第一小说网

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第223部分（第1页）

ial　Son…in…Law。　As　such　he　enjoyed　great　deference　at　court。　But　although　he　held　a　military　mission；　he　had　never　been　with　the　army。　However；　as　he　requested　the　mand；　he　was　made　mander…in…Chief　of　the　western　armies　and　was　ready　to　march。

But　Minister　of　the　Interior　Wang　Lang　spoke　against　the　appointment；　saying；　〃The　appointment　is　wrong。　Xiahou　Mao；　the　Son…in…Law；　has　never　seen　a　battle　and　is　unsuitable　for　this　post；　especially　when　his　opponent　is　the　clever　and　crafty　Zhuge　Liang；　a　man　thoroughly　versed　in　strategy。〃

〃I　suppose　you　have　arranged　with　Zhuge　Liang　to　be　his　ally；〃　sneered　Xiahou　Mao。　〃Ever　since　I　was　a　boy；　I　have　studied　strategy；　and　I　am　well　acquainted　with　army　matters。　Why　do　you　despise　my　youth？　Unless　I　capture　this　Zhuge　Liang；　I　pledge　myself　never　again　to　see　the　Emperors　face。〃

Wang　Lang　and　his　supporters　were　silenced。　Xiahou　Mao　took　leave　of　the　Ruler　of　Wei　and　hastened　to　Changan　to　get　his　army　in　order。　He　had　two　hundred　thousand　troops　from　the　western　areas。

He　would　go　to　battle；　take　the　signal　flags　in　grip；

But　could　he　play　the　leader；　he　a　lad　with　callow　lip？

The　next　chapter　will　deal　with　this　campaign。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　92　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　92

Chapter　92

Zhao　Yun　Slays　Five　Generals；

Zhuge　Liang　Takes　Three　Cities。

Zhuge　Liangs　army　marched　northward；　passing　through　Mianyang；　where　stood　Ma　Chaos　tomb。　In　honor　of　the　dead　Tiger　General；　Zhuge　Liang　sacrificed　there　in　person；　Ma　Chaos　cousin………Ma　Dai………being　chief　mourner　for　the　occasion。

After　this　ceremony；　when　the　mander…in…Chief　was　discussing　his　plans；　the　spies　came　in　to　report：　〃The　Ruler　of　Wei；　Cao　Rui；　has　put　in　motion　all　western　forces　under　Xiahou　Mao。〃

Then　Wei　Yan　went　in　to　offer　a　plan；　saying；　〃Xiahou　Mao　is　a　child　of　a　wealthy　family；　soft　and　stupid。　Give　me　five　thousand　troops；　and　I　will　go　out　by　Baozhong；　follow　the　line　of　the　Qinling　Mountains　east　to　the　Ziwu　Valley　and　then　turn　north。　In　ten　days　I　can　be　at　Changan。　Hearing　of　my　rush；　Xiahou　Mao　will　hasten　to　vacate　the　city。　Then　he　must　flee　by　way　of　Royal　Gate。　I　will　e　in　by　the　east；　and　you；　Sir；　can　advance　by　the　Xie　Valley　with　the　main　army。　In　this　way　all　west　of　Changan　will　be　ours　in　just　one　move。〃

Zhuge　Liang　smiled　at　the　suggestion。

〃I　do　not　think　the　plan　quite　perfect；〃　said　he。　〃You　are　gambling　by　thinking　there　is　no　northerner　worth　considering　guarding　Changan。　If　anyone　suggests　sending　a　force　across　to　block　the　exit　of　the　mountains；　I　am　afraid　we　should　lose　five　thousand　troops；　to　say　nothing　of　the　check　to　our　elan。　The　plan　will　not　work。〃

〃If　you；　O　Prime　Minister；　march　by　the　high　road；　they　will　bring　against　you　the　whole　host　Within　the　Passes　and　will　thus　hold　you　indefinitely。　You　will　never　get　to　the　Middle　Land。〃

