第一小说网

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way　through　such　parties　of　the　enemy　as　they　might　meet。　Their　sole　object　was　escape；　so　when　they　fell　upon　Yang　Fu　and　Jiang　Xu；　they　only　fought　to　get　through；　and　in　the　same　way　they　cut　an　alley　through　the　army　under　Yin　Feng　and　Zhao　Ang。　However；　they　lost　most　of　their　few　followers；　and　at　the　end　had　only　some　sixty　horsemen　left。

About　the　fourth　watch　they　came　to　Licheng。　In　the　darkness；　the　gate　guards；　thinking　only　of　the　return　of　their　own　troops；　opened　the　gates　and　unwittingly　let　in　the　enemy。　Once　in　the　city　Ma　Chao　and　his　followers　began　the　slaughter；　and　everyone；　soldier　or　mon　person；　was　slain；　till　the　city　was　swept　clear　from　the　south　gate　to　the　very　center。

Presently　they　came　to　the　residence　of　Jiang　Xu　and　dragged　forth　his　aged　mother。　She　showed　no　sign　of　fear；　but　reviled　Ma　Chao　till　in　his　anger　he　slew　her　with　his　own　sword。　Thence　they　went　to　the　house　of　Yin　Feng　and　Zhao　Ang　and　slew　all　they　found　therein。　The　only　person　who　escaped　the　massacre　was　Lady　Wang；　wife　of　Zhao　Ang；　who　had　acpanied　her　husband。

But　the　city　proved　no　place　of　safety。　Xiahou　Yuan　with　his　army　appeared　the　following　day；　and　Ma　Chao　fled　before　him　to　the　west。　But　ere　he　had　gone　seven　miles；　he　came　face　to　face　with　another　army　drawn　up　in　battle　array。　Yang　Fu　was　the　leader。

Grinding　his　teeth　with　rage；　Ma　Chao　set　his　spear　and　rode　at　Yang　Fu；　while　his　two　generals；　Ma　Dai　and　Pang　De；　attacked　the　rear。　Yang　Fu　was　overe；　and　his　seven　brothers　who　had　gone　with　him　into　the　battle　were　slain。　Yang　Fu　himself　was　wounded　in　five　places；　but　still　fought　on　till　he　was　wounded　down。

However；　Xiahou　Yuan　had　not　left　pursuing　Ma　Chao。　He　came　up　to　the　city；　and　Ma　Chao　fled。　His　army　was　now　reduced　to　the　two　generals　and　about　five　or　six　of　horsemen；　and　these　few　were　left　to　go　their　way。

Cao　Caos　general；　Xiahou　Yuan；　set　himself　to　restore　order　and　tranquillity　in　the　region　of　Xizhou；　after　which　he　apportioned　its　defense　among　Jiang　Xu　and　other　trustworthy　manders。　The　wounded　leader　Yang　Fu　was　sent　to　the　capital　in　a　carriage。　When　he　arrived　Xuchang；　he　saw　Cao　Cao　who　offered　him　the　title　of　Lordship。

But　Yang　Fu　declined　the　honor；　saying；　〃I　have　neither　the　credit　of　a　successful　defense　nor　the　merit　of　death　with　my　master。　Death　should　be　my　portion　rather　than　honors。　How　could　I　accept　the　offer？〃

Cao　Cao　praised　him　and　insisted　on　granting　the　lordship。

Having　escaped　from　their　pursuers；　Ma　Chao　and　his　few　followers　decided　to　make　for　Hanzhong　and　offer　their　services　to　Governor　Zhang　Lu。　Zhang　Lu　received　them　gladly；　for　he　thought　with　such　help　he　could　certainly　get　possession　of　Yizhou　on　the　west　as　well　as　repel　Cao　Cao　on　the　east。　More　than　this；　he　thought　to　cement　the　friendship　by　giving　Ma　Chao　a　daughter　to　wife。　But　this　displeased　one　of　Zhang　Lus　generals；　Yang　Bo。

