protestations　of　his　colleague；　Yang　Ang　marched；　taking　with　him　the　soldiers　of　five　camps　and　leaving　only　a　few　defenders。　The　day　he　set　out　was　very　foggy；　so　that　one　could　hardly　see　his　neighbor's　face；　and　soon　the　force　got　into　difficulties　and　could　not　advance。　They　bivouacked　on　the　road。
Now；　Xiahou　Yuan　was　out　with　a　reconnoitering　force　behind　the　hills　when　they　heard　the　voices　of　troops　and　the　neighing　of　horses。　In　the　dense　fog　they　could　see　nothing；　but　fearing　an　ambush；　they　hastened　to　retire。　Somehow　they　lost　their　way　and　presently　stumbled　on　the　deserted　camp　of　Yang　Ang。　The　few　defenders　thought　their　rades　had　returned；　so　they　threw　open　the　gates　to　let　the　troops　of　Cao　Cao　in。　They　found　an　empty　camp；　and　they　raised　a　great　blaze；　which　frightened　those　few　defenders　in　the　other　camps　so　that　they　fled。
As　soon　as　the　fog　cleared；　Yan　Ren　came　to　the　rescue。　But　as　Yan　Ren　and　Xiahou　Yuan　were　fighting；　Zhang　He　suddenly　appeared　and　attacked　from　the　rear。　Between　two　armies；　Yan　Ren　forced　his　way　through　and　quickly　fled　toward　Nanzheng。
By　and　by；　when　Yang　Ang　returned；　he　found　his　camp　in　the　possession　of　Cao　Cao's　troops。　Soon　Cao　Cao's　main　army　came　up；　and　Yang　Ang　was　between　two　forces。　There　seemed　no　other　way　but　to　make　a　dash　for　it。　Falling　in　with　Zhang　He；　the　two　engaged；　and　Yang　Ang　fell。　Those　who　escaped　carried　the　news　of　the　disaster　to　Zhang　Wei；　who　abandoned　Yangping　Pass　and　fled。
So　the　invaders　took　possession　of　the　Pass；　and　its　late　defenders；　Zhang　Wei　and　Yan　Ren；　had　to　go　back　and　report　failure。
Zhang　Wei　laid　the　blame　on　his　generals；　saying；　〃The　Pass　could　not　be　held　after　its　supporting　positions　had　been　lost。〃
Zhang　Lu　threatened　to　behead　Yan　Ren　for　his　failure。
But　Yan　Ren　said；　〃Yang　Ang　did　not　listen　to　my　advice；　and　the　defeat　followed。　Now　I　volunteer　to　make　another　attack。　If　I　fail　to　take　Cao　Cao's　head；　I　will　abide　by　the　consequences　without　protest。〃
Zhang　Lu　took　his　formal　pledge　to　succeed；　gave　him　twenty　thousand　troops；　and　sent　him　away。　Yan　Ren　marched　to　Nanzheng　and　made　a　stockade。
Before　Cao　Cao　made　any　further　advance；　he　sent　Xiahou　Yuan；　with　five　thousand　troops；　to　reconnoiter　the　road；　and　they　fell　in　with　the　force　led　by　Yan　Ren。　Both　sides　drew　up　their　battle　array。　From　Yan　Ren's　side　went　out　one　general　named　Chang　Qi　to　engage　Xiahou　Yuan。　Before　the　fourth　bout　was　fought；　Xiahou　Yuan　disposed　of　Chang　Qi。　Then　Yan　Ren　set　his　spear　and　rode　to　the　front。　They　two　fought　near　forty　bouts　and　neither　could　claim　victory。　Then　Xiahou　Yuan　pretended　defeat　and　fled。　The　other　rushed　in　pursuit。　The　fugitive　suddenly　employed　the　〃swinging…horse　stab〃　and　killed　his　pursuer。　Yan　Ren's　troops　ran　away。
As　soon　as　Cao　Cao　knew　of　the　death　of　Yan　Ren；　he　brought　up　his　army；　marched　straightway　to　Nanzheng　and　camped。
