第一小说网

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第199部分（第2页）

〃I　have　followed　the　Emperor　ever　since　he　left　Changsha；　and　I　have　done　diligent　service。　I　am　now　over　seventy；　but　my　appetite　is　still　good　for　ten　pounds　of　meat；　and　I　can　still　stretch　the　strongest　bow；　and　I　can　still　ride　five　hundred　miles　without　fatigue。　I　am　not　weak　or　worn　out。　But　our　master　has　been　talking　of　old　and　useless　leaders；　and　I　am　e　to　take　part　in　the　fight　with　Wu。　If　I　slay　one　of　their　leaders；　he　will　see　I　may　be　old　but　not　worn　out。〃

Just　about　that　time　the　leading　division　of　the　Wu　army　drew　near　the　camp。　Huang　Zhong　hastily　rose；　went　out　of　the　tent；　and　mounted　to　go　into　the　battle。

〃Aged　General；　be　careful！〃　said　the　generals。

But　Huang　Zhong　paid　no　attention　and　set　off　at　full　speed。　However；　Hu　Ban　and　Feng　Xi　rode　out　to　help　him。　As　soon　as　he　saw　the　array　of　the　enemy；　he　pulled　up　and　challenged　mander　Pan　Zhang　of　the　vanguard。　Pan　Zhang　sent　out　one　of　his　generals；　Shi　Ji；　to　take　the　challenge。　Shi　Ji　despised　his　seed　antagonist　and　rode　lightly　forth　with　his　spear　set；　but　in　the　third　bout　Huang　Zhong　cut　him　down。　This　angered　Pan　Zhang　who　flourished　the　green…dragon　saber；　the　great　sword　of　the　old　warrior　Guan　Yu　which　had　passed　into　his　possession；　and　took　up　the　battle。　These　two　fought　several　bouts；　and　neither　was　victor；　for　Huang　Zhong　was　brimful　of　energy。　His　antagonist；　seeing　that　he　could　not　overe　the　old　man；　galloped　off。　Huang　Zhong　pursued　and　smote　his　army　and　scored　a　full　victory。

On　his　way　back　Huang　Zhong　fell　in　with　the　two　youthful　generals；　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao。

〃We　e　by　the　sacred　mand　to　aid　you　if　necessary。　And　now　that　you　have　scored　so　plete　a　victory；　we　pray　you　return　to　the　main　camp；〃　said　they。

But　the　veteran　would　not。　Next　day　Pan　Zhang　came　to　challenge　again；　and　Huang　Zhong　at　once　accepted。　Nor　would　he　allow　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao　to　e　with　him；　or　accept　assistance　from　any　other。

He　led　out　five　thousand　troops。　Before　many　bouts　had　been　exchanged；　Pan　Zhang　made　a　feint　and　got　away。　Huang　Zhong　pursued；　shouting　to　him　not　to　flee。

〃Flee　not；　for　now　will　I　avenge　the　death　of　Guan　Yu！〃　cried　he。

Huang　Zhong　pursued　some　ten　miles；　but　presently　he　fell　into　an　ambush　and　found　himself　attacked　from　all　sides………Zhou　Tai　on　the　left；　Han　Dang　on　the　right；　Ling　Tong　from　behind；　and　the　erstwhile　flying　Pan　Zhang　turned　to　attack　the　front………；　so　that　he　was　surrounded　and　hemmed　in。　Huang　Zhong　forced　his　way　to　retreat。　But　suddenly　a　great　storm　came　on；　the　wind　blowing　violently；　and　as　Huang　Zhong　was　passing　some　hills；　an　enemy　cohort　led　by　Ma　Zhong　came　down　the　slopes；　and　one　of　the　arrows　wounded　the　veteran　in　the　armpit。　He　nearly　fell　from　his　horse　with　the　shock。　The　soldiers　of　Wu；　seeing　Huang　Zhong　wounded；　came　on　all　together；　but　soon　the　two　youthful　generals；　Guan　Xing　and　Zhang　Bao；　drove　them　off　and　scattered　them。　Thus　they　rescued　Huang　Zhong。

He　was　taken　back　to　the　main　camp。　But　he　was　old　and　his　blood　was　thin；　and　the　wound　gaped　wide；　so　that　he　was　near　to　die。

The　First　Ruler　came　to　visit　him　and　patted　his　back　and　said；　〃It　is　my　fault；　O　Veteran　General；　that　you　have　been　hurt　in　the　battle！〃

〃I　am　a　soldier；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃I　am　glad　that　I　could　serve　Your　Majesty。　But　now　I　am　seventy…five；　and　I　have　lived　long　enough。　Be　careful　of　your　own　safety　for　the　good　of　the　state。〃

