三国演义英文版-第187部分

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e　door；　they　thought　Jin　Yi　had　e　back。
Jin　Yi's　wife；　from　the　door　of　the　women's　quarter；　called　out；　〃Have　you　killed　Wang　Bi？〃
This　was　a　shock；　but　it　told　Wang　Bi　that　his　quondam　friend　was　now　an　enemy。
Wherefore　Wang　Bi　fled　further　to　the　house　of　Cao　Xiu　and　told　him；　〃Geng　Ji　and　Jin　Yi　have　raised　a　disturbance。〃
Cao　Xiu　immediately　armed　himself；　got　to　horse；　and　led　out　a　thousand　troops。　He　found　fires　on　all　sides；　and　the　Tower　of　the　Five　Phoenixes　was　in　flames。　The　Emperor　had　fled　into　the　recesses　of　the　Palace；　but　Cao　Cao's　friends　and　partisans　were　defending　the　Palace　gates　like　grim　death。
In　the　city　the　crowd　was　shouting　one　to　another：　〃Slay　Cao　Cao　and　restore　the　Hans！〃
When　Xiahou　Dun　had　received　thirty　thousand　troops　and　the　mand　to　keep　watch　and　ward　over　the　capital；　he　had　gone　into　camp　three　miles　from　the　city。　When　he　saw　the　conflagration　start；　he　set　the　army　in　motion　and　surrounded　the　city。　He　also　sent　reinforcements　to　Cao　Xiu　within。
Inside　the　city　the　fighting　went　on　all　night。　No　one　joined　the　conspirators；　the　small　band　were　left　to　their　own　efforts。　Soon　it　was　reported　that　Jin　Yi；　Ji　Mao；　and　Ji　Mu　were　slain。　Geng　Ji　and　Wei　Huang　found　their　way　to　one　of　the　gates；　but　there　they　met　Xiahou　Dun's　main　force　and　were　made　prisoners。　The　handful　of　men　with　them　were　cut　to　pieces。
When　the　fighting　subsided；　Xiahou　Dun　went　into　the　city　and　set　his　troops　to　put　out　the　fires。　He　also　laid　hands　on　the　whole　households　of　the　five　conspirators。　Then　he　sent　a　report　to　Cao　Cao；　who　sent　back　orders　to　execute　the　two　conspirators　and　put　to　death　in　public　all　the　members　of　the　five　families。　He　was　also　to　arrest　every　official　and　send　the　whole　batch　to　Yejun　for　interrogations。
Xiahou　Dun　sent　his　two　chief　prisoners　to　the　place　of　execution。　They　shouted　against　Cao　Cao。
〃Living　we　have　failed　to　slay　you；　Cao　Cao。　Dead　we　will　be　malicious　spirits　smiting　rebels　in　all　places！〃
The　executioner　smote　Geng　Ji　on　the　mouth　with　his　sword；　so　that　the　blood　gushed　out；　but　he　continued　to　shout　as　long　as　he　could。
Wei　Huang；　his　fellow…conspirator；　dashed　his　temples　on　the　ground；　crying；　〃How　I　hate　him！〃　and　ground　his　teeth　till　he　broke　them　to　fragments。　And　they　both　died　of　hatred　and　exhaustion。

Who　can　with　outstretched　hands　uphold　the　sky
Or　thrones　maintain　by　simple　loyalty？
Han's　day　was　done；　two　would　avert　the　doom；
But　failed；　and　carried　anger　to　the　tomb。

