第一小说网

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第123部分（第1页）

rown　into　confusion。　The　soldiers　of　the　South　Land　fell　on　lustily；　and　the　three　leaders　all　fled　by　a　bye　road；　but；　finding　the　way　barred　with　felled　trees　and　other　obstacles；　they　had　to　abandon　their　horses　and　go　afoot。　In　this　way　the　troops　of　the　South　Land　gained　some　five　hundred　steeds。

Zhou　Yu；　pressing　on　as　quickly　as　possible　toward　Nanjun；　came　upon　Cao　Ren　and　his　army　marching　to　save　Yiling。　The　two　armies　engaged　and　fought　a　battle　which　lasted　till　late　in　the　evening。　Then　both　drew　off；　and　Cao　Ren　withdrew　into　the　city。

During　the　night　he　called　his　officers　to　a　council。

Then　said　Cao　Hong；　〃The　loss　of　Yiling　has　brought　us　to　a　dangerous　pass。　Now　it　seems　the　time　to　open　the　guide…letter　of　the　Prime　Minister；　and　see　what　plans　he　arranged　for　our　salvation　in　this　peril。〃

〃You　but　say　what　I　think；〃　replied　Cao　Ren。

Whereupon　he　tore　open　the　guide…letter　and　read　it。　His　face　lighted　up　with　joy；　and　he　at　once　issued　orders　to　have　the　morning　meal　prepared　at　the　fifth　watch。　At　daylight　the　whole　army　moved　out　of　the　city　through　three　gates；　but　they　left　a　semblance　of　occupation　in　the　shape　of　banners　on　the　walls。

Zhou　Yu　went　up　to　the　tower　of　observation　and　looked　over　the　city。　He　saw　that　the　flags　along　the　battlements　had　no　guards　behind　them；　and　he　noticed　that　all　troops　carried　bundles　at　their　waists　behind　so　that　they　were　ready　for　a　long　march。

Thought　Zhou　Yu　to　himself；　〃Cao　Ren　must　be　prepared　for　a　long　march。〃

So　Zhou　Yu　went　down　from　the　tower　of　observation　and　sent　out　an　order　for　two　wings　of　the　army　to　be　ready。　One　of　these　was　to　attack　and；　in　case　of　its　success；　the　other　was　to　pursue　at　full　speed　till　the　clanging　of　the　gongs　should　call　them　to　return。　He　took　mand　of　the　leading　force　in　person；　and　Cheng　Pu　manded　the　other。　Thus　they　advanced　to　attack　the　city。

The　armies　being　arrayed　facing　each　other；　the　drums　rolled　out　across　the　plain。　Cao　Hong　rode　forth　and　challenged；　and　Zhou　Yu；　from　his　place　by　the　standard；　bade　Han　Dang　respond。　The　two　champions　fought　near　two　score　bouts；　and　then　Cao　Hong　fled。　Thereupon　Cao　Ren　came　out　to　help　him；　and　Zhou　Tai　rode　out　at　full　speed　to　meet　him。　These　two　exchanged　a　half　score　passes　and　then　Cao　Ren　tied。

Cao　Rens　army　fell　into　confusion。　Thereupon　Zhou　Yu　gave　the　signal　for　the　advance　of　both　his　wings；　and　the　forces　of　Cao　Ren　were　sore　smitten　and　defeated。　Zhou　Yu　pursued　to　the　city　wall；　but　Cao　Rens　troops　did　not　enter　the　city。　Instead；　they　went　away　northwest。　Han　Dang　and　Zhou　Tai　pressed　them　hard。

Zhou　Yu；　seeing　the　city　gates　standing　wide　open　and　no　guards　upon　the　walls；　ordered　the　raiding　of　the　city。　A　few　score　horsemen　rode　in　first；　Zhou　Yu　followed　and　whipping　his　steed。　As　he　galloped　into　the　enclosure　around　the　gate；　Chen　Jiao　stood　on　the　defense　tower。　When　he　saw　Zhou　Yu　enter；　in　his　heart　he　applauded　the　god…like　perspicacity　of　the　Prime　Minister　Cao　Cao。