Zhang　Lu　became　alarmed　and　called　a　council。
〃I　can　propose　a　man　able　to　stand　against　the　best　leader　of　the　enemy；〃　said　Yan　Pu。
〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　Zhang　Lu。
〃Pang　De　of　Nanan。　Pang　De　surrendered　at　the　same　time　as　Ma　Chao；　but　could　not　go　with　Ma　Chao　into　Yizhou　as　he　was　ill。　You　have　treated　him　generously。　He　will　save　you。〃
Pang　De　was　summoned。　He　came；　and　Zhang　Lu　loaded　him　with　gifts　and　gave　him　a　force　of　ten　thousand　troops；　with　which　he　marched　and　camped　three　miles　from　the　city；　near　the　besieging　force。　His　camp　made；　Pang　De　rode　out　and　challenged。
Now　Cao　Cao；　remembering　Pang　De's　boldness　at　the　battle　of　River　Wei　Bridge；　was　desirous　of　winning　the　warrior　for　himself。
So　Cao　Cao　told　his　generals；　saying；　〃Pang　De　is　a　bold　general　of　Xiliang　formerly　serving　under　Ma　Chao。　Though　he　is　now　under　Zhang　Lu；　that　is　not　his　real　wish。　I　want　to　win　him　over。　So　you　should　try　to　weary　him　by　prolonging　the　fights；　and　so　make　him　captive。〃
Wherefore　first　rode　out　Zhang　He　to　answer　the　challenger。　He　fought　a　few　bouts　and　returned。　Then　Xiahou　Yuan　did　the　same　thing。　So　did　Xu　Huang。　Lastly　went　Xu　Chu；　who　kept　up　the　fight　to　half　a　hundred　bouts　before　he　retired。　Still　Pang　De　showed　no　signs　of　fatigue　nor　of　fear；　and　all　those　who　had　fought　with　him　praised　his　prowess　and　skill。
〃If　only　I　could　win　him　over　to　my　side！〃　said　Cao　Cao　longingly。
Said　Jia　Xu；　〃I　know　one　of　Zhang　Lu's　subordinates；　Yang　Song。　He　is　avaricious　and　open　to　bribes。　You　might　send　him　secret　presents　and　get　him　to　slander　Pang　De　to　his　master　so　as　to　weaken　Pang　De's　position。〃
〃But　how　can　one　get　at　this　man？　He　is　in　Nanzheng。〃
〃In　the　next　battle；　pretend　defeat；　flee；　and　let　Pang　De　take　possession　of　this　camp。　Return　in　the　night　in　force　and　drive　him　out；　and　he　must　retreat　into　the　city。　Let　one　of　our　own　people　with　a　persuasive　tongue　mingle　with　his　troops；　disguised　as　one　of　his　soldiers；　and　so　gain　entrance　into　the　city。〃
A　subtle　agent　was　found；　and　goodly　gifts　were　his　in　advance；　and　he　was　entrusted　with　a　golden　breastplate　as　a　bribe。　He　put　it　on　and　over　it　put　on　the　dress　of　an　ordinary　soldier　of　Hanzhong。　And　he　made　his　way　quietly　to　a　point　on　the　road　along　which　the　soldiers　of　Hanzhong　would　retreat　into　the　city。　There　he　waited。
Next　day；　two　parties　under　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He　were　sent　to　lie　in　ambush；　and　Xu　Huang　was　sent　to　challenge；　but　with　orders　to　be　defeated。　The　scheme　went　well；　and　as　Pang　De　came　on　to　smite；　Cao　Cao's　army　retired　before　Pang　De　till　he　found　himself　at　their　very　camp。　And　therein　he　entered　and　was　exceedingly　pleased　to　find　fodder　and　forage　in　great　quantities。
Having　sent　off　a　messenger　to　his　chief；　Pang　De　spread　a　feast　in　celebration　of　the　victory；　and　when　night　came　on　they　slept。　But　about　the　se