Xiahou　Dun　carried　out　his　chief's　orders　and　sent　the　officials　he　had　arrested　to　Yejun。　There　Cao　Cao　set　up　two　flags；　one　red　and　one　white；　in　the　drill　ground　and　sent　all　the　officials　thither。　Then　he　addressed　them。
〃In　this　late　rebellion　some　of　you　went　out　to　extinguish　the　fire；　some　of　you　stayed　within　doors。　Let　those　who　went　forth　to　put　out　the　fire　take　their　stand　by　the　red　flag；　and　those　who　remained　in　their　houses　go　to　the　white　flag。〃
The　officials　thought　within　themselves；　〃Certainly　there　can　be　nothing　wrong　in　trying　to　put　out　a　fire；〃　so　they　nearly　all　placed　themselves　under　the　red　flag。　Only　about　a　third　went　to　the　white。
Then　the　order　was　given　to　seize　all　those　by　the　red　flag。
They　protested。　〃We　are　guiltless！〃　cried　they。
Cao　Cao　said；　〃At　that　time　you　intended　not　to　put　out　the　flames　but　to　aid　the　rebels。〃
He　sent　them　all　down　to　River　Zhang　and　had　them　put　to　death　on　the　bank。　There　were　more　than　three　hundred　victims。　He　rewarded　those　who　were　under　the　white　flag　and　sent　them　to　their　homes　in　the　capital。
Wang　Bi　died　from　his　wound　and　was　buried　with　great　honor。
Cao　Xiu　was　placed　over　the　guards；　Zhong　Yao　was　created　Prime　Minister　of　the　princedom　of　Wei；　Hua　Xin　became　High　Minister。　The　occasion　was　taken　to　create　six　grades　of　the　title　of　Lordship　with　three　divisions　each；　eighteen　in　all。　There　were　seventeen　grades　of　Marquis　West　of　the　Pass。　And　all　these　had　golden　seals　of　office　with　purple　ribbons。　There　were　also　sixteen　ranks　of　Interior　Marquis　and　Exterior　Marquis。　They　had　silver　seals　with　tortoise　ornaments　on　the　back　and　black　ribbons。　There　were　five　classes　of　Minister　with　three　grades　in　each　class。　These　had　brass　seals；　with　chain　ornaments　and　ribbons。　And　with　all　these　various　gradations　of　ranks　and　nobility　reorganized；　the　court　was　entirely　reformed。　There　were　new　ranks　and　new　people　in　office。
Cao　Cao　then　remembered　the　warning　about　a　conflagration　in　the　capital　and　wished　to　reward　Guan　Lu　for　his　prescience；　but　he　would　receive　nothing。
Meanwhile；　in　East　River　Land；　Cao　Hong　with　an　army　of　fifty　thousand　went　into　Hanzhong。　He　placed　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He　in　mand　at　points　of　importance；　while　he　went　on　to　the　attack。　At　that　time　Zhang　Fei　and　Lei　Tong　were　holding　Baxi。　Ma　Chao　marched　to　Xiabian　and　sent　Wu　Lan　out　as　Van　Leader　to　reconnoiter。　He　fell　in　with　Cao　Hong；　and　Wu　Lan　was　going　to　retire。　But　General　Ren　Kui　advised　against　this。
Said　Ren　Kui；　〃The　enemy　are　newly　arrived。　Why　not　fight　and　take　the　keen　edge　off　their　pride？　If　we　do　not　fight；　how　can　we　look　our　chief　in　the　face　when　we　return？〃
So　it　was　decided　to　offer　battle；　and　Ren　Kui　rode　out　and　challenged　Cao　Hong。　The　challenge　was　accepted；　and　the　warriors　advanced。　Cao　Hong　cut　Ren　Kui　down　in　the　third　encounter　and　pressed　the　advantage；　and　Wu　Lan　was　beaten　off。　When　Wu　Lan　returned　and　told　Ma　Chao；　he　was　blamed。
〃Why　did　you　attack　without　orders　and　bring　about　this　defeat？〃
〃It　was　the　fault　of　Ren　Kui；　who　disobeyed　orders。〃
〃Defend　the　Pass　most　carefully。　Do　not　engage；〃　said　Ma　Chao。
Ma　Chao　sent　a　report　to　Capital　Chengdu　and　awaited　orders　for　a　further　action。　Cao　Hong　suspected　some　ruse　when　Ma　Chao　remained　so　long　inactive；　and　retired　to　Nanzheng。
Here　he　was　visited　by　Zhang　He；　who　asked；　〃General；　why　did　you　retire　after　the　successful　attack　and　slaughter　of　one　of　the　enemy　leaders？〃
〃Seeing　that　Ma　Chao　declined　to　e　out　to　fight；　I　suspected　some　ruse；〃　replied　Cao　Hong。　〃Beside；　when　I　was　at　Yejun　that　wonderful　soothsayer；　Guan　Lu；　foretold　the　loss　of　a　leader　here。　I　heeded　what　he　said　and　so　was　careful。〃
Zhang　He　laughed；　〃You　have　been　a　leader　of　soldiers　for　half　your　life；　and　yet　you　heed　the　sayings　of　a　soothsayer！　I　may　be　of　small　wit；　but　I　would　take　Baxi　with　my　own　troops；　and　the　possession　of　Baxi　would　be　the　key　to　the　whole　of　Shu。〃
〃The　defender　of　Baxi　is　Zhang　Fei；〃　said　Cao　Hong。　〃He　is　no　ordinary　man　to　meet。　One　must　be　careful。〃
〃All　of　you　fear　this　Zhang　Fei；　but　I　do　not。　I　look　upon　him　as　a　mere　nobody。　I　shall　have　to　capture　him　this　time。〃
〃But　if　you　fail；　what　then？〃
〃Then　I　shall　be　content　to　pay　the　penalty　according　to　military　rules。〃
Cao　Hong　made　him　put　his　undertaking　in　writing；　and　then　Zhang　He　marched　to　the　attack。