Then　was　heard　the　clap…clap　of　a　watchmans　rattle。　At　this　signal　the　archers　and　crossbowmen　let　fly；　and　the　arrows　and　bolts　flew　forth　in　a　sudden　fierce　shower；　while　those　who　had　won　their　way　to　the　van　of　the　inrush　went　headlong　into　a　deep　trench。　Zhou　Yu　managed　to　pull　up　in　time；　but　turning　to　escape；　he　was　wounded　in　the　left　side　and　fell　to　the　ground。　Niu　Jin　rushed　out　from　the　city　to　capture　the　chief；　but　Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng　at　the　risk　of　their　lives　got　him　away　safe。　Then　the　troops　of　Cao　Ren　dashed　out　of　the　city　and　wrought　confusion　among　the　troops　of　the　South　Land；　who　trampled　each　other　down　and　many　more　fell　into　the　trenches。　Cheng　Pu　tried　to　draw　off；　but　Cao　Ren　and　Cao　Hong　came　toward　him　from　different　directions；　and　the　battle　went　hardly　against　the　soldiers　of　Zhou　Yu；　till　help　came　from　Ling　Tong；　who　bore　back　their　assailants。　Satisfied　with　their　success；　Cao　Ren　led　his　forces　into　the　city；　while　the　losers　marched　back　to　their　own　camp。

Zhou　Yu；　sorely　wounded；　was　taken　to　his　own　tent　and　the　army　physician　called　in。　With　iron　forceps；　he　extracted　the　sharp　bolt　and　dressed　the　wound　with　a　lotion　designed　to　counteract　the　poison　of　the　metal。　But　the　pain　was　intense；　and　the　patient　rejected　all　nourishment。

The　physician　said；　〃The　missile　had　been　poisoned；　and　the　wound　will　require　a　long　time　to　heal。　You；　General；　must　be　kept　quiet　and　especially　free　from　any　irritation；　which　will　cause　the　wound　to　reopen。〃

Thereupon　Cheng　Pu　gave　orders　that　each　division　was　to　remain　in　camp。　Three　days　later；　Niu　Jin　came　within　sight　and　challenged　the　men　of　the　South　Land　to　battle；　but　they　did　not　stir。　The　enemy　hurled　at　them　taunts　and　insults　till　the　sun　had　fallen　low　in　the　sky；　but　it　was　of　no　avail　and　Niu　Jin　withdrew。

Next　day　Niu　Jin　returned　and　repeated　his　insulting　abuse。　Cheng　Pu　dared　not　tell　the　wounded　general。　The　third　day；　waxing　bolder；　the　enemy　came　to　the　very　gates　of　the　stockade；　the　leader　shouting　that　he　had　e　for　the　purpose　of　capturing　Zhou　Yu。

Then　Cheng　Pu　called　together　his　officers；　and　they　discussed　the　feasibility　of　retirement　into　the　South　Land　that　they　might　seek　the　opinion　of　Sun　Quan。

Ill　as　he　was；　Zhou　Yu　still　retained　control　of　the　expedition。　He　knew　that　the　enemy　came　daily　to　the　gates　of　his　camp　and　reviled　him；　although　none　of　his　officers　told　him。　One　day　Cao　Ren　came　in　person；　and　there　was　much　rolling　of　drums　and　shouting。　Cheng　Pu；　however；　steadily　refused　to　accept　the　challenge　and　would　not　let　anyone　go　out。

Then　Zhou　Yu　summoned　the　officers　to　his　bedside　and　said；　〃What　mean　the　drums　and　the　shouting？〃

〃The　soldiers　are　drilling；〃　was　the　reply。

〃Why　do　you　deceive　me？〃　said　Zhou　Yu　angrily。　〃Do　I　not　know　that　our　enemies　e　day　by　day　to　our　gates　and　insult　us？　Yet　Cheng　Pu　suffers　this　in　silence　and　makes　no　use　of　his　powers　and　authority。〃

He　sent　for　Cheng　Pu　and；　when　he　arrived；　asked　him　why　he　acted　thus。

〃Because　you　are　ill；　and　the　physician　said　you　were　on　no　account　to　be　provoked　to　anger。　Wherefore；　although　the　enemy　challenged　us　to　battle；　I　kept　it　from　you。〃

〃And　if　you　do　not　fight；　what　think　you　should　be　done？〃　said　Zhou　Yu。

And　they　all　said　they　desired　to　return　to　the　South　Land　till　he　had　recovered　from　his　wound；　when　they　would　make　another　expedition。

Zhou　Yu　lay　and　listened。　Suddenly　he　sprang　up；　crying；　〃The　noble　person　who　has　eaten　of　his　lords　bounty　should　die　in　his　lords　battles。　To　return　home　dead　and　wrapped　in　a　horses　hide　is　a　happy　fate。　Am　I　the　sort　of　people　to　bring　to　nought　the　grand　designs　of　my　lord？〃