第一小说网

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第142部分（第2页）

They　were　taken　aback。　Ma　Chao　sprang　at　Han　Sui　and　slashed　at　his　face。　Han　Sui　put　up　his　hand　to　ward　off　the　blow；　and　his　hand　was　cut　off。　The　five　drew　their　swords　and　set　on　Ma　Chao　and　his　men；　who　rushed　outside。　Soon　Ma　Chao　was　hemmed　in　by　the　five；　but　he　kept　them　at　bay　by　wonderful　swordsmanship。　And　as　the　swords　flashed；　the　red　blood　flowed。　Soon　Ma　Wan　was　down　and　Liang　Xing　disabled；　then　the　other　three　fled。

Ma　Chao　ran　back　into　the　tent　to　finish　Han　Sui；　but　the　servants　had　removed　him。　Then　a　torch　was　lit；　and　soon　there　was　motion　all　through　the　camp。　Ma　Chao　mounted　his　horse；　for　Pang　De　and　Ma　Dai　had　now　arrived；　and　the　real　fight　began。　Cao　Caos　troops　poured　in　from　all　sides：　Xu　Chu　and　Xu　Huang　were　in　front　and　behind；　Xiahou　Yuan　and　Cao　Hong　to　the　left　and　right。　Meanwhile；　the　Xiliang　soldiers　fought　with　each　other。

Losing　sight　of　his　generals；　Ma　Chao　and　one　hundred　riders　got　to　the　head　of　the　floating　bridge　over　the　River　Wei　just　about　dawn。　There　he　fell　across　Li　Kan　ing　over　the　bridge　with　an　army。　Ma　Chao　set　his　spear　and　rode　at　him　full　tilt。　Li　Kan　turned　down　his　spear　and　fled。　From　behind　Ma　Chao；　Yu　Jin　came　up　in　pursuit。　But　unable　to　get　near　enough　to　seize　Ma　Chao；　Yu　Jin　sent　an　arrow　flying　after　him。　Ma　Chaos　ear　caught　the　twang　of　the　bowstring；　and　he　dodged　the　arrow；　which　flew　on　and　killed　Li　Kan。　Ma　Chao　turned　to　attack　his　pursuer；　who　galloped　away；　and　then　he　returned　and　took　possession　of　the　bridge。

Quickly　Cao　Caos　troops　gathered　about　him；　and　the　fiercest　among　them；　the　Tiger　Guard；　shot　arrows　at　Ma　Chao；　which　he　warded　off　with　his　spear　shaft　so　that　they　fell　harmless　to　the　earth。　Ma　Chao　and　his　troops　rode　to　and　fro　striking　a　blow　wherever　there　was　a　chance；　but　the　enemy　were　very　thick　about　him；　and　he　could　not　force　his　way　out。　In　desperation　he　cut　an　alley　northwards　and　got　through；　but　quite　alone。　Of　his　followers　everyone　fell。

Still　he　kept　on　dashing　this　way　and　that；　till　he　was　brought　down　by　a　crossbow　bolt。　He　lay　upon　the　ground　and　his　enemies　were　pressing　in。　But　at　the　critical　moment；　an　army　came　in　from　the　northwest　and　rescued　him。　Pang　De　and　Ma　Dai　had　e　up　in　the　very　nick　of　time。

Thus　Ma　Chao　was　rescued；　and　they　set　him　on　one　of　the　soldiers　horses；　and　he　again　took　up　the　battle。　Leaving　a　trail　of　blood　in　his　rear；　he　got　away　northwest。

Hearing　that　his　enemy　had　got　away；　Cao　Cao　gave　order　to　his　generals；　〃Pursue　him　day　and　night；　and　rich　rewards　are　for　him　dead　or　alive。　For　his　head　the　rewards　are　a　thousand　ounces　of　gold　and　the　lordship　of　a　fief　of　ten　thousand　families。　If　anyone　captures　Ma　Chao；　the　reward　is　the　rank　of　general。〃

Consequently　the　pursuit　was　hot　as　everyone　was　anxious　to　win　renown　and　reward。　Meanwhile　careless　of　all　but　flight；　Ma　Chao　galloped　on；　and　one　by　one　his　followers　dropped　by　the　way。　The　footmen　who　were　unable　to　keep　up　were　captured　till　very　few　remained；　and　only　some　scores　of　riders　were　left。　They　traveled　toward　Lintao；　a　city　in　West　Valley　Land。

Cao　Cao　in　person　joined　the　pursuit　and　got　to　Anding；　but　there　Ma　Chao　was　still　far　in　advance；　so　he　gave　up　and　returned。　Gradually　the　generals　did　the　same；　all　ing　back　to　Changan。　Poor　Han　Sui；　with　the　loss　of　his　left　hand；　was　an　invalid；　but　he　was　rewarded　with　the　Lordship　of　Xiliang。　Yang　Qiu　and　Hou　Xuan　were　given　noble　ranks　and　offices　in　Weikou。

