第一小说网

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第201部分（第2页）

〃General　Han　Dang　just　says　what　we　think：　Let　us　fight　a　decisive　battle；〃　they　cried。

The　new　mander　waited　till　the　uproar　had　subsided；　then　drawing　his　sword；　he　shouted；　〃That　I　am　a　student　is　true。　But　I　have　been　entrusted　with　a　great　task；　a　task　for　which　the　Prince　of　Wu　considers　me　petent　and　for　the　performance　of　which　I　am　prepared　to　bear　all　the　responsibilities。　As　for　you；　you　will　do　well　to　act　on　the　defensive　as　I　ordered　and　not　allow　yourselves　to　be　led　astray　into　any　attacks。　And　I　shall　put　the　disobedient　to　death！〃

This　speech　had　little　effect；　and　they　dispersed　grumbling　and　murmuring。

Meanwhile　the　Ruler　of　Shu　had　made　a　long　chain　of　forty　camps　from　Xiaoting　to　the　borders　of　the　River　Lands；　spreading　out　two　hundred　miles。　These　base　camps　looked　very　imposing　with　their　fluttering　banners　by　day　and　their　fires　at　night。

Then　the　spies　came　in　and　reported：　〃Wu　appointed　Lu　Xun　as　mander…in…Chief。　Lu　Xun　ordered　his　manders　to　defend　strategic　points　and　not　to　engage　in　battle。〃

〃What　sort　of　a　man　is　this　Lu　Xun？〃　said　the　First　Ruler。

〃He　is　a　scholar　among　the　people　of　Wu；　and；　though　young；　he　is　very　talented；〃　replied　Ma　Liang。　〃His　schemes　are　very　deep。　He　was　the　author　of　the　villainous　and　crafty　plan　of　attack　on　Jingzhou。〃

〃His　crafty　scheme　caused　the　deaths　of　my　brothers。　But　now　I　shall　have　him！〃　said　the　First　Ruler　angrily。

He　gave　orders　to　advance。　But　Ma　Liang　ventured　to　remonstrate　and　dissuade　him。

〃Be　very　careful；〃　said　he。　〃This　Lu　Xun　is　no　whit　inferior　to　Zhou　Yu。〃

〃I　have　grown　old　in　the　field；〃　said　the　Emperor。　〃Dont　you　think　me　a　match　for　this　callow　youth？〃

He　confirmed　the　order　to　go　forward；　and　they　attacked　passes　and　fords　and　redoubts　wherever　they　were。

Han　Dang　notified　his　chief　of　the　movement　of　the　Shu　army；　and　Lu　Xun；　still　rather　dubious　of　the　strict　obedience　to　his　orders；　hastened　to　the　point　of　danger。　He　found　Han　Dang　on　a　hill　surveying　the　enemys　force；　which　advanced　like　a　great　wave。　Amidst　the　army　they　saw　a　wide　yellow　umbrella；　and　Han　Dang　pointed　it　out。

〃That　must　be　Liu　Bei；〃　said　he。　〃I　should　like　to　kill　him。〃

〃Careful；〃　said　Lu　Xun。　〃So　far　he　has　scored　victory　after　victory；　and　his　soldiers　are　very　keen　and　confident。　Maintain　a　careful　defense　on　high　grounds　and　do　not　go　out　to　battle。　If　you　do；　you　will　lose。　Impress　that　upon　your　officers　and　soldiers　and　make　them　understand　the　strategy；　while　you　follow　the　enemys　moves。　They　are　hastening　into　the　wide　open　space；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　hinder　them。　Nor　will　I　accept　any　challenge　to　battle；　but　wait　till　they　have　moved　their　camps　into　the　forest　and　among　the　trees。　Then　I　shall　have　a　scheme　ready。〃

Han　Dang　agreed　so　far　as　words　went；　but　in　his　heart　he　was　still　ill…conditioned。　When　the　Shu　army　drew　near；　a　small　force　came　to　challenge。　They　shouted　all　sorts　of　abuse　and　hurled　reproaches　to　put　their　opponents　to　shame；　but　Lu　Xun　took　no　notice　and　bade　his　troops　stop　their　ears。　He　would　not　allow　them　to　go　out　to　battle；　but　he　went　from　fort　to　redoubt；　encouraging　the　soldiers　to　remain　carefully　on　the　defensive。

The　First　Rulers　heart　burned　within　him　at　this　refusal　to　e　out　to　battle。

Said　Ma　Liang；　〃Lu　Xun　is　a　deep　and　crafty　fellow。　He　recognizes　the　disadvantages　of　Your　Majestys　troops　in　being　far　from　their　base；　and　from　spring　to　autumn　he　will　not　e　out　to　fight　till　some　move　occurs　that　he　may　profit　by。〃

〃What　ruse　can　he　be　contemplating？〃　said　the　First　Ruler。　〃The　real　fact　is　that　he　is　afraid。　Their　army　has　suffered　nothing　but　defeat　times　and　again。　They　dare　not　meet　us。〃

One　day　the　leader　of　the　van；　Feng　Xi；　memorialized　the　First　Ruler；　saying；　〃The　weather　is　scorching；　and　the　troops　are　camped　in　the　full　glare　of　sun。　Beside；　water　is　scarce　and　hard　to　get。〃

Thereupon　orders　were　given　to　move　the　camps　into　the　shade　of　the　forest　close　by　and　near　the　streams　till　the　summer　heats　should　have　passed。　This　order　given；　Feng　Xi　moved　the　camp　to　a　retired　and　shady　spot　for　his　troops。

Ma　Liang　said；　〃If　our　soldiers　move；　the　enemy　will　rush　out　on　us　and　we　shall　be　hard　set。〃

〃I　will　provide　for　that；〃　said　the　First　Ruler。　〃I　will　send　Hu　Ban　with　ten　thousand　of　our　inferior　troops　to　camp　near　their　lines。　But　I　will　choose　eight　thousand　of　veterans　and　place　them　in　ambush。　Hu　Ban　will　have　orders　to　flee　before　the　soldiers　of　Wu　and　lead　them　into　my　ambush　if　they　e　out；　and　I　will　cut　off　their　retreat。　We　ought　to　capture　this　precocious　youth。〃

〃A　genius　in　plans；　a　marvel　of　prevision！〃　cried　all　those　about　him　as　this　plan　was　unfolded。　〃None　of　us　can　approach　you　in　cleverness。〃

So　they　felicitated　their　ruler。

But　Ma　Liang　said；　〃They　say　the　Prime　Minister　is　on　a　tour　of　inspection　of　the　defenses　in　the　eastern　portion　of　Shu；　seeing　that　they　are　in　good　order　against　any　attack　on　the　part　of　Wei。　Why　not　send　him　a　sketch　of　your　present　dispositions　of　troops　and　ask　his　opinion？〃

〃I　also　am　not　entirely　ignorant　of　the　art　of　war；　and　I　see　no　reason　to　seek　advice；〃　was　the　cold　reply。

〃There　is　an　old　saying　about　hearing　both　sides；〃　said　Ma　Liang。

〃Well；　then　you　go　round　to　all　the　camps　and　make　a　map　and　take　it　to　the　Prime　Minister。　If　he　finds　any　fault；　you　may　e　and　tell　me。〃

So　Ma　Liang　went；　while　the　First　Ruler　busied　himself　with　getting　his　army　into　shelter　from　the　fierce　heat　of　summer。

His　move　was