第一小说网

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His　wife　was　merry　with　wine　and　did　not　object。　So　their　lives　were　spared。

The　defeated　soldiers　returned　to　their　camp。　Zhuge　Liang　took　steps　to　retrieve　the　mishap　by　sending　for　Ma　Dai；　Zhao　Yun；　and　Wei　Yan；　to　each　of　whom　he　gave　special　and　private　orders。

Next　day　the　Mang　soldiers　reported　to　the　King　that　Zhao　Yun　was　offering　a　challenge。　Lady　Zhurong　forthwith　mounted　and　rode　out　to　battle。　She　engaged　Zhao　Yun；　who　soon　fled。　The　lady　was　too　prudent　to　risk　pursuit；　and　rode　home。　Then　Wei　Yan　repeated　the　challenge；　and　he　also　fled　as　if　defeated。　But　again　the　lady　declined　to　pursue。　Next　day　Zhao　Yun　repeated　his　challenge　and　ran　away　as　before。　Lady　Zhurong　signaled　no　pursuit。　But　at　this　Wei　Yan　rode　up　and　opened　a　volley　of　abuse　and　obloquy。　This　proved　too　much；　and　she　gave　the　signal　to　go　after　him　and　led　the　way。　Wei　Yan　increased　his　pace；　and　the　lady　mander　doubled　hers；　and　she　and　her　followers　pressed　into　a　narrow　road　along　a　valley。　Suddenly　behind　her　was　heard　a　noise；　and　Wei　Yan；　turning　his　head；　saw　the　lady　tumble　out　of　her　saddle。

She　had　rushed　into　an　ambush　prepared　by　Ma　Dai：　Her　horse　had　been　tripped　up　by　ropes。　She　was　captured；　bound；　and　carried　off　to　the　Shu　camp。　Some　of　her　people　endeavored　to　rescue　her；　but　they　were　driven　off。

Zhuge　Liang　seated　himself　in　his　tent　to　see　his　prisoner；　and　Lady　Zhurong　was　led　up。　He　bade　them　remove　her　bonds；　and　she　was　conducted　to　another　tent；　where　wine　was　laid　before　her。　Then　a　message　was　sent　to　Meng　Huo　to　say　that　she　would　be　exchanged　for　the　two　captive　leaders。

The　King　agreed；　and　Ma　Zheng　and　Zhang　Ni　were　set　free。　As　soon　as　they　arrived；　the　lady　was　escorted　by　Zhuge　Liang　himself　to　the　mouth　of　the　ravine；　where　Meng　Huo　weled　her　both　gladly　and　angrily。

Then　they　told　Meng　Huo　of　the　ing　of　the　King　of　the　Bana　Ravine；　and　he　went　out　to　meet　Mu　Lu。　Mu　Lu　rode　up　on　his　white　elephant；　dressed　in　silks；　and　with　many　gold　and　pearl　ornaments。　He　wore　a　double　sword　at　his　belt；　and　he　was　followed　by　the　motley　pack　of　fighting　animals　that　he　fed；　gamboling　and　dancing　about　him。

Meng　Huo　made　him　a　low　obeisance　and　then　poured　out　his　tale　of　woes。　Mu　Lu　promised　to　avenge　his　wrongs　and　was　led　off　to　a　banquet　which　had　been　prepared。

Next　day　the　deliverer　went　out　to　battle；　with　his　pack　of　wild　creatures　in　his　train。　Zhao　Yun　and　his　colleague　Wei　Yan　quickly　made　their　array　of　footmen　and　then　took　their　station　in　front　side　by　side　and　studied　their　opponents。　The　Mang　banners　and　weapons　were　all　extraordinary。　Most　of　the　warriors　wore　no　armor　and　none　wore　any　clothing。　Their　faces　were　sunburned。　They　carried　four　sharp　pointed　knives　in　their　belts。　Signals　were　not　given　by　drum　or　trumpet；　but　by　a　gong。

King　Mu　Lu　had　two　swords　in　his　belt　and　carried　a　hand　bell。　He　urged　his　white　elephant　forward　and　emerged　from　between　his　flags。

〃We　have　spent　all　our　life　in　the　battlefields；　but　we　have　never　seen　the　like　of　this　before；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。

