第一小说网

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第173部分（第1页）

Nanzheng。　If　we　could　get　Dingjun　Mountain；　we　could　be　quite　easy　about　the　whole　region　of　Hanzhong。　Think　you　that　you　are　equal　to　taking　Dingjun　Mountain？〃

To　this　harangue　of　Liu　Bei；　the　veteran　nobly　answered　that　he　was　willing　to　try　and　was　ready　to　start　when　they　would。

Said　Zhuge　Liang　hastily；　〃Do　not　be　hasty。　You　are　brave　enough；　General；　but　Xiahou　Yuan　is　a　man　of　different　stamp　from　Zhang　He。　Xiahou　Yuan　is　a　real　strategist　and　tactician；　so　much　so　that　Cao　Cao　relies　upon　him　as　his　defense　against　Xiliang。　It　was　he　who　was　set　to　defend　Changan　when　threatened　by　Ma　Chao。　Now　he　is　in　Hanzhong；　and　Cao　Cao　puts　his　whole　confidence　in　him　and　his　skill　as　a　leader。　You　have　overe　Zhang　He；　but　it　is　not　certain　you　will　conquer　this　man。　I　think　I　must　send　down　to　Jingzhou　for　Guan　Yu　for　this　task。〃

＇e＇　Lian　Po　was　the　mander…in…chief　of　Zhao；　who　made　Zhao　a　powerful　state。　Liu　Xiangru；　the　Prime　Minister；　was　his　good　friend。　。。。。。

Huang　Zhong　hotly　replied；　〃Old　Lian　Po*　was　eighty　years　old　and　yet　he　ate　a　bushel　of　rice　and　ten　pounds　of　flesh；　so　that　his　vigor　frightened　the　nobles　and　not　one　dared　encroach　upon　the　borders　of　the　state　of　Zhao。　I　am　not　yet　seventy。　You　call　me　old；　O　Instructor；　then　I　will　not　take　any　helper；　but　go　out　simply　with　my　own　three　thousand　troops；　and　we　will　lay　Xiahou　Yuans　head　at　your　feet。〃

Zhuge　Liang　refused　to　allow　him　to　go；　Huang　Zhong　insisted。　At　last　Zhuge　Liang　consented；　but　said　he　would　send　an　overseer。

They　put　upon　his　mettle　the　man　who　was　to　go；

Youths　vigor　may　be　lesser　worth　than　ages　powers；　we　know。

The　next　chapter　will　tell　who　the　overseer　was。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　71　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　71

Chapter　71

At　Opposite　Hill；　Huang　Zhong　Scores　A　Success；

On　The　River　Han；　Zhao　Yun　Conquers　A　Host。

〃If　you　are　really　determined　to　undertake　this　expedition；　I　shall　send　Fa　Zheng　with　you；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang　to　the　veteran　leader。　〃You　will　have　to　discuss　everything　with　him。　I　shall　also　dispatch　supports　and　reinforcements。〃

Huang　Zhong　agreed；　and　the　expedition　set　out。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　explained　to　Liu　Bei；　〃I　purposely　tried　to　spur　on　the　old　general　that　he　will　really　exert　himself；　else　he　fears　he　will　not　do　much。　But　he　will　need　reinforcement。〃

After　this；　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　Zhao　Yun　to　march　after　the　first　army　and　help；　if　help　was　needed。　So　long　as　the　old　man　was　victorious；　Zhao　Yun　was　to　do　nothing；　if　he　was　in　difficulties；　then　Zhao　Yun　was　to　rescue。

Also；　three　thousand　troops　under　Liu　Feng　and　Meng　Da　were　sent　out　among　the　hills　to　take　position　at　strategic　points　and　set　up　many　banners　and　make　a　brave　show　in　order　to　spread　the　impression　of　huge　forces；　and　so　frighten　and　perplex　the　enemy。　In　addition；　Zhuge　Liang　sent　to　Xiabian　Pass　to　tell　Ma　Chao　what　part　to　play　in　the　campaign。　Yan　Yan　was　to　hold　Langzhong　and　Baxi　in　place　of　Zhang　Fei　and　Wei　Yan；　who　also　went　in　expedition　in　Hanzhong。

The　refugees；　Zhang　He　and　Xiahou　Shang；　reached　Xiahou　Yuans　camp　and　told　their　doleful　tale；　〃Tiandang　Mountain　has　been　captured；　and　Xiahou　De　and　Han　Hao　have　died　with　the　loss。　Liu　Bei　is　about　to　invade　Hanzhong。　Send　a　swift　messenger　to　inform　the　Prince　of　Wei　and　ask　for　help。〃

The　news　was　sent　to　Cao　Hong；　who　bore　it　quickly　to　Capital　Xuchang。

Cao　Cao　lost　no　time　in　calling　a　council。

Then　High　Minister　Liu　Ye　said；　〃The　loss　of　Hanzhong　would　shake　the　whole　Middle　Land。　You；　O　Prince；　must　not　shrink　from　toil　and　hardship；　but　must　yourself　go　to　lead　the　army。〃

〃This　state　of　things　es　of　my　not　heeding　your　words　before；　gentle　Sir；〃　said　Cao　Cao；　then　repentant。

However；　Cao　Cao　hastily　prepared　and　issued　an　edict　to　raise　an　army　of　four　hundred　thousand　troops　which　he　would　lead。

The　army　was　ready　in　the　seventh　month；　the　early　autumn；　in　the　twenty…third　year　（AD　218）；　and　marched　in　three　divisions。　The　leading　division　was　under　Xiahou　Dun；　Cao　Cao　manded　the　center；　and　Cao　Xiu　was　the　rear　guard。

Cao　Cao　rode　a　white　horse；　beautifully　caparisoned。　His　guards　were　clad　in　embroidered　silk。　They　carried　the　huge　red　parasol　woven　of　silk　and　gold　threads。　Beside　him　in　two　lines　were　the　symbols　of　kingly　dignity；　the　golden　melons；　silver　axes；　stirrups；　clubs；　spears；　and　lances；　banderoles　embroidered　with　the　sun　and　moon；　dragon　and　phoenix；　all　were　borne　aloft。　His　imperial　escort　of　twenty…five　thousand　stout　warriors　led　by　bold　officers；　marched　in　five　columns　of　five　thousand　each；　under　banners　of　the　five　colors；　blue；　yellow；　red；　white；　and　black。　The　five　panies　made　a　brave　show　as　they　marched；　each　column　under　its　own　flag　with　soldiers　in　armors　and　horses　in　caparisons　all　of　one　color　and　all　glittering　in　the　sun。

As　they　debouched　through　Tong　Pass；　Cao　Cao　noticed　in　the　distance　a　thick　wood；　very　luxuriant；　and　asked　those　near　him　what　it　was　called。

〃This　place　is　the　Indigo　Field；〃　they　replied。　〃And　in　that　wood　is　the　estate　of　the　late　Minister　Cai　Yong。　His　daughter；　Cai　Yan；　and　her　present　husband；　Dong　Si；　live　there。〃