第一小说网

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第127部分（第1页）

When　the　drums　were　beating　most　furiously；　suddenly　Guan　Yu　wheeled　round　his　horse　and　fled。　Of　course　Huang　Zhong　followed。　Just　as　the　moment　for　the　feint　arrived；　Guan　Yu　heard　behind　him　a　tremendous　crash　and　turned　to　see　his　pursuer　lying　prone　upon　the　ground。　Huang　Zhongs　steed　had　stumbled　and　thrown　him。

Guan　Yu　turned；　raised　his　sword　in　both　hands；　and　cried　in　a　fierce　tone；　〃I　spare　your　life；　but　quick！　Get　another　horse　and　e　again　to　battle。〃

Huang　Zhong　pulled　his　horse　to　its　feet　hastily；　leapt　upon　its　back；　and　went　into　the　city　at　full　speed。　The　Governor　was　astonished　and　asked　for　an　account　of　the　accident。

〃The　horse　is　too　old；〃　replied　Huang　Zhong。

〃Why　did　you　not　shoot　since　your　aim　is　so　perfect？〃　asked　the　Governor。

〃I　will　try　again　tomorrow；〃　said　Huang　Zhong。　〃I　will　run　away　as　if　overe；　and　so　tempt　him　to　the　drawbridge　and　then　shoot　him。〃

Han　Xuan　gave　the　veteran　a　gray　horse　that　he　usually　rode　himself。　Huang　Zhong　thanked　him　and　retired。

But　Huang　Zhong　could　not　forget　Guan　Yus　generous　conduct；　nor　could　he　understand　it。　He　could　not　make　up　his　mind　to　shoot　the　man　who　had　spared　his　life。　Yet　if　he　did　not　shoot；　he　betrayed　his　duty　as　a　soldier。　It　was　very　perplexing；　and　the　whole　night　spent　in　thinking　it　over　found　him　still　undecided。

At　daybreak　a　man　came　in　saying　that　Guan　Yu　was　near　the　wall　and　challenging　them　again。　So　Huang　Zhong　gave　order　to　go　out。

Now　Guan　Yu；　having　fought　for　two　days　and　not　having　overe　Huang　Zhong；　was　very　ill　at　ease。　So　he　called　up　all　his　dignity　when　he　went　forth　to　fight　that　day。　When　they　had　got　to　the　thirtieth　bout；　Huang　Zhong　fled　as　if　he　was　overe。　Guan　Yu　pursued。

As　he　rode　away；　Huang　Zhong　thought　in　his　heart；　〃He　spared　me　only　yesterday；　and　I　cannot　bear　to　shoot　him　today。〃

Putting　up　his　sword；　Huang　Zhong　took　his　bow　and　twanged　the　string　only。　No　arrow　flew。　Guan　Yu　dodged；　but　seeing　no　arrow　in　the　air；　he　retook　the　pursuit。　Again　Huang　Zhong　twanged　an　arrowless　bowstring；　and　again　Guan　Yu　dodged；　but　no　arrow　came。

Then　Guan　Yu　said　to　himself；　〃He　cannot　shoot；〃　and　pressed　on　in　pursuit。

As　they　neared　the　city　wall；　the　veteran　stopped　on　the　drawbridge；　fitted　an　arrow；　pulled　the　bow；　and　sent　an　arrow　flying　that　just　hit　the　base　of　the　plume　on　Guan　Yus　helmet。

The　soldiers　shouted　at　the　display　of　marksmanship。　Guan　Yu　was　taken　aback　and　set　off　for　camp　with　the　arrow　still　sticking。　Then　he　heard　that　Huang　Zhongs　skill　was　said　to　be　equal　to　piercing　a　willow　leaf　at　a　hundred　paces；　and　Guan　Yu　understood　that　he　owed　this　warning　in　the　shape　of　an　arrow　in　his　plume　to　gratitude　for　sparing　the　veteran　the　preceding　day。

Both　withdrew。　But　when　the　veteran　leader　went　up　on　the　wall　to　see　the　Governor；　he　was　at　once　seized。