〃The　misfortune　that　befell　Ma　Chaos　wife　and　family　was　entirely　the　fault　of　his　own　misconduct。　Would　you　give　your　daughter　to　such　as　he　to　wife？〃　said　Yang　Bo。

Zhang　Lu　again　considered　the　matter　and　abandoned　his　intention。　But　a　certain　busybody　told　Ma　Chao　what　had　been　proposed　and　that　Yang　Bo　had　defeated　the　scheme。　Whereupon　Ma　Chao　was　very　annoyed　and　sought　to　pass　the　death　of　Yang　Bo。　Yang　Bo　and　his　brother；　Yang　Song；　on　the　other　side　conspired　to　destroy　Ma　Chao。

At　this　time　a　messenger　from　Liu　Zhang　of　Yizhou　arrived　in　Hanzhong　begging　for　assistance　against　the　invader　Liu　Bei。　Zhang　Lu　refused　help。　But　then　Huang　Quan　came　on　the　same　errand。　He　first　saw　Yang　Song　and　talked　to　him　and　brought　him　to　favor　the　scheme。

Huang　Quan　said；　〃The　East　and　West　River　Lands；　which　stand　next　each　other　as　the　lips　are　close　to　the　teeth；　are　interdependent。　If　Yizhou　is　lost；　Hanzhong　has　little　chance　to　survive。　On　the　other　hand；　once　relieved　by　your　help；　Imperial　Protector　Liu　Zhang　will　reward　twenty　counties　to　Hanzhong　as　pensation。〃

So　Huang　Quan　won　over　Yang　Song；　who　led　him　to　see　his　master。　To　Zhang　Lu　again　Huang　Quan　spoke　forcibly　and　laid　the　matter　before　him　so　cogently　that　Zhang　Lu　promised　his　help。

But　Yan　Pu；　one　of　Zhang　Lus　officers；　tried　to　dissuade　him；　saying；　〃This　plead　for　help　and　offering　of　twenty　counties　are　only　their　temporary　tactics。　Liu　Zhang　and　you　are　old　enemies。　His　promise　is　not　to　be　trusted。〃

And　another　suddenly　interjected；　saying；　〃Useless　I　may　be；　but　if　you　will　give　me　troops；　I　will　capture　this　Liu　Bei　and　you　will　retain　all　your　land。〃

The　lands　true　lord　goes　west　and　then

Hanzhong　sends　forth　its　bravest　men。

Who　made　this　bold　offer？　The　next　chapter　will　tell。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　65　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　65

Chapter　65

Ma　Chao　Battles　At　Jiameng　Pass；

Liu　Bei　Takes　The　Protectorship　Of　Yiazhou。

It　was　Yan　Pu　who　thus　opposed　sending　help　to　Liu　Zhang。

Then　Ma　Chao　rose　and　said；　〃I　have　been　the　recipient　of　much　kindness　from　my　lord；　which　I　feel　I　can　never　repay　adequately。　Now　let　me　lead　an　army　to　take　Jiameng　Pass　and　capture　Liu　Bei。　Then；　my　lord；　Liu　Zhang　will　surely　lose　his　twenty　counties；　and　they　shall　be　yours。〃

This　offer　rejoiced　Zhang　Lu；　who　sent　away　Huang　Quan　with　a　promise　to　help。　Then　Zhang　Lu　told　off　twenty　thousand　for　Ma　Chao　to　lead。　Pang　De　was　too　ill　to　take　part　in　the　expedition；　so　he　remained　in　Hanzhong。　Zhang　Lu　ordered　Yang　Bo　to　be　Army　Supervisor。　Ma　Chao　and　Ma　Dai　chose　a　day　to　march　to　Jiameng　Pass。

Meanwhile；　the　messenger　sent　to　Chengdu　by　Fa　Zheng　had　returned　to　Luocheng　to　report：　〃Zheng　Du　advised　Liu　Zhang　to　set　fire　to　all　the　plains　and　valleys　between　the　capital　and　the　invaders；　as　well　as　the　granaries；　to　move　sway　the　people；　and　to　stand　solely　on　the　defensive。〃