The　proud　are　often　defeat；
Lightsome　attacks　oft　fail。

The　following　chapter　will　tell　how　Zhang　He　fared。
　Main　Next　to　Chapter　70　》》

　　　Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　70
　Chapter　70
Zhang　Fei　Takes　Wakou　Pass　With　Tactics；
Huang　Zhong　Captures　Tiandang　Mountain　By　Stratagem。
Zhang　He's　army；　with　which　he　felt　so　sure　of　victory；　consisted　of　thirty　thousand　troops；　and　they　were　in　three　camps………Camp　Dangqu；　Camp　Mengtou；　and　Camp　Dangshi………which　were　protected　by　the　hills。　When　Zhang　He　marched；　he　left　half　the　soldiers　in　each　camp　as　defenders。
The　news　soon　reached　Baxi；　and　Zhang　Fei　called　in　his　colleague　Lei　Tong　to　give　his　opinion。
Lei　Tong　said；　〃The　country　is　bad　and　the　hills　full　of　danger　in　the　area　of　Langzhong。　Let　us　lay　an　ambush。　You；　General；　go　out　to　give　battle；　and　I　will　help　you　by　a　sudden；　unexpected　attack。　We　ought　to　get　Zhang　He。〃
Whereupon　Zhang　Fei　gave　five　thousand　troops　to　Lei　Tong；　and　himself　led　out　ten　thousand　troops　to　a　point　ten　miles　from　Langzhong。　Having　set　them　in　order；　he　rode　out　and　challenge　Zhang　He　to　single　bat。　Zhang　He　galloped　out　to　meet　him。
After　the　thirtieth　or　so　bout；　Zhang　He's　ranks　suddenly　began　to　shout　and　soon　showed　signs　of　confusion。　The　reason　was　the　appearance　of　the　banners　of　Shu　from　the　cover　of　some　hills。　Zhang　He　dared　not　continue　to　fight；　and　he　fled。　Zhang　Fei　pursued　him。　Lei　Tong　also　appeared　in　his　road　and　attacked；　and　so；　with　enemies　on　both　sides；　Zhang　He　forced　his　way　out　and　lost　the　day。　Both　Zhang　Fei　and　Lei　Tong　continued　to　smite　him；　even　into　the　night；　till　he　got　back　to　his　camp　at　Dangqu。
Zhang　He　reverted　to　his　old　plan　of　defending　the　three　camps；　rolling　down　logs　and　hurling　stones。　But　he　remained　behind　his　defenses。　Zhang　Fei　made　a　camp　three　miles　off。
Next　day　Zhang　Fei　went　forth　and　offered　battle；　but　Zhang　He　took　no　notice。　Zhang　He　ascended　to　the　summit　of　the　hill　and　drank　wine　to　the　acpaniment　of　trumpets　and　drums；　but　he　would　not　fight。　Zhang　Fei　bade　his　soldiers　shout　insults；　but　these　had　no　effect。　Lei　Tong　was　sent　up　the　hill；　but　the　rolling　logs　and　hurtling　stones　forced　him　to　retire。　Then　the　defenders　of　the　other　two　camps　came　out　to　the　attack；　and　Lei　Tong　was　disfited。
Next　day　Zhang　Fei　again　offered　battle；　but　there　was　no　response。　Again　the　soldiers　yelled　every　form　of　insult；　but　Zhang　He　from　the　hill　top　only　replied　by　similar　abuse。　Zhang　Fei　was　at　his　wits'　ends；　and　this　game　was　played　for　more　than　fifty　days。
Then　Zhang　Fei　made　a　strong　stockade　just　in　front　of　the　hill；　and　therein　he　sat　day　after　day　drinking　till　he　became　half　drunk。　And　when　he　was　so；　he　reviled　his　opponent。
About　this　time　Liu　Bei　sent　gifts　to　the　army；　and　when　the　messenger　went　back；　he　told　Liu　Bei　that　his　brother　was　giving　himself　over　to　wine。　This　made　Liu　Bei　anxious；　so　he　lost　no　time　in　asking　advice　from　Zhuge　Liang。
Zhuge　Liang　was　jocular；　saying；　〃Since　that　is　so；　let　us　send　him　fifty　vessels　of　the　best　brew　of　Chengdu。　He　probably　has　but　poor　stuff　in　the　camp。〃
〃But　he　has　always　had　a　weakness　for　wine；　and　he　has　failed　because　of　it。　Yet　you　would　encourage　him　to　drink　by　sending　him　more　wine？〃
〃My　lord；　is　it　that　you　do　not　understand　your　brother　even　after　all　these　years？　He　is　brave　and　steady；　yet　when　we