〃But　I　shall　go　along　the　level　road　on　the　right　of　Longyou。　I　cannot　fail　if　I　keep　to　the　fixed　rules　of　war。〃

Wei　Yan　withdrew；　gloomy　and　dissatisfied。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　sent　Zhao　Yun　orders　for　the　advanced　guard　to　move。

Xiahou　Mao　was　at　Changan　preparing　his　force。　There　came　to　him　a　general　from　Xiliang；　named　Han　De；　a　man　of　great　valor；　whose　weapon　was　a　mighty　battle…ax　called　〃Mountain　Splitter〃。　He　brought　with　him　eighty　thousand　of　the　Qiang　tribesmen　and　offered　his　services。　They　were　gladly　accepted；　and　his　army　was　made　the　van　of　the　attack。

This　Han　De　had　four　sons；　all　very　expert　in　archery　and　horsemanship。　They　were　named　Han　Ying；　Han　Yao；　Han　Qiong；　and　Han　Qi；　and　they　came　to　serve　under　their　father。　Han　De　led　his　sons　and　the　eighty　thousand　troops　by　the　road　to　Phoenix　Song　Mountain；　where　they　were　near　the　army　of　Shu；　and　here　they　drew　up　the　array。

When　the　battle　line　was　in　order；　the　father；　with　his　four　sons；　rode　to　the　front　and　began　to　revile　their　enemy；　shouting；　〃Rebels　and　raiders！　How　dare　you　invade　our　territory？〃

Zhao　Yun　quickly　lost　his　temper；　rode　forward　and　challenged。　The　eldest　son；　Han　Ying；　accepted　and　galloped　out；　but　he　was　slain　in　the　third　bout。　Immediately　his　brother　Han　Yao　went　out；　whirling　his　sword。　But　now　Zhao　Yuns　blood　was　up；　and　the　old　dash　and　vigor　came　upon　him　so　that　the　young　man　had　no　chance　to　win　the　battle。　Then　the　third　son；　Han　Qiong；　took　his　great　halberd　and　dashed　out　to　his　brothers　aid。　Zhao　Yun　had　now　two　opponents；　nevertheless　he　held　his　own；　nor　blenched　nor　failed　a　stroke。　Seeing　that　his　two　brothers　were　nearing　defeat；　the　fourth　son　Han　Qi　went　to　join　in　the　fray　with　his　pair　of　swords　that　he　had　named　〃Sun　and　Moon〃。　And　there　was　the　veteran　warrior　with　three　against　him；　and　he　still　kept　them　at　bay。

Presently　a　spear　thrust　got　home　on　Han　Qi；　who　fell。　Another　general　then　ing　out　to　take　his　place。　Zhao　Yun　lowered　his　spear　and　fled。　Han　Qiong　then　took　his　bow　and　shot　three　arrows　at　the　fugitive；　who　turned　them　aside　so　that　they　fell　harmless。　Angry　at　this；　Han　Qiong　again　seized　his　halberd　and　went　in　pursuit。　But　Zhao　Yun　took　his　bow　and　shot　an　arrow　that　wounded　his　pursuer　in　the　face。　So　Han　Qiong　fell　and　died。　Han　Yao　then　galloped　up　and　raised　his　sword　to　strike；　but　Zhao　Yun　slipped　past；　got　within　his　guard　and　made　Han　Yao　a　prisoner。　Zhao　Yun　quickly　galloped　into　his　own　array　with　his　captive；　dropped　him　and　then；　dashing　out；　recovered　his　spear；　which　had　fallen　when　he　seized　his　man。

Han　De　was　overwhelmed　with　the　loss　of　all　his　sons　and　went　behind　the　battle　array。　His　Qiang　tribesmen　were　too　frightened　at　the　prowess　of　Zhao　Yun　to　be　of　any　use　in　battle；　and　no　one　dared　to　meet　the　old　warrior。　So　they　retired；　while　Zhao　Yun　rode　to　and　fro　among　them　slaying　at　his　will。

I　thought　of　brave　old　people；　of　Zhao　Yun；