第一小说网

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第204部分（第1页）

of　the　Bold　Beauty〃；　and　one　who　described　it　wrote　a　poem：

The　Ruler；　defeated；　fled　to　Baidicheng；

Through　thunderous　tiding；　Lady　Sun　mitted　suicide。

Today　the　water　still　flows　by　the　carved　stone

To　show　where　and　why　this　heroine　died。

There　could　be　no　question　that　this　exploit　brought　tremendous　glory　to　Lu　Xun。　Anxious　to　push　his　advantage　as　far　as　possible；　Lu　Xun　led　his　exultant　army　westward。　But　as　he　drew　near　to　Kui　Pass；　he　suddenly　pulled　up　his　horse；　remarking　that　he　saw　an　aura　of　death　about　the　mountain　side　in　front。

〃We　may　not　yet　advance　farther。　I　suspect　an　ambush。〃

So　they　retreated　three　miles　and　camped　in　a　wide　open　space。　And　the　army　was　arrayed　ready　against　any　sudden　attack。　Meanwhile；　scouts　were　sent　out。　They　returned　reporting　no　soldiers。　Lu　Xun　doubted　and　went　up　to　the　summit　of　a　hill　whence　he　could　see　over　the　country。　The　aura　was　still　visible　to　him；　and　so　he　dispatched　other　people　to　spy。　But　he　received　the　same　report：　Not　a　soldier；　not　a　horse。

Still；　as　the　sun　got　lower　and　lower　in　the　west；　he　saw　the　same　appearance　accentuated；　and　he　began　to　feel　grave　doubts。　He　sent　a　confidant　to　look　once　more。

This　man　came　back；　saying；　〃There　is　not　a　single　soldier；　but　I　have　noticed　on　the　river　bank　nearly　a　hundred　heaps　of　boulders。〃

The　mander…in…Chief；　still　doubting；　called　in　several　of　the　natives　and　questioned　them　about　the　stones。

〃Who　put　them　there？　Why　did　they　look　so　ghastly？〃　asked　Lu　Xun。

〃We　do　not　know。　This　place　is　called　Fishbelly　Creek。　When　Zhuge　Liang　was　going　west　into　the　River　Lands；　he　came　along　here　with　a　lot　of　soldiers　and　heaped　up　the　boulders　like　that　on　the　sandy　beach。　We　have　seen　vapors　rising　from　the　boulders；　they　seemed　to　e　from　inside　them。〃

Lu　Xun　decided　to　go　and　look　at　these　boulders　himself。　So　he　rode　off；　with　a　small　escort。　Looked　down　from　a　declivity；　the　stones　were　evidently　arranged　with　a　design　related　to　the　eight　points　of　the　pass。　There　were　doors　and　door…sills　and　lintels。

〃This　looks　likely　to　drive　a　person　out　of　his　senses；〃　he　said。　〃I　wonder　whether　it　is　any　good。〃

They　rode　down　with　intent　to　examine　the　mysterious　arrangement　more　closely　and　went　in　among　the　stones。

Presently　one　of　the　escort　called　attention　to　the　increasing　darkness　and　said；　〃The　sun　is　setting。　We　ought　to　be　returning　to　camp。〃

But　as　Lu　Xun　glanced　round　to　look　for　an　exit；　a　sudden　squall　came　on　and　the　dust　whirled　up；　obscuring　both　sky　and　earth。　And　in　the　swirl　the　stones　reared　themselves　up　like　steep　mountains；　pointed　like　swords；　and　the　dust　and　sand　shaped　themselves　into　waves　and　hillocks　one　behind　the　other。　The　roar　of　the　boiling　river　was　as　the　drums　before　a　battle。

〃This　is　some　trick　of　Zhuge　Liang；〃　said　Lu　Xun　in　a　scared　voice；　〃and　I　have　been　caught。〃

He　would　go　out；　but　he　had　quite　lost　his　way　and　could　find　no　exit。　As　he　stopped　to　consider　what　he　should　do；　an　old　man　suddenly　appeared。

The　old　man　said；　〃Does　the　General　wish　to　go　out？〃

〃I　greatly　desire　that　you　would　pilot　me　out；　O　Elder！〃　replied　he。

Leaning　on　his　staff；　the　old　man　led　the　way　and　with　quiet　dignity　conducted　Lu　Xun　outside。　He　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　his　way　and　paused　not　a　single　instant。　When　they　were　once　again　on　the　slope；　Lu　Xun　asked　his　aged　guide　who　he　was。

〃I　am　Zhuge　Liangs　father…in…law。　My　name　is　Huang　Chenyan。　My　son…in…law　placed　these　boulders　here　as　you　see　them；　and　he　said　they　represented　the　Eight…Array　Maze。　They　are　like　eight　doors；　and　according　to　the　scheme　are　named：　Gate　of　Rest；　Gate　of　Life；　Gate　of　Injury；　Gate　of　Obstruction；　Gate　of　Prospect；　Gate　of　Death；　Gate　of　Surprise；　and　Gate　of　Openings。

〃They　are　capable　of　infinite　mutations　and　would　be　equal　to　a　hundred　thousand　soldiers。　As　he　was　leaving；　he　told　me　that　if　any　leader　of　Wu　became　mazed　in　them；　I　was　not　to　conduct　him　outside。　From　a　precipice　near　by　I　saw　you；　General；　enter　in　at　the　Gate　of　Death。　As　I　guessed　you　were　ignorant　of　the　scheme；　I　knew　you　would　be　entangled。　But　I　am　of　a　good　disposition　and　could　not　bear　that　you　should　be　entrapped　without　possibility　of　escape；　so　I　came　to　guide　you　to　the　Gate　of　Life。〃

〃Have　you　studied　this　matter；　Sir？〃　asked　Lu　Xun。

〃The　variations　are　inexhaustible；　and　I　could　not　learn　them　all。〃

Lu　Xun　dismounted；　bowed　low　before　the　old　man　and　then　rode　away。