第一小说网

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第174部分（第1页）

fficult　and　dangerous。　You　had　better　keep　on　the　defensive。〃

〃How　shall　we　be　able　to　look　our　prince　in　the　face　when　other　leaders　render　good　services？　However；　you　just　keep　the　hill；　and　I　will　go　out　to　battle。〃

Then　an　order　was　issued　asking　who　would　go　out　to　reconnoiter　and　provoke　a　battle。　Xiahou　Shang　volunteered。

Xiahou　Yuan　said　to　him；　〃You　are　not　to　make　a　real　stand；　but　merely　to　begin　the　fight。　You　are　to　lose　and　not　win；　for　a　grand　ruse　is　ready　for　the　enemy。〃

He　explained　his　plans；　and　Xiahou　Shang　went　away　with　a　small　column。

Now　Huang　Zhong　and　his　helper　Fa　Zheng　were　camped　quite　close　to　the　Dingjun　Mountain。　They　had　endeavored　to　entice　Xiahou　Yuan　out　into　the　field　to　fight；　but　failed　to　attack　him　as　he　stood　in　that　difficult；　mountainous　country。　So　thus　far　no　advance　had　been　made。　But　as　soon　as　Xiahou　Shangs　troops　appeared　and　seemed　to　offer　battle；　Huang　Zhong　was　ready　to　march　out　to　meet　them　at　once。　But　General　Chen　Shi；　offered　his　services。

〃Do　not　trouble　yourself　to　move；　O　General；〃　said　Chen　Shi；　〃for　I　will　go　out　to　fight　them。〃

Huang　Zhong　consented；　and　placed　three　thousand　troops　under　Chen　Shi；　who　went　out　of　the　valley　and　set　his　army　in　array。　And　when　Xiahou　Shang　came　up　and；　as　arranged；　merely　fought　a　few　bouts　and　ran　away。　Chen　Shi　followed　to　take　advantage　of　his　success。　But　he　was　soon　brought　to　a　standstill　by　the　rolling　of　logs　and　hurling　of　stones　on　the　part　of　his　opponents。　As　he　turned　to　retire；　Xiahou　Yuan　brought　out　his　troops　and　attacked。　Chen　Shi　had　no　chance　against　them　and　was　quickly　made　prisoner。　Many　of　his　soldiers　joined　the　enemy；　but　a　few　escaped　to　their　own　side　and　told　Huang　Zhong　of　the　misfortune。

Huang　Zhong　at　once　asked　advice　from　Fa　Zheng；　who　said；　〃This　Xiahou　Yuan　is　easily　provoked　to　anger；　and　being　angry　he　is　bold　without　discretion。　Your　way　now　is　to　work　up　the　enthusiasm　of　your　soldiers；　then　break　camp　and　advance。　Do　this　in　a　series　of　marches；　and　you　will　excite　him　up　to　the　point　of　giving　battle；　when　you　can　capture　him。　They　call　this　the　Ruse　of　the　Interchange　of　Host　and　Guest。〃

So　Huang　Zhong　collected　all　the　things　his　soldiers　liked；　and　made　them　presents；　till　the　sound　of　rejoicing　filled　the　whole　valley　and　the　men　were　hot　to　fight。　Then　camp　was　broken；　and　the　army　marched　forward　a　certain　distance。　Then　they　encamped。　After　some　days　rest　the　march　was　repeated；　and　then　again。

When　tidings　of　the　advance　reached　Xiahou　Yuan；　he　proposed　to　go　out　and　fight。

〃No；　no；〃　said　the　prudent　Zhang　He。　〃This　is　a　well　known　ruse；　and　you　should　remain　on　the　defensive。　You　will　lose　if　you　fight。〃

Xiahou　Yuan　was　not　the　man　to　stomach　this　moderate　advice；　so　he　sent　out　Xiahou　Shang　to　give　battle。　As　soon　as　this　force　reached　the　camp　of　Huang　Zhong；　the　Veteran　General　mounted　and　rode　out　to　fight。　In　the　very　first　bout　he　captured　Xiahou　Shang。　Those　who　escaped　told　how　their　leader　had　been　captured；　and　Xiahou　Yuan　at　once　sent　to　offer　an　exchange　of　prisoners。　This　was　agreed　to；　to　be　effected　the　following　day　in　front　of　both　armies。

So　next　day　both　sides　were　arrayed　in　a　spot　where　the　valley　widened；　the　two　leaders　on　horseback　beneath　their　respective　standards。　Beside　each　stood　his　prisoner。　Neither　was　encumbered　with　robe　or　helmet；　but　each　wore　thin；　simple　dress。　At　the　first　beat　of　the　drum　each　started　to　race　over　to　his　own　side。　Just　as　Xiahou　Shang　reached　the　ranks　of　his　own　side；　Huang　Zhong　shot　an　arrow　and　wounded　him　in　the　back。　The　wounded　man　did　not　fall；　but　went　on。

