第一小说网

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第217部分（第2页）

Thereupon　a　certain　one　replied；　saying；　〃I　can　produce　a　man　able　to　defeat　Zhuge　Liang。〃

The　assembly　turned　to　the　speaker；　who　was　a　brother　of　Meng　Huos　wife。　He　was　the　head　of　eight　tribes　of　the　Southern　Mangs；　and　was　named　Chief　Dai　Lai。

〃Who　is　the　man？〃　asked　Meng　Huo。

Chief　Dai　Lai　replied；　〃He　is　Mu　Lu；　King　of　the　Bana　Ravine。　He　is　a　master　of　witchcraft　who　can　call　up　the　wind　and　invoke　the　rain。　He　rides　upon　an　elephant　and　is　attended　by　tigers；　leopards；　wolves；　venomous　snakes；　and　scorpions。　Beside；　he　has　under　his　hand　thirty　thousand　superhuman　soldiers。　He　is　very　bold。　O　King；　write　him　a　letter　and　send　him　presents；　which　I　will　deliver。　If　he　will　consent　to　lend　his　aid；　what　fear　have　we　of　Shu？〃

Meng　Huo　was　pleased　with　the　scheme　and　ordered　Dai　Lai　to　draft　a　letter。　Then　he　ordered　Duo　Si　to　defend　Three　Rivers　and　make　the　first　line　of　defense。

Zhuge　Liang　led　his　troops　near　the　city　of　Three　Rivers。　Taking　a　survey　of　the　country；　he　noted　that　the　city　was　surrounded　by　the　three　rivers　and　could　only　be　reached　by　a　bank　on　one　face；　so　he　sent　Wei　Yan　and　Zhao　Yun　to　march　along　the　road　and　attack。　But　when　they　reached　the　rampart；　they　found　it　well　defended　by　bows　and　crossbows。

The　defenders　of　the　city　were　adepts　in　the　use　of　the　crossbow；　and　they　had　one　sort　which　discharged　ten　arrows　at　once。　Furthermore；　the　arrows　were　poisoned；　and　a　wound　meant　certain　death。　The　two　generals　saw　that　they　could　not　succeed；　and　so　retired。

When　Zhuge　Liang　heard　of　the　poisoned　arrows；　he　mounted　his　light　chariot　and　went　to　see　for　himself。　Having　regarded　the　defenses；　he　returned　to　his　camp　and　ordered　a　retirement　of　three　miles。　This　move　delighted　the　Mangs；　who　congratulated　each　other　on　their　success　in　driving　off　the　besiegers；　who；　as　they　concluded；　had　been　frightened　away。　So　they　gave　themselves　up　to　rejoicing　and　kept　no　watch。　Nor　did　they　even　send　out　scouts。

The　army　of　Shu　made　a　strong　camp　in　their　new　halting　place　and　closed　the　gates　for　defense。　For　five　days　they　gave　no　sign。　One　evening；　just　at　sunset；　a　slight　breeze　began　to　blow。

Then　Zhuge　Liang　issued　an　order：　〃Every　man　should　provide　himself　with　a　coat　by　the　first　watch。　If　anyone　lacks；　he　will　be　put　to　death。〃

None　of　the　generals　knew　what　was　in　the　wind；　but　the　order　was　obeyed。　Next；　each　man　was　ordered　to　fill　his　coat　with　earth。　This　order　appeared　equally　strange；　but　it　was　carried　out。

When　all　were　ready；　they　were　told：　〃You　are　to　carry　the　earth　to　the　foot　of　the　city　wall；　and　the　first　arrivals　will　be　rewarded。〃

So　they　ran　with　all　speed　with　the　dry　earth　and　reached　the　wall。　Then　with　the　earth　they　were　ordered　to　make　a　raised　way；　and　the　first　soldier　on　the　wall　was　promised　a　reward。

The　whole　of　the　one　hundred　thousand　troops　of　Shu；　and　their　native　allies；　having　thrown　their　burdens　of　earth　near　the　wall；　then　quickly　rushed　up　the　incline；　and　with　one　great　shout　were　on　the　wall。　The　archers　on　the　wall　were　seized　and　dragged　down。　Those　who　got　clear　ran　away　into　the　city。　King　Duo　Si　was　slain　in　the　melee　that　followed　on　this　attack。　The　soldiers　of　Shu　moved　through　the　city　slaying　all　they　met。　Thus　was　the　city　captured　and　with　it　great　booty　of　jewels；　which　were　made　over　to　the　army　as　a　reward　for　their　prowess。

The　few　soldiers　who　escaped　went　away　and　told　Meng　Huo：　〃The　city　of　Three　Rivers　was　lost；　and　King　Duo　Si　slain！〃

Meng　Huo　was　much　distressed。　Before　he　had　recovered；　they　told　him：　〃The　army　of　Shu　has　e　over　and　is　encamped　at　the　mouth　of　Silver　Pit　Ravine。〃

Just　as　he　was　in　the　very　depths　of　distress；　a　laugh　came　from　behind　the　screen。

A　woman　appeared；　saying；　〃Though　you　are　brave；　how　silly　you　are！　Though　I　am　a　woman；　but　I　want　to　go　out　and　fight。〃

The　woman　was　his　wife；　Lady　Zhurong。　She　was　a　descendant　of　the　Zhurong　family　of　the　Southern　Mang。　She　was　expert　in　the　use　of　the　flying　sword　and　never　missed　her　aim。

Meng　Huo　rose　and　bowed　to　her。　Lady　Zhurong　thereupon　mounted　a　horse　and　forthwith　marched　out　at　the　head　of　a　hundred　generals；　leading　fifty　thousand　troops　of　the　ravines；　and　set　out　to　drive　off　the　troops　of　Shu。

Just　as　the　host　got　clear　of　the　Silver　Pit　Palace；　it　was　stopped　by　a　cohort　led　by　Zhang　Ni。　At　once　the　Mangs　deployed；　and　the　lady　leader　armed　herself　with　five　swords　such　as　she　used。　In　one　hand　she　held　an　eighteen…foot　signal　staff；　and　she　sat　a　curly…haired；　reddish　horse。

Zhang　Ni　was　secretly　troubled　at　the　sight　before　him；　but　he　engaged　the　lady　mander。　After　a　few　passes　the　lady　turned　her　steed　and　bolted。　Zhang　Ni　went　after　her；　but　a　sword　came　flying　through　the　air　directly　at　him。　He　tried　to　fend　off　with　one　hand；　but　it　wounded　his　arm；　and　he　fell　to　the　ground。　The　Mangs　gave　a　loud　shout；　some　of　them　pounced　on　the　unlucky　leader　and　made　him　prisoner。

Then　Ma　Zheng；　hearing　his　rade　had　been　taken；　rushed　out　to　rescue；　but　only　to　be　surrounded。　He　saw　the　lady　mander　holding　up　her　staff　and　made　a　dash　forward；　but　just　then　the　Mangs　threw　hooks　and　pulled　down　his　steed；　and　he　was　also　a　prisoner。

Both　generals　were　taken　into　the　ravine　and　led　before　the　King。　He　gave　a　banquet　in　honor　of　his　wifes　success；　and　during　the　feast　the　lady　bade　the　lictors　put　the　two　prisoners　to　death。　They　hustled　the　two　generals　in　and　were　just　going　to　carry　out　their　orders　when　Meng　Huo　checked　them。

〃No；　five　times　has　Zhuge　Liang　set　me　at　liberty。　It　would　be　unjust　to　put　these　to　death。　Confine　them　till　we　have　taken　their　chief；　then　we　may　execute　them。〃

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