三国演义英文版-第246部分

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ally　not　fabricated。　But　what　to　be　done　against　such　a　champion？〃
Then　Cheng　Wu；　son　of　Cheng　Yu；　said；　〃My　opinion　is　that　this　Zhao　Yun；　though　brave　in　the　field；　is　lacking　in　the　council　chamber。　Really　he　is　not　greatly　to　be　feared。　Give　battle　again　soon；　but　first　prepare　a　two…pronged　ambush。　You　can　retreat　and　so　draw　him　into　it。　Then　go　up　on　the　hill　top　and　direct　the　attack　from　that　point　of　vantage　so　that　he　may　be　hemmed　in　on　all　sides　and　be　captured。〃
The　necessary　plans　for　this　were　made；　and　two　parties　of　thirty　thousand　each；　led　by　Dong　Xin　and　Xue　Ze；　went　into　ambush　right　and　left。　The　ambush　laid；　Xiahou　Mao　advanced　once　more　to　attack；　drums　rolling　and　flags　flying。　As　soon　as　he　appeared；　Zhao　Yun　and　Deng　Zhi　went　to　meet　him。
Deng　Zhi　said；　〃The　army　of　Wei　were　beaten　only　yesterday。　This　renewed　attempt　must　mean　that　they　are　trying　some　trick。　You　should　be　cautious；　General。〃
〃I　do　not　think　this　youth；　with　the　smell　of　mother's　milk　still　on　his　lips；　worth　talking　about。　We　shall　surely　capture　him　today。〃
Zhao　Yun　pranced　out；　and　Pan　Sui　came　to　meet　him　from　the　side　of　Wei。　But　Pan　Sui　made　no　stand　and　quickly　ran　away。　Zhao　Yun　plunged　in　to　try　to　capture　Xiahou　Mao。　Then　there　came　out　to　stop　him　no　less　than　eight　generals　of　Wei；　all　of　whom　passed　in　front　of　Xiahou　Mao。　But　one　by　one　they　too　fled。　Zhao　Yun　pressed　forward　at　full　speed；　Deng　Zhi　ing　up　behind。
When　Zhao　Yun　had　got　deeply　involved；　with　the　battle　raging　all　around　him；　Deng　Zhi　decided　to　retire。　This　was　the　signal　for　the　ambush　to　e　out；　Dong　Xin　from　the　right　and　Xue　Ze　from　the　left。　Deng　Zhi　was　so　hampered　that　he　could　not　attempt　to　rescue　his　colleague。　Zhao　Yun　was　thus　entirely　surrounded。　However；　he　struggled　on；　losing　men　at　every　dash；　till　he　had　but　one　thousand　troops　left。　He　was　then　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　whence　Xiahou　Mao　was　directing　operations；　and　observing　his　enemy　from　this　point　of　vantage；　Xiahou　Mao　sent　troops　to　check　Zhao　Yun　whithersoever　he　went。　Zhao　Yun　decided　to　charge　up　the　hill；　but　was　stopped　by　rolling　bulks　of　timber　and　tumbling　rocks。
The　battle　had　lasted　long；　and　Zhao　Yun　was　fatigued。　So　he　halted　to　rest　a　time；　intending　to　renew　the　struggle　when　the　moon　should　be　up。　But　just　as　he　had　taken　off　his　armor　the　moon　rose　and；　with　it；　his　enemies　began　to　attack　with　fire　as　well；　and　the　thunder　of　the　drums　was　acpanied　by　showers　of　stones　and　arrows。
The　oning　host　shouted；　〃Zhao　Yun！　Why　don't　dismount　and　be　bound？〃
However；　Zhao　Yun　did　not　think　of　that；　but　got　upon　his　steed　to　strive　once　more　to　extricate　himself。　And　his　enemies　pressed　closer　and　closer；　pouring　in　flights　and　flights　of　arrows。　No　advance　was　possible；　and　the　end　seemed　very　near。
〃I　refused　the　repose　of　age；〃　sighed　he；　〃and　now　my　end　will　e　to　me　here！〃
Just　then　he　heard　new　shouting　from　the　northeast；　and　the　array　of　Wei　became　disordered。　To　his　joy；　Zhao　Yun　saw　Zhang　Bao　ing　toward　him；　the　serpent　halberd　in　his　hand；　and　a　man's　head　hanging　at　his　bridle。
Soon　Zhang　Bao　reached　the　veteran　general's　side　and　cried；　〃The　Prime　Minister　feared　some　misfortune　had　befallen　you；　so　he　sent　me　to　your　help！　I　have　five　thousand　troops　here。　We　heard　that　you　were　surrounded。　On　the　way　I　met　Xue　Ze　and　slew　him。〃
