第一小说网

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第163部分（第1页）

were　exhausted　by　a　long　march。〃

Cao　Cao　even　desired　to　put　them　to　death　as　a　warning；　but　their　fellow　officers　interceded；　and　he　spared　them。　Soon　Cao　Cao　himself　marched　in　the　van。　Then　he　saw　the　dangerous　and　evil　nature　of　the　place；　with　its　thick　growth　of　trees。　As　he　knew　nothing　of　the　roads　and　was　fearful　of　an　ambush；　he　returned　to　his　camp。

Calling　up　his　two　leaders；　Xu　Chu　and　Xu　Huang；　he　said；　〃Had　I　known　the　dangerous　nature　of　the　place；　I　would　never　have　e。〃

Xu　Chu　replied；　〃The　soldiers　are　here　now；　my　lord；　and　you　cannot　recoil　before　the　hardships。〃

Next　day　Cao　Cao　with　only　Xu　Chu　and　Xu　Huang　rode　out　to　reconnoiter　the　enemys　camp。

As　they　rode　over　the　hills；　Cao　Cao　pointed　out　the　position　with　his　whip　and　said；　〃It　will　be　very　difficult　to　reduce　a　place　as　strong　as　this。〃

Just　then　there　arose　a　shout　in　their　rear；　and　a　shower　of　arrows　fell　about　them。　Yang　Ang　and　Yan　Ren　were　attacking；　and　the　danger　became　great。

〃Friend　Xu　Huang；　you　look　after　our　lord！〃　cried　Xu　Chu。　〃I　can　hold　the　enemy。〃

Xu　Chu　galloped　out；　and　the　two　leaders　could　not　stand　Xu　Chu　and　took　to　flight；　while　their　troops　scattered。　In　the　meantime　Xu　Huang　led　his　master　over　the　hills。　Soon　he　met　an　army　of　soldiers　led　by　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He；　who　had　heard　the　sound　of　fighting　and　had　e　to　the　rescue；　and　Cao　Cao　got　back　safely　to　camp。　The　four　generals　were　rewarded。

For　fifty　days　the　two　armies　held　each　other　at　bay　without　ing　to　a　fight。　At　the　end　of　this　time；　orders　were　given　to　retire　in　the　camp　of　Cao　Cao。

〃We　have　not　tried　the　strength　of　the　enemy；〃　said　Jia　Xu。　〃You　should　not　retire；　my　lord。〃

〃I　see　that　they　are　always　on　the　alert；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃I　am　only　retiring　to　put　them　off　their　guard。　By　and　by　I　will　send　some　light　horse　to　attack　their　rear。　I　shall　defeat　them　then。〃

〃Ah！　Your　skill　is　unfathomable！〃　cried　Jia　Xu。

Three　thousand　horsemen　led　by　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Zhang　He　got　round　behind　the　Yangping　Pass　by　unfrequented　roads；　while　Cao　Cao　broke　up　his　camp　and　led　his　main　body　backward。

When　Yang　Ang　heard　of　the　retreat；　he　thought　it　would　be　a　good　chance　to　attack。

But　Yan　Ren　opposed　it；　saying；　〃Cao　Cao　is　full　of　ruses。　The　occasion　is　unclear。　We　should　not　lead　an　attack。〃

Yang　Ang　was　willful　and　said；　〃I　shall　go。　You　may　e　or　not；　as　you　wish。〃

In　spite　of　the　protestations　of　his　colleague；　Yang　Ang　marched；　taking　with　him　the　soldiers　of　five　camps　and　leaving　only　a　few　defenders。　The　day　he　set　out　was　very　foggy；　so　that　one　could　hardly　see　his　neighbors　face；　and　soon　the　force　got　into　difficulties　and　could　not　advance。　They　bivouacked　on　the　road。

Now；　Xiahou　Yuan　was　out　with　a　reconnoitering　force　behind　the　hills　when　they　heard　the　voices　of　troops　and　the　neighing　of　horses。　In　the　dense　fog　they　could　see　nothing；　but　fearing　an　ambush；　they　hastened　to　retire。　Somehow　they　lost　their　way　and　presently　stumbled　on　the　deserted　camp　of　Yang　Ang。　The　few　defenders　thought　their　rades　had　returned；　so　they　threw　open　the　gates　to　let　the　troops　of　Cao　Cao　in。　They　found　an　empty　camp；　and　they　raised　a　great　blaze；　which　frightened　those　few　defenders　in　the　other　camps　so　that　they　fled。

As　soon　as　the　fog　cleared；　Yan　Ren　came　to　the　rescue。　But　as　Yan　Ren　and　Xiahou　Yuan　were　fighting；　Zhang　He　suddenly　appeared　and　attacked　from　the　rear。　Between　two　armies；　Yan　Ren　forced　his　way　through　and　quickly　fled　toward　Nanzheng。

By　and　by；　when　Yang　Ang　returned；　he　found　his　camp　in　the　possession　of　Cao　Caos　troops。　Soon　Cao　Caos　main　army　came　up；　and　Yang　Ang　was　between　two　forces。　There　seemed　no　other　way　but　to　make　a　dash　for　it。　Falling　in　with　Zhang　He；　the　two　engaged；　and　Yang　Ang　fell。　Those　who　escaped　carried　the　news　of　the　disaster　to　Zhang　Wei；　who　abandoned　Yangping　Pass　and　fled。

So　the　invaders　took　possession　of　the　Pass；　and　its　late　defenders；　Zhang　Wei　and　Yan　Ren；　had　to　go　back　and　report　failure。

Zhang　Wei　laid　the　blame　on　his　generals；　saying；　〃The　Pass　could　not　be　held　after　its　supporting　positions　had　been　lost。〃

Zhang　Lu　threatened　to　behead　Yan　Ren　for　his　failure。

But　Yan　Ren　said；　〃Yang　Ang　did　not　listen　to　my　advice；　and　the　defeat　followed。　Now　I　volunteer　to　make　another　attack。　If　I　fail　to　take　Cao　Caos　head；　I　will　abide　by　the　consequences　without　protest。〃

Zhang　Lu　took　his　formal　pledge　to　succeed；　gave　him　twenty　thousand　troops；　and　sent　him　away。　Yan　Ren　marched　to　Nanzheng　and　made　a　stockade。

Before　Cao　Cao　made　any　further　advance；　he　sent　Xiahou　Yuan；　with　five　thousand　troops；　to　reconnoiter　the　road；　and　they　fell　in　with　the　force　led　by　Yan　Ren。　Both　sides　drew　up　their　battle　array。　From　Yan　Rens　side　went　out　one　general　named　Chang　Qi　to　engage　Xiahou　Yuan。　Before　the　fourth　bout　was　fought；　Xiahou　Yuan　disposed　of　Chang　Qi。　Then　Yan　Ren　set　his　spear　and　rode　to　the　front。　They　two　fought　near　forty　bouts　and　neither　could　claim　victory。　Then　Xiahou　Yuan　pretended　defeat　and　fled。　The　other　rushed　in　pursuit。　The　fugitive　suddenly　employed　the　〃swinging…horse　stab〃　and　killed　his　pursuer。　Yan　Rens　troops　ran　away。

As　soon　as　Cao　Cao　knew　of　the　death　of　Yan　Ren；　he　brought　up　his　army；　marched　straightway　to　Nanzheng　and　camped。

Zhang　Lu　became　alarmed　and　called　a　council。

〃I　can　propose　a　man　able　to　stand　against　the　best　leader　of　the　enemy；〃　said　Yan　Pu。

〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　Zhang　Lu。