第一小说网

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第139部分（第2页）

With　this　he　set　his　spear　and　rode　over　toward　Cao　Cao　as　if　to　slay　him。　But　Yu　Jin　came　out　from　behind　and　engaged　Ma　Chao　in　battle。　These　two　fought　some　half　score　bouts；　and　then　Yu　Jin　had　to　flee。　Zhang　He；　however；　took　his　place　and　the　two　warriors　exchanged　twenty　passes。　Then　Zhang　He；　too；　ran　away。

Next　to　e　forth　was　Li　Tong。　Ma　Chaos　martial　prowess　was　now　at　its　height；　and　he　made　short　work　of　Li　Tong；　who　went　out　of　the　saddle　at　the　first　blow。　Then　Ma　Chao　flourished　his　spear　at　the　troops　behind　him　as　a　signal　for　them　to　e　on；　which　they　did　like　a　flood。　They　overwhelmed　Cao　Caos　forces；　and　Ma　Chao；　Pang　De；　and　Ma　Dai　rode　forward　to　try　to　capture　Cao　Cao。

They　came　close。　Cao　Cao　heard　one　of　his　pursuers　shout　to　another；　〃Cao　Cao　is　he　in　the　red　dress！〃

So　he　hastily　tore　off　his　red　robe　and　threw　it　away。　He　also　heard　one　say　〃Cao　Cao　is　he　with　the　long　beard！〃

At　once　Cao　Cao　took　the　sword　that　he　wore　at　his　side　and　sawed　off　some　of　the　beard。　Yet　again　a　soldier　recognized　him　and　told　Ma　Chao　that　Cao　Cao　had　now　cut　his　beard；　whereupon　the　order　went　forth　to　capture　short　beards。　And　then　Cao　Cao　wrapped　the　corner　of　a　flag　about　neck　and　jowl　and　fled。

Panic　seized　upon　the　soldiers　at　Tong　Pass；

Frightened；　Cao　Cao　flung　off　his　brocade　robe

And；　terror…stricken；　sawed　his　beard　off　with　a　sword。

The　fame　of　Ma　Chao　rose　even　to　the　sky。

Cao　Cao　had　got　clear　of　the　battle　and　was　getting　calmer。　Then　again　the　sound　of　hoofs　fell　upon　his　ears。　And　on　looking　round；　he　perceived　Ma　Chao　quite　close。　He　and　those　near　were　panic…stricken；　and　all　scattered　for　their　lives；　careless　of　the　fate　of　their　leader。

〃Cao　Cao；　do　not　flee！〃　cried　Ma　Chao　ing　nearer。

The　whip　dropped　from　Cao　Caos　nerveless　hand　as　he　saw　his　enemy　ing　closer　and　closer。　But　just　as　Ma　Chao　had　leveled　his　spear　for　a　thrust；　Cao　Cao　slipped　behind　a　tree；　changed　the　direction　of　his　flight　and　so　escaped；　while　Ma　Chao　struck　the　tree。　He　quickly　pulled　out　his　spear；　but　the　delay　gave　the　fugitive　an　advantage；　although　it　did　not　quite　free　him　from　pursuit；　for　Ma　Chao　was　soon　again　galloping　on　his　track。

As　they　drew　near　the　slope　of　some　hills；　a　bold　general　suddenly　appeared；　who　cried；　〃Do　not　hurt　my　lord！〃

This　was　Cao　Hong；　and　he　went　toward　Ma　Chao；　whirling　his　sword。　Ma　Chao　was　stopped；　and　this　saved　Cao　Caos　life。　Cao　Hong　and　Ma　Chao　fought　half　a　hundred　bouts　till　Cao　Hong　began　to　grow　weary　and　bee　uncertain　of　his　strokes。　And　when；　shortly　after；　Xiahou　Yuan　appeared　with　some　thirty　horsemen；　Ma　Chao　found　it　prudent　to　retire。

Then　Cao　Cao　was　escorted　to　his　camp　defended　by　Cao　Ren。　He　found　the　camps　were　still　unharmed　and　the　losses　had　not　been　great。

As　he　sat　in　his　tent；　Cao　Cao　said；　〃Had　I　not　spared　Cao　Hong；　I　should　have　fallen　at　the　hands　of　Ma　Chao　today。〃

So　he　called　in　his　rescuer　and　rewarded　him　well。

And　they　got　together　the　scattered　troops　and　strengthened　the　camp；　deepening　the　moat　and　raising　the　rampart。　Ma　Chao　came　daily　and　challenged　anyone　to　bat　and　abused　them　all　shamefully；　but；　by　the　order　of　the　Prime　Minister；　these　insults　were　treated　with　silent　contempt。

〃Our　enemies　use　long　spears；〃　said　the　officers。　〃We　will　meet　them　with　bows　and　crossbows。〃

〃They　may　have　long　spears；〃　replied　Cao　Cao；　〃but　whether　I　give　battle　or　not　depends　on　my　decision。　How　can　they　thrust　at　us　if　we　do　not　go　out？　All　you　have　to　do　is　to　take　no　notice　of　them；　and　they　will　speedily　retire。〃

The　officers　wondered。　They　said　one　to　another；　〃The　Prime　Minister　came　out　on　this　expedition　of　his　own　will　and　was　foremost　in　the　fight。　Why　does　he　accept　defeat　so　easily？〃

After　some　days　the　spies　reported：　〃Ma　Chao　has　been　reinforced　by　twenty　thousand　Qiangs；　the　tribespeople　beyond　the　frontier。〃

Cao　Cao　took　the　news　gleefully。　His　officers　asked　him　why　the　news　pleased　him。

He　replied；　〃Wait　till　I　have　defeated　them；　and　I　will　explain。〃

Three　days　later　there　was　a　report　of　further　reinforcements；　and　Cao　Cao　not　only　smiled　but　gave　a　banquet。　His　officers　ridiculed　him　in　secret。

Then　said　Cao　Cao；　〃You　gentlemen　laugh　because　I　cannot　destroy　Ma　Chao。　Well　then；　can　anyone　of　you　propose　a　plan？〃

Then　rose　Xu　Huang　and　said；　〃O　Prime　Minister；　you　have　a　large　force　here；　and　the　enemy　also　accumulate　their　strength　on　the　Pass。　This　means　that　on　the　west　side　of　Yellow　River；　behind　their　back；　they　are　unprepared。　If　you　can　get　an　army　secretly　across　the　river　and　cross　the　Cattail　Ferry；　you　will　cut　off　their　retreat。　Then　if　you　can　march　down　and　smite　them　on　the　banks　of　River　Wei；　they　can　get　no　reinforcements　and　must　fail。〃

〃What　you　propose　is　just　what　I　think；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

So　Xu　Huang　was　placed　over　four　thousand　troops；　and　with　Zhu　Ling；　marched　to　the　west　of　Yellow　River　and　hid　in　the　gullies。　They　were　to　wait　till　Cao　Cao　crossed　the　Yellow　River　so　that　both　could　strike　together。

Then　Cao　Cao　ordered　Cao　Hong　to　prepare　boats　and　rafts。　Cao　Ren　was　left　in　mand　of　the　camps。　Cao　Cao　himself　marched　to　the　east　bank　of　Yellow　R