第一小说网

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第121部分（第1页）

e　valley。　A　force　was　arrayed　before　them　and　at　the　head　was　the　man　of　ancient　Yan；　Zhang　Fei；　seated　on　his　steed　with　his　great　spear　leveled。

〃Whither　would　you　flee；　O　rebel？〃　shouted　he。

The　soldiers　grew　cold　within　at　the　sight　of　the　terrible　warrior。　Xu　Chu；　mounted　on　a　bare…backed　horse；　rode　up　to　engage　him；　and　Zhang　Liao　and　Xu　Huang　galloped　up　to　his　aid。　The　three　gathered　about　Zhang　Fei　and　a　melee　began；　while　Cao　Cao　made　off　at　top　speed。　The　other　leaders　set　off　after　him；　and　Zhang　Fei　pursued。　However；　Cao　Cao　by　dint　of　hard　riding　got　away；　and　gradually　the　pursuers　were　out…distanced。　But　many　had　received　wounds。

As　they　were　going。　the　soldiers　said；　〃There　are　two　roads　before　us。　Which　shall　we　take？〃

〃Which　is　the　shorter？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃The　high　road　is　the　more　level；　but　it　is　fifteen　miles　longer　than　the　bye　road　which　goes　to　Huarong　Valley。　Only　the　latter　road　is　narrow　and　dangerous；　full　of　pits　and　difficult。〃

Cao　Cao　sent　men　up　to　the　hill　tops　to　look　around。

They　returned；　saying：　〃There　are　several　columns　of　smoke　rising　from　the　hills　along　the　bye　road。　The　high　road　seems　quiet。〃

Then　Cao　Cao　bade　them　lead　the　way　along　the　bye　road。

〃Where　smoke　arises　there　are　surely　soldiers；〃　remarked　the　officers。　〃Why　go　this　way？〃

〃Because　the　Book　of　War　says　that　the　hollow　is　to　be　regarded　as　solid；　and　the　solid　as　hollow。　That　fellow　Zhuge　Liang　is　very　subtle　and　has　sent　people　to　make　those　fires　so　that　we　should　not　go　that　way。　He　has　laid　an　ambush　on　the　high　road。　I　have　made　up　my　mind；　and　I　will　not　fall　a　victim　to　his　wiles。〃

〃O　Prime　Minister；　your　conclusions　are　most　admirable。　None　other　can　equal　you；〃　said　the　officers。

And　the　soldiers　were　sent　along　the　bye　road。　They　were　very　hungry　and　many　almost　too　weak　to　travel。　The　horses　too　were　spent。　Some　had　been　scorched　by　the　flames；　and　they　rode　forward　resting　their　heads　on　their　whips。　The　wounded　struggled　on　to　the　last　of　their　strength。　All　were　soaking　wet　and　all　were　feeble。　Their　arms　and　accouterments　were　in　a　deplorable　state；　and　more　than　half　had　been　left　upon　the　road　they　had　traversed。　Few　of　the　horses　had　saddles　or　bridles；　for　in　the　confusion　of　pursuit　they　had　been　left　behind。　It　was　the　time　of　greatest　winter　cold；　and　the　suffering　was　indescribable。

Noticing　that　the　leading　party　had　stopped；　Cao　Cao　sent　to　ask　the　reason。

The　messenger　returned；　saying；　〃The　rain　water　collected　in　the　pits　makes　the　ground　a　mire；　and　the　horses　cannot　not　move。〃

Cao　Cao　raged。　He　said；　〃When　soldiers　e　to　hills；　they　cut　a　road；　when　they　happen　upon　streams；　they　bridge　them。　Such　a　thing　as　mud　cannot　stay　an　army。〃

So　he　ordered　the　weak　and　wounded　to　go　to　the　rear　and　e　on　as　they　could；　while　the　robust　and　able　were　to　cut　down　trees；　and　gather　herbage　and　reeds　to　fill　up　the　holes。　And　it　was　to　be　done　without　delay；　or　death　would　be　the　punishment　of　the　disobedient　or　remiss。

So　the　soldiers　dismounted　and　felled　trees　and　cut　bamboos；　and　they　leveled　the　road。　And　because　of　the　imminence　and　fear　of　pursuit；　a　party　of　one　hundred　under　Zhang　Liao；　Xu　Chu；　and　Xu　Huang　was　told　off　to　hasten　the　workers　and　slay　any　that　idled。

The　soldiers　made　their　way　along　the　shallower　parts；　but　many　fell；　and　cries　of　misery　were　heard　the　whole　length　of　the　way。

〃What　are　you　howling　for？〃　cried　Cao　Cao。　〃The　number　of　your　days　is　fixed　by　fate。　Anyone　who　howls　shall　be　put　to　death。〃