〃What　have　I　done？〃　cried　Huang　Zhong。

〃I　have　seen　these　last　three　days　that　you　were　fooling　me。　You　were　slack　the　day　before　yesterday；　which　proved　you　had　some　sinister　intention。　Yesterday；　when　your　horse　stumbled　and　he　spared　you；　it　showed　that　you　were　in　league　with　him。　And　today　you　twice　twanged　a　vain　bowstring；　while　at　the　third　shot　you　only　hit　your　opponents　helmet。　Dare　you　say　there　is　no　secret　understanding　in　all　this？　If　I　do　not　put　you　to　death；　it　will　assuredly　redound　to　my　own　hurt。〃

Han　Xuan　ordered　Huang　Zhong　to　be　executed　outside　the　city　gate。　Han　Xuan　also　met　the　intercession　of　the　officers　by　saying；　〃Anyone　who　pleads　for　the　condemned　shall　be　regarded　as　in　the　plot。〃

The　executioners　had　hustled　the　old　man　out　of　the　city　and　the　sword　was　in　the　air　and　on　the　point　of　descending；　when　a　man　suddenly　dashed　in；　cut　down　the　lictor；　and　rescued　Huang　Zhong。

〃Huang　Zhong　is　our　bulwark！〃　shouted　he。　〃To　destroy　him　is　to　destroy　the　Changsha　people。　This　Governor　is　too　fierce　and　cruel；　too　lightly　values　good　people；　and　is　too　arrogant　toward　his　officers。　We　ought　rather　to　kill　him；　and　those　who　will；　let　them　follow　me。〃

All　eyes　turned　toward　this　bold　speaker；　who　was　bronzed　and　had　eyes　like　the　Cowherds　star。　Some　of　them　knew　him　as　Wei　Yan；　a　native　of　Yiyang。　He　would　have　followed　Liu　Bei　from　Xiangyang　but；　unable　to　e　up　with　him；　had　gone　into　the　service　of　Han　Xuan。　Han　Xuan　took　exception　to　his　arrogant　carriage　and　lack　of　polish　and　neglected　him。　And　so　Wei　Yan　had　remained　in　the　city　without　office。

After　the　rescue　of　Huang　Zhong；　Wei　Yan　called　upon　the　people　to　make　an　end　of　the　Governor。　He　waved　his　arm　and　shouted　to　the　people。　Soon　he　had　a　following　of　several　hundreds。　Huang　Zhong　could　not　stop　them。　In　a　very　short　time；　Wei　Yan　had　dashed　up　on　the　wall；　and　Han　Xuan　lay　dead。　Taking　his　head；　Wei　Yan　rode　off　out　of　the　city　to　lay　the　bloodstained　trophy　at　the　feet　of　Guan　Yu；　who　forthwith　went　into　the　city　to　restore　confidence。

When　the　people　were　all　quiet；　Guan　Yu　sent　to　request　Huang　Zhong　to　e　to　see　him；　but　the　old　general　pleaded　illness。

Next　Guan　Yu　sent　the　good　news　to　his　brother　and　to　Zhuge　Liang　and　asked　them　to　e。

Soon　after　Guan　Yu　had　left　to　capture　Changsha；　Liu　Bei　and　Zhuge　Liang　had　followed　him　up　with　supports　in　case　of　need。　While　on　the　march；　a　black　flag　was　furled　backwards　and　a　crow　flew　over　from　north　to　south　croaking　thrice　as　it　passed。

〃What　good　or　evil　things　do　these　omens　presage？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。

With　hands　hidden　within　his　long　sleeves；　Zhuge　Liang　performed　a　rapid　calculation　on　his　fingers　of　the　auspices　and　replied；　〃Changsha　is　taken　and　a　great　leader　mastered。　We　shall　know　soon　after　noon。〃

Sure　enough　a　simple　soldier　presently　came　galloping　along　with　the　wele　tidings　of　the　capture　of　the　city；　and　saying　that　the　two　city　warriors　who　had　aided　them　were　near　waiting　the　arrival　of　Liu　Bei。　Soon　after　they　arrived；　Liu　Bei　entered　the　city；　where　he　was　escorted　to　the　magistracy　and　heard　the　recital　of　Huang　Zhongs　deeds。

Liu　Bei　went　in　person　to　Huang　Zhongs　house　and　inquired　for　him；　whereupon　Huang　Zhong　came　forth　and　yielded　formally。　Huang　Zhong　requested　to　be　permitted　to　bury　the　remains　of　the　late　Governor　on　the　east　of　the　city。

Lofty　as　is　heaven　above　earth　was　the　spirit　of　the　general；