These　were　his　last　words。　He　became　unconscious　and　died　that　night。　A　poem　was　written　of　him：

First　among　veterans　stands　Huang　Zhong；

Who　won　great　merit　in　the　conquest　of　Shu。

Old；　he　still　donned　his　coat　of　mail；

And　laid　his　hand　to　the　curving　bow。

His　valor　was　the　talk　of　all　the　north；

Fear　of　his　might　maintained　the　west。

Tardy　he　bowed　his　snow…white　head　to　death；

Fighting　to　the　end………in　very　truth　a　hero。

Huang　Zhong　passed　away；　and　the　First　Ruler　looked　on；　very　sad。　He　made　Huang　Zhong　a　grave　in　Chengdu　and　ordered　an　honorable　burial　there。

〃My　brave　general　is　gone；〃　sighed　he；　〃and　the　third　of　my　five　Tiger　Generals；　and　I　have　been　unable　to　avenge　their　death。　It　is　very　grievous！〃

So　the　Emperor　led　the　Imperial　Guards　to　Xiaoting；　where　he　summoned　a　great　assembly。　He　divided　his　forces　into　eight　parts　ready　for　an　attack　by　land　and　water。　The　marines　were　placed　under　Huang　Quan；　and　he　himself　led　the　land　forces。　It　was　then　the　second　month　of　the　second　year　of　Manifest　Might　Era　（AD　221）。

When　Han　Dang　and　Zhou　Tai　heard　that　the　army　of　Shu　was　approaching；　they　marched　toward　it。　When　near；　the　two　armies　were　arrayed。　The　two　leaders　of　Wu　rode　out　and　saw　the　First　Ruler　riding　out　under　the　great　standard　with　his　staff　about　him。　A　silken　umbrella　splashed　with　gold　was　over　his　head；　right　and　left　were　white　banners；　golden　axes；　and　other　insignia　of　an　emperor。

Then　Han　Dang　spoke；　〃Your　Majesty　is　now　the　Ruler　of　Shu。　Why　do　you　risk　your　life　in　the　battlefield？　It　would　be　most　regrettable　if　any　untoward　event　happened。〃

The　First　Ruler　pointed　the　finger　of　scorn　at　the　speaker　and　said；　〃You　rats　of　Wu　bereft　me　of　my　brother；　and　I　have　sworn　that　you　shall　not　live　with　me　under　the　same　sky！〃

〃Who　dares　plunge　in　among　the　enemy？〃　asked　Han　Dang；　turning　to　those　in　his　train。

Marching　General　Xia　Xun　set　his　spear　and　rode　to　the　front；　and　so　did　Zhang　Bao　with　a　roar　gallop　out　to　meet　him。　But　this　thunderous　voice　affrighted　Xia　Xun；　and　he　sought　to　flee。　Then　Zhou　Tais　brother；　Zhou　Ping；　seeing　that　his　colleague　was　panic…stricken；　flourished　his　sword　and　rode　out　too。　At　once　Guan　Xing　dashed　to　the　front。　Zhang　Bao　roared　again　and　thrusting　at　Xia　Xun　and　unhorsing　him。　This　disconcerted　Zhou　Ping　and　enfeebled　his　defense；　so　that　Guan　Xing　speedily　slew　him　with　a　slash。　Then　the　two　youths　rode　furiously　at　Han　Dang　and　Zhou　Tai。　They　sought　refuge　in　their　battle　array。

〃The　tiger　fathers　have　not　begotten　curs　of　sons；〃　said　the　First　Ruler　with　a　sigh　of　satisfaction。

Then　he　waved　his　whip　as　a　signal　to　fall　on；　and　the　Wu　army　suffered　a　great　defeat。　The　Shu　force　of　the　eight　divisions　was　irresistible　as　a　river　in　flood；　and　the　slaughter　was　immense。

Gan　Ning　was　in　his　ship　ill；　but　he　roused　himself　when　he　heard　the　armies　of　Shu　had　e；　and　mounted　to　go　into　the　battle。　Soon　he　met　a　cohort　of　the　Mang　soldiers。　These　warriors　wore　their　hair　loose　and　went　barefoot。　Their　weapons　were　bows　and　crossbows　and　long　spears　and　swords　and　axes。　And　they　had　shields　to　ward　off　blows。　They　were　led　by　their　own　King　Shamo　Ke。　His　face　was　spotted　with　red　as　if　splashed　with　blood；　and　his　eyes　were　green　and　big。　He　rushed　among　Gan　Nings　troops　wielding　a　spiked　iron　mace　with　bone　pendants；　and　he　had　two　bows　slung　at　his　belt。　He　was　terri