The　remnant　of　the　army；　now　divided　into　three；　one　to　march　slowly；　a　second　to　fill　up　the　waterways　and　hollows；　and　a　third　to　escort　Cao　Cao；　gradually　made　its　way　over　the　precipitous　road。　When　the　going　improved　a　little　and　the　path　was　moderately　level；　Cao　Cao　turned　to　look　at　his　following　and　saw　he　had　barely　three　hundred　soldiers。　And　these　lacked　clothing　and　armor　and　were　tattered　and　disordered。

But　he　pressed　on；　and　when　the　officers　told　him　the　horses　were　quite　spent　and　must　rest；　he　replied；　〃Press　on　to　Jingzhou；　and　there　we　shall　find　repose。〃

So　they　pressed　on。　But　they　had　gone　only　one　or　two　miles　when　Cao　Cao　flourished　his　whip　and　broke　once　again　into　loud　laughter。

〃What　is　there　to　laugh　at？〃　asked　the　officers。

〃People　say　those　two；　Zhou　Yu　and　Zhuge　Liang；　are　able　and　crafty。　I　do　not　see　it。　They　are　a　couple　of　incapables。　If　an　ambush　had　been　placed　here；　we　should　all　be　prisoners。〃

Cao　Cao　had　not　finished　this　speech　when　the　explosion　of　a　bomb　broke　the　silence；　and　a　pany　of　five　hundred　troops　with　swords　in　their　hands　appeared　and　barred　the　way。　The　leader　was　Guan　Yu；　holding　his　green…dragon　saber；　bestriding　the　Red　Hare。　At　this　sight；　the　spirits　of　Cao　Caos　soldiers　left　them；　and　they　gazed　into　each　others　faces　in　panic。

〃Now　we　have　but　one　course；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃We　must　fight　to　the　death。〃

〃How　can　we？〃　said　the　officers。　〃Though　the　leaders　may　have　some　strength　left；　the　horses　are　spent。〃

Cheng　Yu　said；　〃I　have　always　heard　that　Guan　Yu　is　haughty　to　the　proud　but　kindly　to　the　humble；　he　despises　the　strong；　but　is　gentle　with　the　weak。　He　discriminates　between　love　and　hate　and　is　always　righteous　and　true。　You；　O　Prime　Minister；　have　shown　him　kindness　in　the　past。　If　you　will　remind　him　of　that；　we　shall　escape　this　evil。〃

Cao　Cao　agreed　to　try。　He　rode　out　to　the　front；　bowed　low　and　said；　〃General；　I　trust　you　have　enjoyed　good　health。〃

〃I　had　orders　to　await　you；　O　Prime　Minister；〃　replied　Guan　Yu；　bowing　in　return；　〃and　I　have　been　expecting　you　these　many　days。〃

〃You　see　before　you　one　Cao　Cao………defeated　and　weak。　I　have　reached　a　sad　pass；　and　I　trust　you；　O　General；　will　not　forget　the　kindness　of　former　days。〃

〃Though　indeed　you　were　kind　to　me　in　those　days；　yet　I　slew　your　enemies　for　you　and　relieved　the　siege　of　Baima。　As　to　the　business　of　today；　I　cannot　allow　private　feelings　to　outweigh　public　duty。〃

〃Do　you　remember　my　six　generals；　slain　at　the　five　passes？　The　noble　person　values　righteousness。　You　are　well　versed　in　the　histories　and　must　recall　the　action　of　Yu　Gong；　the　archer；　when　he　released　his　master　Zi　Zhuo；　for　he　determined　not　to　use　Zi　Zhuos　teaching　to　kill　Zi　Zhuo。〃

Guan　Yu　was　indeed　a　very　mountain　of　goodness　and　could　not　forget　the　great　kindness　he　had　received　at　Cao　Caos　hands；　and　the　magnanimity　Cao　Cao　had　shown　over　the　deeds　at　the　five　passes。　He　saw　the　desperate　straits　to　which　his　benefactor　was　reduced；　and　tears　were　very　near　to　the　eyes　of　both。　He　could　not　press　Cao　Cao　hard。

He　pulled　at　the　bridle　of　his　steed　and　turned　away　saying　to　his　followers；　〃Break　up　the　formation！〃

From　this　it　was　evident　that　his　design　was　to　release　Cao　Cao；　who　then　went　on　with　his　officers。　When　Guan　Yu　turned　to　look　back；　they　had　all　passed。　He　uttered　a　great　shout；　and　Cao　Caos　soldiers　jumped　off　their　horses　and　knelt　on　the　ground　crying　for　mercy。　But　he　also　had　pity　for　them。　Then　Zhang　Liao；　whom　he　knew　well；　came　along　and　was　allowed　to　go　free　also。

Cao　Cao；　his　army　lost；　fled　to　the　Huarong　Valley；

There　in　the　throat　of　the　gorge　met　he　Guan　Yu。