第一小说网

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第126部分（第1页）

〃We　will　pretend　to　be　deserters；〃　said　Bao　Long；　〃and　so　get　among　his　soldiers。　When　you　challenge　him；　we　will　suddenly　catch　him。〃

〃We　shall　have　to　take　some　others　with　us；〃　said　Chen　Ying。

〃Five　hundred　troops　will　be　ample；〃　said　Bao　Long。

So　in　the　night　the　two　men　and　their　followers　ran　over　to　Zhao　Yuns　camp　to　desert。

Zhao　Yun　understood　the　trick　they　would　play；　but　he　called　them　in；　and　they　said；　〃When　Zhao　Fan　tempted　you　with　that　fair　lady；　he　wanted　to　make　you　drunk　and　get　you　into　the　private　apartments　so　that　he　might　murder　you　and　send　your　head　to　Cao　Cao。　Yes；　he　was　as　wicked　as　that　even。　We　saw　you　go　away　in　anger；　and　we　thought　that　would　mean　grave　trouble　for　us；　and　so　we　have　deserted。〃

Zhao　Yun　listened　with　simulated　joy；　and　he　had　wine　served　to　the　two　men；　and　pressed　them　to　drink　so　that　they　were　quite　overe。　When　this　was　done；　he　had　both　bound　with　cords；　called　up　their　followers；　and　asked　them　whether　this　was　real　or　pretended　desertion；　and　they　told　him　the　truth。

Then　he　gave　the　soldiers　wine　and　said；　〃Those　who　wanted　to　harm　me　are　your　leaders　and　not　you。　If　you　do　as　I　tell　you；　you　shall　be　well　rewarded。〃

The　soldiers　threw　themselves　to　the　ground　and　promised　obedience。　Thereupon　the　two　leaders………Chen　Ying　and　Bao　Long………were　beheaded。　Their　five　hundred　troops　were　made　to　lead　the　way　and　act　as　screen　for　a　whole　thousand　of　horsemen；　and　the　party　set　out　at　full　speed　for　Guiyang。　When　they　got　there；　they　summoned　the　gate　and　said　that　they　had　slain　Zhao　Yun　and　had　got　back。　And　they　wished　to　speak　with　the　Governor。

Those　on　the　wall　lighted　flares　and　inspected　those　at　the　gate。　Surely　enough　they　wore　the　uniforms　of　their　own　people；　and　Zhao　Fan　went　out　to　them。　He　was　immediately　seized　and　made　prisoner。　Then　Zhao　Yun　entered　the　city；　restored　order；　and　sent　off　swift　messengers　to　Liu　Bei　who　at　once；　with　his　adviser；　came　to　Guiyang。

When　they　had　taken　their　seats；　the　late　Governor　was　brought　in　and　placed　at　the　foot　of　the　steps。　In　response　to　Zhuge　Liangs　questions；　Zhao　Fan　related　the　story　of　the　proposed　marriage。

Said　Zhuge　Liang　to　Zhao　Yun；　〃But　this　seems　a　fine　project。　Why　did　you　receive　the　proposal　so　roughly？〃

Zhao　Yun　said；　〃Zhao　Fan　and　I　had　just　sworn　brotherhood；　and　so　marriage　with　his　sister…in…law　would　have　called　down　on　my　head　universal　blame。　That　is　one　reason。　Another　is　that　I　should　have　made　his　sister　fail　to　keep　her　dutiful　chastity。　And　thirdly；　I　did　not　know　whether　I　might　trust　such　a　proposal　from　one　who　had　just　yielded　to　force。　My　lord；　your　position　as　a　recent　victor　was　one　of　danger；　and　could　I　risk　the　failure　of　your　plans　for　my　sake？〃

Liu　Bei　said；　〃But　now　that　the　plan　has　been　carried　out；　and　we　are　victors；　would　you　care　to　marry　her？〃

〃All　my　fear　is　for　the　building　of　a　reputation。　Family　can　e　later。〃

〃You　are　indeed　right　honorable；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Zhao　Fan　was　released　and　restored　to　the　governorship。　Zhao　Yun　was　conspicuously　rewarded。

But　Zhang　Fei　was　angry　and　disappointed。

〃So　Zhao　Yun　gets　all　the　praise；　and　I　am　worth　nothing；〃　cried　he。　〃Just　give　me　three　thousand　soldiers；　and　I　will　take　Wuling　and　bring　you　the　Governor。〃

This　pleased　Zhuge　Liang；　who　said；　〃There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　not　go；　but　I　will　only　require　one　condition　of　you。〃

Wondrous；　the　plans　of　the　general；　so　doth　he　conquer　in　battle；

Soldiers　keenly　peting　gain　renown　in　the　fighting。

The　condition　that　Zhuge　Liang　made　will　appear　in　the　next　chapter。

Main　Next　to　Chapter　53　》》

Romance　of　Three　Kingdoms　…　by　Luo　Guanzhong　…　Chapter　53

Chapter　53

Guan　Yu　Releases　Huang　Zhong；

Sun　Quan　Fights　With　Zhang　Liao。

What　Zhuge　Liang　required　from　Zhang　Fei　was　a　formal　recognition　of　responsibility　for　success。

Said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃When　Zhao　Yun　went　on　his　expedition；　he　gave　written　guarantee　of　being　responsible　for　success。　You　ought　to　do　the　same　now　that　you　are　starting　for　Wuling。　In　that　case　you　may　have　men　and　start。〃

So　Zhang　Fei　gave　the　required　document　and　received　joyfully　the　three　thousand　of　soldiers　he　had　demanded。　He　set　out　at　once　and　traveled　without　rest　till　he　reached　Wuling。

When　the　Governor　of　Wuling；　Jin　Xuan　by　name；　heard　that　an　expedition　against　him　was　afoot；　he　mustered　his　officers　and　recruited　brave　soldiers　and　put　his　weapons　in　order　ready　for　the　struggle。　And　his　army　moved　out　of　the　city。

A　certain　secretary；　Gong　Zhi；　remonstrated　with　his　chief　for　opposing　a　scion　of　the　imperial　house；　saying；　〃Liu　Bei　is　of　the　Hans；　and　recognized　as　an　uncle　of　the　Emperor。　All　the　world　knows　he　is　kindly　and　righteous。　Added　to　that　his　brother　Zhang　Fei　is　extraordinarily　bold。　We　cannot　face　them　in　battle　with　hope　of　success。　Our　best　course　is　to　give　in。〃