第一小说网

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第123部分（第2页）

So　speaking　he　proceeded　to　gird　on　his　armor；　and　he　mounted　his　horse。　The　wonder　of　the　officers　only　redoubled　when　their　General　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　some　hundreds　of　horsemen　and　went　out　of　the　camp　gates　toward　the　enemy；　then　fully　arrayed。　Cao　Ren；　their　general；　stood　beneath　the　great　standard。

At　sight　of　the　opponents；　Cao　Ren　flourished　his　whip　and　began　to　hurl　abuse　at　them；　〃Zhou　Yu；　you　babe！　I　think　your　fate　has　met　you。　You　dare　not　face　my　army！〃

The　stream　of　insult　never　ceased。

Presently　Zhou　Yu　could　stand　it　no　longer。　Riding　out　to　the　front　he　cried；　〃Here　I　am；　base　churl。　Look　at　me！〃

The　whole　Cao　Rens　army　were　taken　aback。　But　Cao　Ren　turned　to　those　about　him　and　said；　〃Let　us　all　revile　him！〃

And　the　whole　army　yelled　insults。

Zhou　Yu　grew　angry　and　sent　Pan　Zhang　out　to　fight。　But　before　he　had　delivered　his　first　blow；　Zhou　Yu　suddenly　uttered　a　loud　cry；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground　with　blood　gushing　from　his　mouth。

At　this　Cao　Rens　army　rushed　to　the　battle；　and　the　army　of　the　South　Land　pressed　forward　to　meet　them。　A　fierce　struggle　waged　around　the　Generals　body；　but　he　was　borne　off　safely　and　taken　to　his　tent。

〃Do　you　feel　better？〃　asked　Cheng　Pu　anxiously。

〃It　was　a　ruse　of　mine；〃　whispered　Zhou　Yu　in　reply。

〃But　what　avails　it？〃

〃I　am　not　suffering；　but　I　did　that　to　make　our　enemies　think　I　was　very　ill　and　so　oppose　them　by　deceit。　I　will　send　a　few　trusty　men　to　pretend　desertion　and　tell　them　I　am　dead。　That　will　cause　them　to　try　a　night　raid　on　the　camp；　and　we　shall　have　an　ambush　ready　for　them。　We　shall　get　Cao　Ren　easily。〃

〃The　plan　seems　excellent；〃　said　Cheng　Pu。

Soon　from　the　tent　there　arose　the　sound　of　wailing　as　for　the　dead。　The　soldiers　around　took　up　the　cry　and　said　one　to　another；　〃The　General　is　dead　of　his　wound；〃　and　they　all　put　on　the　symbols　of　mourning。

Meanwhile　Cao　Ren　was　consulting　with　his　officers。

Said　he；　〃Zhou　Yu　lost　his　temper；　and　that　has　caused　his　wound　to　reopen　and　brought　on　that　flow　of　blood。　You　saw　him　fall　to　the　ground；　and　he　will　assuredly　die　soon。〃

Just　then　there　came　in　one　who　said　that　a　few　men　had　e　over　from　the　enemy　asking　to　be　allowed　to　join　the　army　of　Cao　Ren。　Among　them　were　two　of　Cao　Caos　men　who　had　been　made　prisoners。　Cao　Ren　sent　for　the　deserters　and　questioned　them。

They　told　him；　saying；　〃Zhou　Yus　wound　reopened　at　his　anger；　and　he　died　in　the　camp　that　day。　The　leaders　are　all　clothing　in　white　and　in　mourning。　We　desert　because　we　have　been　put　to　shame　by　the　second　in　mand。〃

Pleased　at　this　news；　Cao　Ren　at　once　began　to　arrange　to　make　a　night　attack　on　the　camp　and；　if　possible；　get　the　head　of　the　dead　general　to　send　to　the　capital。

〃Success　depends　upon　promptitude；　so　act　without　delay；〃　said　Chen　Jiao。

Niu　Jin　was　told　off　as　Van　Leader；　Cao　Ren　himself　led　the　center；　while　the　rear　was　manded　by　Cao　Hong　and　Cao　Chun。　Chen　Jiao　and　a　small　force　were　left　to　guard　Nanjun。

At　the　first　watch　they　left　the　city　and　took　the　way　toward　Zhou　Yus　camp。　When　they　drew　near；　not　a　soldier　was　visible　in　the　camp；　but　flags　and　banners　and　spears　were　all　there；　evidently　to　keep　up　an　appearance　of　preparation。　Feeling　at　once　that　they　had　been　tricked；　they　turned　to　retreat。

But　a　bomb　exploded；　and　this　was　the　signal　for　an　attack　on　all　four　sides。　Han　Dang　and　Jiang　Qin　pressed　in　from　the　east；　Zhou　Tai　and　Pan　Zhang；　from　the　west；　Chen　Wu　and　Lu　Meng；　from　the　north；　and　Xu　Sheng　and　Ding　Feng；　from　the　south。　The　result　was　a　severe　defeat　for　the　raiders；　and　the　army　of　Cao　Ren　was　entirely　broken　and　scattered　abroad　so　that　no　one　part　of　the　beaten　army　could　aid　the　other。

Cao　Ren；　with　a　few　horsemen　got　out　of　the　press　and　presently　met　Cao　Hong。　The　two　leaders　ran　away　together；　and　by　the　fifth　watch　they　had　got　near　Nanjun。　Then　they　heard　a　beating　of　drums；　and　Ling　Tong　appeared　barring　the　way。　There　was　a　small　skirmish；　and　Cao　Ren　went　off　at　an　angle。　But　he　fell　in　with　Gan　Ning；　who　attacked　him　vigorously。　Cao　Ren　dared　not　go　back　to　Nanjun；　but　he　made　for　Xiangyang　along　the　main　road。　The　forces　of　the　South　Land　pursued　him　for　a　time　and　then　desisted。

Zhou　Yu　and　Cheng　Pu　then　made　their　way　to　Nanjun　where　they　were　startled　to　see　flags　on　the　walls　and　every　sign　of　occupation。

Before　they　had　recovered　from　their　surprise；　there　appeared　one　who　cried；　〃Pardon；　General！　I　had　orders　from　the　Directing　Instructor　to　take　this　city。　I　am　Zhao　Yun　of　Changshan。〃

Zhou　Yu　was　fiercely　angry　and　gave　orders　to　assault　the　city；　but　the　defender