As　they　talked　to　one　another；　they　noticed　that　the　opposing　leader　was　mumbling　something　that　might　be　a　spell　or　a　curse；　and　from　time　to　time　he　rang　his　bell。　Then　suddenly　the　wind　got　up；　stones　began　to　roll　and　sand　to　fly；　and　there　was　a　sound　as　of　a　heavy　shower　of　rain。　Next　a　horn　rang　out；　and　thereupon　the　tigers　and　the　leopards；　and　the　wolves　and　the　serpents；　and　all　the　other　wild　beasts　came　down　on　the　wind　snapping　and　clawing。　How　could　the　soldiers　of　Shu　stand　such　a　thing　as　that？　So　they　retreated；　and　the　Mangs　came　after　them　fiercely；　chasing　and　slaying　their　enemies　as　far　as　the　city　of　Three　Rivers。

Zhao　Yun　and　Wei　Yan　mustered　their　defeated　troops　and　went　to　their　leader　to　confess　their　failure。　Zhuge　Liang；　however；　was　neither　angry　nor　dejected。

〃The　fault　is　not　yours；〃　he　said。　〃Long　ago；　when　I　was　still　in　my　rustic　hut；　I　knew　the　Mangs　possessed　certain　powers　over　beasts；　and　I　provided　against　this　adventure　before　we　left　Shu。　You　will　find　twenty　big　sealed　carts　in　the　baggage　train。　We　will　use　half　of　them　now。〃

He　bade　his　staff　bring　forward　ten　of　the　red　box…carts；　the　other　ten　black　carts　were　left　untouched。　They　all　wondered　what　would　happen。　Then　the　carts　were　opened；　and　they　turned　out　to　be　carved　and　colored　models　of　huge　wild　beasts；　with　coats　of　worsted；　teeth　and　claws　of　steel；　each　could　acmodate　ten　people。　Choosing　one　hundred　beasts；　he　told　off　a　thousand　troops　and　bade　them　stuff　the　mouths　of　the　beasts　full　of　inflammables。

Next　day　the　army　of　Shu　marched　out　to　the　attack　and　were　arrayed　at　the　entrance　to　the　Silver　Pit　Ravine。　The　Mang　soldiers　went　into　the　ravine　and　told　their　king。　Mu　Lu；　thinking　himself　perfectly　invincible；　did　not　hesitate；　but　marched　out；　taking　Meng　Huo　with　him。　Zhuge　Liang；　dressed　in　the　simple　robe　of　a　Taoist；　went　out　in　his　light　chariot。　In　his　hand　he　held　a　feather　fan。　Meng　Huo；　who　recognized　his　enemy；　pointed　him　out　to　Mu　Lu。

〃That　is　Zhuge　Liang　in　that　small　chariot。　If　we　can　only　capture　him；　our　task　is　done。〃

Then　Mu　Lu　began　to　mutter　his　spells　and　to　ring　his　bell。　As　before；　the　wind　got　up　and　blew　with　violence；　and　the　wild　beasts　came　on。

But　at　a　wave　of　the　simple　feather　fan；　lo！　the　wind　turned　and　blew　the　other　way。　Then　from　out　of　the　host　of　Shu　there　burst　the　horrible　wild　beasts。　The　real　wild　beasts　of　the　Mang　saw　rushing　down　upon　them　huge　creatures；　whose　mouths　vomited　flames　and　whose　nostrils　breathed　out　black　smoke。　They　came　along　with　jingling　bells；　snapping　and　clawing；　and　the　real　beasts　turned　tail　and　fled　in　among　the　host　of　their　own　side；　trampling　them　down　as　they　sped。　Zhuge　Liang　gave　the　signal　for　a　general　onset；　and　his　troops　rushed　forward　with　beating　drums　and　blaring　trumpets。　Mu　Lu　was　killed　in　the　melee。　Meng　Huos　whole　clan　fled　in　panic　and　tore　up　among　the　hills　out　of　the　way。　And　thus　the　Silver　Pit　Ravine　was　taken。

Next　day；　as　Zhuge　Liang　was　telling　off　parties　to　search　for　and　capture　the　King；　it　was　announced　that　the　brother…in…law　of　Meng　Huo；　Chief　Dai　Lai；　having　vainly　tried　to　persuade　the　King　to　yield；　had　made　prisoners　of　him　and　his　wife　and　all　his　clan　and　were　bringing　them　to　Zhuge　Liang。

Hearing　this；　Zhang　Ni　and　Ma　Zheng　were　called　and　received　certain　orders；　upon　which　they　hid　themselves　in　the　wings　of　the　tent　with　a　large　body　of　sturdy　warriors。　This　done；　Zhuge　Liang　ordered　the　keepers　to　open　the　gates；　and　in　came　Chief　Dai　Lai　with　Meng　Huo　and　his　people　in　custody。

As　Dai　Lai　bowed　at　the　entrance　of　the　hall；　Zhuge　Liang　called　out；　〃Let　my　strong　captors　appear！〃