Then　orders　were　given　to　lead　the　whole　army　back　to　the　capital。　Yang　Fu；　a　military　adviser　from　Liangzhou；　came　to　Changan　to　point　out　the　danger　of　withdrawal。

〃Ma　Chao　has　the　boldness　of　Lu　Bu　and　the　heart　of　a　barbarian。　Unless　you　destroy　him　this　time；　he　will　e　again　and　he　will　be　both　bolder　and　stronger；　and　the　whole　west　will　be　lost。　Wherefore　you　should　not　withdraw　your　army。〃

Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　would　be　quite　willing　to　finish　the　subjugation。　But　there　is　much　to　do　in　the　capital；　and　the　south　is　still　to　conquer。　So　I　cannot　remain。　But　you；　Sir；　might　secure　this　region　for　me。　Do　you　consent？〃

Yang　Fu　did　consent。　And　he　brought　to　Cao　Caos　notice　Wei　Kang；　who　was　made　Imperial　Protector　of　Liangzhou；　with　joint　military　powers。

Just　before　Yang　Fu　left；　he　said　to　Cao　Cao；　〃A　strong　force　ought　to　be　left　in　Changan；　as　a　reserve　in　case　they　be　required。〃

〃That　has　been　already　dealt　with；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。

Contentedly　enough　Yang　Fu　took　leave　and　went　away。

Cao　Caos　generals　asked　him　to　explain　his　recent　policy；　saying；　〃Since　the　first　outbreak　at　Tong　Pass；　O　Prime　Minister；　the　north　bank　of　River　Wei　was　undefended。　Why　did　you　not　cross　to　the　north　bank　from　the　east　of　the　Yellow　River？　But　instead　you　engaged　in　the　attack　of　the　Pass　for　many　days　before　crossing　to　the　north　bank。〃

And　he　replied；　〃The　rebels　first　held　the　Pass。　Had　I　forthwith　taken　the　east　side　of　the　Yellow　River；　the　rebels　would　have　defended　the　camps　one　by　one　and　mustered　at　all　the　ferries；　and　I　should　never　have　got　across　to　the　west　side　（which　was　also　the　north　bank　of　River　Wei）。　So　I　massed　troops　against　Tong　Pass　and　made　the　rebels　guard　the　south　bank　of　River　Wei；　so　that　the　north　bank　was　left　open。　Thus　Xu　Huang　and　Zhu　Ling　could　move　there；　and　I　was　able　later　to　cross　over　to　join　them。　Then　I　made　the　raised　road　and　the　mud　rampart　to　deceive　the　enemy　and　cause　them　to　think　I　was　weak　and　thus　embolden　them　up　to　the　point　of　attacking　without　proper　preparation。　Then　I　used　the　clever　device　of　causing　dissension　in　their　ranks　and　was　able　in　one　day　to　destroy　the　stored　up　energy　of　all　their　forces。　It　was　a　thunder　clap　before　you　could　cover　your　ears。　Yes；　indeed；　the　mutations　of　the　art　of　war　can　be　called　infinite。〃

〃But　one　thing　more　puzzled　us；〃　said　the　officers；　〃and　we　ask　you　to　explain　it。　When　you　heard　the　enemy　was　reinforced；　you　seemed　to　grow　happier。　Why　was　that？〃

〃Because　Tong　Pass　is　distant　from　Xuchang。　If　the　rebels　had　taken　advantage　of　all　defensible　points　and　held　them；　they　could　not　have　been　quelled　in　less　than　a　couple　of　years。　When　they　came　on　altogether；　they　made　a　multitude　but　they　were　not　unanimous。　They　easily　quarreled　and；　disunited；　were　easily　overe。　So　I　had　reason　to　rejoice　that　they　came　on　altogether。〃

〃Indeed　no　one　can　equal　you　in　strategy；〃　said　his　officers；　bowing　low　before　him。

〃Still；　remember　that　I　rely　on　you；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Then　he　issued　substantial　rewards　to　the　army　and　appointed　Xiahou　Yuan　to　the　mand　at　Changan。　The　soldiers　who　had　surrendered　were　distributed　among　the　various　troops。　Xiahou　Yuan　remended　Zhang　Jia　of　Gaoling；　as　his　aids。

So　the　army　returned　to　Capital　Xuchang　where　it　was　weled　by　the　Emperor　in　state　chariot。　As　a　reward　for　his　service；　Cao　Cao　was　given　the　court　privileges　of　omitting　his　distinctive　name　when　he　was　received　in　audience　and　of　proceeding　toward　the　court　without　assuming　the　appearance　of　frantic　haste。　Further　he　might　go　to　court　armed　and　booted；　as　did　the　Han　Founding　Minister　Xiao　He　of　old。　Whence　his　prestige　and　importance　waxed　mightily。

＇e＇　Pei　was　a　small　ancient　state；　homeland　of　Liu　Bang。

＇e＇　East　River　Land　corresponded　to　the　mountainous　region　of