Zhao　Yun's　courage　revived；　and　he　and　the　young　general　went　on　toward　the　southwest；　driving　the　soldiers　of　Wei　before　them　in　disorder。　Soon　another　cohort　came　in　from　the　side；　the　leader　wielding　the　green…dragon　saber。
This　was　Guan　Xing；　and　he　cried；　〃The　Prime　Minister　sent　me　with　five　thousand　troops　to　your　aid。　On　the　way　I　encountered　Dong　Xin　and　slain　him。　Here　is　his　head。　The　Prime　Minister　is　ing　up　too！〃
〃But　why　not　press　on　to　capture　Xiahou　Mao　since　you　have　had　such　wonderful　success？〃　cried　Zhao　Yun。
Zhang　Bao　took　the　hint　and　went　forward。　Guan　Xing　followed。
〃They　are　as　my　own　children；〃　said　Zhao　Yun　to　those　who　stood　near。　〃And　they　press　on　wherever　there　is　merit　to　be　won。　I　am　an　old　leader　and　high　in　rank；　but　I　am　not　worth　so　much　as　these　two　youths。　Yet　will　I　risk　my　life　once　more　for　the　sake　of　my　old　lord　the　First　Ruler。〃
So　he　led　the　remnant　of　his　troops　to　try　to　capture　Xiahou　Mao。
During　that　night　the　army　of　Wei　was　smitten　till　corpses　covered　the　earth　and　gore　ran　in　rivers。　Xiahou　Mao　was　unskillful；　and　young；　and　inexperienced　in　battle。　His　army　was　in　utter　rout；　and　he　could　not　think　but　only　flee。　At　the　head　of　a　hundred　cavalries；　he　made　for　Nanan。　His　army；　leaderless；　scattered　like　rats。
Zhang　Bao　and　Guan　Xing　set　out　for　Nanan。　At　the　news　of　their　ing；　Xiahou　Mao　closed　the　city　gates　and　urged　his　soldiers　to　defend。　Zhao　Yun　soon　joined　the　generals；　and　they　attacked　on　three　sides。　Deng　Zhi　arrived　also；　and　the　city　was　quite　surrounded。
After　vain　efforts　for　ten　days；　they　heard　the　news：　〃The　Prime　Minister　has　stationed　the　rear　army　in　Mianyang；　the　left　army　in　Yangping　Pass；　the　right　army　in　Shicheng。　He　himself　is　leading　the　center　army　toward　Nanan。〃
The　four　generals　went　to　visit　Zhuge　Liang　and　told　him　their　failure　at　the　city。　He　got　into　his　light　chariot　and　rode　out　to　view　the　city；　after　which　he　returned　and　summoned　the　officers　to　his　tent。
Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃The　moat　is　deep；　the　walls　are　steep。　Wherefore　the　city　is　well　defended　and　difficult　to　take。　My　present　plan　omits　this　place。　If　you　persist　in　the　attack　and　the　Wei　armies　march　to　try　for　Hanzhong；　our　army　will　be　in　danger。〃
〃Consider　what　the　capture　of　Xiahou　Mao　would　mean；〃　said　Deng　Zhi。　〃He　is　an　Imperial　Son…in…Law；　and　worth　more　than　slaying　a　hundred　ordinary　leaders。　We　have　begun　the　siege；　and　we　should　not　raise　it。〃
Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃I　have　other　plans。　West　of　this　lies　Tianshui　and　north　Anding。　Does　anyone　know　the　governors　of　these　two　places？〃
〃Ma　Zun　is　the　Governor　of　Tianshui；　Cui　Liang　that　of　Anding；〃　replied　a　scout。
Zhuge　Liang　then　called　to　him　one　by　one………Wei　Yan；　Zhang　Bao；　Guan　Xing；　and　two　trusted　subordinates………and　gave　each　certain　instructions。　They　left　to　carry　out　their　orders。
Next　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　the　soldiers　to　pile　up　beneath　the　walls　heaps　of　firewood　and　straw；　saying　he　was　going　to　burn　the　city。　The　defenders　on　the　wall　derided　him。
Cui　Liang；　the　Governor　of　Anding；　was　much　frightened　when　he　heard　that　Xiahou　Mao　was　besieged；　and　began　to　see　to　his　own　defenses。　He　mustered　his　four　thousand　soldiers；　resolved　to　defend　his　city　as　long　as　possible。　Then　there　came　a　man　from　the　south　direction；　who　said　he　had　secret　letters。
