第一小说网

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第186部分（第2页）

Guan　Yu　then　bade　his　servants　lead　Zhuge　Jin　away。　Zhuge　Jin　went；　his　face　covered　with　shame；　and　left　the　city。　When　he　reached　his　master；　he　told　of　Guan　Yus　obduracy　and　rejection　of　all　argument。

〃He　is　indeed　a　loyal　servant！〃　said　Sun　Quan。　〃Still；　what　is　to　be　done　next？〃

〃Take　some　casts　in　the　Book　of　Changes；〃　said　Lu　Fan。

So　the　lots　were　taken　and　explained　to　mean　that　the　Marquis　enemies　should　flee　to　a　distance。

Then　Sun　Quan　asked　Lu　Meng；　saying；　〃If　he　flies　to　a　distance；　how　can　he　be　captured？〃

〃The　divination　exactly　fits　in　with　my　schemes；〃　replied　Lu　Meng。　〃Even　if　Guan　Yu　had　wings　to　soar　to　the　skies；　he　would　not　escape　my　net。〃

The　dragon　in　a　puddle　is　the　sport　of　shrimps；

The　phoenix　in　a　cage　is　mocked　of　small　birds。

The　scheme　of　Lu　Meng　will　be　unfolded　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　77　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　77

Chapter　77

Cao　Cao　Is　Possessed　At　Luoyang；

Guan　Yu　Manifests　At　The　Jade　Spring　Mount。

Sun　Quan　having　asked　Lu　Meng　for　a　plan；　Lu　Meng　replied；　〃This　Guan　Yu　has　very　few　soldiers　left；　and　he　will　not　venture　along　the　high　road。　North　of　Maicheng　is　a　risky　path；　and　he　will　try　to　escape　along　that。　Therefore　you　must　lay　an　ambush　for　him　seven　miles　away　from　the　city；　but　do　not　stop　him。　Let　him　go　by；　and　then　harass　his　rear。　Thus　he　will　be　forced　into　Linju。　Set　another　small　ambush　near　there；　and　you　will　capture　your　enemy。　For　the　present；　attack　the　city　vigorously　on　all　sides　but　one；　leaving　the　north　gate　for　escape。〃

Before　carrying　out　this　plan；　Sun　Quan　bade　Lu　Fan　consult　the　auspices。

Lu　Fan　did　so；　announcing；　〃The　enemy　will　flee　toward　the　northwest；　but　will　be　caught　that　night　before　midnight。〃

So　Zhu　Ran　was　sent　in　mand　of　the　first　ambush；　and　Pan　Zhang　was　the　second。　The　troops　sent　were　all　veterans。

When　Guan　Yu　mustered　his　fighting　men　in　the　city　of　Maicheng；　he　had　but　three　hundred。　The　food　was　done。　That　night　many　soldiers　of　Wu　came　to　the　city　walls　and　called　to　their　friends　by　name；　and　many　of　these　slipped　over　the　wall　and　deserted；　reducing　the　small　force　still　further。　No　rescue　force　appeared；　and　Guan　Yu　was　at　the　end　of　his　resources。

Again　he　bewailed　to　Wang　Fu；　saying；　〃I　regret　that　I　have　neglected　your　wise　warning。　In　this　danger　what　is　to　be　done？〃

＇e＇　Lu　Wang　was　a　master　strategist；　founding　minister　of　Zhou　Dynasty；　counselor　to　King　Wen。　Before　joining　King　Wen；　Lu　Wang　had　been　a　fisher；　who　mediated　on　the　river　bank　on　political　events。　。。。。。

〃I　think　even　if　Lu　Wang*　could　e　to　life　again；　he　would　be　helpless　in　this　case；〃　replied　Wang　Fu；　weeping。

Said　Zhao　Lei；　〃Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da　have　surely　decided　not　to　send　help　from　Shangyong。　Let　us　abandon　this　miserable　place；　try　to　get　to　Yizhou；　and　recover　the　army。　We　may　then　tempt　our　fortune　once　more。〃

〃I　agree　with　you　that　that　is　the　best　plan；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

Then　he　ascended　the　walls　and　surveyed　the　country。　Noting　that　the　weakest　side　was　the　north；　he　called　in　some　of　the　inhabitants　and　inquired　the　nature　of　the　country　on　that　side。

They　replied；　〃There　are　only　paths　there；　but　by　them　one　may　get　into　the　West　River　Land。〃

〃We　will　go　that　way　tonight；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

Wang　Fu　opposed　it；　saying；　〃General；　you　will　surely　fall　into　an　ambush。　The　main　road　will　be　safer。〃

〃There　may　be　an　ambush；　but　do　I　fear　that？〃　said　the　old　warrior。

Orders　were　given　to　be　ready　to　march。

〃At　least　be　very　cautious；〃　said　Wang　Fu。　〃I　will　defend　this　city　to　the　very　last。　I　only　need　a　hundred　troops。　Never　will　we　surrender。　Only　I　hope；　Most　Noble　General；　that　you　will　send　me　speedy　help。〃

The　two　parted　in　tears。　Wang　Fu　and　Zhou　Cang　remaining　to　guard　Maicheng。　Guan　Yu；　Guan　Ping；　and　Zhao　Lei　marched　with　their　weak　force　out　of　the　north　gate。　Guan　Yu；　his　green…dragon　saber　ready　to　hand；　went　first。　About　the　third　watch；　seven　miles　lay　between　them　and　the　city。　There　they　saw　a　deep　cleft　in　the　hills　wherefrom　rolled　the　sound　of　beaten　drums。　And　men　were　shouting。　Soon　appeared　a　large　forc