But　Xiahou　Yuan；　mad　with　rage；　could　contain　himself　no　longer。　He　galloped　straight　at　Huang　Zhong；　which　was　exactly　what　the　latter　wanted　to　irritate　him　into　doing。　The　fight　that　then　ensued　went　on　for　twenty　bouts；　when　suddenly　the　gongs　clanged　out　from　Xiahou　Yuans　side　and　he　drew　off。　Huang　Zhong　pressed　on　and　shattered　the　army　of　Wei。

When　Xiahou　Yuan　reached　his　own　side；　he　asked　why　the　gong　had　sounded。

〃Because　we　saw　the　banners　of　Shu　through　openings　in　the　mountains　in　several　places；　and　we　feared　an　ambush；〃　said　Zhang　He。

Xiahou　Yuan　believed　him　and　did　not　return　to　the　battlefield。　He　simply　remained　defensive。

Before　long；　Huang　Zhong　had　got　quite　near　to　Xiahou　Yuans　camp；　and　then　he　asked　further　advice　from　his　colleague。

Fa　Zheng　pointed　over　to　the　hills　and　said；　〃There　rises　a　steep　hill　on　the　west　of　Dingjun　Mountain；　difficult　of　access；　but　from　its　summit　one　has　a　plete　view　of　the　defenses　of　the　enemy。　If　you　can　take　this　hill；　the　mountain　lies　in　the　hollow　of　your　hand。〃

Huang　Zhong　looked　up　and　saw　the　top　of　the　hill　was　a　small　tableland　and　there　were　very　few　defenders　there。　So　that　evening　he　left　his　camp；　dashed　up　the　hill；　drove　out　the　small　host　of　one　hundred　under　Xiahou　Yuans　General　Du　Xi　and　took　it。　It　was　just　opposite　to　Dingjun　Mountain。

Then　said　Fa　Zheng；　〃Now　take　up　position　half　way　up　the　hill；　while　I　go　to　the　top。　When　the　enemy　appears；　I　will　show　a　white　flag。　But　you　will　remain　quiet　till　the　enemy　bee　tired　and　remiss；　when　I　will　hoist　a　red　flag。　That　will　be　the　signal　for　attack。〃

Huang　Zhong　cheerfully　prepared　to　act　on　this　plan。　In　the　meantime　Du　Xi；　who　had　been　driven　from　the　hill…top；　had　run　back　and　reported　the　loss　of　the　hill　to　Xiahou　Yuan。

〃With　Huang　Zhong　in　occupation　of　that　hill；　I　simply　must　give　battle；〃　said　Xiahou　Yuan。

Zhang　He　strongly　dissuaded　him；　saying；　〃The　whole　thing　is　but　a　ruse　of　Fa　Zheng。　General；　you　had　better　defend　our　position。〃

But　Xiahou　Yuan　was　obstinate。

〃From　the　top　of　that　hill　the　whole　of　our　position　is　visible；　our　strength　and　our　weakness。　I　must　fight。〃

In　vain　were　the　remonstrances　repeated。　Xiahou　Yuan　set　out　his　troops　to　surround　the　opposite　hill　and　then　began　to　vent　his　rage　at　his　enemy　so　as　to　incite　Huang　Zhong　to　give　battle。

Then　the　white　flag　was　hoisted。　However；　Xiahou　Yuan　was　allowed　to　fume　and　rage　in　vain。　He　tried　every　form　of　insult；　but　no　one　appeared。　In　the　afternoon　the　soldiers　became　weary　and　dispirited。　Plainly　their　eagerness　had　gone；　and　Fa　Zheng　unfurled　the　red　flag。

Then　the　drums　rolled　out；　and　the　men　of　Shu　shouted　till　the　earth　seemed　to　shake　as　the　hoary　old　leader　rode　out　and　led　his　force　down　the　slope　with　a　roar　as　of　an　earthquake。　Xiahou　Yuan　was　too　surprised　to　defend　himself。　His　chief　enemy　rushed　straight　to　his　standard。　With　a　thundering　shout；　Huang　Zhong　raised　his　sword　and　cleft　Xiahou　Yuan　through　between　the　head　and　shoulders　so　that　he　fell　in　two　pieces。

Hoary　headed　is　he；　but　he　goes　up　to　battle；

Gray　haired；　yet　recklessly　mighty；

With　his　strong　arms　he　bends　the　bow；

The　arrows　fly。

With　the　swiftness　of　the　wind　he　rides；