Cui　Liang　had　him　brought　into　the　city；　and；　when　questioned；　the　man　said；　〃I　am　one　of　Xiahou　Mao's　trusted　soldiers　and　named　Pei　Xu。　I　was　sent　to　beg　for　help　from　Tianshui　and　Anding。　The　city　of　Nanan　is　hard　pressed。　Every　day　we　have　raised　fires　to　call　the　attention　of　your　cities　to　our　plight；　but　our　signals　have　all　failed。　No　one　has　e。　I　was　ordered　to　fight　my　way　through　the　besiegers　and　e　to　tell　you。　You　are　to　give　assistance　immediately；　and　our　General　will　open　the　gates　to　help　you。〃
〃Have　you　a　letter　from　the　General？〃　asked　Cui　Liang。
A　letter　was　produced　from　inside　the　man's　dress；　all　moist　with　perspiration。　After　the　Governor　had　read　it；　the　soldier　took　it　back　and　went　on　to　the　direction　of　Tianshui。
Two　days　later　a　mounted　messenger　came　to　Anding　and　said　to　Cui　Liang：　〃Governor　Ma　Zun　of　Tianshui　with　his　troops　have　already　started　for　Nanan。　The　troops　of　Anding　should　march　at　once　to　their　aid。〃
Cui　Liang　took　the　advice　of　his　officers。　Most　of　them　said；　〃If　you　do　not　go；　and　Nanan　is　taken；　we　shall　he　blamed　for　giving　up　the　Imperial　Son…in…Law。　He　must　be　rescued。〃
Thereupon　Cui　Liang　marched。　The　civil　officers　were　left　in　charge　of　the　city。　The　army　took　the　high　road　to　Nanan。　They　saw　flames　shooting　up　to　the　sky　all　the　time；　and　the　Governor　urged　the　army　to　march　faster。　When　fifteen　miles　from　the　city；　there　was　heard　the　drums　of　an　attacking　force；　and　the　scouts　came　to　say　that　the　road　ahead　was　held　by　Guan　Xing；　while　Zhang　Bao　was　ing　up　quickly　in　their　rear。
At　this　news　the　soldiers　scattered　in　all　directions。　Cui　Liang　had　a　hundred　men　left　with　whom　he　tried　to　cut　his　way　out　that　he　might　return　to　his　own　city。　He　got　through。
But　when　he　came　to　his　own　city；　a　flight　of　arrows　greeted　him　from　the　wall；　and　Wei　Yan　shouted　to　him；　saying；　〃I　have　taken　the　city。　You　had　better　yield！〃
This　was　what　had　happened。　Wei　Yan　and　his　soldiers；　disguised　as　an　Anding　soldiers；　in　the　darkness　of　the　night　had　beguiled　the　wardens　of　the　gate　into　opening　it；　and　the　men　of　Shu　had　got　in。
Cui　Liang　set　off　for　Tianshui。　But　one　march　away　a　cohort　came　out；　and　beneath　the　great　flag　he　saw　a　light　chariot。　In　the　chariot　sat　a　man　in　Taoist　robe　with　a　feather　fan　in　his　hand。　Cui　Liang　at　once　recognized　Zhuge　Liang；　but　as　he　turned；　up　came　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　who　summoned　him　to　surrender。　As　he　was　entirely　surrounded；　no　other　course　was　open　to　him；　so　he　gave　in。　He　went　to　the　great　camp　with　Zhuge　Liang；　who　treated　him　with　courtesy。
After　a　time　Zhuge　Liang　said；　〃Is　the　Govenor　of　Nanan　a　friend　of　yours？〃
〃He　is　one　Yang　Ling；　a　cousin　of　Yang　Fu。　Being　neighboring　counties；　we　are　very　good　friends。〃
〃I　wish　to　trouble　you　to　persuade　him　to　capture　Xiahou　Mao。　Can　you？〃
〃If　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　order　me　to　do　this；　I　would　ask　you　to　withdraw　your　troops　and　let　me　go　into　the　city　to　speak　with　him。〃
Zhuge　Liang　consented　and　ordered　the　besiegers　to　draw　off　seven　miles　and　camp。　Cui　Liang　himself　went　to　the　city　and　hailed　the　gate。　He　entered　and　went　forthwith　to　his　friend's　residence。　As　soon　as　he　had　finished　the　salutations；　he　related　what　had　happened。
〃After　the　kindness　we　have　received　from　Wei；　we　cannot　be　traitors；〃　said　Yang　Ling。　〃But　we　will　meet　ruse　with　ruse。〃
He　led　Cui　Liang　to　the　mander…in…Chief　and　told　the　whole　story。
〃What　ruse　do　you　propose？〃　asked　Xiahou　Mao。
〃Let　us　pretend　to　offer　the　city；　and　let　the　army　of　Shu　in。　Once　they　are　in；　we　can　massacre　them。〃
Xiahou　Mao　agreed　to　plot　the　scheme。
Cui　Lia